Cathy Michaels Design by Cathy Bluteau

AND THE WINNER IS

Thank you so much for all your entires in my BLOG GIVEAWAY.  I will be gathering all your comments and making a little book for all of you to download - look for this next week.

In the meantime I wanted to announce the winner of my giveaway so ...

drum roll please ..........bada dum bada dum bada dum bada dum ......

Mary Elter

Congratulations Mary, please send me your address via email and I will send you a set of my  index cards:

 
Congrats and thank you all again for entering in the giveaway

Have a great weekend

 

Cathy

Mothers Day Gifts

So on Monday I showed you this:

And now I am showing you what is inside these little gems.  MOTHERS DAY GIFTS!

Yes, Mother's day gifts.  I have listed all of my new Mothers Day Gifts in my shop!  Of course, these can be for mothers day or ... any other occassion or ... even for yourself (lol).  Enjoy!  I loved making these, I am ready to make more more more!

 

 
 
Happy Shopping!!

 

Cathy

art journal every day

Another post onmy journals pages.  I continue to use my shimmerz paintsand now I started combining them with some of my other paints and mediums to see how they react. 

  

So far so good – what do you think!?

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

I have a few more pages to show you but I'll keep them to tomorrow.  'nuff typing for tonite!

 

Cathy

Getting Ready

I have been busy getting ready to restock the shelves in my shop.  There will be more kits coming, more new journals and ... wait for it ... some great new mothers day gifts. 

 

I should have everything listed in the shop by the end of the week.

 

Before I show you a preview pf these up and coming items. , don't forget to leave your comment for my blog giveaway.  I will be picking the winner the last day of April so there is still lots of time.

 

Also, as I mentioned I need to clear the stock in the shop to get ready for the new items.  To help you with this I will be giving a free gift of my index cards with each and every purchase you make in my shop.

 

Have a great week all. 

 

Here’s a preview of whats coming up ,...

 

 

 

 

 

And that's just the packaging for my new mothers day gifts coming this week.

 

okay another new obsession.  Wait till you see all of the beautiful new tags I have been making.  Again, coming later this week.

 

 
 Well as you can see this obsession with my index cards is also still going strong.  These are the types of index cards that I will be offering for free with each and every purchase in my shop!!!!

 

PS.  I have been getting great feedback on my new online class.  If you haven't already joined us please do = see post at top of page!!!

 

Have a great week

 

Cathy

 
 
 
 

  

happy easter

 

Easter special  ... don’t forget
   
     - now until April 30th I will be giving away a free set of index cards with every purchase from my etsy shop

    - leave a comment here for the blog giveaway giveaway

 

    - my online class is going strong –  join us!

 

 

Cathy

ITS TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY

Yes, It is time for a GIVEAWAY

It has been so long that I have not done a GIVEAWAY that I felt it was about time to thank all of my wonderful blogging friends for their great support in these last few months

So I will be giving away a set of my UPCYCLED INDEX CARDS – my latest obsession!

Okay so in order to be eligible for the giveaway here is what you need to do:  (and you’ll see why at the end of the giveaway)

-  tell me your favorite season
- your favorite thing to do in that season
- name one thing that you see only in that season

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Now, don’t forget – even if you do not win this giveaway remember that from now until APRIL 30th, 20111 I am offering one set of index cards free with each purchase from my etsy shop.  Yes free.  ANy time you make a purchase I will include a set of 3 of my altered index cards!

 Have a good creative weekend all

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Shimmerz Paint - OMG

So a couple of weeks ago Stacey from www.shimmerzpaints.com contacted me and asked me if I was interested in trying out her paints called www.shimmerzpaints.com

Well what did you think I said – of course, send them my way and I will play!

 

So shimmerz paints come in spitz bottles and in these darling little jars.  But these are not like other spritz paints – these first of all come in beautiful colors, AND they come with different textures with great names like vibez and pearlz and my favorite blingz.  Each of these are deepy pigmented and each of the different types provide different levels of sheen, shine or glitz.

  

I started working with them in one of my journals which still has quite a few blank pages.  I am always looking for ways to create new backgrounds, and WOW = did shimmerz create great backgrounds.  I | them and I | all the wonderful rich colors!

