Tracy Weinzapfel Studios: Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/17/14 - "Gifts..."

Monday was quite a day for me. Great day in fact and even better to wrap it up with a fun Mixed Media Monday. I was in the zone and painting like "Edward Painter Hands" Here is what I created LIVE:

MATERIALS LIST: Paper-Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum Surface, Watercolors - Grumbacher Deluxe Opaque & Deluxe Transparent, Stencil - DecoArt, Pens - Sharpie, Uniball Signo White and Charocoal Pencil 3B, Ink - Momento

If you missed it LIVE it is recorded for your viewing pleasure and available on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TraceB5.

VIDEO

There is a lot happening in this piece but I really loved the fun details added....

Thank you EVERYONE who was able to be there LIVE and participate with the chat. What a great night and a collaboration. Remember to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Remember to share your work there! I love to see MMM-inspired ART! Stay tuned for the February/March Creative Dare to be posted too! I will see you next Monday, February 24th! That is the last Monday of February! Wow!! ♥

“Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace and potential. Stop over-thinking everything. Life is too short."

Feb 18, 2014 10:06:16 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, Mixed Media Mondays, twstudios

Change...Embracing it

I am one who does not like change. I don't like things to stay the same however when change starts to hit me in the rear I find myself fighting it and it is scary. Comparing myself to a butterfly has helped me in the past and I have come out with some amazing colors. When career changes and life changes have come about I get scared...but today I saw this saying and it is oh so true....

So in the way I know to be true I took to my art journal. I accept those wonderful changes that I dream about and work toward.

My watercolor journal yet again is the place for me to share......

and this butterfly which to me has always represented change..

sometimes just seeing a piece takes life makes me happy...

It is one day at a time...new website in the works. Editing and sharing my vision from my Studio. Not being afraid to take my art to places not even I dreamed of. Changes in my life, my home, with my kids and new stages of life. Stay tuned!

I would not called this "Unwanted Change" but wonderful changes and new wings with greater colors ready to fly. I know many know the leaps I have taken before. Now to do that again. Thanks to so many who leap with me so I am not alone. ♥

"Remember, we can’t become what we need to be by remaining exactly what we are. Life is change, but growth is optional. Choose wisely. When we lose ourselves in the things we love, we find ourselves there too. So if you are passionate about something, pursue it. Stretch yourself. You will know you’re on the right track in life when you become completely uninterested in looking back, and eager to take the next step."

Feb 17, 2014 11:34:44 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/10/14 - "Words"

I love it when my art journal ideas go to Mixed Media Monday's. The whole purpose of my idea journals is to take the ideas I love and use them again and those I don't....let them go. Trust me I have some ideas that do not fly past the journal (and never see the light of day).

Here is the inspiration for Monday's Mixed Media Monday piece direct from my Moleskin watercolor journal:

Here is the 11 X 14 I painted LIVE:

MATERIALS LIST: Paper-Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum Surface, Watercolors - Grumbacher Deluxe Opaque & Deluxe Transparent, Pens - Sharpie, Uniball Signo White and Charocoal Pencil 3B, Ink - Momento

If you missed it LIVE it is recorded for your viewing pleasure and available on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TraceB5.

VIDEO

My favorite part of this page was taking Words of the Year from everyone. It was like I incorporated everyone into my piece. That will be a favorite memory for me.....

Thank you EVERYONE who was able to be there LIVE and participate with the chat. What a great night and a collaboration. Remember to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Remember to share your work there! I love to see MMM-inspired ART! Stay tuned for the February/March Creative Dare to be posted too! I will see you next Monday, February 17th! ♥

“Life is to be enjoyed, not endured. When you truly believe in what you’re doing, it shows, and it pays. Success in life is for those who are excited about where they are going. It’s about walking comfortably in your own shoes, in the direction of YOUR dreams."

Feb 11, 2014 8:28:13 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, Mixed Media Mondays, twstudios, Ustream twStudios

My Creative Process

The last few days I have returned to my watercolor journal and loving the creative process. For me it is to grab my watercolors or watercolor markers and paint. Then doodle. I know lots of people who draw out their doodles and then color but I am all about letting it go with the paint brush before I add the details. I wish I could work the other way around sometimes but just letting it go feels great.

