Love the art...

Today I watched Tracy from Mixed Media Monday.. Tracy was having awful trouble with the Ustream today.. After the stream, we found out her teenage son was downloading a movie and that is why Ustream kept cutting out. Oh dear, bet there was a few words said.. I really liked the little bit I did see. It was enough to get me all inspired to do some pod type flowers. Tracy's ended up being more Dr Seuss like. 

I am not sure what mine are. I just had fun with colours and trying to blend them. I used all DecoArt Media line paints today, a  few of them too.. Background was Cobalt Turquoise Hue around the edge. Then I mixed Cobalt Teal Hue with Titan Buff to get the lighter blue. For the flower pod thingies. I used Primary Magenta and Quinacridone Violet and blended them together. Need to practice my blending more. Made some circles at the edges just because I can.. Paint pen for the stems with spots done with the signo white pen. Put highlights here and there with more of the white pen and around the border to blend it in. Went around the flowers with the Stabilo black pencil and then with a waterbrush. With the background to give it more interest, I used the Andy Skinner stencil Whirlpool with my round blending tool and Distress ink in Peacock feathers. France Papillon's design cube yep little spot side used today.. 
I realised flicking through my Moleskine Art Journal so far, that I had not written in this Art journal yet. I have been using print outs from my computer for the quotes. So thought it was time I did write in it today. 

So day 16 of the #90daysofblogging accomplished. If you would like to pop over and see what the others joining in on this challenge are up to today.. 
Here are the links...
Tamiko McCurry
Donna Lueders
Sandee Setliff
Sharon Estes
Yvonne Armatage Gebauer 

Have a great day

Sandy :) 

Listen to your Heart...

Watched Tracy at Mixed Media Monday today and loved the background she created all shades of blue with splatters of white and black.. I don't have black and white acrylic paint mixed up for splatters but I had Dylusions sprays so I used those.. Tracy always says to use what you have.. Andy Skinner was watching today too so thought of all the ways to grunge one of Tracy's heart's up.. So here is what I did for my grungy version.. I got a piece of white cardstock and ran it through my Tim Holtz gear embossing folder. Then painted it red and gently brushed over some black to just highlight the embossing. Added some cardboard wings that had been sitting on my desk they had gone through a different embossing folder of roses. Then it was sticking random gears and letters on it and I used Helmar's Tacky glue and decopage. Then I went all around the pages and over the hearts and gears with my sewing machine.. It's getting harder to take photo's in my journal now it is getting very fat with art.. 

Have a great day 
Sandy :)

Inspire...

Popping up a quick blog post of what I was up to today while watching Tracy from Mixed Media Monday..  I painted along with Tracy and had some fun with Acrylic paint and my stabilo pencil. Nothing of mine is done lately unless it is sewed so off to the sewing machine I went and sewed around the edges and on the stems.. I had to use the word Inspire from an Urban artist stencil as Tracy Inspires us all the time.. 

Have a great day 

Sandy :)

Love is...

Painted along with Tracy today at Mixed Media Monday... Tracy had some awesome new paintbrushes (will pop them on my wishlist)...Tracy used wide brush to do her background and had to kind of compromise and use my small one and lots of strokes.. It kind of didn't blend as well with the small one, so used a baby wipe to smooth and blend the brushstrokes a bit..  I went for a purple butterfly instead of orange and yellow and bubble wrap instead of a swirl stamp around my edges.. 

I also thought yep another go at practicing my new lettering.. This time I kind of made up my own.. Bit of Sandee's bar lettering with a bit of a swirl added to it.. 

So another fun day to be had painting, cutting and pasting.. Really enjoy adding my own lettering now.. The pencil and eraser are my new friends...

Have a great day 
Sandy :)

Have fun...

Tracy from Mixed Media Monday was on the facebook page yesterday saying how she was painting and who else was doing something.. Well I really liked what Tracy was inspired by, thought I would have a go at something similar.. So out came the pencil and watercolours... 

Lots of daisies, doodling, dangles and some practice for my lettering... So more fun to be had with what I am enjoying doing at the moment, all mixed together...

Have a great day
Sandy :) 

Create...

So over at Mixed Media Monday with Tracy live on Ustream. I watched her do another of her watercolours.. Perfect I thought to practice more of my new lettering that I am doing lately with Joanne Sharpe cant wait to get her book 'The art of whimsical lettering'.. So off I went and did the watercolour, love those blue flowers so had to have a go at this and added a big Create in the middle.  

