There is a local and very worthy cause to which Skelekitty and I like to donate each year called "Painting For Paws," which benefits Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary here in Sacramento.

 
(clicky click to embiggen the poster)

Say, did you know that Skelekitty's very first appearance in this world was at the Painting For Paws event in 2007? It's true - I thought it would be fun to create a feisty Dia de los Muertos kitty with a sense of humor for this event, and since that fateful night, she has taken over my life!

 
"Skelekitty & Skelemouse" (SK's debut in 2007!)

This year, the Happy Tails cats and dogs are once again busy with their creative endeavors, painting one-of-a-kind pieces of original artwork for event (accompanied by a photo and bio of the furry artist). In addition, there will be complimentary food & wine, a silent auction, a prize drawing and animal-themed jewelry for sale. No admission fee!

I am donating three hand-embellished prints of various kitties for the silent art auction:

A pair of my newest Skelekitty prints, Angel / Devil, will be auctioned off together as a set.
 

This one isn't Skelekitty, strictly speaking, but she's the cutest little angel kitten!


And one doggy: Skelepup detail from "Wanna Go To The River?"


Each of my 8x10" prints is hand-embellished with art glitter (& perhaps some other goodies) and enclosed in an an acid-free clear bag with sturdy backing and information such as the title, artist, Painting for Paws fundraiser, etc.

I hope you'll all mark your calendars and come out for this wonderful event on July 11th.  Who knows, you may go home with a hand-embellished skele-print at a real bargain!

Originally posted at Krissi's Stitchery & Mixed Media Mexiphemera on June 3, 2009.



Business has been happily busy here at the estudio de Krissi y Skelekitty (although she's wanting top billing these days, the pushy minx). I didn't want you all to think I didn't love you any more, so I'm starting a series of "bloglets" I am calling Stuff (without which I would surely perish). In short, they are Krissi-style mini-reviews of things I love and MUST ALWAYS HAVE. Mostly I'll feature arts & crafts stuff, to be sure, but the occasional non-art product will be featured now and then.

For my first entry, here's a pretty traditional craft supply that I use in almost every mixed-media art piece I create (but if I didn't tell you, you might not even know it was there):



Tulip Fashion Glitter by Duncan in Silver Hologram comes in three sizes - ultra fine, fine and medium - but I have a particular love for the fine.

Until meeting Kathy Murillo on her Crafty Chica art cruise in 2008, I wasn't into loose glitter AT ALL, much to the continued chagrin of my long-suffering pal, Yoli. I still thought of glitter in big dullish, hexagonal chunks that gathered in the bottom of your winter decorations box after having flaked off your ancient Xmas stocking. However, I got one look at the line of glitters Kathy mixed and Duncan produced, with their amazing colors and shiny holographic goodness, and I was HOOKED.



I use all of the Crafty Chica glitters in my artwork (most notably Goddess Gold, Frida's Fuschia and Bollywood Blue), but the most popular glitter is the holographic silver - it makes ABSOLUTELY PERFECT STARRY SKIES! Can you see it in the sky of "A Brand New Sky To Hang The Stars Upon...?"






What about here in one of my (many) Venture Bros. fan art pieces, "The Grand Galactic Inquisitor?"




Can't leave my favorite supply off of a new Skelekitty painting:


I even used a bit in my most recent piece:


And since I'm teaching a class of my favorite techniques this month, it showed up in one of the class samples, too.


I wish you could see just how fabulous this glitter looks under and between the layers of gel medium - the photos truly cannot do it justice.

If there's a takeaway point from this first SWWIWSP "bloglet," it is to look at ALL of your supplies when creating, and don't fear mixing your "craft" supplies in with your "art" supplies!

Hi everyone! I wanted to let y'all know that I'll be teaching some of my absolute favorite mixed-media layering, shading and image transfer techniques on June 19th in So. Cal. at the Santa Clarita Craft Lab.  The class is called "Hearts of Fire - Mixed Media Imagery."

The collage we'll be making is a simple heart image with wings and a crown (students are encouraged to change it up any way they wish).

At first, I just made one sample, but feared that some students might feel a need to duplicate it (and if I'm honest, even *I* can't do it that way a second time!) So, using the same box of supplies and identical techniques, I created two different mixed media plaques. One is brightly colored and the other has a "steampunk" feel to it (complete with a moving spinner).  Hopefully, by creating two looks from the same techniques and supplies will show students how they can copy a technique while letting their own styles come through!

Wanna sign up?

The class is $40 per student (includes all supplies**), and is limited to 10 students. Go to santaclaritacraftlab.com and check out the June calendar, or just contact them (Tuesday through Sunday) to reserve your spot today!

Be sure to join SCCL's facebook page and read their blog for more information too.

