DecoArtMedia Under the Sea Challenge: Mermaid Warrior

Hi everyone!!  Are you ready for another DecoArt Media challenge?  I hope so cuz this is a super fun one!!!  This challenge is an Under the Sea theme, YAY!  That means you can do anything from bright and fun fishies to dark and mysterious sea monsters or even cool submarine stuff. The Mixed Media Design Team has been very busy creating some great inspiration pieces that are being featuring throughout the challenge and we can’t wait to see what you come up with for this challenge.

The challenge is open for entries until August 12, 2016. The winner of this challenge will be chosen by the DecoArt Media Design Team on August 15th and announced on the DecoArt Media Social Media Channels on August 19th. The winner will receive a generous $100 DecoArt Gift Card for use on the DecoArt Media Online Store. Feel free to submit multiple entries!!!! 

I was seriously excited to start my project for this challenge.  I knew right away that I wanted to create a FIERCE mermaid warrior so that's what I set out to do.

I have a lot of scraps of paper in my stash so I decided to lay those down for my first layer.  If it was blue, down it went with American Decoupage Matte.

Next up, a little bit of random texture using the Americana Pixelated Stencil and DecoArt Media Crackle Paint.  I'm using the crackle paint in place of molding paste so I wasn't tying to get a crackle look.  I just wanted the added dimension.  I think the pixels kinda look like tiny bubbles.

I toned down the papers using white gesso before adding color.  I created the background using DecoArt Fluid Acrylics in Prussian Blue Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue mixed with Blue Interference.  The interference adds a beautiful pearlescent tone which helps create depth and the feeling that the rays of the sun are dancing through the water.  

Once the background was done it was time for the fun stuff: sketching!!  Yes, this is my favorite part of my projects.  The moment I've figured out my design and lay down my sketch because this is when my project comes to life.  My mermaid consists of the following DecoArt Fluid Acrylic colors:

Prussian Blue Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue, Phthalo Green-Blue, Paynes Grey, Pyrrole Red, Titian Buff, Titanium White, Hansa Yellow Medium, Cadmium Orange Hue and Burnt Sienna.

I added K&Company Tim Coffey die cut fish to help create my under the sea scene.  The top of her shield is from a turtle die cut.  In order to blend and bring the die cuts to life, I painted in details, highlights and shadows.

In order to give her that dripping with attitude, don't mess with me look, I added war paint to her face and chest.  I also added my favorite bohemian accessories like her arm band, necklace and cuff.  My girls just aren't complete without a little bohemian flair.

Now the only question is: should I add a quote or not.  Hmmm.......we shall see!!

I hope I've inspired you play along with us in the DecoArt Media Under the Sea challenge.  Be sure to stop by the DecoArt Media Blog for more Under the Sea inspiration and to check out all the other entries.  To purchase the products I've used, visit the DecoArt Online Store.

Thank you so much for joining me today!   Have a beautiful day!!

Illustrated Stories & Sketches - Art Journal Page, Zeus and Zoe

Hey friends, today I'm sharing my last post as an official Zeus and Zoe team member so I'd like to take a moment to thank Marivic for the giving me this wonderful opportunity.  I have truly enjoyed working with the incredibly talented  Zeus and Zoe Design Team and all of the fabulous Zeus and Zoe products!!   A huge thanks to all of you too for your support during my Zeus and Zoe term!!!!!

For my last Zeus and Zoe project, I really wanted to share something fun in my favorite mixed media style so I created this colorful art journal page.

My background was already started with left over sprays and stencils so all I had to do was pick a focal image.  I chose to use this beautiful vintage lady from my Zeus and Zoe kit.  I colored her in using Prismacolor pencils, distress inks and markers, Liquitex soft body acrylic paint and a Faber-Castell brush pen.  I simply fussy cut her out of the paper and glued her on to my colorful world ;D

I added swirls with Golden Molding Paste and a DecoArt stencil.  Then doodled around the top and bottom of the page.  I added pops of color with Golden Fluid acrylic paints.  The fluid acrylic adds tons of color while allowing the colors underneath show through.

I added bits of vintage news papers from my Zeus and Zoe kit to create my title and for scallops along the inseam of the page.

I doodled flowers here and there to add some yellow as an accent color.  I wrote "Dare to dream in bold bright colors" along the top.  I imagine that this is the way my vintage lady sees the world.  I have to say, I'm so loving this art journal page!!  It makes me very happy with all of its bright colors and doodles; it's how I see my world, lol.  

Well friends, thank you so much for visiting with me today!!  I hope my art journaling makes you smile too, HAVE A BEAUTIFUL/COLORFUL DAY FULL OF INSPIRATIONS!!!

HUGZ!!!

I've entered this project in the DL. ART Thankful Thursday July Linky Party
&
Five Simple Things' Inspire Me Friday 110 Anthing Goes Link Up

Last Call!! Are YOU Up For The Challenge!!!!

