'My First Digital Photo Restoration Commission!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Here are the BEFORE and AFTER pix of a photo restoration I just completed for a commission using two software products:

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

BEFORE

AFTER

YOUR TURN!

Have you ever restored old/damaged photos using digital image editing software? If so, what is your fave software tool?

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment and become a Follower. Come back again soon!

Peace,
LuLu 

Coordinator / Producer / Founder

Mixed Media Retreat: http://makeit-markit-maskit-mixed-media.blogspot.com

Scrapbooking Retreat: www.scrap-a-thon.com

 

'WOYWW - 2014/09/02 - New Project, A Mess, New Website, Plants & Freebies coming Soon!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes



Howdy and Welcome,

This week for WOYWW, my worktable is a mess.

But in my defense, I'm in transition to a new project. I just got another commission to create another art/journal/scrapbook/fatbook for a new client! She found my shop on eTSY.com!

So this is how my creative space looks just before the big cleanup.

I also just launched my jewelry website. I've been paying for the url address for years - and finally finished all the pages. Included is a Calendar page with my new jewelry classes listed.

I taught a DIY Washi Tape class this past July to an AJ group I joined on Facebook. In 2015, I will be teaching another DIY Washi Tape class in my studio. If you happen to be in the Chicago, IL area, I would love for your to take a class with me. www.nuvoclassic.com

 

LuLu's DIY Washi Tape Class - Samples

 

Before summer wanes, have a look at the lovely coleus that I planted this Spring. They have really grown bushy - isn't their foliage gorgeous? Nothing survives in this shady spot except the coleus. It's a kitchen garden designed by previous owners of our house. But the sun only shines here for a few hours. So it's not sunny long enough to support herbs, flowers or veggies.

YOUR TURN
How do you transition between art projects? Do you do a massive cleanup, to start with a clean and tidy table?

Here are more artists studios from Julia's blog WOYWW - click here to go visit.

Thanks for stopping by. Please become a follower, leave a comment and come back soon. Some FREEBIES are coming later this month to celebrate my birthday!

Peace,
LuLu
www.nuvoclassic.com

'Technical difficulties..and youtube video!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

I'm having technical difficulties for while with google. Will start publishing great posts again when issues are resolved.

Meanwhile I would love for you to visit my youtube.com video - LIKE it and comment! Many thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBhmKB4OtRU

Peace,
LuLu

'Art Journal Pix - and The GIVEAWAY Winner Is!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

I just found some great pix today of an art journal I made a while back. These are really great close-up shots. What do you think?

Also, stop by my YouTube channel to see the Paris Art Journal I completed for a commission last winter! And there's more info about components and supplies at my eTSY shop...

Front Cover

Top

 

Front fan

And now the winner of my 4th Blogoversary GIVEAWAY is....

Sara UT!!!

Congrats, Sara!

To receive this  spectacular prize package, send me your postal mailing address - click Contact page. Thanks to every one who participated.

Fun Prize Package for 4th Blogoversary Giveaway!

 

Thanks for stopping by - and please join my blog as a Follower. Would love for you to leave a comment, too.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 2014/01/15 - Happy New Year Giveaway, Haul, Commission, Tutorial & Giveaway!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Happy New Year to all,

I'm back with a lot of news.

HAUL
Here's my recent haul from a local Archivers scrapbooking store that, I'm sad to say, is closing next month.

Haul from Archivers store closing

 (ink pads, ink sprays, Distress stains,

SNAP & Brag Book photo albums,

 SNAP page protectors) - yeehaw!

COMMISSION
I just got a rush commission late  last week for a set of invitations - carte blanche to design, print and assemble, stuff envelopes, address and mail. When I get a rush job like this, I charge the client a 'rush' fee in addition to the project fee...

In progress assembly for 2 components of invitation commission.

I stamped and signed the back cover first.

