Must Be Santa

It isn't Christmas without Santa!!!  This design uses Distressed inks/stains, wax, Promarkers, and Gel Pens.

Poinsettia is a special cut I designed.  There are a couple more sizes so you could add more petals to make the poinsettia bigger if designing on a bigger surface.  The inserts are cool as the Star of Bethlehem!

Distressed inked center of Santa Bingo Card in yellow hue.

Also Distressed with Tea Dye and edged card with Vintage stain.

Pounced a pink hue of Adirondack Dabber paints to lighten up the card.

Gelly pen used on eyes, hat design and other areas.

Painted Santa's beard white.

Promarker for Poinsettia, and face.  Used a darker hue for bottom petals.

Base coated little poinsettia petals in white then added Promarker in lighter hue.

Added Prills for center of poinsettia.

Used wax for outline areas of beard to make it raised.  Also did puddles of wax on hat for that fluffy look!  I sprinkled "Crystal Accents," (a very very fine mica glitter) to make the hat sparkle.

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Crystal Accents added to snowflake and hat .

Close up of Santa!

With this holiday season, I would like to thank Unique Laser Designs for the opportunity to design with their fabulous woodcuts.  Also for using my wood pattern designs on some of the cuts!  The design team is very talented and I am blessed to be a member designing along side these creative teammates.


May your holidays be bright and filled with art supplies!!!!


Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

Shoes Are Boring: Embellishing Art

As an artist who grew up on color, collage and paint; adding embellishments was a way to further enhance my designs.  I like to add dimension and texture other than just paper type layering.

Instruments - mini

Love - Wacky Font

Musical Notes - Both Large and Small

Here is the original collage.  Paints, newsprint, magazine words, images, and rubber stamps (both stamped directly to the frame, also stamped, cutout, and collaged).  Over painting and stamping as well.

Sometimes when I create art it is whimsical.  Many times to show colors I like.  Most often, a theme, expression, or feeling I have!

This came about one day visiting my daughter when she lived in an apartment.  There was a shoe rack filled with all sorts of athletic shoes of her husband.  He plays a mean guitar as well.  Fusing all this together, I came up with this collage.  I had found the words: Shoes are boring, wear sneakers, and I was in heaven.

I was also proud that I had some of my designs made into stamps for Viva Las Vegastamps, and the shoe was one of them.

So - I wanted to make this collage POP even more, and found my ULD cuts were just perfect!!!

I adore this electric guitar!!!  I need a ton of them!  I wasn't sure how a real guitar looked, didn't bring my computer to my studio, so I winged it!  The strings and plate are done with gel pens - sort of metallic.

I did a quick sketch of what I thought I wanted the guitar to look like.  I knew it had a plate and knobs for various sounds.

A ProMarker gave the guitar that nice stain.  As I worked on the rest of the guitar, I did add the white back plate.  I felt something was missing.  The white back plate was just the touch!

The added notes and the word "love" were strategically placed to add more meaning to the whole collage theme.  One way - music, which I love.  Pointing at the musical notes.  Also my bonus son loves his sneakers it seems as much as his guitar!!!

(Side note:  One day I was visiting and my bonus son was playing a rift.  I go, "Is that Alice in Chains?"  He said yes, and told me a story about getting to hang with the band!  This happened when my daughter was engaged to him.  I knew right there that he was a total part of our family - we love music.  For me, without art and music, I would not exist.)

So now I am waiting for the perfect photo to put in that frame.  Maybe my bonus son playing his guitar, maybe from a concert that my daughter and son had gone to.  I don't know?  When I see, it; it will finish this art!

Remember a couple post ago where I did many different techniques to leaves??  Here is a fall home decor project I did using one of the leaves.  Discount stores like Marshall's have grape vine and other decorative balls in a package.  You are suppose to add them to a bowl to make your room look festive.

Take one of the balls, glue in a couple seasonal picks, add the leave, and Viola', instant decor piece!

This is the entrance table in my foyer.  I always decorate for fall, Halloween, and Christmas.

The leave done in greens with the Prills (see other post) will wait till spring as it would look perfect with blooming flowers.


Have a festive fall!

Cre8tivelea yours - Lea

Forest Fairy Wonderland

Lea, here; a new design team member!  Today I want to share a layout using :

                                                            Young Fairy:  Pixie
                                                            Leaves:  Small

Soft painting and collage gives this scene a magical look.  Bo Bunny paper was used, cutting parts to collage for further expression and feeling of the theme.

The paper was enhanced with painting - watercolor to the tree, and acrylic pattern in the background.

 First, I placed pieces for layout and collage to get a sense of how I want my art to look.  I decided not to use the top paper strip.  I had painted the tree and accented the background with liquid acrylic paint.

I just ADORE ULD WOOD!  I know many people comment on the smell, which I love too.  The wood is premium, no sanding needed, and the texture/coloring is beautiful.

Dry brushing a small amount of Gesso (base coat used to save money on expensive paints) on areas. I am using liquid acrylic paints.  I do not want much of the texture and want the colors to be true so the Gesso helps.  I left the skin natural to keep the texture.

A light touch painting the little fairy, almost transparent but not quite.  Simple shading and a tiny bit of dry brushing with white.  I usually do not use black for shading and in some art, I do use a little white as an extra pop of highlighting.

On the close up of the face, you can see the simple shading and the white added for highlights.  Glitter added on wings.

Here the leaf is painted in a darker green and yellow is used as a highlight.  Layering shades is simple yet effective.

Word "Inspire" is cut on an electronic cutting machine.

I am really excited to be a part of this talented team!!!

Cre8tiveLea Yours -