Evening Sky

While riding home yesterday with my (sweet & handsome) husband,

look at what we saw as we topped a tall hill in South Carolina!

(these photos were taken out of the window of our car while cruisin' down I-85 at about 72 mph)

I just loved the way that the sunshine was highlighting the clouds.

I think we're in for storms today and tomorrow but yesterday the temp was up to 82 here!

Sometimes it feels like we completely miss spring and jump right in to summer weather.

I'm sure that we are in for at least one more frost but the warm weather was really nice yesterday.

All the warm weather makes me long to be kayaking...

I can't wait to get out, to be doing things that we enjoy in nature.

I love seeing all the birds so active, singing so early in the mornings.

They sound happy that spring is on the way.

Angels

The last post that I did, I spoke of a new piece that I am working on.

Last year, at one of the (many) baseball games that I went to

with my sweetie (who is a college umpire), I came across an old cemetery in Forest City, NC.

It's not too big, off the beaten path

and has several graves of young children in it.

The first thing that I noticed were the angels.

There are oh, maybe five or six of them.

Small, yet striking in their sentinel poses,

as they stand guard over their tiny charges.

Quiet and unimposing they garner all the grace

needed to soothe the hearts of the grieving

and the souls of the lost.

They really touched my heart.

I just couldn't get them out of my mind...

they made me sad yet, at the same time, I felt a subdued joy for the lost little ones.

They were welcomed into the arms of their eternal guardians...

safe through time.

We all should believe in something...

Don't you think so?

And believing in angels in a good place to start...

Here is the original photo, with the contrast and brightness pumped up so the shadows would be darker.

I love the way that the rosary and cross cast shadows on the arm and dress.

If you notice, the right side of the angel (her left side) has very few shadows.

Her right side has very crisp shadows.

This is an example of what I talk about when you're drawing faces (or anything ftm).

You have a light source on one side, casting shadows on the opposite side.

You really need to pay attention to that when you're drawing/painting.

I'll be posting a photo of the piece in a few days.

I'm really enjoying working with this new transfer type technique that I happened upon.

It's so, so easy and the results are just fantastic!

"Blue Point" Zinnias

"Blue Point" Zinnias come in many colors, including orange.

Oddly enough, they come in all hues, except blue...

I decided to create one in black and white, well...cream...canvas color...

 The inspiration for my thread sketch was this photograph by Pete Krumhardt

in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine (May 2010).

I may or may not paint this.

Today I am working on a thread sketch of an angel that I took a photograph of last year.

She is from a young child's grave in an old cemetery.

Such a sad sight, holding her rosary...

standing watch over her young charge.

The afternoon sun was shining on her smooth face,

casting shadows over her right side.

The rosary created dark shadows on her dress.

It made me sad but

at the same time,

it made me feel such love. 

I saw such beauty in her face , in her stance

 that I couldn't help but recreate her in a piece of artwork.

Have you ever been so touched

by something you see that it continues to haunt you?

It pops up in your mind time after time after time?

That memory, that scene that is pulling at you -

it's asking you to honor it.

It will continue to follow you until you do.

No one may be as touched by it as you are

but I can assure you that you will feel such a release,

such a freedom if you do this.

Follow your heart.

And allow your artwork to follow your heart also.

Sketchbook Journal Tutorial

There are times that I just want to sit down and draw something...
I may have nothing in particular to draw - I just want to put pen (or pencil) to paper and make some marks.

While sitting at sporting events
(it IS baseball season, you know)
(fyi my sweetie is a college umpire)
is a perfect example.
I find it extremely difficult to just sit any where...
especially during a slowwww, uneventful baseball game that may last for up to three hours (!).

So, I take my sketching kit with me to every one that I go to.
I did a post on the Sketchbook Challenge blog about the things that I carry with me.
I may add a thing or two to the kit but I never take anything out of it.

Back to the original topic - aimless drawing...
Sometimes I just want to make marks but have no idea what I want to draw or what to actually draw.
Yesterday I was in that particular mood.
I tried some pencil sketching but found that it was one of my "off" days with drawing realistically.
I don't know if everyone is this way, but there seem to be days that I just can't draw anything.
Even the odd little things that I make up to draw.

I don't want to just completely waste paper when I fulfill this need to make marks
so I try to doodle something that I can add to later or  put to use later.
So, I came up with a simple solution for this issue.

I draw very elementary shapes that are joined together with  lines. Like the shapes above.
Something that anyone can draw, right?
Yes, you included.

