studio closed today

due to a family illness, the studio is closed today.  Sorry for the inconvenience!  See you tomorrow (Wednesday, May 8)

Look what I saw today....

Yes, that would be me in the Cambridge Citizen this month.  How fun!!  This local free paper has lots of Arts and Entertainment happenings printed in it with features on local events and artists.  So fun!  Thanks to them for popping in to see what I do here and posting about it.  Lots of Arty stuff happening in Cambridge!  Such a great place to be!

Hope you're having a creative day!

Some Art House Lovin....

Take a peek at these!!!
I was so blown away with what these two fabulous ladies created and brought to ScrapFest for my studio's  "Art House" wall!   They are 3 dimensional and uber fantastic!

I hung them up in the studio as soon as I got back from ScrapFest and everyone who comes in and sees the wall they comment on them right away!  Stunning!

THANK YOU Lydia and Alice.   You girls ROCK!!!

I am back from the CreativFestival in Toronto.  Had a wonderful experience representing the Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine at the show with one of our co-founders, Katharina Doyle.   So wonderful to see so many of you there and having a chance to speak with some pretty great new subscribers too!   Hope to see you at the next show in the fall!

Have a creative day!!

Take a look at these Beauties!!!!

These are the journal books created by some VERY talented students from the The Ernest C. Drury School who came to the studio last month with a couple of their teachers to play with the Gelli Plates and learn a bit about mono printing.   Loved having them at the studio.  Such a wonderful group of teens.

Aren't these fabulous??  I don't think I can choose a favourite!

Hope you're having a creative day!

It's official! Anna is coming to The Art House Studio

Yes, I am so excited to be finally able to share (and confirm) - Anna Dabrowska will be here at the studio on JULY 13 & 14, 2013 teaching 3 fabulous workshops...  and here are the details!

All classes will include the supplies and mediums....   yay!  just bring some photos, an eager mind, a paintbrush and heat gun..... *smile*

Saturday Workshops
9am - 1pm   IMAGINE Canvas Workshop

 Mixedmedia Canvas Class (with fabric, gel mediums, gesso, glitter sprays ...and more!)

Do you want to create really artsy, dimensional and grungy collage, but you don’t have “suitable supplies?” That is not a problem! The most important thing in creative process is using imagination. We are surrounded by inspiring objects, which we can use for creating art of different kinds. Try to look around – and you’ll find real treasures in your own house! Remember there are no boundaries: you may give as much or as little elements as you want, you may use medias, paint and inks…and whatever comes to your mind too! Don’t be afraid to mix and blend and let your imagination free – it is pure fun!

During this workshop I will guide you to create your own mixed-media canvas, including my favorite set of embellishments and textures, colored with my favorite paints and mixed-media products. I’ll demonstrate possibilities of mixing different supplies such as gesso, gel medium, spray paint, scrapbooking embellishments and found objects to get layers, details and unique, grungy look on your project.

This workshop is suitable for beginners and advanced students (really!) – let’s get our fingers dirty together!

2:30pm - 6pm Industrial Baroque "Tea for 2" Workshop

Industrial Baroque - range of classes

Paper Layout Classes based on mixedmedia and scrapbookintg techniques. Their common part is multi-layering, richness of techniques. using a wide range of mediums and loads of  elements to create one-of-a kind, personalized project. Industrial Baroque is time for making your fingers dirty, creativity flowing and pushing the boundaries of your imagination. 

Grunge is a style, which is, in my opinion, the essence of creative fun and freedom: you can put almost everything on your project and be happy with the effect you got. You may give as much or as little elements as you want, you may use medias and inks… Grunge is usually considered as “boyish” or “men” style, but I'd like to convince you that it also as the more feminine, crazy, eclectic side – let's call it “industrial baroque”.
 During classes I will try to convince you that creating a grungy, eclectic layout is not hard at all - and the only boundaries you have are those made by your imagination! I will make you look again at your embellishments and how you possibilities of using everyday objects as a part of your composition, giving them the uniqueness, personal touch and grungy style. I will show you finished projects and share my experiences from the creative process. On each class I will create with the students a full size layout including products from well known manufacturers and demonstrate possibilities of mixing different medias, scrapbooking supplies and found objects to get baroque look of your project.
"Industrial Baroque" is a perfect combination of fun, experiment and playing with composition, color and texture.

