Art Studio

Creative Shapes Workshop!

2012-02-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

Registration is open for the 1st "4-Day Hands-On-Digital Workshop"!
"Creative Shapes" allows you to create unique, One-Of-A-Kind art journals for friends, family, yourself or to sell at craft fairs, your etsy shop, etc. Come join the fun! Check it out HERE!

Give Away is now Closed!

2012-02-01T10:10:00.000-08:00

The winner will be announced shortly!
This is the book giveaway for February and it is a fabulous book! There are 40 projects that can be used for rubber stamping or incorporated into your mixed media projects. Over in the left sidebar, I also have a link to Amazon, where you can purchase this Oldie but Goodie! I am featuring it as this month's book giveaway because Nancy Curry will be our Guest Author over at Arttechniques and Latest Trends yahoo groups for the month of March. Come and join us! (The links are provided in earlier book give away posts and at the bottom of the left sidebar).
The winner of this book giveaway will be announced on Feb. 15th!! Good Luck!!
You must leave me a comment with a way to reach you if you win! I cannot approve any comments that do not offer me a way to reach you! Try again!

February Book Technique

2012-01-31T22:16:00.000-08:00

We have just gotten our February book technique under way: "Self Portraits" following the instructions in Pam Carriker's awesome book: "Art at the Speed of Life". Here is my final "work in progress" portrait that I adapted from a vintage image. This was so much fun and super easy to do! I hope you will join us for some fun mixed media projects this year!

January Book Winner Announced!

2012-01-16T12:17:00.000-08:00

"Art at the Speed of Life" autographed book from Pam Carriker was our bookgiveaway for the month of Jan. I had only 34 comments, but I contribute that to the fact, most of us already had this awesome book. Those who left me comments, thank you! Hubby selected the winning number this morning based on our temperature outside, which was 22o and snowing! Urgh! That means: Sandi (SugarbushFarms) is our lucky winner! Thanks everyone for leaving a comment! The next giveaway will be Feb. 1st!

Another Book GiveAway!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Our guest author for the month of February is none other than Pam Carriker author of this fabulous book. We have selected the mixed media technique that she will share with us and it is going to be a riot of fun. If you would like to win an autographed copy of this book, please leave a comment below with a way for me to contact you if you should win this awesome prize!
If you would like a sneak peek at the techniques this book offers, click the link over in the left sidebar.
If you haven't joined the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts, you can do so by clicking the link at the bottom of the left sidebar.

The winner of this book giveaway will be announced on Jan. 16th, so leave a comment!

January Monthly Book Technique

2012-01-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

We officially started our monthly mixed media art techniques today over at The Latest Trends in Mixed Media and Arttechniques yahoo groups.
Here is a sample of a finished textured panel that I made using the instructions from Mary Beth Shaw's book of the month, "Flavor of Mixed Media". If you would like to join us, the link to LTT is at the bottom of the left sidebar and the link to AT is in the post below. Please come and join us for a whole year of fun mixed media techniques.

Congratulations!

2011-12-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

Wowsers-we had 36 comments for the book giveaway for Mary Beth Shaw's amazing book: "Flavor of Mixed Media". I asked my hubby to choose a number and he chose #32! Our 32nd comment was left by...drum roll please.... Ina Ftack! Congratulations!! You are this month's winner!
Be sure to check back again soon, as I will be hosting more book give-aways in the coming months. If you love mixed media, please come and join us at the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts or Arttechniques (Links are below.) for some fun, new and unique mixed media art techniques and/or art projects throughout 2012.

Book Giveaway!

2011-12-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

It's time for some fun and what better way than to give a wonderful book away, just in time for Christmas! You've seen this book cover before-it's there in the left sidebar and if you haven't ordered your copy yet, here is a chance to win a copy signed by the author herself! Mary Beth Shaw is our guest author for the month of January 2012 over at the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Yahoo group (link is in the left sidebar-scroll down to the bottom) and is offering us a chance to win her book! It is chock full of wonderful eye-candy and great mixed media techniques! On Jan. 2nd I will be posting the tutorial for a wonderful fun technique and sharing a link to a video that will show you exactly how this fun technique is created. If you are a member of Arttechniques, you will also get to play, as this technique will also be posted for your enjoyment. Here is the link to join: arttechniques if you are not a member and would like to join., Sherre has hosted lots of fun techniques over the years and together we will host more in 2012! Come join us!
For the book give-away, leave your name and a way to contact you in case you are our Winner!! I will use a random generator (my dear hubby-will pick a number) and I will be contacting the Winner on Dec. 15th and posting the Winner's name here! Good Luck Everyone!

Tragic Events

2011-11-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Powell family has suffered several major traumas and a great loss this past week. Your prayers are needed. You can read about the events here. and please leave comments for the family. We will all be reading them and gaining support from you. Thank you my friends! Cindy

Paper Ornament Tutorial

2011-11-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

Today I found a wonderful site the has some printable Christmas templates. along with a variety of other interesting art projects and coloring pages for your kids. I downloaded the Bethlehem star template and made a conversion to allow me to create this ornament in 3 layers and 3 different papers. Here is the altered template I made, for you to download and print to create your own ornaments. Once you have the template printed, select a variety of scrapbooking artist papers or cardstock. I made a cardboard pattern to use over and over again, as I made quite a few of these ornaments to use as gift tags as well. Trace your pattern pieces on the papers you have selected and cut them out.
I ran all my pieces through the cuddle bug to dry emboss them and give the ornament more dimensional effects. I also lightly sanded the #1 template pieces after they were embossed, giving more texture to the ornament as well.

Layer the different templates starting with #3, add #2 and finish with the #1 template, holding them together, create a hole in the middle to add a brad. I chose to use several purchased paper snowflakes for the center adding a 3-D feel to the ornaments. Then I used a ribbon hole-hand punch to thread ribbon through to create hanging loops. Mine are pretty simple, but you could definitely jazz these up with some glitter, tinsel, additional embellishments, etc. Don't forget to sign your ornaments and hang them on your tree, use as gift tags, embellish packages or swap with friends. These are headed to Bea for our LTMM yahoo groups November swap. There's still time to play-come and join us! The link is at the bottom of the left sidebar (I think-LOL-I know it is in one of the side bars!)

