a little more...

Want to know a little more before you take the leap?

Our 12 sessions together "In The Studio" includes:

Intro to watercolor and acrylic blending techniques
There are many different ways to apply and mix paints in your Art.  We will begin to explore some of my favorites and create a great hand painted bag and a book of beautifully prepared pages.

Understanding color blending (without making mud!)  
I LOVE love love color!  Do you ever get frustrated when you try and use all of your favorites but end up with a muddy mess?  We will learn some color blending basics to use throughout these sessions in order to keep our projects as vibrant as possible!

 

Brush control exercises
Knowing how to use and blend paint is great but without practiced and controlled strokes, you still may not be able to get the effects you're looking for!  We will learn what kinds of different effects can be made with different brushes and the best ways to hold the brush and apply the paint.  We will create a super colorful and eye catching tree painting using both wide strokes and tiny delicate strokes.....plus a few more fabulous projects that will leave you both practiced and proud of your work.
 

Building textured backgrounds
There is no limit to the number of layers and textures we can add on top of each other.  We will build such interest and depth that your background will be as much a work of art as the subject matter you place on it.
Wild background effects in watercolor

Watercolor is so very fun to manipulate and there are a whole variety of ways to create interest and reactions with the pigment in the paint. These are so simple yet impressive you will be coming back to them over and over as you build beautiful foundations for your paintings and pages.

 Intro to illustration
This has been a favorite pass time of mine since I started writing cereal box board books in grade 2, and later in high school would illustrate all of my classmates (including their quirks of course!)  This session will be an imagination workout in creating a world of your own where the only limit is what you can dream up!

We will also be
- Exploring a vast array of Art surfaces and mediums
- Playing with faces in 5+ ways
- Building heartful words into your work
- Using all sorts of inks
- And much much more!!!

Check our registration page Here. Our Early bird sale ends tomorrow but you can join the fun anytime through the year! I truly am so happy, I just feel like we are on the edge of what will be one of my very favorite adventures yet!

Have a Blessed week my friends,
CD

Online Classes!!

Hello Friends,  

Long post alert! But hopefully well worth the read. I have some BIG BIG news that just may speak right to your heart! It is something that so many of you have asked me for, and so I have poured myself into creating a really special new program to kick off our brand new website launch next week!  ( eeeeep! next weeek!!!) 

It has been long in the works and is finally just around the corner. 

Honestly, I can hardly contain myself! 

 ...That you could let go of trying to be perfect and simply enjoy the process of creating? Have you dipped your toe into the sea of wild and wonderful art mediums out there and had no clue where to begin? Looked at the work of others and longed to find your wings? Longed to be more free? 

If your heart is bursting to create and your spirit holds a message that is beyond words alone, you are in the right place! Many of you invest so much of your heart and time into everyone else, and leave hardly a moment to care for your own deepest needs. I understand, because a few years ago, that was me.  

I would like to invite you to take a deep breath and think about investing in a year long adventure that just might change your life. Take that first brave step in making some time for YOU, for finding Joy, nurturing your soul, and growing your creative wings! You just may find that you have so much more to give.

It is time!

Don't let fear or doubts hold you back for one more day! 

look at what these classes have done for Theresa, one of my lovely students.

" Until I met CD and took her classes I was stuck. I am a total perfectionist and I could never get my art to look the way that I wanted, so I would just get frustrated and quit. Her gentle and fun way of encouraging freedom nudged me out of my box and taught me how to let go of the boundaries I had made for myself. Now I can happily create in layers and work past the places that used to trip me up. Thank-you!" -Theresa

"In The Studio" - (12 Sessions)

$360

Join me for “In The Studio” for 12 sessions of wildly wonderful ART! 
No matter where you live in the world, you can now take a virtual step into my studio to learn just like my local students do each week!! Every session we will explore a whole new set of mediums, surfaces, and techniques. I am SO excited to see what you will create and how you're going to grow!

For as long as I can remember, ART has been for me, a passion from the depths of my soul.  I would love to spend these 12 sessions walking along side you, my friends for whom ART isn’t simply a way to fill a few hours, but a passion and a way to pour out heart and soul.  I believe that investing time to develop a craft that you are passionate about is ALWAYS time well spent!  

It gives you the confidence and skills that you need to go far beyond techniques and express yourself in a way that truly comes from deep within.  This will give a voice to your thoughts, feelings, and dreams over the next year.  I hope to help guide you to great possibilities, and cheer you on as you develop your own style of expression!!  

Every session we will cover new skills, you will learn through...

