Where the Art Masters Meet our Muse

Where the Art Masters Meet our Muse is the wonderful new focus for February over at the Art Journal Caravan Expedition on Scrapbookgraphics.com..  Isn't it funny I hadn't really given the Masters any thought till seeing then I realised I just love most art and artists from the Impressionist/Post Impressionist Era such as Monet, Seurat and Gauguin.  Probably as they are who I remember from Art History at School.   The other Master who's work I really love is Gustav Klimt and it is his work that was my muse for my journal play last night.  He had a love for Gold Frescos and the use of geometrical shapes in his work so I decided to do my take on his 1907 painting which was a portrait of Adel Bloch-Bauer I seen here.

So I reached for my A3 Watercolor Paper and started with a layer of Gesso before taking to it with Gold and Yellow Oxide Paint.  I then continued to add color with paint and detail with my Big Brush Stamper Pens and Black Art Liner and White Posca Paint Pen.  Finally adding detail to the face with Charcoal and Watercolor Pencils.

I then took my A3 work to my A4 Scanner and scanned it into my computer.  The above picture is the A4 scanned result.

I then took my file into Photoshop Elements and added and enhanced the color as well as adding some grunge style elements which include a piece extracted from one of Klimt's original works.  I have used three of these hexagon portions as the sleeve of the ladies dress on the right as you look at the image.  All of these elements were from the AJC2014 Kits by Tangie Baxter to achieve the below look.

I am really loving my experiementing playing along with the Art Journal Caravan this year.  Doodling, painting and enhancing on the PC are all things I enjoy.  This art is truly just for me and my enjoyment but I hope you like it too!

Wk 2 Journaling

Hi Everyone!  Today I am sharing some of my art journaling.  And not to worry I am not sharing any of my heavy emotional stuff.   As well as Journal 52 I am now playing along with the Art Journal Caravan for 2014 which is also a year long workshop.  The years theme is Not all those who Wander are Lost and January is all about having Nature as your Muse.  Nature truly is a wonderful inspiration for my art so I couldn't resist joining the fun.  Plus it combines my two loves, art and using the computer.

For both this weeks Journal 52 and AJC prompts I have chosen the same quote.

Here's a look at my page -  Journal 52's prompt is Somewhere a Simple Place, and I have used a scribbled Gelato Background with stamping, Paper and drawing to represent that place, which for me is sitting outside with a coffee in hand watching and feeding the birds that frequent our garden and enjoying all that nature has to offer.

AJC has numerous prompts from colors, to words, to photos to use as inpsiration.  This week I used two colors from their Color Sparks and the Word Soothe.  The exact place I have depicted above is somewhere that for me soothes the soul.  For my Page I have used an A3 piece of watercolor paper with Black and White Gesso, Stencils and Spray Inks.

I have then scanned this background into my pc and added digital elements to achieve my finished page.  I really love how this has turned out just looking at it for me has a soothing effect!

Thanks for stopping by!

My Heart Pieces - Anything Cute

Hi Everyone!  It's time for another fun challenge at My Heart Pieces Challenges.  This fortnight we simply want to see Anything Cute!

With Christmas just around the corner I went with the cute image Listing Your Wishes and used some Stampin' Up! paper scraps from my ever growing pile of left overs.  Have you ever wondered which one of Santa's Lists you would have been on.  The Naughty or the Nice?  I was wondering which list this was he was going through as I made this card, hence my sentiment.  The candy cane and christmas bauble chipboard pieces which I have simply covered with some Kindy Glitz are from the Maya Road Christmas Tree Book Kit which I got from Altered Pages.

Sorry it's just a quick post today, but we have our carpets and tiles being cleaned tomorrow so I am in the middle of packing some things up so they are out of the way and had better get back to it.

I hope you have a great end to your week!

Magical Monday - Orange and Purple

Hi Everyone!  Today it was my turn to choose the theme for this fortnight's Challenge over at Paper Cupcakes, There's Magic in the Air Challenge Blog.  With Halloween just around the corner Nina has a fabulously fun image (What Characters) and a few sentiments which you can download for free to play along and which the DT has featured.  So my choice of theme was easy and I made it simply to use the colors Orange and Purple on your card.

For my card I have combined these two colors on a elongated purple card base.  Using some orange corrugated Cardstock and some other bits from my scrap hoard.  The night sky and my sentiment background I have done using my new Gelatos and a Water Brush, whilst the characters, moon and the tree branch have all been colored with my Tria Markers.

Be sure to pop over to the TIMITA site to check out all the DT's creations using this fun image and don't forget if you play along using any Paper Cupcake image you get two entries into the random prize draw.

