Christmas Mixed Media Paintings

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted.  We moved into our new house six months ago and I finally found my camera battery but I am still missing my SD cards.  I'm really wishing I had been more diligent about backing up my pictures.  boo hoo

Christmas is around the corner and I had a great time painting these mixed media paintings.  My husband has been in the Army for over 20 years.  This Christmas I was inspired by all my military friends who have endured and tried to enjoy Christmas during deployments.  It is an unbelievably emotional time.

I always try to add a ton of texture to my paintings.  I want the viewer to pick them up and touch them.  My favorite part of this group of paintings is the snow.  It is molding paste that is swirled, painted, and then sparkled.  That's how I imagine snow looks like when it is fresh and the sun makes it sparkle.  I normally add a saying to my paintings, which are normally inspired by scripture or a song, but this time I left two blank so they could be personalized.  The fireplace painting and the Christmas tree painting now have personal messages.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

... and the fire is so delightful

Goodwill towards men

Joy

Peace & Joy

Peace

Winter Cabin

Christmas is almost here.

this little gem was a custom mixed media painting for Heather.  she had a great quote and she asked me to make a painting based on it.  what an honor!
 

 

Christmas is just around the corner.  The last couple of days have been pretty nice... school is still going on (for two more hours), it is getting chillier, and I have sewn and/or painted my last order.  So, what have I been doing with myself?  Not cleaning.  Not exercising.  I have been sitting around in my pajamas in the morning sipping coffee and working on the art class I am taking on-line.  Then when I am good and inspired, I retreat to my studio and play catch-up on my art journal.  I was about six prompts behind.  Then I shower and have lunch with my hubby. 

It has been a wonderful couple of days.  They were desperately needed.  The school Christmas break begins this afternoon and I am ready to start wearing my daytime clothes again and get back to work.  Oh, wait... the girls will be home so I may need to postpone the work part and go straight to playtime.  Sweet!!!  Merry Christmas.

Good Ideas, Procrastination, and Advent Cards

 I blame Pinterest!  I am telling you, Pinterest has helped me fine tune my procrastination skills.  Each year the girls get one of those cute little store bought Advent Calendars.  You know the ones,  you pop open a door, pull out a piece of candy, and count down the days until Christmas.  I have a funny story!  One year we tampered with Gigi's and replaced her candy with raisins.  Good thing that kid has a sense of humor.  Gene and I rolled with laughter.  In fact, I am laughing now just remembering her face.  Back to the Advent Calendar... I couldn't find one this year that was Christian based.  I mean really!  It shouldn't be hard to find an Advent Calendar that focuses on Baby Jesus?!?!  Hello, people.

 

I decided to search Pinterest and make my own (this was several weeks ago).  I guess it's not fair to blame Pinterest because if I am honest I would tell you that I never even looked for one.  I always get distracted and find myself looking at other pins - especially the ones that are designed to help you stay focused and organized.  Oh, the irony.

 

 

I think at one point or another each member of my family reminded me that there was not an Advent Calendar to be found in our home.  I was also reminded that I have been forgetting to read the Nativity story out of the Bible in the evening.  The plan was to travel through story of the birth of Jesus Christ as Christmas approaches.  Hmmmm,  I'll catch up.

 

 

 

I read my friend's blog, It's all Good, today.  She talked about making Advent Calendar cards and sharing them.  In the blog she mentioned that there are still 12 days of Christmas left if you didn't start your calendar on the first of December.  Brilliant!  I decided to make my own advent cards for the girls.

 

 

I had a short amount of time before my oldest was due home from school so I got right to work.  I searched Pinterest for Nativity Bible verses, copied a few, and cut them into sloppy strips.  I taped them on a card and wrote a coupon on the back.  the cards and envelopes are similar to library cards.  Remember those?  If I had more time, organization, and supplies, I would have spruced up the cards.  As they are, the girls will be reminded daily of Baby Jesus, I will get at least two trips to Culvers, and we can enjoy our countdown.  I think the girls will love them.

Christmas - mixed media paintings

 

This has been a great season for my creative side.  I love painting and mixed media is easily my favorite style.  It feels like free expression and an opportunity to recycle all in one.  Perfect for me and my happy heart.

 

These are a few Christmas canvases I painted to sell at Holiday Bazaars.   The theme is all about Christmas songs that celebrate the birth of Jesus.  My inspirations for paintings usually come during church.  A verse will be read or the speaker will say something that holds special meaning to me at the time.  If you saw my journal that I write sermon notes in, you would notice many sketches on the left side of the notebook and notes about the sermon on the right.  For some reason, sketching and taking notes helps me retain what I hear. 

 

I am grateful for the gift of creativity and also grateful that the paintings are well received and finding new homes.

 

 

 

A Newborn King To See

Following Yonder Star

Peace On The Earth, Good Will To Men

And Heaven And Nature Sing

"You are..." mixed media paintings

You are...

This painting highlights the things that I love about Gigi and that describe who she is as a beautiful young girl. I couldn't stop there so I also made one for Greta. I hope these are the kind of Christmas gifts they remember and cherish after the newness of the toys wear off.

Christmas Eve 2010

Shoveling Snow

Cookies for Santa

Sledding in the Snow

Dry Erase Masterpieces

Bookmarks & Mixed Media Fiber Art

These two are extras. I think I will have to keep one for myself.

I chose a word that best describes the person and their job at the school. I only wish I had a set of small font stamps to do the lettering. Squirmy material is difficult to write on.

Felted wool rosettes.



I have this growing obsession with mixed media art - fiber and textile art in particular. If it is a bit vintage and grungy, (is that a word?) it is for me. I pour over the Sew Somerset magazines. Their whole line of publications rock but they are a bit pricey. Hmmmm, I should ask for some for Christmas.





Back to the topic on hand... the bookmarks



I still have scraps of left over from my attempts at felting... and tons of material scraps... and tons of ribbon scraps... even some pleather scraps (I know, who has scraps of pleather sitting around? Now you know.)... odds and ends buttons... I could go on and on. So, I made bookmarks to give as Christmas gifts to the "extra teachers" at school.



My next project is a handmade sewn journal. I am still working out the kinks and trying to find all recycled material. I have to hurry on this one because the journal/day planner I use now is filled to the brim. I started writing in the margins yesterday.




Oh ya', I threw in a picture of the felted rosettes I made. I don't love-love them but they are much cuter on something.

The First Snow

What could be more perfect?!? We had our first snow on the day we were picking up our Christmas tree. Driving was a little sketchy and slow but it was also fun and exciting. I do admit that it took me a few minutes to calm myself and stop giving unsolicited advice to Gene while he was driving. I am positive he appreciated my helpful suggestions. ha ha

Our tree came from Trees for Troops. It is beautiful. I can't wait to post a picture of it when the girls are finished decorating it. I also have to mention the soldiers who volunteered to help load the trees. They where exceptionally outgoing and eager to help. They even had a stocking full of candy canes for the kids... and Gene.

Christmas and the treasured traditions we have reminds me to pray for the families who have a spouse that is deployed or has been lost. We know how tough it can be.

Letters to Santa

Gigi's cracked me up. You might look at it and think... what a sweet little girl. But I know the whole story. She was really complaining about her sis'. I asked Greta if she had been nice this year. Of course she said "YES". Then I told Gigi that her Christmas is complete and that she need not ask for anything else.

Greta's letter to Santa took some time for both Greta and I to decipher.