'The SECRET to MAKE More TIME!' plus a Freebie!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes - Artist and Bricoleur

Howdy and Welcome!

I'm back for a hot minute, but I had to share this with you...

Today I got an email from an artist whose mailing list includes me. In it, she claims that no one can make more time. I responded back to her email, that we CAN all make more time. 

I’ve found the (not so) SECRET solution aka Time Management.

 

The SECRET for ‘making more time’ is:

1. prioritizing,
2. nixing time wasters,
3. planning (focus and work your plan),
4. just say ‘no’ to everything non-goal related,
5. reducing commitments.

Try these tips for 1 day, 1 week, 1 month - then comment on this post below on your results.

I have been using these tips for about 3 years - and they work great for me. I am moving closer to some goals, and accomplishing others!

Freebie! 

(right click on image, then Save)

(Photo courtesy of D. Daruszka)

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace,

LuLu

P.S. I love my two Tim Holtz Tonic glass mats. I use the large right-handed mat in my main craft studio. The small travel glass mat is the left-handed version that I use on the desk in my upstairs computer office. Do you use either of these TH glass mats?

GIVEAWAY Winner is...!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes - Artist and Bricoleur

Howdy and Welcome!

The winner of the 2020 Birthday Giveaway is.........

Mary Kay! Congratulations!

Mary Kay please contact me with your email address asap (use the Contact Form in right sidebar) or email me at:

 nuvoclassic @ aol dot com  

and we'll get the process started for shipment of your fabulous crafting goodies!

You will LOVE your package!

Peace,

LuLu

'Office / Studio Tour: Bullet Journal Supplies and my Work Desk'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

On this stormy and steamy Sunday morning in Chicago, I'd like you to have a peek at my upstairs office.  This is where I do bullet journaling, bible journaling, and online tasks.

Desk - Long shot (left, center, right)

Desk view - lower Left

Desk view - upper Right

Desk view - upper Left 

Desk view - Center

My BUJO must have supplies are (in alphabetical order):

• ·         Cling stamps and stamp pads
• ·         Erasers
•    o   Eraser – artist gum
•    o   Eraser – Frixion
• ·         Gesso – white
• ·         Glue stick – Elmer’s All Purpose
• ·         Highlighters
•    o   Highlighter- Permanent – Sharpie (all colors)
•    o   Highlighters - Erasable Highlighters - Frixion highlighters (all colors)
• ·         Journals  - hardcover, pockets, elastic (dot or ruled) not  LT1917
• ·         Markers
•    o   Marker – Brush – Wink of Stella (clear)
•    o   Marker – Pilot Precise V5 Rolling Ball – Extra Fine (black)
•    o   Markers – Brush – zig Clean Color Real Brush (set)
•    o   Markers - Crayola Pip Squeaks (set)
•    o   Markers – Fineline Pen 0.38mm (set)
•    o   Markers – Mildliners dual tip (all color sets)
•    o   Markers – Sakura Pigma Micron  01 (brown)
•    o   Markers – Stabilo OHPen Universal F (set) - waterproof
•    o   Markers – Tombow Twintone - dual tip (set)
• ·         Pens
•    o   Pen - Erasable Pens - Frixion pens (all colors) + refills
•    o   Pen - Fountain pens (various brands, inks, and nib sizes)
•    o   Pen – Gel – PaperMate Ink Joy 1.0mm (set)
•    o   Pen – Gel- PaperMate Gel 0.7
•    o   Pen – Sakura Gel Glaze (black)
•    o   Pen - Ballpoint pens – Staples (black, red, blue)
• ·         Pencils
•    o   Pencil – colored pencils (various brands)
•    o   Pencil – No. 2 with eraser
• ·         Post Its – 3 sizes and colors (blank and ruled)
• ·         Ribbons - 3/8”W ribbons cut to 8”L (as bookmarks)
• ·         Ruler – 6”
• ·         Stickers (Faith, Wonder Woman, Star Wars, Minions)
• ·         Tabs – DIY or Staples
• ·         Tapes
•    o   Tape - Correction tape ‘ Mr. Pen’ (set)
•    o   Tape - Skinny washi tapes
•    o   Tape – Removable tapes (one-sided & double-sided)
•    o   Tape – Permanent tapes (Scotch Magic & double-sided)
• ·         Templates - Plastic shape templates (flowchart and circles)
• ·         Boards – Dash & Writing (DIY from Dollar Tree cutting mat)

Do you BuJo? What are your must have supplies? 
I'd love for you to comment!

