Feeling the Sunshine!

We had Sunshine - gloriously sunshine - for three whole days in a row this past week!!  So while I was out working in my gardens, I had and idea of a project I would make for this weeks posting. - I love garden art- simple art, organic like- that's the way I roll ...
so please read on...

I first drew a sun with rays on heavy paper and cut it out.

Time to use up all of the tissue paper in colors I am not fond of.
 I scrunched and crumpled layer after layer and applied with Decoupage mat gel - this took a few days to dry thoroughly(outside on my table) 
After that was dry I covered the piece with a good thick coat of gesso and more drying time.

While all this was drying I pulled from my stash some beautiful 
 handmade paper to stencil on.

Here I used the Japanese Geometric Series  stencils. I used the Hemp Flower and Seven Jewels  for my piece. I pounced on the yummy shades of Luminarte Silks for sheen and shine! The colors I used are : Sunburst, Sunflower,Ginger Peach,Pink Anthurium,Persimmon,and Spicy tomato.

Once the sun shape was dry , I gently tore strips of my stenciled paper and decoupaged those on the sun..the yellows on the rays and the pinks for the center.

                                 

Once everything was dry... I trimmed loose papers and...

Out came the Inka Gold Metallic Rubs. I loaded my fingers and gently rubbed across the peaks I had made with the tissue paper earlier on.. For the rays I used Orange. And through the center of the sun I used yummy Magenta.

Haven't decided if I want to mount it yet...I am taking it to Kamp this weekend and maybe just hanging it on the back deck as it is! If I do- I'll be sure to bring back photos!!
 Thanks for joining me and don't forget stop back Monday for a new post from Gabrielle!  

 and in case you are wondering why I spell Kamp this way...I'll post when I get home about it-
 Kamp Se'Krit~ that is! have a great weekend!
")  Jackie

On a Quasi Crystal mission...

Fridays Gal , Jackie here... 

 sorry- I love saying that! tee hee

 

This week, one of our Fab D.T. artists at Artistcellar, Renee Zarate, inspired me with a sweet canvas she created- using Fibo from the Quasi Crystal stencil series.

 

    My granddaughters birthday is coming up and she has been after me to make something fun for her room. 

 So....out came the FUN!

 

From the beginning...

 

I pulled out another previously made background that was in limbo  ( I seem to have a large supply of these- lucky me!)

Next I added more color using Ranger-Tim Holtz Distress Stains  Fired Brick, Shaded Lilac,Broken China,Wild Honey.  

To this palette,I used matte gel to adhere some vintage text- strategically placed-hmm? probably not!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, out came  The Fibo, Infra and Quasi! as well as, 

Wendy Vecci's Clear Embossing Paste and Luminarte Silks- Ginger Peach--mmmmm  love that name and as well as the color!

After smooshing the Embossing Paste and Ginger Peach through Quasi...

it was time to introduce,  a little bit Infra 

(hmm, reminds me of a song) Again, I used Embossing Paste and Silks~ Stargazer-heavenly!

And did I stop there? No, Fibo joined the party along with more Embossing Paste and Silks~ French Lilac

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While all of this was drying,  I was happily stenciling away on another page using Quasi again- I love the tiny flowers that appear with this stencil....I started with pinks and yellows but decided it would blend in too much, so I flipped the page over and went to my other favorite colors- turquoise and purples!!Yes I said I flipped the page over! 

( tip-I scanned both sides and use for future pieces! )

   And speaking of favorite colors!! I have to tell you, that I used the new MEDIA Heavy Body Acrylic Paint by Ranger/Dina Wakley!  ~Lemon,Tangerine,Magenta,Blackberry Violet, Sky,and Turquoise  

This paint is sooo perfect for stenciling- creamy and smooth- almost velvety! Okay..on with the post!

