Tuesday in My Studio

I just realized that I missed my Tuesday post last week.  So much for this being a regular feature on my blog...guess it'll just have to be semi-regular now. 

My drawing table is empty at the moment.  I've got a few projects started that I should be working on, but they aren't quite capturing my attention right now.  I've got some class assignments that I should be working on, and I think I will work on them this afternoon.  But for the most part, I'm in "I just finished a drawing and I don't know what I want to do next" limbo. 

I did finish up a little drawing of a cardinal yesterday.  It's a copy of a drawing from Kaaren Poole's "Drawing Birds in Colored Pencil" book, and I did it in hopes that it would help break me out of my limbo.  I'm starting to get some ideas for my next project, so maybe it's working.

Well, I'm off to tackle some of my classwork.  Have a great day!

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #38

Sorry to be a little late joining the challenge this week. I've had this card essentially done for days, but I was waiting for a little bit of last minute inspiration to tell me how what embellishments to add. Well, inspiration never came, so I'm taking that to mean that this card doesn't need any embellishment. Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Lori gave us a couple of different photos to choose from this time, mostly involving apples and pears. I only have one pear stamp and no apples to speak of...hmmm, maybe I do need more stamps? But I digress. I did have my DoodleFactory Gourds and Pumpkins (from Starving Artistamps) out on my desk, though. Done up in the right colors and looking at them with my eyes squinted, they sort of look like the apples and pears on this cake to me!

In the inspiration photo, the fruit is surrounded by luscious chocolate so I surrounded my fruits with a chocolate brown frame and placed everything on a ground of cocoa brown.  My gourds and pumpkins are paper pieced from scraps and then shaded with Copic markers.  The wood grain background I used is also from Starving Artistamps.

The other Divas always come up with divinely inspired projects so be sure to take a few minutes to visit their blogs and have a look.

Lori
Anne
Chris
Julie
Kerri

Hope you are inspired to come and play along. Just leave a comment on Lori's blog with a link to your card. We can't wait to see what you create! The keyword for uploading on online forums will be DDIC38.  Have fun and look for the next challenge on November 4th.

Does it Get Any More Fun Than Halloween?

I don't think so! Isn't Morty here just a scream?  He's from the DoodleFactory Ghoulies collection from Starving Artistamps. The DoodleFactory always comes up with great Halloween images, but these are my all time favorites...creepy dead hands down, lol!



I colored Morty with Copic markers using the most undead colors I could find in my collection. The rest of the card design is all about grungy, dirty, dusty, creepy and dark. I distressed, sanded, crumpled, tore, sponged, embossed, spritzed and cut with wild abandon.  I felt kind of like a mad scientist having way too much fun.

I love Halloween so much that I'm going to give out some blog candy on Halloween.  A copy of the Technique Junkies Newsletter 2010 Edition (CD8) will go to one lucky winner. Just leave a comment on my blog between now and midnight EST October 31 and I'll automatically enter you to win.  In fact, leave lots of comments.  I'll give you one entry for each day you leave a comment (one per day), and to be sure I can find them make sure to put your comments on this post or any of the posts I made between now and the 31st.

Happy haunting my little ghoulies!

Tuesday in My Studio

I think I'll make this a regular feature on my blog.  Tuesday will be my day to show you my works in progress, and every now and then, a finish or two.

Today I actually have a finish to show.  It took me all day yesterday, but Hannah's portrait is done.  It's such a good feeling to finish something.  I should do that more often!

Hannah, Graphite on Arches hot-pressed watercolor paper, 9" x 12"

Thanks for stopping by my studio!

Fall is Here for Real

We had a light frost last night so it officially feels like Fall around here.  The foliage isn't at peak yet, but we have quite a bit of color and the air is filled with the sweet smell of dried leaves.  This is my absolute favorite time of year.  I love the weather, the colors, and the upcoming holidays--starting with Halloween.

I really enjoy making Halloween cards so I'm only too happy to be working on my design team cards for my latest batch of stamps from Starving Artistamps.  The card I made today uses the jack-o-lantern faces from the DoodleFactory Gourds and Pumpkins set and Hollow from the DoodleFactory Ghoulies set. 

The glowing faces in the background are done with a simple resist technique.  I stamped the faces with Versamark and then embossed them with clear embossing powder.  Then, I just smooshed on some Weathered Wood Distress Ink and used a paper towel to wipe the ink away from the faces.

I made my frame from scraps of paper.  I cut a bunch of 1.25" square from scraps and glued them down to a piece of thin cardstock and then I cut out a variety of shapes, including this frame.  I put a piece of vellum behind the frame so that Hollow, colored with Copic markers, would stand out a bit from all the chaos.

Thanks for stopping by my studio!

Frankie

Today was my first post on the Technique Junkies Design Team blog, and I'll be posting there on the second and fourth Friday's of the month.  I made this card to showcase the Texture Duet (October 2010) and Sanded Core'dinations (April 2010) techniques, but Frankie is really taking center stage.  He's from the DoodleFactory Ghoulies collection from Starving Artistamps.

