Pretty Girl Modern Girl Collage

Here's my latest Modern Girl.

I've really enjoying making tweens lately. I think it's a great bit of childhood to represent because it's not too babyish nor is it too womanly. 

My favorite part of this one is how she's standing in a rainbow. It gives the impression that this angelic girl really can reach for her dreams no matter how big. 

And this message, I wish we could all internalize it... young. 

It would save so much heart ache.

Available on Etsy

Punk Fairy Girl Original Collage

So I had to make another fairy girl using the lovely Jill stamp from Stampotique. 

Couldn't help myself :-)

There was some serious Gelli Plate madness going on with this fairy girl. Every part of her, save for the book paper is mono-prints I made by hand using my Gelli Plate. Oh my gosh, how I love that thing!

Did you know Julie Balzers's Blazonry stencil for TCW is PERFECT for making wings. Seriously. Perfect. 

And I used the little skull stamp from Bombshell Stamps Panther Tattoo set

Available on Etsy

Speaking of Etsy, I have a sale going on through Monday:
 $10 off purchase of $25 or more with coupon code: 10DOLLARSOFF 

For the Bride: Mixed Media Art

I made this for someone close to me who is getting married next week.

And I tried to make the dress as close to her wedding gown as I could.

She's having colorful banners and mixed flowers in her bouquet.

I wish them a happy future together.

Frida Kahlo Mixed-Media Wall Art

It's Stampotique Designer's Challenge once again and I was so excited when Sarinda chose text paper to be the theme for their 101st challenge.

I LOVE text paper and I rarely do any projects without it. Hooray!

I thought it would be fun to make another Modern Girl, this time using Frida Grande.

After stamping her head and shoulders on book paper using Staz-On ink, I drew the rough shape of a blouse on deli paper, using it like you would tracing paper. 

Then I cut out the blouse from an embellished index card.

For her skirt I made a mono print using my Gelli Plate and layered long strips of the painted paper to form the skirt. I was going for a boho-formal vibe which I felt was consistent to what I've seen her wear in photos.

Then I added jewel and pearl embellishments.

The quote:

I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me, too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.

~~~~- Frida Kahlo

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today. It's my last week as guest designer for Stampotique and again, I truly couldn't be more honored to have the privilege. 

Note: Some of you eagle-eyed blog readers may notice there are two different spellings of, "Frida" shown in the pictures. When I printed the quote I was working from an official Frida Kahlo website and her birth name had the 'e' in "Frieda" but the spelling she used professionally drops the 'e'. I went back and forth and finally decided to correct the art. Some of the pictures are from before, some after. For the final work I went with the commonly used, "Frida Kahlo"

Summer Garden Fairy Mixed Media Collage

Hey Everyone! 

The SDC99 challenge, chosen by Carol, is "Summertime"and the first thing that came to mind was gardens, flowers, fireflies... and that led me to creating a garden fairy clothed in a cheerful sundress.  

The piece measures 6x12 and the background is acrylic paint on MDF, with layers of stamping and stencils. The majority of the stencils used in this mixed-media wall hanging are TCW - Balzer Designs. 

For her wings, dress and boots I made Gelli Plate mono-prints using regular typing paper and deli paper. The deli paper is translucent (like vellum) and it gives the wings a lovely ethereal quality. 

For the head I stamped Jill on book paper, I just love her big eyes and sassy hair. I'll be investing in the other heads ASAP here's a link to the ones I'm coveting Stampotique carries: Leeta, Jeepers, Miss Snottie, Clover,  Muffin, Pockets and Mervyn

The flowers were made with scraps from my mixed-media index cards and a heart punch. 

For the quote I stamped Sometimes on typing paper using Staz-on. I could really relate to the sentiment:

*snort*

This is also my entry for the Simon Says Stamp: Inspired By Challenge. I was inspired by this pin:

And it's my "Inspired by Gardens"  'Take the Challenge' with Mou entry. 

My youngest said this is his favorite piece I've ever made. I think my heart just about exploded with happiness :-)

Thanks so much for visiting.

Warmly,

~~Nicole

An Ounce of Performance: Collage

Hey Everyone, I just realized I haven't shared this lovely lady. 

She's one of my Modern Girl Skinnies. I just love the proportions of a piece this size.

I hope you can tell how much fun I had with the background here. 

And as usual, she's another sassy redhead. Funny how often red hair pops up in my work ;-)

Available on Etsy

Let whatever you do today be enough: Collage

Can you tell I just LOVE this saying. I think I've collaged it four times now and no signs of tiring of it.

I love this girls outfit. Her swingy top, patterned skirt and cool boots make me smile. To be honest, I could go for a pair of those boots myself :-)

Available on Etsy

I'm Just Striving: Modern Girl Skinnies

Sorry I've been MIA. 

We are in the midst of a rather sudden house remodel and for awhile there I didn't even have my appliances. While it's happy chaos, it's chaos all the same. 

My poor hands haven't got painty in over three weeks - I think that's a record for me.

Here's a project I hadn't shared yet. I love this girl, it feels like she and I could be good friends.

$20.00

Available on Etsy

This is my entry to the Simon Says Stamp and Show Anything Goes Challenge: Happy 4th Birthday to one of my favorite sites.

Fear: Painting on MDF

(Please click on the picture.)

Fear makes strangers of people 

who would be friends.

This is a painting... not mixed-media - on MDF. 

EEK!

I'm working on light-source, different skin-tones and NOT over-working my paint. It's really hard because all my stamping and card-making days have taught me to blend, blend,blend.

But I really like it. She might be my favorite Modern Girl of all. My boys keep telling me how pretty she is which just tickles me to no end. While it's all well and good to seek your own approval, getting praise from your teenagers is a pretty awesome feeling too.

Lately I've been trying to find my own style and have been a lot more open to failing. It's good, it brings the fun and the thrill back to creating.

Happiness is the Way Collage

There is no way to happiness.

Happiness is the way.

I really love this Basic Grey paper that I used on her dress. The red and orange pattern really work well with the pleats.

As you can see, I'm using up old alphas in my backgrounds. I just love the look and I think it adds a nice layer of texture between the paper, paint and stamping.

Available on Etsy

Girl Under Tree Modern Girl Collage

Here's a new Modern Girl collage. 

Ain't she sweet?

I love the little pearl flowers in her hair.

The leaves and apples were made with some of my Gelli Plate prints. I love the variation you get when you print your own paper.

$45

Available on Etsy :-)

Fairy with Flowers

*SOLD*

I've been making a ton of stuff the last six weeks but really dragging my feet on photographing it. So you're all getting yet another fairy today. Hope you like her.

Her dress was made with dimensional paste. 

Wings, crown, arms and flowers were made with Gelli Plate monoprinted paper.