I am me. Now.Sometimes it's best to keep things simple. I think this spread says it all...
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Simplicity
I am me. Now.Sometimes it's best to keep things simple. I think this spread says it all...
Time is flying
I can't believe April is half gone already. How did this happen?? Thought I'd share my April page for the Kathryn Wheel Calendar Challenge. I'm not as pleased with this page as I was with some of the others, but I suppose there's always next month...
Some more of my recent journal pages:
A crazy page... I love the wild-eyed lady! This page was actually started months ago, but it took me ages before I could bring myself to journal on it. Worried my messy handwriting might ruin it... But I think I did OK.
Feeling sort of rebellious... "Nej" means no in Swedish.
This page was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers and sewers, Kajsa Wikman who runs a blog (and shop) Syko. Kajsa makes the cutest animal applique pouches, and I thought this little piggy and mouse might like to live in my journal as well.
Challenge yourself!
I have been taking a break from swapping and challenges these past months, trying to focus more on my thesis, but these two were just too good to resist!
I have joined iHanna's second annual DIY Postcard Swap. The object is simple: make 10 different handmade postcards (any style or technique) and mail them off to 10 swappers from all over the world! The send-outs are fast approaching, so I have been working away on my cards.
I decided to use the same image on all my cards, but vary the collage elements and colors. The girl comes from an old journal page, which I scanned, traced and cleaned up in Photoshop, and printed. I used acrylics, book pages and all sorts of papers for the cards, and then sealed them with mod podge.
Some of them are still waiting for the finishing touches, and then I just need to add sturdy backs and send them off to their new homes!
I also joined the recent 30 days of Lists challenge, organized by Kam, Amy and Justine. Since I am an avid list maker, I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I'm planning on using my lists in upcoming art journal pages.
(Click image for a larger view)
I have joined iHanna's second annual DIY Postcard Swap. The object is simple: make 10 different handmade postcards (any style or technique) and mail them off to 10 swappers from all over the world! The send-outs are fast approaching, so I have been working away on my cards.
I decided to use the same image on all my cards, but vary the collage elements and colors. The girl comes from an old journal page, which I scanned, traced and cleaned up in Photoshop, and printed. I used acrylics, book pages and all sorts of papers for the cards, and then sealed them with mod podge.
Some of them are still waiting for the finishing touches, and then I just need to add sturdy backs and send them off to their new homes!
I also joined the recent 30 days of Lists challenge, organized by Kam, Amy and Justine. Since I am an avid list maker, I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I'm planning on using my lists in upcoming art journal pages.
(Click image for a larger view) Spring is almost here!
We've had a couple of lovely days here in Gothenburg, the snow is melting and the sun is shining. I'm so ready for spring to come!
I've been crazy busy with my thesis, so there hasn't really been much crafting for the last couple of weeks... But here's a couple of completed pages. I'm a bit late with my March page for the calendar challenge, but here it is finally!
A little bit of spring decoration... The two little cupcakes are handmade by me, finally got them painted a few weeks ago... And don't you just love the table runner? It was made by my mom when she was a kid, circa 1965! Still looks good as new, and I love it so!
Please forgive the goofy expression and my hunchback pose! :-D My dear friend Johan had his 30th birthday this weekend, and Keith and I offered to help with the food prep. This is a traditional Swedish Smörgåstårta (literally translates as "sandwich cake"). An odd dish if you ask me, but Johan loves them so there you go... If anyone's curious, here's a link with some info about this Swedish curiosity... Hope you're all having a great week!
Marbled Papers and a Page
Thought I'd show some marbled papers I made a few weeks ago using an awesome, simple and fun method: Shaving Cream marbling! I used this Craftster tutorial. The papers turned out lovely, but they still smell faintly of shaving cream! Need to find a way to get rid of that smell...
And here's my February page for Kathryn's calendar challenge! I actually made this page weeks ago, I got a little ahead of myself and made a bunch of monthly spreads. Awesome challenge!
Hope you've had a good month!
More journal pages!
Well, there hasn't been much crafting going on here, apart from my journaling! I'm really enjoying playing around with colors and techniques.
I like this first spread a lot. I was trying a new color combo and attempting to add more collage to my pages (I've been mostly painting lately). I'm pleased with the result!
I've decided to join in Kathryn's challenge to create a calendar page for every month this year. Lots of fun! I must admit that I have skipped ahead and done more than one page already... For more lovely calendars, see the challenge flickr group.
Another page, haven't added the journaling yet. As in my first journal, I'm doing a lot of imitating (why don't we call it "interpreting"? sounds much better!) other, more talented artists... Trying to find what styles I like. Here I'm playing around with different facial dimensions. Inspired by tollipop on etsy.
