Playing in the New Dina Wakley Media Journal . . .

"If you find yourself really asking yourself, 'Am I REALLY a good writer? Am I REALLY a good artist?' Chances are, YOU ARE. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self confident. 

The real one is scared to death."

-- Steven Pressfield

I'm. So. In. Love. with the new Dina Wakley Media Journal! 

Have you seen it? Tried it out? The smoochy thing about it is that it has four (yes, 4!) types of paper within; burlap, watercolor (in a lovely cotton rag), canvas fabric and kraft paper.  

It's unique, exciting and has me wrapped around it's little finger. So much so, that I've decided to do a bit of a series using it on my YouTube channel. 

Wanna see how the first pages came together? Check out the following videos (parts 1 and 2) below:

Thanks for taking a peek! 

Until next time, 

Kristin xo

Mixed Media Layers: Tissue & Deli Papers w/ Jessica Sporn Designs!

“A grownup is a child with layers on.”

-- Woody Harrelson

Helloooooo & Welcome! 

I had so much fun with this one; creating my own transparent layers for Mixed Media with both deli and tissue papers. 

I used every stencil I have by Jessica Sporn Designs for Stencil Girl and my favorite-est tiny stamps from her line with RubberMoon. It was fast, fun and totally addicting. Oh, and there's lotsa glitter and even a little copper foil involved too, so there's that.

For all the details on this project, head over to Jessica's blog. And please do let me know if you try it: I'd really love to see what you do!

Stay cool!

Kristin xo

Tutorial: Water COLOR Bubbles!

"Novels are like paintings, specifically watercolors. Every stroke you put down you have to go with.

Of course you can rewrite, but the original strokes are still there in the texture of the thing."

 -- Joan Didion

The word is obsession. 

Total and utter obsession. All over a bit of water in a bubble.

But honestly, it is So. Much. Fun.  

Wanna know more? Check out the following video for details. . . . 

Please let me know if you try it! I'd love to see your play of color and water, and I dare you not to become as obsessed as I am. . . .

With Bubbles of Love,

Kristin xo

Spring Blog Hop w/ Jessica Sporn Designs!

(8 x 10 Canvas Panel)

"It is Spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart."

-- Rainer Maria Rilke

Spring is absolutely, positively my favorite time of year. Not only is the weather gorgeous, but the air itself seems to be drenched in sweet smelling, saturated color. 

So the idea of creating in the theme of Spring for our latest blog hop with Jessica Sporn Designs, gets my head spinning in all kinds of whimsical directions. And! I had a cool idea I wanted to try out: what if I took Jessica's "Build-A-Villa" stamps from RubberMoon and enlarged them to create the focal point in a collage? And, if I did that, then wouldn't it be cool to see what's behind the windows and doors? Anyway, that's where my mind wandered, I hope you enjoy watching along:

For more Spring Fun, keep hopping! Check out what both Jessica Sporn and Denise Alloca did with the theme, and be sure to comment on all posts you visit. Jessica will be giving away her (beautiful, stunning, I must have this!) "Layered Peonies" stencil from Stencil Girl to one lucky winner. 

"Layered Peonies" by Jessica Sporn for Stencil Girl

All entries must be registered by next Monday, April 19th (6:00 pm, EST) and will be announced on Jessica's blog the following day. 

Have fun, good luck and Happy, Happy Spring!

Kristin xo

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Art Journaling w/ Deco Foil & High Flow Acrylics . . .

“That night she dreamed of the deer. Strangely, the animal was holding her. She cuddled close into the soft fur and touched and kissed it gently. In the morning her pillow was wet with tears.”

-- Julie Andrews

Helloooo!

I had the opportunity to see a deer recently, not a normal site for this girl. I was so entranced, so enthralled and so just, blown away by the beauty of it, that I haven't been able to stop thinking of her since. This page is a direct reflection of my thoughts in this way, thoughts that run up and down that creek and keep landing on the meadow where I first saw her. . . 

Until next time, 

Kristin xo 

"Frightfully Fall" Blog Hop & Giveaway!

"Boo"

8 x 8 Mixed Media on Wood

Helllloooo & Happy Fall! 

To celebrate all things crisp, cool and Pumpkin Spice-ish, I'm thrilled to be playing along with the Jessica Sporn Designs Creative team for our very-first-ever Blog Hop! October's theme is "Frightfully Fall," and I for one, can't wait to see with everyone did with it!  

Check out all the players here:

Jessica Sporn

Denise Alloca

Marit Barentsen

Sherry Canino

Lizzy Wurmann

Anddddddd while you're hoping, be sure to leave a comment on each post! There's a fabulous giveaway up for grabs, and every comment counts. There will be one lucky winner to win both the Cascading Leaves Stencil and the Tree of Life Stamp. . .

Cascading Leaves Stencil

Tree of Life Stamp

For your chance to win, simply leave on comment here and on every post you visit. All comments on all the blog hop participants count, so be sure to leave your love by Monday, October 10th. Comments close on 10/10/16 at 9:00 PM EST, and the winners will be announced on Jessica's blog the next day.

Wanna see what I did?

