Fearless Friends in Art Guest Blogger- Lizzie Oakley

 Today is another Fearless Friends in Art Friday, and I've got a super special treat for all of you. To my guest blogger is Lizzie Oakley. This girl is a cute as they come and a self professed dork, just like me. Enjoy everyone...

Hey people!  I'm Lizzie!  I am super duper excited to be over here with Erika at Taylord Concepts!  EEP!  And I'm even more excited b/c I want to share something amazing with you.  Today my youngest, Jax, is TWO!  YES TWO!  I can not believe it!!  It seems just like yesterday I was snuggling up this lil man who couldn't even fit into his birthday suit (pun totally intended)

And now he is a big, big boy.  Learning to ride his trike and talking up a storm.  It's so amazing to see him grow up into this awesome kiddo he is now.

So in honor of my Jax and his second birthday, I want to share with you a fun project.  It can be for any time you need to give a gift, but just don't have the 'right' wrapping paper!  It's easy and fun and can be adapted many ways to fit what you need.

Here is what you will need to gather up:

A rolling pin
Scissors
Double sided tape
Assortment of paints
Paint brushes
Kraft shipping paper or parchment paper
Assortment of chipboard alphas,shapes, and numbers (to create design)
Washi/paper tapes
Twine

 First, take your kraft shipping paper or parchment paper and wrap it over your rolling pin.  Tape it down.  you don't need to do a fancy job.  It doesn't have to be super tight, but you don't want the paper to fall off either.

Now here is where the fun part comes in!  Take your chipboard and make your design! Use doubled sided tape to adhere your design.  Don't worry, the chipboard will bend with the pin.  Tim Holtz grunge board is actually PERFECT for this. Here I am making birthday wrapping paper for Jax.  So I spelled out his name a few times and put some 2's on there.  When spelling out names, remember to go backwards.  Spell the name backwards and have the alphas facing out backwards.  That way the names/words will be readable!  It not, then you will need a mirror and who has a mirror when cake is around?  That's just cruel!
Take your paint brushes and generously apply paint to the design.  If you don't want to waste any more time, take your rolling pin and just roll it in the paint.   Now carefully put the pin on the paper and, while applying pressure, roll the pin on the paper.  You will start to see your design!  Apply more paint and go at it again.

 Look at that!  You just made your very own personalized wrapping paper!  /pats you on the back

This is a bonus step, I took some black paint and white and even darker blue and just doodled a bit.  The plain blue was just not funky enough for me.  And in case you don't know, I like it FUNKY!

Remember to let your paper dry!  You don't want all that hard work to go to waste b/c you were too much of a eager beaver.

Once it is dry, wrap up your prezzie!  With fun washi/paper tapes and some twine, this present will totally stand out!
Not that it really matters since the now 2 year old will just rip and chew into it.  But hey, at least momma got to get crafty!!
Thank you Erika for letting me celebrate a special milestone in our families life.  I hope you all enjoyed my little tute and that you will come and check out all that my blog has to offer!!

Fearless Friends in Art Guest Blogger Series- Catherine Scanlon

I love warm souls. The type that make you smile from the inside! Catherine Scanlon is one of those souls. Her laugh is infectious, her art is breathtaking and her spirit is undeniable. Today I have the honor of sharing with you an amazing artist and her love for art journaling. Please welcome Cat.

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I'd like to start my blog post with a big thank you to Erika for asking me to be a guest blogger for her today -- I had big plans of making an Artful Card with you but time got away from me and you're stuck with a chat on art journaling :-)

I'm very passionate about art -- I've always taken the time to explore my creativity -- and while I'm not much of a person to "write" my thoughts in a journal, I am the type of artist to art in a journal. :-D In an art journal you are free to write and pour your heart out on your page and cover it up with pretty art -- or you make pretty art with a few words of inspiration to help you remember the thoughts and feelings you had behind the page. It's very healing, relaxing and I love it.

I also find that daily practice is healthy for my creativity and helps me work through issues I'm working through in my personal life or creative hurdles I'm trying to get through.

One of the reasons I enjoy art journaling is there are no rules -- well -- I would break them anyway -- but you can start a new page everyday or use a two page spread to make a little art everyday -- or settle on a combination of the two, do whatever makes you happy.

An art journal is a place to try out new techniques and new products to get a feel for how they work. Since an art journal is typically private you are free to create with abandon and really get the feel for the technique, tool or new art products without without fear of making a mistake.

I try to spend 30 minutes (or sometimes more) every morning in my journal. While I don't finish a new page every day the daily practice is good to keep my drawing, painting + collage skills sharp. I also try to switch it up with new ideas and directions to keep my journaling fresh and exciting so it's fun and not a chore.

If you are nervous about this fun way of expressing yourself -- I strongly urge you to wipe those hesitations and nervous thoughts from your mind and JUST DO IT. start today. Use what you have or pickup a cheap composition notebook and start with a doodle or two. Those 30 minutes you spend in your journal are a gift you give yourself and your creative spirit.

Assuming you made it this far -- for more of my art journal pages check out my blog, Art from the Heart (http://cmscanlon.blogspot.com) or take a moment to check out the creative classes I teach at My Creative Classroom (http://www.mycreativeclassroom.com). 

