'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?

'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

'...and she Scores!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Over the weekend I scored 3 of these Ikea 'Alex' carts at a local art studio's going out of business sale. Got them for $25 each. Normally one cart is $120! I can't believe I now own Ikea furniture. They roll as smooth as butter. Can't wait to load 'em up with supplies.

 

These are just a few items I got in a GI-nor-MOUS haul that day for my new studio. Still have a LOT of work to do before I post studio tour pix. So stay tuned.

 

FREEBIES AND TUTORIALS

While you're here, don't forget to grab a freebie or check out one of my tutorials!

 

Thanks for visiting - and come back often. More SUPER exciting news is just around the corner!

 

Peace,

LuLu

 

 

 

'WOYWW - My Neat and Tidy Table - huh?!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

After the Scrap-A-Thon retreat I hosted during Halloween weekend and the holidays, my table was a disaster.

I finally had a chance to tidy up a bit recently.

LuLu's Art Studio - Northern exposure - Chicago IL, USA

And I actually sat down and played in a couple of my Art Journals! But mostly I've been practicing my knitting and crochet - which I think are great for cold weather.

Want to see more studios? Head on over to Julia's blog - click here.

Thanks for stopping by - and check out my FREEBIES on this blog!!!

Peace,
LuLu

"How to Travel Light with Wet Art Supplies - or What's In My Art Kit and Travel Bag?"

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,


How to Travel Light with Wet Art Supplies!

I'm a Mad Scientist At Work!

This travel bag  is another experiment to try to travel light with a small amount of wet supplies in my art kit for Art Journaling on the go. I'm using small travel-size bottles - store bought, old film canister and empty vials from complimentary hotel toiletries.

 

SUPPLIES - WET ART KIT

1. Clinique clear makeup pouch (I found a 'lot' of used makeup pouches at a cheap price on eBay)
2. snack baggie - vertical/portrait
3. snack baggie - horizontal/landscape
4. water brush - fine tip
5. water brush - broad tip
6. wet glue pen - 2 way (perm and repo)
7. medium - matte medium 'Liquitex'
8. medium- gloss medium 'Claudine Hellmuth 'Studio'
9. h2o
10. acrylic paint  - gold 'Lumiere' fabric paint - opaque
11. acrylic paint - glitter - gold
12. gesso - white  'Claudine Hellmuth 'Studio'
13. gesso - clear
14. gesso - black  'Claudine Hellmuth 'Studio'
15. homemade acrylic glaze - warm color
16. homemade acrylic glaze-  cool color
17. glitter glue - silver 'Stickles'
18. hand sanitizer gel
19. clip - 'bulldog' binder clip

Note: The book with embossed map cover is from sale at Michaels craft store. It's my travel diary, not an AJ. It's to prop up the supplies. I bought several because I really like the map cover.

YOUR TURN!

Do you separate your WET supplies from DRY?  Do you travel light with your art journal supplies? Or lug 'the kitchen sink'? Do you like to use the new water brushes by Tim Holtz, etc.? Have you tried filling them with colorant instead of water? India inks? acrylic inks?

I would love to see what's in YOUR art kits/travel bags! Reply to this post with a link to your blog post.

Thanks for stopping by - and stay tuned. Fun posts are coming soon!!! Please become a Follower if you're not already.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 07/18/2012 - Too TidyToday!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,
For WOYWW this week the table in my craft studio is tidy!

Workstation with organizing checklist!

No projects are on my workstation today because tomorrow I'm off to visit the Art Institute of Chicago with hubby - to see art works in the New Modern wing!

Although we do live in Chicago, our neighborhood is so far away from downtown Chicago (aka The City) that it is always a grand adventure to 'go downtown'.  I used to work downtown years ago, but now I feel like a tourist. Which is a good thing!

Do you like to visit museums? What is you favorite museum? Have you been to The Louvre in Paris? or the Victoria and Albert Museum in London? I never really liked museums until I went to see the Louvre - I spent the whole day there. I liked The Louvre so much, I went back the next day!

