What Is Old Is New Again

Hi!  Wow, I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post.  I'm sorry for being away for so long but this time of year is always really tough on me and I've had to take some time to regroup and find my center again.  Now that things are settling down I'm feeling much better and I've missed you guys. :-)  Thanks for hanging in there with me.

I'd like to share with you something fun I've been working on today.  A few weeks ago my trusted old printer finally gave up the ghost and after a lot of research I finally have a shiny new Canon Pixma MG8120.  If you're looking for a high quality mid-priced multifunction printer/copier/scanner I highly recomend it. 

One of the things that really sold me on this particular printer was its ability to scan negatives and slides.  You see, before I started doing digital art I studied photography.  This was way back in the days of film and I have boxes of negatives and slides that have been gathering dust for, oh, about 20 years now.  Today I started scanning.

What is so exciting for me is that now, with the help of my computer, I can take some of the negatives that I had previously rejected because of bad lighting or bad backgrounds and give them new life.  Take this image for example:
This is a shot I took of my brother about 18 years ago.  The image on the left is straight out of the scanner.  I loved this portrait for its composition and especially for his expression but it is full of technical errors.  Besides being old and discolored, his face is way too dark and could that sky be any more boring?  I don't think so.  I won't even mention the giant piece of wood jabbing him in the head.  But, hey, I was still learning so I made a mental note to work on my lighting skills and pay more attention to the background in the future and I threw it in the reject pile and moved on.

But now that I have new skills (and a new film scanner) I have finally been able to create the image the way I had imagined it all those years ago. I love you Photoshop!! :-)

A big Thank You to lrargerich @ Flickr for the sky

Ode To A Muse

I am beyond excited to tell you about the new kit, Ode To A Muse, by Holliewood Studios and Finecrafted Designs!  Two of my favorite designers have joined forces to pay homage to one of my idols, and theirs, Maggie Taylor.

If you are not already familiar with Maggie's work you can take a look at her website here.  Her images are poetic, surreal and astonishingly beautiful. 

Thank you Hollie and Evelyn!!  I had so much fun playing with this kit!!

Happy Halloween!!

Please see my Flickr page for credits

It's That Time Of The Year

There are some people who LIVE for Christmas.  Me?  I live for Halloween.  I know, what a surprise.

I have been so excited working with all the new kits coming out of DeviantScrap in celebration of this most wonderful holiday.  If you love Halloween as much as I do, take a few minutes and check out Welcome To My Nightmare and Haute Halloween by Holliewood Studios, Good Evening by Finecrafted Designs, and One Ghostly Night and Halloween Word Art by TotallyWild Dezinez.

Here are a few images that I've been working on.  As usual, please see my Flickr page for full credits.

 

Archangel

Sometimes you just need a little eye candy. ;-)

Please see my Flickr page for credits

Heritage Photos

I love creating images with vintage photos.  There's just something magical about them that you don't find in contemporary photography.

A few years ago, I inherited a group of old family photos from my Grandmother, some dating back to the late 1800s.  I look through them every now and again and then I put them back in their box, but recently I've decided that they need to come out and see the light of day.  So, my scanner got a workout and then they went back into their box safe and sound.  Don't you just love technology?

In this first image, I used a photo of my Great-Grandfather (he's the one in the middle) and his siblings from the early 1900s and I placed them on one of the new Dramatic Backgrounds by Holliewood Studios.

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how I'm related to this woman but I love her.  She has such a great smile and looks like someone who loves adventure and doesn't care about the rules. I thought this old photochrome image from the Library of Congress fit her perfectly.  Now that I think about it, it's possible that she's one of the little girls in the image above.

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

I love that I'm able to honor their memory by letting them live again in art.  I plan on creating quite a few more of these so stay tuned! :-D

Scrapbooking

Like a lot of expectant mothers, when I first found out I was going to have a child I suddenly became very excited about learning how to scrapbook. This was long before digital scrapbooking was the norm.  That's what "good" Mom's did.  It wasn't enough to just take pictures and throw them in an album.  You HAD to make cute pages with coordinating papers and doodads and whatnots, right?  So I bought some books and even went to a scrapbooking party and bought papers and rubber stamps and ink and everything.  I was ready.  Just bring on this baby!

Well, then I had a baby.

Long story short: I never did open those packs of paper or assemble those rubber stamps.

Now, 9+ years and two kids later, I find myself surrounded by scrappers.  How funny is that?  Actually, I think it's pretty cool.  I am so inspired by the incredible art I see every day in the DeviantScrap gallery.  I feel like I have a second chance to start documenting the experiences of my children in a more artful way.

