Quietly Creating After Covid

 I only know one person that hasn't gotten Covid and it's my youngest granddaughter.  I got it in January 2022 and didn't get better until May.  It didn't exactly hit me hard with high fever but the super-tired and I-don't-want-to-move-a-muscle symptoms lasted forever.  After hearing all the stories, it seems no one has had the same end result.  Some people suffered forever like me and others never felt a thing except tired.

Today is the 14th anniversary of my husband's passing.  I keep myself busy creating in my studio so that on anniversaries like this so I don't feel sorry for myself.  For health reasons I can't travel back and forth to stay with each of my kids like I want to. I've been a hermit but that's okay!  With all the electronic toys available to us, it's easy to keep in touch without spending an hour on the phone, unless you want to.

I'll be uploading some cards I've made for my Etsy shop and I'm happy to announce that my super large painting is finished! WooHoo!  I'll take pictures as soon as it is framed.

My Etsy store - www.Etsy.com/shop/LisaBuchanan

Loving Life!

I love splitting my time between my kids in Texas and Louisiana, I get the best of both worlds!  I am getting ready for another craft show here in Texas, only one week to go!  Here are some more of my cards that can be found in my shop:

My First Craft Show!

I had a blast selling my cards and card at my first craft show!  It was held at the April Sound Country Club by the ASLadiesAssociation.  My DIL, April Vaughn, helped me and we had so much fun meeting the other vendors and seeing all the items for sale.  I plan on showing again this October 2019.  Continuing in the footsteps of my cousins Janie Howard Self and Karen Howard Seliquini in Oklahoma.

Busy Making Items For My Etsy Shop!

Life has certainly changed for me this last year.  I sold my Green Acres home and have split my time between my children's families living with them.  No more loneliness!  Sometimes it can be a challenge since I'm so used to living alone (10 years) but we work hard at it and it seems to be working!
Here are some items you can find in my shop:
POPUP CARDS and Regular!

  Thank you for stopping by!

Summer Fun!

It's hot here in Louisiana but it's August and to be expected.  I'm spending my days in my studio having a blast filling orders for cards and making new friends.  Here are a few of my latest cards that are in the shabby-chic style.  If you are interested in buying some of my cards or seeing what is in my shop, here is the link - www.Etsy.com/shop/LisaBuchanan
Thank you for visiting!

New Cards In My Etsy Shop!

I have been having a ball making greeting cards and selling them.  Recently I got into "Pop Up Box" cards, which are 3D until you fold them flat for mailing.  Fun!  This one is now for sale in my Etsy Shop ( https://www.etsy.com/shop/LisaBuchanan ) -

Isn't it the cutest thing?  A baby crib filled with goodies done in yellows.  Here are more that have already sold - 

This one is an example of a floral arrangement with butterflies and can be done in many colors.

This castle is done in pink for a little girl but can be made in blue, too.

French fries, anyone?  The fries were colored by me, fun!

Mermaids for a sweet girl!  Hand colored by me in Copics.

A golf cart for someone that had a wild ride as a teenager on one!

A fishing card complete with boat and fishing pole!

Check out my store for a mixture of greeting cards for any occasion!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LisaBuchanan

My First Online Challenge

I entered my first online challenge!  I was to make a tag for the Unity Stamp Company on Facebook using one of their images.  This is the image I entered and even though I didn't win, the tags that did win were pretty spectacular so I was happy for them.  Really!

I have been making cards for several weeks now, and it feels great to be back creating with a purpose.  I'm learning new techniques and having a blast!

Since the weather turned cold, I needed to start spending time in my studio again.  I couldn't get motivated to do anything at all, so went online to see if something would jump out at me.  Cards!  Easy and quick to make and should do the trick.... well, they have.  I started doing Christmas cards and then thought I would make some greeting card sets to give as presents or sell in my store.  I gave a bunch of the Christmas cards to immediate family with their presents and am now working on greeting cards.  Cold weather will be here for a couple more months, so hopefully this will motivate me to keep working in my studio and get that muse out from under the table.

