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

BAPA Press Release - 2016

BAPA Press Release 2016

Week of May 29: West of Western

---

Events

Registration is open for a 2-day mixed media art journaling workshop with local artist Mary Lou Haynes, Tues., June 14 and Thurs., June 16, 1 to 4 p.m., Beverly Arts Center (BAC), 2407 W. 111th St. Registration/info.

Marcus Jones, author, Chicago cable talk-show host, motivational speaker, to speak Wed., June 1, 6:30 p.m. Free. Chicago Public Library Beverly Branch, 1962 W. 95th St. 312-747-9673.

Beverly Unitarian Church, 103rd and Longwood Drive, will host a Flea Market on the Lawn, Sat., June 11, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendor spaces are available for $25. Save the date to join neighbors who are looking for bargain! Info: 312-618-1814.

The Super Sunny 5K, an event that benefits adults with intellectual disabilities at Garden Center Services, will be held Sat., June 4, 8:30 a.m., Newcastle Park, Burbank. Info and registration.

'Mixed Media RETREAT - Early Bird DIVA Playroom Pass - $75 through 4/30/15!'

Come play in our PLAYROOM all weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - up to 50 hours!
Limited seating.
For Ladies 18 and up.



Make IT! Mark IT! Mask IT! Mixed Media Midwest - Chicago Retreat!
August 14 - 16, 2015
Hampton Inn and Suites
Aurora, IL, USA

1) Get full details here OR register below. Select Early Bird DIVA Weekend Pass through 4/30/15 for $75 USD.

This is the best value for those not wanting workshops - just 3 days of PLAY time!

Online event registration for 'Make IT! Mark IT! Mask IT!' - PLAYROOM powered by Eventbrite

'FREE TUTORIAL: Image Transfer using Contact Paper!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Here is another free tutorial. This tutorial I wrote describing my process for an IMAGE TRANSFER. There are many, many different image transfer processes out there in cyber space. This is one of the processes that worked well for me.

 
Note: Soft Gel medium (gloss) was not used for the image transfer - but soft gel medium (gloss) was used to adhere the contact paper to the artwork after the image was transferred.

SUPPLIES LIST:

• clear contact paper (I got mine either at Target or Menards - don't recall which)
• inkjet image to take to copy shop (I prefer to use copyright free artwork - for example, antique images, my own artwork or my own photos)
• toner copy of above image from copy shop (reversed, if it has text you want to preserve as readable in final art piece)
• shallow container of hot water, larger than image
• soft gel medium (gloss) or other 'plastic-to-paper' glue, like '3-in-1' (Beacon)
• clear gesso or soft gel medium (matte) - optional
• palette knife, old credit card, or sponge brush to apply soft gel medium
• paper towels (dry and slightly damp)
• wet wipes (optional)
• workable fixative  (optional)

Note: Skip the copy shop steps if you print a toner copy of your image on your home laser printer.

Note: You can also skip the copy shop step if you 'fix' your inkjet image by spraying  it outdoors with 'WORKABLE FIXATIVE' (Krylon). The disadvantage of using WORKABLE FIXATIVE spray is that it can only be used with ventilation in specific temperatures and specific humidity's. I live in Chicago. So I'm limited to spraying  WORKABLE FIXATIVE outdoors in 5-7 months a year. But I can take my inkjet image to the copy shop all year... 

Important: The reason we do not use an inkjet printed image directly in our wet artwork is that the ink will smear. Inkjet printer ink is water-soluble, therefore it will smear with moisture. However, if you WANT your artwork to have smeared images then you do not need to use WORKABLE FIXATIVE or a toner copy...

PROCESS [over several days]

My clear contact paper transfer process follows, which I accomplished over several days: 

1. scan antique color image into computer and reverse image using image editing software (I scanned it first because I want to keep this image on my computer)
2. print reversed color copy on home inkjet printer
3. take color inkjet image to local copy center and have them make a 'toner' color copy (also the copy shop can reverse the image if you prefer them to reverse it)
4. 'fussy cut' toner image out of paper leaving small margin all around the image (leave about .25 inch)
5. cut contact paper a little larger than the image
6. apply clear contact paper to toner image and burnish contact paper (I let image set overnight after burnishing)
7. fill a shallow plastic 'Tupperware style' container with very hot water
8. plunge image to soak for a minute or two, until paper is saturated
9. remove image from pan and lay it onto a paper towel -  paper side up to absorb excess water on bottom.
10. rub off wet paper with finger, gently - rub and rub. Moisten paper with drips of water if it dries in this step. Don't rub too hard! WHen all the paper is rubbed off there will be a slight white film.
11. dry overnight [or longer] after all paper is removed. (I made a whole batch of image transfers on one day. When they were all dry, I stored them in a drawer labled 'Image Transfers: READY'...)

