Month: April 2011 | Page 4

Five Questions for….Vicki Chrisman

So we continue the guest blogger month :) Today I’m thrilled to have Vicki Christman as a guest blogger.

Followers of my blog already know it- I have a Vicki -Crush :) Vicki is one of those angels that you sometimes ask yourself how you deserve to have them around ! When I started Scrapbooking she has been my first hero and idol – I loved her style and all those techniques she tried and she always had a way to support the beginners (there it was me) and make you feel content with your work. Love her bunches!

Let’s see how Vicki answers the questions:

@font-face { font-family: “Wingdings”; }@font-face { font-family: “Calibri”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }1. What do you do to get into your creative zone?

Lots of different things can stir my creative juices, but here are a few that are my favorites.

Because I love to “alter”, going junk’n with my sis always gets me excited about creating. Between the two of us, we usually don’t miss much J. We love finding fun unique things to alter.. and priding ourselves in finding the best deals. Lol We both pick up things as we go, tossing out ideas, sharing thoughts, getting inspired. Taking a drive in the country by myself with some good music is a great way for me to get my creativity flowing. (windows down of course) lol

If I am working on a scrapbook page, usually the photo is what inspires me. Other things that inspire me are, fun new papers or products, prints and patterns in fabric, home décor, ect..

@font-face { font-family: “Calibri”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }2. Do you ever create hidden meanings or messages in your work?

Hey… I thought I was the only one who did that. Lol I’ve noticed that I seem to do that more when I’m working on a “collage” or altered layout. It’s kind of fun to add little things, that possibly only you will notice or understand. This layout is one that has always been close to my heart, because it’s of my niece. It probably has more symbolism rather than hidden messages.. but so many things about it seem fitting for her. The eclectic mix of colors and patterns, funky and vintage, are “so her”.

@font-face { font-family: “Calibri”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }3. If your creative work were edible, what would it taste like?

The way I go about “creating” I’m pretty sure it would be something really messy to eat, like corn on the cob. Lol Really, I’m not sure exactly what it would be,… Maybe guacamole? For me, I would wish it would be like Guacamole….. Because I love Guacamole! lol ( with lots of fresh cilantro please)

I have certain projects that are special to me ,for one reason or another. I’m going to break the rules and share two okay? These two are very different from each other. The first one is a metal tray I painted with Glimmer Glam. Painting on Metal is something new I haven’t worked with that much, so it’s a new favorite.

When it comes to layouts, I guess I would pick this one. Since “vintage” is my first love, this probably defines my style best. I love creating with small patterns, ink, hand stitching, machine stitching, and fun textures.

@font-face { font-family: “Calibri”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }5. What is your biggest creative success so far and why?

I guess, any time you’re doing what you really love, it’s a success right? I love what I do! But if I would have to pick one thing, I guess I would say… I very proud of my shadowboxs dies from AccuCut.

I love seeing people create with them. I just get giddy when I see the different ways people have used them.

http://www.accucutcraft.com/stores/5/category.cfm?

Thank you so much Nat for having me here! Love you girl!

Nat

jane w.

April 8, 2011 at 4:52 pm | #

Oh yeah baby..Vicki is THE coolest blogger and artist around…I hardly ever start a day without reading her blog! :)

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debbiek

April 8, 2011 at 2:27 pm | #

Vicki is my create hero! LOvE her stuff and her blog. It’s so much fun hearing more about her. She makes everyone feel welcome to visit her too;) We need more people like her in this world!

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Annie~Savor This Moment

April 7, 2011 at 6:20 pm | #

Love Vicki’s style. Thanks for having her. I’m here via This Art That Make’s Me Happy. HER art makes me happy!

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Diane Font

April 7, 2011 at 3:37 pm | #

Vicki, all I can say is “Fabulous”…I love how you take something from nothing! Love all you put on your blog (please keep blogging) and such marvelous ideas. You are an inspiration to me!