 

 

Over the holidays, hubby and I went on a road trip to Paducah KY. We wanted to visit the National Quilt Museum (awesome and overwhelming) and also research real estate in conjunction with the artist relocation program Paducah offers to artists. Before we left I cobbled together a collection of custom Travel Valet Trays. Did not have time or money to buy valet trays - plus, store bought trays are all too heavy for my 'travel light' experiment. (I wanted to practice 'packing light' in anticipation of our trip to Paris - someday).

 

The first picture shows the Travel Valet trays I made from Duck tape and/or Shelf Liner Paper. They are connected using (scrapbooking) brads. (In the top left corner of the scoring board are box lids I made from folding squares of paper origami style  - as experiment samples. I decided to use duck tape instead of folded paper because of durability.

 

This tutorial is for the trays I created when we returned from KY after testing the duck tape trays.  The duck tape trays with brads took too long to assemble when we got to our hotel suite in KY. So upon our return to Chicago, I developed trays using inexpensive chopping mats (dollar store) which are flexible - attached with rubber bands that stretch. These trays can be opened flat for packing and setup quickly with a rubber band upon arrival at my destination. Eventually, I plan to adhere the PARIS pattern duck tape to the chopping mat trays!

 



Purpose of trays: corral chargers, jewelry, lozenges, hair pins/barrettes...

 

TUTORIAL - Travel Valet Trays



Paper (unused) and Duck Tape (used) trays -

 Prototypes

 

Chopping mat package (from DOLLARTREE - 2 for $1 USD) + 

completed Travel Valet trays

 

Top - Travel Valet tray (assembled)

Bottom - Rubber band +

 inside of Travel Valet tray (unfolded, disassembled)

 

Top - Travel Valet tray (assembled),

Bottom - Rubber band + outside/bottom of 

Travel valet tray (unfolded, disassembled)

 

Supplies:

1. Chopping mat (dollar store 'DOLLAR TREE' - set of 2 in package)
2. Scoring Board (I used Martha Stewart)
3. Bone Folder (included with M.S. Scoring Board)
4. Craft knife (I used Exacto)
5. Cutting mat (I used Fiskars Rotary Cutting mat)
6. Ruler (prefer metal edge)
7. Rubber bands - thin (office supply)
8. Scissors (I used Tim Holtz Tonic scissors)

Directions:

 

1. Place chopping mat, frosted/matte side up (that is, shiny side down), on cutting mat.
2. Using craft knife and ruler, cut a square or rectangle 2" larger than the size tray you want (most of mine were cut 5" square for final size of 3" square).
3. Place square or rectangle on scoring board, and using bone folder, score 1" on each of the four sides.
4. Using Tonic scissors, cut a 45degree angle into each corner from outside edge to scored edge.
5. Using Bone Folder, lightly fold and burnish lightly each side towards center.
6. Using Bone Folder, heavily fold and burnish each angle cut towards it's corner.
7. Cut a small triangle into the center of each of the folded cut 45degree angle corners. (This is the notch where the rubber band will secure the closed tray)
8. Attach the rubber band, starting from  from any corner, sequentially around the outside of  tray by sliding rubber band into each notch. (I also tried an experiment with elastics (from a scrapbooking website) but the elastics were too 'fiddly'. The rubber bands worked quicker to setup the trays)

Let me know if you try these Travel Valet Trays. They can be used at home, in studio too of course!

 

GIVEAWAY

Ends January 20, 2014. Please enter on Giveaway post with a comment - and spread the word!

 

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment.

 

You can visit more artists ateliers at Julia's WOYWW site - click here.

 

Peace,

LuLu

 

'My 1st Textile Art Commission!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,
Here are W-I-P pix from the textile art commission I completed last Friday. This is the prototype wearable art for fitness dance instuctors.

