December

This is my December submission as part of the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp design team. It's a mixed-media piece that I created as the back cover for one of my journals. I used a variety of paints and markers, collage images, and washi tape, along with two Roc Nicholas rubber stamps: Bunny and Bird Lady (which I altered). Roc's stamps are great on their own, but they're also easy to cut apart and modify, which I like because it makes them so versatile. You can find all of her stamps here.

November

This is my November entry for the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team.
It is a 4x6 mixed-media postcard featuring Roc's Daisyhead stamp. You can see all her wonderful stamps here.

And the winner is...

Shari Trumbull!
Congrats, Shari, your name was randomly selected as the winner of my dog blog hop giveaway. I know  it will be happy in it's new home!
I will contact you for mailing info!

Dog Blog Hop

The Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team is featuring a "Dog Blog Hop," using Roc's DOG  rubber stamp. Hop around, and you'll find a few giveaways, including the magnet below.
To enter my giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post. And please, please, please make sure I have a way to contact you if you win, so that I can get your mailing address!
A winner for my magnet will be randomly selected on Oct 15. Be sure to check back!
To continue the hop, visit Roc's blog.

Going Coastal

Well, we've pretty much settled into our new place, and I was able to create a large abstract canvas inspired by the California Coast. It has a lot of texture, which doesn't really show up in the photo. It looks great on one of our dining room walls!

Update

I haven't done a great job on keeping up on the blog this year. It seems like we're coming, going, or...now moving! I am still in the process of unpacking my art room. Once we have everything in place (throughout the house), I am looking forward to getting into a regular art routine. I have so many things on my mind that I want to create.
In the meantime, we did break away for one day about a month ago because it was our anniversary, and we went to the California coast--one of our favorite (long) spots on the planet. This time we visited beautiful Bodega Bay, located about 40 miles north of San Francisco. You may have heard of it--it's where Alfred Hitchcock filmed The Birds. Fortunately, we only saw a few gulls and none of them were menacing!
We drove the scenic route through a bit of Napa and Sonoma. In fact, Bodega Bay's many beaches are actually part of Sonoma County.
We scored beautiful weather and enjoyed a serene day on the beaches and lunching on fresh seafood at the local marina. Later we had "dessert" when we stopped at the local salt water taffy store where we tried, and really liked, the maple-bacon flavored taffy. It was melt-in-your mouth fresh.
I've already posted some of these photos on Facebook, but I thought it might be nice to share them here, too.

Making a Mark

For my August project as part of the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team, I made a bookmark featuring the Roc Nicholas Scooter Girl stamp. I made the bookmark so I could participate in the
Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Altered Bookmark Swap on Facebook. (Click on the swap link to join the page so you can participate in upcoming various altered art/stamping swaps.)
I used pages I'd painted with acrylics, added some decorative paper, and then applied the Scooter Girl that I stamped on different paper, and then added a whimsical hat. I  then used various markers, pan pastels, and watercolor crayons to finish the piece. Lastly I added some vintage text and fun fibers.
I tried to use elements that represent the journey books take us on.

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All You Need Is Love...

I created this postcard as my July submission as part of the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team. It features three Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps: Roc's Angel, Stacked Love, and Scalloped Lace Border.

Transformation...

I thought I'd share just a few pages from my Transformation Journal. I created the journal by altering a 4.5"x5.5" book. I removed a few pages so the journal wouldn't be too thick, so I was left with 40 pages plus the front + back cover to alter.
I'm having issues with my scanner, so I just used my camera phone. So the images aren't perfect, but you get the gist!

front cover

And the winner is...

Deborah!  Congratulations!!

DeborahJune 6, 2014 at 12:14 AM

What a cool magnet, Cathy. I love that flying pig :-)

Altered Envelope + Swap Fun!

This altered envelope is my June submission as part of the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team...and it's also for a swap. There's still a little time before deadline, if you'd like to play along on facebook.

On the front of the envelope I used 4 Roc Nicholas stamps: Little Church, Roc's Angel, Flying Pig, and When Pigs Fly Text. The pig and text are just a couple of her new designs recently released. Check them out! On the back I used the adorable Scooter Girl.

Blog Hop Giveaways!!

