Sunday Sketches . . . Carried Away With Love

I have been doing less painting and more sketching lately. I actually started a canvas last weekend and stalled out by Monday with it. Not sure if or when I will get back to it. Sketching is so much easier for me and freeing. I do not have to think about color palettes or being perfect. I just have a pencil and an eraser. Although I do long to paint some of my sketches but it overwhelms me lately. And that in itself is frustrating.

I am having fun though getting back to my cute girls! She came about from an image in my head. I always incorporate hearts when and wherever I can! It was not until the next day when I looked at her that the words came to me.

I would like to get this scene on a canvas and as I have started taking "She Art" with Christy Tomlinson I am hoping to use this as inspiration for a piece in that class!

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday so far! You can check out the lovely art being shared today over HERE!!

xo

Love Is Falling - Paint Party Friday!!

"love is falling all around us"

mixed media on 8x10 canvas board

Happy Paint Party Friday! I was looking through all of my art photos the other day and I found this painting I did last year. I wanted to share it today because it reminds me of how I painted before I became worried about "How" to paint.

She started out as a sketch, and the scene came to life when I put her on canvas. I really had fun creating this. I used burnt sienna and yellow for the background and love the heart tree. As you know I am a sucker for hearts! lol

What I have been struggling with lately is trying to achieve perfection in my art. And the pressure I put on myself actually keeps me away from creating. Sometimes I just want to create cute pretty things like her. And so what if it isn't fine art, it makes me happy and hopefully will inspire others.

I just started taking "She Art" with Christy Tomlinson. I really think it will inspire me to get back to the simple, fun, girls I used to create. I am enjoying the class so far!

Have you felt this way about your art? How do you deal with it?

Don't forget to check out all the great art being shared this week over at the PPF blog!!

Click HERE!!

Texture Tuesday . . . Dream

click on image to view larger

This week's theme was "Dream". I thought of this photo I took a couple of years ago at the walk trail I used to frequent. I used one layer of Kim's "Dream" texture which I super love! I really like the textures that have words as this one does. And I like how they are on the path in this image. I did struggle a bit getting the lights and darks how I wanted them. When I uploaded this image to blogger for this post it changed again! lol

Anyhow, hope you like this one! And here is the original image . . .

To join us for Texture Tuesday or to check out all the great work being shared this week just pop over to Kim Klassen's blog HERE!

xo

New Sketch And Sharing My Story

"Love is just a touch away . . ."

I sketched this sweet girl a few days ago. I love hearts. I had to get this image out of my head before it was lost. Yes, that tends to happen these days! lol

I have already started the background on a wrapped canvas which will be her home. I am using green for the grass, and peach/yellows for the sky, with a purple tree and possibly lavender hearts. I am thinking her dress will be white with lavender for the heart on her back. Not sure yet if she will be a brunette or blond. As I am looking at the colors I chose for her background I want to change them because they seem so bright to me but I am just gonna go with it! You know how much I struggle with colors. I suppose if I really hate it I can just paint right over it with something else. lol

Also today I am sharing my story over at Do What You Love For Life hosted by the lovely Beth Nicholls. So, for more about me and how I arrived here at Artsy Butterfly hop on over to Beth's website and check it out as well as many other inspiring stories all about doing what you love!

Click HERE!

xo

I Miss My Pretty Faces . . . Sunday Sketches

I have been doing lots of sketching lately. I wish I could paint faces as easily as I sketch them. This girl I really love. And I don't say that often about my art! lol She was inspired by my cousin who recently passed away. I had her face in my mind as I was working. And although it does not look exactly like her there are similar facial features that I went by in creating this pretty face. I love sketching eyes especially big ones with long lashes. And this nose is much improved since the first ones I did months ago. The nose can be really tough but I think I am finally getting the shading.

I soooo want to paint her but I have to admit I don't much enjoy painting the faces probably because I have no patience! I would like to paint abstract messy ones someday.

