Tag Archives: mixed media

applique, art, embroidery, fabric painting, mixed media, mosaic, pouch, slow stitching

Slow stitching and painting on a pouch

Slow stitching is something that is very popular right now. You can check out the hashtag #slowstitching on Instagram and find so many, many beautiful entries. Back in the day I learned embroidery stitches, but my forays into embroidery are few and far between. Funny how every style repeats itself…

I found these small canvas pouches, and I decided to try my hand at some slow stitching and embroidery. It brought up memories. I used to love doing needlepoint, and embroidery, but not cross stitch.

Nowadays, I make my own patterns and appliques, flying by the seat of my pants (or should I say paints. 🙂 In my previous post I shared some pictures of this project Exploring art on fabric.

You will see the result at the end. I used scrap fabric I had painted with inks in the past.

slow stitching

I decided to applique a bird and a spiral. Simple and easy. I pressed the background fabric and the white cotton bird.

slow stitching

I cut out a spiral from fabric painted with acrylic paints.

slow stitching

Using medium weight fusible web I attached the whole panel to the pouch, but first I attached the details and embroidered on top.

slow stitching

slow stitching

Slow stitching is like meditation, very comforting.

slow stitching

slow stitching

The back is like a colorful galaxy…

Not too bad, huh? Very easy to make, and you can’t really mess it up. Ready to try making your own? I have three more pouches to finish.  I will post some pictures of those as they are done.

If you’d like to purchase this pouch, it’s available in my etsy shop, and the shipping is free. I’d say it’s a unique gift for someone this Christmas. Check it out HERE.

I have a sale going in my shop throughout October. 10% off on the small mosaic boxes. Use coupon code TENOFF.

I intend to be productive and happy in my studio this week! 🙂

I wish you the same, even if you don’t have a studio. Create anywhere and anyhow! Life is short…

xo

Maria

affirmation, art journaling, art making, Christmas, clay, crafts, mixed media, mosaic, polymer clay mosaic, process

Busy time in my studio

Busy time in my studio. This time of year it’s always good to stay busy so that I have lots of inventory for the Christmas season.

It’s not all about selling and producing though.

I’m still doing my art journaling almost every day because I can’t stop! Part of me is critical of the process–always, but another part is really addicted to the evolution of my art.

Whereas my crafts give me great satisfaction, they don’t always delve deeply into the process of creation like art journaling does. I try to keep a balance. They all move me forward on my creative journey.

All of it makes for a happy day. 🙂 No matter how challenging art can be, it makes me happy to create. What more can I ask for?

Busy is good too. The juices are flowing; inspiration is like an overflowing river, and ideas pop up constantly. It’s been a long while since I felt this inspired.

I finished the spirit doll that I started a couple of months ago. (Check out my previous post.) Here are some pictures of recent creations.

busy in my studio

busy time in my studio

I painted the wooden box in various colors, attached paper to the interior back of the box, and then added my doll. She inspires Courage, something we need every day.

Here are some other samples of new things. They are all available in my etsy shop.

busy time in my studio

I had fun with this watch casing. The portrait is a miniature painting, and I tell you, it was fiddly and tricky to paint.

busy time in my studio

I started making these four-inch plaques with stamped affirmations at the bottom. So much fun! I like the idea of reminding folks that we are all perfect just the way we are.

busy time in my studio

You are worthy!

busy time in my studio

I also made some more clay faces for doll making or to use as an ornament.  I wasn’t sure if there would be any interest but I sold some. Now I’m working on creating a cat face mold.

Sculpting in clay is not easy…

New ideas keep me fresh and eager to move forward.  I may have to sculpt many cat faces before I’m satisfied, but the main point is to plunge into action.  The rest takes care of itself.

If you’re feeling blocked or full of resistance, plunge in anyway.  It’s the only way forward. 🙂

What are you working on now?

Please check out my  etsy shop, Earth and Faery.  It’s full of new items.

Lots of love,

Maria

art, clay, creativity, mixed media, polymer clay mosaic, spirit doll

Spirit doll faces and more

Spirit doll faces are new to me. I have always wanted to try self-drying clay, but I know it doesn’t work well for my mosaic tiles. I did get inspired by cruising on etsy to try my hand at some free-form sculpted faces.

To finish them, I used the same process I use for painting mosaic tiles. I have a video on YouTube on how to paint tiles. VIDEO

spirit doll face

I had so much fun and they are pretty easy to make.  I used a purchased face mold and then sculpted the edges as I felt inspired.

spirit doll face

I could use all of my favorite colors!

spirit doll face

To get the imprints I used rubber stamps mostly. I also added some clay “hair” and the pieces fused well to the clay as it dried.

spirit doll face

I’m playing with making a doll in a shadow box, but so far, I’m not very happy with the result. Assembly with lots of materials is tough, but it’s always fun to try something new.

spirit doll

I’m using hand-painted fabrics, but nothing is finite in this picture. Just playing!

The faces are now available in my etsy shop Earth and Faery. 

I also made one of my mini shrines so far this week. They are pretty popular but somewhat labor intensive since every part has to be cut out and molded individually. 
spirit shrine

You are blessed indeed! 🙂

I’m having fun with clay and polymer clay.  What are you working on? It’s important to spend part of every day in the studio for art exploration = self exploration.

Let me know in the comments if you like the spirit doll faces. Thanks.

Have a creative rest of the week.

xo

Maria

art journal, art journaling, art tutorial, texture

Creating texture using only paint

Creating texture is easier than you think. Here is a picture tutorial I made using only paint to make some texture for the background on this art journal page.

I used these tools:

Paint, an old credit card, hair pick, wall texture dodad, nib of a pencil, baby wipes or tissues.

This is the end result.

