Getting Down to Business

An upcoming excursion to Los Angeles necesitated the making of new business cards. New cards, to me, means painting paper for printing on.

 

Day 1

 I gathered a pile of stencils, some still in their packaging. (My stash is forever growing).

 My go to "kit" of card stock, gesso, cheap brush, brayer, scrapers, plate/palette, bubble wrap and a paper plate holder.

I started by stenciling gesso through the plate creating a sunburst pattern.

 I worked with several papers at a time often burnishing a second sheet over a freshly stenciled paper. Extra gesso transfers to the top sheet and the papers dry faster. The design on the second sheet is often my favorite as it's more uneven and distressed looking.

A finished gessoed paper. Why use gesso for the first layer? As later layers of paint are added, the gessoed pattern absorbs less paint creating a variation in the value of the color.

Day 2-Color

My art business, Studio Artology, is represented with a color palette of turquoise blue, lime green and bright red. I divided a set of papers to be painted in each color. First up, greens. I decided to stencil and stamp greens over a set of papers. If you're not familiar with my passion for dots, you're seeing it now. Stencils, bubble wrap and discarded die cut leftovers were used for the green sheets.

 A red sheet, close-up. A slew of paints and inks were used for the final layers. It's exciting watching the papers develop with each spritz and wipe of the brush. This one had me worried with too much white showing through for printing and readable type.

  The growing stacks on the drying rack. I didn't want to leave and have to wait until the next day to see how the colors turned out. Patience isn't a well developed virtue of mine.

 

 Day 3

Forget the coffee! I headed to the drying rack the first thing the next morning. I wanted to swim in the depth of the colors.

One problem. Painted papers create wrinkled papers. Not ideal for running through a printer.

 Say, "hello" to my tried and true solution. Ironing the paper. 

The finished sheets.

The final steps included running the papers through the printer, cutting the cards to size and experiencing a few thrills of excitement.

The business cards were well received and definitely unique and representative of my art making. 

Marissa

Painted Fingers

 The supplies came out last night! Journals, rubber stamps, spray inks, paints, stencils, crayons, pencils...

While I have all these goodies and more in my own studio, sometimes it's fun to take a workshop and try the unexplored. Last night the visual journals came out at the Occasional Artist with artist, Dina Wakley leading the way.

 

The first thing I grabbed was my new Dylusions Creative Journal. It's perfect for paints and inks although I'm not sure I would use it much for collage.

 

We started out stamping then built up the layers with each step.

Getting me to use figurative imagery takes a lot of prodding but if I'm taking a workshop I should be willing to get out of my comfort zone. I was in a crazy hair mood.

Anything goes in a visual journal. One of our prompts was to draw. A Picasso wasn't required. Simple shapes would do. Here's a good start. The right side is ready to go with the left waiting for more layers of fun.

While I stamped and slapped color on multiple pages, this was the last of the almost finished pages. I held off on any journaling. The creating part of my brain and the writing part come out at different times.

I came home excited and inspired. Then after sitting for a moment in the studio the day caught up to me, lol. All my classes have been painting so it was a day full of color.

The temperatures are up again after a week of unusually freezing temps here in the desert. No spending time indoors in the studio when it's this nice but I plan on playing some more the next few evenings. First stop, revisiting some of my rubber stamps that haven't seen the light of day lately.

Marissa

Gelli Fun

Gelatin printing was something I'd heard about but had no interest in pursuing. One more technique? all the hassle of preparing a plate? No, thanks.

 Then I signed up for a workshop with Dina Wakley. She teaches monthly classes at a local shop. After I signed up, I received the workshop description and supply list. Hmmm, Gelli printing, hmmm.... Yeah, well, I'll give it a try.

 I was up for the experience. There's always something new to learn.

 This skeptic was converted! We used the new Gelli plates and we were gelli printing maniacs.

I bought my own plate and am looking forward to experimenting with it some more.

Marissa

Ugh!!!!!

Pictures that wouldn't show up last week are right there today. Computers.... UGH!

Ok, got some new pics to share. I was working on my aprons for the scrapbooking retreat I went to this weekend. In the past, our group had made t-shirts this year we went with aprons. We get together regularly on Thursdays to crop. I haven't worked on a scrapbook page in years but I bring along whatever current project I'm working on.I was checking out at the scrapbook store and saw a little cutie like this. A pin cushion/scrap sack. I was smitten. Turns out it was a class so I signed up on the spot. The red/black/white one was completed by the end of the class. It was complicated and my sewing machine was on the fritz. Not a good combo...One was not enough. I'll use one at home, one in the studio and one at school. This one went to a friend. She and I chose similar fabrics from the same line for our aprons so we shared.Here's my second one. Another four were completed over the weekend with an additional four started. When I bought supplies for the class, I bought the smallest amount of filler for the cushion but it was enough for a dozen pin cushions. Might as well use it up.

These make great gifts. Too bad none of my close friends or family members sew.Next project. A card swap. The hostess for this round is having us use some pieces of white, satin
fabric. It's adhesive backed. I used the above pieces to make some goofy cards for the Chicklet while she was away at camp.