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Marlene (cards4u)

April 7, 2011 at 2:33 pm | #

What a fun post! If you don’t frequent Vicki’s blog you need to go check it out : ) She is truly a delight not to mention very talented!

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Annette

April 7, 2011 at 10:23 am | #

Vicki, When I grow up I want to be just like you! Creative, insightful, playful and fun! 0;D

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Cuchy

April 7, 2011 at 7:40 am | #

One of the first blogs on my reader. Love Vicky’s work. Thanks for letting us know a bit more about her.

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Jane H

April 6, 2011 at 10:39 pm | #

Love the tray Vic, think when you get tired of it, I will claim it! Course, I love all your work, DUH!

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Julie Campbell

April 6, 2011 at 10:11 pm | #

Who doesn’t love Vicki?! She’s amazing! Love all the pieces you chose to go along with this today, Vicki–some of my favorites that you’ve done, too!

Beautiful job, my friend!

Julie

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Julie Higgins

April 6, 2011 at 9:49 pm | #

And one of my crushes too!When she was my paraprofessional in my classroom, she sooo spoiled me! Brought me a homemade lunch every day….like homemade chicken salad!!

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Sherry Bullard

April 6, 2011 at 8:36 pm | #

Love love love VICKI and her work. Love her vintage shabby chic style. And of couse if you follow her blog you will love her stories, she really cracks me up sometimes and just love how she writes on her blog it’s like you can hear her talking to you. I hope to some day be in the same venue as her so that I am able to meet her in person!!

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Vicki Chrisman

April 6, 2011 at 6:43 pm | #

Oh Nat… thank you so much for having me guest for you. You are the dearest of friends……….I love you to pieces!!

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Sue Clarke

April 6, 2011 at 4:16 pm | #

My first introduction to Vicki and I love your creations. The LO of your ROCK niece is fun and the tray is FAB and don’t get me started about the vintage LO. Well, I’m off to get some guacamole!

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Martha Richardson

April 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm | #

Love this….Vicki! Heading off to buy those dies…OMG!

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Jamie Dougherty

April 6, 2011 at 10:27 am | #

Vicki is one of my crushes too!! :)

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Photos: Papirfest – Norway, Stavanger

I had such a blast at the Papirfest workshops,event and during sightseeing. Thank you so much Grethe and May Lis and all the numerous helpers for taking so good care of me and making my stay super special!

The whole journey was sourrounded by…in retrospective funny stories- LOL – beginning with my flights. From the school class – including a young girl that never flew before and her stupid boyfriend telling her all about planecrashes next to me – I was about to say “hi pretty girl- you so deserve better, dish him” – LOL – to the members of a well known motor cycle club where one had a special discussion with the steward why an economy class ticket means economy even when you are huge, tattooed and not really comfy in the small seat. And then at the airport how I was witness how said members of the club were instantly greeted by a huge bunch of police and arrested.

Linda Brun, who is the sweetest !!! – picked me up from the airport and we went to the beach right away – so wonderful and beautiful light!

The classes were so much fun – the girls were all amazing and I loved how different again all layouts and minialbums turned out :)

I crashed into bed and was all of a suddent awake at 2am when I got a phonecall by a dear friend who forgot the time difference from Australia to Europe- LOL – and then at 4 am – when I thought – wowsie- my cell phone alarm is REALLY loud – I realized- no …it was the firealarm. Great…everytime I’m sleeping at a hotel there is firealarm. Makes you think…hum? So I told the girls in the hall way that I don’t care- I stay in the hotel room (that is sooo wrong I know- but I tell you I was sooo crashed). As the alarm did not stop and I was in floor 14 it dawned on me “I don’t wanna die”- so I ran down the fourteen flights – met all my jammy girls – LOL – and we stood there for an hour until the firemen assured us it was indeed a false alarm. Back in the room some neighbors unbeknownst to me thought it was a good time to celebrate their survival by being extremly friendly to each other…so it was it with the sleeping- LOL.

