'Happy New Year + Freebies!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes - Artist and Bricoleur

Howdy and Welcome,

Happy [belated] New Year!

Lots of Life happening lately [including ER visit due to chest pain, 

which was a false alarm - NOT a heart attack. Just muscle strain.. So

I've been spending less time spent online and blog posting...

Wanted to let Followers know that I AM still alive. 

Super busy.

I'm feverishly purging/donating much of my stash/

destashing and packing so we can move ASAP.

Giving - and have given - many art supplies, washi tapes,

 jewelry supplies and beads away - most 

to our local Arts Center.

Probably we'll stay in the Midwest - 

wherever the temperature and weather are milder.

Ha! Is that even possible?!

Freebies are below - have fun. 

Permission granted in this post to copy images below.

[Right Click on image to copy].

Negative - edited

Original (Photo used with permission from D.Daruszka) - edited

Please comment AND visit my other posts - 

for lots of other Freebies for you here on LuLu's blog!

Thanks for stopping by.

Peace,

LuLu

'Exciting News - New Studio and Gelli Plate Workshop at BAC!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

Exciting news! 

The Beverly Arts Center in Chicago has added one of my mixed media workshops to their summer 2017 curriculum! I will be teaching a monoprinting workshop using ‘Gelli’ gelatin plates at the BAC on June 20, 2017.

Stay tuned to my blog for details in 2017 and updates at www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

My new studio in historic downtown Blue Island, IL is almost ready. I'll be celebrating my birthday there next week with a Ladies Only Game Night and a Crafternoon Soiree.

In late October, if all goes well, the studio will be ready for Crafternoons on three days a week! I've waited a long time for a larger studio space. Can't wait to unveil it!

Meanwhile, here is a new digital collage I made today.

'Big Bang Galaxy' -
 digital collage
using Microsoft Digital Image Editor

Thanks for stopping by. Please become a Follower and come back soon. Giveaway is coming in October!

Peace,
LuLu

Mary Lou ‘LuLu’ Haynes

'Just a little Something, Something!...and get your Freebies'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes


Howdy and Welcome!

Thought I'd share this digital piece from my archives. I love the color orange. Orange makes my soul smile.

'Floor Tiles on Steroids' -  

architectural building floor mosaic digitally enhanced by Mary Lou Haynes

Photograph by D. C. Daruszka

Used with permission from the photographer

ca. 2009

 

I used 2 software products on this piece:

• Microsoft Digital Image Editor
• Adobe (PSE) Photoshop Elements

 

 

YOUR TURN

 

Do you ever use digital image editing software? If so, which products? What are your top  3 favorite things about them? Top 3 gripes about each product?

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

MORE GOODIES

 

'Refractions Series 2015 - Semi-Precious Gems'

 

Hybrid - Paints, Photography, Digital Image Editing

by Mary Lou Haynes

Copyright June 2015

• For more Freebies, search this blog, keyword 'Freebies'. You have my permission to use this original artwork 'Refractions Series 2015 - Semi-Precious Gems' for your personal use, but not to sell in any form.
• For Mixed Media Retreats, search this blog, keyword 'mixed media'.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Please become a Follower and comment. I love to see your comments! Come back soon.

 

Peace,

LuLu
www.scrap-a-thon.com

'Digital Art - Collage Background!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Here is a wild background I made from collaging copies of one of the Paris 2012 journal pages. I used Photoshop and MS Digital Image Editor - playing with layers, filters, distortions,  gradients and transparencies.  What fun!

Digital - Photoshop and MS Digital Image Editor

(approx. 50 minutes)

YOUR TURN

Do you ever re-use parts of your own art as a starting point or components for more artwork? What is your fave medium? Do you like to create digital art? What software do you use?

Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment - and come back soon.

Psssst!
I'll have a slide show of Paris 2012 art journal  / smash book SOON! The front cover is fan-tab-U-lous!!!!!