Have a great day
Sandy :)

I am...

So after yesterday's 'Just be' lettering, I thought ok well more practice is good.. So I thought I would enter this over at the challenge for Tracy at Mixed media Monday for her 'I am' challenge this month... Also I had to enter over at Frosted Designs for Sundays with Sandee for the track lettering Sandee has been teaching us.. Its along the side there in the border how the letters run along.. Its so tricky your letters so want to go up and be loopy and not stay in the darn line.. 

I think I am getting the hang of the smaller words in the different style.. Different flowers on this one, they kind of look like little roses so cute. They are from the whimsical lettering from Joanne Sharpe..  So lots of things altogether to make a journal page that was more fun and more learning.. Watercolour H2O's and black pen and the signo white pen too here and there for the doodling..

Have a great day
Sandy :)

What lies inside of you...

I was playing in my watercolour journal today after watching Tracy at Mixed Media Monday.  They where all talking about the weather and how horrible it is over there while Tracy was painting away.. Today here in Australia it is such a lovely day that I took my watercolours outside and painted this.. I took the picture on top of my seaside daisy it is so pretty out in flower all along my veranda at the moment, so thought I would brighten up those snowy and wet days and take my photo with some flowers in my background.

The quote today is 'What lies behind you and what lies in front of you. Pales in comparison to what lies inside of you'.  by Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Have a great day
Sandy :)

WOYWW #245

I followed along with Tracy from Tracy Weinzapfel Studios  Mixed Media Monday. This week she did watercolours so picked up a few more little tips to play with so after watching her live, I went off and did this in my watercolour book. Only 2 pages left now to do in this book.. I've just finished popping some words on it.  My word for the year making another appearance on there 'Explore'.  My well used watercolours are there too, they are too close together and they get so mucky have to wipe them with a paper towel to keep the colours out from each other.. I will invest in some better ones, as I am finding I love the bright watercolours, they are fun to use.. The cards on the left in the toast holder are for a card challenge on the Art aMUSEment facebook page a card every week for 52 weeks. That's what the times table card is sitting there for with its coat of Gesso.. So far I am kind of keeping up.. Many people commented on my mug tree last week with the scissors and tape, so showing the other one with the washi and twine that sits over on the left of me.. They are great to keep things up off your desk and in reach.. 

Julia from  WOYWW gets us all together every Wednesday to have a look at desks from all over the world.. Grab a cuppa, I have mine here, and take a browse.. Thanks for taking the time to comment and enjoy the blog hopping around all the desks.


Have a great day.
Sandy :)

Tea...

This morning I was looking on facebook and I saw Tracy's great post on her facebook Tracy Weinzapfel Studios page about doing a  watercolour with her morning cup of tea. You can see her great page Here (remember to press the like button).  I have been looking at cups and mugs of coffee that people had been doing.. So thought I might have a go at that..

So I sketched it in and painted it with watercolours, those shading marks with pen are harder to do than they look, I need lots more practice on those.. I was looking at it and thought ok so my background is missing something it was just a bit blank.. Yep it needed a picture on the wall but what of?  So popped a purple frame on the wall and did a picture of...dangles of course.. The quote is "Life is like a cup of tea... It's all in how you make it..." 

Have a great day

Sandy :)

Smile :)

While I was watching Tracy at Mixed Media Monday today and she started drawing flowers. I thought oh I might try drawing flowers on book paper and colouring them in with my water colour crayons while I am watching. So gathered up what I needed and did 5 flower, still have one left. I had seen these done by Jenniebellie on an earlier video Here with pencils and had been wanting to try that out.. Have seen Tracy do them before as well.They where fun and know I will do them again as they are something that can be done with just a few supplies anywhere.. I had in my mind prompt 3 that I am up to with Journal 52  'You always make me smile'. What makes me smile? Flowers and bright colours always make me smile. :)

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Card 1... Box...

So I am in a facebook group called art aMUSEment, it is run by Kelly Hoernig.  Its a fun group and this year Kelly came up with the idea of picking 52 cards of the same size and doing a card with a theme every week so thought this would be a fun thing to do so I am going to join in. Well as many times as I can.