After an amazing yummie breakfast Ingvild Bolme picked me up- it was so awesome to finally meet her and we had a great time together in Stavanger.

Stavanger_07

Beautiful white wooden houses in the old part- I loved them so much!

Stavanger_11

We went to a Sardine Cannery museum and learnt a lot :) especially how you could recognize back then which worker handled which machine when outside the cannery ;) – and I figured that they painted the little silver plastic fish with Glimmer Glaze to make them look smoked – If I have to guess…Cowboy Glimmer Glaze- snigger

Stavanger_12

We had some yummie Cheesecake and chatted even more

Stavanger_14

Stavanger_15

And the end of the sightseeing was the Hafrsfjord – Swords – a national monument – very impressive!

Stavanger_16

Stavanger_17

I was really sad to say bye bye to Ingvild- but I know I will see her soon again :)

The second round of classes was wonderful too – I had so much fun – but I forgot to take pictures- really bad!

We all were pretty tired when we went to the hotel…only to realize, that right next to the hotel was a huge Techno party going on -I could hear the beats till 3am on the 14th floor- crazy. At least no firealarm- LOL.

The flight back was …interesting- LOL – since the same mentioned passengers from the flight to Stavanger were brought to the airport by the police and accompanied into the airplane.

As said it was awesome! I love Norway – or at least what I saw so far – the roughness, light, the people- wonderful country! I’m sure I will be back one day!

Nat

Maia Lurry

June 24, 2011 at 1:42 pm | #

yeah,I just thought you might want to know that your blog is messed up whenever you view it on my iphone. I?m not positive if it’s some thing to accomplish with my telephone?s browser or your site? just stating…

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Ania

April 6, 2011 at 5:06 pm | #

LOL! Haha..glad you had a great time :D

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Linda64

April 6, 2011 at 9:16 am | #

Hi Nat!
Great post and fab pictures.. So nice to spend the weekend together with all the fun and crazy things happened. I’m really looking forward to september..
Hugs

ps. where did the ‘us on the beach picture’ ended?? :-)))))

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Ingvild Bolme

April 6, 2011 at 12:18 am | #

Great post Nat! ;O)
Thank you for a great day, I had an awesome day with you Nat! Can’t wait to see you again soon!

*hugs*

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Kim Sonksen

April 5, 2011 at 11:51 pm | #

Norway is an amazing country – I love it there.
Awesome pictures and even better stories :)

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Wenche

April 5, 2011 at 2:21 pm | #

Hi Nathalie :)
Thank you so much for a great weekend!! It was so nice to get to know you and I’m sure that you will remember this trip for a while *lol*
Big hugs, Wenche :0)

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Sarale

April 5, 2011 at 1:45 pm | #

Hey Nat,

was für eine Geschichte, da ging es ja Rund auf Deiner Reise, liest sich richtig gut!

LG,

Tanja

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Guestdesigner for Scrapware – Australia

I had so much fun working with the beautiful products by Scrapware in Australia. They have amazing Chipboard pieces and you can see a lot of inspiration on their fantastic blog here.

Ich hatte super viel Spaß mit den tollen Produkten von Scrapware in Australien zu arbeiten. Sie stellen ganz wunderbare Chipboard Teile her und Du kannst eine Menge Inspirationen auf ihren fantastischen Blog hier sehen.

*Dream*

ScrapWare:

Flourish Birdcage small
Skeletton Leaves small
Butterflies
Believe Dream Laugh
Other: Studio2Mer Paper, Letraset PRomarkes and Rubn’ Buff, SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES by 3L, Acrylic Paints

For the Dream piece I used different Shades of Letraset Promarkers and also Rubn’Buff
For the Birdcage, Leaves and the Skeletoon leaves I also used Rubn’ Buff

*Happy*

Scrapware:

Love Blooms large
12 ” Overlay with 6×6 small window
Impact Lg CB White

Other: Prima Marketing Paper, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Chalkboard, Glimmer Glaze, Candy Rosenberg’s Stamps.

