Keys4Art 2013, Part III

MORE PROJECTS

 

 

Daisy showed us a lovely technique using alcohol inks.  A picture was stamped on glossy paper and heat embossed with black powder.  This created "wells" that allowed us to paint with the inks without them straying into other areas. 

 

This one I will probably use on a card or an art journal page.

 

These two I put directly into the little journal we worked on at the retreat.  More about that soon.

 

 

Jacquie taught a quick lesson on using plaster embedded gauze to create wonderful textures.  We made journal covers.  Some of my very industrious friends actually used them and made wonderful journals with exposed spine bindings.  Me, I just have these two covers.  Someday....

 

 

ROAD TRIP

 

One afternoon we took a break and drove south to Islamorada, where the Lazy Days restaurant is located.  Last year we stopped there on our way back from Key West, and I ate the best lobster sandwich I've ever had.  I have been thinking about it for a year, so we took a road trip to get it again. And I wasn't disappointed.  One of the best sandwiches of any kind I've ever had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back from lunch we couldn't help but notice this rather large crustacean, drawing people into a mall of both touristy crap and very beautiful pieces made by local artists.

 

 

 

 

And I couldn't help but notice that there was something odd  unusual  sexual  interesting (?) about this tree trunk.

 





 

 

Poor Teri; she didn't have a clue what was happening on the other side of the tree, but we talked her into this pose. 

 

 

 

And mind you, sticking out her tongue was all her idea.  I swear.

 

 

BACK AT THE HOUSE

 

 







One of the gifts we received from Elena wss a smallish Maya Road chipboard album, and in between classes and mojitos (a big shout out to both Jen and Karen who were always ready to mix us up some cocktails) we worked on the album.  In fact, mine was nearly finished; all I had to do when I got home was add some photos.

 

See how great the key from the pillow fairies looks on the front cover! (Fleur de lis stencil is one of my favorites, by Michelle Ward for Stencil Girl).

 

 

The Hebrew lettering stencil on the back cover is also a Stencil Girl product.

 

 

This is the inside front cover.  Some gelli plate prints, pieces of a decorative napkin, and a Dyan Reaveley stencil.

 

 

 

The last gift the pillow fairies left was a decorated letter sized envelope.  I deconstructed, then reconstructed it to fit on the inside back cover, and it now holds all the small memorabilia that I didn't have room for within the journal.

 

 

Here it is, Keys4Art 2013 in a nutshell.

 

 

 

 

I think I have enough random pix to warrant a fourth installment.  Stay tuned.....

 











Keys4Art 2013 Part II

PROJECTS, Continued

 

 

Last year Pat and I attended a class with the very talented Dina Wakley, where we learned to paint birds.  Actually, the technique can be used to paint anything, but we all love birds.  If you can take a class with Dina, I encourage you to do so.  If not, she has a wonderful new book out called Art Journal Freedom, which has, in addition to lots of tips and techniques, 10 complete and detailed lessons, including the one on bird painting.  I got my copy at Amazon.  My artsy friends did some fabulous paintings:

 

 

 

Pat did a class in stamp carving and that was such great fun.  These are the three simple stamps I carved.

 

 

 

 

I love the way the two small designs look when stamped repeatedly.  In the following, I used black ink to stamp them over two of my gelli plate prints.

 

 

 

Teri taught us how to make a little origami book, which involved some nice paper and a few clever folds.  First, how it looks closed, and then the magic.....how it looks when fully opened.  (That's my NYC stamp on the cover, stamped over a bit of a gelli plate print.  I love how we were able to use things we made in one class in another project).

 

 

 

Pat is a master card maker (that's not all she is, of course, but she really is so skilled at turning out great cards), and she shared a few techniques with us.  These are not fully realized cards, mind you, just practice pieces I did after her demo.  First, faux layering.  This looks like torn paper was used to embellish the card, but it was all done with ink.,

 







 

 

Next up, a seasonal easel card.  Clever use of the grass to hold the card open.

 

 

 

And lastly, my favorite, the fluttering butterfly.  If I had a clue how to make a video I would, because you need to see this guy's wings move to fully appreciate it.

 

 

 

I thought I could do the whole retreat in two posts, but there's still more, and I'm tired!  To be continued.....