{creative soul}

Halloween color schemes....

I don't know why I love the fall so much! Could be the cooler temps, the beautiful fall colors, the gray, steely skies full of fluffy clouds, leaves falling... oh I could go on and on! But this time of year really speaks to my soul.

It's probably no mistake then, that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I know it is mostly celebrated in the US and not all religions recognize this time of year, but I find so much joy in preparing for it, seeing the kids all dressed up and handing out (and eating) all the candy. I also love designing Halloween goodies!

I am currently working on a new halloween set and was looking for unique color schemes and turned again to vintage art to come up with these. I thought I'd share them with you! They are simplistic but I think very effective. I really like the simplicity and tone of the second one...but the third one could be pretty for a general fall set.

Happy Haunting!

Nancie

Autumn's Light Freebie

Hello! I hope everyone is doing well! The temperatures here in Michigan are finally turning cool and I am loving it!

I am trying to get back into my groove after being gone traveling for 3 weekends in a row. :( I am a big time home-body, so being away so much was rough. But I'm back and eager to get into FALL, my favorite season. I am also hoping to get better at blogging, something that I've been letting slip by!

I wanted to share this little freebie I created for a ScrapArtist blog train a while back. Even though it's old, I think it still holds up well.

Happy Fall!
Nancie

Illustrator Tutorial: Quick and Easy Flowers

Have you ever sat and doodled flowers on your sketchpad, scanned them in, cleaned them up, smoothed them out and then made brushes with them or vectorized them?

Me too and it's a lengthy process—even though the results can be truly one-of-a-kind. But if you are in a hurry to create some cool looking flowers with Illustrator and your Wacom, then follow me!  

Note: I've included an Illustrator file with everything shown here so you could follow along on this tutorial. You can download it here.

First, open up a working space in Illustrator and using your mouse or Wacom, draw a petal. This can be anything you want. It doesn't even have to be a traditional flower petal like the one I drew below. Think outside the box!

Next, select the Rotate Tool from your Illustrator Toolbox...

Then, click on the very bottom center of your petal, until you see the cross-hair of the Rotate tool.

Now this is where the REAL fun begins! With the Rotate Tool selected, click on the bottom center of your petal. Next, holding down the Alt/Option key, click anywhere at the top area of the petal and pull down to right. Don't get frustrated if it takes you a few tries to get it. If you miss or something doesn't work right, just start over. Remember to click the rotate tool again and then click in the center of your petal and try again! It acutally took me a few minutes to get this the first time I tried!

Note: If you want an exact angle, also hold down the shift key (while holding the alt/opt and dragging). This will give you and exact measurement.

Once you've duplicated this first petal, simply hit Command (or Ctrl) D to repeat this transition. Keep hitting Command+D to duplicate and rotate your petals all the way around, until you are finshed and have the look you want.

When you're done, try changing the colors or adding some finishing touches to your flower!

 

Isn't that fun!? It can get addicting! This is how I created my doodle snowflakes as well...

Here, I used a simple leaf from my All For Fall Element Pack and repeated the process...

This time I did hold down the Shift Key, in addition to the Alt/Opt key to make sure I was keeping the angle contrained.

On this next flower, I did NOT hold down the shift key and just kept repeating the rotation/duplication (Cmd-D) to make a more imperfect flower.

Last I went back in and randomly recolored some of the petals and added a center flower for visual interest.

Making flowers, or snowflakes this way is a really fun and fast way to create some unique artwork that you can use over and over again!

Nancie

 

Summertime is all about Alfresco!!

Summer is in full gear at the Janitz household! We've been busy riding bikes, reading, gardening and taking care of our obese Corgi, Sonny. We have him on a strict diet and exercise regiman. The vet said it was critical! We love that little guy and want him to stay around a while.

My own exercise regimen has been drastically changed as I am struggling with what I think is plantar fasciitis in my right foot. It is painful for me even to walk and it's making my hip inflamed as well. I go see a sport doc on the 19th. I may start swimming!

No plans to go camping for a while but we are keeping busy! Friday we're going to the Plymouth Art Fair, here in town and then Ellie's cousins come in from Colorado. And in a few weeks, we'll be heading out to California to visit my sister. I can't wait to show Ellie the city I fell in love with - San Francsico!

