Mixed Media Morsels FB page

Great new Facebook page! Some great artists post videos with mixed media art techniques and you can view the videos and peruse the posts or follow along and try them then post your photos! Wonderful, positive feedback - a great way to learn more about mixed media or share your own talents! This group uses a small notebook or index cards or small paper to test out techniques.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MixedMediaMorsels/

To join this FB page, click join after clicking on the link and seeing the FB page. Once you've been approved to join, go to the page and click on info, then files (last item) on the page. This will give you tips on what it's about and links to the videos.

DY NA Altered Book Workshop, Exercise #10: "93 Million Miles"

I based my 2-page spread in this second hand book from the thrift shop on a quote from a song called Beautiful Boy by John Lennon! This workshop provides an excellent introduction to altering books, setting up a workspace, and using acrylic paint. Highly recommended for beginners and experts alike. Lots of flexibility to add details - or not, so you don't need to be able to draw to do this and there's no prior knowledge of painting or collating required. Its pure fun applying paint with tools or your fingers! It's an online, self-paced workshop that will help to de-stress your day or make a great day even better! The link to Tammy Garcia's Daisy Yellow Workshop is at this link and there's a Facebook page to display your work or just look at work posted by others. Lots of personal attention if you need it, but very laid back and relaxing - no pressure: http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/new-art-journaling-workshop-novel-approach

DY "Novel Approach" Workshop - Blending Exercise #1

Here are some index cards where I tested colors and blending. I added some stamps and other decoration. I'm lovin this workshop by Daisy Yellow! Link: http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/new-art-journaling-workshop-novel-approach.

Link: http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/new-art-journaling-workshop-novel-approach.

DY "Novel Approach" Workshop - Vision Board

I'm lovin Daisy Yellow's (DY) "Novel Approach" altered book workshop! Link: http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/new-art-journaling-workshop-novel-approach.

I've learned many different art techniques but never got my hands into acrylic paint as much as I have with this workshop, often literally using just my fingers to apply the non-toxic, quick drying acrylic paint, although I could use a brush, if desired. It has been fun finger painting - it's given me a great sense of freedom! 

This no-stress, fun workshop is suitable for beginners as well as advanced artists because Tammy Garcia patiently takes you from an explanation on supplies through blending exercises, collage techniques and adding stamped designs. No previous knowledge of drawing, painting, collage work, art composition, or doodling required. She provides easy to understand videos accompanied by written guidance on each element of the workshop. She also lends personal assistance, encouragement and inspiration, while binding the group together in an easy to use Facebook Page and Flickr Group.

She is kind and patient and everyone feels at home on the Facebook page, whether or not you choose to post photos of your work. It's an amazing feeling of inclusion that is as warm and wonderful as her other events, such as the "Index Card a Day" (ICAD) event which occurs every summer. No one's required to post their work on Facebook or Flickr, but whether you post or just look through Tammy and others' work, it's fun and easy to do. 

The workshop is very flexible and everyone's free to perform techniques and add-on elements that personalize each piece if they'd like - there are no rigid rules, just great guidance. Tammy also has many helpful tips and articles about art and art journaling on her Daisy Yellow website, much of which is free of charge! There's an option to have her emails sent right to you periodically, even if you don't pay for a class. There are also a couple of sets of prompts that are perfect for inspiring all of us! 

The photo here is my "Vision Board" for this workshop. I've never done one of these before, nor have I done collage work or much art journaling. Since this is a self-paced class which we'll be able to have access to until 2017, there was no problem with me thinking about this for a while and then using many little snippets of fun art that I collected to make it. I immediately learned what a valuable creation it is as I referred to it when deciding what colors I would like to use for my first piece as well as what my theme for the collage would be.  It helped me narrow down my many interests and focus on the project, then complete it.

This fun workshop is reasonably priced for the lessons, encouragement and new-found friendships I've developed with other women all over the world and I highly recommend it to everyone, regardless of how much or how little your experience in this field. 

Give yourself "Permission to Play!"

Love this challenge using cardboard and paint and stuff! All free videos too! First, you must register and then you will receive emails for each successive lesson which requires a password to watch - but all are downloadable, so I am able to bring them along on our New Year's vacation!  Check out the pinned post by Carolyn Dube. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1653707154911287/

Top 2000 Blog Party!

This is so interesting! A Dutch art challenge where a radio station plays the top 2000 songs for 24 hours a day from Christmas to New Year's eve and each person playing along does one or two art pieces inspired by a different song each day and emails then to the organizer. There's also a FB page to post the artwork. The songs and art pieces appear to be done in English but most of the folks are Dutch so I keep having to use the translator on the FB page to read their posts, but can easily read the artwork since its in English.  Over half the people in the Netherlands listen to this every year. I wish I had time to play along but I've got lots of other things to do, just wanted to share. :)

http://www.maritspaperworld.com/blog/top-2000-blog-party-day-three-1487-1181/

New Daisy Yellow Class "A Novel Approach" starts 29 Dec 2015!

I just received an exciting early Christmas gift from my sweet husband Bruce! This gift will last well into 2016: early registration for a new self-paced online class being offered by Daisy Yellow called "A Novel Approach" where we'll be altering a book using artistic elements and processes. Santa's helping out too by giving me new heavy bodied and high flow acrylic paints (plus regular acrylic paints since my supply is dwindling) as well as some Stabilo crayons. I'll post some photos as I go along on my FB Page plus will post and follow the new closed FB Group where the class will share our work and encourage each other. Theres no requirement to draw or be an artist! I'm visited my local Goodwill Thrift Store and picked up several books so I can jump around and play in one while another dries. I'm excited about playing in this new class - it's not aimed at creating beautiful art masterpieces but instead will focus on processes and will be quite different for me and help me to evolve as I continue my artistic journey. Here's the link and post by Daisy Yellow owner, Tammy Garcia if you're interested in joining - this is a paid class, but is well worth the price: 

Happy to announce that Novel Approach is open for registration!!! This is a project that I've been working on for months. This is no-rules, fun, wild, mixed media art journaling! The class is designed for beginner to intermediate skill level with regard to painting with acrylics. I break down these pages and you can see as I start from a blank page in a book and create grungy painty pages in an altered book. Link: http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/novel-approach-new-online-art-journal-workshop This is the first in a series of three workshops where we'll work on altering a hardback book into an art journal. Let me know if you have questions, OK? And yes, there will be a FB group for the workshop where you'll be able to share the pages you create in your book. The acrylic techniques will build in complexity as we move to the second and third in the series.