Today is Friday, Workshops to Discuss and WIPs!

GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS!

We made it through another week , and I hope you are getting your creative juices flowing for the weekend!
As you all know, I've been spending time taking some workshops on line. With the overwhelming presence of "NING" so many artists out there have set up Ning Sites, and are offering such fabulous workshops. I'm actually taking quite a few workshops from various Artists. I have learned while taking certain workshops that if you pay for a workshop, you should be able to download the videos for future reference. The one's that I have signed up at Creative Workshops were great workshops, however due to the fact that you cannot download the videos and I had such a hard time viewing the videos (the stop and go), I will not be taking any other workshops over there. I have searched out workshops where the instructor has a presence on the site and allows you to download the workshops. I think it's important that if you pay for a workshop, you should be able to download it for future reference. I know life happens, and it's nice to know that when your schedule frees up a bit, you can still take the workshop without having it disappear on you! With that said, Monica over at www.handsandheart.ning.com, Nancye Williams, www.nancyesartdolls.ning.com, Gritty Jane, www.somethingtomake.com, Suzi Blu, www.suziblu.ning.com, and Marie, www.evbstudio.ning.com are absolutely fabulous instructors and artists and all of their workshops that these artists offer are freaking incredible and well worth the money! I might have gotten the websites wrong, so if you are interested in taking workshops, just click my badges on the sidebar of my blog and it will take you the Ning Group that you are interested in.

Right now, even though I'm signed up for numerous workshops, I'm concentrating on my workshops over at Suzi Blu's Les Petite Academy. (One at a time! LOL) I can't say enough about Suzi Blu. This little firecracker of an artist is incredible and so giving of her art. I have really enjoyed her workshops and learning from her. For someone who never tapped into drawing and painting before, her "Goddess & The Poet" workshop is absolutely amazing. The videos are clear and step by step instructions. Her PDF's are out of this world. If you are thinking about taking an online workshop, I would start with Suzi's Workshops. I know I have along way to go, but I'm looking forward to the journey.

Here are some of my Works in Progress from her Workshops that she is offering!


Now, onto Ornies...I love searching for new ornies on the internet that various artists create, and I'm very excited that Colleen over at www.loopyboopy.etsy.com has created a new line of ornies. Check her out other there. They are wonderful and have that LoopyBoopy Style! LOL

As today...is Friday... I actually have a THREE Day Weekend ahead of me, WHOOOHOOO!!!!! I woke up this morning and walked into my studio to find this waiting for me!
As you can see, I WILL BE BUSY FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS! I'm running a little behind in getting my works into some of the local shops here and galleries, so with that said....I'm off to brew another pot of JAVA...stay tuned...for the finished works...LOL

Have a wonderful and creative weekend and do what you love, whatever it is....JUST DO IT and GIGGLE WHILE YOU ARE DOING IT! LOL

Until next time...

CHEERS!

A Snapper & Holiday Weekend Madness!

Happy Holiday Weekend Everyone! I hope you all had a beautiful, safe, productive, creative weekend. As for Weekend Madness in the Studio...did some things but not as much as you guys are used to seeing...and here is why...

Meet Mr. Snapper...yip...we had a little visitor that strolled up from the creek. Fortunately we got him back down to his watering hole. How the heck he made it up from creek is beyond me. It must have taken him a month! LOL My husband brought over the John Deer and Mr. Snapper got a ride back down to the creek! As my husband was taking Mr. Snapper back to the creek, I wanted to show you how fast the Wheat is growing! I can't wait until the fall when this is all brown and we have the windows opened to hear the wrestling sounds of the Wheat!

As for what I did this weekend...Take a Peek...

WE CLEANED THE ENTIRE PORCH AND POWER WASHED EVERYTHING!
This is the Side of the House. See that Truck...I think if I lived near Caroline, her and Phil would be on that so fast...especially for what's inside...Sorry Caroline & Phil...the truck is going to my Sister-in-Law to be used for her Halloween Festivities! LOL

I didn't even get to my flowers or veggies...I guess they will have to wait until next weekend...I need lots of potting soil! Oh Boy... A CLEAN PORCH! As I'm typing this blog post, my husband is putting all the crap that you saw on the lawn back...I must hurry back down there to make sure it's just right! LOL

Now, I couldn't let the weekend go by without getting some type of art work done. However, I managed to stay up all night on Friday into Saturday and finished my "Gossip Girls" which I posted on Saturday, but in the weeeee hours at night, I was busy working on some journal pages.

I am also preparing for an upcoming workshop that I will be taking with Monica over at www.handsandheart.ning.com, and she gave us some homework before we start the workshops. Here is my book that I will be using for my painting classes.

If you like a watercolor effect on your pages, try using Golden's Absorbent Ground. It's wonderful!

Getting my Paints ready.

I'm also involved over at www.evbstudiohome.ning.com with Marie. We started our workshop entitled Painting on Air Dry Clay. If you love working with Air Dry Clays, this a must take workshop. It's so worth it!

Still can't figure out how to make this picture go the other way! LOL

Well that about concludes my Holiday Weekend...I hope you all enjoyed your visit with me and until next time...here are my PINK SNEAKERS...saying ....

