Friday 17 December 2010

The final two

I am pleased to say that I have finished my last two of the 12 Tags of Christmas inspired by Tim Holtz.

Tag 11

Tag 12


I've also made the 6 tags for the December tag swap on UKS so they will be in the post to the swap organiser on Monday.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

In no particular order ....

the tags I made at the 12 Tags workshop with Anneliese at Artist Trading Post.   We made 6 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday using a variety of techniques.   Lots of fun and chat.  Plus lovely lunches provided by Sharon and Jamie.   Thank you Anneliese, Sharon & Jamie.









On Monday I went to LB Crafts to take my first workshop with Lin.   This was an intensive day.  I've never been to a workshop that was so quiet.   Not because we were being unfriendly but because we were concentrating so hard.   Well worth it for the result.   Thank you Lin.



Tuesday 14 December 2010

Blog candy

I spent a fabulous 3 days crafting - Saturday and Sunday at Artist Trading Post with Anneliese making 12 Christmas Tags.  Yesterday I spent with Lin at LB Crafts making a beautiful metal panel.  Photos to come soon.

Have a look at what Lin is offering as a giveaway here.

Friday 10 December 2010

Art Journaling with Marit

So, having not blogged for ages - here's the second in one day!!!

I finished a second art journaling workshop with Marit.  This one was called Mixed Emotions.   She has another workshop which she may be putting on next year if enough people sign up - so why don't you give it a go? 

From Marit's blog/shop:
If you love art journaling and are eager to learn some art history along the way, this is the workshop for you! In 12 lessons you will be introduced to 12 different art periods in time. Each lesson concentrates on a specific art period, handling the characteristics and showing the artists and highlights. Every lesson comes with multiple prompts - inspired by the specific period/art - from which you can choose which one suits you best.


Front Cover

Back Cover

Anger

Confidence
This is supposed to be a self portrait but it doesn;t look much like me!  At least it does look human though.


Courage


Fear

Hate


Inspiration


Joy


Love


Sadness


Solitude

Tim Holtz inspired 12 Tags of Christmas

All over the world there are crafters who log on to the Tim Holtz blog for the first 12 days of December.  Each day Tim gives the instructions on how to make a tag.   Some people make exact copies, some just use the techniques as inspiration for their own tag.  I suppose mine are a mix of the two depending on whether I have the tools and art materials that Tim has used.  I have tried not to buy too many new things but I think Artist Trading Post and Scrap Revolution are probably fairly happy!!!

Tag 1


Tag 2


Tag 3


Tag 4


Tag 5


Tag 6


Tag 7


Tag 7!!!
This was supposed to be a poinsettia tag.  However I didn't read the instructions properly.  The tag was embossed the wrong way round so I put it to one side.  Then I made the tag above and really liked it.   When I realised it looked nothing like Tim's I read the instructions again.  Then tried again.   I didn't finish it because I don't like it.  I'll have to have another go when I feel less pressured.  (No idea when that will be :) )


Tag 8


Tag 9


Tag 10


The reason I've been able to catch up today and blog (without feeling guilty about other stuff I should be doing ~ like going to work!) is that I'm waiting for some parcels to be delivered for church.   They are supposed to here by noon today.  There's 4 minutes left!!!

Monday 25 October 2010

More online courses

Yesterday I thought I ought to take stock of what I have committed myself to for the next few weeks.   And true to form, I have signed up for four online courses.  Marit's Mixed Emotions started last week and here is the first lesson completed.




Today Dina Wakley's 'Art Journaling 103' started as did Shimelle's 'True Stories'.   I'm already part way through a 'More Handbound Art Journals' course from My Creative Classroom ~ well, the course is part way through ~ I have only downloaded the instructions!

I'm also considering doing another art journaling course called 'Journal Your Dreams'.  Fortunately three of the first four are over by then and the fourth will only have a couple of days left.   That's assuming that I keep up to date with any or all of them!!!

So I'd better get on.  Need to read Shimelle's prompt and get writing!

Tuesday 31 August 2010

Learn Something New Every Day

Where has the summer gone?   Not just the weather, but the time!    I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I was last on here.

Still I'm back.  Tomorrow brings the start of Learn Something New Every Day with Shimelle.  I first signed up to this in 2008 and finished the whole month.   In 2009 I did the title page and didn't get any further.

I love online classes and I sometimes finish them.   Over the summer I started 52 Card Pickup and @home with Claudine on Big Picture Scrapbooking.  The former has finished although I haven't!   Claudine's class is continuing for another 3 weeks and I'm already 2 weeks behind.

I have signed up for a few others as well.  But more about them as September continues.   I suspect that by the time we're half way through September one of my LSNED pages will be about taking on too much.

I have done some real life classes during the summer as well including an Altered Book workshop with Anneliese.  

 I'm really taken with the idea of altering books - once I got over the panic about tearing pages out of perfectly good books!   I am well on the way to finishing one altered book (not the one in the photos!) and I decided to do my Learn Something New pages in an altered book instead of scrapbooking like last time. 

I've torn the pages out, glued pages together, painted with gesso and inked.   I've even done the cover.   

So, roll on tomorrow.

Friday 11 June 2010

Arty Crafty Cyber Party

My friends on heART&soul are hosting a Cyber Party over the weekend.  It's our very first cyber event.  If you like to knit, sew, make cards, scrapbook, paint, art journal you may like to have a look firstly at our website: heART&soul and then join our forum where the party is taking place.


I was hoping to play at the party but had the opportunity to come to Florida - so here I am in the Sunshine State - and it's sure living up to its reputation.  Brilliant sunshine and 84 degrees or more.

Sunday 6 June 2010

Art Journaling 301

So having decided to look at what I had already subscribed to with Dina Wakley, I found that although I already had AJ101 and AJ201, she has brought out AJ102 and AJ301. You may have noticed from earlier blogs that I am somewhat addicted to online courses and so of course I had to buy the two courses I hadn't got!!!!!

This time however I was really hooked by AJ301. This is starting an Art Journal from scratch. So for the past few days that's what I've been doing. Just in case I didn't like what I was making I used quite cheap paper which it turned out was not such a good idea! (Keep reading to find out why!)

I tried to stick closely to what Dina was saying in her videos and pdf classes but happily I did wander off a bit - used Distress Inks instead of paint - and have ended up with something similar but not exactly the same. However I've learned a great new technique and when I have the time I shall have another go with other colours and motifs.


The idea was to write my own thoughts and feelings in this journal but I was in a hurry to finish it so instead I used some Unity stamps - Brave Girl - and a set called Quote Bundle, which I bought from Make the Day Special.    The Brave Girl stamps are designed by the same people who have the Brave Girls Club website and send daily emails that are absolutely great.


The difficulty with using cheap paper came when I was sewing the book together.  The spines (or signatures) ripped really easily.   So I will have another go but with better paper.


My reason for getting this finished quickly is that I found a really cheap flight to Florida so I am off on Wednesday for a week to stay with friends.