What's in my Studio - Recycled Bar Codes and Envelopes

My muse is having difficulties doing big art, so I'm playing around with Artist Trading Cards... specifically for two swaps I'm hosting on atcsforall.com; Recycled Envelope Liners and Recycled Bar Codes. Three of the atcs sitting on my work table have an envelope liner as background, and tea cup is obviously a bar code. 

Love the Trader Joe's Yerba Mate tea, and the packaging is so creative! 

Hope your week is going well!

Sharing with Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday 

What's in my studio... blackbirds and flowers

Working on a few series of Artist Trading Cards. The flower cards are potentials for my friend Martha's Spring Flowers swap.  I'm hosting a recycled envelope swap at ATCsforAll.com, so that's what the corner blackbird is about. I'm in search of some red or pink security liners, came across one at thought I'd saved it but can't locate it. Ah well! 

On another note, I dropped off my Orange Flowers painting for the Allied Arts Members Show that opens Friday March 6th. So it's not here, but it's on my mind. 

I thought I had a photo of it framed, but can't find that either. Gosh, wonder if all this "can't find stuff" is part of getting old. Nah, just busy. That's it! 

Have a marvelous week! 

Sharing with Julia's What's on Your Workdesk.

What's in my Studio... Translucent Layers

Working on a demo I'm teaching tomorrow at Stampadoodle and the Paper Cafe . What you see are beginning "translucent layers"...

The hearts are beeswax coated music pages, cut using my Big Kick. The yellowish page is a text page coated with beeswax. There are playing cards with dictionary pages glued on to demo the different between gel medium and beeswax, and a dictionary page on heavy art paper with a coat of warm white acrylic paint to muffle the text.  You can also see the beeswax hunk on the plate I use to keep it from dripping on the table.

I promise to show more after the demo tomorrow, but don't want to give everything away. :)

And on another note, I could not resist this "reflection" shot, next to a trail that is most likely a bit drier when it hasn't been raining for several days. :) The word play will probably make sense to those in the USA. Here's a hint for those who are not.

Happy Hump Day!

Sharing with Julia at What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday 

What's in my studio

Besides a mess, I have tiny bird ornaments on my work desk - getting ready for the holiday shows!
I am so behind. EEK!

I also have some hearts in blue that will also become ornaments... although you can't see them. Just the one little red heart in the corner leftover from last week.  

The bird ornaments will be similar to these...

In other news, our internet modem went out yesterday late morning. After calling the Comcast "help desk", then their "specialist", it was determined we needed to go get a new one. Waited in a long line, and then when we got home it wouldn't stay connected. Reset, reset, and another call to Comcast. Most of my yesterday was working on that bugger, and getting all our devices connected to the new Wifi setup.  And then this morning we had to reset again to access internet. Sheesh! :)

Anyway, I'm feeling a bit behind today. One of these days I'll feel caught up. Really I will. :)

Sharing with Julia's Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

What's in my Studio?

Bits and pieces...

I've been working on a couple of custom orders. One is this personalized heart pendant...

It is curing right now and I will have it on the way to it's new home by Thursday morning. Our weather has been a bit warmer than usual so perhaps it will be cured enough I can mail it off tomorrow. We'll see.

The custom order inspired me to finally get a listing up for personalized heart pendants. I've done a few, and doesn't it make sense that I make it easier to order? *rolls eyes* :)

Another custom order is a batch of small easels painted gold, for a customers wedding tables. The easels will be ready to mail tomorrow.

And I can't remember... did I show you how the torn paper demo went? I did post a bit here, however I'll add a few photos in case you're interested.

I'm having fun with torn paper, and will most likely have more to share soon. :)


To see what fun things others are working on, check out Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!

What's in my Studio...

Working with torn paper again/still. I'm doing a demo at Stampadoodle on October 8th, and have several projects I want to show. This one in particular is torn paper birds using scrap bits of paper. Most of these birds will end up on canvases to be sold over the holidays at the Holiday shows I'm participating in this year. 

What you see so far is torn bits of maps and text pages glued onto light cardstock that I scavenged from the recycle bin. Once the papers were dry, I traced the bird shapes on the back - using my own templates - and cut them out. You can also see the mess surrounding the mat where I'm working.

It's easiest for me to do all this gluing and cutting while watching a movie we checked out from the library. We don't watch regular TV, but have watched a couple of series from A&E and PBS. But I guess I'm one of those who have trouble just sitting and doing nothing but watching the television. Waste of time, of which I have little! Must be doing SOMEthing. Ha! So gluing and cutting it is. 

Another unrelated project on the side of the photo are a group of houses for an accordion book project being done by the local ATC group.  More on that later...

I hesitated doing the accordion book as I have little time to spare, but couldn't resist. These are all on scrapbook paper, so easy peasy. I also traced the houses from my own templates and cut them out out while watching a movie.

Thought I'd share a photo from our recent quick trip to Idaho to see my parents. This view at the top of Whitebird Hill is always wonderful. We usually stop and get out to stretch our legs before beginning the descent... well, if the weather is nice. Which it was. :)

So what's on your workdesk today? Check out what others are doing at Julia's: 

What's in My Studio

I'm still working with torn paper...

These three background pages started out with Strathmore Mixed Media paper as a base. Using Matte Medium I adhered torn vintage papers to the substrate. For two of the backgrounds I used pages from an old atlas and the other used a variety of other bits and pieces, including an old school workbook. That is the one shown on top. 