TO USE IMAGE TRANSFER

• When you want to use the transfer apply a very thin layer of soft gel medium (gloss)  on your artwork and on the back of your contact paper image with old credit card or foam brush.
• Lay the contact paper image, dry side up / wet side down, into the medium on your artwork. And, starting in the center of image, gently press out any air bubbles with your fingers towards the outer edges [several time]. Before each pass, with a wet wipe, remove any medium from your fingers. Carefully blot up any excess medium if it squishes out the sides with slightly damp paper towel. Dry overnight.
• Because the contact paper is slick, you'll have a glossy image on your artwork. If you don't want glossy, apply a thin layer of clear gesso or a thin layer of soft gel medium (matte) to the transfer, or to your whole art piece, as you like.

TEST, TEST, TEST!

  

I tested this transfer process (and many other image transfer processes) before using it on my 'good' artwork.

CONTACT PAPER VS. PACKING TAPE? WHICH PRODUCT TO USE?

Packing tape and Contact paper made identical image transfers in my tests. So you might ask, why use clear contact paper instead of using clear packing tape? Which product you choose to use depends on the size of the image that you want to transfer. 

• clear packing tape is useful for small images
• clear contact paper is useful for larger images.

My test results of various image transfer techniques, including inkjet print on deli paper, showed that the contact paper and packing tape images came out the best (clearer and crisper).

LET US SEE YOUR IMAGE TRANSFERS!

Would love to see your results if you try my Image Transfer Contact Paper process. In the comments of this post, please send me a link to the post on your blog.

Would love for you to comment on this post.

Thanks for visiting and please come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu
http://www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/

'A Day of Tatoos and Tapes'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Well you know the saying about 'best laid plans'....This morning hubby and I realised that walking around the Art museum all day would be murder on my sprained ankle and his bum knee since he just had surgery. What were we thinking?!

So while hubby took a nap I worked on my job search. When he awoke we decided to drive in the opposite direction of downtown Chicago. We went shopping at the Michaels craft store in Tinley Park, IL. Hubby bought all the lovely goodies below for me!
Thank you, Hubble!

Goodies from Tinley Park's Michaels!

• 2 jars of matte gel medium (regular and heavy) by Golden,
• matte medium and glazing medium by Liquitex,
• 3 packs of tatoos/decals,
• 2 packs of tape runner refills,
• 4 self-adhesive wallpaper borders (on sale for $1.99 each) - I'll use these as tape,
• a roll of pattern Duck tape,
• 2 great art books (one about collage and the other about mixed-media).

After the shopping spree, we drove through Tinley Park's quaint downtown and found a great restaurant for lunch.

We hope to get back to the Art Institute of Chicago again - eventually. And no, I'm not going to CHA. I've had invitations - but CHA doesn't seem like my cup of tea. Too crowded for my tastes!

YOUR TURN!
Have you ever used Golden's gel medium in your artwork? How did you use it? What about Liquitex's glazing medium? or Liquitex's matte medium? What's your fave glue for adhering tissue paper or napkins? What's your fave glue for adhering fabric? Do you every use fusible web? Misty Fuse? Have you used fusible web or Misty fuse on paper?!

Thanks for stopping by to visit - would love for you to comment - and please come back often. My '100 Followers Giveaway' is coming  later this summer!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 02/29/2012 - Art Journals, Ribbons, Metal Tapes. Oh, my!'

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For WOYWW this week, I thought you might like to see some of my Art Journals in progress. Last year I fell in love with ribbon and now adorn the wire bindings of my AJs with ribbons, ribbons and more ribbons.

On the left is a stack of metal tape (aluminum repair tape), on the right a 'gaggle of glazes' that I concocted. Click here for my tutorial on how to emboss and paint metal tape.

These are two of my AJs using my fave books - Canson Montval Field Watercolor Book (Acid Free, 140lb cold press, Watercolor Paper).

MOST RANDOM GOODNESS:

All ribbons were selected randomly from my stash - and then randomly tied onto wire binding. I prefer not to have matchy-match colors.