Then I outline (or echo) my original drawn line with a second line - but I vary the distance that I draw it next to that original line.
Like this -

Simple so far, right?

Then I add short lines inside this space.
My friend Denise calls them "zippers".
I'm not sure what to call them...
other than space fillers.
They look kinda like this -

I do this all the way around my odd shaped designs until I'm tired of it, the game is over

or some little kid comes to my seat wanting to draw with me.

But the great thing is that I have a page for my sketchbook journal that I can write on later.

It looks fairly interesting and I can paint it  if I am so inclined.

This is the page that I finished at the ball game.

Another easy peasy sketchbook journal page and no experience required!

Sketchbook Color, Mojo and Young Women

As I said in an earlier post, I've been playing around with texture and color, both on paper and fabric.

I've really enjoyed the mindlessness of it all since I can't seem to find my mojo since that dental surgery...oh and the bout of  bronchitis to go along with it.

I suppose that I could excuse it away by saying that just one of those two could zap my energy but add them together and whammo.

Anyway -  playing around in the studio is the only way that I can get back  in the swing of things after a few days away.

Or a good looming deadline. I work much better under a little pressure.

I guess that is why I functioned so well as a nurse in an intensive care unit for almost two decades...

But, believe you me, I'll take an art deadline any day over a 12 hour NICU (Neonatal) shift...

Any.

Day.

Well, I got off subject there, didn't I? 

Which is not unusual for me now is it?

 I did sell one of my prints in the most gratifying manner.

Last year, I participated in the West Greenville Arts Festival.

I had a lot of traffic through my booth but one young lady in particular stands out.

She was middle school age, there with her mom and sister.

She loved two of my mixed media tree paintings and the handmade books that I had out.

I told her that I taught classes on making the books and she said that she would love to take one of them.

I got her mom's email address and gave them my card and promised to email when I had local classes coming up.

Well, time went on.

One day, out of the blue, I got an email from this young lady's mom.

She (the young girl) had mentioned my artwork several times since the show and her mom wanted to buy a print to surprise her with.

Now just how cool was that?!

What a cool mom!

And what a cool young girl that would want artwork - not teen posters- for her room!

So, her mom and I met last week. She will be surprising her daughter with a framed print for her room on Valentine's Day.

Two things that I love about this story.

1. This young girl is already honoring her style, her love of art.

2. Her mom is honoring and encouraging her daughter's individuality.

and ,okay a third thing I love about it -

3. Mom kept my business card and followed up with me. I really was so taken with her support of her daughter. What an awesome mom!

I will definitely work towards getting a local book class for this young girl.

So, you just never know who your art work will touch.

Please share it with others, show the world what you love to do.

Reunited (and it feels so good)

Last year, maybe the year before, I responded to a call for entries from Lark Publishers. It was to be a book called "Stitched Stories" and included artwork that told a story and included fiber.
My submission was accepted and I spent many hours working on the mixed media piece.
It is called "Rapunzel" and is about the story of , well, Rapunzel.
I had so much fun experimenting with the fabric paper background. I added several different mediums, used actual  portions of the printed story and incorporated it all into a cohesive mixed media background for the application of the rest of the story.
I wanted the sky to represent the stormy, turbulent mood of the piece and I think that it is really spot on with this.
I love the way that little snippets of the story are visible in the sky.
I think that the background is my favorite part!
I was saddened to hear that the book will not be published as a "regular" book but  I believe that the plan is to publish it as an "e-book" later this year.
It will include step by step instructions on how I made the background.
I've included a peek at a small portion of the piece.
I hope to show you the entire piece later this year.
I'll wait until the book is a "go" or "no-go".

I just got the artwork back today after being gone for many, many months.
I was a little unsure of the success of the piece when I took it to the offices in Asheville, even though I really liked it...I guess that I just wasn't sure if anyone else would like it.
Now, seeing it after all this time, I really like it.

I'll let you all know when and if the book is published.
I must give props to my hubby for the blog title.
Thank you sweetie!
Now he needs to get back in that kitchen and finish making that homemade pizza!

Jane LaFazio, Keys and Secrets

I decided to re-visit the Jane Lafazio key drawings.

I really liked the sketchy type drawing itself even though it needed a lot of work.

No shadows, just kinda plain.

So, I decided to "Carol Sloan" it,

more commonly known as "doing it my own way".

Which is what we ALL need to do!

