Category Archives: melange team

The Challenge of Transfers

August 31, 2009 By in altered book, art challenge, halloween, melange team, recipe, somerset holidays, stampington and company 11 Comments
Transfering images onto your mixed media work can be challenging.  On our Melange Team thread over at Etsy, we have had an ongoing discussion about all of the different methods ‘out there’ and decided to do a challenge to show some of the different ways they can be done. 
This is a transfer that I did on my altered Halloween Cookbook for Somerset’s Holiday edition.  I used an inkjet transparency and gel medium which worked fairly well.  I like that it came out a bit rough, which helped with the aged look I was going for. 
The method that I like the best is using hand sanitzer.  It is so much less messy.  I use inkjet transparencies with it, but I know that others use photo paper.  I find that for myself the transparencies seem to work best. 
I think the key to getting good results it practice.  Experiment with different methods, find one or two that you like and practice.  There is a ‘knack’ to it that can only be learned by actually doing it.  Take a minute and visit our Melange Team blog to see what everyone had come up with!

Passing Time

August 5, 2009 By in art journaling, etsy, melange team, pam carriker, sale, thebagladysart 5 Comments

I spent several hours waiting for a flight with some empty seats on it this past weekend. We had a great time at the EAA Airshow in Wisconsin, walked our feet off! Now I am packing again to go to Washington and visit my family. When I get home there will be the flurry of school clothes shopping, end of summer boating and before I know it summer will be over. I have to say, we have not experienced many of those ‘endless’ summer days. Each one seems filled with activities but I manage to squeeze in some art time every day. Even if it’s just a quick little bit of journaling.
I hope you are finding time for art. It does not have to be a BIG block of time, just a few minutes spent in your journal can make all the difference in your creative state of mind.

I am participating in the Melange Team Etsy Sales Event August 7-9 even though I will be gone. I am offering 15% off both my Art Shop and my Print Shop.
Refunds to be made through PayPal.

Safe Harbor

July 30, 2009 By in art challenge, art journal, harbor, melange team, mixed media, panpastels, portraits 19 Comments

What is your ‘Safe Harbor’? Do you have a place to go where you can be yourself, your true self, the self the world only gets glimpses at? Melange on Etsy has the weekly word prompt up and it is ‘Harbor’. My first thought was to add the word ‘Safe’ . A port in the storm. My ‘Safe Harbor’ is my journal. It is where I can work things out, experiment, paint right over the top of it if I don’t like it, just as I did on this page. I started it with a sketch in a reddish brown pencil. I didn’t really like it but I moved on. Later I went back and added a few layers of paint right over the top. Then because I could still see the sketch I drew it again right over the paint. working, reworking, layering.

This next set of pages started with a sketch also, then I added some PanPastels for some color. They are really soft and lovely on the Moleskine sketch paper. Then I poured some feelings onto the page. My college bound son wants to get an apartment with his cousin, who is also his best friend. Another empty room in the house? Will I be his ‘Safe Harbor’? This will take some more journaling to work through…

This is a favorite saying, ‘She believed she could, so she did’.

I remind myself of it,

I wear it on a necklace,

I pull it out when I need to hear it again.

This piece was done mostly with PanPastel on museum quality sanded pastel paper.

‘Believe’ is available in my etsy shop.

Melange Weekly Challenge, Fly

June 4, 2009 By in art challenge, art journal, bird, etsy, flying, melange team, travel 18 Comments

Here is my Melange Weekly Challenge page for the word ‘Fly’. I find it really fun to work the challenge into my journaling. It makes for a stress free way to participate. If any of you want to play along you are welcome, no need to be a member of the team.
This page was done in my Moleskine Journal. ‘She dreamed of taking flight’, these words capture the feel I have as we enter summer. I long to take off and explore some new place. The traveling itch. When I go I will of course bring my journal along…

Melange Team Weekly Challenge

May 28, 2009 By in art challenge, ballerina, dance, melange team, mixed media, zne 18 Comments

The Melange Team Weekly Challenge word is ‘Dance’. How lovely is that? It conjures up all sorts of graceful, lovely, and even fun images. This piece, ‘Wistful Glories’ is one I did some time ago. I spent some time in a gallery at ZNE’s convenzione and I picked it up when I went to this years retreat. I had it at my table during my make and take and it sold. I don’t do a lot of sales in person. Most are done online and I never meet the people who buy my art. I always love to hear from them and it warms my heart to hear when my work has found a good home and is being enjoyed. This sale was face to face and the woman seemed to love it so. It was a great feeling and made my heart feel like dancing. I really loved this piece and it was good to see it again, but my art is made to share. It is sometimes a bit hard to part with it, but as soon as it leaves me I am ready to make another work of heart. It is a great feeling to share something as personal as art.
P.S. Here is the journal page that was the inspiration behind this piece.