Free to Choose

I am Free
mixed media 6x6 paper canvas
$10

I'd have to say choosing which mediums to combine is one of my favorite steps in design processing. Often times I haven't a clue about what I will end up with, but working to pull similar colors together and finding a phrase to match my mood leaves me in awe of what I've created. Above, I have a small paper canvas combining a fluid art pouring cast off, a couple bits cut from a fanicful magazine, all mounted on a six by six piece of patterend paper on top of kraft cardstock. The phrase, "I am free," reminds me that everyday, many times a day in fact, I get to choose what kind of attitude I want to have and for the most part how I spend our time. Now that fall's splendor is upon us, freedom can mean taking time to for a seasonal activity like kicking some leaves around, taking a more adventurous journey to town for a cart full of groceries, or maybe just basking in the afternoon sunlight with a good book- and some craft supplies, of course :-)

Meet this Artist

Hello Art Class seekers, teachers, and parents of homeschooled youth! I recently moved to the outskirts of Murfreesboro and brought years of experience teaching all kinds of curriculum enhancing art to students of all ages and capabilities with me. I'm excited to be part of this community and am interested in offerring classes that cater to any budget and space!
Some examples of classes I've taught are below. I love leading our students through relevant discussions and then te...aching them practical art skills and about the mediums they are using. I almost always provide all of the materials, along with a worksheet to take home and share, for anywhere between $5-$35 a student (depending on the materials, rent for the space, and length or number of sessions). Parents are always welcome to create their own project as well! All my students are encouraged to find their inner artist's voice, so no two projects are designed to be exactly alike.
If you've got questions, please post them to this thread or pm me... I'm also hosting a Meet & Greet/ class in my new home studio this coming Saturday, Feb. 16th! Stop by if you're able

Even if the weathers "fowl" we can still have loads of fun learning. No matter what subject you are wanting supplemental experiences to reinforce your lessons with, chances are pretty high that I have taught or can create a class for your students. Think about your adding a #CraftWithAnna class to your next science, engineering, math, reading/writing, public speaking, geography, home ec, park playdate etc. Oh, and I also teach cardmaking, scrapbooking, and photography

These kids met once a month for an Art Jam! Cost was $10/student, all materials were included for each 1-1.5 hour long class held at a local civic center. Mediums Explored included acrylic paint, oil pastels, charcoal, and Alcohol ink. I taught the pictured Cartoon Watercolor class, where we learned about how old cartoon movies were created, how to replicate an image, and then we created these vibrant renditions of our favorite characters to take home.

Have a favorite household theme? There is nothing better than a private class in your home where you can create a gallery style display to cherish. And yes, learn while doing! (Isn't it funny how kids enjoy substitute teachers?!)

I have a heart for fundraising! If your group or one you know of would like to #CraftWithAnna to raise money, let me know!

These 1st graders studied a variety of local leaves before learning how to draw their chosen species example in a cartoon style. Our images were made to look realistic with the addition of watercolor paints. We discussed plant structure, how leaves grow and support/feed their tree, decomposition and why leaves change color, as well as how to apply the paint to achieve different effects. At the end of the class we wrote an acrostic poem using the words Fall and Leaf together.

After a brainstorming observation session about native deciduous and coniferous trees, we built a landscape featuring a distinct background, middle ground, foreground and subject using a variety of watercolor mediums including paint, water soluble oil pastels, and colored pencils. At the end of our class, we collaboratively wrote an acrostic style poem using the words, Puget Sound (where I'm from). Students were sent home with pre-printed pocket sized poetry cards to write their own acrostics with their family <3

Run off

Hmm, this paint pouring thing might be overly addictive... even the drips that fell onto my scratch paper surface look interesting enough to want to keep! I see an animal dipping his head to drink from a stream of water, how about you?

Sent from Del Mar, CA on my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Birding In A Winter Wonderland

I met a new group of friends this afternoon in Belfair, and boy did we have a good time! Literally, there was one man/boy there :-)



YOM!



