christytomlinson

well hello! i finally DID IT!

Well hello sweet friends! We are BACK!! What a fun and relaxing time we had. We pretty much did nothing on the cruise. and it was PERFECT! We kinda skipped all the excursions this time around.. and we didn't miss them a bit (not to mention we didn't miss the $$$ cost involved either lol)

So guess what? We are REALLY bad.. we forgot our video camera and our regular camera and my phone died the first day and I left my charger in my car.. didn't think I would need it and WE DIDN'T TAKE ONE PICTURE!!!!!  Actually I think Allie took ONE.. just one.. but it's on her phone and she's not really sure how to share it. lol

I can't believe it! I am like the picture taking freak! oh well.. we still have the memories right? I will have to write down in a journal everything we did.

and speaking of things we did.. guess what I DID?? I decided at the last minute to take my portable easel, paints and some canvas so I could do some art on the ship! and I actually did! I even created some stuff in my art journal on the plane ride too. It was fun. I NEVER take my art supplies on family trips. The fun part was my kids got involved and one morning, we had a painting session in my room. We had towels spread out all over the floor and we just painted. I only brought my acrylics, my water soluable pastels, my golden fluids, and my Neo Color Crayons.. so it truly was just painting.. but it was fun. I worked on one of my class projects from a workshop I was taking from Mindy Lacefield. It's a mini workshop called  (you can sign up here)

I am really into animals latley.. so I thought this would be fun and it WAS!

okay.. so did you happen to notice my header? YEP! that's right.. I changed it.. decided I Needed a facelift of some sort. I also added all of my workshops to the right sidebar over there.. so you could find them more easily. I am going to be changing some of my sidebar things very soon.. excited to update this old blog..

BUT did you notice my newest addition to my header? My new link?  My "etsy" shop? Yep! That is RIGHT!! I have opened a NEW etsy shop!! FINALLY! after a year of wanting too.. needing to I guess.. i  finally did it.

 

Christy Tomlinson Designs

Let me tell you why it took me so long though.. this is really personal.. so bare with me.

so you may or may not know that I don't sell any of my original artwork. I actually have only given away a handful of prints. All to really close friends and ONE I donated to an auction for another close friend. AND last year.. I took the plunge and did sell one of my original artwork pieces to a dear friend I had met through my classes.. she emailed me (love you laura) and she pursauded me with a very dear story about how one of my pieces had touched her heart.. I had such a HARD time letting it go.. but after hearing her story and knowing her funny and sweet personality through my classes.. I KNEW it was right and it would be going to a good home. So I sold my first piece of art.  Its funny because I teach my art.. I license my artwork, I have sold prints at some of my events before.. but NEVER my originals.

The reason being that they are so dear to my heart! I start to get this ancy feeling in my stomach about letting something I Love so much and that has a story behind it go.. and also selling it to someone I don't know. But latley as I have been organizing my studio to move to my new studio.. I realized I really can't just take all of it because I don't have the space for it. And right now it just sits in piles on shelves. SO then I thought.. well I COULD sell it.. and then again.. had a freak out moment.. of seperation from my art, and someone not loving it as much as I did. SO I stop and cast that idea aside.

Well a couple of weeks ago a friend of mine texted me about a piece of art she had seen on my blog.. she said she really wanted to buy it and told me the reason why. She said she had been going through a really rough time (which I had known about) and that this particular piece when she saw it, helped her to see things in a new light. It brought this ray of sunshine into her life and she really really wanted to purchase it to have as a reminder each day that there is hope and life is beautiful. After talking back and forth I decided to go ahead and sell her the piece. But it got me thinking.. this friend I mentioned was ANOTHER beautiful women I had met through my online classes.. someone who had taken my courses and through them I had found friendship. Then i started thinking.. you know I have found SO many friends through my workshops.. thousands of new friends.. women and even some men and children.. who have never done art before.. who have taken my online classes and other classes and through these have found themselves as artist.. I have countless emails of people finding thier voice and their joy through ART.. and it makes me SO happy!  These people are truly people who I care about and consider friends. All of you are friends. So that's when I decided to just go for it.. open up my etsy shop and start selling some of my original pieces.. KNOWING that while they have very special meaning to me.. whoever decided to purchase  them will love them just as much. I know because I have started collecting art from some of my favorite artists.. original pieces.. and they are VERy dear to me... and the speak to me and they have special meaning to me. LOVE collecting art from other people. So I have taken the leap and swallowed my anxiety about letting them go.. and realizing that they will be going to wonderful caring homes.. you might laugh at my anxiety over it.. but it's seroiusly a big issue with me.. lol. I'm a dork. I know :)

 

SO I am starting out small. Just listing a few originals each Week.. or every other week.  Right now I only have originals in my store. BUT in the next couple of weeks I will be listing prints as well. Anyhow.. so today is the first day of my shop being open! Yeah!!

I have listed 7 of my originals.. here are just a few of the ones I have chosen for this week.. (eek! I am SO nervous!!)

WHen you go to my etsy shop, i write a little bit of each of the paintings I have listed.. the story behind whey they were created. so you know a little bit more about me :)

 

Some of these you may have never seen before as they created and shared only in my workshops.. or some of them just for me..

 

 and probably my most favorite one  of the bunch.. one that I shared on my blog as a free print in THIS blog post.. and had a LOT of meaning to it..

so there you go! eek! this is exciting and scarry at the same time! lol.. who knows.. maybe that won't even sell.. but at least I am finally cutting some apron strings and letting some of these go.. and realize that through sharing these.. I am also growing myself!

I will let you know when I add new things to the shop! My prints will be coming soon. and will post about it here when they do!

