Words as Texture- Mixed Media Art Journal Techniques

Linda Arandas' Lettering as Art

My Friend Linda Arandas Just got Published!!!

Woohoo!

I remember chatting with Linda quite a bit back and we were both talking about our Goals and Things we would Love to Do some day...

I was working on actually figuring out this thing called "Twitter" and She dreamed of getting her work Published.  

Ya- guess who made it!?!

Click HERE to go check it out on her awesome Blog!

So, when I saw what Technique she was using I was SO Excited!!! I have always been a Huge-Stalker-Fan of her Lettering Skills.  She is Crazy Good!! And now she was using it as Background, as Structure, as the Stroke Lines for Amazing Focal Pieces- it's Fantastic!

Cool right?!

I've always LOVED lettering.  And I am always Shocked now when I scribble out a Name Tag and someone actually admires my Hand writing...
If they only knew!

(Warning: Flashback in Progress)

 Being Both the Princess AND Spokesperson for the Dyslexic,  Cursive Handwriting and I were NOT friends.  Mine was Awful! 

 And I tried so Hard!   I Seriously Practiced Every Stinking Day.

In 7th Grade I remember sobbing over my paper because all my friends had this big Beautiful Curvy Handwriting with Hearts and Bows everywhere and mine literally looked like Tiny Chickens had Stepped in Ink and run amok.

Ya, this is, like, my Very Best Cursive

I was never diagnosed- and it wasn't til I had my own boys that I realized that when I write in Cursive- there is a Big Floating Hole in the middle of the paper!!  No Joke Folks!

 And.. all of the Lines are Moving and Fading in and out.  Yep- that's what we actually see...I even get 'Sea Sick' writing a whole page of Cursive.  

Ever read my Stuff and wonder "Why the heck can't this girl write a whole Paragraph??  And what's with the CraZy rAndoM Capitols??

We Dyslexic/ADDs don't like big Blocks of Text...Also, if I have Capitals sprinkled in- It's much easier for me to track the text...And- it is just a very 'Real' visual Representation of the way my Brain works:)

Anyway!

In 7th Grade I finally found the answer....ITALICS!!!  As soon as I disconnected those Horrific Cursive Creatures- everything was fine! It was great!  I could actually write 'Caligraphy' and I was fine- as long as I didn't connect the letters.  

Freaky I know- but if you've loved a Dyslexic you know what I'm talkin' about:)

So- ya, Rabbit Trail there!  Where were we?

 Oh Ya!  Lettering!  Love it!

So Back to Linda's Lettering!!!

I decided to give it a try.  I had a LOT of pent up energy to Journal and so I used my Writing as a Background and just kept turning the page to change the angle.

I know- No way as Elegant as Linda's but it's mine:)

It's a good way to Journal but still have a little 'Camouflauge' with what you write:)

 Linda Suggested we try Prismacolor Markers with the Brush Tip on one side and the Fine Tip on the other.  

I smell a Trip to Hobby Lobby!

So jump over to Dandelion Ink Studios and then grab a marker and Start Experimenting with Lettering!  And then send us some pics!

Love to all!

A Place for my Mail Art

A Place for My Mail Art Treasures

So, I've been SO Excited about getting some of my First Mail Art Beauties- I just really needed some place to keep them Safe and Loved.

Here are my Betty Franks Creations...

and my Julie Gibbons Lovelies....

I love to keep them Out for Inspiration, but I'm so stinkin' messy sometimes I am terrified I'm going to get paint on them- so I 'Dipped my Toe' into the Mad World of Mail Art...

and Painted on a Mailing Envelope.

 So, I dreamed of this Color Scheme- The Purple with the Yellow Base and Bright Blue Hearts...

It kind of ended up having an 80's Vibe- so I just grabbed my Hair Spray and My Shoulder Pads and went for it..

I really just wanted an excuse to splash Outrageous Colors around with my Fingers...Ok, that's really my Basic Art Philosophy in a nut shell....

The Hearts were from some Phone Book Pages I had painted on and my New Cool Alphabet/Texture stamps from Scarlet Lime.  Then I used some Left Over Words from another project and finally some Oil Pastels for outlines....So Scrumptiously Messy!

Later on I messed around with the Same Color Scheme only 'Lighter'...I'm sure there is a more Technical Term for it- but 

"Pastel-i-er" didn't Sound right...

Not sure what this is going to be yet...but I am working on 'Subtelty'....

Ya- I know, I'm about as Subtle as a Bull in a China Shop...but a Girl can Dream!

So, my Focus for this week will be to Remember to Keep it Simple and do...

Love to all!

More Mail Art from Julie Gibbons!!!

