Something New--Stained Glass Dog Portrait

 Ever since COVID, I've promised myself to expand my comfort zone with new techniques and media. Today I tried faux stained glass painting. I pulled out a square shadowbox frame to experiment and I think it went well. This is our rescue dog, Honeycomb, Honey for short. She is a mixed terrier with a longish nose and long legs. When a groom is postponed, her hair starts curling. It is soft and fine and creamy white with areas of tan and brown.

I used my black Posca paint marker for the outlines and any leftover window paint for the rest. I had limited colors so I had to mix the white with the brown. It came out a lot more opaque than I thought it would, but maybe I just have a heavy hand. I had to remember to paint from the "front to the back" since the finished product would be the flip side of where I laid the paint.

I used a left over piece of Recollections scrapbook paper for decoration. My daughter loves it, so I hung it in the living room where she normally sits. It makes both of us smile. So I think I'll try another. 

Since COVID, some of the "new-to-me" art I have dabbled in include embroidery, jewelry wrapping, making earrings, outdoor decor, handmade wind chimes, flower arrangements candle making and novelty pens (with peacock feathers). Some were short-lived hobbies while others have sold or are being displayed in and out of my house and others'.

Have you stepped out of your comfort zone lately? Be brave, be curious...you'll be surprised and feel a little empowered so I would suggest taking a stab at the untried...

 

Another Month, Another Birthday Card

 

I love the sentiment on this card. It's a two-part greeting. And it goes  perfectly with the image I chose. The image is from Lynn Stansberry of Squigglefly. I colored her with Copics and double-framed her. All the papers I used are leftovers from previous projects.

The inside of the card reads: "and on my birthday, you must tell me that I look marvelous!" Isn't this the perfect image?! LOL

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:

Can't Get Halloween Out if My Head (and off my craft table)

 

Hello, Halloween lovers! Today I made a square card featuring skeletons. The background paper featuring Mr. Skeleton is from the Dead or Alive Paper collection from Rucola Designs. The Copic-colored skeleton child is from Kenny K Stamps. I haven't bought cardstock in months due to a towering stack leaning precariously in my basement, so all papers are "leftovers".

I framed my card face with lacy die-cuts I made from a scrapbook crop (and I haven't been to one in years!).  It showcases the paper well, I think. After coloring my image, which is called "Skull Man", I fussy-cut him out to place under the outstretched hand of his parent. He's so very anxious to go trick-or-treating like all the little goblins and ghosts.

I had forgotten to print my greeting, so I used my circle punch and wrote on black cardstock with white ink the words Trick or Treat. The only other embellishment I used was the cloth Autumn leaf in the top left corner.

I hope you like my Halloween card today. I am building a nice new stack of cards to send out this year. Unless I find a craft fair before the holiday, and on make a little money (m-wa ha ha). All's fair in love and crafts, right? Don't forget to check out the challenge at Halloween Crafts All Year 'round

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING: