Creating With Care: Inside My Studio

Hey everyone!

This post is a little late, I don't normally post so late in the day..

Today has been a pretty rotten day. 

But, I'm going to show you some of my favorite supplies.

They are eco-friendly, and recycled. 

These are great money-savers, which is good...

because the primary reason today has been so awful is,

I lost my job.

I won't get into details on that, instead I will focus on my favorite things.

Painting, and painting with fun supplies.

As you know, I do a lot of stuff with mixed media.
I put a lot of layers and texture into my paintings. 

Here are some of my favorites:

This is a sequin stencil. It's the waste left over from sequins.

 It's great for art stamping, and collage work. 

This piece was given to me by a friend, but these aren't that hard to come by.

When we moved, we noticed an incomplete deck of cards.

I think I fished this deck out of the trash, and have been using card pieces in my work ever since.

I save all of my scraps. 

These could be easily thrown out, or seen as trash, 

but I try to use every single scrap or paper, or fabric.

I'm always the one at Christmas who asks for the ribbons, and tags and tissue paper. 

Tissue paper makes great texture in a painting, and the colors will sometimes even run.

This is actually a shelf/rug liner. 

Sometimes, when you put these in the dryer accidentally, they tend to get a bit ruined.

For holding down rugs that is.

I use this like a big giant stamp. It creates fun bubbly textures.

This is a canvas wrapper.

It's basically just cellophane, and could be considered trash.

This is one of my favorite ways to create texture very easily.

Just use a very watered down paint, and apply crumpled up cellophane for a moment.

It creates abstract texture, but can also be used on rocks and tree bark.

This painting has antique lace on it.

I found some tattered lace at an antique store,

the sides were frayed, and it couldn't be used for much.

I bought it, and have used it in many paintings.

These are some of my favorite brushes to use.

They've obviously seen better days.

I think I left the giant orange one in mod-podge a little too long.

But, they are great. I try to never throw brushes away, 

unless they are totally falling apart.

Do you have a favorite recycled or echo friendly art supply?
Visit the Create With Care page!

This painting was done using many of the supplies shown above.
As was this one. 

"Shy but Spirited" will be available in the shop by this evening.
Only the original is being sold.
It's 5x7 mixed media for $46.00
If you'd like to reserve this painting before it's up for sale in the shop, send me an email here!