Thanks for visiting!

Peace,
LuLu

'WILD News during my September Birthday month! 'Baby #2 leaves the nest!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy!

 

I know... it’s been a long while since I've posted. Now I’ve got news that I just have to share... 

On Saturday 9/21/2019, I sold ANOTHER of my mini art journals (3.5” x 4”) in a deal to an artist [Tanako Konishi] that I showed it to during  the annual Beverly Art Walk here in Chicago! This book is number 2 in a series of 3.

 

'untitled '
2/3
Mary Lou Haynes
c 2019

 

He loved it – turning pages and gushing over it. He really wanted to buy it - even though I explained that it is full of my experiments and tests, image transfers, a self-portrait, and custom washi tapes. It is not even titled. I suggested a trade because I really wanted one of his (pricey) pieces hanging on the gallery wall. He agreed - so we settled the deal right then and there. He took one of his very pricey art works off the wall (a digital collage under glass) and handed it over to me on the spot. He explained his inspiration for the piece, layering, the collage imagery, and symbolism.

Someone standing nearby took photos -  one of me and my husband holding Tanako's piece (about 36” square) and one of me with Tanako holding my teeny, tiny, little mini book. This all happened SO FAST! Less than 10 minutes – it’s blur. I was in shock! I’m STILL in shock. When we walked out of that gallery, my hubby told me that I’m a great ‘negotiator’! J

Now, to replace that book (which I already miss), I’m resuming work on the final mini art journal of that series (3/3). I had started all 3 at the same time in 2013. When I get another opportunity like that, I want to be prepared! (The first mini art journal of the series (1/3)  I ‘lent’ to someone to look at ‘when she had time’. But she never gave it back to me when I asked for it...so I wrote that one off to experience....)

 

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment.

 

Peace,

LuLu

 

 

 

' Exciting Announcement - New Art Journaling Workshop this Summer 2016 - and You're Invited!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes



Howdy and Welcome,

I am pleased to announce that I have been selected to teach another Mixed Media Art Journaling class this summer in Chicago at the Beverly Arts Center. That's two years in a row that I will be teaching at the BAC.

And I would like to invite you to join us
!

"We're Not In Kansas Anymore"
Tangling Doodle by LuLu Haynes
 

'Fan' of an art journal I created

A Page in an art Journal I created

Hope you will plan now to join us!

Registration and Art Journaling Workshop Details here or click the CLASS tab above.
Limited seating. Workshop size is limited to 8 students.

LODGING
Closest hotel is the Hilton Chicago / Oak Lawn, IL. This Hilton hotel offers a FREE Scheduled Shuttle in addition to an indoor swimming pool and other amenities. Hilton Hotel in Oak Lawn, IL

Thanks for stopping by - and please become a Follower.

Come back soon - two more exciting announcements are coming soon. (Shhhhh! Could one announcement be a Giveaway?!!!)

Peace,
LuLu

'Invitation to my Art Journaling class in Chicago, IL, USA!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

You are invited to join me, Mary Lou Haynes, for the summer 2-day intensive Art Journaling workshop ‘mini-camp’ that I will be teaching in Chicago, IL, USA at the Beverly Arts Center! BAC members enjoy a discount on workshop fee.

·        Tue, Jun 23, 2015 from  1pm – 4:30pm

·        Thu, Jun 25, 2015 from  1pm – 4:30pm

Sample of an art journal Cover (Paris) by Mary Lou

(SU15) Basic Mixed Media Prep 101: Art Journaling - In this 2-day workshop ‘mini-camp’, you will explore mixed media and in the process, transform a blank journal into a fun art journal! Art techniques include: laminating, frottage, collage, under-journaling, resists, glazing, masks, stenciling, and tangling. Once you learn these techniques you’ll never look at a blank page the same. The instructor will bring her personal collection of art journals for ideas and inspiration. See supplies list for items to bring to class – also, some FREE supplies will be provided.

Ages 15+.

Instructor: Mary Lou Haynes

Please contact the Beverly Arts Center with questions. Or click Registration info

 

Thanks for visiting - please become a Follower and come back soon!