My approach to this project was to think of it as a quilt sandwich - with top, batting, backing and quilting.

iTop badge - paper test

Left: 12 luxury fabrics - cut into 3" squares, and labled with their placement positions

Right: iTop tool and iTop badge - fabric test

'Sandwich' Layers - squared up for trimming

Sandwich - trimmed and ready for 'hemming'

(Turns out that I did not use the fancy white and gold trim or the travel quilting iron)

Hemmd quilt sandwich - ready for trimming, and my signature on reverse

Supplies List

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

Acrylic paints - various golds, Aluminum repair tape, Baggies,

Basic Grey Notch & Die cutting tool, Die cutting machine (Big Shot),

Brass grommets, Brass Stencil, Cutting mats (Fiskars 2-sided Craft), Olfa Rotary - 36" x 24"),

Embossing folders, Embossing stylus,

Fabrics (Cottons, Emroidered Satin Brocades, Linen, Silk, Velvet),

Fusible web (Steam-a-seam, Stitch Witchery),

Galaxy marker, Glitter, Gold Leaf - faux,

Golden Soft Gel medium (semi-gloss), Gel pens, Heat/craft sheet (Ranger),

Hammer, Iron (Hamilton Beach Professional steam), Iron on hem tape,

 iTop tool, iTop backings, iTop badges,

JoAnns EZView Press cloth, JoAnns Teflon Pressing sheet,

Lighting (OttLite Craft Caddy Light, Magnifying lamp with storage base),

Needle tool, Sakura Pens (Gel, Glitter), Pins, Pin cushion - vintage tomato,

Pinking shears - vintage, Punches - circles,

Quilting rulers, Reading glasses, Recycled clear divided salad plates (Dominicks),

Remote control for iPod docking station/radio, Run 'n Buff - gold,

Rotary cutter, Tassels / napkin rings - gold (Domestications),

Tattered Florals 'Bigz' die (Tim Holtz Alterations), Scissors (Fiskars),

THE FOLDWAY: Portable Cutting and Pressing Station (Omnigrid),

Sharpie marker - black, Water spritzer bottle, Xyron 'X' sticker maker - perm,

Zig silver pigment ink pen

The happy client!

Since 2001, I've been a scrapbooker. So this textile art was a GI-norm-ous stetch for me! I did a lot of problem solving on this commission. It was challenging - and fun to play outside of my comfort zone!


Do you sew with a machine - or by hand? Have you ever made art from fabric? Have you ever made art journals with fabric? Lace? Have you attempted Quilts? I aspire to making Crazy Quilt tops someday....


Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to comment and please become a Follower while you're here. Spread the word about my 2nd Blogoversary Freebies and - please come back again soon!


Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 11/23/11 - Weaving My Way with a Web!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

This  week, after completing my 1st Textile Art Commission (yeah! photos coming soon), I was so jazzed and inspired that I decided to WEAVE a scarf! Mind you, I have only ever woven some paper strips on a scrapbook layout. Have never even woven a potholder!

But I want a new scarf for the holidays, and decided that I can make a scarf. How hard can it be? I haven't crocheted or knitted in over 4 decades, and decided to use a combination of macrame, crochet chains and weaving.

After days of researching looms, terms, yarns and weaving supplies on the 'net, I designed a modified plain-weave structure to create a 'freeform'' extreme style woven scarf using a 'cobbled together' loom and a custom 'web/net/mesh'! I'm using wool, eyelash, novelty yarns and a handspun yarn made by my artist friend Meredith B!

My design is inspired by a fantabulous piece of handmade art paper, found at this artist blog - click here for Renate Kirkpatrick.

  Top of my 'cobbled together' door loom

Yarns and ribbons

Have you ever made a scarf? What technique did you use - weaving, crochet, knitting or other?

Come back soon to see how the finished scarf turns out! Meanwhile check out other artists studios at WOYWW!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 11-16-11: My First Ever Textile Art Commission!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome!

For WOYWW this week, I'm working on my very first textile art commission!

Stay tuned for textile project details when it's completed. After I finish this commission, my next project is a fiber art piece -I can't wait to finish it. I can't sleep, I'm so excited thinking about it!

Have you ever worked or played with textiles? What's your fave luxury fabric? Do you ever use exotic/novelty yarns in your work? any ribbons? Nowadays, I am loving ribbons!

Don't forget to see my 2nd Blogoversary FREEBIES post! See more artist studios here at WOYWW.

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back soon.

Peace,

LuLu