Lisa Kate Colour Me Happy

reminding myself I am strong

Every so often I find myself in a hard place.  Usually it involves around my pain levels and a nice flare up (ok it isn't really nice) of my RA - be warned the link is a little bit depressing, but it is a pretty good read if you want to know about RA.

Yesterday a mega flare started.  Arrghhhhhhh.  I have the medications to take, the pain relief etc.  But you still feel pretty yukky.

I pride myself of always just getting on with life, having a smile on my face.  But sometimes it is just darn hard, and it takes more effort to make that smile. 

So I wanted to make something to remind me how strong I am, how I always ALWAYS climb above it all.  Just incase, you know, I was having a tough day........

 
 

I'm going to print it out, and pop it right by my work space.... you know, just incase I need reminding ;)

Please feel free to do the same.  You should be able to right click on the image and save it.  If you use if on your blog (which is so totally fine with me) just give a little linky love back here ! easy.

Lisa Kate

x 

a pretty colour story

This weekend I started prepping a few canvas's all with the same pretty colour story.... salmon pink, teal, white and a touch of marigold yellow.

I love unexpected combinations.  And I REALLY like it when they work :)

 

 

each canvas is a different size and thickness .... each have different backgrounds, but all using the same colours.

Time to add some images and quotes .....

and later today, I will show you what I will be working on all week :)

have a great day.

Lisa Kate

Complete

I am so happy today to tell you that the canvas is complete.

Wow what a journey that piece of bright white canvas was.  I thought I had a semi plan ... and that was totally not the way I ended up going.

So onto the final pictures!

I scrawled out a quote on some plain art paper with my nib and pen.  This is a technique I learnt at the Donna Downey workshops I did a few weeks ago.  I love the not so perfect look of scrawled handwriting. 

 

 

A quick wash with watercolour and a snip with my scissors and I added the quote to the canvas.  I also added a few more circles of paint, a spritz of golden mist and edges each peice with a charcoal pencil that I then smudged.

I didn't want the quote to stand out and be seperate to the background, so I like the way it blended in once I added the smudgey grey, and the mist over the top.

 

 

 

And here it is TOTALLY complete.... nothing more to add.

It's not perfect ... but I have learnt so much.

I can't wait to start again, though this time something a little smaller :)

Lisa Kate

x

 

just when I thought I was close to finishing

I was about to add some finishing touches and call the canvas DONE.

But, well, you know ..... I had an idea while I was laying awake last night,  and I figured I would just keep going.

The plan from the start was to add an inspirational quote somewhere on the canvas .... and as i looked at it, I knew I needed to create an area to draw the eye.  There is so much going on, so mnay layers and lovely textures that a small quote would get lost.

So I added some milky white circles of paint, and is my usual manner blasted them with heat to dry.

 

So I have nice milky circles, but they needed to pop from the canvas. Using a highly technical art supply (also knows as a snap lock bag!) I added my paint, cut the end and drew rounh circles, like I was icing a cake.

 
and it made perfect, messy, random loveliness.

 
they are making me sooo happy.

 

But I can't blast these with heat, or they will lose the lovely slick and glossy and NON bubbled look.  So I have to wait.

I hate that part (have i said that yet?)

Now it's time to hunt for the perfect little inspirational verse to add.

Lisa Kate

starting the build

well don't fall over, I am posting twice in one day.

My original plan was to add one bit each day to my painting, then post what I have added..... but the background was *almost* dry, and I had 30 mins before I had to get the kids from school ..... so I kept going.

Meet my friend.  His name is Modge Podge. He's actually not me fave friend, my fave is Mr Gel Medium, but I ran out.  Don't tell Modge Podge that though :)

 

So I had some sewing pattern paper laying around - I actually have a HEAP of it.  But this lot was white with REALLY dark ink.  And as I added it and smooched it around (with my fingers even) I noticed how the print was lifting off and making grey smudged areas.  Instant love.  So I smooshed it, and wrinkled it, and pretty much decided that I loved whoever set the inking machine into overdrive.

 

and now, it'ts dry and ready for another layer :)

Lisa Kate

ps - yeah I went ahead and did the other layer - but you can see that tomorrow :)

Open for business

 
In the last few days , I just wasn't sure if i was going to make my own deadline!!  But i did it!!!  YAY!! There is still so much more I want to add, but for now i am going to sit back and be very proud of my efforts.

I would LOVE you to come and visit me here http://www.etsy.com/shop/crazyforcolour.

You will find lots of pretty handmade ONE OF A KIND items, perfect for Christmas gifts or just for you(that's right folks I do not and will not be mass producing anything, everything is one of a kind and will stay that way!)

Custon orders are WELCOME, especially if you want a certain colour :)

Also on it's way are pencil rolls in little boy styles, shabby coloured journals, diarys and canvas's and a few other yet to be released designs.

