Pretty Sticky

Just jumping in again this week to join the lovelies at Butterfly Effect and their theme of FLOWERS.

I don't know why I've had stickers on my mind. I've always adored them and collected them in grade school. I still get giddy over a yummy scratch-n-sniff one or an extra glittery one :)

I even ordered some stickers with my art on them from MOO!  I can't wait to get those!
So, it just felt appropriate to spend some time getting my sticky on ;P

Maggie and I used Sharpies to draw shapes and designs on thicker sheets of white paper.
It was a nice way to spend some time together...sitting side by side, doodling and admiring each other's work :)
These are mine...

Maggie's are below.

...then we colored them in with Prismacolor pencils.

I cut them out when they were ready and sent them through this.

Do you have a Xyron machine? If you don't, look into one!!  You put your diecuts, photos, random bits of paper, fabric, anything that isn't too thick in...crank the handle...and it comes out the other side as a sticker!! 

You can also get laminate cartridges and magnet backing cartridges, if you prefer. It comes in a 12 inch size, too, but, I'm financially challenged and could only afford the 5 incher.

 I LOVE my Xyron!  I used it to make those Witch Pantry Labels last Halloween....remember those?

Now, I have some pretty embellishments for my envelopes :)

Hope you have a flower-filled week!

Yours in stickiness,

Cam ;P

LESSON 9 - When Right is Wrong

Hello Friends!
As promised, I finally have another installment of Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab Lessons to share with you.

This lesson was about using your wrong hand to draw a portrait with permanent ink.
No erasing, limited control and looking at your subject 60% of the time while drawing, is meant to practice further coordination between your hand and your eyes.

For me, my right hand is my "wrong" hand....
So, I used 2 tear outs from a magazine, a Sharpie and began.
Here's the first attempt.

Fine motor control with this hand is greatly reduced, so detail lines were quite difficult.  Eyes were automatically wonky and trying to control the slope of her jaw...well, had some humorous results :)

I chose a larger picture for the 2nd one which proved to be a tad easier...

But not much...haha!  What would usually be a deliberate slight curve with your dominant hand becomes way too wavy like in the lips and eyes....

...and those fine lines of the eyelashes and hair take a lot of thought with your wrong hand.  It was kind of nice not to worry about the outcome, though.  I'm finding that this book is helping me to relinquish the choke hold I sometimes assert on my art....haha!

Next week's Lesson...we get to go to the Coffee Shop and draw the people around us.  I get a little self conscious when I whip out a pencil and paper in public...but I'll do it for you guys, oh, and the promise of coffee doesn't hurt either ;P

Please link up your wrong-handed drawings here!

Thanks for playing along :)

Blowing kisses with both hands,
Cameron

Wings are for Flying

Hello Everyone!
Well, another week has just flown by!
Luckily, I made it back just in time to link up with the Butterfliers this week for their theme of FAIRIES!

I absolutely adore fairies...and mermaids and unicorns and...you get the idea ;P
In fact, I was just finishing a Fairy and Child painting the day I found out I was pregnant...weird, right?!
The painting is in my sidebar for those who've never seen it...

I even turned Maggie into a fairy a couple years ago.  I cut out her photo and added wings with colored pencil for the opening page of one of her scrapbooks.

I still haven't finished this book...or started anymore since, but at least this page turned out cute....haha!

I haven't painted a fairy in ages, so I was really looking forward to making something to link up!

After a few sketches, including this one....

I made this:

Her face kinda reminds me of Scully (Gillian Anderson) from X-files...haha!

I broke out my gold leaf again for her circlet...I just love that stuff :)

The words are bits from vintage children's books that I assembled to make this encouraging message,

You are beautiful, enchanting and wise...

Believe you have wings...

                                  ...and fly

Hope you like her :)

She is in the shop waiting for a new home. 

Don't forget about the coupon code BDAYWISHES for 15% off until the end of April, just in case...heehee!

As always, thank you for stopping by!

This weekend we got to the Renaissance Faire!  I'll show pictures as soon as we return.