I chose to jump at that opportunity with the latest releases by TotallyWild Dezinez.  The following images incorporate Masks #1, Fabric Blend Paper Pack, Little School Clusters and Funky Frames as well as elements from the following kits by Holliewood Studios:  Toy Box, A Rose is a Rose, Wild Kingdom: Butterflies and The Collector.

I few weeks ago, while I was cleaning my garage, I came across the box with those old scrapbook papers and rubber stamps.  They're going to be perfect for the art journaling projects I'm working on now. Everything happens for a reason, right? :-)

Busy Busy

Wow! There are so many new things over at DeviantScrap that I have been swamped the last few weeks with CT work.  I had six pieces due this week alone. I'm not complaining, mind you.  In my previous life I would have been stressed out about having to get some giant spreadsheet done or balance the books or something.  Oh no, I'm not complaining in the least!  "Awww poor Amy is forced to make art with incredible resources, awww." ROFL!!

Instead of dumping everything out all at once I've decided to sprinkle my posts throughout the next few days.

I'm going to start with the new mini-kit by Holliewood Studios: Niches.  In this piece, The Farmer, I've chosen to focus on the tree but there is also a house, a bird and a male and female head.  Check them out, they're really fun!

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

There's a New Designer in Town!

Some of you may have noticed that I'm sporting a brand new blinkie in my side bar.  That's because one of my favorite Creative Teammates has decided to throw her hat into the designing ring and I could not be more excited!  Introducing: Finecrafted Designs!! 

What a debut she's made with her kit, Good For What Ails You.  If you're looking for vintage medical items and ephemera this is the place to find it.  There is also an ATC add-on and a really cool FREEBIE!!!  That's right, a Freebie, so you can see for yourself how great these images are.  Of course, you can find them all at DeviantScrap.

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

A Rose Is A Rose

I'm in love with the new kit, A Rose Is A Rose, by Holliewood Studios.  It's full of gorgeous gardens, flowers, and animals.  Head over to DeviantScrap and check it out!

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

Treasure

While on our recent trip to visit family in Seattle, my Father-In-Law let it be known that there was treasure in his garage.  That's right, treasure.  I knew that he had been a teacher of visual arts for many many years but what I didn't know is that when his school district closed down the letterpress printing program he was able to rescue the print blocks and now had them stashed away in his garage.

Then he took me to see them.  My jaw hit the floor.  In a dusty corner lay hundreds of metal and wood print blocks.  You know how in the movies, whenever they open a treasure chest, a light magically appears from the depths of the chest?  It was like that.  Really.  Ok, not really, but they were pretty cool!

As I wiped the drool from my chin I heard him say, "If you can use them in your art you're welcome to have them."  Wow! I felt like I'd just won the lottery.  Really.  Ok, not really, but I was pretty excited!

I took a few pictures to show you some of them. :-)

Thank you, Mike!! You're the best!!

My Very First Calendar!

Kate, from The Kathryn Wheel, has been sponsoring a monthly Art Journal Calendar Challenge all year and after months of being blown away by everyone's submissions I finally decided to join the fun.  I know it's a little late in the year but better late than never, right?

Below is my very first calendar created using collage images from Tumble Fish Studio.  Even though the kids will be going back to school in a couple of weeks, August still means "summer vacation" to me and Marsha's vintage beach images are absolutely perfect.

If you are unfamiliar with Art Journal Calendars take a look at The Kathryn Wheel to see Kate's completed July calendar as well as her August calendar.  While you're there check out the rest of her incredible art.  She's one of my favorite artists and a huge inspiration to me.

This project was a lot of fun and I can't wait to make my next one!

The Tween Years

The tween years can be a confusing time for girls.  They want to be grown up so badly but at the same time they're still just little girls.  My daughter will be turning nine in a couple of months and I really wanted to capture an image of this internal conflict.  I shot the image below while on the beach during our recent trip up to Seattle, WA.

The background texture is from Jerry Jones at Shadowhouse Creations and the fabulous brushes are from TotallyWild Dezinez at DeviantScrap.  The thing I love about these brushes is that they not only come as separate .abr files but they also come as .png clusters.  This means that you can use them as standard brushes and add your own colors and create your own layers or you can use them as standard pre-made image layers.  This image was created using the On The Wall Cluster Brushes and the Butterfly Cluster Brushes.

A Princess in a World of Dragons

I haven't participated in very many art challenges, mainly because I haven't been able to find the time, but when I saw the theme for this month's challenge at Creative Souls I just couldn't resist.