This is how I made it:

I had no plan for this page other than creating texture.  First, I took some unbleached white and spread it liberally on the page.  I used the edge of a credit card to make some grooves in the paint.Then I used a pencil to dig more marks into the paint.

After that I used a hair pick to get some thinner grooves.

On top of that I used a dodad from the paint store and made some wider grooves. You need to wet the paint to make it pliable.

After that I used the corner of the credit card to slice some smaller grooves sideways over the others.

Now I let it dry, and then I chose a green paint to rub over part of the surface with a tissue.

As you can see, it’s kind of messy and the green covers more the top than the bottoms of the grooves. I took some dark umber on a stiff brush to dig the paint down into the grooves.

Now you can see the grooves well, so the rule is, use dark colors to enhance the grooves if they are important to the project.

Then I decided to add some red paint, which I smeared around with a tissue.

The grooves at the top of the page are not as deep, but it makes for a good contrast. (The white spots is sunlight through the blinds in the window.)

Close up of all the grooves when the paint was laid down. I did add some red paint to the depth of the grooves.

To soften the effect I added more of the original unbleached white over the other colors. Applied carefully so it wouldn’t get into the grooves.

Then I saw a face and decided to enhance that with markers and more paint.

The black marker was pretty harsh so I softened that a bit. I also used a Crayola brown to draw the contours. I softened the effect with my fingertip.

I then gave her a blue top and you can see the markings I made on that and on the pink background that I added.

The girl with the flaming hair was born!

How do you like to apply texture to paper?

Here is another blog post of a painting with mixed media and lots of texture, What Jane Wanted.

Try some texture in your art today! Easy peasy.

xo

Maria

P.S. Looking for a unique Valentine’s gift? I have some mosaic heart plaques in my etsy shop, ready to go. Earth and Faery.

 

mixed media, mosaic, polymer clay mosaic

Polymer clay mosaic art

Polymer clay mosaic art is one of the crafts I never get tired of making. Polymer clay is incredibly versatile as it can be used in jewelry and sculpture, but I mostly stick with the mosaic tiles.

I have made these kinds of boxes and frames for years and they evolve as I come up with new ideas. At one point I incorporated recycled Christmas heart ornaments into the art. 
polymer clay Lots of mixed media in this old piece and the altered heart ornament is in the middle.

I also used to embellish paintings with mosaic tiles in the past.

polymer clay mosaic
Wild Bride

The veil is actual lace that I stiffened with Mod Podge.  The face is made with a polymer clay mold and the dress is covered with tiles.

I have made many boxes and continue to do so. My etsy shop Earth and Faery is full of them. 🙂

polymer clay mosaic
Older version of a box

This older box has a dragonfly charm attached to it.

The items below are later creations. I have started making mermaids in frames. When I compare my contemporary work with old pieces, I notice a more cohesive design. Perfection was never my goal though, and cutting straight lines in the clay is still difficult. 🙂

polymer clay mosaic
box lid

polymer clay mosaic polymer clay mosaic

polymer clay mosaic
polymer clay mermaid

My most popular how-to video on YouTube is about painting mosaic tiles. You can check it out here.

It’s not hard to make tiles. It takes time and you have to be willing to follow through with the process to get the tiles you like. Then the fun begins–designing your boxes or frames.

If you’d like to find out how to make a box from beginning to end, you can purchase my self study how-to e-course.  It’s a bargain at $23. Try a new thing today! 🙂

Have a wonderful, creative week.

xo

Maria

P.S. To get my monthly newsletter, you can sign up HERE.

 

art, art journal, art journaling, mixed media, process

I had a discussion yesterday

2 Comments

I had a discussion yesterday about art. Some days I paint perfectly recognizable art projects, like birds and things in nature (for example.)

I had a discussion
random bird

Sometimes I make random art, which is so easy, but the pages don’t necessarily mean anything to me. The person I was talking to swore by random art.

It’s interesting because the art journal pages I don’t care much about get the most “likes” on Instagram and Facebook. Not that the likes matter much, but they are an indication of what speaks to the viewers.

People like random “loose” renderings. I feel very ambivalent about that kind of art. It doesn’t SAY anything to me. I like a good story or something recognizable.

Not that random stuff is ugly. Many times I’m drawn to the energy, and that’s enough.

I had a discussion
The other woman

To stretch myself I’m going to make art that doesn’t always sit well with me and see where it leads. If it’s easy, it flows, but there are no rules. Easy doesn’t mean fulfilling.

I had a sdiscussion
Flying into the sunset

I do like abstracts as long as they draw me in. I’m very ambivalent about my own art at this point. These art journal spreads have been painted, mostly, with a paint on a credit card edge. I like the texture, but I also like texture on house walls. 🙂

When is it decorative, and when is it art? Well, it doesn’t have to be labeled, but it’s an interesting question .

One time I painted walls that had a leather faux finish. It was a lot of fun experimentation to get it just right.  In the end, it was a satisfying project. I wouldn’t call that art, but it needed skills.

I had a discussion
Totally random

The above spread was totally random painted with a credit card, except for the art picture that I glued on top.  I can’t say that I like it, but it is what it is.

I had a discussion
Random art

What is your opinion? What kind of art makes your breath catch in your throat and your eyes widen?

For me, I would say it’s some kind of mastery that shines through the art.  I’ll never forget when I first saw some real Renoirs at the Met in New York. The light he had mastered! I’d say it was an awesome immersion experience.

As it is, we live one day at a time, and any creative endeavor brings us closer to the heart of who we are. Each piece of art brings us closer to more deeply express the essence.

I aspire to inspire, one step at a time. 🙂 What about your art?

Lots of love,

Maria

P.S. I have an e-course, FLY YOUR SOUL, coming up shortly.  No link as yet, but I will add one once the offer is available.  Meanwhile, you can always join my newsletter: LINK HERE.