Remembering that really cool coworker...

The one in the mask... made it worth coming into work to laugh so hard you'd cry. ✊😜

Watercolor Crayons: Distress Crayon, Neocolor II, Gelatos, & More... Compared

Cleaning my studio (I'm avoiding homework) but thought I'd take a break and try out a sample Marabu Art Crayon I got from Jerry's Artarama. At time of this posting, Jerry's has the Marabu red art crayon on a special "buy it/try it" deal of $2.25. I started using Stabilo Woody crayons on my mixed media pieces and then Gelatos from Faber Castell and Tim Holtz's Distress crayons came out... well, I keep buying and trying as the textures, color ranges and forms are all a touch different. Below I have tried the previous crayons with the addition of Caran d'ache Neocolor II Aquarells and Dina Wakley's scribble sticks.

There are pros and cons with all of them: I like the chunkiness of the Stabilo Woodys and the Marabu Art Crayon. That shape seems to works great when working on large canvases, but the gelatos are too creamy for canvas in my opinion-they get used up rather quickly, so I save them for paper. The Dina Wakely are harder and can be "scrubbed" off the paper so you don't see the drawn lines, if your paper can handle it. I like them for details. The Gelatos and Distress Crayons are good for mixing and stamping. The Neocolor II's are just smooth and lovely, come in just about every color, but in pricier sets. A note on the Stabilo Woodys: make sure you get a pencil sharpener with your set as these pencils are too big for most pencil sharpeners. 

SaveSave

Paper Marbling Addiction

Took a class at Kalamazoo Book Arts in April and these are the wonderful papers that I made... more to come as I ordered 2 different types of marbling paints to try. Here's is my teacher Crystal's popular paper marbling video. Most were done on plain water, dripping sumi ink or suminagashi marbling ink alternating with soapy water. 

 

 

Melody Ross's new class: Soul Comfort

Thinking of signing up for Melody Ross's new class Soul Comfort as I've had a great success with her other classes. I LOVE the idea of  portable crafts anyway and I've been art journaling all weekend...
This is what happens when you outline your hand with a brush marker...

LOVE Journal It! by Jenny Doh... lots of good ideas! Hurray for the library!















Prepped a ton of pages by gluing them together with soft gel medium. I finally have space to work! I cleaned a larger area so my journal almost fits my working area now. Baby steps, like not melting the glue stick with the heat gun when doing iced enamels!

Grunge & Glamour Cuff with Kristen Robinson

Catching up! Took 2 great classes at Smitten Dust near Lansing with Kristen Robinson... AMAZING!!! And the experience has FINALLY broken through my many-month-long creative block. Lots more coming as I've cleaned up both studios, burned the paint off a pile of Altoid boxes and ordered a big batch of Ice Resin!

A new Stitch!

Used my Christmas gift money on pattern books, fun yarn and swirly plastic crochet hooks... lots of color on a very dark winter day!  Just figured out a new stitch too: a little more lacey than what I've been doing...

Just joined the Love Ambassadors! Love YOU!