She makes stuff...

Night shift brain...

I think my brain has gone to mush on account of a couple of night shifts! I don't like night shift. It messes with my body clock and turns me all weird. On the plus side... they passed by pretty quickly.

I have today to get myself sorted and back in day shift mode for tomorrow. Sigh. I need a holiday.

I managed to get hold of some stars for her. Thousands of little gold and silver stars. Only wanted gold but if you wanted a pack with different sizes you had to buy a mix of gold and silver. Oh the joys of sorting out the gold ones....not. Anyways. Sat last night, drank waaayyyyy too much wine and glued on what felt like a million little stars. Am happy with the result. Depending on the light you get a different effect every time you look at her.

Not too sure about the butterfly on the left... it may have to be painted out. So she is almost done. I need to add some more pencil work and some text but she is looking pretty much finished to me. 

I'm spending the rest of the day making my art journal :-) Now art journalling is something that I've wanted to try for a while and even got me a moleskine in preparation. How spooky is this? Suzi has just started an art journal group for us students with journalling prompts!!!! Its like I'm psychic or something! I clearly knew in the back of my brain that she would be starting this group and I needed said moleskine to make a start.

I think my journal is going to be a colourful affair. I adore colour and I find it really really strange that my first couple of paintings are pretty muted. Normally I use bold, bright colours. Maybe its because I'm a little afraid of colourful paint and feel safer with the softer palette.

Am thinking that this is maybe what I need to over my fear of painting with bright colour!!!

I really love Traci's use of colour and form. Sooo much going on in those pics! DELICIOUS!!!!!

Hmmm.... am thinking I may have to sign up for this ;-)))

Til later x

Gold stars anyone?

Where can I buy some gold star confetti? With a mix of sizes in the pack? I simply NEED some.

You see she will have a cloudy swirl of gold stars surrounding her...

Look how she is progressing...

I did a little more work on her eyes. Got to play with a whole range of painty stuff that I have accumulated over the years. Added some stars to her hair....

Worked on the background. There is still much to do on that I think. Am a bit stuck!  Once I get the stars on it may look better. There's also a little bit of text to add.

So this is how she is looking now. I think I may leave her alone for a bit. Am tired. And waiting not so patiently for Mr Sky Repair Man to come and fix whatever has gone wrong!!!

Am doing a couple of night shifts so need to get some zzzzzzzzs before I start tonight. Hurry up Sky Man!

Right off to search web for stars.....

Byeeee x

Still a long way to go....

but she is coming along nicely. This one is going to take a little more time than the last. Simply because there are many many layers still to add. I may play with some irridescent paint. I may not. We'll see how it goes.

 

So she now has painted eyes, hair and lips. She also has an arm and a teeny hand in which to hold her heart :-) They all need more work. But they need to dry totally before this can happen. I made the mistake on the last painting of trying to work too soon... and the paper face didn't like it! Sooo....patience, Maria, patience!!!!

And here is how the whole painting is looking so far. I am going to leave well alone until thursday. And in the meantime will have to content myself with working on a design for the next one!!!!

Til next time x

Bad case of da blues....

am hoping its a fleeting state of mind. I don't like feeling like this. I think hormones have a little to do with it all. Bloody hormones. They are messing with my already crazy brain and making it even crazier. Yes it possible. Trust me. On the postive... cos there is always a positive! The crazier I become the more creative I become :-)))

Been at work for two days.... that's two whole days without doing any art stuff. Way too long. It's like an addiction at the moment. It soothes me. This morning woke up to a lovely covering of snow. Very pretty. But an absolute nightmare journey into work. Why do some people feel the need to drive right up your arse in treacherously skiddy conditions??? The guy behind me this morning may have learned his lesson when my car started to do her torville and dean routine up a hill *insert evil evil cackle here*

Anyway made it in to work in one piece and the day passed very quickly on account of the number of kind folks that phoned in sick this morning. I was supposed to be a half day. I got home at 5pm. Left the house this morning at 7am. Don't ya just love half days :-))) Anyways stopped off at supermarket on way home and bought myself a "few" hormonal treats.... wine, chocolate, cream cakes etc and have to say they are helping enormously!

So tonight have done some more work on painting number 2. I just love Golden Fluid Acrylics. They may be a tad pricey but worth every penny. Sooo the background. Sprayed with Ranger Colorwash, splattered with water. Sponging, dabbing, drizzling. Nice. I like the result. All toned down with Titan Buff. I want a dreamy dreamy background. Nothing standing out too much but with the detail visible....just.

And then we add her......

Excuse the picture quality....its late and I've had 2 glasses of wine hahaha!

Tomorrow, when she has all dried out (and me too!) work can begin on the rest of her :-)

Til then x

Work in progress

Well clearly the daffs and the CD gave my some inspiration because I have been working on a new painting!

It's a fair bit bigger than the last.

I think I prefer working on a larger scale.

Maybe its like scrapping.... I struggled to work small pages but was fine with 12x12.

Oh and shading a large 6 inch face was simply pure joy!

Here she is half finished. And LOOK! I even go outside of the lines... now that is something for a virgo!!!!

This time I'm working on board mounted canvas. They had them really cheap at a local shop and I though it might be nice to try working on a different texture.