Sorry for the long absence. My computer stopped working + I had to send it away for repairs. Six weeks later, I'm back!!
And now for some fun! It's blog hop time for the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team,  which means giveaways galore! So you have a lot of chances to win some great prizes.
Each Design Team member is giving away a piece of mail art, and Roc will also be giving away one of the rubber stamps from her collection!
You can see all Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps here.
To enter my drawing, simply leave a comment here on my blog post. Be sure I know how to reach you. Then hop on over to the next blog, enter the next giveaway, and hop on to the next...!
We will be selecting winners at random on June 13, 2014.
ne 13, 2014.

Roc Nicholas
Corrie Herriman
Renee Stien
Samantha Read
Jane Wetzel

My giveaway is a little magnet. It sticks well to my fridge, and hopefully soon it will decorate yours. The magnet features two of the latest releases of Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps: Flying Pig and When Pigs Fly Text. The pig is adhered with a pop dot which adds some dimension to the piece.June 13, 2014.

Oh Happy Day...

...when pigs fly!
This is a 4x6 mixed-media postcard I created using two newly released stamps designed by my friend Roc Nicholas for Stampotique: Flying Pig and When Pigs Fly Text.
Be sure to check out all of her designs. The pig isn't the only adorable creature available!

Avocado, Anyone?

I've been blessed to have a lot of company so far this year, but that means art time has mostly simmered on the back burner. I'm okay with that.
But I did have time on Sunday to paint this small canvas of an avocado. To me it's symbolic of now getting to live in agriculturally rich California. In addition, they're a super food. And, yeah, I really like them!
This one's going in my kitchen.

Spring Song

Here's my latest canvas, a mixed-media creation, 16x20,
I was inspired by spring, and immediately I was reminded by the verses in Song of Solomon:
"For lo, winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come...."  ~Song 2.11-12
And that's why I named this piece Spring Song!

Skating in at the last minute...

...but here's my card for this week's theme at Sunday Postcard Art, which is "windows." (They've already announced the new theme that begins tomorrow.)
I used some decorative paper, vintage images of birds, a recycled stamp, and various pens + markers.

Journey...

...is the title of my April submission as part of the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp Design Team. I created a 4x6 postcard that features two Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps: Scooter Girl and Scalloped Lace Border.
This will also be my submission for a postcard exchange happening on the Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamp facebook group. If you're interested in playing along, check it out!

It's A Burd...

First, I want to apologize for being MIA for the past few weeks, but we've had company, so during that time everything else got placed on the back burner.
So now I'm catching up on art projects.
The challenge for week 11 of the Documented Life Project was to "put a bird on it."
Here's my creation for that.

Throwback Thursday

I think I created this mixed-media canvas in 2010. It sold immediately, and I sold a lot of prints of it, too. I'm glad it spoke to others. And I hope you like it, too!

"Hope is on the Horizon"

Go Fish!

Our first stop on our trip to San Diego was in Monterey where we visited the Monterey Beach Aquarium, among other sites. It is an amazing 2-story aquarium, and I really don't have photos to truly do it justice.
One of the many things we saw was an octopus. Normally they are nocturnal, but one decided to wake up and play. I never thought I'd say this about an octopus, but the way it moves in the water is absolutely stunning. Sad to say, I don't have any photos of that, but if you check out the web site, there are some great shots.

Last week we took a trip to San Diego to attend my youngest son's graduation from Marine Corp Boot Camp. We took 3 days to drive down so we could spend some time in Monterey and from there take the scenic coast route. We were then in San Diego 2 days and drove home in 1 day. Over the next few days I'll share some of the trip photos.

California Coast

Cannery Row, Monterey

Monterey

Joyous

As you read this post I am in San Diego...joyous to see my youngest son graduate today from Marine Corp Boot Camp and joyous to see my parents, whom I've not seen in a couple of years!
I created this 4x6 joyous mixed-media collage to use in my Documented Life Planner this week. It features several Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps: Steampunk Border, Squiggly Arms, (altered) Little Church, and (altered) Roc's Angel.
One of the many things I love about Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps is that they're able to stand alone, and they're also able to be cut apart and fit together in a whole new way.
To see some other creations using Roc Nicholas Rubber Stamps, visit Roc's blog.
Have a joyous day!!

Happy Birthday!

