Hamburg*End(si)e or …Exhibition Canvas #1

This is the first of my canvases I did for an exhibition here in Hamburg in August. Since I am moving to the States soon – I want to say good-bye to Hamburg by using things that are gone by now in Hamburg too or things that are Hamburg for me. Hence the exhibition name I chose- It is a wordplay which cannot be translated really 😉

This beautiful house was in a street that I worked and lived for a long time – it just got torn down- they are doing it as I write…I worked in this street for 13 years and I lived next to this house about 8 years. Every time I passed this house I thought how beautiful it would be to own this place. It had a little portuguese cafe in the front where I spent many fun hours with different friends drinking a yummie Galao and fresh pressed orange juice and eating delicious little pastries like Pastel del Natas.

I loved creating this canvas- it let me indulge in all those memories connected with this place …and unfortunately also crave portuguese pastries- LOL. Off to work on the next canvas 🙂

How did you say good-bye to places you moved away from?

hugs

nat

 

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Baltic Sea / Ostsee Scrap Event – Photos

What a beautiful weekend teaching at the Ostsee Scrap Event (Baltic Sea Event). The location was awesome – just a 15 minute walk from the beach, wonderful room with our own private terrace, wonderful students, great organiser and co-teacher and filling yummie food. What more can you ask for?

Here are some pictures of my morning stroll to the beach – it was awesome -almost no one at the beach – sun shining already – calm and relaxing. I walked for two hours and it totally relaxed me – good way to start then off the workshops 🙂

 

 

It was awesome to meet my sweet friend Andrea again and to meet Barbara for the first time. Here is Andrea in action teaching

 

and here I am with  Dani, the organiser and Barbara

 

We had lot’s of fun all together during a photo shooting session that Andrea had during her workshop – with some nice accessories- LOL

 

After that we had to eat the biggest, yummiest home-made oven fresh cream puffs with a cherry sauce filling I have ever seen in my entire life…went right on the hips 😉

It might have been the sugar high that made me pulls some pretty hilarious faces while teaching…I have no other excuse actually 😉

 

We used lot’s of yummie Liquitex Products and thank you Liquitex for sending me some of the Liquitex Professional Spray Paints and Professional Markers – they found some happy winners 🙂

 

and here are some canvases from my Season Texture Class

 

and of the Be Awesome Be a Book Nut class. Of course I forgot to take pictures of my layout class (I will never learn-  LOL)

 

And last but not least a picture of our wonderful group!

 

Danke Mädels- es hat super großen Spaß mit Euch gemacht!!!!

There is nothing better when a great relaxed creative workshop weekend!

Huge hugs

Nat

 

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Whatevers #9 or Having a Ball

Are you ready for the 9th Whatevers? If you missed what the Whatevers is all about…check it out here.

Click here to see what Cat made out of this photo and which story she tells

Click here to see what Vicki made out of this photo and which story she tells

Here is my take on it

Having a Ball

Nobody ever knew what Margriete was doing behind her closed studio door. All she would ever reveal was that she was having a ball.

Her Name: Margariete – sister of Marco

I wanted to play with something totally different – and I had sooo much fun – I can’t even tell you 🙂 Putting this old Sachertorte box to a whole new thing together was just cool. I am not so much about assemblage usually and I am having a hard time working in with boxes…but this was different. There is so much I used- but probably is only making sense to me …and Margariete 😉 Paperclay, wire, tissue paper, scraps of technique papers, spray paints, found objects, …

the canvas on the wall is a miniature of my “Free Your Creativity Canvas” and I made the lightbulbs on the left with resin and Amazing Mold Putty. I posted a tutorial on how to work with it a couple days ago.

Here is the original of the canvas which I taught many times in Australia, the U.S., Canada and many other countries- still one of my faves 🙂

I love playing with our whatevers- it is such a great way to just let the phantasy carry your creativity 🙂

And here is the photo of this month’s Whatever for you:

Here is how it works if you want to play along:

• Vicki, Cat and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos with Whatevers whom we will give a story.
• Every month – if possible always on the 15th –  each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along for us with the same photo.
• If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you – just right click on it to safe it to download and show us your version of The Whatevers.
• There is no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the length or the form of the story– it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the artform you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an artjournal page – WHATEVER
• Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us andshow us your story.
• These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!
• If you want to participate post in the comment section .
• You can also join our The Whatevers -Facebook Page

You can grab the blinkie here if you want to add it to your sidebar

Nat

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Love Letter to a Daily Life in Hamburg or…New Prima

A Couple months ago I found this old typewriter book at an antique store in NJ and I fell in Love with it and knew I would alter it some day.

