Time Imagined

Time Imagined

Another digital piece, hey what can I say I was on a roll (see previous post for other digital piece)

She Dreamed...

(click to enlarge)

I created another digital piece since I didn't have time to get my hand's dirty today! I at least was able to create something digital again using Corel's Paint Shop Pro. Someone had asked me why I like PSP....for the price you really can't go wrong with a graphics's program compared to Photoshop...I've had both and used both right now I don't have Photoshop anymore, so I'm back to using my PSP. PSP has many of the same features and capabilities as photoshop does, but PSP to me is more user friendly. They each have futures I like about them, if only I could merge them together LOL The cool thing about PSP is you can download a trial version to try so if your curious check it out.

Music Inspires me how about you?

The question has come up recently as to what inspires me and I find other artist's work inspirational along with nature, feelings and most of all music.
I have, I think an eclectic taste in music I like most all music-oldies, alternative, broadway, classical and even some rap and weird Al...pretty much everything but country! My favorite though is Celtic music I find it very inspiring artistically for me. Here's my playlist of with a few of my favorite songs.

What kind of music inspires YOU?

Well for some reason my playlist is not showing up if anyone knows a solution please let me know otherwise try the following link maybe it will work:
http://www.playlist.com/node/38573299
Or
http://www.playlist.com/playlist/user/29222155

Bloomin' Buddies!

My beautiful tropical plant is blooming in all our wonderful (NOT) heat. I'm thrilled to see it blooming after nursing it through the cold part of winter by leaving a string of lights on to keep it warm.

Now that it's blooming imagine my surprise when I discovered my wee fairy flowers hanging around! They really seemed to be having a good time, don't they! I didn't let them see me as I quickly snapped some pictures!!

I even had some new ones arrive!

Crafty Blogger Blurb Friday!

I thought I'd mix up the links a bit for this weeks Crafty Blogger Blurbs. I've been hearing that not everyone gets through the list because they're off on to the first few links and then before you know it 5 hours have gone by and it's time to make dinner and the kids are chewing on you toes....oh wait that was a movie wasn't it LOL I know with me a lot of times I feel like I need to leave bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel to find my way back to where I started LOL

Enjoy!

Layers Upon Layers
Have you ever wanted to try creating an abstract work but found it too intimidating? Come and try it anyway!
http://www.layersuponlayers.com/making-an-abstract-collage/

The Impatient Blogger
Madge reviews a fabulous new metal clay book by jewelry making expert Tammy Powley. If you've ever been metal clay curious, this is the book for you!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/06/book-review-picture-yourself-creating.html

http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/anatomy-of-a-bead/2008/06/24
Learn the anatomy of a polymer clay bead this week.
http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/anatomy-of-a-bead/2008/06/24

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Kick off summer with a chance to win a copy of Making Designer Mixed-Media and Memory Jewelry, check out some beautiful handcrafted dolls, a free crochet hacky sack pattern and a how-to on making a recycled denim pillow with a bird appliqué.
http://craftside.typepad.com/craftside/june_2326/index.html

Crafty Princess Diaries
Get a free metal clay project over at the BeadStyle blog. This downloadable project shows how to make some super easy metal clay beads!
http://www.tammypowley.com/?p=148

About Family Crafts
Browse through photos of home-made greeting cards and submit your own.
http://familycrafts.about.com/b/2008/06/26/check-out-these-greeting-cards.htm

About.com Cross Stitch
Stitchers - Start Your Stockings! It is never to early to start on holiday projects, but don't wait too late.
http://crossstitch.about.com/b/2008/06/24/stitchers-start-your-stockings.htm

Gothic Joy!

Hey blogger friends I was hoping to have more art posted sooner, but you know how real life has a way of getting in the way, especially when chaos has a way of rearing it's crazy head the kids are home for the summer! The theme is still "anything goes" for the Gothic Arch Challenge while it's on a little break. Here's my entry for this week. I used deli paper and Color Mists for the background along with some rub-ons and of course I couldn't resist using more of my colored paper flowers . The bird I downloaded from the following wonderful site: http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Christmas/Christmas.html

if you haven't visited this site it's chockful of freebie templates!

Shout Out

I know I already posted The Impatient Blogger Queen Madge's link previously, but I just have to give another shout out because I just finished watching her newest video and was "glued" to the computer screen! I'm issuing a "spew alert" on this one also because if your like me and you like to sit and drink your coffee or other beverage while perusing blogs, and you might be inclined to be caught off guard like me spewing your drink out as you laugh...yes, admittedly I have done this on more then one occasion! Also some of my readers have been writing telling me how much they are enjoying the Blogger Blurbs but don't always make it to the end of the links I post.....maybe I should mix them up, eh?
Anyhow, do check it out:
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/06/impatient-crafter-oo-la-la-collage.html

Phenomenal Flowers & Fairies Tutorials

I am so thrilled to play with these embossed blank paper flowers! They're awesome and are a perfect union with my Color Mists, it's a match made in heaven! Now finally I can create the colored flowers I want! You can even stamp on them and then color or visa versa.

