Monday Moodboard

Hi everyone!

The four weeks before Christmas, which we celebrate on the 24th December here in Germany, is called "Adventszeit" - a time of peaceful contemplation, in which one reflects on the essentials before Christmas, away from the stress of everyday life. Each Sunday we light another candle on the Advent wreath - or in my case, a modern DIY version - gather family members if you're lucky enough to have them close by, and listen to Christmas songs, while eating homebaked cookies. This season is bittersweet for me, as my dear mother passed shortly before Christmas ten years ago. (I can't believe it's been this long!) So, while I like to keep up the traditions she passed down to me, everything is a lot more subdued ever since. I tried to convey this feeling in my mood board today. I hope you like it!

For more info on each featured shop click on the links below.

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Love, joy and peace to all 💖

Easy Cut & Paste Collage Art in my Junk Journal

Hello everyone!

In one of my recent private workshops we made a fun little collage with leftover scraps of paper and simple tools. My motto is always use what you have, recycle and upcycle. I created the left page as a demo and I thought, why not share my technique with my fellow bloggers :)

Below are the steps to create a similar page. I worked in my handmade junk journal, but any journal or even a loose sheet of paper will do.

In the first step I gathered my supplies, which consisted of my basket with paper scraps as well as a box of crayons, my favorite stamps and a couple of paint pens as well as some basic supplies like scissors and a glue stick. I like tearing my papers, but cutting them works fine, too.

I chose papers with interesting markings, usually gelli prints or painted papers. In the next step I added stamps in random areas and made some marks with a purple crayon to harmonize with the purple already present on the collage. I also swiped some black paint on the page with my finger.

While I left the page to dry, I prepared my focal image. First I stamped a text stamp on a piece of regular white paper. Then I placed a leaf stencil on top and dabbed black paint all around it. Once dry, I carefully cut around the image, leaving a narrow black edge.

Finally, I adhered the cut out leaf image along with a sentiment to my collaged page.

I hope you enjoyed this beginner-friendly tutorial. You can easily change things up by choosing different collage papers, making a variety of marks, adding more stamps and a different focal image (my workshop participant's pages all looked unique!)

Thanks for visiting!

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Painting Portraits

Hi lovelies!

I was de-cluttering my studio when I came across two unused canvas panels. Quite spontaneously I popped them onto my work surface and decided to paint portraits. Now, if you follow me on my socials you'll know that I like to paint, draw, sketch in whatever style I currently fancy! While many others go on a quest to find their signature style (and there's nothing wrong with that), I have made peace with the fact that I paint where my mood takes me. One of my favorite quotes by Edward Hopper describes this perfectly:

" If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint. "

40 x 50 cm

In the above painting I leaned into Pop Art, a style originating in the mid 50s that communicates through bright and sometimes cartoon-like imagery. I wanted something fun and unusual. This stylized portrait is done with acrylic paint as well as paint pens. I did not work from a reference, I simply painted what came into my mind. As of yet this portrait remains untitled - suggestions welcome!

"Silvia" 40 x 50 cm

The second example is an expressive acrylic painting touching on realism. Looking at it on my screen I can immediately see where adjustments should have been made, and I will keep this in mind for my next portrait. The above painting took me several days to complete. I have been a creative person my entire life, but please keep in mind that I have no formal training as an artist :) 

The question I naturally get asked the most is who the person is in the portrait. The simple answer is: I don't know! I rarely work from a reference photo and I guess my approach to these types of paintings is unconventional (you should have seen the underpainting!). But once I push back the layers with lots of white I kind of "see" a face emerging in my mind's eye. And while I'm painting, the features also transform. I originally meant to paint long, dark brown hair, but as I was painting the eyes, I realized this lady needed a shorter length hairstyle in a light brown color. It's quite possible, that there is someone somewhere that looks similar to my portrait - if so, it is entirely coincidental. I titled this painting Silvia, as I felt the name suited her. What do you think?

And lastly, I leave you with an abstract expressive portrait that was part of an exercise that I took part in right at the beginning of my art journey five years ago. As I recall, I was supposed to lay down shadow areas with a big brush, then add in highlights and finally details with a black watercolor pencil. All while using a minimal color palette. I enjoyed this experiment!

