A blog about mixed media/collage artwork of Laura Shelton, maybe some techniques and mini tutorials, even some videos!!...So, grab a coffee and relax for a while...and away we go!!!
You know it's bad when you have to make yourself stop creating long enough to blog about it all, complete with pics, descriptions and some tips and techniques thrown in...This may get kinda long, but i am trying to make sure i add things that you would really like to know about...so, without further ado, let's get this going...
1. I have been making a ton of paper and misc. embellishments to use in my art journal, on cards, as little swap gifties, etc...here is a few of them...
small butterfly card, smaller than an atc
small tag
small tags and cards w mixed media/collage
small tag with secret garden collage and butterfly
These are just a slight drop in the bucket from all I have been making..I am also making small journals, and other types of embellies, plus I have made some pretty awesome stamps as well! I used fun foam for the stamps and embossed them or used my heating craft tool to do the design in a burned out way...worked great, smelled awful, but did work well!
misc. flower embellies
small paper embellies
I have made all kinds of small journals, "bitty books", artist books, mini books, accordion books, and altered books here and there...
small card embellie, smaller than an atc
And even with showing you all of these, they still aren't a drop in the bucket...I am having to slow down now, had blood work done and it turned out not so good...so I am going to have to ease up for just a while...
Ok, well, I have shown you enough for one evening...If you have any questions, please just drop me a line in my comments section...I will be glad to answer anything for you! More later, and have a blessed and creative day!!
I used to know someone who was always referring to "Back in the day...", which is fine, unless you do it about 27 times a day, at which point everyone begins to think you live more in your "Glorious Past" where you were a legend in your own mind and everything was 100 times better than now, and that you might be trying to avoid the reality of the "Here and Now", where you actually still live with your parents, have a part time job, and a none of the time love life....remind you of anyone?? Yeah...those people...
The reason I bring up the past is not to persecute a few old boyfriends and maybe an ex or two, but I wanted to let you know that I am going to be listing some artsy videos that I made, "Back in the day..." which goes all the way back to around 2012 or so... I think today I am going to list the very first video I ever made...It isn't huge on techniques, but is more just AN INFormative, let's get to know each other kind of video...You will get to have a quickie course on how I usually do my altered Books, explained sweetly in my ridiculous sounding Texas drawl...I'm sure you will get a kick out of it...I never realized just how TEXAn I sounded until I started doing videos! Try to ignore the voice, and just take in the sights...It shouldn't be too painful....I would love to have some feedback from you about the video if you don't mind...Just post it in the comments section...
Have you recovered from the video yet?? Ok, good...moving right along, I just wanted to do a little bit of a tutorial for you, mostly just tips and things to make your life easier if you decide to make a book or two like the little books I have been making that range in size from 2x2 inches and up to 4x4 inches...2x2 inch Art Book
and the 4x4 inch Art book...
4x4 inch art book
These are made using the thick, watercolor Coaster tiles that you can get from Amazon, etc...and they look like this
and then, after you get through with them, you might have backgrounds that are sorta like these...I used dyes, watercolors, inks, collage, washi tape, markers, stencils, acrylic paints, stamps, my homemade permanent watercolors/spray mists (secret recipe...) and metallic and glitter paints...whew!! I may have forgotten a few, even now!! anyway, the backgrounds can be really awesome with such a small surface to work on, and the size and shape is really great to work with...after you get the watercolor tiles/coasters embellished like you want, give the entire thing a heavy coat of some type of sealer or varnish..I love the glossy acrylic varnish by Liquitex, or the really cheap but fantastic in my opinion, the acrylic gloss medium or varnish, made by Sargent. Cheap is fantastic in this case. I love it because it is a really super glossy, almost wet look even when it has dried.You may want a more matte look, in which case you can find it in either of the brands I mentioned, or use Golden's, etc......but any type of sealer/varnish will be fine, just make sure to get a good thick coat on your page...it will last forever then, and your kids can give the books to your grandkids when they get old enough for such valuable family heirlooms...yeah...ok, moving right along...
anyway. after you have a few pages (tiles) done by both front and back, assemble the pages into book form by first deciding which way your pages need to go and in what order, then punch a couple of holes in the left hand side of each page, and put the pages together using book rings, ribbon, leather strips, etc...Be sure to do a really nice page to be used for the front page of your new book, give it a title either by hand or by using sticky letters, etc...
front page of new book "Freedom"
Back side of the front page, which means it is the first page of the inside...