 On the page that I printed out, I stamped  Kaisercraft Butterflies and Stampotique Mushrooms .Then I snipped out all my stampings and prepared to adhere! I also penned around some of the Quasi shapes and cut those out for little flowers that I added along the bottom of the page.

 

 

    Once I had all my pieces strategically placed (for real this time) I set to gluing them in place. The final piece to go on was a stamped quirky little Butterfly Fairy Queen by Ink and the Dog . 

I placed her on her throne atop the mushrooms!                            

     My granddaughter like me-likes Quirky! - so this is sure to be a hit!                                         
                                               Here she is!

 

 

       I hope you enjoyed the process! You should see the mess! ")

 

 

 

Distressed Glitter Shrine ~ St. Catherine of Bologna

Compendium Of Curiosities3 Challenge ~ 2~ Distress Glitter

Here we are at the second challenge for CC3C. This time the challenge is using Tim Holtz's Distressed Glitter. 
Here is my offering this week....

  Saint Catherine of Bologna is the patron saint of Artists- so I thought it only fitting that she should have a shrine in her honor at my work table in my studio!


   I started out using a masonite scalloped shelf shrine and chipboard fancy embellishment . For the scalloped shrine, first I painted along the edges with Stewart Gill Byzantia- Agean , then applied 
Distress Glitter ~Stormy Sky. I did the same on the fancy embellishment. 
 Next I painted in the rest of the scalloped shrine with  Wendy Vecchi's Gold Embossing Paste. 
After heating everything and distressing to my liking- I added all sorts of  Bits and Bobs- vintage jewelry pieces,homemade palette and paintbrush, bingo number, vintage rosary chain, Idea-ology Philosophy Tags from Tim Holtz , other items and a pen nib with chicken feathers. DISCLAIMER: (none of my girls were not hurt during the gathering of the feathers) teehee

Left side close-up

Right side- close-up

                                                                                                                                                                          

Of the several pics found on Google- this I felt was the most pleasing of St.Catherine

 Now for a bit of history....

 According to what I have read, Catherine was born into a very wealthy family but earlier in her youth she decided to leave that world behind and joined an order of lay women who followed the teachings of St Francis (my favorite Saint). 

Eventually a small group of these women left to join the Poor Clares, founded by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi.

Catherine continued in her artistic pursuits, playing the viola , painting religious pictures (her painting of St. Ursula hangs today in a gallery in Venice), and writing spiritual guides and poetry.

 Even though I read many articles, I was not able to find where she was eventually made the patron saint of artists- but it's fun to have one! 

        Below is where I am linking up with Linda Ledbetter
                                        #79
                 http://lindaledbetter.com/cc3challenge

Map Art Series -reclaimed Journal cover

  Another exciting new stencils release at Artistcellar! 

I  do hope you had a chance to hop the blogs for a chance to win a set of   Jill K. Berry's Map Art Series stencils!!                                                                          
 Check out below how I played with them this week!
From the beginning...

I started with a previously made watercolor background I had in one of my journals .Next out came the new stencils by Jill K. Berry- I used Global Compass Rose and Sunny Compass Rose. And to those stencils I pounced in delishous (sic)one of my own words here!) color with my yummy Silks! They are so creamy and full of shinyness! (geesh, you'd think I did not know how to spell!)teehee 

Silks colors used  were Spicy Tomato, Solar Gold, Carmen, Teal Zircon,Persimmon,Stargazer and Sunflower

 

I just had to use the Immaculate stencil also- it was calling to me, so I added some rays of sunshine here...   

                       and the Immaculate Heart & Rose in the center,there!

              Even more roses! Then I pounced the mini rose in the center of each of the four compasses.To finish off my design I also used the mini flower radiating out from the center on four sides.

   
    Then came the gluing down of my "canvas" to the reclaimed journal, which I had previous prepped by sanding and applying gesso.A trick here is to dampen/spritz(not soak))the back of the watercolor paper to give flexibility for adhering the paper-then apply your choice of medium for gluing.
I bought this journal at a yard sale for a song!  Sturdy pages and the lovely ribbon tie are what sold me!
 
