On the Eighth Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

I am slowly finding my way back to water colors. Here's my first attempt (after a long time) at a winter scene. If you discount the deer, I think it looks nice. Of course, if you discount the deer, you get a boring scene with no focal point. Gotta give me points for trying! I'm self-taught, no art classesexcept what I can find online for free.  LOL

To be honest, this is only a part of the original canvas. I cut it down to fit into this frame I had stashed in the basement. I was able to salvage another small part of the scene to put with my older, unframed water colors. 

Playing Cat & Mouse

Today was a lazy day for me.I woke up late, got my laundry finished early, and got to craft while my dog napped and my daughter was at work. I lugged my box of stones and sea glass up from the basement (may I say that now that I've organized most of my  craft supplies it's been heavenly to be able to find the things I want almost immediately), pulled out my bag of watercolor supplies and grabbed my heat gun.
I planned on making a couple framed rock art pieces,and my project is one of them. I water colored the background, using the Quartz color scheme that is offered at Ike's World Challenge Blog

Then I poured out my bags of rocks and stones and was inspired by the shapes to create this cozy scene. I love that cat and mouse can enjoy a friendly nap together in peace. I don't know if you would call this an assemblage or mixed media. I call it finished and it's going on my wall.

Challenges I am Entering:

Ike's World Challenge Blog - see palette above

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything w/a critter goes  

Bleeding Art - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes

Show Us Your Pussycats - Furrything Goes 

Greetings from the Abyss

One of my hobbies is water colors. I've used YouTube and Pinterest to go from blobs to backgrounds  to actual scenes. My newest endeavor is to merge water colors with digital crafting to create a hybrid canvas like the one above.
I painted the underwater scene and then added images from a digital set called Sea Life from Ike's Art. 

The end result reminds me of the song The Beautiful Briny from the Disney movie Bedknobs & Broomsticks. The characters floating along the bottom of the sea, passing and meeting all manner of sea creatures, some of which are featured in my hybrid canvas above.

My DT project fits perfectly with this fortnight's optional theme of "The Abyss" that's offered by Ike's World Challenge Blog. The theme encompasses anything under the sea or in the ocean, like my jelly fish, sea turtle, crab, sea horse, star fish and, of course, fish! Since our planet is covered by more water than land, that's a lot of inspiration for your chance to win free digis from Ike's store, so why not take the plunge and link your project today!

Challenge I am Entering:

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers - Under the Sea or On the Beach

Connie Can Crop - Challenge #61 Water Colours

Taking to the Air at Ike's World Challenge Blog

We are midway through the newest challenge at Ike's World Challenge Blog. The theme is Things that Fly, and I chose to create with the digi "The Collector" for my DT make.
I created a mixed media canvas, using water colors, tissue paper and Mod Podge (homemade, of course). Add some acrylic paint and a dash of glitter and you have my newest canvas!
I decided to add a prayer to my canvas, as my life has become a tad complicated and could use some good vibes. But enough about me...
There's a week left in which you can link up your project. Don't forget the theme is to use something with Wings, and if you use a digi image from Ike's Art, you double your chances of winning! Good luck and Happy crafting!

"The Collector"

Challenges I am Entering:

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion - ANything Goes

Incy Wincy Designs - Things that Fly

Guest Designer for 4 Crafty Chicks This Month!

Hey, crafters! During the month of July, I will be a GDT for 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge Blog! My first GDT project is a watercolor I created for their #306 Summer Challenge, which starts today.
While on vacation in May, I pulled my water color supplies and let myself be inspired by the view out our hotel window. The Muse hit me hard, so along with my painting, I also wrote a Haiku poem that describes my attitude during that sunny, sandy week. Haiku are difficult to write, as you only get 17 syllables with which to relay the message you wish readers to have. Most Haiku are about nature serious, but I like to slip in a little humor here and there.
I matted my canvas on the Paper Studio’s solid goldenrod cardstock. My poem  (copyright 2016 Pat Martin) was printed with LD Handwritten Greetings Font, matted with the Paper Studio’s teal cardstock. What's really cool is that I printed this up on glossy cardstock and made my friend a set of notecards for her summer birthday!
Now it's your turn to create with the theme of SUMMER. Don't forget to link up your card or project at 4 Crafty Chicks challenge blog by end of week. And tell them Pat sent you! LOL

Challenges I am Entering:

Sasayuki Glitter - CAS Cards

Craft Rocket Challenges - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes

Some Days Are Good, Some Not so...

I've been "on vacation" this week while the students who attend the school at which I work are on Spring Break. We didn't go anywhere, but I've had a lot of time to create in my craft room. Besides creating DT projects, I have had some fun with water colors, and created this canvas. It describes the twisted path my life has taken lately.
Without going into detail, a family member has been diagnosed with a serious health issue. It is the kind of thing that, if allowed, would consume every waking moment. I often read myself to sleep every night, turning off the light and taking off my glasses only when I can no longer keep my eyes open. It's my way of taking a break from obsessing over it.
No one can live with constant unending stress and anxiety. It's okay, even healthy, to give yourself some time off, to go out with the girls and party, to lock yourself in your craft room, to read yourself to sleep, when things get too overwhelming to function.
It's okay to have "days for living" and "days for getting through." That's what my muse told me when I started to dip my brush in the paint and water. Some days are for creating a safe place to let your mind go numb and your heart carefree, even if only for an hour or so...

Life is Best when Shared

I could never live a hermit's life. Never to share a smile, a meal, a laugh, a memory-with a friend, a neighbor, even a stranger. No, I am entangled in humanity. I smile at people as I pass by them, each on our ways to the destinations of the moment. I speak with people in grocery lines, in the dentist's waiting room, and fellow shoppers. I am a chatty person.
I am a person invested in life. A bottle of wine tastes sweeter when shared with my husband, a rainbow more wondrous when shared with my granddaughter, a memory more tender when shared with my mom and sisters. I could never live a solitary life. I think I wold shrivel up and die.
So, the new challenge theme at the Path of Positivity is the perfect inspiration for my project today. The guest sponsors are Fresh Brewed Designs and Limited Runs. I got to play with an image today from Fresh Brewed Designs called Best Friends. I created a water color background for my card, then popped my image onto it. After coloring their hair, I decided to leave the rest of the image transparent. Then I added the sentiment, followed by embellishments from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, as well as stamps from Photoshop.
I think I'll have to print several copies of my card, as I have specific people I would love to send this to. I think they need to be reminded how wonderful they are. I think everyone needs that reminder now and then, don't you?
The Path of Positivity challenge blog is a place that promotes inspiration, nurturing and support for the soul, one project or post at a time. The monthly challenge themes are thought-provoking concepts that inspire crafters to stretch their imagination in a positive way.
 The sponsors and prizes for this challenge are:

• Three images of the winner's choice from Fresh Brewed Designs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for the post or project that the DT deems most inspiring of the bunch.

• A $10.00 gift certificate from Limited Runs, one of our guest sponsors this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

There will also be:

• One digital designer paper (made to order in a couple different ways) from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles for one lucky person who leaves a comment on the start, midway, pondering or top picks post for Challenge #28.
• One digital sentiment for every single person who enters the challenge.

So as you craft this month, please share what you create with us at the Path of Positivity challenge blog, won't you?

Other Challenges I am Entering:

Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes

Daring Cardmakers - Use 3 elements from Inspiration photo

Left of Center challenges - Splash of Paint (water colors)

Sister Act challenges - Anything Goes

ART-tastic challenges - Use Water (water colored background)

Digi Galore challenges - Summery Bright