This week the word is box so I brought some cards from the second hand shop some quite big 140 mm x 85 mm or 5.5 inch x 3.34 inch so a good size they are a game of learning times tables..
I then painted some Gesso on the card as the cards are quite glossy... Then grabbed a baby wipe and painted with blue and yellow.  Then stenciled with some black.   I got to it making a little box and painted it and stuck that on with dimension foam.. Well Tracy from Mixed Media Monday was talking about choosing a word for the year and mine is explore.  I chose explore as I am on this journey to explore Mixed Media and art Journaling and its a whole new world to explore for me.  So I popped that word in the little box.. I just picked up this set of stamps just last week and had not chosen my word at that time.. When I picked up the set its called 'pack your bags collection' from Kaisercraft all I saw on this set was the word journey and thought I could use that a bit in my art journal pages.  So had a closer look today and wow it had my word on it Explore so how great is that.. All the stamps I used today came from this same set so that worked on this really well.. I added the date from my date stamp as it had date written on the stamp.  It was all meant to be hey. 
Here is a Link to the video that Kelly popped up on the facebook page. Take a look and maybe you might like to join in too.. 

Have a great day 
Sandy :)

MMM & Day 5 November Art every day month

Today I watched Tracy at Mixed Media Monday I so loved what she did so followed along after watching.. I actually picked my background colours while I was watching her paint.. I got to use my new stencils I had received for my birthday in the background, so that had been my plan for today anyway so it worked out really well. Tracy dared us to make something with one of her selected colour schemes and to put on the page something with gratitude.. Well I am grateful to Tracy for showing me the world of mixed media and watercolour.  I would not be doing what I have been doing all this year without her influence.. Tracy is a great teacher and gives her time and encouragement on her blog, ustream channel and facebook page. 

So the quote on my page is " At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.. 
 by Albert Schweitzer.
Thanks Tracy for lighting that flame.. 

If you missed what I am up to, I am joining in with 'November Art every day month'. Click on the link below for more details of how you can join in too. 

Art every day month :day 5.

Have a great day 

Sandy :)

October creative dare..

Today I just wanted to do some watercolours.. I so wanted to join in with Tracy at Mixed Media Monday   as the prize this month is a water colour set.
How awesome to win this prize.. I have been feeling a bit flat since my cat went missing.  So thought this was just the thing to get the mojo flowing and it did feel good to just paint with watercolours and just play.. Flowers where the go I thought as they always make me feel happy..  Tracy cut some flowers out like this last week with paper and I thought they looked really cool with the droopy petals.. My husband said mine look like they are missing some petals.. Oh well maybe I didn't get them quite right but it was fun to do.. Thanks Tracy and the great group of Mixed Media Monday ladies for the great encouragement and inspiration to just have a go.. 
My quote is " Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties" Erich Fromm.

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Mixed Media Monday Challenge

So Tracy from MMM challenged us for August to do a page in an hour and a half.  Well I did the flowers in 40 mins but the colouring the background well as this water colouring is new to me it took ages to do the blue and I gave up with the timer. I think I did too much detail. Then the outlines well that took time again here and there I would grab a few minutes as we do.  Well then I had to think what quote to do on this well the whole thing and theme was to 'Let it go' so popped that on there and then thought well 'Let it flow' kind of looked right on the other page.  I then just had to do a little reminder to myself with the Play, Draw, Create. I am loving the doodling and did a bit with my signo white pen. I am pretty sure I went well over the 1.5 hour time limit but I love the pages and well I did do two.. I think I will try this again but next time only do one page to see if I can complete the whole thing in the allocated time.

This is my desk last week from my What's on your workdesk Wednesday post the only shot I have of the after 40 minutes.  Oh and my fabulous bright new watercolours.
So will link this up with Tracy at Mixed Media Monday its a great challenge as Tracy does this nearly every week in an hour.
Have a great day
Sandy :)

Doodling...

I have been busy doing some doodling inspired by Tracy over at Mixed Media Monday

I brought myself a little water colour journal and have been trying out different patterns.  I am finding this very relaxing.  I just pencil in my patterns, then water colour and go around it with my new black montana paint pen.  I also brought a nib pen with some ink and have been practising writing with that as I was finding my black pens where just not working the way I wanted them too.  Sorry I have been a bit lax in posting on my blog but have been busy with life!! You know it gets in the way of blogging sometimes..  So hope you like my colourful pattern play it was such fun and am going off to work on another one right now.. 

I am not sure what kind of bug or butterfly this on the bottom picture. I think I just invented a new one, but hey it turned out pretty in that pink.. 

Just for fun I am going to pop these at the following..
Artists in blogland
Balzer designs
Make it Monday

Have a great day

Sandy :)

Homework...

