a little art love...

okay so its not monday.. but you know.. one of those weeks. I leave tomorrow for Puerto Rico to teach at the AMAZING and ever crazy event by Memory Box and my seriously dear and CRAZY friend Yamille! lol.

I taught there at her personal store in January.. and it was only to a small 150 people.. this event is to over 450 people AND IT's 3 full days of NON stop fun and teaching! lol. Did I mention that She makes you dance like every 10 minutes? Everyone? they get up out of their chairs and play super loud fun music and dance? lol.. she is crazy but I love her. Ben is coming with me this time.. thought it might be a fun way to celebrate our 18 year anniversary.. which was yesterday btw.

 

 Yep! the two of us teaching all weekend.. lol. But it will still be SO good to have him there. These last few months have been crazy for the two of us for sure.. so it will be good to have some one on one time. Love that boy. Sure do.. the absolute true of the trues..

anyhow.. so latley.. I have been just having this crazy itching desire to just be in my studio and paint! LIKE ALL THE TIME! which isn't possible as I still have other work to do for our business and my home and my kids.. since they are home for summer now. But It's been one of those desires that just won't go away. SO i decided to cave and paint. And just paint for no reason but to paint! Actually a reason.. We bought our new/old house.. which by the way YES I am doing a post thursday on!! (just need to resize all those pictures I took first lol). but I want to have that house full my own art. while I love others art.. I LOVE It.. infact I collect it..

 

(two of my recent pieces I purchased from Danita Art and Juliette Crane .. two of my favorite artists)

 and will have a place for all of my collections from my favorite artist who inspire me..  in my art studio.  have BIG plans for that.. But I am excited to have my own art in my house. Of course my house won't be DONE for at least 6 months lol.. so much to do to that old wonderful diamond in the rough.. BUT that gives me plenty of time to plan and make it the perfect little place for our family.  Anyhow.. back to the subject of creating.. I wanted to share with you a piece I did recently for my bedroom in the new/old house. It's about 3 and half feet wide and 12" tall.. and I actually still think it's not done. Might add a few more bits and pieces. Don't even thinK I will add words to this one.. just love the texture.

I used a lot of different mediums on the canvas itself before I even got started.. wish I would have taken a picture through the process.. but started with lace, book paper, cream wallpapers, old money from germany, and other fun stuff. .. some ou can still see when you are upclose. some you can't. But it' still there. creating a layer of love..

 

and then of course I started adding color.. and I think I couldn't stop.. lol color with stamps, stencils, pastes, sprays.. and MY NEWEST obsessions.. Tim Holtz Alcohol inks!

(love that you can write with them.. splatter, drip, doodle.. you name it!) 

EVERYTHING that I have been taught had been about that those inks is that they are NOT permanent and react with other paints and waters..  (or at least that's what I remember.. it could also be that I wasn't listening that well in class  at Ranger U because I was too intrigued by them! lol..)but I am here to tell you.. it's just not true.. his distress inks might do that.. but not the alcohol ones! I cant drip and splatter and write with those babies and they dry almost instantly and then I can layer paint or mod podge right over the top and its like this little miracle! It stays in place! lol.. I swear I tested it before.. and it didn't work.. but Ive used them again recently and holy hannah.. they are my new best friend.. They are so clear and freaking FULL of this wonderful Delicious transparent color!

 

 

I also am obsessed with my new stamp Plump Polka Dots.. LOVE the big round distressed circles..

 

 

also obsessed with this bright indian yellow hue by Golden Fluids.. and the colbalt teal.. oh my.. can't help but use them on EVERYTHING now..

 

Also did a lot of drips with Liquitex Inks and Dr Martin Inks.. and wrote a lot with them too.. and did doodles with them as well..

oh there's the darn plump polka dot stamp again.. (and yes it's available in our store! LOL)

Also used a lot of other of my Unity She ARt Background stamps.. but one thing I used a ton of too was my Pink Paislee Doodle Rubons.. and I have to tell you.. I went to our store today to see how many we have left and we are SOLD OUT! I was hyperventilating!! Because I had just bought the last 150 that Pink Paislee had and thought those would last the store and me for a while!! Lol.. and they are gone! I emailed them today and BEGGED them to find me more! lol.. begged. because WE NEED THEM! our art depends on it! lol

 

anyhow.. thanks for letting me share! I am still playing around.. and I started another piece too.. THIS one.. and it's HUGE (almost 5x5 feet!!)

 

this ones for my living room. AND THIS one I am actually doing a video of. I decided to do a 30 day canvas. Do something on it everyday for 30 days. So I have been video taping my progress I do each day. Since I am leaving for Puerto Rico.. when I get back I will have to make up for it and spend an hour or so playing on it (oh that's gonna KILL me lol.. you know im kidding right?)You know how hard it is to NOT just play on it for hours and hours? But I really wanted to do only one or two things to it each day. I think it will make for a cool canvas because everyday you feel different and you see things differently and so it's like adding a month worth of feelings and memories too it. think it will be cool . When its done I will put the entire thing oN youtube.. gonna be fun!

Okay so I need to announce a winner of friday's giveawy! of our new StAMPS!! which ARE NOW IN OUR SHOP!!  (www.scarletlime.com)

wahoo!

our winner is..