Peace,

LuLu

keywords: art journal, camp, Chicago, class, collage, doodling, free supplies, frottage, gesso, glazing, laminating, masks, mixed media, resists, stenciling, tangling, under-journaling, washi tape, workshop

'Art Journal Workshop - and OTF Mixed Media Classes!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes


Here are some photos from the art journal workshop I attended in mid-June. This event was hosted by the organizer of our Art Journal Enthusiasts group at her art-filled home. In addition to working on my current art project, I taught several, quick, little mini-classes, all on-the-fly(OTF):

1. Aging/Distressing paper
2. Oil paper
3. Acrylic glazes
4. Gesso tinting
5. Gesso Frottage
6. Under-writing
7. Collage composition

 MaryLee and Linda

 

 

 a palette - and a piece of my embossed and painted

 metal tape (upper right corner)

 

 

 Gelli plate (left)  with pulled packing tape prints (right)

 

 

 The kitchen island-worktable was also my makeshift OTF 'classroom'

 

 

I loved the textures and colors of dried up paint on this stamp (right)

 

 

Harriet and Debbie and Dahlia

 

 

MaryLee was a delightful hostess. We were all incredibly inspired during our play day. I was pooped by the time I got home, but I had a won-der-ful time!

 

Next month, I officially teach my DIY Washi Tape class to our AJE members!!!

 

 

 

YOUR TURN

Do you make art journals? Have you ever attended an art journal class, workshop or mixed-media class? What are your 3-fave mixed-media or art journaling techniques?

 

Thanks for stopping by today. Please leave a comment - and come back soon!

 

Peace,

LuLu

 

 

 

'FREEBIES! Art Journal Page Backgrounds / Textures - celebrating 100 Followers in 2012!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

 

Howdy and welcome,

 

As part of the celebration for attaining 100 Followers of my blog , I'm offering this mixed-media collection of  backgrounds - FREE! FREE! FREE!

 

These FREE backgrounds are from my art journal (a giveaway prize) that I created using custom designer tape, custom labels, custom stamps, patterned scrapbook papers, die cuts frames, tissue  papers, painted wax paper, deli papers, custom embossed metal tape, copyright free images, Rollagraph stamps, Stampin' around stamps, printed tissue paper, Tim Holtz tissue paper, ink, acrylic paints, custom glazes and gessos (clear, black, white, custom tinted) using a wide variety of mixed-media techniques.

 

Yep! You read it right - these backgrounds are FREE for you to use in your artwork!

 

So...
how will you use these FREEBIES?

 

• Will you create textures by printing a page for your art journals, altered books, visual journals and assemblages?
• Or will you make image transfers by inkjet printing onto deli paper, copy paper or transparencies - and adhering with soft gel medium?
• Or how about dishing up some digital layers by using these FREEBIES in Adobe Photoshop or in Microsoft Digital Image Editor?!

 

All I ask is that you:

1. please give credit to  'www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com' when you use these in your art work.
2. please send me a link to your blog post of any work you create using these  FREE FREE FREE backgrounds. I'd love to see what specatacular stuff you come up with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Small journal from Staples Office supply store - lined paper.
• Pages glue laminated together for strength.
• Pages 'under journaled' (a Pam Carriker term) with pencil resists (graphite and colored pencils).

 

Thanks for visiting - please leave a comment while you're here - and come back soon....My GIVEAWAY for 100 Followers Giveaway will start this summer 2012 - with fun and artsy prizes for one lucky Follower's creating pleasure!

Peace,
LuLu

WOYWW - 02-01-12: ..one of the greatest pleasures...!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes


Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW today, I'm showing a tiny corner of my workstation, where I've been playing in my art journal #4 (no title yet).

These 2 pix show the full '..CREATE page' - and a corner of the same page with me in the bottom right corner. In the full page picture, you can also see a few strips of my custom designer masking tape, on the upper left. Love it! Upper right shows a roll of TH tape and a roll of 7 Gypsies tape.

I doodled a bunch of bubbles inside the giant letters. The background shows my initial handwritten journaling using colored pencil. Love the way the handwriting adds a hint of texture underneath the glaze.

Playing in my journals has become addictive! Just have the most fun time creating backgrounds and textures. Can my scrapbooking addiction be falling by the wayside - eek!

unfinished CREATE ANYTHING page WIP

 "...to create anything is one of the

greatest pleasures of all.'

