CD DISC PAINTING by Maria Amora

My sweet friend, Karen Merrill shared this with me and I just love it.  I have several CD crafts on my Pinterest board called "CD/Record Crafts" so had to add this one to it.  I'll put the link in the comments in case you want to see more.

CREATING BACKGROUNDS by Terri Kahrs

You'll love what this lady does.  Terri is one of my favorite artists and a friend on Facebook.  I've gone thru her videos and they really added to my art. 

FEATHER EMBELLISHMENT VIDEO by Emilia Wilbur

I love this idea for doing your own feathers by Emilia Wilbur.  I've done these myself before, but when I came across this video I thought you all might enjoy trying it as well.

A WORK IN PROGRESS

One of my silly little houses I'm still working on.  I do like drawing on text.  It adds interest to the piece.  Seems now it needs some words to liven it up. This is inspired by things we've seen in Western Ukraine.  The haystacks really do look like this.  Piled high, much taller than a man.  Occasionally you even see a thatched roof, but they are very much a thing of the past.   I'll be back when it's finished.  Thanks for taking a peak and I"m always blessed when you comment.

Mixed-Media by Betty Franks Krause

CRAFTING AROUND THE WORLD ~ #CZECH REPUBLIC

Back in November or December of 2014 I started making all these pretty papers recycling my many scraps.  Just the process alone was such fun, but after awhile I remember thinking, "what am I going to do with all these pretty papers.  I didn't know at the time, but Somebody else did.  Our mission invited us to join  our all-European mission conference in Prague.  Well, given the crafty one that I am, I started thinking about what I could do with the ladies there.  So these big papers became hearts.

These are some of the embellishments I made for them to decorate with.  Don't worry you crafty ones, I'll do a tutorial on this too.  They happened the same way.  I started making them.  It was so fun and addictive I just kept doing it.  This was all before I knew about the conference.  I love how God works, planning things even before he lets us in on the plan.

These are a few more with lovely gems and buttons sent by Cindy Williams,  Antioch Baptist Church of Conway, Arkansas and done on craft foam sent by Rebecca Crawford,  First Baptist of Gary, Texas.  What would I do without all these lovely folks who make this mission happen.

And lastly, some more lovelies we will use sent by Stefanie Walsh of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan for decorating the hearts.  There will be children at this meeting too so I'm just supposing they may be doing a few hearts as well.  I love doing crafts with kids and you can see how we go through a lot of materials in a short time.  So grateful to all who help with this.  We shall meet from the 16th to the morning of the 20th.  Pray for our meetings and the travel to and from please.  And I promise to post pictures of some of the finished hearts.  May God lift you up and give you encouragement today as I'm praying for you who read this.

TAGS IN UKRAINE

I've posted some of these on Facebook (find me as Coleen Franks Ukraine to get the right "me"), but decided to post all here together.  I must admit to like the shabby look.  The leaves were collected from our street in central Ukraine this past autumn.  I love things from nature and when we travel I always have a book so I can slip some leaves or flowers in to dry from distant places.

The papers are from a 1947 Webster's Dictionary we've moved from place to place for eons.  It's a monster and I won't use it up in my lifetime, but the paper is very thin and perfect for applying with glue for mixed-media work.  It's really my preferred choice for a background. Hoping one of my grand kids will like to craft so I can pass it on.  A legacy, huh!

This beautiful fern actually is the only piece that came right from my yard.  The foreign words over my dictionary page say "Jesus Christ" in Russian.  The shabby/dirty looking trim below was died with raspberries over the summer.  And I have so many seed beads I decided one day they'd make a good glitter decoration.  I applied them with Glossy Accents.

A little bit of music paper here too.  Someone sent me this curly doll hair.  Maybe someday I'll make dolls with the kids I work with, but in the meantime I thought it was pretty here.

I believe these little gold things are called micro-balls.  I found them in Germany last year and I can't read German so you probably know better than I what to call them.  Compliments nature nicely.

