Canvas fun with desperately needed inspiration...

It's winter,

cold winter,

cold cold winter!

I'm not a fan!

I don't like the cold weather, 

especially when Mother Nature decides to add in some wind!

BRRRrrrrr....

I don't like ice,

snow is okay once or twice but it get's old quick!

(I am so thankful I no longer live where they are being hammered with several feet of snow in one storm, these last couple of years...yikes)

Also not a big fan of the seasonal depression that comes and hangs around way longer than it is welcome!

It's like that bad house guest you can't get rid of!

It robs me of my energy, my mojo and my happy!

In an effort to fight this unwelcome guest I've been doing a lot of putzing around the house

Cleaning, cooking, baking.....

I've also zoned out with the internet or the tv!

On occasion I make it down the hall to my crafty office.

Not making cards, tags, altering anything.....

Looking for something outside of the norm I actually got my sewing machine running and made my kitchen curtains I'd been wanting to make.....

well one set anyway! 

One set to go and the dining room needs a set too!

I'll get those done eventually!

Thanks to my New Years Creative Goals

I have been keeping up with my 

Art Journal & Donna Downey's Inspiration Wednesday

Lucky for my winter mood or maybe not so lucky,

 it's every other week!

In between, while surfing the net, I found that Donna also has
 Artist Gang Tuesday videos that she shares on her blog.

 In watching them I found another artist I'm fast becoming a fan of,

and that would be CeeCee.

Now thanks to Donna and her inspiration I've been finding nerve I didn't have before and have tried to venture off the art journal and onto canvas.

I made this canvas you can see HERE

It's a little guy! 

Didn't want to go too big and end up overwhelmed and have a mess.

With all Inspiration Wednesday & Artist Gang Tuesday videos,

then jumping over to CeeCee's blog and seeing some more of her videos,

I found a bit more bravery and with this post of CeeCee's for inspiration I made this larger canvas.....

I'm so proud of me!

I used the painting techniques from CeeCee's video & Donna's layering techniques and had so much fun with this!

I was going to add a word or quote but my daughter liked it the way it was so I ended it here.

Hope you are finding inspiration that keeps you going this winter.

Thanks for visiting and sticking with me through my winter blabbering!

Stay warm!

Inspiration Wednesday 2015 #4

Hi everyone!

This Inspiration Wednesday came up on me quite quickly!

I've been either busy or hiding in my room, with headaches/migraines, for the last couple of weeks!

Time apparently does fly and not just when you're having fun!

I won't say that the headaches are totally gone yet but I am feeling better.....

for now!

But anyway.....

As usual I don't have all the pieces that Donna used in her demonstration this week so I improvised and this is what I came up with.....

Donna used 2 colors in her inspiration but my stencil reminded me of peacock feathers so after getting the 2 colors (raw umber & teal) I chose on there,

 I felt it needed more so I added a purple.

One of the things I'm enjoying with these classes is mixing my own colors!

Not because that is what we are suppose to do but because I can't afford to buy every color I want to use!

The flower stamping on the bottom picture didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped but it works!

I added the leaves to the bottom and corners with a stamp I designed and carved a year or so ago.

 Playing is fun!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Bird house

Good morning!

Normally when I craft anything I wing it...
no plans...
just let the creativity flow...
let the spirit move me...

However with this birdhouse I had a plan!

I want to go country/prim!

Went shopping for pieces to fit my ideas!
Unfortunately, I found nothing that made me happy!
Between the internet and craft shops I was at a loss!

Now what?

New idea!

I love a good cup of tea and a good book!
And where better to have them but outside on a beautiful day right?

All I need is a chair, table and a tea set...I can do the rest!

UGH.....
chairs, tables and tea set,
all too big or too small, no in between!

REALLY?

Can I catch a break here?

What to do, what to do!

Went to the antique mall and after two rounds through the place,
looking in each booth,
I found a little tea set!

In the first booth I looked at...of course!

Might have saved a bit of money had I saw it the first time but these things happen, came home with a little haul...heehee!

Now for that table and chair...
hmmm...

Ooo, there's some heavy gauge wire laying there under my table...
I wonder if I can finagle that into a chair.....

It was tough,
that wire didn't want to bend easily,
sliced my hand a bit...
but I won!
Crochet a little piece for the seat
and
I have a chair!
YAY

The table took a little more thinking...
I started with winding the wire around itself to make a circle for the table top...
that was wonky!
I switched gears and started with the legs instead,
then headed to the kitchen for a jar lid...
good ole smuckers did the trick!

Oh yeah, I have a table now!

Here's my finished birdhouse! 

The background paper is one I made myself years ago with chalks then didn't know what to do with it! 

Below is the piece that is left over after cutting it...

I used Heather's freebie banner sheet she is giving away!

Hurry if you want it the give away ends Feb 14th!

Info for that below

The fence was made with Popsicle sticks and wire...

I stained it with vintage photo distress ink and then used a cream paint in an old paint dabber container to spread across it a bit.

I made the book with a book cover image I found at Graphics Fairy.

I used moss for the grass. 

Below is my chair before I added the same cream paint as on the fence...

A closer look at the chair, book, fence and part of the banner...

I used scrap bits of trim on all the banner pieces.

My table in the making...

I used a couple different paints to smear on top in an attempt to give it a woody look

then added a bit of ribbon around the edges.

The tea set was just a bare wood set that I painted.

The breads I had in my stash and I made the plate simply by putting 2 pieces of scrap paper together cut in circles. 

There it is on my mantle/shelf with a couple little birdhouses,

part of the little haul I found at the antique mall!

*****
Links...

I got the birdhouse from Laurie at her
Moore Art from the Heart Artfire store

Heather's freebie banner set info

Graphic's Fairy book cover

*****

Thanks for stopping by!

Sorry I was a bit wordy...
guess I'm just so really pleased with how this came out I wanted to share everything!

Hope you are enjoying a great week and keeping warm!