Mixed Media Artist

Hugs and Kisses I can't even tell you how enjoyable it was to make this little quilt.  I liked everything about the process!  You can see how the squares were made in reverse applique post from last week.  This week I'll show you how I assembled the finished project. 1. I chose a framing fabric and a background fabric and backed them with lightweight fusible interfacing. Using blanket stitch with all 6 strands of embroidery floss, I first stitched the block to the framing fabric (purple) and then stitched that to the background fabric (ochre). 2. The background fabric needs to be squared up and trimmed to the finished size. 3. Add a thin layer of natural fabric batting and a backing fabric to the sandwich. Pin in place and cut them even with the top. 4. I decided to tie rather than quilt the layers. Using large-holed seed beads and embroidery floss, I tied just enough spots to keep the quilt from sagging. 5. Blanket stitch around the entire outside. ...

  Mixed Media Picture Experiment Cherie tries to change the look of a painting using mixed media techniques. Robot Treat Bag   This little robot would be cute for a robot birthday party, or to hold your Valentine's Day cards. Beading Arts Cyndi put the finishing touches on her beaded postcards!   Creative Dreamer The first two hearts in a series of six... just in time for Valentine's Day. And the best part? They're for you! (More freebies!!!)   Eileen - The Artful Crafter Have you ever crafted by camp light? Come on a crafting adventure with Eileen.   Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  About Family Crafts If you are looking for an almost instant Valentine's Day craft or activity, check out these free Valentine's Day printable pages. Aileen's Musings Looking for some freebie Vintage images, Aileen has some ready for you to download and use in your art projects.   Carmi's Art/Life World Free card making samples in a UK publication inspire this new 3D card featuring Popcorn the Bear.   Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there is a free CD envelope template with spinner windows, Valentine heart made with skulls graphic downloads, a sneak peek into the new book Drawn In, formulas for designing your own bead patterns and the author Make and Take schedule for the CHA winter 2011 trade show.   Crafty Princess Diaries Tammy is making lots and lots of yarn hearts and learning how it isn't easy to glue metal to yarn.   Cross Stitch at About.com A free romatic design to stitc...

Susan also has a page of delicately colored watercolors which are just gorgeous, but it's her mixed media pieces that really hit me in the gut.  I love the colors, the textures, just everything.  Visit Susan Hartley Himmel and feast your eyes! Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Simone Lourenço is a genius with a layered stack of papers and some scissors. Or maybe it's an X-acto knife, I'm not sure. Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

I love to give homemade gifts, which one of my kids do you want?

In the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine , there was a nice little article by Beryl Taylor on creating a reverse applique sampler.  I have seen reverse applique done by machine this way before, but since Beryl's article inspired me to jump into this project, I want to give her credit.  She created spiraled circles like these, but then cut them apart and rearranged in a pleasingly colorful way into a nine-patch quilt.  I decided to go in a different direction, leaving my spirals whole and alternating them with an X pattern that I designed so that I could make a little Hugs and Kisses quilt sampler.  I used stacks of 6 fabrics in 5 inch squares.  The cutting away part when you begin to remove layers - not exactly randomly, but more by design to show the colors you want - is the fun and exciting part.  You're never exactly sure what you're going to get.  Here are some before and afters of one of my circles and one of my x-es...

  Beading Arts Beaded objects don't always have to be wearable. How about some beaded postcards? Creative Dreamer It's a last call! The 2011 Doodle Calendar is available for just a bit longer... and it's FREE for everyone. Be sure to get your copy before February 1!   Eileen - The Artful Crafter Come one: come all. See The Artful Crafter Parade of Valentine Crafts.   Valentine's Day Cards Cherie shows you how to make simple cards with paint, grocery bags, and scrapbook paper.   Valentine's Day Craft Ideas For Kids Fun ideas for children to make for Valentine's Day   Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Eileen - The Artful Crafter Have you ever crafted by camplight? Come on a crafting adventure with Eileen. Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter Learn how to make custom handcrafted ear wires in this week's video on demand for JTV's Jewel School!   Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery See how to make a flattened coil and recycled sweater bound journal inspired by the book Creative Bloom  About Family Crafts The current make-it-over craft challenge is all about making Valentine card and treat holders. Do you have a favorite to share? Aileen's Musings Aileen has a new product announcement and giveaway!     Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi uses some free digital files to create new cards.   Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there is a tutorial on how to make recycled tape measure bracelets, using portmanteaus in your designs, vampire legends from a bunch of countries, Squam registr...

I am nuts for birds.  I love to watch our bickering groups of finches in the summer, adore the juncos and chickadees in the winter, and get the biggest kick out the sparrows all year round.  Apparently Amanda Krauss is nuts for birds too.  Here beautiful collage work features many of the little feathered darlings.    Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media by Heather Smith Jones Installation Art by Claire Bishop Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media (Voices That Matter) by Bonny Pierce Lhotka Quick Little Landscape Quilts: 24 Easy Techniques to Create a Materpiece by Joyce R. Becker Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Everybody is somebody else's weirdo Image: WikimediaCommons

I love taking shots of little vignettes that suggest solitude, stillness, and peace.  I don't usually see them as lonely, although I can see why some folks might think that.  Anyway, one of my favorite techniques for cleaning up and finishing these shots is what I call my "postcard look".  Are you familiar with the old colored linen postcards, mostly produced for tourists?  They have a slightly odd cast to the colors, but I love them, especially the texture of their background. When I started messing around and trying to replicate that look in Photoshop , I realized pretty quickly that I actually preferred to be inspired by the look rather than copying it exactly.  So you'll see that my results wouldn't fool anyone...my aim in this tutorial isn't to help you forge new old cards ;-) 1. Make two copies of the image and work on the copy layers only.  2. Prepare your image by adjusting levels, color, and focus of the bottom copy. 3. On the top copy...