I added some of those beloved little dots, my trademark zippers (!),

(my friend Denise calls the lines around the edge of my drawings "zippers")

and a different word.

It's been my experience that a key almost always hides a few secrets...

Opposites

As you know, I'm participating as one of the 16 artists in the "Sketchbook Challenge" blog. This months theme is opposites. While I'm mending from a little dental surgery (yesterday's newest change was a black eye!) (it really coordinates with the purple and blue bruises across my cheek though), I've been able to sketch a little bit. I'm finding that my attention span while taking strong pain medications is fairly limited. So I'm just picking small tasks to tend to (or try to tend to).
Today, I choose a Jane LaFazio type sketch with watercolors. I tend to do more whimsical drawings with a few realistic ones thrown in here and there. But I really love the urban sketching style that Jane has. She has a cool looking class over at Joggles too. You should check it out.
I don't have online classes up and running yet but I plan on having a drawing/sketchbook class as one of my first workshops. I hope to have them going in a couple of months or so.
I am doing a "live" drawing workshop at Textile Evolution in Colorado Springs this year. It's called "Whimsical Mark Making". It's a one day workshop that is going to be a lot of  fun! No experience required.

Oh, I forgot to talk about the sketch that I did...the pain medications, I'm telling you...
The theme is opposites. I chose to do opposite color scheme on the painting.
I know, I know, it is a really easy one and I promise to do better.
Just gotta get past this rough spot.

Hope that you're all doing well, staying creative and drawing everyday!

Complete Ideas, Opposites and Villanous Happenings...

Thought I'd show you this drawing in its completed form. It was the one that I posted on Wednesday (I think) that wasn't quite finished yet. I may or may not add any color to this. I kinda like the starkness of the black and white.
I finished it while I was sitting at a sporting event this week.
When I write about looking around for drawing inspiration, I truly mean it and I do just that.
If you'll notice the little curvy dotted lines at the lower right hand side,
yeah, the ones coming off of the idea seed pod...
That is the "Family Circle"ish trail that one kid took with the basketball he was dribbling.

Inspiration.
Find it everywhere.

I had a little dental surgery yesterday.
(I'll spare you the gruesome details...which involves a scapula, bits of bone grafts and my gums). 
Needless to say today I am feeling a little, um, non-creative.
Hey, I could use that in my "Sketchbook Challenge" sketches...which, for this month,  the theme is "opposites".
Day before yesterday I was feeling very creative.
Today I am not feeling creative.
That's pretty opposite if you ask me!

All joking aside, I was remiss in not mentioning the Sketchbook Challenge new theme on Tuesday.
This month a good friend of mine, Laura Cater-Woods, had the pleasure of choosing the theme. Laura is a fabulous mixed media studio artist that lives in Montana.
Her work truly reflects her oneness with nature- the ebb and flow of Mother Nature as it connects and interacts with Laura's life.
Go and take at peek at her wonderful collages for One (brainchild of Virginia Spiegel).
I'll begin working in my sketchbook today (hopefully).

Now, as far as the title of this blog post goes, I should explain something.
I'll bet you're thinking that the "Villainous Happening" was my dental surgery...
Well, villainous as it was
 (even though my doctor  is NOT a villain)
 (he's quite the OPPOSITE) (oh my! another idea)
that's not what I was referring to.
While sitting in that dental chair, I thought a lot about a new class that I am planning.
That is where the "villainous happenings" title comes in -
I'm working on a technique based class, not a project based class like I usually do.
It's going to be a mix of medias, a mix of materials and a ton of different ideas to alter  fiber and paper.
A "Mixed Media Miscreant".
Or  "Mixed Media Mayhem".

A lot of people ask me about the materials that I use, the substrates and the different techniques.
 I think this workshop will be a great way to introduce the  participants to the wide range of supplies that I use.
We'll play with a variety of different (and odd) materials, learn to question "What if I did this..?" or "Wonder what would happen if I...?"

You'll learn to look at things differently as you learn to let go of your artistic inhibitions...

Sound like your idea of fun?
Stay tuned for details.

Ideas Revisited

I had so much fun drawing the "sprouts of ideas" on the previous post that I started a close-up of them on another page in my sketchbook.
I am trying out a couple of different drawing pens (all fine liner). I truly LOVE the Pitt Pens but I got to thinking that I might be missing out on other really good pens by not experimenting with different ones.
This is a mix of Pitt and Copic Multiliners.
If you look closely (and rest assured that I did!) you can see the difference in the thickness of the lines.
I love the thinner lines that I can get with the different sizes of the Copics but I haven't tried them to see if they are really as waterproof as they advertise to be.
I'll try them out and let you know what I find.

