ATC Die Cut Holder

Betsy at Innovative Stamp Creations has these neat die cut ATC Boxes and I finally got to play with one today :)

All stamps are Innovative Stamp Creations.

I used that perfect resist that I love so well......and stamped the crackle image with it. Brayered over it, spritzed it with water and wiped off the excess water. I ironed it flat.....then assembled the box and added the other stuff to it. I added some velcro to it so it will close nicely. These little boxes are perfect for keeping your ATC's in :)

Wednesday Stamper: Purple

I did up a quick atc as my contribution for Wednesday Stamper for the "purple" theme.

I was in the mood to use Inkastamp's Gyotaku fish again :)

For the background I used that Perfect Resist stuff that I love so well :) Its available from I Brake For Stamps by spritzing a bit onto the atc after I stamped the fish, then sponged color over the background after the resist solution was dry.

Erica

Here's another sample I just finished for Inka Stamps

The main image is Erica-isn't she cute?

Gyotaku Fish

I just got this fish image and asian text from Inka Stamps.

I LOVE this fish! Its Gyotaku Fish and I see lots of possibilities with this guy!

I made the background on heavy watercolor paper with gesso and layers of 3 different acrylics.

thank you

Thank you for the kind comments about my recent post about taking a break :)
I am getting back on track..........changed my diet completely.........got through my hump of giving up the pepsi and the sugar and am eating about every couple hours to keep my blood sugar up. I have a ton more energy now and my brain doesn't feel fuzzy anymore! It is still hard walking past the chocolate and cookies and all at the store.......its taking some MAJOR willpower to not put them in the cart. I am back at the gym too, and in a week I already lost 5 pounds. I am not severely overweight but for me, I am a little and I don't like it. I am just amazed at how sugar just made me drag like it did..........ugh!! Hypoglycemia is just the pits. What scares me more, though, is getting diabetes. I don't want it!

TMTA: Texture Effects

So I am a day late for TMTA-oh well!LOL It was fun doing this up this morning........lots more texure on this than the show scans. layers of gesso and paint, copper metal mesh and eyelets, and lots of sanding here :)

Stamps are from I Brake For Stamps.

The Pulse: Playing Favorites

Be sure to check out The Altered Page blog this week! Each artist involved personally picked the artwork featured and told why its their favorite piece. I picked a couple of favorites and they are there :)
Its here:
http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2009/03/playing-favorites-face-to-face.html

There are going to be all sorts of artworks there......assemblage, book arts, etc. so be sure to check it out! Amazing eye candy!

Still here, just feeling blah

I am still here............sorry for not posting anything much the past few days. I had an incident happen last week that scared me...........health related. I have hypoglycemia anyway so I need to make some changes. I have been consuming WAY too much junk and just not eating well-so I have decided to give up on sugar and also to eliminate my Pepsi. I am sure my body is going haywire right now! I have no energy, I feel depressed and other symptoms too-all of these I am sure due to sugar withdrawal. Its NO fun but I have to do this. I know there are good days ahead..........I just need to stick with my plan.
I will be back soon-hopefully in the next few days.

Mixed Emotions on selling artwork & I got an award!

Today was the Artists Reception for the Art show-I won a Purchase award for my "Solace!" How fun !! It was even for the piece I Agonized over...........I almost did not take that piece.
While I was down the street for the awards ceremony, I went back to the gallery to find that My
"Wayland's Watching" had sold. Wow! The show only opened officially yesterday.
There is something about selling a piece.......I have felt this way every time. Such a part of me goes into my artwork. Its hard to let my artwork go.........but at the same time, its such a humbling thing to know that people like my art enough to pay for it!LOL Its hard to describe, really. This past year I feel I have grown tremendously as an artist. I have done lots of experimenting and have gained more confidence. I learned a little more about the people who bought my art-its kind of cool to sort of "get to know" these people. The lady who purchased My "Solace" owned a gallery of her own, and as far as I have learned, is an art dealer. Wow! I am just so flattered. The lady who purchased my art today, is a great artist. She's been in many shows herself and has had art in quite a few galleries nationally. So, talk about being humbled. Its just so flattering to have these people , who have "been around the block" in the art world purchase my artwork. What an honor that is.

ISC Eiffel Tower

I did this last night to send to Betsy at ISC

I have a whole bunch of stuff to send her......been working on this stuff for a while but I am almost done :)

All stamps are ISC

Theme Thursday: Torso-Mannequin

This week's theme at Theme Thursday is Torsos!!

