Feeling Off Balance

Dear Friends,

I’ve been dealing with health issues from a car accident over a year ago…

It affects many aspects of my life.

I have not mentioned it because I want to keep my blog positive.  Yet, I am having a hard time keeping up with my blog and reading your blogs.

Please know I appreciate all your comments and likes on my blog.  I will try to comment on your blogs when I can. 🙂

I may not be posting as often as I need more time to rest.  Thank you for your understanding.

Cheers! 🙂

Dye And Salt Nature Prints

A few years ago, I purchased this book by L.K. Ludwig on Nature Journals:

I fell in love with making nature prints with Procion fabric dyes and Kosher salt:

It was a really fun activity to do at the lake!  I had lots of natural materials and could work outside.

I had so much fun making the prints that I never got to making the journal!  Lol!

Then I found this old ledger at a thrift store so I started creating pages for it:

However, I didn’t get very far on the project.  With my renewed interest in creating a nature journal with my sketches, I decided it was time to “dig” this one out again.

Yesterday, I added some collage papers to some of my prints:

I had fun playing with color and different images… and will continue to add to these pages.

Have you ever created a “Mixed Media” Nature Journal?  I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Creating!  🙂

A Fall Chiller

There was a fall chill in the air today – A real CHILLER!

I wanted to stay with the Michael Jackson music theme for completing my mixed media leaf print that I started last week.  You can find my beginning piece here.

I added another layer of watercolor:

And finished this THRILLER with black pen:

Not too BAD!  What do you think?

Happy Creating!  😊🎶🎨

Just Leaf It

My title for this post reminds me of Michael Jackson’s song, “Just Beat It!”

I tend to be musically challenged in that I cannot remember the artist or the name of the song.  It brings a lot of humor to our marriage. 😄

I started the above piece with soft pastels:

I like the texture it gives to the paper.

Next, I painted REAL leaves with acrylic paint and pressed them into cold press watercolor paper:

I tried to add a variety of colors and leaf shapes.

After it dried, I added my first layer of watercolor:

I like the added texture that the soft pastels have added to the piece but it may be difficult for you to see it.

I will add many more layers of watercolor paint and finish it with a black pen. Much like these previous experiments that you can find here.   I also have them listed in the category of Leaf Printing on the right.

Happy Creating!  🍂😄🍁

Leave It To Me – Part 2

Yesterday, I showed you one of my leaf experiments.  Today I will show you another one in different colors and leaves.

Here is the beginning:

I really love the colors in this one!

So I didn’t add too many layers to it:

Outlining with a black pen really adds to it, don’t you think?

It reminds me of crunching through a pile of leaves on a fall day.

I like this saying by Albert Camus:                                                                        Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

Happy Fall, Yee all!  🙂

Do you need a kiss?

A honeysuckle kiss I mean!

Do you have a favorite shade?

I recently started the painting below.  It is a work in process using watercolor over acrylic printed leaves and berries:

I used REAL honeysuckle leaves and I thought they looked like lips!

Below is a photo of my honeysuckle vine that was my inspiration:

I like the tropical colors, don’t you?

Happy Creating!  🙂

Peacock Feathers

The colors in this leaf print remind me of peacock feathers:

I printed my leaves with acrylic paints.  I then decided to experiment and combine watercolor, crayon resist and water soluble markers.

I would not have thought of combining these techniques if I had not taken Carla Sonheim’s FREE Art classes for Kids!

I started playing and had so much fun!

I have found a new way to create papers for my collages!

I just love the bright colors!

I also had to make a bird!

Happy Creating!  🙂