April...really?

Yep....they say it's spring.......not so sure I'd agree right now.
Luckily this latest covering is starting to melt away...and I have managed to return the car to the garage after it not being able to get out of the driveway.

 
 
Yes...it's April and spring is indeed getting here. Just not quickly.

I'm taking the positive approach and getting my spring/summer Torn Paper Paintings ready to take to the Little Beach Gallery soon to freshen up their walls for the upcoming season!!

In that collection of brand new pieces is Otto!!
I just love this guy. For some reason, he makes me smile every time I look at him!! I hope he does the same for some lucky shopper this summer. Something tells me...there will be more of these adorable critters coming up!

Those who have been following along will also know that every month I've been making prayer flags...one for me and one to send to my SIL. Well...the March one is done. The theme...gratitude.
I'm happy for the time that I spend making each of these. They always make me stop and reflect as I move forward with each theme. As for "gratitude"....every day I feel I have plenty to be grateful for.

Once again....Reverse stamping - a Gelli trick

This little posting gets an amazing amount of traffic.
In over a year and a half...it still get more visits than any other posting I've done.
For that reason....I'm reposting it for those who have not found this one yet.
It's a great little Gelli trick and well worth sharing. Enjoy!!!

Have you ever wished that the image on one of your rubber stamps faced the "other" direction??
Or...maybe you wanted the images to face each other!!
Yeah...we all have from time to time.
Well....I've got another little "Gelli Plate" trick to do just that....reverse stamping.


roll paint then stamp

I do it using acrylic paint because that's what I like....and when I want the images to be used in my Torn Paper Paintings....acrylic works best with the gel medium.

First...if you're using the image in it's "intended" position....using a brayer, roll on a layer of paint and stamp the image normally.
Here, I'm stamping on one of my Gelli printed envelopes.

Click for larger pic

Then...for reversing the image....roll the acrylic paint on again...only this time, carefully stamp the image onto the Gelli Plate. I love using my 3"x5" for this. You see the image on the gelli as you would if you'd stamped it on paper....but, once you "flip" the Gelli to use as a stamp....the image is automatically reversed!

 

Voila......one stamp....two images!!!

Catching up

Click on pics for larger images

My goodness...every time I come here I realize just how long I've been absent.
Time to catch up on things.
The last visit I was showing you my new addiction to making gel skins. Yep...I've made them and added some to my Torn Paper Paintings. A very cool addition to the mermaids which you can see in this pic.
I've also been working on a new collection of prayer flags.
A small art group I'm part of is doing this as a monthly challenge...to ourselves. I needed a brand new set...so I'm in!!
I've decided that every month I would make two...one for me and the other to send to Martha's Vineyard to my SIL Amy who I spoke of in an earlier post. She's the person I feel would find these the most meaningful.
Here is a pic of my Jan & Feb flags. For the March flags I'm required to learn "French knots"...so I haven't gotten started on that yet.
Here in New England...even though they've mentions "snow" for this week...I doubt it'll be much and we can feel spring right around the corner. There have been many days in the 50's and all the swans & geese are back in the pond behind my house.
Because I can feel the weather changing....I've started on some warm weather images in my Torn Paper Paintings....ice-cream.
They are just mini's right now....larger pieces will come later....as the weather gets warmer. YUM!

Fun with gel

Gel mediums....sooo much fun to be had.
I've recently been experimenting with different types of gel mediums to add a new texture dimension to my Torn Paper Paintings.
Many of my subject have a beachy seaside feel since I live on the New England coast. Among these subjects are of course mermaids.
Well....some of these gel experiments are going to come in quite handy with the backgrounds. I'm talking about "gel skins". Lovely thin layers you can design with colors and movement...then when dry, can peel them up and use them in the paintings.
I'm in the middle of working with some of these little gems...and will give you a better explanation on doing them after the experiments are complete.
I've added just one pic here to inspire you and get the wheels turning.
Trust me....creating these can be as addicting as working on the Gelli Plates. They are nothing alike...but both have endless possibilities!!!

2016 - Changes

Sometimes things don't go quite as expected when welcoming in the New Year.
Original plans were to stoke the fireplace, make munchies, and open a bottle of champagne.
Instead...we were off to the hospital for my sister-in-law who ended up in Boston undergoing unexpected brain surgery!!!
My husband stayed the night at the hospital and we wished each other a "happy new year" at midnight over the phone.

Amy had done battle with two previous rounds of breast cancer and we were all under the impression that she'd won and had moved on. The cancer, however, ended up going to her brain...and what we would later find out...her liver as well.

My lovely sister-in-law is the new pastor at a church in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. I posted about her earlier this year. All the lovely new parishioners at her church are rallying around her....bringing her meals and offers of transportation wherever need be....not to mention tending to her young dog. I send loads of (((Hugs))) and "thank you"s to them!!!

She is a strong woman with much faith and determination!! While we all know there is a long and rocky road ahead for her to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible...she has strength coming from many directions.
She is out of the hospital and back on the island and doing her best already to be of service. I admire her determination and I believe we'll all learn a thing or two about faith as well as grace in these difficult times just by watching this lady.
Please feel free to send an extra blessing or prayer for Amy.
Any and all are most welcome.

Prayers will also be said for all of you as well...to have a smooth and healthy 2016!