With yummy snacks to keep the holiday cheer intact and no example to hold our paintings in comparison to, the paint flew and the laughter echoed off the still-under-construction space we occupied.

 

 



Branching Out



Like Mother, Like Daughter



Our subject today was two little birds huddled up on a branch after a snowstorm, so there was a chance to talk about how to build depth and dimension with natural branch building and feather layering, how snow drifts form, and how to mimic the randomness of falling flakes too.

 

One of my students was a little ball of artistry and although she didn't create the same image as the rest of us, she did paint a lot of ornaments, a Christmas tree, and a smile on my face :-) She would have liked for me to play tag outside with her, but instead I turned on my Homeschool Mom voice and played Word Tag, a rhyming game I made up on the fly, with her! Needless to say, I think she would have enjoyed a good old fashioned game of chase more lol.



Birds of A Feather Huddled Up Together



I am looking forward to working with this group again, and they put me in such a merry mood, I decided on the way home that I'd offer $5 off any of my next class to any of my past students... so watch for a blog post with more details about that coming in a day or two.

 

Another of my students has known me long enough to help me reflect with joy about how I've been so fortunate with the way my craft "career" has progressed. The support of my friends and family, all the new people I've met, the incredible opportunities that have been and continue to be offered me... well, I'm just darn lucky to get to share my passion for making with others. Even Ray had to give me a big hug when I got home. Maybe it was out of relief-he'd been on baby watching duty for over 5 hours!- but I think it was because he's proud of the success I've been able to enjoy sharing something I'm so passionate about.

 

It's all thanks to the encouragement I continue to receive, and dear reader, that includes You!

 

Nightmarish Night Class

  I fear there's something in the air...

 I experienced my most out of control class EVER last night... and yet it still ended up a success!  There were some students who needed no coaching whatsoever (until they did), and some who would have liked me to paint their Nightmare Before Christmas inspired scenes for them!

You know, one of the most boggling aspects of this get together was that the most talented artists had the most trouble with accepting praise for their talent... what reminder that when we let self doubt and negativity cloud our minds, we actually become unaware of our gifts, or unable to acknowledge the reality of how gifted we truly are.

I hope that on this first day of October, you are finding some joy in the color changes, falling leaves, and from the knowledge that you are magnificently formed by the most talented artist of all <3

3-D Painting Inspiration

While doing some "research" on YouTube for a flamingo painting class I taught last week, I stumbled across a fantastic idea from Monte Mart; painting in 3-D. How did he do this? By literally opening the tube of paint and drawing with it on his canvas to create texture that sat on the canvas in the form of painted poppy stems. What a mind blow! Plus, who doesn't feel inspired when you hear that accent (swoon)?

While I didn't use this technique for flamingo legs, it did get my wheels turning... and then lo and behold, my online pal and Community Manager for Education.com, Jessica, sent me this awesome project for creating Salt Dough Paint. What a co-inky-dink! So, without further a-dough (!), here are the instructions Jessica sent me for how you can get busy getting funky as a flamingo yourself:

Activity: 

Salt Dough Paint

 

Looking for a dazzling and unique art project? Here's one you've probably never done before. It's a new twist on painting that will add a little sparkle to any art project. Use a few kitchen ingredients to create a paint paste that glitters when dry and is easy to use. This nifty paint works well for school posters, but it's also great for making funky pieces of art to hang on the wall!

What You Need:

• Tempera paint
• Measuring cup
• Mixing bowls
• Spoons
• Flour (White, all-purpose)
• Salt
• Water
• Poster board
• Plastic squeeze bottles

What You Do:

1. Have your child (or the child within you) mix together equal amounts of flour, water and salt in a bowl to create a paint-like consistency.
2. Now pour equal amounts of this mixture into several bowls. Each bowl should contain a different color of paint.
3. Add a different color tempera paint to each bowl and mix it thoroughly.
4. Pour each color into its own squeeze bottle, making sure the nozzles are replaced securely.
5. Now you and your children can create your very own dough paint designs on the poster board, creating any picture he likes! Remember, it doesn't have to "be" anything... the interest is in the artistic endeavor!
6. After painting, have him set his poster aside to dry completely. Then, hang it up to share with friends and family!

