Creative Exploration Challenge - Week #5 Crackle Effect

Hello Friends! This weeks was a crazy week. My husband and I both got memberships to our local gym. Yeah Me!!! Getting fit is yet another item on my list for 2012.  So it has been challenging getting a new routine in order.  Getting daughter to school, workout, clean house, pick up daughter, after-school fun and trying to fit in my artwork in there somewhere. I was also a little under the weather, but somehow I managed to fit it all in.

(It's also In the Studio Friday - check out other creative blogs here)

This weeks Challenge was very cool - it is making a crackle effect on a object using Elmer's glue. I am very happy with how this worked and I am excited to also try this on wood.

I cut out this dress from card stock to use in a mixed media project.  You could use any surface - I am looking forward to trying this as a background on a canvas or wood.

Apply Elmer's Glue

Spread glue

Add paint

Cover Object

Let air dry or use heat gun!

Here she is - this is still a work in progress but I wanted to share where I used my dress! I just love this effect and plan on using this much more!

Here is to another wonderful week! Hugs and Love, Dayleanne XOXO

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My art journal!

Creative Exploration Challenge - Week #4 - Stamp Making

So this weeks challenge was to make your own stamps!  I changed this up a little bit - as the project was on wood and also they provided a template for the stamp that was really not my style.  What I decided to do is create my own pattern and also to place my stamp on a current mixed media project I am working on.  It turned out very cute.  This is something I have done in the past so I was not really learning any new techniques this week but was able to revisit a technique that is a great and budget friendly way to get a fun and unique stamp!

Using card stock - draw design of stamp

use blade to cute out area for stamping

Here it is! :-)

Place on surface - and paint!

Finished Product!  I added a few more stars to this art piece - I think  next week I will be creating a few more stamps for another piece I am working on!


Also this week!

I waited in line on Thursday to get tickets to see the Presidents visit to Ann Arbor today - I had to bail and could not stay to get my ticket it was taking WAY to long and I had to get my girl to a doctors appointment.  Even though I did not get a ticket it was a great way to spend my morning.  All the college kids - singing,  meeting new people in line and the fun electricity in the air!  Maybe next time :-)

And its Bloggy Friday!  I like to come to my favorite coffee shop on Fridays and catch up on  reading  blogs and updating mine! A great way to end the week!

Oh for the love of Photography!

I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately and as you know looking to ignite that artistic spark that has been pretty dull for awhile. One thing I have been realizing is that I really miss taking photographs.  When my daughter was younger we had purchased a digital camera at the time is was a very nice camera.  I was a picture taking fool.  Our lives from 2005 until now has been full of ups and a lot of downs.  It just now feels like we are able to take a breath (I always get nervous saying that worried I will jinx it)!

And what I have been finding in this calm is that I am rediscovering the things that I loved doing before our lives were turned upside down.  One of course my art and I have also been missing capturing the life I love around me.  So as part of my year of rediscovery I am looking into purchasing my next camera.  I have a limited budget so I need to get the most bang for my buck! So any of you who may have suggestions they are welcome.

Here I would like to share some of my old photographs! Enjoy! Love and Hugs - dayleanne

This is my husband Dan - Photos I took in Chicago 2002 for his album release.

This is my daughter - Dylan Lennon the other love of my life.  This photo always makes me smile!

My girl again at age 2

My sister with my niece 

My girl age 4

Dylan - age 9

A little DIY with dayleanne

So Pinterest has me going crazy with fantastic DIY projects! My daughter Dylan and I worked on one this weekend! We made outdoor ice orbs. We used yellow and blue dye for them - Dylan's school colors and also U of M - cant go wrong! Here is how it turned out.

My girl and I put water color in the balloons and filled them - placed them  in the containers so they could sit flat and create a bottom

Sitting outside over night to freeze

Creative Exploration Challenge - Week #3 - Glazing

Well Peeps - what a week!

I had a great time with this weeks project.  This week was working with glazes - and using it to create altered book art.  I am so glad I took this challenge for myself this year - working on altered book art is something I always wanted to do but just never stepped out of the box to do it.

I really had fun working on this - one week of playing probably was not enough time.  I can see me adding to this project as I come across other items.

Working with the glaze was fun - it provided great light colors.  I used yellow ochre and sea foam for glazes.  For the black paint I used acrylic black with the Golden Acrylic Flow Release.

Ok so friends who do or have done altered book art - one question?  What do you do with yours when you are done?  Close the book - put on the shelf, display or make a digital copy?

So on a personal note - Total Bummer and Awesomeness for the week!

Total bummer - my laptop bit the dust! I mean I lost almost everything  - thank goodness I am good at backing up files.  So last week and most of this week I relied on my IPhone to keep me connected!

Awesomeness - lets see there is always so much to be thankful for but this week - ok totally awesome I found out Titanic is coming back to theaters in 3D! Sweet!

more awesomeness - I got my laptop back and I had a blast getting into a routine and getting my behind creating again.  I am working on two pieces on the side while I am doing the challenge and I am excited about how they are coming along! Here's to another great week! Thank you for stopping by - dayleanne



Please take time to click on the link for "In the Studio" on the left side of the page to check out some other wonderful creative spirits!

Creative Exploration Challenge Week 1 & 2

So what a fantastic week! I have completed my first 2 art challenges for 2012! My challenges this week were:

Week #1 - paint on silk

Week #2 - create an observation icon

I am excited to report I am very happy with how these first 2 challenges went.  I was pretty much in a creative rut and pretty down on myself last year.  My goal with these challenges was to step out of my comfort zone and try new things in the effort to learn new techniques and discover my creative niche.

Here is what I worked on this week! 

Week #1 - Paint on Silk

                                            

                                         

So this is a acrylic on silk using a embroidery hoop

This was interesting to do - I am not sure this is something I would do again but what I discovered was I loved the Golden Flow Release that I used - I really never worked with this in the past and it was fantastic! 

Week #2 - Create an Observation Icon

This challenge was to paint with watercolor onto small watercolor paper cut outs.  Now I have tried to work with water colors before and was never thrilled with the result.  A suggested item for this project was a water brush.  OMG LOVED IT! 

I see myself working with this a lot more!  The challenge was to paint geraniums - but I was not feeling that so I went with my favorite flowers - daisies!

What a great week and I am so excited for next weeks challenge. 

In my previous life a was a Program Manager for a automotive supplier, I really excelled at my job and took pride in it.  When we decided I would be a stay at home mom to take care of our daughter and scale down our hectic lives I was so excited to be able to focus on my art.  But somehow I could not get my groove and was not happy about this.  So I sat and thought how would Dayle the Program Manager tackle this??  And I decided I needed an Action Plan - so that is what I did!  I created my Action Plan for getting my creative butt in gear.

I needed to find my creative niche and program manage my time for this creative journey.

Working on a year long challenge is perfect for me - and I feel that creative spark coming alive again.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out my journey! Dayleanne
sorry this is short and sweet but my laptop is in getting fixed and I had to post from my iphone!