Tuesdays with Maggie

Maggie has been home for Spring Break, so I've been trying to alter my weekly routine to include her in them.  This way, I still try to stay on task and we can do something together. Of course, it takes a bit longer....haha!

Tuesdays are my designated art day.

I made some room at my table and we worked side by side.
We started with 2 sheets of 9 x 12 inch white Bristol Board.  We chose patterned papers to tear and adhere to them.

 

Here they are all covered.  Mine is on the left.  Hers on the right.

 

 

We then took some watercolor pencils and scribbled them on in different spots.  We applied gesso to the surface to pick up the color and tone down the papers.

 

 

Then it was time for paint and stamping....

Here, Maggie is rubbing the stamp pad directly onto her surface.

 

 

They looked like this after that layer.

 

 

Now we were ready for our main images and inspirational quotes.

Maggie wrote her own :)

 

 

"Enjoy wildlife,

Be friendly,

live life.

Enjoy!"

 

Then she chose this image to put on her piece.

 

 

Her finished art :)

 

 

I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do with mine when she proclaimed she was done and went to play.   

She compares herself to me sometimes and feels badly that she can't draw or paint like I do.  I tell her it's taken me years and years of practicing and doing art regularly to be where I am today....and I'm still learning and improving...and that she will, too.  So, I was planning on keeping things loose and simplistic, so we could both do similar styles, when we began.

 

 

But since she was done...well, I could let loose....haha!

So I began to see a face in my background.

 

 

I sketched her out in white pencil and began applying washes of thinned acrylic paint.

Those are the 3 colors to the left there that I usually use for my fleshtones.

Americana Brand - Light Buttermilk, Fleshtone and Light Cinnamon.

 

 

I apologize for not having more in-between stages, but I started working quickly once I figured out what I wanted to paint.  I chose a Rumi quote to feature "Unfold your own Myth"

 

 

Above are her finished eyes....

 

...and below, the finished piece.

 

 

All those layers paid off, I think. It gives the background such a lush look.

She has the quotes "Reveal the greatest version of you" and "The possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another" written on her, also.

Click to enlarge if you like :)

 

 

 

She has a neat Renaissance feel to her. 

She is listed  in the shop, fyi. 

 

Love that Maggie and I both made art this week.

 

I also received some awesome art from my friend, Micki Wilde aka The Secret Hermit

 

 

 

Isn't she adorable?!

And look at that yummy texture!

 

 

Thank you, Dear Micki!

Please visit her shop to see more of her whimsical girls :)

 

I'll be by to visit before the big weekend festivities!

Don't overdo the chocolate....or, instead, do indulge, but hide all the evidence....heehee!

 

Reveal your gifts to the world, beautiful creative kindreds!

Cam

Flights of Fancy

Hello My Bloggy Dears!

I'm here today to show you a painting I did specifically to link up at Butterfly Effect 's weekly themed challenge....This week is Masks...

I decided to do a paint-over collage this time.  I selected an image from a magazine and adhered some paperback pages to the canvas.  I don't use this technique all the time, but I learned it from the wonderfully talented Tamara Laporte of Willowing...and it really is amazing how the underlying image completely transforms....

Sorry about the glare...I barely remembered to snap a pic for you.

Here's an in progress shot.

....I knew I wanted to make her wearing an owl mask....as you know, I'm sorta into them right now :)

I decided to make her feathers all snowy and ethereal.

"Dreaming of Feathers"

8 x 10 Mixed Media on canvas

With a crisp contrasting background and dreamy, party pastel colors....

With lots of irridescent shimmer!

...and as always, my favorite part, piercing eyes...

I purposely left her hair more undefined so as to keep the focus on the mask....

Hope you enjoyed her.

She is in my Shop if you find her dreamy, too....and I am still offering 20% off everything til the end of October!  The coupon code is THANKS2U.

I appreciate you visiting with me today...

I invite you to please stop in on Saturday for A Halloween Party Extravaganza....mwuhahahaha!!!



I am happily joining the festivities this year!  So please join me for some frights and delights...and a Giveaway, too...heehee!

Phew...I don't think I've used so many links before...haha!  I'll see you on Saturday!
Looking forward to it,
Cameron

Duck, Duck, Swan

My Dears,

In keeping with my reflectiveness of late....another birthday passed.....dwelling far too much on the aging process and things being left behind (my teenage metabolism, unabashed spunkiness, perky boobies, hair that didn't require coloring, the excitement of finding love...over and over...haha!) 

I have decided to not mourn these things....for, experience is not to be held on to, but to savor...the uncertainty of "seeing someone" has blossomed into a fulfilling marriage....my breasts allowed me to nourish a baby....graying hair and wrinkles are a small price to pay for the joy of continuing my experience here on Earth.

With this being said, and realizing that I need to focus on seeing myself in a positive light, rather than my skewed perception of what I think everyone else sees...I created this.....

"Always a Swan"

8 x 10 inches on canvas

We all need reminders sometimes....that we don't have to feel like ugly ducklings.....in fact, no one can make us one, if we don't already believe it's true.

Inside us, lies a beauty and strength that is timeless....ageless....magical.....



We are unique....each of us, special.......with gifts and talents to share....an inner light radiating out through our words, our actions, our emotions....

How could we EVER have thought ourselves ugly ducklings...outcasts and worthless?!!!!

When we are, and will always, always remain.....Swans!!

We are incredible!  *group hug*

Thank you so much, Dear Family and Friends, for believing in me....I believe in you, too!