You can find many more amazing activities at Education.com, be sure to check them out!

Mixed Media Class

 

Push Weeks

About once a month or so, I find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of planning I've compiled into one week. This week is definitely one of those "push weeks!"
Yesterday, I proudly took my first shipment of handmade greeting cards into a local vendor, Purdy Cost Less Drug & Pharmacy. I'm thrilled to be offering my one-of-a-kind greeters within my own neighborhood out here on the Key Peninsula. It's hard to believe I've been in the greeting card sales business for about three years now! But, I still love it, so what can I say, I'll stay in :-)
Tonight I'm hosting a CraftWithAnna fundraiser for the Red Barn in my booth at the Key Center Art Walk. It's my first time participating, and actually, my first time attending, too. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited. I had grand intentions of filling up my 80 card space rack and making a bunch of planner-journals to sell... well, that didn't exactly come to fruition! However, I've got lots of cards to display anyway, and a few other handmade things that I can offer up to interested shoppers. The most important part of tonight, for me, is getting involved with my community crafters and raising funds for more art classes at our local youth center <3 I love seeing what people make and knowing that in some way, I've inspired them! Paychecks of the heart are so much more rewarding, right?

Then tomorrow the girls and I will get to play with a large amount of our friends during a few hours of showers at a nearby park... with record setting heat to deal with, an outdoor shower would be pretty pleasant, but this one will be a baby shower for wee August, due at the end of October. I'm considering wearing bikini top and skirt, lol cause "baby," it's gonna be HOT! I can always come home and jump in the horse trough pool we cleaned out last night though :-0

Friday I'll get a little break-maybe. We're in the process of shopping for an rv, and that's where a lot of our family time has gone over the last month or so. It's interesting to say the least. We finally put a deposit down on "the one," only to immediately reconsider, which is basically the story of our life lol. Perhaps by the end of the weekend I'll be figuring out how the heck I'm going to pull one of those busses into our twisting turning pot holed driveway though. I'm pretty sure the air conditioner unit being below the floor would be a bonus, considering the amount of low limbs we have around here and my inability to clear them while preggers! "Whoops" is not a refrain I want to adopt when driving a big rig, you know?

Saturdays are reserved for fun, and I'll be teaching a painting class this coming Saturday afternoon~  in my previous blog post, you can see an image advertisement for that. Should be a lot of fun, but I always try to test out my classes on my own children first, and thus far, I haven't squeezed that in... Hay, I've been a busy gal! Oh, well, we can't always work so hard, and after all, there are a lot of people who don't get to spend their time making as much art as I do, so I'm not complaining. I have complete access to enjoying my family, healthy snacks to consume when I'm getting low, and not many of my friends get to go about their work in their bathing suits!  Besides, Saturday night I'll get to unwind with a round of karaoke, celebrating my mom's birthday with a large glass of kombucha, my new go to for when I feel like I need to have a festive beverage.

So what's taking up your last month of summer (gasp- did I really just write that)? I hope it's something fun... even better, something crafty!

Hay There, Paint-er!