Here I embossed the small squares with different Embossing folders, then used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Glaze and Staz on on top. For the Overlay frame I used Tattered Angels Chalkboard and then used Candy Rosenberg’s Stamps on top. The Love Blooms were painted with different shades of Glimmer Glaze. The Impact CB was sprayed with two colors of Glimmer Mist.

*Bibbidi*

Scrapware:

Natalie Frame Medium
Antique Lower Case Alpha
Antique Upper Case
Other: Prima Marketing Papers and Mask, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam, Glimmer Mist, Glimmer Glam Rubn’ Buff, Rangers Puffy Embossing Powder, SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES by 3L Crafty Power Tape.

For the Fame I used Puffy Embossing Powder, then used Tattered Angels Stiletto Glimmer Glam and used Rub’n Buff partly on it.

Have a great day- Euch einen tollen Tag :)

Nat

Sue Clarke

April 4, 2011 at 3:36 pm | #

Wonderful blues and earth tones and I love all the texture!

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marie-anne raeman

April 4, 2011 at 1:51 pm | #

this are very cool pages, i love this :-)

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Five Questions for….Martha Richardson

For today I have Martha Richardson as my guest blogger for you! Martha is part of the Tattered Angels Designteam and we have a lot of wonderful email exchanges. Martha is one of the most supportive and cheering persons I know- but on top of that she is also amazingly talented!

So let’s see what she has to say :)

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WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET INTO YOUR CREATIVE ZONE?

Because I’m a curious information seeker, an empty vessel for new information my computer and the web is what connects me to the creative world. Because of the rural area I now live in this has become my place for information, shopping, classes, friendship, shopping…did I say shopping?? I don’t have a local LSS or craft supply store within 60 miles and by the time the weekend roles around I’m tired out from my fulltime job as a teacher.

I take classes online…from CraftEdu, Big Picture Classes, House of 3, Jessica Sprague, Prima Live, Get It Scrapped…just to name a few. I’ve had classes with Nathalie Kalbach, Stacy Julian, Ali Edwards, Cathy Zieslke, Nic Howard, Tammy Tuttereow, all of House of 3 and so many more fabulous artists that otherwise I would never have the opportunity.

I read blogs, I’m on FB, I create on Polyvore, I pin on Pintrest, I watch tutorials, I look at other artist’s work…all of this FUELS my creative tank.

Absolutely…most of the time. These messages though are mainly reminders for me and hopefully someday when I’m not here my daughter Caitlyn will know who and what her mother was truly all about!

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It would taste like a yummy Cake Ball, since my style is always evolving and changing, and I can’t really label it. Just like all the varieties and flavors of Cake Balls…one day you can make Devils Food ones…the next day Red Velvet…the next German Chocolate…or even Strawberry ones. That is what my work would taste like. You will find the recipe here and check out here for some eye popping Cake Ball creations by Bakerella.

See…I told you Nat made this tough on us…pick one…that’s as hard as the last question…YIKES! Today my favorite creation is a mini album I made for my daughter. Caitlyn fell in love with Alice in Wonderland back in 5^th grade when she played the Cheshire Cat in a musical version of Alice. To this day it is still her favorite and I created this with some words of wisdom for her to take with her while she traverses adulthood

Besides being a mother I would have to say being chosen for the Tattered Angels Design Team. I have always been a creator of all things creative…but I never thought it would go beyond creating for my own personal rewards. When I discovered Tattered Angels while watching a House of 3 web show I knew I had to try this medium. Now mind you I had received a few 1oz. bottle’s in kits but put them aside and really didn’t pay attention to them. Seeing the results FUELED my creative tank…I dug out my Tattered Angels bottles and started playing. That lead to a curiosity that I had to find out as much as I could about this magical product. I created and created and one day I saw the CALL for the design team. I told my husband about it and he told me that I needed to apply. I laughed at him…I have never been published, I didn’t have a blog, I was an unknown…but he said, “You have the talent”. So I went to work…. produced the required projects, started my blog and sent the application off. At that time I was just proud of “ME” for doing it…for being brave enough to be rejected and not really worried about the outcome.

