canvas art - life is beautiful

 Hello there ☺
I've been getting all creative with paint, paper and canvas.  Today I'm sharing a recent canvas!  I'm teaching this one at my kids school - so I took a few photo's to share here!

 It's an 8x8" canvas - I've done a few layers here with paper, dressmaking paper, modelling paste and paint.

 Here is the cute little owl which is the main design on my canvas.  I've paper pieced it on to the canvas and added in details of rub-on's, stamping and black pen.

 Adding in the little details is always the fun part .....  a cute little wooden heart and a little bit of bling ☺

 a few words added in ......................................

 ................. and here it is all complete!

Mixed media is a lot of fun - I have a feeling I'm going to be doing a few more of these as time allows ☺

Thanks for coming by.
Creating with love + happiness ♥

thankful thursday

 Hello again.  The lovely Tash from Little bit of Thyme is introducing a regular feature to her blog - Thankful Thursday.  She has invited me to join in and so I thought I would do that today ☺

I have this mini canvas on my Laundry bench which reads:  there is always something to be thankful for.  So true ......................... and when I see it, it reminds me to think about that - whether big or small.

 Today I'm thinking about little things and moments that make me thankful. 

Like this recent trip to the beach with my littlest man - just me and him - we explored and walked and took in the beautiful Winter sunshine.  This made me happy! ♥

 Today I was transferring photo's from the camera to my laptop and I came across this one - father and son - that my oldest had taken for his digital media class.  It made me smile as I think of the 'fun' relationship they have and the love they share.

 Yesterday, I received a bunch of yellow flowers from these little hands.  Thankful for his unprompted gift and constant 'i love you's'.

That's my 'thankful thursday' - sometimes it's the little things that count ☺  They are the ones I want to remember ...................................

Pop over to Little bit of Thyme if you want to join in too ☺

Thanks for coming by ♥

art journal

 Hello everyone - today I'm sharing another part of my art journal - I'm following along with the Art Journal == Tangents & Tactics over at daisy yellow.  And I'm just loving it ♥♥
Each week, there is a prompt, including video's to watch and be inspired by.  No #3 is to create an accordion album from manilla folders.  You can find the details at yellow daisy.


 

 So here's what I've come up with:

 I've used a Better Homes + Gardens magazine and cut out lots of little pictures that 'spoke' to me, of all things that I love!!  It's all about pink, tea & crochet - some of my favs at the moment ☺

 I've used an art medium to collage all the pictures on each little page - this also created a great 'workable' surface for other mediums I wanted to use.

 Each page is like a 'mini scrapbook' page - paper + embellishments.

 I used quite a bit of Heidi Swapp products = paper & sticker words.

Both sides of the accordion album are filled!!

 

Some area's around each picture have been accented with watercolour crayons - I've drawn in with the crayon and then added water to my finger to blend in the colours.  By using an art medium in the background, it allows for blending in of colour.  I love this effect and it's so simple to achieve.


I love my new stamp set that I got this week ====== HELLO - it's called a click and stamp set - you can click the stamps together to make a word, then simply stamp away.  I found this one at Viva Books ☺

Check out the Yellow Daisy blog if you want to join in - there's heaps of inspiration to get you all 'arty' and 'creative'

Thanks for coming by
Creating with love + happiness ♥

creative-ness . the view thru my 50mm fixed lens

 Hello ☺  it's been a little while since i've shared something from my 50mm fixed lens.  Last week, I had my littlest one home for a few days as he was unwell.  So we did lots of little things together, going for walks and a visit to the beach to enjoy the Winter sunshine.
I took me camera with me ---- today he turns SIX and it was all very timely that I had the opportunity to spend some great days with him, take some pictures of him and reflect how much of a blessing he is in our lives.

There little minds soak up every detail around them and they want to explore everything.  It made me appreciate that sometimes it's the little things that count ................... it was good to just stop and take in each moment, and to be present with him!

Last year, i created a mini album using photo's that I had taken just before his FOURTH birthday.  You can view that album HERE!
I'm planning to make another mini album and use these photo's - so I will make sure I share that here ☺

Thanks for visiting today ♥

art journal

 Hello crafty peoples!!  Today I'm sharing more from my art journal.  Going along with Daisy Yellow Art - Tangent No 2 !!  This tangent and tactic is about the glass half empty and half full - positives and negatives.
The video provided gave idea's for the painted background and using items around your home for stamping.  

