Very last blog post - blog has moved!

This is the very last Blogger blog post that I will be doing here - I have moved my blog over to my new website!!!!   Please visit my new website and blog at www.cphelpsdesigns.com! 

Recent Work

Here's a glimpse at a few newly created pieces.  I've been having fun in my studio!

Set the table - LET'S EAT!

Here is my plate design for Week 2 of the MATS class.  I had fun creating this piece - I would love a matching tea mug!  These really are my favorite colors - I should try and break free of them and play with different colors - think I will challenge myself to do that ......next week.

So much going on!!!!

The past few weeks have been whizzing by- so much going on.  My son Joel graduated from college - Yeaaaaaaaaaa Joel!! We are so proud of him!! We had a nice graduation party for him and were surrounded by friends and family!!

I had another chemo treatment (boo-hiss) - I've rebounded and I'm off creating art once again!

We added another puppy to our family! His name is Miller - when we adopted him we believed that he was a Catahoula Leopard Dog x Aussie mix - turns out he is part Great Dane - Which parts you ask? The BIG parts I answer!!!  LOL He is going to be a big boy - oh boy! (take a peek at the paws in this picture) He is a love and fits in well with this crazy family!

I finished the first part (Mod 1 - Mod 2&3 are still to come!) of  Rachael Taylor's: The Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design (amazing course! highly recommend it) and now I have jumped over to Part A of Make Art That Sells (working hard at trying to extract info I didn't already know - I have been hoping for something more to sink my teeth into) - first week was Bolt Fabric - here is my design. I will keep my chin up and keep working hard - I do love working on a deadline again, I have missed that!

A picture of my "at the moment" spotless work space - don't let people fool you with squeaky clean studio shots - an artist makes a mess! Much time and effort goes into clean up!!

More Designs

Continuing to have fun!  These designs were done using Photoshop and Illustrator. Not sure which is my favorite  - but I'm loving the black!

Excited about Creating!

I'm in the second week of Rachael Taylor's amazing class - The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design!  Having a great time - putting my all into it - and creating up a storm!!!  The field of Surface Design has had my interest for YEARS and I have finally taken the steps to learn all I possibly can about it. My dream for as long as I can remember has been to design fabric or sheet/comforters/wrapping paper - anything printed with a design or pattern - I want to do that!

Here is a bit of what I have been working on -  Is it possible to have too much fun! 

Talent - A New Favorite!

Going through Chemo these past two years (with one year left) has become my new normal way of operating - and to sum it up, it kinda "SUCKS" but I stay positive and really don't complain. While I was in the hospital in 2011 my sister had given me a set of very cute pins (badges) one of them said "Chemo Sucks"  - I pinned to my purse. I never realized how much strength and Super Hero Powers it gave me until I discovered that it had fallen off and was GONE for good! That pin was a reminder of all I have gone through and what I still have to face and it made me feel strong and it spoke to me - Hey girl you're a warrior and let nothing stand in your way!

A while ago, thanks to Instagram & Etsy, I came across an amazing artist in Manchester, England. (she creates, she runs, she swims! impressive stuff!)

----  Nicola Rowlands ----

Etsy Shop = MsSpanner

Website 

Blog

I simply adore, adore, adore her work!  So I sent her a message and told her about my lost pin and asked her if she would design me a new one. I am so excited, it should be here in a few weeks!!!  Thank you Nicola!  Here is a peek at what she created for me!  I also ordered a print of this to hang in my studio and some other pieces of her work. Click on the links above and check out her work. She has wonderful, creative, fun things in her Etsy shop!  I will post again when my goodies arrive!

Illustration Friday

I have really loved the two past challenges that I participated in and I thought it would be fun to play alog with Illustration Friday.   This weeks word to play with is WILD.  Below is my illustration.

Had fun creating these two boogie fools! Wesley & Issabelle Love 2 Dance

Day 5 - Creativity Challenge

Sorry that Day 5 is a few days late! Life sometimes gets in the way.....

Here is the creativity that has blossomed from Day 5.  Enjoy - this has been fun!

Everyone keep creating - the world must see what you can do!

