Back to basics - a zentangle inspired card

 Hello friends! I can't believe it's over a month since I last posted. It's a bit rough over here, and this time I wont say it's over until it's over. :) I started my summer vacation yesterday and spent it cleaning my home. Today, I gave myself a completely lazy, just do what you want, day. And part of it was spent by my craft desk with my fineliners and watercolors. Just trying to have some therapy fun. And this is what came out of it.

Just the fact I created something is fantastic. So, I'm happy. :) I made it as a card but  put it on my bulletin board to remind me of how fun it is, and that what ever comes out comes out, so get your bottom down on that chair once in a while! :)

Well, that's it. :) Have a great day and thank you soooo much for stopping by!

GDT Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge Blog

 Today is a special day since it's a: Friday (yay!!!) and b: I'm this month's guest DT over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge Blog. A new challenge is posted today. It is always anything goes, so just create and participate!!! 

I made a super fun project for the occasion, mixing some of my favorite techniques.

I started with a frame and used the backing as my base, adding a book page covered with white gesso. Stamped some silhouette stamps from Darkroom Door.

The background is then painted with watercolors with a layer of stenciled distress oxide speckled egg (such an awesome color!). The bird is from a napkin and I decided to put him on a branch with flowers made out of home made air dry clay. That is such a fun medium!!! I long to have some more time to play with it! :)

The air dry clay is painted with watercolors for a light look. Tried with acrylics on a flower first, but it got too heavy looking for the rest of the project so watercolors it is.

I added a friendship sentiment, stamped butterflies, a bit of shadings  and some splashes of white acrylic paints and called it a day. So much fun to do, and I really like the result. 

I've had a busy time lately and not so much time to create. I mostly work in my private journal when at it, but I hope to be back soon again. Until then stay safe and thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Christmas Card

 Hi! Good to be back crafting after a couple of weeks filled with not so fun stuff. And especially good to be back to SCS Watercolor Wednesday! Today's challenge is making  misted watercoloring with inspiration taken from this youtube video. You mist the stamped watercolor paper and work with fluid color blocks, spilling out of the image. The video is really good and inspiring and I tried. :) I think I was a bit too careful sticking close to the lines and I used a bit too light a color wash to really catch the idea. But I like it anyway. 

I'm a bit behind on my Christmas card making schedule, but this one makes three going on 35... :)

I'm entering this in the Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Papier Mache shrine

 Hope you are having a lovely Sunday! I've spent the morning hours finishing a project I've had in process during the week. As I said in my previous post, I have been bitten by the Papier Mache bug and I've been gluing paper a whole lot lately. It is so much fun. :) I started with a tiny bowl, and my next try is a "shrine". I found these lovely little pieces on pinterest and thought I'd had a go. I'm not using papier mache "clay" - I'm not there yet, so I made a base out of cardboard and glued pieces of paper on it to shape it and make it sturdy.

There are lot's of improvement potential, but I think it ended up real cute. :). Today I decorated it, inspired by the vintage feel and beautiful pink rose on this card. I printed the photo of Alice with a vintage filter and added some twine around the paper rolls to catch the kraft colors.

The shrine is painted with white acrylics and then I decopaged a rose napkin on parts and added some more white acrylic paint to get a faded vintage look. I made the roses the other day with my home cooked air dry clay. It was surprisingly easy to both make the clay and the roses. I used a recipie I found on Youtube. I'll try some non cooking recipie next time, but for now I'm good for a while. Today I painted them with watercolors in pink with a touch of yellow. 

Now my little shrine hangs in my hallway. I just put it there, but I might change the location when I know where I want it. :)

I'm entering this in A Bit More Time to Craft Extra Challenge - always anything goes.

Right now I'm trying to finish a bowl. But it is a struggle. My sweet Alice is in her most social mood...

Thanks for stopping by!

Papier Mache bowl

 I've jumped the rabbit hole of Papier Mache and doubt I'll ever be able to crawl up again. :) So much fun!!! I've taken a first step, finishing a project. A bowl. Super easy. I wanted a little bowl for my scrap desk to store my anti static pouch in. I used the cup of my small thermos as base, it has a cute rounded shape and was relatively small. 

It´s thin and I could have gone a few more layers of paper, but I'm quite happy with it. I painted it black outside and white inside and decorated with punched out circles from a book page I had stamped with doilies. Added two layers of Mod Podge and it was done. Sooooo much fun!!! :)

I'm entering this in Just add ink's - Just add 3D-challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you

 I'm having a wonderful lazy day crafting. I'm working on my first ever papier mache project which I started last night. I've taken turn, while drying my bowl  (I decided to start easy), with some card making. 

I've continued my hunt for crafty supplies in my basement and found some Prickley Pear stamps and dies. I thought I'd sold this one and was happy to find that was not the case. It's a set I used for a card I had published in Paper Crafts years back, so it has some sentimental values. :) Anyway, this card is inspired by today´s featured stamper Martina's lovely card. I kept the bird and a branch theme and chevron pattern for the background and changed the rest. 