I chose to interpret this as: things I like to improve on & things that are important to me.

 My painted background was done with gesso and paints.  I found a few items in the bin in my craft room and used these to stamp circles and triangles in the background.  I also used stamps and rub-on's.

 I used my manual typewriter to write down things that I feel are negative issues in my life - it's always so easy to think of these things in our minds, but when it comes to writing them down and being honest .......................... it's completely different.  Although this is not all of them, it was good for me to identify some points!

 My little list here are things that help make life positive and enjoyable - I'm thankful for all of these things and so much more.

 The scrapbooker in me couldn't resist adding in a few embellishments too.  I included a photo on this side with a quote which reads: there is always something to be thankful for. 

I love how this stamping turned out, in this corner of the journal - it adds texture and a sense of layers.  I used the left-over paint from the background and blended in the colours a little.

Well, that was week two in this art journalling series - I'm really enjoying this little project.  If you love art journalling, check out Daisy Yellow Art.  It's a very inspiring place ☺

Creating with love + happiness ♥

Art Journal

Hey and happy Friday ☺  Yesterday I shared a little of my new art journal.  Last night I finished off my first page and thought I'd share it here today ☺

I was inspired by the Art Journal Tangents & Tactics series - each week there are prompts, inspiration and a video tutorial.
This week the inspiration was a starburst and to use watercolour.  The video tutorial included lots of art doodling and drawing.
So here's my interpretation:

I have to admit that not alot of this is 'free-hand' drawing.  I have a 'thing' for having things neat and in order - I think this reflects alot in how I craft too - so with the help of stencils I added in patterns and let go a bit with some little bits of doodling and flowers ☺
I'm hoping with this art journal, I can learn to explore the drawing side of art!

I've added in some words and also did a little bit on my typewriter, then added that to one of the sections.

I've also added in some wood veneers - I like dimension and texture and felt the page just needed a little bit more.
The art mediums I used were:  Gesso for the background, watercolour paints, crayons, Faber-Castell PITT pens, black pen & Modgepodge.

A new Tangent & Tactic comes out today, so I'm looking forward to seeing the inspiration for this one.

Thanks for popping by and have a lovely weekend.
Creating with love + happiness ♥

currently creative ...........

 Hello - hope you are having a great week.  I'm linking up with Give a Girl a blog this week to share what I'm currently creating ...............................

 About a month ago or so, I decorated the cover of a journal ..... in an arty kind of way ** reflecting the things I love - paper, yarn and paint. 

 I love how it turned out - it has heaps of texture on it, little words and notes and includes a photo of a little spot in my craft room.

 Even the back has texture and words!

 So being my first art journal, I found I really needed some direction and inspiration before I started ........................................
A bit of searching on the net and I came across Daisy Yellow Art!

This one here really appealed to me, so I've made a start, getting inspiration from the prompts and video tutorial.  Can I say, I'm so excited that I've finally started!!! Here I'm sharing what I've currently created on my first page --

 I covered my page in gesso before drawing on the starburst design - I like the way the paint flows on your page when you have gesso as your base.  I've used a waterproof black ink pen.

I've used watercolour paints and crayons to add the colour to my page.
I still need to put in some finishing touches and add a little more depth - but I love how it's turning out. 
I can't wait to share more each week - thanks for coming by ☺

Creating with love + happiness ♥

a WIP complete - crochet blanket

                          Hello to you all ☺
July was a very quiet month on the blogging front - we had beautiful holidays and birthdays to enjoy that kept us busy!   Now it's on to August ............................. already.  We are in the last month of Winter and are enjoying gorgeous sunny days!!
Today I would like to share a Work-In-Progress that I've been busy with.  You would have seen the progress of this one in previous posts.
It's now done - was one of my favourite blankets to make!           

 I've used 8ply acrylic in three colours that I got from Spotlight, with a 4mm crochet hook.  I've used one simple stitch - rope stitch and the inspiration for the blanket came from this lovely book  HERE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

     I've finished off the blanket with a wide border of half treble crochet.

 I love the wide stripes in this design!

This new piece is for me - it goes perfectly in my room with the soft grey and pop of colour.
Now for a new project - I have a few in line and can't wait to share with you soon.
Creating with love + happiness ♥