- paul wilson

Supplies used - so far: Pentel pen,

gel pens, marker,

embossed metal tape, acrylic paint,

colored pencil, custom acrylic glaze,

gesso, soft gel medium (gloss),

vintage image inkjet printed on deli paper

that's me spying out of the

right corner of this journal page

Supplies: B and W image

inkjet printed on transparency

What about you? Have you discovered art journals yet? Have you tried the new SMASH journals? I got both sizes and started playing in them a tad. Not sure I like them too much - I find it sort of hard to turn the pages...but we'll see how they turn out. Verdict's not in yet...

Thanks for stopping by! Would love for you to comment on this post - or any of my other posts - and become a Folllower too while you're here.

Go see more inspiring  WOYWW artist studios here!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 2/2/11 - Laminatin' Heaven Inside / Snowtorious Outside!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Outside, here in Chicago, it's the Snowtorious B.I.G. Blizzard of 2011. But inside it's warm and comfy where I'm finishing up a little project to organize my future art projects. (We are so blessed to still have heat and power.).

The challenge was gathering supplies every time a new project is started. I was always neglecting to take something out - and then I was scrambling for something before medium or paint got too dry to manipulate.

So I decided that a supplies list was in order - a permanent list to use every time I start working on a project, including a written goal of what I want to accomplish during the art session. This way I can stay focused, be more efficient, effective and hopefully, more productive. Up until now, most of my art sessions have been random and serendipitous. I'd just work on whatever caught my fancy. Or experiment with whatever technique I'd just read about.

 Left to right: Golden Interference acrylic paint
(in a travel shampoo bottle with
 dabber applicator top), Xyron 510 refill,
YES! paste,

Permanent Supplies List, Xyron 510

You can see the laminated Supplies List just peeking out from under the right edge of the  Xyron 510 refill.

To make the list, I picked a sheet of Strathmore Bristol paper from my stash that was used as an experiment for calligraphy practice. It also had gold glitter all over it. I picked this Bristol paper because it's like thick cardstock. Then I covered it with some tinted gesso, and let that dry. I added a glaze from my stash I'd concocted with Golden Interference acrylic paint. Then I cut the paper in half from top to bottom and adhered the two pieces back to back with Xyron 510 permanent adhesive.

Next, I stuck a small double-sided tab in between the sheets at the top. It has one of my initials on each side. I adhered the tabs using my little Xyron 'X' sticker maker.

Then, I hand printed the list using a Sakura Glaze pen and printed the title with the calligraphy tip of a Copic pen. At first, I was going to type my list into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, but changed my mind. I decided that a hand printed list would be much prettier to look at for the next few years...

After the inks dried, I switched out the Xyron 510 perm adhesive refill for the Xyron 510 laminating refill. Then laminated the list. This was the first time I did any laminating with the Xyron. Not sure I did it 100% correctly, but it came out great for my purposes.

By the way, I also re-organized my workstation again before I started this project. My goals were to get as much stuff off my table as possible and to only have 1 current project on the table - in addition to my regular essential tools. I'm still working towards these goals, but getting a lot closer!

Here is a peek at more WOYWW artist desks.

Thanks for stopping by - and I'd love for you to become a follower while you're here. Just click the Follow button at the top of the page (if you're logged into www.blogspot.com.)

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - Makin' a mess!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week, my workspace has some altered books that I'm prepping to be travel journals.

"Makin' a Mess" -
vintage kids books, gessos, wax paper, deli paper, rubbermaid containers

Left book is an old hardcover Golden kids book. Right book is a softcover kids book. Over the past few months, both books have been slathered with multiple layers of gesso (tinted, clear and white). This was after pages were removed and alternate pages adhered together for more support. Page corners are decorated with my 'homemade' embossed aluminum tape. Just finished another gesso layer and they're going to dry overnight.

Some of the rubbermaid containers were a failed idea. A while back I mixed several colors of tinted gesso. The few that I covered with plastic wrap  before putting on the lid all dried out. Oh, well - you live and learn. At least they didn't all dry out!

Have you tried your hand at altering old books yet? How do you prep your books? Do you spend a long time in the 'PREP' phase like I do?! I'd love to see some of your 'prepped' works in progress.

Please comment about this post - or any of my other posts. Here's a peek at more artist spaces at the WOYWW blog hop.

Thanks for visiting and please stop by again soon.

Peace,
LuLu