Staying Power in spite of myself

Perseverance; steadfast in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Entering a contest means studying the assignment, creating your best work and knowing you gave it your all.

I have had the challenge of entering a global contest and knowing this would be so out of my comfort zone.
When presented with the rules, assignment, and research, I thought I could do it.  Little did I know that when I signed up, there would be many obstacles ahead.  I am used to doing my work early in the morning hours,while the house is nice and quiet.  Taking my coffee into my studio and beginning with devotions and then laying out my paints, paper and other supplies I will use. 
The day the contest started, was the day our son moved back into our home while his house was being renovated. He brought along his beautiful dog, my granddog and thought the time would be about a week.  That was two and a half weeks ago, and he is still here.  Bathrooms have been delayed and more and more clutter has turned up into multiple rooms of our home.  
We have a hide a bed inside of my studio and that is where he has been living.  As soon as he got up each morning, I went down and began to draw and paint.  Oh, and did I mention that two days later we had company from Atlanta and the Virgin Islands.  All during my one week window of time to create my designs.  UGH!

This is the first one on a re-purposed composite board.  Acrylics were used in this and the painting developed over a few days time. Not sure this was what I wanted my Terrarium art to be, I decided to try another and used all the Pinterest ideas that I could accumulate.  Wish I had a photo of those pages spread out all over my drawing table.  Along with all my supplies and more, leaving a small space to create in.

This time choosing watercolor paper and paints.  I began feeling a little underwhelmed with my next design and a little overwhelmed with my circumstance.  Thinking another, possibly, more simple design might woo the judges.  This most likely came from trying to simplify the circumstances surrounding me at the time.

Of course by this time I was driving everyone, including myself crazy, asking which they preferred.  The results were split and I began to think the art was all looking alike.
And, guess what!?  I decided to do one last one!!  This time a simple acrylic on a light background.  This one was my favorite and is not pictured.  Then, putting it into the right format took a village as well. 
At the end, I thought I wasn't going to get it sent.  I took it to a printer and though the photography and colors were excellent, it was too large to send.  Again, and at the last minute I got some help and was able to send it off.  Just in the nick of time too!  Whew!
 The results were posted today.  I didn't make it to the 50 finals (out of 999 around the world).  But, I did have the satisfaction of pushing through the obstacles and not giving up along the way.  In spite of all the activities around me, I feel it was a miracle I got anything done, let alone four individual pieces of art.
This was a true learning experience for me and in the past I may have given up or just sent the first piece I did.  I know that the Lord carried me through this, as I prayed and felt his piece in the midst of chaos.

I hope I remember this lesson as I move on in life and my career.  "I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me."  

Perservrance, staying power!

Thanks for listening and hope to see you again real soon.

Don't give up, no matter what your circumstance.  You will win in the end!

Ursula

 

You are my sunshine; my only sunshine... Love this song and sunflowers always remind me of it.  

 

             I want to share a fun acrylic watercolor tutorial with you. 

Begin with a canvas or any other surface.  Add your gesso, collage papers and some washes to the background. I used some vintage botanical images and sheet music. I love adding washes and then letting them run down the surface, using a spray bottle of clear water.  

Draw your design in with pencil, begin adding washes of acrylic paint to the subject matter. 

I also thought it would be fun to take these Formica samples and gesso them as well.  They are going to make great gift tags.  Watch and see..........

You can add collage to them as well, but I chose just to gesso and add some washes and splatters.
Here is a look at the supplies I used.  I also used a dark green which is not pictured.  I like Golden's
Sap Green Hue.  One of my new favorites!

                          I add the layers of acrylic paint with washes and glazes as I go along. Building colors and let them dry in between.  You can use water for the glazing or Liquitex glazing medium.

                                           You can see the little gift tag sample in the corner.

                        Continue to layer the colors, drying in between.  Work until you are satisfied.  

I added a few more drips and splatters before I began to outline using my fine point black pen.  Make sure you pen  is water resistant.  Faber Castell gelatos were used to antique the edges.  I love the patina they create.  Just rub onto the edges and use fingers to blend.
Add more white here and there to pull out the highlights.  Add a few more dots to the centers and spray with a good Matte sealer.  I like to use Americana to seal my work.  

Add some jute or ribbon to your tags.  I even added a little gold heart to one.

Print off some fun sayings and glue them to the back of your tags.  Add some washes and of course, always SPLATTER!

With my left over palette, I decided to paint a pillow form that I had laying around.  Washed the edges and corners with paint. Spattered the background.  Added  "You are My Sunshine" lettering to the back.