CHEERS!

Learning To Take Flight & Studio Madness!

You Can't even tell there is a Window Behind There! Oh My, I think we need another Studio Clear-Out...What do you think? LOL

Have you guys heard of Kelly Rae Roberts? Well, of course everyone has heard of Kelly Rae Roberts! I have her book and it's been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months now. One night last week as I was meandering around the World Wide Web, I came across a blog that had a Ning Badge to "Taking Flight." I immediately went over to Ning to check it out.

The Group is following this book and I believe they are on Chapter 4 right now. However, anyone can join and you go at your own pace. I just finished reading Chapter 1 and now I'm doing the project in Chapter 1. The project is creating an Art Journal, and I have cut my book cover backs, gessoed them and have started to collage the covers. By the way, the Ning Group's Address is http://www.takingflight.ning.com/.

In the Book, Kelly uses over Book Back Covers for her journal pages. You can use canvas boards, but I am going to be utilizing my Manila file folders for my journal pages. Here are some of the pages that I have started. The cool thing about this Group, there is no pressure and you go at your own pace. If you only complete one journal page every two weeks or whatever, it's ok. I'm becoming a big fan for journal pages. It is such a cool way to develop your ideas, and totally helps that "blank canvas"syndrome.

I can't wait to start painting this page... I see some type of girl in a long pink dress with long Blondie hair!

The other thing, you can keep your journal pages on your work table and use them to clean off your paint brushes! Keep them by you so you doodle on them, write on them, paste pictures, etc. Have fun starting your Art Journals. LOL

Now, over at DAG we are completing the May Challenge, which was "Ghost." I started something, but then switched to what you see here. I think he came out pretty cool! LOL

Okay now over at ADO, "Art Dolls Only" we are getting ready to launch on June 19, 2009, ADO's FIRST BLOG EVENT. This is going to be Challenge for Members and Non-Members. So, if you haven't check out the details, make sure you visit us over at http://artdollsonly.blogspot.com/ for more information. Basically, we are CHALLENGING each and every one of you out there to create an ART DOLL in the theme of the FOUR ELEMENTS: FIRE, WATER, EARTH & AIR. I'm going to be creating an Art Doll in the Element of EARTH. What Element will you be creating in? Can't wait to see you all participating!

Do you remember this gals?

Well, a couple of weekends ago, I started sculpting more Gossip Girls...I really wanted to finish them this weekend, but these gals take time to paint, crackle and antique. Plus they are extremely opinionated on what colors they want to wear! Here they are at the next stage. They still need their hairdos and their little outfits made, so yes, they are STILL NAKED! LOL

Okay, everyone knows I love Pink...so three of them are PINK! LOL

Here are some WIPs I am working on...I sure am having fun over at EVB Studios.

I finished up some more April Fool Heads...I really like how these guys turned out. I absolutely love Triple Thick Spray!

The Yellow One is heading to Pattee...Odd-Dolls...giggling all the way to Washington!

I hope everyone had a very creative and wonderful weekend. I know the Sun came out a little bit yesterday for us here, but I don't mind...when it's muggy and raining, just means more time in the Studio for me! LOL Have a great week ahead and until next time...

CHEERS!

Weekend Madness and Mother's Day!

First of all ... I would like to wish all you Mother's out there a Very Happy Mother's Day and May your day be a creative one! Lock yourself in your Studio and PLAY, DANCE, SING, SCREAM, and of course...GIGGLE!

I'm still working on my WIPs, and they are coming along...slowly, yeah right...LOL So with that said, here we go for the Weekend Madness that occurred in the Studio this weekend!

The Gossip Girls and Yoda have been painted, crackled, and sealed! I still have to sculpt their legs and arms and sew their little outfits. Oh, and give them little hairdos!
The products that I USE ALL OF THE TIME ARE, DecoArt One Step Crackle and Sculpey Glaze. Believe me they rock and are the only things that work great! When sealing polymer clay, the Sculpey Glaze is the only thing that won't make your works have a sticky feel to them. The One Step Crackle by DecoArt is AWESOME! It works on paintings, cloth, and clay, and polymer clay! Try it, you will love these products!

I can't get this picture to work right...arrrrghhhhhh.... Oh well, here I have started getting some Folk Art Dolls done. They have been traced, cut, sewn and I added their first layer of Creative Paper Clay to them.

These Art Dolls are getting their first coat of Gesso. If you are applying clay to your cloth art dolls, you must Gesso them first so there is something that the clay can adhere to! I'm thinking these girls will be in a "Halloween" Theme...hmmmmmmm I guess they will tell me when I'm sculpting them! LOL

Here are some more April Fool's Heads that I have started and little house. See, I'm think Halloween already! WHOOOHOOOO

Here are two that I finished painting.

BIRDS...They got a paint job and are ready to fly the coupe! LOL These have been so much fun to sculpt and paint. I used Golden Fluid Acrylics and sealed them with Triple Thick Coat. Keep looking below for new ones I sculpted this morning!

Well I think that about covers it. LOL I'm off to get ready for Mother's Day and finish up some more birds. I hope you enjoyed your stay with me and until next time...

CHEERS!