My Head is Full of Ideas

I have so many ideas inside my head, sometimes it feels as if they are sprouting out the top of my head.
Along with a few vines too...

I've been working on this drawing, thinking that I may paint it on a larger canvas.
Or not.
But I am really enjoying the drawing.
Lots of silly fun to draw.

Drawing on the Road

Not to be confused with sidewalk art...
Not that  I have actually drawn ON the road...
but while on the road...

Never mind.

This is a small-ish handmade book that I have been working in.
It's the one that I carry in my bag when I go to ballgames and/or appointments where I know that I will have time to draw a little bit.
I painted the left hand page before the book was bound.
I drew on the right hand page after binding,
sitting at a basketball game.
I used Pitt Artist Pens to draw and a travel watercolor kit to paint.
You really can create artwork anywhere...
I did a post over at the "Sketchbook Challenge" blog that tells exactly which pens, paper and paint that I use in most of my journals and sketchbooks.
I do not receive any compensation for recommending these products, I use them because I love them and I am used to working with them.
You could check it out if you're interested.
I will occasionally switch things around but usually use the same three basic supplies when I sketch/draw.
I talk about those things in the article, um post.
Tomorrow I will be sharing a new drawing that I am working on.
Check back then!

Prizes! Prizes!

Don't forget to go to the Sketchbook Challenge site on Flickr before the month ends!

Here are the directions on how to use the Flickr site.

If you tag ONE of your January sketchbook page uploads with the special code (jan246) (only tag ONE photo!)
you'll be entered to win some fabulous prizes!

Do it today!

Textured Journal/Sketchbook Pages

I posted yesterday about adding texture to cheap canvas fabric to jazz it up a bit.

Today I'd like to address paper as a different substrate to use with your molding paste.

I almost always use the Exact Vellum Bristol paper (67 pound) paper from Wausau. I also use a 110 pound paper from the same company. I am constantly amazed at just how much abuse the 67 weight paper can take! I wet it, emboss it (thank you Nancy!), texturize it, paint it, write on it, sew on it and just generally love the heck out of it - and it still holds up!

Today this is what I have done so far.

I added a layer of light molding paste, using my fingertips and palate knife to add texture to it.

Let this dry completely.

I noticed that, on a couple of areas of the page I had added more molding paste than others areas, causing the page to become wavy. This doesn't always bother me in my sketchbooks/journals but this day it did.

So I grabbed another page of the same paper and stitched them together. I also stitched around each indiviual section of the folded page to add more interest. This would later prove to be a great design bonus.

I used my Golden Fluid Acrylic Paints to make a wash. I applied the first color in a very random manner. It really doesn't matter with the color combo that I used which one goes on first, as I went over the entire page a couple of times. In this example, I used Phthalo Blue(Green Shade) and Phthalo Green(Blue Shade). There are a couple of areas that you may be able to see a shimmery sheen on the front of the page. These areas have a little bit of a pearlescent liquid acrylic ink. The color is "waterfall green". Like I said, I like to use whatever is within reach on my studio table...

You can see the machine stitching on the page as well. I use the stitch as a drawing tool. It's not necessarily about the actual sewing process but the texture that the stitch provides for me.

Here is where the bonus of adding the stitch BEFORE painting comes in -

Look at how the paint has seeped through the holes made by the needle and thread! Isn't that a great look for the back of that page?!  I like it. 

I hope that I can remember this in the future and use it in a more conscious manner instead of accidently benefiting from it...

Although that is nice too!

Texture on Fabric

There are a lot of different ways to obtain texture on fabric. I've been experimenting (again) with different mediums.

Below are several photos of the results.

I started out with a medium weight canvas fabric. Cheap canvas. No need to experiment with the expensive stuff, huh?

I applied a thin to medium coat (apx.1/16" to 1/8") of molding paste and used different "tools" (i.e. fingers, baby wipes, crunched up paper) to obtain the texture on the wet paste.

Let this dry.

I used various Golden fluid acrylic paints to add washes of color.

Click on the pictures to see the detail.

It's just awesome to see how much texture you can get and how the paint really catches on the hills and valleys of the molding paste. I used "light" molding paste so I could sew through it later.