I used the Torso template from Mirkwood and cut this out onto

Linen cardstock. I used that wonderful Perfect Resist on this one (yes, I am addicted)

and sponged on Distress inks in pink and orange.

Images are from Inkastamps

Unfortunately the scan looks much more orange than pink, which is not so with the original :(

Sigh.........more fun with perfect resist LOL

This time I used alcohol inks with this stuff! Amazing:) I used the resist on the Flourish then applied the alcohol inks.

Flourish stamp by Quietfire, other Stamps by I Brake For Stamps

more fun with perfect resist

Had to do another quick one!

I used a "Mini Mister" with this Perfect Resist solution inside and sprayed it on the glossy cardstock, after I stamped the Audrey Image. I then sponged Adirondack inks on it and blended them. Then I stamped the other images over that.

Fun Stuff!

Images by Stampinback, text background by Time To Stamp, available from I Brake For Stamps

Fun with Resist

I haven't done much stamping lately.......so it was fun to play around today. I got ahold of some "Perfect Resist Solution" from Stampinback (out of the Netherlands) yesterday. I LOVE doing resist backgrounds and I am really impressed with this stuff! Its a liquid-you sponge it on lightly ( a little goes far) on your image then stamp it-let dry for a bit, then brayer or sponge your ink over that. I got to thinking about things laying around the house. I tried this stuff also with some sequin waste as well as a sea sponge. The possibilities are endless with this! I am not done......I have some more ideas using this wonderful product as well.

Anyway, here are the ATC's I have done today with this product.

I most did the backgrounds before stamping, but the Audrey ATC I stamped first, then created then did the resist technique and sponged over that.

All Images I used here are available through I Brake For Stamps

Photo Image

Here's a free photo image for you to use from my personal collection of imagery!

This is for personal use only-use it for your artwork!

I would love to see what you do with her :)

Wooohooooooooooooooooo!!

Got Gillian's surgery done-she did great. She actually was making everyone laugh-it really eased my stress. It was like one big adventure for her LOL Other than being groggy and a bit sore, she's doing good
I came home to some very happy mail today! All 3 of my art pieces were juried in to that art show! Yippeeeeeee!! The reception is Sunday :)

no art for a few days :(

I had meant to do some art yesterday but alas, I was so nervous yesterday and trying to get some things done. Today is Gillian's ear surgery. My nerves are just awful today! I know its SO routine and they do these probably every day, but with all she's been through in her life, one thing is she has never "gone under" before. Its some psychological thing, going under. Plus, her surgery is at 11:30, so by the time the surgery rolls around she will be over 12 hours without any food or drink. ACK!! I am taking a bag loaded with her favorite snacks so when she wakes up she can pick whatever she wants.
Thought I would get some artsy stuff done this morning but I am just shaking! The pepsi I drank is probably not helping!

Send us some good thoughts today!

Juried Art Show Submissions

Thought I would share the art I submitted today for a juried art show.

I had two picked but was torn between two other pieces for my third. I asked a group of artists I admire and they helped me choose the third piece, which was "Solace" that I had created back in Oct/Nov. I just went with the majority :)

Anyway, fingers (and toes!) crossed that I get in this show! :) Now the most agonizing part of all this.........waiting! I HATE waiting!!LOL I guess I will just have to stuff my face with my favorite, Cadbury Mini Eggs while I wait........sigh...........

My favorite FAVORITE piece ever.........is California Girl. I put SO MUCH work into this one, and she came out better than I imagined :) I started this piece about a year ago, and lost interest, so I set her aside. Picked her up again last week and finished her. I am glad I did :)

I figured out this piece probably took me about 18 hours to complete.........possibly more.

Next one, Wayland's Watching (which I had the contest to name him, remember?)

Third one, Solace.

All pieces are on canvas.

Something else fun today, at Take-In at the show, I met Cindy, one of my blog readers :)

Nice to meet you, Cindy!

See It Say It Saturday!

See It, Say It Saturday on ZNE-My response

One of our challenges as being a designer on ZNE is to create art in response to someone else's work. Well this week its my own :) Its My "Crowmatic" piece from about a year ago (on the bottom). Its actually one of my favorite pieces so it was fun to create a sort of "Sequel" to it.

The piece I created for this is "Monocrowmatic" and made of all tones of blue. What a challenge it was to create a piece in all one color! I am really happy with how it turned out! It is 6x12 on canvas.

