RedDancer-Studio

When all else fails, experiment w/paint

This is a spread from my Moleskin journal.

I have a few of my small handmade journals that haven't sold, therefore, I thought I would use the pages for experiments with paint, embellishments, etc. I have taken 2 online classes with Nellie Wortman, 1 in person class with DJ Pettitt, and online art journal classes with Pam Carriker and Cathy Michaels. And now I get to play with paints, sprays, intense watercolor by Dr. PH Martin, and gesso.

I applied gesso to pages in the small handmade journals and on a few pages in one of my Moleskin journals (the kind with the lavender band that has paper that will take paint quite well). 

The spread below is in one of my small handmade journals. You can see the notes I made on the pages. I got the idea of adding the Dr. Ph. Martin Radiant Concentrated Colors to Mod Podge from a post by Quinn MacDonald. I think a teeny weeny drop of the concentrated watercolor to a lot of Mod Podge, or Soft Gel Medium, would have been fine for a WASH of color. On the right side of the spread, I thought I would use one of the many vintage ledger sheets I have that I will eventually sell online in my "yet to open" Etsy shop. I'm working on it, friends. I'm working on it.

The spread below has all the paints and colors I used. I painted over gesso pages in one of my small handmade journals. I used the Stewart Gill BYZANTIA metalic paint that can be used on fabrics and craft media. It covers very well. I then used Claudine Helmuth paints as indicated. I am VERY happy with the coverage of both paints straight out of the small jar. The light brown areas on the pages were sprayed with Gilmmer Mist over the gesso pages. I'm really, really liking the results. I think I'll try more of this technique.

One of the main things I learned was NOT to paint over any spray inks. I got spray happy and tried one of the spray bottles of inks before finishing the paints. NOT.

So, tell me, do you think you'll try some of these paints? Do you have a Moleskin journal that you are afraid to get "dirty" with paint? BTW, Melanie Testa introduced me to Moleskin journals way back in the day when she still lived in Flagstaff.

PhotoShop Brushes for Etsy Digital Downloads

Vintage Scrapbook Page with the Red Dancers Studio PhotoShop Brush

 
I thought it would be super complicated to create a Brush in PhotoShop. My Internet Google search for PhotoShop brushes - how to create - produced several links. I took the first one, the one that seemed the least complicated, and created a brush this morning. Then the problems arose. I'd never created a new brush before so I didn't know what would happen when I actually used it on an image. I found out really fast.

The first brush was too big and way too dark. The second brush was smaller and lighter but not small enough. The third one is fine for a first try (does this sound like Goldilocks and the Three Bears?). I wanted to have a photo to post on today's blog entry and thiI wanted to let my blog followers see that I really am starting to do some artwork (of sorts). The perfectionist in me will make a new PhotoShop brush that looks much nicer when used on an image.

Just in case some of you are wondering why I even created a brush for my online images, here's the scoop: Someone doing a search online for vintage scrapbook pages won't really want to download my image(s) for their own use without purchasing the download via my Etsy Shop. I plan to start listing digital downloads on Thursday or Friday morning.

Question of the day: Do you think this is something you or one of your digitally savvy friends would want? Leave comments in Facebook or on this blog. Thanks bunches and bunches.

New Shop Hop in late October - I'll remind you

More info to follow in the coming weeks. 

What will the day bring? A new voice? A new blog entry?

Beautiful Fall 2011 leaves changing color

Molly and I took our morning walk and I collected aluminum cans to help save money for Emma's college fund. I mean, really, why not? Anyway, we made the circle to Lake Mary Road, through the neighborhood park and past Sandy's old house before finally arriving back home for breakfast, emails, research for new opportunities for the Red Dancers, and relaxing before going to work.

I'm in the process of developing this blog as a record of my creative journey, business and professional. I just completed a Kelly Rae Roberts online e-course, FLYING LESSONS: Tips & Tricks to help your creative business soar. It was jam packed with great information, comments from other flyers and Kelly, and more than I could ever imagine. I'm still reading the PDF of our class and starting baby steps towards making my online creative business dream a real possibility.