And yes, your machine can handle it ...  as long as it not TOO thick... and it would probably sew through a lot more than what you think anyway. (My hubby  just has to clean the machine a little more frequently)

You can see the frayed edges of the canvas material in this photo.

Here's a close-up of one section of the piece. I just love the colors!

This next photo is of a piece of paper that I used.  I actually started out covering paper and switched to fabric. The results will be just about the same with either one. I use paper and fabric interchangeably in my work anyway.

This is the same narrow piece of fabric from above.

My favorite area is in the center of it . The texture is just amazing,

as well as the flexibility of the entire piece of fabric!

I hope this will encourage you to experiment with different ways to approach your art making.

You just have to be willing to ask yourself this question

"Gee, I wonder what would happen if I did this?"



Left handed Birds

Now, who has ever heard of a left handed bird?!

Me either...

What I meant was that I drew these birds using my left hand (non dominant).

I saw where Jane LaFazio and her art buds posted pictures of drawings that they did of each other using their non dominant hand...

I thought I'd post the little birdies that I drew on my recent trip to Nashville.

The wobble-ness in a couple of the sketches could be the bumpy road -

or it could be my left hand drawing wobble-ness.

Either way, here ya go.

Left hand Birds.

Making It Your Own

You always hear people saying "Make it your own..."

That means taking something that you see, that you like

and

using the inspiration from it to draw your own interpretation of it.

Like this tree I drew.

It was inspired by this tree from the latest Papaya catalog.

Not exactly like it but close-

It has the "flavor" of the Papaya (catalog) tree.

I looked for the artist of this piece but couldn't find it in the catalog.

I love the shape of the tree.

So, find something that you love-

a shape, a color, a texture-

and create a piece of art from it.

But, make it your own.

Pen, Paper and Ligers

My husband and I drove to Nashville TN this past weekend for the NCAA Umpire Clinic.

He is a college baseball umpire.

I had several hours of riding time to entertain myself (as well as my sweetie!).

I have thought about the "Sketchbook Challenge" quite a bit the last couple of weeks.

Thinking of this month's theme by Jill Berry.

"Highly Prized".

Even though my family is my most highly prized treasure,

I was trying to think of other things that were highly prized.

One of the things we humans tend to prize is animals.

Both domestic and wild.

My thoughts ran to the big cats.

Those big, beautiful cats.

I love to watch them on television.

Read about them.

Look at pictures of them.

So, one of the things that I am drawing in my sketchbook is a Big Cat.

And, in true Callie (my nickname) fashion-

It's probably not going to be a traditional looking lion or tiger but, well, maybe a liger.

Below is the basic drawing that I started with.

Now, notice that it's a very simple little sketch or drawing.

No details, just plain. This is exactly how I begin all my drawings.

Very simple with clean lines.

I begin adding details, dots and lines that appear rather random.

I often use dots as a method to shade. My son (who is an awesome artist) uses a lot of cross hatching. He says that it covers more space and is much quicker than my beloved little dot.

I'm sure he is right, but I sure do love the dot, dot, dot...

Look below to see half of my drawing all detailed.

All tricked out.

Just for comparison sake, here is the entire page of the sketchbook. I've left space at the top of the page to do more drawing or to write...

maybe I'll finish the entire drawing...

maybe not.

I have another post going up on the "Sketchbook Challenge" tomorrow.

Be sure and check in at the site everyday!

We have another artist interview up today.

Cas Holmes, author of "The Found Object in Textile Art".

I don't have her book but am planning on checking it out after reading the interview.

I hope that you all are doing well.

We're back home (Piedmont SC) with about 7 inches of fluffy snow.

Vidoe Tutorial

Check out the first video in a series by Melanie Testa
over at the Sketchbook Challenge blog!

I was remiss in posting an entry the first of the month
announcing the very first theme in our new challenge.

Check this post out -
"Highly Prized" is the theme by Jill Berry.

Don't forget to join the Flicker site and follow these instructions to win really awesome prizes!

Revisiting an Old Friend

A few blog posts ago,

I was strung out on sewing with some of the fabric I made with

deconstructive screen printing.

I neglected to post the last piece that I made during that whirl of inspiration.

I didn't want to use the pieces of fabric with bold colors

on the smaller items that I was making (I'm saving them for a bigger bag!)

but I had a couple of pieces of fabric that had very pale colors

that would be great for a small bag.