My process looks something like this..

The other morning I woke up and painted this...(while I was on Skype with my friend Lori)

Lately I have had to make a shift in my creative time from night to morning. In order to maximize that time I take the crazy doodle part to bed like I did last night.....

There is something so relaxing about ending my day with something creative and putting my thoughts and feelings down on paper. Making that shift from night to morning is not easy. You have to retrain yourself. Otherwise I get to the end of the day and I am just lights out. I make the most of every day and just like fitting in that time for fitness, fitting in your creative exercises is important.

I would love to hear what your creative process is......

"Pay attention to the little things, because when you really miss someone you miss the little things the most, like just laughing together. Go for long walks. Indulge in great conversations. Count your mutual blessings. Let go for a little while and just BE together."

Feb 8, 2014 6:00:00 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking

Cigar Boxes....DecoArt Makes Art Easy!

When I received DecoArt's Americana Decor Chalky Finish line I had two cigar boxes that was just calling it's name. First I want to say that I LOVE this paint. It goes on most surfaces and I LOVE The color selection:

I will also make mention that these paints are currently exclusively available from HomeDepot.com. This is my redecorated Cigar Box.....

Here is what it took to create this...

MATERIALS LIST: DecoArt Americana Decor Chalky Finish (Everlasting, Vintage, Souvenir, Delicate, Innocence, Escape, New Life, Enchanted, Inheritance, Remembrance), Decoart Americana Decor Stencil (Distressed Harlequin), Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish, Sand Paper, Sharpie, 3B Charcoal Pencil

Step by Step Instructions:

Paint cigar box with Americana Deco Chalky Finish (Everlasting)
Paint coat of Americana Deco Chalky Finish (Vintage)
Sand between layers to expose the white
Paint flower designers with Amiercana Deco Chalky Finish (Everlasting)
Add detail colors of flowers with Americana Deco Chalky Finish (Souvenir, Delicate, Innocence, Escape, New Life, Enchanted, Inheritance, Remembrance)

Add doodle details with Sharpie Black pen and 3B Charcoal Pencil.
Add design with Decoart Americana Decor Stencil (Distressed Harlequin)

Coat final project with Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish to protect project.

So simple to take a plain black cigar box to a piece of art.

Please visit my blog www.tracywburgos.typepad.com to see additional DecoArt projects. Thank you!

Feb 7, 2014 6:00:00 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, DecoArt, DecoArt Artist

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/3/14 - "Grateful"

Monday was an art-filled day. I managed to clean my Studio to prep for Mixed Media Monday and felt happy after a productive day. Here is what I painted LIVE:

MATERIALS LIST: Paper-Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum Surface, DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints (Boysenberry Pink, Vivid Violet, Bahama Blue, Canyon Orange, Yellow Green, Deep Midnight, Foliage Green, Irish Moss, Wild Orchid, Lemonade, Royal Fushsia, Orchid, Spa Blue, Spice Pink, Saffron Yellow, Bright Yellow, Margarita, White Wash), Gesso and Stencil - DecoArt, Pens - Sharpie and Uniball Signo White and Charocoal Pencil 3B, Ink - Marvy Heritage

If you missed it LIVE it is recorded for your viewing pleasure and available on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TraceB5.

VIDEO

Love was in the Doodles on this page.....

Thank you EVERYONE who was able to be there LIVE and participate with the chat. What a great night and a collaboration. I love seeing the pages that you share with me following every Monday:

Donna Leuders

Vicki Loichinger

Sharon Estes

Remember to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Remember to share your work there! I love to see MMM-inspired ART! Stay tuned for the February Creative Dare to be posted too! I will see you next Monday, February 10th! ♥

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear. Don’t ever hesitate to give yourself a chance to be everything you are capable of being."

Feb 5, 2014 2:05:40 PM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, Mixed Media Mondays, twstudios, twStudios Logoware

When Creativity Strikes! (or how to re-light that flame)

When you return to your Studio Monday morning and it looks like this, it was probabaly a good weekend...

