Balzer Designs

Adventures in Arting Podcast: Creativation

I recently attended Creativation -- the annual trade show for the craft industry.  It used to be called CHA (craft and hobby association) and now it's called Creativation.  And the organization, which also used to be called CHA, is now called AFCI.  Learn all about it on the podcast:

If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link.  You can listen to a podcast anywhere and at any time.  It is a recording that is available to you whenever you'd like to listen.  If you'd like to download it to your iTunes library, click here.  You can also pause and rewind or fast forward as you desire.  I like to listen to podcasts while I'm making art.  It's a little like hanging out with friends while you art.  Please subscribe to our podcast in iTunes or wherever you listen and be sure to leave us a review!  Thanks so much!

Here are a few photos from booth set-up:

Creativation was a whirlwind of interviews...

...friends...

...and demos!  New stencils:

And new Art Foamies (they weren't at the show, but I demo-ed my new stamps in the Pin It Canada booth):

And then all the fun stuff to see on the show floor:

I think you can see the trends in these photos:

• home decor
• decorative painting
• brush lettering
• florals
• florals on a dark background
• rustic look
• painting on wood
• wood & metal
• fabric & stitch elements
• lots of color

As I mention in the podcast, I did some poking around for Make It Artsy, and handed out these silly postcards about the show:

Tomorrow I'll be sharing an in-depth look at the wall I made for Brother using the ScanNCut and DesignNCut! 

Next week some projects made with the PTouch Embellish, plus lots of stencil and stamp info.  **AND** I'm going to be doing TWO livestreams on YouTube with stencil and stamp giveaways!

Saturday, February 3 at 2pm EST I will be sharing all of my new Art Foamies as well as some Art Foamies techniques.  I'll also be answering Art Foamies questions and giving Art Foamies away!  It's going to be a super fun Art Foamies party!

Monday, February 5 at 9pm EST I will be sharing all of my new stencil designs!  Of course there will also be stencil techniques, a huge stencil giveaway, and I'll be answering your stencil questions! 

Livestreams are 100% free and can be found on my YouTube channel.

Side Note: I was delighted to be a "Creativation VIP" this year.  You can see the page about me here.

Thanks for stopping by!

All podcasts are archived here.  Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here.  And if you like the podcast, please leave a review on iTunes!

100 Canvases: Canvas #42: The Giant Tar Paper Face

I have discovered a new material that I looooove working on: Tar Paper -- often called roofing felt.  Artist, Ardith Goodwin, is a guest on the upcoming season of Make It Artsy and she demonstrated what a fantastic painting surface it is.  I came home from the filming and ordered a roll.  I immediately lopped off a big piece and created this painting: 

I'm hooked! It's a substrate that takes a serious beating and keeps on ticking.  It's inexpensive.  It comes in HUGE rolls.  I am a happy camper!  Here are some details from the painting I created:

And here it is, hanging by my back door:

It looks like fabric!  And actually, it makes me want to make a quilt in this style.  All those patches of paint could easily be bits and pieces of fabric!  Hmmmmm...!

If you're interested in seeing more Tar Paper Art:

• Ardith Goodwin's Tar Paper "Floor"
• Suzan Shutan Tar Paper Installations
• Phyl's Roofing Felt Blog Post
• Trés Taylor: Tar Paper Artist

Personally, I'm considering making a Tar Paper journal.  I think it will take a serious beating and be super fun to work in! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Around Here: January 2018

It's 2018!  I thought I'd change up the format of my monthly "Around Here" posts this year.  Each month I'll be answering 6 simple questions:

1. What are you listening to?
2. What are you wearing?
3. What have you bought?
4. What are you reading?
5. Who are you stalking...er, admiring from afar?
6. Where are you going?

What are you listening to?

We got an Amazon Echo over the holidays.  I pretty much walk into the kitchen every single day and say, "Alexa, play 90s hip hop."  It's on All.  The.  Time. Old faves, like Sir Mix-a-lot, Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop, Salt N' Pepa, etc.  More often than I'd like to admit, I find myself dancing around the kitchen.  It makes me happy.

What are you wearing?

With the freezing temperatures we've been having this month, I'm all about warmth over fashion.  But, I have recently discovered that I can wear some of my summer clothes when I layer them over long underwear!  I've been wearing dresses and summer pants and all kinds of things over thermal tops and bottoms.

P.S. Everyone in my family hates these pants and calls them my "clown pants."  I think it makes me love them more!  (The pants, not my family.)

What have you bought?

I am trying to buy fewer things and spend my money on experiences.  I feel like this purchase is kind of a little bit of both.  The other day I stopped at the Art-O-Mat at the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston.

It looks like an old cigarette vending machine.  You put in $5 and pull one of the knobs and get a piece of art!  I purchased this piece:

When I pulled the knob, I knew that I would be getting a piece from artist John D. Gall.  But, I didn't know what it would look like.  I have to confess that I was hoping for one of the portraits, like he has on his website, but I like the piece I got and I feel good about supporting a fellow artist for a very small amount of money.  This particular Art-O-Mat had art, earrings, key rings -- lots of different stuff to choose from!

What are you reading?