Peace,
LuLu

'Treasure Hunt!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Artist Seth Apter at The Altered Page is hosting his annual bloghop of Buried Treasure!

Click here for a peek at some of my blog's Buried Treasure!

Have you ever gone a real Treasure Hunt? When? Where? What did you find?

Thanks for visiting. Please come back soon. My '100 Followers Giveaway' is coming this summer!

Peace,
LuLu

'LuLu's New Digi Slideshow!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

'Mina - waiting'

Checkout my digital slideshow in the right sidebar. (Hope it's working properly now!) Would love to see your comments about my digital artwork.

Also, coming soon - FREE TEXTURES to celebrate my 2nd blogoversary and 11,000 hits! Stay tuned for details.

Don't forget to add your vote to the poll - 'What do you want to read about in future?'

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'Forest of Middle Earth' - Find the Fish!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

How many fish can you find?

'Few are found in the far flung Forest of Middle Earth...'

Collage and Digital montage of

original drawing and original background -

layers and transparencies using MS Digital Image Editor

M.L. Haynes   c 2011

Would love to see your comments about this little fantasy piece I just whipped up from two pieces of my original artwork.

Thanks for stopping by - and please stay tuned for my 100th post giveaway - coming soon!

Peace,

LuLu

'LIT - 03/08/11 - Top 10 Places to Visit with Hubby!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I've been a bit distracted with trying to acquire my new dream studio, but here's my list for this week's LIT List It Tuesday. And yes, I want to go to Disneyworld. I think I'm the only one I know who has never been to Disneyworld!

'Top 10 Places to VIsit with my Hubby!' -

Sakura glaze pen and mixed-media on original painted grid paper,

tweaked digitally in MS DIE (DIgital Image Editor) with

layers, gradients, and transparencies

See more LIT lists here.

Dream Studio - window 2

Please keep praying for me to get my dream studio. Every little bit helps me get one step closer to my dream!

Thanks for visiting - and stay tuned for my new giveaway coming soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT List It Tuesday - Feb 22 Top Fave Foods!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For List It Tuesday I'm sharing my Favourite Foods!

'Top 11 Foods in 2011'

Ingredients: Glaze pen on my painted pallet/grid paper,

tweaked in Photoshop and MS DIE using gradients,

layers, saturation and transparencies

Check these other lists here!

What's your fave food? Have you discovered sushi yet?
Please leave a comment about this post or any of my posts.

Please become a Follower and come back soon! Thanks for visiting.
Peace,
LuLu

LIT- List It Tuesday 11/16!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,
Here's this week's entry for LIT- List IT Tuesday. See the contents of this list on my Give-A-Way post.

'News Flash!'

Digital

c   mlh1  2010

TECHNIQUE:
This piece started with a scan of one of my original collages - made from a cut up workstation desk blotter. It had lots of random media, colors and organic shapes. Using PSE and DIE, I tweaked saturation, lighting, and added transparent shapes. Finally, I inverted a handwritten list and pasted it on top of 'frame'.

I really enjoy the texture of handwriting used in mixed media pieces. Here I'm going for the texture more than for legibility - although if you look closely, you can make out a few words!

I'd love your comments on this piece. What do you think of all the layers?

Check out all the other neat lists here at LIT.

Thanks for stopping by - and don't forget to check out my Give-A-Way!

Peace,
LuLu

Poppy White - and my tools for Digital Image editing!