Wednesday I have some fun things to share! So stay tuned!

Happy Tuesday!

New Behind the Art Video! : September Mixed Media kit!

oh yes! oh yes! it's time for another Behind the Art Video..

as you know.. I am gone on family vacation with our kids. We have two weeks of Spud Harvest and apparently we don't partake in the harvesting of the spuds.. because we go on vacation instead. lol

actually to be honest. it's SO hard to get a job working in the spuds in Shelley! Most farmers already have their hired help.. and then usually School Teachers already have the jobs (that they have had for years and years past) .. and then if you lucky enough to be related or KNOW a farmer really well.. then you get a job picking dirt clods off the belt lol.. good times.

So we use this time to always do our family vacations.. it's perfect because everyone else is in school and flights are cheap and it's off season for most vacation spots.

This year we are taking our kids on another cruise. Last year we did a Western Caribbean one.. this year.. we went cheaper.. (well actually last year was free... lol ) so I guess this year was more expensive.. but really cheaper. My Kids loved that cruise so much they begged to do another.. and since it cost WAY too much money to fly clear back east to florida for 8 people.. we decided to go to Mexico. To Los Angeles.. we can get super cheap flights out of Salt Lake city (only abouta 3 hour drive away)

and then they have some pretty cheap cruises out of LA.. and mexico is still pretty this time of year.. so what the heck. We are calling it a "family vacation" Early christmas present! lol

Gonna be fun.
So that is where we are! On a warm (hopefully warm) boat somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.. sleeping and relaxing as the kids run around the ship and play and eat to their heart content!

THIS month's video.. I wanted to do something that was KINDA school themed.. but not really.. and I when I saw the chipboard doors from Maya road.. number plaques from Tim Holtz. I KNEW what I wanted to do.

This was done using the September Mixed media kit.. from our Scarlet Lime Kit club/store.. we still have kits available in our store  here

SEPTEMBER KIT

So here is what I came up with.. it's on  an 11"x14" canvas..

 

a fun house canvas.. using all the different fun things in the kit!

 

I have this SERIOUS problem with the color turquoise.. I mean I swear I THINK the only SKY color I can use is turquoise.. and so THIS time I actually used a medium dark blue.. and it STILL ended up turquoise by the end! lol

the funny thing is, I have seen other artist do outdoor scenes and house scenes with like green backgrounds or yellow or even red.. and why i ALWAYS have to do turquoise.. I have NO idea! lol but oh well. I do.  Promise NEXT MONTH I WON't!!

aren't all those school rubons just adorable!!??

 

and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new SEW STAMPERS we brought into the store.. and this month's kit includes the scallop one!!

They are these cute little roller stamps.. MINI roller stamps.. that have designs of stitches on them.. and doodles. and they are already inked and ready to go! SO fun! watch and see!

okay.. so now for the video!

I hope you enjoy it.. make sure to come back wednesday.. I have something SUPER special to share with you all!!
Happy monday!

  

 

A little bit of Artsy love from Junelle: Septembers Main kit

It's that time of the month! We get to watch Junelle in action.. creating something artsy fun and messy with the September Main kit from my Scarlet Lime Kit club.. (I seriously love that she does this for me each month!! )

and yes WE DO Still have some available in our store! AND the mixed media kit! YOu can find them HERE!!

NEW SEPTEMBER KITS

okay so before we get to that.. just wanted to let you know that ALL OF OUR NEW PRODUCT has NOW been added to the store!! WAHOO!!

Brand new rubons from Maya Road, Bo Bunny and 7 Gypsies!!  Brand new paper pads from all sorts of wonderful people (specially some halloween, fall and christmas themed ones). TONS AND TONS Of new chipboard pieces from Maya road, new canvas, chiffon and burlap flowers , just waiting for your to artsy them up with sprays and paints!

TONS AND TONS AND TONS Of new stencils from Crafts Workshop and PRIMA!!! oh be still my heart! and then something VERY new I am excited to bring in.. TONS Of new Tim Holtz trinkets and embellishments.. awesome for canvas and art journaling. Plus way too many things to mention. We added over 300 new items to the store. AND last night we got in our new Pink Paislee stuff. so those will be adding too!

Oh and did I meantion BRAND new washi tapes.. and these awesome new SewStampers..from We Are Memory Keepers..  roller mini stamps for  doodling? If you are taking my fall workshop.. you will see how freaking COOL and cute those are!

Next week is spud harvest for our kids (actually next two weeks) and so we always do our family vacation during that time. so Our warehouse will be closed all of next week.. BUT if you place your orders before friday afternoon, they will go out saturday morning. After that.. they will ship out when we return the following tuesday.  So dont wait! Lol

btw.. I have plans do to a ton of fun videos in october using all of these new products, to show you how I used them on my projects.. so that will be fun!

YOu can find ALL of the new stuff on this page of our store

Scarlet lime Brand new products!

 

Okay! now onto junelle's awesome artsy journal pages for September
I think so far this is my FAVORITE art journal page! I love love love bottled ANYTHING.. homemade canned delicious goodness. I however do NOT can myself.. (my mom tried to teach me.. I was a poor learner.. had no interest really).. HOWEVER The good news is.. my husband LOVES to can.. and when we do a garden.. he cans the most delicious things.. salsa, jam, applesauce, apple pie filling, beats, pickled cabbage (I am saying ewe gross.. but he loves it)

SO i LOVED this page.. totally reminded me of fall.. and canning season! enjoy! What I love about the bottles she "canned" Is that they each hold personal things.. like "love, joya, Goodness, kindness.. patience.. all of those things we are striving for each day. What an awesome reminder that when we aren't feeling down, we can go to our room where all of our "food" is stored and grab a bottle of kindness and open it and share it!