Thanks again for reading -- hope you'll stop my my blog for a little visit, have a great weekend! 

Thank you so so very much Cat for sharing your work today. I puffy heart you!!!

Fearless Friends in Art Guest Blogger Series- Martha Richardson

Sometimes you are lucky enough to meet someone that blows your thoughts of them outta the water. I've known Martha Richardson for a while now, but the moment I met her in the lobby of our hotel at CHA, her soul reached out and talked to mine. Without me blabbering on about how much I respect, appreciate and love this women, here is Martha Richardson

It’s one thing to be friends & co-workers online but it is something else when you get to meet them in person. Let me tell you…Erika is even more incredible in person & I’m honored to be a part of her “meet the artist” collaboration.

Erika and I finally met at the 2012 Winter CHA in Anaheim, Ca. where we worked together at the HELMAR Adhesive booth and also had the opportunity to just sit and chat. A looming question on many artists’ mind, including ours, is how to grow and evolve, push the limits and become even better at the art we love.

I thought I would take this opportunity to show you what I’ve been doing since this Feb. 2012. I am a natural born explorer, learner, investigator and curious person. Because I live in a very rural part of NC, all my art supplies must be ordered and all classes taken online. These online classes are my window into the art world and I’m never afraid to try something new. This is where I push & stretch, learn & explore, make mistakes & make beauty, meet new people, learn new techniques and just have FUN!

I would like to share some of my lettering attempts created when I enrolled in Letter Love 101 with the amazing Joanne Sharpe. I wanted to take a class from Joanne for several years and when she announced she would be doing online classes I was overjoyed…what an amazing class. Here are pictures of practice of a page that was 1st lettered and then painted with watercolor {something I’ve never done before}.



From this exercise I then created 2 watercolor paintings with inspiration from the Letter Love 101 class and conversations with one of my new artist friends Catherine Matthews Scanlon {I think you will have the opportunity to meet her next week}.  Again talking about artist evolution Catherine challenged me to attempt creating a random sketch and turn into a painting.






It’s a leap of faith sharing these new techniques but I want to share a small part of my evolution. I’ve learned that in art there are no mistakes and if I don’t try something new then I may just miss out on a technique or style that I really love. I’m not looking for perfection in what I do, that comes from practice, but the power that comes with “wow” I really like what I just did. And truth be told I LOVE buying art supplies!!!

I hope this gives you a slight nudge to evolve, to try a new technique, a different product that’s in your stash just screaming your name to try…to explore…to stretch your artistic limits.

Please take a moment and check out Martha Richardsons blog. she is beyond beautiful and her work inspires me every day. Thank you so much Martha

Fearless Friends in Art Guest Blogger Series- Susan Weckesser

Have you ever met someone for the first time in person and you are absolutely SMITTEN??? It doesn't happen often, but this past CHA I was beyond blessed when I got to meet Susan Weckesser. I've been following Susan since I first started paper crafting. I think one of my first Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine purchases had some of her whimsical art and I've loved her work from the moment I laid eyes on it. I think it was an article about the importance of Scrapbooking, but don't quote me on that lol. Susan creates amazing mixed media projects, scrapbook layouts and her doodling is OUTTA THIS WORLD!!!Did I mention she has a great paper line that is  full of whimsy (you can check it out here).

So without further adieu, please welcome Susan Weckesser!!!

Taking a Little Time

I was so glad when Erika asked me if I would do I post for her blog because not only do I think that she ROCKS, but it gave me a chance to sit down for a moment a just create for myself. Sometimes life gets a little hectic and we don’t always have time to do the little things that puts a smile on ours face and that is so super important. Don’t get me wrong…. It is awesome to design and create for other people and for specific projects. But, you know as a mom, a wife, a sister, or whatever we might do, sometimes life gets super busy and the days seem to race by. So when Erika said that it didn’t matter what I created… well, I was thrilled. I took a couple hours and just played!

I went digging around my studio and pulled out some fun goodies.  I had to play with some of the stamps that I just co-branded with Unity Stamp Co.  The kit I played with is called Grandma’s Needlepoint and you can find it HERE. I adore it because it reminds me of my Grandmother and sewing with her when I was a little girl!

To distress the look of the stamp I pulled out my Smooch by Clearsnap and lightly went around the outline of the image.

 I love working on chunky canvases to. That is what I used here and I prepared it by base coat painting it with acrylic paint. I then used some Helmars’ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive to glue on some wonderful paper & filters from Fancy Pants . To get my twine to holds it shape I lightly brushed on a bit of fabric stiffener.

Oh, and who can’t get inky when they are doing a project!? I love to age and distress projects just like I adore antiques! So, I also pulled out my Tim Holtz Distress Ink  from Ranger Ink and rubbed the edge of my papers to achieve that wonderful aged look! 

It was a wonderful afternoon. I had some time just to unwind and breathe! Life truly is a blessing! We just have to hold on somedays and not lose focus.

Thanks to Erika for inviting over! I loved it! Feel free to to pop over any time and say ‘hi’!

Hugs,

Susan xx