Guest Designer at Spot of Tea Designs

I was the Guest Designer over on Spot of Tea Designs on Monday and thought I'd share my post here and link you up with Tara so you can see what she's got going on over on her blog! 

Spot of Tea Designs  

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So, without further adieu, here's my Guest Blog Post for Tara! 

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Hello everyone, and welcome to my Guest Blog Post – let’s take a moment to give Tara a round of applause for her lovely blog and I will add a heartfelt thank you to her for asking me to be a guest blogger today. Thank you Tara! 

 

Like Tara’s last Guest, Liz Urso I’m a Jack-of-all-Trades interested in creating a lot of different types of art -- I also spend a lot of time creating crafty things. I love to try new out new supplies, techniques and experiment – in the studio, kitchen, garden – even with my hair, ha ha.  Well, not so much with my hair – that I have a love hate relationship with. 

Tara mentioned that I was working as a Creative Artist Team Member at EK Success Brands when we met  -- it was an amazing experience to work for a major manufacturer of paper-crafting tools and supplies an my first job in the industry! I worked as a CAT for the last 9 years and have recently said my good-byes to them to have more time to branch out and work on my own. While this is a VERY SCARY endeavor, I am loving every moment of this creative journey so far. 

I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to be able to work from home making art and teaching classes at My Creative Classroom. The classes I reach range from Die-Cutting with Spellbinders to Cardmaking, Art Journaling and Mixed Media Art. I really love teaching and connecting with students, it's very rewarding!

Anyway, onto what I do. I have always, ALWAYS loved art -- what's not to love -- getting messy and creating beautiful things -- it's a match made in heaven! Right now I find myself spending a LOT of time in my Art Journal doodling, painting with a little collage work thrown in here and there. 

Lately I've been making my own journals made from Strathmore Mixed Media paper (140 lb. 9x12 Pad) and a Bind-It-All machine. I've also taken my papers and covers and had them punched and spiral bound at Staples. With a bind-it-all I just punch all the pages and use the chipboard that comes with the pad for the cover and cut another piece of book board the same size for the back and bind all the pages together. It's perfect and the Mixed Media Paper is WONDERFUL to draw, paint and collage on.

Lately I prefer spiral bound journals better because I don't have to worry about paint seeping in the gully of a stitched journal. I usually start my pages with a rough pencil sketch and add Koi Watercolor paints for color. As a final touch I use a black pen to add detail and journal with a calligraphy/dip pen. 

I think the reason I love to work in my journal is it's art I'm creating just for me. The message I add is usually something want to tell myself today, and using the dip pen makes it a little messy and more like my handwriting! If you haven't started an Art Journal, you should!

Well, that's all I've got for today.  I hope you'll stop by my blog Art from the Heart and follow my artful journey. Also, find me on FaceBook (Catherine Matthews-Scanlon), Pinterest (cmscanlon) and Twitter (cm_scanlon). 

Thanks for stopping by today, and THANK YOU Tara for asking me to be a Guest Designer for you today! Have a great week! 

Catherine