Friday, August 14, 2015

Fun with Scanned Paper Collage

I'm reading and working through the exercises in Randel Plowman's Collage Worrkbook:


It's a wonderful book that explains collage materials and techniques, and provides 50 collage project prompts to get your motor running.  I played with #32, Scanned Collage.  I randomly put pictures (and items) on a copier machine, pressed the copy button, and voila', my resukts!  Each collage is 4"x4", mounted on a manilla file folder, which is all I had available when I made them.  Definitely a fun exercise.  I'd definitely make more if I had more time!




Thursday, August 6, 2015

Work - A Study in Office Supplies


So I've been spending my lunch hour at work immersed in making a couple of mini 4"x4" collages.  Here's how they've come along so far.




I still have to add some paint and gesso but what a fun way to spend my lunch hour.  Sure beats eating things I'm best not eating!  I'll show you the final product soon!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

These Little Birdies - A Mixed Media First

My creative muse has been tugging at me to try my hand at mixed media.  I did and loved it!  Here's a look at my first work in progress.  I'd do some things differently if I could but for a first try, I'm happy!  I didn't even have time to hang it in the wall before my daughter took it home with her.  I guess this means on to the next blank canvas!



Sunday, July 5, 2015

An Art and Wrestling Kind of Day

So today, I took a mini card making class and Jeff is at Enigma, a semi-professional wrestling event held in Lake Worth, Forida, the first Sunday of every month.   I was going to join him but then decided to get my Barnes and Noble fix and write some Penpal letters.  It's been a really busy but very nice holiday weekend.  Here's a sampling of my accomplishments, some comolete, some still works in progress.


                   Mini card book

           Yet unfinished collage which
         will be used for greeting cards

  The start of a mixed media piece of which I have no idea of the direction it will tar.  Right now it reminds me of the Everglades or an Amazonian jungle.

While at Barnes and Noble, I picked up a copy of an art journaling magazine.  I turned to the last page and there was a short article on doing art, any way you can if the muse strikes, but just do it.  There's no right way or wrong way.  It was just what I needed to hear.  Serendipity strikes just when you need it most.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Paper Play on the 4th of July

Happy 4th of July all.  We hope you're each enjoying your day in whatever way you're celebrating.  Jeff and I are having a paper play kind of day.  Hes making a blank journal:



I'm tearing paper to make a collages for greetings cards and also painting a small canvas with acrylic paint for an idea I have:



Tomorrow I'm taking a class in making mini cards with case holder while Jeff either goes to see the new Terminator movie or goes to a local professional wrestling match (he's a big WWE) fan.  All in all a good weekend so far!

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Work vs Art

Today I'd rather be home making art.  Sweet, simple, and to the point.  




Monday, June 29, 2015

A New Addition!

I just had to share our newest addition to our Paper Owl Artists "mascots."   Isn't he cute?  A gift from Key West,Florida. 


I just love owls.  If I ever get back to Daggerwing nature park, I'll post a photo of the adorable little screech owl they have in the nature center.  So tiny and cute!

Stamping with Jeff at Stampfest

Yesterday I told you I'd share photos of the cards Jeff made at Stampfest.  He likened the workshop to speed dating as the 28 participants made 8 cards each in 2 hours!  Aside from the cards being fun to make, Jeff was quite impressed with the instructor's organizational style.  Materials were well organized and easily available, instructions clear, and work area ample.  Here's a sampling of cards Jeff made.


Pencil eraser dots and nicely tied string added much to the attractiveness and fun of this card, and just in time for the Fourth of July!


Warm thoughts in warm colors.  A beautiful, calm card.  Nice for fall, too.

A favorite of mine, the sentiment is a die cut adhered on clear acetate, the pink panel and bow attached to the bottom of the acetate.  And I love the stamping patterns too.  Such a nice card.

And finally, another one of my favorites.  I love the tall, slender, vertical style and all of the circles with their different patterns.  Just a nice card overall.

Stampfest will be Held again in February, 2026, in Clearwater, Florida.  I'm already saving the dates as well as my money!

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Stampfest Fun!

We're back from Stampfest , in Lakeland, Florida, and what fun we both had!  Jeff and I each took a workshop class on Friday, shopped our heads and pocketbooks off and Saturday, and had an adventure filled drive home afterwards.

The vendor fair today was VERY busy.  Many booths and many shoppers.  I made a few make-and-takes, watched some demos, and spent far too much money.




Believe it or not, Tim Holtz had a huge booth at the show AND was there IN PERSON demo'ing his many different products and techniques.