 

I started by just playing around and spritzing the paint but then since I loved the color so much I used my paintbrush to spread the paint.  I let this dry and then sprayed on another color just in some spots.  I let that dry and then did some more painting using the little jars this time.  When applied I found the paint quite watery but was surprised at how intense the color was despite the liquidity.  Well,. after spraying and spritzing and swooshing and mooshing with these new colors I had pages and pages of beautiful color and layers.  When it all dried I loved loved the finished look of the dried pages.  On some pages there is just a nice gloss, and on other pages, like the fuschia-red page, there is actually like a sand in the paint which creates the most wonderful texture.

 

As much as I loved the backgrounds once they dried I loved them even more when I took pictures of the pages.  Look at the depth of color these little shimmerz paints create.  There seems to be many  many layers and yet really its just a few sprtizs here and there.

 

Anyways, enough talk - here are some pictures.  Okay lots of pictures

 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Oh what fun - don't you love all the color.  Go on over to the site and take a look at all the possibilities - again it's shimmerzpaints!!!!

Let me know what you think!!!

Cathy

Art Journal Every Day

Just a short little post today to show you a new twist on my journalling pages. ! 

 

I often will take a collaged page and pick a section, for example a floral piece that I may have collaged into the journal, and then I will continue the floral in my own hand usually with my fine tip pen, and then color in using my copics.  (This is not yet one of the tricks I talk about in my one line class but it will be in the next one)

 

But this time I did something different, I took a collage page that completed, like for example this collaged page from my journal:

 

 

And I decided to reproduce it completely using my fine points and my copics, like this:

 

 
 
 So now when I'm stumped for something to draw, I can take out one of my journal pages, and just draw from that!  Isn't that fun!

 

Happy Creating

Cathy 

 

CLASSES 

"JOURNAL WITH ME "- – AN ONLINE WORKSHOP

25.00 U.S.

 

Register via the BUY NOW button on the right!

 

 

 

 

New Kits + my index card obsession.

It was a busy busy weekend – a wonderful one – but busy.  Despite the feel of spring it was a rainy rainy weekend. So a good weekend to get things done ... and I did.!

First I made some new kits in addition to the journals I showed you in the previous post.  One of the journals is already gone so act quickly if you want to swipe up the seconds one.

 

So there are two new kits in the shop.



Cathy

 

and this one below is especially reserved for Margie = Margie are you there!  Margie loves birds and loves these kits so I created this one especially for her!

 

And in addition, I have some other good news.  YOu see I have a new obsession!  I was inspired by a piece I saw in Somerset Life where they used index cards and so I started my own version.

Like every obsession, once I started, I couldn't stop.  Here they are:


 
 
And the good news is that from now until APRIL 30th, 20111 I am offering one set of index cards free with each purchase from my etsy shop.  Yes free.  ANy time you make a purchase I will include a set of 3 of my altered index cards!

So head on over to the shop and pick something fun and I'll send you this free gift.

Have a good creative week all1!

SPRING IS SPRINGING!!!

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. "
-- Harriet Ann Jacobs

 

I feel a shift in the air ... do you feel it too?  Spring has sprung here in Canada and the feeling is a beautiful one. 

I feel a shift in the air and I know it will move me to bigger and better things ... only good things can come in the spring don’t you think?

I feel a shift in the air new ideas, new motivations and new inspirations ... I feel the change coming ... do you feel it too?

What causes the world to turn and bring us spring each year?  Whatever it is I am glad it is here.

Spring makes me feel better, sun makes me feel warm and new days give me increased hope – do you feel it too?

 

And to bring spring to you I share these:

 

 

Ahh - there is nothing like a new repurposed moleskine .... 

Don't you love these too?

 

New blank pages to start your spring ....

Aged and antiqued ... is a good version too.... 

 
 

Pretty pink! aged pages too
 
 

To do to do with spring right here.

 

         ALL AVAILABLE NOW IN MY SHOP, FOR SPRING, FOR YOU ...

                            RIGHT OVER HERE

have a great weekend all!

Cathy

You gotta love Anthro

Well last week I mentioned I was in Dallas and did a lot of shopping.  One of my favorite things that I purchased was my little journal from non other than Anthro

 

This is the cover above, I even love the think,write,create

 
look at these great inside pages

 
there are sections for weekly planning, monthly planning, checklists, phone numbers, blank pages, lined pages - everything I need

 
and even lovely little pockets like this

You gott love Anthro

Cathy

Art Journal Everyday Wednesday

This weekend I spent some time looking through some of the many many (too many) journals that I have going on at the same time.  I had forgotten some of the pages and how much I liked them.  I also realized that I hadn`t shown you all of them yet.