I had a lovely time making this card, playing with my inks and paint. And I quite like the result. I'm sending it to my old friend who turns 50 next month and invited me to come for her minimal birthday party. I can't go and she was disappointed, but understood my situation. I feel quite ungrateful, and it was not an easy decision to make. Anyway, a card is going out her way.

I'm entering this in Creative Knockout's theme challenge - Wings and things.

Thanks for stopping by!

Recycled mixed media tag/wallhanger

 Hi! Hope you are having a beautiful weekend! We have a sunny but freezing cold day here. We spent an hour at the driving range and that was more than enough! But that means I got some time to play. :)

I made a tag/wall hanger with recycled items for an earth day challenge over at SCS. I´ve had it in my head since Thursday but didn't find any time to craft until today. So I decided to combine it with the new All Sorts Challenge - three colors of the rainbow. Everything on the tag is recycled except the mediums. The base is a packaging from a cat toy. Loved the shape (and colors, but the had to go) of it.

I also used some corrugated cardboard from a box and printed the butterflies on the blank side of used printer paper. The sentiment is stamped on old book paper.

I also used a piece of the corrugated cardbord as a "stamp" for the background. The background is painted with acrylic paints, and I used some stamps and stencils.

That's it for today. Now we're off for some dinner. Thanks for stopping by!

The perfect letter - art journal spread

One of the fantastic consequences with starting crafting again is that the content of my mailbox (the IRL mailbox that is) has become more diversified. Not only bills anymore, but a card or a letter now and again. Sending cards means recieving cards... The wierd thing is that the crafting part really shouldn´t have anything to do with it, but when I stopped making cards I also stopped sending anything by mail and used the oh so much easier phone communication opportunities instead. But really, how much more fun is it to find something in the mailbox compared to the inbox??? :) No matter if it is a short note on a white paper or a store bought card. That is the theme of my art journal spread.

I doodled a frame and stamped around it and white washed the patterned paper inside with gesso before adding some stamping and watercolors. My journaling is on a letter inside the envelope.

It was fun making this, and the journaling was a meaningful process for me. :) So thank you More than Words Challenge for the theme that made me think and create. I also loooved the sketch! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Wednesday on a Friday

 TGIF! I've had THE worst week ever, but it's soon to be over. Sun is shining and some free time is coming up! :) I've been so busy I didn't even had a chance to do the watercolor challenge earlier. But since I decked out at 9 pm last night I woke up at 4.15 am this morning filled with energy. Still dark outside, the boy (who now is back home) sleeping and some quality me time. 

I loved this challenge - to paint a butterfly or a dragonfly using this tutorial as inspiration. Loved it, loved it, loved it! So loose and stress free, just putting paint on paper. :) I didn´t get the full watercolor effect since I used a book page as my base. It's primed with clear gesso so it works pretty well and I really like the effect. 

I splashed some gold paint that shimmers really nice,, but it was hard capturing it on the photo.

Here is my companion, staying close all the time. Often too close, but today she decided to stay on the shelf.

Have a BEAUTIFUL day! And thanks for stopping by!!!

Mixed media page

 Last night I had a loooong crafty session with my mom over zoom. She has dreamt of learning to paint for a long time, and for Christmas I gave her an acrylic set. She's been hesitant to dig in and "destroy" the white canvases... And since we haven´t been able to meet up nothing has happened. But last night, over zoom, she got hooked. :) 

While she tried out the paints I did a journal page using some watercolors and doodling over a collage of book pages.

I tried to match the colors of the right side of the spread which I did a while back. 

I'm entering this in the Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge Anything Goes:   www.creativeartistemixedmedia.blogspot.com.au 

Now I'm off for a day of birthday celebrations. My partner turns 50 and we will have a calm but really nice day in the beautiful spring weather. Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday card for my man

 Hi! Tomorrow is my partner's birthday. It's really strange but that boy turns 50! I was planning all week to make a very personal and inspired card but it never happened.... But a deadline coming up is the best motivator ever...

It ended up clean and simple but with a lot of layers in his fave color. I have personalized the inside instead. With my words and my present - a golf weekend next  month. I'm sure he will be happy about it. :)

I have had yet another struggle with my cat. She has started to raid my (very small) craft table whenever I sit down and though I lift her down again and again, she returns. I'm getting a bit frustrated, some me time is in order, I think. :)

But she IS cute. :) Have a fab evening and thanks for stopping by!

Thinking of you - watercolor wednesday

 Wednesdays are smy favorite challenge days. I always start Wednesday mornings with a cup of coffee and a look at the new watercolor challenge over at SCS, then spending the day working and longing for the evening when I can have a go. And today was no difference. :) The inspiration youtube video for today's challenge is about painting a lavender field. This video was actually already saved on my account for having a go later. And today is later. Yay. Less yay is that I thought I'd use it for a sympathy card follow up. My friend lost her mother little over a month ago and they had the funeral last week, so I thougt I'd follow up my earlier sympathy card and flowers sent for the funeral with a thinking of you card with a letter in it.

