Scissors and Threads

5" x 8" journal page, pencil sketch, watercolor paints, Pigma Pen, rubber stamps, purple ink. Feb. 2, 2012.

I was trying to draw a negative image, with just the outline, but I did not like it, and filled it in. When I added the thread, then it needed watercolor paints. I also tried out my new rubber stamp alphabet set, it is a good medium height., and the ink was intense.

My Keys

Every Day Matters #37 - Draw some keys. Journal page, 5" x 8" pencil sketch, watercolor paints, Pigma pen, rubber stamp. Sept. 10, 2012.

My set of keys, with a key chain name tag, that was a gift from friends who went to the Grand Canyon, one of the few places I've missed seeing in the US. I had fun with the rubber stamp too.

Blue Flower & Text Background

Both - 5" x 8" watercolor paper, collage book pages, watercolor and acrylic paint. Aug. 21, 2012

As a practice piece I decided to use some torn book pages for a layered look, for a painting background. I collaged them with gel medium, on one I added watercolor paints first, then the pages. On the other, the watercolor would not paint over the medium, so I had to use an acrylic wash. I blotted this paint with wadded tissue to texturize the paint, in orange, purple, and light blue. Next I rubber stamped a curly cue design in blue ink, and then painted a blue flower with lacy curly cue leaves. I added a few extra curly cues, along the edge, as more background filler, and highlighted the painting with light blue. The flower has an orange center. The other page is in need of more layers, so it is not yet done.

Rubber Stamps

"I have so many rubber stamps that I have picked up over the years from garage sales. I decided it was time to figure out what I had, and make a stamp of each, as a record. So I could find the stamps when I needed it, I would add the page to the appropriate shoe box. I started out well, all though each box was full to bursting. As I moved stamps around to fit better, I started to put them in other boxes and sort them into groups. Oops! I found another large shoebox. Now some serious resorting was needed, and things got all rearranged. I finally got everything to fit, with different boxes, and box lids for trays. Also a larger box was needed for the alphabets. These are my first prints, but needed to be redone as stamps got moved to different boxes. I realized my small journal pages were not going to be large enough for all the stamps. So I started using 8 1/2" x 11" computer paper. I ended up with 12 full pages, and that doesn't count the alphabets. I scanned them into the computer and enhanced the contrast and make the print darker. Now I have a folder with all the stamps to refer to when I might need one. Some of my favorites are the Lynn Porcella stamps with the face and butterflies. Also the little mouse with the heart that says hello, and the dragon flies."

Sunset Mixed Media

5.5" x 8" brown paper, photo, collaged painted paper towels, rubber stamps, Pigma pen, June 4, 2012

An original digital sunset photograph, cut vertically and glued to brown paper, collaged with torn painted paper towel with gel medium. Rubber stamped with nature landscape stamps, touched up with Pigma pen. I tried to add another coat of gel medium but the stamp ink blurred and disappeared." I tried to match the torn towels to the photograph colors.