Time to get organised

Well here I am on the computer again and it is time to get organised.....really!

I am off to the Scrap Girls Retreat and I have got my card kit packed - my watercolours are going to become cards..... but

I haven't packed anything else - slack - so that is what I am up to this afternoon.

Phil is putting new tyres on my 4X4 as the ones on there leak air not great for a trip to Sydney.... and Jess is popping over after work with my GPS (cause the kids borrow it when they need too) so much easier than reading a map - except when it gets confused.

I have also loaded 3 more paintings up on Etsy..... I thought I pop them up and see how they go

I am looking forward to a wonderful weekend to release this pressure of work - and will enjoy all the silliness that is for sure.

So it is off to pack .....

Have a wonderful weekend - hope it is fun whatever you are doing

Love
C

Busy uploading watercolour prints

Hi everyone

What a busy time I am having as I learn to do the Etsy thing....... I have loaded 10 prints for sale.... some watercolours that I really enjoyed painting in A4 size..... please have a look and tell me what you think! My link to etsy; Tatteredinspirations



It is a pretty user friendly place but there are some tricks of the trade to learn - like size of images and how to make things work to get people to have a look.....


I am excited too - I have three people who 'heart' me..... oh makes me feel warm and fuzzy.



I haven't sold anything as yet - but it has been just a couple of days .... so I am loving finding out all about it....

So these prints are now available (plus 5 more) on Etsy - I would love you to visit and tell me what you think.....

Love
C

I am on Etsy

Okay I know it is about time - I am on Etsy now!!!

There are 8 fridge magnets there (there willbe more when I load them int he next few days

So pop in and have a look......Here is the link Tattered Inspirations

Thank You Kelly

Another Wonderful Find Through Carol Mead #170

#170 Carol Mead is my special find today while I was blog hopping through all of you talented artists. She has painted a fabulous landscape painting that I really had to look twice at to see if it was an actual painting or a photograph. Wow, to have such talent is an amazing blessing isn't it. Maybe one day we will all be this talented. Thank you Carol for your awesome talent and for sharing it with the blog world, I am certain that the couple who is to receive this for their wedding will be truly blessed by it!

Happy Creating Everyone. I hope that you are all enjoying the blog hop as much as I am! Now I have to find some time to create myself! Hugs to you all and thanks for stopping by my blog and for all of your wonderful comments - I appreciate every one of them.


Kellys blog is http://kellysartjournaling.blogspot.com

Please visit her - she is awesome !!!!

I wrote today......
thanks so much for popping up my painting here Kelly - I really appreciate it - and hopefully will have another one in a week or two to show you all!!... I will link your comment back as well
Love your blog too thanks for sharing!!

It is so great to have people come and comment and share - I love doing the same for them

Have a wonderful day

Love
Carol

Pretty Sweet

Sweet Babushkas

As some people probably know I am not really into the pretty girl thing for me..... I think they work really well for other artists but for me - I love landscapes and big pieces to fill a wall - and get lost in....

But I was having fun with doing a step by step here the other day with some Babushka Dolls and using mixed media techniques

With the LSBS Retreat coming up quickly for August.... I asked Cath and Nic whether I could ask people for donations for Uplift - a little organisation I collect bras for to send over the developing countries

The I thought - well how about I make up some packs of two Babushka doll kits to say thanks for peoples kind donation???

Thank you packs

I always do this - go further than I need to - but I also hope that I might see these gorgeous paper dolls popping up on cards and layouts at the retreat........

I printed off the faces (in my mixed media piece I used gesso and paint. But otherwise they are pretty similar........

Then - just because I am me and always go further than I should - I made my Artist Trading cards for the retreat with these little Babushkas

ATCs - Artist Trading Cards

Enough of the ramble....... and my bizarre addictive personality

Have a fun filled Saturday

Love
C

For all of us who strive towards creativity

sometimes you find a quote that is just yours for the day - it touches your spirit - I read this today

There is vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.

If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions.

It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.

Keep the channel open.