Tracy was away on Monday from Mixed Media Monday.. I know how can she leave us with nothing to do this week!!.. So Andy one of the other ladies set homework so we don't get into mischief.. Well you had to go and look at Tracy's past projects  and pick something to inspire you for this week.. As soon as I saw this well woot I want to do that one.. I had the diamond stencil and you all know I love to tear up books.. I was dying to try my new Alphabet stamp set it is the coolest font.. So what do you think did I pass the homework test?  I had lots of fun as usual and see no blue in sight.. Its a real challenge not to turn to blue, pink and purple..  This has even got gold painted stenciling all around the edge, subtle but it is really sparkly and shiny.. Love the quote think every Mother needs to remember this one..  So If you want to join in here is the video that I watched.. 

Just for fun I am going to enter this over at 

Artists in blogland
Art journal everyday
Paint Party Friday

Have a great day
Sandy :)

Creative dare...

This month for Tracy at Mixed Media Monday we have a creative dare... 

I struggled with this and nearly didn't do it.  I had the background done weeks ago just waiting.. I painted the tree and thought it would look good with my words on it then its been three weeks of it just sitting there, looking at me.. I kept telling myself its not hard its just 5 words.. 

So these are my 5 words 

Courage- well I love to have a go at new things. 

Caring- care deeply about everything.

Creative- I am always creating something.

Loving- Love my family and friends enormously. 

Laughter - Well I love to have a good Laugh.. 

Think I got there in the end but gee it made me think.. 

April's Creative Dare:

Your Creative Dare is to think of FIVE WORDS Describing what your life means.  Your purpose!  What FIVE WORDS encompass what you want to be remembered for? 

have a great day

Sandy :)

Dream a little Dream...

Today with Tracy at  Mixed Media Monday there was a few new techniques for me to try..  Tissue paper and mod podge hmm would have never tried to use this without the excellent instructions on how to do it.  It was such an easy technique and gives so much lovely texture and so cheaply.  Must not throw any tissue paper away from now on.  Tracy had a beautiful stencil and then adapted it to suit what she wanted. Well I didn't have a stencil so just did a sketch and tried my best to paint it.. My painting skills are sadly lacking and sketching is new to me too but a little charcoal pencil, a black marker and a bit of help with my new stitching stamp for the stems was a great place for me to start.  The pink was supposed to look quite swirly and I don't think I quite got it but hey I am learning something new all the time and thoroughly enjoying the painting find it quite relaxing..  Love incorporating my stamps onto the paint another use for them and that's great.  The dream a little dream stamp, its the first time I had used that one its from Kaszass, such a great set of stamps lots of little sayings..  This painting is on craft wood its only 6 inches square has holes in the top so will probably put on some kind of hanger with some beads.. I have done one this size before and was thinking maybe might attach them all together I have 7 of them. They where supposed to be a calendar but have found them great for trying out new things not too big to be too daunting, but you still have it on something nice and solid.. 

So another technique tried out and loved it..

I have been looking at Art journal everyday there is so many wonderful pages to look at so will link this up there as well.. I have been trying to do something everyday as I figure the only way I am going to get better is with practice.. 

Have a great day 

Sandy :)

Live, Love, Laugh..

I was inspired after Mixed Media Monday with Tracy to sit straight down and paint on my very first Canvas, it was best I think as everything was all fresh in my mind of what to do.  I tried to stamp on the canvas as Tracy had done but it did not work with the stamps I had, it just did not look right it just did not stamp at all.  So went for the flower stencils I had. So I got all my favourite bright colors out and just started dabbing away and popping layers of flowers for the background.  I painted the main flowers at the front and attempted the best I could with leaves they are tricky.  I used my bigshot and cut letters out for the words, then I used my new white pen and went around them so they look like they are embedded in the canvas and not just stuck on top.  I used left over paint and dabbed on some cardstock and stamped with a word stamp. Then I used the Tim Holtz butterfly movers and shapers die to cut it out.. I popped bows in the buttons with some colored string I had saved.  It was from a little parcel I had received, thought it was the perfect color, I only just had enough of it for the 3 of them.  I had a lot of fun getting paint everywhere, was lovely to use such bright happy colors. 

I would also like to say a big welcome a new follower to my blog, welcome to Gibby.  

I am going to enter this in the challenge at 

Simon Says Stamp  Quotable..

Have a great day

Happy Easter

Sandy :)