I love the unusual format and I had fun using pictures with this beautiful new line by Prima for CHA. the pictures are all about the normal every day life in my City Hamburg. There is lot’s of pockets – hidden and obvious :

Prima Supplies

Lifetime Collection Fasola #845520

Lifetime Collection Guiltier #845483

Lifetime Collection Familia #845506

Lifetime Collection Yesterday #845490

Lifetime Collection Dolce #845469

Lifetime Collection Blue Bayjou #845476

Lifetime Collection Grazia #845513

Lifetime Collection Chipboard #562816

Lifetime Collection Canvas Stickers #562960

Lifetime Collection Chipboard #562816

Lifetime Collection Clear Stamp #563165

Lifetime Collection Clear Stamp #563189

Lifetime Collection Branch #565572

Lifetime Collection Flowers #565534

Wood Stamp #564339

Stencil 6×6 #564254

 

 

Other:

Derwent ArtBars

Liquitex Gel Medium

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Crafty Power Tape

Ranger Distress Inks

Ranger Distress Stains

Ranger Archival Inks

Ranger Glossy Accents

Ranger Distress Crackle Paint

Punchinella

 I really love altering books- I hope you like it 🙂

huge hugs

nat

Second Floor Challenge #11: Six Colors

Are you ready to take the second floor this time? If you have no clue what I am talking about- read all about it here  The Second Floor Challenge

So today is our 11th Second Floor Challenge and last Second Floor Challenge: Six Colors : Primar and Secondary- Yellow, Blue, Red, Green, Orange and Violet

Click here to see what Julie did

Whatever that means to you or however it inspires you.  The prompt is simply meant to get you started.  The level of challenge you aim for is entirely internal and up to you

I had to laugh a bit about this challenge- if you visited one of my workshops you might have heard me saying, that for the beginning you should try not to use more than 3-4 colors when working with a paint medium because it get’s muddy and brown. And now here I am challenged to use six colors.

So first I decided to use only one paint medium- Derwent Artbars and then I struggled a bit if I should just do something like color blocking, or circles (again?) …and somehow it felt all too easy.

And so I decided to kind of draw a background…something that is not really my strength – but hey…it’s taking it the second floor, right?

I used all the colors in the leaves and background and as it looked really flat I started using the Sgraffito technique to get some texture and dimension revealed.

It turned out ok…I am not overly happy with it, but the main thing is, I had fun and I tried something new. I actually like all the colors together – the leaves…not so much- LOL.

What I learned from this challenge:

1. I loved the challenge to use colors together that I would usually not use together
2. I also learned once more that I really don’t like anything that looks too flat and has no texture- either visual or tactile texture – at all.
3. I loved concentrating on just one paint medium…it made me think a lot on how to get the most out of it- although I guess it would have been a bit more challenging using an art medium I didn’t use that much before.
4. In the feature I might stick rather to circles again- LOL

As mentioned before this is Julie’s and my last Second Floor Challenge. Only once we both decided to skip a challenge totally out of time problems and so it is 11 challenges we did. So let me put together

What I learned in total from the 2nd Floor Challenge

• If something looks as if it turns out to be a disaster, keep going- it usually ends up to be one of your favorite pieces.
•  I learned that it is really good to limit yourself to only a few supplies -it frees your mind.
• I learned a lot about supplies etc. because I was constantly forced to think in a different way when usual out of the box.
• Doing something together with my friend Julie who lives too far away has been just fun – the challenge at least made me feel as if we are doing something together which we usually cannot do because of the distance.
• I love getting the most out of one supply – I don’t like to use supplies in the only way it is determined to be used
• Paint Media and Texture are essential for me- they are a big part of my style- no need to fight against that 😉
• I developed a deep love for watercolor paper throughout all the challenges
• It doesn’t hurt to show stuff you don’t like that much and admit that things didn’t work THAT well, nobody is perfect and I don’t strive to be perfect.
• I loved to see that a lot of our readers took the second floor too – I learned as much from your experiences as from my own. Thank YOU!

If you’d like to leave a link showing off what you did in response to this challenge, here’s the linky list:

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hugs
Nat

Art Supplies Invading or ….Bold About Us

My husband and I are traveling a lot, but mostly for work and mostly not together. There are times we don’t see each other for 4-6 weeks. But…it is all not that bad, because we both work in our home office when we are here and that is so awesome, so in between we always have 2 weeks that we are both not traveling. We can take all meals together and there is often a short peek into the offices during the day.  So usually…let me admit this…when he goes away…I start spreading out over the whole apartment, you find art supplies even in the bathroom (don’t ask- LOL) , I crank up the music 😉 , I forget to get food and to eat, if I finally eat, I eat the stuff that he doesn’t like and I can never cook, I vanish in my studio forever, I watch the WORST TV Shows you can imagine and the first two days it is pretty fun…and then it sucks and I want him home- LOL.

 

This canvas is a retired Workshop called “Bold About US”. It was lot’s of fun teaching it.

 

Supplies: Prima Masks, Prima Londonderry Collection, Prima Ribbon Velvet, Prima Flower Carlotta Latte,

Prima Say it in Chrystals, Gesso, Tattered Angels Chalkboard, Tattered Angels Glam, Rangers Clear Crackle Paint

 

So today- well  when you read this it was yesterday 😉 – hubs is coming home- so can’t wait 🙂 But I better get the apartment cleaned up now- LOL. My art supplies are EVERYWHERE 🙂

If you life together with a partner or room-mate what are the things that you love to do when they are not there for a while? 

