December 31, 2013

Reflections of 2013

As this year is coming to an end I'm trying to reflect on how flipping crazy it was for me.
I met new super cool people with the 29 faces challenge. The challenge ran twice and it was a wonderful experience both times. I was part of many teams in the FITW III because it was so much fun, but at the end I think I went a little bananas :o)

Also received in the mail my long waited turn for the TAP (Traveling Art Painting) organized by Joyce in NZ.

And...I was invited to be an instructor at the SoulFood online classes, which is about to start, so exciting!

Artistically, for the big part of the year, it was fun and interesting.

Cartoon made by ObLivian

In my personal life however, many things went horribly wrong. Emotionally, health wise and as family, we went on a nasty fast downhill on an unpaved road trip for months. Things are better now, but believe me, I do not ever want to feel the same way again or even remember it.

Also I, who hardly ever get a cold... have spent the whole month of December ill except for probably 4 days, dealing with a flu. How unfun is that? I have not painted the whole month. I think I only made one drawing, more like a doodle on a napkin. It was all I could handle being so sick.

I am planing to attack my pencils and paint brushes with revenge coming this January. And hopefully I will have my camera to show you (◡‿◡✿)


My wish for you is that you get many cookies, and run before life tries to kick you in the shin! ♥
Here's to a wonderful, lovely, positive, healthy 2014.
Thanks for visiting! ٩(◠◡◠)۶

December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas and blessed celebrations

My wish for you is to have a blessed, happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas, and the  different celebration of your faith.
Yes, there can be peaceful celebrations even with small kids and teens ♥
May you have someone to hug, to share a meal with and a reason to smile, even if by phone...


A funny video with Christmas music:



... and a cute video:

Thanks for visiting!

Updates before the year is gone

Not sure why I forgot to post about the FITWIII I got all pretty from Shelle in AU and Stacy in CA, who turned out to be a happy hippie lady with a baby crow, I love it!


 I won the awesome art of Kristin McCulloch! (LilliBean Designs)



Many people asked me to update my wall status, including my husband, who made a great job of almost disastrous situation we had going...
Here is the before and after:


Other updates: a huge bunch of my nice magazines found a new home, thanks!
I'm organizing a Traveling Journal for January, so the month goes fast (NO, I do not like January one bit)
There is 38 more days to start the 29 faces challenge in February!!!!
...Can't make a face? Take one of my online super easy classes! Check my side bar!
For those visiting in small electronic devises click HERE and HERE to see.

Thanks for visiting! ♥


Check my available art and online classes get my newsletter

December 15, 2013

The traveling paint...

I am part of the year long collab Traveling Art Project, orchestrated by Joyce Van der Lely.
The list of participants is long, but I have to mention Heather Santos mailed to me, and this is what happened. In the 1st image you can see my pencil sketch, then I added paint little by little, making the collaged drops more prominent:


December 11, 2013

News and Looong funny rant

My giveaway for the Soul Food Class was won by Gina Morley! She won 39 fun art lessons, yaayy!!

And I was also lucky: We went to my husband's office Christmas party. They always have a raffle. I won a plasma TV. (◠‿◠)
Well, that's where the story begins!

I placed it on top of the TV cabinet, kind of eclectic look being that I had my old TV right under. After we connected it, we noticed the sound was kind of yucky and the image quality was not so great, so I decided to take it back to the store, get a store credit and pay the difference for another one. After a couple of hours of shopping, waiting in the return line, blah blah, they didn't have the same size so we had to get a bigger one. LED.