The full painting was a bit much for the occasion, so I decided to frame it and that worked much better. I chose this part to catch the sunlight peeking throug in the left corner, but that meant I also got the more dark part of the painting in the center. So I added som white and orange splashes to lighten it up a bit. I'm quite happy for a first try, and I will paint lavenders again, so much fun and good practice for a more loose painting style.

I used this week's sketch from Tuesday morning sketches. It's a great one!

Thank you for stopping by!

Hey Handsome

 Happy Easter! We've had wonderful days this holiday. Sunshine, golf, lovely food, some wine... just nice! Woke up to a white world today though and I don't feel like snow now. But it is what it is. So, instead of more golf I got me some craft time instead. And that is really great too. 

Today´s Technique lovers challenge over at SCS is called Serendipity Squares and was a hoot! :) You can find the tutorial here. Basically it´s all about tearing scrap paper into small pieces and glue it down on paper and then stamp and color it, making some awesome textured backgrounds or use it for diecuts or what ever. I loved it. But I went a bit heavy with my stamping and adding a bit too much paint so I covered most of the original patterned paper pieces. But I like it anyway. 

I went monochromatic trying for a "masculine" look, making a card for my brother. We haven´t met in over a year (stupid corona again!) and I miss him. So this is a just because kind of card. 

I'm entering this in AAA Cards - Two Quarters, hoping I got the meaning of that. :)

Have a great rest of the day, and thanks for stopping by!

Mixed media Mary Poppins inspired something...

Hello! I've had a quiet day all on my own. These are strange days for sure. But my partner is showing up with his golf bag tomorrow for a couple of days of out door activities and good food. That will be nice. So, today I cleaned my awfully neglected home, played with my cat and had fun with my inks, paints and sprays. This is what I did:

I loved this month's Mixed Media Academy's mood board and colors and went all in trying my best with the stuff I have. 

I had so much fun adding layer after layer after layer.... Need to learn when to stop, though. I also need to learn to put the lids on my bottles when done with them. I made a mess out of my newly cleaned craft corner when overturning a bottle of spray ink, lid off, all over my desk and had it dripped down on the floor. Oh my, the only thing coming out of that alive was my journal. Small blessings!!! After hysterical wiping and back to crafting I noticed my hand...

This is after trying to clean it. I suspect it will stay for a while... Well, I'm a mess. I've been a mess for almost 50 years and I guess that will not change. I'm happy about most of my page, the layers turned out quite nice. I'll propobly add som personal journaling about my process of learning to accept my quirks and being different (which is not always easy where I live, trust me!). 

Take care and thanks for stopping by!

Watercolor Wednesday - oh my!

 Hi! Today´s watercolor challenge was to do a no line stamping and watercoloring and add abstraction (here is the inspiration youtube video). 

Well, it´s been a struggle, I tell ya! I went through every single stamp pad I own to find the lightest one and I tried out a couple. Didn´t work. Not light enough, whatever I did, the lines showed up. Finally I had to do with my clear ink for embossing. It´s quite thick, so it had a shine for a while so I had to work really fast to find the basic lines. So that is what I did, using fairly easy stamps. Once done coloring, I realized that the image in my head didn´t really match the mood of the result. It turned out a bit scary in my own opinion. Running woman in red dress in the dark.... Well... And THEN I got the brilliant idea to add some splatter to spice it up a bit and maybe make it more whimsical. And used RED (in my head to catch the color of the dress)... Let´s say it´s not my brightest idea ever. Looks like blood... THEN I added some black splashes to counter the red.... And then is when I simply gave up. :)

Oh my! But with the amount of agony and time spent on this, I might as well document it on my blog for rememberance of miserable failures. I'll even tag this post as just that. :) I will not mail this for my friend as planned, I'll send her the card I did the other day instead for the featured stamper challenge (using this card as inspiration).

Well, bed is waiting, I'm exhausted. Take care! :)

Mixed media journal page

Monday - not my favorite... But I have a page that is all about favorites to share. I saw the prompt over at Mixed Media Academy for March "Life is an art, live yours in colors" and thought I´d make a page about what makes my life joyful.

Colors, watercoloring, doodles are some of the most important things for me to light up my life in these very strange times, so I incorporated that in my page. 

Usually I write a lot on my pages, but this time I thought I'd let the colors and the techniques speak for themselves. So I added a lot of watercoloring and doodling, som stenciling with modeling paste and spraying with favorite colors - green and blue. I also added some yellow as a contrast and as my third color from the color challenge. That´s it. :)

Thanks for stopping by, I'm returning to zoom...

Mixed media postcard

 Hi! Mid week already! Time flies by so fast! I try to remember to seize the day, but I´m too often in either the past or in the future forgetting the now. So with that in mind, and hughly inspired by the More than words challenge - incorporate seize -  I made a card for an old friend who I share loads and loads of good (and bad) memories with also saying to us both to seize the day.

I just had some fun, collaging old papers, painting with acrylics, inking with oxide inks, stamping, splashing and what not. :)

I used the lovely sketch from Tuesday morning sketches for my over all design.

Short and quick post on my coffee break, now it´s time to head back. Have a beautiful day and thanks for stopping by!