Check out my

Phenomenal Paper Flower Tutorial:

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/photos.php?gallery=38

After creating such beautifully colored paper flowers I just had to make something with them and since my fairy birdhouses were lonely I wanted an excuse I decided to create these wee fairies!

Wee Flower Fairy Tutorial

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/photos.php?gallery=37

See more Wee Flower Fairies

http://aileensmusings.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-beautiful-tropical-plant-is-blooming.html#comments

Crafty Blogger Blurb Friday!

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Coming down the isle at Craftside are announcements, party favors and containers, jewelry and ribbon work all with a wedding theme but easily transformed for any occasion or special event!
http://craftside.typepad.com/craftside/wedding/index.html

Crafty Princess Diaries
Thinking of submitting your craft designs to magazines? Do your homework first! Here is lesson 2 on getting your crafts published.
http://www.tammypowley.com/?p=127

Cross Stitch at About.com
Stitch a Hopeful Quote from Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.
http://crossstitch.about.com/b/2008/06/18/free-madeleine-lengle-hope-quote-pattern.htm

http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/bangles-cuffs-dangles/2008/06/18
Bangles, cuffs and dangles - it's a plethora of polymer clay bracelets!
http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/bangles-cuffs-dangles/2008/06/18

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Check out another vintage Craft that repurposes old labels and buttons into something with a purpose
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/2008/06/kewpie-dolls-and-recycled-trim.html

The Impatient Blogger
Join The Impatient Crafter™ Margot Potter in this fun filled video lesson where she shows you how to make inked and collaged pendants. Oo la la!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/06/impatient-crafter-oo-la-la-collage.html

Digi in Red

Here's a new digital piece I finished, using PSP .

Morgan's Delectable Fudge Cake

Morgan's Delectable Fudge Cake

1 Box of Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

3 Eggs

3/4 C. Oil

1 1/3 C. of water

1 Bag of Dark Chocolate M & M's

1 Cookies 'n Cream Candy Bar

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Mix fudge cake mix, eggs, oil and water according to directions. Divide cake mixture between two greased and floured 8" round cake pans. Bake at 350' for 30-35 mins. Spread frosting on one layer of baked cake and place M & M's on top of frosting between cake layers. Place second cake on top and frost. Crunch cookies 'n cream candy bar up into small pieces and sprinkle on top of cake.

EAT UP!

Best laid plans of a Gothic arch...

I was excited to see the theme for the Gothic Arch Challenge was anything goes. Since it's been warm here my muse immediately thought of a beach theme.

I dug through my stash and found a background I had already started (I like to start backgrounds and then put them away to use down the road). I had used a piece of off white weathered paint paper from OTM's pastel paper pack (it's hard to tell but the pack really does have some cool papers that can be further colored and altered) and then used chalk inks and inked around the shape of a bird sticker and then removed it.

I decided I just had to play with the glass bead medium again, so I created some faux sand using it. See my process below:

Faux Sand

Add glass medium in a small container

Add 1 drop of 2 Drops of Nickel Azo Gold, 2 drops of iridescent Copper (light), 1 drop of Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide, mix well.

Add extra fine iridescent glam glitter as desired and mix well again.

Spread peanut butter looking mixture onto card.

I added a piece of bamboo trim I found and cut the end to fit.

Embed small shells into wet mixture and allow to dry.

Finished Arch!

Here's the saga story of my arch...

As I began using the glue stick on the back of the image the glue was a bit too sticky and I it just ripped her head right off her body...yep, I had a headless beach babe LOL shoot, I thought I really wanted to use this Vintage Beach Babe image! Then I thought hey, I'll just add another head from a bird or something like that...yep that sounded good! Off I went to go through my bird images and then I got ready to print out my sheet of heads, and for two days I tried to get that sheet to print...nada! There was some kind of corruption problem between the software and the printer. Dang it! I thought, I just want to finish this piece! So early this morning as I was sitting there caffeine deprived waiting for my coffee to be done. I had a brainstorm looking down seeing the head staring up at me and then the flowers, and the piece FINALLY came together Whoo-hoo!

Textured Deli Wrap Journal Tutorial

I've been working on this journal throughout the week. A little here a little there and finally I finished it last night.

You can check out my tutorial to see how I created it here:

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/photos.php?gallery=35

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF AILEEN'S MUSINGS!

