Friday, August 22

Late Summer Break

close up of pink roses

Hello everyone!

it's late August. I can already see and feel subtle shifts as we transition into cooler weather. I'd like to make the most of the mellow warmth and enjoy the outdoors, maybe visit gardens to appreciate the roses, poppies, lupins and lush green trees before their leaves turn yellow. Therefore, I will be taking a short break from the blog.

This time of year always gets me in a reflective mood. I turned a year older in August, and it's important for me to grow in meaningful ways. I like to accomplish something, even if it's just a little thing. Perhaps getting my YouTube channel up and running can be counted as an accomplishment? 

Meanwhile, I have compiled some older posts below in case you missed them. Perhaps these may interest my new followers (hello!) :

Handmade Felt Bunny - Read the article here


handmade felt bunny

Vintage Style Accordion Book - Read the article here

handmade accordion book vintage style

Garden Days - Read the article here


pink roses


I hope that you enjoy the quiet beauty of those last days of summer, too. Thank you for stopping by my blog and I'll catch up with you in September. Take care!


Monday, August 11

DIY Art Prompt Cards - Ideal Tool for Artists

set of handmade art cards

Hi everyone!
I've had this idea to create my own art prompt cards for the longest time - not least out of necessity, as I've been struck with the dreaded "art block" a few times these last couple of years and it is not a good feeling. As it so happens, I've had this set of blank postcards in my stash for a while, which came in handy for this project. Obviously, I was in quite a creative mood when I made these, as I completed the whole card deck (30 pcs) in a weekend!

I'm sharing my process for how I made these cards, however, feel free to tweak and substitute anything to your liking! This is why I love mixed media so much, is that the possibilities are endless.

first layer

When I'm working in a series, I often like to tape the cards together with a bit of low-tack masking tape and view the surface as a whole piece. As in the example above, I simply used a brayer to roll on some bright, contrasting colors as a first layer. Another way to start is by adding a light wash in pale colors and stamp something bright on top - see below.

laying down color and stamps

The cards I'm working on are 200 gsm. They did curl a little when I put down the wash, but this is easily fixed by lightly spraying the back with water and then putting several heavy books on top with a paper towel in between to soak up the moisture. 

Let's continue with the bright colored cards...

art cards steps one through four

Step One
I like to add texture with my text stamp and a black stamp pad. I stamp the image to random areas.

Step Two
I make some marks and add some handwritten text with a fat acrylic paint pen.

Step Three
I adhere tissue paper collage that has graphic elements on it.

Step Four
I add a layer of stencilling.

making circle marks

Step Five
I make more marks with an old plastic lid and indigo ink.

add embellishments

Step Six
Finally, I add focal points to my cards. This can be anything from stamped images, ephemera, cutouts, stickers etc.

colorful handmade art cards

Above is a selection of cards from my deck. As you can see, it's the layering process that gives them interest and depth. Besides, it's fun!

art card deck

All thirty cards have individual art prompts on the reverse side. I came up with general art prompts, that can be used for all types of art, not just mixed media. You can watch me create an art card in the video below. The list of prompts is in the description box directly below the video on You Tube. So, when next I'm stuck in my art, I grab my art card deck, give the cards a good shuffle, spread them out on my work table and randomly pick three cards. I sometimes do this with my eyes closed to avoid picking the same ones I tend to gravitate to. The prompts on the back are my starting points. I grant myself the freedom to use any substrates and any tools that I wish - from brushes, to brayers to sponges! I also gently remind myself, that these prompts are simply suggestions.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and if you happen to watch the video below on YouTube a thumbs up would be very much appreciated ♥ Have a lovely day, wherever you may be.


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