Multitasking creating...

Hello friends,

If you know me at all then you know that I do everything with multiple layers and multiple meanings. This is due in part to my overly complex nature and my need to resolve things. I tend to have a lot of irons in the fire which makes completing projects challenging. So to resolve this issue and still accomplish everything I want I combine projects. I feel this not only allows me to do more but also gives my art depth and meaning hopefully touching more people. 

If you have been following my blog then you already know that I am taking the Your Living Canvas workshop with Christy Tomlinson and Art McCracken and you have probably noticed that I participate in blog challenges when I can. This post gives you a peek into how my mind works and how I have successfully combined projects.

Lately, I have been fusing my Your Living Canvas journal art with Color Throwdown colors and getting two bangs for my buck. For me journal pages are challenging because I am not a journaler. Coming up with new themes, ideas, and color palettes can be overwhelming and stop me dead in my tracks. Using Color Throwdown's color palettes give me a great boost of inspiration and oftentimes a direction.

Here are the Color Throwdown challenges followed by my journal pages.

Words of Wisdom:
For me all the world is connected and intertwined, everything affecting and being effected by everything else so it is a natural course of progression to showcase that in my art in both large and small ways. If you are feeling like you have taken on too much find some creative ways to combine your tasks and projects. You will feel accomplished and your life and work will have deeper meaning.

"Your Living Canvas" online workshop...amazing!

I have been taking an online workshop with Christy Tomlinson called "Your Living Canvas" and let me tell you it has been a great experience for me.

I have really wanted to delve into art journaling and it has been a struggle since I am not one to just sit and create without purpose. This workshop not only inspires me to sit and create but the content is also a meaningful journey into yourself.

I encourage everyone to at least check it out and see if it is something that you might need in your life. The 6 week workshop is available for a full year so you can do it at your own pace. This is especially good for me because I was not able to follow along while it was "live."

Out of respect for Christy and Art (her co-teacher) I will not divulge any pertinent information like workshop subjects or exercises. I will simply let your eyes to the wandering. Enjoy!

The cover and following pages are only 1 1/2 classes worth of work (I told you I was behind).

 This is the book I used.

 

Lotto Challenges

This month's ATC lotto challenges on the ArtChix Yahoo group were super inspiring for me. This first one is called "Mystical." If you know me, then you know I love all things mystical and witchy! Here are the results.

 The background is from a CD insert (yes, I owned CD's back before iTunes took over the world); the moon, raven, candle, and girl are all ArtChix Studio images.


The second lotto theme is "Going Green." The challenge was to use recycled items, not necessarily green ones. When I think of going green my mind often thinks of water first. Keeping the oceans and drinking waters clean is such a vital part of saving the planet. 

I used left over book pages from a round robin book exchange, a tissue box image for the seaweed, a CD insert for the waves, a found feather, an ArtChix image, and an eco shape bird embossed with Shabby Blue Vintage Embossing Powder.

I love, love, love this new line of Vintage Embossing powders. I bought mine in a package of five from Archiver's (in store). The other colors are Aged Silver, Shabby Pink, Shabby White, and Aged Gold. Unfortunately I cannot find a brand as they were packaged especially for Archiver's. If you are into vintage you will love them.

Happy Wednesday!
Marnie

Keeping the Postal Service in business!?

For those of you paying attention, yes this is my 3rd blog post today. Since I didn't get to write much in the past couple of weeks I am catching up.

Over the past few days I feel like I am definitely doing my part to keep the postal service operating. Between sending and receiving swaps, my business, and ordered goodies arriving going to the mailbox has become a daily adventure!

Here are some of my latest swaps I haven't had a chance to post until now.

On Art For The Creative Mind we got to try some neat techniques and projects this month.

  Altered Matchbox Shrine - "Tea Time"

 

 Altered Matchbox Shrine - Arful Collage

 

Card of the Month - "Games People Play"

ATC of the Month - "I Hear a Symphony"

(using a napkin or servette)

Tag of the Month - Bleach Technique

Compendium of Curiosities - Challenge 10: Distress Stickles

Hello friends, I really missed joining in on the CCC challenges last two weeks but I think my muse was still in NY because she sure wasn't hanging around me. 

I love this challenge and have actually ordered the complete Distress Stickles Set II but unfortunately, they have not arrived yet. So, only having three in my inventory (Walnut Stain, Frayed Burlap, and Vintage Photo) limited what I could accomplish. 

Halloween, my all time favorite holiday, is in the air .....or at least in the stores and I am getting in the mood. This piece is actually one element of a larger piece I decided to create but this piece is the only thing with Distress Stickles on it at this point. Once my shipment comes in and I finish the whole piece I will post it. Until then here is ......"She is pure unadulterated magic."

The crow is from Red Lead and the hat and wand are ArtChix images. I used a black stamp pad to color the crow then slathered on Walnut Stain Distress Stickles and a dab of Diamond Glaze for the eye.

Three Muses: Odd Bird Challenge

This week Indybev over at Three Muses gave us a marvelous challenge called "Odd Bird"! Don't you love it?

If you have been following me and my art for any length of time you might have noticed that I have a quirky sense of humor and the deep need to build layers of meaning into everything I create. Well, this challenge was not exception. Take a look.....

"be IRREPLACEABLE"

Supplies:

Chipboard tag (natural color)

Ledger Statement Stamp

Flocked number 3 (hint: this is one of the layers)

Black Soot Distress Crackle Paint

ArtChix Birdy Paper Dolls Image Sheet

Black square punchinella

Raven wing and 3 tail feathers (found on etsy)

2 clock hands

4 brads

7 Gypsies tape

"be IRREPLACEABLE" transparent sticker