Howdy and Welcome,

"'Poppy White's Passport to Europe - to sing bass in the new opera 'Porgy and Bess'"
Mixed media - Collage of inherited antique objects, Digital Montage
c mlh1 2009 - 2010

 

Would you be interested in the tools I use to accomplish my digital artwork? The following software products are in my digital toolbox. And also listed is my quick review of each product. These are loaded on the desktop PC I use in my upstairs 'office'. The top 2 are my most often used Faves, and these 2 are also loaded on my amateur photographer hubby's laptop PC in our living room. We both share the laptop for scanning:

MY DIGITAL TOOLBOX 

1. - Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) - opens slowly, huge learning curve, need to play with this almost daily - it has so much stuff to learn
2. - Microsoft Digital Image Suite Anniversary Edition Editor (DIE) - easy, very intuitive
3. - Corel Painter Essentials - easy borders
4. - HP Photosmart Essential - I prefer the old version for it's canned collage templates
5. - Microsoft Image Composer - easy effects but rarely use, limited functions
6. - Microsoft Paint - opens fast for quick check of images
7. - Microsoft Publisher - used for it's word art
8. - Microsoft Word - easy text
9. - Creating Keepsakes Creative clips and fonts for boys - rarely used, needs more variety
10. - Creating Keepsakes Digital Quick Pages by Ali Edwards - never used, but I want to!

COMING SOON

• I expect to be using my Wacom tablet and pen soon - I've only had them connected on the desktop for 4 years! :-) Isn't it about time I use them?!!!

WISH LIST SOFTWARE

• Would love to get 3D Studio Max, Bryce, Adobe Illustrator and Maya, too!

MORE ABOUT POPPY WHITE

 

What do you think of this image of my maternal grandfather, Lewis Victor White? My family all called him 'Poppy'. He was an English teacher in the Chicago Public Schools for over 20 years. 'By night' he and my grandmother were opera singers! He sang bass, she sang soprano. I inherited one of the record albums that he made - although I've never tried to play it...He sang in the opera 'Porgy and Bess' in NY and Europe when it first opened!!! Also he sang on WGN radio and in the chorus at the Civic Opera House here in Chicago! He sang in several languages. The first year I went to college at IIT was when he passed away. I remember him as a very quiet, gentle man with a good sense of humor. Just recenly I found out that he was an adventurer! Before the Great Depression, Poppy White 'rode the rails' for the experience.

 

HOW DID I DO IT?

 

This image combines scans of his passport, his record album, one of my original collages and some vintage advertising. I used transparencies, layers, erasing and gradients back and forth between Adobe PSE, MS Publisher and Microsoft DIE.

 

COMMENTS WELCOME!

I'd love your comments about this post - or any other post on my blog.

 

CHECKOUT MY GIVE-A-WAY

Also, I'm hosting a giveaway on my blog - to celebrate my 1st year blogoversary - yippee! If you are a mixed media artist or collage artist you don't want to miss this give-a-way! Ends Nov 27, 2010.

 

Thanks for stopping by - would love for you to come back for a visit - often!

Peace,
LuLu
Celebrating my 1st year Blogoversary with a give-a-way!
http://www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/2010/10/giveaway-giveaway-lulus-1st.html

Mother and Child for Spot challenge!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Here is my 'Madonna and Child with Three Hands' for the Mother and Mother and Child SPOT Challenge this week!

Click to enlarge for more detail

'Madonna and Child with Three Hands'
c mlh1 2010

There's a lot of texture in this digital picture. I reworked a previously posted Adobe PSE scan of this icon from an antique icon book. Layered it with an antique map, antique German hymnal pages and transparency effects using MS DIE.

Although hubby and I chose not to have kids, I do enjoy all the different artworks of the Madonna and Child. The paintings and sculptures by the old masters are SO inspiring!

What do you think of my entry? Your comments are welcome.

Thanks for stopping by - and don't forget to checkout my 1st Blogoversary give-a-way post below!



Peace,
LuLu
Celebrating my 1st year Blogoversary with a give-a-way!
http://lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/2010/10/giveaway-giveaway-lulus-1st.htm

Art show, Dreamworks and Dragonfly painting!

Howdy and Welcome,

Good News!
The dates for my rescheduled art show have been confirmed with the gallery. What a roller coaster ride this has been for me... Hope you can come see my art show in 2011. See the right sidebar on my blog for details.

Meanwhile, I'm prepping for an all week 'retreat' at a scrapbooking store next week and also organizing my entries for an annual art/literary contest due soon.

