Monday, December 27, 2010

Almost the end of 2010

The year 2010 was my most prolific card making year yet.  It is also the year that I learned so many new techniques.  My brain has been over loaded to the point that I sometimes don't know where to start on a new project.  So, I've decided that for 2011 I will try to figure out what is my style and what type of card art work comes naturally to me.  Just because I see other artists presenting difficult techniques, it doesn't mean it is one for me.  I'm just going to sit back and admire from afar and improve on what I do best.  I'll always give new ideas a try, but not feel so disappointed when I can't duplicate or create from that new concept.  I think there is such a thing as creative input overload. When that happens, it's time to sort and file and get organized.  So, let's see what happens in the coming months.
  Meanwhile, here are two cards I produced over the long holiday-blizzard weekend:

The design for this card is from a pad of beautiful scrapbook papers.  There was no color within the flowers or leaves.  I think I'm getting a little better filling in color with colored pencils.  
                                                                  

The card stock is black, but I enhanced it with alcohol inks and ink pad ink and a silvery color that shimmers.  The center of the card is basic.  It's the background that makes the card stand out.



My son turns 39 (the age of Jack Benny!)  at the end of December.  I thought this just about says it all about aging. LOL  This card was colored with Copic markers.  I find them a bit difficult to work with, but would love to take a class in using them to learn more about them.


I'm not sure that I'll post again this year.  I'm hoping for a better 2011 for everyone. 
Lois...

Saturday, December 18, 2010

December 2010

I'm a subscriber to Sirius-XM satellite radio.  I have a radio in my house and one came with my new car.  You must think that I just love all that commercial free music. Well, that is true.  But, the only real reason I subscribe to satellite radio is to listen to Howard Stern.  When I tell most people that I am, and have been, an avid listener of HS since his NBC days, they start to say all sorts of negative things about him.  Most of the negative stuff is from people who have never really listened to his show for any amount of time.  Yes, there are some outrageous antics that go on during those broadcasts, but the good stuff is really all the other stuff that goes on:  the constant soap opera that is played out among the staff, Howard's upfront personality, and all those most absolutely great interviews that he conducts with some of the greatest performers and famous personalities in the world.  And, there have been some of the best performances done live in his studio by a wide variety of musicians and musical groups.  If you're a real HS fan, it is for his intellect, his sense of humor, his honesty, and his instinctual sense of what makes good radio.  I'm not trying to convert anyone to listen to HS, but I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled that Howard has renewed his contract for another 5 years.  This will make my long boring commute to work and back bearable for another 5 years.  Terrestrial radio surely is a bore!!
   Ok, enough pontificating!
   I've been making some holiday cards, birthday cards and I'm in the middle of making a set of blank cards for my daughter-law Jackie, who as of December 8th made me a Bubbe (grandmother).
    Here's my little man:  Max Arthur Kamakana Brager


He is named after my father, Jackie's grandfather and in Hawaiian "the gift". 
   






My kids live in Hawaii and I hope to find myself there again soon to meet my little guy face to face.  Skype is ok, but you just can't hold babies through the computer. LOL 













Cards from set for Jackie:




Here are some holiday cards:






 A couple of Birthday cards :





Well, that's it for today.  It's more than halfway through the month of December 2010 and soon to be 2011.  I'm praying for health, peace, prosperity and love for the New Year for all those I love, and more...

Saturday, November 27, 2010

My November 2010 Post

I haven't posted due to a busy lifestyle and just trying to work on my techniques.  I feel obligated to post some of my work each posting.  So here goes...
  I've been busy working on my coloring skills as well as making basic cards for occasions.
   First, here are some occasion cards that I've made:





 





The top card is made from a Hero Arts stamp and it was sent to my fellow card making friend, Barbara Snyderman. The design is stamped and then heat embossed with gold.










The top card was a simple design from patterned paper embellished with a butterfly and some ribbon.  It seemed to work. I sent it as an anniversary card.
The second card is a b-day card that I'm not pleased with, but it is using an Outlines stamp.  It is one of the three cakes on the stamp. Again, attempting to color with pencils.
The third card works...emboss the background and then stamp and stick on over ribbon.  
The ne3xt card didn't quite work as well as I'd planned.  I wanted to roll over the ink pad of the graduated green colors, but the light colors didn't take as well as I'd liked.


So, there are some good ones and some not so good ones...cards that is. 


Now it is that time of year when I need to make my Chanukah cards to mail out.  









The top card is a single card that will be send to my friend Barbara.
The second card I made about 5 duplicates  and the remaining three are the variations on the basic theme in different colored cards.  All together I'll mail out around 20 cards.  Holiday cards are not my strong suit.


I'm still taking classes with Diana Kovaks.  In the next week she's offering an ATC class that I'm really looking forward to.  Her classes are great for learning and sharing with other stampers.  


I want to mention a new magazine for me that I love and subscribed to.  "Craft Stamper" is from England and can be seen at www.craftstamper.com.  I read about it in another stamp magazine and had to check it out.  It has great tutorials in there for techniques and the craftsmanship is excellent.