The Core'dinations paper I used on my card is called Black Magic, and I love the stuff so much it's hard not to hoard it.  I colored both Frankie and the sentiment (Starving Artistamps) with Copic markers. You can't see it in this picture, but Frankie's eyes and the letters are shiny because I went over them with a glaze pen.

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by my studio.

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge 37

It's the first Thursday in October, which means that it's time for another Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge. I also just realized that I've been doing these challenges for a whole year now. It's been a fun year with some truly beautiful inspiration photos--thanks for inviting me to play, Lori!









These Classico soaps from Cambria Cove were our inspiration this time.  I just love the colors and the Art Deco patterns on the wrappers.  Truly beautiful.

I'm also trying to participate in the Hope You Can Cling To card drive to benefit those affected by breast cancer, sponsored by Splitcoast Stampers.  I'm not sure that I'll get all of them done, but I'm going to try.  This card is for challenge HYCCT02B-Lingerie Inspired.  The stamp I used is Simone from the DoodleFactory People collection at Starving Artistamps.  I colored her with Copic markers and paired her with a sentiment from the Classic Decor collection, also from Starving Artistamps.  The layout I used is Laura's sketch #62 this week at 2 Sketches 4 You so I covered a lot of challenge ground with this one!

The other Divas always come up with divinely inspired projects so be sure to take a few minutes to visit their blogs and have a look.

Lori
Anne
Chris
Julie
Kerri

Hope you are inspired to come and play along. Just leave a comment on Lori's blog with a link to your card. We can't wait to see what you create! The keyword for uploading on online forums will be DDIC37.  Have fun and look for the next challenge on October 21st.

Tuesday in My Studio

I spent the entire day today noodling around in my studio.  I made lots of cards, worked on room layout for my drawing class, and I also did some more on a portrait of our granddaughter Hannah.  Not a bad day's work, if I do say so.

Here's one of the cards I did today.  It's a quick little card that I made using the DoodleFactory Gourds and Pumpkins set from Starving Artistamps and this week's sketch from Card Positioning Systems.  I stamped the pumpkin and gourd onto orange paper and colored them with Prismacolor pencils.  The printed paper I used is Basic Grey Indian Summer and my scalloped mat is embellished with cinnamon Stickles.  The rest is pretty straightforward, I think, but if you have a question, just holler.

And here's where I'm at with Hannah's portrait.  I've got about 10 hours into it so far, and I'm guessing it will take me at least another 8 to 10 hours to finish.  I have no idea how long it should take to do a graphite portrait this size (9" x 12"), but I thought it would be quicker.  I've spent a lot of time fussing with her mouth and eyes, and I'm not through fussing yet!  It's coming along, though, and I'm pleased with it so I'll just take my time and finish when I finish.  Thank goodness I don't have a deadline!

Well, that's a little peek at what Tuesday looked like in my studio.  What I should also show you is a picture of the mess I made, but I won't.  Not that I wouldn't show you, but if I go in there to take a picture, I'll have to look at the mess again, and I just can't bring myself to do that.  Yeah, it's pretty bad!

Have a nice evening (or morning, or afternoon)!

October TJ Sketch By Design Blog Hop

Hello Junkies! Welcome to the October Blog Hop showcasing our Design Team's artwork using the By Design sketch and techniques from the October newsletter!

I hope you arrived here from Jane's blog--her card was awesome, wasn't it? If you didn't, please take a minute or two to join us at the beginning of the Hop on the Technique Junkies Design Team Blog so that you don't miss any of the stunning artwork the designers have in store for you!

You too can have an opportunity to participate in this challenge and maybe even with a prize! October is Pat's anniversary month--she's been creating the Technique Junkies Newsletter for 8 years. Wow! Congratulations, Pat!!! To celebrate, Pat will make one lucky winner a TJ Subscriber for life, including all back issues and CD's to fill in the winner's collection.

So how do you enter? First, create a card using the design sketch and follow the directions for entering the contest on Pat's blog. You will need to send Pat your card or share it with the TJ yahoo group or send Pat the web link where your card is posted, and you will need to comment on Pat's blog.


Now for my card.  I used the Faded Texture technique on the bottom panel...quick, easy and fun! The harlequin background stamp on the top panel is from Starving Artistamps, the crows are from I Brake for Stamps, but I'm afraid I've long since forgotten where I got the alphabet stamps.

Hetty is the next stop on the Blog Hop, but here's the entire list just in case you get sidetracked along the way:

Judy's post @ TJ Design Junkies blog
Jane @ Jane's Addiction
Donna (that's me!) @ Dee's Studio
Hetty @ Craft Chaos
Beth @ Sunflowers and Dragonflies
Kimm @ Artful Sentiments by Kimm BT
Cathy @ Artful Observations
Chris @ Creating with Chrissy
Pat @ The Technique Trail

Happy Stamping and Happy Hopping!