More fun "Catching" up.

For Christmas this year I got several stencils. I must say that I am really loving playing with them.  I has seen video after video where fellow artists were creating the most wonderful master pieces by incorporating them into the pieces. Itchy to give it a try myself. I came up with this:
                                                       

Here is the final project.

 I wanted to make an underwater scene, nice and inky and wavy.  I started by thinking about how in heck I was gonna find and print off the Koi fish that would be just perfect. I went to google images, then headed over to youtube. I watched and looked about a bazillion (4 to be exact, but bazillion is fun to type) videos. I finally came across one that gave me a basic sketch and encouraged me to personalize it from the basic sketch. I am really proud of my drawn Koi fish. I really wanted it to be much more fluid than the one showed in the video. I wanted it to look like the fins were moving with the flow of the water. Once I had the fish drawn I totally freaked out about adding color to it. So, I set it to the side and began working on my backround.
I used  some music paper from an old music book someone gave us ages ago. I gessoed the paper so, that it would be able to take all the product I planned on using. Now that the Gesso was dry I sprayed Lindy's Stamp gang flat fabio sprays in the colors Ocean breeze blue and Caribbean blue with just a few splatters here and there of Tim Holtz distress stains Broken China. This step is where I went just crazy and buck wild (well, for me anyway). I dropped Black India ink unto the paper in large globs and using a straw I blew the ink around. I am really am happy with the way it came out.  Next, I took one of my Crafter's Workshop stencils (Art is) and used some Gloss medium thru the stencil just like you would modeling paste, paint or ink. I really love that it smudged the words just enough for them to not be completely legible. Once that dried I used my Crafter's workshop stencil that has cup rings and spatters to add some modeling paste and back India ink.
Gulp, it was back to the best picture I had drawn from scratch in ages. Well, I pulled up my big girl panties and broke out the water colors and just started moving them around on the image as I held my breath and hoped beyond hope that I would like it in the end. :)  I walked away for night. The next morning I broke out my markers and began outlining and adding in small details like the spots on the fish and his mustache. I cut the image out from the paper that I drew it on, leaving just a small border. I was so happy with it. I used gel medium to decoupage it to my background.  When I added it to my art journal I decided to add a black border. I am glad I did it really makes it pop for me. The last step was to add the "bubbles" and go around them with black ink to help them stand out more.

I hope you enjoyed looking at and reading about the process.
Have a great day,
Haley

Challenge

Hi everyone!!

This Tuesday I was given a canvas that was going to be thrown away. The canvas had been used to tryout some melted crayon art work. I must say I very much regret not taking a before picture. I was given the canvas to upcycle. :) Below are some pics of the finished product and proof that Tim Holtz tissue wrap can be glued down with melted wax. It was really fun to play with a medium I don't normally use.

       The handle across the top is a purse handle a sweet friend of mine gave to me to use.

   Recollections micro beads that have been in my stash  for easily 5 years. Check out that super cool giant glass stone wrapped in copper foil (or something similar). It is super cool.

Have fun and give upcycling a try.
Haley

New project

Hi Everyone!!

Holy moley it has been so VERY long since I posted to my blog. We have moved roughly 1200 miles from where we were in Texas to Wyoming. It is truly lovely here. I am exstatic to tell you that we had a WHITE CHRISTMAS!! It was amazing. Enough about me, how have ya'll been?? I hope each and everyone of you are in good health, peaceful spirits AND filled with love.  I wanted to post some new projects I have been working on. Today's project is one that I will be hosting a class on at the end of February here locally :)  I am SO excited. Gonna be singing that one all day. Bellow are some pictures for you.

                                            I have had this owl for SEVERAL years. This year
                                          one of my goals is to stop hoarding supplies and use
                                          them and enjoy.

I recently started a monthly kit subscription to Flying Unicorn kits. I cannot tell you how awesome the kits are. They have 4 yes, thats right you read that correctly 4 different kinds of kits to choose from. How cool is that?? :)  I used the stencil we got in our kit this month on here. I also used the Shimmerez sprays and paint that came in my kit. A few of the flowers and metal embellishments were also from there. Most of the flowers and supplies came from my stash. I have decided that if want new and exciting ideas and objects to work with then I have to clear out the creative clutter that is already here.  I am so happy that I finally stopped waiting for something "worthy" of my hoarded supplies . I feel so free.
Have many more projects to post of the next few days to play catch-up.
Have an amazing day,
Haley

Mini Clipboard

Hello everyone,

I have a new one for you this week. I participated in a swap on the ning site myscraproom.ning.  Carlene the pink scrapper was the host. The rules were to use a mini clipboard and to use only pink and white.  So, without further ado here it is:

 

Here is a picture of the clipboard in it's entirety.  

 

 The fanning of the lace at the top was my way of making up for the fact that I was unable to find  a mini clipboard with a clip.

 Her is a better view of the bottom corner. 

 The quote here says: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.   I am currently working on my layering  skills.

 I recently recieved a small RAK from a friend and this large clear diamond shape was in it.

 I loved the idea of stuffing stuff under a folded up corner.

 The instructions were to paint to back of the clipboard. I thought it would be better to paint it them make an x-tra large tag and put my information on it.

 I LOVE this lace heart witch I got from Cheep trims.

 I really love this paper and have yet to actually make a mini with it. I don't know what I am waiting for exactly, but I really want to make an amazing mini with it.

 The lace flower was from a website called cheep trims.

 I got a large box of bling from etsy last year It had the most amazing collection of broaches and bling.

Here is a close up of the tiny little bottle with pink glitter.

I hope you enjoy.  I am thinking about adding more tutorials to my blog. What would you like to see??
Have a wonderfuly crafty day.