I used acrylics, handpainted and handmade papers as well as an old ledger page on this.

On one of the papers that was plain dark blue , it just needed something so I used a circle stamp from Inkastamps to add something to it-it worked out perfect!

My humble beginnings at collage art

I have been thinking about recently about the first collage I ever did (years ago!). I still have it, and have it framed. I remember how excited I felt when I finished it. I even got it juried into an online art show! This is an 8x10 on watercolor paper. I still love it, to this day. I took it out and scanned it to share today, since I did no art today. I have a terrible sinus headache and have been running around all day :( Bought some new art stuff today but just no time to use them, darn it! Ah well........I think a break is okay, because I have been doing loads of art lately!

I am torn at the moment......I have 4 nice looking collages on canvas here for the art show, and can only take 3. I know 2 that I am definitely taking, so I am now having to choose between the other two. ugh! I wish I could take all 4 to make it easier. I love them all!

So far have gotten some input but its about 50/50. That makes it harder!LOL

Very productive day

Whew-I am wiped! I finished yet another collage piece today............this one is for ZNE and you will get to see it on Saturday-its for See it Say It Saturday :) I like it so well I am going to

take it for the art show this weekend!

I did an image transfer to a piece of loose canvas today, using a Collage image from Inkastamps

I did something up with it :) Its not the greatest scan, but you get the idea :)

Her images transfer beautifully to canvas! As usual, I LOVE the little imperfections of image transfers.......YUM!

Award

I was nominated twice for this award by Renea and Mary Beth

Thank you!!

I was just nominated a couple weeks ago too -thanks so much!!

I am glad I can make someone's day :)

an ATC

You won't see me using collage images very often (I mostly use my own images) ..........but today I just felt like it 'cos an image I had went well with this background! I used the magazine and Nevrdull technique. Image is one of Bernie Berlins that I have had for several years. I just hoard stuff, ya know!

Anyway, I do like how it came out :)

Created By Hand Challenge:Spritz Spray or Splatter

For this challenge I had a little fun with the Adirondack Color Wash Sprays! I crumpled up some Deli paper, lightly spritzed with water, and sprayed away :) I dabbed a bit of paper towel on to blot the ink. I blew my heat tool on it to speed dry it, then sprayed it with a bit of gold webbing spray, as I wanted it to have a more "handmade paper" sort of look. When I use Suzanne's beautiful calligraphy stamps, I try to make these cards simple, to not take away from the elegance of her calligraphy :)

The scan really does this no justice-the colors don't show up quite a nicely.

ISMAKI Challenge #9

Sketches are certainly challenges for me LOL But I sure like to do them.

Here's this weeks ISMAKI Sketch along with what I did with it. All Stamps Time To Stamp

Think Monday Think ATC: Triptych

This weeks challenge over at TMTA is Triptychs!

This was a bit of a challenge...have never done a triptych one before-have wanted to for a while though! I've seen these attached together in interesting ways-I used Gaffer's tape (7gypsies) to attach mine here. Love that stuff and this gave me a great reason to use it!
All Stamps are Time to Stamp (as you know those are very close to my heart )except the flourish, which is from Quietfire Design

I was in the "bird" mood today :) Backgrounds are made using Tim's wonderful distress inks on glossy paper.

Yael Naim

I LOVE this song! Tim Holtz was playing this at his class too, and I didn't know who sang this until today. Normally I don't listen to this kind of stuff, but I am loving this.......think I may need to get her CD!

He has a name!!

Oh MY Goodness..........the response to my previous post was overwhelming!LOL
I had some wonderful suggestions.........it was so hard to choose!! Thanks to everyone who
suggested names! The name I chose is "Wayland's Watching" suggested by Carmen
Carmen, shoot me off an email to kristydoesart@gmail.com with your mailing address so I can get the goodies in the mail to ya!

lots of art lately!

and you know what...........I am exhausted! Mentally, mostly! I have several pieces for the art show-I have two picked and need to pick one more but I am sort of torn........so I have asked a few friends to give me their opinions on the others, and what THEY think I should take.
I finished one yesterday but I am not ready to share it on my blog yet. And, I still need to name that one collage piece too-but my poor brain is so tired that I need to give it a rest.
Thanks to everyone who has given me the name suggestions-they are SO cool! Its going to be hard to pick, but that is something I want to get done tomorrow :)
Wish i had some art to share today, but I can't show it yet........this week I should be able to do some more fun , not so serious stuff. I like to do non-serious and I think it will be good for me this week!