Often when I'm playing . . .

 . . . I get a crazy idea.  When I do, I usually try it.  That was what happened this week when I was making cover paper for the Head Shots book in progress.  I love making painted paper, and when I wondered what would happen if I threw a stencil on the paper and then let it dry, I just had to try it.

I liked the results so much I had to try it again.

I particularly liked a couple of the closeup shots on the second one.

I just know I'm going to have to try it on every possible combination of colour and stencil, so you know my next few weeks are going to be fun!

While I've not yet made a mini book from the painted papers, I do have a lot of them on the go.

I normally work on these one at a time, but given I have so many in this series, I'm trying to do the repetitive portions as a group, so all the edges got treated here at the same time.  Next I'll be getting into the individual pages to work on them with stamps, stencils and whatever etcetera comes to hand.

And now that the cover papers for Head Shots are in creation, I'm hoping to finish that book in the next week or so.  I've made the painted paper for the inside covers 

and decorative edging, Eileen has supplied me with matboard to create the covers, bless her, and John has chopped them for me.  Progress is being made!

How's your progress been this week?  I hope that you're on a massive roll with your creative life...

Lucky, lucky, lucky...

. . . should be my middle name.

I'd been patiently (and if you believe that....) waiting for a tag exchange envelope from my good on-line friend Sherie.  We were matched up for May's tag exchange where the theme was 'Growing'; Sherie mailed it to me on May 15, but when June 8 rolled around and Canada Post still hadn't come through, she kindly sent me another.

I arrived home from a short trip to Alberta to find TWO parcels from Sherie - how could they be mailed three weeks apart and arrive on the same day?  Lucky, lucky, lucky!

The contents were amazing, from one tag

to another (back)

(front)

to another (closed)

 (opened)

 (full back).

There were lovely papers,

including commercial, deli,

 stamped and painted (and even some tape)

 along with napkins and another tag (look at the gorgeous stitching and wonderful colour on this one),

 another napkin

 and even some wallpaper.

And here's what knocked my socks off - some real ones that Sherie had personalized for me with her fabulous script and embellishment!  How did she know I have a reputation for wild and wonderful socks to uphold?

This glue gun stencil had me smiling, especially next to the wacky lady stamped on the deli paper.  I think she kind of looks like me, don't you?

Check out this fabulous digital piece that she created especially for the trade...I just love the contrast between the sedate ladies in the top left 'audience' and the flamboyant gals on stage!

So thank you Sherie, for such wonderful goodies...you know they'll all be put to good use!

And as if that weren't enough 'lucky' in my life, I came home from Alberta with several boxes of mixed media goodies from Alice Saltiel and her husband Bill. That's a post for another day, though, since I inadvertently put most of them in my stash, forgetting to photograph them.  I couldn't possibly show them all, of course, since they pretty much filled up our vehicle, but I repeat - lucky, lucky, lucky to have such amazing friends.

Rockin' the fun...

was this groups' motto, I think.  And as I mentioned in my last post, rebellion was the order of the day - both days.

I'd say do this - and invariably they'd do the opposite.  After our painted papers dried,

Painted paper,  waiting to dry overnight

I mentioned they could be wrapped around a canvas, in stages, by first securing the paper with medium to the front of the canvas, waiting for it to dry, and then doing the same on the sides, around to the back.  No more than ten minutes later, I saw one of the brattiest ladies (you know who you are) covering the WHOLE of the canvas, front and sides with the papers, and managing it without any issues at all.  Don't you just hate it when students prove you wrong?  And don't these look amazing?  They don't need anything else to make a wall shine.

I thought I'd show you a few more 'in progress shots', which I suspect were taken the morning of day two.

 

Don't these just get the creative juices flowing?

It's wonderful to see so many pieces so well on their way to completion.  The hope was that each participant would take home a completed painting, and by the looks of their drying areas, most of them would be carting home their own gallery-full!

A lovely cobweb piece

Using a foam roller wrapped with elastics (or maybe string)

  

A clear tar gel drop & resist technique

A gesso drop technique

Utilizing self-leveling clear tar gel, tinted with paint

Drywall compound, over-painted with washes of colour.

 

Paint, stamps and more stamps

Paint, string wrapped brayer, and over-stamping

Love those layers of paint, splatter and elastic-wrapped foam

Paint, elastic-wrapped foam roller, gesso drops, fabric and goodness knows what else! - YUM!

The participant who created this luxurious background was not too fond of it, until she had a happy accident with a broken skin, which just made it sing.  Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a photo of that stage, but I love this one without it too!

Here I am, elegantly attired and perfectly composed, pontificating, while nobody pays any attention - typical for the weekend!

Did I say we had fun?  More than you can imagine!  Check out the playshop page for one coming to your area, or email me to discuss the possibility.

It was a welcome change...

...from overdosing on the devastating flood news to teaching at the Creston College on the weekend.  There is nothing more uplifting than an eager group of students, flying paint, laughter and the fun of sharing upwards of twenty mixed media techniques.

From an altered book spread

to a painted paper,

to drying cobwebs,

and drizzles and drops,

it was an ever-changing rainbow of colour.

This pair looks like they're having too much fun;  I couldn't resist this photo, as Deni watches Dennis test out some brayered leaf prints - the technique demo resulted from an innocent question about the possibilities from another student - we just never know what's going to come up in these classes!

Here Colin, Deni, Dennis, Coral, Lynn and Lynn show a small part of their hard work in Mixed Media II - More Playtime for Adults.

Since this is the last workshop of the 2013 'winter season', I'll be painting and catching up on posting tutorials over the summer, with the occasional hour of weeding thrown in for good measure, likely.  You can bet, though, that there will be more workshop photos to come in the fall.  If I'm doing one in your area, please come and play with us!