Mixed Media Artist

Our love of Guatemala began years ago when each of our kids went to work at an orphanage for a two week period.  Little did we know at the time that Nate was going to end up making it into a longer-term commitment.  When he came back from his first visit (right after his senior year of high school), he declared that it had been too short and that he was going back the next summer for two months. Well, two months turned into two years.  Nate met and married his great love, Lizzie, who was one of the daughter's of the orphanage directors.  He returned to the States for a time, but last year Guatemala called them again, and this time they went off for a year (well, a bit more) with our granddaughter Katherine in tow. Mike and I have just returned from our second working vacation to Tzanchaj Atitlan, Guatemala .  You won't find Tzanchaj actually on the map at this link; it is located about 5 miles southwest of Santiago Atitlan, and is just a tiny little village...

Last year I wrote about some available online photo editors and why you might want to know about them.  It might puzzle people who know just how addicted I am to Photoshop...why would I care about online editors?  Free or not, who cares? So again, why care about online photo editors? What about when your computer is in the shop, or you’re traveling without a laptop, stopping into libraries to use their computers? You’ve taken lots of great pictures, and you’d like to send a few to some friends without sending the full-sized file that will make them hate you. You’d like to post some of your travel pictures to your blog, but the file size is too big, the picture needs cropped, the eyes have the dreaded red-eye… Anyway, I found a newer article recently, which gives an overview of even more photo editing programs : 11 downloadable and 5 online.  Surely with this many to chose from, you'll be able to find one you'll like! Technorati Tags: mixed media , collag...

Black holes are where God divided by zero Image: Ute Kraus, Wikimedia Commons Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

OK!  Last week I showed you how I put together a simple little ox-plow fabric book form , and now I want to show you the finished project.   Along with the original rusted fabric that I used for the book itself, this week I used a painted piece of rusted fabric for the text.  What I found was that the thin muslin just wouldn't hold up to my black fabric pens without the color showing through.  Since each page of this book is double-sided, I needed to find something to write on that I could attach to the book instead of writing on it directly.  You can solve this problem by making your book from two pieces of fabric to begin with, but I didn't have enough fabric to do this. So here's what you'll need: A fabric book Pen X-acto knife, scissors, or rotary cutter Cutting mat Clear ruler Fabric Embroidery thread Needle 1. Plan where your text or pictures are going to be attached, what shape they should be, and what orientation you want for each. ...

Clever clever clever!  The folks at Photojojo have done it again.  If you're tired of sunprinting with ferns and flowers, consider this: how about using a negative from one of your digital prints to create a sunprint ?  I can hear you now...but digital prints don't have negatives!!  Well, they do if you follow the directions.  So easy, so cool!  Image: Photojojo Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

  Creative Cloth Doll Collection: A Complete Guide to Creating Figures, Faces, Clothing, Accessories, and Embellishments by Patti Medaris Culea Color & Collage Origami Art Kit: Dozens of Paper-folding Projects With Playsets to Color and Assemble! by Andrew Dewar The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72 by Molly Peacock The Weekend Crafter: Mosaics: 20 Great Weekend Projects by Martin Cheek The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own by Traci Bunkers The Elemental Journal: Composing Artful Expressions from Items Cast Aside by Tammy Kushnir Lutradur and the New Fibers: Creating Mixed-Media Art with the New Spunbonded Materials by Wendy Cotterill You Did What in the Ditch?: Folklore of the American Quilter by John L. Oldani Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge by Brenda Gael Smith, Deborah Boschert, Diane Perin Hock and FranCoise Jamart Sewing Pottery by Machine (That Patchwork Place) by Bar...

A day without sunshine is like, night. Image: Vincent van Gogh Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

This week I want to show you a second fabric book that I made using the instructions from Alisa Golden's new book Making Handmade Books .  This is another traditional form, known as an ox-plow pamphlet structure.  The ox-plow book form uses both sides of the paper or fabric, so it will look best if the piece chosen is either double-sided or backed with a second piece of material. I'm going to use this fabric book for a specific project, and next week I'll share the finished piece with you.   Here's what you'll need: Paper mock-up of book form Pen X-acto knife, scissors, or rotary cutter Bone folder Cutting mat Clear ruler Fabric (I used a piece of rusted fabric that I painted quite awhile ago) Wood hardener Sponge brush 1. Choose two pieces of fabric, both the same size, or one piece that is patterned on both sides (that's what I did). 2. Use wood hardener on them and allow them to dry. 3. Match the fabric pieces, and slit them halfway acros...