I like this first spread a lot. I was trying a new color combo and attempting to add more collage to my pages (I've been mostly painting lately). I'm pleased with the result!
I've decided to join in Kathryn's challenge to create a calendar page for every month this year. Lots of fun! I must admit that I have skipped ahead and done more than one page already... For more lovely calendars, see the challenge flickr group.
Another page, haven't added the journaling yet. As in my first journal, I'm doing a lot of imitating (why don't we call it "interpreting"? sounds much better!) other, more talented artists... Trying to find what styles I like. Here I'm playing around with different facial dimensions. Inspired by tollipop on etsy.
First ever visual journal!
These are some of my favorite pages:
Sort-of-self-portrait
This page is inspired by a photo on flickr.
A "fall" themed page made in November
This is a fantasy landscape, supposed to look like a far away planet... :-)
Do you journal? What do you journal about?
Nerd Girl
I drew this yesterday using my stabilo point 88 pen. This morning I scanned it, and used Photoshop to fix it up a bit and color it in. I'm a complete novice with Photoshop, but it's fun to play around with!
Hope you like this cool nerd chick!
Hope you like this cool nerd chick!
Artist Trading Cards
These are some of the ATCs I've been making in the past months. This first one is a replacement for a card that got lost in the mail, grr! I've never had mail go missing before so I was a bit upset. But I quite like the replacement!
These next two are zetti themed. I've been playing around a bit with the zetti style, but I still feel like I don't quite "get it"... Do any of yoy ATC makers out there have inspiration tips?
And this last one was for a feminist ATC swap, it was great fun! I love the quote, it's from a feminist website.
These next two are zetti themed. I've been playing around a bit with the zetti style, but I still feel like I don't quite "get it"... Do any of yoy ATC makers out there have inspiration tips?
And this last one was for a feminist ATC swap, it was great fun! I love the quote, it's from a feminist website.
Meet mr Raccoon!
Keith and I have a wall in our living room that has been almost bare ever since we moved into our apartment two years ago. My plan has always been to arrange photos, prints, and some of my embroidery there, I've just never get round to it. But last week I bought some wonderful wall art on Etsy, it'll be perfect for this space!
Meet mr Raccoon and mr Cheetah! These prints were bought from Berkley Illustration, a wonderful Etsy shop which sells the most amazing animal portraits! I wanted to get them all, but in the end Keith and I chose one each.
Aren't they great? They're so realistic, and there's so much emotion in those eyes! Next on my wish list is White Rabbit or Crow.
Check out the Berkley Illustration Etsy shop and blog! You can even buy their art at Urban Outfitters now!
Meet mr Raccoon and mr Cheetah! These prints were bought from Berkley Illustration, a wonderful Etsy shop which sells the most amazing animal portraits! I wanted to get them all, but in the end Keith and I chose one each.
Aren't they great? They're so realistic, and there's so much emotion in those eyes! Next on my wish list is White Rabbit or Crow.
Check out the Berkley Illustration Etsy shop and blog! You can even buy their art at Urban Outfitters now!
ATCs
Thank you for all the nice comments about my little toadstools! I definitely want to make some more toadstool themed things soon, they are so sweet!
I have more swap stuff to show you today. These are two ATCs; one was made for the Alphabet ATC swap, and one for the Buy Nothing swap. I'm quite pleased with both of them.
I named the first one Weeping Woman, it is a collage made with scrapbook paper, vintage text, and plain white lace that I painted with black acrylic paint. I just found out about this trick - it's a great way to get exactly the color of lace that you need for a project, and you can paint as much or as little as you need!
The second one is entitled Marie Antoinette, and incorporates vintage text from a Swedish dictionary, acrylic paint, scrapbook papers and an old stamp. If the style of this card looks familiar to you, it might be because I was inspired by the lovely Malin of Dandelion Daisy - she makes wonderful ATCs!
I have more swap stuff to show you today. These are two ATCs; one was made for the Alphabet ATC swap, and one for the Buy Nothing swap. I'm quite pleased with both of them.
I named the first one Weeping Woman, it is a collage made with scrapbook paper, vintage text, and plain white lace that I painted with black acrylic paint. I just found out about this trick - it's a great way to get exactly the color of lace that you need for a project, and you can paint as much or as little as you need!
The second one is entitled Marie Antoinette, and incorporates vintage text from a Swedish dictionary, acrylic paint, scrapbook papers and an old stamp. If the style of this card looks familiar to you, it might be because I was inspired by the lovely Malin of Dandelion Daisy - she makes wonderful ATCs!
