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Hey beautiful Souls !

You know how much I love new art supply to play and create with. I am a hoarder (oopsie doopsie). And an obsessive one, over all. However, I try to buy one or two and play for a while and if I like it, I’ll go buy some more.

I intend to share with you my discoveries, what I really like to use on the moment.

I know people often wonder «what the heck is she using ???» so I decided to do this new serie on the blog 🙂

1. Princeston Catalyst Wedges & Blades

I discovered these when I was in Dick Blick Seattle(my Husband is nice enough to drive me accross the border from time to time so I can buy some art supply in Seattle. Blick does ship to Canada, but the fees are way bigger than the drive to the store… the only thing is they don’t have everything that is online, obviously).They are made with silicone, and exist in «paintbrush-like» and wedges form. I have two wedges (#1 and #2) and one of the «brush» (the orange one, #4).  For the brushes, they are available in three different widths: 50mm, 30mm or 10mm.You know how texture is a HUGE part of my artworks, and these are perfect for it. Playing with heavy body gels or paint, I can draw and make marks easily. The cashier even told me that as they are heat resistent, I could use them for baking ;)Here are the official infos:  http://princetonbrush.com/catalyst-blades-oil.html

2. Alcohol Inks

You know my Love/Hate relation ship with them. I shared them recently on the blog. They add a splash of color, a bit of unexpected and unpredictability. Just remember to be careful and wear an apron; also think of getting everything else out of the way, as the splashes can go everywhere.

I love that if I add the alcohol inks in the early stages of the background, they can still become a big part of the final painting.

However, it is important that you remember that these are not permanent. Meaning they will smudge when you add something wet over it. So use several coats of Workable Fixative… or just play around that fact.

3. Studio Calico papers

Studio Calico is one of my favorite brand for papers and embellishments. I am subscribing to their monthly kits, and can’t wait for the Project Life kit they are starting in January.

Their paper are top quality, and come in 6×6 packs which is nice for tearing and building backgrounds.

4. Wood Panels

Wood and I have a long love story. I love the texture of canvas, but it does not always like heavy layers. And for stamping, it is too soft sometimes. 

Wood is beautiful, and a hard surface to work on. The paint and media do not react the same on canvas and on wood, just be aware of it.

Note: I will add pictures so you can see how each looks concretely in my art.

Until not so long ago, I was not a fan of the alcohol inks (these little bottles of inks you are supposed to use with felt to apply). It’s a huge hit in the scrapbooking world, I bought a couple bottles a LONG time ago to make cards, to try. And did not like it. Like… at all.
I think I may just have an issue with the applicator (I use it for the distress inks and stuff and it is not a great tool because the scratch comes off soon after the first few uses. For the price, you would have tought it would be a way better quality…).

But then, I came across Mindy Lacefield‘s use of them in her backgrounds. Easy, peasy, no brainer way. And happened to LOVE it. So I bought more. And now use them in almost every single painting I create.

Not long ago, I’ve seen Aimee from Artsyville using them on tiles to create coasters or whatever beautiful small pieces of random art. Random because the way these inks works make it totally unpredictable. Which the perfectionist in me, paradoxically appreciates (hey, we Virgos are kinda double sided lol). We went to Home Depot during the week-end so I bought 10 5×5 ceramic tiles (at $0.28 each, it’s not much money lost if things go wrong).

It’s so mesmerizing to watch the inks blobs do their thing…

I love what i do. But sometimes, i put too much pressure into creating artwork in order to then let it go into new homes. It has a nasty consequence that appears from time to time: losing my inspiration Muse…

My remedy ? putting the “work” painting(s) aside for one session and create something just for the sake of creating and having my head into something else.

This is why i started this 16×20 birch wood panel and decided to get one of my sketch out to give it life.

Gratitude Friday is a weekly ritual I started in order to focus on all the small and big positive things that happened during my week. I invite you to join me, you’ll see how much being thankful can change your life. If you want to know more about it, read my introduction post.

Hello !

Today my girls are home from school, which starts again on Tuesday (can you feel the little despair here ? just a little). So I have to be quick, because it is 9H20am and they still haven’t finished their breakfast (which I would not mind much if they were not doing something else instead).

We’ll go in the studio and maybe finally start the prayer flag I want for our living room; Koala wants to paint and bind a new art journal as hers is already filled (I could think she eats them because of the rapidity she finishes each new journal, but now, she draws and draws… on pretty much everything she finds, actually. proud mama).

So this week, I am thankful for:

• Snail mail. I finally received my Mom’s letter (we decided to write to each other at least once a month), and the print I won from Mindy Lacefield. It is amazing, can’t wait to buy a frame and hang it somewhere in our home.
• Good honest talk with A.
• The two custom paintings I am currently working on. Each have a huge story behind it, so I channel that while painting. Can’t wait to know that my customer with them in hands.
• Project Life. Memory keeping in general.
• Art Everyday Month, it challenges me to actually share what I do daily, and I may try to keep that afterwards. Blog daily, even a short post. Sharing with you my «behind the scenes»
• The weather, very cold, but sunny.
• The outcome of the US elections
• Music (listening to: Bat for lashes, p!nk, «who you are» by Jessie J and more)
• The X Factor. There is something about the singers there (I would love less drama between the judges/mentors though). Passion. Faith. Ignited fire in their eyes. Raw emotions sometimes. Hope.

If you wrote your Gratitude Friday on your blog, don’t forget to enter your NAME and URL below so I’m notified and can come to read you (you can also join by commenting this post):
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I love productive moments. It feels so good to get things done.
I managed to work a bit on the blog (see the new Social Media icons, on the right ? love them. And now you can go to my Etsy shop, Pinterest and Instagram pages too).
I worked in the studio, the weather is so beautiful (quite cold, but still very sunny; which I prefer than gloomy grey rain days, to be honest).

This morning, I had my painting session way earlier than my usual schedule, as I wanted to show my husband the commissioned paintings I am working on and decided «as I’m already there, better stay and work right now». It was around 9am.
Because of my lack of long focus thingy, I usually work by blocks. So I never paint more that 1 ½ hour at a time (exception made when I am painting around someone else, because I guess than speaking while I create does something to my brain that allows me to focus more on the task… I know how paradoxical that sounds…).

If there is one thing I really hate, is to wait for paint to dry… so I always work on several at the same time, or find another occupation to stay busy. While both my paintings were still wet, I picked my 4×6 flash cards and decided to start creating my own filler cards for my Project Life albums.

Oh gosh, I LOVED it ! I can make them as simple or elaborate as I wish.