No artist is pleased.

There is no satisfaction, whatever at any time.

There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.

Martha Graham (in a letter to Agnes DeMille)

I love this quote
C

2 new works - unveiled!!

I had the most awesome time yesterday

I painted and created until late afternoon and I finished 2 paintings and completed the redo of the other one.......

What a wonderful day of creativity (and now doesn't my creative space need a thorough clean up!!)

But before I get my cleaning rags ready here they are!

Moonrise over St Mary's (Tasmania)

This is a wide narrow piece which is inspired by a photo that I took at Moonrise watching the way the moon glimmered on the leaves.

I love the way the reflections light up the countryside and then glow out to see beyond.

It is for a wedding present for someone who loves purple above any other colour and as you know it isn't easy to do purple in landscapes so much..... so when I came across a photo of this sunset I took in Tassie - I thought of her!

Now I have the pleasure of knowing that I can enjoy it until her wedding!

Misty Blue

This is a huge piece 75cm x 100cm of the amazing Echo Point and the 3 sisters in the Blue Mountains NSW. I really wanted to do this painting for a while but as this is an 'iconic' subject in Australia I was a little fearful of getting it right.

I am not sure that the photo does it justice, there is so much mystery in the background it is misty blues and greys and lots of texture - loving garnet paste at the moment !!

So much fun to do

Glow over the Bungles Bungles

Ever done something you were really not happy with?????

Well this is one of 'those'

It is a hard piece - and it didn't have the impact I thought it could..... the colours were off, the cones looked as though they were too smooth and it just felt odd.

Before

After

So I am now okay with it - it isn't my fave painting but I think I like to so much better than before...... BTW - these colours are pretty real to life just in case you thought I was in some psychedelic dream!!

This is a growing thing isn't it - I am getting better every month - and Thank You for your support as I keep going on this mixed media journey

With Love
Carol

Babushka Magic - Step by Step

Hi everyone - as promised a sweet pair of Babushkas and a step by step to lead you through:

I have used:

• 8x10 Canvas
• white gesso
• small brushes - round
  
• patterned papers - BG and magazine (1962 Womens Weekly)
• paints - Jo Sonya - skin tone, smoked pearl, yellow oxide & earth brown
  
• powder blush
• journalling pen
• Impasto medium
• piece of lace doliy
• 3 stamps
• black stazon ink and pinecone versa colour ink
• sprinkles (thanks Wirg)
• string
• letters (I used AC Thickers - I impasto them down)
  
• buttons
• chipboard flowers I painted them with twinkling H2Os
• buttons

Step one:
Paint the canvas and let it dry well (I used smoked pearl)
Cut papers and magazine text into squares and rectangles which will form the patchwork background
Ink the edges with brown ink (I used pinecone)

At this point I also stamped around 10 of the papers with stamps - I used a small star flower and the word kind (both 'stamping up' brand) and a flower (cheapie) with Stazon ink - however this can be done later

Step 2
Once you have prepared you papers (I used about 20 pieces) arrange them onto your painted canvas - when you are happy with the arrangement stick them down - I used impasto

I used BG 2 scoops and a journalling type paper with writing plus the magazine papers



note: I tried for a loose patchwork effect with overlapping and connecting papers, I also ensured you could see the canvas in some spots.

If you haven't stamped onto the canvas - now do some stamping....... with Stazon ink again (I used black)

Now you need to swipe a bit of background colour paint around...... wipe most of the paint off a largish brush and swipe away



Using your stamps again stamp a few around as some of the others will have blended into the background with the paint

Step 3
Print off the pattern onto your printer as an A4 size - you will need to reduce if you make a smaller canvas


Trace onto the back of your pattered papers and cut out

I used the same pattern for the small dolls dress and the large dolls scarf - I thought it makes it flow well - if you use the same range of papers for this it is easier to make it work ... I used June Bug by BG

Assemble the dolls and stick down using my final piece as a guide. I also added a heart for a pocket on the apron

I also cut a piece of doily at this stage for the smaller dolls apron and st1ck it down

Step 4

Paint in the faces with gesso you will need at least two coats and make them smooth as you can

Note - I have made them look a bit towards eachother - rather than straight on.. it is a bit quirky and a little friendlier


This gives you a flat surface for the details

Now add the skin tone colour - if you have a peach colour or even a darker terracotta colour lighten with white. You will need a further two coats and let these dry really well!