Be careful when punching your holes in the pages, and make sure you have them in the order you want them to stay in....once the holes are punched, they are not going to go away...I have accidentally punched the wrong side of the page 2 times since making these, and I was sorta able to cover it up with some embellishments that I glued in over the holes....Back in the day, I wouldn't have made that mistake.....uh huh...
Ok, I have probably worn you out by now, so I am going to stop...If you have any questions, leave them below in the comments, and I will address them in the next blog...Have a great week, and remember.....
Happy Creating!!
Laura
Laura's Uniques I
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurasUniques
Laura Uniques II
https://laurasuniques.patternbyetsy.com/
I know I don't do this as often as I should, but here is a book review that I am truly excited about...Creative Embellishments by Sherrill Kahn is in a single word - indispensable. Now, I am the one that loves to order books, loves to look at the pretty pictures for a few minutes, and then puts the book up on the shelf, never to be seen again by human eyes... This is NOT that book. Although certainly not a new book, it was new to me and it completely changed the way I look at embellishments and what they are made of, as well as what can be done with them, what you can use to make one, and how to use what you have made. I keep this book on my work table, right within reach because the pretty pictures in this book have actually taught me something, and more importantly, opened my mind to the complete world of embellishments. I had always just thought of embellishments as a way to add to my total art piece, but this book taught me that each embellishment is also a work of art within itself. I really love making and using my very own embellies that are unique, that are never going to look like cookie cutter, mass produced embellishments that anyone can go buy. This whole idea is so awesome to me for some reason, probably much more than most people because I get excited about silly things that others take for granted. Anyway, this book has instructions for making the various and widespread types of embellishments, and encourages us to look beyond the page, beyond the pre-cut, and helps us say, "Why not make my own and make them suit me?" Below, you can see what I did in my first endeavors to make my own embellishments using clay, fibers, old jewelry, beads, papers, and a little imagination...I love the way these turned out!
oven baked clay figure and heart, yarn fibers
old earring, fibers, oven baked clay disc with engravings and textural pieces, pearls and beads
clay "love" element, round clay heart design piece, two metal earrings
stamped out clay disc with heart shape in the center, plastic bead
round clay disc with face
All of the atc's above have handmade clay embellishments, and they really went fast in the open swap I was entered in on "The Art Colony", the only NING site just about, that I am still active at...but these atc's are just the beginning stages of what is probably going to happen....I will be excited and overdo myself, making myself sick, and then, I will suddenly not want to ever make anything like it again! Hopefully, you will love this book as much as I have and still do. I bought my copy at Amazon. I am pretty certain that there are more copies to be found on there. I hope you purchase one, and get as much enjoyment out of it as I have. I literally had an epiphany (lol) about these embellishments, this book, and all of the ideas that came flooding in concerning this style! Enjoy, and Happy Creating!!
Hello and Happy Holidays to you all...I am just about ready for Christmas, which is a good thing, since it is going to happen whether I am ready or not! I have 4 beautiful grandchildren, 2 boys and 2 girls, and they are at the age where they all like MONEY ($$$) as much or more than if I had searched for months for that perfect gift!! So this year, I am leaning toward just a dollar amount and I am NOT going to fall for any gift cards..just cold hard CASH!!
But-if you have someone to buy for, either young or old, here are a few last minute gifts that the recipient will love and possibly cherish that don't take a lot or time or money...all you will need for this first one is some coordinating scraps of cardstock and scrapbook paper..plus go to the local Dollar Store for a few more items...
This is a paperback Bible from the local dollar store that I have recovered using scrapbook paper, cardstock, washi tape, lots of glue, chipboard embellishments and other odds and ends...the Bible cost a dollar, and I already had all of the other things in my stash...took me maybe an hour and change to make this, from start to finish...Behold:
Bible Front
Bible Back
I really like how this turned out...It is a nice sized book, and with the new covering on it, it should last the recipient for a long time...not to mention the memories and warm feelings it will invoke when they think of who made it for them! Handmade gifts are always a big hit, and the fact that they are a "one of a kind" makes them even mire special...Next up...the Bible and Scripture Journal that is an altered composition notebook, again from the dollar store, and using bits and pieces, scraps and whatnots from your stash...Great for studying scriptures and journaling about how they make you feel, or your thoughts on them...
