A Christmas Gift For You! Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

Years ago when I started blogging, it was all

a new adventure for me, I didn`t think of it

as I do now, it is like a blank palette to me,

were I am painting with my dreams, thoughts

and art, it`s a place were a new kind of communication 

is developing, I get to know some of you and 

share who I am now and how I see art, 

life and even business. It all has been a 

learning process to me and one I love!

I am really grateful for all this and being able

to be part of this time and how it`s changing

our cultures and almost feeling there are no

time and space limits!

I thank you for sharing what were your interests 

over the survey, what you wanted to read about,
 in appreciation, I am giving you a  Christmas

 gift, one I hope you enjoy!

I hope to bring you more inspiration in the

future and I thank you for sharing with me your

 time and beautiful comments along this year!

Watch the video for a step by step process of the

painting, here is what you`ll need:

Your sketch , you may use mine as a reference or even
transfer this one to your canvas with transfer paper...

A 6" X 8" stretched gallery canvas

Pencil

Acrylic paints( I use Amsterdam colors:

Ochre Yellow

Sky blue light

titanium buff light

white

black

Pyrrole red

Olive green deep

Burnt umber

brushes

fixative 

barnish

Watch video and enjoy!

I`ll be taking a long brake after this post, I

will come back with more cool things as soon as

I am ready!
I wish you have wonderful holidays!

Tea Christmas Party!

You are invited to a tea party!

I am a big fan of tea and changing their flavors, discover new

ones and collect favorites!  One day I was drinking one 

and thought that the paper used to make them is super strong!

 It stands very well the heat and keeps it`s shape while in the hot water!

Most papers disolve in the water and specially when hot

so I decided to give it a try and work with these tea bags!

It is so much fun to discover that everyday things can 

be  transformed into creative endeavors!  

Here is what I did:

After use, I left them to dry alone, this will give them some beautiful

aged color, then I removed the tea by cutting one edge, carefully 

removed the thread and now they are ready to work with them!

Tip: Use the removed tea for your plants and garden!

I`ve stamped on them with permanent ink adding

two or three layers of different stamps, I think black 

looks wonderful for it gives a nice contrast but why not

 trying other colors?

I just love them!  Simply like this, they can be used to make

 beautiful seasonal cards!

Then I thought:

Why not make some cute tiny pillows with them?

So I filled them with a little stuffing! 

I also though I could add a drop of a nice scent and 

place them in a bowl to add a nice touch in a corner.

Then I`ve tried sewing them, this has to be carefully done

but they hold!  In some cases they started to fall appart

but I added a coat of medium on those parts and voila!

 Write beautiful sentiments on them!

To end, I added a cute iron on embellishments on gold and used my pen to add

some accents and voila!

You could make tea bag ornaments with them!

I hope you are inspired to make your life even more beautiful

and change your ideas of trash being a waste!

R e c y c l e 

M a k e A r t 

Make Happy!

The fun process of whimsical painting

Painting with acrylics can be challenging, I think is a matter of

observing how the media works but one thing is true, every time is different!

I learn something new everytime I paint, and so experience is what matters,

I think I`ve come to a point were I feel super comfortable with this media, it has 

now become a relaxing activity, it wasn`t like that when I first started, I used to feel so 

stressed out even though I enjoyed it, I think life is the same way, one comes to

the world not knowing anything about it and yet somehow we manage to keep

going and enjoy it, when older, we get wiser thinking how much we would love

to know those things we know now when we were younger... so if you dream of 

painting better, know that you will get there if you keep going!

 I had fun this week creating some stamps and I got so 

carried away that I made lots of them, Lol!

So I have now listed a few just to see how it goes, I love to make them!

This one is my favorite now!

I love to paint after stamps so I used this one to make a painting

 of a new cute witch!  Brujita in Spanish and here is what I did...

I am now painting over medium density fiberboard, they are amazing! Have

you tried them yet? They are so cheap, easy to store, handle and well, I just

LOOOOVE them!

Well I`ve added some collage printed over it with paint...

Then painted the background and make it fun! 

I`ve stmaped the face with black acrylic and added some more paint over those

spots I couldn`t reach well when stampping, I`ve also added a simple whimsical 

body, a simple triangle shape and ho yes, the cute hat! :D

Then I started adding dark skin tones on the face, cheekcs and hair,

I let the black paint show, this will create interesting layers!

Then new lighter skin tones, I love pink! Of course, this is were you make your

palette unique by choosing your own colors!

I love how this looks, it`s strange but sometimes this looks better to me when 

I see the photos than the finished piece!  Something I have to work on is 

letting go of trying to perfect the works... Do you know what I mean?

 The lights on the hat to give dimenson are important! 

Then I`ve added details, this is were it comes to life! 

Adding high lights and shades!

To finish, I`ve added lots of sparkling stuff like some glitter, stars and mica! 

