It's Boot Camp for me

Given that I am back in class this semester, work full time and still have a life, I have completed quite a few projects already this year!

This is my third semester in pursuit of a web design certificate, so all my computer time has been devoted to homework rather than digital scrapbooking. When Club Scrap announced their new event, Assembly Line Boot Camp, I knew I had to find some time to participate! 

I actually got started a week into it, and am behind in posting...surprise surprise...insert innocent look here...

The challenge for week two was to use a torn edge somewhere on your paper...yeah...I did that, but didn't finish the layout in time to post...I will share the reason in another post...

Week three's challenge was to use a diecut. Since I do digital scrapbooking, I scratched my head for a minute and then sought clarification from Drill Sergeant Lisa...and had a "well duh" moment after reading Ron's helpful tutorial. 

Here is the left side of a two page spread of my good friend Becky's 12th Night Party. Since I am so far behind in my digi scrapping (still in the middle of 2011) I decided to follow the advise I heard early in my scrapbook career...start with the present and work backwards! This was this January (and since this is march...um that means I am still two months behind...what the hell) and features Club Scrap kits Angels on High and Gnome for the Holidays. I used the holly stamp and two papers to create the "die-cut" holly.

2014 Layout Count: 1 

Studio Sunday

Thank goodness for Sunday mornings...if  we didn't have them I wouldn't have anything for Summer of Color!! I was up bright and early and have been working on jewelry in the studio this morning. I put aside the project I had been working on to tidy the work table and decided this weeks pink and orange project would start with stuff that was already out--namely black jump rings and scraps of leather cord....a quick hunt for pink and orange beads and voila! Earrings!!

Guess now I need to make an outfit to match lol!!

Until next week!!

Oh hey!

So two things have brought me back to Blogland. First and foremost, because I am participating once again in the Summer of Color event and need to share my weekly projects with you, my gentle readers, and the other participants. Second, because I have discovered the blogger app. Oh my. I may actually keep up with posting! This could be dangerous...

But, returning to the Summer of Color...this year's twist is that the weekly color schemes will be chosen via pole by the participating artists. Even though this week's colors are by far one of my favorite combinations and one I use frequently (oh, did I mention it is also the scheme in my kitchen??), I actually did not vote for it. I opted to go for other colors that I like but don't often use--hoping to stretch my creative wings.

My wings will have to wait...lol...not that I'm complaining...its turquoise and citron green...did I mention I love this color scheme?? 

As I mentioned, these are the colors in my kitchen...I have vintage glassware and dishes from the 60s sporting turquoise, blue and citron green daisy flowers.

Making something for my kitchen was not my original plan, but when the Muses AND the universe are speaking, you really should listen...a few days ago while sitting in front of the tube, watching the Hawks game (really, it was two games for the price of one...glad I went to bed early...) I was flipping through my Pinterest crochet board to find something to work on and saw these cool flowers:

As it just so happens, my scrap stash of yarn included several small balls in turquoise, citron green, teal...imagine that. After finagling the stitches to accommodate the different weights of yarn I got a nice looking flower:

Thanks to the blogger app, I was able to get it posted  before the week ended!! Now I just need to figure out how to add links...

Sun Kissed

It has certainly been a minute since I last posted!!!  Between my mom being in the hospital for a week (she just can't kick that bug that's been hangin around for a couple months now) and becoming obsessed with various digital scrapbooking challenges, I've been neglecting my friends in blogland!! In fact, I was in the middle of creating this post when I had to drop everything and head to the ER. I should just keep a bag packed....

Up until a few weeks ago, the only digital scrapbooking challenges I've done have been twice a year during the Club Scrap PSL gatherings. A good friend of mine, however, introduced me to the variety of monthly challenges available on several digital scrapbooking sites! It's been dangerous!!! These are a few of the layouts I've completed in the last two weeks....

Prior to my digi diversion, I had stumbled across another artsy challenge blog, Inspiration Avenue, and was immediately "inspired" by her theme "Sun Kissed." Below is my very late entry for the "Sun Kissed" challenge and my addition to this week's Paint Party Friday.

Now I'm off on an overnight road trip with a friend--i'm told there will be alpacas involved!!  

Have a lovely weekend and thanks for stopping by!!

Maria

Sunday Sketches

A quiet and easy Sunday morning to all!  I have several sketches to share today, some from (way) back in the day, and some newer.


Back in my college days (almost 20 years ago), I had enough fashion and costume design courses under my belt that I should have declared it a second major--oh well--One of the last classes I took was fashion illustration and I just recently put the only two remaining sketches, up on the wall in the studio. 

The next three sketches are from my "rough draft and practice" sketch book. When I worked for one of the Big Four accounting firms, we would go through quite a bit of letter head quality paper and when some issue was found with the letters printed on it, I would take a bunch and bind them for a sketch book--it is lovely paper for that! The fact that it is re-purposed paper and printed on one side makes it less scary to start sketching!! 

A mermaid from a few years ago:

Practice poppies from a few weeks ago:

And when you find yourself with a craving for a bbq sandwich and no one to go to the Patio with you, you take your sketch book and see what happens. This was from this past Friday, and I've subtitled them "Patio Pencils" ---lol!

A fabulous week of art-ing to you! And don't forget to click the buttons on the right to visit the fantastic artists for Sunday Sketches as well as all the challenges listed!!

Thanks for visiting!

Maria

Crusade 54--Mind Games

Well here is something that never happens. I read about Michelle's August Crusade yesterday, and I have a finished product to share today! As a twist on last month's challenge of creating new colors and naming them, this month we were to choose words or phrases and make colors to represent them. As I was reading about the challenge, I happened to be listening to a playlist on my iTunes that is a mix of songs from my life twelve years ago and songs in my life now. I chose four from each time that mean the most to me to create a 2-page layout of colors.

I could put you to sleep with a long convo about colors, emotions and the psyche, but I don't think that was Michelle's intent...lol...i will say this, the one i struggled with at first, "Spoiled" turned out to be my favorite. I listed to each song and only gave myself its length to complete each color block--no time to over-think--

If you are familiar with any of these songs, I would love to hear what colors they make you think of!! How fun!

Happy art-ing to my fellow Crusaders and my paint party peeps!!

Maria

3AM Art in the Dark

We have been plagued by alternating oppressive heat and fierce thunderstorms. The storms seem to hit in the middle of the night--thunderclaps awakening me just as the power flickers and gives way. Once I am awake, there is no point laying there as it will be a while before sleep finds me again. Many candles and my portable (chargeable) Ott light offer me the means to tidy the studio and then work on some art!!

Working on my orange piece for the last challenge for Summer of Color, i used acrylic paint and a printing surface i created from some scrap poster board and foam alphabet stickers to stamp the background with yellow letters and numbers. It's my first fabric design I've worked on in a while, and I am really enjoying it--do you see the little blue owl? he is going to be part of it as well!


Hope you are having a wonderful weekend! I'll be heading to a birthday barbecue...not a cloud in sight! 


Maria