So that is most of my collection from the fall.  Found this cool yarn right here in Ukraine.   Thanks for stopping by and I love when you leave comments.  Blessings to you all.

FLOWERS USING ALUMINUM TAPE

FEATHER STAMPS FROM STYROFOAM

Living in Ukraine has made me quite aware of recycling since I can't just go out to a big craft store as one can in America.  So my studio is quite full with things like tea tins, cookie tins, boxes, Altoid tins, tin cans, paper, card board and Styrofoam.  So here is one of the crafts I do.

In the top picture you can see I cut off the curved edges to get a nice flat piece of foam.  Upon that you can draw any picture you want for a stamp.  I've been into feathers for some time, but I've done flowers and other things as well.  This is the back side.  Turn over for the smooth side.

This picture is an example of the drawn feather.  I simply used a pen to make my marks.  At this point you can stamp in a square or your can remove the outside negative space to have the feather shape as I did in the picture below.

And don't feel like you have to make things realistic.  A little whimsy is always fun as you see with my curls.  I love curls, don't you?

Finally, the actual stamped images.  Styrofoam is soft so these won't last a long time, but then they are so easy to do.  And as a mixed-media artist I've learned to embrace imperfection.  As a matter of fact, I like imperfection.  It gives that hand-made feel that creates the distinction of art as opposed to something manufactured.  So give this a try and see what you come up with.  I know you'll love it.

RUBBER STAMPING MASTERBOARD

Had great fun trying something new recently.  I got to create these cool background papers using rubber stamps.  I think they turned out pretty well for a first time.  I was prompted to do this by a swap on www.swap-bot.com.    Sometimes I do things there simply for the purpose of learning/trying a new technique.  I like how some popped out and some receded.  After stamping I sprayed with various sprays to add color.  Some were done on white card stock and others on lightly colored card stock. Also, the heart above was my very first hand-carved stamp.  There will be more of those for sure.  Give it a try. It's lots of fun.

FEATHER FUN ART JOURNALING

I've been asked to show my feathers.  I can't tell you why I've been on a feather kick except that I like birds (2 bird themed altered books already completed) so I guess it is a natural to like feathers too.  These two are cardboard (recycle), Sharpie pen, markers, glitter and pearl paints.

These were pretty easy too.  I used double-sided tape on the wire and placed between a piece of music paper folded in half.  Then I cut the shape I wanted, feathered with more cutting and spray/glittered.  Easy peasy, try it.

Markers and Sharpie pen.  Free hand-cut.

These pretties were hand-cut from a candy box.  The cardboard was so pretty in it's silver and gold that I thought, I must do something with them.  I used an ordinary pen (ballpoint) that just so happen to not work for the engraving.

More recycle with these from some product cardboard headed to the recycle bin.  These I painted with watercolor in light pastels.  Then used black Sharpie pen to draw.  Over that I used glitter glue and some pearl paints. Leaves, feathers, whatever you want.  Just fun to do and great to do in front of the TV.  Give it a try.

CARD CLASS IN UKRAINE

Greetings from Ukraine

Though life has been rather chaotic with all the political action in the country we try to keep a  semblance of normality in our day-to-day activities.  Sometimes that is difficult.

 This group of ladies and I have been crafting together for several years now.  We've done a prayer journal, a min-book and now we do cards, which is always a useful craft to give friends.

 Most of them have children and they are in a church about 45 minutes away from where we live.  That sometimes hinders our winter classes, but not often since the busy highway that connect us is usually clear.

 My thanks to all those of you who have sent lovely materials that they use in their creations.

They have joy over doing them and I couldn't do it without your help.  Bless your hearts.

FEATURED "ARTIST OF THE MONTH"

I was honored to have my work featured and an interview on another artist's blog.  Hope you like it. You can see more here:    http://www.melaniestatnickart.com/#!featured-artist/c1f13

ART JOURNALING IN AN ALTERED BOOK

These are a couple pages from a large 10" x 14" altered book I'm doing for a year-long class called Life Book 2014.  This was a lesson on using spray inks by Tamara LaPorte.  It was fun.  The page was gessoed and stamped. Dylusion inks, sent by my friend Cynthia Henderson in Texas, were sprayed and blown.  The silver leaves were hand-cut from a foil coffee bag.