The day I received the email awarding me my Angel Wings, however CROOKED they might be, was one of the most momentous days of my life…to be validated is very powerful. I will tell you that after reading the email I put my head down and cried with happiness…in fact it still brings tears to my eyes as I think about it. It showed me that you “just never know…take a chance…you just never know”.Here are a few projects made recently for the Tattered Angels Design Team blog.

Nat

Sue Clarke

April 4, 2011 at 3:34 pm | #

Martha, I really found your post inspiring. Especially on this gray day in NH where the snow has started to fall. I like that your creative space is pink and bright. Your Butterfly Shrine is wonderful!
Peace to you,
Sue

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Vicki Chrisman

April 4, 2011 at 7:24 am | #

Loved reading about Martha AND seeing all those pretties!!

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rachel carlson

April 4, 2011 at 2:52 am | #

yay martha!!! i still get the chills when i sent you that email with ‘wings’. *sigh*. i am so very proud of you!

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Peg Hewitt

April 4, 2011 at 1:50 am | #

So nice to get a little more insight into how you create Martha, your talent is magical!

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Mel

April 4, 2011 at 12:37 am | #

I just want to know why you got all of the creative talent? Love you sister :)

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Mandy C

April 3, 2011 at 9:12 pm | #

great topics girls always fun to hear how someone achieved their Tattered Angel wings

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Cuchy

April 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm | #

Thank you Martha.
I love your story about how you got your Tattered Angels Wings :)

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Karen

April 3, 2011 at 4:31 pm | #

I got some fuel! Thanks, Martha!

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Martha Richardson

April 3, 2011 at 4:30 pm | #

Thank you for the honor of being a guest blogger :)

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RITA DECOOK

April 3, 2011 at 3:30 pm | #

Kudos to you. It is such a welcome sight to see someone find their niche. I’m still trying to find mine. I’m like the proverbial “Jack of all trades, but a master of none” in that I love doing most all things creative, but can’t seem to get them noticed. Yes, I do get a few “oohs and ahhhs”, but no one seems to want to obtain one for their own or as a gift. But I won’t give up.

I found your words a source of encouragement and determination.

Thank you.

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Online Class Mixed Media Canvas

Just the head ups- my online Class is now available and you can purchase it for the special price of 16 Dollars till 12 noon MST (8pm in Germany) still today, afterwards it will be the normal price of 21 Dollars again. You can join any time and interact with the other students and me in the classroom too :) Can’t wait to see you

Nur zur Info – mein Online Workshop ist nun erhältlich und man kann sich noch bis 20.00 Uhr für den Specialpreis von 16 Dollar, danach 21 Dollar einschreiben :) Ihr könnt jederzeit einsteigen und auch mit anderen Teilnehmern und mir im “Klassenraum” kommunizieren :) Ich kann es kaum erwarten Euch zu sehen.

Greetings from Norway :)

Liebe Grüße aus Norwegen :)

Nat

Martha Richardson

April 3, 2011 at 2:09 pm | #

And it is wonderful…should be able to complete my canvas today!!!

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Five Questions for….Carmen Sanchez aka Cuchy

Today my guest blogger is Cuchy. I was happy to meet Cuchy during one of my workshops in Barcelona and I absolutely love her style and her curiosity for all kinds of technique. Her blog is a gorgeous source for all kinds of tutorials and is written in English and Spanish.

I’m looking forward to see her in June again- when we are having our Art Mesa Mixed Media Workshops in Spain together.