Ok- so Julie Gibbons is way Too Cool....

Check out her Business Card...!!

Ya- that's right- she just puts it out there man- and after you see her Art you get it...there's really no Comparison:)

Here are all her Deets on the Back.  I love the Beveled Edge...I think I will just do this whole Blog about her Biz Cards:)

 So I'm not exactly sure how I won the Honor of Having 3 of her ICADs....Probably the 427 entries I put on her blog post.  For the Acronym Challenged that's the Index Card a Day Challenge run by Daisy Yellow.  It's amazing what can be done on such a Small, Humble Canvas.  Julie made hers Sing...

Check these out!

There is so much going on in the background here.  

I always admire subtlety- probably because I have none!

 This Particular Message came at Exactly the right time for me.  It really made my day.

And this final one with the same scheme and Equally Awesome Deepak Chopra Coolness...

So Imagine my Happy Dance when I spotted these Two Extra Lovelies!

Two Angels with such different looks!

I was so excited I just had to share them with you.

So if you ever have a Chance to get your hands on Anything by Julie Gibbons- enter 247 times like I did and then Maybe...just Maybe....:)

Go see all of her Work at www.JulieGiboons.comwww.juliegibbons.com!

When Life Gets Tough....Apply Dogs

How Many Dogs DO the Freibott's Have?

As you know, we live by the Motto:

As I've recently been asked "How the heck Many dogs do you have?!"  I invite you to attempt a count...

I will give you a Hint: 

In order to maintain our Redneck Status we Need to have at least 2 dogs per acre of land.  We have 2 1/2 acres...we just barely scraped by this year!

Through-out chemo, our greatest medicine has been to gather and apply as many Dogs as possible...it works every time:)

We have 'Working Dogs'...

  

Kissy Dogs...

Big Doggies...

Tiny Doggies....

Fancy Doggies...

Goats that think they're Doggies...

Dogs who think they're Boys...

Boys who act like Doggies...

and Dogs who live on laps:)

We do indeed Maintain a High Level of Doggage....

Let me know if you figure it out!

Love to all!

Mail Art Makes my Day

Mail Art Makes my Day

Not sure why, but 'after chemo' weeks are sometimes just, well,  hard.  Sometimes even when things are good it just sucks the life out of you and the next week is unusually emotional.

This week it seems the waves kept hitting me from behind- and I just ended up with Water up my Nose and Sand in the ole Butt Cheeks...

But all of my 'Uncomfortable-Beach-Related-Metaphors' were washed away when I picked up the Mail.....and......My Mystic Tulip Mixed Media Order Came in!!!!

I have been stalking... I mean 'Following' Betty Franks for months now.  She is such an incredible Talent and I love her style.

When she finally announced her Etsy store etsy.com/shop/MysticTulipArt was open- I ordered that day!

Even her Business Card is adorable!!!

As you know we live in Red Neck Ville and we don't get Mail delivered to our house.  As we are a mile out on a Dirt Road UPS and Fed Ex fight over who has to come out and sometimes they use Pidgeons or even just leave the package at the stinkin' Post Office!!

I tell you- I've bribed those boys with everything from Cookies to Beer and we still just have to hope that we're not the only order on the truck or it could be weeks.  

So- if you ever send me anything and it takes forever- it's not you my friend- it's the Pony Express out here:)

And it even has cute Flowers on the Envelope!

 of All....  And She put in a Special Extra Book Mark....Loved it!!!

Oooo.....and the Goodies Continued!!

Can You Stand The Cuteness????!!!!  The Pics don't do them the Justice they deserve:)

 I was going to send them out right away as Thanks you's....But NOPE!  They are mine!:)  I'll just have to order some More:)

Ok- now if you don't know Betty yet- go Right Now to her FaceBook Biz Page and you will see how Amazing she is.

To Celebrate her 50th Birthday....she mailed out Cards to 50 Very Lucky People- I seriously Jumped up and down when I saw the Envelope!

This is Just the Envelope!!!  Seriously?  I don't know how she did it- I think she actually Hand Painted them all!  And Here's the Back!

I've been staring at it all day today.  It's like Therapy!

Here's the Birthday Card that she sent to ME!

And I've seen her picture- ain't know way she's 50!!

I know...If it was 4 foot by 3 foot I would hang it on my wall!  LOVE it!

I am keeping all of these right in my Work shop for Inspiration!

So Go Check her out on her Facebook Page and Etsy Shop!

Remember all of these Images are Copyright Mystic Tulip Mixed Media Art- I had Betty's Permission to post them and I will hunt you down if you use them illegally:) Just Kidding...no seriously I will...

Love to all!