You make me happy when skies are grey.....  

Sunflowers make me happy! 

I hope you find some time to paint, create and enjoy the sunshine!! 

If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

See you soon.

Ursula

 

You Belong among the wildflowers...........

A beautiful thought and a wonderful place to be.  

One of the many things I brought home from out local farmer's market on Saturday.

They remind me of country drives and being a child, bringing sunflower seeds home from school to grow during the summer.  It was fun to see them grow taller than I was at times.  Measuring them almost daily! 

I took pictures of my bouquet and hope to turn these sunflowers into a watercolor painting.  It's been a while since I have done a floral painting.  

Recently, I have been focused on angels, style & fashion and my whimsy collection of girls.  Through encouragement of one of my dear friends, I had four of the whimsy girls made into note cards.  

Each card has its own personality and saying.  Sweet and Kind- Hearted, would make great thank you notes.

For your playful and creative friends, Creative Soul and Play Hard. 

Printed on high quality card stock and ready to frame.  Wrapped in a pretty ribbon and ready for gift giving.

                   I still like to send hand written cards out.  And, I love receiving them, don't you? 

                                                    I would love to share these with you!

                                                         
Leave a comment here, pin and share and I will select a random winner by August the 6th.  ( My brother's birthday)  To purchase your own, visit my facebook page, Light and Lovely Designs by Ursula.  Or press the Etsy button to see them and see what else is new!

In the meantime, I hope you walk among the wildflowers, send out a handwritten note to someone and don't forget to Play Hard!!!

 xxoo

Journal along with me.............

I started an art journal last year.  Really not knowing where it was going to lead or actually what to do with it.  I found some downloads of journal ideas and decided to go to my local art store and buy a hardcover sketchbook.  

It was fun decorating the outside, but still uncertain about what I was going to fill the inside pages with.  
Using old book pages, doilies, texture paste, hand made stamps, paint, brushes and cut out letters, my journal cover was born. 

L

It took a year to fill the pages, sometimes writing my thoughts, goals and quotes I found.  Other times experimenting with colors, designs, class projects and ideas.  

                      On line class project. "She listened to the sounds in her soul." 

I found this old children's book, The Beacon Third Reader. I learned how to turn that into a smaller journal to keep on a  table side.  The binding is frayed, the pages are brittle, but that is what I love about it.  It has so much character, inside and out.  The illustrations add to the pages.  

Take a glue stick, masking tape and gesso.  Glue three sheets together with your glue stick, giving more substance to the worn pages.  Use masking tape or washi tape to tape torn pages.  Gesso on top, as little or as much as you want to cover.  Thus, creating great pages to paint on.  I love the feel of the old and the gesso together, creating a nice surface for watercolors. Even the tape adds an interesting element. After painting the feather onto the cover, I drilled a hole into the back cover, attached my leather string and wrapped it around as many times as it would go.  

Just one of the latest pages, while studying style.

I have added a few other journals since, smaller ones to carry with me.  I also like to find old ones like this

fabric one I found at an estate sale.  The pages are lined and slightly yellowed.  I decorated the front and back with collage papers, added stickers and a name plate to the inside covers.  Using a scrap of watercolor paper, I created my own book mark.  The "Stay Creative"  collage piece is a note pad from our room at Howard Johnson's Express.  You never know where you will find inspiration.  Old mail, postage stamps, letters, and so on.

 Fun journaling across the US on our way to Florida earlier this year. This is a cheaper sketch book I found at the craft store, but it works for sketching and experimenting.  Watercolor pencils, brush,  pen and ink.  Love the brushes that hold water, great to take along!

Just added this 1927 spiral sketchbook to my collection.  It's a 9 x 12 and most of the pages are blank.  It will make a great journal and oh the history.  A few loose pieces of art were tucked inside.  What a delight!

 

By starting my journal, I gained insight into my soul, art and life.  This was the beginning of a new chapter for me.  I may not add a page each day, but when I need to express, try something new or get an idea, I know just where to go.  Marking pages for future art designs.

I also have a fine art one where I can put class projects or more complicated designs.  

Hope you enjoyed our journal time.  These are just samples and insights into mine.  I hope you create your own stories, words and pictures. 

Put your whole heart and soul into it!!

See you soon.
xxoo








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Summer days that seem to last forever......
            Those were the days.

Laying in the lush green grass and looking up at the sky. Visualizing clouds that looked like animals, people, monsters

and other objects.  