At that point we had gotten rid of the poor old TV, (I say poor because unsuspectingly it got kicked out of its house, left alone in the donations place) it was the kind of huge bulky square -took three of us to move it and I almost threw out my back-- but it was still working fine. We had it mostly to watch old movies, or when the other TV is in use by noisy games and someone wants to come to a more private quiet place (namely, mom's room lol)

We brought the new TV, put it on the top of cabinet but it looked silly since now there was this gaping hole from the other banished one, so we put it in the shelf, connected it, and it had great sound and image quality but now since it is not bulky, it looked tiny in the cabinet's shelf. Readjusting shelves didn't work.
My husband suggested to go get a larger one. I was hesitant because really, that TV doesn't get much use, but well, we went back to return and exchange it. Another 3 hours of a line in the store... ugh  [ಠ_ಠ]

We went out in the near freezing weather, more hours of waiting and lines. They didn't have the next size up but a bigger one. Oops. OK, may as well, we got that one. But not in this store, they only had one in the far away store... So drive far we did, parked far because it was full to the brims, got frozen cold because it was near ice out there, plus the expected long lines...  etc... We  came back home, got it out of the box ready to connect and what do you think...? It didn't fit in the cabinet hahahaha Too big! (-_ლ) No way I'm going back to exchange!

I thought well, I will fill up the shelf with stuff and set the TV on top. Who cares?
Well, no can do; the dang coffered ceiling won't allow it. This TV is now too tall.

I have a hate-hate relationship with that coffered ceiling thing... it is not the typical band around of about 7 or 10 inches thick, it is a whole upside down bench. About 21 inches low! We couldn't get the bed we wanted because of the low profile of the coffering (coffering....is there such a word?) Anyway, let's just say that if it wasn't a huge messy expensive project to knock it down, it wouldn't  be there. I can almost hear it snicker at me some nights :oP

So... Next option: shop for a new cabinet.
We had the old one for 17 years after all. The fact that was pristine didn't matter; it was unfortunately the wrong size for this. Out of the room and shop for a new one.
That brought up another set of problems. I had a bunch of books and magazines in the bottom doors. Oops. Go and arrange that. Down memory lane.... old kids paintings, books and stuff. Discard, organize. Make another trip to donations. Inevitably now I have a pile of junk on the dining table waiting to be redistributed somewhere. But that will have to wait because now I have to go get a new cabinet.

Three days later with my eyes spinning between the prices, sizes and styles we still couldn't decide.  We saw tall, short, modern, antique... I figured since it would not match our furniture, might as well be so clashy that it would look eclectic on purpose, right?  Did you know there are TV cabinets with fake electric fireplaces? Wow.
I was very close to buying an antique black one full of curves, kind of bombe, but it didn't fit the player. Not to mention the price was a bit too much for such an unplanned purchase.

After looking high and low, my husband decided to forget the furniture, just mount it on the wall. There are 2 options: it can be installed on the wall and have all the cables and wires in a neat cover that can be painted the color of the wall, easy. Or it can be installed after punching holes in the wall to have the cables and wires hidden inside the wall. I opted for the easy neat cover. My husband wanted to have them hidden. Difficulty level: 1000.
Now I have 2 holes in the wall. One of them quite uneven. ( ¬_¬) Yes, you can laugh.

I will skip the part where we were missing tools and cables were cut too short, someone stepped on the outlet cover and broke it, and the fact that I had no electricity till 10 pm, just go directly to the part where, after cutting the holes in the wall, we discovered that there was an unexpected wood bar in the way so getting the cables from point A to point B took a whole day more than planned, and unfortunately the 2nd hole ended up larger that expected so a re-patch and re-paint is part of the list too. Hopefully soon he will finish the project.

On the way to get patching paint and a gift for a co worker, I discovered a cute adorable dainty cabinet to be placed in front of the hopefully-soon-hanging-TV just as decor and kind of fence to deter fast walking-wall-bumpers from the electronics. Great price, nice size, no storage unfortunately but seems perfect for the spot. It just needed different knobs to look more unique. I bought it. Then we went to get knobs at the market shop with imports. We got 3 awesome ceramic knobs. 1 for the drawer, 2 for the little doors. It was hard to remove them because of the finishing so my son was very careful to score the paint around with a blade, then unscrew them, to add the new ones.
Well, whaddayaknow? After all his work, the door knobs were too wide and fit tight together so the dang dainty doors won't close! Agh! ლ(ಠ_ಠლ)  He reinstalled the old ones, we just left the one in the drawer. Still unique looking.

