christytomlinson

a girl a Day challenge.... checking in..

a week or two ago, I posted about my girl a day personal challenge I gave to myself.. to try and accomplish two things..

one: to make myself create EVERY day.. and two: to become more confident and better at creating girls in all art forms.

It's actually been helping both.. except last week I pretty much missd 4 days in a row, and then found myself friday night playing catch up, while I sat and watched a football game with my family. Of course then I grabbed the easiest thing available which was my mixed media journal, stabilo pencil, and a wet brush. (LOVE it when the stabilo gets wet and smears slightly like a watercolor pencil.. kinda gives it that charcoal look but with watery edges). 

BY THE WAY..we just added the Stabilo Pencil in both black and white to our Scarlet Lime Store! wahoo!! 

I thought it would be fun to come and share some of the girls I have been working on since I last checked in.. so here is what I have been up to!

I first started again with my watercolors and my stabilo pencil..

I drew the girl first with my stablio then filled her in with watercolor.

This next girl was also watercolor, but this time I just painted her straight out.. didn't use my stabilo to sketch her first. I finished her by using my copic multi-liner pen to add the little details.

this girl was a late night.. crap it's midnight I need to get my girl done.. mishap. Lol. She was done using pastels on mixed media paper. She's not bad.. but she's got some funky things going on with her face :)I was going for great gatsby.. kinda sort got there.. but not exactly what I was hopping for. Good thing there are still 5 days left to the challenge I can try again.. right?

this girl was a hybrid. I was tired of just using pastels and watercolor... so I decided to bring in a little paint, decopauge and patterned paper too. Her wings were stencils on with Pan Pastels, her skirts is paper with decopauge, and the rest is done with watercolor. Plus of course my handy stabilo :). It felt good to get out a little bit of "messy" stuff! by the way.. I found I can totally "shade" with my watercolors.. which is good to know that they give me the same look as my Faber Castell pens! More work.. but still fun!

now comes my series from missing 4 days lol. These are the sketches I did while watching football games. I decided I wanted them each to have different types of "butterfly wings" if you will. Again used my stabilo and then water to smudge/smear the edges.

I loved this one actually.. Loved how her wings just kinda fell a bit. Not "set and ready to take flight".. but you knew they were there for any moment. Kinda like.. she was happy to stay a while. Content to stay a while.

for this girl I wanted to try to create a "braid" all over in her hair. I am not sure how successful it was, though I do like all the texture going on! The wings were another texture I wanted to try. BOLD wings. SHes a bold girl.

this was my last girl for that night, which caught me up to my challenge. I didn't intend for her to look so "young" when I started, but I think the combination of her shoulders being so small and her face being done. She just comes across as a little girl, maybe a little sad.. maybe embarrassed? Not sure. Maybe upset she has to wear this giant flower thing in her hair. who knows lol. Shes fun though.

 so that brings us up to current. (well sort of, I am two days behind again.. haha. But plan to head out to my art studio today to catch up!)

I KNEW i needed to get into my art studio and pull out my mixed media supplies. Paints, Tissue paper, Patterned paper Acrylic and Decopauge.

I was kinda intrigued with the sketch I had done earlier in the week.. the simple stabilo sketches. And I wanted to re-create her onto a large canvas with paints, etc.

I actually reversed my process, and painted the entire girl first.. paper piecing bits and pieces of her like the rose, her bodice and her collar. Then I painted in the rest. The background came last. I knew I wanted it to be simple, yet have depth. ANd so layering old tissue patterns seemed to be the solution.

I outlined her with my stabilo and added water to soften the lines.
I like the simplicity of the background. Not sure I will do anything else to it. HOWEVER I do kinda want to add wings. So we will see how that comes into play.

So there's a report on my girl a day challenge. I started it in October on the 5th.. so I have about another week to go! Gonna make this last week count and try some techniques ideas that have been circling in my head. Time to get serious and finish my challenge with a bang! lol

By the way.. two things!

Our Scarlet LIme SHop is having a BIG sale this week.. my 39th birthday is tomorrow, so we thought it would be fun to have a week long "celebration" and have a week long sale! Ben is offering free shipping on all orders over $30.00 for those in the US, ... and 15% off for all international orders over $30.00

AND ben just added TONS of new things to the store (Loads of new watercolor supplies, new pastels, new paints, new lining pens and pencils AND the famous stabilo pencil :)

AND he also restocked tons of favorite products as well! (Ranger Paint dabbers, claudine hellmuth Paints, archival stamp pads, catalyst brushes, Dylusions Sprays,  Chalkboard supplies, Charcoal pencils, etc!)