• videos with me in my studio, teaching you just like I would if you were right beside me
• written directions, and vibrant photos for those who learn better that way
• Lots of fun printables & worksheets
• Ideas shared between classmates in our Private message board discussions

and we will practice all of that fabulous learning  with a HUGE variety of projects and art pieces!

We have both men and women, boys and girls, moms, dads, and even grandparents who take these studio classes!  They are taught in a way that encourages and appeals equally to...
*Adults who long to create and want to increase their freedom,
*Kids who have such a deep passion for art they can't wait one minute more to get their hands dirty,
*Homeschool families looking for an art class to do together,
*Parents who do these classes with their child to share a common skill and create a special time together,
*and those who just need to let the stress of the workday roll away as they get lost in the art. 

  

 "When I first signed up for art class, with my daughter, I did so very begrudgingly.  I signed up to bond with my preteen.  I did not think I would be any good at it or possibly that I wouldn't even like it very much.  For the first class I was quite nervous, and almost didn't want to be there.  Before that first class was done my attitude completely reversed!  Miss C.D. put me at ease right away, and gently encouraged me to find my inner me.  As a Mom, a Wife, a Co-worker, you sometimes forget who that really is.  I found that Miss C.D. gently stretched me, just a little out of the box I had put myself in.  I soon found that I could literally feel the stress from the day/week melt right off.  Not only did it effect the day that art class was on, I found it affected every day.  Soon I was seeing the prettier side to life, seeing art possibilities where I wouldn't have looked before!  My original bonding with my daughter goal has definitely been achieved.  My daughter and I are constantly coming up with art ideas, and stealing little bits of time to art it up!"

-Colleen

I have watched as students like Colleen have gone from tentative and cautious to carefree and SO excited for the next class.  It is such an honor to be a small part of that journey and I want to invite YOU to be a part of it too!  No matter where you fall, encouraging parent, or cautious perfectionist, I would Love to see what would happen for you if you made this little step to invest in yourself.  Purely, beautifully, time for you to nurture your spirit and take that deep breath you have been waiting for. 

Blessings to you

xo, CD

$360 (12 Sessions)

3 monthly payment option

($120 USD each month for 3 months)

Once I register for the class, how long will I have to take all of the lessons? 
We firmly believe that once you pay for a class it should be yours for keeps.  I would encourage you, if you can, to try and join in with the community as we go month to month together, it definitely enriches the experience to share ideas and journey the year together!  But that is your choice for sure.  Life can be a roller coaster so please take in the content as quickly or slowly as you need to make it something that nurtures your spirit.

If I have questions as I go how will I have access to my instructor?
We have been hard at work on our new website that will have a class message board accessible only to course members, you can pop in there 24/7 and ask me questions, or share ideas with your classmates!

I’m not sure how on-line classes work.  Are the classes LIVE? Do I have to be at my computer at a scheduled time?
The classes are self paced, meaning you don’t have to be anywhere at any given time to make it to class!  This is YOUR experience to have when it suits YOU best!  There are no specific times of day that you need to be online, you can log in whenever you want and have access to all of the lessons that have been posted.  You can choose to sign in to the classroom each day, once a week, or even just one a month.  No matter how often you join the class, the content, classmates and instructor will be ready to welcome you! 

We have a space set up to do art in a different location than our computer, do we need to be at our PC to watch the lessons?
Not at all! You can access the classroom and videos from a tablet or an iphone etc.  Feel free to take us with you wherever you can enjoy the class time most.

I'd love to buy this class as a gift for my daughter/grandson/loved one. How can I sign them up?
It's easy!  Simply email us at [email protected] and we will take care of creating a special (and eye catching) gift certificate for you to give your special someone.

Do you offer a payment plan?
Yes!  We understand that this course is an investment, to make it easier on students who are feeling that this is just what they need but may not be able to spend the full year amount all at once, we have an option to pay for this class in 3 monthly installments of $120.

This is all new to me, what kinds of supplies am I going to need? 
This is a year of exploring and using many different mediums.  The nice thing about having new topics in each session is that you can space out your supply gathering over the course of the class!  Have no fear I WILL NOT leave you lost and confused wandering the aisles of the art store.  In each session, you will see the supplies list of what we will be working with....I am a pretty resourceful kind of girl and don't spend big bucks on supplies if it is not needed.  So, I am very happy to share what I have learned over the years and walk you through what the quality and cost options are. Then you can make an informed choice about what you want to spend, and where you can save.  I hope this will be a excellent resource to you as you learn how to work with all of my favorite yummy art goodies!

