Peep Show

(Peep Peep F)

Well, I'm making a fashionably late entrance to the party this week... Better late than never, right?

(Foam stamp, Hand carved eraser, Drafting film stencil, Reverse stencil)

The theme at The Butterfly Effect is "Stamp It!".  Since Easter is just around the corner, I decided to create some quick and easy peep-inspired stamps (and stencils).

Then I played with them in my sketchbook...

(a couple of peeps pages)

("Snow Bunnies"... chillin' with my peeps!)

And, since I wouldn't want to mislead any of my naughty friends with the racy title of this post, I've created one more quick drawing...

(Ha!)

p.s.  Just in case you're looking for a fun and festive treat to make for Easter, be sure to check out the "Chocolate Covered Peep Pops" tutorial I posted last year!

Sometimes I Get Carried Away

The theme over at The Butterfly Effect this week is "eyes", so I started by creating a fl-eye painting.  I used joint compound, collaged book pages, a hand carved fl-eye stamp, and paint (it is Paint Party Friday, after all).  I was having so much fun, I just couldn't put the stamp down!  So, then I painted...

"Butter fl-eyes" and "Fruit fl-eyes"!

The fun didn't stop there.  The theme at Inspiration Avenue is "dolls", so I drew...

An "American Eye-Doll"!

Boy, was I on an (eye) roll!  The Sketchbook Challenge theme is "flowers", so I created...

An "Eye-ris"!

Just because I was out of challenges didn't mean I needed to stop, right?!?  (I warned you in the title of this post that sometimes I get carried away!)

So, one more... 

Just for fun...

An "Eyeball"!

Okay, okay, I'm finished... For now.

But, since the question I am most frequently asked is:

"Where do you get your ideas?"

I thought it would be fun to show you an "idea page" from my sketchbook...

(click on image to enlarge)

When I'm working with a theme, one of the things I like to do is brainstorm.  (This page is completely eye inspired.)  One idea leads to another... and another... and another!  No idea is too ridiculous at this point (actually, the ridiculous ones are frequently my favorites)!

The best part about these brainstorming pages?

If I'm ever in a creative slump, I just flip through my sketchbook and there are loads of possibilities just waiting to be explored!

Look What I Found!

red.   5.5"x8.5"   mixed media on a re-purposed book cover

Lately I have been noticing a lot of paintings being created from abstract backgrounds.  When I saw NatashaMay's video for the Butterfly Effect, it was the final push I needed to play with some paint, have some fun, and see where my background led me...

Look What I Found!

I started out with the cover from a recycled hardbound book, collaged some pages for texture, then splashed some red (and gold) paint on it.

It was so much fun... I can't believe I didn't paint this way sooner!  (Especially since I seem to "see things" everywhere  - like here, or here, or even here!)

I have a feeling I will be doing a lot more of this type of painting in the future!

1 Year of Paint Party Friday...

...And it definitely feels like a celebration is in order!  

When the amazing EVA and I created PPF last year, we joked and wondered if we would be the only ones at the party...  When I chatted with her earlier this week, we both kept saying how we continue to be overwhelmed (in a very good way!) by the enthusiastic response of the painters who join the party each week!  Paint Party Friday has turned into such a fun community of artists and we couldn't be more thrilled about the friendships that have been created and continue to be made - If it sounds like I'm gushing, it's because I am!  Thank you EVA and friends!

If you read my last post, then you already know that I am enamored with Scribbler.  Well, the obsession continues...  To celebrate PPF's first year I printed a couple of scribbler drawings on watercolor paper and added some paint... Fun, fun, fun!

And speaking of fun...

Be sure to stop by the Paint Party Friday blog to learn more about our very first giveaway!