Sun & Fun Craft Festival: Mark Your Calendar!!

The Cocheco Valley Humane Society is hosting their 4th Annual Summer Sun & Fun Craft Festival on July 11,2009 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Calef's Field in Barrington, NH!

Mark your calendar and tell your friends! The event will have raffles, live music, FOOD, and beautiful hand-made crafts made by local artists, including myself! I'll be selling a plethora of hand-made art pieces, jewelry, greeting cards, and much much more!!

To view a list of "crafters" that will be in attendance and to see what else is going on, click the link: http://www.cochecovalleyhumanesoc.org/craftfair.cfm

It's for a great cause! See you there!

Artiscape Columbus Ohio April 2009

I've just returned from a wonderful 3 day workshop filled with loads of great classes. I dabbed with Gesso, learned traditional pewter embossing, marbled paper the Japanese way collaged my heart out and, very best of all, took a class with Cheryl Darrow, the founder of Ten Seconds Studios. I have been attempting to teach myself to use the Ten Seconds Studios tools so it was really a gift to have that time under Cheryl's supervision to refine my skills. (and learn the correct way to do things...)

At the event there was an Art Show to beneft the Central Ohio Women's Fund. To enter a piece it had to have been hand made and had to include a skeleton ket in some way. Here's a photo of the piece I entered, it was the very first time I had ever entered a piece into anything so I was VERY nervous.... There was a silent auction....my piece required two biidding sheets....it sold for $100... to CHERYL DARROW! Does it get ANY better than that?? The idea that this woman, whom I idolize and adore, thought my art was good enough to PAY FOR is such amazing reinforcement. I might actually have some talent! Who would have ever thought?? I have said it before, I am the most fortunate person on the planet. I love my life and this crazy journey that I am on. It simply couldn't be any better.

Happy Birthday Lisa

This was a creation for my favorite sister in law. I haven't had much time for art this tax season (how I hate the sound of that!) but did put this tounge-in-cheek collage together for Lisa's Birthday. It was a 8'x10' canvas framed to 16'x24" with a heavy black frame. I was quite pleased with the result! I am beginning to come up for air so we should be back to regular blog updates and classes soon.

The TaTas and I really thank you!

Well, recovery is moving swiftly along and I'm back in the proverbial saddle full time. For those of you shaking your heads...the girls went from DDD to a small C on February 9th. TATA to the TaTas!

Thank you for the cards, letters, prizes, flowers and....lime jello cake. They really made everything go so much better. To the secret pal who dropped off Pear Vodka, you KNOW I love you the most.

I've been playing with some metal embossing and some Mica fragments. Hopefully I can get my handsome man in gear with his camera to post some show and tell soon.

No scheduled classes in March, you can always call or write with your questions or request.
XXOXX to all!

Fish Rule HIS Brain!

Now that Christmas has come and gone it is safe to show you what I gave Tom. I'm expanding into collages and this was to commemorate a May 2008 trip to Florida where he fished with his brother (Spiro) and caught a nice Sailfish. The canvas was painted with acrylic paints, blobbed gesso, Glimmer mists and then collaged with photos printed on canvas. things I had cut from paper, chipboard letters, metal brads, a glass starfish, real fish hook, etc. It was great fun to create and really nails how Tom is when it comes to anything Boating or Fishing.

So, what kind of paper should I use?

I've been getting lots of questions about paper and what to use for a specific project...so, since you asked, here we go! These are my opinions and what I think works best. There are lots and lots of choices out there, this is just to provide some direction. Whenever possible skip past Michael's and AC Moore and support your local independent retailer, please?

Okay, to be fair, you can stamp on anything. That said, the quality of your results will be reflective of the quality of the paper you’ve stamped and colored on.

65 lb "cover stock": light weight, cannot be turned over to use the other side when you’ve made a booboo as it will show through. This is generally the weight sold in packages by AC Moore and Michael’s. I don’t recommend this weight if you are going to color with any type of markers or using any water based coloring products. Fine for coloring with colored pencils.

80lb "card stock": Can be purchased by the sheet at your local stamping store. Look for bright, smooth paper. Neenah Classic Crest, Solar White is the paper of choice for many folks. Takes all coloring media well. Sells for about $26 for 250 sheet ream.

110lb card stock: My preferred choice for all around stamping. Papertrey Ink sells 100 sheets for $12 online. This is ultra smooth, bright white (or ivory) and does not pill when using loads of color such as copic markers or watercolors. I am not aware of any local stores that carry this stock.

Glossy Stock: generally 65# or 80#. Remember to use the proper ink (see December 2008 ink posting). Expands your range of direct to paper techniques.

Vellum: Many weights. I like a heavier weight, again ink choice is important. You can emboss on vellum, don’t believe those who say you can’t! Generally you’ll color your images from the back on vellum.

Parchment: Excellent for embossing and then using water based markers (Tombow, Marvy) to "paint" with a wet brush. A package of 10 sheets should run about $3.50 at your local store.

Ultra RS: This is sold by Judikins (www.judikins.com) it is very smooth, no tooth, bright white and comes in postcard sized pads. Takes all inks and coloring products well.

MatteKote: Also sold by Judikins. This is a clay coated paper that should be used with dye inks for best results. Takes the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists well. Also sold in postcard sized pads it is acid free and archival quality.

Acetate or plastic: remember to stamp with solvent based ink (StazOn) and color from the reverse side.

Watercolor paper: Ah....my real love! Buy the best quality you can afford, it will show in your end result. I like 140#, cold press, paper. This has a medium tooth, takes lots of water without pilling or curling and has a great "heft" to it. Usually not carried by local stamping stores, this is a good thing to use that Michael's coupon on! Arches os a lovely brand. Try this with your spray water colors, Glimmer Mists, Twinkling H2O, etc. You'll LOVE the result. Remember to really ink up your stamp with india ink or a pigment ink, let it dry well or heat set, then go to town.

I've been out of touch for awhile....

Okay, It appears tax season has started! Wowzers...we have been straight out since returning to the office January 5th. I am not teaching at all in January and am teaching for the local Adult Ed programs in February -April. If you are interested in one of those classes pick up a Portsmouth or South Berwick adult ed flyer.

I am still scheduling open studio time. If there is something you want to perfect, learn or just be in a creative atmosphere give me a jingle and we'll set something up.

Two feet of SNOW

Okay, two plus feet of snow in three days can be a good thing. I've been one busy elf this past weekend and think I have Christmas firmly in hand. Yesterday I managed to bang out 4 sets of flannel pillow cases, two baby quilts, two velour scarfs, finish the wrapping, bag the yummy chocolate pretzels, do a couple loads of laundry AND cook a pork roast. Whew...I'm exhausted just reading it all. Perhaps now there will be time in install a decoration or two...
Happiest of holidays bloggers.