Riding bikes without a helmet.  Adding baseball or playing cards to the spokes with clothes pins.  Listening to the motor sounds that it made while you rode through the neighborhood with your friends.

Making forts, playing ball in the street, catching fire flies in a jar, climbing trees, hopscotch on the sidewalk.  

Using rocks to etch  the squares and numbers onto the sidewalk.

Metal roller skates were attached to your shoes.  You wore the key on a string around your neck and skated on the side walk.

Having backyard picnics.  
Taking summer drives in the country.
Running through the sprinkler.
Staying in the lake or pool until your lips turned purple.
Splashing in the puddles after a summer's rain.
Catching tadpoles in the local pond.
Walking to the nearby candy store with a nickle in your pocket.
Stayed outside until the street lights came on.

Life seemed so much less complicated then.  I only wish we can get just a little of that time back. 

These are the summer days I remember growing up in Ohio.

Warm, happy and days that seemed to last forever!

Hope you enjoyed going back in time with me....Lay back and look at the sky to see what art the angels have made with the clouds today.

Until next time,
Happy summer memories!


 



 

Flea Market Sundays

Whenever I need inspiration or a little design fix, I visit my local flea markets.  

Before I went over to my favorite shop, I stopped by my booth at Spring Creek to see if I had any action over the weekend.  Even though it was the 4th of July weekend, it looked as though things needed my attention.  

The weather was just perfect, cool and light rain.  Traffic on the opposite side of the road was bumper to bumper.  So many families returning from their weekend at the Lake.   

I made this sign years ago and have decided to keep the name.

Adding art work that you or someone else did, adds interest, color and compliments the old or re-purposed items.  My favorite thing is to take something old, clean it, repaint it and use it for something other than it was intended.

Love these old benches I found!

 From there I went onto my next favorite shop called, Leola's.  It was featured in a magazine a while back and is one of the top 6 antiques shops in southwest Missouri.  

This is more of an open floor design where all the merchants work together and have these unique vignettes throughout their space.  I always get inspired when I visit this shop and Kelly is always so welcoming.

I should have purchased the letter below, there may be much history behind it.   I always wonder with, who, what and where an item has lived.

Love combining new with old rustic pieces.

Ironstone just makes my heart happy.  There is such beauty in these old, sometimes chipped  pieces.   I cherish the few I have. 
I enjoyed my Sunday afternoon flea market trip.  But, truth be known, I was really out returning a movie and took this little detour.

                   I hope you enjoyed our Sunday afternoon flea market adventure as much as I did.

See you soon!

Trusting is simply believing; simply looking beyond what you can see.

 I found a canvas that I started a while back and decided to give it new life, trusting that it could turn into something better than what I had.  The purple from the original kept coming through and I decided to go with it.

I took some old sheet music, doilies, vintage papers, watercolor paper and some washi tape and added it to the canvas.  Adding a few connecting scribbles with my stabilo. Below is my supply list of the items used. 

A combination of Golden, Grumbacher and Liquitex paints.  Alcohol ink and re-inkers were also used.  Love to use the inks for drips to the background.  Make sure you dilute the alcohol ink with water before you begin, as it dries very quickly.  Just let it run and spray it with a water bottle for a fluid appearance.

I began sketching in  my figure, using a #2 lead pencil.  Darkened some areas with my stabilo pencil.  I just love these pencils, great for blending, especially with gesso.  As I continued to sketch, I readjusted the figure and the features.

Began developing the face with soft washes of burnt sienna, alizarin crimson and zinc white.  Blending back and forth between these colors and the white.  Using the stabilo to add more detail as it dried.  Adding touches of paynes grey and sap green hue.  The green is one of my new favorite colors to work in shadows.
Adding black charcoal to the darkest shadows and blending them out with a damp brush.

I added more drips and color to the background.  The heart shapes were an accident, as was her dress collar.  They came to life from my collage background as I developed the painting.  Adding more dark shadows to the figure and  white highlights to the face.  The words are printed off the computer.  I wasn't sure what this painting was going to say.  I printed out several inspirational words.  I went back to my drawing table and looked up on a box where I had this verse taped to the corner of it.  I felt it fitting for the painting and used it.   The textured stencil in the right hand corner (top and bottom)remind me of part of a stained glass window.

Sometimes as in life, the painting doesn't always go as planned.  There are mistakes and there are surprises.  Just trust you inner artist and see where it leads.

Simply trust and  believe in all your dreams!