Paint-over collage technique

or as some call it, acrylic overlay painting. A rose by any other name and all that. I'm not finished, but here's the almost finished second piece I did today. It gave me many more problems because I was working from a gray scale copy that I glued to my canvas board so it was a 'what's the best color to use here' journey. I want to add a cake topper and do some more oddz and endz but at least I kept my promise to myself and did a second one before I talked myself into believing it's not worth the trouble. It is but....you decide for yourself. Here it is: It was inspired by a 'whimsy cake' that I saw on the internet. Who knew a cake could still stand up while it was leaning over :)

Lisa Bebi unique paint-over collage technique

I've read about this technique several times and finally decided to try it out. I'm pretty pleased with the result considering this was my first try. I left her face mostly unpainted because I loved her sassy look.

I'm working on painting number two but the weather that Hanna the Hurricane pushed in front of her is so tropical I feel like I'm breathing soup. But I'll be back at the drawing board as soon as I Tweet this blog posting. If the other piece is done tonight, I'll post it here as well. Thanks for looking. PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS AND CRITIQUES, that's the only way that I'll be able to hone my technique since I'm doing this by reading an article and not by taking a hands-on class.

She's here and........

Hanna the Hurricane is nothing more than a spring storm. Problem for me is that without air conditioning I need to keep the doors and windows open and right now the air she pushed in front of her was tropical and feels like breathing hot soup. It's 80 in the house and everything is hanging limply, including myself. I've escaped to my bedroom and my 'puter to post one of the paint overs that I did. This is one from yesterday and the first one that I've done but I'm pretty pleased with her.
I am almost finished with the second one but it was printed in shades of gray and coloring it to look punchy is driving me punch drunk and the heat isn't helping. Next post will show "Protecting Her Cupcakes".

She's getting closer......

Hanna Hurricane is drawing closer to the Jersey Shore. We're ready but so far just some rain and wind, not much of either. She won't be a direct hit, will just brush past unless she changes direction so I'm not expecting much of anything.

Been up since 6:45 am EDT. Woke up easily with no grogginess which is a miracle for me. I tried to remember what I did different but the only thing that comes to mind is that I didn't snack before I went to bed. Maybe the blood sugar thing? Anyway, had to call DD and tell her when she came up for a visit today (she's nine blocks from the ocean)not to come in thru the front door. Miss Muffet has been building again and her web stretches from the metal framework of the walkway arch to the side of the house. DS says we're probably the strangest family in the neighborhood, rearranging our life to fit that of a spider but I thought that was a given anyway...the strangest family part I mean! But I truthfully don't see why I should go out and destroy a perfectly good web. So far she's been more than generous building one beautiful web after another in various parts of the front door area. And they are truly beautiful when the light hits them just right. Here...let me post a pic so you can see what I mean.


Now that I've wasted time uploading pictures from my camera to my photo album to my Adobe PS to here I guess I'd better get to it and start another paint over. I'll post both pieces later today and that my friends is a promise or my name isn't Carolyn, a Jersey Girl...LOL

Happy Birthday Mommy!

It's Mom's 85th B'day today. In an hour and a half my sister (the designated daughter) is coming by to pick me up and take the three of us to breakfast at our favorite eatery. The Side Door Cafe in Lake Como, NJ. Owner and chief cook, Lorrie Thrush, will make it a memorable experience, just as she always does! If you are ever in the area of Belmar, NJ do yourself a HUGE favor and continue south into Lake Como and stop at the Side Door. The food is fabulous and hospitality unsurpassed! Oh, and tell Lorrie I said HI!

So after breakfast we'll be going back to Mom's house and from her birthday wish list picking out things that need fixing, moving or cleaning. At 85 Mom does not need anything new, she's got an adorable cottage that is in perfect balance between old and new. I'm going to try and persuade her to discard her sewing room since she hasn't sewn a stitch since Daddy died back in '98. I think the room would make a wonderful reading nook and I'm going to work hard at convincing her of this.

Already have homes for the sewing cabinet, the treadmill and the quilting table she's got stuffed in there. But sssssssshhhhhhhhhhh...don't tell her I told you...we've got to make her believe it was her own fabulous idea!

I hate the thought of not painting today but I need a day doing something different so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. Happy Birthday to anyone lucky enough to be born on Mom's birthday :)
Carolyn, a Jersey Girl

Overslept and creatively challanged today!

Bad night and I slept until noon. I NEVER do that but now I guess I can say that I DO do that! I really need to start painting but I can't seem to get past this tiredness.
Oh well, there's always tomorrow, isn't there?
Here's my latest pieces I'm planning to post to my etsy shop.



Angel Food Cake



Devils Food Cake





Fairy Cake


I really NEED to paint more and blog and twitter less but I've never been good at dividing up my time. So when I paint.....I PAINT until I drop. When I eat......I EAT until I'm binging. *sigh* if only I were a woman of few vices :)