#BringBackOurGirls

 

I am SO honoured to be part of   Jessica Sporn's A Call to Art Auction in honor of the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped.  The proceeds to this auction go to Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls' education. The topic or this horrific event has arisen in our home many, MANY times over the last month since it happened. My teenage daughters and I often discuss the right of education and freedom for everyone and to be honest with you as I type this blog post I find it extremely difficult to choke back the tears. This is 2013 and what a beautiful planet we have. We have all worked so hard to be on this planet, if only we could all enjoy the blessings of it… equally.

The piece that I created is called A Daughter of God. It is a mixed media canvas that was made using Dylusion Ink Sprays from Ranger Ink , ICE Resin Iced Enamels, dries flowers, bee wax and a lot of heart.

As I wrote the words on the canvas I couldn’t help but tear up as I thought about the daughters that have been taken and then my mind thought about my own sweet girls. As a mother my heart has broken. I can’t even imagine.

The online auc­tion began May 15th at 7AM EDT and ends May 17th at 3PM EDT.  I  hope you will join me the other amazing artists Jes­sica Sporn, Linda Kittmer, Mar­jie Kem­per, Judy Shea, Glenda Hoagland, Astrid Mclean,  Nat Kalbach, MaryBeth Shaw,  Lisa Pace, and many oth­ers.  You  can read more about this HERE.    And if you would like to bid on my piece you can HERE.

Jessica Sporn   http://jessicasporn.blogspot.com

Linda Kittmer  http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca

Ronda Palazzari  http://rondapalazzari.typepad.com

Marjie Kemper   http://www.marjiekemper.com

Judy Shea   http://thekeytomyart.wordpress.com

Glenda Hoagland   http://pilgrimsthoughts.blogspot.com

Astrid Maclean  http://astridsartisticefforts.blogspot.com

Lisa Pace   http://lisapace.com

Jackie Neal   http://creatingwithoutcrayons-jackiepneal.com

Claudine Criner   http://claudinesartcorner.blogspot.com

France Papillon   http://www.france-papillon.com

Kristin Van Valkenburgh  http://TwinkleTwinkleLikeAStar.blogspot.com

Marcia Beckett  http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com

Ruth Levy   http://lerusho.wordpress.com/

Sally Lynn MacDonald   http://www.SallyLynnMacDonald.com

Renee Zarate   http://renee-boltonhouse.blogspot.com

Natasha May   http://natashamay.blogspot.com/

Carmen Whitehead   http://www.serendipitystudiobycw.blogspot.com/

Seth Apter   http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

Marybeth Shaw   http://mbshaw.blogspot.com/

Amy Ingardia-Walker  http://creativelyquirkyathome.blogspot.com/

Kelly Warren  http://happyshackdesigns.blogspot.com

Julie Bernier http://juliebernierphotography.zenfolio.com/

Adrienne Hoban  http://www.allure-decor.com/

Krista van Tol   http://craftylittlepigtails.blogspot.com

Cheryl Grigsby http://cherylspaperartz.blogspot.com

Jill Meyer www.jillmeyer.com

Lisa Flaherty http://mypeaceofpaper.blogspot.com

Kerry C. Mitchell http://kerrycmitchell.com

Lizabeth Harrington http://www.craicarts.blogspot.com; www.facebook.com/craicarts.com

Barbara Lanza www.barbaralanza.com

Jamie Dougherty www.jamiedoughertydesigns.com

Doreen Kassel www.doreenkassel.com ; www.http://doreengay-kassel.blogspot.com/

Nancy Baumiller http://crowabout.blogspot.com

Valerie Roussel https://www.facebook.com/CreativeLaureline

Susan K. Weckesser http://mysweetearth.blogspot.ca/ <------------ME

Thank-you from the bottom of my heart!!!! And a BIG thank-you to Jessica Sporn  for putting this together! Together we really can make a difference in this world…we really can, even if at the moment it seems impossible!

Hugs,

Susan xoxo

Technorati Tags: #bringbackourgirls,©SusanK.Weckesser,ICEResin,Ranger Ink,Dylusion

Dylusions Mother’s Day Canvas

During this past week-end I took a couple hours to sit down and to create a Mother’s Day canvas for myself. I had so much fun playing with some Maimeri & Ranger Ink products. I took out my Dyan Reavely Dylusions Ink Spray & Perfect Pearls from Ranger Ink  and just played . I love the ink Sprays because they are changeable when you add or spray water. So, I had fun blending with them and then sealing them up with Glassy & Matt Gel from Maimeri. I did this layer by layer until I was happy with the effect and look. I used my heat gun to get all kinds of fun bubbling. With one of the last layers I introduced white acrylic paint with a stencil.

I also layered on some mica fragment from Stampendous.

If you haven’t checked out Dyan Reaveley’s work or here be sure to. She is super amazing and the Ink Stamps are so fun to are journal, stamp, stencil and create with!

A very quick ,play by play, video of me creating this canvas in the studio.

 

“There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”
― Vincent van Gogh

( Making some Ice Resin paper today with my A Little Grunge Love stamp set.)

 

Thank-you for visiting today!

Have a WONDERFUL day!

hugs,

Susan xo

Technorati Tags: mixed media,Ranger Ink,Dyan Reavely,Dylusions,perfect pearls,Maimeri,stenciling,stamps,Susan K. Weckesser Inc,©SusanK.Wesser

Succulent Study with Lilla Rogers:Wk.2 Review

Here is a very quick review of my FANTASTIC week two with Lilla Rogers! I can’t upload all my sketches and studies because I have a lot! My art journal will be happy! So, here is just a little taste of what I created in my succulent study!

