Mixed-media Lighthouse, Seahorse and Cherry Blossom Canvases

Where has the sun gone in the UK? :(

The clouds are in my garden what's that all about!
And there's drizzle everywhere.

Last week we had a heat wave. 

Fingers crossed the heat comes back next week.

Just thought I would share with you a canvas I made for a class at Art from the Heart in April this year.

I love everything about the sea, and I'm doing more and more arty projects with a sea or beach theme. I'm doing a Beach Craft Fair at Seaham on the 1st of August, at the Masonic Hall, so if you're in the area I'd love to see you. xx

I've used acrylic paint, paper, inks, stencils and stamps on this project.

All the ladies had so much fun making it, and they all put their own take on the project too, love that. 

Thanks for coming girls xx

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I have another two canvas classes on at Art from the Heart in July and September.

Saturday 25th July 2015 in Harrogate

Seahorse Mixed-media canvas

At Art from the Heart, from 10am - 3pm

This seahorse has lots of special interference paint on it, so it shimmers in the light.

And Saturday 19th September 2015

Cherry Blossom Mixed-media canvas

At Art from the Heart, from 10am - 3pm

Have a good week peeps

Michelle xxx

A year went past in a blur! Where did 2014 go?

Last year was a bit of a blur, everything went so fast. I'd gone back to working in geology, working very long hours, so I didn't get much time in the craft room. :( But I did get very muddy though!

My Mum started 2014 off in January in hospital in critical care for 3 weeks followed by a whole year of endless hospital stays and appointments, which is still ongoing.  I still had lots of classes to prep for in 2014 though, so when I wasn't working, sleeping or at the hospital, I was frantically beavering away in the craft room.

Well it all got too much by September as I was working away in Cambridge too and I had to stop teaching for a while. I miss it very much.

Here's some pictures that never made it on the blog from last years classes I taught. 

 February 2014 Mixed-media canvas AFTH -  Believe in your dreams, follow your heart and create.

  

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March 2014 Preview class AFTH - I'd rather be crafting desk sign.

I love neon paint on Kraft card.

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March 2014 Wynyard Canvas Class - Birdhouse and Bunting

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April 2014 AFTH - Give your heart the wings to fly

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July 2014 Wynyard Canvas Class - The Beach Huts Day 1

Hinged Canvases Day 2 at Wynyard

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August 2014 AFTH - Altered Book Class

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August 2014 AFTH - Colour Theory Class.  

This was my last class at AFTH. :(   But not forever though!

 This is Karen, she's super talented and she's now teaching at Art from the Heart too. Go on girl!

                    Steven Macari was over from Paris to see family and managed to fit a class in too. :)

Those colour charts will come in handy. 

These were the amazing flowers that Ben gave me for my last class. They were absolutely stunning and they lasted for weeks! :) Thank you x

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This was my last class of 2014 in Cambridge at It's Crafting Time shop in Shepreth.

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I did a large acrylic painting in September for a local Mexican restaurant called Mahujo's.

It's a Mexican tree of life. I'd like to do a Los Muertos skull for the next one.

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Mum went to the Butterwick Hospice in the summer and I went with her a few times. They had a watercolour painting class on so I had a bit of a dabble too. 

This was my first one, I liked it, but didn't like the clouds. :)

Then I tried this one from a watercolour book. 

I like this too, but I wrinkled the paper a bit.

So then I had a go at painting a photo I had taken of some bales of hay at the foot of Roseberry Topping. I enjoyed my little flurry with watercolours. I could easily retire with all my hobbies, but it won't pay the mortgage, so I had to put my paint brush down for a while.

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Me and Helen went for a couple of days to Llandudno in July, a well earned break and a walk up the Orme. Worthy of a quick scrapbook page I thought!

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Well that's kind of it for 2014. Sorry the blog posts were a bit thin on the ground.

I've dragged my sewing machine out of the cupboard lately, so I'll do another update this week. 

I think its high time the blog got a revamp anyway, don'tcha think? :)

Have fun in your crafty room, whatever you're doing

Michelle xxx

Last few classes

I really do need more hours in the day!

Do you?

After thinking long and hard I have decided to stop teaching after my last class on the 6th of September 2014. (UPDATE ** I'm back teaching in 2015:))

Work is pretty demanding at 50 hours per week, and I'm finding it harder and harder to get into the craft room, when all I want to do is get into bed!