MOPS Painting Preview

    I love being part of a large family. With one side of my family tree spread out over the Midwest, and another grove with roots that extend all the way down to Mexico, I have so many cousins, so many links to life; it's a true blessing. When my family dreams out loud of traveling across country without the limits of public schools to hold us back, I know in my heart that there would be many, many stops along the way in various small towns and large to visit family from both my mother and father's side of my personal family tree.
I love the symbolism of the Mayan Yaxche Celia tree, the Tree of Life. With thick extensive roots, a long straight trunk and branches that extend all the way to the rainforest's canopy, the Yaxche tree represents life in the past, present, and future. When I think of my family, this is the image I have: all of my cousins, lined up amongst the branches of our lineages, "the same, same but different."
I've been having so much fun teaching at painting parties over the last year! My MOPS group has invited me back in May to lead them in a class, and I knew as soon as they asked, that the Tree of Life would be the ideal class to offer. First of all, Yaxche is a Mayan word, and the class is in May :-) and, it's on Cinco de Mayo, which in our country means going out for a Corona or a Modela Negro, but in the land of my Hispanic ancestors, represents so much more. Even my Norwegian cousins celebrate the first day of May!
Now usually, I practice teach my classes on my willing daughters, and I did this time too. I also had  the good fortune to be recommended to a MOPS group meeting on the outskirts of Lakewood who needed a crafts teacher at the last minute to go with their month long theme of Celebrating the Artist Within. I don't actually know if that's the name of their theme, but I was at their meeting to teach on Tuesday, we watched a video where a woman basically to do just that... she also said a lot of what I tell people,  that it is of vital importance to take- to Make- to time to explore your creative boundaries. To celebrate with what makes you feel good expressively. To not be bothered by the mistakes or mishaps you may encounter in your quest to achieve artistic perfection, because we are always learning along the way. And as my man Bob Ross always said, there are no mistakes, just happy accidents. 
Coming this April, I'll be spending time at the YMCA's Women's Wellness Weekend, a sleepover camp nearby, with my best friend of over 30 years. In between giggling fits, challenging rope courses, kayaking and bow and arrow shooting- yes, it's that kind of camp- there will also be craft classes. Or should I say, CraftWithAnna classes! Cause, yes, I managed to get myself invited to teach two classes during the three day weekend.
The director of programing I decided that my ideas of a mini album autograph/address book with accompanying greeting cards would be the perfect treasure for campers to put their photos, journaled memories, and contact information for people they meet and want to stay in contact with after camp ends (it's amazing how quickly friendships form). Then the greeting cards will be right there to send a quick note or copy of pictures inside to those new gal-pals.
And with my newfound love of teaching painting classes, the other class will be focused on trendy handwriting styles; we'll paint ourselves a little power word or phrase to focus on. Of course these will be set against vibrant backgrounds that reflect both our present and future self desires :-) And should any happy accidents occur, we'll simply paint over or incorporate them into the artwork!
Remember, I teach classes of many sorts to artists of any capability, ages 3 to 85-ish :-) Classes are usually an hour to 2 hours long, and range in price depending on how many supplies I provide, usually between $15-$45 a person.  I teach for Two Water's Arts Alliance, and coming this Spring I'll also be teaching for the Tacoma Community College through their Continuing Education program. I'm also available to teach for children's birthday party's, at in-home wine nights, and for office groups looking for a group experience. Prices range according to the size of the group and whether they are for or non-profit organizations. Remember, no two pieces will be exactly alike, or it just wouldn't be a CraftWithAnna class!

Shobia Whoabie

Shobia first entered our family's life before I did; this Paint's proud owner Dave Sherratt has used Ray Bradshaw's horseshoeing services for years. We love looking out the back window to where he's boarded, his white spotted coat is easy to pick out of the forest patches that dot our acreage. Our little pony loves to tease him, and one of our goats relies on his underbelly for warmth during stormy weather, so we see his playful and protectiveness from or vantage points throughout the day.
It's when Dave comes to visit though that I get to see Shobia's true spirit shining out in the field. The time they have spent in the round pens on tours and during demonstrations of Pirelli-style natural horsemanship techniques is evident. Locked on to one another, a horse and his companion man dance a duet of communication through directive hand signals and reassurances.
Capturing the essence of one of history's favorite animals, one known and beloved by many, proved to be quite a challenge... and you, dear reader, may know by now, I love a good creative challenge. How about if I book myself to teach classes in horse painting? Check! Before I see if I'm capable of doing it myself... Check and double check!
I enlisted the help of some favorite YouTubers to guide my visualization and learned a lot along the way. Not only did one artists reference to "needing to paint about 5 horses to completion" prove true, before I reached a result I could be proud of, but I also learned that horses are a lot like people. In painting terms at least! Yes, the same basic foundational shapes of rectangles and circles will transform into forms resembling the subject matter, and yes, there is truly no two that will be alike. God simply didn't make carbon copies of anything out there :-)
Now, this month my locals will be able to take in a variety of my makings on display at Key Center's Blend Wine Shop. I've picked out a few sets of scrapbook pages, paintings, and collage ensembles that shine a spotlight on my childhood influences, current hopes, and ponderings on my artistic journey towards the future. Included next to some groupings are what I call story cards; they tell a deeper version of what's displayed on the wall nearby. Kind of like these blog posts, but tacked onto concrete :-)
And this summer, you too can learn to paint a favorite horse starring in your life story with me and a favorite beverage, out back of Blend en plein aire. All supplies will be provided, and no two paintings will be alike... After all, they will be CraftWithAnna inspired renderings!