Events for 2012

2011-11-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Starting in January, I will be hosting monthly mixed media techniques based on instructions from new and older books on mixed media art. Over in the left column, you will see a book titled: "Flavor for Mixed Media" by: Mary Beth Shaw. This book maybe the first one featured and one technique from this book, could be used for our January workshop. Mary Beth and I are working out the details but to join in on the fun, you just need to sign up as a member at: LTMM Once your membership has been approved, you will start receiving messages posted at this yahoo group and you can access the files which are loaded with past workshops. (All files are copyrighted-but you are free to follow the instructions to create your own artworks.) More info later so stay tuned...Do you like collage? I will be offering a few book giveaways here as I clean out my personal library to make room for some new releases.

Update! "Flavor for Mixed Media" by Mary Beth Shaw is the book I will host in Jan. 2012! With Mary Beth's permission, we will be doing one technique from her fabulous book during the month of January. I will be posting more information and a giveaway soon! Come join us!

Happy Halloween-2011

2011-10-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

Last Road Trip-2011

2011-10-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

We took the trailer out for its maiden voyage last weekend and had a wonderful time exploring a new area of Idaho that we had not seen before. Did you know that Soda Springs has a geyser that shoots up in the air almost as far as Old Faithful! It certainly appears to!

We saw so many interesting things and I took way over 400 photos so to even search through them for any one great photo is pretty daunting right now, but I will share a couple of them with you.

This is where we stayed, out in the middle of a wheat field. It was amazing in that the sky was so stormy looking and everything had this golden tone to it. The colors were deeper than normal and I just couldn't get enough of the browns and golds everywhere. We had a great time, but cut our trip short a day since we had a problem with the furnace. See the snow, not a good time to not have any heat! LOL!

This was such an amazing thing to see, it is a wooden water duct that had sprung so many leaks. It could be seen for miles in either direction and eventually led to the damn, where it was converted to a metal duct. I had never seen such a thing before, but it was like viewing oak wine barrels, laid end to end for miles.

Carving Stamps

2011-10-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

I decided to do something fun and dragged out my carving tools to create some "Harvest" tags for a swap we are doing over at the LatestTrendsinMixedMedia yahoo group (Link should be in the sidebar). Here are the tags I made and a greeting card fashioned after a screen saver I did for Halloween. This time of year always seems to get me motivated to do some challenging art. So quick and easy to do with SpeedyKut by: Speedball and available at most craft stores. This stuff cuts like butter! Great for hands with arthritis or carpal tunnel issues.

Trip to DC

2011-09-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my darling daughter, we actually have some fabulous photos from our recent trip back east to visit Washington DC. Even though we lived in Virgina and toured DC quite often, we never get tired of exploring the many options available. Here are just a few photos of the usual tourist sites. Enjoy!

DC Photos

2011-09-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

A Day to Remember

2011-09-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

This Photo is from Life magazine. I found it on the home page of the Yahoo 911 Memorial which is hosted here. This is a day of somber reflection, a day of silent prayer for those lost and prayers for those living with the loss of loved ones.

Digital Work Published

2011-08-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

It's been quite awhile since I submitted and had published, any of my artwork to the Somerset publications, but I was very excited when Jana e-mailed me that one of my digital designs had been chosen for this new release of Digital Studio. See page 117 for a full page tutorial on how to work with a fun layout using an invisible type effect in your PSElements software.

Fabric Swap-August 2011

2011-08-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Over at Arttechniques yahoo group, Sherre is hosting a 6" square 5 for 5 fabric swap. These are two of the 5 I will be sending. Each is hand-dyed and then over painted with stencils, silk screening and foam stamping in a variety of acrylic paints.

Free Digital Tutorial

2011-08-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

I finally was able to create a short, 2-part video of a new technique for drawing and creating an abstract painting using digital software. If you would like to view these recordings, please check out the DMStudio challenge blog. This is a place where I post monthly digital challenges and tutorials for all to enjoy and have some fun. Please come and join us!

Panoramic Views

2011-07-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Over at the Milliande Lens group we have been sharing panoramic views that we've taken recently. This is the compilation that I created from photos I took of the Kennecott Copper Mine. A view I see almost everyday when I am looking toward the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. This is the largest open pit mine in the world and what you are seeing is only a small fraction of the whole thing. It would take 3 of these panoramas to view the whole mountain that has been excavated. An amazing site!

More Washed Out Ink Projects

2011-07-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with this washed out technique that my daughter and I decided to experiment on a couple of those journal tablets, the cardboard covered comp books and this is what we came up with. She used a wonderful scrapbooking paper stencil which really gave her lots of pattern. She said her bookcover looks like silver foil where the spray paint is and I used a 4 pattern page of stencils that came in a kit of 8 patterns. It's been fun having an art partner again these past few weeks!

Update on New Technique

2011-07-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

In the post below, this started out with some beautiful colors, a stencil of Koi and another stencil of a square pattern that I picked up at the $ store. Here it is with a wash of Chinese Sumi Ink, spray painted using a Cherry Blossom Stencil & Kanji lettering. Then the ink is removed with water and the final version is highlighted with additional paints to brighten some of the colors again. This technique was tons of fun, messy as all get out and the end results worth the effort. I hope you will find time to play and follow along with Gary's tutorial. The link to join the Loving Mixed Media group is in the other post below. Have fun!

Digital Abstract Painting

2011-07-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Digital software makes creating art like this piece, so easy! If I was actually painting this, it would take me days, but with digital software, it took me less than 2 hours and only because I was making it up as I went along. I started following a tutorial, but quickly lost interest in that and decided to experiment with masking. Something I am not very familiar with. I loved the final effect. The original image was downloaded from deviantart and generously shared by: clickypenpixiexstock.
Over at Digitalwhisper there are lots of fabulous digital art challenges posted. This is for Challenge #108
Over at DMStudio you will find monthly digital challenges plus more photography links to explore. Come join us!