A week back I posted a contest asking folks to post about how they break the rules in their artwork and crafts.  For the original post (and to enter) - clicky click right here.  A few people seem to think they're not qualified to enter.  I think they are dead wrong.  Therefore, I've decided two things today:

1.  I'm expanding the scope of the contest from just art to ALL creative endeavors

which brings us to:

2.  I'm extending the deadline until Thursday night, so be sure to post a comment here or on the original post before I log in on Friday "morning" and you'll be entered to win a set of my new Loteria note cards - oh, and by then, I believe there will be two new additions to the set (angel & devil, of course!).  The winner will receive 6 cards of their choosing to be hand-embellished by yours truly.  Yes, you may mix/match or get 6 of the same design.  If you win, you call the shots.

This scope creep (thank you project management speak) occurred after I read a blog post by Bill Shafer, owner of Hyaena Gallery in Burbank.  A few readers missed the point of the post, thinking he was success-bashing or saying that big-name artists all suck.  On the contrary, Bill's well thought out and eloquent point was simply that, "you shouldn’t like something only because everyone you know likes it. Decide your own tastes [whether or not it's popular]..." (be sure to read the post for yourself too - don't take my word for it).  Which made me realize that my question should also encompass things like "I started a gallery so I could carry art that the mainstream hates, but that I love" or "I homeschool my kids" or "I'm a practicing atheist living in the Bible belt" et cetera.

Now that you and I both have a broader view, I will ask again, "HOW DO YOU BREAK THE RULES?"  Even if you don't want the cards (you can pass them on to the next person in 'the hat,') I strongly encourage you to post for the benefit of your fellow creative types.

Despite rumors to the contrary, I actually do listen to all of the Skelekitty requests with which I have been pummeled over the last year or so. In response, I've painted (well, AM PAINTING is more like it) two new 11x14" angel & devil mixed-media pieces featuring the little minx - they also explain the absence of daily "DaVinci Mode Challenge" posts - I've been consistently working on one long-term creative project! The paintings are still in progress, and when finished, will be available as a set ($250* for both of them).



The return of Skelekitty, as it was coined by my "Aunt Merry" (just "Pancho" to me), will take place at Side Show Studios' 2nd annual super-awesome Women Uncovered show this month. And OH BOY are there some amazing artists in this show, including a few who were too askeered to show their stuff before!

*On accounta I love you all so much, I'm running my own version of a recession special: for those of you without free-flowing cashola, 8x10" prints will be at the gallery for a mere $15 each. Ya gotta love affordable art, yeah?

I'll also have a couple pieces at the annual Body Tribe anniversary show, including 12 Bad Eggs and Grinding To A Hault.

12 bad eggs (12x12" mixed media on birch)

 
grinding to a hault (12x12" mixed media on birch)

HOWEVER, the most exciting news about this year's "Body" show at The Tribe is that my very VERY good friend of too many years to count, Keith Bowers, will be participating! I've been friends with KB since High School, when I used to do his eyeliner in the caf. before classes (hey, it was the 80s). One of his large canvasses used to hang in the dining room of my apartment at 24th & Bryant in the Mission (where all the parades start!). I'm excited to see he's still creating.



Several of his sculptures will be on exhibit at this year's annual Body show - so why not come out and see him and his awesomeness?

Oh, and don't forget that TODAY is the final day to enter the "Break the Rules" contest - you might win a set of my Loteria cards!

What I'm working on...  More photos coming soon!



Don't forget that Skelekitty has her own blog that you can follow!

The question, "How do you break the (crafting) rules?" 

Want more details?  Wanna enter to win?  Wanna know what you might win?

Clicky clicky!

Hi all! About a year or more ago, I recycled one of those padded mailers for a swap I was participating in and, of course, photographed it:


I get a lot of hits on this particular photo and receive e-mails every now and then asking how I did it. I figured, it being "Earth Week" and all, this would be a great time to tell everyone (plus, I needed to cover up a used mailer for Rikki's Loteria pendant, so I had one to photograph!).


Of course you've saved padded mailers. Well, go find one.


While you're in there, get some white glue or decoupage medium, a brush, your white paint (or gesso) and some pretty tissue papers (you could also use decorative paper scraps).


Tear off any glossy tape and labels that are easily removable (you don't really even need to do this, but it helps the decoupage stick). Prime your envelope with white craft paint or gesso (mostly this is just to give an even look to the piece and ensure that old labels are covered).


Start with one side of the envelope and coat a small area with decoupage medium. Add pieces of tissue paper and recoat with glue/decoupage medium.


Keep going....


OK... That looks pretty good. Let it dry, then do the back side (optional, but totally cool looking).


