If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been blogging a bit more consistently lately or at least I’ve tried to. I know that over the past months, I’ve been so caught up in my crazy life (mostly in a good way) that I barely had the time or motivation to be creative. A lot of times I would sit in front of a blank page or canvas and I’d seriously feel lost and not be inspired at all. However, it turns out that it was a good thing that I took some time off from my art table because there were a lot of more personal and important issues that needed my attention. Once they were taken care of, all of the sudden my creative mojo came rushing back! Such a GREAT feeling… So far, every day has given me an opportunity to nurture my creative muse and do what makes me happy — get messy and paint!

I decided I needed to make it a habit to blog more about my creative adventures, but wanted to have a specific topic to keep myself focused on what to blog about. One of the reasons it’s so hard to stay on top of being consistent is that I have so many ideas, but don’t know where to start. I’m not saying I need to blog every single day, although that would be totally cool if I could get in that flow, but for now I just need to start somewhere and hopefully it will work out. So, I plan to be blogging a series every week called Creative Muse Monday… It will be random features of different creative aspects of my work from art journaling, canvases, paper crafting, artist inspiration and different techniques that I might try. Basically, I want to document my journey as a way to look back and see how far I’ve come as an artist and maybe inspire others along the way. For me, I love playing in my art journal and experimenting with different mediums without any specific theme or rules. It’s all about letting my creativity take me where it wants to and pushing my limits without feeling pressured or overwhelmed. It’s always so exciting to discover the endless possibilities that arise with each new page or project, even ones that come from making mistakes. It’s a learning experience that every artist goes through because it gives us a chance to grow and expand our creative ambitions to keep trying until we get where we want to be. Besides, our mistakes are our biggest teachers. I hope to inspire and get you to nurture your own creative muse as well so thank you in advance for taking time to stop by my blog!

***

For the first time ever, I’ve finally tried my hand at using oil pastels and I am SO in love! I love the smooth and creamy texture which makes it easy to blend and shade and I love the intensity of the pigments. I didn’t want to spend too much on my first set of oil pastels so I opted to purchase Sakura’s Cray Pas Expressionist Oil Pastels. You can find these on Amazon or any other art supply store, but I ended up using my 40% off coupon at Michaels which gave me a pretty good deal.

Below are a few of my first oil pastel drawings in my vintage art journal.

 The set includes 25 colors and are very pigmented. A little definitely goes a long way….

Pretty Petals | My very first drawing was of course, a Dahlia flower.

Cupcake Love | I have an obsession with cupcakes. Who doesn’t?

Creative Wings | Spread your creative wings and soar…. Based on the quote “Creativity Takes Courage”

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog and I do not receive monetary compensation for any of my product reviews. All reviews represent the opinion of Makita Studio, based on personal use and results. At this time all products that I review are purchased by me. I do not receive any free products. On the rare occasion I receive a free or discounted item, I will disclose that in the individual blog post.

Dear Mom | Everything from Little Dreamer Design’s May Kit — SHE {a tribute to her}. By Michelle Coleman.

Here is my newest layout for this month’s kit — SHE {a tribute to her} — available for subscribers at Little Dreamer Designs. It’s such a gorgeous collection honoring that special mom in your life, full of colorful papers and elements, journal cards, chalkboard labels and alphas, and floral bundles. My favorite set in this collection were the floral bundles, they are so yummy!

The first time I designed a page about my Mom was when I first discovered digital scrapbooking years ago in 2007 and then I created another one in 2010. A few years has now passed, so I thought it would be nice to not only create a new one, but to see how far I’ve evolved in my journey as a digital scrapbooker.