The Poodles Parlour - Halloween Challenge

Hi I'm back again for the second time today to kick off the start of a new Challenge over at The Poodles Parlour.  This fortnight we want to see all things spooky with creations for Halloween.

This very cute image is from Bugaboo Stamps who are our sponsors this week and is called Cat + Peeker

I have teamed it up with some Basic Grey Papers, an Elegant Eggplant Card Base (Dark Purple) a spiders web cutting file and some Dew Drops from the Robin's Nest.  This very cute image isn't too scary but it sure looks like he's a scare-dy cat.  I have colored him with my Tria Markers.

I do hope you will play along too at The Poodles Parlour this fortnight.  For more frightfully scary projects or to link up your creation simply head over to The Poodles Parlour Blog.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Creative Card Crew - Challenge #20 Purple
Through the Craft Room Door - Challenge #38 - Always Anything Goes
Craft Us Crazy - #27 Halloween/Anything Goes
Moving Along with the Times - In the Dark!
Southern Girls Challenges - Show Us your Spots or Stripes 

My Heart Pieces - Use Black

Hi Everyone!  I am back with a second post today, after surviving the girls day out with my Mother and Sister.  We had a lovely day out enjoying some shopping and a lovely lunch at the Summerland House Farm/House with No Steps which is a charitable organisation that provides meaningful employment for adults who have a disability.  It combines a work-working area, nursery, farm, gift shop, museum, and cafe/restaurant, and also has putt putt golf and a water park for the kids with extensive gardens throughout the grounds. My sister who is down from Queensland visiting now has a car full of plants and pots to take home whilst Mum and I brought some local produce including honey roasted macadamias and a roasted capsicum, chilli and cashew nut pesto.

Anyway on to my card!

With Halloween just around the corner the challenge this week over at My Heart Pieces Challenge Blog we want you to get in the mood and create using Black.

You could say I've gone dotty over this challenge this week!  My card today uses Black and White Polka Dot Paper from Bo Bunny and my Scalloped Card Cutting File once again which is from the Cutting Cafe's Shaped Card Collection.    To highlight the scallops I have simply punched some circles from plain black paper.  This adorable image is called Noyontara from My Heart Pieces Digital Stamps.  Isn't she just the cutest.  I have colored her with my Tria Markers adding some little pearls as buttons on her jeans.

We would love for you to join in the fun using black for our Challenge this fortnight.   For more Black Inspiration be sure to pop over and check out all the Design Team creations on the My Heart Pieces Challenge Blog.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-

Clear it Out Challenge Blog - An image of Child and anything from your Stash

Through the Craft Room Door - #37 Anything Goes

Stamp & Create - September Challenge Anything Goes

The Crazy Challenge - CCH #129 Spots or Stripes

The Cutie Pie Challenge - #27 Shaped Cards

Tis the Season

Good Morning Everyone!  I am writing this as I am about to head out the door on a 'Girl's Day Out with my mother and sister'.........I don't recall us ever being on our own ever since we were children so who knows what the day will bring, but I am seeing wine, food and spending cash will be the three main highlights of this adventure.....wish me luck!.......lol.

Anyway before I go I wanted to share with you all my latest card for the CDAC Progressive Freebie Challenge.  It is using the second free image called 'Christmas Cat' which is from Priscillastyles Store and being a cat person I love it!..........  The cat wearing the santa's hat is so something I could see both my mother and sister wanting to do to one of my babies......and I am sure that if they did my cats would look just as impressed as the one in the image on my card!

Image:  Christmas Cat from Priscillastyles

Papers:  Stamping Up! Retired

Other:  Holly Sticker, Tria Markers, SU Sentiment, SU Punch

I guess that's why they often refer to Christmas as the Silly Season.  But whether its the silly season or not, tis the season - now in September to get a head-start on my Christmas Card Making.

Have a great day!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-

Challenges 4 Everybody - #3 Anything Goes

The Corrosive Challenge Blog - #158 Animal Companions

Cards for Men - #20 Animal Magic

Eureka Stamps - #7 Animals

Shopping Our Stash - #70 Fur or Feathers

Guest Designer for Quirky Craft Challenges

Good Morning Everyone! And it's really early morning if you are reading this as my post goes live because here in Australia its about 4am.  I have scheduled this one so I do hope it works okay.

After winning one of the fun challenges over at Quirky Craft Challenges I was asked (and I am honored to be asked) if I would like to be a Guest Designer for this weeks Challenge.  So I'd like to thank Spyder, Cazzy and all the team for having me!

The challenge this week is Monsters and I have made two cards featuring some of their sponsors images.

