Journal Page Tutorial "Moon, Stars, Hearts & Fairies"

Mixed Media Wall Paper Journal Covers & More

I decided to use some wallpaper I had hanging around.  At one of the meetings for CMMAG group in Raleigh NC, I had gotten some of this wallpaper brought in by one of the members.  This all moved with me to FL and I had it packed away in a hall closet, when I found it again.  I just had to do something with it, so I decided to make journal covers with the pieces.  I think they must have been sample pieces, because the biggest piece is 15x15 inches, but for what I needed they worked great.

I also create some papers for journal covers with Gelli papers and Tyveck Envelopes, which I found the project in Beryl Taylor's book, "Mixed Media Explorations".  I have done a few other projects in her book and have enjoyed her artwork so much that I had to do more.

She works with fabric, papers, beads, sewing and more.  Everything in her book is absolutely beautiful and amazing.  Definitely worth buying if you work in these mediums already or want to expand your creativity into something new.

Well, my friends and fellow creative folks, I hope you enjoy this video.  Please leave a comment if you have any questions or just want to say hello.  I appreciate your feedback very much and would love to hear from you all.

Thank you for watching! xo

The Masquerade Ball

Rita Marie & Susan Play Day!

Having fun and finding Inspiration in New Smyrna Beach!

My gypsy artist partner (friend) Susan Commike is here visiting and we are having a great time... We visited New Smyrna Beach FL yesterday, and found a lovely mermaid hanging out on a front door of a sweet little cottage.  We also found a great little cafe to eat at.   If you are ever hear visiting check this place out.

I love going places that give me great inspiration for some new artwork.  I definitely got some from this place.  The mermaid is so adorable and the little building is so cute.  We would love to turn this into an art studio/gallery.  Check it out!

Mermaid on the front door of the little cottage

Little cottage we would love to make into a studio/gallery!  What fun!

Heavenly Cafe!  Great place to eat!

Delicious Food! The lobster roll was fantastic! 

Great Service!  

We loved this restaurant! Definitely will go back... 

Mixed Media Jeweled Box Class!

Here are some pictures from a fun day teaching!    These ladies did such a great job...  Thank you ladies it was a pleasure to watch you all create these lovely boxes. A special thank you to my friend Susan for helping teach. xo


  Taking a plain little wooden box and turning it to a little gem...

Thank you Claire for the use of your space! xo

Sweet Angel Guide Me

MY NEWEST PROJECT! 

I made this for a group I belong to as an inspirational piece for the entrants.  I thought a video would be a good idea for those artist just starting out and need a little more then just a picture to look at for inspiration.

This was an easy fast piece.  I didn't want to do anything to involved I just wanted something to make me feel good.  I was feeling sad, and I still am, about Robin Williams passing away.  I think we all need a little angel sometimes to help us get through the darkness.  She surely helped me feel better.

I hope this inspires a few of you.  Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy. xo

                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyQlBdGNXHw

Pretty Little Gypsy Boxes

Here are some of the little wooden boxes that I will be using for my class on Saturday the 16th.  I have them all sanded and ready for 2 coats of gesso.  They will be all prepared for my students to pick their colors, paint them, and create their own pretty little Gypsy Boxes.  I just can't wait to see all the lovely creations that they will make.  What fun!

My Gypsy Artist partner, Susan Commike, will be flying in on Friday to stay for a few days, and will be here to help with the class.  I am so excited to see her and to have her here to help.  

ArT FuN DaYs At ThE BeAcH!

Recently I had 6 of my grandchildren over for some beach and pool fun days... I managed to get 3 of them to have some art fun.  We played with my Geli Plate and they made some lovely pictures. They were quite amazed how much fun they could have with this. Even my 12 year old grandson had a blast.  Here are some pics of the lovely artwork they created... also, some pics of Mackenzie and Ellia painting and coloring their stampings.  I just love when they create art because they are always so amazed at their work and really know how to appreciate the art they create.

  Unfortunately as we get older we get so insecure about our artwork and can sometimes be our own worse enemies.  If only we could stay thinking as a child.