Hello Everyone, I hope you're having a terrific Tuesday! I've done a little crafting today so I'll have a card to share with you tomorrow.  Right now I don't have a project to share but I wanted remind you all about the fun challenge going on over on the Zeus and Zoe Challenge Blog.    In fact, here is a layout by DT Member Riika Kovasin to jump start your creativity for this challenge:

Isn't her layout beautiful?!  Okay now let me tell you about the challenge, this month's theme is "New Beginnings" and you are invited to interpret this theme anyway you'd like as long as you incorporate a stencil or mask in your design.   Easy Peasy, Right!!  Here is the original introduction of the challenge written by DT Member Dana Tatar from the Zeus and Zoe blog:

The month of March brings longer days, warmer temperatures, the rebirth of flora and fauna and Spring! A talented set of new designers begin their term this month and to celebrate the commencement of the new design term and the upcoming Spring Equinox, the Zeus and Zoe Team challenges you to create a project inspired by the theme "New Beginnings." If you started a new job, moved to a new city, are taking a class, treated yourself to a makeover, repainted your house, celebrated the birth of a child, or are reorganizing your scrap space we want to see how this journey has inspired you! This theme is open for interpretation, so we are adding an additional requirement for this challenge to use a mask or stencil on your entry 

and finally, here is an inspiration board that Dana put together to spark your creative!!

This board includes some of the projects made by the design team for this month's challenge and here are the prizes you could win!!

One project will be chosen by the design team using a voting system and besides bragging rights, the winner will receive this prize from this month's sponsor DecorArt:

                                                                                     

Then a random winner will be chosen and will win this prize:

 

As I mentioned this is the last call because the challenge ends on 3/31/2013 11:59 PM North America - Central Standard Time.  So get your masks and/or stencils out and start playing!  

I really do hope you'll join us!!!!  Have a Beautiful Day!!

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Zeus and Zoe

Hello Hello!!  I hope your enjoying a wonderful weekend and maybe even getting some crafting time in.    I just wanted to remind you about the Zeus and Zoe Challenge Blog.  This month the challenge is "New Beginnings" and you are invited to interpret this theme anyway you'd like as long as you incorporate a stencil or mask in your design.   You could even submit a Spring themed project.  Here is the original introduction of the challenge from the Zeus and Zoe blog:

The month of March brings longer days, warmer temperatures, the rebirth of flora and fauna and Spring! A talented set of new designers begin their term this month and to celebrate the commencement of the new design term and the upcoming Spring Equinox, the Zeus and Zoe Team challenges you to create a project inspired by the theme "New Beginnings." If you started a new job, moved to a new city, are taking a class, treated yourself to a makeover, repainted your house, celebrated the birth of a child, or are reorganizing your scrap space we want to see how this journey has inspired you! This theme is open for interpretation, so we are adding an additional requirement for this challenge to use a mask or stencil on your entry 

and finally, here is an inspiration board to spark your creative!!

This board includes some of the projects made by the design team for this month's challenge and here are the prizes you could win!!

One project will be chosen by the design team using a voting system and besides bragging rights, the winner will receive this prize from this month's sponsor DecorArt:

                                                                                     

Then a random winner will be chosen and will win this prize:

 

I hope you'll join us!!!!  Happy Creating!!!!

Zeus and Zoe March Challenge Project - When Life Really Begins

Hello my sweet bloggie friends!  Today is a very special day for me because I'm sharing my first project as a new Zeus and Zoe Design Team Member.  So without further ado, here is my March challenge project:   

This month at Zeus and Zoe, we are challenging you to create a "New Beginnings" themed project using a mask or stencil.

So for my take on the challenge, I created a 12x12 mixed media canvas inspired by this beautiful Barbara Deangelis quote,"The moment in between what you once were, and who you are becoming, is when the dance of life Really Begins".  

To create my canvas, I started out by adhering handwritten vintage letters and sewing patterns from my Zeus and Zoe kit.  Next I added the flourishes with molding paste and a DecoArt Spiral Scroll stencil.  Once the molding paste was dry, I painted over the entire canvas with acrylic paint.   Then I fussy cut the birds and flowers from the KaiserCraft, Sweet Nothings Collection - Devoted patterned paper that came in my Zeus and Zoe kit and highlighted with a wash of  DecoArt Twinkles craft paint. 

I found this beautiful vintage photo on Magic Moonlight Freebies.  What I really liked about the photo is that she looks so happy, don't you think.....like she's very happy with where she is in her life.  I thought she matched the quote perfectly.  So I matted the photo with KaiserCraft, Sweet Nothings Collection - Devoted patterned paper and some beautiful embroidered lace from my Zeus and Zoe kit.

My kit also contained beautiful Manor House Fantasy Moonlight flowers and a piece of butterfly printed canvas that went perfectly with my design.  I fussy cut one of the butterflies and a flower from Designs Galore - French Floral Text patterned paper (also from my kit).  Then added more of the Twinkles craft paint to all of the flowers and the butterfly for some added sparkle (cause you can never have to much, lol).

To bring everything together, I added some of Zeus and Zoe's beautiful velvet lilac ribbon and embroidered flowers.  I also tucked in Prima flowers and bling from my stash.  Next I hand wrote the quote onto the backside of the Kaiser patterned paper, fussy cut and inked.  To complete my design, I added purple paint to the edges.  I really like the way the purple frames the composition.  

This month's Zeus and Zoe challenge is sponsored by DecoArt and they've given us some fun prizes to share with you.  So I hope I've inspired you to play along with us in this month's "New Beginnings" challenge!  

To find similar items to what I used on my project, visit the Zeus and Zoe online store and don't forget Marivic can put together a special kit just for you.  So if you have something in mind just let her know!  

Thanks so much for joining me today!  I'm really looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful creations, have a beautiful day!!