MOONFLOWER VINES Mixed Media on Canvas

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Welcome back to Joi@RR... so glad you stopped by... 

With everything growing so fast due to the abundant rain here in Texas... this creation is representative of the multiplication of so many beautiful flowers, veggies and beauty. 

AND... need I say... GRASS!!!

I love working on canvas.  This one is 16 x 20.  And I patterned after the Moonflower Vines... but of course... there is only a bit of similarity... this is ART, after all!!!  Here is a picture from the web:

And here is my rendition!

This is what I used to create my painting. 

I used DecoArt Media Crackle Paste with the 12 x 12 stencil. The vine stencil is from Kaisercraft. It is one of the first stencils I even bought and it has always been one of my favorites.  Maybe that's why I am enjoying the way this project turned out. 

Vines are symbolic to me of many things... 

life,

fellowship,

unity,

growth. 

And vines make me happy! Memories of times in the vineyard with my Grandmother eating grapes warm from the sun.  Vines that flowed thru her 5 acres garden. Precious times.  

In the center of the painting I used tissue paper to begin creating my flower.  Then I began to stencil with the DecoArt Crackle. 

After drying overnight, it was time to add my paints. I chose Lindy's Stamp Gang because I wanted the vines to have a shimmer and iridescent type glow.... like the 'moon' for the Moonflower!

Here is a picture of the work in progress.

I hand painted the tiny flowers using DecoArt white and highlighting with Lindy's Stamp Gang. 

The center flower was made from petals off of white organza flowers.  I cut out the cardboard ring and glued the petals to it. I also painted some stamen that I had left over from another project!

And here are some more pictures of the shimmering, glitzy, a little vintage, a little shabby chic - Moonflower. 

  

As always.... thanks bunches and bunches for taking time to read and comment. It means alot to me. Hugs.j

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I am excited to share my Moonflower with these challenges:

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Lindy's Stamp Gang

June Color Challenge

Click Here :Lindy's Stamp Gang Color Challenge

I used all of the colors in the June 2015 Limited Edition Spray Set. 

Twinkling Tinsel

Shabby Turbine Teal

Cheshire Cat Cherry

Pirate's Plunder Gold

Steel Shimmer

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The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

June Year of Choice Challenge

MMMC#13

Click Here: The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge June

CONGRATULATIONS MMMC for a SUCCESSFUL, INSPIRING and FUN first year. Happy Birthday!! 

So fun to choose which ones to play with: 

MMMC#1 - Sprays Mists

MMMC#2 - Around the House (petals, stamen, tissue)

MMMC#3 - Stencils and Paste

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Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 - JUNE, Cherish Each Sip!

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YES, YES, YES... that's what I do... CHERISH each sip.... 

WHY - you ask???  

Because it has been two years since I have been to Starbucks!!!!

Hello to all my special creative friends :)

THIS is my rendition of Tim's June Tag for the 12 Tags of 2015.

But first.... look at Tim's creative wonder...

It's just wonderful - as always. 

You can find the challenge here:

http://timholtz.com/12-tags-of-2015-june/

Now... back to my little story - heheheheh! 

When my first grandchild was born, well over 13 years ago... my daughter introduced us to Starbucks.  I will never forget the day I tasted my first ICED CARAMEL MACCHIATO.  

AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... 

So making this tag brought back lots of happy memories for me because most of my trips to Starbucks were with my sweet daughter.  We live so far out in the country that there is not a Starbucks (or any drink place) close enough to merit the drive. 

So now you know why I put CHERISH on my June tag!! 

My Distress Ink colors were:

Victorian Velvet

Antique Linen

Tattered Rose

Pictures aren't great this time... but below you can see a close-up of the plain... it is really rather pretty.  This was my first time doing this technique and I enjoyed it.  Definitely will do again!

And it's so fun for me to do the backs too - just to remember!

THANKS BUNCHES Tim for such a FUN tag this month!

And next time you go to Starbucks... 

give me a toast and say... this one's for you Joi!!!  

Hugs.

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SUMMER OF COLOR

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Hello artistic friends.

 I am so excited to participate in the...
 SUMMER OF COLOR challenge. 

 Each week we will be given different colors to use. 

It is called Color By Number for instance... this week: 

1 Blue + 1 Blue + 1 Green = CREATION!!

Click HERE for Twinkle,Twinkle Like A Star blogspot

I used Dylusions Paints:

London Blue, Vibrant Turquoise and Fresh Lime.

As well as black and white!