 

 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Vivid Art Journalling

Late this summer I began dabbling in the exploration of my messier feelings with a gifted set of Tsukineko inks. These first attempts are also helping me to accept the forgotten idea of it being ok for things not to look "pretty."
In fact, it seems these more visceral creations let loose within the pages of an uncompleted planner allowed me to express those "un-pretty" stressors in a way that I could then see as beautiful for their lessons... art at its core can be seen as an evolvment for both the artist and the viewer within me.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

New Video-& A Scrapbook Kit Reveal Teaser

It's been a while since I've made a video, but I just had to before heading to my first ever Portland version of the Creative Keepsakes Convention I love attending. I'm looking forward to spending time with my favorite designers as well as visiting my favorite booths to stock up on my favorite paper collections! Can you tell I'm excited?

Lately, I've been thinking about some of the changes that have occurred in our home over the last year... not going into detail here, but more reflective thoughts that I nonetheless would like to scrapbook in some form or another. Next week I'll have a video to reveal my solution, as well as a review of the trends I spot this weekend on the convention floor.

If you're not already subscribing to my CraftWithAnna YouTube channel, do so today~ that way I don't have to worry about you missing my next video release :-) Take care, friends, and keep it scrappy!

Bob Ross Results

 

 

 Can you find "Bob?"

Okay, so last night I was leading this amazing group of local moms through a "Purdy Inspired" waterscape painting class. I had my examples, my Bob Ross afro, and technical jargon loaded, and a smile on my face as class started. I felt prepared. A few hours of YouTubing will do that to a person :-)

 What I did not expect was the adorableness that describes the enthusiasm of my class. Everyone brought their smile -and their snacks, yum. Despite their protests of, "I'm no artist!" "I'm scared (get that wig away from me)!" and, "What, no wine?" their attention to instruction was refreshing. Happy clouds would be made tonight!

Having no idea what to expect in the way of how experienced the group would be on average was intimidating. Fortunately, my classes are always designed for ages 3 and up, and the format and instructions are based on how well my practice classes with my resident artists go.  In other words, no matter how "bad" at art you are, you should be able to create something awesome if you take a class with me.

So, another thing I was not prepared for, was the talent that came- everywhere I looked I was in awe of what materialized on canvas. Could it have been my entertaining teaching style that produced such works? No, I'm sure the presence of the Holy Spirit was there guiding our brushes into love strokes. As the concentration of creative energy continued to build, the smiles grew brighter. Paint started flying. It was AWESOME.

 And, made even more enjoyable by reading what my friends (I can call them that now) wrote online this morning. They love their art- success story after heartwarming story of family admiration warmed my soul all over again. There is nothing quite like riding home with  big smile on your face and then having it refreshed all over again the next morning, reliving the good times of the night out before...and without the hangover!

 Thank you, God for these women!

Three babies and a "Bob"

Looking for more incredible paint teachings- look for "Mural Joe" and Donna Dewberry and prepare to want to paint Everything You See.

edited to include this following praise:

 

Crafts vs. "Real" Art...