Collaborative Journal is Finished

2011-07-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

Quite awhile ago, I participated in a collaborative journal project that features the work of several artists. The project was called: "Make Your Mark" and it was headed up by Leann, a fellow artist I met via an on-line art group. The journal has been finished to perfection and is now housed at the "LaGrange Art League" for display. You can see all the fabulous pages that were created on Leann's blog.

The inspiration we used for the page layouts we each designed was based on "Fortune Cookie Sayings" Mine reads: "Time never speeds up, No matter how fast you go." The background is painted paper towel, adhered to watercolor paper with a wash of thinned glue. Layers of textured papers were then applied along with the 3-D paper mold of the dragonfly. The Kanji lettering was painted using a custom made silk screen. Strips of hand-dyed "Shibori Silk" was added to the top and bottom sections to frame the page.

New Technique

2011-07-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Over at the LovingMixedMedia group, Gary is hosting monthly techniques and this month he demonstrated a technique using bitumen (asphalt/tar). I used Chinese Sumi Ink and got close to the same results without the smell! Here is a photo of the first few steps. I'll share more pics soon.
If you are interested in learning from some super friendly and welcoming artists, join the main ning and look for the challenge group to join as well. Everyone is very helpful and encouraging. I hope to see you there, as I pop in occasionally!

Time To Play

2011-07-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Whenever I have a few extra minutes, I am usually glued to the computer, playing around with Photoshop. Here is the latest image I did this morning using this vintage poem for inspiration.
"Love and Reason" by: Nixon Waterman
The lily's lips are pure and white without a touch of fire;
The rose's heart is warm and red and sweetened with desire.
In earth's broad fields of deathless bloom the gladdest lives are those
Whose thoughts are as the lily and whose love is like the rose.
If you would like to have some weekly fun challenges, I would love for you to join us over at Creativesouls for StoryTime.

New Digital Kits!

2011-06-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

I just added some fun hand-painted texture brushes to the Digiscrapstation shop! Over 4 dozen unique textures to use with your Photoshop Elements or CS software. Here is a peek at Set #1! (There are 4 sets!!)

Here's a fabulous painted tag alphabet that would be fun for digital journaling, digital collage, scrapbooking or print them off and use them in your hands-on art!

Digital Art Wonderland

2011-06-09T04:44:00.000-07:00

My book order arrived yesterday and I have to say, I am thrilled to own a copy of this new digital art book (see sidebar on the left). If you have some experience with digital software or you have taken some of my workshops, you can take your digital art, a step further with the tutorials found in this book. If you are new to digital art and want to learn with easy step by step, fully supported workshops (I'm available to assist you!), click on any of the workshop links in the right sidebar. Collaged Illusions workshop goes hand in hand with this new book: "Digital Art Wonderland". Order your copy today-just click the Amazon link! Thank you!

New Instant Download

2011-05-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Collaged Illusions Workshop is now available as an instant download from my Paypal Shop. If you missed out on the 1st and 2nd on-line workshop, you can now take advantage of this offer. I am available to assist you if you have any questions in regards to the step by step instructions. This is a workshop for beginners and it has been extremely popular. Purchase yours today by clicking on the image in the sidebar. Have fun!

Watercolor and Digital

2011-05-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

I decided to try my hand at watercolor painting again and on the left is the original doorway. I struggled with this but learned a lot about controlling the amount of water and having the patience to let it dry, naturally. (I do need to hunt up another hair dryer to speed up this process!) I also want to try using different brushes for better control of the paint as well. When I taught the Chinese Brushwork workshop a couple of years ago, I was amazed at the control the Chinese brushes allowed me with the inks, so I will give them a try next time. Anyway, when I removed the painters tape, one whole side of the painting tore away. I wasn't sure how to respond other than to gasp! Oh no! But the more I look at it, the more I liked it.
So-I decided to scan in the painting and see what I could do with it digitally. The new version is on the right and I have to admit, I really like the adjustments I made to this. By brightening up the colors, it really popped. Since this was just a play session, I didn't print this out, nor will it be for sale, but eventually, when I get much better at this, I hope to have prints available for purchase on another blog. I will be offering some of my digital prints for sale soon. :-D

South Dakota Road Trip

2011-05-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

Out of over 500 photos I took while on our recent road trip- these were my favorites. Mount Rushmore and the scale models used to create the images.

2011-05-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

A typographical map display. There were so many models created before the actual mountain was carved and each was a work of art in and of itself. This was very small scale compared to the larger models.

2011-05-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

Crazy Horse Monument-You can fit one Mount Rushmore in the hair above the ear of this statue. This monument will be the largest in the world. The bottom photo shows how the actual mountain will be carved. This is a multiple acre monument that will house a full scale university and multi-functional services. It will probably not be finished in my lifetime, but it is a work in progress.

2011-05-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Custer State Park-There were plenty of roaming buffalo throughout the park but none this close. I could reach out and pet this one, but I thought Mama might ram my car, so I kept my hands to myself. She was adorable though and she frolicked constantly. It was hard to get a good picture of her.

Gifts of Art Jewelry

2011-05-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

These necklaces were very quick to make, except for the drying time of the dimensional lacquer that I used. I had to fill the bevels twice because of settling, but after three days, they were finished. Each one was crafted with my DD's and DIL's personalities in mind. My DIL will be running in her first marathon next month, so I did the bird for her. (She has wings for feet.) These are very easy to make, you just need the bezels which are available at Hobby Lobby now, some images, rhinestones or other embellishments and some resin or lacquer, like Diamond glaze. The rhinestones are heirloom vintage and I tried to use every little stone in some sort of jewelry. These were the last of the lot.

Taking a Short Break

2011-05-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

For the next week or so, I've decided to take a break from working on the new hands-on mixed media workshop and do some serious silk screening, along with a few fun digital artworks. This would make an awesome watercolor painting. The image I altered, is one of the weekly challenges shared in the yahoo group called "Digitalnuts". I really like the vignette of this violin-it certainly is not in a setting that you would normally find a musical instrument.

May Challenge

2011-05-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

The May challenge has been posted over at the DigitalMontage blog. It is a color challenge this month and lots of fun! Come and join me!

