Illustration Friday: Play

Cat's Cradle

I created a diorama of sorts using a shadow box picture frame. I hand painted the kitties, made a star stamp to create the night sky, and cut and glued paper. To give a dimensional look, I used cardboard spacers in between the elements for a natural drop shadow. I also glued parts of the tree and shrub on different planes to give a feeling of depth. When it was all done, I digitally added shadows and high lights!

Want to know more about cat's cradle string games? I did a little research and found these websites: Answers.com, World Wide Webs, and From the Pool to the Cradle. Enjoy!

My Creative Cup Etsy Store

Store banner

I recently discovered the website Etsy.com, "your place to buy & sell all things handmade." Etsy provides every seller their own shop free of charge and creates a community for sellers and buyers who share a common interest, unique and artistic crafts.

This past weekend I jumped on board and opened my first Esty store, called My Creative Cup. Now that I have my sewing and art studio combined in one happy place, I created some products and "stocked" the shelves.

New Studio!

Old studio space

New studio: view from middle

New studio: view of Hannah and other side

In a previous post, I created a blueprint of sorts to help me analyze if combining my sewing room in the basement with my studio space upstairs would be feasible. The basement is a much bigger space but has two tiny windows and bad lighting. The walls are unfinished and overall, it's very uninspiring to be in the musty dungeon. By combining my two work areas upstairs, I would have all my creative tools in one nicely lit space. My upstairs studio space is on our very narrow front covered porch. The entry way door divides the porch in the middle and I've chosen one side for my work area. There are two walls of windows, great lighting...but it's a tiny space (64 x 150"). After weeks of mulling it over, I brought up my big tables, added another bin, ditched my drawing table, and in the end, after much stuffing, I have a new studio! I'm very excited to get in there and work on my next image for Illustration Friday's word of the week, capture.

Illustration Friday: Clean

Laundry Line

Laundry Line is an all paper collage image on a painted sky background. Shadows and high lights were added digitally in Photoshop. The clothes are crisp and clean drying in the fresh air. Seems like a good idea until the little black bird craps on your linens!

Illustration Friday: Opposites

Sunblock

Illustration Friday's theme this week is opposites. This image has a dry brushed background with paper collage elements. It was scanned and digital effects were added in Photoshop.

I had already started this image for my very good friend, who I'll refer to as SPF 500. She has very light skin and sunburns easily. Years of abuse with a combination of genetics perhaps, has caused her several doctor visits to have cancerous skin removed. It's frightening to hear the word cancer and I get scared for her even though I don't show it. So I created a fun image to let her know I care and to remind her to stay cool in the shade...or put on her SPF 500 sunblock!

Studio Friday: Art Studio Sidekicks

The challenge: "My post included my puppy and I received all kinds of cool comments of artists describing their four legged companions. I'd LOVE to see pictures of all of their companions! So how about Art Studio Sidekicks?

Princess B.B. on Her Throne

And Then Everything Went White...

Ah...my sweet animaniacs. Their personalities are so cute, intriguing and fun. I love to watch them, play with them, snuggle. BB (ahem, Princess BB) is a big girl and likes to eat. She goes nuts for chocolate and will get into anything wrapped or unwrapped. One time I found her digging in my commuter bag, fanging the halloween candy I had planned taking to work that day. Another time she got so fat (eating the neighbor cat's food) that she weighed 17 pounds and couldn't lick her privates! The vet gave me butt wipes until she could loose the weight. I think the neighbor cat moved, because BB lost 5 pounds and looks good! BUT, now I find her eating out of the dog food bowl! She begs and screams when it's hours before her dinner time! These are only her shortcomings. There are good things too...but since she just scratched me, I won't mention them. Hmmphf!

Hannah on Squirrel Patrol

Gathering Intelligence!

Sweet Hannah Banana was a pound puppy. I saved her and she saved me. My first dog and oh-so-sensitive and loving. She has so much love to give that she wishes she were velcro. She can't get close enough, be pet enough, or hear cooing enough. She gets really attached to people and cries when she sees them again. She's so emotional! She's also very smart and is trying to communicate with us through dog food braille. She spells out things on the living room carpet and waits for us to read her messages...but we're too dumb to figure it out. I just pick it up and put it back in her bowl. Maybe it's a secret message regarding the squirrels...

Studio Friday: View From Above Inspire Me Thursday: Numeral Art

Current Studio Floor Plan

Studio Friday challenge: "Amazing what things you see everyday look like from above. It just got me thinking "what would my desk look like from above?" I have a feeling I would find some inspiration somewhere in there!" -Michelle.