I had never considered the art of papercrafting to be a very deep subject, until I started developing my Scrapology class series... As I considered the topics I felt passionate about covering; the thought process involved in the creation of those beautiful stories on paper, and the amount of energy which goes into selecting all of the elements that combine to share our musings, I realized that I in fact do feel very strongly that what I do is ART.
You know, I didn't go to college to earn a degree, with subjects such as Card Creasing 101, (prerequisite class being Cardstock: Fiber to Fascinating), Photography 101(more like-10,001), and Album Management. No, I learned those through time and by playing. A LOT! lol
I've brushed up on skills through the years through a wealth of online You-niveristy courses, interacted with fellow artists at annual conventions, and my subscriptions to various printed resources are (prohibited from meeting the garbage can) all stored up for easy access. Debated with confidence the pros and cons of certain styles, compared fussy cut images to those manufactured with the aid of a machine, and yes, I've been openly critical of both my own paper backed projects and those of my peers.

And yet, when I entered these beautiful, framed scrapbook pages highlighting the memorable occasion of our second daughter's birth, and that fun greeting card above, which says little but expresses so much of my impression of a life changing event, to a local juried art show this spring, I was informed that my submissions did not qualify as Art and are instead to be categorized as Crafts.
Say What?! (imagine coffee spraying from my astounded pursed lips)

So what are your thoughts, dear reader? Does an Artist's Trading Card created with talent and tiny found objects deserve any less consideration than an 8x10 canvas splattered in no apparent pattern by various colors of paint? Can you think of pieces you've seen hanging in museums and thought to yourself, huh, I could totally do that! Seen any of the beautiful reclaimed art pieces and wanted to dig in your own burn bin for well distressed compressed fiber blocks (i.e. fence posts)? Well, you may be an artist!
Thanks for taking the time to ponder with me as we head into the fireworks of Fourth of July. Let the oohs and ahhs around you and in your heart inspire some fantastic works of art for this month's sharing... Watch for my next EmbellishKits.com summer scrapbooking kit review and Tutorial video coming soon, and Stay crafty!

Prepping for CK: Artist Trading Cards

One of my favorite memories from the first year I went to CK, is that of an elderly artist handing out Artist Trading Cards to the vendors at the Make and Take tables. The fact that it was a MAN and that he was there for himself, not his wife or other female companion just made it stick in mind that much more! Every year at the Creating Keepsakes Convention since has found me wishing I had some of those cards to pass out to the wonderfully creative people I encounter.
Well this year, I will!

It was so much fun making this batch of cards, Rainier and I are going to whip up another group some time today. First, we dripped watercolor on shiny paper. Its got an interesting effect with paint, if I knew what type of paper it is I'd tell! But alas I do not. The cool thing is that it lets the paint dry without it soaking in, so the paint remains really vivid. On some parts of the papers we did some ombre style painting, other areas we just went hog wild with drips and splatters. We recently watched a video by Wilma F. at Two Peas and could see that influence lol. After the paint dried, I got out my special Artist Trading Card Stamp and used that on some cards for my information. Other cards just got the same details freehanded in. Then we dripped on more color in the form of spray ink. Stamps by Ali Edwards that read Live In the Moment, Life, and Love were dispersed.

I wish I'd had these cards with me yesterday at the Library to share with all the storytime moms!

One of these days I'll have to do a tutorial about how to make this teabag gift holder. Turns out, it works great for holding this set of cards. Even if it is Halloween themed!

On a side note- did you happen to see how messy my desk is in the background shot from above?! I usually try to get it cleaned off in between projects, but I feel like I'm in creative limbo this week, storing up my mojo for this weekends outpouring :-)

Making some updated versions of this nifty holder might be a good side project for this afternoon... People often ask me, how do I find time to do all the art projects my heart desires? well, I'm pretty sure exposure to papercrafting from birth for both my girls is the key to my success, as well as the support and, time, and space to craft I get from their dad. Having the girls near me can be frustrating at times, like when they grab papers or fingerprint on stuff or peel off all the stickers from a brand new sheet to decorate the floor... but it's all worth it when I think about the fact that while sometimes a project doesn't turn out "perfect" it is perfectly full of the love of art we all share :-)

 I love the way my ATCs turned out,  and it will be so much fun making new friends and passing these little labors of love out. Maybe some will even end up in someones's Project Life or SmashBook Albums!