The first Card features the image called Monster Birthday Balloon from Bugaboo Digi Stamps.  I have gone with bright fun colors as I think these are perfect for a Birthday Card.

I have colored this cute monster with my Tria Markers adding a little dimension to his stomach, horns and tail with my Yellow Pearl Pen from Viva Decor and some pink rhinestones to the dots on his party hat!  I have cut him out and layered him onto a piece of one of my shaving foam and dye reinker backgrounds that I made earlier last week.  This is layered onto a piece of white which is layered onto some fabulous yellow polka dot paper (I think its Authentique) and lastly mounted onto a white base card.  Two constrasting strips of polka dot paper and a fun brad finish this Design.

My second card features the image Monster8 from Doodle Dragon Studio.

The fun papers are from the Time for Spring Collection by Fancy Pants Designs, I have colored this cute little guy in with my Tria Markers, adding a rhinestone to the center of his balloon.  A orange ribbon with bow and stamped Happy Birthday Sentiment from the Unity Stamp Company finish this card.

I hope you like them, and I do hope you will check out the challenges at Quirky Craft Challenges and join the fun!

Spring Inspiration and the Evolution of a Canvas

Today here in Australia is the first official day of Spring - with the Spring Equinox at 0.49am this morning.  Needless to say I wasn't awake to celebrate its arrival I was however inspired by Spring to create my latest canvas.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, a time of starting over.  Personally spring makes me feel revitalized, I so love getting outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer.  For me its a magical time of year.  It also is a bit of reminder given its also when I celebrate turning another year older that life is short and we should be living each moment and going after our dreams.

Starting with my blank canvas, I covered with a layer of acrylic primer and stuck down torn pieces of my chosen papers from Crafty Individuals Background Papers Book 1.  Leaving some black space.

I then applied some paint in similar colors to my chosen papers to fill in the gaps.  My paint colors were muted down with some white paint so that they were close to the colors of my papers.

I then applied some more paint without the white added as well as using some white gesso and my punchinella to add a little bit of texture.  Once the gesso was dry I washed some watered down paint over it so that it blended in with the rest of my canvas.

This close up shows the gesso with the washed color, some stamping simply for mark making in black archival ink, my clouds and sentiment stamped on white cardstock and glued onto the canvas were also given the color wash treatment. The girl is the "I Love you This Much' Image from Elisabeth Bell.  I have printed her on white, colored with my tria markers, cut her out and adhered to my canvas.

Some of my stamping such as the stars were stamped onto torn strips of my starting background papers and then adhered to the canvas.  Pre-made paper flowers added further texture and color.  Whilst the Butterflies were stamped and cut from some of my Shaving Foam and Dye Reinker Background Papers I made last week.  I initially stamped the Follow Your Own Star onto a piece of the background papers and stuck it on my canvas but didn't like it.  I wanted it to stand out more so I stamped it on white and gave it the color wash treatment and then stuck it over where I had placed my original one.  

All the stamped images and quotes apart from the image of the girl are from the Unity Stamp Company.  

And yes you guessed it I add to add a little bling in the way of Dew Drops from the Robin's Nest.  Pink Metallic Dew Drops highlight the quotes, turquoise dew drops highlight the butterflies whilst two clear colored dew drops add shine to the stars.  

I hope you like it and enjoy what remains of this wonderful Sunday.

I am entering this into the following challenges:-

The Artistic Stamper - September Challenge - Splatters and Speckles
Unique Crafters Challenge - September Challenge Anything Goes
Let's Create Anything But a Card - Challenge #2
Anything But a Card Challenges- #2 Texture
Fab N Funky Challenges - Challenge #139 Things with Wings

The Poodles Parlour - Tag It Challenge

Hi Everyone!  Hope you are having a great Friday!  I have and to top it off I have just enjoyed some fresh prawns and a nice glass of wine for dinner.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post that September is a month full of birthdays, so be prepared for a lot of birthday themed posts in the coming days starting with today's.

This fortnight's challenge at the Poodles Parlour is called Tag It.  Which is pretty straight forward we want to see a tag in your creation.  It can be a card with a tag or simply a tag on its own which is what I have done.

Image:  Birthday Boy - The Digi Garden, Sentiment:  Unity Stamp Company

Card Stock/Paper:  Manilla Tag coloured with Tria Markers, Distress Honeycomb Paper from The Robin's Nest.  

Choc Chip Cardstock from Stampin' Up!

Other: Martha Stewart Ribbon Loop Border Punch, 1 1/2 Inch Circle Punch, Dew Drop from the Robin's Nest,

Brown Satin Ribbon,  Tria Markers, Early Expresso and Red Riding Hood Ink.

