Paper Piecing and Paint

If you are familiar with quilting or needlework, you may recognize this little sunbonnet girl.  Sunbonnet girls were very popular in quilting and to embroider on dishtowels.  This is based on an old pattern, and was such a fun project for me!  It’s sentimental in a number of ways.  My grandmother did a lot of quilting, and my mom loves hanging clothes outside.

I actually created this piece for my mom.  Her clothes lines hang next to my old playhouse, and there are clematis vines that grow on the side. Paper piecing as well as painting, and a few rub-ons are included in this piece.  I was afraid the clematis flowers may be a bit too much, but that is actually the way they look!

Paper piecing is such a great way to use up scraps of your patterned paper!

If you run across some vintage patterns, you may want to think about using them in this way!

 

 

Combining and Sharing Scripture and Art

One of the art groups that I participate in is working on a project that some of you may want to participate in, so I wanted to invite you!  I should have done this sooner, but it is not too late.  Many of you may be able to scan journal pages, or do quick sketches with watercolors, or use some stencils and sprays for backgrounds…..  My point is that you don’t have to spend a ton of time that may be very meaningful to someone else.  You could even use patterned paper for background, print  and cut strips of scripture — whatever you can manage.  If you want to be part of this project, please start creating and send your art to arrive by June 12th so that Melissa can take it with her.  Please keep reading or more details.

As a community of artists, we have special skills, abilities and talents and together, we can use our skills to help a friend touch the lives of those who are not as fortunate as each one of us.  I want to tell you about Melissa and what she is doing.

Melissa will be traveling to Uganda, June 2012 to work with Reach One Touch One Ministries (http://www.reachone-touchone.org/). They work with Grandmothers and Grandfathers, many of whom are raising orphaned grandchildren due to the HIV-AIDS epidemic. She will be visiting several remote villages and ministering to the seniors who benefit from sponsorship in ROTOM.

If you would like to create a piece of art (no bigger than 5″ x 7″, please) that includes a positive and uplifting scripture verse, Melissa will hand these out as she goes from village to village.

This is an amazing way to share personally with the seniors, many of whom are lonely and neglected, the Word of God and the fact that other Christians care about them.

The beauty of ART transcends any language!

If you want to be part of this project, please start creating and send your art to arrive by June 12th so that Melissa can take it with her.

So what can you create?

  • 3×5 cards – gather your favorite verses, add them to 3×5 cards, embellish them, laminate them (if you have a laminator) punch holes in the and attach them together with a book ring.
  • Small canvas – create using verses and positive quotes and embellishments.
  • Bookmarks – Use large manila tags to create book marks with verses and/or quotes, add hand stitching and embellish with thread, yard and colorful strings & beads.

We can serve and make a difference for those around us as well as those around our globe.

It is time to create!  If you want to help, please contact me at: kristiesloan.us(at)gmail(dot)com and I will get you the mailing address.

If each of us just make a few simple pieces in the next few days, she can have a nice quantity to take with her.  What do you say, are you in?

The Art of Wild Abandonment

I am having so much fun in a new online class with Junelle Jacobson and Christy Tomlinson, called The Art of Wild Abandonment! These two women are so much fun to create art “with” and we are all having a blast.  How amazing that we can use the internet to find new art friends and share techniques, learn new things, and just share!

Anyway, just wanted share the first project with you — it’s radishes!  Yes, radishes in wild and unexpected ways!  Hope they bring a smile for you today!

Rotating Backgrounds or Templates 90 or 180 degrees

Whether it’s a template or a background for your art, simply rotating it can give you a whole new look or feel to the project.

Donna Downey’s new series, Canvas Create 2012, looks like it will fun!  I decided to join the fun and while I was watching the January episode, and then working on my own art piece, it made me think about how a simple rotation of a piece can give it a whole different spin!

After finishing my background, I turned it several ways, and decided I liked it a whole lot better turned a different direction than the way I had originally painted it!

Rotating a template for a scrapbook page can also give you a different look, especially if you are working with digital.  You can even do a mirror image flip and have work better for what you may be using it for.  That is especially helpful if you are working on a two-page spread and the template just doesn’t seem to be working.  If you aren’t working in digital, you can still use a template as your guide or map for your page.  Look at these four pages, and think about how many options you could create with just the different areas for pictures, journaling, paper, or embellishments!  I don’t like to have to do statistics and scrapbooking — but I’m sure you get the idea!

scrapbook sketches rotated

Rotate scrapbook sketches for different looks.

…and the mirror images…

rotating scrapbook sketches_mirrored

Mirrored image of rotated sketches give even more options!

 

Freedom of Mixed Media

As I was creating this piece, I realized how liberating it feels to use items I have on hand, and not worry about what specific medium I am using!  Mixed media has really allowed me to feel free to create!  Grab some supplies and see what you can create.

This red, white, and blue stripes on this piece are all made from torn paper, adhered to an 8×8 canvas.   The letters U S A, as well as the large star, were cut and used as a mask.  The image transfer is of the famous painting of Francis Scott Key, the author of the song, “Star Spangle Banner,” of which there are lyrics from a very old piece of music.  There are numerous layers of stamped images using both ink and paint.

For some reason, this is one of my favorite pieces!