Here are my throwbacks:

A Letter To My Mother | Background paper and flower element was from a freebie by Doris Castle; journal paper- Thao Cosgrove Art Journal Collection; frame – Kate Pertiet Bare Frames

Sixty One | Everything from Black & White by Nancy Kubo (blog gift)

***

Mother’s Day is always bittersweet for me. I don’t know if I could ever celebrate it without feeling a little emotional. Of course, I enjoy the love and appreciation I receive from my family and loved ones, but my heart always longs to celebrate it with my own mother. Seeing others with their moms always leaves me a little envious and I always try to keep that from getting the best of me. Yet it is something I have accepted and learned to understand that I’m not the only one missing their mama and all I could do is embrace her memory. She left me with a memory of words that she spoke over my life before she passed and I can still hear her voice and remember that very precious moment that I laid in her arms. I was 11 years old and the memory is still fresh in my mind. There are times that I wish I could relive that moment over and over again. Everyday I miss her, but I miss her even more on Mother’s Day. With each year that passes and as my children grow older, I often think about the experiences she didn’t have or the chance to enjoy life with me and my sisters and it drives me to live every moment with my kids to its fullest. I want to celebrate her life by being the best mom that I can be to my own children which I know is what she would have wanted… This year, I will be turning another year older and it is somewhat defining to me because I will have outlived her age when she passed. I hope to live many more years and enjoy a full life, reaching an age where I have finished raising my sons, seeing them graduate college, getting married, and starting their own families and being blessed with grandchildren… All the things that I know my Mom would have been overjoyed to witness and experience…

***

MAY KIT | SHE {a tribute to her}

WWW.LITTLEDREAMERDESIGNS.COM

SHE {a tribute to her} May Kit By Michelle Coleman www.littledreamerdesigns.com

On May 5th, Cinco de Mayo, my niece — Akaela — turned 12 years old! She has grown so fast that I feel like I barely blinked. I can still remember the days when she was still a little girl, playing with her and taking care of her, before I had any children of my own.  Now she is a tween and it amazes me how she has grown into such a beautiful, young lady.

Akaela just moved into her own room and no longer shares a room with her sister, so I thought I’d paint her a gift to hang up on her wall. Because butterflies remind me of change, new beginnings, and transformation, it was only fitting to me to paint her a butterfly…. Her room was repainted with purplish walls so of course I had to paint it in compatible colors with purple in it.  By the way, purple is one of my favorite colors so I already knew that this would turn out beautifully.

 After painting the background, I sketched out the butterfly and painted it an ivory white. I wasn’t sure if I was going to paint over it with other details, but later on I realized how pretty the white looked against the purple. It spoke out to me as something innocent and pure and angelic which resembles my niece. So, I decided to only add subtle details and not do too much to it…

Next, I just painted in lighter shades of purple on both the outer and inner parts of the wings to give it a shadow affect and to add a little character.

With a fine tip round brush, I dotted the same shaded areas with purple and white paint for visual interest. If I had glitter on hand, I probably would have sprinkled some on to make it look even more whimsical.

 This was one of my favorite projects so far and I felt especially happy to have given it as a gift to someone special to me. I wrote a special message on the back from me, letting her know that she is loved and will always be loved by me. Akaela has 3 other sisters whom are all very unique and each hold a special place in my heart. So far, I’ve painted two canvases (including this one) for my nieces and will be creating 2 more later on this year… It’s always such a blessing to bless others with a handmade gift that I hope they will treasure as they grow older…

Just stopping in to share a little bit of my world of being messy with my art journal. Nothing is more satisfying sometimes then to fill a blank page with layers and layers of color and texture. Often times, I never start off with a specific idea or object that I want to create. Whatever I start with never ends up what I’d expect it to be. Sort of like the story of our lives… Keeps changing.

A few months ago, while visiting one of my favorite resources for recyclable and reusable materials called SCRAP in San Francisco, I found this vintage 1930′s Scrap Book. It was brand new, never been used, except the papers were discolored from old age. Nevertheless, they were still in great condition. I bought it for $15, which I thought was an awesome deal! I knew immediately that this was going to be such a treasure to use as an art journal. The papers were super thick and had a slight texture to them so I wondered if it could probably hold up to layers of paint and other mediums. Well, I just had to see and find out!