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday! And please stop by and see all the great work being shared today over at Sunday Sketches!

Click HERE!

xo

Find Hope - New Painting! Happy PPF!

"find hope in nature"

mixed media on 6x8 inch canvas board

available on etsy

Is it Friday already?! For this weeks Paint Party Friday I wanted to share this nature inspired piece I did the other day. It happened quite randomly. The only plan I had going in was the stamps I wanted to use. I love the texture that collage provides especially after layers of paint.

I used colors I don't typically lean toward . . . titan buff, raw sienna, and light green but I like the harmony they create with this piece. The dogwood stamp is new and I love it! It is the second painting I have used it in and I am sure not the last! lol I also like using my caran d'ache crayons for shading around the papers and the edges of the canvas board. The words always come to me during the painting process. . . "find hope in nature".

I hope you are able to spend some time with nature this weekend!

Be sure to stop by to see what wonderful work is being shared for this weeks Paint Party Friday!!

Just Click HERE!

xo

No Fear ? Then Why Does She Look So Scared

"no fear, only love"

acrylic on 9x12 watercolor paper

This past week I have been creating alot. I am not sure if it is because of all the emotional stress I have been going through but whatever it is art is healing. Based on this painting art is also obviously pulling stuff out of me! lol

I typically don't like watercolor paper because of the warping and bending that happens but I had a piece lying around. I had been wanting to try and paint a messy dark portrait. I have gotten away from sketching and painting my faces and I miss it. I must have spent 3 hours with this girl. I started out with watersoluble graphite pencils and water. I roughly drew her on the paper and added water, then I added white acrylics and liked what was happening. I added payne's gray to the background and decided to start using it on her face.

I drew the hanging hearts with a white gel pen at the end and the words popped into my head. After she was done I looked at her face and laughed! I thought about how the words didn't fit her freaked out expression! lol

Maybe it is what she is hoping to find. I know it is what I am hoping to find!

Maybe she is me . . .

Texture Tuesday . . .

I just love Kim's new texture "Aurora"! I am a sucker for anything with script writing. I was flipping through images and found this image of a heart painting I did last year and wondered what it would look like if I added the texture to it! And well, I loved it!

I added one layer in soft light, and muliply. I also decreased the saturation to tone down the pinks.

Would love to hear what you guys think?

As always you can check out all the amazing work this week over at Kim's Blog!

Click HERE!!

xo

Attempt At A 3/4 Portrait For Sunday Sketches

Hello everyone! Is it really Sunday already?! This week I thought I would share this for Sunday Sketches. It is my first attempt at a 3/4 portrait. And it was hard! I had more difficulty with this than a side profile which I am new at as well. Something about the eye and nose that gets me. Although I do notice that my noses are improving. lol

I really want to try painting portraits but something about it stifles me. I am too much of a perfectionist. But what I really long to do is paint a really messy portrait, abstract, grungy and dark. I want to paint more with emotion and make people feel. I want to let go of feeling like I need to be perfect.

Ever feel that way?

I will be by to visit you all soon. Come and join us over at Sophia's blog or just stop by and see the beautiful work being shared!

Click Here!

xo

Birdie Painting And An Etsy Sale!

Birdie Love

mixed media on 8x10 canvas board

available on etsy

I have been painting more this week and it is helping me feel better. This little birdie I shared for Sunday Sketches last week. Despite the face that she gained a bit of belly weight from her sketch (lol) I love how this painting came out! I love light blue and yellow together. I am addicted to stamping too. I recently bought a dogwood tree stamp. Love it! As you can see it showed up in a few places on this canvas!

I also found a bin at the craft store with stamps for $1. Well, I just had to check them out and found this cute stamp with the words "delight in the little things". I thought it fit well with this birdie.

And I am excited to announce the first sale in my etsy shop! I am having a summer sale in my shop from today till the end of this month. Just remember to use the coupon code SUMMERSALE1 in the coupon box at checkout.

