Dear Friend

Dear Old Favorite Brushes, 
I still love you very much.  I'm sorry for my abuse.  Just know that I haven't abandoned you.  It really can't be the end of January and I haven't touched you once this month. 
I will.
♥Me

Photoshop Fun and more

 I've been playing if Photoshop Elements this week and learned something new and very very fun. Here is what I did:

So, that's what I did.  I pulled two images into Photoshop Elements. Next, I dragged and dropped the pencils on top of the face.  Next, I used the layer menu and chose various layers and you see what happened.  

FUN!!!

All this fun was had during my "morning art" period and don't you know I had a reason for the fun.  


I was designing a DVD cover for my latest offering.  This is not a new lesson.  It is the DVD of my on line class Inktense Faces on Fabric.  After receiving a few request for the DVD, I decided to do it. 

Here is what you get with this DVD:

2 hours of viewing

A printed supply list

and

A small print of one of the faces demonstrated

all as shown above. 

$39.00

includes shipping and handling

---------------♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥---------------
I can't help but share with you some of my students Inktense Faces on Fabric projects.

 Student Showcase

for

Inktense Faces on Fabric

by Suze Rose of New Zeland
and Sam Johnson aka Gollywobbles

What's in your water heater closet?

What's in your water heater closet?  Maybe you should check.   You might find one of these.

"One of these" is defined as a work of art from long ago.  I'm sure you have them stuffed somewhere.  Don't you?

We recently had to replace our water heater which is housed in a little closet that opens from the master bathroom. There is room for the vacuum and all its attachments.  But there is also room for one (or more) of these.

Imagine my surprise when I emptied the closet to discover that she matches this master bathroom color scheme and now hangs proudly in there.

I created this batik many many years ago. I would say at least 30+ years.  Long enough that I cannot remember what my reference was but I would guess a picture in National Geographic.

I haven't any new art to share so I just thought she might interest you; as well as, remind you to go and see what is in your water heater closet.
Sharon

PS:  Thank you so much for your sweet, thoughtful and encouraging words after my last post.

What do you want from me?

I can't get this question out of my head where it popped into several days ago.  Furthermore, it has absolutely nothing to do with the below photos that I started to share several days ago.  You see, the correlation of the two is only that it happened the same day. 

I've been to Arizona to celebrate the Golden Birthday

of this child who was 12 on the 12th of January 2012.

she likes to make faces to the camera.....she is only 12!

Here are close ups of the project I shared several post ago.

We celebrated with more than one jewelry making party. I made the charms for incorporation in their memory wire bracelets ahead of time.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Here is a little pictorial with a tip or two about pouring Ice Resin.

Here is the simple lesson I learned.  I knew when they pooled over that the first side would be ruined if I let it set.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I just picked them up and with a paper napkin rubbed off the resin.  I was able to polish off the wet resin and lay it back down and pour again.  It didn't even leave any napkin fuzz.  

Then there was Lizzy!  I tend to want to add one-too-many drops of resin. Can't help it. Fearless.  But Lizzy's must have been just ever so...not level.  It didn't pool over until it sat for a while.  So, it was good that I used the glass cake dome because I could walk by and take a look.  I really doubted the last time would work because the resin had been mixed for at least 1½ hours and was really stiff.  However, I think the stiffness is what kept it from going over again.  I'm very pleased with how they turned out.  They were all so near perfect.  And they were a huge hit with all the girls. 

♥♥♥♥♥♥

So, I don't know who the question, "what do you want from me", is far, but if you would like to address it.  Please feel to share in the comments. Perhaps it will help me get this off my mind. 

♥Sharon

Me

I backed away

without

intention

I lost my voice

but 

didn't know it

and now

I sit here

wondering 

if

Mr Klimt

could have

been

inspired

by 

butterflies

such as these

I am

Project Updates

I ate four more boxes of Laughing Cow!
(not really)

This project is a secret so that is why you can't see it so good.
(to the mother of the golden birthday daughter...please don't show. Keep the secret)

Class Videos start tomorrow

Hey all,
Of Towers and Turrets videos start tomorrow.  Then some on Friday and Saturday.  All the class videos will be up for viewing in the next three days.