Thanks for visiting my blog today - would love for you to comment. Please come back often - my '100 Followers Giveaway' is coming this summer!

For more artist's studios, visit Julia's Stamping Ground here.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 11/30/11: Blasts from the Past!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week, I thought I'd share some 'vintage' documents I rediscovered while organizing my jewelry studio/dining room/sun parlor. These old books were in my art portfolio, for some illogical reason. I plan to put them in acid free photo albums or page protectors in 3-ring binders.

In second photo are other projects I need to 'tidy up' the table in this multi-purpose room. Which seems to be a never ending task - sometimes I feel like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up the mountain! Setup all the supplies, work on project, put away supplies, and repeat! Argh! Of course, I shouldn't complain - I DO have another art studio, where I can leave stuff setup. But the table is really tiny in that room and there is no 'view' out the window...

Do you keep projects out and ready to go? Or do you have to put stuff away and setup all the time?

Thanks for stopping by - would love for you to become a Follower while you're here. And don't forget to take the POLL in right sidebar! You can visit other artist studios playing in the WOYWW blog hop here.

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 - 12/14: How to Distract Yourself in 758 Ways!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For List IT Tuesday this week, I took inventory of most 'stuff' in our living room. It serves as the 'family room/media room/foyer/copy center/dining room/library/gym/art gallery'.
 

'How to Distract Yourself in 758 Ways'

We have 'zones' - I guess you would call them... Near the front door, we use a 6 ft. tall  Japanese shoji screen as a room divider to visually separate the 'foyer' from the main family room.


Shortly after we moved into our house, one of my antique pianos was even in the corner of this room - which also served as the music studio. But that baby grand took up almost half the room! Decided I didn't really need two pianos in the house! So I soon arranged to have it moved to the home of a friend who was searching for a piano. They have lot more space in their living room, and are taking quite good care of it.


Anyway, this room serves so many functions. Too many! I'm thinking that hubby and I need to do some purging and re-organizing for the new year. It's time to read my Feng Shui books and put them to good use!


Do you have a multi-function room in your residence - a room that's not your kitchen? How do you delineate the room functions? Would love to see your comments.


Meanwhile, here are some more lists for your List It Tuesday viewing pleasure.

Thanks for visiting - and please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

Virtual Fall Studio Tour!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Here are shots of the inside art studio that I will be using now (Autumn 2010) through Spring 2011. Then I'll move everything BACK to the Summer studio on the front porch - that's about 6 months from now...

Northwest view

My workstation - the size of a desk blotter!

 You can just make out my 'Apprentice' organizer in the left foreground.

I love this shot of the northern exposure with diffused sunlight -

 so you get to see it twice, too!

Thanks for stopping by - and don't forget to checkout my 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

How to organize acrylic paints stash

I don't have a LOT of acrylic paints. But one way that I organize my most often used acrylic paints is in the top 2 drawers of a rolling cart. The long skinny bins I found in sets at JoAnns. These bins keep the drawers categorized and also keep things from rolling around too much.

Tube acrylics and Claudine Hellmuth paints - stored bottoms up for quick access. Ranger Dabbers, Golden FLuid acrylics and Making Memories.

My other, least used bottle and tube acrylic paints are kept in bins in the large middle drawer of a 3-drawer rolling cart.

How do you store your acrylic paints?

STUDIO Twenty Ten - Before and After

My Art/Craft studio is slowly getting more organized and efficient, after the horrendous crash of my worktable on Labor Day 2009! Someday, hope it will be a 'well oiled machine' so I can create works in the same time frame that I imagine them - I have so many ideas, yet so little time...

before - North

after - North

Before - South after - South

before - West

after - West Here's a digital montage just finished - after working on components for several months!

Gal in Bubble - digital collage

Working on art journals now. Reviewing ancient writing - cuneiform, hieroglypics, more calligraphy, various modern languages, ancient greek alphabet and more poetry. Lots to research!