Trace through the face patten onto the painted faces - I rub chalk onto the back of the pic and trace through from the other side - you can use pencil in the same way or graphite paper (don't use carbon though - too messy)

Use your journalling pen to do the facial features - I know it is cheating -so if you have a thing for using black paint and a liner - use a small one and go for it. I added a bottom lip and eyelashes

Note There are lots of these dolls in Google images under Babushka Dolls and have a peek at Kate Masons blog - look at the link for her etsy shop - she has very different faces on hers. Find the face that you most like - I have kept these simple.

Now with a dry brush (small) rub into powder blush and then apply to the cheeks in a circular motion...... this make great cheeks I think! Apply enough but not so much to make clown faces.....

Step 5
Outline the dolls with your journalling pen (or black paint and brush)

Outline features such as aprons and scarves

Add your lettering and embellishments using mine as a guide but I am sure there will be a number of different takes on this and I am excited to see them all

Note: Impasto sticks buttons and bulky embellishments down very well - though you do need to give it time to dry

I have added string to hang the piece... I punched two holes with my Cropodile and threaded string through.

Load the finished canvases onto Facebook under 'Babushka Magic Competition - for a chance to win the prize - these will be a random draw on Wednesday 30th June - perhaps send me a message too so I don't miss it - with the same pic.......

Have lots of fun creating your own babushka .... I cannot wait to see what you do!

Love
Carol

Babushka Magic

okay everyone a piece of Babushka magic will be loaded tomorrow for your creative pleasure......

make sure you have a canvas either 6x8 or 8x10 (i use boards covered with canvas - cheap and great) and some blusher - powdered ...... plus some

• patterned papers

• paint brush, gesso if you have it (or matt white paint)

• paints
  

• glue - I use impasto but gel medium, pva or whatever even a glue stick....

• embellishments - buttons, flowers etc
  

• string and journalling pen

• stamps, stazon ink

• alphas
  

lots of fun in a step by step..... I hope to see you then.... lets have some mixed media fun....

PS there will be a prize for the random winner who completes a canvas... yummy stuff too!!

almost finished .... almost

I am pretty excited and feeling on top of things

Because.....................I have almost finished Misty Blue and the reworked Glow over the Bungle Bungles so I will be able to share them this weekend

So my thought is to photograph them and then load them.....

Misty Blue is of the 3 Sisters at Echo Point Katoomba so much texture - plus garnet paste - such a fantastic medium - love the stuff... the girls from the Blue Mountains NSW can let me know if they think I got it right

The painting Glow over the Bungle Bungles is giving me a bit of a headache as I ponder the reflections but I think I know what to do - I can always repaint the water can't I ???? Though I would so rather not!!

Then I have a brand new canvas to explore, a nice big one - I am in the painting mojo and I am loving it!

Look out for some photos this weekend ....... and let me know what you think

Love
C

PS - hopefully will have a mixed media step by step for you to do next week - watch this space!

what we learn

It is funny how life teaches us things that we would not learn otherwise isn't it. I wonder sometimes where I would be if life didn't teach me things .... those experiences make me a much better person I think, more skilled and more willing to help others.