Cuff Bracelets

2011-04-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

I have recently been recycling a few of those knitted belts that come with sweaters into cuff bracelets. These are really easy to make and just about anything that can be glued or sewn can be added. Each bracelet is a work of art!
The porcelain face in the first bracelet was recycled from another piece that Pam Crawford created for the book titled: "Jewelry Beyond time" (available by clicking the book cover in the right side bar). The other bits were found at various flea markets or yard sales.
The fringe was recycled fabric trim from yet another project, so these awesome bracelets were very inexpensive to make. I just need to add a lobster claw closure and they are ready to wear! Great Mother's Day gifts!

Digital Challenge

2011-04-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

This week, over at the CreativeSouls ning group, instead of a quote from The Hunger Games, I posted a vintage poem called: The Little Rose Tree by: Rachel Field for our inspiration. It's a cute poem about seeing faces in the roses and the expression on this girls face, seems to say that she has just witnessed a little face peering out at her from the rose she is holding. Come join us for some creative weekly inspiration and get your mojo going. The group is called "Storytime".

Credit for the girl image goes to: horrorvac_deviantart

Stairs image: rixu_deviantart at: Deviantart

More Digital Fun

2011-04-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last month I started a new digital group over at: CreativeSouls called Story Time. We use quotes from books to design new layouts every week and we are still working our way through the book titled "Hunger Games" This is the digital collage created for our 4th quote from this fabulous book! Come and join us!

Easter Project

2011-04-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

Easter is almost here! Just a few more weeks and wanted to do something special this year so I took a sheet of bunny faces that I found while blog hopping a few months ago and decided to make something cute for my grandkids this year instead of sending the usual chocolate bunnies. I used vintage tulle from a bridal gown that I've been recycling, added some vintage brass bells with decorative ribbon and glued the whole thing to a thin dowel. "Whalla" Bunny Bell Wands! Hope they don't drive their parents crazy with those tinkling bells! Ha-Ha-Ha! You can get these darling bunny faces here: Bunny Faces

A Miracle?

2011-03-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard about the historical church that was destroyed by fire in Provo, Utah a few months ago. The interior of this fabulous church and roof structure were totally gone, with only the outside brick walls remaining and a painting of Jesus as the only things that escaped from the burning inferno. Gives me goosebumps.

De-Stashing My Art Studio

2011-03-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

I just finished loading a bunch of vintage stuff and Grandma's Quilt fabrics to my Photobucket albums. There are some real treasures here and a few collectibles in the various albums I'm setting up. I'll have lots more, I barely got started-but when it's gone, it's gone! Contact me if you are interested in any of these goodies! powellcynthia @ comcast.net

New Digital Kits Have Arrived

2011-03-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

Finally I had some time to create a couple of fun digital kits! Plus a Freebie .abr brush for Photoshop!
These are now available at: Digiscrapstation Scroll & click new products when you enter the store, over on the left.

Plus a Freebie!

2011-03-22T06:04:00.000-07:00

1st Prompt

2011-03-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Over at Creative Souls the first prompt for this new digital group called "Story Time" was posted yesterday. We are working through the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Here is the visual art I created for the first "quote".

To join this group, please first join the Creative Souls ning group and in the header, click on groups. There are 25-26 groups total, that you can join also. Each is different and interesting. Swaps, free images, techniques and challenges. Come join us!
Credits:
http://www.graphicmania.net
http://monochromatic13.deviantart.com/art/Lie-To-Me-192234418

New Digital Challenge Group Forming!

2011-03-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

Over on the Creative Soul ning group, I have started a new group for a different type of creative digital artwork. Have you ever read a story and could visualize art that would go with the descriptive words you were reading? I recently read "The Hunger Games" and I found myself marking the "Quotes" or passages in the book for future reference. I'm sure I can blame a friend of mine, Tanya for starting the seed of inspiration growing in the back of my mind and so when the opportunity showed itself, I quickly became excited about the prospects. Then, recently over at DigitalWhisper Deviantart group, Kimmie posed a challenge based on song lyrics by Sting, this month. (This is the art I created from her prompt). Finally, everything meshed and I totally enjoyed the creative aspects of this challenge and thought it would be a wonderful way to get others inspired as well. Each week, a new "Quote" or passage from whatever book we have chosen to read, will be added to the groups discussion and everyone is free to interpret the quote to create their own artwork. Book titles will be added to the list as we get more members signing up. The first prompt will be posted this Friday, March 18th and it will be from the "Hunger Games"-written by: Suzanne Collins. If you haven't read the book, that's OK, the quote will be all the prompt you need, but this is an interesting book. Set in the future with limited resources, mankind will do whatever it takes to feed their families. (Even send their young into a fight to the death, so they possible could win, food to survive another year.)

Fabric On-Line Class-Free

2011-03-15T05:02:00.000-07:00

I came across an exciting opportunity for everyone who likes to sew or create with fabric this morning and I would like to share it with you. Elizabeth (Liz) Kettle, Ruth Chandlers and two other co-authors book: Fabric Embellishing is now available, but these ladies are also offering free on-line classes, based on the techniques found in their books. They are hosting this free class at their forum If you are interested in doing some fabric weaving, that is the first weeks lesson. Check it out! Sounds like lots of fun and since I love to do surface designing with fabrics and thread I hope to create a fabric altered book during these weekly classes.
The first week lesson was to weave strips of fabric and here is my little sample. The second part of the lesson was to create free-form flowers but I didn't have time to do that. If you go to the forum and look for the Week 1 Photos, you'll see what everyone has shared.

2011-03-15T04:57:00.001-07:00

Front-woven, quilted with raw edges

Back-hand dyed, surface treated fabric, I used the flower motif from this piece for the quilting design.

You know it's Spring When....

2011-03-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

The car shows get going! We went to the Autorama yesterday because our SIL had two of his custom cars in the show and he got top honors for his class-the "Camero". Here a few of the photos I managed to get, which was really hard because there were thousands of people milling around and the glare of the lights almost hurt the eyes to look at these beautiful paint jobs the cars had. My favorite is the '69 Mache 1 Mustang, because I use to own one just like this. Same color and everything. Boy could I tell you some stories!

2011-03-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Blog Giveaway!