Once the papers have dried, I put a layer of paint or gesso to unify the background - or mute the colors slightly, depending on how you look at it. :) 

The page on the right has a light layer of white paint. I'll add some colored paint.... still debating on which colors to use... and more details before I determine what these will become. 

Here's an example I showed last Friday using this technique as both a background and the focal image.

And that's what I have on my work desk today. How about you?



To see what other folks are working on, check out Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.

What's in my Studio

Just a glance at what's going on in my studio this week.

Working on some collage/torn paper critters for a swap. These ones are just at the initial torn paper background stage

What I'll do next is cut out an animal shape, then add more paper and drawn or painted details. I need to get them done so they can be in the mail by Thursday... Wish me luck!

I've also been staining these easels a rustic brown.

I sell them in my Etsy shop, and needed to replenish. I do as many as I can stand doing at one time.

What's on your workdesk today?
Check in with other folks around the globe at Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

What's in my studio...

Or more accurately, what's in the rolling art tote...

1) gelli-plate, variety of stencils, acrylic paints, brayer, variety of papers, small "texturing" kit
2) gesso, watercolor set, brushes, 140# watercolor paper, canvas panels
3) travel art "pencil" bag with small scissors, xacto knife, white, silver, gold gel pens, sharpie, charcoal pencil, blending stump, mechanical pencil, china markers, pencil sharpener, kneadable eraser, small piece of sandpaper, glue-stick, ruler.
4) art roll with water brushes, stabilo pencils, glaze gel pens, glue pen, pitt pens, Tombo markers in shades of gray
5) Baby wipes, paper towels, water container
And whatever else I can stuff in at the last minute...

I'm almost ready for SeARTle Art Retreat.  I'll drive down tomorrow morning making a couple of stops on the way. Now that the art supplies are ready, I suppose I should figure out what clothes I'm going to pack. Ha!

Sharing with Julia and What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

What's in my studio... busy-ness

I'm showing the workspace in the office again this week. I've spent more time here this week. And look! It's still not too messy. :) The framed photograph was dropped off earlier today at Allied Arts for the Members Show. I've done it the past few years, and this is the first time I've entered a photo. The Show opens Friday at the monthly Art Walk in downtown Bellingham. 

You also see some boxes... one on the scale, and the other to house the bubble wrapped item (near the scale) that was shipped this morning. It's been a busy week so far in my shops. Love that! 

Here is a better view of the photo for the art show: 

This was taken on a winter bird watching trek looking for raptors (birds of prey). It was a successful field trip. 

Winter Rosehips

So what are you working on this week? You can see what others are doing by visiting Julie's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

What's in my Studio...

Have you entered my Blog Giveaway yet? Enter by noon Pacific Time Friday Oct 25th for a chance to win an art print! 


One of my mentors just shared his notes taken during a luncheon with John Maxwell:

"The secret to growth is in your daily agenda. What you do daily is your life.

There is a tendency to think of big changes that you will do someday. You need to break it down into a daily routine – like a diet. Someone says they want to lose 30 pounds. Then the question is, “What are you doing today to lose a half a pound?” You are not going to lose 30 pounds in one day. If you are not doing something today to help you lose half a pound, you are not going to get to the 30 pounds!

This is how successful people think: Everyday I do things that compound my success."


And what's in my studio today? A bunch of half a pound bits of work that shortly will be the 30 pounds...

Bits of beeswax nature ornaments in progress

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What's in my Studio

Have you entered my Blog Giveaway?

I've been working and making a mess... so much to do, so little time left to get ready for the holiday show.

Bits and pieces in progress

Small nature ornaments

I'm looking forward to this weekend when I'll be gathering a few artist friends that I met online at atcsforall.com... and we're meeting here in Bellingham! I don't have to travel this time. Yay! They are a great group of folks and I'm quite excited! Such positive energy is generated  when one gathers with artist friends to create and share, don't you think?

Hope you're having a great week!



Sharing with Artist Studio Day and What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday 

What's in My Studio This Week

Busy working at the computer, setting up formats for cards and getting them printed. I've also creates a few prints of my artwork, which are headed for the Holiday Arts Festival and my Etsy Shop. 

I have worked on more gesso watercolor pieces... they are a lot of fun, actually. These are two of the several I have in process.

I'm also prepping to host a small art gathering here in Bellingham Oct 18-20. Some of my favorite artist friends met at atcsforall.com are coming to "visit" and we'll have a couple of days just to play art. I can't wait!


Happy Hump Day!

What's in my Studio

Wise words from this mornings Yogi teabags: 

"May you have faith in your worth and act with wisdom"
"Have wisdom in your actions and faith in your merit" 

Isn't it fun when teabag wisdom echoes a theme in one pot of tea? It takes two bags to brew a nice little pot to enjoy, and these had a message for me. Oh, by the way, it was Chai Green Tea, which Yogi no longer makes, so I'm savoring what I have left... :) 


Several projects going on this week... but when I grabbed the camera (we almost had a sun break, I was so excited!) I'd just been playing with Gelli Plate printed chipboard bits and my shape cutting Big Kick making some hearts...

You can see some map covered chipboard and a sheet of gelli-printed paper hanging out also. And that's what I'm working on right now, as I'm enjoying my tea. 

What are you working on today? 

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What's In My Studio

A bit of what I'm working on this week... 

Purple Cone Flower abstract WIP

I also have about a gazillion little canvases destined for the Holiday Arts Festival... this little pile is in the beginning background stage. More on this later. 

What are you working on this week? 

Sharing with Artist Studio Day and What's on your Work Desk.