Summer Theme for Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog

If you just stumbled on this blog post - this post is about mixed media art. Every month, I post a new mixed media project in conjunction with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog, and for those that participate - there are prizes involved via a random drawing.

So - the theme for this month's mixed media project is "Summer Days".

We're SO excited to announce our July sponsor and prize! Our sponsor is the awesome online store Butterfly Reflections Ink .  They are offering an amazing mixed media prize package for our lucky random winner.

Here's my creation. It's 12" x 12" on birch wood. It's mostly patterned papers, but I also used acrylic paint, Faber Castell Big Brush Pens (India ink), waterproof black pen (Millenium or Pitt) and even cardboard.

I started out by putting various patterned papers on wood with matte medium.

Next, I cut out my shapes (water, sun, tree, van) and played around to see where I wanted everything. I had a pencil sketch of my idea, and used it for reference. The most time consuming part is choosing the papers. I outlined most of the shapes with brush pens and black fine tip ink. I toned down the beach "sand" with tan paint so the patterned paper wasn't too distracting.

I love the summer and what better "dream" to have but a retro VW van and the beach.

In order to participate in this challenge - we have the following rules

1. You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post. 
2. You must comment on at least 3 design team members blogs
3. You may combine with up to 4 more challenges

So, get busy creating and link your image up at the July Challenge post at the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

March with Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

The design team has been busy creating some fun products for the March Mixed Media Monthly Challenge. We have been so thrilled with the number of folks creating and participating in these each month.

Our theme for March is "Birds of a Feather".

Create something that reminds you of birds - birds, feathers, wings, quotes, nests, eggs.... be creative! Let us know how birds inspired your project.


Here's my project for this month.

I collaged patterned papers on a 9x12 stretched canvas. I then used acrylic paint draw the design and add color to the images.

Our sponsor this month is Faber Castell Design Memory Craft. They are offering Gelato prize packs to 2 lucky winners!

One winner will win Mixed Media with Gelatos kit

Another winner will win the Card Making With Gelatos kit.

To enter this challenge, link your project to the space provided on the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge blog.  Be sure to visit all the designer's pages for tips and info on their creations.

Thanks for stopping by and happy creating!

Mixed media house art

It's a beautiful Friday and I am finishing up some fun mixed media projects.

I made this house earlier this week. 

I used patterned papers, stickers and my Faber-Castell Big Brush Pens and black Pitt pens. I had some leftover rub ons and just randomly added them here and there. 

In my mixed media class, we played with texture medium and spray inks with stencils. On Monday we will be using fabrics for texture, and taking our backgrounds to the next level and actually putting art work on it. Remember, "Let It Go" and don't hold back. It's just paper and paint. 

Here's a couple of photos from Monday night's class.

And I wanted to share a new mixed media inspiration blog! They will have a monthly challenge with examples from their design team. They are giving away prizes! Bookmark it and check it regularly. It's

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

Have a great weekend! 

May Flowers - Mixed Media

May is such a busy, busy month!! For our family we have end of school (both kids), start of a new job (son), four theater productions (same show, different times), one dance production - in addition to regular life. In a way - all these things are "flowers" that we stop to enjoy along the way.

In honor of flowers, I'm taking Mou's Challenge on the Faber Castell blog and sharing this little mixed media piece I made.

I used Faber Castell Gelatos (blue and green) to add color to the black and white graphic paper on the left of my piece, and pit pens for my black outlinings (word blocks and flower stems).

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Mixed Media Bird and Recycling

I've been working on some new rather large pieces lately (including a mural which I'll share soon). I finally finished the last of this batch today and finally had time to play with my mixed media. I've been loving the challenges Mou has been posting on the Faber Castell Design Memory Craft blog, so I took the challenge today. She asked us to upcycle something creatively. So.... Here is what I did.

I started with a 5.5" square wood block that I prepared with gesso and paint. I choose some scrapbook papers and added the back of a McCalls sewing pattern- one from the Brook Shields line. (That should date it in the 80s.). I adhered my papers to the block and then started adding paint.

Then I had to decide what I wanted to create. Since the pattern envelope was nearly covered up, I added some cardboard from a box I had in my craft room. I tore away the layer to reveal the neat texture, and so the process continued.

I used a fabric sticker for my bird. I used a white Faber Castell big brush pen to define my clouds, various gelatos to add color to some of the elements, and a Pitt pen to draw black lines. I used various stamps to add texture. The stickers are from Tim Holtz.

Thanks for the fun challenge, Mou.

I have more large painting to do this weekend- elements for the theater set in town. It's fun to do what you love in different settings. Thanks for stopping by!