…all NEW stamps and samples!

Alright, let's just do WILD debut peek at all of my new rubber stamps for Art Gone WIld.  I created these 21 sample cards that will be on display at the CHA show this weekend, woo hoo!!


The line is called "Artful Cardmakers", specifically designed for coloring.  Love love love and love to color!  And it's so good for you. (relaxing, meditative, calming, ahhhhh…..)

The "Artful Cardmakers" set includes FOUR stamps.  The central image is a red rubber cling stamp and the coordinating words and sentiments are in clear (so you can position easily).  Each image has a blank box so you can pick and choose the sentiments for several occasions!  Isn't that fun?!!

"Ladybug"

My artwork can be colored and embellished with various media.  On these samples i used Copic markers, Twinkliing H2Os, watercolors, colored pencils, watercolor pencils and inks.  The possibilities are endless, you become the artist for your own cards!  I love bright colors, but i can't wait to see these designs from YOU in other color palettes.

"Flowers"

"Thank You": Copic marker colored, accented with RANGER LIQUID PEARLS

"Butterflies"

"Butterflies": Copic markers and watercolors highlighted with 

RANGER GLOSSY ACCENTS, LIQUID PEARLS and STICKLES

These were made with the "Getting Punchy" sets.  The set comes with FOUR 3" stamps, the images designed for the Marvy PURPLE PUNCHES (available at Michaels Stores).  But of course you can stamp you own repeating patterns as they stand along well. (*i posted all the PUNCHES sets in my January 21 blog post)

Lots of Liquid Pearls, Glossy accents, and MORE stickles…...

And there's more!  I also have FOUR stamps in one more collection called "Journalings".  

Didn't get the stamps yet, but will make samples and share when they arrive.  

So JUST COLOR!  It's good for you!!!

hello birdie...

It was a great honor and such a thrill to have my journal "bird" highlighted on the Brave Girls Club Daily truths today.  Here's a closeup of the message journaling…….

Check out the Brave Girls Club, it's an amazing inspirational and empowering community for women.  We are having so much fun sharing and celebrating!  It will touch your soul…….

...more "Getting Punchy" peeks

So many punches, so little time to finish cards!!  Here are the last three of the four sets of the "Getting Punchy" series for Art Gone Wild.  I love them!  There's so much creative potential for beautiful cards with these simple messages.  

But in the meantime, my sample making is a little out of sorts.(aarrgghh!)  My studio is a disaster with my "artful cardmaking" papers, inks, paints and art stuff everywhere.  So when i get a grip and get organized, i will have somethings to show you made with all these designs.  Promise.   

 Since i wasn't able to get the cards done for you to see, i thought i would just show you the entire "Getting Punchy" collection.  You'll be able to do so much with these stamps and the 3.5" circle punch!

Just enjoy the preview for now and start imagining your possibilities!

….new stamps peek #1!

Time for some peeks!  I am so excited for Winter CHA and  new stamps i have coming out with Art Gone Wild (AGW).  This week i am finishing piles of cards for their booth display.  I have 12 collections with a total of 36 pieces of red rubber and clear.    Here is the first image in black and white.  These are called "Getting Punchy Stamps",  sold in a set of 4, made to fit in a 3" circle punch. (Marvy= purple punch).  Here are some fun sentiments and coloring images to make a quick and cute card: 

Come back tomorrow to see the cards made with these designs!  I'll be posting previews for days, so remember to visit often.

my art kids....

So proud of my creative children this week.  Here's some art by my daughter Meghan, 25, a residence counselor at Heritage Christian Sevices.  I can't even begin to tell you what an amazing job she does caring for her residents.  She's always been very creative and artistic with perfect lettering.  (where did she get that from??  (LOL)   I'm crazy about this doodle she made the other day.  

Love love love the Marilyn Monroe quote!! 

Then we have my son Kevin who is a senior at Nazareth College studying Art Education.  He just started his student teaching today, at an elementary school, grades K-5 in Greece, NY.   What a thrill!  The minute he walked in the door today, he collapsed from exhaustion from the draining teacher day.

 Here he is as a summer camp counselor in the Arts & Nature program.

Kev is a clay guy, makes amazing artful ceramics!   What's even more exciting is that Kevin attends my college alma mater.  On May 8th he will graduate from Nazareth College with a degree in Art Education, exactly 30 years after i received my Art Education degree from Nazareth.  It's such an honor.


Kevin's twin, Brian does amazing woodwork, and has a flair for music.  While i never pushed my kids in the "arts as a career" direction, i always encouraged their creativity with good art supplies, journals and sketchbooks, and teaching them fancy techniques.  I cherish those times, they grew up way too fast. 


I'm so amazed at their passion and creativity, and extremely proud of the great contributions they are making in our world.

vision boards.......

...Vision boards are good.  

Here is a corner view of the vision board that hangs in my studio.  

These are a few of my intentions that i posted in 2010.....

Today i just sent off my first article to Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine 

that will debut in the May/June 2011 issue.  

It's a really "colorfun" feature that i can't wait to share in a few months.   

Just a little excited. 

"Put it out in the universe!!!"...  

Vision boards are good.

journaling art calendar

Here's a fun way to journal!  Make your own art calendar in a book form.  Just started this one for 2011, after seeing a challenge somewhere online.  Heaven knows how i find things, and get connected to links that take me to people and projects and challenges.  There is so much creativity on the internet.

This calendar challenge came from Kate Crane, an artist in the UK with this really great blog The Kathryn Wheel.  So much fun to be inspired by others, especially in another country!  There are over 70 people following along, doing her calendar art project.  t's not to late to make one yourself!  You would just have to gather up your supplies right away, make the book and remember what you did the last nine days!

My calendar journal is made all from scratch with TWO 22" x 30" sheets of Winsor Newton watercolor paper.  I cut the sheet up to 11" x 15" pieces and scored the pages in book form and sewed the signature with book binding thread.  The surface pages are misted with Ranger Color Wash of course, with some masks for textures.  I punched the date squares out with a Marvy (tag shape with top cut off) punch and edged them with Copic marker outlines and am using a fine tip Sharpie for the journal entries.

Since i didn't buy a calendar yet for this year, this is a good excuse to quickly journal daily and create at the same time.  Looking forward to looking back in it later this year.  It doesn't seem like much when you start a progressive project, but when it's finished it's so rewarding to look back and reflect on the little details in volume.

So go play and make your calendar journal!  

And share if you want to.