This was the aftermath of some creative fun returning to what I love and feeling creative. January was quite the busy month. So I am ready to take on February! I will start with the first Doodle of 2014 and was just happy to pull out that watercolor Moleskin I carried around with me all summer! I missed it!

This was just about bursts of color and playing with some new things I got in my travels..

Lately the question was posed to me "What do you do when you don't feel creative?". That happens and I hate that feeling of forcing creativity. I sometimes just have to see it out. I am lucky that every Monday with Mixed Media Monday's I am challenged to come up with ideas but sometimes those even fail me.

I highly suggest creative trips out. I personally go to Little Italy and spoil myself with Italian food and a trip to Blick's to buy something new. Sometimes a trip to Michael's. It may be a new Art Journal, a pen, markers, watercolors. Somethng small to just use on my next page. Sometimes those creative journeys are enough to spark that creative side of me (and if not, Italian food and wine is in my belly making me smile). Sometimes I go to the beach (sand between my toe time) or a book store to just go through art magazines. I know it is winter for many and there are far and few books stores but that is no excuse not to find your special place. Now I want to venture out and take my painting to the beach.

Some evenings the sunset sparks me and this weekend it was the sunrises. I was up this past weekend by 5 am painting. I took advantage of every moment I had.

This weekend was full of kids, sports and more but I found that creative time. I harnessed it when the mood struck and pulling out that Doodle journal which felt great!

Where do you find your creativity? What is your special place? What inspires you? ♥

"If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must be different from the world. Dare to walk alone, and don’t be scared to like it. Remind yourself that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. You’ve got to do what’s right for you, even if some people disagree."

Feb 4, 2014 6:00:00 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, twstudios

Life as an Artist

Life being an Artist is NOT EASY. You get used to people saying you walk to the beat of your own drum. They give you the head tilt with the questioning eyes. Unless you go to school and major in Art it goes against that grain of being a business major and then going to work as an Accountant. I have a degree in Building Construction Management. Nowadays there is great competition and everyone is an Artist. The thing is...I truly believe that EVERYONE is an Artist. So EMBRACING that Artist and not being your own biggest critic is such a struggle.

I remember taking a photography class and the photographer was showing her signature shot. She gave the recipe for her signture shot and how to capture it. I raised my hand and said "this is so great however I don't want your shot...I want my own shot". It was there that I put togther that the elements she shared were bits and pieces I need to find my signature shot. (Ironically that same photographer was not so happy people were "copying" her shot).

As an Artist I have taken classes from many different Artists I admire. I am always learning....I have been adapting my unique "style" for a very long time. I continue to grow and evolve.....I share/teach what I have learned....I take chances. I sometimes leap and HOPE wings grow when I paint. I am reminded that the process is not easy and comparing yourself to others is so easy to fall into. Embracing that Artist has become a process.

My Friend Susie Wolfe shared this link with me:

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Susie said and I hope she does not mind me sharing "I really enjoyed your "Monday Madness" this week....It was a pleasure to watch you pull out of that "hot mess" and create something you (and I) just loved!! This was one of the best things you've done and very true to YOU. I loved the colors .. although they made no sense to me …. somehow it just worked. I loved watching how you "just knew" you needed to use certain things, but then allowed others to just develop. You have a natural eye for value contrast and I think that is a lot of what makes a successful painting. Congrats!"

Here is that piece....

Sometimes that "hot mess" does not go where I hope it goes but other times it takes a turn that I absolutely LOVE. But she hit it on the head. When I create what is TRUE TO ME there is no right and wrong. Finding those elements to perfect your "signature shot" is part of the process. Find your "special thing". I am thankful to those who share their Art with me inspired by our Mixed Media Mondays:

Mary Kay McDonnell

Ildiko Miskell

Jean Marmo

Valarie Rich

Vicki Loichinger

Marion Armitage

Debra Buckland

Maxine West

My hope is that every Mixed Media Monday you are finding techniques and inspiration. I am proud of the community we have where it is fun and safe to share our work to grow as Artists and embrace who we are. I will see you tonight for Mixed Media Monday!

