Buggy Eyed

Hello Dear Friends!

I've been trying hard to get back into being creative.  This is easier said than done when we're trying to milk every ounce of Summer out of the remaining days of vacation.  Maggie goes back to school on the 8th of August (early, huh?!).

But, when I saw that Butterfly Effect had the theme of INSECTS this week, I knew I had to join in.
First, I thought I'd revisit the fun Lesson from Drawing Lab (which, *ahem* I have not forgotten about.....new posts soon to follow) with the monkeys in this post HERE. 

Maggie picked a few random colors for me and I drew common bugs in this new, brighter colors.....

Is a cockroach less gross in red and green?

Or a wasp less intimidating with hot pink stripes?

....and since I was using the Drawing Lab book, I skipped ahead to Lesson 40 and decided to try my hand at a whimsically drawn bug collection.

I did a large blue beetle......

....a bright colored grasshopper....

...and a moth and beetle duo....

I enhanced the mattboards with Sharpie pens and silver metallic ink.  Here's what they look like together as a grouping.

Each  is 5x7 inches. 

I think I may try a larger collection.  I have a few 8 x 10 mattboards around here that could use a purpose :)

Thank you for peeking in today!

....and do crawl, fly or buzz over to Butterfly Effect and add your buggy creation to the mix :)

Bugs....er, I mean, Hugs,

Cameron

Summer Fun on the Books

Hello everyone!
This post is bittersweet for me.  I love that I can join in one more week over at Butterfly Effect,  the theme is BOOKS....
....but, I'm going to miss you sooooo very much!

You see, we are leaving for our annual camping excursion tomorrow....so, I'm going to be disconnected and unplugged from CyberWorld for a while.  Please don't do anything too exciting while I'm gone!  Then, again, it will be fun to catch up with all of you upon my return.

Plus, I'll get to subject you all to lots (and lots...heehee) of pictures ;-P

We look forward to being together, enjoying the great outdoors and getting away from the heat of the Summer every year.

I love trees, always have...and one of my most favorite things about camping where we do.

I was thinking about them at sunset when I tried coating book pages in black acrylic paint and smooshing (such a technical term, I know...haha) them together to see how the image would transfer to the other side.  The answer....

Not very well...but interesting to try.

Maggie was so intrigued by the whole notion of painting inside books...she wanted to join in.

This is her tree, complete with grass, sky, flowers, the 3 of us....and the words, "I love my family" :)

I also just played around with a quick face and lots of bubble wrap stamping....

Maggie told me her next page represented her room...and how we switched the blue, dark space into a bright and happy place for her. (You can read about that transformation HERE)

She added glitter as the last layer, which is hard to see here, but really does make the whole page sparkle.  I  was smiling to myself thinking how easily she grasps the whole concept of expression.  Proud Mama moment :)

Well, I guess that's it for now....

Need to finish cleaning the house and packing up the pantry items...so, I better go, but I'll most definately be thinking about you!

Sandy toes and Adventure awaits!

See you Mid July!

Yep, you read that right!

Enough hugs to last you,

Cam

Blood Related

There is an old, dilapidated house on the hill....you know the one everyone walks quickly by. 
The stories say that once, a beautiful, young widow lived there. Her husband perished from a strange illness....as did the entire house staff. Townsfolk paid their respects, but when the "illness" began to claim them, as well, the poor widow was locked in the house from the outside. Lest the whole town succumb to her disease.

In honor of Butterfly Effect's Vampire theme this week,
I ventured to capture her likeness.....

This is "The Mistress of the House"

Layers of acrylic paint, prismacolor pencil and ink were used to create her portrait.  Though her features are based on vague descriptions from historical documents and scared recollections of the most elder members of town, I'm told I got her delicate neck and high cheekbones just right. :o)

Painted on a vintage oval canvas...she is currently in my shop where she lies in wait.....heeheeeheee!

When I first started painting, I started with watercolors.  Of course, my love for the macabre was not safe in this medium either :)

Moments after feeding, this Vampire Vixen manages to keep her dress unmarred, but wipes her mouth with the back of her hand...
"Forgot a napkin again," she muses.

I painted her in 2009 and thought she was, perhaps, too bloody for the fare I usually offer in my Etsy store.

But, since the Mistress moved in, I listed this Vamp, as well, to be her neighbor :)

...and, of course, the coupon code for 20% off is still applicable.

Enter THANKS2U at checkout.