Many of you know that my BFF, Suzanne Botello, and I have a new business venture selling supplies (both vintage and collectibles) at art retreats and directly to mixed media art stores. We had another successful show at Art Unraveled 2011 in Phoenix, AZ, and are planning to return in 2012. We are also investigating the Las Vegas Art & Soul Retreat in June, 2012. Las Vegas/Henderson NV is right in our backyard, so to speak. If we decide to do this event, we have to kick our prep work into the next level (and we love it!).

We listed our first Etsy collage pack last Friday and will be opening up a new Etsy shop under the name, RedDancers. More to come on that excitement soon.

Life is fantastic, art is fantastic, and I am loving blogging. Now that I am starting to save images on my laptop, I can relax and create blog entries on my living room couch with Molly resting on the back cushion.. The next step is to start storing my images online at FLICKR so I can upload photos to my blog at any computer with Internet service.

DELICIOUS DETOX - new cookbook

This cookbook was recommended by a good friend when I asked about her weight loss and the change in her relationship with food. I was able to get the cookbook from my naturopathic physician, Mary Poore, NMD, here in Flagstaff. It's exactly the kind of plan/cookbook a person like me needs. The author lays out the eating plan with recipes AND a shopping list.

I visited our natural foods store, New Frontiers, yesterday and used my 10% senior citizen discount and purchased most of what I didn't have in my pantry. I will visit Safeway and New Frontiers again on Saturday to finish. Yes, the first week's worth of supplies was pricey; however, many of the things I bought will be used for several weeks. And many of the recipes make 2-4 servings and I'll be able to freeze portions.

This a 3 week detox program with great recipes and support. I decided to post this new adventure on my blog and Facebook so I would have some support and be accountable. Here's a photo of my setup this morning after I processed some fruit. I plan to start the detox on Sunday for 3 weeks. Sunday will see something new and strange in my kitchen: ME COOKING.

The cookbook gives meal plans for 2 weeks and the 3rd week can be anything from the first two weeks. BTW, I checked Amazon and they don't have any of the cookbooks. But here's the author's link: Delicious Detox and maybe you can buy direct from her.

Yes, the glass with the straw is this morning's first fruit smoothie. I plan to squeeze the lemons and limes for recipes. Also, the author, Carol Morley, recommends a glass of water upon awakening with some lemon in it.

CraftFusionAZ - new mixed media store in Chandler AZ

On Saturday, Sep. 17, 2011, my BFF and business partner, Suzanne, and I traveled to Chandler to meet with a new shop ower, Charmaine Conway, owner of CraftFusionAZ. If you live in the East Valley and want to check out a great new store with lots of mixed media supplies and great classes, this is a must see. For quilters, there is also a marvelous quilt store in the same small shopping center. CraftFusion is located on the southwest corner of S. Alma School Rd & Elliott in the former Mervyn's shopping center. There's plenty of parking and it is near great eating establishments and easy to find.

I took a few photos just to get a feel for the shop. It is roomy and has a great classroom in the rear of the shop. Charmaine has a fantastic selection of papers for all your mixed media needs, stamps, vintage items, and more. She carries the Claudine Helmuth paint (I bought 3 jars).

Oh, and here's the best news: Charmaine contacted us to purchase supplies from Red Dancer for her shop. She met us at the 2011 Art Unraveled shopping extravaganza. She also gave us a referral in Payson, AZ, for our products.

More photos from CraftFusionAZ:

I got a chance to relax in this comfortable vintage easy chair.

Charmaine's pricing is excellent and very competitive.

Okay, now I've gotten 2 blog posts in the same morning. I'm on a roll.

 

Me and Mom, Sep. 17, 2011

 
I really want to get in the habit of blogging on a regular basis. Since I don't know where to start or with what (photos, my journey, new cookbook, etc.), I'll start as I always do: a photo of me and Mom.