It is a little over a week of the infamous lucky winning, and now I have holes in the wall, wires hanging out, plaster debris on the carpet, a new TV back in the box, an old cabinet in the entry way, a pile of junk in the dining room... a new dainty cabinet in the hall (with only one shiny new knob). And a vacuum cleaner ready to go.  Agh!

 

 All of this after a winning price... My husband said he is not going to let me get another raffle ticket next time ( •‿- )

And that is why, ladies and gentlemen, you are not to see the gift horse in the mouth!

Oh! Congrats to Gina!

December 4, 2013

Well, I picked a new one!

The class winner is happily taking my class but I haven't been able to find the winner of the 4x4 art card after a week, so, sorry!
But another winner was picked, and it is.......


Suspense!....

December 2, 2013

Awesome Giveaway!

OK, this is super extra awesome.....
I am giving away one spot for the Soul Food Class, which is 38 other instructors and myself! That is like winning 39 classes all at once!
I think it is the best-est giveaway ever!

What do you have to do to play? Visit my FaceBook art page. (I'm running in FB because I have more traffic there for now)
Leave a comment THERE, and SHARE it on your wall, or any other site, and let me know.
I will leave it open for a week, so the 9th of December I will pick a winner and post it here.

IMPORTANT: Make sure there's an EASY way to contact you. I am not in Google plus, so if your profile is closed, or I can't reach the winner, I will give it to another person. Keep that in mind! :oD



Update: the winner is Gina M from the UK! ♥

November 26, 2013

And the winners are...

We have 2 winners!
This time I don't have a video, sorry. I am still very sick with a nasty cold and my voice is all crackly, not that I can hear myself so well, since my ears are all plugged up too.
And.... on top of that, my blog is not letting me upload any images since last night, so I finally thought of uploading to photobucket and paste it here. Seems like it is affecting many blogs though! Ugh.

But anyway, here are the winners:
  *Robyn won the 4x4 art card in the image, (I need your address to mail it)
  *Clare won the spot in my new class! (I need your email for instructions)

 photo giveawayAyala2_zpsabd50339.jpg
Congrats to both, and thanks to all that participated!


November 15, 2013

Blog's look and Giveaway

Every once in a while I get the bug of changing stuff around. Today was the blog's turn.
I love color, but sometimes it overwhelms me :oP So for now I'm back to all white. I will let the art be the color on the blank background.
I feel like removing half the buttons and junk from theside bar, but I do like that stuff lol
So maybe I will stick in in another side or something.....

For now, I want to celebrate that there are 677 blog friends! yaay!
And also my class "Overhaul, Prettify and Love it" is ready to go, after so many months of work, fights with the video editor and long brakes in between, it is finally done and I think it is fantastic, if I may shamelessly say so myself  (✿◠‿◠)

After thinking it over, I decided not to have the class "live"  once a week.... but rather self-paced that way it is less effort to keep up, and more instant gratification for the members taking it. It can be taken in little parts, large parts or one huge art marathon!


Registrations start now, more info HERE and the Buy button is in the side bar.


*********************************
Giveaway time!!
To celebrate the "almost 700" blog friends, and my new class!
 I will be giving away:
* One class spot for the 1st place, 
* One 4x4 art card for the 2nd winner

Everybody from ANY place in the world can play! 

What do you have to do?
Get the button on my left Side Bar.... post it in your blog, Leave a comment here! 

Also tweet about it, or post it in your facebook wall, or Pinterest etc... any other network you like! Just come back and post what you did, for an extra entry ♥ You can follow the blog if you are not doing so yet ;o)
If the winner happens to have purchased the class, I will reimburse the money so it is still a gift! :oD

Class Signing up and Giveaway start right now, and the 2 winners will be selected on the 25th of November, just in time to be extra thankful in Thanksgiving  ( -''- )
*If I can't find the winner in a week, another winner will be selected!