Simply use the codes below

US customers: happybirthday13

international customers: birthday13

Another fun thing.. I have been waiting to share.. is that I have asked a couple of talented artist to help me do project each month with our Scarlet Lime Mixed media kits! Robin Blackman and Junelle Jacobsen will start helping me doing fun mixed media projects, to give you ideas on how to use the kits! I will be posting the first one this week on the Scarlet Lime Website.. AND will post a link here as well! So watch for that! She is starting with the October kit.. and is also working on past kits as well! I have been lame at doing tutorials with those.. I know it's not part of the sub.. but I still enjoyed doing it and I know those of you getting the kits enjoyed it too! So this will help us both out! I still plan on doing some here and there too, but this way, there will always be projects each month using the kits! wahoo! Happy dance :)

well happy tuesday!

Hope your day is wonderful!

xoxo

 

TLC.. some exciting news.. and some VERY inspiring music!

So I haven't really talked about this yet.. but alot of you have already emailed me or facebooked me saying "i just saw you on TLC!! you are in their commercial for their new show called Craft Wars! "..

so I guess the secret is out and okay to share!! (we were under strict secrecy NOT to say anything until the show aired! lol).. so I guess it's safe..

YES! So many months ago I posted about them contacting me to apply to be on it! So  I did.. and after month's of waiting.. I  was finally notified I made the cut and  asked to come be on! I was allowed to bring an "assistant" with me.. and of course.. no brainer.. chose my husband ben. He can build, craft, do ANYTHING.. including sewing (gotta love a man that knows how to sew!).

So we traveled to California back in March and taped our episode! Crafts Wars is much like the show Cupcake wars.. where each week 3 new contestants come on the show and they are giving a challenge that must be completed in a certain time. After the challenge is over.. 3 judges critique your work and then basically kick one contentstnat to the curb... lol.Then the other two compete is the ultimate challenge for a $10,000 prize!  talk about cool! Tori Spelling is the host and I can tell you it was ONE of THE MoST amazing.. fun experiences ever! Ben and I had such a good time.  I would do it again in a heartbeat!!   We also found out last week that our episode will be the FIRST to air!! TOMORROW!!!  on TLC! Here is a little sneap peek on it! lol oh so lovley.. I tell you I am really normally nice when I am not under pressure! lol

 

I think it's set to air at 8:00 PM MST (so 10:00 Eastern, 9 pm Centrel, and 7 PC).. but check your local listing to make sure. I really can't wait to watch it either! SOO nervous too! lol.. can't wait to share more of my experience with you after it airs.. but since I can't tell you what happens.. I will have to wait!! :) 

Anyhow..

ANOTHER cool exciting thing for today is that FINALLY after seriously a year of begging my baby brother, Van Campbell, for his music.. he has compiled a CD with all the music I use in my workshop videos and youtube videos!

Just around the Bend

 

You can listen to some of it  below..

 

Just Around The Bend Blog mp3

His CD is available in our store HERE

 

TODAY We are offering in our store.. FREE SHIPPING ON all orders over $30 .. use the coupn code:

FreeShip30 

 for US customers and for our international customers.. we are offering 15% off! use code :

 IHeartINT 

 at check out. 

ALso my brothers cd, Just around the Bend.. is on sale for two days as well! $3.00 off! So today and tommorow is a GREAT time to get it and to stock up on all those heavy things we carry in the store like stamps, paper pads, canvases, art journals.. paints.. sprays.. and more! just listed and added SO many new things!

So that is my exciting and fun news for today!! I hope you all have a wonderful day!
happy Monday!

 

 

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Blog Hop Week #5- He + She = Love

I can't believe this is our last week with the Flip-Pal MObile Scanner. Even though the Hop will be officially over after today, you can bet I will still use it in my everyday crafting life. I really do love this little guy.. he has become known affectionately as Henry.

This week I wanted to do something that involved Valentines Day. Something fun and cute. I had big plans to make a garland, cupcakes with toppers, and invitation.. but sometimes.. real life and being sick and being gone to CHA for 5 days.. just doesn't work out the way you planned!  :) So we go with the flow!