Inspire Me Thursday challenge: Lately, numbers have held a lot of meaning for me…as my children grow, I grow, and years add on…numbers always seem to have a way of finding themselves ever-present. So for this weeks challenge, create a piece of art using numbers that are present in your life.

I am thinking about moving my sewing area from the basement up to my small art space and combining my supplies. Both work areas have equal pros and cons, one is big and dark, the other is tiny and light! This week's challenge, View From Above, turned out to be the perfect opportunity for measuring the tiny studio space and my sewing components to see if I can squeeze it all in comfortably. I measured everything, scaled it to letter size paper, created a pattern and cut out paper replicas.

Illustration Friday: Sacrifice

The Chosen One

How gleeful this little flower is to be the chosen one, oblivious to the beheaded stems clutched in the girl's opposite hand.

When I walked into my studio today, I decided to work simply and not overthink my image. At the start, I didn't really have a strong idea. However, during the process of cutting and gluing the story developed and told itself! A terror in the garden!

To create the background I painted on acrylics with a dry brush. Then I cut paper, inked in some details, scanned, and digitally added lights and shadows in Photoshop.

“Trouble with mice is you always kill 'em.” ― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men

Inspire Me Thursday: Image Transfers

Simple Style

The tape transfer went very smoothly and was much different than I expected. The great thing about jumping right in to explore, is it gave me some great ideas! I didn't think too much about the outcome and just went for it. Fun! Things I would change if I did this again: I'd put actual pattern pieces or instructions underneath the tape transfer to show off it's transparency and I'd use my sewing machine to embellish. I'll have to keep this in mind for future projects! Thanks Inspire Me Thursday, for the great tutorial!

Studio Friday: 7 Layer SaladIllustration Friday: Skyline

The challenge: "...using 7 layers to produce a piece of art."
In other words, feel free to use all sorts of materials like paints, paper, fabrics and such to build 7 layers, thus creating a unique texture or piece of art. Idea sponsored by Jo.

Home and the City

I decided to combine challenges from both Illustration Friday and Studio Friday since one offered the theme and the other the process. I used multiple layers in creating this all paper collage image. There are so many here that I can't keep track: glue, paper, paint, glue, paper, paint, more glue...well, you get the idea!

Home and the City version 2

After several hours away from this, I came back and decided to add a white picket fence. I felt it needed a bit more to better show the separation from the country and the city. Oh yeah, and I added a door knob!

Illustration Friday: Sticky

Tape Ball Man

When I saw the theme for Illustration Friday this week, I knew I had to bring Tape Ball Man to life. I've had a trading card series on my mind for several months. It first started out as roommate trading cards and is now morphing into circus freak trading cards. This one is dedicated to my house-mate, Scotty Potty. The text reads:

Who's sticky, big, and
there when you need...
picking up friends with
gath'ring speed?

It's the Tape Ball Man
rolling towards you.
When he gets close, you'll...
stick like glue.

Studio Friday: Family

"Family history, things that have been passed down from one family member to the next, family values, all influence me as an artist, whether I'm consciously aware of it or not.

I wonder how others are influenced or inspired by their families - either past or present. What family treasures might be found in others' studios?" - Ellen

My first vacation with my husband's family was last year in Bulgaria. While there, we met distant relatives, bought the pottery you see below, played on the beach, and went site seeing. We traveled through Sofia, Nessebar, Sozopol, and Sinemorets. It was an awesome vacation, soaking up great weather, history, culture, and family time.

Bulgarian pottery

Local beach in Sinemorets

The wind-up toy bear belonged to my grandpa. He loved kids and played with us often when we were young and growing up. I feel lucky that we lived close during those years. I have lots of fond memories! When he died, my mother passed the bear down to me so I could have a part of him here always. Now looking at the bear, I feel inspired to create a character...maybe tell the bear's story!

Wind-up toy bear

Inspire Me Thursday: In Good Time

What a fun project this week! A great way for a procrastinator, like myself, to get warmed up for the day. Unfortunately, I get caught up in details and turn small ideas into time consuming projects. I don't know how I thought I'd get this project done in 30 minutes...I'm overly optomistic a lot of times!

Snapshot at 30 minutes

Snapshot at 1 hour

This little image is tucked inside a Sucrets coughdrop tin. The "In Good Time" portion is finished. It took me twice as long as I had anticipated to complete the image inside. However, I decided to keep going. I drilled holes in the top and bottom stringing ribbon for a kitchen window ornament. I covered the words on the tin with medium gel and paper and adhered a flower photo to the front. The directions on the back "For temporary relief of occasional minor irritations..." seemed perfect! I modified the text, stamped my letters, glued and was done!

