i’m still here!

Posted on May 6, 2014 by susie carranza studio

okay, so i’m not great at this blogging thing – yet. i just realized that it’s been over a month since i’ve posted here. i’ll try to do better! i won’t bore you with the details of internet problems and a non-working camera. i’ve gotten accustomed to taking all my photos on my iPhone, and it’s really convenient – i just need to work on taking and editing better photos…

just wanted to share some of what i’ve been up to. i HAVE been painting A LOT lately – finally! i’m getting back into the groove and loving it. the top photo shows a stack of canvases with finished backgrounds (most from my gelli printing sessions) that were just waiting to be finished. i’m working my way through the stack one by one…

this 8″ X 10″ mixed media original is one of my new favorites! titled “forever”, it’s a gelli printed canvas with acrylic paints, recycled papers (love to reuse and recycle!), and hand drawn touches. it will be available in my Etsy shop later today!

“Love knows no boundaries”, another 8″ X 10″ mixed media original, started with a map of the Pismo beach (California) as the background, then layers of texture with acrylic paints, Sharpies, and recycled papers (hearts are cut out from gelli prints). (this one is available in my Etsy shop now.)

stay tuned for more new artwork! 🙂

i’ve also been destashing supplies i’m no longer using (again!). i’ve been giving a lot of thought to this art business i think i’m in, and i’m come to the realization that i need to FOCUS. i want to try SO many creative things, i want to do it ALL – painting, drawing, beading, hand stitching, collaging – you name it, i wanna do it. which is fine, but if i want to sell my work successfully i think i need to focus on my strengths.

so – my Etsy supply shop is getting filled with items i’m no longer using: stamps, ribbons, paintable items, miniatures…you need to see for yourself!

newest items added to my Etsy supply shop…

Etsy supply shop collage (from Instagram)

that’s all for now…hope your May is off to a great start!

’til next time…

love everyday…

Posted on February 14, 2014 by susie carranza studio

lots of heart art going on!

Posted on January 30, 2014 by susie carranza studio

just wanted to share some of the heart/love inspired items i have in my Etsy shop –

and in our website Arte de Nuestro Corazon –

if you’re a creative soul, i have also been busy adding NEW items to my Etsy supply shop – my 2nd shop for destashing art & craft supplies –

i had planned on doing a blog post on what i’m currently working on – hand painting canvas tote bags, and more mixed media hearts – but my computer is giving me SO much trouble right now, especially when i’m doing any edits to my photographs. i’m hoping to get some help working out the kinks very soon…

til next time…

2014: create every day…

Posted on January 3, 2014 by susie carranza studio

happy new year! i hope this post finds you happy and hopeful in this first week of the first month of 2014.

i wanted to share the first creative thing i’ve made this year. i’m part of a Facebook group of artists, The Studio, and the artist who created the group – April Cole – challenged us to create an art badge as a way of celebrating our one year anniversary as a group. i hadn’t participated in any of the challenges or activities so far and i signed up for this. who cared that i’d never created an art badge in my life! we were to post it on our Facebook group page on january 1st.

this is what i came up with. i covered a chipboard heart shape with a gelli print, and went at it…

…and i love it!

i chose the phrase “create every day” for my badge. i plan to place this somewhere in my work space where i can see it daily, to remind myself to really create EVERY day. even if all i can manage is a drawing in my sketchbook late at night, into the early morning hours.

CREATE. EVERY. DAY.

i’m grateful for this challenge. it made me think about what i want this year to be: creative, colorful, and full of art.

***

so, have i been creating every day? we’re three days into january, and so far, yes. if you guessed it’s late night/early morning drawings in my sketchbook – you’d be right. my days are busy right now with personal issues, but i make it a point to stay up late, pull out my Sharpies, and draw.

i have lots of plans for this year. yesterday (due to the personal issues) i decided to temporarily close both my Etsy shops. my husband (a.k.a. my shipping department!) and i need some time to focus and regroup. and just breathe! but it’s only for a short time. i have my work table going with new projects, lots of ideas jotted down in notebooks – on the first of the year i even signed up for an online course with artist Jeanne Oliver. i have lots to share and i can’t wait to get new items into the shops! (if you’d like to see what i’m up to late at night, follow me on Instagram.)

again, happy new year! and if you have a favorite word or phrase of your own, please share in the comment section!

til next time…

black friday sale in my Etsy shop – all weekend!

Posted on November 29, 2013 by susie carranza studio

why deal with crazy crowds and crazy people – shop online!

get 25% off my Etsy art shop THIS WEEKEND!!! use coupon code BLKFRIDAY25 at checkout to save. my way of saying “thank you!!!” to all of you for being here.
and please – feel free to share – i’d appreciate it! ♥
https://www.etsy.com/shop/susiecarranzastudio