So, don't wait any longer, leave a comment and grab that button! 
 ---Or, let me know if you are only dropping by saying "hello"

November 12, 2013

11.12.13 Cool

Cute little day number today "11.12.13" :o)
I guess the next one will be December 13th on next year? 12.13.14? And then we will have to amuse ourselves with something else, like the digital clocks or something lol

Well, in honor of this special occasion, I made a little editing on one of my paintings:


This is one part of the projects of my new class. I am still working on a few details, that's why I have not been as active online, and I miss you guys!
I finished the one awesome project for the SoulFood Class, which will open in January and mine will air in February.
Now I am finishing this one which will probably air earlier than the other one, and it is a "solo" class see the video HERE

Thanks for visiting!

November 9, 2013

Overhaul it. Online Art class, workshop

learn to paint. Painting tutorial. online art workshops. art painting e-class 
I am so happy to show you this short video of my new Online Art Class! There are four paintings and many tips, ideas and instructions! Perfect artsy present for yourself of your loved one! ♥



What exactly is it?
An online class based on videos. Four awesome projects divided in (14) sections where you learn about making portraits based on texture, techniques and my tips on painting.

This class if for those that can manage drawing a face but want to learn more.
*If you have never done a face I have another class HERE "Basic Face"

You will receive an invitation to join the class-space after your payment.

How long is it?
You can watch them at your own pace. It depends on you. It can take a few weeks, or a few evenings... or one solid marathon day of art. You can watch the videos as much as you want and paint along. If you have any questions, just post them here or email me (from my menu button up here)

What do I need to take the class? 
- A Google ID (what you use for blogging, or youtube etc)
- A fast internet connection and sufficient knowledge to join internet sites. Plus a recent browser version.
A fast internet connection for the HD videos.
A google ID (just like what you use to comment in my blog)
Sufficient basic computer knowledge to join online services .
To get a free flickr account. (Optional)
A digital camera or scanner to show me your work.
Watercolor/Bristol Paper, pencil, eraser. watercolor pencils or acrylic paints. - See more at: http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/2012/05/officially-official-workshop-posthello.html
A fast internet connection for the HD videos.
A google ID (just like what you use to comment in my blog)
Sufficient basic computer knowledge to join online services .
To get a free flickr account. (Optional)
A digital camera or scanner to show me your work.
Watercolor/Bristol Paper, pencil, eraser. watercolor pencils or acrylic paints. - See more at: http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/2012/05/officially-official-workshop-posthello.html#sthash.fwInKuRv.dpuf
A fast internet connection for the HD videos.
A google ID (just like what you use to comment in my blog)
Sufficient basic computer knowledge to join online services .
To get a free flickr account. (Optional)
A digital camera or scanner to show me your work.
Watercolor/Bristol Paper, pencil, eraser. watercolor pencils or acrylic paints. - See more at: http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/2012/05/officially-official-workshop-posthello.html#sthash.fwInKuRv.dpuf
- Your rejected piece(s) of art. OR you can start with a blank surface, no problem!
- Acrylic  paints, paper, canvas, and your stash of mixed media items. A complete list will be given after joining. You can start from a blank page as well.


How much is it? How do I get in?
Only $45.00 US dollars for 4 projects and hours of useful tips and info! Price might go up in the future. Buy now button below.

Because of the nature of online classes, no refunds allowed once you join the class.
After paying with paypal, please email me (top button in this blog) to let me know you purchased the class! 
If you are visiting this Blog from a cell phone, you might have to click on "watch as a web page" option to see the top menu.

 ♥



To purchase: Click on BuyNow button.
 Email me  on the contact form (on side bar)  to let me know you purchased the class.
Sometimes paypal takes a while to send me a note.
And check your junk/spam folder in case my email lands there!


