A Little Zen

As with anything you do all the time, you need to take a momentary break from the daily routine. Same is true with my daily work on my torn paper paintings.

With a new batch of trades coming up for the month on my online trading group, I took the time to create this months bookmark theme....zentangles.

It is such an enjoyable and "zen" like process. No, I've not taken their classes or bought the kit or any such thing. Honestly, it is really more of an organized elaborate doodle.

I must give them credit for giving a name to something many of us have been doing since childhood and getting it out there for others to enjoy.

Give it a try....the results are sometimes surprising!

Big Eyed Gals

Just recently I took part in an art magnet swap. For the longest time I felt my muse had decided to take a nap every time I tried to come up with something for this. Then, thankfully, this little critter woke up and decided to play!

In my art room I discovered a collection of tiny wooden pieces in different shapes. Always amazes me what I can find in that room given enough time..lol

I started playing around with these pieces and .... after enough moving around of these things the light suddenly went on!! I could see what needed to be done! Yay!

I broke out the acrylic paints and glues and magenets.....and BAM..... my big eyed gals were born!!

Golden Mermaid

On the art site that I do my trading on we have another swap happening.
This one is for "altered mermaids". Well...I just love mermaids, so I had to find the time for this one too.
We are all working from the same body pattern which is approx. 8" long. I used old text pages and distress ink for the top half. For the tail, I first gave a coat of gold paint....this is for two reasons. One, it helps the adhesive for the gold leaf stick better (which was my next step). Second, if there were any spots that were to show through the leaf in the end, it would blend in beautifully.
I then added a verigated gold leaf to add more interest than a solid gold.
I used a beautiful collage face image and two buttons that I removed the shank from and used for the boobs. I made her a beaded necklace and made charms of waterlillies and scallop shells out of shrink plastic. On her head she has two large shell sequins and little pearl beads. I think it gives her almost a bit of a 20's flapper look.