I'd like to thank candiesforeveryone @ DeviantArt for the fabulous vintage model, playingwithbrushes @ Flickr for the gorgeous texture, Holliewood Studios for the crown and trees, and last but not least, shoofly-stock @ DeviantArt for the amazing little dragons.

Lady of Shallot

Please see my Flickr  page for credits

My New Studio!

After weeks of dealing with scammers and flakes on craigslist we were finally able to sell our extra couch to a really nice person.  Why is this important you ask?  Because, selling that couch opened up a huge amount of space in our house and allowed me to finally create my own art studio/office.  I'm so excited!!  I would like to thank my wonderful husband for agreeing that having a dining room was less important.  Besides, it's summer, we can eat outside, right?

Without further ado, here it is!  It's a little sparse and way too clean and organized but a few months of playing with paint should cure that.

I love that I get to be surrounded by some of my favorite things and I'll get to keep adding more as time goes on.  My computer desk was handmade by my grandfather in his woodshop class back in the 30s and I used to do my homework on it when I lived with my grandparents during my 7th grade year.  Sitting on top of my monitor is a little iron fairy.  She helps me to see the magic.  Above the desk is a panoramic photo of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.  The Palace of Fine Arts, rebuilt and renovated many times, is the only thing still standing today.  In the corner is an antique dress form that I found on Ebay many years ago.  We call her "Betty".  My art table is our former dining room table and it has a leaf that flips up if I need more workspace.  Above the table is artwork created by my daughter.  It will be a revolving gallery as we continue to create new pieces.  And up in the right corner is a weathered sign that says "Follow Your Dreams".

Thank you to all the people who have encouraged me to follow mine.

Stark!

It's time to unleash your inner surrealist!  Stark by Holliewood Studios gives you all the tools you need.  Just add imagination!

The Little Mermaid

JW Waterhouse has been my favorite artist for as long as I can remember appreciating art. I love being able to give his wonderful creations new life.

Please see my Flickr page for credits

Home

Every now and then I come across an image that really touches me. I fell immediately in love with the couple from Tumble Fish Studio's new element pack: Miscellany. The way they were holding hands was so sweet and charming they seemed like two parts of one being.

Marsha (Tumble Fish Studio) has some of the most unique vintage images and ephemera that I have ever seen. If you aren't familiar with her element packs please head on over to DeviantScrap.com and take a look at her stunning collection.

Please see my Flickr page for full credits

My Shining Star

I really like art mixed with words but it has always been challenging for me because I can never seem to find the right thing to say.  So, when Marsha from Tumble Fish Studio released her latest element packs I was really excited because I had recently found a quote that I loved from Storypeople and I knew just what I wanted to do with it.

I don't know about you, but personally, I find raising children to be a bit of a challenge as well.  We get so bogged down in the day to day "parenting" that sometimes the important messages get lost.

In "My Shining Star" I used the following element packs fromTumble Fish Studio @ DeviantScrap: Twinkle Toes, Big Whimsy, Angels and Froo Froo.  Thank you Marsha!!

The Little Princess

Reading is one of my favorite things to do.  When I was young it was my primary means of escape.  As you might have guessed my genre of choice is Fantasy.  Who'd have thought? lol!

In "The Little Princess" it was my goal to show how reading can make other worlds come alive around you.

Please see My Flickr Page for credits

Void

"Oh, Mother Night! Fold your dark arms about me. Protect me in your black embrace."

 -- Darkness, Legend (1985)

I love the night.  I love the way it transforms the mundane world.  I love the way darkness and light work together to hide the ugliness and highlight the beauty.   I love the silence and the mystery.

Void, the new kit from Holliewood Studios, was such a pleasure to play with.  It's all about the darkness and beauty of the night.  Below are my first two images.  Please see my Flickr page for full credits.

Facelift

I've been wanting to redesign my blog for awhile now and I finally found the time to do it.  All of the figures around the edge relate to my artwork.  I went through several versions before I settled on one I liked and who knows, it may change again. 

I would like to thank the following people for their images:  Holliewood Studios @ DeviantScrap, Tumblefish Studio @ DeviantScrap, Studio Maya @ Scrapbookgraphics, Christina Renee, Obsidian Dawn and from Flickr: JoesSistah, paperscraps, carbonated, Suzee Que and Essence of a Dream.

Oh! And take a look at that dinosaur blinkie on the right that Clementine created.  How cool is that?!?

The Time Keeper

Somerset

I've been hearing about Somerset Studio for awhile now.  Usually it's in reference to someone saying "free images from Somerset Studio" or "I was just published in Somerset Studio".  So, while I was at the mall the other day I stopped into Borders to see if they had any of the many Somerset publications.  I was really excited when I saw almost an entire section full of Somerset!  I picked up Somerset Studio, Somerset Digital Studio, and Somerset Apprentice.