So far so good! I created different backgrounds using acrylics, inks, pastels, watercolor crayons, color wash sprays, collage, etc. and there were no signs of bleeding or tearing to my surprise. After the pages dried, it almost felt like canvas paper. So happy with the results and I look forward to doing A LOT of art journaling in this vintage journal! 

I’ve been meaning to post about the latest online workshop that I was taking,

SHE ART 3 — instructed by Christy Tomlinson.

This is my second workshop that I’ve taken from her and it was through my discovery of this amazingly talented artist, that I first became introduced to Mixed Media. My love for this art started 2 years ago in 2010 when I took my first online class with her called “She Had Three Hearts”. This is where the doors to a whole new world of creativity opened for me and I have been learning, growing, and evolving in my passion for mixed media art ever since.

Most of my artwork on canvas is abstract and is an expression of creative freedom and experimentation. I usually don’t know what it is that I’m painting until the very end which is one of the reasons why I love mixed media. However, seeing that a lot of artists are drawing or painting faces or girls, it was something I felt was somewhat challenging to me, but was intrigued and inspired to learn.  I’ve always wanted to take a class that would give me the chance to learn how to effectively paint these girls and was indecisive about which artist or what class to take since there are a lot to choose from. It wasn’t until Christy’s opened up her She Art 3 Workshop, that I finally took the plunge. I was ready to take my art further. And because I love her teaching style, her sweet personality, and her overall unique ways of painting, I immediately knew that this workshop was the right one for me…

However, to paint an image that is two dimensional isn’t easy and takes a lot of practice. So even though I’ve learned a lot from this workshop, I know it will take some time before I can truly feel comfortable and confident in the girls I paint. Below is the process of what went into creating my FIRST, SHE ART canvas. I decided to create a Filipino girl or ‘Pinay’ which means Filipino female in the Tagalog language. I am a first generation Filipino American and take pride in my roots so I’ve decided to represent the women of my heritage, especially because my very own mother was the first member of her family to come to America. She came to the U.S. after graduating from college in Manila, Philippines on a working visa, then later met my Dad and was married. Soon after, my grandparents, aunts and uncles also migrated to the U.S. I have only been to the Philippines one time in my early 20′s and it was then that I’ve really come to appreciate the ethnicity and culture of my Filipino ancestors.

Check it out…

***

The first week of the workshop was all about getting inspiration, sketching a rough sketch in our sketchbooks, color theory, and creating interesting backgrounds using different techniques and methods.

Sketch #1

 Sketch #2

 Sketch #3

Sketch #4

***

 My favorite part is the collaging and getting messy with paint!

After adding a collage of torn bits and pieces of scrapbook paper, I layered on acrylic paints using vibrant  corals, oranges, reds, pinks, and yellows with some hints of green and turquoise.

 Here’s a close up of the leaf stencil I used cut out from my Silhouette die cut machine.

After the background was dry, it was time to think out where I was going to sketch in the head, face, and shoulders. This process took quite some time. I took several days to really think and plan it out before I could move forward.

***

The next two weeks of the workshop, took us to that next level where I felt vulnerable, yet really anxious to see where it would take me. Painting a face was one of those fears that I needed to conquer!

  I found the courage to just go for it and I was thrilled to see my girl starting to emerge. What I had envisioned in my mind started to manifest on the canvas. The coolest feeling ever…

Here I began sketching in the face and painted in the bodice of her dress. She is wearing a traditional dress that is worn on special occasions called a ‘Mestiza’ dress, known for its elegance and butterfly sleeves.

 The most challenging part of it all was painting in the face with the eyes, nose, and mouth. Yet, I can honestly say that I didn’t do too bad. I really love her eyes the most. Don’t you?