 

 

seriously love this. I would love this as a canvas.. may have to talk Junelle into making me an original on canvas with this for my new art studio!  :) (Junelle are you listening lol)

 

SO SO dang cute.. thanks junelle!

Here is the video she made for us to show us all how to make it! Its broken down in two parts.. so enjoy!

Part one:

 

 

Part Two

 

 

So as I said before. we leave saturday for 8 days.. HOWEVER I have some fun things planned for the blog while I am gone!  Monday I will be posting MY september video.. using the Mixed Media kit! Can't wait!
and next wednesday.. excited to share with you something fun.. my friend Art McCracken is up to.. and a special giveaway too on some of my upcoming classes!

So see you then!
Happy Thursday!

 

Insprations abound!

so lately I have been SO inspired to just seriously create.. FOR ME. Most of what I do is creating for workshops, and online tutorials.. (which by the way the Pumpkins & Cider Workshop started today and people are already posting their amazing work in the facebook group page and HOLY COW!!! totally inspired by them!!! wahoo!!

I have taken a couple of online workshops (and am currently taking some.. lol.. meaning I have paid for them and need to watch them!! DANG!!)

but watching other wonderful artist seriously inspire me to expand my own creativity. I totally value their perspective and how the approach a canvas or sketchbook.. I think it's always important to learn from others too when trying to figure out your 'OWN creativity"  I haven't ever taken a lot of online classes.. this year was pretty much my first and at the start of the year I had big plans do and I kinda failed at them all. WELL FINALLY this summer I said.. ENOUGH! I AM GOING TO TAKE TIME FOR ME!!! lol

I had so many artist I was just dying to learn from.. and So I signed up. I had been signed up for a while for Mindy Lacefields workshop, Paint your Story..

 (image is copyright of Mindy Lacefield )

but hadn't done anything with it. Hadn't watched the videos or logged in.. so I took the opportunity to do that as well.  I Sat down and just watched her and was in AWE of what she created!

 

I also  signed up for how to create an owl, by Juliette Crane.

(images taken from Juliette's blog and all credit given to her)

. oh wait I think I first took her how to create a GIRL.. and then fell SO HARD in love with the freaking girl.. I immediately signed up for how to create an owl..

and her latest workshop.. how to create whimsical animals.

 

Which just started sunday!! Boy the girl is amazing. ANother amazing artist I just recently signed up for Flora Bowley's online Class.." Bloom True" ,  because when I was at Donna Downey's inspired event.. she couldn't say enough awesome things about her!  and while we are only into week 2 of this class and are only currently working on backgrounds (did one layer last week and a second layer this week).. I can already tell I AM GOING TO LOVE what I LEARN!! I just want all six weeks at once! lol (i am so impatient.. now I know how you guys feel when you take a new workshop from me! lol)

(Image taken from Flora's blog and credit given to her for this picture)

the one thing I found in common with all three of these women.. is that they pretty much only use paint or oil pastels on their canvas. They paint alot with their hands(which of course you guys know I already do lol) but most of the "texture and design they get in their backgrounds come from their own hands making marks. They also use found objects a lot too (like you've seem me do before.. like paper towel rolls, etc) to make design, but they don't use things like sprays, or stencils, or stamps or rubons.. things like that to get texture in on their canvases. So when I first set out to create a canvas from Mindy's class.. I thought to myself.. HOW THE HECK am I going to create without all those things! lol.. that is what I Use! what I LOVE.. but I really wanted to try it anyway

If you remember right.. I ended up with THIS girl.

All done with only paint. nothing else. and I LOVED it. It forced me to use my skills and also my creative brain to create and find texture within the painting. which i loved. I admit mine doesn't look a whole lot like Mindy's beautiful work lol.. because of course I couldn't help but make her more of a "she girl" and add doodling and what not to create mine.. but I still like her.

Next was Juliette's class.. which I still haven't attempted to try an owl OR a girl OR a animal.. lol.. but I WILL! I promise! I just am waiting to kinda find my own style from what i am learning from her. She just amazes me. again.. using mostly only paint. (however she doesn't use plastic doilies and patterned paper sometimes.. a girl after my own heart! )

Now with flora.. hers is also a BIG step for me because it's a huge canvas.. and you have to fill the space and make it balanced and comfortable to look at. You have to think LARGER scale.. Her class started, like I said.. a couple of weeks ago, so we haven't really gotten into any type of design.. just putting on randomly.. but it helped think to myself that maybe I should revisit the canvas I did earlier this summer.. THIS one here.. and maybe add do it.. add designs into it somewhere.

ALSO it has inspired me to finish THIS canvas.. which I started in May! lol and still looks the same.. :( poor canvas.So I am going to FINISH IT!! it's almost there.. just think I need to define some of the shapes I have created..

 

and THIS One.. which isn't even halfway there.. (Hello!! I started this one is freaking may!!! LOL).. get it done girl!

Well last week I just couldn't stand it anymore and I wanted to just attempt my very first LARGE finished canvas.. just using paint only.. I even DOODLED and drew with my paintbrush and fingers.. NO pens or markers! Yes I was nervous lol. I started by creating just a background.. on both pieces, and then I just started doodling flowers and other shapes onto the canvas. Also writing words and such in places. I went back in some of my old art journals and took inspiration from some of those for shapes and doodled flowers.. as I tend to only do those in my art journals for some reason. I also have a doodle journal I keep with all kinds of fun abstract flowers and leaves and shapes that I refereed to before i started. BUT then I quickly found.. that using it was only hindering me.. so I just let go and just started doodling what was in my heart and what I saw on the page. Ended up with some fun shapes that actually made no sense at all! lol

  So the final ended up looking like this..

