Hey friends! Here's the round-up for October 2022: What's happening at home? It has been quite a month. We all got the flu -- for like three weeks. The little guy also got pneumonia. I also got a sinus infection. Steve tore his meniscus playing volleyball. Things have been less than optimal health-wise. But there has been plenty of tea floating around and my little guy loves it. I either have to drink it all while it's scalding hot or I literally have to hide my tea cup from him. Once he gets ahold of the cup, he's not letting... Read more →
October 2022 posts
Yesterday's Member Livestream was another great hour of art instruction, information, and play. Among the topics we covered were... Whether "not thinking" while creating was a good idea. I talked members through the creation of this journal spread as I explained my stance on the matter: We also discussed sealing collage artwork. I demonstrated how I seal my work using this small work-on-paper as an example: We covered the pros and cons of the Pilot Frixion Erasable Pens. Anything you write with them, "erases" either using the attached erasing tip or with the addition of heat, and reappears when placed... Read more →
Looking for some Halloween DIY inspiration? Let's start with some sweet treats! How about these decorated sugar cookies I made back in 2018? Or some spooky cupcakes? In 2016 I made eyeball cupcakes and murdered spider cupcakes: I have done several vinyl projects over the years including these spooky mason jars in 2016: Then there was this big bad lantern in 2019: And this super cute wooden sign was a free project for ScanNCut Club Members in 2021: That year, I even repurposed the design into a trick-or-treat bag for my little guy: I've always liked painted pumpkins, but my... Read more →
We all got the flu last week (and my little guy even got the added insult of pneumonia), but #PrintInktober has remained a strong priority for me. The additional challenge I set for for myself to focus on the technique of chine-collé has been deeply creatively stimulating. There were some days that I mostly lay on the couch between bouts of cleaning up my little one's throw up, but I still made the time to create a print. It's that much fun. I've even managed to impress myself a few times and that's a great feeling! Before I share my... Read more →
Mom and I recorded this podcast back at the beginning of September. But life has been so crazy that I only just managed to edit it this week! You can watch the video version on my YouTube channel, or you can listen below (or anywhere you get podcasts): The focus of our conversation is on why keeping a sketchbook matters. We do wander into chatting about what makes for a successful art practice, as well as how cooking, construction, and yoga are similar to an art practice. And all of it really boils down to the notion of a "directed... Read more →
I am really enjoying doing #PrintInktober this year. The additional challenge I set for for myself to focus on the technique of chine-collé has been deeply creatively stimulating. Before I share my most recent prints, a quick reminder about what #PrintInktober is — It's the annual printmaking adventure I started in 2018. The challenge is open to everyone. Here are the basics: Create and post one print each day in October. Use the hashtag #printinktober when you post. Any stamp/block can be used – foam, silicone, rubber, hand carved, lino, whatever you want! Any ink can be used – screenprinting... Read more →
As it turns out, "Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques" is not really a stamping book. And it's very similar to the other Sherrill Kahn book we explored back in April. Nonetheless, I had some fun exploring some of her ideas for surface design and layering. If you missed the replay, I hope you'll check it out: By far, my favorite thing from the whole book was the glazing samples. I'm so glad that I made my own. Swatching can feel like busy work, especially if you don't regularly use your swatches. But I find them to be enormous time... Read more →
In honor of #PrintInktober and all things stamp related, I thought I'd share 3 videos from the archives that focus on stamps. First up is a video all about how to create watercolor prints with a foam stamp: Next up, a stamp carving video! This one shows how I turn my "garbage" rubber into magical little blocks: And finally, a tutorial on simple stamped and masked Valentine's Day Cards (the sound quality is not great on this one): Before I go, a quick reminder that Book Club is tomorrow! We will be discussing Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques by... Read more →
September was a month of feeling really burned out. I put my all into The Artful Holiday Class and I needed a nap when it was over. I was so burned out that I seriously considered not doing #PrintInktober this year, but then I remembered what I tell so many of my students: the way to get rid of a creative block is to make art. For me, it's true. The habit of making art -- the ritual of making art -- reminds me why I looooove to make art. In case you don't know, #PrintInktober — is the annual... Read more →