Flickr friends
We had a lovely time with my mother, I just wish she could come visit more often! The picture below shows some of the OREO hearts from my last post, all wrapped up as a Valentines gift for mom.
I'm leaving town tomorrow morning to visit my sister, her fiancée and my little niece, so there won't be much craftiness this weekend. I thought I'd leave you with a mosaic of wonderful photos from some of my Flickr contacts. Such talent, and wonderful photography!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Night night
I don't have that much to say today. I've been studying all day, my head feels like a wrung sponge... I just thought I'd share a little drawing I made recently. The subject is something I have been thinking about a lot lately:
Yup. I have nightmares. Like, three times every night. It's starting to get really annoying - I don't feel nearly as rested when I get up as I used too. Plus, well, they're just unpleasant!
I had a really freaky episode a couple of weeks back. Keith found me in bed, screaming at the top of my lungs, rigid, and shaking. When he finally managed to wake me up I couldn't remember the dream at all, but I felt completely terrified. The next day I came up with this little doodle. My dreams don't usually involve monsters under the bed (although spiders seem to be a popular theme, along with rejection and violent assault) but I think it conveys the feeling of frequent nightmares quite well - they really make you feel like a scared little kid sometimes!
How about you? Do you ever get nightmares? Any ideas on how to stop getting them? Maybe I need to stop surfing the web and watching TV right before bed... Oh well, goodnight! :-)
Yup. I have nightmares. Like, three times every night. It's starting to get really annoying - I don't feel nearly as rested when I get up as I used too. Plus, well, they're just unpleasant!
I had a really freaky episode a couple of weeks back. Keith found me in bed, screaming at the top of my lungs, rigid, and shaking. When he finally managed to wake me up I couldn't remember the dream at all, but I felt completely terrified. The next day I came up with this little doodle. My dreams don't usually involve monsters under the bed (although spiders seem to be a popular theme, along with rejection and violent assault) but I think it conveys the feeling of frequent nightmares quite well - they really make you feel like a scared little kid sometimes!
How about you? Do you ever get nightmares? Any ideas on how to stop getting them? Maybe I need to stop surfing the web and watching TV right before bed... Oh well, goodnight! :-)
Shades of blue
Has it really been that long since my last post? I keep meaning to post, but real life keeps getting in the way!
I finally made some ATC:s not related to the Craftster alphabet swap! It was great to be able to work a little more freely, and I had lots of fun making them. And it also made me realize just how much papercraft stuff I have lying around - wallpaper, images, stamps, ephemera packs... I'm forbidding myself to buy more until 2009!
I'm keeping two of these cards as inspiration, and the "Time" card is for the Alphabet swap, but "Castle", "60's" and "Man in the Moon" are all up for trade! Let me know if you're interested!
And I also wanted to show you one of the cards I made for the latest Alphabet swap:
I painted the nest using watercolors. When I was little I used to paint all the time, I don't know why I haven't for so long. It's great!
Top row: "God Save the Queen", "60's", "Castle".
Bottom row: "T is for Time", "Bluebell, "Man in the Moon"
Bottom row: "T is for Time", "Bluebell, "Man in the Moon"
I finally made some ATC:s not related to the Craftster alphabet swap! It was great to be able to work a little more freely, and I had lots of fun making them. And it also made me realize just how much papercraft stuff I have lying around - wallpaper, images, stamps, ephemera packs... I'm forbidding myself to buy more until 2009!
I'm keeping two of these cards as inspiration, and the "Time" card is for the Alphabet swap, but "Castle", "60's" and "Man in the Moon" are all up for trade! Let me know if you're interested!
And I also wanted to show you one of the cards I made for the latest Alphabet swap:
I painted the nest using watercolors. When I was little I used to paint all the time, I don't know why I haven't for so long. It's great!
Fabric collage
I was at home alone on Sunday evening, and suddenly felt an urge to sew something... I didn't plan ahead at all, I just sort of went with the flow. Here's what happened:
A little fabric collage entitled Nature. It's just a basic log cabin design, embellished with all sorts of notions, vintage lace, and a bit of embroidery. I had lots of fun making it!
A close-up of the center. The tree is printed with a hand-carved stamp I received in a Craftster swap. I made a bunch of fabric patches this summer (read more here) and this is one of them. The stamp itself was carved by the talented Craftster knitting_nyxxie. The birdie is an inkjet transfer.
