Another holiday gift tag!

This tag will be one of the projects at the Holiday Tag workshop hosted by Hive in Gastonia, NC.  December 6th! This tag started with a 3X5 index card that I drew a black line drawing of a holly leaf and berries.  I laid the drawing under the gelli plate so that I could see the design through it.  I used a small paint brush to do a light colored leaf on the gelli plate, then printed.  The next print was a swoosh of another green through the center of the leaf and the third layer was a dark green outline and vein.  Two layers of reds for berries.  Each tag was pulled six times.  Black pen outlining.

More examples of this technique...

Holiday Tag Workshop at the Hive!

I love wrapping presents and making my own holiday gift tags!  This one was made using my 3 x 5 Gelli Plate!  Its the  perfect size Gelli plate for tags and cards.  I will be making a lot more tags, using a mixed media style at my workshop at the Hive in Gastonia, NC on December 6th.

Fall Friends

Working on stuff for a new workshop!  

Using Gelli prints with Sizzix die cuts on wood blocks.

Gelli Buzzzz Workshops!

I am getting ready to teach my first workshops!  Workshop one will be a basic Gelli printing class.  This little project will be the advertisement for my second workshop, how to use those wonderful Gelli prints.  I will be teaching at Hive Supplies for Art and Living, a brand new shop and workshop space in Gastonia, NC.    I am BUZZING with excitement to teach the things I love with new creative friends!

little homes on wheels

Painting along with one of Junelle Jacobson's tutorials...

I tried splatters...should have used a smaller brush!

Watercolor Rust

I am still playing with watercolors this summer.  I came across a picture in Country Living magazine of some old rusty yard tools, ripped it out and stuck it in my "To Paint" folder way back when!  Found the folder last night when I couldn't sleep (which is like every night lately... in the back of my mind, I know that my summer break is coming quickly to an end so I stay up to squeeze in more play time.) I pulled out the little picture and thought I would try to capture the rust in watercolor.  It is done on a 4x6 hot press paper card.  I then used my new photo corners to attach it onto a Gelli printed tip-in page of my art journal.  I am really liking the photo corners..it allows me to take the little paintings out if I choose to.

Week two projects of "Farmer's Market" class...

 My trip to the farmer's market last Saturday was delightful.  There was a man there selling his jars of cucumber pickles.  I didn't get a good picture of his table but I found my source picture in a magazine.

This was a project that taught us about color blocking:  Painting color areas before drawing things. Different and I enjoyed the process!

A little DIY on old curtains.

When we moved, I brought all of my old curtains with me hoping to reuse them.  They were all too short for the rod placement I had in mind.  Pinterest inspired....I added the striped fabric to the bottom of my old white Target curtains.  I had four white panels, bought four yards of fabric at Hobby Lobby with coupon for $13.59, and a roll of printed burlap ribbon.  I measured very carefully three different times to make sure that the seam for the added part would fall in line with the bottom of the window molding.  

Gosh that's a pretty truck!

I have never been so excited to see a truck as I was this morning at 8:20 am!  Pottery Barn furniture has been on my ultimate wish list (probably the never get list) for a very long time.  Down sizing required me to rid my old, big house of a lot of furniture and things we had had for over two decades.  Most things I sold on Craig's List, allowing me to put away some money for a new sofa.  That muscle guy is unloading my slip covered sectional sofa!  Gosh thats a pretty truck! 

Salad Fork!

A fork and some inspiration from an heirloom seed catalog...

Farmer's Market

This is my haul from the Saturday morning farmer's market.  My basket has lemon blueberry pound cake, a loaf of rosemary bread, a pint of blackberries, okra, red potatoes, and a bunch of zinnias.  Love my basket...got it at the natural food shop in Boone several years ago.  I also came home with the back of car filled with some new plants for a shade garden at the new house.  Maddie took lots of pictures at market with her camera and we used those for inspiration to do some watercolor paintings last night. It was a great Saturday!

Cone flowers are blooming in the south!

These bloomed from Gelli printed papers!

Vacation journal pages!

Back to the blog!

Where have I been you ask? Moving!  Just across town, but it really disrupts the creative flow!
Junelle Jacobson's new summer class started yesterday..." Farmer's Market".  My daughter and I sat down together and did the first weeks projects.  We had fun together in our new home's creative space. Here are a few of our watercolors to show from class.

Art Supply Block

I love this block! All the projects are done on pieces of 2x4's. This is the last block project (#6) from Junelle Jacobson's "Saturday Morning Favorite Block" online class.  These six Saturday morning classes have been a delightful way to spend a weekend early morning.  I am already signed up for "Farmer's Market" class she is doing in July!

Momma...

I have been thinking about mothers and daughters and their relationships this week.  As I look back and think about my mother and all the things she did for me, I am merely a reflection of her as I mother to my own daughter and son.  With out her love and example through the decades, I could not be the mother I am today.  My Mom still thinks about me long before I slow down to think about her, including special occasions like this weekend.  My mom sent me a card with some spending money before I even got to a store to pick out a card for her.  But then I realize that I am just following her example because I to am always thinking and doing for the two who come after me.  I guess that defines a good mother... putting your children, their needs, desires, and well being above your own.  I love you momma....Happy Mother's Day!

In my journal this week...

 Her face was a sketch I did in a sketch book.  I copied her and colored her in with markers and colored pencils and Pitt pen.  I cut out her little face and glued it down onto a gelli printed tip-in page.  Finished her out by adding bits and pieces of gelli printed scraps, white correction pen, and smudged charcoal.

I 've been on a bird kick since Junelle's class last weekend!  I used only things that were in my journaling travel bag to do this collage on a gelli printed tip-in.

Saturday Morning Block Class with Junelle: #5

All my blocks from class together.  Just one more Saturday class to come!

House for Sale!

We are on our way to downsizing! 

Our house is on the market! 

Does any one want to move to NC?  

We have a wonderful climate and an abundance of southern charm!