Oh, and don't worry Drawing Lab Lesson Partners...we will be doing the next Lesson next week, too!  So sorry I've lagged a bit on that :(

Enjoy your weekend...

...use those wings!

Super duper mega hugs,

Cameron

Up to Speed

Hi...
Hello!
How the heck are ya?!!!

*Hugs you*
I've missed you guys!!

Let's catch up a bit, shall we?
Where to start? Hmmm.....let's see.....
Our Easter was great :)

This is Maggie with my Brother's son visiting the Easter Bunny.

The weather has been on and off rain with the most beautiful clouds!  I love clouds!

Maggie moved up from an Orange Belt to a Purple in Karate....

....and tied her own belt during her promotion.  Which is a big deal for a not-quite-6 year old  :)

Sally has been growing and doing a lot of, well, what cats do best....haha!

....and yesterday just happened to be my Birthday :)

I spent it having a Garage Sale.  It was a neighborhood Garage Sale.  I spent Friday night and Early Sat getting everything ready...stayed up til 4am not even sure if it was going to rain or not...slept for 2 hours and got up at 6am to put everything out in time for the 7am start time.  It ended up being a beautiful day!  I tell ya....despite the lack of sleep....I might just have to make this a birthday tradition....cuz Momma's going shopping tomorrow...haha!

While I was outside wheeling and dealing, my Hubby put these beautiful bouquets and chocolate covered strawberries out to surprise me!  

...and a big thank you to Daniele for sending me a little special something in the mail :)

Because sweet gestures can never be overdone, I am extending a coupon code to you all for my Birthday to use in my Etsy Shop.   This will be good to the end of April. 

 Just enter BdayWishes  to enjoy a 15% discount...

...and thank you all so much for your support and friendship! 

And, as if that's not enough, I've got some new art to show you.
Really, I do!

This is, "Raindrops"
in the beginning...

...and completed...

The quote reads, "Tomorrow's flowers are the raindrops of today"

8 1/2 by 11 1/2 inches

She's in the shop waiting to brighten someone's rainy day ;)

One of the covers of an old children's book.  Here's what I did with the other.

"No Love Like Mine" in the early stages....

...and after...

"In all the world, there's no love for you like mine"

She was made with the before mentioned Daniele in mind.  Do you see the 3 kites behind the house?  She has 3 girls...and loves to sport gorgeous, bright red hair at times.  We are doing a trade....so I painted this for her.   I just love trades....heehee!

So...now that I've got you all caught up with the haps around here, I need to go make my rounds and get caught up with all of you!  I really have missed you *another hug....cuz I'm a huggy kinda girl*

I promise not to be away so long!

My best,

Cameron

Lesson 8 - Unimaginative Creatures

Actually, this Lesson is called Imaginary Creatures.....but, I had a hard time enjoying this one...

Hi there!  Yes, yes, it's really me.  I have re-surfaced, just briefly, mind you....to bring you another Lesson from this wonderful book:

My Husband is a teacher...so both he and and my daughter are home for Spring Break.  I haven't been on the computer or at my art desk much, but was able to squeeze this in.

The results of this Lesson do not compare in the least to what I accomplished in the last... but I am the first to admit that I just don't pull off whimsy easily. 

We were to put random watercolor marks on paper starting with red.

Then blue...

Then yellow...

After we let these marks dry, we were to try to pull an imaginary creature from the shapes....outlining in ink and adding more detail with charcoal and more paint.

Here's some sort of butterfly/ flying lizard thing....

A kinda mouse thing...

...and a bit of a bird-like thing...

I didn't care for this assignment....but, again, it's about doing something I wouldn't normally do and expanding my horizons :)

What I am really excited about, though, is that the completion of this Lesson moves us into the next Unit.  Lessons inspired by People now, rather than animals!  

Thank you all for joining me so far...and a big welcome to the New Linkers who have found their way here!

We still have a lot of Book left to explore together :D

So, please link your Lesson 8 posts here:

...and I'll be sure to drop by!

Hope you've all been able to use your imaginations this week!

Big Hugs,

Cameron