You can work on the back while the front is still wet if you have a non-stick craft sheet, but I use the drying time as an excuse to play with my dog.

Once both sides are dry, you can address, fill and send your mailer, but I like to decorate mine even more:


Using your favorite stamps (of course they're your Skelekitty ones!), and some Staz On or other permanent ink, stamp an image onto a piece of tissue paper...

...then affix it to the envelope. This technique will give you a better stamp impression than if you stamp directly onto the lumpy envelope.


Don't be afraid to get a little silly.


And it's finished! No... wait....


YES! It still needs a little sparkle! (I got the idea of adding iridescent glitter to mod podge from Kathy Murillo, The Crafty Chica!)


NOW it's finished! (This, obviously, is the back of the envelope - sorry, just not going to give everyone Rikki's address!!!)

If you make one, I'd love to see it, so be sure to post a link here!

I'm still going strong with Stacy McQueen's challenge to stay in "DaVinci Mode" for 30 days, but I took it down a notch over the last two days to regroup and plan some new stuff.

Yesterday evening, I spent some time sketching out three ideas for new Skelekitty paintings to be shown at Side Show Studios and Body Tribe in May and June, respectively. Two are planned for Side Show's "Women Uncovered" show and the subject(s) are still under wraps. The third is a large and I do mean LARGE piece that I'm doing for the Body Tribe/Born Free USA "Big Cat/Little Cat" benefit show - that's all the hint you get ... for now.

Today, Stacy posted a great challenge, of which this is a portion:

We all have a BIG creative dream. You know what it is. It's that little itch in your soul. It's where the aroma of regret lingers. It's the SHOULD if I COULD that lives in your heart. It's a secret passion you dare not speak outloud, a fantasy you pull out only on special occasions.
* * *
Perhaps today, we’ll let go of fear, self doubt, stop asking HOW we’ll do it, and we’ll just BEGIN. Perhaps we can use the Da Vinci Mode Challenge to make daily micro movements on our biggest dream of all. Like that man who ate a car, not all at once, but over time, he did it spoonful by spoonful. Perhaps that's how we'll approach our great big hairy beautiful creative project. One day, one spoonful at a time. Why not DECLARE IT here in Day 9 topic?! There's MAGIC in beginning...

My BIG creative dream? You may have guessed it already, but I'll declare it just the same: I want Skelekitty to support my art business.

As you know, I've got a bit of a start going with the rubber stamps (thanks mainly to my husband, Ron, who piped up in s Santa Fe stamp store that Skelekitty should have her own line ... the store owner also had a rubber stamp company and, after a short trip on the interwebs, we were on our way).

Today, like little Melinda Mae, I took another tiny bite of the whale, and agreed to create some jewelry kits which will premier at the Santa Clarita Craft Lab's Market Place, and will then be available through my blog, website and Etsy store. I'll be offering both pendants and earring kits, and you'll be able to choose from either bottlecaps (1" round) or wooden tiles (1"x1.25" rectangles).


The bottlecap kits will have a variety of Skelekitty images and other images from my artwork, while the tile kits will all have my "Loteria" images.

Of course, once the kits are together, I'll post photos, post a blog and let you know where to get all the goodies. I suppose I should stop blogging and start working on those kits!

 xoxo Krissi, Skelekitty, Abby, Ron and the rest of the our furry, feathered and scaly family

* View ALL DaVinci Mode Challenge posts *

The day before yesterday was day 6 of the DaVinci Challenge and I took day 5's project, added a couple layers of a glossy dimensional sealer and turned those babies into pendants.



Each one is signed and comes with an 18" ball chain.  Because these are prototypes of sorts, I'm selling 'em cheap - $15 each or 2 for $25 and I'll cover the shipping and any sales tax (if you're in California).   Two of these puppies have already been snatched up by my pal Jill Allyn (she got the Corazon and the Robot).  Here's what's still available:

 

E-mail me if you're interested (don't MySpace message me or leave a comment - I might not get it in time!).  I'm going to let regular blog followers have first grab at these before I list them on Etsy.


As for "Day 7," well, it pretty much got away from me because of my gym schedule (I went - Allyson tried to kill me again), dog time at the river (an absolute must when you have a Jack Russell) and then discovering that the "sterile abscess" on Abby's neck from her anti-rattlesnake vaccine was getting bigger... so off to the vet and ... yeah. There goes the day.  HOWEVER, I did manage to drive to my favorite art supply store (Utrecht, 'cause everyone there is incredibly helpful) and purchase two  Baroque hardwood artist panels for my next two paintings, which I have worked out in my head, although not yet on paper.

Today, as I am sans dog, I need to do some grocery shopping, but I also hope to get something on those two blank boards.  Off I go.