2011-03-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

Over at Jenny Doh's Blog there is a give away for Pam's new book; Art at the Speed of Life!! Go leave a comment for your chance to win this awesome book! If you haven't ordered it yet, click the link in the sidebar!

Collaged Illusions Workshop

2011-02-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand, the "Collage Illusions" workshop will be taught again from March 28th-April 8th. This is an on-line, Photoshop digital workshop for beginners who have: PSE-6, 7, 8 or 9 and CS-3, 4 or 5. For more information and to read what students had to say about the first workshop, visit: DigitalMontageStudio Don't miss out, sign up today!

New Release

2011-02-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

Inside this book you will find artwork contributed by about 15 mixed media artists, such as: Misty Mawn, Susan Tuttle, Tonia Davenport and several more who's names may not be as well known as the others, but their artwork is superb. The book is full of beautiful eye candy of each project, complete with photos of step by step instructions for fabulous art projects! The only downside I can see about this book is, it didn't arrive soon enough! It was on my wish List long before it was released-but it's here now and I plan to enjoy it! An excellent variety of mixed media projects, great photos, wonderful color and simple instructions.

Another Snow Storm!

2011-02-26T08:15:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning to another beautiful wonderland! We managed to accumulate about a foot of snow overnight and I haven't taken advantage of putting on my snow boots and getting outside to enjoy the views all winter, but I did this morning! Even the "Bear" was having his fun!

2011-02-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

One World-One Heart Blog Hop-WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2011-02-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

It has been such a wonderful journey visiting so many blogs these past few weeks, making new friends and seeing such awesome works of artistic creativity. I hate to see this come to an end as this is the last year the One World One Heart will take place. Someone really should make an effort to continue this tradition!
It is my honor and privilege to announce the winner of my give-away, this beautiful DVD to: GALE VARLAND. Congratulations! I will be sending you a private e-mail for your mailing address. Thanks everyone for visiting! Hope to see you again in the near future! :-D Cindy

After I decided to participate in this world wide blog hop, I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to offer as a give away. I recently ordered this DVD from Interweave and after viewing it earlier today (full of terrific ideas!) I decided to offer it to some lucky winner. You will love this DVD if you are into making your own stencils, use mist-type spray paints, love to design artwork that can be incorporated into other art, use masks, cut your own stencils, etc. A wonderful DVD to spark ideas! An hour of instruction with Linda Blinn!
To get your name into the hat, literally-(DH will draw the lucky winner), leave me a comment with a way to contact you. Sorry, all those who forget to leave me contact info, will be disqualified, so please leave me an e-mail!

Bean Bag Tutorial

2011-02-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

I have been making sets of these numbered bean bags for my grandkids the past couple of weeks and yesterday one of the sets got used by my great grandson, who absolutely loved lining them up in order. He's only 3, but knows his numbers and colors! this morning he wanted to play with them again. They are the perfect size 4" x 4" to fit his little hands and they are weighted just enough to be tossed but can't hurt anything. If you would like to make a set for the younger generation in your life, here is a quick tutorial for you.
Supplies needed: Fabric (fat quarters of various bright, bold colors worked great!) You will need 1 strip 4" wide from 10 different fabrics, cut into 4" x 4" squares and 1 strip 3" wide or scraps from another project to make the numbers. You will need No-Sew Heat N' Bond, an iron, a 1/4 yard of unbleached muslin, cut into 3 strips 4" wide, than cut into 4" x 4" squares. Sewing machine, thread to match and "Food Grade" beans for filling the bags. Makes 4 sets of 10 bags!

Step 1. Cut out all the squares and using a 2" stencil, copy the numbers , (mirror imaged) onto the no-sew heat n bond fusible web. Iron to the wrong side of the fabric scraps or 3" strips and cut them out. Peel off the paper and iron the numbers to the center of each of the muslin squares-as shown here.
Step 2; With right sides together, stitch around the outside of the squares using a 1/4" seam and leave the bottom, center open for turning. Clip the corners and turn right side out.
Step 3: Fill with 3 tablespoons of beans and stitch closed. Do not over fill these bean bags or you will have a problem stitching them closed.

For those of you who would like a set of these bean bags but don't have time to make a set, or perhaps you don't sew, I have one extra set you can buy for $20 + postage. The set even comes with it's own carrying case! If interested, e-mail me at: powellcynthia@comcast . net

New Abstracts

2011-02-03T05:14:00.000-08:00

I managed to get down to my painting studio yesterday and throw some paint around on a few canvases. I have been working on these for months, painting and over-painting. I just wasn't satisfied with anything, until yesterday. I re-painted them yet again with a new barn red (looks orange in these photos) instead of a bold-bright red and it all came together for me. I call these Crossroads I & II because I was at a crossroads in which way to go with them. I am not an abstract painter and I avoided abstract anything because to me it is organized/disorganized chaos.
Yesterday I changed my mind. I was literally dancing in front of these paintings, waving my arm around, laughing and having a great time. I let myself freely experience the randomness of the moment and if anyone happened to glance in the window, they would have thought I had lost my mind. Wow, what a feeling! Oh yeah-these are done with a palette knife, a first for me!

A Bakers Dozen

2011-01-29T05:54:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weeks, I have been putting my new art studio to good use: Making doll clothes for my GD and Great Niece. Finding patterns was getting difficult, it seems every store I went to was sold out! I managed to get the word out and was able to grab some vintage Barbie patterns. I should get them this week and will have fun adding to this collection that I have had fun creating from recycled trims, velvets, ribbons and old clothing. I've still got an old leather jacket I disassembled last year to recycle into some belts, wrist cuffs and maybe a jacket or cape to round out this wardrobe. I'm still designing the purple felted capes!

I Learned Something Today

2011-01-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (pronounced /ˈdɒdsən/, DOD-sən; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll (/ˈkærəl/, KA-rəl), was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass
I found this to be rather intriguing, as I did not know he wrote under a pen name, nor that he was a photographer and an Anglican Deacon. A brilliant man indeed.

New Collaged Illusions Workshop-SOLD OUT!

2011-01-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

New Workshop starting Feb. 15th! Click the button in the left sidebar for more information!