ALTERED BOOK ART JOURNALING ~ SPRING

In celebration of spring this is one of the latest pieces I did as part of a year-long art course I'm doing called Life  Book 2014.  Nothing like a weekly assignment to keep you turning out the art work.  I do well with that sort of pressure.  Plus I'm always preparing for classes I teach and crafts I do with the kids in Sunday school  All of this with the back drop of possible war in Ukraine.  As you think of me, pray for peace.

The sun was a saw blade left behind by the roofers last fall.  I picked up several around the yard.  Some half pearls and glitter on top of yellow paint and waa-laa.  This is done in a 10"x14" altered book.  Though you probably can't see it, there is some found poetry in a couple of the flowers.  Left pages says, "Family, where everything begins and love never ends."  Right page, "Thank you for a house full of people I love.  Amen."

Faith Journal by Valerie Sjodin

"LET US REJOICE"

This year went so fast.  2013 is about to end.  Did the year go the way you expected?  Did you have some disappointments?  Maybe some unexpected delights?  God doesn't promise that all will be roses, but he does promise to take care of us, one day at a time.  If we can have a heart of gratefulness in all things, we will have joy.  If we have an expectancy of good and look for it, God will bless that attitude.  I made a decision a number of years ago to exercise a grateful heart....to look for the things I should be noticing and glad about....to count my proverbial blessings.  Has everything been roses since I made that decision?  No, there's been death, illness, injury, and more, but as I look back, the Lord was with me through it all and gave me peace.   As you go forward into this new year, why don't you make a decision to "rejoice and be glad in it."  I hope you will.  You will never regret.  Happy New Year to all our friends.  We love you.

Gelli Printing

Love this.  I just have to do more Gelli printing.   No Gelli plate, you say?   This can be done with an old mouse pad or a piece of craft foam.  I've tried it both ways and it does work.  Have fun.

MORE HOME MADE ART STENCILS

France Papillion does "Journal on Monday" every week and she is quite the creative.  You'll enjoy her take on making stencils.

THE DARKEST NIGHT

I started this art journal layout wanting to do something to demonstrate home made stencils to my students in our altered books class.  As an American in Ukraine I don't have access to all the goodies offered in the big mega-stores in America.  And I don't want to teach my students techniques they can't repeat on their own.  Now, I must admit, as I roam the internet or read a Stampington publication, I sometimes desire those new materials and goodies I see out there.  The flip side of that, not having them, can sometimes extend one's own creativity.  So the stencil figures you see here came from figures I cut out of magazines.  Rough cutting I glue to cardboard, then cut out again accurately.  If careful with your cardboard cutting step you can end up with both a stencil and a mask.  Here I used the cut-out mask and dabbed paint around it.  The leaves in the lower corners are what were left from a leaf stencil.  I used regular household spackle plaster and pushed it thru the cardstock stencil.  Being paper I had to throw it out after these two.  Now if one could laminate these they would last a lot longer.

By the way, I called this an art journal and it is, but all my art journaling is now done in altered books. This is an Amway soft cover catalog we didn't need.  Anything bound is subject to my scrutiny for an altered book. . . softecovers included.  And it has a spiral binding that will be fun to hang pretties from to decorate.

I also noticed that this page fits well with a challenge that is going on now at Kat McNally's blog, "words to soothe the weary soul."  Self-compassion is today's prompt.   The words on my page are a reminder that when we are tired and depressed, the morning comes and all looks better.  I learned that lesson years ago.  Now, I don't take my thoughts and emotions so seriously at night....I may just be tired.  Kat's blog:  http://www.katmcnally.com/2013/12/reverb13-day-19-self-compassion.html?showComment=1387432800751#c8887281586528337712

The last step was to add the verse on the tag:  "Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy coeth in the morning."  Psalm 30:5.

Hope you like it.  I love reading your comments.