This is a book that was recommended to me at a lecture I attended: Ask For It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation To Get What They Really Want.

I wouldn't say it's a page turner, but I am learning some things.  I read a bit before bed each night and it gives me some thoughts to mull over.

Who are you stalking...er, admiring from afar?

New to me art crush on instagram: Marc David Spengler.  His work is not at all what I do, but I find it fascinating and like it soooo much!

The power of inspiration is that I look at his work and it makes me want to make art.  His work makes me excited about making art.  I really like it so much.  Have I said that already?  I really like his work.  Deceptively simple and masterfully composed. I could stare at these sketchbook pages forever.

Where are you going?

February is a pretty easy travel month, but March 2018 is going to be a BIG month with tons and tons of travel!  I'm teaching three classes at WhimSoDoodle in Florida, and really looking forward to my three-day Big Collage workshop in Syracuse, New York. 

Syracuse is just a four-hour drive from either Boston or New York, if you'd like to come play for the weekend!  In March, I'll also be going on a quilting retreat with the Boston Modern Quilt Guild, to HSN, and to IHA (aka the Housewares show)!  So far it looks like I'll be sleeping in my own bed for just 6 nights in March!

So, there you have it!  That's the scoop on life around here at the moment.  If you'd like more behind-the-scenes real life fun, you can always check out my vlog.  I post a new vlog to my YouTube channel every Wednesday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Art Journal Every Day: 5 Tips for Finding Your Journal Style

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, there is a short introduction here.  All of the previous posts can be found archived here.  Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day!  No need to finish anything or even like it. If you've done some art journaling this week, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek.  Even if you're not on social media, you can see everything (from twitter, pinterest, instagram, and facebook) that uses that hashtag here. 

I love that people in the world are interested in learning how I art journal.  BUT, I think it's really important for each and every artist to find their own personal journal style.  With that thought in mind, here are 5 tips for finding your art journaling style:

ONE: Do what comes easily.

I think we all feel like it has to be "work" in order to be great.  Nope.  I'm not telling you to stop improving or practicing, but I think it's important to go after all the stuff that comes easily to you -- colors you like, shapes you like, formats you like, etc.

I like faces.  I like colors.  I like stamps.  I like pattern.  I keep putting those things in my journal!

TWO: Don't compare yourself to others.

This is sooooo difficult.  But you can do it.  

There are so many journal artists whom I admire, but as soon as I start feeling jealous or down on myself, I remind myself that it's not a competition.  Sometimes it means that I need to unfollow people to protect myself.  That's okay.

THREE: Break the "rules."

Everyone tells you to get rid of that blank white page, but you like the white page?  Great!  Leave it. 

Everyone tells you that you have to have writing in your art journal but you don't want to?  Awesome!  Don't.  

Everyone tells you to gesso your pages, but you don't want to.  Rock on.  Leave the gesso off.

It's your book.  Be you.  Do you.  

FOUR: Copy and improve upon yourself.

Dr. Seuss had it right when he said: "No one is you-er than you." If you're looking for an idea for inspiration or something to copy, look no further than yourself!  Find a spread you love in an old journal.  Find a tag you decorated or a card you made that you think is great.  Be inspired by the things that you made and take them further.  Make them even better!  Don't look to Pinterest or Google Image Search, instead look inside your own portfolio of work.  You'll grab the things that are the essence of you and make them even more you.

That's a 2013 spread that inspired a 2016 spread.

FIVE: Do it as often as possible.

You know I'm a great believer in Art Journal Every Day.  Every day isn't always possible.  But art journaling with some frequency is vital to finding your style.  

On this spread you can see that I'm simply journaling every day with a bit of stamping mixed in.  That's a very small time commitment, but after 5 days, a beautiful page is completed!

I hope you'll give these tips a try.  AND if *you* have any advice on how you found your personal art journaling style, I'd love to hear it, so leave a comment!

Thanks for stopping by!

A Brief Visit to The British Museum

One of the things that I love about the British Museum?  It's FREE!  When a museum has free entry, it always makes me feel better about popping in for a quick visit rather than feeling like I need to spend all day there to really "get my money's worth."  It's a silly frame of mind, but I can't help it.  

So, here are some snaps from an afternoon of wandering in a very hot, very un-air conditioned, very crowded, very amazing museum:

The building is beautiful! The collection is amazing!  But, our visit to The British Museum does bring up some big questions I have about the acquisition of some of these early works.  In essentials, those early explorers/archeologists who acquired this amazing collection were grave robbers and thieves.  It was acceptable behavior at the time, but many of the countries which were robbed are actively asking for the return of their art and artifacts. 

But, it's complicated.  Of course. 

Sometimes the artwork has been paid for.  But the person who sold it, stole it.  Sometimes there are concerns about whether the artwork/artifact will be safe if returned home.

If you're interested in learning more about these issues, here are some articles I found interesting:

• Ancient Sites Destroyed by Isis
• British Museum & artifacts from Benin
• 9 Treasures That Should Be Returned
• Won't Return Painting Looted by Nazis
• Modern Day Looting
• Egypt's History of Grave Robbing

Do you have an opinion on these thorny questions?  I'd love to hear it!

Thanks for stopping by!