Mardi Gras

I am not a party person. But something made me create this for this week's Mixed Media Monday -Mardi Gras. The hand-drawn fleur-de-lis were tough.

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lb watercolor paper, Sharpie Poster Paint, Copic Markers, Liquitex acrylic paint, various magazine, catelog and junk mail cut-outs

Mixed Media Monday - Wings

9 in x 12 Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, magazine and junk mail clips, clips from my old collages, Sharpie Poster Paint, Liquitex Acrylic Paint
The challenge this week for Mixed Media Monday is "Wings". When I think of wings, I think of airplanes. DH probably influenced this choice as he is mister airplane guy. I am still upset with myself for missing the Mixed Media Monday challenge for "Leftovers" as I really like what I created.

16 Page Journal Done!

All pages in a journal Fabriano Artistico Cold Press 140 lbs watercolor paper, magazine clips, Sharpie Poster Paint, Copic Markers, Liquitex Acrylic paint

Finally finished my 16 page journal a la Teesha Moore. Begun about Thanksgiving Day I got off to a really fast start. I previously posted five pages and these are the better of the remaining pages. A few pages I don't like and will not post.

Triberet

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, magazine clips Sharpie Poster Paint, Copic Markers

Triberet is a form of belly dance style/dance that borrows elements of Tribal Fusion Belly Dance and Modern Caberet Belly Dance.

EDM #256 - Draw Something Bubbly

One of my favorite products:

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, PITT Pens, Sharpie markers, Prismacolor pencils, W&N and Liquitex acrylic paint

Creative Lettering - Final Lesson

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lb watercolor paper, Liquitex acrylic, Sharpie Poster Paints, Copic markers

I finished the final lesson for my Creative Lettering class last night. Unfortunately, I posted the first version, in a couple of photo sharing sites, with an minor error. This one is the correct piece.

The Start of Something....

I started a few projects today:

The knitting project is a Calorimetry. This is extremely easy pattern and might just get done this evening. For those of you who follow this blog, I frogged the Noro Scarf I started before Christmas. It wasn't stripping the way I hoped. It is now the Calorimetry.

The yellow page is a base partially painted and collaged for my Creative Lettering Class final project with the watercolor (in the sketchbook) for Monthly Sketch Project.

On a belly dance note, this morning was Rakkasah call-in. Usually it take less than an hour to get both troupes a spot. Ala Nar got their spot after two hours of calling and Rising Stars after three hours. I was able to get through for the last spot. I will be very happy never to hear a busy signal again.

Doodling

I wish the true colors scanned better than it did.

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, Sharpie Poster Paints, Magazine cutouts, "Doodling" article from "The Week".

Almost 100th Blog Post

I am slightly surprised this is my 100th blog post. My original intent for the blog was to post knitting, belly dance and my art work.

I ramped up my blogging in October when I began the Everyday Matters challenges which led to other challenges and online workshops.

I began the blog and the year with continuing my addition to sock knitting. Though I have slowed down with my knitting considerably I did finish 42 projects. Not bad as only four projects were completed in the last four months.

Belly Dancing and the troupe I belong to, Rising Stars, are still important to me. We had our last performance of the year for a private party at the Falkirk Mansion. We danced in the main parlor. It was different and very fun. I like to perform for people who are not familiar with belly dance.

Mostly my focus has been to regain my actual drawing and painting skills. I was looking over the pieces I created this year. For several years I have been using a distress, vintage look. My color palette primarily was in the brown, orange and yellow range.

6 in x 8 in Canvas panel, acrylic and clip art

Around April I started painted more acrylic backgrounds using muted shades of pink, green and blue. Around July I began to get more in to various painting backgrounds.

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, acrylic, scrapbook papers

My color palette became much brighter as I started using heavy body acrylics and oil pastels.

8 in x 5.5 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, acrylic and Sharpie Poster Paints

I had a few false starts with art journaling as the books/journals I was using or creating just wasn't work.

In the last two weeks I found I needed a larger sketchbook (9 in x 12 in), a smaller sketchbook (6 in x 6 in), and a journal (purchased several years ago, forgotten and unused). The sketchbooks allow me to work on sketches in pencil, pen and ink as well as acrylic paint. The journal is now for my everyday lists (grocery, errands), lists of books I want to read, quotes I like, doodle pad, remainder calendar and ephemera/articles I want to keep.

Bottom - 9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor sketchbook, Middle - Nick Bantock Journal, Top- 6 in x 6 in Canson Sketchbook

Left - Large sketchbook, Center - Nick Bantock Journal, Right - Small Sketchbook

Therefore, a couple changes are coming to the blog soon!

Seasons Greetings

9 in x 12 in Canson 90 lbs watercolor paper, Sharpie Poster Paint, various magazine and catalog clips.

Ready for the Holidays?

Every year we celebrate the holidays with DH's family. My family is mostly in Canada and back east - just me and Mom here. It is nice to have family to celebrate this time of year.
Last night I was up late again (very late, very very late) working on holiday and gift cards. I always try to make these cards. I don't measure just do. I created a fairly simple method to customize envelope to any card size (I have to post a video).

Only have to address the envelopes and create the greetings in the cards - (gift cards are done inside). Only three days to Christmas Eve - no problem. Oops still have to wrap gifts and buy one.

Mixed Media Monday - Just Hanging Out

9 in x 12 in Canson 90lbs Cold Press Watercolor paper. Various pieces from magazines. Sharpie Poster Paint, Portfolio Pastels
Submission for this week's Mixed Media Monday.

More from Creative Lettering

I worked late last night (this morning) on the two pieces for my Creative Lettering Class.

AJS Lesson 9

I haven't posted a lesson from my Artist Journal and Sketchbook class in a while. I liked how this page came out. The lesson was to use a journal prompt card we made or received in the class swap. I scanned and copied the original I received from Deby. I loved the colors and the word.

Holiday Card 2009

Holiday Card 2009
Originally uploaded by NeonFog

Card for some friends. The spelling and the idea for the red nose came from DH. Odds and ends of magazine and catalog clippings.

Creative Lettering

Already up to lesson four in my Creative Lettering class. One of the assignments this week was to copy this poem by Shel Silverstein in a mix of lower and upper case letter. Not as easy as it sounds. Good practice for the circle border which I wanted to use later.

A Fine Line

A Fine Line
Originally uploaded by NeonFog

One of my favorite quotes. I love the way this image turned out. She has a dress for a hat and a chess piece for a body and the arms somehow worked.

Actually I Really Do...

...like to journal.

Journalling done for my Artists of the Round Table class in Creative Lettering.

Zing

Zing
Originally uploaded by NeonFog

Just some doodling I did today. I might make this over in a horizontal format as I think it would make a good banner.