Tuesday

The one about the beetroot grin


The-one-about-the-beetroot-grin

We've always had beetroot either juiced or in a soup at home...so the other day, I decided to try roasting some beetroot for dinner. Of course, everyone started laughing when we saw the "beetroot grins" on each other's faces. *LOL*


And of course, it was nephew #1's first taste of beetroot (yeah, what have his parents been feeding him? Haha!)....so I had to take some pictures (and nobody else wanted their beetroot grins featured on a layout...*winks*).


I kept the layout fairly simple (trying to use up the remaining bits of a DCWV paper stack) and used triangle shapes to add interest to the piece. Dressed it up with washi tape and stickers in similar hues and finished with buttons for dimension and texture.



Playing along with Let's Get Sketchy.


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Monday

The reworked upcycled tea tin


The-reworked-upcycled-tea-tin
See original post: Upcycled gold tin

Yes friends, I've been ruthlessly going through my old projects to see if I can 
1. Put them to use as is or find them a new loving home.
2. Update them so that they can actually be used/reflect my current aesthetic.
3. Salvage usable parts and say adios to the rest of the items.

Like this upcycled tea tin that I did way back in 2010 (so glad I kept meticulous records on my blog...*winks*). It was found in a drawer as a storage unit for some random found objects. The gold trim was falling off the tin and a little tarnished while the paper bloom was torn in several places.

But the overall design still appealed to me so I decided the salvage as much as I could and rework it a little.


So I went in with some ribbon, added new gold trim (see the difference in lustre in the photo...the old trim is in the background) and a gold button.


The changes are very minimal and subtle but now it's the perfect home for a new plant in my creative space!


Happy week ahead friends! :)


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Friday

My fave white art media




As you probably already know, I love using white art media in my artwork. And I'm always on the lookout for more to add to my art supply stash because every medium has its pros and cons and this way, I'll always have my bases covered. *winks*




1. Liquitex super heavy gesso

I use gesso to prep the surface of my substrate when I embark on a mixed media project. I also use it as an alternative to white acrylic paint on my artwork because it is less opaque.

I have tried many brands of gesso and I think that Liquitex offers great artist quality gesso for a reasonable price. I love the super heavy gesso version because it can be thinned down with water for a lighter consistency and used as is for a thicker coverage.

2. Faber Castell gelato

This watersoluble crayon is great for adding finishing highlights on a face. I also use this white over a (dried) dark paint colour to lighten it. 

3. Stabilo All pencil

This incredible pencil writes on almost all surfaces including glass, plastic,paper, porcelain and metal. When I've gone too dark, I use this as the last step to draw out the highlights. It is watersoluble and makes a great drawing tool on dark surfaces.

My local art supply store doesn't always stock them so I have 3 backups in my stash. *LOL*

4. Conte Blanc

This is an interesting pencil made from a blend of natural pigments, kaolin clay and graphite. It is smudge-proof and I use it to colour in the white in my eye drawings.

5. Prismacolor pencil

This wax-based pencil is soft and extremely blendable. I use it to lighten dark shades and to highlight aspects of my artwork.

6. Faber Castell pitt pen

This India ink brush pen goes on very bright and vibrant and I love using it to draw out larger highlights.

7. Sakura gelly roll

I love using this gel ink pen for journaling on a dark surface or photos. The fine tip also makes it great for drawing in the finer details in my paintings/drawings.

It is important to clean your pen nib periodically to ensure smooth flow of ink.

8. Uniball Signo

I use this like the Sakura gelly roll - for journaling and highlighting. This one writes better on glossy surfaces (like photos) but the broad nib is not suitable for small areas.

9. Posca paint marker

This is acrylic paint in a marker form so I use it for anything you might possibly use white paint for. I've used it to colour in chipboard, journaling, cover up "mistakes". 

10. Art Spectrum pigmented artists ink & Daler Rowney FW acrylic artists ink

These are very pigmented white ink with slight variations in consistency (AS is much more fluid) and I use them to create dynamic splatters on my artwork.


There you have it...my fave white art media. Do you utilize any on your projects?



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Tuesday

The one about the $2 dessert


The-one-about-the-$2-dessert

Last month my sister and I had lunch at Bangkok Jam, a local Thai restaurant. 


They were having a promotion for their desserts. If you posted a photo of any of their desserts on social media, you could enjoy that said dessert for just $2!


My sister didn't like any of the photos I took of her with the dessert...check out the photos of her taking selfies with the dessert instead! *LOL*


Playing along with Stick It Down.