"Success never comes to look for you while you wait around thinking about it. You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. Knowledge is basically useless without action. Good things don’t come to those who wait; they come to those who work on meaningful goals. Ask yourself what’s really important and then have the courage to build your life around your answer."

Feb 3, 2014 6:00:00 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, Mixed Media Mondays

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 1/27/13 - "Love Grows"

Yesterday was a great day! I had the pleasure of seeing the twin's off to 6th grade camp and it was Mixed Media Monday! How can you beat that? I felt so inspired and I was really looking forward to our creative time. Here is what I painted LIVE:

MATERIALS LIST: Paper-Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum Surface, DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints (White, Wash, Bright Yellow, Primary Yellow, Deep Midnight Blue, Sea Breeze, Victorian Blue, Tomato Red, Bahama Blue, Cherry Red, Peony Pink, Turquoise Blue, Cherry Red, Vivid Violet, Jack-O-Latern Orange, Burnt Orange), Gess & Decoupage - DecoArt, Pens - Sharpie and Uniball Signo White and Charocoal Pencil 3B

If you missed it LIVE it is recorded for your viewing pleasure and available on my YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TraceB5.

VIDEO PART 1

VIDEO PART 2

Love was in the Details on this page.....

I am loving that sheet music Susie gave me! Thank you EVERYONE who was able to be there LIVE and participate with the chat. What a great night and a collaboration. I really appreciated all the feedback last night ♥

Remember to join the Facebook Group HERE and share your projects! Remember to share your work there! I love to see MMM-inspired ART! I will see you next Monday, February, 3rd! ♥

“Let go of what isn’t helping your soul smile and grow. – Life is to be enjoyed, not endured. Follow a path that moves you. You are always free to do something that makes you smile."

Jan 28, 2014 10:22:02 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, Mixed Media Mondays, twstudios, Ustream twStudios

Embrace the Artist.......

One of my favorite things as an Artist is working with DecoArt and the many adventures this has brought for me. The word Artist is not so easy to roll off the tongue. From this place of Art and being an Artist I have been able to experience some amazing things.

One such thing is going to CHA to see fellow Artists I admire and respect. This CHA I I enjoyed the time I spent at DecoArt's booth seeing their newest products and meeting...Andy Skinner! I have known about DecoArt's new Media line coming out for a long time and have been wanting to burst. Seeing them in action makes me even more excited.

Another cool thing is having my art featured in their current catalog which you can see HERE:

All my fellow Artists I work with along with the people at DecoArt are great. I also want to say a special thank you to Susie who I had the pleasure of meeting at CHA. We had a wonderful conversation and it left me feeling movitvated and inspired to keep doing and sharing what I love. The word Embrace kept coming up in our conversation.

She also gave me some vintage sheet music to tear up and use in my art which I am so thankful for! Look for that in future Mixed Media shows.

So in 2013 I "Let it Go"..........and for 2014 I will "Embrace" me, the Artist and all this wonderful world of Art has brought in my life. So Susie I dedicate this piece to you...

today it just felt great to play and Embrace that Artist...

Oh another perk.........awesome products to work with!! That never gets old and grateful every day for every color of the rainbow to color my world!

So with that said........I embrace this side of me that keeps me heading in a most awesome direction. Who knows where that is but I know it is one full of amazing colors and people. I will be sharing more of my CHA adventures soon!

"Among the things that you can give and still keep are your word, a smile and a grateful heart."

Jan 24, 2014 6:00:00 AM | Art Journal, Art/Crafting/Scrapbooking, DecoArt, DecoArt Artist

Tracy Weinzapfel Studios

"Do Something Creative Everyday..."

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/17/14 - "Gifts..."

Monday, February 17, 2014

Change...Embracing it

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/10/14 - "Words"

Saturday, February 08, 2014

My Creative Process

Friday, February 07, 2014

Cigar Boxes....DecoArt Makes Art Easy!

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 2/3/14 - "Grateful"

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

When Creativity Strikes! (or how to re-light that flame)

Monday, February 03, 2014

Life as an Artist

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Mixed Media Monday Re-Cap 1/27/13 - "Love Grows"

Friday, January 24, 2014

Embrace the Artist.......

Tracy Weinzapfel

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