Getting into the Creative Flow

Guys... don't look now, but I've dropped in here two days in a row and I've written 4 posts in the past week!  It's almost like I'm getting into the flow or something!  Speaking of getting into the flow, I've also been getting into the creative flow recently.  Not only am I feeling inspired to write, but I've branched out to learn new art techniques!

Learning new crafts and art techniques is something that I really enjoy.  I'm always on Pinterest or Instagram looking for new projects, artwork styles and techniques.  When I lived alone in my first apartment (Eliot was still finishing college), I loved taking adult education classes at night after work.  I took classes for jewelry making and polymer clay at a school near work.  I also took classes at the local school in my town.  I did cake decorating, soap making, homemade spa night, make up, making chocolate and even writing and publishing your own book.  (I've probably forgotten a few too.)  It was a really important part of my life.  I needed to have some time for myself to explore and learn.  I've really missed that since we left Massachusetts and moved to Maine.

A close up of my acrylic pour painting.

I probably mentioned that I started taking a sewing class in the fall of 2017.  It was time that I learned how to use the machine my parents bought me for my birthday.  (It had just been sitting there collecting dust.)  My Nana told me the best way to learn was to take a class, so when I found out that there was one during the day that worked with my all night work schedule, I immediately signed up.  And I've been taking it in the fall and spring ever since.  (Our instructor says she's running out of stuff to teach us!)

I've really enjoyed those few hours in sewing class on Tuesdays.  It's time for me to learn, be creative and spend some time laughing with the other girls in my class.  That class doesn't start back up until early March, and I already can't wait.  We're making pajama pants and aprons this semester!  Which reminds me; I need to go find some Disney flannel fabric at JoAnn's...

My painting from Beginner Acrylic Pour Painting.

In addition to sewing, this semester I've taken a few classes to learn techniques that I've been itching to learn from my time spent on Pinterest and Instagram.  I've been obsessed with abstract art and acrylic pour paintings for a while now.  (I can't tell you the number of pins I've saved of fluid acrylic artwork, techniques and videos.)  I was so excited to find an instructor who teaches classes for it at a few of the local schools!  So far, I've taken three of her classes and I'm already signed up for two more!

The first class I took was Beginner Acrylic Pour Painting.  This was everything that I've wanted to learn for so long.  We used the flip cup technique where you put all the paints in a cup and turn it over on the canvas.  It's easy and anyone can do it.  Our instructor taught us how to mix the paints and then we got to make our own pour painting!  All of our paintings came out incredible.  I used white, pink, teal, blue, and purple for mine because I wanted it to match the colors in my office.  I can't get over how awesome it looks and how easy it was.  (Fun fact, I just stopped typing long enough to admire it again.  It's here on my desk since I haven't hung it up yet!)  I absolutely love how it turned out!  And now all I want to do is make more of them.

A close up of my artwork from Resin Ink Frames.

The second class I took was Resin Ink Frames.  I hadn't really heard of this technique before I signed up for this class.  But I had heard of alcohol inks, and seen them on Pinterest.  I've also never worked with resin, and it's been an interest of mine for a long time as well.  This class combined both of those!  To describe it simply, you put resin in a sealed off frame, and then you add the alcohol inks.  The inks interact in the resin and you have no idea how it'll turn out until the resin cures.  I used blue, teal, pink, purple and white in my piece but the only colors that seeped into the resin were the blues, teals and white.  I still love how it turned out!  I think it'll look great in our master bedroom!  I'm thinking about taking this class again and trying it with pinks, purples and white to see how that turns out!

My wave painting from Acrylic Pour Painting 2.

This past Wednesday, I took Acrylic Pour Painting Part 2.  In this class, we learned how to create paintings using swipes instead of a flip cup pour.  Our instructor taught us about the different methods and then we each got to choose a few to try.  First, I tried the wave technique.  My wave looks a little like a blob wave, but I'm happy with how the colors finally blended.  (It took me a while to get it!)  Plus, the cells look awesome!  It'll probably live in our Nemo bathroom once it's done.  The second time, I tried a paper towel swipe where you drag a damp paper towel over the paints. I used pink, purple, blue, and mint with a base of black.  The black covered most of the canvas, but I liked how the colors poked out behind it.  After using the torch on it, I got some cool little cell spots that popped out.  One of the girls in my class said it reminded her of how fireworks look when they're falling in the sky.  I can definitely see that!  This one is also going to go in my office!  I love it!

My swipe painting from Acrylic Pour Painting 2.

I've had so much fun so far.  I really have; I can't wait to learn more!  I've got a few other classes that I've marked down on my calendar and I've already signed up for one more- in two different locations!  I've wanted to learn how to make resin geode paintings for a while too.  So when I found out it was also offered, I signed up at my local school and convinced Eliot to take it with me in Biddeford.  (It's right around the corner from where he works.)  My parents wanted to get us something for Valentine's Day so I asked my Mom to pay for a class that we could take together.  (She thought it was a great idea and she and Dad graciously paid for it yesterday afternoon!)  I'll check in again once I've taken those classes!  Yay for sparkly geode paintings!!!

I'm hoping to get a space set up at home so I can start making acrylic pour paintings and experimenting with resin.  I'm seriously dying to make more flip cup pours.  And I have a feeling that I'm going to be addicted to the geode painting too.  I'm sure we're going to have so much artwork it's not even going to be funny.  Who knows... maybe we'll have another new business to open up at some point in the future!  °o°