Final front & back - finished at 3 hours

Final inside

Studio Friday: Favorite Supplies

Mag Basket

When I pick up a magazine, I flip through it to check for it's texture worthiness. In other words, does it have lots of pretty pictures for collaging? I almost never buy a magazine to read (unless I'm stuck at the airport). My favorite type of magazines are the women's fashion mags, like W, Cosmo, and Glamour...and store catalogs like Pottery Barn and Bloomingdales.

Bud Box Filing System

Every once in a while I need to purge the mag basket to make room. I tear out the pages I want to keep and organize them in my Budweiser Filing Box. Some collage categories include: skin & hair (and feathers and fur), nature (wood, grass, etc.), fabric, patterns, and textures. Having this system helps save on time when I'm creating a piece. Although, I often go the long route and flip through magazines for texture ideas and inspiration.

Studio Space

I have a very small corner on our sun porch where I store my supplies and sometimes work. I have another area where I keep my computer, and another area still, where I have my sewing. A lot of times I drag my magazines, glue stick, and scissors to the living room so I can collage while watching TV. I feel like I have lots of room to work AND not enough room to work, all at the same time!

Inspire Me Thursday: Show & Tell Art

"It Was Then That I Understood"

I created this piece to explore a different style of collage, embracing a folk art feel. I usually don't incorporate stamping or text into my art (even though I'm inspired by words). This time I gave it a try.

I used recycled materials, like vellum scraps, old brochure covers,  recycled letter from my mom, and magazines.

It's simple and I enjoyed the process, which sometimes I forget to do while I'm busy being a perfectionist. It was also nice to have a piece not finished on the computer.

Illustration Friday: Portrait 2

King of Hearts

This paper collage image was my original idea for Illustration Friday's word of the week, Portraits. I was getting short on time so I put up an older image, The Beekeeper, while I worked on other projects. I want to post only new images on IF each week so I'm happy to have gotten this done before the week was out. Below is the continuation of my Queen of Tarts nursery rhyme (see "Illustration Friday: Cake" for first part of this rhyme):

The King of Hearts
begged the Tart
his heart he'd like to save.
She vowed to eat
his royal treat
and told him, "do behave".

"What of the Knave?
He seemed so brave
Giving his heart to thee."
Said, Queen Tart
"I tasted his heart.
It was sweet as could be."

"We're meant to be
you and me.
A wedding with gold silk.
Now's the part
to hand me your heart,
and don't forget the milk!"

So I guess my last image should be the Knave of Hearts?

Inspire Me Thursday: Functional Art

Fiesta Garden Table with Checkerboard

Painted Rock Checker Pieces (bees vs ladybugs)

This is my first entry for "Inspire Me Thursday." My husband and I started working on this table this past weekend as a fun project we both could work on while enjoying the sunny weather. I just happened to discover IMT the night after we started this project and was looking forward to getting it done to share for this week.

Following are pictures capturing our process. We started with an old weathered, dog-chewed table that we use for dining in our backyard. We used coarse grit sandpaper to sand away years of abuse from the elements and that blasted dog!


We bought several colors of multipurpose latex paint and used them to paint the legs of the table. Here, we're taking our first break. This is NOT the dog that chewed off all four corners of the table (good girl!).


Breaks over, and we're starting the table top design. This picture shows how we accomplished a nice checkerboard pattern.


We used the same masking tape technique to create the purple wavy border around the table top.


I found 24 flat rocks perfect for checker pieces. I painted 12 bees with flowers on the flipside, and 12 ladybugs with leaves on the flipside. The four chairs are projects for another day.

Illustration Friday: Portrait

The Beekeeper is a digital collage piece. Like the bees he watches, he's sweet with a sting.

Illustration Friday: Cake

"Queen of Tarts Eating Hearts" is this week's IF image. It's all paper collage, scanned, with added digital effects in Photoshop, like shadows, light, and small details. Here's my version of the Queen of Hearts nursery rhyme:

The Queen of Tarts
She ate hearts,
Many on a summer's day;
The Knave's heart,
Attracted Queen Tart,
And she ate it clean away.

The King of Hearts
Called for the Tart,
And begged 'til he was sore;
To keep his heart
But the Queen of Tarts,
Vowed she'd still eat more.

Illustration Friday: Sorry

The idea for this image is from the song "What's Left of the Flag" by Flogging Molly. The lyrics, "Wipe that golden tear from your mother dear..." inspired me to jot a rough thumbnail in my sketchbook. Illustration Friday was encouragment enough to review my sketchbook for this week's idea and turn a very old sketch into a finished piece. It's called, "The Golden Tear".

It's meant to be sad, yet optimistic at the same time. The golden tear is the last tear that's shed over a sad situation. After that, it's time to look up, grab a branch, and pull yourself out of that hole.