Tuesday, Tea and a Tutorial

Good Morning Tuesday !

 On Tuesdays several bloggers link up with Elizabeth to share what ever is going on in their lives. The rules are simple ... and bendable ... . 

There is a link to her blog at the end of this post,

 so you can get more info if you would like to join us.

I have a few loyal followers on instagram

 and one of them has asked that I share the steps I used to make this.  

It's a 5x7 collage on Strathmore, 140 lb mixed media paper

As many of you know, I like to make copies of my art. 

Recently I made these four cards for a swap.

I made several copies.  I enlarged them in two sizes.

 I started with an old 5x7 piece that just 

wasn't working out the way I wanted

so I tore out parts of a copy

 .

 and using my favorite medium,  Water Soluble Varnish, 

I layered it in the center .

 Then I scraped a thin layer of gesso over it

 to add depth and soften the color

 next I added a heart that was cut from the copy

 then I added the word "grateful"

 The edges were a bit bland

 so I used Inktense Pencils to add color

 the pencils are loaded with pigment 

so it a little bit goes a long way

 next I used a small brush to add water to 

the pencil and puled the color toward the center

 I used red, bright blue, and violet in several areas around the edge

 The white squares were bothering me

 so I used the colored pencils again to add color

 I used bright blue inktense around the word. 

and added drips and dribbles

 Then I added some detail with a black  Micron 01 pen

I added more color to the heart

 I used a micron pen to outline the heart

 and a Sharpie to define the edge of the card

 I used bright blue to add "drips" from the top edge. 

I thought I might be done .

But the bottom right was bothering me

 So I used gesso on the edge of a folded scrap of junk mail 

 I usually use an old credit card

 but I had no idea where they were....

 hmmmm... need to straighten up a bit around here.

 I just added the gesso by gently tapping.

 Now it's finished.  

I think I'll make 3 more for Sandie's Happy Art Swap

So

What's in my mug?

Land o Lakes Raspberry Hot Cocoa !

Love it on a cold day like today.

  

Thank you to Carolyn for asking for the tutorial.  

Thank you to Elizabeth for providing the link up for us every Tuesday. 

Thank you to Leah for hosting Art Every Day Month.

And if you read this post to the end. . .

Thank you

I am truly grateful.

Marianne

Art Every Day Month

Today is November 1st and that means it's time for Art Every Day Month.

 I tried this a few years ago and didn't make it the 

whole way to the end of the month. 

I am creative everyday but I don't post on my blog everyday.

The hours just slip away to quickly.

This year I am going to try something new. 

Instead of trying to write a blog post everyday

 I will post daily on Instagram and then post a weekly catch up here. 

 The thing I like most about Art Everyday is that it can be anything at all...

even unfinished projects.

I do tend to leave a trail of unfinished projects.

anyway...

You can click on this badge to get more information about Art Every Day Month.

I'll start the month off with a knitting project I started last night while 

visiting my daughter and her baby. I am knitting this in the round 

and using up a bowl full of leftovers.

 I am just knitting along without a pattern.

 changing color as I go and changing direction too. 

 I am adding areas of color here and there by not going the whole way around. 

 I tried a few stitch patterns but the only one I liked enough to not rip it out is this seed stitch. 

I am excited to see how this turns out. At this point it can be a cowl 

. . .  or . . .

if I close up one end and add straps it can be a bag.

we'll see

Marianne

fear no color

I think I used all my colors on these Art Cards.   

They are on their way to Sandie as a part of the monthly swap. 

I am terribly late this month. I can't seem to catch up. 

 October was supposed to be a smooth sailing month. 

Babies sure do have a way of altering the fabric of a family.

The cards are a combination of collage and watercolor.

 I used Tim Holtz tissue wrap over a gelli plate background

 and then I just allowed the rest to flow. A little water color, 

a little stamping, and a little colored pencils . . .   

some gesso  . . . 

oh and I even managed to schmear on some gelatos . 

 I added a bit of detail with a very fine pitt pen.       

The cards still don't feel finished to me, but they are in the mail so.. 

well... they are finished.   

 I made several color copies of them so 

you'll bee seeing these hearts again in more projects.  

Have a great weekend !  

Marianne

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, Tea and my rant about Turtles

Good Morning Tuesday !

sorry , no tea.
 But there is a teacup.

Something has been bothering me lately.

What if you were walking across the street, 
on your way to Starbucks and someone 
grabs your arm and quickly ushers 
you out of the way of an oncoming truck?
 Whew. close one. 

But.

What if you were walking across the street,
on your way to Starbucks and someone grabs your arm,
 picks you up and placed you in a box . . .
 then plopped you down in the next county. . .
in the middle of nowhere without a map.  

My point?
 . . .  and the reason for this post . . . 
 