Then I`ve added a touch of pen to add details and write some words that say:

Feliz Noche De Brujas!

Happy witches day as we also call the day of the dead over here in Mexico!

Listed now over my Etsy!

Now I present you with a new caracter Spooky tehuanas!  They are so much fun 

and looking at them makes me smile each time! I`ve made them to create stuff

for my so abandoned Etsy shop, I hope to focus more on this now!

You can find this set here!

Aren`t they fantastic?

I love bright mexican colors and those envelopes have beens saved for a special

occasion and I thought they would go great with the cards!

You can find this make it your self set  here, I thought it would be fun!

I am announcing the giveaway winner over my next post so hurry if you want to enter and win

some hand made spooky cards!

I hope you are well and happy! ;D

Sweet tiny shadow box... out of the roller paper?

From Toilet Roll to Tiny Treasure!

My fascination with boxes—of all shapes and sizes—goes back years. For me, they’re not just storage; they’re little treasures waiting to be filled. After a while of collecting them, the idea of transforming these containers into art gave birth to my shadow boxes.

I was inspired by the world of altered books and fell in love with the process. Some of my shadow boxes are intricate, filled with curiosities I've collected from flea markets and travels. Others are wonderfully simple, like the one we're making today from an everyday toilet paper roll!

Upcycling is a great way to be creative and resourceful, and I hope you enjoy learning this simple technique. Variety is the spice of life, and mastering different crafting methods makes any artist more complete!

Part 1: Crafting the Miniature Box

This little box is the perfect rustic canvas for a small shadow box display. Here’s how to make it:

Materials

• One empty toilet paper roll

• Ruler

• Pencil

• Scissors or craft knife

• Bone folder or embossing tool

• White craft glue

• Small pins or clips

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mark the Sides: Using a ruler, measure and trace guide lines on all four sides of the roll. Pro tip: I used 2 cm per side (a little less than an inch), but using a full inch might be easier for you and won't stretch the box much. The sides need a good size to protect what’s inside!

2. Score the Lines: Use a ruler and a bone folder or embossing tool to gently score over your traced lines. Scoring helps the cardboard fold cleanly and easily. Be gentle!

3. Cut the Corners: Cut the lines at the ends of the roll, which will create flaps you can see in the photo below.

4. Fold and Shape: Use your ruler to help you fold all the sides inwards. You’re now close to the final box shape!

5. Secure the Box: Apply craft glue to the flaps. Use pins or small clips to hold the corners together until the glue is completely dry.

Voila! You have a sweet little rustic box. Isn't that easy and fun?

Note: Read the second part before crafting your box, maybe you want to add some collage before crafting it!

Part 2: Decorating and Designing the Shadow Box

Now for the fun part: turning your basic box into a dimensional piece of art!

Covering the Box

You can cover your new box with anything you like! I chose to use the paper maché technique, covering my box with vintage sheet music for a beautiful, aged look. Scrapbook paper or even painted gesso would look fantastic too!

Preparing the Background

1. Flatten the Roll: Take a second toilet paper roll and flatten it out. (You may do this step before the crafting of the box)

2. Attach Paper: Using white glue, attach a nice, natural fiber handmade paper to the flattened cardboard roll.

3. Cut to Fit: Cut this prepared piece to the exact size of the inside of your box. This will be the perfect rustic backdrop for your design.

Creating the Design

My design for this box is a sweet angel:

1. Cut the Focal Point: I carefully cut out the angel shape. A fresh blade on your craft knife is essential to prevent tearing your work!

2. Upcycle for Details: I used scraps from the same natural fiber paper and even pieces of the toilet roll to craft the angel’s wings and halo—no need to waste materials!

3. Prime the Surface: Lightly brush on some gesso. This primes the paper so paint absorbs better, but avoid covering it completely so the beautiful paper notes or words still peek through.

4. Add Dimension: I attached foam dots to the back of the angel. This simple step creates shadows, adding wonderful dimension and depth to the final piece.

Final Touches and Assembly

Paint your design as you like! I added words to accompany my angel, along with a sprinkle of glitter and stars. On the bottom, I used a universal transparent glue to attach moss and tiny flowers.

• Finish and Protect: Spray the entire work with a fixative to protect it from dust and fading.

Hanging Your Art

To hang it, I created a loop with a piece of wire and attached it to the back using more paper maché (paper and glue). Since this box is super light, this method is strong enough. If your design is heavier, consider using a piece of strong fabric instead.

This little box is now hanging proudly! I plan to make a few more to create a charming wall arrangement.

The words on my finished box read:

"The fragrance of her soul remained humble and simple."

New watercolors Gallery

New Altered books Gallery

Altered book page

Altered book spread

Inspired in a dream Altered book page

Altered book spread 

"Sometimes it is so dark, it's hard to see where to start walking. Whenever scared, close your eyes to the world. Listen, listen for a while— you will be guided."

I hope you had fun, thanks for visiting! :D