             Held in place and left to cure over night... 
 Here is my cover! I love the versatility of Jill's stencils. As you can see from my cover, I used several elements from  Jill K. Berry's Map Art Series Stencils to achieve this look! 
Turned out rather lovely if I may say so! 
(as she pats herself on her back!)

                            I added an extra goody to share...

     I like to save all of my cut scraps from previous pieces, so this is a journal page created from some of those pieces.Here I used the Sunny Compass with Fleur de lis Stencil with some modeling paste. And for the color I washed the page with Luminarte Silks Pink Azalea . Then added the Pink Azalea to the compass also with a dry brush and then used the Viva Inka Gold to add a nice shine.

 I do hope you came away with some new ideas or maybe some inspiration!  ")

   Today marks 1 month since nearly 300 girls were kidnapped from their dormitories- in Nigeria- because they wanted an education- because their parents believed in education for their daughters.

 

     Today also is our online auction in support for these daughters, sisters, granddaughters,nieces.So that girls/women may also have the education that they deserve-the right to reach their full potential.
     Fellow artist and friend, Jessica Sporn put out an online call to artists everywhere and over 60 artists-humanitarians responded with amazing art for this auction. All proceeds from the generous donations will go to Girls Rising.

                                This is my piece I have donated for the auction-"Mother's Love" 

You can find this as well as over 60 other fabulous pieces of art all donated by theses wonderful artists

at http://www.32auctions.com/bringbackourgirls

You can also visit them at their blogs -their links are listed below 

The auction starts today at 7:00 am -
 Please visit! Check out all of the beautiful art and maybe bid on an item or two! or if you'd rather, make a donation. Every little bit helps!! Thank you ")

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"  Ghandi



Jessica Sporn   http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com
Linda Kittmer  http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca
Ronda Palazzari  http://rondapalazzari.typepad.com
Marjie Kemper   http://www.marjiekemper.com
Judy Shea   http://thekeytomyart.wordpress.com
Glenda Hoagland   http://pilgrimsthoughts.blogspot.com
Astrid Maclean  http://astridsartisticefforts.blogspot.com
Lisa Pace   http://lisapace.com
Jackie Neal   http://creatingwithoutcrayons-jackiepneal.com
Claudine Criner   http://claudinesartcorner.blogspot.com
France Papillon   http://www.france-papillon.com
Kristin Van Valkenburgh  http://TwinkleTwinkleLikeAStar.blogspot.com
Marcia Beckett  http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com
Ruth Levy   http://lerusho.wordpress.com/
Sally Lynn MacDonald   http://www.SallyLynnMacDonald.com
Renee Zarate   http://renee-boltonhouse.blogspot.com
Natasha May   http://natashamay.blogspot.com/
Carmen Whitehead   http://www.serendipitystudiobycw.blogspot.com/
Seth Apter   http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/
Marybeth Shaw   http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/
Amy Ingardia-Walker  http://creativelyquirkyathome.blogspot.com/
Kelly Warren  http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com
Julie Bernier http://juliebernierphotography.zenfolio.com/
Adrienne Hoban  http://www.allure-decor.com/
Krista van Tol   http://craftylittlepigtails.blogspot.com
Cheryl Grigsby http://cherylspaperartz.blogspot.com
Jill Meyer www.jillmeyer.com
Lisa Flaherty http://mypeaceofpaper.blogspot.com

Kerry C. Mitchell http://kerrycmitchell.com

Lizabeth Harrington http://www.craicarts.blogspot.com;www.facebook.com/craicarts.com

Barbara Lanza www.barbaralanza.com

Jamie Dougherty www.jamiedoughertydesigns.com

Doreen Kassel www.doreenkassel.com ; www.http://doreengay-kassel.blogspot.com/

Nancy Baumiller http://crowabout.blogspot.com

Valerie Roussel https://www.facebook.com/CreativeLaureline

Susan K. Weckesser http://mysweetearth.blogspot.ca/

Kay Wallace http://kaywallaceartjournaling.blogspot.com

Getting messy

    I have been in a mood as of late- I think I will blame it on the up and down weather! 
So, yesterday, I sat down in my studio and made quite a mess...

but I created alot of cool art,in my own personal opinion that is! teeheehee...