Lotsa Love,

Cam



Painting with Soul

I'm excited to say, Dear Ones, that I've completed my first course at 21 Secrets!

I decided that I would take Tamara Laporte's (from Willowing) Collage, Paint and Soul class.  She has such a loose and effortless style that combines quotes, words and whimsy...along with a healthy dose of introspection...something I've felt really drawn to lately...

She told us to find connection with this piece by writing directly on the paper, any thoughts, issues or affirmations important at the time...  In the past, I may have skipped this step entirely, especially since it will be covered up anyways...but I wanted to take the time to do things "right".  I needed to do this, to not only get the most from this course, but to charge this piece with a bit more emotion than my usual creations.
(Don't worry, I don't expect you to read it :D  I just wanted to prove that I did it...haha!)

We were then told to incorporate an animal that held some special meaning pertaining to our journaling.  Because my words spoke of being genuine, questioning the legacy I'm leaving behind for my daughter and filling myself up with light in all aspects of living, I chose the Crow.

The Crow/Raven wisdom includes:

~Rebirth without Fear

~Comfort with Self

~Eloquence

~Ability to find Light in the Darkness....among other wonderful things.  Without getting too mystical on ya', I'll just say that Crows are clever and beautiful birds...not a bad choice when wanting to emphasize positive changes :)

Tam's art includes quotes, handwritten organically around the page to pull the whole theme together and give greater depth and strength to the piece.  This is also new for me...I almost chose not to write on it, I liked it so much just as it was...but, deciding at the beginning that I was going to stay true to the instruction...I went for it!

...I'm really happy with it!  Tam's way of working flows so naturally...I still over-thought and over-complicated what should have been simpler...but it is something I will definately try again! 

BTW, she is on 11x14 inch watercolor paper.

I'm finally able to join the festivities at Paint Party Fridays, for once ( I rarely post on Fridays)...so please pop on over there to see how others are putting paint to good use! 

Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you guys?  I hope that you are all giving me that embarrassed little shoulder shrug that kids give parents when asked if they know how much they are loved :) ...and just in case there are a few of you out there who are sure I couldn't be talking to them...I am! 

Really and for truly,

Cam

Little Pink Houses for You and Me

Hi There, Sweet Friends!

I'm so excited about this post!  As, you know....I adore doing trades....it's so fun to fall head over heels for something and be able to acquire it with something else you made...

The wonderful and talented (and newly engaged!) Lauren at Fair Rosamund and I have done a trade like that before where I became the proud owner of this adorable piece entitled "The Strange Garden".

Her style is so different then mine....and that's what I love!  I couldn't paint like her if I tried...the whimsy just flows from her brush!

...and so, for this trade, we took it up a notch...heehee!

She fell in love with my "Cozy Street" painting a while back...and so, with that as inspiration, she asked me to do a painting of a pink house for her...no parameters....just 8 x 10...and PINK :)

Well, with that kind of freedom, how could I go wrong?!  I just really wanted to incorporate things that she adores and personalize it for her :)

I know she enjoys Nature and butterflies....

...pretty flowers, of course....

...and, it had to be all about LOVE!  The perfection of a heart full to overflowing and a Special Someone to spill it all over!  So...lots of hearts....lots of Love....lots of Pink...haha!

Lauren, this is your painting, My Dear!  "Love Lives Here"
I hope it's everything you wanted and more :)

I had so much fun making this Garden Cottage....Thank you, Lauren!
But I didn't stop at one!  Lauren's came out so cute, I made another.....

This one is "Home Sweet Home"...all about the playfulness of togetherness and what it means to "make" a home together....

We all know the house is just 4 walls....it's what you do there that makes the memories fond :)

....like sharing a bench in a garden you planted together....

...or flying kites side by side....

I feel so much emotion stir up from these little paintings!  I wish a long marriage for you, Lauren, stuffed full with Life's best and brightest gifts :)

"Home Sweet Home" is avail here and as a print here....

Lauren is doing a special request painting for me in return that I'm giddy with excitement about...and I haven't even seen it yet...haha!!  She is so nice....please poke around her shop...you'll see why I (and so many others) are fans of her wonderful work :)

*UPDATE* I have now seen the adorable commission painting she did for me and am one cloud 9!!!  It is so perfect!!! Yay!*
Have a fantastic weekend...fill it with memories!
Sending you all the warm and fuzzies....with a decidedly pinky hue :)
XO, Cameron

P.S. I also made cards...heehee!  They are avail here :)  Okay, one more hug...and I'll go :D

A Whale of a Project!

So, I ventured a little out of my comfort zone for a Whale themed swap.  We had to make something with Fabric and something with paper...all pertaining to whales :) Again, please excuse the unedited photos.

I decided to hand-sew a little whale friend for my Swap Recipient.

The fabric started to unravel after I turned him inside out, so I had to super-reinforce him> My supportive Mom said the stitches just looked like barnacles :)

Um...and he turned out a bit skinny...haha!

But, I hope his imperfection just adds to his charm :o)

For the paper project, I decided on a collage.  I decoupaged patterned papers and used acrylics to add more color.  The stamps that I carved were used to add a subtle wave pattern to the water and the tail stamp was cut out from cardstock and adhered under one of the layers of water....along with a surfacing friend that I made from cardstock also.

Of course, I used glitter...heehee!

I framed the piece in pieces of sea glass and added a ribbon for hanging.

Fun to do something different every now then.
All my best to you...thank you for checking back in with me...it tickles me to be able to share my projects with someone besides the cats!

I wish you all my best,
Cam