The finished piece is about 16" square. It's a bit wonky since I didn't measure anything, but I like it that way. Here it is hanging on our living room wall:
A little fabric collage entitled Nature. It's just a basic log cabin design, embellished with all sorts of notions, vintage lace, and a bit of embroidery. I had lots of fun making it!
The finished piece is about 16" square. It's a bit wonky since I didn't measure anything, but I like it that way. Here it is hanging on our living room wall:
Achoo!
I'm sorry it's been ages since my last post, but I've been REALLY sick! Keith got a cold last week so of course I caught it too, only worse! Not much energy left over for blogging - or anything else for that matter. Also, school started up again on Monday, and this semester looks like it's going to be a lot of work... Phew!
Anyway, I just HAD to make a post today to thank Gina at Soul Glo for sending me the most amazing ephemera pack! I won a giveaway over at her blog a few weeks ago, and today my package arrived, and it's just awesome. So many pretty things! There are pages from old books, postcards, scrabble tiles, ribbon, flowers, and lots and lots of cool paper and images. I can't wait to use everything! Here's a pic of some of the goodies (there was no way I could fit them all in one pic):
I'm afraid I don't have much altered artyness to show you yet, but here are some doodles I made yesterday:
I mainly made this to experiment with packaging tape transfers... It's a great method for getting semi-transparent images like the one on this page - you can see the text through the image of the hand holding the plant. I made a ton last week, as I went though some old magazines headed for the recycling. Now I just have to find a way to use all of them! :-)
I'm going to be super busy this week as I prepare for my mothers wedding on Saturday (I'm so excited!) so I probably won't be blogging again until the weekend is over. Have a great week everyone!
Anyway, I just HAD to make a post today to thank Gina at Soul Glo for sending me the most amazing ephemera pack! I won a giveaway over at her blog a few weeks ago, and today my package arrived, and it's just awesome. So many pretty things! There are pages from old books, postcards, scrabble tiles, ribbon, flowers, and lots and lots of cool paper and images. I can't wait to use everything! Here's a pic of some of the goodies (there was no way I could fit them all in one pic):
I'm afraid I don't have much altered artyness to show you yet, but here are some doodles I made yesterday:
I mainly made this to experiment with packaging tape transfers... It's a great method for getting semi-transparent images like the one on this page - you can see the text through the image of the hand holding the plant. I made a ton last week, as I went though some old magazines headed for the recycling. Now I just have to find a way to use all of them! :-)
I'm going to be super busy this week as I prepare for my mothers wedding on Saturday (I'm so excited!) so I probably won't be blogging again until the weekend is over. Have a great week everyone!
Artsy
First of all, thanks for all your nice comments on my embroidery! I haven't been very crafty this past week, because we've had a friend stay with us and she's not the crafty type - didn't want to bore her with discussions about fabric and paints. :-)
I did do one crafty thing before she arrived though - I've decided to start an altered journal! I've seen so much beautiful altered art online, it inspired me to make my own. This is the book I chose:
I did do one crafty thing before she arrived though - I've decided to start an altered journal! I've seen so much beautiful altered art online, it inspired me to make my own. This is the book I chose:
It's a really pompous old book entitled "the value of character" - like a self help book anno 1910! It seemed perfect for altering. I haven't finished any pages yet, I've only started prepping them. It was scary enough to put paint on the pages!
I'll let you know how this projects works out once I feel brave enough to actually finish a page!
I'll let you know how this projects works out once I feel brave enough to actually finish a page!
Time for some embroidery!
I don't think I've posted any of my embroidery on this blog yet, so it's about time! I've been working on this piece for ages, little by little, while enjoying the Lord of the Rings audio books. I didn't want to show it before it was completely finished, but now it's finally done. Yay!
I've been planning to embroider this sentiment for a while now, but I wasn't sure what style I wanted... Then I noticed the awesome new banner over at feeling stitchy (made by the lovely PlanetCoco) and knew I wanted to make something similar. Plus, it was a perfect way to practice new stitches! I tried a couching stitch for the first time, so pretty and simple to do! My camera doesn't do too well with macro shots, but I'll try to show you a close up:
Basically, a couching stitch means laying your thread down on top of your fabric, and using a second thread to attach it to the fabric. It feels a bit like sculpting or painting with thread, and I love the resulting texture.
As you can see I used fabric for some of the letters; most of it thrifted, in keeping with the theme of the piece. The other stitches used are back stitch, split stitch, chain stitch, running stitch and satin stitch. I had planned to add a border as well, but in the end I thought it might be too much so I decided not to. I just finished it up and framed it. Here it sits on my desk, to remind me what matters in life - and what doesn't! ;-)
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