I enjoyed sharing these beautiful, but deadly, creatures with you.  Won't you join in this week for some bloody good fun? ;P

Fangs for stopping by,

Cameron

All Together Now!

I always hate showing up late to a party!

Then, again, I'm never the first and never the last...so I guess that puts me somewhere in the chewy center of things :)

The rules of this party say we need to do a little braggin' about ourselves...not something we get told to do often...so, I'll  do my best...teehee. It's all so exciting really, to sit down and talk about all the stuff you are proud of...and actually do right in Life.  Thanks, Amy!

So here we go!

Welcome!
My name is Cameron...cool name isn't it?!  I've always liked it.

I live with the philosophy that everything will work itself out.  I go with the flow and avoid big crowds, over-packed schedules and stress by saying NO to a lot of things.  This certainly doesn't make me the most popular girl in the group, but it keeps me sane.  I still find myself running out of time as it is.
I'm a Mom to a little girl that makes my heart full and happy...and a wife to a very patient and hardworking man.

I wouldn't win any awards for my housekeeping or parenting....but, they love me anyways!
I am extremely lucky!!

I'm a pretty darn good cook, but usually opt for whatever's easiest most of the time.  Unless, I get a craving for something...then I can't rest until I make it and consume it....

  

I think I could eat dessert for every meal :)

I am an awesome costume designer and take pride in putting things together with bits of this and scavenged that.

A small sampling of my handiwork...

I made this dress by hot gluing fabric pieces onto a black dress from the Thrift store.  I painted the patterns and did some hand stitching to the patches.

A furry vest and some other white clothing gets the spot treatment...

...And I made my girl a bohemian Beauty at last year's Ren Faire :)

I have a great ability to just kind of throw things together and make them work.  I had never sculpted anything before, but one day, I opened a package...and made these!

Now, I'm not saying they came about easily or quickly...but, I figured things out as I played...

...and there really is nothing more satisfying than being pleased with your efforts. 

 Especially when it involves something new ;)

I dabble in felt and jewelry from time to time.

But my true passion, the one thing I can lose myself in, is painting.  I'm lucky if I can get a few hours a week in, but those hours are magical for me....

...an opportunity to unwind and to be alone with my thoughts. 

It's amazing to me that some colors squeezed from a tube and some bristles on a stick can be used to develop a picture formed in our souls....

I made this for one of you.

5 X 7 inches on canvas.

Dream with your eyes wide open.....

...because I don't want you to miss a moment!

I'm also giving away to another lucky All Together Now Partier, these great stickers I ordered from Moo!

There are 10 in this set.  I just love them! 

 They turned out so good, I put some in the Shop, as well.

Hope you are having a lovely time at the Party!  Please visit Amy and the other revelers to see what they have to brag about!

I must go add some ice to my Malibu Coconut and OJ.....and apply to my swelled head!

All my best!

Cameron (still a cool name, eh?) ;P

Tooting Underwater

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all had a chance to enjoy your weekend.  This week is going to be so darn busy, that I took the opportunity to do a quick blog post now and use the rest of the week to prepare for the BIG BLOG HOP SHINDIG that starts on Friday!

What Shindig you ask?
Take a look over there...see the button?
__________________________________________>>>>>

Amy is hosting All Together Now.  A wonderful opportunity to share what you do with everyone, and when I say share, I really mean shout from the rafters why it's awesome, why you're great and enthusiastically offer a sampling of your bodacious talents to those who visit!!  It's true!  Those are the rules :D

Please go check it out and join us for 3 fun-filled days of tooting (our own horns that is...whatever you do in private is up to you....heehee).  Hope to find you among the revelers!!

Now, on to today's post!
The theme over at Butterfly this week is Underwater.  I just so happened to have 2 unfinished paintings waiting for this little push.

They are both 5 x 7 inches on canvas panels.
This is "White Knight"

I didn't think it would be as difficult as it was to paint a white seahorse.  The challenge was to add details, some color and even a pattern to him...all while still keeping him coming across as white :)

This next one is called "Safe Haven".

I've always liked these little guys :)

They are both available in my shop if you'd like to take a looksie.

I have to run to pick up Maggie from school now...  

I'm sorry all my Drawing Lab people...I know I'm seriously underwater in my Lesson obligations, too....it is on my list!

Have a great week and hope to see you at the shindig!

Here's to tooting big toots! ;P

Cam

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

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