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Monday

Another reworked mixed media girl on canvas


Another-reworked-girl-on-canvas

Hello friends! Today I share another reworked mixed media girl on canvas. The original piece was done in October 2015. (I didn't alter the background at all...colour differences due to different cameras used.) 


It was fun and challenging to paint a new face over a textured surface while keeping the background intact. :)


I used Jo Sonja's flesh tone acrylic paint for the base of the face, drew the details in with Liquitex inks and Posca paint markers and finished off with Faber Castell gelatos (highlights and cheek colour on the face).

Happy week ahead friends!


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Thursday

A quick decorated bag


A-quick-decorated-paper-bag

I am currently on a mission to decorate a bunch of paper bags that I recently uncovered in my stash while decluttering. Perfect...since I also wanted to use up some of the paper packs I own. 


Like this DCVW paper stack that I've been trying forever to use up. (In case you were wondering...I bought a couple of Fresh facial masks earlier this year because your girl here is starting her anti-aging routine! *winks*)


As always, I cut my patterned papers to size, ran it through my trusty Xyron Creative Station and adhered the patterned papers to the base bag.I also fussy-cut some elements from the same paper stack to coordinate with the background papers.


Once I was happy with the overall composition of the piece, I went in to add some texture. Like the two ribbon bows, buttons and bling. I kept everything relatively flat for easy storage in my drawer until the decorated paper bag is ready to be used.

What about you? Do you decorate a whole bunch of paper bags to use for last-minute gifts?


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Wednesday

My creative workspace (October 2018)



So the creative workspace is always a work-in-progress because I try to get as many art supplies in my line of sight so that I will actually use them. *winks*


And of course, my cute stuff needs to be displayed too. :)


Here's my fave little nook...

I had a really old whiteboard/corkboard combo bulletin system that I spruced up by adding a framed wire display to the corkboard portion...and I think it looks way better. :)

And yes, this grown woman has a lot of stuffed toys. All gifts though.


I do have a lot of vertical space so things are building up! *LOL*


I've also started adding real plants to my creative workspace to absorb all the chemicals in the air....


Yes, I've a weakness for pens and markers. This is not my entire collection. Maybe 75%???


And my desk area is always full of stuff...including snacks.

Hope you've enjoyed this tour of my creative workspace. :)


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Tuesday

New additions - September 2018 edition



So last month, I had a huge toiletries haul when I was in Bangkok. Not only were the Soap & Glory products at a fraction of the cost in Singapore, they were also on sale - 1 for 1! Needless to say, I went overboard in my usual fashion. I so wanted to buy more but they were so heavy! *LOL*


Of course, I had to buy some cute stuff too, right? Check out my new furry pens! :)


I also got two new books from Book Depository. Guess you will be seeing some fashion illustration and botanical drawings coming up from me soon. Hopefully. *winks*


Last but not least, I picked up some new art supplies from the art supply store.

What about you? Have you added to your stash lately?


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Monday

When symmetry is overrated...*winks*


When-symmetry-is-overrated

Clearly, the title of this post is my excuse for the lack of symmetry in my pair of eyes. Which happens when you finish drawing/painting one eye and then of course, decide to embark on the other and "try" to match them up. *LOL*


I started with my usual prep for my mixed media canvases - upcycled wrapping tissue on canvases, gesso, messy paints and inks with a little stenciling action before drawing the eye on each canvas.


The details were added in with paint markers and gel pens.


Happy October friends! :)


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Thursday

9 ways to use speech/thought bubbles on your projects


Speech/thought bubbles can add whimsical fun to your projects especially if you use them in a humorous way. *winks* Here are 9 ways to incorporate them on your projects.

A-card-for-the-Fall-Coffee-Lovers-Blog-Hop
A card for Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

A coffee/tea cup with a lovely sentiment.:)

The-Tupperware-party
The Tupperware Party
Things the subject may be thinking...

A little love for my sister
A little love for my sister
A cute "scene" in a thought bubble.
When-I-went-shopping-in-my-scrap-pile
When I went shopping in my scrap pile
A simple "hi"from one birdie to another.

This-week's-card-from-scraps
This week's card from the scrap pile
A little love from an elephant to a birdie.

Frankenmouse
The one about the Frankenmouse
Explaining the subject's "actions".

Hello-hello-card
Batch processing...is the way I roll
LOVE love in a thought bubble.

Dream
The story about the mid-sleep position
What the kids could be dreaming about...

Happy-birthday-card
Do you love abstract patterns?
A birdie singing Happy Birthday!

There you have it. 9 fun ways to use speech/thought bubbles on your projects. Do you use them on your projects?



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