You will find my little birdie there too :)

Hope you are all having a great start to the weekend!

xo

Image Transfer Fun . . . Happy PPF!

"keep climbing"

mixed media on 8x10 canvas panel

I am back to some photo art. I haven't done that in a while. Since it is Paint Party Friday I thought I would share this piece over there today!

The image below is how it started out. I did an image transfer onto my canvas board and then it sat. Until the other day when I was upset over something and went right to it hoping to distract myself. I grabbed my favorite colors . . . payne's gray and burnt sienna. I started in the background and then carefully painted my transfer having to slow down because I was afraid in my mania I would ruin it! lol

At the end I drew in the tree which is in the original photo and the words "keep climbing till you reach the sky" popped into my head. I went for a grungy font to go with the darkness of this piece. I guess it kinda goes with my mood that day. And I am ok with that.

Thought you would like to see the original image so here it is . . .

Hop on over to see all the great art being shared today for Paint Party Friday! It is only my third week and I am having fun!

Click HERE!

xo

Wordless Wednesday . . .

Texture Tuesday . . . Pink

Its that time again and this week I am not missing it! The challenge was to use anything pink. Well, pink is my fav color so that was not tough for me. I chose this pic I took of my roses that Lou gave me for our anniversary in May. Kim sent out a new texture "aurora" which I love so I knew I would use that for this image. I just love the script in this new texture!

I added the texture in soft light x2 and then multiply. I also took down the saturation to give it a more faded look.

Here is the original image. . .

Check out Kim's blog for all the pink lovelies that are being shared today!

Click HERE!

xo

Sunday Sketches . . . A Little Birdie Told Me

Our yard is a virtual bird sanctuary. Its a bird watchers dream. Although we do not have a bird feeder there are always lots of birds from robins, doves, bluejay's and cardinals who come by daily to visit. I am surprised that this is my first stab at sketching a bird!

I created this little cutie yesterday afternoon. And the words "A little birdie told me about love." popped in my mind. As you can see they are scribbled on the sketch paper. If I don't write it down it is gone "poof" from my head.

I decided to link up with Sunday Sketches for the first time this week after seeing what others were sharing during my sunday blog visits. So I am sharing this birdie sketch!

You can join us over at Sophia's Blog "Blue Chair Diary" to see the other lovelies that are being shared today!

xo

Sadness, Tears, And The Healing Power Of Art . . .

You Are Loved

mixed media on 6x8 canvas board

available on etsy

This new painting is the bright side of an otherwise dark week. I started out the week with bad news. One of my cousins got her angel wings on Tuesday. She was only 46 years old and was a breast cancer survivor. I found out that her cancer had recurred in her bones back in 2007 and nobody told me. Most of you know by now that I am a 10 year breast cancer survivor. My cousin was one of the first calls I made the night I was diagnosed because she had been through it 2 years before me. Two of us in the a family with no history of breast cancer.

I wish I had known but then again it would not have changed a thing. I live with this fear everyday. It is part of my post cancer life. I spent alot of time since Tuesday crying and feeling scared, sad, and a whole mixed bag of emotions. I truly believe that there is something bigger to all this that science cannot explain.

The past couple of days I finally felt like getting out some paper and paint. So I spent 2 days in my studio getting messy and creating. It was the best thing I could have done. For the first time in days I feel a bit back to myself. The tears have been at bay although of course I still feel sad but focusing on something positive and colorful was just the therapy I needed. I hope you can see the love coming through this piece.

It is especially during these difficult times that I realize how grateful I feel for finding art. Art truly heals.

This is my wish for all of you . . . to know that "you are truly loved"

xo

Paint Party Friday . . . Strawberry Shortcake

Good morning and Happy Paint Party Friday!! Its only my second week posting but I am having fun already! Thanks so much to all those who left a comment on last weeks PPF post. I was welcomed with open arms.

