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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A Little More on my Painting....

This past week has been like a series of unfortunate events from our refrigerator going out (we've been waiting for it's parts for a week now!), to our main bathroom (an impending redo that's been on hold forever) spitting tiles, sprouting leaks and dropping doorknobs and culminating with my daughter signing up for Google+ and accidentally deleting me from Google (!) this included my blog, plus Picasa, as well as lots of other places I didn't even know were Google dependent!  Needless to say, my guru husband managed to restore my blog, but it's still connected to my daughter!

Any ideas on how to "unconnect" our accounts without deleting either one?

So, I've been around, just not around as much, trying to deal with these occurrences!  I painted in the lettering on my new traveling journal, and I'm almost happy with it ;) just a little more tweaking.....I think I want the words "A Magical" to be the same color as "Journal Journey" and the word "Purple" to be stripey.  I didn't get a snap of the back cover, but it's the same purple with a dragonfly swooping off the page....
 and I did a little more on my new painting.  Just made the background richer and defined her arm a bit more.  I think I have to start on the peacock feathers for her hair soon...
and maybe even give her an ear!
For those of you who were wondering which painting I went over; it was this one:


And the winner of my giveaway is Thistle Cove Farm!  I've sent her an email letting her know ;) thank you all who entered!

Have a great day!
xx
Stephanie

Thursday, January 24, 2013

New Beginnings....

Along with getting caught up on getting back to my routine; I started two new projects.  We're getting ready to start a new Round Robin project in March.  And this time, each of us has chosen a color or combination of colors for the other artists to use as guidlines.  My problem: I love ALL colors, so how to choose?  I started with my all time favorites; purple and green.  They are still my favorites, but I don't especially like them together...so I changed it to Purple (AL shades) and chartruese....getting closer, but still not sure.  Finally I went with all shades of purple plus black and gold (which I changed to metallics) and splashes of blue green.  And while I'm still questioning my decision, I'm leaving it where it is!  Enough waffling around already!
The next step was to prep my book.  I like to rescue unloved, broken books and use them to make something new.  So I cut my book down to size and wrapped the covers with canvas paper.  And painted in a base using many shades of purple.
I painted in abstract-y blocks to frame the edge and drew in my lettering. In case you're curious, the words read "A Magical ART Journal Journey.....celebrating the color PURPLE with touches of BLACK, METALLICS and BLUE GREENS"  Next order of agony is deciding how to do my sign in page....it's lucky I have a month right?

The other thing I started was a new painting....when I started sketching out my new book, I wanted to include a small painting of a woman with peacock feathers in her hair.  But she REFUSED to be small.  SO, I skipped using her for the book and started putting her on canvas.  This is a VERY rough stage of my painting.  And I usually sketch it out on the canvas before painting, but I didn't have any gesso to cover the painting underneath, so I "paint-sketched" right over the old piece!  In fact, you can still see it in places....look for the green (or don't- it's not very attractive here ;))
This was actually a very freeing way to paint- I also painted most of it without my reading glasses so I couldn't get too nit picky with anything.  There is MUCH left to be done, but for the moment, I'm just relishing having a new WIP!  A VERY good feeling indeed!
I'm linking with Paint Party Friday a little early.  Be sure to stop by the party- always so much beautiful work to see there!
See you at the party!
xx
Stephanie

Saturday, January 19, 2013

JOY in the Post GIVEAWAY!

So now that you've seen the book my friends and I made together, I want to celebrate by having a giveaway!  One of the most exciting parts of doing this exchange was the freedom it gave me as an artist!  I was able to "get out of my box", move around and PLAY....and that's just what I did!

So, my gift to you is your choice of any two hand signed prints from the art I created for my friends

1. Kim
 

2. Tammy
 

3. Kim
 

 

 


7. Kat

8. Kat
 

9. Angie
 

10. Maggie
 

11. Maggie
 
 

 


14. Tammy
 
All you have to do to enter my giveaway is go visit my round robin friends, leave them a comment and then leave me a comment letting me know which two images you'd like prints of. 
YES a few hoops, but come on, aren't they FUN hoops? 

And you'll find a few more giveaways to enter as you do visit my friends!
For now, xx oo
Stephanie
P.S. I'll announce the winner towards the end of next week~ good luck!

JOY in the POST- Round Robin Reveal......and a give-away!

 
Hooray, as promised, here is all the beautiful art in my traveling journal! It came home to me last fall and I've been dying to share it ever since!
So, without further ado (drum roll please....)
Here's my "Eight Degrees of Inspiration"
Here's my book in place of pride on my mantel where it lives

peek inside for a taste of the magic to come....