My New Art Space

2011-01-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo of my new art space. I am loving the light from this big window over my work area. Along the right there is another mosaic table that I did and my sewing machine cabinet that also gives me a couple more work areas, as needed. I feel so cramped up here, but it's actually very cozy. Haven't got a clue where anything is at the moment, except everything seems to have a place of its own. I am still maintaining a separate painting room in the basement, which is fine since I now have all the floor lights in that one room as well. Plenty of light now!
I have about 9 boxes of altered art/scrapbooking materials that I will be offering for sale soon.

The Closet

2011-01-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

This is where all the fabrics, machines, stabilizers and embroidery equipment is now stored. I still need to re-organize this better.

Another Digital Workshop!

2011-01-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Workshop 5 is now ready for immediate download. Click the image in the sidebar to connect to the shop. If you were unable to attend the on-line workshops that we did in 2010, here is your chance to learn some really unique digital techniques using your digital software. I stand behind these products and am available to answer any questions that you might have in regards to a step or help with any problems you might encounter. My contact info is in the TOU (Terms of Use) in the download files.
I am currently working on getting a few more of these put together, all based on the workshops that have been closed and will not be offered again as on-line classes. A fun way to learn, at your leisure!

Pockets-Pockets Everywhere!

2011-01-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a simple and quick way to make a 12 month pocket journal from recycled envelopes to hold 12 months worth of swapped items. If you haven't signed up for these monthly swaps-please join us at The Latest Trends yahoo group for a new year of fun!

12-Pocket-Monthly Swap Journal by: Cynthia Powell

I love creating bind-it-all chipboard journals because they are quick and easy to make. This year, once I had all my Christmas cards addressed, I had several dozen envelopes left over and what a better way to use them up then to create a pocket journal to hold our tag, postcard & ATC swaps during the coming year.

You don’t need much in the way of supplies, just some:

♦ Recycled cardboard or chipboard to make the back and front covers larger than the envelopes

♦ Glue stick and artist papers to cover the cardboard

♦ At least a dozen left over envelopes-one for every month of the year

♦ Rubber stamps-I stamped the month on each of the 12 envelopes.

♦ Binding materials such as: ribbon, rings, bind-it-all or any other method you prefer.

Once I had the envelopes stamped, I removed the excess ink by stamping onto 6”x4” index cards that will become the filler in this swap journal, so I can write notes about each of the swaps. At the end of the year, it will be a small record of the swaps I participated in. A keepsake for 2011.

I have all the pieces done now and I’m ready to bind this together and start filling it up with some tags, valentine’s, greeting cards, ATC’s, charms, etc. I will also add a variety of paper clips, stapled items, found ephemera to help fill up these pockets! Let the swapping begin! Come join us over at the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art, yahoo group-link is in the sidebar!

Happy New Year-2011!

2011-01-01T04:02:00.000-08:00

This next year brings with it a variety of opportunities for all of us to enjoy. Artful swaps will be hosted by Bea & myself, at the Latest Trends yahoo group this year (link is in the sidebar), along with a fun tutorial for making a Quick & Easy pocket journal to keep them all in. I will be sharing my instructions and a few links to others, here on my blog, next week and Bea will be sharing hers as well. There will be a list posted for each of the monthly swaps in our database so you can all get a jump on creating your swaps! Our goal is to have each swap require a different element, or two and besides the usual ATC, there will be: charms, ornaments, shipping tags, etc.
I finished moving my art studio to its new location and while it is very crowded, it is cozy and ready for me to start being creative, not only with the 12 swaps coming, but with other mixed media tutorials and jewelry of course! (Even my DH said how much he liked my new space! That's quite a compliment!) I can't find a thing yet, but I know where to look! LOL!
I will continue offering digital workshops, beginning with the first watercolor painting workshop that starts Jan. 12th. If you haven't signed up for this one, you need to hurry, I have only two virtual seats left. Workshop This workshop will take you through 6 stages of the painting process, all based on the beginner for both Photoshop Elements and Photoshop. (I have limited seating in my virtual classroom, so that I can give each of you the attention you may need. It's a small private group of people who want to explore the digital options available for their art.) I will have this workshop available later, as a downloadable workshop from my paypal shop if you do not have the time to attend this first workshop.
My next series of workshops will be: 1."The Art of Illusion", 2."Abstracts" which will be combining mixed media manipulations with digital abstract prints, 3."Basic Drawing" maybe using the Wacom tablet besides the mouse, plus a few more digital painting classes. Cartooning comes to mind! Digital fun is in store this coming year and I hope you will be able to join me for these artful journeys! Happy New Year my friends! :-D

12 Days of Christmas

2010-12-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

There is so much going on right now with the holidays, shopping, cleaning, reorganizing, wrapping, cooking, baking, etc. etc. that I decided to take a few minutes each morning before I get my day started, to play. Kimmie has offered us a 12 Days of Christmas challenge over at the Digital Whisper ning group and I will try to participate every day. Come join the fun!
If I have been quiet lately, it's because I have been moving supplies into the new art studio, slowly but surely. (Besides all the holiday festivities!) It's going to take time because it isn't just moving the supplies from the basement to the upstairs, it's also finding new homes for everything. I might get done before Valentines! LOL!

Day One

2010-12-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

I started my art studio/bedroom renovation yesterday and got the "Gobi Desert" tan color cut in around the ceiling and chair rail. What a lot of work and with bi-focal glasses, not an easy job!

Day Two

2010-12-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

Made really good progress today and the studio is now painted with two coats of this beautiful "Gobi Desert" tan and "Swiss Coffee" cream. They look beautiful together. I will be die-cutting some black vinyl words to add to the walls after I get the furniture placed and the art supplies moved in. Just not sure what words I should use for the studio walls. What would you suggest? What would you want on the walls, if it was your studio?

Another Fun Challenge

2010-12-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

This is the first layout I did for this weeks challenge over at DigitalWhisper but I wasn't satisfied with it. I left it alone for a few days and came back to work on it some more today.

Here is the final version. I like several things in both layouts so maybe a third version is in order, combining the elements I like about each, but I am finally happy with this second version.

Crocheted Hats for Christmas!