Paper based mixed media class with layering, stamping, sprays, tea stain and a touch of metallic paint together with a wide selection of inspiring embellishments which will provide lighter, but the most "vintage" look in the range. 

Sunday Workshop
9am - 6pm (please note, lunch will be served) Grungy Spell Book Workshop

Mixed media class (with creating heavy texture, spraying, shading, using gels, metallic paints...and more!)

Journals are not only about pages – altering the cover of the book is an important part of the creative process, making the frame, closing (or opening?) the composition. Cover should reflect the owners emotions and personality as well as the book's content – which is a great reason to try some inspiring techniques and create something unique, magical and 100% fun.

During this class I'll tell you about my ideas for journaling, and share my ideas how to alter a raw journal to get appealing and durable mixed media cover based on a bunch of my favorite techniques such as creating texture with gels and stencils, grungy embellishments and found objects, painting and spraying. I'll show you different effect you can get using media such as pigments, acrylic paint and common soft pencils together with multipurpose glues or varnish.

After the class you will have your own art journal which will reflect your taste and a big dose of inspiration: I'll do my best to share my experience, give tips and I'll try to convince you to leave traditional, conventional thinking and go more bold and artsy. It is possible you will be surprised what you can do with medias and tools which you already have in your kit or at home!

THEN we will make pages!!!!!

During this full-length class I'll share with you some of my journal projects and a bunch of my favorite techniques based on using masks, stamps, embossing and layering. 
Together we will create different texturized background gathering information about using such mediums as heavy gel, gesso, pigments, sprays and embossing powder. We will focus on techniques useful both for journalers and scrapbookers tips and non-conventional ideas such as using thread or tea builiding 3 double, technique-packed pages- all with a touch of grungy, artsy style. 
This class is one big creative, messy fun! You may be surprised what you can do with the supplies you probably already know... or you never thought about before... Let yourself play and think outside the box – why not?

Hope you can join us!!   REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN  

Holy _balls! I love how this turned out!

I am doing a little (okay BIG) happy dance over here in the studio!   LOVE, love, love how my "Estee Lauder" girl canvas turned out.  (I called this face "Estee Lauder" in my ustream broadcast because she reminded me of some of their magazine ad's "commercial faces"  *smile*)  She is on a 16x20 gallery mounted wood canvas and she just "jumps" right off the wall!   Yippee!!

Best part?  I not only LOVED the face I drew using some of Kat McBride's tips from her free online class offered this moth, I loved the paper towel flower bouquet I did too...  with Silks!   YUM!    Off to do another canvas with those alone.  I am "smelling" a flower canvas class in my future!

Hope you're having a creative weekend
Here is the video from last night's broadcast of me collageing her hair and making that bouquet!!  Enjoy

Internationally Inspired - Congratulations Jo-Ann!

I love being a part of this FABULOUS international online workshop hosted by Donna Downey!

It's such a spectacular program with 5 designers from different parts of the world coming together to show you 15 PROJECTS using Donna's product line from Prima Marketing.   Stencils, albums, flowers, oh my!!

For those of you who missed it ...  Here's a short vid by Donna introducing the workshop.

 

Now -- are you getting excited??

5 Designers, 15 projects and only $65!!!   Wowsers!!

Here are the projects I will show you how to create in this workshop:

A Mixed Media Album using Donna's "Script Album"

A Coffee themed burlap bag using Donna Canvas Coffee Cup Album

A 12x24 canvas using lots of Stencils and some of her tissue flowers

We gave one registration away at ScrapFest this past weekend.  Our Lucky Winner is Miss Jo-Ann LeBlanc.  Congratulations Jo-Ann! You'll be hearing from Donna very soon with your email link to the workshop.  ENJOY!!!   And please share what you create with all the ideas from the designers!

Internationally Inspired is OPEN NOW.  Once you register, the class is yours to download an keep forever or stream for your convenience.  HAVE FUN!!!!

To register - please visit Donna Downey's site.

Have a creative day!!!  See you on USTREAM tonight!