 

Artist: Fran Traina

Artist: Christine Phelps

Artist: Sharon Bloom

 Artist: Brianne Boyd - Sweet Limes

Day 4 - Creativity Challenge

Day 4 brings us these beautiful creative pieces! Another batch of incredible work!!

 Artist: Sharon Bloom

 Artist: Christine Phelps

Artist: Fran Traina

 Artist: Lauren Cerretani Desrocher

 Artist: Sherry Hall

Artist: Sue Mattero

Day 3 - Creativity Challenge

More amazing work......Great job ladies - 3 days down 2 to go!!!! 

Artist: Christine Phelps

 Artist: Sharon Bloom (blog)

Sharon's Etsy Shop

 Artist: Fran Traina (blog)

Fran's Etsy Shop

 Artist (Master Knitter): Lauren Cerretani Desrocher (blog)

Lauren's Etsy Shop

Artist: Sue Mattero

Artist: Brianne Boyd-Sweet Limes

Day 2 - Creativity Challenge

Here are the wonderful pieces created for day two!

~ WOW ~

Such talent!

 Artist: Sharon Bloom (blog)

Sharon's Etsy Shop

 

Artist: Brianne Boyd - Sweet Limes 

Artist: Fran Traina (blog)

Fran's Etsy Shop

Artist: Christine Phelps

Artist: Sue Mattero

Artist: Lauren Cerretani Desrocher  (Etsy Shop)

Lauren's Blog

Day 1 - Creativity Challenge

I will post pictures as I get them - to start off here is my piece for DAY 1!

Artist: Christine Phelps

Artist: Brianne Boyd Sweet Limes

Artist: Sherry Hall  

Artist: Lauren Cerretani Desrocher (Etsy Shop)

Calm Courage  (Blog)

 Artist: Sue Mattero

 Artist: Sharon Bloom (blog)
Sharon's Etsy Shop

Artist: Fran Traina (blog)
Fran's Etsy Shop

 

Creativity Challenge!

Calling all artists!!!  Spur of the moment - Lets create!  This is a quick one - 5 days - get your creative juices flowing - create what makes you happy! (write, paint, sew, draw, sculpt) Anything goes - I will post them here!  These challenges really help to get you going!  Lets have fun!!!!

Check This Out!

Jeanne Oliver is running a four week e-course The Journey of Letting Go {Creating Beauty From Ashes}. It begins April 8th. It looks like amazing fun!

The exciting news!! 

Here is the fun giveaway part!!!! She is giving away 10 spots in the new course & also giving away $300 worth of art supplies to one of the 10 course winners! Visit her blog and leave a comment.

Look at what this course has in store:

We will play with…

*Backgrounds

*Coptic Binding

*Journaling

*Journaling Prompts

*Art Technique Prompts

*Watercolors

*Clay

*Mixed Media Girls

*Faces

*Digital Art

*Pastels

*Charcoal

*Collage

*Art With a Dremel

and so much more!

Illustrator Class

For YEARS now I have shunned learning Adobe Illustrator. I have trouble learning simply by reading a book or listening to a lecture - like most creative types I'm a 100% hands on learning chic - I learn as I go - to be able to apply what I am learning, as I am learning is the key! Many years ago I took an Illustrator course and the instructor was horrible and moved too fast without showing examples of what he was talking about - I grew so frustrated and ended up blaming the "stupid" program when in fact it was the teacher and his teaching style that did not jive with my learning style. Sad that it took so very long for me to understand that. I have been challenging myself quite a bit lately and learning this graphic program is next in line! It will open the next set of doors to what I want to do - I need these skills to start to do surface pattern design - so look out Illustrator here I come, be kind to me!!

I signed up to take this course online at Nicole's Classes Its a combination of reading and videos that have been key to my understanding. I love the videos - if I don't fully grasp a concept I just hit rewind and watch it again! Here are two posters I created for my first week's homework assignment.





The colorful circle in the second poster is one that I made yesterday and I scanned it in and added it to the poster - I think the color pops along with the black text. I also edited the words - took some out and added my own. The line about ~~~Sharing your Gummy Bears~~~ is a reminder to me - I don't always share well - especially when they are chocolate covered gummy bears...my favorite!

Fun with my friend ART!

I had a great deal of fun with color and design today. These circles are quite addicting!