Thank you for reading along and have a wonderful weekend!

Monday Moodboard

Hello lovely readers!

Christmas is just around the corner and hopefully you've completed most of your card writing and gift shopping! If not, perhaps today's mood board will serve as inspiration. All of my picks are from small businesses from around the world. Having had a small business myself for well over a decade, I choose to support independent makers when I can. The shops are linked below. Have a great week!

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Messy Background with Acrylic Inks

Hello fellow bloggers and art friends!

The other day I decided to simply play in one of my journals with acrylic inks. These inks come in a wide variety of colors, and when dry are permanent. It's fun to let them flow on the page without controlling the outcome.

I suddenly remembered a technique from kindergarten, and although we used watercolors back then I was quite sure it was applicable to inks as well. I sprayed one side of the spread with water and simply dropped some ink onto it, then flipped the other side over and used my hand to firmly press it down, then re-opened the pages. You get a different result each time. 

The main thing to remember is to use such ink colors that when they mix together they harmonize. I used turquoise, blue, magenta and yellow. I let the background dry completely and then played some more with stencils, stamps and collage. 

You can watch the video tutorial below and please don't forget a thumbs up 👍

I find this type of art making very relaxing and enjoyable. Often, this activity sparks new ideas. Perhaps my post has inspired you to try this yourself this weekend 😊 

Please pin / share this for others to enjoy

Minimalist Christmas Cards with Paste & Glitter

Hello everyone!

Every once in a while I create video tutorials specially for my lovely blog readers. With Christmas around the corner, I thought I'd share a fun card making project. These cards are easy to multiply with a few simple steps and can be modified to whatever stencils and embellishments you have on hand. I've cut a sheet of mixed media paper to postcard size pieces, however, a set of blank postcards are fine, too.

I actually placed my cards in a row and worked on each of them simultaneously, e.g. add the stencils to all cards, add the watercolors to all cards, add the paste and so forth. Tip: when working with glitter place a sheet of paper with a crease in the center underneath. You can then gather the excess glitter in the fold and tip it back into the jar. I've chosen a minimalist style for these cards, but if you wish, you can choose a different color palette all together. As with most of my tutorials I share an idea that you are welcome to customize. 

Enjoy watching the 4-min-video tutorial here 

Monday Moodboard

Hello dear readers!

I've curated a new mood board inspired by the current gloomy weather we're having in my neck of the woods. Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of this month, however, the thick blanket of clouds in varying greys and the bare branches do have a certain charm when seen through a photographer's lens! As always, I have chosen items from small businesses from across the globe. Do check out the links below for further information. Have a beautiful week ahead!

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Mixed Media Art Journal Page with Collage Fodder

Hello lovelies!

Today I'm sharing a beginner-friendly art journal page with handmade collage, stencils and stamping plus using one of my ready made collage clusters as a focal point. In the picture below you can see a small selection. These are really fun to make plus you have the added bonus of using up those tiny paper scraps.

I've decided to create this page in my large square journal and I have taped off the edges, as I wanted my finished work to have crisp edges. 

Step One

I started by randomly stencilling a dot pattern and then proceeded to tear up some papers, mostly my handmade gelli prints and some old book pages and sheet music. I always like adding the latter, because the musical notes carry their own unique pattern. I adhered them with gel medium and brushed on a thin layer on top not only to seal the papers, but to prepare them for additional layers.

Step Two

While the collage itself looks pretty, I wanted it to "melt" into the background and unify the pieces. The best way to do this is to either brush on a layer of white gesso or in my case I used acrylic paint in titan buff and a brayer. 

Step Three

Once the paint has dried completely I played with some crayons that matched the collage colors and also added some stamping with black ink.

Scroll down to watch the full video tutorial.

Step Four

Finally, I removed the tape and grabbed some of my collage clusters. I wanted to try out different sizes and shapes before committing to one. 

I went with the bird cluster, as I felt the colors harmonized well with the background. I also added a little sentiment. Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed this simple collage work and if you watch the video, please kindly give it a thumbs up ♥

Click to watch the YouTube tutorial:

Please pin / share this project:

Monday Moodboard

Hello there, lovelies!