I think I deserve a wine.

Lisa Kate

 

 

ready for take-off (well almost)

 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/crazyforcolour

It's almost time, after weeks of planning and designing, stitching, sewing and more sewing.  Deciding on the amount of pretty things that should go into the first line of products, trying to be true to MY style, rather than feel pressured to curb it and be a little more "generic".  I am almost there.... so so so close.

Excited, nervous and happy to be doing MY thing.  It's just the start of a big big dream.  I am so glad you are here to join the journey, I'm going to need all the support I can get :)

Lisa Kate

 

 

The out takes

I have had so many lovely and encouraging comments on my photography lately, so I really wanted to show you that not every photo is wonderful, some are just plain bad, others are just not quite right... but sometimes these are my faves.

They show real character, real people, real emotion and sometimes just a really bad composition :) that's all part of getting better at taking a great shot.

Yesterday I set the girls Tee Pee up in the backyard, the sun was beautiful, the trees are all budding, it's just so pretty outside.  The light was gorgeous, so I grabbed my camera.  I did not get  one good shot, they were either too dark, or too light, the girls were eating their morning tea so their mouths were full of food... they wanted to play, not have me in their space.

I managed one shot of each of them, which are seriously average....

  But when I looked through all the *bad* ones, the out takes, my heart smiled, because this was my girls.  Playing, laughing, pulling faces, loving eachother, wanting their own private space to imagine and dream. Oh my heart was full.

So here are the most technically horrid photo's you will probably ever see.. but ones that make this Mumma's heart sing.  

So let that encourage those who feel their photography is not that great, it takes time, patience, lots of practice.  And EVERYONE even amazing professional photographers still have bad shots.... but sometimes they are the keepers.

Lisa Kate

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Also for those of you who have kiddies who love to scrap and get crafty, or those who have never scrapped before the @home site Sophie K's class is for you.

Here is the blurb straight from Kims blog

Just in time for the school holidays, join fifteen year old Sophie Koschmann as she takes us step by step through the process of creating TWO scrapbooking layouts in her new class Sophie K.

Sophie first came to our attention during the search for our new Support Team members earlier this year and her entry was of such a high standard and so impressive for someone so young that we just HAD to have her design a class for us here @Home.

We wanted a fresh class suitable for kids, teens and those in between “tweens” who loved to make things and dabble in scrapbooking and crafty things. We wanted the projects to be easy enough but inspiring enough to cover a wide range of ages and even some adults who were looking for fast and easy layout ideas.

Join us in the Sophie K classroom for TWO step by step scrapbooking layouts PLUS additional samples ...all at the special school holiday price!

A new place to work/make pretty things

I know I know,..... I can here you all saying "FINALLY" she is going to show us her new office/studio.  It's just not finished!!!  I need to find perfect vintage cutrains to hang, something white a very thin to let through the light.... I need to sort out the boxes of stuff under the desk, I need to hang more art, and some photo's.....

but then I realised that this space is just like me, not finished, always evolving, adding things, taking things, replacing things, sorting things... so it will never be finshed.  I am ok with that.

So here it is about as tidy as it will ever get :)

My main *desk* I plainted a lovely bluey teal color called Half July by Dulux (which was left over after painting my bedroom).  This table is the FIRST peice of new furniture Justin and I bought brand new after we got married, I can remember being so excited that we were buying something new. It was a glorious laquered pine, which was so trendy at the time.  I refuse to part with it, it holds such lovely sentimental value, so it had a makeover instead :)

I used my trusty staple gun to add the red and white houndstooth fabric skirt to the desk, I just pinched the pleats as I went, it hides lots of boxes and stuff now!!!

  Seems quite funny now my excitement at a "new" peice of furniture all those years ago when now I spend my life hunting vintage and very used furniture!! LOL

 

The girls have desks along one wall, and they craft and do their homework here and generally hang out with me.  One the back wall is another lovely peice of furniture I LOVE and just can't part with.  It is filled with lots of crafty bits and peices.

So there is a little glimpse into where I work.  I would love to see everyone elses spaces, please leave a link here if you want to share.

Lisa Kate

I love a little pretty in my day

I don't really classify myself as a "girly girl" but possibly I am I just didn't realise it.

I guess if you factor in that I like to get my hair done, I LOVE shoes, and pretty clothes and I LOVE LOVE LOVE jewellery and pretty things hanging around my neck then yes, possibly I AM a girly girl. 

I will make peace with that thought.

And look what this girly girl found, isn't it *pretty*.   I think it will look perfect on a long chain.  Worn of course with other layers of beads and such.  And it still works and keeps perfect time (when I remember to wind it that is)

Wishing you a little pretty in your day today.

Lisa Kate