Do you create Art Journals? What brand is your favorite store bought blank book to use for journals? Have you tried Canson watercolor? Moleskine watercolor? Do you embellish your bindings with ribbons, and other goodies?

Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to Follow me and comment on this post - or any of my other posts. Also, check out my MUSIC tab!

STAY TUNED for my spring Giveaway coming in March! And see more artists desks at this fun hop WOYWW!

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

'Deep in the throes...' Thank you, Sting and George Lucas!

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome!

I'm deep in the throes of re-organizing and purging in my 'winter' craft studio. Not much fun, but I'll sure be happy when I can focus on making art. While I'm busy with that task and up to my neck in errant art supplies, here's a spread I created in an altered book art journal - from last fall.

"...growing up is optional!'
Inkjet transfer/transparency, gel medium, Acrylic wash, gel pen,
colored pencil, vellum, rub on, custom embossed foil tape with acrylic paint

My 60th birthday is rapidly approaching and the sentiment on the left page reflects my feeling perfectly this year. (Sting and I are nearly twins - his 60th birthday is a few days after mine! I'm a big Sting fan - and going with another couple to his concert in November. Sting is releasing his 25th anniversay CD collection on my birthday. I'm also a huge Star Wars fan - and George Lucas is releasing his Blu-ray collection of the Star Wars saga on on my birthday. Isn't that so nice of those guys to give such great 60th birthday presents? :-)

The past few weeks I've been assembling a list of 60 items (places to go, things to buy) - one item for each year on planet Earth! I'm also adding ideas to the back half of an altered book art journal that I started in May of this year - to chronicle our 35th wedding anniversary celebration.

What do you do on your milestone birthdays? Do you plan to do anything special to celebrate your milestone birthdays? I'd love to hear what you've done for your milestone birthdays.

Thanks for stopping by. Please take some time to look around my blog - there are all sorts of neat things to see - and come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu 

'WOYWW - 6/1/11 - Art Journal and Stamping!"

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I've been on vacation, making art and doing (dreaded) chores. Haven't been playing in WOYWW for a month (or longer?) This week there are 2 main projects on my work table I thought I'd share. Managed to take some quick photos last night before I got too sleepy.

1) I'm painting in a little art journal (after glue laminating pages and collaging pages).

2) Also I'm stamping on my own custom decorative tapes. Customizing tapes is loads of fun! I use my custom tapes in art journals and altered books  - in addition to using tapes from 7gypsies (great stickiness!) and tissue tapes from Ranger/Tim Holtz. Ladies at the scrapbook stores love my tapes and said I should be selling them and teaching workshops. We shall see about that...Meanwhile,

Art journal and supplies

Stamping supplies for custom decorative tape making (upper right)

Have you ever made your own custom decorative tapes?
Would you be interested in a tutorial on how to make your own customized masking tape?
Please comment here to answer these questions.

Also, whether you comment or not, please take a moment and complete the fun poll in upper right sidebar! I'm wondering what folks would like to see more of in my blog?

Thanks for stopping by - and hope you come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

Checkout new poll, Theme Thursday challenge, and 'No Fear' art journal page!

'No Fear'
 -  page from art journal #2
'Never Give Up - Never Surrender!'
ingredients: Masking tape,
pencil, sepia pen, 
acrylic dabber paints, 
soft gel medium,
Sharpie paint pens,
gray and black markers,
matte medium, gessos,
and gel pens on
sketchpaper -
technique: layers of
art tettering

Howdy and Welcome,

Thanks to all of you who have found my blog!

I've been getting positive, encouraging comments on my art blog posts. I've won some contests!

So I'm wondering if I could join someone's Dream Team. I'm putting my wish out there. It would be fabulous to work full time on art! Ultimately, my art would be published in mags like Somerset Studio, Artful Blogging, CPS, travelling worldwide to teach workshops and retreats (in France and Italy) and to  host DVD's for Interweave using my own mixed-media techniques!

Wouldn't that be super-calli - fragi?!

Poll closes Sep 26 2010 at midnight. Please vote. All are welcome to vote - you do not need to be a follower to vote. And if someone wants ME to come on board right now, yippee! and please contact me pronto!

This image 'No Fear' is entered in the Theme Thursday challenge, WORDS, too! What great timing.
(Note: This is a found saying, not my own.  I read voraciously. Don't recall where I saw it.)

Thanks for stopping by to visit. Please become my follower while you're here, won't you?

Peace,
LuLu
http://www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/