Dirty Girl Art Studio

Nibblefest...NFAC

2011-10-27T18:34:00.004-04:00

The Nibblefest Art Contest, is a monthly themed art contest which runs on eBay from the 20th of each month until the 27th. Each item for bid starts at just .99 cents and the winner is the person who has the most bids from unique ebay bidders. To find the monthly entries, you simply search NFAC anytime between the 20th and 27th. I have not been a participant lately but I have done these in the past. It's a great way to make new friends, gain some customers, get exposure, and obviously to have fun creating a themed work of art each month. This month the theme is Still-lifes....so if you hurry you can go and bid on a unique piece of art....and for a great price. Or if you would like to participate yourself, then hop on over to the Groups on ebay, search Nibblefest and start creating something Penguins for next month's Nibble.

Spoonflower Has CONTESTS!

2011-10-09T19:20:00.002-04:00

For some reason I had forgotten all about Spoonflower, http://www.spoonflower.com/contests/102 , that is until today when I visited to see about printing a doll pattern of mine and Shut Up!....Spoonflower has a weekly fabric design contest. Just what I need, another distraction. But how totally fun is it to design your own fabric. Really, I should be doing about a million other things but prints of monsters and creepy little dolls, and adorably cute ornaments, and geometric designs ......you get the idea...my mind is now Spoonflowering.
Designing fabic today, Project Runway tomorrow,...it could happen.

Illustration Friday

2011-10-09T18:07:00.001-04:00

I found a great site a couple weeks ago called Illustration Friday, found at http://illustrationfriday.com/index.php .
From the Illustration Friday website: "Illustration Friday is a weekly creative outlet/participatory art exhibit for illustrators and artists of all skill levels. It was designed to challenge participants creatively. We believe that every person has a little creative bone in their body. Illustration Friday just gives a no-pressure, fun excuse to use it. No clients looking for a particular thing. No one judging the outcome of the work. It's a chance to experiment and explore and play with visual art. So welcome, novices and pros alike."
It's a great way to challenge yourself. This week the word of the week is "Contraption". Artists then create a piece of work inspired by that word and submit it. Sounds fun, right? If you think so, head on over to Illustration Friday. You can also check out previous weeks and words and the entries they inspired.

Good Intentions?

2011-10-06T18:48:00.002-04:00

Seriously, where does the time go? I have been horrible at keeping up this blog. It's already October, so I am hoping to actually start to write more often. DD and I have been very busy and often wonder where the time goes. And there have been so many times where we have made something awesome and either one or the other of us has said, Hey we should put this on the blog....yet we haven't. So, my question to anyone still out there....How to you manage your blogs? Do you write daily or weekly? Do you set a time, like every Monday I write on it or is it more free flowing whenever the urge happens? Do you like lots of photos or just a few?
Personally, I love seeing photos on blogs. And give-aways. And contests. And how to's. And, well just about everything else also. In fact, there have been several blogs that I have ran across and they have arts or crafts contests or even publication deadlines, and I think about entering and then don't. So, I'm going to quit procrastinating and start sharing more of myself here, which you would think would be easy as I can talk forever but I don't really share my true self with many.
To start my new sharing....DD and I have also joined Dr. Oz's Transformation Nation Challenge, and have pledged to live healthier lifestyles. We've lost about 10 pounds each so far, without exercising, and are hopeful about losing more weight, living healthier, and eating better. You can find our other blog at http://dirtygirlsloseit.blogspot.com/ come join us to learn about our transformation odyssey.

$5 Tuesdays

2011-03-30T14:03:00.000-04:00

5 Second Movie Review: The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei, which is about......you guessed it ...a lawyer and the experiences he has working a case. Overall, a good movie, rating about 3 stars from me. I wasn't falling asleep nor was I on the edge of my seat, but I was glad to see this on $5 Tuesday with the Regal Entertainment Group. You can check and see if your local theater offers discounted movie days here: http://www.regmovies.com/Regal_Value_Days.aspx

From Coast to Coast

2011-03-16T17:12:00.000-04:00

We did it. We packed up and moved all the way across the country, and are now in California. Not really by the coast, but in between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the San Francisco coastline so we are within a couple hours of everything we love doing. We have used the last few months to move, unpack...well unpack almost everything......visit with family, getting to know the new area and of course, we are still creating art.
Today, I mailed off a lovely handmade postcard that I painted on a recycled food packaging, a recycled cereal box. Turning trash in to art is a great way to help keep the trash out of the landills.
How to: Recycled Material PostCard - It's so easy to do. Simply take a cereal box or other light weight food packaging and cut it down to your preferred size. I like mine, 4 x6 inches, so I can mail them for the standard postcard rate. Then paint, decoupage, collage, cover with fabric, rubber stamp, etc. on one side of your postcard. Let it dry completly. On the reverse side, you may also want to paint, or cover with paper and then write or stamp Post Card at the top of your postcard. Then address your postcard, adhere postage, and write a message. Your postcard is now ready to be mailed! These postcards can be mailed both internationally and domestic, so have fun sending art through the mail.