My tag was designed with a boy's birthday in mind and uses the adorable image called Birthday Boy from the Digi Garden who are our sponsors this week.

So Tag Your It!  It's your turn to create, and I do hope you will play along with our challenge.  You know the drill.  Head over to the Poodles Parlour Blog for more wonderful inspiration from the team and all that.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Magical Mondays - Ahoy Mate and Recipe

I am actually a day late posting this card as it was due yesterday for Magical Mondays at There's Magic in The Air, however I already had done two posts, so a third would have been overkill.  But its kind of fitting that I post it today as its - National Talk Like a Pirate Day and my card has a cute picture of a Pirate Owl!

The Paper Cupcakes DT all got to play with this adorable image called Ahoy Mate and this week our challenge was a recipe set by Kathy.  She wants us to create a card using the following:-

- 1 Embossing Folder or dry embossing of some sort 
- 1 or more die or punch 
- 1 ribbon, twine, string or something of the like 
- 1 button 
- Use glitter or some sort of sparklies 

It turned out that I forgot to add my button!  But I am hoping it will pass as I have used the Robin's Nest Dew Drops which are like little gem buttons.  There's lots of spots and dots on this card, behind the image I have used white ink and punchinella on the red cardstock.  The black cardstock I embossed with my Swiss Dots embossing folder. The very background piece is a piece of paper I have had in my stash for sometime now which was created whilst at the Time To Create Studio on a Terrific Tuesday last year.  It uses stamps cut out of fun foam.  You can see strips that had holes punched into it in the black ink and the more textured look was strips that had been engraved into.

I do love creating my own backgrounds, however I don't always get the time to play and do so.  

For the rest of the required recipe, the twine I incorporated by using it to keep the pirate's treasure map in tact.  For further texture and to have the glitter part of covered I have used my Gold Viva Decor Glitter Liner and simply swirled it all over the card.  I was trying to create the richness of the buried treasure this little pirate might find if the x on his map marks the correct spot!

My Heart Pieces - Anything Goes

Good Morning and a big hello to all my new followers.  I have loved reading your lovely comments left for me this week, I do so appreciate them.  I am hoping to repay some visits over this coming weekend as I've been a bit slack the past few days as I have been trying to get ahead on some DT projects in the middle of having a big tidy up of my craft room and attempting to move it back into the office.

Yesterday a new challenge kicked off over at My Heart Pieces Digitals Challenge Blog.  Anything Goes!

I've been in Autumn Card Mode this week, so while having all my warm toned papers out I decided to go with the adorable image called Celebrating Autumn and create this card!  I have colored my image with my Tria Markers, the papers are from Stampin' Up! (retired) and the Sentiment for Unity Stamp Co.

I must say I have never seen anyone with a pumpkin on their head and Halloween and fall aren't really celebrated here to a great extent but I have seen them do this with a watermelon in the warmer months which are what we are heading into now.

Anyway I'd best be off have lots more to do.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

Platypus Creek Cute Kids Thanksgiving Release

Hi Everyone!

Another quick post as I am in the midst of moving my craft room, so it means a big clean up and getting rid of lots of unwanted stash so that I can fit all my craft gear and combine it back into the office.

Today sees the release of the Pilgrim Ella and Noah over at Platypus Creek Digitals.  They are perfect for your Autumn/Thanksgiving Card Making.

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia but luckily I have an All Occassions Paper Pack, I brought some years back which had some lovely papers just perfect for making this Easel Card.

Pilgrim Noah has been colored with my Tria Markers and I have used a couple of Dew Drops from the Robin's Nest. 

For more wonderful Autumn/Thanksgiving and Pilgrim Inspiration be sure to pop over to the PCD Blog and follow the links to the store if you wish to purchase either of the Cute Kids.

Thanks for looking and I'll be back a bit later too with another Autumn Themed Post!

Other Challenges I am entering this card into :-

Eureka Stamps - #5 Fall Fun

Lexi's Creations - #73 Autumn Colors

Lollypop Crafts - #89 Fall Frolic

Tammy's Scrapping Corner - #27 Fall Inspiration

Thanks for looking!

An Udder Year Older!

Hi Everyone!  I am back with a quick post this morning!  A few months back I was introduced to the delightful digital images at The Digi Garden and instantly fell in love.  They are cute, great to color and have something for all ages.  Well I have been keeping this all secret for a while now,but I can now announce that I am a Digi Garden Diva and have joined a wonderful group of ladies who have been assigned the very pleasant task of simply using and promoting these images.