We did 2 layers on these sheets and I got them to step out of the box with their color choices.  Especially the little one who really only likes pinks and purples...her roses are amazing.

Clay Tiles for Mosaics

MY NEWEST PIECE OF ART AND INFO ON CREATING IT

I did this with Shiva Oil Sticks...I haven't worked with oil in over 25 years.  I bought the oil sticks years ago for something I was going to do, but you know, I can't remember now what it was.  Well, anyway, I found them and decided to use them.  It was fun to try something different and they were easy to blend.  I do have the blending stick and I wouldn't use them without it, so if you decide to ever use them, remember to buy the blending stick or they are very hard to blend.  This was certainly a very mixed media piece... 

 

What I used for this piece and how I did it.

I sketched her in pencil on water color paper then sprayed her with a workable fixative.  

I then cut up old music sheet paper for hear headdress (cut in feather shapes) and on the wings I used napkins. I just ripped a napkin up in small pieces, layered the papers and the napkins down with Decoupage.  

I then used Golden Fluids Quinacridone/Nickel Azo Gold and Iridescent Gold Deep to color the wings mixed with an acrylic glazing fluid.

The headdress I used Golden Fluids Teal, Quinacridone/Nickel Azo Gold, Hansa Yellow Medium, white Uni Ball 153 gel pen, black Uni Posca Marker,  and cut scrap book paper for the small feathers and flowers. The circles I used a piece of card stock and did a color wash with the same colors I used on the feathers. Then I let the paper dry and cut out circles with my little 1" circle punch, stamped them with a writing stamp and Black StazOn Ink Pad...I then rubbed around the edges with the black StazOn. I wanted to make sure the headdress had some dimension to it, I find if you highlight your paper pieces it pulls them forward.

Her face is done with the Shiva Oil Sticks, Titanium White, Burnt Siena, Yellow Ockre, Fuchsia, and Colorless Blending Stick.  

Eyes...  Shiva Oil Sticks,Viridian Green, Yellow Citron,  Burnt Siena, and black & white 

Uni Ball #153 gel pens.

Hair... Shiva Oil Sticks, Burnt Siena, Raw Umber, Yellow Citron, Yellow Ockre, Colorless Blending Stick, and Titanium White...

Lips... Shiva Oil Sticks, Fuchsia, Burnt Siena, Titanium White, and Colorless Blending Stick.

Dress... Scrapbook paper for her dress, glued down with Decoupage, then I used acrylic glaze mixed with Golden Fluid Iridescent Gold Deep over the paper, and stamped with stamp block and StazOn Ink.

The background was color washed with Golden Fluid Cerulean Blue Chromium and Golden Fluid Iridescent Gold Deep, then I stamp with a block stamper and StazOn Black Ink pad.  I also used some rub-ons I had left over from another project.  Any little doodles and dots and such are done with my Uni Ball #153 Gel Pens...I love them and they seem to go write over all surfaces.  I also used miscellaneous brushes...with the oil sticks you want to use a little bit of a stiff brush.  If you have oil paint brushes on hand that would be helpful.

 I hope this information helps to inspire you.

Thank you! xo

Little Artist Tag Envelopes

I just started selling artist tags on Etsy and I thought how could I make little envelopes for them.  They really can be a gift all by themselves because they are little pieces of art to share.  The only thing was I wanted something more then a little white envelope to put them in so I made my own. You can use these little envelopes for all your tags that you create yourself or if you by another artist's tags.  These envelopes are just so cute and really make a nice place for your tags to rest.  Enjoy!  I hope you all get inspired to make some... Let me know how you like them.

Click the link below and you will go to my video.  Thank you!

    Little Tag Envelopes

                                                             

Thrift Window & Town Corner - Watercolor Art Journal

Thrift Window & Town Corner - Watercolor Art Journal

A New One!

Water Colors and gesso on mixed media paper.  

Check this out! Free Shipping!

Check out my link to the Artist Special at my Society6 Store...  

                                                           Free Shipping! 

Thank you!


                                                                      Society6