Wednesday Movie Review: This week we went and watched Red Riding Hood, rated PG-13, starring Amanda Seyfried. I would rate it 2 stars out of 5. Without giving away the story, I can say that this movie is not very scary at all. It attempts more to be a who dunnit...or more a who is it....then anything else. Amanda Seyfried looks stunning in this movie. In fact, so much of the movie is beautiful that it is hard to believe it as a dark version of any fairy tale. If left me wondering, "Where have all the good scary movies gone?"

As we get our ART on, here in California, we look forward to sharing our new artistic adventures with you.

Free Skeleton Doll..

2010-10-05T16:05:00.000-04:00

Another of my favorite doll artists (actually a doll artist team) is giving away 3 free skele-dolls, just in time for Halloween. Jump on over for your chance to get in on the give-away and while you are there, take a look at Jo's freebies and tutorials. They are so creative and inspiring. http://thecartbeforethehorse.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-october.html

Blog Giveaway!

2010-08-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to share with you that one of my favorite art doll artist's is hosting a blog giveaway on her website. You can find it at http://indiandollartworks.blogspot.com/ or click on the Carla Trujillo link on the right side. I hope I win Tilly, but if that isn't in the cards then I hope that you do. Hope you are having a great day!

Pottery Class in Ending

2010-08-16T11:53:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it. Our pottery class is ending already. Tomorrow will be the last official class and then we have two weeks to finish up anything we are working on. So far, I am making small little containers, and even added my first two handles on stuff yesterday. One on a large mug, the other on a sad little gravy boat. The gravy boat started out as a bowl, which I screwed up and tried to save by adding a pour spout. I added a handle yesterday, which gives it a funny twisted shape. Everything is leaning a little left making it out of whack. DD is making these wonderful large bowls. I'm just amazed that she can work the clay so well. Hopefully, she will give me one. The mystical thing about pottery is, even after you have created your piece on the wheel, and it hardens, and you fire it (bake it at a really high temperature), you can still mess it up in the glazing process (putting color on to your pottery). Many glazes just don't work together and many do...but knowing the right combos is tricky in the beginning. I am fond of the greens and blues and will post a photo soon of some of our early pieces.
Really, I will. It just so happens at the same time we started the blog, my computer was destroyed by a virus. That hurt. I did get a new one but all of my programs are gone also. My photo editing, art, word processing and all of my photos. Everything. So, I have just purchased some new software and will hopefully get some photos up soon. Of course, I was comfortable with my old programs and knew how they worked, and now I'm trying to learn the new ones. It can't be that hard, can it?
I'm so grateful for all of you and can't wait to show you some of what I have been doing lately. I know that I can't go more then a day or two without doing something creative and even when I'm not creating....I'm thinking about what I can create next, and how I can alter something else.

Blog Me, Baby!

2010-08-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

I have just finished reading the blogs of my partners in my Blog Me, Baby swap at http://swap-bot.com/ . What a great bunch of talented and crafty people. I can't wait to try some of the recipes and craft projects that I have read about.

Thanks all for participating in this swap.

Book and Magazine Addicts

2010-07-15T16:24:00.000-04:00

Yep, we are art or craft book and magazine addicts. I actually look forward to getting my Art Doll Quarterly magazine or any of the Somerset publications viewed at http://stampington.com/html/main_magazines.html . I read through my subscriptions many times and always find something that brings a smile to my face. My new favorite is the Stuffed Magazine. It is filled with adorable and sometimes creepy little stuffed creations.
I also like art books and art collaboration books as it is an easy way to see many artists in a short amount of time. I especially like them if they have cool and interesting projects in them. The one I received this week is Found Objects Art 2 by Tina Skinner. It is an awesome collection of found object artists. I look forward to getting the Found Object Art 1 book. What are your favorite art or craft books and magazines?