Without further ado – here are the questions for her :)

1. What do you do to get into your creative zone?

This is the bridge to my creative zone :)

Last year we made a big renovation at home. We literally pulled the house down and made a new distribution. Now my husband has his own place and I have a colourful creative zone

There’re still unpacked boxes on the floor and the walls are almost empty, but I have my shelves prepared to be hung and filled with yummie goodies.
I love being here. Mostly in my pijamas. It’s a playground on the afternoons with my son and a relaxing place while chatting with cyber-friends. But it’s my realm on nights, when everything and everyone is calm and quiet. Creative time, good music and a cup of tea.

2. Do you ever create hidden meanings or messages in your work?

Almost always.
I love journaling and sometimes I write words that are only meaningful for me. Or sometimes I just need to vent and say what I want to shout and I’m “not allowed” to say. I usually hide my words under a coat of gesso or paint.

3. If your creative work were edible, what would it taste like?

First image that came to my mind when I read the question was my elder brother licking our walls when he was a child. After some research and visits to the doctors, my parents found out that he was lack of calcium! and that licking was more a necessity than my brother a naughty child. I must admit that sometimes I did the same, just being influenced by my brother :)

Actually, I know how my creative work tastes. I recently made a card using condensed milk . It smelled like a cake in the oven. Yummie!. I had to taste it and yes, it had a far sweet flavour.
Last year, we went to a cookie’s workshop, with the kids. To decorate the cookies we used edible paint, glitter and brushes. So funny and creative.

Apart from that, if all my craft works were edible, they would be sweet and sour. Sweet when I’m happy and paint or scrap about my kids, my family, good times or just for fun. And sour when I only use my brushes as a scape from hard times. A clear example of what I mean is this page from my art journal. It started all black and became much brighter at the end to express a turning point in my life. Again, hidden meaning and hidden journaling with masking tape and gesso (link)

If I had to choose a food to illustrate my work, it would be a big, fresh and colourful salad, with redcurrants and Modena or Pedro Ximenez vinegar :)

4. What is your favorite creation?

It’s this simple tag.

I love it because it is much “more than words”. Being married for almost 20 years, any gaze, a gesture or a little detail can mean much more than any talk. I wanted to tell that with my tag. And later I added it to a 12×12 layout, also one of my favourites.

5. What is your biggest creative success so far and why?

My own and personal satisfaction.
I’ve been crafting since I was a child and I like it more and more each day.
That’s why I love to teach and learn from my students. Is my goal to feel and transmit my passion. And seeing the girls’ faces on my class and the feedback they give after that, proves that I succeed. This is a link to our video-review(mine is the second half of the video) of the first Mixed Media Workshops I taught with my friend Ana Manzana last year. Love our happy and “oh so tired” faces.

Thank you so much Nat, for letting me be part of your “guestblogger month”. You rock, my friend.

Nat

rachel carlson

April 4, 2011 at 5:46 pm | #

hi cuchy, happy to meet you! thanks for the inspiration. love your style!

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Vicki Chrisman

April 4, 2011 at 4:36 pm | #

Fun to learn more about Cuchy!

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Meritxell

April 3, 2011 at 7:44 am | #

I love her art. She is a real mixmedia ‘s girl!!!

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Cuchy

April 2, 2011 at 10:14 pm | #

Thank you girls :)

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Martha Richardson

April 2, 2011 at 1:58 pm | #

Hi Cuchy…love this tag…it “speaks” to me!

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Sue Clarke

April 2, 2011 at 1:58 pm | #

Cuchy…thanks for a look into your art. I must say that I usually get a chuckle when I read the comments that you post to Nat’s blog.

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Five Questions for….Donna Kato

Along my creative way I was fortune enough to get introduced to Donna Kato, who is in a nutshell ” THE Queen of Polymer Clay”.

Donna and her husband Vernell run CraftEdu an online craft and art faculty and I’m so thrilled that I’m part of this amazing and professional group of artists and the outstanding platform.