Crafty Blogger Blurb Friday!

Can you believe it's Friday already! Wow, has this week flown by! We're still trying to get acclimated to school out for summer and developing a summer routine. Anyhow, here is this weeks Crafty Blogger Blurbs, enjoy!

About.com Cross Stitch
Don't toss old or unwanted CDs! Transform them with Cross Stitch instead.
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/finishedproducts/ig/Cross-Stitch-Projects-Gallery/Cross-Stitch-CD-Project.htm

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world=Over at Craftside there is an inside peek, patterns and projects from The New Knits For Men and a chance to win a free copy of Making Jewelry with Hardware Gems, and Beads. Sign up for the Craftside Newsletter and get a free postcard desktop frame. Also check out posts that include free Father's Day graphic quote downloads, and patterns and "how-to's" for retro placemats, napkins and a needle felted bag.
http://craftside.typepad.com/craftside/june612/index.html

Crafty Princess Diaries
Get a crafting blast from the past and flip through the pages with the Crafty Princess and this 1974 Women's Circle magazine.
http://www.tammypowley.com/?p=123

Diary of a Crafty Chica
Find out why you need to make a bliss book!
http://thecraftychica.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-you-need-to-make-bliss-book.html

http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/polymer-clay-hits-the-beach/2008/03/12
Polymer clay hits the beach with a fun shell inspired tutorial.
http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/polymer-clay-hits-the-beach/2008/03/12

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Over at Sweater Surgery there are some wild photos of Fire Hula Hooping, an Alice In Wonderland cake, picts and crafts from CRAFT Magazine's 07 Release Party at Reform School and crafting/recycling depression era style from my Grandfather in honor of Father's Day.
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/search/label/June8-11

The Impatient Blogger
Madge shares a new painting by her mother, the coveted Frankfurter Loaf Recipe and details on her Kewpie Doll Challenge!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/06/gift.html

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF AILEEN'S MUSINGS!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I get asked a lot what products I like and why, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite products that I use consistently.

First, let me say that I will pretty much use or try anything and have no loyalty to any one product, that is until I discover and I fall in love with how well a product works for me. It's that product that when you don't have it you feel like you lost an arm or hand!

Spray Sealer/clear coat-- I use to be a Krylon girl and do still love a lot of the Krylon products but for a top coat I LOVE PYM II also now labeled as CI SUPER SEAL. This product is amazing! It dries super fast, is non toxic, has awesome protectorates from UV and water/moisture damage. It will leave your piece the same finish as it started with so if you have something matte it will stay matte finish. I now seal everything with it to keep my pieces from fading. I have a mailbox I painted two years ago that is still as bright as ever, and normally it would have been faded after one summer in our intense valley heat!

3D Crystal Lacquer--this product I discovered several years ago as a happy accident of sorts. I had been using Diamond Glaze on a large project until I ran out of DG so I grabbed the bottle of 3D Crystal Lacquer I had bought put away and forgot about. Boy was I happy to discover that the problems I had with DG, cloudiness, bubbles and slow drying time, were gone when I used 3D! I also discovered that 3D Crystal Lacquer dried so much harder, it's the closest I've found to using a regular 2 part resin without all the mess!

Extra fine Glamour Dust - I've been using this fine iridescent glitter for the last 8 years and love it because of how fine it is. A little goes a long way! I was having a hard time finding it locally after all these years so I've started carrying it on OTM so I don't have to panic anymore! A little goes a long way and a bottle will last me a good long time.

Lets talk paper! Yep, I even have favorite printer papers! Epson Presentation Paper Matte (formerly Photo quality Inkjet Paper)--this is the light weight paper and comes 100 sheets a box. I also use Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte (formerly Matte Paper Heavyweight) this paper comes 50 sheets a box. You will get vibrant images printing on this paper. I just recently tried Staples brand of matte heavy weight photo paper and you can actually print on both sides whereas the Epson brand you can only print on one side.

Stay tuned for more products next week!

Send in the Clowns!

Ahh finally some art time! This week's Gothic arch challenge theme is "Clowns". I have to say this all went together fairly easily since I had the background already half started and just happened to come across the clown image already cut out in my box of fairy making paraphernalia.

The wording on the card in the background reads "10 reasons to smile" which I thought was appropriate for the theme and image I used.

Boy What a Busy Weekend!

Between son #2's graduation, our local oogle men in kilts Scottish Highland games and drooling over cool cars the Graffiti Festival we had a busy weekend!

Shout Out and Challenge!

