Paintings

I spent the last couple weeks doing some mixed-media pieces. Paint, collage, oil pastels, gel medium, mists and masks. Thought you'd enjoy looking them over. I'm struggling with deciding if a couple of them are finished or not.  I think we all struggle with this one.

Let me know your thoughts!

You can click pics for larger image

  I also had a new friend visit me this week. Her name is Reghan and she is truly a work of art!
Congrats Rita, Adam and Chi!

What a difference a day makes

I forgot to post this after I wrote it last week. Duh.

Old news but anyway, I'll share it cuz I took the time to write it.  I also finished up this week a piece for a friend who is getting married. I'll share it here:

Whew! Yesterday I became ill. It hit me out of nowhere and I ended up in urgent care.  I woke up at 5am with a weird neck ache, took some ibuprofin and went back to sleep.  Later, I got a 101.7 fever and chills, just couldn't get warm (it was 82 degrees here yesterday). Come to find out I have a lymph node infection. They put me on some meds that they give people who have been exposed to Anthrax (not the band).
I cannot remember the last time I felt that horrible. A day later, fever has been gone since last night and I feel better. Thankful!

Paper Stash - Kraft Resist Paper by Tim Holtz

I'll admit that I broke my resolution by missing a couple weeks posting. We were out of town for the last two weekends, and I was so obsessed with my current projects that I have not allowed time for my blog. Nevertheless, I am happy to be finished with one of my projects and am going to share it with you now.

I was chomping at the bit to play with some of my newest Tim Holtz toys, so I started working on a few tags using the Kraft Resist Paper titled "Paper Stash" from Tim's Idea-ology line.
The papers are a light weight kraft (think brown paper bag) card stock with embossed images already printed over the patterns. I could not find a weight on the information, but it is heavier than scrapbook paper, but lighter than 65 lb card stock. The patterns are very vintage and cool and coordinate well with the tissue tapes, stencils and stamps in the Tim Holtz line.
I began by using my Sizzix Movers and Shapers Tag and Bookplates Die. I cut several tags out on my Cuttlebug, from a variety of the Kraft Resist Papers. The die cut them very well, using two B plates to run through my machine.
I wanted to try a few background techniques to see how the paper would look. I started with the Distress ink onto the craft mat technique, rubbing a few pads onto the the craft mat and spritzing the ink with a fine spray of water. Then I pressed the tag face into the ink and dried with a heat gun, repeating the process until I was satisfied with the results. At first I was disappointed because when the paper got wet you could not see the color. Once it dried you could definitely see the color as well as the cool resist patterns of the paper. I will caution you that when you get this paper wet it curls and waves. I placed the dried tags under a book overnight and this solved the dilemma.
Here is a cute tag I finished that used that technique:

You can really see the resist pattern behind the image of the stamped princess, and the yellows and oranges of the ink I applied to the paper. I embellished with Tim's "Cherish" Philosophy Tag, grunge shapes, a flower and a Jolie's 3d fleur dis lie sticker.

Here is another tag with the Distress Ink technique which was finished with Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous cling mount stamps, Salvage Sticker, Leather "W" embellishment and vintage image.

I also used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists over some of Tim Holtz' Advantus mini-masks to get a background with areas where the Kraft Paper showed through. The mists worked great on the paper, but as with the Distress technique, I had to weight the dried tags down to flatten them back out.

 Tissue Tape and ribbon flowers, rubber stamps and vintage images create my "Time flies" tag.

This one is adorned with Tim's Stamps, Salvage Sticker, Adage Ticket, Mini-Rosette, vintage image, Idea-ology light bulb altered with Ranger alcohol ink, Trinket Pin and Sprocket Gear.

This is another spritzed tag but I added oil pastels to highlight the background over the dried ink. I added vintage images, Tim Holtz Salvage Sticker, mini-rosette, Tim Stamps, rub-ons and topped it off with a rhinestone, button and Crystal Accents over the heart.

Studio Tour

A while back I promised pics of my studio area, which is usually in one of two states. Cluttered or severely organized. I hate to admit it, but my creativity flows best in a messy room. Go figure? But I am also forced to confess that I have an organizer living inside of me and it has to come out to play every now and then, or I'm just not happy.
So this is evidence that the organized Lori recently came out to play. Soon, I'm sure, she will be off on an extended vacation and Lil' Miss Messy will happily create herself into a big pile of precious papers.

 

 This is my fabulous and free desk. My hubby's company bought all new furniture and he was asked if I might want the reception desk. Ummmm...that was a hard decision! It was really a God thing, because we had already bought a desk for our office things which sits in the far right corner. When we got this desk home, it fit perfectly (no space left) right up against the existing desk. Not an inch to spare, but it worked! Score!

You can see where I've added in some storage blocks, rolling carts etc. I like them because they can be moved around as my organizing whim takes me. The one on the left contains finished projects and UFO's. The one on the right contains my dimensional embellishments, mailing supplies and a drawer of ribbons and yarns. (They are sorted by colors in baggies).

This is the area to the left of my desk, it houses my machines. Cuttlebugs, Xyrons, Zutter and Punchinator. I also have a cool ribbon rack and some XL rubber stamps stashed here.

 

 Next there is a closet. To the left of that sits this book case. It contains my bead and jewelry supplies, paper ephemera, assorted art papers, Canvases and sorted art supplies. I keep my paints in a glass case which I didn't include a picture of.

This cart contains my mounted rubber stamps. Most of them, anyway. I have a stamps in a lot of different bins and drawers, unmounteds are in a basket. Behind this is another bookcase, containing my Somerset Studio Magazines, books and my mist paints. Bins of fun things I've collected for assemblage work and some chotchkies. If you are wondering where the azure blue wall color decision came from, originally it was chosen to coordinate with a  lot of sports artwork which belongs to my husband, Matt. Slowly it has migrated away as my supplies have grown. Good thing for me he is cool with it.

Last but not least, we have my studio mascot, Congo. He usually pesters me while I work. The other day I put this cat cubby on this shelf, just for a few minutes while I was straightening. It usually sat on the floor. He wouldn't sit on it there, but now it's his favorite spot in the house. Cats! So much fun. Hope you enjoyed my mini tour.

Tag, you're it!

 I've had a weird couple of weeks, not feeling the best and busy with a variety of things so not much artsyness has happened. In a few stolen moments, I did manage to get some art therapy in. I thought I'd share some more UFO's today, that I finally did finish. (unfinished objects)
These tags were created using Ranger Color Wash Sprays, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists and Radiant Rain sprays. I used a variety of masks for the backgrounds. Each one is finished off with a vintage image of a woman, rub-ons, German Scrap, and fun embellishments. Tags finished with a ribbon or yarn topper. The Asian one also has beaded fringe at the bottom.

This one starts off the same, background created with spray mists and masks, vintage image of a showgirl and some Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, an Adage Ticket, a Heidi Swapp stamped image of lace, a Paula Deen Bird embellie and some Prima Flowers. Hope they remind you of spring.