You are my sunshine.... and Audrey Bandley CD winner.

 

I love this song!  My mom used to sing that to me when I was little... and I sang it to my kids as well. I have one child in particular.. Allie Belle, who really IS my sunshine. Allie, who is 11.. LOVES yellow. Seriously this girl is obsessed! Everything she buys, she wants it in yellow. This year for Christmas she asked for yellow shoes, yellow socks, a yellow coat, yellow pj's, yellow gloves, yellow hat.. yellow bedspread.. she really seriously adores the color yellow. If you ask her, she says she liked yellow long before it became a cool color.. and I have to admit, she has. She has never been a pink girl.. she did go through a blue phase.. but yellow came on pretty early and hasn't really gone away..

A few months ago, Allie asked me if I would create an art canvas for her.. OF her.. I said sure.. but kept putting in on the back burner as I do a lot of things my kids ask me to do. (that is one of my goal for 2011 just in-case you were wondering...to listen to my kids more).  So yesterday I finally decided to make it for her.  

She loves wearing hats and headbands, so I really wanted to try and tackle a hat.. she loves wearing those knitted hats with the side flaps..  but it didn't work out as well as I had planned. (you can see here I had it sketched out.. didn't quite execute it the way I wanted to though. )

 

That is something I WILL tackle another time though.. but for now, I went with a headband.. plus it showcased her personality to much more. So this is what I ended up with!

I used an old simplicity pattern to back the 6x12 canvas with, then I used Liquitex Acrylic Professional Inks to paint the blue background and the green grass. .

 
Her dress was originally ink as well, but I just didn't love the color of yellow, so  I found some cute paper and did her dress out of that instead.Her legs and arms are painted with acrylic paints and her boots are burlap that my dear friend Margie gave me a couple of months ago. I of course added rubons for detail and also my pen for doodling.

 

 I painted the flowers with Liquitex inks and used acrylic paint for the center and stems. I used my pen to draw the leaves on and then used liqituex ink inside the leaves.  I added rubons to create dimension on the stems and  white centers. I doodled over them with pen to finish them off!

 

I also added  rubons to different parts of the canvas, as well. The banner is a rubon from American Crafts, and then I won't over it with pen and added paint to the flags to add a bit more color. . The birds are rubons from Studio Calico.

 

I stamped on it, used bubble wrap with paint, added glitter and more paint.  Last I printed out words for a title and doodled around them to keep with the whimsical feel of the canvas. I love that it totally feels like Allie. She is my sunshine!
 

 

Out of all the art I create on canvas, I think girls are my favorite.. I don't know if it's because each one ends up with a totally different personality.. or because I love fashion and this gives me a chance to play with that.. who knows.. but I love it!  I have had people ask me why I don't put faces on my girls. Honestly for me, I think its because art is personal for each person. What speaks to me in a piece, is going to be something totally different than what speaks to Allie.  The feeling or memory it creates for me, might be a different one for her. I feel like once I put a face on my girl, I isntantly give "meaning" to how she feels. Her facial expressions then tell the story instead of the words and the surroundings. If I leave that blank,the person creating it and the one receiving it.. can interpret it just as they wish to.. and just as you should!  Plus i don't think I'm that good at faces! lol.. not sure, have never tried.  My next "challenge" is to create one of my boys.. now THAT should be fun! 

Well, we are off for 5 days to a cabin we rented in Driggs, Idaho! We love to snowboard and ski as a family, and have season passes at the Grand Targhee Ski resort in Wyoming.. So for Christmas this year, we decided to rent a cabin by the resort so we could spend the whole week up there enjoying each other and our love for the great outdoors! We have invited both family and friends to come up during different times of the week so should be fun! Ben is pulling our trailer.. which means I get to bring my portable "art" studio! lol.. can't wait! All my sisters  and their daughters are excited because we are going to do art all day friday while the big boys ski and board.  I think by Friday I will be so wiped out from snowboarding, art will be a perfect way to spend the day!  I  am not sure if I will have internet up there, but I do plan to do a post on Saturday about our trip and the art we created while we were gone!   I  also have plans for next week to do a Tutorial on Gesso. I have had several emails about it.. why use it.. why don't. I will do a post about Gesso, where you can get it,  and show you why to use it and when. I will also show you many types of surfaces it can be used on and the difference if of using it and not.   Should be a fun tutorial! 

I have also been invited to participate in a fun blog hop challenge by Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner, starting Next thursday and will go for 5 weeks! Posting a new art piece each week using the Mobile Scanner (that can fit into your purse!!) .. plus they will be giving 1-2 scanners a week away on their blog! Super excited about this!!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of TwentyTen! This year as been full of so many different emotions,  and growth opportunities as a mother, sister, daughter, wife and artist.. I have been overwhelmed by the path my life took this year, but so grateful for it. Here's to 2011 being even better!

before I go, I wanted to post the winner of the Audrey Bandley CD!!! Also.. thank you.. for all the kind and sweet words about my dad, and my husbands sweet Christmas gift. It's amazing how we can connect with each other through life experiences. I loved reading your stories as well. THANK YOU..

okay okay!! onto the winner.. and she is..

Angela Gutshall | December 23, 2010 at 08:16 AM

Congrats Angela!  Email me with your address info and  I will forward it onto Audrey!

See you all Saturday!

Comments

[Annette Allen]

I just love your canvas work. It really inspires me. Thanks for sharing.

[Amy Walker]

Wow!! I love that canvas!!! Very pretty!! Oh, and your daughter has FANTASTIC taste.....my favorite color is yellow as well. I had to laugh when I was reading how everything she wants, she wants in yellow. Sounds like something I would do!! LOL

[Suzelle Kasaian]

WOW....that canvas is SOOOOO CUTE !!!!!!

PS....where can I find one of the things you have in your first picture...that the card is in ? I think I need one of them :)

[Angela Gutshall]

I'm so excited to have won :) I love your new canvas painting!! Have a great trip!

[Heather Beasley]

This is GORGEOUS. I love it! I'm inspired to try this...

[suzanne]

WOW WOW WOW Christy! I'm in absolute awe..I love your canvas work and am inspired to give this a go!

[Lori Smith]

I Love this so much! Your kids are so Blessed to have you as their Mom! You are so Amazing! Love you Beautiful Girl!
xoxoxo

[Jennifer]

your canvas is amazing!! I love it!! Happy New Year!

[rkokes]

GORGEOUS canvas! I am sure she loves it!

[Sylvia Drown (Baxter's Mom)]

I LOVE your Mixed Media Canvas pieces! They are so fun and whimsical...I know your daughter will love this for a very long time.

[Courtney Walsh]

Love her, Christy. She is just beautiful. I love the pen doodles and rub-ons. They add so much depth to your art. You inspired me to try a few different products and I'm so happy I did!! :) So fun!

[Amilyn Dye]

I love your art work you are very talented, in so many ways. I would really like to know where you get all of your art supplies and maybe some tips. I'd like to try some of this. I haven't done art work like this since middle school, and your work has really inspired me! ;)

[Angie]

This is incredible! I wish I had a clue on how to do anything like this! Thank you for sharing.

[Linda Magee]

This would be great for all the traveling I do. They call me the bag lady because I keep buying a bags but they don't work for me. Gimme gimme gimme
Linda

[Carol]

Inspiration for me comes in many different forms: your wonderfully creative art work w/ such vibrant colors; nature with her own vibrant moods and colors; the smiles and laughter of children; people who have come to the realization that life can be fulfilling and 'just plain great'! thanks for sharing your own inspirations.