I wanted to give a big shout out to Madge over at the Impatient Blogger for not only having great ideas and videos, but also for making me chuckle on a regular bases! Check out Madge's Kewpie Doll Challenge (scroll down and read through all the updates) its right up all you altered artists out there! While your at it take a peek at all of Madge's aka Margot Potter's Jewelry and Craft books.

Whoops, I almost forgot to mention that Outside The Margins is one of the sponsors for the challenge contest! Check out the prize booty below that OTM is offering:

Crafty Blogger Blurb Friday!

Whoops, I almost didn't make it in time, but better late then never, right! Here's this weeks Crafty Blogger Blurbs!

Enjoy!

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there are pills as gifts, moments with Slash (from Guns N' Roses), a sneak peek at L.K. Ludwig's new book-True Vision, and a great how-to on making an accordion triangle book with a bead closure.
http://craftside.typepad.com/craftside/may30june5/index.html

Crafty Princess Diaries
Marketing your craft work and yourself does pay off! Here are a few examples of why this is true and why marketing is worth your time.
http://www.tammypowley.com/?p=115

Cross Stitch at About.com
Brighten up your day with a happy little sun or select one of the other fun summer-themed patterns.
http://crossstitch.about.com/b/2008/06/03/free-happy-sun-cross-stitch-pattern-2.htm

Layers Upon Layers
Digital manipulations using a torn paper landscape background
http://www.layersuponlayers.com/digital-manipulation-with-a-torn-paper-landscape/

Polymer Clay -CraftGossip -Pearls of Wisdom, a creative challenge. http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/pearls-of-wisdom/2008/06/04

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie rubs knitting needles with a bunch of superstar knitters at BEA and takes her turn with the sticks and whips up a bunch of cute knitted purses with bangle bracelets for handles and I don't stick with just yarn!
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/search/label/June%205

The Impatient Blogger
Join Madge as she shares some sage advice about getting your work published.
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-get-published-and-be.html

Fairy House Obession

I'm obsessed having such fun making these fairy birdhouses. Click the link to see my other fairy houses & tutorial from before:

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/photos.php?gallery=34

A Special Annoucement

I was sent a link to a blog about a beautiful meaningful project that I wanted to pass on.

Jillian Curtis doesn’t want her children to bring hate into the world.So she and her sons, Jarrett, 10, and Josh, 11, are building a Holocaust memorial — their first major undertaking in their first month of homeschooling — to remember the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust.

Click to read more about their project

http://blog-me-til-midnight.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html#9211424222957951092

I am posting this in hopes others who read my blog will choose to participate as well.

Serendipity

I love when things seem to come together. I was able to finish the Old Friend's piece I posted about previously (see Cleaning is Like a Box of Chocolate.)

I began by spreading Golden's molding paste on the sides and backside of a 10x10 chunky canvas and then combed through it with a paint comb adding texture.

Once the molding paste dried I painted it with Golden's fluid acrylic paints in various colors & layers and then went back with transparent glaze and a baby wipe and hit the high points of the piece with the glaze. Once it was completely dried I added some printed gaffer's tape around the outside as a boarder and some rub-on numbers inside along with the book cover.

Next I added the embellishments: some shells in a small glass bottle of purple sand from Big Sir, a compass and a tag. Now it's ready to send to my friend. I love how serendipitous this piece started :-)

Cleaning is like a Box of Chocolates, you never know what you'll find...

I contemplated several titles when writing this: Anatomy of an Idea....One Thing Leads to Another...and finally settled on a Gumpisim.

Not to long ago I bought some old books on eBay....they weren't really worth anything, but I bought them because of a couple of very old chemistry books that were included in the lot. I gave them to my son who is graduating and going off to college to study chemical engineering. He loved the books, and in the process I got some old books that I could use for my art.... I paid very little for them so for me it was definitely a win-win situation.

Speaking of the books.... while I was cleaning my work area and trying to make sense out of my mess organizing it, I came upon a couple of the books I mentioned previously. I began thumbing through one and noticed a sweet picture that reminded me of my best friend and I, then I read the story on the page and BLING! BLING! the idea light bulb went into overdrive, especially after I noticed the cover of the book. So of course I continued organizing and cleaning my entire work area, making it something Martha Stewart would be envious of didn't waste time getting to work on my new found idea!

 

Here's another pictures as my piece progresses...its not done, yet. I'm thinking of using a canvas turned around as a shadow box of sorts to mount it into it, so stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

The book Saga continues...again while desperately trying to procrastinate diligently cleaning I thumbed through yet another of those books and I came across a JACKPOT! in between the pages of the book were images that appear to have been cut out of magazines. It looks like they might have been cut out for someone to play paper dolls because outfits were cut out as well. Who knows how long they have been in this book they look to be from the 50s.