This painting was inspired by a friend's daughter who loves Strawberry Shortcake. Do you remember her? I sure do. I was a big fan back in the day. ;) I wanted to create my version of this classic character. I sketched her out and colored her in with my caran d'ache crayons and then got to work on the background. I had a lot of fun with this. I collaged some papers onto the canvas board and applied layers of pink and green paint along with white gesso. I used a paper towel to wipe away after I applied the paint. I typically don't do that but I have to say I loved the results. Between the papers and paint layers it has lots of great texture. She looks better in person . . . was fighting with my scanner to get a good image. I think I lost that battle! lol

To see all the other lovely creations for this week pop on over to the blog!

Just click HERE!

Wishing you all a great weekend!

xo

Wordless Wednesday . . .

Her Hair Was Made of Hearts . . . New Sketch!

Today was supposed to be my Texture Tuesday post but alas I never got my act together for the challenge this week! Oh well. So I thought instead I would share this sketch I did yesterday.

I was having a bad day yesterday, headachy, not feeling like myself, (again, I know) so I thought about trying to sketch and get my mind off of things.

Lately I have been focusing on sketching realism with my faces but yesterday I thought it would be fun to go back to a more stylized face. And I am glad I did. I like her. Sometimes I get off track with creating what I think I "should" instead of what I truly am drawn to. I wanted to make a pretty face and I think I did!

The idea for her heart hair came after sketching in wavy hair that I hated! lol So as you can probably see I erased that and started putting down hearts.

The words came last that I scribbled up in the right corner. . .

"Her Hair Was Made of Hearts That Fell From The Sky . . . "

I think she will look pretty on a canvas. . .

xo

Butterflies . . . More Art Therapy For Me

"Dream"

mixed media on 6x8 flat canvas board

available on etsy

Thanks so much to everyone for all the amazing comments on my last post! It makes my heart happy to have so much encouragement and support here in blogland!!

This is my latest painting and I have to say I love it! The color palette is not typically what I am comfortable with but I went for it. I had new paper I wanted to use for collage with lots of butterflies. So I collaged the paper on and then used glazes of teal, gold, and yellow. I used bubble wrap with ink for texture and my crayons to color in the butterflies. I didn't realize until I had finished that those crayons made everything pop! It made me wish I had shaded my last piece.

Today I am just relaxing . . . I haven't had a late night out in forever! The concert was AMAZING last night!! I didn't want it to end! It was alot of driving but well worth it. Def Leppard and Heart rocked it!! When I was out and about years ago dating and doing the clubbing thing I don't know how I lived on such a lack of sleep! lol It will take a few days to catch up!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend and creating lovely things!

xo

Trying To Paint My Way Out Of A Bad Week . . .

mixed media on 9x12 watercolor paper

So it has been a rough week for me. An emotional rollercoaster of sorts. It began on Saturday with my half sister's high school graduation which I cried through over my dad not living to see the day, and then Monday night my mom called with some bad news about a cousin of mine that hit way too close to home for me. Then the tears started again. Today I feel like I am finally starting to pull myself up out of the muck of it all.

Late last night I went into the studio grabbed some paint and a piece of watercolor paper and started smearing paint around with a paper towel no less. Then I added some stamping. Then I added white paint with a brayer. I grabbed my distress ink and started smearing that around the edges. And at the end I used my crayons for some shading. The words that popped up for me I quickly wrote on the paper. Kinda appropriate for the week I had. Somehow your soul just knows what to bring out of you.

It felt good to create something even if it was messy. I will be trying to link up to Paint Party Friday for the first time this week. Trying to stay positive and thats a pretty nice place to be from what I have seen! :)

Tomorrow night Lou and I are going to see Def Leppard in concert. Our 4th time! Their special guest is Heart. It is sure to be an amazing show. I am looking forward to it. It will be a great way to end a stressful week!

Wishing you all a lovely holiday weeked!

xo