We have a great group of students already there and waiting but would love to have you too.

Also, Faces in Collage is still going strong.  You won't believe what they are doing and I plan to have another student showcase soon.

None of that has anything to do with this picture.  It is just a little project I'm working on.
Wishing you all a great season and Merry Christmas.
And thanking you all for being a part of my life.
Sharon

Laughing Cow Tutorial

I'm in full out Christmas mode this weekend.  My kids and grand kids expect, want, and ask for money for Christmas.  Each year, we give it but I must have fun with it and present it a little different each year.  This year, I discovered The Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Cheese. Oh my it is so yummy.  But the little boxes are adorable and I just could not throw them away.  Soooooooo,

.........today was the day.  Here is what I did.  I drew a circle around the inside lip of the opened box.  This is so I could get the smallest circle.

Since I don't want the text to go all the way to the edge, I cut it out using the pencil guide but cutting it smaller.  It doesn't matter if it is exact or not.

Then I used Golden Matte Medium #3530 to glue the text on the top and bottom of the box.  I painted the inside of the box with Lumiere #561 Metallic Gold.  It is very pretty because the inside of the box was white.

Now for the napkin.  I want this circle to be larger than the box so I held the pencil next to the lid to mark the circle.

 Then, I tore the napkin following the pencil line as best as I could. Again, it doesn't have to be exact.

Here is another.  I think right now would be a great time to find some beautiful Christmas napkins.  I happen to have this one in my huge napkin stash.

 Make sure you only use the top layer of the napkin.  Most napkins have three layers.

It is very important that you use Golden Matte Medium to glue the napkin down with.  I'm sure something else will work but it should be very runny. Other Golden gels are too thick and don't absorb through to the top side which make them more transparent.  Paint a generous layer of the medium on the box and then lay the napkin down onto it.  You can't move the napkin so place it carefully.  Then, with some medium on the brush, smooth the napkin out.  You might even use your finger a little but the napkin begins to deteriorate quickly so work fast and then stop.  Let it dry.

 Notice how I let the napkin go over the edge and also notice how you can see the text through the napkin.

 Today, I made four. Here they are drying.  I painted on two coats of Golden Self Leveling Clear Gel.  It gave them a very nice high gloss finish which is what I wanted.  I might even add a third layer tomorrow.

 Next, I designed a little strip label.  I wish I could have been more clever but it has the recipients name on it which is really sweet.

I'm holding the label in place and showing that I brushed a layer of Lumiere #553 Brass which is very very translucent onto the label.  It gave the label a beautiful gilded finish.
I haven't shown you the last step because I don't have the big bucks in the house yet.  But when I'm ready to close up the gift, I will run a red thread around the groove that is left when the two box parts slide together.  Then I'm going to use a glue stick to apply the label.  A red thread tail is left out so the beautiful little box can be unzipped. You will see how that works when you open your Laughing Cow. So cool!
Supply List:
Laughing Cox boxes (eat the cheese)
Text page
Golden Matte Medium #3530
Napkin
Lumiere #561 Metallic Gold
Lumiere #553 Brass
$500.00 (gift) or any other small gift
Golden Self Leveling Clear Gel #3001
Label strip designed by You!

Have fun.  If you make a gift box, I would love to see it so come back and leave me a comment.
♥

Visual Tutorial An Alteration

Of Towers & Turrets Session 3

another alteration!

I'm working on a little tutorial for you.

But I have run out of morning art time for today.

♥♥♥

What I really want to tell you about is:

 

Of Towers and Turrets

Session Three

is now open for registration!

This is the wonderfully successful class that Deryn Mentock and I created.  And it is back by popular demand. 

The class will begin on December 15th and all of the videos will be posted the first three days of class.  

You might want to gift someone this wonderful online class that is full of mixed media

and

mixed metal

Or you might want to gift yourself. 

Class example

Remember these pendants?

You will learn all the skills to create one for yourself in 

Of Towers and Turrets.

For more information, and a paypal  button, visit my class site on Ning,  All Norah'S ART.

I'll be watching for you,

♥