Silks Acrylics were used - in the same tones of blue and

 green - to add some shimmer! 

The outlines were done with a black Pit Pen.

I got to thinking afterwards that some folks may not consider Turquoise - blue but I always have so hope it works ok!

So fun to see what all the other folks have done with the 3 colors.  There are lots of participants. I am looking forward to next week.  It's always most fun to just do free play with colors! 

Hugs. j 

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Experiment in Drawing Color - 20x30 Canvas

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Hello to all my artistic encouragers!  

Sharing today my first ever drawing - free hand.  So take a deep breath and don't expect too much... OK??!!  I can tell you - at first, I was ready to just wipe it out... but honestly, it has grown on me.  

AND... it is much prettier in person too!! 

It was done with:

Neocolor II Watercolor

Lindy's Glitz Spritz Scintillating Silver

Distress Stain/Paint

Brushed Pewter

Antique Linen

Picket Fence

Old Paper

And I just started drawing.  

I can draw a silly little flower and a butterfly. Hmmm - I should draw you one to show you... just a minute...

This little combo is all I have even drawn - even in childhood I couldn't draw.  Now I have added hair to a stamped image and some doodle type lines here and there... but I have never just started out drawing free hand before.  Out of comfort zone... for sure.

But it was rather fun and I will do it again - hoping to maybe get better as the saying goes - practice makes perfect (sometimes)!!

Oh and in case you have not used the Neocolor II's - you first draw your image - or at least that's what I did - and then you use a brush and water to spread the pigments.  Many people also use outlines but I just wanted mine to be "free" drawing - no lines except those made by the watercolors. 

Here is the results: 

The first thing I did was used the distress stains and paints to make a neutral background with just the four colors.  I just wasn't thinking and didn't take a picture of it before I started to add the Neocolor II colors.  I sure wish I would have done so.  But it was just lines of paint - mostly horizontal but a few short verticals.

See the shimmer in pic above from the Lindy's Glitz Spritz!?

So there you have it... 

I know some of you are smiling... but the nice thing is... you love me and accept my artistic endeavors unconditionally and for that... I say... thanks bunches.  You just WATCH... I will get better!!! 

Big Hugs. j. 

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So happy to have the opportunity to join the following challenge: 

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Mixed Media Place: Creative Gym

Exercise 8 - Drawing by Athanasia

Drawing using Neocolor II Watercolors

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Butterfly and Roses on Wood

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Hello to all you sweet folks out there!! 

Here is a fun 8x10" Finnabair inspired mixed media on wood creation. 

Whew - it went thru SUCH a metamorphosis - over and over and over again.  

I can't even remember how many different colors this was before I was finally at peace.

And.... here it is.......  :)

Some of the items that were used in this project!!  

Started out with wood - hubby cut so they would stand up. 

I used Marta's technique from Finnabair's Spread Your Wings Academy.  
You can find it here: 

Spread Your Wings Academy Info

Finnabair was the first mixed media video tutorial I saw when I started on this journey and the first type of mixed media project I ever did.  So when she announced (on my anniversary) that this new Academy was starting - I knew I wanted to learn from it.

On thing for sure, after working on this project... I, for sure, have a LOT to learn so I am very very excited for the next tutorials. 

To begin... I covered the wood with gesso - of course!!! And then the fun and frustration and fun and mistakes and fun began!!!

I added texture paste through stencil first and then began gluing down all the metal pieces, canvas pieces, lace, wood, chain etc.

Next came the layers of paint!!  And more texture - glass beads and fiber paste.  More gesso, more paint... and you know how it goes.

I did think to snap a picture at one frustrating point - dear me!!!

 

And here is a picture of my Finnabair metal flower turned butterfly!  I was so proud of myself for thinking of what a pretty butterfly it would make.  But I'm sure someone along the way was just as clever as I thought myself to be!!!!  

Wish you could see all of this in person.  I just couldn't capture a good picture of the cute little butterfly!!!  There are also more of  Finn's flowers - on I literally folding in half - it's over on the right side - and put fuzzy yarn inside for the stamen.  Just can't see it in the pics - boohoo.

Picture of Finnabair flower before it became a butterfly!!

  

I am showing you the back because I did the same technique on the front but it didn't show in the end.  My first time every doing a clear ink with stencil for a "resist".  So fun and I loved how it looks on the back of the wood. YEAH!!!! 

As always - I soooooooooooo appreciate you taking the time to stop by, read and look!  You always make me so happy with your precious comments and every now and then I even giggle!!!  

Hugs. j.

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