This is a LARGE 4'x6' canvas.. it's HUGE lol.. (can you see the bottle of paint down by the bottom? )

its very subtle in the background, as I was a bit timid at first to add more.. because I really wanted my doodling to take precedent.. but I am so happy with how it turned out. and actually in awe that I created something so meaningful to me without any stamps, stencils, rubons, paper or sprays! or even modeling paste for texture! It was just all simple paints and the stroke of my fingers and a fine tip paint brush.

The next one I created later in the week.. was with my mom.. she came into town and I surprised her by spending the day with her painting, outside on easels under the big trees at my new/old house. wow we had so much fun. I put on some inspiring music (my favorite low key CD from my baby brother VJ.. Just Around the Bend"   LOVE his cd! you can purchase it in our store!! , i took my shoes off and we just went town. This was my mom's FIRST time ever painting!! Here is what she created!

 

So proud of her..

for this painting, I wanted to really be ME and go with bold bright colors, like I do when I do my other work.. just full of texture and dimensions because of the paint contrasts.. and wow. it ended up SUPER bright! lol I seriously tried numerous times to calm it down.. but yea.. it seriously didn't work. It still is bright as can be. But I stayed true to me and kept with my doodles flowers and scalloped edges and stuff. Here is what I came up with

 

This canvas was about 24"x36" , Deep edge. again.. just doodled and kept doodling and pretty much just added scallops to every shape I doodled lol.. um you know me and doodles.. what was it they said to me on TLC craft wars? " you don't have to doodle on EVERYTHING" .. um I say YES!!! Lol

 

 and more scallops.. lol

 

I really had a blast doing both.
AND NOW i feel inspired to finish both of my larger pieces I started earlier this year.. by just honestly adding some of my doodles to them. the color block one I still think I will keep VERY simple.. but THIS one..

I think I can add maybe a few poppies or something just to give the eye a place to rest.

 

I wish I had more time, I am really fascinated right now with these large more abstract prints.. but in between workshops, getting my studio ready and blogging, etc.. I can't justify just taking a day off to paint everyday lol.

(oh but how fun it would be! ) Both of those large canvases only took me about 3 hours to do.. so If I had an entire day! OH HOW FUN IT WOULD BE!!

Since I created those canvases, and shared them with my friends via text.. some of them sent me to some other VERY Talented designers that I was just seriously IN AWE of and now.. can't wait to take classes from them!  One of them, Jesse Reno (I found him last week in a book at Barnes and Noble)..

(this image was taken from Jesso Renos' blog HERE.. he freaking ROCKS!!)

 

I have actually booked to take a class from him in person.. just today! AND BEN my husband is going to take it with me!!.

AND next year I am going to Nuture your creative seed with my friend Chrissy, (Um who I forgot to mention ALSO inspires me!! Look at HER freaking amazing work!!)

  and taking classes in person from both my dear friend Jeanne Oliver

 

(Image was taken from Jeanne's blog.. )

 

AND Minday Lacefield!!

WAHOO! There is one more I REALLY REALLY want to take.. okay two.. I always SO inspired by my friend Alisa Burke.. and all she is and does and creates. I have taken an class from her ONCE in person.. but we ended up talking almost the entire time .. just me and her.. about life and such) that I didn't really make anything! LOl.. so now I want to go to her new studio and just spend time with her learning from her and creating with her. I CAN NOT WAIT for that.

AND then I just heard about another retreat in June of next year.. called Artology.. and Juliette Crane, Mindy Lacefield and Danielle Daniel are teaching at!! ( I just found Danielle Danielle works this past week and was like HOLY FReAKING COW!! THIS GIRL ROCKS!!!!!!!) so now I am pumped and saving my allowances and birthday money to go to these retreats!

So.. that is my post for today..

oh i have to share one last thing.. a couple of weeks ago, Allie and I were trying to think of something fun we could do for a girls night out (on a school night) and we talked about just going to Barnes and Noble and hanging out.. but i had just got an email in my inbox for a new class from the very talented Melody Ross. It was all about her funky flower canvases she does and other things. Brave  Girl Art School .. anyhow.. we watched the first weeks' video.. and then headed to bed. The next day my son, Noah, my 7 year old came into my office and said "mom.. you know those videos you were watching last night.. can I watch those too? and can I make one of those too?"  I was like.. you mean the FLOWER videos? the video with the flowers in the vase? and he said  "yep.. can I?" 

I said.. okay.. sure.. maybe sometime in the next week when I have time to sit and help you.. well the entire week went by and Saturday came and he said "mom remember how you said we were going to do it this week?" and I was like.. YES lol.. okay.. let's get the stuff out.

So I got out some simple things for him to use.. paint, papers, decopauge of course, a glue gun and some fun embellishments like buttons, brads, etc.