And, the first week in November was the New York Area Stamp Show in Smithtown, NY.  It is the only real show in the NYC - Long Island area.  My friend Barbara met me there and we had a great day chatting catching up, talking stamps and cards, and sharing a meal.  The show was great and we both spent more money than was necessary, but how could you pass up new stuff!!! right?  LOL


Well, unless I think I've forgotten something, that's it for now.
Happy Stamping everyone
Lois...



    

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Time to Post new stuff


It seems that I can easily post here at least once a month.  Since I have told only one friend about this venture, there are really no people waiting with baited breath for my next posting. LOL   I've been working on my coloring.  I've tried different mediums, but now I'm trying to teach myself the use of colored pencils and Copic markers.  They are both a challenge.  I've purchased several brands of pencils and have found that the Prisma brand is probably the best, but I found a brand called Fantasia that seems to have a nice flow to them. So, I'm mixing it up a bit. I bought blending pencils, sharpeners, paper blenders to use with odorless mineral spirits (Gamsol or Mona Lisa brands seem to work). The Copic markers are a challenge.  I have two different style starter pen sets and am just beginning to figure out how to use them.  One of the tricks to using Copics is to have a variety of colors so that you can really show some contrast.  Right now I'm using YouTube to view instructions on how to get started using both these mediums.  It's been a challenge and fun.  I have scanned some of my test samples of my coloring. 

This first stamped image was done in pencil.

 This stack of sweets was stamped and then penciled and then some of it was hi-lited with Copics.

 The two sets of cakes above were done in pencils with the stamped confetti.



The next study was done first in pencil and I almost finished it.  But, then I decided to see what the pumpkin would look like done in Copics.






I noticed how more brilliant the colors are in the Copics and how subdued they are in the pencil.  There is a big difference between the two pumpkins.  I know there is a technique to make the pencils come alive, but I'm still learning. 

Here are some recent cards.  Two cards are for people at work.  There will be a baby shower and a wedding shower for two different gals, so I made these big so everyone can sign the cards.  The topiary card was a birthday card for a friend and the colorful card with the Star of David was given to a Bar Mitzvah boy with his gift. These were colored with pencils.






So my journey continues.  Every day is a learning experience and I'm sharing what I've learned here.
Cya soon!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

September Blog

I figure that if I can find the time to produce one blog a month, I'll be happy.  There has been much going on this past month, including the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days.  I generally create my own New Years cards for friends and family.  This year I made a few prototypes and repeated the basics of each of them to mass produce the quantity I needed.  Here are some examples:

      









Except for the two stamped cards, the images were taken off the internet thru Google Images.  Since I don't sell my cards and only give them as gifts, I feel that is legal to use them. 







I made a really nice card the other day.  Here it is:





It's a simple design making the background from clear stamps in sepia and using the same color for the words. I added an embellishment to make the card have a little color.

Here are some of my attempts at collage.  I still feel they are a challenge, but I'm sort of getting the hang of it.  It's a matter of 'letting go' and just doing it!









Well, that's it for now.  I'll try to post more often. 

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

My Babies

I guess that I've not mentioned anything about those two beautiful tuxedo cats on my home page.  Well, on the left is GirlCat and the cat on the right is BoyCat.  They are siblings. When that picture was taken they were around 3 1/2 years old.  I had just taken them into my home.  An unlucky couple decided that they didn't want to take them from their apartment to their new home.  I had wanted to adopt 'a' cat, but when the opportunity came to take in two, I couldn't let them go homeless.  Well, today, they are over 18 years old.  They are my baby kitties.  They look the same now except that as they age they have gotten thinner.  But, the Vet says that with age cats lose muscle mass.  They both have some illnesses that need medications administered at different times of the day.  Somehow they have survived and my husband and I love them dearly.  It isn't easy raising elderly cats.  They rule our house. Their schedules determine our lives.  They are vocal and moody and tell us how they feel.  We take their lead and follow them.  They are surely pushie little kitties. LOL  But until it is their time to pass on, we will treasure the unconditional love they offer us, and will cater to their every need.    

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Some more new stuff

As you can see, I added some HTML to my page.  On the right is a link to "Where Women Create" magazine. I love the Stampington magazines that pertain to my craft, but this magazine is even more beautifully produced than the others.  I know that I'm not in the league of the women who are featured in the magazine, but just reading about them, and looking at the art work and photography, is thrilling! It's a little eye candy for me with a creative punch!
   Meanwhile, here are a few new cards:


These are all a little different.  I had some leftover gold leaf paper and made the gold butterfly card for a friend.  The Asian style card was designed after a card I saw in a card magazine.  I'm trying to teach myself to color the stamped objects, so there are some examples of my beginning coloring.

The following pic is a practice page of using colored pencils:

 As you can see, I'm still am amateur at it, but I'll keep at it.  
  For now, that's what's new.