Febuary is here

Good morning Monday and February!  It is a cold one here, we received over 7 inches of snow this week-end and the roads are icy.  Reno does get cold and snow, unlike Vegas.  So it looks like a great day to stay inside, have potato soup and paint all day.  Well I will paint as long as my neck and shoulders will allow me.

This painting is from last year and is sold, but I thought it was appropriate for today's post, plus it is available on my Society6 shop in prints, pillows and more.  https://society6.com/product/radiant-heart-zh4_print#1=45

So today is a share of some of my favorite heart items I have made.


Being that it is February, I thought I would share a few of the heart items I have created this past week and are in my Etsy shop.  I like heart items all year round, not just for Valentine's.  But not everyone thinks like me.

This little mixed media sculpture was so fun to make and I can see me making a few more.  Fun and a little whimsical but still trying to keep an abstract edge.  You can see it HERE.

 These two canvases was on a night that I didn't feel too creative and boom.  Once I felt the clay hearts in my hands it was pure joy!  Both are listed HERE.

So no telling what today I will create but I can assure you that it might include a heart. May your Monday be warm and remember it is a new week which means fresh start, clean slate and a bright new week.

Judy

Day 3 of 12 Christmas

I started physical therapy on my knees and shoulder yesterday and it made it impossible for me to paint or be creative so I thought I would share what I am working on...my Christmas tree.  I am not ready to reveal the finished decorated tree, but I can show what I am doing with my miniature paintings.

On my Etsy shop, I have several mini paintings for sale but I just hated the thought of them sitting in a box waiting for a new home.  Thought they would look great hanging on my tree, so I added a little wire on the back to give them a new use.

 These are just a few of my new works added to the shop, but you can see many more HERE, there is also a link on the left hand side for my Etsy and my Society6 shop.  Browse my shops.

I have to keep this short for today to let my neck get some rest, but I will be back tomorrow.  Hope you enjoy.

Judy

Collage work for a change

The past two weeks I wanted to explore collage.  Something I have wanted to learn, but could never exactly fully grasp.  It looks easy, but I found not really.  Or maybe they just never turned out the way my brain wanted them to turn out.  I also found that my logical side of my brain wanted rules and step by step instructions.  Last summer I took a class on collage and it too fell flat on instructions.  I watched a few online videos, but being hearing impaired that is a challenge in its self.  Note to those who do videos give a list of supplies or word prompts!!  I think the only thing I learned that you should use a matte medium under and over the papers that you add to your base.

But what is cheep drawing paper?  This was mentioned many times in video but is this just copy paper.  Frustrating at times.



So will share the two pieces that I was happy with.  Here is a set of three 5"x5" mixed media collage that are available on my Etsy shop.

The canvases were painted and then I added mono printed papers that I did on with my Gelliplate.  I used newsprint paper, which is a nice thickness but does have a grey tint.

Here is another collage that I finished

What I have learned from this weeks worth of collage studies...I need more Gelli printed papers in lots of colors.  I think next weeks projects is to just do mono prints in lots of colors, of course on all sorts of papers to figure out which ones work the best.  So next time I will share a bunch of painted papers.

Go get creative! - Judy

Last week's project...conquer the BIG canvas fear

Conquer  the big canvas fear!

Actually I worked on two of my fears last week...big canvas and testing fibers on canvas.

First let me talk about my fear of big canvases.  I have tried doing larger canvases and have hated them and they sit in my closet waiting to be be painted over.  Generally I like to do small works from 3" - 12".  the are nice doable sizes and usually on paper, not canvas.  But if I do a canvas it is small also.  Ok, so I like painting on paper because easy to ship on my Etsy shop and if the don't come out as I like they can go into my scrap box for the one day when I conquer my collage fear (coming soon!)

Canvases on the other side, I am really scared to mess them up.  But this week I went decided to just do it.  So here is my canvas.

 
I prefer the vertical position, but wanted to show up the horizontal too.  I have a hidden signature so it can be hung either way.

So let's talk about size!!  24" x 12", ok as I type that size it sounds small, but it is much larger than my comfort zone.  As you can see in the next photo, it takes up my whole photo light box!