After adding the flowers in her hair which are actually cut out from a scrapbook paper and adhered with modge podge, I used Faber Castell Pitt Artist brush pens to add shadows and dimension to them. I also went ahead and softened up the background a little because I felt that it was taking away from her face and dress. The butterfly is actually a transparent sticker and I purposely wanted to include a butterfly not only because of the sleeves, but because to me it symbolizes ‘New Life’, which carries out the story of my Mom’s migration to America.

I named this first SHE ART canvas — “Beautiful Pinay” No. 1

This is HER story, my Mom’s story:

She is young and beautiful. Smart, but with a little bit of attitude. She is not afraid to dream or to take chances, she holds a courageous spirit and follows her heart. She trusts and has faith in God. She loves selflessly and unconditionally, always sacrificing for those she loves. She forgives. She seeks peace at all times. She believes in miracles…

***

I plan on creating more beautiful girls and each will have its own, unique, story. It’s been quite fascinating to see the other students’ in this workshop paint their own perspectives and visions of beautiful women. Love the support and inspiration that came through the connections I’ve made in this class. I hope you feel inspired to take one of Christy’s Workshops! It will be one of the greatest decisions you’ve ever made….

Thanks for reading and stopping by! Leave me a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

xo,

Photo taken by ICEBOX IMAGES | www.iceboximages.com
Flower from Dirty Girl Gardening’s beautiful garden | www.dirtygirlgarden.com

Within the last month, my life took a turn and was hit with so many challenges from all directions. But, I’m not here to dwell on them, but to simply say that I am blessed and humble to still have my health, my precious family, and a love that endures all things. God is Love.

When seasons come and go, leaving us with scars of the past, we can choose to hold on to the hurt and grief, or we can choose to pick ourselves us and just let go…. In retrospect, I have learned that letting go takes courage, but it also brings freedom, healing, and peace….

When we cannot change the things that are beyond our control, I have learned to embrace them and trust that my life is in God’s hands. Every single moment is part of a bigger plan. All that I have gone through has been essential in testing my faith, building my character, assuring my hope is not in vain, and filling my heart with a gratitude that is genuine and pure. For that, I am no longer struggling with the questions I used to have — “why me?” “what did I do to deserve this?”

I believe that who I am now were because of my struggles, my pain, my sufferings, my heartaches… Enduring them and persevering even when I felt the urge to give up, allowed me to see the will power and strength that we receive when we put our faith in God and believe in His grace to carry us through… Without these experiences, I could not have witnessed the reality of miracles.

So, the beauty of letting go in my words is “Let Go and Let God.”

Just thought I’d share some exciting news…. I decided after a few years of my digital scrapbooking hiatus, to rekindle the flame. Thank you Michelle, for having me back! Little Dreamer Designs has been a very special place to me since my debut in 2009. I joined the Creative Team and then became a designer. When I left to pursue another opportunity, it was never quite the same as it was at LDD, which I realized that sometimes when you think the ‘grass is greener’ on the other side, it doesn’t always turn out to be. There were also a few changes made in my life at the time as well, that I probably needed to go through to realize the importance of what digital scrapbooking means to me. Although, I am now more involved in mixed media art, scrapbooking plays such a huge part in the evolution of who I am as an artist today. My roots in art are grounded in storytelling and preserving memories about who I am, where I’ve been, and the person I aspire to become. It also gives me a way to document the lives of my family and friends, giving me the opportunity to appreciate my loved ones and remember the special moments shared with them. As we all know, life is so very fleeting…. Memories sometimes fade unless we take the time and make the effort to journal, scrapbook, or photograph them. Otherwise, it’s a risk we all take when we think that all we need is our brain to keep track, because even the human mind isn’t perfect. I do know that all of this will somehow make it into the hands of the next generation, hopefully hundreds of years down the line, for someone to behold and cherish and be inspired by my stories, photos, and art….

***

Here are my most recent layouts using January’s “Everyday” Kit and February’s “You Are Loved” Kit.

