The one where I couldn't wait to play with my supplies...

When I got my Maya Road goodies a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't wait to play with the yummy embellishments and made this tag. I just adore that resin bird and the gorgeous lace trim! :)

I found this textured white paper in my scrap pile and used it to cover a cardboard base. After distressing the edges, I used some Ranger distress inks to "age" the edges a little. [Oh yes, I have a whole collection of distress inks but never quite "fell in love" with them.... glad they are getting some action now. *winks*]

Next was the fun part...where the hot glue gun came out to play! [Last week, I had a minor "meltdown" when I discovered that I only had one glue stick left in my stash! *LOL*]

I tend to get dimensional on tags because they don't have to fit into an envelope and I usually include them in a gift box.

Happy week ahead friends!

P/s: I was travelling last week so I will be playing catchup on your blogs this week!

An obsession with the eye...

If you follow me on Instagram, you would know that lately, I've been obsessed with drawing and painting the eye. It is a fascinating subject for me strangely. So, if you catch me staring intently at you, I'm really checking out your eyeballs! *LOL* 

This one was done with Prismacolor Pencils on bristol paper. It took forever [like an hour! ] Burnishing and blending with coloured pencils require lots of patience but you get a lot more control. The ones in the previous photo were done with watercolours....and I kind of screwed up with the eye lashes. They are so hard! *LOL*

My fave colours on a mixed media canvas...

So I finally got some canvases and proceeded to work on 3 mixed media canvases concurrently to add to my "spare" projects pile. That pile has been empty for a while....[sad music plays in the background] *winks*

This month, I challenged myself to "fall back in love" with my neglected art supplies [I suffer from an acute case of Shiny Object Syndrome...*LOL*] like my collection of spray mists. :)

I started with some wrapping tissue and lace from old bras [I've a stockpile from a recent spring-cleaning of my lingerie drawer...*winks*]. Then I applied a layer of Liquitex light modeling paste with The Crafter's Workshop stencil and added ColourArte mists in my fave colours. :)

I love the subtle shimmer from the mica flakes in the mists and cool textures that pop when the mists flow into the little nooks and crannies. :)

I finished with my fave embellishments from Maya Road. :)

P/s: Hope your week has been awesome so far. 

Embrace the unknown....

Over the weekend, I experimented with my highly neglected mixed media supplies and went a little crazy in my art journal. Instead of overthinking, I embraced the unknown and just played with as many art supplies as I could! *winks*

I first coloured the gessoed base with Derwent Inktense blocks and water. Then I went in with gesso and stencils. And then another layer of stencil with walnut ink. Next, I dripped some Daler Rowney inks and did some stamping with Ranger Archival Ink. I finished with text written with black and white acrylic paint pens.

Happy week ahead friends! :)

Finding new ways to use my planner....

Now that I enjoy the decorating aspects of the planner craze, I've been finding new ways to use my planner. 

Like a place to keep my random drawings so that I can keep track of my progress. And an excuse to use up my MT tape. :)

And document my current obsessions....[you know that changes quite frequently..*winks*.] 

Happy weekend friends!:)

A purple mixed media tag

This was another one of those mish mash tags....where I use little bits from my "save-it-for-a-rainy-day" box and try to make something decent. *LOL*

I started with a cardboard base which I covered with paper. Then I added light modeling paste with a stencil and spritzed with a lilac mist.

Next I added little bits of lace from old bras [yes, apparently I like purple lingerie...*winks*].

I finished off with paper blooms, bling and a feather. :)

Guest designing for Stuck?! Sketches...

So I was invited to be the guest designer for the May 15 sketch over at Stuck?! Sketches. :)

I decided to go the pretty route for this layout....because of this sweet photo of my niece in her new tutu dress. Yeah, she's like my real-life doll. I totally "staged" this photo...*winks*

Trying to work through my chipboard collection too...[Can you believe I still have a lot of chipboard from my 2013 design team stint with Blue Fern Studios? ]

I love adding the tulle and the lace for a dreamy feel.

Here's the sketch...come play along! 

For the love of watercolours....

These days, I've been a little obsessed with watercolours. You won't believe how many books I've read or how many YouTube videos I've watched...and I'm still pretty terrible at harnessing the magic of watercolours. 

The beauty of watercolours lies in the transparency and luminosity of the pigments. They lose their lustre when you "overplay" with them. Which is what I tend to do...*sigh* 

The key is to build up the colours layer by layer...and to keep practising...

Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the process of growing my watercolour collection...*winks* 

The lazy person's wreath...*winks*

So I had a vision of a twine-wrapped wreath with lots of bright and cutesy stuff that I had in my stash that I really wanted to use. Evidently it didn't happen. *LOL*

The-gluing-the-twine-to-the-wreath part took forever [okay... more than an hour] and used up more twine than expected. So the lazy person had to think of a faster way to finish the wreath...

So what did the lazy person do? Glue lace fabric to cover up the rest of the wreath of course! :)

Then finished with tulle, pearls, Maya Road blooms and bling.

It did turn out pretty eh? *winks*

The need for self-preservation....*winks*

I find it rather amusing that whenever nephews #2 & #3 come over for a visit, the first thing they do is raid the toy box for all the "self-preservation" toys. Toy guns, drill, hammer, binoculars, torchlight, sword et cetera.

According to nephew #2, " We live in a dangerous word." [aka Grandma's house] *LOL*

Still working through my patterned paper stash....:)

Playing along with Stuck?! Sketches.

A pretty clipboard cum chalkboard...:)

LESSology Challenge #58: Chalkboard Fun is all about playing with a real or faux chalkboard. I altered a clipboard with some chalkboard paint and pretty stuff. :)

I started with this old Typo clipboard that I've had for years and my fave Martha Stewart chalkboard paint. 

Next, I adhered this gorgeous lace with matte medium (you can use an adhesive of your choice).

Then I decorated the top of the clip with pretty stuff so that it looks lovely but still remains functional as a clipboard. Why yes...this project required TWO tassels instead of one. *winks*

Once that was done, I proceeded to write with a pastel pencil on my new clipboard cum chalkboard. It works like a piece of chalk minus the chalk dust.