Posted by: Kathie Maruska | June 01, 2012 at 11:37 AM

congrats sweets! Email me at [email protected] with your address!!

OH my heck I forgot to tell you some other VERY exciting news!! I just hired an assistant this week! YEP! that's right.. her name is Melanie and she is FABULOUS. She is going to help me with customer service emails and letting people into the workshops and retreiving lost passwords and missing things.. I am overjoyed at the help! So if you email me about a product in our store.. or a question about workshops, or something.. she will probably be the one who will be answering your email. AND if you want to have her email directly its.. [email protected]  She is going to help me through the summer and we will see how it goes. THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS FOR ME! I can't tell you how much I actually love answering every email myself. I love talking to my customers and getting to know them through even simple emails such as Ive lost my password. lol.. but as you probably all realize.. there are so many things I get behind on.. and alot of emails that get lost or unanswered because I have so much going on.. so it thought it would be better to have someone HELP me with that.. then totally suck at it. of course I will still answer emails about my blog, and art.. and products I love.. etc.. but she's going to help with the other not so personal stuff :) she will be GREAT! im like a mom letting go of a baby.. cutting the apron strings with that.. ack! but she will be awesome. She is super sweet and nice and bubbling and funny. You will love her!

okay.. enough talk.. check back thursday for the BEFORE pictures of our new/old house! We are already in the "in between stage.. everything has been gutted, wall broken down.. carpets out.. you name it. It's done.. in under 2 weeks.. ben and my boys got over there and have been working their hiney's off every night after shipping orders to get it going! Wahoo! so those will come in a few weeks..

so Happy tuesday!!

 

Comments

[Cathy Morrison]

Hi Christy. Hun, I am taking one of your courses and I have a Blog follower who recently won a giveaway I was holding. I have been speaking with her and I know in her heart she would love LOVE to take your Living Canvas Workshop. So I want to purchase it for her, and be sure it goes to her email addy. Can we do that?

[ReNae Allen]

First of all, Happy Anniversary! It is commendable to stay in a marriage that long, and to still be in love! Priceless! I wanted to tell you a tidbit about alcohol inks. I saw the coolest video on them, the gal squirted some ink on some glossy paper, then used a straw and blew on the ink. It made the coolest little amoeba-looking shapes! Try this, remember they work best on non-porous surfaces. Loving your art work too! I can't wait to see the large work of art when it's finished!

[Outi]

Your canvas is sooo beautiful! Love all those bright colours. And I'm so looking forward to following the progress on your new art project.
Lots of love
Outi

[juliette crane]

love seeing all of those colors on that canvas! and so flattered to have a painting of mine in your home...thank you for sharing so much inspiration!

-juliette

[Andrea Moreau]

Love the 30 day idea...I love big canvas and this idea strikes a cord. love that you are recording it too. Even though you are skipping a few days I think you should still stick to doing just a bit on it for 30 total days. Good luck.

[Stephanie]

Your art is beautiful! I can't wait to see pics of your house. I love new/old houses!!!

[Jen Clark]

Oh, Christy - I just love your canvases, and I ditto what someone else said above me - I can literally hear your voice as I am reading your posts. You write just like you talk...just bubbling over with life!!! I love it! And I totally understand what you mean about letting go of the answering your emails...that would be so hard for me too...but try to think of it as an opportunity that God is giving Melanie, too, in addition to freeing you up a bit of time so you can focus on other things. I'm so excited for you and Ben to be able to go to Puerto Rico together this time - I hope you have a wonderful time together, and I'm glad he'll be there to support you when you are wiped out at the end of the day! ;)

[Kelly W.]

WOW!!! Those canvases are AWESOME -- I can't wait to see the big one finished -- waaaayyyy cool!

[Danee]

Have a great time…as someone who has a chronic illness (Ehlers Danlos) that is similar to Fibro, I know that you must be exhausted with all the work, traveling, and family you have been dealing with this year. I hope PR is a terrific experience for you and Ben.

[Nancie]

Christy your work is amazing just amazing! I love the bright colors...I just love how you were inspired by Mindy's class but put your own Christy spin on it. I feel so grateful to both you and Mindy because after taking your workshops, I finally feel like my art is coming together - I take bits from She Art and Three Hearts and mixed media kits and merge it with Paint your story and it is so amazing...I am also excited for your new house & studio and that you got an assitant! woohoo! HUGS!!!!! Nancie

[Liane Townsend]

Love your huge gorgeous canvases!!! They are gorgeous and will really make your new/old house your home! I can't believe that you hired and assistant. I am so proud of you for taking such good care of you. She will be an extension of you, so don't worry your pretty head about it none. lol I know Art is sooo proud of you too. Enjoy your trip/class with the tiny group, NOT, and your hubby. Happy Anniversary! xo

[Joanne Freeman]

Oh I love how you write your blog posts. I read it and can partically hear your voice. You are delightful and so real and it is incredibly refreshing and inspiring to me. Thankyou. I have loved all your classes and learnt so much. As I am from Australia I appreciate the on-line opportunities to learn art and other things. I also wanted to say how impressed I am with your on-line shop. I have been amazed at how soon I receive my items. From USA to Australia less than 2 weeks. very cool. Anyway I hope one day you will be able to come to Australia and teach as I would love to meet you in person and just give you a big hug. Love all you are doing and sharing. Jo