So I started to just cut out of the petals for him.. for the flowers.. and he got MAD at me!! lo.. He said.. "mom! i am doing this.. .. I know how I watched the video"  I was like.. okay!! Lol.. chill boy. So I let him finish and glue them onto the canvas. Then he painted around each of the flowers.. and while it looked pretty sloppy.. I just kept thinking.. it's okay.. hes' 7. Well THEN he wanted to do the glue gun technique where you create shapes with hot glue.. and in this case use it for texture.. so I started using it and going around the petals and again he stopped me and was like "mom.. um can I do that" finally I decided I just needed to back off and let him do his thing. I wanted it to be "perfect' and he just wanted to do it. He had the Ipad next to him watching Melody as he went.. so I finally left him to his own creation and watched the BSU football game instead. lol

Well I came back about half hour later and I was AMAZED at what he done!!!! he had used the glue gun to create all sorts of texture all over the page! He even tried to use it for scallops (like I put on my canvases).. but with glue. AND he had gone in and painted all the glue as well.. all different colors. again.. it looked kinda sloppy but STILL HOLY COW! for a 7 year old! Melody is an amazing teacher!!  At this point I could tell he was frustrated it just didn't have the texture he wanted, so I helped him (and HE LET ME lol) show him how to add texture with some micro beads I had (I filled in the petals with mod podge and let him dump it in. And then also inside one of the flower  he wanted to put bottoms down everywhere but was having a hard time getting the concept of not letting the glue get dry before you put the buttons on. so I hot glued and he buttoned as I went.

THEN he went back to painting.. and when I came back.. AGAIN.. amazed!!  the only thing it was really missing was the glazing process melody's does on her painting, to give them an antique affect. I really wanted to try it to see how it would change the look of his canvas, since it was pretty darn bright AND messy.. wondered if some of the glaze would help hide some of the messy painting.. and so I asked him if I could help him glaze it.. so we did.

AND let me tell you.. I am in awe of how it turned out.. here is what he created..

can you beleive it??

Serisouly... now noah is love with Melody Ross and can't wait to watch more of her videos! lol

anyhow.. it just goes to show you that EVERYONE can be inspired by someone else.. everyone can find their own unique style from learning from other people.. it's about taking what you feel and getting it down. I also learned that sometimes just using simple paints and your hands.. can provide all the texture and details you need!!  don't get me wrong.. um I probably will never stop using my stamps, stencils, sprays or rubons! Lol  infact my next one.. I am going to start to incoporate some! for sure!!

So i guess what I am saying is go be inspired! I am now inspired by those taking my workshops and sharing their work on flickr and our facebook group pages.. always inspired.. that is how I found Junelle.. SO inspired by her work in a class she was taking from me.
So find something that inspires you and then learn to make it your own and not be afraid to share it either!

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Wednesday.. fun updates

okay folks! hope your week is going well! I have been busy filming more videos for upcoming workshops and even took some time out last night for myself and painted a big 4'x6' canvas for me.. not sure where it will GO yet.. but I actually am in love with it.. probably because the feelings and emotions that went into it. It's TOTALLY not what you probably would expect from me. more Abstract like I do in my art journals.. I will share it with you monday!

Today I wanted to share with you MORE peeks of the upcoming Halloween/Fall Workshops ..

Pumpkins & Cider!

If you haven't signed up for the workshop.. it starts NEXT Tuesday! So it's soon and its going to be fun and have OODLES of fun inspiration for fall and Halloween!  We will be doing over 20 projects, plus some sketching exercises to help get you inspired! ANd I have two special guest doing projects in the workshop as well! Junelle Jacobson and Chrissy Gardner!

Okay so onto the peeks!

Meet Mr. Owl.. he is SUPER funky and has tons of personality and I show you how to add texture and unique embellishments to add whimsy to your projects!

Mr. Pumpkin.. showing you how to take halloween and fall icons and turn them into characters as well!

 Bat boy.. um he's just a cutey!! Proof you can create "He Art" :)

 fun and bright gorgeous colors for fall! Great for an entry way or table!

some great sketching techniques!! and more!

I hope you will join me!!!

YOu can STILL sign up for the Early Bird Discount ON THIS page here! Or use the link below!!

 

 

AND speaking of new classes.. I am so excited to have been asked to be apart of the phenomenal online collaborative workshop Life book 2013

 

Click here to view more details

 

This online workshop is a year long workshop, where you will create a life book.. a different entry each month be over 14 different artists! Each month is a different them and you will learn new techniques and soul searching activities to help create this life book. At the end of the year, you will be taught how to bind your book together into one creative keepsakes you can have forever!  The line up of teachers are AMAZING!!! I will tell you more about it in another post..
you can't quite sign up for it yet.. but take a moment to read about it and see who the other teachers are! I KNOW you are going to flip when you see them!!

Click here to view more details

 

well hope today is fabulous for you!!! oh guess what else is new? Ben has been busy adding 100's of new products.. (and I mean hundreds and hundreds! lol) of new products to the store  and they will debut next week! ALL brand new from CHA Summer!! I have been busy playing with them and so has Junelle.. and we can't wait to share! anyhow.. yes.. can you tell I am excited.. new products for me is like christmas! lol.. I kinda snuck over to the warehouse last night and "borrowed" a few more rubons that I ended up using.. new ones from Fancy Pants and 7 Gypsies.. that I THINK I will be using alot of.. so I went and got myself some more.. i don't think ben will notice! Lol

i am so bad.. lol.. but i can't help it! :)

Anyhow.. process on the studio is coming along!! wahoo!!! I am SOO hoping to have it done by first week of October! I am DYING to be in there.. let's all send good thoughts to ben so he can get it done.. okay? lol  maybe if I stop taking his product and messing up his inventory he can work on it more.. okay, Better stop doing that.

and now I am rambling! so have a fabulous Wednesday!

hope to see you in class next week!

drum roll please..... my new fall/winter workshops! wahoo!

is really here?? lol.. am I REALLY posting registration for my fall workshops? holy cow.. who knew this would take me so long to do! lol.. but like I said yesterday.. I have been waiting to get most of my projects done so I could have fun sneak peeks to show you!!