2010-11-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

In our book "Exploring The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts-Vol II" (In the sidebar), one of Sherre's art projects is crocheted hats. I have created one for each of my grandchildren, step grandchildren and Great niece for Christmas this year. A total of an even dozen hats, varying in size from 9 month to 6 years old. I'm in the process today of making the hair clippy flowers that can be used as a decoration on the hats, or used alone to pin back the hair. If you live in the colder climates, these hats are a wonderful quick gift for someone special in your life!

Remodel is Near Completion!

2010-11-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

I am 98% finished with my recent remodel job. I have been working to upgrade the kitchen, breakfast area and the office. Today, we only have the ceiling light and french door blinds to install. Yippee! I designed it all to look like a New York City loft and I am very pleased with the final results. Time to celebrate by taking this holiday weekend to relax and visit with family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Digital Challenge-Yahoo Group

2010-11-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

Sherre has started a new digital yahoo group for those of you who didn't know this yet. If you enjoy creating art using digital software, Sherre posts a couple of challenges for you every Sunday. An image and a tool to use. The lady is the image from this week, the background from last week and I used a commercial filter to achieve the poster edges-tool for this week. Here are a few other challenge groups for those of you who enjoy testing your skills:
Think Monday, Think ATC
Digital Whisper
The Three Muses
Theme Thursday
DMStudioChallenge which is a monthly challenge for both photography and digital. There are more blogs and nings than I listed here, but these will definitely get you started. Join us for some digital adventures and fun!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

2010-11-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a fabulous, relaxing and safe Thanksgiving this year that they can share with loved ones. I couldn't help but get a smile on my face when I saw this vintage postcard and I just had to share it with you all. Enjoy!

Umbrella Bench-Reflecting on being Thankful

2010-11-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

As I was working on the new challenge from Digital Whisper
this morning-I was thinking about something I read yesterday about taking the time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for this year, as it draws to a close. I have a long list of things I am grateful for, but one of the biggest things I am truly Thankful for is being able to do what I love. Work is not work when it is your passion and it keeps you happily motivated to do more. Finding the world of digital software and all that it allows me to do, is a pleasure I enjoy mastering and thus-this challenge collage.
I overlaid a background from "fairiegoodmother" at deviantart with a photo that I took yesterday morning of the fresh fallen snow. Added the bench that was the challenge element and threw in some whimsy, by adding the umbrellas to keep the snow off of the bench. The moon is really not a moon, but the effect of using a gradient layer.

Digital Whisper Challenge

2010-11-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Castle in the Sky is the current challenge over at Digital Whisper and here is my creation for the challenge that Kimmie posted. I had a great time playing with a variety of images, but here is the final piece.
The images I used were both Personal Use only and Commercial Use and here are the links to the resources I used.
White Dragon
Clouds
Second Cloud Image
the gates I googled: Arched Gates and found a treasure trove of interesting wrought iron gates. I also googled for images of castles. Cloud brushes used were from Devianart.

Christmas is Coming to You on Dec. 2nd!

2010-11-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have finished your Christmas gift early this year! A free "Thank You" workshop geared for both Photoshop CS-3 & PhotoshopElements6. Since I am still learning the ins and outs of CS-3, I wrote the workshop using this program, but it also works great with PSElements. I will be conducting "Your On-Line Christmas Workshop" on December 2nd and if you would like to join me for this fun learning experience, please leave me a comment with a way to contact you. Merry Christmas!
For those of you who have never taken an on-line workshop with me before, I will be sending out the link to a private yahoo group a few days before this workshop starts. I will post the files early in the AM and be available to answer any questions during the day. You create and share your work with the group via the photo albums and we all comment and get inspired by sharing with each other. I will be leaving the workshop up for 4 days, so everyone has a chance to share with the group. (I am in the USA-Mountain Time Zone).

Order Today for 25% off!

2010-11-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

I have added this image (without the watermark) to my shop at Imagekind and for the next few days they are offering 25% off on all orders. I recently placed an order for an 11" x 15" of this image and it shipped the same day! I was amazed at the quality and speedy shipping. I also ordered this image for my Christmas Cards this year and they shipped the next day. The cards are blank inside so I can write or stamp a saying on the inside. Envelopes are included!
I picked up an ornate oval frame for the poster print at Hobby Lobby with a 40% coupon. Fabulous wall art for around $20! Makes a great gift too! To purchase this image in various sizes or as card(s), visit my SHOP Thank you!

Please note that this image has lots of yellow in it and that it has been digitally manipulated. It would be beautiful in a pre-made, purchased Cherry or Dark Wood frame as well as an Antiqued Gold rectangle or oval.

Halloween is Finally HERE!

2010-10-31T05:44:00.000-07:00

Over at HGTV there are lots and lots of ideas for your Halloween costumes, parties, games, decorations, etc. A full page of other links to go explore. I know it's kind of late for that this year, but there is always next year to prepare for. Why not start a file of Halloween ideas for projects you would love to do at a later time!
Have Fun Tonight! Be Safe!

Halloween-Day 30

2010-10-30T04:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a collage sheet of images that you can use to create some interesting Halloween art with. Most of these women have sinister looks, like they are up to something. What are they up to?

Halloween-28 & 29

2010-10-29T05:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of digital backgrounds I created using a commercial filter. Really cool mirror effects. they both are a little creepy and perfect for this time of year. Hope everyone is getting excited for All Hallow's Eve! Have fun!

Halloween-Day 27

2010-10-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

Talk about a costume-This one looks like it could hurt you. A metal corset anyone?

While blog hopping this morning, I found these really cool Halloween Party Lights made with recycled mason jars, instructions can be found Here

Halloween-Day 26!

2010-10-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Just 4 more days to go until Spooky Halloween Night! Here in Utah, people will be celebrating on Saturday, Oct. 30th, which would normally be "Mischief" night. I'll actually be at home handing out candy this year. DH is making a big pot of home-made chili to keep out the chill. To me, Halloween is always the coldest night of the year probably because we refused to wear coats over our costumes when we were little. What was the use of putting on a costume if you had to cover it up with a coat. Go figure! LOL!