 

A Gift

   

It has been a week of character classes and cupcake still life paintings, beautiful painted ladies and LOTS of lettering.  My job is dreamy and the students who come and go through the week absolutely fill my heart. I Play for a living AND do it with awesome peeps! Truly Can't beat that.

 

Sidenote: If you're new here and you want to play along with all of my studio goings on from a distance (or just peek at what we are making) be sure and follow our Instagram updates!
Link in the left sidebar.
 

 

In a crazy frigid, Blizzardy winter like we have had here, I truly love that no matter how cold it gets we have this amazing warm and cheery place to create and grow together!  It has been a Blessing in so many different ways for different people and I pray that only grows with time.

 

 

 In other happy news, Outside of the studio I've been finishing up some very special printable kindness cards to give as a gift to anyone who signs up for our newsletter! Spreading kindness is always good and never wasted, and friends, I am all about that!  These mini prints can be printed at 4x6 to give as a card or smaller 2x3 to keep in your wallet and hand out to someone special as you are moved to do so. 
Enjoy!

"Painting your Heart's song"

Hello Friends, I have Great News! 

After a long health battle (another story for another time), and the successful opening of our own studio here at home in 2012, I am finally travelling to teach far and wide once again! 

I locked myself away this winter for a wonderful get away with yummy mounds of my favourite supplies, and some quiet time to search my heart for what it is I wanted to share this year. And the result? Awesome. 

I always come back home after a time like that feeling like I have a bit more of me to give. So refreshed, creativity re-newed, and breathing a little deeper, and THAT is exactly what I have tried to put together for my students.

I developed a brand new 4 day class for 2014, it is geared to smaller more intimate groups where we can really make a heart connection.  

That is what has me going home from the studio each day feeling so very Blessed to have the privilege of doing what I do. And I think that's the part I am most excited for with this new course! 

It will debut in just a few weeks ( February 6-9) at my very own Inspired by CD Muckosky retreat at my pal Donna Downey's studio in North Carolina. 

See her space above, doesn't it look amazing!!!

You can find out everything you need to know about the event here
And so, without further a due let me introduce...

We were each brought into this world with a beautiful purpose. Join me for 4 days where we will take an artful journey to see the value in your layers. It takes time to find quiet and get in touch with your heart, to discover the best corners of who you are, and decide how to let your beauty and your spirit light shine. In this time away from life's 'noise" you will be able to hear what your heart has to say, find your own light within, and use your creative gifts as a way to let that light shine oh so brightly!

 We will begin with lettering styles. Not MY lettering but taking your own lettering, the lettering that only your hand can do, that your kids and your friends associate with you, and using different techniques and mediums to give it a little extra artsy character.

 Then we will be using India ink and nib pens to do some scribbley and scratchy carefree self portraits. The thought of a self portrait is often intimidating, but these are meant to be imperfect. This is not only an introduction to placement of the facial features, but an exercise in really letting go! Letting your pen scribble freely, and your paint drip and pool, and seeing, as your portrait unfolds, how very beautiful you really are (even when life gets a little messy). 

 

Once we have gotten more comfortable with the flow of the watercolors and the placement of the facial features and shadows, we will create our doll faced "whimsy girls". Just as much heart and YOU-ness will go into these as you choose how to develop your character. With easy to follow steps and fun options to make them your very own, you are guaranteed absolute cuteness! While working on these girls we will explore all of my favourite ways to layer watercolor, acrylic, pastels, caran d'ache crayons, and prismacolor pencil crayons. Each layer brings a little more life to our piece and adds a bit more of your heart to the story. 

Students will head out for the evening with some tips on digging deep, and adding beautiful words to their pieces that will truly reflect their spirit. On our final full day together we will be creating a Big painting on raw canvas and learning to stretch it ourselves! Inspired by all of the freedom we have gained over the weekend we will dive into creating brightly colored backgrounds with messy drips and drizzles and all kinds of fun ways to add texture. On top of our beautiful backgrounds we will bring together all of the skills and mediums we have learnt, for a work of art that has you writing your heart into the background of your piece, then getting expressive with

with words and images that truly have your heart and soul infused in every layer.

It is my hope that you will come away from this time with so much more than fun Art skills and techniques. That you will have found a new freedom, discovered how to hear your heart's song, and been able to see your true beauty as you have bravely spilled your spirit onto canvas.

 

  I will only be doing six of these in the next year so if you are interested in booking a weekend please email us at [email protected] and myself or one of my rad peeps will do our best to set up a date for your location!