 Two weeks ago, while I was at The Grand America Hotel,  I scanned in the men and women signs on the bathrooms doors. I know weird right? YOu know the ones I am talking about. The signs on the door of the bathrooms? These ones.

 

So first off, let me show you the scans I took

 

After I loaded them onto my computer, I opend Photoshop and dragged my images into Photoshop. I put copied and pasted them onto  a transparent Background and then use my magic wand and also my eraser to get rid of all of the "stuff" I didn't want. 

At first I thought about keeping the words "men" and women" on there.. cause really that would just be cute too.. but I thought it would be fun to mix it up a bit and do the words "He" and She". This was simple.. I just erased the words, "women and Men" and typed in my own words using a similar font. Easy Peasy!  Then I saved my file as a JPEG (or you can save it as a PNG). Then I printed them out onto white paper!

I also  did one of the two images (the boy and girl)  together that said "love". 

"He + She = Love"

 
 I used 4"x4" canvases (found at DICkBLick)  paper, rubons, paint and my doodle pen to decorate these little babies.

  

These cute canvases only took me about 30 minutes to complete!

I stacked them up with some ribbons and trims and tied a printed tag to the top. Now they are ready for me to give to that someone special (affectionately known as Benny) on Valentines Day!

 

This would be a great project to do for friends, kids, parents, teachers.  They would make great conversation pieces!   Try using different word cobinations underneath the people like,  " You.. ME.. = love"    Or   " I...Heart... you" (and do the middle canvas  a heart). The possibilities are endless!  

Hope this get your creative juices flowing for Valentines days! This weekly challenge has been REALLY fun for me and also stretched me a bit too! I thought outside of the box a little more and am excited to continue to use "little Henry"  where-ever I go!

 

Make sure to check out the other wonderful projects these 6 other fabulous ladies have created for this week! Simply click on the links below to enjoy the Blog hop! Don't forget to read on.. to find out how YOU can win one of your own scanners too!

 Amy Anderson

Chef Stephanie Peterson

Linda Peterson

Pat Sloan

Melissa Langer

Kathy Peterson

Remember!  Flip Pal MObile Scanner is giving away a scanner EACH week during the Blog Hop!! So today is your last day to get signed up!! !!!!! All you have to do is post on the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner Blog here to get entered to win!!  Also make sure you check their blog to see if you have won!  To find out more about the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner and  how they work.. check out their website here! They have some awesome videos.. and instructions on what you can do with them!

 

I got home from CHA late last night and could sleep for a week! Lol.. I think I have over 1000 emails to return.. YIKES! Guess I better go get some work done.. check back tomorrow for my Thrifty Finds for the week.. inspiration" Primary Colors".. back to basics. You will love what I picked up!

Happy Thursday!  

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Blog Hop Week #4- She understood the need for change...

 Only two more weeks left of the Flip Pal Mobile blog Hop! They have announced three of the winners already.. so make sure you check out Flip Pal Mobile Scanner Blog here to see if you have won!

This last week I was at ALT in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was held in one of the most prestigious hotels in downtown.. the Grand America. Of course you know I brought my scanner with me.. I couldn't pass up on a chance to scan in all of the wonderful textures and patterns I would find there! I scanned walls, couches, pillows, arm chairs, the carpet.. even a hutch. At one point,someone from the hotel asked me what my little device was (I think they thought I was a spy or something.. using my device to do something spyish). But alas.. no.. just my wonderful scanner!

Here are just a FEW of the scans I took

 
Gorgeous huh?  There were so many too choose from I thought for sure I had to use as many as possible in my art piece this week. I thought a fun butterfly canvas would be a great way to feature the designs and I have been thinking a lot about change lately. So I found a butterfly template on the internet and printed it directly onto the scans.

 

then I cut out all of the butterflies with scissors (my 5 year old even helped me). And I created this piece. It reads:

"She understood the need for change"

 
 

The background was done on a 12x12 canvas. I used old cloth tissue patterns and mod Podged them onto the surface, then went over it with White Acrylic Ink. Then I used stamps, rubons, my pen and other items to add texture and dimension to the project!  

