Thursday, May 16, 2013

Catching Up

  Greetings! I hope those of you who celebrated had a beautiful Mother's Day. I had every intention to post and share new art last week but unexpected circumstances changed that. My mom (who lives in her home with her dog and is VERY active and independent) hadn't been feeling very well so the Dr. ordered a repeat of lab work done a few weeks ago. She had some concerns over a repeatedly low platelet count. Long story short-within the last week I took her to a  gastroenterology/ liver specialist for a consult,  for a spleen/liver scan, and a consult with a hematology specialist besides my own appts.  Good news is that the scan was negative and although the specialist wants more testing done to rule out some causes she is not otherwise concerned as this has been a chronic problem over the years.

 I did manage to also take my mom to a local garden center to buy our annuals. Oh how I love all the colors in my yard now!!! And not only that , look at what visited for the first time on Thursday the 9th:


   Finally our hummers have arrived!!! It looks like we have one pair but I'm hoping for more. We've gotten about 4 or so in previous years-not very many but I will be watching :) I did have to cover, move and even take in some of my plantings because for two nights we had frost warnings and temps down to 32 F- in May? Really?

  Now for the art. I decided to play with the  paper towels and napkins I had laying on my table. They were used for wiping  excess paints and inks off my stencils.




 Sections were cut out, then I carefully peeled apart the plies. This is a paper towel. Diluted Collage Pauge was brushed on to my watercolor journal pages to glue the paper towel down and a brayer was used to remove any air bubbles. Once dry any excess was trimmed away.


  But don't throw away those colorful excess strips!!!  Glue them onto a watercolor ATC for a great background:


  Here's a really cool paper towel I'm saving for another page-hmm... I think I see  pair of eyes on an owl :)


  Here are pages and ATCs  from an ink spray blotted napkin:



  Although I didn't finish any of the journal pages yet I did finish the ATCs:


  Products used: flowers-Paper Whimsy , tag stamp- Collage Stuff . The little green strips of grass are from a gelli plate print.

  And here are two cards I made for two of my friends birthdays this week-happy birthday to LuAnn and Lynn!!!






  For LuAnn's card I used the new die and Flower Soft products I bought at a convention which I shared about in this post. I think this stuff would make for great texture mixed into gesso or paint don't you?

  I chose a different approach for Lynn's card:

  

  I put a dot of olive green, baby pink and gold acrylic paints next to each other on one edge of a credit card then swiped it over the card . The excess paint was picked up on bubble wrap and "stamped" on. A butterfly sticker was added and I stamped the words (Papertrey Ink) with Jet Black Staz-On ink. A gemstone was added to dot the i. I've made both masculine and feminine cards like this for some years now and like that you never quite know how the swipe will appear on the cards. It's a quick and easy go to idea for something a little different than my usual style.

  Linking up to Art Journal Every Day, Paint Party Friday, Creative Every Day, Mandarin Orange Monday. Please take some time to visit the talented artists linking up to these challenges-definitely worth your time!

  Have a wonderful, creative weekend!

  "The bud of a rose is just as beautiful as the full bloom. Appreciate what you have at the moment."   
                                                                                                                    Anonymous        

45 comments:

  1. What a lot of beautiful work. The colours on your paper towels is amazing, good to re-use the, they always make great backgrounds! Hope your Mom's health will soon be better. Valerie

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  2. So glad to hear that your Mom is doing ok - that must have been a very stressful time for you both.

    I LOVE your paper towel backgrounds! Brilliant colours, they look gorgeous. Your ATC's are very striking - the bright colour v the black and white image is stunning.

    x

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  3. Ah such beautiful colors and art here! It feels like a garden in full bloom!

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  4. Good to know that your mom is okay, Linda! And, isn't it fun to get flowers planted?? My goal is to get mine done next week!

    Love the backgrounds you have made with the paper towels. I have been blotting my excess paints on the back side of my gelli prints, but I will now try to remember to use paper towels for some of it. My Thursday post for FiFi is late; maybe today!! :-)

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  5. Beautiful creations ~ love the process and favorite, I think is the one with the butterfly ~ great ATCs too!
    Happy Weekend ^_^

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  6. beautiful cards for your friends, and I love the napkin pages!
    Great that your mom's health is being monitored so well, it relieves a lot of stress.

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  7. Yes, I love the beautiful prints intersect the colors ...!

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  8. Oh Woww!! The napkin pages are awesome and so much beauty created from paint wipes!
    Glad to know that your mom is fine!
    The hummer bird must be such a joy to see.

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  9. I was wondering what to do with my very colorful pieces of paper towel! These are so wonderful. I have never tried sewing anything onto an ATC...would I use a "jeans" needle? I love your cards also. I went to my first card-making workshop yesterday. i learned a lot and had fun!

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  10. How wonderful that you have humming birds! I love all the different birds that we see in our garden but I don't think we'll have anything as exotic as that!!Your paper towel art is inspired - who'd have thought of doing that! I love how it turned out in your art journal especially!