I played with the Horned Owl Stencil and created an Owl for an Owl, of sorts. Anywho, I hope you like watching along . . .  

Frightfully Yours, 

Kristin xo

Out Of Practice. And A Video to Prove It. . . .

"My big thesis is that although the world looks messy and chaotic, if you translate it into the world of numbers and shapes, patterns emerge and you start to understand why things are the way they are."

- Marcus du Sautoy

I learned something last time at bat in the studio. As you may have guessed by my lack of posts or art or really anything of creative value this Summer, I've been totally absent. Absent from painting, absent from drawing, and absent from the very room that I usually long to play in. {Although, having said that, I did spend weeks - literally weeks - transforming that hot mess of a room into a real working space with proper storage, organization and a new YouTube set up, so that was exciting}.

I think my absence in part comes from the fact that this was the first Summer that I didn't have The Summer of Color, an annual art event I hosted for 5 years, keeping me busy. And I think in part because of all this time I had on my hands, I just froze. Like a deer in headlights. But like, one that's holding art supplies and stuff. 

So back to what I learned. For me, when I'm out of sorts or out of practice, I find myself waffling when I get back to it. And my waffling, turns out, comes in layers. Many, many layers. I don't know if its insecurity that makes me want to throw every trick or technique or color that I ever learned, used or bought to the table, or honestly, if my picker is just off. You know, that voice that tells you when enough is enough. Maybe that voice is just quiet right now. Or, I guess there's always the opposite, that this page just didn't want to stop being played with.

Either way, I filmed the process and you can be the judge. If you too have been absent from creating, I hope my lack of direction in the above video inspires you in some way. After all, sometimes all we really need is a bit of messy & chaotic to get us back in the game . . . .

With love,

Kristin xo

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Exciting News!

"Creativity is contagious. Pass it on." 

- Albert Einstein 

Hellllllllooooo! 

I hope this finds you happy, well and in the throws of creating something fabulous. . . .

Speaking of creating - and fabulous - I have exciting news to share! I along with 7 other artists from across the globe (six countries actually, how cool is that?!) will be representing the ever-so-talented  Jessica Sporn and her beautiful line of stencils and stamps from Stencil Girl & RubberMoon. 

Starting this September, you can expect weekly posts and projects from the Creative Team (many of which will be filmed) as well as occasional guest bloggers and blog hops to keep us all inspired!

Wanna know more? Head over HERE to meet the artists & learn about the Creative Team Celebration GIVEAWAY happening right. this. moment. (Seriously. You don't want to miss it).

Good luck and we'll see you back sooooooooon for some stencil & stampin' fun! 

With Colorful Kisses,

Kristin xo

Turning Old Collages into New Mixed Media!

Turning an old collage into new mixed media

"I curled closer to May, comforted by her warmth."

-- Kiera Cass

Hi there! I've missed you so. 

The last several weeks have been a whirlwind around here, and I'm happy to have found time to play a bit. Actually, it was a few tweens that got me back into the studio! I assist in an art journaling class for kids every Friday, and last week I brought - along with several other collage materials - some colored copies of my old work. I hoped they would like the bright colors and perhaps some of the images, but what I didn't expect was how much they liked the idea of using old art in new ways and, moreover, how much I would learn from them in the process! They completely inspired me to try new things and to look at my own art in a different way. Sooooo, I decided to see what I could do with one of the same copies I'd given them and filmed the process.

In the end, I used copies of one old collage (wayyyyyy back from the first Summer of Color!) and created two new pieces with them: both a loose art journal page & an altered brie box. 

Loose art journal page 

Altered brie box

Wanna see the process? It's all here, and below, and all under 10 minutes . . . 

Thanks for popping by.  Happy May & happy creating from our crazy house to yours.

With colorful kisses,

Kristin xo

Paint Party Friday: Lil' Cardboard Collages

Happy PPF!

I hope this week found you with paint under your fingernails at some point . . . Mine were definitely encrusted with acrylics, gouache, glue, gloss medium, fiber paste, varnishes and (naturally) glitter for days. It was a case of peeling fingers for sure. You know, you've been there . . . .

But I digress: this week I was influenced by the lovely (darling & delightful) Mindy Lacefield after watching several of her You Tube videos. It was this one that really got me: watching her paint several little cardboard paintings at once. So excited I was, that I cut up the next box I got my hands on and went to work. My pieces took some different turns, but I'm so grateful to have had the impetuous to try something fun and new. Thank you Love Bug, for the beautiful inspiration!

Wanna see what I came up with? Okay:

4 little cardboard collages, all lined up in a row.

(Each one measures approximately 5.5 x 11)

They were first cut, pulled to reveal texture and then gessoed

Elements such as vintage playing cards and game pieces were added

Stencils served as the base, with some molding paste mixed with paint 

to create some raised areas

This one included a face - behind chicken wire that was adhered with E600 and beeswax

And here we have a little pocket that housed vintage tickets

They are hung with decorative wire and grommets

And finished off with decorative (and painted on) trim

That's it. Thanks for letting me share and thank you to Kristin and Eva for another opportunity to play with paint.

Have a fabulous weekend,

Kristin xo