...to me!
While it's true today is my birthday, I am, and have been, focused on other things. For example, good friends from Alaska are arriving in town today!! And soon we're leaving to see my youngest son's graduation from a recruit to a full-fledged Marine. And my parents will be meeting us there...haven't seen them in a couple of years. Needless to say, I just haven't had any art time lately, nor will I for a while...because my son will return with us and we get to have him around for 3 weeks!!
So I decided to share a bit of my neck of the woods. These blossom every January, and actually now are starting to pass on. I have them in bright red along the side of my walkway, and in hot pink beside my front door. They're the first blooms of the year, and they make me happy.
Enjoy!

Documented Life Project Week 7

The challenge for DLP week 7 was to repeat a shape and color it in. My approach was pretty low-key. My background and more was actually formed by deconstructing a journal I'd started long ago and never really did much with it. Then I just added circles. Simple, but one of my favorite shapes.

Throwback Thursday

This is a 16x20 acrylic canvas I painted in 2012 titled "In Transition."

The Documented Life Project...week 6!

The challenge for the Documented Life Project (DLP) week six was to take inspiration from one of your Pinterest boards. I happen to have a board that features the art of Teesha Moore, so I used two of her collage images (the face + the egg) and created this page in as much as her style as possible.

And the winner is...

...Buncobuddy! Congratulations. As soon as I can get your mailing address, I'll get this on its way to you!

Love is in the air!

With just one week until Valentine's Day, love is in the air. I decided to send some love by creating this 4x6 postcard featuring the Stacked Love rubber stamp designed by Roc Nicholas.
I'd like to share the love, so leave a comment below on my blog no later than February 10, 2014, and you'll automatically be entered to win this postcard.
The winner will be selected via a random number draw on February 11, 2014. Be sure I can contact you via blog, email, or facebook. Good luck!

Sunday Postcard Art

The theme at Sunday Postcard Art is faces, hosted by Deborah. I'm sorry to get this posted so late, but I've been experiencing computer problems. So this post was delayed due to technical issues, I guess you could say.
Anyway, since Deborah selected faces, I decided to deck out a whimsey girl. I haven't created one in at least a year, if not years.

Bringing Words of Healing

So here was the plan. Each month I was going to pick a theme and then just go to town with it, creating as many variations of that theme as I could in/on as many different things that I could, i.e. painted canvases, mixed-media collages, journal pages, altered items, etc.
So my theme for December was angels. It seemed like it fit.
Well call me crazy, and I know some of you already do, but really, fitting in art time in December turned out to be near impossible. So here's what I accomplished: I started, but did not finish, 1 small canvas of an angel painting.
I finished it this month. And no...I didn't even choose a theme for January!!
So I ended up turning my angel into a bit of a mixed-media piece. I cut out a lot of tiny words from pages, and glued them into her halo. I then painted over them with a transparent metallic gold. The metallic gold is also combined with white for her wings.
But in the scan, the metallic gold doesn't look so metallic. So use your imagination. I think this canvas looks much better in real life.
I still don't know what to name the piece. It's sitting on my mantle, and it occurred to me that this angel is bringing words of healing. I like that. But it's not a very catchy title. Any ideas?

The Documented Life Project...week 4!

The challenge for this week at the Documented Life Project is to write...in secret. Once you've finished writing, you cover it with paint, only leaving 1 word exposed. My exposed word: power!! So I guess that's my word for 2014. I sure could use it, so why not?
After covering my words with paint, I drew and stenciled on some flowers and dots and then colored them in with various markers.
What's your word for 2014???

The Documented Life Project...Caught Up!

Today I completed the week three of the 2014 Documented Life Project, so tada, I'm caught up.
The challenge for this week was to use an envelope that you received in the mail.
Well, I had just the one. A while back my friend Roc Nicholas sent some mail art to me, and the envelope was delightfully decorated with one of her own rubber stamps--Roc's Angel. I adored the envelope and just had to hang onto it. I'm so glad I did, and I am really glad I'm able to incorporate and preserve it in this project.
Since the envelope was horizontal and my project is vertical, I actually had to deconstruct it to make it work. For the background, I used the inside of a card another art friend had sent to me. I liked the idea of making the page from the works and words of art friends. It just seems right!