Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Words of Wisdom
This came to me via a newsletter I receive weekly, but rarely take time to read. This is seemed to hit home today as I've been feeling down (like a black cloud is hanging over my head) about life lately.
I hope these words inspire you or give you pause to think about life and your blessings.
Hugs, Erin
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Words of Wisdom
(from Michael Josephson at Character Counts)
Find the lesson in every failure and you will never fail.
1. The likelihood that you're right is not increased by the intensity of your conviction.
2. Real friends make you feel worthy and make you want to be better.
3. When you are in a hole, stop digging.
4. Don't confuse fun with fulfillment or pleasure with happiness.
5. Refusing to let go of a grudge is refusing to use the key that will set you free.
6. Counting on luck is counting on random chance. Your odds are much better when you plan and work.
7. Hating hurts you more than the person you hate.
8. Being kind is better than being clever.
9. Don't underestimate the power of persistence.
10. The easy way is rarely the best way.
11. It is much easier to burst someone's else's bubble than to blow up your own.
12. You can't avoid pain, but you can avoid suffering.
13. Self pity is a losing strategy. It repels others and weakens you.
14. Shortcuts usually produce short success.
15. Control your attitude or it will control you.
16. It is more important to be significant than successful.
17. The world is waiting for you to heal it.
Remember: character counts!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Art Journal - "Chaos in my mind"
This journal page was started with watercolor paper (no gesso added) and paint dripped down the page with water. After it dried I outlined the color differences (the runs) with black marker for fun. After that I decided this was a great representation of how my mind has been reeling with data, worry and chaos since the start of 2012 and added in the partial face. A bit outside my normal drawing but hey, its my journal...
I feel really blessed to have added art to my creative outlets as my art journal has definitely been a great outlet for my stress and helps me decompress at night so I can sleep (which hasn't been great the last few months). When I don't sleep, everything seems much worse so getting a good night of sleep helps me handle my worries.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I am having dinner with some fabulous girl friends tonight who very dear to me (and help keep me sane).
Hugs, Erin
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Signs of Spring - Daffodils (Make me soooo Happy)
Please note that images came via google search and most are from the PublicDomainPictures.net. Photos are property of original owner and not my personal property.
Enjoy!!
Hugs, Erin
Sunday, March 25, 2012
New Mixed Media Painting - "Believe"
As part of the year long class "Create Canvas" by Donna Downey, this is my March canvas inspired by Donna. You can check out her version of the Canvas for this month at Simply Me.
I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely spring weather. It sure is a mood-booster for me and makes me want to do some spring cleaning and reorganizing.
Hugs to all, Erin
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| 12x12 Canvas board Board covered with gel medium and strips of torn unbleached muslin Then covered with acrylic paint and then brushed with gesso |
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| Fluid acrylic paint was added at top of canvas, water was spritzed to create drips Mini pom-poms were hand-made then adhered with glue Magenta fluid acrylic paint added to pom-pom's White paint was dabbed in flower center, stems added with green paint |
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| Added paper flower petals and buttons to pom-pom Flower stem created with tightly rolled damp paper (then set to dry to hold twisted stem) Once stemmed are dry, adhere with glue and then green paint added |
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| Masking tape added for leaves on stems, covered with green acrylic paint Words printed on standard copier paper, cut apart and adhered with gesso Letter and words outlined with Faber Castell PITT black artist pen White paint added to bubble wrap and pressed to canvas Button middle created with black artist pen |
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| Then the canvas just needed something else..... Black India Ink was then splashed on canvas (a bit more than I planned) |
I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely spring weather. It sure is a mood-booster for me and makes me want to do some spring cleaning and reorganizing.
Hugs to all, Erin
Friday, March 23, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
New Blog Template - Compliments of Leelou Blogs
Happy Friday friends - It has been a seriously rough few weeks but today I'm feeling happier, more settled and emotionally balanced. With the multiple life challenges coming my way in the very near future, I am blessed to have some very dear friends that have been a true blessing.
So....I have been searching the web the last few months looking for a new blog template that is more "Me" than "Not Me". Today I settled on a FREE template from LeeLou Blogs. I'm very happy with the template colors, the 3 columns and of course the flowers at the top of the header.
Let me know what you think........and enjoy your weekend. I'm outta here!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs, Erin
Thank you girls........you know who you are. Love you!!!
So....I have been searching the web the last few months looking for a new blog template that is more "Me" than "Not Me". Today I settled on a FREE template from LeeLou Blogs. I'm very happy with the template colors, the 3 columns and of course the flowers at the top of the header.
Let me know what you think........and enjoy your weekend. I'm outta here!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs, Erin
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sketchbook- do you tweet?
Just a cutesy-sketch inspired by a collage print I happened by in a quaint little gift shop a few months ago.
Happy Tuesday!
Hugs, Erin
Happy Tuesday!
Hugs, Erin
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Be True to my Heart - Finished Canvas's
Here are photos of my creative process...Inspired by Donna Downey's Canvas Create series for February 2012.
The 3 photos below show:
I added Indian Yellow paint over the white ink to one word on each canvas. Then I added some blue liquid ink on an edge, turned the canvas so it would drip/run but I only ended up with a single line of ink. Then I remembered seeing a video about blowing air through a straw to move ink around so I tried that (only without the straw - didn't have one) and look what I got....a cool scattered paint blotch.
I am so happy with how these pieces turned out and am glad I did more than one so these can be sold as a set or separately. I am especially pleased with learning to use molding paste, gel medium, mixing color with gesso, fixing mistakes and how you can use masking tape and bubble wrap in the creative process.
So a big thanks to Ms. Donna Downey......she is a great teacher and inspiration.
Hugs to all, Erin
- addition of water-thinned Indian Yellow acrylic paint (on top of the original Magenta colored base) giving the background a funky orange with deep burnt orange undertones
- then Magenta acrylic paint was added to ridge around the heart and a water-thinned wash over the body of the heart
- then I made a circle template from a scrap piece of paper and painted the circle openings with Blue Green acrylic paint
The next two photos include:
- the addition of masking tape
- white acrylic paint rubbed over the raised textured areas on the background
- a word stamp with white ink pad
- a flower/heart/butterfly image stamped first with black ink, then a white ink pad
Hmmmm....dislike those circles and the color of the paint in those circles, blah
And......also dislike the image stamp, ugh
In the photo below, I painted over the parts I disliked with a Turquoise acrylic paint mixed with gesso.
I was happier with the Turquoise color but added more thinned white gesso to lighten up the color a bit (see below). I decided the masking tape looked too plain left untouched so that got a wash of Indian Yellow paint (below). That made the tape perfect! And I couldn't be finished there....
To add additional dimension I painted bubble wrap with black ink and pressed it down on a corner section. Then I stamped the bubble wrap with a white ink pad and added that to each canvas.
I am so happy with how these pieces turned out and am glad I did more than one so these can be sold as a set or separately. I am especially pleased with learning to use molding paste, gel medium, mixing color with gesso, fixing mistakes and how you can use masking tape and bubble wrap in the creative process.
So a big thanks to Ms. Donna Downey......she is a great teacher and inspiration.
Hugs to all, Erin
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