Yes, you know me. I always have to add a little whimsy to whatever I create…SO, I created Cactus Bloom; a little street made out of succulents! *smile*

I LOVE working with watercolours, so I filled quite a few pages with these interesting and beautiful plants! I used my Kuretake watercolours and Ranger ink distress inks.

I played around a created my first ever mock up which was really fun! I can’t wait to do more of these! It was fun trying new techniques that I have never tried before!Have a super wonderful day!

hugs,

Susan  xo

Technorati Tags: ©SusanK.Weckesser,illustration,Lilla Rogers,watercolour,Kuretake,Ranger Ink

2014 Susan K. Weckesser Inc. Design Team

I would like to introduce you to the 2014 Susan K. Weckesser Inc. All-Star Design Team.

Congratulations!

Cheryl Boglioli DT & Social Media Coordinator

Steph Ackerman

Dana Tatar

Daniella Hayes

Sandee Setliff

Dawn Lotharius

Erin Reed

Larissa Pittman

These ladies are super talented and amazingly inspiring. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know them over the next few months! Be sure to stop by their blogs and say hi! 

Thank-you SO much to everyone who took the time to apply. Your creativeness and your words are truly AMAZING!!! I really loved looking at all your awesome art and reading your inspiring emails. It really touched my heart. So, thank-you!

 

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

― Pablo Picasso

hugs,

Susan xo

Technorati Tags: 2014 Susan K. Weckesser Inc. Design Team,Design team call,thank-you,©SusanK.Weckesser

Create to Live May Challenge

Do you look for Beauty each day?  If you take the time to look, smell, and listen, you can find Beauty All Around you.  Look in the room you are currently sitting.  Look in your home.  Look outside in your yard, as well as in your neighborhood.  Even when we are in a run-down area, I believe you can find Beauty if you are looking for it.  Look around and find some Beauty in your personal area!
We would love if you would share this with us and join us for our Create to Live Challenge.  This challenge is for you to use the color and message themes in the picture above.  Take some creative liberty here to create based on how this picture makes you feel.  What does it inspire in you?  What creative ideas jump out at you first?
Create a project to share with us based on this picture above.  Write a blog post and share your project.  Come back here and link-up your blog post in the challenge submission in our sidebar to your left.  After you post your project, make sure to tweet about it, share it on Facebook and Pin it as well.  I’d love to see little ‘blooms’ of inspiration this month all over.  Use hashtag #createtolive when tweeting or pinning so we can find and share your posts too!
Your project can be a layout, a card, a mixed media piece, or anything you create using this picture as your inspiration.  Using Susan K Weckesser Inc products are not required, but are ALWAYS welcome and appreciated.  :-)
Our prize package this month is …. Autumn Grunge, Susan K. Weckesser/ Unity Stamp Co. Stamp kit , Ranger Distress Ink, Ranger Archival Ink, and Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist.  So, pull out your supplies and play along - And don't forget to submit your blog post with our sidebar submission Inklinkz widget!
Last month’s winner is: Daniella Hayes
Here is the project she shared for April’s Create to Live Challenge.  

We can’t wait to see what you create and share with us.

Happy Birthday Gift set

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today and I am thrilled to be the guest designer this month for Susan K. Weckesser.  

I received  the Live in Color Collection.  This is a gorgeous collection of whimsical images and beautiful colors and knew they'd be perfect for a gift ensemble.

The gift bag was originally pink and was somewhat faded by the sun.  Using the new ColorBox  Chalk Inks  in Harvest and Splash, I rubbed the ink pads across the gift bag, mixing the colors.  The colors of the inks coordinated really well with these papers.

 

 

 

I cut the Beautiful Daydreams paper to fit the gift bag, matting it with gray cardstock.  Then I fussy cut a cloud and the kite, adding them to the gift bag with foam adhesives for dimension. 

 

 

 

 

 

Not wanting to waste any papers I had left, I created a coordinating  birthday card with the remaining paper and stamped "Happy Birthday" on a die cut oval I had left over from my previous birdhouse project.  I then matted it on several other dies before adding it to the card. 


Thank you to Susan K. Weckesser, Inc. for giving me the opportunity to be a guest designer this month.  And thank you for stopping by today.

Steph

 

Studio School with Lilla Rogers

 

The last 5 weeks have been SO fun for me! I have been going to school. But, not to any ordinary school. I have been going to Lilla Rogers Studio School and oh my goodness it has been SO awesome for me!!!! Exactly what I needed because it sure has got my creative gears just whirling!!! This blog post is only covering week one because seriously, I have doodled, painted, Photoshoped, and created so many things over the last five weeks that I could write a small book! SO WONDERFUL!Lilla Rogers truly is amazing. I studied Fine Art at the University of Alberta, but this class has given a fun & fresh new look at the designing industry. Plus the other designers that take the class are really inspiring, talented and a real pleasure to interact with also. Week one we started by looking at fruits and older style containers like Corningware. SO Cool! You don’t realise how lovely they are until you take a closer look. The purpose of week one was to then take these elements that we created and use them for fabric design.

So, I got out my watercolours, gelatos, Pan Pastels, & inks and just had fun!

one of my fabric samples from week one.

some more of my fabric samples from week one.

It really was a fun week and oh my goodness did I work hard! I can’t wait to show you what else I created during the other weeks! If you are on the fence about whether you should take Lilla’s course or any course or not…DO IT!!! It is so good for the HEAD, HEART & SOUL!!!

hugs,

Susan xo