  8 Fun Easter Cake and Cupake Ideas Easter's just around the corner, so here are some yummy treats to get you started. Beading Arts Cyndi posted a tutorial to show how she made her Bead Soup necklace!   Creative Dreamer A background technique for the visual journal journey going on!   Eileen - The Artful Crafter Most silk scarf painting/dying is done with a stretcher frame. But if you don’t want to spend the money on a stretcher and are not planning a detailed design, this easy dye method can yield beautiful results as well.   Kim's Flowers & Art Kim's goal: 30 journal pages in 30 days. Take a look at her progress.   Made by Nicole What to do when paint smears... troubleshooting mixed-media meltdowns.   Moore Gourd Whimsies Barbara has some exciting news to share!   Yet More Ways to Use Up Rummage Sale Fabric Cherie makes the third project from the fabric she bought for a quarter.   ...

  About Family Crafts Follow these tips shared by Sherri to successfully color on fabric. Aileen's Musings Aileen offers you a couple of Easter Egg projects to inspire you!   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi makes a sweet sachet with fabric she printed herself.   Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there are tutorials on how to make a custom car windshield sun shade, carve novelty erasers into cute rubber stamps, paint pale skin tones, some history about sheet music and a crazy quilt made with techniques from the book Designer Bead Embroidery.   Crafty Princess Diaries The Crafty Princess gives you the scoop on some yarn deals she found at her local Michael's.   Eileen - The Artful Crafter Eileen reviews Chapter 4 of Cyndi Lavin’s eBook, “Every Bead Has a Story”.   Mixed Media Artist Cyndi found a new product to help out with her fabric books...   Stefanie Girard...

I came across Carmen Torbus's work recently as I was browsing through upcoming book titles (one of my other favorite pass times).  She has a book called The Artist Unique that isn't coming out until May, but the cover of it sent me running to find her website!  That doesn't happen every day. Carmen calls herself a bliss follower, big dreamer, and mess maker.  How can you not want to go see her work?  Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Yay for Suzie Button , winner of the fabulous book, Making Handmade Books .  Congratulations, Suzie!

Many of you have probably already seen this online tool, but for those who haven't, may I suggest an up-close-and-personal visit to the Sistine Chapel ?  One person claimed that this was even better than actually going since you didn't have to crane your neck.  My response...NOT!  But it's not bad for not having to travel thousands of miles. When we did go to visit, I found myself in tears.  I was so afraid the experience of visiting this amazing place would turn out to be overrated.  I was so wrong...it was far more amazing than I ever expected.  Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

A closed mouth gathers no feet. Image: Zitona Qatar, Wikimedia Commons Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals

Last week, I showed you the little sample book mock-ups that I made using the instructions in Alisa Golden's new book Making Handmade Books (don't forget to sign up for the giveaway!).  Well, I had a few inspirations hit me while I was fooling around with the paper samples, and today I want to share one of them.  If you don't have access to Alisa's book, many other books have the instructions for a simple X book as well...it's a traditional form that I think you'll even be able to figure out from my pictures pretty easily. The X book form uses only the front sides of the piece of paper or fabric, so it can be made with a single thickness rather than having to be backed.  I decided to use fabric rather than paper for my finished book, and since I wanted it a bit stiff, I treated each fabric piece with wood hardener before constructing.  You'll need the following tools and materials: Paper mock-up of book form Pen X-acto knife, scissors, or rotary ...

  Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery See how to lengthen the straps of a tank top with a recycled t-shirt and little help from a Simplicity Power Rotary Cutter. The Artful Crafter Writing and journaling – whether prose or poetry – can help you move forward as an artist. Here’s an example from Eileen that turned out to be quite prophetic.   About Family Crafts Looking for some St. Patrick's Day printables? Sherri has some coloring pages, games, cards, and more!   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi makes a gatefold card...with a gate embellishment! Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there are videos on how to use henna stencils in your art journals and the 365 skull a day project and tutorials on how to make a recycled sweater clover for St. Patrick's Day and a stitched 2 fold postcard book.   Crafty Princess Diaries Black Dog is offering 50% off on two books that paper-artists will enjoy. ...

The view from Melody Madden's neighborhood is gorgeous.  And so is the artwork that she shares that is in large measure inspired by the view.  Maybe we should all move to Canada?  The Yearning Fields You can find Melody's daily musings on her blog, and you can drool over more of her artwork at gallery sites like this one.  Technorati Tags: mixed media , collage , assemblage , digital art , photography , altered books , art journals