Have a wonderful weekend!

nat

 

Altered Brush Project or…A Heart of Gold

A couple weeks ago I received a brush in the mail by Donna Downey asking me do to something fun for her studio with it. Donna is currently running a fun Altered Brush Project and she just opened it up to the public as she wants to fill the walls …and probably because artists are slow…Like me – LOL- it took me a while to tackle the task 😉

 

The beginning was easy as I knew I wanted to add texture to the brush

 

But then my first idea using those colors wasn’t the way I wanted it the next morning

 

So I over sprayed following my often said advice “if it is ruined, just paint over again ” and I decided for this

 

supplies: Liquitex Gesso, Liquitex Spray Paints, Liquitex Heavy Gel Medium, Liquitex Acrlylic Inks, Clay, Canvas Fabric, Cheese Cloth

 

It was fun and definetly a challenge to do something creative on an unusual surface 🙂

“What was the most unusual surface you have created something on?”

Have an amazing day

Nat

Lovely Margot Minialbum or…New Prima Collection Rondelle

Can you make it through another CHA project? LOL- I have been quite busy before CHA 😉 Here is another Prima Project using the new collection Rondelle.

I have to say this is not only my favorite line that Prima released this summer….

it is also my favorite project using some wonderful old photos I found of my beloved aunt

I used an old grammar book

and this is probably turning into an upcoming class

The embellishments are so cute

and I am in love with those clothespins

and the stamps

and the flowers are some of my faves too

and oh – did I mention I love those photos? They are so fun! Here my aunt with her friend Marga at the beach early 30s.

Prima Products used:

• Rondelle Collection Polonaise #844660
• Rondelle Collection Pavanne #844622
• Rondelle Collection Etude #844639
• Rondelle Collection Quadrille #844653
• Rondelle Collection Gavotte #844608
• Rondelle Collection Cabriole #844615
• Rondelle Collection Alphabet Stickers #559144
• Rondelle Collection Cardstock Stickers #559007
• Rondelle Collection Cling Mounted Stamps #559359
• Rondelle Collection Tiles & Trinkets #559632
• Rondelle Collection Metal Trinkets #559700
• Rondelle Collection Wood Clips #558865
• Rondelle Collection Flowers #562427
• Say It in Crystals #560508

Other supplies:

old Book

Tonic Studios Punches

I’m sure you can tell I loved working on this book. My auntie has been through a very very tough time the last couple weeks and this has been a good project for me …kind of therapeutic. I love her !

Have an amazing day

Huge hugs

Nat

9 Facts About Me…or New Prima Donna Downey Album

I had fun creating this Donna Downey Album for CHA this summer.

I was in the mood for summer colors and I loved the shape of this coffee cup album

Love the little see through 🙂 and the cute felt flower

I worked a lot of acrylic paint and also string gel medium to play around

Loved working with Donna’s new Stencils in 12×12 and 6×6

used some super heavy acrylic paint here

For the fun Canvas Resist I used Dylusions Ink Sprays

With the Canvas Sticker Letters everything just worked together great

loved playing with the acrylic paint- can you tell? 😉

Prima Products used:

• Mixed Media Album #922085
• Poppies & Peonies Flower #922283
• Donna Downey Stencil 12×12 #922191
• Donna Downey Stencil 12×12 #922177
• Donna Downey Stencil 6×6 #922146
• Resist Canvas Banner and Ticket #560997
• Alphabet Craftsman #559113
• Alphabet Rosarian #559151

Other Supplies:

• Liquitex Acrylic Paints
• Liquitex String Gel
• Ranger’s Dylusions Ink Sprays

 

and the 10th bonus fact? this little album makes me happy 🙂

what about a fun fact about you?

Have a wonderful day

Nat

zip zip Treasure Tin or New Prima Collection Zephyr

Giggled the whole time while I was creating this treasure tin using the new Prima Marketing Collection Zephyr for CHA last month. Something about creating this Sardine Tin was just funny 🙂

Playing with acrylic paints and the yummie new products.

Prima Products:

• Zephyr Collection Tabarette #844431
• Zephyr Collection Tempore #844456
• Zephyr Collection Tempore #844509
• Zephyr Collection Zephyr #844493
• Zephyr Collection Wood Tickets/Clocks #559243
• Zephyr Collection Crystal Stickers #560294
• Say It In Crystals #560379
• Shabby Chic Resin Treasures La Coeur #891442
• Junkyard Findings Type Zippers #891558
• Ribbon #529444

Other Products:

• Tin
• Feathers
• Acrylic Paints
• Liquitex Pouring Medium
• Liquitex Gel Medium
• Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Crafty Power Tape

Wishing you a wonderful and sunny day

Huge hugs

Nat