The Boot Camp e-course

I co-produced my first mixed media e-course last year; it wasn't the best experience but it was a good little course and "Mixed Media and Journal Art Boot Camp" achieved its objective of earning sufficient funds to cover the cost of the host ning which I co-managed at the time. With the developments of this new year, I parted ways with the other manager and left the ning altogether. Since Boot Camp had been marketed and sold as an instant access, self guided package, leaving the ning meant leaving my course content behind. I was uncomfortable about any course sign-ups or issues going solely to the other author and since I was no longer in contact with her, I took the decision to remove my Vimeo content from the ning.

In order to give Boot Camp students access back to my material, I have now set up a private blog where I have hosted my content from the course. Participants are invited to contact me and when I have their email address, I will issue an invite to the course blog. Unfortunately, I was never given the full list of course participants, so if I don't recognise some students' names, I may need to request that they provide a copy of the original course confirmation they will have received when they first signed up, before I grant them access to the new "Basic Training" blog.

If you signed up for Boot Camp - whether you selected the in-class ning version or the work-alone email version - please do send me an email so that I can sort out giving you access to the material I produced for the course. The blog I have created for this purpose will remain open to course participants indefinitely.

Maisy x

A new sketchbook, part 2

I finished painting the front cover of the sketchbook I made for myself. I loved the warm jewel colours I chose for the healing art card I showed you last time, so I used the same palette for the front cover background and decided to paint a little dark skinned girl this time:

Those shiny dots are glitter glue and once they dry and recede, the cover will get a couple of coats of protective varnish like I did on the back. Here is my new girl from initial sketch to finished cover:

What I really like is how the front of the book is so warm, in contrast to the coolness of the back cover. I just hope I enjoy filling the pages as much as I've enjoyed making the book and painting its covers!

Maisy x  

Healing cards

Throughout and since the dramas of the last oh-my-gosh-is-it-really-that-many months, there was a small group of people that I missed and thought of often. We all lost each other for a while but I'm happy to say that in the last few weeks, we've been rebuilding bridges and reconnecting. One of those regained friends is Stephanie Gagos and since she and I cleaned the proverbial slate, I've joined her healing art group on Facebook. When I saw that Steph was running an "art healing cards" swap for members, I really wanted to join in, and since much of the planning and pairing up of participants was already underway, Steph agreed to do another card and partnered up with me.

[front]

The idea behind the art healing card is to connect with your swap partner and find out a few basics from them like what colours they like and what they feel they most need in their life at this moment. You then focus consciously on those things while you create a small piece of art for them - a tag, ATC, or postcard, for example. Steph told me she liked bold, bright colours, and gave me a few ideas of what her wishes were for herself. One of the things that stood out was wanting to stay within the flow of creativity and abundance that she currently feels - and I saw that in rich, jewel colours of red, purple, deep pink and gold.

[detail]

I think in these situations, you just can't go wrong with a bit of Rumi. What a guy - his words touch most everyone and he seems to have a line or two for most every scenario. I sat with a cuppa and the laptop and Googled and read and sifted, and collected the Rumi lines and verses that stood out for me - with Stephanie in mind. Finally, I sat down and created the card that you see, with Rumi's abundance-themed 'healing' quote that had struck a chord: "Hear Blessings dropping their blossoms around you."

[back]

Pretty, no? It's a postcard - 6x4 inches and created on lovely thick watercolour paper. I really enjoyed making it and I hope that will have somehow infused it with a positive, creative energy for Stephanie - and I hope you like it, Steph! It will be winging it's way across the pond in a day or two when I'm sure the crackle seal is completely dry...

Maisy x

[detail]

A new sketchbook

I've wanted to have a go at making myself an art journal for ages!  I tried it just recently, inspired by one of Pam Carriker's old Journal365 workshop videos [formerly hosted on this great ning site], and a video that Amy McDonald made for her Steve's ARTfire newsletter [sign up in the left column here]. I used some lovely heavy watercolour paper for my first attempt and was chuffed to bits with the outcome; I still have to finish the covers but I'll share pics when it's all done.

My Dad found an advert in their village magazine for a ten week long art course; weekly two hour classes in drawing and painting for people of all ages and ability. I have signed up because it's so convenient - just five minutes away in my local Arts Centre - plus the sessions are in the morning, which is when my energy levels are better!

Since my first journal making attempt went so well, I decided to cut down a big old sketch pad and re-size it into a Maisy-made 8x12 inch sketchbook for the course. The drawing paper is much softer than good watercolour paper, so the stitch holes have pulled a bit but overall, my second attempt went well and I enjoyed making it. This above is a photo of the spine, with a few vintage beads added for fun.

The covers are cut down box panels from a pack of breakfast cornflakes; I glued them on to the front and back papers and decided to paint them. I started with the back cover for some reason! This little girl is what I finished yesterday, and now I just have the front cover to do...

I was tired when I did the cover, so I was sitting down and drew and painted her flat on my table. Things always come out a bit wonky when I paint sitting down or with the paper/canvas on a flat surface. If she was a painting intended for my Etsy shop, I would have fixed the alignment of her right cheek, nose and mouth but since she's just the cover of my sketchbook, I'm happy with her. I love her eyes and the painted pieces of doily collage look like a jaunty elaborate hat, or a pretty lace parasol.

Maisy x