I'm really excited to share with you my first real "kit" in a while with elements and everything! LOL! As most of you know I am more at home designing grungy backgrounds and brushes, but this was really for me to create! And you have to check out all the gorgeous goodies at CatScrap for the Summer Catwalk!

Alfresco papers and elements are now 20% off at CatScrap this week! Here's a peek and if you use coupon code alfresco at checkout, it will take an additional 25% off either of these items!

Have a great week!
N

 

One step forward, a few back...

As some of you may know, I've been dealing with psoriasis most of my adult life and it has especially worsened since childbirth. It has covered the fronts and backs of my legs, my elbows and arms and recently appeared on my hands.

A while back, after a comment from my dental hygenist about her gluten allergies, I decided to give it a try. I gave up wheat, limited my dairy. It gave up cream in my daily coffee and learned to drink it black. It wasn't as hard as I thought because instead of giving up everything right away (sugar, meat, alcohol), I just gave up these two things.

About six months after this time, I noticed my psorasis on my arms was a bit clearer but my legs were about 80 percent clear! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would NEVER have believed it! I was so excited because this summer would be the first time I could wear shorts in public!

I was so excited by my progress that about two weeks ago I started doing "green" smoothies. Typically, you would take lots of green veggies, mix in some fruit and blend it into a smoothie. Since I don't have a blender that could do this, such as a Vitamix (I am saving up for one!), I purchased some "greens" in a powder form, specifically Spectra Greens. I mixed the powder in my Magic Bullet, along with some bananas, blueberries and the occasional mangos. It was delicious and I was feeling great!!

Well, my legs have erupted in psorasis again. It is the worst I've seen it in a while. I've been really down about them... wondering what I could have been doing wrong since I didn't change my diet at all, except for the occasional cheating of tortillas, pitas and ice cream! :) Well, that and my smoothies!

This morning, when I went to make my green smoothie, I looked at the back of the Spectra Greens bottle and saw these words:

MAY CONTAIN SOY & WHEAT.

:(

Why wasn't I paying attention to those words!? Why didn't I read the bottle! I am so upset with myself because in trying to do something good, I am right back where I started. I'm threw the green powder in the trash and I'm trying again. I am hoping it won't take 6 more months to get it out of my system again.

I haven't seen a doctor to determine if I am wheat intolerant... I just have to look at my legs! I'm determined more than ever to live a gluten-free/wheat-free lifestyle. Are any of you gluten intolerant? Maybe you can share some good resources with me. And if any of you have an old VitaMix blender you want to get rid of, let me know! ;0

xxoo
N.

 

A New Art Single and some Painty Stuff!

I am really excited about my new Art Single, up today at CatScrap! It is a bit different for me stylistically, but I have to say I love it! I got out my paints and mediums and collaged the background, then painted the coffee cup separately, in gouache paints. I love these paints because they are water based and easy to work with, but also very vibrant and more opaque than watercolors. Then I put it together digitally, so it truly is Mixed Media! (if you think of your computer as a medium, which I truly do). You can print it and frame it as art, use it in card making or other paper crafts or anything your mind can dream up!

I also have some new brush strokes for you, made from those gouache paints. They are perfect to add some accents on your pages for journaling or titles, or to use in your digital Art Journaling projects!

Happy Creating!
N.

Art Journaling Challenge Week 2: Hope

We have been having so much over at CatScrap with our Art Journal Challenge. This is an 8 week challenge with each week having a different theme and a different gorgeous freebie created by the CatScrap designers. The idea is to get your feet wet with digital art journaling and at the end of the 8 weeks, you will have a finished album filled with your Hopes, Dreams, Goals & Schemes! Along the way, you can post your pages in our Art Journal gallery at CatScrap!

Last week, the challenge started over at Fiddlette's blog with her wonderful freebie! This week, I have a new art journal set for you! The theme is also Hope. You can grab the kit in the shoppe for free.

