Whew happy new year!

I think blogging every day for a year burnt me out temporarily.. plus I had to put the studio back together after the water damage... but I'm back!
I won't be blogging every day but I'll be putting some awesome stuff up and I have a lot of new and exciting things going on this year.

I know you like to see all the things I'm doing, so here is a group of sneakers that I did over the last few weeks. (Some were holiday orders) but I've revamped things into collages.
I have been playing with alcohol inks and the February Troves just shipped out. Things are busy and life is going well.
I miss the 365 challenge though. I really do.
I've been creating almost every day but not posting... I should consider posting more. I will if you'll share links to your stuff with me in the comments!

Symbols and fanart and inspiration

Sometimes I get asked to create things that leave me a little stumped.
Recently I got a request for a pair of Sherlock/Mortal Instruments/Percy Jackson and Divergent.
These were a LITTLE bit of a challenge, but I went outside my normal comfort zone and I really like the way they turned out.
I've done Sherlock before but this was a new treatment of it, to make it fit better with the colorings I was using. Plus, since I was going for simple symbols, I wanted to use this chance to really make it distinct. 

Sherlock of course!

 Mortal Instruments I don't have a lot of experience with, I haven't read them and this is the 2nd time they've come up. I know enough to know the runes are prevalent and important. I think it's time to read the books though!

Mortal Instrument Runes! All hand painted

 Divergent is the one that threw me. I'm still emotionally distraught about the books so I haven't watched the movie yet. The faction symbols seemed to be ideal to capture the spirit so I did these on a silvery gray wash accented with a silver and copper border. They didn't photograph nearly as cool as they look in person unfortunately.

Faction symbols

 Percy Jackson... how to make Percy Jackson fit... The Trident. In Silver, Gold and Copper.

Percy Jackson inspired Trident

 So there you have it. I'm pretty pleased with how these turned out, especially since I was concerned about a few pieces going in.

This was still in process before I antiqued it, which managed to both brighten and tarnish the colors. 

I love the way the Trident finished 

So there you have it... these are the sneakers that are currently completed. I have an awesome pair of Nintendo ones I'll be starting soon and a pair of Welcome to Night Vale in process...
Can you say glow cloud anyone?

I've started listening. My daughter is so happy when I get her references now. LOL

Sneakers, sneakers, sneakers!

It's been a busy weekend.
I love this pair of sneakers. I am so pleased with how they turned out. They'll ship out today and are a pair I did for Peach's Neet Feet.
These are for a little boy fighting a hard fight.
I hope these put a smile on his face!

I hope you had as productive a weekend as I did and that your Monday is starting off in a great way!

Monday morning

Today is a lot of the type of things that make me twitchy, paperwork and record-keeping and all that stuff that business owners do.
But... I did get awesome and amazing Wonder Woman sneakers done. 

What you can't tell from the pictures is that the spines and the WW are done with a shimmery, glittery paint. The red especially is amazing. Ruby red slippers would look DULL compared to these.
I love them and kind of want to keep them for myself.
The black and white star/microstar background pattern I painted myself in a chalkboard style and they look really cool.

I hope she likes them. Her name is on the back spines and I'm super glad I put it on before I finished them or I'd have had to make another pair LOL :D :D :D

I hope you all had time to create something awesome this weekend and that you have time planned for yourselves this week too.
I have some painting to do as well as some tiles to make! I have a class on Wed and a big Zentangle 101 on Sunday as well! (if you're local to the Western NY area and want to come, I do have a couple spots still available so shoot me a message)
So that's my plan for the week.

Oh yeah, and it's Monday. So... This feels appropriate for today

Cuteness overload!

I have never watched Bubble Guppies. Guppys? I'm not even sure.... but they were a request for a little boy so I've been working on them, and I have to say they are adorable. I really like them a lot.
The kids do too, lol.. they are like "Why weren't these a thing when I was little, there is a  SEADOG!!!"
I have to say, I kind of love the seadog, merdog, whatever it is.

The fish are adorable too. In fact, while I was painting, my son kept lining up goldfish crackers on my laptop.
I say my kids and you think little right? Nope. They're 13 & 17 and both tower over me.. but they still like to act like kids which is awesome.

See? Goldfish. 

So that's pretty much my most recent. :)
I have some other stuff to work on, but sneakers are a big item right now. One of my best friends is getting married so I have a pair of bridal sneakers to make. 

What are you working on?

Ghostly images or shadows or whatever...

This is how sneakers start out... well, actually they start at the factory but then they get sent to me and they are beautiful, crisp, amazing canvases!
 And then I pull out all the ideas I have in my brain and make them look all messy.

I always think they look haunted at this point. I always think of these as my "ghost images" which are initially sketched in in chalk and then I use my own special "primer mix" to ghost my images in.
It's partly responsible for why they can be washed when some others can't.
But I like to think of them as "ghost images" of ideas to come.

These are for a little boy with CP. He likes Nickelodeon and camping and I hope he really loves these when they're done.

Right now I'm in the process of mixing paint until it's exactly the color of artificial cheese. LOL.
Oddly, or not so oddly, it's making me hungry.
I am a sucker for fake cheese.
Mac & cheese, cheese poofs, cheez- its, goldfish crackers...
Yeah.
I know, I should be ashamed of myself and go eat an apple or something.

But I think I nailed it. Artificial cheese color for the win!

Mmmmm goldfish!

So what are your plans this weekend? Anything fun?

Thursday

These are Supernatural/ Mortal Instruments. A custom order I finished the other day but realized I hadn't shared with you. It's really hard to get the tattoo to show up on black sneakers but this seemed to have worked out pretty well. The reds are deeper/darker than they look in this picture 

I really like how these turned out. Kids will be going back to school in a few days, I'll have more create time than I've had lately and it SHOULD almost be real spring. I hope you're all having a great week and that most of the easter candy is gone! (And that you stashed a little for you!)

I'm running out of cute titles...

I don't know why... but the hardest part for creating posts is coming up with titles!
I may just start putting dates on them or something...

Anyway, here are the completed Norway and Iceland sneakers.

The "spines"

The inside sections of the sneakers only have snowflakes

Norway

Norway close up

Iceland

Iceland close up

My favorite part is the puffin. Isn't he cute?

Puffins Rock!

I hope you have a great weekend!!!!