I've been playing . . .

Hi all,

I still chuckle when I start with this as I'm not that sure many people are actually reading my blog but I live in hope that someone or another is actually following along on my creative journey  . . . . Hi Annette and Marita!

Well this last week has seen the return to school, Term 3 for us in the land down under. I do not really have a huge countdown ticking off the days until I catch a plane first to Surabuya (school trip to East Java) and the days after my return another plane on my way to the UK with Mum, just a little countdown!!! Getting excited as I only have 39 teaching days left until February next year . . . you just have to love long service.

I have finalised my classes for the UK, I am going to complete a class with Dyan Reavely YEAH can't wait, then I have a two day workshop at the Newlyn School of Art on abstract art. So my long service trip will be both touristy and arty!!

Anyway, this week I have been spending my nights working on my travel journal for the UK. I am using a Simple Stories Snap album and the Urban Traveller range. Here is a little look at the front cover and the first divider inside.

Last weekend I participated in a class taught by Jen from Dusty Attic, at Made With Memories, and she showed me an ATC she had made with the chipboard zip from her store. Well this got me inspired and I promptly bought the zip and then this afternoon I created this layout about Ben. It isn't often I complete pages about Ben as he doesn't particularly like his photo taken, so when I get a good one, like this one, I just have to do something with it.

I've used my old faves and new faves on this page. In particular, Lindy Stamp Gang's Cattail Copper Brown and Afternoon Delight Denim starburst sprays and Viva Decor Ferro - Blackberry, and lots of chipboard and wood bits from Dusty Attic and Prima. Here are some close ups followed by the layout, please excuse the lighting but I just had to upload it as I like it so much and I couldn't wait for tomorrow and better natural light.

 

What the photos don't really show is the dimensionality of the layout and how the zip is raised with all the embellishments popping out. I tried to make the piece look like a hoodie with it's own breast pocket.

While Facebook perusing last night I saw Donna Downey's photo of her and Dyan Reaveley and just had to comment as I am taking classes with both of these super talented ladies in a matter of months. As I said earlier I am booked in with Dyan at Art From The Heart in Harrogate, UK in October and I am partaking in 2 days of workshops with Donna at Made With Memories in Rockingham, WA (my local scrapbook store) in late August. I'm one lucky arty lady:)

Well that's all for tonight,
take care everyone,
Helen

The End is Nigh!!

Well the end of school holidays that is . . . what were you thinking I meant? The kids are back to school tomorrow so I must curtail my wayward sleeping habits and get to bed early tonight, 3 am is NOT a good time. This was my bedtime each night over the holidays as I was busy crafting and playing Tomb Raider on the boys' PS3!

Going through my photos I came across these of a few canvases I made a while ago.
This one I made for Made With Memories as a design team piece earlier in the year.

This one was inspired by a piece that Christy Tomlinson created.

On the weekend I taught my monthly art journaling class at Made With Memories and I stepped the ladies through this piece.

Well that's it for tonight, have a good day tomorrow everyone . . . I will!

Take care, 

Helen xxx

Lindy's Stamp Gang and You Tube all rolled into one!

Hi all,

Well I did something new this week . . . I made my first video tutorial and it has now gone live on YouTube.
Here it is.

I made the canvas for my friend Linda, for her birthday present, and I made the video as my application for the design team entry for  Lindy Stamp Gang July Colour Challenge and here is the link for the Design Team Call

Lindy colours used for this challenge are:
Starburst Stains:
Creme Brulee Cream
Silent Night Silver
Frosted Forget-Me-Nots
TiffanyLou Blue
Delphinium Turquoise
Maidenhair Fern Green
Frosty Forest Green
Cotton Candy Pink

Magicals:
Cotton Candy Pink
Rudolph's Nose Red

Hope you all enjoy it, don't laugh too much at the Aussie accent!

Take care,
Helen

Photos

Well here goes, hopefully can attach photos. Will add others also.

This is it, I've used cardboard boxes for the trees, balsa wood for the fence, bits of corrugated metal for leaves, Collections owl, Viva Décor 3D stamp paint and Lumiere paints, old ABCs for texture in background, Prima Engraver text stamp, rosebuds and bolts for flowers and big brush pens and gelatos for shading.

A canvas board using Neocolors, Golden's glass bead gel  and Donna Downey stamp. Hand drawn design using black pen.

Journal page, had many layers underneath they created a good foundation as that is the best place for them. Layers of modelling paste, Lindy Stamp Gang sprays buttons and metal embedded into embossing paste and other bits and pieces and a page containing a photo of me. They are generally quite rare and by the way that is a reflection on my forehead not some weird skin discolouration.

 I signed up for Christy Tomlinson's She Art 3 and this was my first attempt of a face on canvas. Faces have always been a no go for me as my Year 8 art teacher told me {a long time ago} that I was wasting my time in art and should not continue with it and at the time I was painting a face. Anyway I quite like it but my darling husband did suggest that I stick to my other style.

I've had a couple of days to myself and what did I do - craft?? not really I spent the time tidying and reorganising my craft studio. This is only part of the room {it should be our formal lounge room but as the only female in the house, not counting the dogs and cat, I figured I needed a craft cave and this room was much bigger than the spare room I had previously inhabited. Although being at the front of the house Greg wanted me to keep it tidy all the time and sad to say it is a rare moment when it looks like this!} but the green/teal unit is my pride and joy. The manual arts teacher at school wanted to get rid of it and I suggested donating it to my craft room, he said as long as I could get it home I could have it. Well I was definitely thankful that day that I live on the same street as school, so one afternoon my darling sons and I pushed it home. It did create a bit of interest and comments with a few "Trust you Helen" chucked into the mix but I now have my lovely refurbished unit holding lots of my art supplies right behind my desk. I am basically a lazy crafter and if I have to get out of my chair to reach supplies than more than likely it won't appear on my work. So I have streamlined and reorganised so that I have as much as possible in arms reach.

Well that's it for now. I will be updating soon with some of my creations from the school holidays. Have a good day,
Helen xx

I'm back . . .

Oh my, this is the second time I have tried this today. Our lovely computer just got rid of my last attempt, I would like to say it is because it is Windows as I don't have any of these issues on my Apple but that wouldn't be very nice of me so I won't.

Anyway  ....... finally I have made it back to blogging as I have been really busy at work (school) and am now on holidays. Mind you this second half of the year I am going to make time to blog and get my artwork out into the wide world. I have started trying to sell it under the name of "Youneek Art by Helen" we have a few pieces up in our gym  . . . ok not probably the best place but least lots of people see it and talk about it. I have also started teaching mixed media classes at Made With Memories and in August will return to teaching at Scrapbook Secrets teaching mixed media not scrapbooking this time.

Anyhooo, quite a few months ago (late February) I couldn't sleep as I had this idea of a canvas that showed a tree changing through the four seasons with one of the trees having an owl in it. {Out the front of our house and nearly every house in our street is a plain tree and I love how it changes and loses it leaves each year and this was the inspiration behind my canvas.} I had to get up and write my ideas down before I could sleep that night and then shortly after that I created part of the picture in my mind in one of my art journals. From here I further developed my design and created it on a 15x45inch canvas. This idea has become the basis of one of my classes that I am teaching at both stores, different versions but this idea.

I am going to save this post and then add the photo as this is what caused my earlier technical problem.