We've had quite a grey and rainy autumn season so far (which is typical for my area I might add), so I've curated a mood board with cheerful colors to brighten the day! I, for one, would love to curl up on the sofa with a cozy blanket and a good book, a steaming mug of cocoa and some cookies right about now. Alas, it's Monday and I have errands to run. 😉

The featured shops are linked below.

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Geschenketipp - Personalisierbare Schmuckkästchen

[Werbung]

English-speaking readers: check out unique gift ideas at callie.com

Hallo ihr Lieben 😊

wie schnell doch wieder das Jahr zu Ende geht! In großen Schritten bewegen wir uns auf die Weihnachtszeit zu - eine Zeit, die von Kerzenschein, Plätzchenduft und Gemütlichkeit geprägt ist. Bestimmt macht ihr euch auch schon Gedanken darüber was man denn dieses Jahr seinen Lieben schenken könnte. Denn das Schenken gehört für viele Menschen zum Weihnachtsfest. Ich mag diese Tradition und überlege mir schon Wochen vorher was ich wem schenken werde. 🎁🎀

Da habe ich einen Tipp für euch. Vielleicht kennt ihr ja schon Callie? Dieser Online Shop bietet eine breite Auswahl an personalisierbaren Geschenken. Von Schmuck, Wohndeko bis hin zu Kleidung und Accessoires ist für jeden etwas dabei. Gut finde ich, dass die Geschenkempfehlungen nach Empfänger (für Sie / für Ihn / für Kinder / für Tierliebhaber etc.) geordnet sind und somit ein passendes Geschenk schnell gefunden ist. 

Besonders die personalisierbaren Schmuckkästchen sind mir ins Auge gefallen. Ein hübsche und auch praktische Geschenkidee für liebe Freundinnen oder weibliche Familienmitglieder. Hier zeige ich euch meine Favoriten. 💝

 

1. Dieses Schmuckkästchen mit Blumendesign kommt in vier verschiedenen Farben. Es ist aus hochwertigem Kunstleder gefertigt mit einer weichen, glatten Textur. Das durchdachte Design verfügt über spezielle Fächer für Ringe, Ohrringe und Halsketten, die dafür sorgen, dass der Inhalt geordnet bleibt. Das besondere Extra: ein Spiegel mit integrierter, dreistufig einstellbarer LED-Lichtleiste!

 

2. Schmückkästchen mit Sternzeichen Print. Dieses quadratische Schmuckkästchen kommt in drei Farben und lässt sich ebenfalls mit Sternbild und Namen personalisieren. So wie das obige, besteht es auch aus hochwertigem Kunstleder und ist mit einem weichen Innenfutter ausgestattet, welches die Schmuckstücke vor Kratzern schützt.

 

3. Dieses Schmuckkästchen kommt in vier Farben und lässt sich mit dem Anfangsbuchstaben eures Namens personalisieren. Für den Buchstaben gibt es zehn Farben zur Auswahl und - wenn gewünscht - lässt sich eine kleine, märchenhafte Figur seitlich daneben aufdrucken. Diese Schatulle kommt mit einem Spiegel und integrierter LED-Lichtleiste. Sehr praktisch, wenn man die Schatulle mit auf Reisen nimmt.

💕

Mir gefällt die große Auswahl an Schmuckkästchen bei Callie und insgesamt finde ich das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis völlig in Ordnung. Vielen Dank fürs Lesen und vielleicht ist ja bei dem Angebot für die oder den zu Beschenkende/n etwas dabei. Schaut einfach mal in den Online Shop rein. Es sind ja noch viele andere Kategorien passend zum Empfänger dabei. 

Ich wünsche euch eine schöne Woche und viel Spaß beim Stöbern.

Duni's Flohmarkt ♥ Lecien Stickgarne 10er Set

[Werbung]

Hallo ihr Lieben!

nach einer längeren Pause gibt es heute einen Blitzverkauf, insbesondere für alle Stickbegeisterten unter Euch 😊 Nur bis Sonntag, den 2. November!