Find Testimonials at the end of this page  HERE

October 25, 2013

Online class!

I have been working behind the scenes in an awesome project.... ٩(≧◡≦

An online class with 38 other artists and crafters, with an abundance of color, texture and fun.
If you are thinking of a Christmas present for an artsy loved one, this is the thing! If you are thinking of learning at your own pace and loving every project, this is the class for you. The price is great for all the amount of projects, info and hours of video!
 Click HERE for more info.


October 14, 2013

The big Gray

We went to Monterey bay for the weekend, lovely as always! I forgot my camera, so I had to ask my husband to click here and there with his cell.
The one thing that took got my attention in the morning was the thick fog. WOW!
We have not had heavy fog here for a few years now, and even when it can be a big problem, it is also breathtaking. We went out to the hall balcony and all you could see was this big gray wall, and as you get closer you see details, and it is like finding treasures.
I am just happy I didn't have to drive through that!

We went to the aquarium... lots of inspiration!
Then by the time the sun was warming, and the sky was in an amazing blue, we walked all over the place, relaxed by the plaza where they had street painters and music. So nice! There's not much of a beach in that particular spot, but my daughter still managed to get her shoes wet (◑‿◐) and collect a couple of shells and pretty rocks.

Here are some images of weathered texture:


See the blue? it is the beautiful sky.

October 9, 2013

Happy

Life can throw some weird stuff at us when we least expect it. And sometimes for fun, throws some more when we are down, just to see if we are paying attention.
These past few months have not been nice or easy. As much as I love sharing art, I do not like sharing misery so I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that even in the crappiest of days, we still can find a smile and chose happy if we dig deep enough.

The 29 faces brought me happiness, you all gave me a great deal of art and positive feelings and smiles.
Today is my birthday and that's a good chance to have cake, so here's one huge slice for you all:


Thank you for visiting and thank you for the smiles. And here's to a better year, a better end of season, better beginning of the holidays and better everything.
Health, peace and love.♥

October 1, 2013

Old blog Buttons

I am posting here all my old blog buttons, you are welcome to grab the ones you like.
They were removed them from my side bar but I still want to keep them around :)




Copy code and Paste in HTML/JAVA gadget
===============================

ilove2paint.blogspot.com
Copy/Paste in an "html" gadget on your blog's sidebar
========================================


 =======================================
JUne Guys
=====================================

====================================

http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/search/label/modigliani                  http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/search/label/June%20guys
====================================
2011 & 2012  OWOA:




Check my available art and online classes get my newsletter

September 30, 2013

Last day, did you make it?

Even if you only made a couple, or not even 10... you still learned something by participating in this challenge.
I did not finish all my faces, just a few, but I had great fun, still am! Visiting blogs slowly, and meeting new people. We can always enjoy a new friendship!

I am posting a bonus face WIP. A little ACEO:

These are my daughter's faces to finish her 29. She has been having so much homework, the last thing she thought of was making a complicated  face. I loved the ones she had made already but you know how it goes when we don't like something... she didn't want to scan them. Oh well :o)


September 29, 2013

The last few...

As we come to another end of the 29 faces challenge, I feel a mix of sadness and relief ;oP  Relief because some days it was a struggle, even if a fun one, not only to make my face but to post and to run the 3 sites (public page, private group and blogs... plus not to mention reality and family) specially in the very beginning. But then at the end, when it is running like a well oiled machine, I can really enjoy it, it is fascinating! But things come to a conclusion and I confess I will have a huge art withdrawal.

I have seen the growth in participants in their art and style and I am so thrilled and honored to be a witness to that ♥

Visit the huge Linky list HERE to have your daily fix of art, enjoy a new blog, leave them a comment and make a new friend in a far away place.  We have people from Australia, Argentina,  Belgium, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, many places in the US ... Where else? Did I miss your country, let me know!

