"Woodland Dreams" Art Walk Alchemy 2020

Mystic Spring Studios released their lineup for Art Walk Alchemy 2020 today and I'm pretty excited to announce that I'll be taking part as one of the instructors. 

It's a sweet deal. 24+ mixed media projects with in depth video instruction for each, artist support for each project, freebies and surprises, as well as a community of fellow makers. The classes are released throughout the year (so there will always be something fresh) and there's a good variety of projects. 

Can you guess which one of these projects is mine? 

Preregistration opened today with an early bird price (until December 31st) of $99 for all 24 courses. After that the price bumps up to $125. Pop over HERE for all the details.

Here are all of the other artists taking part and instructing in "Woodland Dreams" Art Walk Alchemy 2020

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 

Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

The Little Mystic's Hutch

Although I've always been interested in the magical, I've never been one for crystals. Lately however I've been admiring a number of Instagram accounts that share these gorgeous pictures of crystal grids. Shiny stones laid out in pretty patterns. They're enchantingly beautiful.

Those patterns, colours, and crystals got me thinking about glitter and stardust and dreams and the Universe. Yes, all those things at once!

So I put together the 3 Panel Hutch, added some spindly legs and stars...

... and filled it with tiny gem stones.

Perhaps I'll make a life sized mystic hutch for myself in the future, but for now my fairies will not be wanting. They have drawers filled with stars, and loads of stones and gems, to weave some magic.

If you'd like to see the process of making this hutch, you can pop over to my YouTube channel to watch the video HERE.

Here are all the bits and bobs I used to create The Little Mystic's Hutch:

3 Panel Hutch
(UK shoppers visit HERE)
Wooden Table Legs
3D Star Spacer Beads
Flat-Back Gold Star Studs - 12mm
Flat-Back Gold Star Studs - 8mm

Blue/Turquoise scrapbook paper
Gold Star Sequins
Brass Moon
Miniature Tarot Cards
Various Stones/Gems/Crystals
Tiny Wood Bowls and various miniature bowls/vials
Paint
Glitter

Van Gogh Tunnel Book

You know who I love? (Besides you, of course) Van Gogh.

One of the most moving artistic experiences of my life was seeing "Starry Night on the Rhone" in a darkened room at the Art Gallery of Ontario. There is a tremendous 'life' in his work, as though they are living, breathing things.

When I saw the sunflowers in this months AlphaStamps Tunnel Book Kit I thought of dear Vincent and made a little something VanGogh-y.

Instead of a book, I've painted each of the pages from the 4x4 Arch Tunnel Book like a VanGogh landscape with acrylic paint, then used foam squares to create space between the layers.

The layers are then framed with a simple strip of cardstock painted black, and covered with the blue paper from the Banner Year 6x6 Paper Pad. 

A few resin sunflowers, and acrylic stars and a portrait of the the man himself popped in, front and centre.... ONLY IT'S NOT VINCENT!!!!

After putting this piece together I learned that not terribly long ago (2011) experts determined that the guy in this particular portrait is not Vincent, but his brother, Theo.

No worries! This is still a sweet reminder of Vincent and filled things he loved best: stars, sunflowers, colour... and his brother and biggest supporter, Theo.

Want to make your own arty homage? Grab yourself a AlphaStamps Tunnel Book Kit or all the separate bits below:

4x4 Arch Tunnel Book
Banner Year 6x6 Paper Pad
12mm Resin Sunflowers

15mm Resin Sunflowers

Resin Sunflower Cabs - Set of 3

Acrylic Rhinestone Stars (not exactly the same that I used)
Acrylic paint

Cardstock

Small printout of Vincent/Theo

Glue

Free Photo Friday

Once a week I share an old timey photo from my personal collection. Feel free to use them in your mess making, art and crafting.

The images are not polished and left in their grungy, smudged and speckled glory. Just how I like 'em! Without further ado... 

Do NOT sell, give, or distribute the images as your own, digitally or printed, alone or as part of a collection, collage sheet or group. BUT DO absolutely make stuff with them and sell the stuff you make. If you share your project, a link is appreciated.

Violators will be turned into toads, given warts, all the bad stuff... I mean it... It won't be pretty. 

Thrifting gold and miniature albums

I bought this pair of old albums at a thrift shop this weekend. I hoed and hummed about buying them because they were more than what I would usually spend. But, one of them was filled with dozens of old snaps from England so splurged.

I had thought that most of the pics were from London. There's a pic of the Queen's Guard, double decker buses, the tower bridge and Queen Victoria memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.

But this pic of Albert Hall totally threw me for a loop. Looks nothing like the place! That particular Albert Hall isn't the 'Royal' variety and was located in Sheffield.

In fact, a good portion of the photos are actually of Sheffield. 

There are other places too! I love the album even more for documenting a whole journey. It's fascinating to look up the places in the photos to see that many of them still exist, like England's Gate Inn in Bodenham Herefordshire.

I've had a couple of requests for blank albums and seemed like the perfect prodding from the universe to get my butt in gear. So, I made myself a miniature version of my treasure.

There are a handful of blank black albums listed in the etsy shop. I'll be adding some variations over the next week  or so (style, size, and binding type) but I was too excited to share my treasure to keep my mouth shut. 

I've even got a tiny collage sheet with copies of some of the photos from my fabulous vintage album to send as a little bonus.

I mean, who doesn't need a tiny photo of a Queen's Guard in one of those crazy bear skin hats?!

Here's hoping for a happy week filled with lovely little things.

Messy Little Words of Wisdom Books

I've made a big batch of little books using the free "Words of Wisdom" sheet I posted the other week. 

You can make your own hardcover books by following my video tutorial found HERE. I've increased the size so that the finished books are 1.5" x 2" They aren't quite so micro as the the tutorial, but still tiny enough to put them in your pocket.

Inside I've added a jumble of stamps and sploshes and scribbles. There's really no rhyme or reason, it's all just playing and experimenting.

Most of these books will be tied with ribbon and abandoned for stranger to find.

I like the idea of these messages finding their way to just the right people when they need to hear them.

I also like the idea of sending wishes and hopes and thoughts out into the world. Setting them free. Creating something and letting it go.

 And remember....

 Have a great weekend lovely people <3 p="">