 
Now I need to talk about my second fear/challenge...adding fibers to canvas.  A long time ago, about 11yrs ago I had this dream or desire to create works of art that encompassed me.  What do I mean me?  Well I have tried every so many things like stamping, scrapbooking, beading, sewing, quilting, embroidery, fiber art, and painting.  I knew back them I wanted to create art that incorporated all my skills into one piece.  But, when I told friends they would look at me weird and ask what would you do with it?  Funny thing I heard about mixed media back then, but much of what I was seeing was vintage or grunge, neither was where I wanted to go.  I knew it would be abstract and textured.  Somehow, this week I feel I am getting closer.  Those darn baby steps take so long to get up to running.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this wild, bumpy, crazy ride.

So, take some time to look at some of these yummy textures....

Alright, I have to admit I did enjoy doing that larger of a canvas once it was finished.  In fact today it was hard to go back to the smaller ones for my next project.  This next week I am going to conquer my fear of collage.

See you on my next adventure.

Judy

Weekly recap...

Can I say there has been so much going on this week?  I could write a huge list, but I won't.  I did the artist event last week-end which was quite fun.  Hanging with other artists was nice and I didn't feel like I didn't fit in.  I have done craft fairs and I don't usually fit in, but this time people got me.

So this post is to recap this week since I didn't get a chance to write.

Event was worth it and I felt fearless, so check!  I achieved my goal and sold a little at the same time.  But while that was going on I got 3 special orders on my Etsy and my Facebook page...yeah!


Then the really BIG news came in via email.  I got 1 email that said they want to publish my work and have me write a featured article. WHAT!?!  Yeah, happy dance....re-read the email on Monday and in fact I am writing TWO featured articles on two different items.  Oh my...it didn't stop there because I got another email that one of my smaller items will also be in the readers gallery in the back of the magazine also and they need a blurb on that too.  So I guess I know what I will be working on this next week.  I can't wait to share with you what magazine, but it comes out June 2015.  I will keep you posted.


So I will share with you my new wearable art pendants that I have been painting this past week.  Let's just say I am taking the mini painting to an extreme.  I have a bunch to be added to my Etsy shop each day, but if you want one in a certain color please contact me at scrampalot@gmail.com

With all this good news, it has been a very stressful week.  My daughter is getting ready for her brain and spinal surgery on the 20th.  So to get her ready for them to shave her head for surgery,  we decided to thin out her hair a bit.

I think it looks great and we do know they will be shaving a stripe down the back of her head but I'm sure we can work with it.  That was an emotional day of cutting off her hair, shaving it and accepting that it is really going to happen.  But she was a trooper with all the pre-op testing.

Overall the week came with some joys and some tears.  May you have a wonderful week-end.  I think we are going to be low key this week-end.

Judy

Busy in the studio

I am so flipping busy right now and I am not sure what to do next.  It is a good thing that my Etsy shop and my Society6 shop is seeing a lot of traffic and I feel so blessed. So lots of hearts go out to my online community!

So part of that commitment to living fearless this year is putting myself and my art out there.  Taking some chances, risk rejections and gain more insight.  Here is my first step of being fearless, I decided at the last minute to do a show this week-end.   I am embracing that fear and say "what did I get myself into this?" "Do I have enough stuff for this show?" "Am I good enough?" "What are the other artists going to think of me or my art?" "Am I too crafty and not enough art?"  OK...wouldn't you liked to be in my head??? LOL.  Needless to say, I am a chicken with her head cut off at this moment.


Here is where it is.

Here are a few things you will see at the show.

Pendants!  Lots of hand painted pendants.

 

 A little bit of fiber art!

And a few new painted pieces!

  If you are local stop on by, if you aren't there will be new items on both my Etsy and my Society6 shop next week.

Have a wonderful week-end and see you on Monday! - Judy

What does living fearless mean?

This is a good question.  Living fearless means many things, I guess it depends on who you are.  I don't see me doing anything wild and crazy like skydiving or putting myself in harm.  Living fearless for me this year is going to be about putting myself out there, taking a few more risks, and believing in myself.  I know there will be many people who like and dislike my art or how I do things but this is me.

Here is what I created from my journal page:

I created a print from my first journal page for this year.  Don't think my hubby will mind a little purple in our teal bedroom, do you?.  But I think having a visual for me will be helpful to see each day.

Actually, my #Society6 shop is awesome in creating fun stuff that I can get a mug or a pillow as my daily reminder!  Silly girl.

The decision will be hard as to which to get.