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  11. good news about your mum Linda...... loving your beautiful prints.
    Happy PPF, Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  12. I love those tags such bright happy colours..happy ppf

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  13. So many beautiful work to see. I love your paper art.
    Hugs and love - for your mum also :)
    Erika

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  14. Love how you have used the napkins. That ink spray blotted napkin and the ATC's are gorgeous.
    Susan

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  15. Oh those paper towel paintings look fantastic!! Happy PPF

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  16. Beautiful tags Linda and hope you're Mom is feeling better soon! xo
    HPPF!

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  17. Best wishes to your darling mum, keep us posted please Linda.
    Is that a Hummingbird on your feeder - it has beautiful coloring, for some reason I thought they had a longer beak.
    As far as I know they've never ventured to our side of the world - a pity as I would love to have them in my garden - please tell them they're welcome in my little garden any time and cats are banned!

    A wonderfully colorful art week with such inspiring use of the used paper towel and such pretty results - YAY!!! Lovely cards too Linda.
    Take care
    Shane ♥

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  18. Linda your tags are beautiful and very creative. Magical colours and composition. Well done, busy and talented lady! Lots of love to you and have a great week!

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  19. you still managed some wonderful work despite the difficult week... hope all is good news for your mum this week...xx

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  20. Good News about your mom!! Happy dance!! I've done that with paper towel and hung them outside in the summer!! These are BEAUTIFUL...love the results!! Gorgeous work my dear!! I haven't braved my annuals yet....possibly this weekend!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  21. what a beautiful way to use your paper towels! i love your art this week, and i'm thinking it's time to put out my hummingbird feeder too. happy ppf!

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  22. I love, love, love the intensity of the colors in your papers and how you used them in the ATCs. As to the cards, I like them both, but my favorite is the lattice and flowers card. Blessings!

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  23. Lovely work with the paper towels and such a good idea for your cards:) HPPF

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  24. Wow, great ideas, they look wonderful! Love the ATC's that you made. It's weird, but in every single ATC from the ink spray blotted napkin, I saw a face ....

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  25. aw yeah... art on papertowels are some of the best art materials ever! love your colorful bits and I love what you did with them! best wishes to your mom!!

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  26. Glad your mother is OK. Isn't it great that so much stuff can be recycled into art! Love your ATCs ...where do you trade them?

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  27. I used to keep all my strips too, till I had far too many- now I do throw them away, sigh. Happy your mom is fine. Happy PPF.

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  28. Lovely, creative, beautiful work! Just love your tags, really pretty and adorable! <3

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  29. I love how a cleaning of stencils leads to beautiful art work and that you used everything! I hope your mum is ok x

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  30. Hi Linda: A Pair of Hummingbirds...how lovely! And taking in all the plants (I laughed at your "really?") I absolutely LOVE what you did with the paper towels. There is no way one can tell it is a paper towel in your journal and I am shocked at how clear the stencil is on it! yes, for sure an owl (or breasts! haha) I can definitely see an owl in the making there. I love the small (ATC) you made. They are wonderful with the stamps or digis on them. And the birthday card is truly beautiful with the flowersoft. I am really glad your mom is ok. It would be very hard for her to lose her independence after having it for so long now. You are a good daughter to assist her in all these ways and tests! Though I am not surprised. You seem very kind, from what little I know through your comments. Lovies for a great weekend. Samara

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  31. Hope your mom is OK. Love your art. I just did a paper towel piece. It was by mistake but turned out pretty cool.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  32. Lots of work here. Love your paper towel reuse ideas. Lovely colors. HPPF

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  33. Glad the hummingbirds made it home, despite the 32F :). Hope your mom is doing better today. I'm all smiles looking at your pretty journal background ideas & ATCs. HUGS.

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  34. Wow...Linda, all your creations are amazingly beautiful. The napkin /paper towel backgrounds are fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing. ^_^

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  35. Hope your mother continues to get good news and feel better dear Linda!

    Your paper towels are just brilliant and what you created with them is wonderful ♥ wonderful!!!

    Perfect rose quote too dear one
    oxo

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  36. also wanted to say what a lovely picture you got of the sweet hummer...what a treat to have them visit your garden...they know all the best spots ♥
    oxo

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  37. You've been so busy, Linda and I love your colourful art. And envy you the lovely bird! Glad to hear the nes about your mother, must have been worrying for both of you.

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  38. Love the idea of using the paper towels that would just be thrown away. Your colors are beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  39. Hope your Mom is feeling better. Love the sprayed napkins and towels!

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  40. I love how you recycled the papers. Fabulous!

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  41. Your mum's good results and your happiness has obviously been expressed in your art! Love the colour and spontaneity.Thank you for sharing on Mandarin Orange Monday:)

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  42. So glad that the doctor did not find anything. Wonderful news for you and your Mom. I love the variety of art that you have created. I get such a happy feeling when I look at your work.

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  43. These are incredible! So colorful :) I know what you mean about all the color in the yard finally, we just finished planting our beds and I can't keep my eyes off it ;)

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  44. I hope your mom is feeling better really soon....

    I so enjoyed this post, no more throwing away inky kitchen roll (as we call it over here!) Though I'm sure mine doesn't look as good as yours!

    I love love love those sweet flower atc's. They are beautiful.

    Karen x

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  45. So happy to see another something to do with paper towel...sometimes they are so pretty I can't bare to throw them away. Sometimes they are a muddy mess too, but....lol. Thanks.

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!