My Dream Workshop

Well, the summer just flew by! (like it usually does...) I haven't had as much time to art as I would like, but I did have an amazing opportunity to take a workshop with the incomparable Finnabair!

I meant to post this awhile ago, but I have been quite busy. Here's my review of the wonderful weekend:

This was my second workshop with Finnabair, but this time I got to spend the whole weekend creating. And as a bonus, it was at Donna Downey's studio--and she is my other favorite mixed media inspiration! Seriously, if I had to pick my top two, they would be it. So it was just perfect.

I arrived Friday night with my parents, and I wanted to show them Donna's studio, so luckily Bill was there with Finnabair getting ready for the weekend. My parents were really impressed. They said that they could definitely see Donna's influence in my art.

It was so fun to see all of the canvases I'd seen on her blog and in videos, up close and personal. The biggest surprise--how big they were! I hadn't realized that most of her canvases were that big!

This set of gorgeous Prima stuff was just for the first workshop. I wasn't afraid to dig in and use the supplies provided because I knew she'd be giving us more than enough. (I took home a lot of extras for use later!)

Saturday, we started by making this journal cover:

This was the second cover I've made with Anna and I think I love this one even more. I came prepared to the workshop this time, because I brought all sorts of "rubbish" as she would call it!  I have been saving those chipboard letters, and that winged key for just the right use!


Then we made a couple journal pages. Previously, I had made a page with Asmodean so I needed to  make one of Semi, too. (I made another one

I showed my pages to Jay and he asked why I didn't scrapbook him. I told him that I have made dozens of digital pages with him in the past. Here's one of my favorites, for proof:

Sunday, we made two collaged canvases. This first one, I do like, but there are some things I'm not happy with. Anna says to pretend we love it though, and have confidence in our work, so I'll say "This was exactly what I envisioned!"

And finally we ended the weekend with the collage I was most looking forward to, this steampunk style one (although Anna says that she actually didn't know about steampunk until her friends starting saying they liked her "steampunk" work!)

I had so much fun, made some new friends, and learned a lot. I am very glad I went, and I am already looking at Donna's calendar to find a time when I can come back and learn from her, too!