Then I started flipping through the pages. 

I was blown away by the talented artists featured in each one.  The coolest thing was that every few pages I'd find myself saying "I know that person!"  It was like an Artists Yearbook filled with my friends from Flickr, Deviant Scrap, and Creative Souls!  Plus, they were all talking about how they created their art.  Talk about inspiration overload!

I've been toying with the idea of trying mixed media art and actually getting my hands dirty but I've been a little intimidated because I have no idea how to start.  That's why I was really happy to find Somerset Apprentice because it's all about step-by-step tutorials and techniques.

So, my next step is to set up an area in my house dedicated to art.  I'm really excited to get started!

I'm going to stop babbling now and go drown myself in these magazines.  Then it's off to the art supply store!!

In the meantime, I'd like to share a new image called "The Architect" that I recently created using the new City Limits and Juicy Grids kits from Tumble Fish Studio.  I love these kits!!

As always please see my Flickr page for full credits

Hollie Has Done It Again!!

There are a lot of things I like about being on the Holliewood Studios Creative Team but the best thing is being surrounded by amazingly talented women including one of the best designers out there, Hollie Haradon.  Believe me when I tell you that I wait with eager anticipation for each new kit that Hollie releases because every one of them is stunning.  Stunning!  Her latest offering is no exception:  Teddy Bear Tea Party

Here are a couple of images that I created with this kit but if you really want to see talent head on over to DeviantScrap and take a look in the gallery!

Hope II

This image is my re-imagining of Hope by George Frederick Watts.

This is one of the earliest of the great morality pictures by which Watts earned his fame. Describing these, he said, "All my pictures in the Tate Gallery are symbolical and for all time. Their symbolism is, however, more suggestive than worked out in detail." He goes on: "I want to make people think. My intention has not been so much to paint pictures that will charm the eye as to suggest great thoughts that will appeal to the imagination and the heart, and kindle all that is best and noblest in humanity."

"Hope" illustrates the power of these pictures to make peole think. The blinded figure, seated on the sphere with her broken lyre, is bending her ear to catch what music she may from the last remaining string. She cannot see the star shining above her; one by one the sweet notes of music have been taken from her, but still she sits, bowed but not broken, plucking with tender fingers whatever melody she may from the last string of those that gave her the full harmonies of beauty. She has no vision either of the star above or of the world of darkness and gloom below. Her attitude of dejection almost rejects the conventional idea that there is happiness to be found when everything seems lost, but the picture suggests the larger hope of the world that there is peace and light above the turmoil and sorrow of the earth.

From the book "Famous Paintings" printed in 1913.

Fear

Sometimes we are so busy trying to protect ourselves that we shut out the world and miss the magic.

Tumble Fish Studio

I have also had the honor of being asked to be on the Creative Team for Tumble Fish Studio.  Marsha from Tumble Fish Studio is one of my very favorite artists and a wonderful person to work with.  I've been cyber stalking her for awhile now but she doesn't know that. Oops! Did I say that out loud? hehe

You can find her artwork on her fabulous blog here: http://tumblefishstudio.blogspot.com/  and she now has amazing element kits that can be purchased at DeviantScrap.

Here are a couple of images that I've created with her kits:

DeviantScrap!

Wow! It's been awhile since I've posted anything.  Bad blogger, bad! lol!

Well, I'm here to make up for it by telling you what I've been up to for the last few months. Yay! :-)

I've had the honor of being asked by Hollie Haradon to be part of the Holliewood Studios Creative Team and, along with several other wonderful and incredibly talented artists, help her start her new venture: DeviantScrap.com!

DeviantScrap is a place where scrapbook, mixed media and digital artists can all come together to share, learn from and inspire one another.  No judgement, just creativity.  I've been blown away by the talent I've seen here.  Check it out! DeviantScrap.com

On top of that, I'm heading up the DeviantScrap Flickr Group.  So, if you're on Flickr, stop by, join the group and start posting images.  All types of art are welcome.  The only requirement is that you use at least one element from a digital scrapbook kit to create your image.

Here are some of the images that I've created for Hollie's Creative Team.  To see more please visit my gallery at DeviantScrap.com  or Flickr

The Summoning

Motherhood

Steampunk

I've always loved Steampunk. There's something about Victorian fashion mixed with "low-tech" technology and alternate fantasy future that is just so... cool.  Here are a few pieces I put together in honor of the genre.