So as you may know.. from previous posts.. I am offering three new ONLINE workshops for fall/winter (oh and one mini course that I will annouce in November.. a new 12 artsy ornaments of christmas workshop) .

But for NOW I have three new workshops I am SO excited to share with you!

 

The first workshop is my

 Pumpkins & Cider, a fall holiday workshop!

This workshop a 2 course workshop where I will teach you my favorite techniques and characters for Halloween and Fall!

In our first course,  I we will create all things halloween..  She art girls dressed up ready to go trick or treating.. pumpkin and bat boy characters ready to play as well! Plus spooky halloween canvases.. great for home decor.. AND special guest.. the very talented ladies.. Chrissy Gardner & Junelle Jacobson.. bringing us some fun dimensional projects as well! 

Our second course is all about Fall and pumpkins all thing warm and crip!

For both sections we will do a sketching session finding things around town and in our homes and our favorite falls memories to bring our canvases to life! These projects are full of whimsy and all things artsy and I KNOW you are going to love them! We create over 20 projects in this 2 week course! THe classroom is just like all my other workshops and open anytime.. and work at your own pace. The classroom is open for a year, so you have plenty of time to come back again and again to create and be inspired! Plus a facebook community where you can share your work and make lasting new friends. TRULY a fun experience!  Here is a little peek of what's in store!

 

THis workshop starts in just 2 short weeks!!! September 18th!! 2 Weeks!

SO COME JOIN ME!!! its going to be here before you know it! Come play and make some whimiscal fun halloween and fall things for your home, friends and art studio to put you in the "spooktacular" spirit!

This workshop is a 2 course workshop (2 weeks worth of ciriculum)

The cost is $34.95 but if you sign up before the workshop starts.. you can register for $29.95! a totally fun and doable workshop!

To register for this workshop, click on the link below!

Pumpkins & Cider Fall/Halloween Online Workshop

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my Next workshop is a sister workshop to my Pumpkins & Cider Workshop.. except its' for Christmas and Winter!


This workshop is a 2 course workshop as well.. called

 

A Whimsy Winter Workshop!

IN this workshop I teach you all of my favorite characters and scenes for Christmas and Winter!

Week one course is all about The Christmas Holiday with Santa's, Angels, Trees, Holiday houses..  Reindeer and more! Most on Canvas but also includes some dimensional projects as well!

The second part of our workshop focuses on winter and snowmen, penquins snowflakes, bears 7 more!.. all in the mood to keep the holiday spirit going.. long after the christmas season is gone.

Again this workshop includes over 20 projects and LOST of fun techniques for mixed media and collage! Something for everyone..and sure to put you into the holiday spirit! PLUS I have two speical guest joining me in this workshop as well! Can't wait!

This class starts November 13th!

 Plenty of time to start creating before your holiday decorating begins!

Registration starts NOW..

cost for this class is $34.95, but if you sign up before October 31st.. your cost is just $29.95!

you can register for this class below! by clicking on the link!

 a Whimsy Winter Holiday/Christmas Workshop

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okay.. I ALWAYS save the best for last.. don't i? I mean really come on who doesn't love Junelle Jacobson and her seriously freaking amazing talented little soul!  So early this year.. she brought us her very first ever workshop.. The ARt of Wild Abandonment..

If you have taken it.. YOU KNOW how wonderful that class was and how much thought and spirit she put into it! She taught all about looking into your inner soul and taking chances and letting go! She taught us how to sketch and paint and create! Both in Art journals and on Canvas and SO many other forms of media! That class.. hands down as been one of my favorite classes ever and I had SO many wonderful wonderful emails from students who just loved this course. Thousands of women joined us.. and I Know each and every one of us learned something amazing in the process! 

Well.. for months now.. many of you have been anticipating.. WAITING for her next workshop.. hoping and praying it would be soon! AND FINALLY it's here!!

The ARt of Wild Abandoment no.2  

"bless this mess"

 

IN this new workshop, she takes even further on the journey of sketching.. but to a WHOLE new level. No previous sketching experience is needed and I promise you will learn SO much EVEN if you took Wild Art no 1!

She takes us further into her creative life and teaches new techniques in layering, painting, collage and sketching!  But more improtantaly she also bring a spiritutal side to her courses and in this workshop.. she brings a side that will fill up your soul and leave you feeling grateful for the life you live, finding joy in the things that surround.. helping you heal through trials and heartaches and feeling blessed for the wonderfully imperfect life we live!

 Bless this mess is truly a workshop where you are going to get your hand artsy messy and dirty with paints and all sorts of mediums and come out on the other end also grateful for this wonderful thing we call art. 

 

Junelle is truly one of my most favorite people and just knowing all personal trials she has been through (and I have been through)... over the last year.. has brought us even closer together. SHe is truly  an amazing women and inspiration.. and I am on pins and needles for this class to start!
This is a 3 week course and each week bring something new to your creative table.

This workshop starts October 23nd! ANd just like all of my other workshops.. you have an entire year to create and watch and listen and play!

This workshop is normally $44.95 but if you sign up before October 1st.. it is only $39.95!!

Click on the link below to register!!

"Bless this Mess" online workshop

 

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So that is my fun new news!!! in the next few days I will have seperate pages built for each workshop, that you can refer back to that will have more info on the classes, like what to expect, supply lists and more! You will be sent an email when those are available.