Here are some digital images I worked on this week. They're based on my original painting I worked on when I went to Los Angeles a couple years ago to house sit for some artist friends.

I also was able to arrange some meetings at Dreamworks Animation Studios while I was in California at that time. (Dreamworks makes THE BEST movies!) Didn't get the job at Dreamworks, but they showed me around on a tour of thir lovely campus - and also gave me a souvenir of my visit!

'Dragonfly in Frame'

c 2010 M. L. Haynes

'Dragonfly with Shadows'

c 2010 M. L. Haynes 

Can't decide which one I like the most - they were both so much fun to play with in PSE and MS DIC. Which is your favorite?

Thanks for visiting and please stop by again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

I won the 'Summer Breeze' challenge!

Howdy and Welcome!

Thanks for everyone who voted for my #1 entry to Kimberly's Summer Breeze Challenge.
I won!
 
Thanks for visiting - and hope you come back real soon!
 
Peace,
LuLu

Amanda, The Sailor's Widow

'Amanda - The Sailor's Widow'

Digital

Howdy and Welcome!

This was inspired by a reading at the Beverly Art Center reception for the new BAC Street Journal. The story was about a lady whose sailor husband went to sea - and never came back. The ship went down and all hands were lost. It brought a tear to my eye.

I attended the reception as one of the featured artists in the journal! Another one of my photographs was published. This is the second issue that my work has been published in the BAC Street Journal - last Spring they published two of my works - an original poem and an original photo!

So, what do you think of Amanda? That's our little cottage, we call 'Longwood Lodge', in the background.

Thanks for visiting - and I hope you come back again real soon!

Peae,

LuLu

So Artful Challenge - Bouquet

'Les Fleurs - Bouquet'

Digital image

7" x 7"

approx. 20 mins

Here's my entry for a So Artful Challenge for Bouquet. My original photo that I'd played with in Photoshop (PSE) a few months back. Then I added some filters, gradients edges and transparent layers in MS Digital Image Editor (DIE).

This image was quick to make using the default edges in DIE on my flower photo.

What do you think of this one? Email me here

Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to come back for a visit - often!

Peace,

LuLu

Zabe - Shy Beauty Challenge

'Monsieur, I'm a shy girl - Zabe'

Digitial collage

3.5" x 4"

Here's a lovely fraulein, Zabe, that I created for the So Artful Challenge.

She was created using 2 digital imaging software products - Microsoft Digital Image editor and Photoshop Elements (PSE). The young lady was scanned from a vintage photo found in an antique store. 6 other photos were added using masking, layers, transparencies and playing with contrast and saturation. Approx. 3 hours.

What do you think of her? Have you tried using digital image editing software yet? I LOVE playing on the computer to create digital art! Thanks for visiting - and please stop by again.

Old Galena Farm

Here are digital photos I took of an old abandoned farm building - during our vacation last May in Galena, Illinois. Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think. Fyi, the watermark URL is wrong - should read http://www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/...

Digital Photo -
enhanced with layers and effects

Microsoft Digital Image Editor

Galena Farm Hayloft

Digital Photo - 5" x 3.75"

Madonna with 3 Hands and Child

Here's a digital image I worked on today. The icon and text were from an antique German book I bought at a book store when we went to Galena last spring. "Madonna with Three Hands and Child"

Photoshop collage

Coeur d'Or - Heart of Gold

A contest submission.

'Coeur d'Or'

 Before

Ingredients: scrapbook paper, mixed media on watercolor paper

'Coeur d'Or'

Apres...

 Same submission - after being tweaked with Photoshop PSE.

Fyi, the music notation was re-written by me on watercolor paper. The music is from one of my original songs that I recorded with my rock band (a million years ago!)

Which version do you llike best? The BEFORE version? Or the AFTER version?

While you're here, I'd love for you to sign up as a follower!

Peace,
LuLu