A little help from my friends!

I am ever so thankful for a virtual BOATLOAD of creative friends! January felt like it lasted 72 days this year, I've not been in a creative place in my head, and I was struggling to figure out something you gals might want to read about!

Luckily I signed up for Creative Jumpstart this year and boy did it do the trick!! I love the format of daily short videos and our fabulous Mary Beth Shaw is one of the instructors. Watching those helped get me out of my funk and inspired.

Another dear friend, Andrea Chebeleu, who owns and operates A Work of Heart Studio in San Jose, CA is an instructor in the series showcasing her project going all mixed media on a zippered canvas bag.

She and I love sharing class curriculums with each other as we are on opposite sides of the country and run the same kind of businesses.  I had a stash of canvas bags from previous conversations with her and thought my take on gussying one up might be a fun project.

Debi Adams is yet another special buddy, and when her line of mushroom-themed stencils came out, I swooned.  Aren't they adorable?!?!

Check your local art/craft store for the bags otherwise they are readily available on Amazon.

In a rare moment of restraint (for me) I chose a neutral color palette with my fav Paper Artsy Fresco Finish paints. I used Debi's Tall Skinny Mushrooms L749 for one side of the pouch and chose a little trio of mushrooms from her ATC Mixup: Toadstools L748 for the other side. I highlighted with the eggshell color after stenciling with the neutral browns.

And, being me, I had to add a little stitching. I choose the mushroom with the longest stem and outlined it with backstitch with variegated floss. I used a little satin stitch on the cap.

On the opposite side, I decorated the mushroom caps using a different color and stitch for each one. I made French Knots, Cross Stitches and tiny Seed stitches on give them a little oomph.

On my second pouch, I decided I'd like a little color and used a scraper to spread on teals and greens on both sides. Using another ATC from Debi's Toadstool Mixup L738, I stenciled the same way, but also added highlights using a white pen. When adding highlights, I always try to imagine where the light source is and from what direction it's hitting my subject. I also added a few cross stitches to one cap.

On the other side of the painted pouch, I decided to use another friend's stencil, Valerie Sjodin's gorgeous Leafy Doodle Border L736. She was so clever in designing it! I used eggshell on top on my teal background for the top, the neutral on the green with the leaves, then went back to Debi's ATC sampler for the "Groovy" which finished it up quite well!

What a treat to borrow ideas and inspirations from so many creative friends. Now, to fill those pouches with art supplies.... xoxoxo