I used one piece of pale fabric

along with a scrap of hand dyed batik

(and batting of course) to make my quilt sandwich.

I did some free motion quilting along with a poppy shape

(I know! I know! I'm trying to wean off that shape...)

and a little odd shaped leaf motif.

I rolled white paint (along with textile medium)

onto the back side of the quilted area.

I wasn't sure which side I would like the best

but at this point I was just experimenting.

I painted the poppy and leaf shapes

with a colored textile paint

to make them pop.

After deciding (okay - agonizing) over which side I liked the best,

I made a very simple bag shape.

I added a binding around the top edge and zig zagged the inside seams.

Then I added some shiny beads (for the magpie in me)

and hand stitching along the top edge.

I plan on going back and adding a button and loop closure

and maybe a carrying strap later.

It's a great size for my field sketching/watercolor set

and I plan on using it for that.

In this photo you can see

that it could almost be reversible with the

painting on both sides.

I love the color combinations.

I also love the marks on the side of this

that were made with the deconstructive screen printing method.

I think that I will definitely be doing more of this in the future.

See how the stitch lines show up so well when you roll paint on top of your quilted fabric?

If you're like me and you're afraid that you will mess up a large quilted item,

why don't you experiment with a small piece like I did?

Here is the front of the small bag

(which, btw, measures about 5 1/2"x7" and is apx.1" deep)

with my awkward stitching on it.

I'm not very good at free motion quilting

but practice really does make a difference.

Won't you try something new this year?

Try combining several art forms into one...

I used screen printing, sketching (or drawing), art quilting,

fabric painting and sewing.

Oh, beading and hand embroidery.

I hope that you will exercise your creativity

on a daily basis this year.

I plan on doing just that.

Cleaning up Your Art Making Equipment...

This evening I was sewing away, making my sketchbook for the "Sketchbook Challenge"
(yeah, I finally made my mind up on which one to use - a new one!)  when I broke a needle.

Drat!

Put in a new one.

Change to a heavier thread (I'm trying to be breve with thread this year!) (I was trying an embroidery thread) when I broke another needle.

Darn!

Change the needle, try a different type this time.

Noticed that my stitch wasn't "right".

Re thread, try again.

It still didn't look quite right so I thought I'd take a look under my throat plate...

Now, my sweetie keeps my machine clean for me - he does a great job too

but I've been so busy the past few months making books that I've been a little slack in asking him to clean it for me.

I've been sewing paper, upholstery fabric, heavy coated fabric, leather...you get the picture.

So I looked under the plate and

EEEEWWWHHHAAA!

Dust, paper dust, fabric dust, dust bunnies and their extended families!

I called my handy man in to help me.

I told him that I had been sewing paper.

And heavy upholstery fabric.

And coated fabric.

I'm standing there watching him clean my dirty, dirty machine and I saw this whitish ...um, particle stuff around the bobbin case.

I asked "Eww. What is that?"

Sweetie "I don't know baby. It looks like plastic."

Silence for about 10 seconds.

Me "Well, I have been sewing plastic too."

Laughter...

The moral of this story is that if you sew all those things on your sewing machine
you really should clean it REGULARLY.

Frequently.

(Addendum - after the extensive cleaning she is sewing great!)

Happy New Year!

Texture, Wine and Other Studio Work

I've been working on a few different things this week.

Not many "big" things,

little things here and there.

I've spent some time just resting...

taking it easy.

A good thing to do in the winter, huh?

I am participating in the "Sketchbook Challenge"

(which begins in TWO DAYS!)

I was trying to decide which book to use as my sketchbook for that

and just couldn't make my mind up...

So I finally just started making a new one!

Here are a few photos of what was going to be the front and back cover

(until I changed my mind).

I did want to share the awesome texture that is on the pages.

I put a layer of soft gel down on the page and created the texture with different

items from my studio - pencils, combs, pill bottle top, etc...

Then I added different watered down acrylic paints,

some inks and a tad of watercolor paint.

You can really see the marks that the pill bottle made

when you add the darker ink to the page.

Oh, I had a glass of  the Washington Riesling wine we made last month-

that was bottled in a Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine bottle...

I removed the sticker from the bottle.

See it below.

I let this dry overnight and then coated the pages

with another layer of soft gel.

I added a few marks to this layer as well.

This thing below is what could be the new sketchbook cover...

maybe...

It's still wet at this point.

I don't know if it's the weather or what

but I can't seem to make my mind up about anything this week...