I haven't made anything that was not for a class in ages. 

So I'm hoping this move will give me the freedom to make more for me and the blog :)

So watch out for the return of some walkthroughs and some general ramblings. x

My next classes are:-

On Sat 26th & Sun 27th July (this weekend!) at Wynyard in Teesside

Two mixed media projects

Some sneaky peeks below

There are a couple of spaces left due to cancellations so if you'd like to join in, then please come along, I'd love to see you there. 

Contact me on shelleygeo@googlemail.com or Sue Tucker at sue.tucker1@btopenworld.com and we'll get you on one or both the days.

Also check out the Art Workshops Facebook page for other classes being held at Wynyard, in Teesside

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Altered Book workshop

On Saturday 2nd August is my Altered Book workshop at Art from the Heart in Harrogate

Turn those old Reader’s Digest books into something more interesting to look at! Alter them with lovely layers of paints, inks, fabric, ephemera and findings. This may look like a book on the shelf but when you open it, there is a hit of colour and lots of creative interest to look at. You’ll learn how to glue all your pages together and cut out the inside, adding paint and mediums to change the look of the book pages. Then adding some crafty bits n bobs to hide in the cut outs. A wonderful keepsake to hide on your bookshelf.

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Colour Theory Workshop

On Saturday 23rd August 

Colour Theory Workshop at Art from the Heart in Harrogate

You’ll learn all aspects of colour theory which can be applied to all you’re crafting from card making to painting mixed-media and journal pages. We’ll make a colour chart and learn all about their hues and shades, make our own colour wheel, and understand what analogous and complimentary colours are. We’ll then put all this knowledge into practice and make some creative samples too, for you to keep and refer back to. You’ll never be stuck again wondering which colour to use, or how to make a colour you don’t have.  

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Mixed Media portfolio

On the 6th of September at It's Crafting Time in Cambridge

No pics yet, will do soon. :)

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Really looking forward to meeting you if you're coming along

Michelle xxxx

Pretty PaperArtsy Canvas and Crafty Goings On.

It's been far too long since my last blog post, so I have lots to catch up on.

Now might be a good time to grab a cuppa :)

Yesterday I was teaching at the Craft Box in Barnsley, it's in the Heritage centre at Elsecar, its lovely there and the shop is a joy to walk around, full of amazing crafty stash and fabric. I'm gonna buy me a jelly roll next time I'm down there.

I was teaching this lovely canvas using the new JOFY stamps from PaperAtsy, and the new limited edition paints and stencils.

There's lots of lovely layers of interest from the background papers, stencilling, texture paste, stamping and treasure gold

Here are some of the lovely ladies in the class, everyone finished their canvases and they were all stunning too :)

I had a fabulous time and I can't wait to go back and taste Vicky's gorgeous cakes, and see Julie's mad as a hatter personality again :) xx

Thank you ladies it was a lovely day.

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The She Art Class went super well at Art from the Heart in mid-May. And Sandra came up from Hull to join in too. Me and Sandra started this crafty journey together way back in March 2012 when we first visited Art from the Heart and had a life changing experience. So much has happened since then, and boy have we changed our crafty tastes. No more peel-offs!

        

 I love a messy studio!

Here is everyone's canvases, don't they look amazing?!

I love she art canvases, they just make me feel happy :)

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Look what Ellen Vargo has sent me!!! Can't wait to use them on my canvas backgrounds, they are going to be well used thats for sure. They'll be perfect for making texture layers. You can get them from PaperAtsy here. :)

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On another note I'm busy not only working full time as a geologist but also trying to make lots of paintings for a new Mexican restaurant opening in Stockton on the 7th July. 

So far I've only been able to get this far with a Mexican tree of life! It stands 3 foot high and 2 feet wide.

I've painted the flowers in gesso first before I'm painting the colour on, so the colour stands out better.

I've been mostly using Dina Wakley's new paints on this too. They are wonderful and bright!

Hopefully I'll finish it this week. I want to do an ornate day of the dead Mexican skull next. Maybe a Frida Kahlo one.

Here's one I made earlier for the restaurant a while back.

Its based on Huichol Yarn Folk Paintings They are so colourful, I love them.

Well no rest for the wicked. I'm off to Welsh Wales tomorrow to Llandudno for a little jolly with Helen..

Hope the weather stays sunny for us :)

Have a great week

Michelle xxxxx