OK, my two last faces for today: My main goal this time around was to loosen my paint brush strokes.
This first face, is a re-work I'm doing slowly. I have been adding crazy patterns for weeks, on top of a weird portrait that was not going the way I wanted, so after the colorful random patterns I am adding a face that explains at this point why the eyes are in different colors :o)


This second one was started with leftover paints from another work I was doing. I will finish her soon and all the unfinished faces will eventually be posted here in my blog :o)

She resembles my little ACEO girls, but it is a 9x12 watercolor paper.

....hhmmmm maybe I will make some ACEO in fall theme next. (◔‿◔)

September 26, 2013

Four faces!

I made four fast sketches. No details, no thinking or even shadowing.... just quick, that was the purpose. SO it was about 10 minutes in one page.... I think they turned out ok. I did some digital editing, because  the scanner didn't want to catch the pencil :oP


My daughter has a bunch of faces made but not scanned, so I will be posting hers soon :oD I am quite proud ♥
We are almost all done with the #29faces challenge!

September 24, 2013

Super texture

Usually my art  includes a smile, even if a small or mysterious one, but lately, my faces are not smiling. And as much as I love painting eyes, these two paintings today have only dark spots. Maybe in the future I will continue to work on them, depends on the muse.

    

I am very happy with the texture. Can you believe we are in the last few days of the 29 faces challenge?

September 21, 2013

Sketches and Double trouble

First, 6 fast sketches from my daughter:


Now, after working on the FITW II face back in August, that I turned into a Picasso HERE and HERE and just recently visiting Debbie's Art Life Now blog, I had this intense itch to work on a cubist series. Or at least one piece of a double faces portrait, kind of Picasso, kind of just doodle.
   

These double faces are double trouble... If I feel more of an itch, I might paint them, or most likely paint over them ha!

September 20, 2013

Goodies and face number 20

I received this in the mail the other day:


 It was like Christmas! One is my Face in the World II piece collaboration with Joy and Cheryl (top right) then a gift ACEO from Shelle in a super cute baggy, and it is a girl clown, I love her!, The wrapped card in the bottom in Shelle's card for me to work on, in a team with Down.

Said card is my face for today. Before and after:
  
I worked on the eyes, hair and body.

Also, my Frida painting arrived in Greece, so I was very happy about it ♥
That's all for now. How are you doing in your 29 faces so far?


Check my available art and online classes get my newsletter

September 18, 2013

Burst of Color

I like how simple this first face is, almost monochromatic:


These are pages in my little journal:


So far these are 19 of 29 :o)

September 16, 2013

Bunch of faces for 29 faces!

Running late....
Here are a bunch of faces. I think mine are horrid today, and definitely need lots of more work, like the one with purple hair, that poor thing is hideous, but nothing that more paint can't fix.
That goes to tell you, there is no failing, just need of more layers ha!


 


And these made by my daughter.... Frida and a skeleton


September 13, 2013

Friday 13

I might be a bit superstitious for some things, but this date Friday 13 really is not one of them. It actually, so far, has been a very pleasant day, compared to the last few weeks I been having. Knock on wood! (◠‿◠)
 
This is the little journal page I was talking about yesterday (the one small planner book I altered) and not sure if I will write something in the other side... I kind of like just images.


This are small pages, about 6.5 tall and 4.5 wide, more or less.
You don't have to post finished pieces, as you see, this lady here is just a sketch still.

September 12, 2013

Day 12: One more face

I painted up a storm yesterday!
OK, it was not a storm, it was faces, but you know what I mean right? ho ho ho

This is how this one started:

  

I am very happy with the result! It is hard for me to keep a loose brush, so it was challenging and so exciting!  This is the first page in my new larger journal ♥

I made a small book to use for my 29 faces but so far I have not done more than one there,  will be posted tomorrow, along with all the other ones.

Can you believe we are almost at the end of the second week?

This is my 2nd post for today, the other one is a blog tip HERE (Blogger not letting people connect to post)