Workshop Sneak Peek

I have been woefully remiss in keeping up with my blog. I offer my apologies to all those who visit only to see the same stale image from last week.

All of my creative energy has gone toward preparing for my upcoming workshop. There is already quite a bit accomplished and yet still much to be done. It is an exciting process and I want the finished product to be the best it can be.

If you are looking for something to whisk away the winter doldrums, come join us at Creative Workshops. If you are interested in something other than my Mixed Media/Collage Backgrounds Workshop, there are two great classes offered by Pam Carriker in March and April, as well as a class in digital collage by Gail Schmidt.

Come and join us...there's something for everyone!

© Nancy Lefko

Mind Wide Open Challenge ~ Dream

This collage is my entry for February's Mind Wide Open Challenge. All of the entrants should be posted tomorrow. It is always great fun to see the variety of art that is created using the same image as inspiration. Do yourself a favor and go over to have a peek at some wonderful work. While you're there, if you feel so inclined, you can even vote for my collage :)

Available in my Etsy shop. **SOLD**

© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ Time

How fitting that the Illustration Friday prompt is something that I covet so deeply, it appears in my new art journal. Yes, that elusive thing called TIME. I just never have enough hours in the day to accomplish all I would like to get done. Time, or the lack thereof, makes a few appearances in my journal...amazing that I had any TIME to get that journaling done. If not for the wonderful class by Pam Carriker over at Creative Workshops, I never would have taken the TIME to indulge in this joy known as art journaling. Yes, it is very important that in the midst of our busy lives we make TIME for ourselves and the activities that we enjoy.

© Nancy Lefko

New Workshop

My dear friend Pam Carriker is offering another class over at Creative Workshops.

"A 3 week journey into the timeless art of Moleskine Journaling. We will use 'Shades of Grey' Pitt Pens, Caran d'ache watersoluble crayons and black & white images to create pages worthy of a Moleskine's handcrafted covers. This class will consist of 3 video demonstrations and a collage sheet download. Come and explore the possiblities with me starting March 23rd. Registration is now open."


Sounds like fun to me and I can vouch for Pam's ability to teach an awesome workshop. See you there!

Illustration © Pam Carriker

Bee Happy

In my eager anticipation of Spring and all that comes with it, I offer this collage entitled, "bee happy." I will also be submitting it as my piece for the METSY (Mixed Media Etsy Team) Flower Challenge.

Oh, how I long to see the purple coneflowers in my garden again. What is it about Spring that you long for?

This collage is available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Journal Pages

With a sick child to care for this week, it was awfully nice to have some "portable artwork," in the form of my journal, to work on. On some of the pages I wrote favorite quotes; on other pages I just wrote random thoughts, phrases or words. Being new to art journaling it is a bit difficult to come up with "something to say," but it is all a learning process...and one that I am enjoying immensely. Thank you, Pam.




© Nancy Lefko

Just Doodlin'

Our third lesson in Art Journaling with Pam Carriker is the wonderful world of the doodle. What a simply fun endeavor! It brings me back to those days in high school, doodling on my notebook during a boring class. But I must say that doodling on my journal pages is far more enjoyable. It was the perfect kind of art for me this week. I could doodle away while sitting with my sick child as we watched SpongeBob for the umpteenth time.



© Nancy Lefko

Fabulous Award

It is always great fun to discover a wonderful new blog and even more fun to realize that the blogger enjoys MY blog as well!

I received this totally chic award from Lil Sweet Pea and am honored to pass it along. One caveat is to list five things that I am "into" right now. Here goes...

1. art journaling (thank you, Pam)
2. creating in my new studio
3. staying warm
4. creating my workshop lessons
5. and always and forever, being MOM

I pass along this fabulous award to the following fabulous artists!

Pam Carriker
Gail Schmidt
Kathy Maximo
Stacey Merrill
Heather Holbrook

More Journal Pages

The fun continues as I work on my journal pages for the online workshop, Art Journaling with Pam Carriker. I used leftover paint from another project to paint the background color of two new pages. Pam is right about that...it's a great way to use up leftover paint. In the past I had thrown away a good deal of paint that could have been used in a journal. Now that I have discovered art journaling there will be no more wasted paint.





© Nancy Lefko

Illustration Friday ~ Climbing

When you are CLIMBING, remember, the sky's the limit.

This collage for Illustration Friday is available in my Etsy shop.

© Nancy Lefko

Art Journaling Workshop

I have never been one to keep a writing journal filled with my innermost thoughts. And I had never even given a second thought to keeping an art journal...until now. I am currently taking an online workshop in Art Journaling with the very talented Pam Carriker. Pam frequently shares her journal pages on her blog and I was intrigued by this wonderful form of self-expression and what looked like "plain old fun." Well, I'm hooked. There is something wonderfully "freeing" about this business of "art journaling." There is no right or wrong, no concern over "saleability," no critic waiting in the wings. It is art for art's sake and it really is "plain old fun!"

If you have ever toyed with the notion of keeping an art journal I strongly recommend Pam's workshop. It is easy to follow, professionally presented and enables one to work at her own rate.

Below are examples of my journal pages in progress. Thus far, we have completed Lesson Two (but you can join the class at any time and not miss a beat.) These pages will be further embellished as we go along. So come on along and join the fun!




© Nancy Lefko

Sweet Award

The very kind and talented Thelma has given me this sweet blogger award. Isn't it so luscious...love those colors !

Along with passing this to 7 other bloggers, I need to list 7 things that I love (in no particular order except the first.)

1. my boys and my husband
2. living in New Hampshire
3. the beach, the ocean and everything related
4. coffee, coffee and did I mention coffee ??
5. long girl gabs
6. creating art
7. curling up fireside on a winter day

Wow, I'm done? I could have gone on and on.

The following bloggers will knock your socks off when you visit their amazing blogs !
Fannie Narte
Diana Evans
Jodi Ohl
Kim Geiser
Alisa Nordholt-Dean
Roberta Baird
Lisa Rivas

Mixed Media/Collage Backgrounds Workshop

I am pleased to announce that I will be teaching a five-session ONLINE WORKSHOP at the wonderful site, Creative Workshops. The course will begin on March 9 and will explore the process of creating backgrounds rich in pattern, color and design. My thanks to Gail Schmidt for her magnificent support and encouragement as I have prepared the course. Thanks, also, to my dear friend Pam Carriker for bringing my artwork to Gail's attention. I hope to share time with friends and meet new people through this wonderful experience.

© Nancy Lefko

Custom Orders

I have been busy over the past two weeks working on a custom order for a sweet gal from Sweden. The four collages pictured here will be on their way overseas on Monday morning. It is always fun for me to think that my art will visit countries that I probably will never see myself. The internet has, in many ways, made the world quite small.



© Nancy Lefko

Thank You, Alisa

This beautiful pendant arrived in the mail the other day from my dear friend Alisa Nordholt-Dean. Alisa is an extremely talented artist whose collages and pendants are simply joyous. Her craftsmanship, in the soldered pendants she makes, is unparalleled. This pendant is even more beautiful in person than in the photograph! You will completely enjoy a visit to Alisa'a blog and Etsy shop...where you will be VERY tempted to buy yourself a New Year's treat!!

pendant © Alisa Nordholt-Dean