Grandkids Halloween Costumes

2010-10-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

My DD took the kids to get their picture taken in their Halloween costumes last week. They are so adorable, the Knight in shining armor with the Queen and Princesses! The triplets are 2 1/2 years old now, time sure does fly! We saw them over Labor Day and they are just amazing. Each a unique personality as are all of my grandkids.
I should have some pictures of my other 3 grandsons and my other granddaughter next week. It's hard to get photos of all 8 of them at the same time.

Halloween-Day 25

2010-10-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a really cool piece of vintage Halloween. A patent pending for a decorative lantern. I believe these were originally made from paper mache' with a paper wrapped wire handle, or a simple painted wire handle? Yes? No? Maybe? Does anyone have one of these treasures in their collection?

Halloween-Day 24

2010-10-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share a fun stamping technique that we did last year about this same time. Soot Stamping-really a lot of fun. You simply take a candle and while you hold the candle at a angle, let the flame melt some of the wax, creating a black smoke from the candle. At the same time hold a sheet of glossy photo paper about a 6" x 4" works good, over the smoke and the paper grabs that smoke. Once you have enough smoke, stamp the paper with a stamp, removing the soot. Spray the paper with a fixative or hair spray to set the soot. Spray from a good distance so you don't end up removing the soot. The stamps I used were from Inka Stamps, now known as: Scrollwork Stamps.
I have tried numerous time to get this image to rotate to the correct position, but it is giving me fits. Must be possessed! Have fun!

Halloween-Day 23

2010-10-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a sheet of simple word art for you to print, ink and use on your ATC's, cards or altered books.

Front yard Decorating

2010-10-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

Every year after the flowers have all bloomed, the garden out front looks so bare and last year I tried to add some carvable pumpkins under and around the bushes but they kept rolling down the street every time the wind would blow. The neighbors were good enough to bring them back, and back, and back. LOL! I think they thought I was playing a game, but darn I never did reward them. I should have grab a prize basket and every time they brought my pumpkins home, I should have given them a thank you prize! So, this year, they are probably wondering how I managed to weigh-down my pumpkins since they aren't out chasing them down to return them. Nope-these are the real deal this year. Big Box W had these beauties for just $2 each, when down the street and around the corner at the local pumpkin patch, they were selling them for $8-9! I bought all of these pumpkins for next to nothing and wow, they make the garden come alive again! I hope this inspires all of you to go grab some pumpkins and plant some color in your garden this autumn.

Halloween-Day 22

2010-10-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Darn this day just creeped up on me! I almost forgot to post something for you all today! Here's your goodies! These were taken in ??? Guess-where do you think they were taken? Do you know? I'll bet you do. I'll give you a clue-it's one of my favorite cities except it's terribly humid most of the time. Well, OK every time I've been there, it felt like I would melt like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. OK that wasn't a really good clue, here's another one: Clue #2-Louie Armstrong is buried here.

Halloween-Day 21

2010-10-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know, I'm ahead of myself for a change! I'm trying to stay caught up and not be lagging behind a day or two with these postings. So today I have another cool craft site for you to make Halloween goodies from recycled materials. We are all doing our part for our environment, right? So here you are with a new Website to explore.
Here's a digital paper I made for all you scrapbookers. It's the standard 12" x 12" size. Enjoy!

Fall Colors in Lambs Canyon

2010-10-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

The fall colors were at their peek this weekend and we took a drive up to the canyon to grab some pictures, but there was rain in the forecast and of course the sky was full of beautiful clouds, but the colors all seemed a little muted. Here's a quick collage I did with just a few of the multitudes of photos I took. Sure like the digital instead of film-no more wasted expense for processing un-usable photos. Click and delete! Gotta' love it!
Update!-I deleted the first collage and added this one instead, after I removed the wording. Someone brought it to my attention that it might be enjoyed more if the viewer was allowed to feel their own emotion instead of relying on the words that I had added. I totally agree Jan-thanks for the advice! :-D

Halloween-Day 20

2010-10-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

So OK, I was web surfing this morning and I ran across a fun site that has free downloads of fun things to print and create for Halloween. Toys! Check it out!

Halloween-Day 17 -18 -19

2010-10-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images that you might be able to use for some Halloween ATC's or related collage.

Coming Soon!

2010-10-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on a new digital painting workshop that utilizes Pen & Ink techniques. This workshop will be for 5 days and is being written for all beginners to intermediate digital artists who use either PSElements or Photoshop and want to take their talents further or learn something new, fun and exciting. For more information on when this workshop will be offered, visit or become a follower of: Artistworkshopretreat

Halloween-Day 16

2010-10-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick, fun decorating idea for you. Grab some old books and paint the covers black. Right click on the Titles below and print these off on a standard printer. Use Ink pads to dirty them up a bit and glue them to the outside spine of the books you painted. Stack the and add a skull on top or a witches hat, spider or anything else you have that is related to Halloween fun!

Halloween-Day 14 & 15

2010-10-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Wow we've already hit the half way mark this month! In two weeks it will be Halloween, are you prepared? Are you staying home to hand out candy? Attending a costume party? Or turning off the lights and going to bed early? Every year we try to do something different, so this year we are staying home, putting on a large pot of chili for dinner and waiting for the "Trick or Treaters" to come a knock'n.

Halloween-Day 12 & 13

2010-10-13T05:14:00.000-07:00

Here are two ghoulish portraits from the family tree -Well maybe not my family tree. LOL! I grew up watching Alfred Hitchcock movies and they were always suspenseful, edge of your seat thrillers. I remember watching his introduction every week and the way he said "Greetings" gave me the chills. So what was your favorite Hitchcock movie? Mine was "The Birds"!

Halloween-Day 11

2010-10-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

Recently I was visiting friends in Atlantic City and while walking down the Boardwalk I was amazed at all the various places you could stop and get your fortune told. This sign reminded me of those days on the Boardwalk and has a slight suggestion of seance's and mysticism. This is a sign that I changed the reflection in the glass, to make it appear as if you are watching the psychic watch you in the hopes you will come in to have your fortune told.
Have you ever had someone tell your fortune before? Was the fortune teller accurate in his/her prediction?