Creative Dreamer It's time for the January Creativity Invitation prompt! Come see what we're playing with this month, and join in the fun! Eileen - The Artful Crafter Jewelry closeout items at deep discount and a few things from your stash can make wonderful jewelry on the cheap. Check out Eileen’s Serenity Bracelet. Tractor Cupcake Toppers Easy homemade cupcake toppers using cardstock and a toothpick   Beading Arts Cyndi thinks that the new year is a good time to look into bead and jewelry education!   Creating a Poetry Book Cover Cherie is painting the cover for her next poetry book.   Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Cross Stitch at About.com Join in the Cross Stitch Forum SAT, SWAT and don't forget about the January Forum Challenge and the Duh One Challenge. Learn about these opportunities and other stitchy wonderfulness going on on Connie's site. The Artful Crafter Come one; come all. See The Artful Crafter Parade of Valentine Crafts.  About Family Crafts If you can't beat winter, celebrate it everyday with these simple crafts and activities! Aileen's Musings Aileen shows you how to make a glittery crown any birthday Queen would be proud to wear!   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi tests glitter in a spray format to create beautiful sparkly cards.   Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there is a free penguin graphic download, a doll boot pattern and sewing tutorial, a video interview with Carri Hammett author of Mittens and Hats for Yarn Lovers and the pros and cons of petroleum verses synthetic oil. ...

Don't wait...go download your own copy of the wonderful Bonefolder , volume 7!   This online publication is an inspiration to book artists and bookbinders everywhere.  There's an article by Miriam Schaer , one of my favorite book artists, that I can't wait to read. Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

I'm not sure where this first originated.  I saw it on Craftzine , which has links to two other sites, but it's not clear that either of them were the original authors either.  Anyway, it's an adorable way to give new life to a mate-less glove, which translates into practically all of mine!  If you know who the author is, please leave me a comment and I'll give the proper credits here.  Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

There are no short cuts to any place worth going Image: WikimediaCommons

Even though I don't have a specific project in mind, I've been wanting to take a look at various products and their effect on paper.  I like the way a thin coating or epoxy resin or polyester resin will turn paper into a somewhat stiff translucent sheet.  But I've never been too crazy about what a mess resins can be, or how much of a pain it can be to mix up a small batch and get the proportions exactly right.  If you don't get it just right, the surface of your paper stays sticky...forever. So I tested the five products shown above, all on newsprint: spray varnish, Liquid Laminate, Paper Glaze, quick drying epoxy resin, and clear silicone.  As expected, the resin yielded an easy to handle translucent paper that was stiff enough to keep it's shape but could also be cut with scissors as long as the coating wasn't too thick.  Surprisingly, neither the Paper Glaze nor the Liquid Laminate worked at all.  I used the spray varnish almost as a control, and neit...

  Tolent Treasures Honest, Doc, it went like this... Beading Arts Here's an idea for bead embroidery that bead weavers will absolutely love!   Eileen - The Artful Crafter Eileen made some lovely earrings from a kit by Tammy Powley and dubbed it “A Kit that Delivers”.  Everyday Paper Dolls Scrapbook Ideas Check out these ideas for using the Paper Dolls Cricut cartridge.   Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Crafty Princess Diaries Tammy's new jewelry making book is totally official now, finally! Eileen - The Artful Crafter Jewelry closeout items at deep discount and a few things from your stash can make wonderful jewelry on the cheap. Check out Eileen’s Serenity Bracelet. Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter Never get burned by a glue gun again! Check out this FABULOUS Hot Glue Gun Helpers from Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza!   Mixed Media Artist Have you ever wanted to try combining collage with quilting?   Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery Book Review-The Knitter's Guide to Hand-dyed and Variegated Yarn   About Family Crafts Play along with this week's make-it-over craft challenge by submitting craft projects made using bowls.   Aileen's Musings Find out what an Artist Trading Block is and sign up for a Valentine swap with Aileen!   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi uses a new punch to create these cute wor...

  Barnum’s Bermuda At least it is in the work of Scott O'Connor in Ventura.  Looking at Scott's mixed media paintings makes me wonder why the blacklight ever fell out of favor.  I wish he had more "before and afters" posted that we could goggle at, but I guess the point is really that these need to be seen in person to get the full effect. So if you happen to live near Ventura, go visit Scott and send me your report! via: The Ventura County Star Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Re-Tread Thread Deadline: 02/01/11       Fantastic Fibers Deadline: 02/15/11   Belle Armoire: Stylish Scraps, On the Surface, and Altered with Applique Deadline: 02/15/11 Somerset Studio: The Classics Deadline: 02/15/11 Art Journaling Deadline: 02/15/11 Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Save the Earth, it's the only planet with Chocolate

Margaret, are you grieving? Named for the little girl who is featured in Gerard Manley Hopkins's poem , my little Margaret is a small art quilt that is mounted on a heavy paper collage "frame". 1. Create a compound image in Photoshop or other photo-editing software and print it out on an inkjet transparency. 2. Make a fabric transfer onto muslin, following these image transfer instructions . 3.  Arrange and stitch various fabrics to a muslin background.  Add a layer of quilt batting and stitch together, adding beads and buttons for embellishment.  Fray or finish the edges of the small quilt. 4. Stitch the quilt to a paper collage , tacking the corners and some other spots to keep it from sagging.  Mount the entire piece onto a heavy piece of mat board that is slightly smaller than the paper collage.  Copyright 2011 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electroni...