Thermofax Screen designs

I'm working on more screen designs.
I am totally loving the way that I can get the sketchy details in a screen print!
Here's an elephant I am playing around with -

Honoring Your Creativity

I am gearing back up with my preparations for "Art Camp For Women".
Even though I love teaching, I think it would be fabulous to attend this retreat as a participant...no packing supplies, no agonizing over what to carry/what to leave at home...
just show up with a few articles of clothing, some toiletries and an open & creative mind.

How cool would that be?
Evidently Oprah and her staff felt it would be The Best art retreat - Art Camp was recently in "O" magazine as one of the top four art retreats in the US!

I think that there are a couple of spots left - if you are interested in the sisterhood of an exclusive art retreat, making life long friends that totally get what you love to do,
spending days immersed in the creative process,
being cooked for (yes, all meals, wine and chocolate provided!),
beautiful views (Winter Park Colorado ladies!)
as well as making a soulful mixed media book...
then this Camp is for you.

I'm not giving the "hard sell" here ladies - you know that you deserve a break like this.
We all work hard, we give and give as women often do...
you need to fill your creative well with luscious events like this.
And if you have never attended an art retreat before - you are in for a HUGE awakening of your creative energy!
The first retreat type event that I went to totally and forever changed my creative energy and outlook.

That is what is waiting for you.

Isn't it time that you made yourself a priority?

Baby, Baby

I am in love with making thermofax screens from my drawn letters!

I screened this on a cute little cotton tee shirt for a sweet baby girl.

I'll try to post a photo of it soon.

Cute Little Things

When I was a young thing, my mom taught me to sew.
And I loved it. I would sew for hours and hours...making all kinds of silly things.
Doll clothes, bags to put my found rocks in (and feathers, bottle caps, interesting items), skirts for myself, book marks, aprons for my mom...etc...
She was a wonderful seamstress- making our clothing, doll clothes and all sorts of crafty items for the home.
She could fix any torn, tattered or non functioning piece of clothing known to man (or young tomboy like me!).

When my son was born, I made a ton of sweet little rompers for him as well as quick and easy shorts.
I guess that having a little girl to sew for would be a dream (so many sweet fabric now days).
While I usually prefer to draw, paint and make books, I do occasionally get bit by the "I want to make some cute kids clothes" bug.

That is what happened a couple or three weeks ago.
I have been drawing, painting and stitching up a storm since then.


Here is the result.
I gave these to my nieces that have young ones.

"Caden's Sailboat"

"Caden's Truck"

"Kennedy's Bird"

I'll be teaching a class on this technique (which includes learning how to screen print with a Thermofax screen!) at "Fashion Fabrics" shop in Mt. Pleasant SC (near Charleston) on May 12.

If you're interested call Cathy Buck at 843/884-5266 for details.

Here are a couple of Onesie type tee's that I used my drawings to screen print on.

Wonky Flowers

We all need some Love

Whimsical Bird

Any of these designs are available for purchase in newborn to 5T size shirts.
I use non toxic paint in all of my screen printing.
And 100% organic cotton in the reverse applique designs (the actual tee shirt is not organic cotton though).
I have a ton of other designs, I just have to print them out and post them.

If you're interested, the best thing to do is email me.
We can talk about sizes and designs then.
I did do a listing in my Etsy shop if you're interested.

Oh yes - I can also sell you the actual screen and you could print your stuff.
I can make screens of your drawings and photos (need to be high contrast photo).
I thought it would be so sweet to make a screen out of a young child's drawing (or handwriting) to create a shirt or tote bag from it.


Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Thermofax machine?
I do.
It's a full fledged love affair...

Sunday Urban Sketching

My husband and I were riding our bikes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail today (rode apx. 25 miles).
I went up to the A.J. Whittenburg Elementary School of Engineering to look around.
Imagine my surprise (and delight) when I saw the play area that had A.J. the robot as part of the slide arrangement!
What a fantastic idea.
I had to stop and sketch while my husband rode into Falls Park.
I want to go back and sketch the play area at the Kroc Center - it looks like a huge molecule!

140 pound watercolor (single sheets to be sewn into a handmade sketchbook), watercolors, Pitt pen. Apx 20 minutes with a few details done at home.

Sketching at the library

I volunteer at the local library's gift shop (Greenville County Library - main one) ("Friends of the Library").
I take different things with me to occupy my time when things are slow.

Some days I do computer work.
Sometimes I draw.
Or crochet.
Or read.

Today I did some urban sketching.

This was a section of the view from my perch in the gift shop.

I added some of the paint splatters that I adore in my friend Sarah's sketches.
I am loving that the sketching in public is getting a bit easier as I continue to do it.



I'll try to remember to post photos of the visitor that was on the bike trail yesterday...
I'll just do it now.

EEwwwww!

This copperhead was just sitting there (or whatever they do) on the Swamp Rabbit Trial while people whizzed by on bikes.
The walkers (and runners) either didn't even see it or gave it a wide berth.

My husband moved it off of the trail (with a long stick) and I was terrified when he was doing it!
I am terrified of snakes, just terrified yet find them so interesting (like inside a display at the zoo).

I was glad to peddle away from this one.

We have a lot of snakes here in the upstate of SC.

It's always a great idea to look around you if you're out hiking or out enjoying nature.

I hope that you all have a great weekend filled with creative endeavors.

Urban Sketching Around Town

I have a couple of good buddies that love to get together and prowl around different places doing urban sketching.
We are trying to be present and more authentic in our lives.
We want to document our lives through drawing our surroundings.
And one solid truth has continued to be in the forefront...

The more that you draw what you see - the better you begin to SEE what you draw.
It's true.
You notice things that you never saw before...or took for granted.
You see the shadows that the afternoon sun cast, or the way that a small stream appears to be brown as it reflects the soil around it.

You begin to notice the sheer beauty in the landscape around you.

These are a few of the quick sketches that I did while wandering around Falls Park in Greenville SC.
I spent no more than 10 minutes on each sketch.

Hopefully I can go back later and add some color.
But if I don't, I won't let it bother me...I'll just go on to the next page.

This sketch was made while sitting down towards the side of the Reedy River, near the bridge in the sketch above.
It's the back of the building that houses "A Postcard From Paris" boutique.
My husband and I rode our bikes back down there today - I wanted to sit and add some color to my sketches but a storm blew in and cut my painting time short.
I was able to add a few shadows and that was it.
Overall I am pleased that I am beginning to be able to leave out a lot of the "noise" of the scenes but I continue to work on getting things more..um, not quite so wonky...

This was my view of the "Overlook Grill" at the entrance of Falls Park.
I loved all of the umbrellas at the outside tables. I really want to go back and add color to this one...I may change the color of the umbrellas since theirs were so bland.
You know - artistic license...a wonderful tool.

I truly love to sit and draw my surroundings. I would love to have a large "Urban Sketching" group here in Greenville SC.
My fellow sketchers and I want to put our pin on the worldwide "Urban Sketching" map.
Won't you join us?
Or begin your own group in your town.
You can check out the manifesto here.