Work is progressing on her background. Bit of a natural colour scheme going on here... I'm hoping for a dreamy backgound with some inspirational words here and there.

Well thats the plan!

Wish it would dry... like very quickly!

I'm on roll and want to get the next lot of colour on

x

Lazy Mornings....

oh I do love a lazy saturday morning. Lounging round in pjs, moisturising, anti-ageing, wrinkle zapping face mask slathered on my face and listening to some bloody good music whilst surfing the web for inspiration.

It makes me ever so happy.

And happiness is something that has been in short supply this week.

Its been a funny old week.

On the one hand I was delighted to have finished my first painting, but then... oh I don't know.

Just not in a good head space at the moment.

It happens.

So this morning I am listening to this CD that just happened to pop through the letterbox.... just in the nick of time to save me from a day of moping around and doing not much really. Its amazing what music can do for your mojo!

These little smiling beauties go a long way to lift my spirits too! Daffodils are my favourite flowers... and at 99p a bunch they won't break the bank either. Instant cheerfulness smiling right back at me everytime I look at them. It would be rude not to smile back... now wouldn't it?

So here I sit.... smiling right back at my smiley, smiley daffs.... making todays "to do" list and listening to Florrie. Maybe instead of sitting I should MOVE!

I hear my paintbrushes calling my name.....

Til later x

Tadaaaa!!!!!

She is all done. Well apart from the beewax finish that is. I don't have the tool for the beeswax so that will have to wait a bit.

She is called Girl With Wonky Fringe

Am pretty pleased with the outcome considering its my first attempt! I've learned soo much creating her. It's been a real journey of discovery and even though there has been tears and tantrums along the way I've loved every minute of it.

The only step I couldn't bring myself to do was rough her up with a bit of sandpaper!!! Waaaahhhhh! Rub sandpaper over that gorgeous lil face? Not a chance! I may get brave with the next one and give it a go.... we'll see.

Right off for breakfast and to work on the next one :-) x

A whole day...

just for me and just for playing with paint and stuff! Yup I am on my days off and it's creative time. I'm not so good a blogging whilst on 12hour shifts. I come home, shower, eat and want my bed. And that is all.

So today.... well she is definately getting there! Still quite a bit to do. She has changed even since these photos were taken but thought I would update you on her progress.

The metal leaf has been toned down a touch as has the general background and some text has been added.... but you get the general idea.

 

And a close up of her face and eyes. Again they have had a little more work.

So there she is!

I've also started on background number 2! I've some more ideas for sketches so might get those down on paper tonight whilst watching the winter olympics!!!!

Til tomorrow x

Getting down and dirty!

With adirondack color washes and some paint and inks. Boy I've had a blast today. Playing to my hearts content and making a dreadful mess into the bargain!!! Luckily I remembered to put my gloves on...otherwise I would have been turning up for work with blue hands!

This is how it was looking after some splooshing on of colour! She's not glued down yet. I was waiting for the washes, paint and ink to dry. Otherwise it would've covered her pretty little face a lovely shade of blue.

And this is where we are at right now. I've toned down some of the distress ink around the edges with some damp brushing and added a couple of tissue paper flowers. Oh and glued her down!!!

She is NOWHERE near finished though! The layering of mixed media is just really beginning. Aside from doing a whole heap more on the background and the doll herself there is text to add, stamping, rub ons, gold leaf.... some hardwear....oh lots and lots. But I'm having fun. This whole process has been both terrifying and enlightening. Like a journey.... thats only just begun :-)

Right shower and food for me now! Am back to work early in the morning...

Til next time x

Oooh Lookie Lookie...

Just look what the postman brought me today!

THE most delicious stash of prismacolor pencils. Swoon.... I am in love! Just look at all of those gorgeous, gorgeous colours. Ok I had to arrange them... its the virgo in me :-)

And look!!! Ziggy loves them too!

Here he is... trying to choose his favourite colour :-)

And yellow ochre wins! (good choice!!!) Felix just popped in to see if there was anything edible about!

Ok.... after my last frantic post all is well :-) i had a lovely hot choc with Theresa and a teeny bit shop. I bought me an oilskin tablecloth (a must for the messy artisit ;-)) from Smails in Morpeth. Now if you ever ever visit Morpeth a visit to Smails is an absolute MUST! I love that shop. Its an old fashioned hardware store that sells almost everything. When I say old fashioned I mean its like a store that time forgot. They don't take debit cards....only cash or cheque and they have practically everything in a cardboard box somewhere :-))) Oh and the smell...it just takes me right back to childhood. I could spend hours in that place!

So I came home and had a little snooze...was really tired today. Another not so good nights sleep :-(

Tonight I faced my fear and made a start on the first background. It loosely has a valentine theme. I found some lovely MME papers and got cracking. First off I made a little wash up from acrylic paint and water... sprayed the wood and added more colour til I was happy with the coverage. Next came the papers. I have deliberately left blank areas as I want to add some text.

Look! Oil cloth in the background....cute gingham print with daisys on it :-) So this is how she is looking so far. She's not stuck down. There is a whole heap of work on the background needed before that happens. But its drying out and work can begin again tomorrow.

One happy squirrel here :-))))

Off for a well deserved glass or 2 of wine x