Thanks for sharing in my joy of art.. TRULY I am so grateful for each of you.. for your support of what I do and my family does. Many people don't know but this is how my husband I support our family.. through my online workshops and our online store Scarlet Lime.. so we are TRULY TRULY grateful for the support you give us.  I am so blessed to call you all friends and HOPEFULLY someday will get a chance to meet you all in person! My studio is about halfway done.. and I am HOPING next year to have a couple of retreats at my new home and new studio! and I have a special thing planned for next spring... a special content where three winners will get to come stay and play with me for three days.. all at my expense (i am paying for airfaire, hotel , food and all messy art supplies!!)  I AM SO freaking excited about that.. more about that in janaury!!

anyhow.. thank you again!!

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

 

Okay something fun!

holy cow! sorry about MIA last week! It didn't go quite as planned! I had a billion and half deadlines (my new products for Pink Paislee for CHA winter!! wahoo!!) and was finishing up all my videos for my upcoming FALL workshop starting in 3 weeks! (yes I know I haven't announced it yet.. but I WILL I PROMISE!!) TOMORROW!!! PROMISE PROMISE!! it's so weird but I wanted to have all of my videos and projects done for this class before I announced it to you guys? Why? not sure.. I think because this workshop is very dear and near to my heart.. LOVE halloween.. it's one of my favorite holidays and I wanted to be able to show lots of sneak peeks of what we would be creating! SO TOMORROW!

 

Plus for some reason.. my fribro was holy cow killing me!!! I had a few days last week that found myself in the bathtub crying.. wondering why the heck I have to deal with this dang mysterious disease.. had a poor me moment and then I said.. oh come on Christy.. get over it.. your fine and you are doing just great and you have a good life and so suck it up and move on. So i did :) Most days I can manage my pain with medicine, hot baths, massage and honestly just ignoring the pain. Some days.. I let the pain get to me and frustrate me and then I cry and get mad and frustrated.. and I guess those are okay too. I DO believe someday this will go away. I believe it 100%. I have had blessing that have told me so.. but for now I am just going with the flow and not giving in. 

you know though.. having fibromyalgia has really changed my perspective on things. I think I wrote a blog post last year about it and how I had to really cut back and realize my life needed to be different.. that I needed to go to bed early, wake up late.. that I couldn't do those fun things anymore I used to like surf and snowboard because it was just too hard on my body. I went through this huge.. poor more phase where I felt like I had to give up all this stuff just to "manage" my fibro. Then one day last year I was like.. what the heck? THIS IS MY LIFE?? am I going to spend it babying my body so that I am not in pain? Because honestly I am in pain whether I do those things are not.. its just the severity of it tends to be more when I choose to be more active or stay up late or whatever the reason.

But I came to this moment where I was like.. okay.. this thing WASN"T my life before and I am not going to let it change my life now.  SO I decided to not let it. Last year I said screw it and started snowboarding again.. (and yes I freaking loved it!! lol) and yes the next day I was in MAJOR pain.. but you know what? I knew it and I knew I would be and i didn't complain because I chose to snowboard and so I knew the consequences.  Same with staying up late. We used to get together all the time with friends and girlfriends and have late nights and fun art nights and I had stopped doing all of that because the next day would be just awful. Then I decided.. you know what? that is important to me! Spending time with people I love is important to me and worth the next day of pain. Same with Surfing, same with so many other things.  Now some of you might say I am not taking care of my body.. but i look at it as this.. at the end of my life.. what will i remember and what will I be grateful for? I know it will be making memories with my family and friends and happy moments for myself.

Just like yesterday, we took our kids to the state fair all day long. I KNEW it would kill me to be out all day with them, walking around, in the sun. Around 2:00 I had the option to just go home and leave Ben there with the kids. Or to just make them all go home. But I was like.. holy cow christy.. this is the FIRST time your kids have been to the fair.. they are having a great time! So suck it up and stay!  So I took some medicine and stayed and i was so glad i did! WE stayed until almost 10:00 PM last night! We were there for almost 12 hours! We had such a blast.. so much fun! Rode Rides, saw the animals, watched funny comedic performances, ate really great unhealthy food.. and we even got to watch ben win a huge 6 teddy bear and a huge 5' helicopter playing a game that "no body wins at". How fun it was!  ALL such a great memory! The kids couldn't stop talking about how fun it was.

So I have decided to just live my life. Like I normally would and be okay with the pain and be okay with not feeling good everyday. Its the life I was given and im not complaining! I am blessed to have just pain.. and not something that is life threatening.

So anyhow.. not sure where all that came from.. but that is how I  am feeling today. :) Happy and content with life and my fibro.

okay.. so tomorrow I PROMISE I am posting all the info for the next three workshops I have coming up! My Halloween/Fall workshop.. my Christmas/Winter Holiday Workshop AND Junelle's new Bless this Mess workshop too! AND I will have a great deal if you sign up for all three!

so come back tomorrow okay?

OH!! and one more thing..  so this morning I totally got sidetracked.. was supposed to be fixing photos for my video guy. (sorry art).. and I started organizing ALL of my videos and tutorials i have done and posted on this blog! I know they are in the Tutorials section tab above.. but I wanted to create a link on my store page (Scarlet Lime) where all the videos were on one clean, page and you didn't have to scroll through pages and pages of blog posts to find them. Here is a peek at some of them if you haven't seen them all!

SO i Have a treat for you!!  If you haven't ever watched all the different tutorials i have.. there are over 40 videos!!!.. now you can find them all.. easily and have fun watching them and being inspired and getting creative with me!

Here is the link!

Behind the Art Video Tutorials!

I am going to find a way to link it here on my blog too.. either on the tab above or the side page on the right.. so you can always find it easily.. OR you can also just go to my store www.scarletlime.com and click on the projects link and it will always be there too :)

 

So anyhow.. enjoy that for today! And see you back here tomorrow!!!

 

hugs!
Christy

 

New Behind the ARt Video! August Main kit with Junelle!