Hier biete ich ein 10er Set Stickgarn von der japanischen Firma Lecien zu einem sehr guten Preis an.

Das Stickgarn ist in Japan hergestellt, besteht aus 100% glatter Premium-Baumwolle und kommt auf einer praktischen Kone (original verpackt). Dieses Garn ist geeignet zum Sticken, Knüpfen sowie andere Bastelarbeiten, wie z.B. Quasten selber machen oder Holzperlen überziehen.

► aktuell sind 4 Sets vorrätig.

30 m / Kone

#22/6 

Farben:

Weiß / Creme / Hellrosa / Pink / Rot / Hellgrün / Flieder / Hellblau / Mittelblau / Navy

• 10er Set: EURO 22,- zzgl. Paketversand EURO 6,20 mit Deutsche Post/DHL*

   *innerhalb DE

   Gesamtpreis: EURO 28,20 

• keine Rücknahme, da Privatverkauf. Wenn weg, dann weg, keine Garantie

► Bei Kaufinteresse bitte an folgende Email unter Angabe Eures Namens sowie Lieferadresse schreiben: duni.buesken(at)gmx.de 

Krima & Isa Bastelgarn Mini

Hier biete ich Garnrollen-Restbestände zu einem sehr guten Preis an:

• Buntes Bastelgarn mit einer Stärke von 1mm. Lauflänge pro Rolle ca. 35 m

   EURO 1,50 pro Rolle zzgl. Versandkosten Deutsche Post/DHL 

   (wird nach Größe / Gewicht berechnet)

• solange Vorrat reicht

• keine Rücknahme, da Privatverkauf

► Bei Kaufinteresse bitte Farbwahl sowie Anzahl, Euren Namen und Adresse angeben. Email: duni.buesken(at)gmx.de

Farben:

Rosa (noch 1 St.) / Hellblau (ausverkauft) / Blau / Schwarz (noch 2 St.) / Flieder / Hellgrün / Rot (noch 1 St.) / Grau / Pfirsich / Mint

€1,50 pro Rolle

Nur bis Sonntag, 2. November - jetzt schnell Email senden an: duni.buesken(at)gmx.de

Bis bald und ganz liebe Grüße,

Monday Moodboard

Hello everyone!

Longtime readers might remember that I used to curate themed moodboards on Monday's. If I recall correctly, they were quite popular among my fellow bloggers. I always had fun creating them plus I like supporting small businesses by featuring them - so, I've decided to revive my moodboards every other Monday starting with Pantone's color of the year 2025, which is Mocha Mousse, a warm, earthy brown. I hope you enjoy my picks! 

The featured shops are linked below.

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Colorful Collage Art with a painted Butterfly

Hi everyone!

Today I'm sharing another painting process in my art journal. Most of my journals are themed, for example "face sketching" or "abstract" etc. The square journal shown here is dedicated to collage art with a dreamy, vintage-y look with lots of layers. Once I've completed this journal I will share a flip-through. But for now, let me walk you through the layering process.

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts I love creating my own collage papers for my mixed media artwork. For this spread I have selected a few papers along with some torn bits of sheet music and grid paper. I adhered these with a glue stick and then added a thin layer of Mod Podge on the whole spread to seal and prepare it for the next layers. 

In the above photo I have stencilled on leaf motifs in random areas. The paint needs to dry before adding the next layer.

I gave the whole spread a wash of thinned down acrylic ink in burnt sienna. This gives the artwork a warm glow. Because it is thinned down with a lot of water, the layers are still visible. Once the ink has dried I went in with another stencil in a creamy yellow to add even more texture. I let this dry again. Then I stamped a tiny dot motif using a black stamp pad.

I contemplated adding another stamp, then decided against it, as I thought it would overwhelm the page. I did go in with a paint pen in raspberry pink to make tiny dashes.

Ages ago I painted this butterfly. It's been sitting in my collage fodder basket waiting for the perfect background. Well, the butterfly finally got its rightful place on this page! I added a little sentiment from my sticker book to the other side. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Thank you for stopping by and have a beautiful day!