 

 I wanted to add interest to the piece, so I added a key to one of the bodies of the butterflies. I like the idea of a key because changing and adapting is the key to happiness for me. I saw this quote once on a stamp.. it read:

 "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over... it became a butterfly"

I think sometimes we get to a point when things start to change and we just want them to stay the same. We want normalcy, we want familiarity. But we are here on this earth to grow, and learn and became something even more beautiful than we can imagine.. and to do that we need to change. It's simply a wonderful thing.

Thanks for letting me share this week!

Make sure to check out the other wonderful projects these 6 other fabulous ladies have created for this week! Simply click on the links below to enjoy the Blog hop! Don't forget to read on.. to find out how YOU can win one of your own scanners too!

 Amy Anderson

Chef Stephanie Peterson

Linda Peterson

Pat Sloan

Melissa Langer

Kathy Peterson

Remember!  Flip Pal MObile Scanner is giving away a scanner EACH week during the Blog Hop!! Now through Feb. 3rd!!!!! All you have to do is post on the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner Blog here to get entered to win!!  To find out more about the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner and  how they work.. check out their website here! They have some awesome videos.. and instructions on what you can do with them!

 

 

oh and BEFORE YOU GO!! I added some badges to my blog! Check them out at the left there! You can copy and paste the HTML codes into your blog websites if you want to share mine on your blog.. I created one for both my blog and the She Art Workshop. I also created one for the Scarlet Lime website.. which can be found on the brand new Scarlet Lime blog HERE.  

Make sure to check back tomorrow.. I have a SUPER fun DIY project to share with you.. using old sweaters. As well as my Thrifty Finds for the week!

Happy Thursday!

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Blog Hop Week #3- She was a modern girl...

It's week three of the Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Hop and I have to say I am getting more and more addicted to this thing! It really is a go anywhere, take anywhere, scan ANYTHING device! Even big things.. you simply scan in sections and it has a program built into the card that will stitch it together for you! Seriously love it!

A few weeks ago, I was at a thrift store and someone had just brought in a sealed box that was marked "wedding" on it. It looked like it hadn't been opened in years. The gal behind the counter carefully opened the box and inside were these beautiful vintage lace gowns.. probably at least 50 to 60 years old! I was dying! I asked her how much for each one (there were four dresses and 2 tops in all).She said "how about $4.00 for each one".. Ithought she was crazy but I said.. I will take all of them! lol.

I instantly knew who I wanted to send them too. Who could take them and make the old vintage dresses into something totally wearable for the modern girl. But before I shipped them off, I used my Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner to scan in the details of the dresses. The cuffs, the collars, the buttons, the pleats.. everytihng I wanted to remember.

 

  

As I was trying to decide what to create with scans.. I thought.. what about a dress?  I could create a girl on canvas and create her dress out of these ACTUAL pieces. So that is what I did!

  

 
 

 

I used the gathered blue skirt waist as the skirt on the girl, I used the pleated lace top as her shirt, and then I used bits of the lace trim as her waistband and one as her collar. It turned out wonderfully! 

It reads:
"she was a modern girl with a vintage soul"  

I had a ton of fun with this week's challenge! oh who am I kidding.. I do every week!

Make sure to check out the other wonderful projects these 6 other fabulous ladies have created for this week! Simply click on the links below to enjoy the Blog hop! Don't forget to read on.. to find out how YOU can win one of your own scanners too!

 Amy Anderson

Chef Stephanie Peterson

Linda Peterson

Pat Sloan

Melissa Langer

Kathy Peterson

Remember!  Flip Pal MObile Scanner is giving away a scanner EACH week during the Blog Hop!! Now through Feb. 3rd!!!!! All you have to do is post on the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner Blog here to get entered to win!!  To find out more about the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner and  how they work.. check out their website here! They have some awesome videos.. and instructions on what you can do with them!

 

 

Well, right now I am in Salt Lake City at ALT Conferance and you KNOW I took my scanner with me! The event is at the Grand American Hotel, so I am having fun scanning in art, furniture, rugs, wallpaper.. oh so beautiful! Love this little guy!

If you haven't entered yet, make sure you also enter to win a spot into my new "The She Art Workshop! Registration launched Tuesday.. and I am giving away a spot here on my blog!
Check out THIS post here to get entered to win and find out more about this fun Workshop!

  
 

Make sure you check back tomorrow..I am posting some jewelry  I made using the zippers and vintage clip on earrings I found at the thrift store (from my Thrifty Finds post on Wednesday).. Here is a peak!

 

Happy Thursday!