Creating a digital art journal is so much fun! The best part is there are no rules and if you don't like getting messy, making an art journal page in Photoshop is great because all the paint, brushes and grunge are virtual. Of course, there is always the UNDO button and eraser, unlike traditional art journaling! Ready to have some fun? Let's go!

I've created some extra grunge and paint brushes for you to use along with this tutorial. You can download them here. This is an .abr brush set in Pshop.

First open up the beautiful background that Christine created in her freebie last week. Then open up the blue painted background that was included in my download. Drag the blue background underneath Christine's journal background. Flip it so the flowers are on the bottom and adjust it.

Next, using your magic wand, select the bottom petals from the middle flower, copy and paste, then rotate and place it at the top so you get a whole flower.

Add a layer mask. Using one of the grungy brushes I gave you and with your color set to black,  "erase" the doodly parts away from the edges and any other parts from the bottom background to give it your own look.

If you want to change the color of the background blue layer or saturate it a bit, now is a good time! I changed the hue and lightness to make my blue background a bit more vibrant.

Now, using some more of the brushes, add some stems to your flowers, painted circles, and some text, with the text bruhes. Have fun! Remember, you don't have to do it exactly like I've done below. Add your own flair!

Adding different kinds of accents to your journal page truly makes it your own. It can also be a fun and healing process! You have two good friends when digital art journaling, your ERASER and CMD Z! (UNDO!)

Once you've got a look that you like, add the word hope, that is included in the download.

Next open up the envelope that came in the download, the one with the bird on it. Drag it over to your working file, but underneath group of flowers and elements we've created. Between the colored layer and bottom blue layer.

Next, using one of the acrylic paint brushes and some white "paint", let's paint over the bird in the envelope so it looks like we just slapped some gesso on there for real! I created a layer above my bird layer and "painted" around the bird and erased bits so just his head and some of his tail was peeking out!

To finish up, feel free to break out even more "brushes" and paint some more brush strokes or accents in varying colors to make this your own personal art journal! You can even add some journaling to this page as well.

Here is my finished piece.

This is my second page in my art journal and it makes me happy! I "HOPE" it does the same for you! tee hee!

Hugs!
Nan

NSD Sale and Art Journal Challenge Week 1!!

Happy Saturday to you!! Is it beautiful where you are? It is here in Michigan! Finally!! I feel like a little girl - wanting to run outside and see what is going on out there in SPRING!! LOL!

There is alot going on at CatScrap right now! We are having a great National Scrapbooking Day Sale! Everything is 30% off through the 9th. And if you make a purchase of $10 or more, you'll get this AMAZING kit for free! A Good Day celebrates that perfect Spring or Summer Day!

Next, I am really excited to tell you about our very first Art Journal Challenge! It is starting off on Fiddlette's (Christine's) blog. She has an amazing freebie for you, along with a little lesson about Art Journals and some gorgeous examples of what our team has come up with for this challenge. This week's theme is HOPE.

Won't you join us as we document in our Art Journals, what hopes, dreams, goals & schemes we may have for ourselves? Art Journaling is such a great outlet and when it's done digitally can be really freeing because a) you don't get messy with paints and b) there is always the undo button! LOL!

I'll be hosting next week's challenge so check back next Saturday! I will have a quick tutorial on ways you can create your own Art Journal page in Photoshop.

Hugs!
N.

 

You Gotta Have Art!!

 

Today I've got two new products up... Vintage Bloom WallArt contains two separate pieces of art, in beautiful vintage colors and patterns, that coordinate perfectly together!

And my new Art Singles No. 1 The Earth Laughs is a single piece or art that can be framed or put on canvas or even made into a card to send to someone!

I'm really excited about these because the possibilities are endless. Not only can you can print them and frame them for home decor, but you can also use them in paper-crafting or cardmaking (and of course scrapbooking too!)

The good news is they are 20% off today at CatScrap!

Hugs!
Nan

Some Real Hot Chicks!!!

Thought that may grab your attention this morning! Tee hee!  My new Cool Chicks Elements and Papers are new in my shop at CatScrap today and they are 20% off! These chicks have a real attitude but they know how to celebrate Easter!

Hope you have a great day today and that wherever you are Spring is in the air! Still cold here in Michigan - sniff!

HUGS!
N.