During Winter CHA 2011 I was finally able to meet Donna in person and she is for sure a sweet and inspiring personality. I enjoyed the time with her lots and it was so fascinating to hear her experiences in the crafty world. She has been visiting CHA for 16 years and it was more than interesting to hear about the changes etc. Donna is an extremley supportive artist and I cherish her more than she probably knows :)

Donna has worked with just about every clay company, Cernit, Polyform, Fimo and, working with Van Aken International, has had her own brand of clay for almost 10 years, Kato Polyclay.

She wrote 3 books all beginning with “The Art of Polymer Clay”, shot videos and dvds, was a regular guest and became a galpal of the lovely Ms. Carol Duvall, went on some other shows and taught all over the world.
Donna and husband Vernon live in the Rocky Mountains outside of Colorado Springs, CO with their 6 horses , 2 dogs and the sweetest black cat on the planet.

Here are the five questions :)

1.What do you do to get into your creative zone?

If I’m in a real creative slump, I look at books I like and ideas start popping! I’m a visual thinker so my inspirations are generated by things I see. It could be color, pattern, ancient artworks. At other times, my creativity is spurred on by challenges – like movement. The Spinner Rings started because I wanted my pieces to move so then it was solving the problems associated with that challenge.

What I don’t do is worry about it. I know I haven’t reached the end of my creative output so no need to worry. If I’m wrong about that, I still don’t worry because my creativity isn’t exclusive to polymer clay! We’ve built our business, CraftEdu and it may seem to be as far from a creative endeavor as it can be but, it isn’t. Designing the website, designing the content management. Some of the challenges and decisions we’ve met and made have required the ultimate use of my creativity! So, creativity extends to many parts of our lives. If I never did polymer clay again, I would use my creativity in some other way.

2. Do you ever create hidden meanings or messages into your work?

My husband, Vernon owned the first alternative process photography gallery in Chicago, Gallery 954. Vernon says, art is about the message or about the medium. My work is definitely all about the medium, what it will do, what it is so you don’t see much in my work other than polymer clay and it is my message.

3. If your work were edible, what would it taste like?

I’m a salt person – in other words, if I have my choice between a big bowl of chips or a big bowl of M & M’s, I’d head to the chips. My work is more to the sweet, though, I think of marzipan!

4. What is your favorite creation?

Hmmm, this week it would be my Springtime Heart. This changes week to week, day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute! Today, I love this heart. Maybe I’m just wishing spring were here and that’s why it’s so appealing. I see my work through the lens of what I’m feeling at the time so I don’t have any full on favorite piece. I definitely have pieces that I don’t like and those end up in the trash. For me, I just don’t think that way and I think that’s one of the reasons I just keep moving along. We can get caught up into how much we love one piece and then, everything after is affected by that feeling. I make and I move on.

5. What is your biggest creative success so far and why?

I’ve been really lucky in my career. I started at a time when it was much simpler to connect with manufacturers and get books published – it was less crowded than it is today. My biggest creative success has to be my career in its entirety. Let me say, luck has played a huge part in this, much of what happened to me was not part of any plan, but the result of being in the right place at the right time.

Being able to travel abroad and teach. Writing books, having Kato Polyclay and now, CraftEdu. The things I appreciate and enjoy the most are meeting new people, helping people along their creative journey and now, helping other artists spread the joy and passion they feel in their own media to others. That would be the biggest creative success, I think, because it’s a growing thing with the capability of touching and connecting so many people. At heart, I am just an old hippie chick – it’s about the “we” not the “me”. It’s about working with good, talented people and walking together to the same goal. It’s about making the world a better place and being a content human being. That, to me, is begin successful, obtaining success through creative pursuit is icing on the cake.

Thank you Donna !

Nat

Comments (2)

Karen

April 2, 2011 at 3:15 am | #

Wow. Gorgeous stuff. I see an opportunity to feature Donna on my site. Hmmm…..

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Martha Richardson

April 1, 2011 at 12:39 pm | #

Hi Donna – It is a pleasure to meet you and get to connect the person behind CraftEdu. Thanks Nat for introducing Donna ;)

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