And the inside pages with everyone's tag filled out:

 The first person to create in my book was Maggie of The Fanciful Magpie.  I LOVE her paintings and the way she incorporates words into her art- just gorgeous!  
I was lucky enough to have her to do a mermaid in my book!
To see the rest of the pages Maggie did in our group's books, click HERE

Next, my book traveled to Priti Lisa of Priti Studios.  Lisa was the creator of our Round Robin. We've all known each other for years, but she brought us together to share our art in one another's books.  
I am SO grateful for this experience- thank you Lisa!  She feature's Frida Kahlo in her art often, and here for me too!  Funny the quote she used for me, was the one I almost used for her!
HERE'S the write up she did about my pages

Next, my book traveled over seas to Angie of Artangel.  Angie creates the most wonderful mixed media work with a combination of found objects, original and stamped painting and much more.  Many of her pieces are about secrets or hidden objects.
She writes in detail about her pages for me HERE 

And next, my book found it's way to Kat of Write Story.  Kat creates the most intricate mandalas in many different ways.  The one she made for me was tiny, tiny pieces of paper cut out and then assembled into place and she added beautiful words to go with it
HERE'S her post about my pages

Next onward to Lisa of All The Write Stuff.  We both share a love of painting women and she did one of her lovely layered ladies for me accompanied with beautiful words.
Her post about my pages is HERE

Then my book traveled back across the ocean to Tammy  of Art and Inspirations in Charleston (getting closer to home ;)) Tammy and I both LOVE gardening- it finds its way into our art on regular occasions.  For me, she created a dragonfly swirling through a page filled with words about creating, both as an artist and a gardener in my two favorite colors; purple and green
HERE are Tammy's thoughts about my pages

My books final destination before flying home to me was with Kim of IM Girl Kim does some really beautiful mixed media work combining collage with painting and drawing- 
she uses bright and bold colors full of joy
HERE is her post about my pages
To complete my book, I created a kind of "year book" sign in spread and all the ladies kindly wrote about what inspires them:
  So that's my book- I am totally, and complete in love with it!  I hope other ladies like what I made for them too.  And SOON (March 1 to be exact) we'll be sending new books out on a NEW round robin journey- I can't WAIT!

Be sure to check out my giveaway to be posted after this (rather LONG entry) I'm offering the winner their choice of two prints from the art I made for this round robin- all you have to do to enter is leave a comment!

Just look how wonderful all our books look together!
And for a chance to win lots of beautiful goodies to start your own traveling journal, please visit my friends blogs and leave them comments:
 I hope this has inspired you to start your own round robin or become part of one- it has been such an incredible experience for me!
Joy in the Post 
TTFN
xx
Stephanie


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

What's Goin' On in Art Class...

 SO I'll share a couple of pieces from BEFORE Christmas when I just couldn't seem to get myself to the blogger dashboard.  These are the kiddos mythological creature portraits- it was their "open choice" project and my only specifications was that the had to design some kind of border and have their art extend beyond said border.  Other than that, all choices were theirs; media, colors, all of it!
 Leila's mermaid reminds me of the "falling Ladies" Andrea Thompson used to do......
and I love her border!
And I love the wayColson used her clouds to create a border for her dragon.
LOVE my students!

Where I live, the kids have pretty short vacations in exchange for having one week off every six weeks.  So come January 3, we were back in the swing of things and art class started up once more!  I was ready, cause' I miss my little guys when I don't see them! 
Here are some snaps of what we've been up to the last couple of weeks...




Here is Nick's finished painting- Leila's will be finished tomorrow.....and then we're moving onto Super Self-Portrait Hero Comic Panels.  Can't WAIT!
That's all for now,
xxoo
Stephanie


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Doing the Catch up thing...yet AGAIN!

It seems like most of my posts of late have been appologies for not blogging as regularly as usual.  And I think next December, I'll just wish everyone a happy holiday and any posts I do will just be bonus posts......
I am finally back in the swing of things~ all of my kids are back in school (the oldest went back to college yesterday), and my art classes, Farmer's Market and painting have all been added back into my schedule.  I've also been doing a LOT of self promoting on Etsy, but blogging is really important to me too, so- Baby I'm BACK!
Here's the latest in my pansy paintings
 I love the "hearts" that the shadows create when it's on the diagonal........
Just a little more touchup and then I'll list it on Etsy....

Also, I'm really excited to announce an upcoming blog party for the big reveal of our traveling art books!  Click HERE to see my page with all the art I created for the other books and try to stop by this weekend to see all the gorgeous art that my friends created in my book-
 I can't wait to share this treasure!
I promise I'll be back soon to share recent art class stuff and of course my traveling art journal.
For now, xxoo
Stephanie