Quilt and craft Show

Yesterday I was demonstrating at the Melbourne Quilt and craft Fair on a stall for our wholesale art supplier. I was demonstrating at the BFDA stand using Chroma paints with mediums and so all last week and late (1am) into Friday night I was prepping background papers and making cards and scrapbook pages with the papers I had created or the techniques I had used. When I got to the show I had about a square metre of space to set up and demonstrate in,  and the next 3 1/2 hours went in a busy and happy blur. I was so happy to be able to share ideas with customers and help them with their questions. I found that most interest was in texture so I mainly demonstrated stenciling with texture paste and paint.

I had all good intentions of taking a photo there but remembered on the drive home that I had neglected this little task. Anyway, here are the papers that I was demonstrating and had prepared earlier.....

 and a couple of scrapbook pages too...

I would have liked more time to really have a good look at all of the other stalls as this was the first time I had attended this Fair and it was a feast for the senses. I came came home with quilting material even though I don't quilt and some gemstone crystals to use in my beading as well as some art supplies. So many ideas, so little time to do them in....

Overall I really had a fun day and met some great people. If I have inspired just one person then I am a happy girl.... Now to put these papers to good use and do some more journal pages.

Hope you are having a creative day
Lee:)

Busy, busy, busy

Well I had a lovely surprise this week when I received the latest edition of the Australian Fine Art and Decorative Painting magazine. I submitted a triptych of buddhas last year and they have been published this month. Here is the cover and the first page of my spread.

It is a buzz to see your work in print and I am really proud of these. They currently hang in my family room.

I also painted another buddha this week for my local framer who wanted a sample to sell a framed canvas kit they are putting together. They said to only do something quick but that's not in me to do half hearted paintings so i made it quicker by using the same colours and technique as the ones in the magazine but with a different face. I hope they like it.

As for my papers for the show, they are still happening. I just have to sit and make them into cards for display and I will be ready to write instructions. Hopefully I can get it all finished in time. Nothing like running right down to the wire is there?

It is still so cold here in Melbourne, I had the heater on till late in the night and had an extra blanky last night on the bed as the temperature dropped to 3 deg C. Tomorrow doesn't look much better so I  think that I will be creating till I drop tomorrow night, barring no more interruptions and a much better, less-stressed day at work so I can concentrate. For tonight I might curl up in bed and get plenty of rest for the day ahead.

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 My mantra for tomorrow is 

"This is a new day. One that I have never lived before,

I stay in the Now and enjoy each and every moment"

 - Louise L Hay

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Good night to all and hope your day is creative
Lee:)

Back to Reality

Hi everyone
Well what a shock back into reality last week going back to work after a week off. Sometimes I wonder why I have time off when I have to work twice as long when I get back. Anyway it was good to recharge the batteries and get some art journalling in. I have definately had withdrawal symptoms this week without it.

I have also been a bit quiet on my blog this week because I am demonstrating at stand E18 at the quilt and craft fair on Saturday and have been prepping some background papers and cards for it. My good friends Anna and Rachel are demo-ing on Friday.
I did manage to do one page in my journal which is a simple mandala coloured in with watercolour pencils..

 
I havent had much practise in these but I love them and just found a book yesterday which should help. Hopefully I can get some time to try another one this week.
Meanwhile it is back to the prepping. I will post some pictures later in the week of what I have planned for the show.

Happy Creating everyone
Lee:)

Creative day

Well, I have certainly achieved a lot on my week off. After cleaning out my creative space I have completed two more journal pages today and have had 3 other things on the go. No stress, everything at my fingertips (well we will see how long that lasts!!) Anyway, the first page is about things I am passionate about. I used watercolour pencils for the background and then used various things like a CD, the end of a cardboard roll, the wrong end of a paintbrush and a heart shaped brush scrubber to try out stamping in white. I also had much more success today writing with my markers  because I was previously was trying to write straight on top of gesso which Janet said was my problem. Thanks Janet, you were right, it just needed a coat of paint or pencil to make them work. You are a lifesaver.

The second page doesnt have any journaling. I had a stamp that I liked the saying of and it sort of lead the way. I started with Pthalo Blue and Pthalo Green background, Spritzed with water and then ran a credit card down the page to make the background pattern. I stenciled the butterflies with a makeup sponge which gave them an almost ghostly look, like they were unseen or could be touched as the stamp says. I stuck on gold chiffon ribbon and white tissue paper and then stamped the saying randomly in white, stamped the saying on a piece of vellum and there you go. The finished page. I just love bright colours. I have a bit of trouble doing things that are pastel or soft (as if you couldn't tell) but I will try to do something a bit softer in the future.

Well my art journalling course with Kerryanne is in its last days. If you are interested in taking this wonderful course have a look at Kerryannes blog and see when her next class will be. It certainly helped me remove my creative block, to make ME time everyday and to create everyday.
Have a creative day everyone
Lee:)

The aftermath of cleaning out my creative space

Well I finally was able to clean out my creative space,which is actually my laundry. We had extra cupboards and bench space put into it when we designed our house thinking is would be enough for my painting etc but I have outgrown it and it is a constant battle keeping it tidy so I have enough clear space to create. I am a messy creator  because there is not enough bench space or shelving and therefore I have things spread out all over the place when I am in the zone. My husband just loves climbing over books, paints etc to get to the ironing board to iron his shirts so about twice a year I have a big clean out and rearrange. It took me all day but I was able to go in there this morning and create without moving anything. Yeah!

Here is the latest page I did on my newly cleaned and rediscovered bench top. It is using tea staining that Kerryanne taught us, crackle medium, wood stain glazes and I distressed a couple of photos with sandpaper after seeing Milliandes videos.It is about some of my favourite childhood memories.

This second page is a doodle about a colourful life and what colour can mean to me.

Hope everyone has a great day. It is a bit chilly still here in Melbourne but the sun is out so all is good.
Lee:)

Flying

Well, this is my first doodle on my own.I still think there are a lot of improvements in my doodling. I dont like the way the colours run when they touch the "permanent" black lines when I dont want them to run. Do you put the colours down first and then outline or do you spray the black lines with fixative before you colour in? I am a bit frustrated with this.

I saw Toy Story 3 with my husband and 18 year old son today. I love these movies. They take you back to your childhood, evoke strong emotions (yes I did cry at the end) and enliven all your senses. I have always loved animations and I love the way you feel when you have watched one of these fantastic expressions of creativity. It reminds us that our Inner Child is still inside each and every one of us regardless of our age today. It reminds us to make time to connect to our Inner child and enjoy the simple things in life, to laugh every day, to make time to play, and to just have fun living. I think in this world today we have forgotten to do this on a regular basis and it is why I love these movies so much.

So what have you done today with your Inner Child?