Materials Used:
I used stamps and dies from Hero Arts, Simon Says Stamp and Lawn Fawn - I love all their fonts and sizes of stamps and dies.  I used inks that I'd had for awhile and only bought a couple of staple colors from Ranger.  I use Ranger liquid medium as a glue to hold the layers together and my Bigshot Plus to make the dies.  Papers used were those I already had on hand.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  Here's to a New Year filled with good health and happiness!  

II Timothy Completed

The II Timothy Angel is Completed!

I had a great time working on this 3rd commission for a client.  The Philippians Angel was for her sister and she asked me to do two more paintings for her sister's two daughters.  I had finished the Matthew Angel and immediately went to work on the II Timothy Angel.

Phase I - I decided that since the two paintings were for sisters, I would make the two angels 'sisters'.  I made the dimensions the same and decided on a color scheme that would work alongside the Matthew Angel, which is always subject to change at this stage of the painting.

Phase II - Here the colors are marked as I try to balance and decide on which color will dominate while making sure the attention is on the face.  I also try to make the eyes on all my angels follow you as you move/walk past her, it makes you feel like she is looking out for you at all times.  I also makes sure everything is in correct perspective and start working on shadowing and color depth.

Complete!  Here they are side by side, ready to go to their new home.  They are like real-life sisters - they are the same but have totally different personalities.  The Matthew Angel (on the right) is more of a stained glass wings effect while I focused on making the II Timothy Angel (on the left) more Mardi Gras colors inspired.  The two (real-life) sisters are ready to start their new lives - one is in law school and the other is in grad school.  Now they will have these angels to watch over them with their favorite verses incorporated into their wings.  I hope they enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Matthew Angel Commission Stage 3 - Completed!

Matthew Angel 24x30" Mixed Media - Commissioned

Yay!  I finished my 2nd commissioned angel in my 'Angels with Bible Verses' series.  What a joy to work on - I never felt blocked (for very long) or tired while working on her.  I wish my muse was around all the time, it sure would go faster and easier.  Now on to the next one, woohoo!

Matthew Angel Commission - Stage 2

This is in the fine development stage of the 2nd angel of 3 that I'm working on.  I decided to go with a stained glass effect for her wings to set the bible verses on which are done in white and black.  I will cover them with more layers of paint or stain or whatever happens next!  The gown will definitely be mixed media but here I am playing with the colors to make sure I am balanced.  Her features are nearly done, I'm just tweaking them around at this point, then I can work on the hair.  I don't want to nitpick which I'm really good at, but that's a bad thing.  I'm trying to stay loose which also makes the process go by faster.  Being too detailed can use up hours of time, which is ridiculous when you look at the hours lost for a chin or hair strand, it's crazy!

I'm having too much fun!

Matthew Angel Commission - Stage 1

This is the start of the 2nd of 3 Angels with Bible verses that I have started working on in my studio.  Most of the features are set, body and wings are set and now for the fun part - slapping paint around!  I have no idea at this point what I will do next but that is the exciting element, layer over layer until it sings to me.

Gawdamighty, I love this part!

Complete! Philippians Angel Commission

PHILIPPIANS ANGEL - 22x28" Mixed Media Commissioned

I am excited to announce that I have completed my 'Philippians Angel' for a client.  She has many verses of the Bible from the book of Philippians.  I enjoyed working on this painting because there are so many verses that I strive to live by with the main one being "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

There are a kajillion mixed media layers to this piece, with verses over/under layers of paint.  When the right brain kicks in, the world is ignored while I work in a creative frenzy getting her done.  So much fun!

Here were all the stages:
Step One:  Rough blocking in -

Step Two: Working on face and color palette - 

 Step Three:  Working on mixed media layers -

 Step Four:  Detail of wing with background

 Step Five:  Detail of face

Now on to the other commissions that need to be finished before Christmas!  Woohoo!