Guest Artist on StencilGirl Today

I am a guest artist today on the StencilGirl blog!  I have two projects with videos showing how I love to use my favorite stencil designs.  Go check it out here.  I decided to make two monogram canvases using the techniques in the first video.

For the first canvas, I used Nathalie Kalbach's Toledo Stencil and cut monogram letters from cardstock using my Silhouette Cameo Cutting Machine.

For the second canvas, I used Nathalie's Buenos Aires Stencil and another die cut. 

Thanks for visiting today. Make sure to go over and watch the videos on StencilGirl Talk! 

Kathy

Final Creative Jumpstart Sharing

Just finished up the final Creative Jumpstart video and I can't say enough about what a great class it is.  All 25+ talented artists are so inspiring and passionate about what they teach. Some of the artists I'd never heard of, and some are longtime favorites. I've taken many online classes and sometimes don't even finish them because I either get bored or it's information overload.  I found myself anxious to see what was coming up next with CJ.  The class itself is easy to maneuver through and the artists respond to question and comments in a timely manner.  Although there is a link-type show and tell sharing section and comment area for each artist's video, the only thing I would add is a Facebook group for more interaction and ease of sharing.  I always like those groups because it creates a sense of community.  Thank you Nathalie Kalbach for putting the whole thing together!

For my own creative jumpstart I love to make backgrounds in one of my art journals, usually using a stencil. I have dozens of them and love to combine interesting color combinations by adding and subtracting and repeating the design.  Sometimes I look at them and ask myself, "How did I do that?!" They turn out so cool that I don't want to add anything on top! I thought I would share some of them with you.

Here are a few pages with added elements.

Thanks for visiting today!
Kathy

More Creative Jumpstart...

Creative Jumpstart is an online class during the month of January with 25+ different artists sharing a video designed to jumpstart creativity. 

Here is my interpretation of Dina Wakely's lesson. I don't normally draw faces, but I followed her lesson anyway.  Faces are not my thing. I think it's because when I was about 11 years old I was obsessed with drawing faces. I must have hit my lifetime quota of face drawing!!  Anyway, I like how she turned out. I scribbled some song lyrics that I couldn't get out of my head around the hair. Then I glued her into my art journal.  

Next I have a canvas based on Julie Balzer's lesson. I have lots of journals so I thought I would use an old 18" x 24" canvas that I started painting on and didn't like.

Canvas Before

I went through the steps in Julie's video. Loved watching the paint colors mix and pool. 

After I put the final black paint on, I wasn't crazy about it.  So I went back and added a bit more color and gold paint.  I'm going to look at it for a while and see what it need.

I know it needs a focal point. I need an art critique. Be honest. I promise that you won't hurt my feelings. Any suggestions?

Creative Jumpstart Online Class Artwork

I'm taking the online class, Creative Jumpstart, and want to share a journal page I created after watching MaryBeth Shaw's Painterly Stencil Mashup video.  This journal page is somewhat out of my comfort zone, but I think it's important to do that sometimes.  

I don't like collaging magazine snippets because they never seem lay flat no matter what I do! 

I also used pieces of maps, and some gel prints before making lots of layers using stencils and acrylic paints.

Left Page Detail

Left Page

Right Page

Creative Jumpstart includes 27 different artists giving their interpretation of the theme, Mix, Match and Master during the month of January.  Lots of inspiration to be had! I'll share more soon.

Are you already taking this class?  I would love for you to comment which artists have inspired you the most so far.  I love them all, but to name a few favorites: Marsha Valk, MaryBeth Shaw, Andrew Borloz, Dina Wakely,  and Michelle Ward.  Can't wait for videos from Julie Balzer and Natalie Kalbach!

Thank you for visiting!! 

Kathy

Artist Collaboration Challenge: Iceland

I recently joined an artist collaboration challenge with the inspiration being the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis in Iceland.

Aurora Borealis Challenge-Encaustic 

I recently started dabbling with encaustic, or wax, painting and thought that the nature of this medium would work well with this subject.  I love how the wax swirls when heated, especially when color is added. I added splatters of yellow at the end and love what it did when heated. 

Here is one of the inspiration photos of the Northern Lights and WOW!  Isn't is beautiful?

Aurora Borealis, Iceland

Never thought about Iceland as a vacation destination, but how beautiful is that?

I hope that someday I will see them in real life! 

To see the other artists' interpretations go HERE or HERE.

Thanks for visiting, today!

Kathy

Altering An Old Dictionary

Happy holidays everyone! I have a project that took two videos to make! I love making art journals and have made lots of them.  What makes this one different is that I use the old book paper for the inside of the journal.  In the first video, I make book cloth using lots of stencils and a few different sizes of Gel Press® Plates to create a colorful cover.  In the second video, see how the book cloth is attached to an old dictionary book and how I prepare the book to become an art journal.

Video 1:

Video 2:

Front Cover

Back Cover

Inside Cover

Front Cover

Here are some other creative uses for book cloth:

• Die-cut into flowers and layer to use as 3-D embellishments
• Cover a lampshade
• Sew into a brush or pencil holder
• Cover a box 
• Make a cloth journal
• See more ideas on Pinterest HERE (I especially love the "quiet book" idea for children)

I would love to hear your ideas for using book cloth. Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for visiting today!

Kathy 

Always Be Grateful

No matter how you may feel, there is always something to be grateful for.  I recently saw a video where American olympic skater, Scott Hamilton, talks about how he is handling the return of a brain tumor. Watch the video Here.  His positivity is something to strive for!

I made this little accordion card to inspire myself to be grateful no matter how I may feel.  Find out how I printed with real leaves to make this card in my video.

Here are the quotes:

Find something to be grateful for today.  

“The first thing I teach skaters at my skating academy is how to get up — because we’re going to fall,” Hamilton says. “And that’s how I live my life: I’m going to fall down, I’m going to make mistakes, I’m going to do all kinds of things that I’m going to wish didn’t happen. But it’s what’s next — it’s how you get up … The more times you get up, the stronger you are to face the next thing, which will happen — because that’s life.” Scott Hamilton

Hope you are having a wonderful fall season! 

Kathy