Some of my lessons have been:

• Jobs which make you learn difficult lessons and what you will do better next time
• Childbirth - no mother is quite the same after or ready to offer so much advice or be quite as judgemental
• Sick kids - whether small ills or large ones this brings wells of patience you really thought you didn't have
• Elderly and ailing parents - you learn that you thought that having children and them leaving home it was your turn to fly - but it really didn't - your parents have taken that position of children
  
• Marriage - learning to find your way with another person and still come though in tact and in love
• Divorce - taught me dignity and that people will say what they will say you have no control over that
• Buying a house - you learn to stand on your own feet and take a calculated risk
• Leading people - this is very different to managing people - managing is about process you manage things you lead people
• Vision - you have to have vision or you won't go anywhere but around in circles
• Girlfriends - are always there no matter what and if you drink wine together all the better
• Friends - there are many types of friends - some are forever and some are for a season - you need both
• Success is better than revenge (although you hope people that hurt you are watching !!)
• Art - comes from the soul and it is yours whatever it is and looks like ...it is yours and speaks about you
• Money - though money is important it isn't the only thing many people with lots of money are very unhappy.....
  
• Spending - sometimes (most times) if something catches my eye and I love it I buy it..... within reason of course. Usually I will still be loving it even after I remember what it cost
• Presents - it isn't the cost but the thought behind it that matters the most
  

And the lesson I learnt today:

I have absolutely grown in my art that I reworked a painting and I like it so much better. I have been thinking of reworking it for sometime but didn't really know how. Today I decided to let what I have learnt take flight - and I changed it I think for the better - I will let it settle and dry then you can tell me what you think - I will put both versions up......

So whatever my lessons are...... they are there for a reason. Well that is what I have found and today I had a success...... so now for another glass of something cold and white to celebrate!

Love
C

Isn't it funny

Isn't it funny when you find something that you had forgotten and it is a nice surprise! When I was in NZ I wandered around taking photos and picking up things to paint! Very normal for me - I am the gatherer!

Shells, seaweed, wood, grasses and what ever I could find. Have I told you how amazingly patient my husband is???? Well he puts up with this flotsam on most of our journeys - whether they be from the sea or flora from the bush or gardens - nothing is safe! The car is always full of things to paint - I even carry a couple of ziplock bags in my camera bacgs for such gathering.

I then go about painting the items in watercolours - pencils that is - much more travel friendly that the tubes or pans and love the way they mix and bloom.... I have a couple of step by steps on the Scribbly Gums Art blog if you ever wanted to try watercolour pencil paintings but don't know where to start..... here is the link.....my suggestion is that you try the tulip first - it is the easier of the two!

Tulip & Gum Blossom

So my surprise today was finding a whole lot of these lovely little paintings (I divided an A4 into 4) and each one is different.... a completed little piece of a memory from my NZ trip.

Now some of you know I do mixed media - but I also do watercolours and pottery as well..... so I live in a constant state of choice - unfortunately I also work full time which does impact on my art time I can tell you.

Anyway enough chatting here are 8 paintings for you to look at....... I hope you enjoy them

Shells - little visions of NZ

Seaside findings - NZ South Island

There are 14 singles in all - I hope perhaps to sell these separately soon as they are rather cute - and would look lovely grouped on a wall in a single or separate frames..... what do you think.... do you like them??

Love
C

hi everyone

It is so cold here in Canberra that the frosts have started and those clothes which have been resting over hte summer months are now unpacked and hanging in the wardrobe once again.

This week I am finally going to complete the painting of the 3 sisters at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains NSW. I have done a lot of the building up of the background and now it is time to get messy. So on Monday I hope to have it finally finished.

I will also be looking at the class that I need to complete for a retreat I am teaching at in August - so while that is secret - it should be fin.... I am kind of loving doing smaller pieces at the moment in among the large pieces.

I have also been doing an E Course with the very talented Kelly Rae Roberts and felt that this blog could be way ore interesting for people to visit - so I am working on it.....

I am finally on Facebook as a page - so go to Tattered Inspirations and have a look - the more the merrier..... and I would love you to say hi and share some of my art.....

I am hoping that this weekend is one of creativity... thanks for dropping by

Til next time
Carol

ST Retreat Class

Here it is uncovered - the scrap therpay retreat class I ran last weekend

It was fun and I loved it...... luckily so did the girls at the retreat all 30 of them.....


Til next time
C