 I embossed this metal piece and used it to make the two pieces below~sort of like the gelli plate method-but without the gelli plate!

  

and here, I had a some junk weighing heavy on my heart and mind and after some hard core journaling, It's...

Today is a brand new day and the sun...well, it was shining two minutes ago! heehee   I'm out to check on the girls,

                                       and then back to the studio! 

                                     Hope your day is filled with color!

  One last thing, if you have the time- please stop over to
#bringbackourgirls auction. 
 There are enormously beautiful pieces of art donated by wonderful artists- if you can't buy, please feel free to tweet, post or write about it! Share the love! ")
 

#bringbackourgirls

 Bring Back Our Girls

  This Thursday, May 15th, it will be one month since close to  300 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped from their dormitory. Why? Because these  girls believe in eduction. While is is said that 53 have escaped, 276 girls still remain captive- and are rumored to have been sold into slavery.  

  It is unfathomable for me to even try to understand the pain and anguish of these girls or the heartbreak of the mothers and their families.

 Thanks to social media- the world is finally taking notice .

Jessica Sporn has put out a call to the art world, 

                for  "A CALL TO ART".

 Won't you please join us in doing what we can as a giving and caring community- whether by donating art, bidding on or buying Art or even posting on your blog or tweeting , facebook, ect. 

 

              Check out all the details here:

 A quick recap---

When:    May 15th at 7AM EDT, and ends on May 17 at 3PM EDT

Where:     32 auctions.com

All proceeds will be going to  Girls Rising

 

 Namaste

Mother's Day

  Today is Mother's Day and I find myself recalling memories of my childhood as well as adulthood; of times shared with my Mom and so many missed opportunities.

      My Mom passed away 13 years next month- way too soon at a very young 69. 
Mom and I had plans for my trip down to visit her in Myrtle Beach that year. This would be my first visit to her home there and Mom was so excited, she had all kinds of plans for us! Yup, even going to a baseball game of which , I was not and am not a fan- but told her I was so excited anyways! I had painted this watercolor for Mom,and had it framed. I was going to take it to her as a surprise!

My painting hangs in my studio where I can look upon it and reflect my Mom's love-

 My flight was scheduled for Tuesday, and on Monday afternoon my sister Jeanne called and said Mom was in the hospital and it was not good. Mom had been swimming at the community pool when she felt dizzy and was starting to loose feeling of her limbs- she was having a stroke. Upon arriving at the hospital, they immediately started treating Mom for a heart attack and really never looked into the possibility of a stroke. They actually never did a CT scan till the following day. Given the fact that this was overlooked Mom quickly started to fail as sufficient oxygen was not making it to her brain. I could not get there any sooner than my original flight and when I did arrive- Mom had succumbed to the coma . I only once got a squeeze of her hand when I leaned close and kissed her and told her how much I loved her.  I know she heard me and I know she already knew how much I loved her -  I wish I had gone sooner-
                        I miss my Mom terribly everyday, but today is always the hardest.

  Being a  Mom myself, I know the importance of my children's love and our times spent together. 
My kids are grown and living miles away but we talk almost every other day and visit once a year if not more.

 

   Life truly is short and we never know how long we are here for- my words of wisdom are- make those opportunities happen, take those chances- and above all else- spend time with those you love- whenever you can! Show your children all the love you can and in turn they will for their children- of this I am sure.

                     Sending out my best wishes for all who are Moms -in life and in spirit!
                                I hope your day is filled with sunshine and love ")