I had two ideas for what to do with these fabric pieces. I ran some through my embossing folders. Haven't done much else to them yet.This is what I was looking forward to. Spray paint and stencils. I kept it simple and used only three "stencils." A lazer cut piece of scrapbook paper, an aluminum broiler pan and a piece of a broken, plastic tote.My first run. I bore easily. The top row and the pieces to the left, boring...Perhaps more layers would work... Getting better.Things were getting messier. The paint on the stencils wasn't drying. What do I usually do with extra paint? Slap it, right back on. Me likey!Much, much better. That is if you like a textured, grungy look. That I do! Haven't decide the next step with these either. It's best not to over think it. It will involve the sewing machine.

Ah yes, the sewing thing. The bug has really come on hard. Sewing takes me back to my roots. It's what my grandmother did, and what my mom and aunt did after her. When I sew it's like an homage to them and a continuation of a tradition. It feels like so many traditions have been lost. It feels good to have one to hold onto.

Marissa

New Finds...

I knew I had some fun stuff to share that I hadn't gotten around to yet. I love my Labs and whenever I get updates from Desert Labrador Retriever Rescue I fall in love with at least one pooch. Then I think of the cost of food, vet bills and the time another dog requires and I have to fall out of love.I came across this cutie at the shop at the Desert Botanical Garden a few weeks ago. A "Chocolate" Lab! No feeding or walking required! Besides looking cute, it has a job. It's a planter. I want one!I love to pick up calendars for the images. I came across these weekly planners for $1 each at Half Price Books. Yummy!It was a bit of a bibliophiles' weekend for me. After years of hearing about it, I finally went to my first VNSA Book Sale. Every February there's a massive charity fundraiser in one of the fairground buildings. I went on the second day when all the books were 50% off. It was still mayhem!

I had a shopping list-dictionary, books in foreign languages, maps/atlas', books in braille and typewriting/shorthand manuals. I found everything but the last two categories. I even found books in Hebrew. I always worry that books in Hebrew are religious in nature but I picked up some geological survey so I'm OK, tearing it up and not worrying that I'm being blasphemous or anything... Above is the only art book I ventured to get. I couldn't take the crowds and the jostling. Only after I picked up this dated Phoenix street atlas did I realize that a man had a gleam in his eye and was coming around to my side of the table to get it. I think...but I got this treasure first. Mine, mine, mine....

I paid $11 for two bags of books and $10 for parking. Maybe the parking stub could be used in a collage. Oh wait, they didn't give me one!Half priced books, used books and I still go to the book store. I found this. Baby, oh baby, I found me some new, super cool stencils by Lotta Jonsdatter. I haven't had a chance to try them out because everything I'm working on right now is small but I am drooling in anticipation. Spring Break can't come soon enough.Then, of course we have the freebie stencils. (Which help make up for the cost of the full price ones). I found the square and rectangular ones in the teacher workroom. (Yes, I have no qualms about pulling my supplies out of the trash). They're the leftovers from sets of bulletin board images. The little circles stencils never made it into the trash. It's leftover from a Bingo card game and all those little circles cover your Bingo numbers.

We always used beans when we played Loteria as a kid. Later we'd have frijoles for dinner. I like these better. You can't stencil with frijoles.
Marissa

Getting Spiritual

There's been a lot of creating lately. Lots of workshops, inspiration, ideas floating around... Has it already been 3 weeks since Kelly Kilmer was in town? Wow....

I've shared my taped journal. The crazy thing is, I didn't have any wild expectations about that workshop and it sure was a kick in the pants. Amazing!
My second workshop that weekend was the "Spirit Journal." The cover is painted canvas. I planned ahead of time to make mine with beads on the binding. I absolutely, positively am nuts over beaded bindings. Someday I may grow out of it but not yet. I have many more in me.

We painted and applied layers of color. Stencils were everywhere. Stencils are a current obsession of mine.I limited my color palette to whatever colors I had at hand without using any more paint. The colors aren't my absolute favorites. A lot is going to have to change before I'm pleased but that won't be hard to accomplish.Adding tape has already begun to bring the pages to a different level.Amazing what a little bit of tape can do. The tranluscency of masking tape does wonders. Again, I limited the number I tapes I used, repeating the patterns/designs within the book.Dragonfly stencil from Tattered Angels. The circular pattern came from a bubble blowing toy that's been laying around the house for awhile. I carefully clipped off the handle and it's now living in my stencil bag.The circular floral stencil is a laser cut, felt, coaster found at a local, big box, craft store. Four for a dollar. I bought four different designs and was able to share these little goodies with friends.

I have been on a new path of late. Trying to open myself to new ideas and ways of seeing things. Letting go of the things I have no control over... Life hasn't been a picnic but I still believe I am extremely fortunate.

I'm recording my journey in another journal. I'm setting this one aside to focus on the many things I am grateful for. I got somewhat sidetracked with all the stuff with RV Guy but I'll be back on track soon enough.
Marissa