Bible and Scripture Journal Front
Bible and Scripture Journal Back
Altered hardback blank Journal for Bible Study
FRONT
Altered hardback blank Journal for Bible Study
BACK
These two were super easy to make, it helps that they each have rather hard covers, because when you are recovering these, it seems to go a bit faster...I use hot glue on mine, and E6000 glue on the outside embellishments to make them really hang on there...the hardback blank journal came from Walmart in the art section and cost less than $10.00 (I think that's right)...they just started carrying these books about maybe a year ago...Anyway, covering these two journals took me maybe an hour and a half, or two hours each at the most...still using scraps and embellishments from my stash...You can also make a Bible and a Journal to match or coordinate. You can give someone both and they are set up for "Bible Journaling"!! Okay...next on my list...
Blank Journal recovered and embellished
Last of all, I bought one of the blank, lined journals at the dollar store, and as you can see, recovered and embellished using scrapbook and cardstock pieces, lace, rhinestones, and black squishy letters spelling out JOURNAL...The journal cost way less than $5.00, and all of the rest is of course, pieces and scraps from my stash...I have a granddaughter who loves the color pink...This may end up being a little part of her Christmas...along with the cash they are going to get!!!
I hope that this has inspired you to make up a couple of these, even after the holidays...I just love the altering part of the process, and I almost always have something on hand for a gift when something pops up... takes a lot of the pressure off, and helps you get in some artsy time for therapy reasons, lol!!!
Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!!
I have been gone for so long I have almost forgotten myself...I had a series of heart problems and surgeries, but all is well now and I am feeling much better. Had to change heart doc's to get results, but I have a fantastic doc now....
Well, something exciting has happened to me and I would like to share it with you guys. I have been asked to be an ongoing contributing writer for Mixed Media Art website! I had submitted an article a few months back, and after my 4 recent heart surgeries, I was clearing out my emails and ran across the wonderfully sweet email from Michelle, asking me if I would be interested in a regular gig! So every couple of months or so I will be a part of the Mixed Media Art website with a new article about mixed media and altered art and altered books. I just hope I don't disappoint.... Have a bit of the case of the nerves, to be honest, but I just need to get busy and stop procrastinating. My first article is due March 6th, so I had better get busy!
Enough about me, I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and have just been happily "arting" your buns off! I have been playing with chalks lately, and have a great set of creamy, metallic chalks that came with applicators that look just like eyeshadow applicators(?), plus you can also use your fingers to smear them around. Adds just a bit of POP to those pages I have been working on like a fiend lately!
Well, it's getting late, and I need my rest, so enough for tonight, but remember-"Happy Creating"!
Click on the images to really see the amount of detail I have been getting into!
Made my very first atc's yesterday! Worked on them all day and ended up with 5, 4 that I really like. I need to get some more supplies when I can, so I can make more elaborate ones, although, the one I like the best is completely hand-painted.
Here are pics of my cards, in case someone would like to trade! Just shoot me an email, and I will be thrilled to trade with you!Also have a great idea for my next altered book! I am going to cut words or short phrases out of magazines and newspapers, and write short poems using each one. Then I will print out the original poetry, then put it into the book, place it on one side, and paint an illustration on the facing page! love the concept if I can just pull it off! Already started it, with a poem last night. Now, each page of my new altered book will have original poetry and illustrations! I may try to sell that one, although it will be such a personal part of me, it will be hard, lol! I still have plenty of time to think about it.
Well, until next time, here are some ideas for you!
Although it's not as elaborate as some of the altered books I have seen on the internet, I am coming along nicely on my altered book. Since this is my first steps into this artistic area, I feel pretty good about the fact that I am still very excited about this form of art. It seems that mixed media is my passion! I have usually calmed down about an art form by now, but it's been 2 months and I am still going strong in my obsession!
I am starting to look at other surfaces to work with, such as canvas board, Crystal Light canisters (would make great makeup brush or paint brush holders, among other things...)a cardboard container that is made similar to a hatbox but much smaller, and basically anything that will adapt well to paint and/or the "decoupage" , or altered art technique. I think the Crystal Light canisters will be very useful around the house, and it's a great way to recycle them! Who knows, I might even sell one or two, depending on how well they turn out!
I have also started writing some short poetry or prose to add to my book. This is working well with the "emotions" theme I have going with this one. I have a feeling that the majority of my work on these will deal with emotions, sort of like art therapy or a diary type book. I write them in "notepad", and then print them out on either colored or white cardstock. Some of it I mount on cardboard and then glue into the book, to add a 3D aspect.
Any suggestions or comments are welcome, so feel free to leave comments, good or bad and I will explaore any ideas you have for me and post the results here. Until later, here is my email to contact me-lthykeson@yahoo.com.