Happy monday FRIENDS!!  first off.. THANK YOU so much for the HUGE support of the online workshops class sale! I was in awe of so many of you that took advantage of the sale (We extended it until end of day today.. btw). It makes me so happy and grateful that so many of you are so willing to get come get messy with me.. and to take that Leap into finding your inner artist and truly believing you ARE an artist! Seriously thank you!! CAN NOT WAIT to see what you do with your classes!

so today I am posting the pics and the videos of the art journaling project that Junelle Did using my August main kit for my Scarlet Lime Store. (You can still purchase that kit HERE)

She seriously is just one creative bug.. simply rocks.. not much more to say except that WEDNESDAY I will be debuting the new fall workshops!! Wahoo! can't wait!

So here we go! Junelle's awesome stuff!

 

 She just got back from a trip to New York city and was inspired by everything she saw there.. so her art journal page is based on that!! so fun!

 

 Enjoy the video!

day in the park from Junelle Jacobsen on Vimeo.

 

 

okay.. call me CRAZY!!!!

UPDATE!!! Many of you have asked about the workshops and HOW LONG you will have access to them.. you will have an ENTIRE YEAR to access each workshop (despite what it may say IN the workshop or anywhere else.. you have a year! hope this info helps!

 

HAPPY WEDNESDAY FRIENDS!!

I am in the stinkin best mood today!! lol.. I spent ALL day yesterday out gathering ideas for some of new fall workshop and this morning I am headed over to the new house to sit on my favorite blanket, under my favorite tree and start sketching all the fun and messy and creative things I want to create! my heart is giddy!! lol.. so I will make this post sweet and simple so I can get going! lol

 

so today i was going to post about THREE Of the new workshops I have going for fall.. My Halloween/Fall workshop, my Christmas/Winter workshop and Junelle Jacobson's newest workshop! (ANd by the way when I do announce them next week we will offer a special if you sign up for more than one!)  However.. I wanted to be able to give you TRUE sneak peeks of some of the things we will do and since I hadn't done much for my christmas/winter workshop.. and Junelle is still working a little bit on hers.. we decided to wait one more week to debut them so you can see a lot of fun peek of what will be in store!

SO then I was thinking.. well what the heck am i going to post about today.. because that was my planned blog post for the day.. and then I thought.. you know what would be FUN?? is to have a HUGE SUPER SALE on all of my PAST Workshops for all of you wonderful women out there who haven't had a chance to take some of them.. and then I was thinking.. let's not just do a "little sale".. like a few bucks of.. let's make it HUGE!! lol because I am in the BEST DANG mood today and because well I have never done this before! lol

 

SO today through Friday.. 3 days!! ALl of my past workshops that are currently open.. (which excludes only my newest workshop Artsy Bangles.. which started monday.. and My Living Canvas Workshop.. which is currently closed and will re-open for registration in September)..

ALL of them will be on sale!  So my 3 week courses which are normally $44.95..

 

The She Art Workshop

The She Art Workshop #2

 

She Had Three Hearts

 

and... The Art of Wild Abandonment with Junelle Jacobson

 

are on sale for only $24.95!!! That is OVER 40% off!!

 

and all of my mini week long workshops originally $19.95...

 

Creative Color Art Redefined..

 

A Gilded Valentines with Guest the Gilded Girls

 

and the 12 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas with 12 of my VERY Creative and VERY artsy friends!! (which by the way we are doing a new one this year again in December! wahoo!)

 

are on sale for only $9.95!!!! that is 50% off!!

 

I KNOW CRAZY RIGHT!!!

 

Okay so here is the deal.. you HAVE TO USE THIS LINK that will take you to a special page where you can purchase these classes for the sale. If you click to the right of my blog on workshops.. it will take you to where you can READ about each workshop and what it is about.. but in order to get the SALE price you have to USE THIS LINK..

Workshop SALE LINK

so that's it!!
Hope this helps some of you that have emailed me wanting to take workshops.. but being on a tight budget.. to be able to take a few! Basically you are pretty much being able to take two for the price of one! Pretty awesome!!

now i am off to go sketch and get all inspired for christmas and winter and all things artsy!!
have a wonderful day!!

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

Behind the Art Video: August Mixed Media kit

Howdy Friends! Happy Monday!!! 

my kids are back in school?  They started last thursday.. and it's been a long time since I had a quiet monday! All to myself! Getting so much done.. it's crazy! My NEWEST online class starts tomorrow!! our Artsy Bangles class! COME JOIN ME if you haven't signed up yet! HERE is the info! 

Today I wanted to post the newest Behind the Art Video.. using the August 2012 Mixed Media kit!!

while you can no longer sign up for an august subscription (as subs are closed for august) you can purchase this kit in our mixed media store  HERE.. and if you want, email me and we can get you on the list to start a sub for September!  email melanie at customerservice@scarletlime.com to get on the sub list for September. 

okay.. so this month I had some fun crazy ideas I wanted to do.. really whimsical and different.. I had hearts on the brain.. but didn't want something that everyone always sees.. so this is what I came up with..

 

and NO the canvas isn't upside down.. they are bleeding "heart" flowers.. something kinda fun and different! They were taken from an idea I had recently in one of my art journals..

as you an see on my canvas version I added leaves to the stems.. not sure I like that or not.. but it works :) I also added butterflies to the canvas version. 

 

so kind whimsical and fun.. perfect end for summer right? 

used a lot of texture on this canvas with paints and tissue paper.. so I hope you enjoy it!
See you back here wednesday when i talk about the new fall classes!! wahoo!

Happy Monday!