If you see a turtle crossing the road. take note of 
the direction it is traveling . . .
 then pick him up and move him out of harms way. . .
to the other side of the road. . .
pointing in the same direction.  
Believe it or not ... he knows where he is going.

Helping him get to the other side of the road is a good thing.

 BUT STOP THERE

 If you pick him up and take him to the nearest 
pond or stream you might have just removed 
him from his home territory and the safety of his den. 
A turtle territory is not that large, usually a few acres. 
    Oh, and what if that pond or stream is home to a heron? 

    ... you just delivered his next meal.

 that heron sure is grateful. 

 But the turtle isn't. 

Box turtles have a natural homing instinct 
that causes them to return to their birth place. 
If you move the turtle out of his territory 
he will find his way home, but may encounter 
many dangers along the way.

So please,
the next time you see a turtle crossing the road. . . 

 help him get across safely. 
Point him in the same direction , admire him , 
take a few pictures and walk away. 
 He'll be so grateful.

Thanks for listening.

Marianne

Linking to Elizabeth for her T stands for Tuesday link party.

Silent Sunday

Hello September

One thing leads to another. 

Way back in March? or April?  I enrolled in an online Art Journal / Mixed Media course called 21 Secrets.  

 I have been watching the videos and following along quietly. I haven't actively shared my work because ,  well,  

 time. 

There is never enough time to take the photos ,

 upload them, tweak them and share them.   

 I have been getting better at sharing on Instagram. 

And I have joined several groups on facebook too. 

 Posting photos here on my blog takes more time. 

And I need that time to do other things.   

Walk dogs, feed dogs, brush dogs, play with dogs, quilt, paint, stitch, knit, cook, hubby time, daughter time, son time, and friend time. 

 Oh and lets not forget shopping. 

There's a lot of shopping going on too.   

Anyway    back to the 21 Secrets.   

As a part of the class I have met some of the most talented people on the planet.  The inspiration has been overwhelming at times. 

One of the talented souls is Kate. 

Now I have seen her on the net before but never had time to get to know her and her work. I have been watching her Art Journal Calendar posts and have wanted to join in. 

This is my first calendar page. 

I hope to be able to create these every month.   

We'll see. 

The stack of white folded pages are for future months. I have started to paint the backgrounds and will be binding them together to form a journal. 

I used gesso to create the spaces for the days. 

rubber stamp  / Tim Holtz

I seem to have joined quite a few 

quilt challenges that are due this month.

so this months page will have a sewing theme.

I will work on this as the days go by 

and hopefully I will have a completely filled in page 

by the end of the month as well as 

a new page started for October.

I used Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils and Pitt pens.

You can learn more about this challenge on Kathryn's blog

The Kathryn Wheel  

Art Journal Calendar Challenge Group on facebook

    if you are a member of this group...

.please add me....

it is a closed group and I am trying to get in. 

thanks

Marianne

A Box for my Happy Art

.

 I have mentioned once or twice, 

that I am participating in an art swap 

hosted by my friend Sandra.

I received two sets of cards and realized

 that if I didn't find a home for them they 

would eventually end up at the bottom 

of a paper pile and that's no way

 to show respect to the Art.

I plan to display them on a wall when my 
craft room reorganization is finished 
but for now they need to be protected.

   So as I poured the last serving from a  box of cereal,

 I saw that the empty box just might be

 the perfect size for my cards. 

The cards are 5x7 and yes the box was just right.

These are copies of the cards I sent to Sandie in July.

I always make copies of my work before 

I send it off because I like to have a record of what I made

 and I also like to use copies my art in other ways.

Just the right thing to cover the box.

These are the cards I have received so far

 and the cereal box.

 

 They fit  !   . . .

 so I carefully took the box apart so it 

would lay flat and be easier to cover.

 I covered each panel separately so it 

would fold back up into a box easily.

 I this point I toyed with the idea to go to my 

sewing machine to add a few stitches.

But decided to just rebuild the box. 

I think there's enough going on with out sewing.

After the box was reassembled I went over the

 corners and edges with a black Sharpie.

 I used washi tape as a way to  reinforce the

 bottom and also to add an accent. The washi tape was

 folded over the bottom edge and that caused

 a cool mitered look on the bottom.

It was pure luck. 

If I had planned to do that it would have never worked out.

 A few edges needed more sharpie work.

See the woven paper up there in the top right corner of the photo?

I had to do something with the extra paper right?

I really am addicted to paper weaving.

I have been weaving everything in sight.

Anyway...

Here's the completed box with the cards tucked inside. 

There is plenty of room in there.

 Hopefully this swap continues for a 

long time so I can fill this box.

Sometimes the simplest projects 

can bring so much pleasure.

If you are looking for a great way to meet new friends

and play with new techniques, you might want to think about joining this group of artists.

Sandie has all the details on her blog and there is also a facebook group where we share our work each month.

We are having a lot of fun. 

Come play with us !

Marianne