Here's a card I made using the very adorable cow image and a fun pun sentiment which I stamped with my Just Rite Times New Roman Alphabet having seen it previously on another card.

I have made this CAS Design with my Dad in mind as his 77th birthday is in about a fortnight's time.  The shimmering green grass was created using my Martha Stewart Fringing Scissors.

And I thought I would show some of the cards I have made in the past using other Digi Garden Images, just so you can see just how cute they are!

Thanks for looking!

Platypus Creek Digitals - #15 Lets Celebrate Birthday

Happy Monday everyone!

You may have remembered in yesterdays post I was using the gorgeous Damask Paper from the Robin's Nest on a Scrap Layout and I said that I would be back today to share a card I made using the leftovers.

Well here it is!  My card is for this fortnight's new Challenge over at Platypus Creek Digitals which is #15 - Lets Celebrate Birthday!  This challenge couldn't have come at a better time for me as September is Birthday Month for most of my family and quite a few of my friends as well as my own birthday!

So once again I have teamed this paper with red. I love Red, White and Black Together!  The Birdcage on a Branch Digi is from Platypus Creek Digitals, I have simply printed and cut this out with my spellbinder circle die, layered over the Black and White Damask Paper from the Robin's Nest and framed it with a SVG Cutting File Frame Element.  The two birds and flowers are punched and I have randomly placed some Red Dew Drops also from the Robin's Nest around the Frame.  The Birthday Wishes Sentiment is from The Unity Stamp Co.

For more great birthday inspiration showcasing the wonderful design at Platypus Creek Digitals be sure to pop over to the blog and I do hope you will join the fun and play along too!

I am entering this card into the following challenges.

Pile it On - #37 Patterned Paper 
Drunken Stampers - #96 The Birds
Charisma Cardz Challenge - #35 Seeing Double
The Perfect Sentiment - PSC48 All Creatures Great and Small
Do You Stack Up Challenge Blog - #88 Birthdays

The Poodles Parlour - For the Girls Challenge

Hi Everyone!  This fortnights challenge at The Poodles Parlour is one for the Girls, we want to see you break  out everything in your stash that you would class as girly and use it on your cards!

This week we are joined by a new sponsor and recently new Digi Company - Papelitos Stamps so be sure to check out all the DT Inspiration  for our challenge to see some more of their images in use.  I have used their image Vicky on my card today, colored with Tria Markers.

Pink, Sparkly Glittery Paper, Flowers, Bling, Butterflies and more glitter are all the girly things that I found in my stash to create this card today!  The Paper and my all time favorite Bling - Dew Drops are from The Robin's Nest and the beautiful punched butterfly was a little extra I received from a recent swap buddy in a card swap.  I have also added some Crystallina Kindy Glitz to this and the centers of the flowers.

So is this what you class as girly?   I am guessing fashion and shopping might be on this list  and I can't wait to see if there's any other different ideas out there too. 

Also a special mention - I am entering this card into a special challenge this week over at Dawn's Crafting which is Breast Cancer Awareness/Think Pink!  Dawn's mum is currently battling cancer so she is having this challenge to help raise awareness and funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.  So if you can spare a minute or a dollar she'd love your support.

Other Challenges I am entering this card in:-

Flutterby Wednesday's - #204 Birthday

Papelito's Stamps - #10 Anything Goes

Magical Mondays - Things with Wings

Hi Everyone!  I was asked to choose the theme for the Paper Cupcakes Magical Monday's Challenge this week and as I am a lover of all birds and butterflies I couldn't go past choosing to include something with wings on your project.  It can be something winged in the main image or an embellishment. ie. Fairy, Butterfly, Bird etc. on the card.  

I have gone for a bit of a distressed look (used my paper distressor around the edges) with this one,  choosing some more vintage oriented colors/papers and the Gorgeous Sunday Afternoon Image from Paper Cupcakes.  I have also broke out my SU Pastels/Chalks for this one, so my coloring is a bit distressed also.......lol.

For my things with wings I have the adorable goose on the main image and three butterflies which I have stamped using Unity Stamp Co KOTM stamps.

So for more winged inspiration be sure to head over the TIMITA Blog and checkout all the wonderful DT Creations and we would love for you to play along too!

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:-
Vintage Elusions Cards and Crafts - #5 Distressing/Anything Goes Challenge
Crafty Card Makers - Challenge #74 Winged Things
Tammy's Scrapping Corner - #26 Anything with Wings
Quirky Crafts Challenge - #18 Recycling on the Farm (Have Recycled Leaf from Christmas Centrepiece)
Craftymess Challenges - #16 Animals with a Blue Theme