Here are a few more, this is from my `My Gallery`journal (aka journal of photos of some of my artwork)

 
 

 
 
 
I realized looking back that these were actually some of my favorite pages.  I want to do another video which will be on some of these more advanced techniques.

Don`t forget to sign up for my ongoing online workshop - see info at top right hand side of this blog.!

 

Cathy

 

NEW KITS FOR THE VIDEO!

Some new items in the shop ...  in fact, some new items especially for those of you following my on-line journalling class (see on the right to play along).

In my video I mention that I use a lot of little scraps of paper in my journalling techniques.  What I did was kept all of my favorites scraps (okay and some new scraps too) and made them into these wonderful little mini kits for you.

 
 
You can see more detail on each of these in my shop

I hope you are all enjoying the video and for those of you who have not yet joined in, just have a look at the preview below and you can purchase from the BUY NOW button on the right.

Cathy

DID I SHOP??? + Video Alert

 

Hello, Hello - I am back from Dallas and although the trip was short - I am always so happy to be home.

So listen, what with there being ... a Hobby Lobby, a Joanne Fabrics, a Michaels and also Anthropologie ...  in Dallas - I did do a bit of shopping (understatement!!!).

Today I will organize all of my new items and I will take photos to show you all of my new finds.

This also means of course that I will be creating lots of new items for my shop - I AM SO INSPIRED!!

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FInally - VIDEO ALERT - if you already purchased my online workshop - check your email.  The files have been revised to ensure that they run on any of your video players. 

Please join me in this new venture and come play with me in JOURNAL WIth mE - my new online video - it is so much fun - you can purchase it by simply clicking on the link either in my previous posts or by clicking on the BUY NOW button on the top right column of my blog

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Back later to show you some pics of my purchases.!

Cathy

NEW ONLINE WORKSHOP - JOURNAL WITH ME - TAKE II

Thank you for the great response to my online workshop!!!  I wanted to clarify a few things for those of you still contemplating this.

Here's how it works:

•     There are 11 parts to the workshop - THE COST IS $25.00 FOR ALL 11 PARTS
•     Each Part/Chapter Deals with a specific aspect of the 2 journal pages we will create
•     Using gesso, creating texture with gesso, painted backgrounds, aging the pages, laying out your pictures, and final ephemera and embellishments are all covered as we work on the 2 pages of your journal
•     The video is 1 hour and 23 minutes
•     You can join at any time
•     You can replay the videos as often as you wish and at whatever speed you wish
•     A supply list is provided and Part I includes all the details on gathering your supplies
•     To receive the video just click on the "BUY NOW" button below or in the right hand column of this page
•     I will send you the files within 12 hours once I receive payment
•     I can only accept payment via paypal at this time - sorry
•     The video can be viewed on any video player
•     The cost, for the video is $25.00 US$ for all 11 parts
•     Now, just enjoy and please send me feedback/questions/comments

 Note also that these files are created using Windows 7 - if you are experiencing any difficult with the files let me know as soon as possible.  I am currently out of town til Thursday but I will resolve any issues on my return.

Cathy

 

 

 

 

ENJOY!!!

NEW ONLINE WORKSHOP - JOURNAL WITH ME

Well it's finally here!  I finished the video - on time and on schedule as planned.  Phew!  What a job this was but let me tell you I think you will be thrilled with it.

 

Here's how it works:

•     There are 11 parts to the workshop
•     You can join at any time
•     You can replay the videos as often as you wish and at whatever speed you wish
•     A supply list is provided and Part I includes all the details on gathering your supplies
•     To receive the video just click on the "BUY NOW" button below or in the right hand column of this page
•     I will send you the files within 12 hours once I receive payment
•     I can only accept payment via paypal at this time - sorry
•     The video can be viewed on any video player
•     The cost, for my first video is $25.00 US$
•     Now, just enjoy and please send me feedback/questions/comments

 

 

 

 

ENJOY!!!

Friday Flickr Favs - My fellow Journallers

Friday Flickr Favs - some of my fellow journallers on flicker

  

1. Colours spilling over, 2. wishes & dreams, 3. Art Journal Everyday - my February, 4. DSCN3149, 5. Wiosna - Spring, 6. Fly, 7. A little burn, 8. art journal every day, 9. ART JOURNAL EVERY DAY

 

Have a great weekend,Cathy