Jeff took a card making class Friday but hasn't taken photos yet of the 8 cards he made so you're stuck seeing only bits and pieces of what I started making in the mail art class I took.  Linda Crofton taught the class.  She's a fabulously talented artist and all around lively and friendly person and teacher.  While she was giving her introduction she mentioned she swaps mail art on Swap-Bot.com .  As soon as she mentioned her swap name I realized she'd been a partner of mine in a swap!  What fun it was to learn this.  I couldn't wait to get back home and find the envelope she'd sent me.

So here are a few of my works in progress ....


                                      One stamp using multi colored inks, overstamped with
                                                         black circles and phrases.


Envelope front .... address will go in center blank space
Return address will be written next to the little bird


Envelope back in progress.

We also made some altered, collaged, stamped postcards.  The postcards were cut from used cardboard cereal boxes.  So easy to make! m I still have to color the dress on the altered little girl and maybe add some sponged inking around the edges.



Mail art is so easy and fun to do.  It's so much fun that's it's worth it to start paying my bills by regular mail again!  Actually, I've been doing mail art in one form or fashion for years, decorating envelopes of the letters I write to my 25+ penpals.  I even make my own decorated stationery when I have the time.

Tomorrow (or Monday), I'll post pictures of the cards Jeff made.  Later this week, too, I'll post pics of some of the things we bought as well as our "walking" adventure home Saturday afternoon!  In the meantime, thanks for reading!





Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Drooling Over Flow

The new Flow magazine is on the stands.  I saw it a couple of weeks ago at my local Barnes and Noble.  A treasure chest of creativity, intelligent and interesting writing, wit, and artistic delight, Flow is jam packed with articles to read, crafts to do, and creative tidbits to collect.  Based in The Netherlands, Flow is everything you might imagine The Netherlands to look and feel.  Flow Magazine makes me smile and feel good.  It sparks my creativity.  It makes me think.  I wish it were a monthly publication, I feel so good while reading it and playing with it.   Look for a copy at your local bookstore or order a subscription from their website.  You won't be disappointed!



Monday, June 22, 2015

Summer Stampfest 2015

Road trip!  Road trip!  Jeff and I will be attending Summer Stampfest 2015 in Lakeland, Florida.  I am VERY excited!  I'll be taking a mail art class




as well as spending time at the exhibits, hopefully not spending too much money.

We'll be staying at the local LaQuinta, just a few miles from the event venue.  Thanks to my AAA discount, the room rate is more than reasonable.

It's been a year since we went on a road trip, let alone an art related one.  Last year we traveled to Sarasota, Florida to take a journal making workshop.  It, too, was a lot of fun.  Next post, I'll share with you details of the journaling workshop I took a few weeks ago at the Jaffe Center for Book Arts at Florida Atlantic University.  I'll be taking a gelli plate printing class there next month as well.  All good things starting to happen again as we get our creative mojo back in motion!


Sunday, June 21, 2015

Junk Journal and Bookcraft

It's been forever since I last posted.  Work, family, and especially time spent with grandchildren have been my focus however today, Jeff and I made the time to play and focus on paper crafting.  Jeff worked on two beautiful blank journals, one of which you can see here (the other one is still under construction):


The journaling paper is beautifully textured.  I wanted to run my pen across a page as soon as I saw it but no, no... this journal is for our Etsy shop (www.paperowlartists.etsy.com) .  It will be in the shop soon, along with some fabulous new postage stamp note cards.

My day was spent making a fun multi file folder junk journal.  Made from three cut file folders, there are three parts to the construction of the journal:  1) making the file folder "bones" of the journal, 2) papering the journal, and 3) embellishing the journal.  I've made the bones, papered the pages and pockets, and am in the process now of embellishing.  Here's a few of the pages:

                                                                             Cover

                                       Library pocket, tags, and page yet to be embellished

                                          Page yet to be embellished and a side pocket page
                                                                       with tag insert

                                             Journaling page, photo mat and bottom pocket

                                                        Four "waterfall" photo mats and
                                                          page yet to be embellished

The journal is great fun to make.  I can't wait to use it!  Full instructions for making one of you own will soon be for sale in our Etsy shop.

So I think we're getting our papercrafting mojo back.  Now we just need to make regular time to indulge ourselves!


Saturday, January 10, 2015

Watercoloring for Penpals

Made a couple of rubber stamped watercolors today to insert into Penpal letters I'm writing.  Hope they like them!



Saturday, January 3, 2015

A Burst of Cardinal Red Color

I'm playing with a new stamp set today.  I'm also gathering my energy to break out of my fear and belief I can't draw, even simple lines.  Here's a card Last night and this morning.  The intense red flower color influenced I'm sure by the photo of a beautiful cardinal I saw posted on facebook yesterday.  Not too bad for a first go at this style card, don't you think?