But here is my first step my sharing 1 side of my 2 page layout of my journal page, putting it out the publicly and trying to be fearless one baby step at a time.

You can join me! - Judy

Monday Painting

Today I took some time to spend with my family and we went to the movies.  I felt we needed a good laugh, so I chose the Wedding Ringer.  A very funny movie and it was nice that the theatre was some what bare.  I would guess maybe 30 people, which is good because a few times I was a little loud.

Even with time away from the studio I managed to get a mini painted and have a few more prepped for future painting.  Today's painting was a little different than what I have been doing, still abstract but this time some definite lines that almost reminds you floral or foliage.

This mini has been added to my Etsy shop and it come with an easel to display it.

I love how these look on my desk, mantel and book shelf.  My little addiction.

I hope you will join me on this little addiction and visit my Etsy shop.

Happy Monday and remember today is National Popcorn Day!

Judy

It's been awhile, I missed you

Well that is what I would love to hear from my blog readers, "It's been awhile, I missed you."  But I know they busiest time of year has just past and people are trying to get back to normal.

For me that means, back to painting everyday.  I have lots of photos of the daily painting I have been doing AND a explanation of why I have been away.  To make this fun I will mix in the paintings along the way.

Our family has been under a lot of stress...if I was asked our stress level from 1-10, I would say 13!  This is why I started painting little mini canvases each day.  These little pieces may not be much to some, but they are the best medicine for me.

Here is day 1 for 2015

the challenge for day 1 was to work with pink.  Pink is not a color I use much.

Day 2 for 2015

what a bright little canvas.  Again not a color combo that I use much.  It even surprised my daughter that I did a primary color canvas.

Day 3 for 2015...

 

 Day 4 for 2015...

I love black and white, but wanted to throw in a POP of color.  I can see more of these in my future but what POP of color?

Day 5 for 2015...

ok, so I stayed at black and white for a bit.

Day 6 for 2015...

 I wanted to play with some texturing mediums, so this one has fiber paste to the canvas.  And of course I was excited to work with orange.

Day 7 for 2015...

 I am not sure how long I am going to do these daily exercises, but they are my little piece of JOY.  And I hope that you like them.  They are all available on my Etsy shop (side link of blog).  I usually shy away from blue and I don't know why.  I love this blue and lime, which was a happy accident.

Day 8 for 2015...

 Started to think about Valentines.  Not quite the traditional colors but who knows someone might think it is cool.

Day 9 for 2015...

Still not finished with the blue I guess.  But I have to say I love bright colors.

Day 10 for 2015...

Ok this one got me excited!  It has orange and is textured.  I can't wait until we move and I can play with more colors.  Yes, a move is possible within the next year.  No location chosen and it is all based on hubby's job promotion.

 Couldn't help myself!

Day 11 for 2015

Blue, purple...hmmm...I like it. I was thinking there is not enough purple on my shop and I should play with it.

Day 12 for 2015...

Two hearts...I wanted to know if I could embroider on a canvas.  I could and I love it.

See how looking at all these little painting make you feel better.  I needed it.  Back to the stress level of 13.  My Nov & Dec was filled with lots of Dr. appointments.  First my hubby broke two ribs which meant an x-ray, which lead to a ct scan, more appointments, then a PET scan.  He has a mass in his lungs and after all the appointments is not cancer, but need a scan every 6 months.  Whew!  But at the same time my father-in-law fell a fractured his back and need back surgery.  We were omg! traveling to SC was not an option.  We didn't stop going to Dr. appointments, because my daughter who has been sick for 2yrs and unable to work found a neurosurgeon who is familiar with her condition.  She has Chiari Malformation.  It is a brain condition that she has to live with and it is very painful.  She had her MRI's 2 days before Christmas and it has been confirmed she needs surgery in a month.

So stress level through the holidays sucked.  I know that 2015 is going to be better, but we have a few rough bumps to get though the next 2 months. 


All I ask that you as blog readers stick with me, encourage me and provide a ray of sunshine.

Now I don't usually ask for help but if you like any of these paintings, please go to my Etsy.  All profits from my shop until 2/20/15 is going towards my daughters surgery.  We are going to have about $6000-$10,000 out of pocket expenses.  I don't want to burden my daughter with this debt while she is finished college.  So please visit my Etsy or any of my print shops.

Happy 2015 - Judy