Woo Hoo!

2010-07-14T14:41:00.002-04:00

Yes!!! We both were able to make several pots last night. Woo Hoo. This was very exciting since last week I would make a pot only to accidentally destroy it trying to make the top even or totally gauge it using a rib trying to smooth and shape the outside. Next week, they should be dry enough for us to shape the base of the pots. I'm feeling a giveaway....once they are fired and painted of course. Stay tuned for the details.

In addition to our art, DD and I have committed to exercising. I know what you're thinking....why would you want to lose weight and get healthy when it took you so long to acquire your current shape? Isn't round the new black? Having my daughter turn 21 this week, just reconfirmed for me that I want to live a long and healthy life. I want to be there for her and I want to be able to play with any future grand kids and to be comfortable in airplane seats again (if that's even possible). So, we are up at 6am and off to the gym for swimming or water aerobics at least 3-4 days a week, instead of the 1 day a week we've been doing. Today, we swam in the outside pool....the inside one was too cold, brrr.

I usually have several projects going at once. Right now, I am working on 3 dolls and some other collage/painting projects. Plus my swap items for swaps I'm in at Swap-bot. I'm so excited about a swap in the Crafty Recyclers Group. My swap friend Terrie is hosting it and it is a swap where you have one partner and you send that partner an envelope or box of found objects. In return, you receive an envelope or box of found objects for your own use. Sound fun.... come on over to the bot and join us. We are at almost 700 members in that group. In my Swapping Artist group, we have a Summer Time Fun swap and a Meteorology inspired swap happening. And in my Fantastic Art Doll Group, I have our first Icicle Doll Swap up and a Paper Doll Swap.....for any type of paper doll.

DD and I hit the thrift stores over the weekend and came up with some great finds. Everything from dolls for .50 to a bag of rubber stamps, and some cool metal pieces. Photos to come soon. I am so excited to re-purpose some of these items. I'm always on the look out for old broken toys, interesting bird cages, wool sweaters, soft or patterned fabrics and cool metal bits and pieces. So much so, that it looks like my craft room ate my guest room. Really...it's like a treasure hunt every time I enter. What will I find today....

Pottery Class Was A Blast!

2010-07-07T21:22:00.000-04:00

Keeping true to our name, we were truly DIRTY girls last night. My birthday present from Angee this year was a beginning potter's wheel class that started last night. We had such a blast and were covered in clay almost immediately. Well, some us more than others! ;-) At the start of the class, the instructor said that we would need to have three things ready for firing by the end of the second class which is next week! As everyone's clay was wobbling around uncentered on their wheels, I couldn't see how we were going to each produce three pieces that we actually wanted to keep. Once I got my first one centered, I thought I was the bomb, so I tried to help the girl next to me. Definitely not the best idea. We started to get it centered and then...BAM... a huge chunk came off, with clay flying all over and pretty much ruined it. It was pretty funny. We were laughing all night yet, somehow I managed to create something that resembles a small cylindrical bowl so next week, I only need to create two pieces! Since Angee loves getting dirty so much, she wore most of her clay home on her jeans, shirt, arms and face in true dirty girl fashion so she still has three pieces to make next week! Stay tuned to find out if the clay gods will smile upon us.

We Did it!

2010-07-02T14:43:00.000-04:00

Yay! We did it! We have created a blog and an etsy store. I am so happy. Now, to figure our how everything works and to put items in to our store. For any of you expereinced bloggers......feel free to leave us your favorite stories and tips.

Dirty Girl ARt Studio is the collaboration of myself, Angela Gue, and Diana Swalen. We so often end up working on projects together, that is seemed the natural progression was to do artwork as a team. I am the messy, silly girl who is usually covered in paint. For some reason, I always think I can paint something without getting any on me...nope, I'm usually covered in paint by the time I'm done working. Diana on the other hand, is happiest with power tools or beads surrounding her. We have always loved creating in clay and ceramics and we are starting a wheel class next week. So, keep posted for exciting hand thrown pottery.

We love swapping our art with other artists. I swap using http://swap-bot.com/ , under the user Wolfeagle. I would love to see you there. I am the founder/host of a few groups. They are: The Swapping Artist, Crafty Recycler's, and my newest group Fantastic ARt Dolls. I welcome new members so if swapping ARt Dolls, Monthly Art challenges, or creating projects from trash sounds fun then please join us.

We both love art, in all its forms. And look forward to sharing our journey with you.