For more inspiration from the Creative Team, check out the gallery here.

***

Every month, Michelle Coleman, designs these gorgeous monthly kits for members who subscribe to the monthly program and is also released for sale to non-members later on. The only difference is that members get a super, sweet, amazing deal for $5.99 a month. Each kit is valued at so much more, filled with TONS of gorgeous papers and elements, and is 100% top-notch in quality and design. Definitely one of the best in the digital scrapbooking industry. I don’t think you will get more than your money’s worth and then some, anywhere else! This is what it includes:

Each month members will have access to a new exclusive collection which includes:

a full sized kit, coordinating brush set, access to new monthly freebies and video designer tutorials.

Members can access their monthly content downloads anytime throughout the month after their subscription has been purchased by logging into the Members Area and providing their Paypal email address and the encrypted password they received after purchasing their subscription.

 

Enjoy!

This is my latest canvas that I recently finished. If you recall this post about “Perfect Failures” here, regarding how I had several attempts to paint something, only to start over again and again and AGAIN…. Finally, I came to my ‘happy’ place with this final version and it’s actually one of my favorite canvases so far. I don’t think I’ve created something like this before and it made me realize how far I’ve come. I definitely need to post and share about my evolution as an artist…

The reason I titled it “Soul Rebirths” is because of the lotus flower that I was inspired to paint. One evening, I was inclined to find out the symbolic meaning of the lotus flower and discovered it to be very inspirational. It has different meanings in different cultures, but for the most part, it is associated with rebirth or spiritual awakening because of the nature of how this plant disappears at night and then emerges from the water when the sun rises… The transition from darkness into light is also why in some cultures it symbolizes the act of unfolding and opening oneself  to divine truth or to resurrect from the old into new.  For that reason, this flower personally speaks to my life. I’ve been through so many dark places in life and through it all, I’ve grown and matured into a new person, better than who I was yesterday. I’ve become so deeply connected to things that only bring enlightenment to my mind, body, and soul.  I find myself drawn to things/people that are only positive and uplifting. I am free from my past and each day, I have this renewed sense of appreciation for life, for my family, and for art.

I am looking forward to painting more and hopefully with each piece, I will grow more and more confident to paint intuitively and freely. It is my deepest desire to inspire and empower others with my art through the love and compassion that I pour into it…

This is only the beginning…

]]> http://www.makitastudio.com/mixed-media-art-my-soul-rebirth-canvas/feed/ 0 http://www.makitastudio.com/day-21-3-good-things-family-fun-lovely-nieces-arms-wide-open/ http://www.makitastudio.com/day-21-3-good-things-family-fun-lovely-nieces-arms-wide-open/#comments Tue, 19 Feb 2013 05:46:56 +0000 Dahlia http://www.makitastudio.com/?p=1676 Day 21 of 21 | 3 Good Things

1. My beautiful sister and her 4 beautiful daughters spent the weekend with me and the boys . I enjoy every moment we have together. It was a gorgeous day out  so we stopped by the beach to take a few pics.

2. My four nieces are such blessings to me. They are the daughters I never had. Each of them are very unique and different, but they all capture my heart in so many ways..

3. As I was facing north, my thoughts were with my husband. The last several days seemed like eternity and I am so ready to have him back home. He and I have talked on the phone and on video chat (face time) which helps make our separation less daunting. But, I admit that I miss him terribly and sometimes I can’t help get a little anxiety because he is thousands of miles away. Yet, I know that “distance makes the heart grow fonder” and when he returns, I’m sure we will definitely have a deeper appreciation for one another and our marriage will only have grown stronger…

The photos above are of me facing north and of him facing south. While I’m enjoying the beautiful sunshine, he is enjoying the magical winter of snow covered trees and mountains. Yet, we both have agreed that there’s no place like home where we can be together as a family… That is what makes us COMPLETE.

Looking forward to seeing you soon, Mr. Co, with my arms wide open <3