Bookmarks Finished!

Yes, I have been a busy bee of late!  Setting an allotted time to do chores/art is working out so much better for me!  Will I keep it up!  I sure hope so.  

I posted last week on my working on bookmarks that we give away at our library book sales.  I volunteer at our library at book sales and I try to keep up with sorting and boxing donation books given to us by patrons and our library. 

 Folks seem to like the bookmarks and when something is "free" they like it even more!  HA  Fine with me, as I get to use up poster boards I've painted in the past.  

My worktable is beside the patio doors where I let out the dogs.  So if I have a minute while they 'sniff' around, I can use markers or paints and fill in.

You can see I stamped a lot as well as drawing.  HA

I had some old, old, old mixed up procion dyes!  Will they last?  Who knows, but after I painted both poster boards I did use a sealer that I purchased from Hilary a few years ago.  It should seal all the paints/dyes/etc.  Let's hope!

I then cut up both poster boards and then cut 3"x7" in pieces.  I then stitched wrong sides together and used a decorative stitch on my machine.

Some are brighter than others but it gives folks a choice.  Patrons will look through the box I have to pick out one they like!  Makes me feel good.

I only got a little over 30 made.  Not sure if I'll make more or not.  I do have some extra poster board from last year so if I have time, I'll cut those up and stitch. 

But....I did buy some yarn to remake the pink sweater I made last year.  It's the one I shrunk....ugh.....had to order another circular needle.  My one I used on it broke and even my hubby can't put it back together!  HA  More on that project later!

Mixed Media Day 1

 I actually set my timer for 45 minutes to work on mixed media on New Year's day!  I think I need to do this to ensure I'll do some type of art work daily.  I might not get that much time but every few minutes is good.  I am fortunate I have my table set up in our workroom (which I share with Bob!).  I can leave my work out so when I have a few minutes I can work! 

I had these pictures in my sketch book so I took some tracing paper to copy.

I make book marks for our library book sales (in spring and fall) so I thought this would be a good way to get back to art work.  

I tore the tracing paper then applied matt medium to the paper and adhered to two pieces of poster board.  

I started to outline and add some dimension to the flowers using a micro pen.  Seemed to work on top of the matt medium.   

I plan on mixing up Procion dyes, paints, as well as stamping to add color/etc. to the background.  I just hope the pen won't bleed...it shouldn't as it's a permanent marker but you never know!  HA

I use the large poster board you pick up at Michael's or JoAnn's for my substrate.  I'll then cut to 7"x2'1/" pieces when I'm all finished with 'playing'.  

Then I lay the pieces back to back and stitch around each edge.   This is just one piece I had leftover from last fall before I stitched the edges.  They turn out really nice and I give them away at our book sale.  Even the adults seem to like them!  I make around 50 and always run out!  

Figure our next sale is coming up in April...so I best get started...and what better way to get back into mixed media work, right!