Blessings, CD

Happy New Year

Just wanted to pop in here ( did you hear the door creak?) and wish you all a Very Happy New year from our house to yours! Please come back soon for a visit  or go and like our FB page to keep up to date about all kinds of good things in the works! We have online classes that are going up in the New Year, a special brand new 4 day retreat class announcement, our new website is finally close to finished and so much more! Thanks to all of you who have been far away friends for what feels like a lifetime, I'm so grateful that technology makes us feel just a wee bit closer.

Blessings, CD

Hi all!  Please pardon me while this site is under construction, we have online classes, a new art store and all sorts of good in the works for you!  In the meantime please check out my art shop at Etsy, keep up with what's new on my Facebook page and watch the creativity unfold on Instagram!

If you're visiting for info on classes, birthday parties or custom work, please email me anytime [email protected]

Be blessed my beautiful friends.

CD

Simply Magnetic

I promised you something new in store this week. And so, by request, here they are, mini print magnets! Just $5 each, beautiful crisp quality and vibrant colors ( I couldn't be happier), and they are available in all of the prints you see in my shop. I did these thinking beyond the fridge; a bit of encouragement hung inside a special kids locker at school, a little brightening on the filing cabinet of a teacher who goes the extra mile, even a bit of heart stuck along the metal strip of an office cubicle as a reminder of how much brightness is there for the taking...you get the idea! Everyone needs lifting up sometimes, everyone likes to feel appreciated or understood, and that's kind of the point of my art. To shine a light into all of the wonderful places in our lives, as far as we can possibly reach!

You can look for these here in my Shop on Monday

The Soccer Season Kicks off

 Last night was the start of soccer season for us. Emy doesn't play, she's a swimmer and has no interest in a sport that would require kicking at people, she has such a gentle heart. Tiara was pumped to be back at a sport she adores, little Kaiella was super nervous because it was her first "real"game and she didn't want to make a mistake (sweet munchkin), and Coach Cam was ready for screaming girls and lots of fun. I only had my phone with me but I thought I'd share a few favorite moments I managed to snap.

It turned out to be a lovely night; The evening sun couldn't have been more beautiful... the perfect warm golden glow.

Tiara scored twice to kick off the season with pizazz, and little Kaiella did wonderfully ( see! nothing to worry about after all little one).

 I think this is my favorite moment of all though. So happy to be the coaches kid, proud as can be after a great game. She is a total daddy's girl walking away from the now emptied field towards the setting sun, chattering happily together. Melts my heart to bits! This life, these regular little treasures hidden in our day; These are the moments I want to remember forever.

Today is a Gift

My two random winners from Friday's post are  

Kathleen and Michelle! 

Congrats girlies, send me an email so I can get you hooked up with all of your goodies

You guys are all amazing, you really touched my heart last week; from your openness  to share your challenges and how you have chosen to overcome them with positivity here in the comments , to your honesty on facebook where I asked the same question, and even private emails I got last week sharing with me from an open heart and with such a positive attitude. I am encouraged, I am moved, and I am honored that you cared to listen to my story and felt comfortable enough to share so many of yours with me.
THANK YOU.

Taking Art off of someone's site is usually a Big "no no", please know this.
BUT... This time, I would Love for you to go ahead and right click the image above, save it, and print it out at 5x7 to hang somewhere as a reminder that it's up to YOU to make some sunshine in this world, to Make the choice to see TODAY as a gift no matter what may come.
xo it's My little gift to you.

ETA: The giveaway is now closed, the print above has been replaced with a web sized image and will be added to my etsy shop later this week

It's been a rough weekend/start to the week, my headache & other pain came back full force to try and kick my butt right back to bed and to laying there trapped on my frozen veggies. POOOP!
It's super duper intense BUT I'm doing as much kicking back as I can, there is just too much good living to be had! I did everything in my power to just keep going like a Rockstar. And we made all kinds of good family memories YAYY!

The truth is it could be partly my fault, I need to double check ingredients and be more careful this week with what I am eating, I have a sneaking suspicion that I accidentally may have had some wheat and dairy hidden in good eats which is most likely the culprit.
Live and learn, and then help someone else, right?!
If you have any amazing-must-try wheat free, dairy free recipes please please shoot me an email! I am getting really bored with my few stand by options. And don't have enough culinary imagination to invent my own.

 This week; my girls are going to wow me with their swimming, Tiara and I are going to head to the city together today to do some getting healthy. Our first soccer games officially start up which will be extra fun cuz two girls are on the same team and Cam is their coach, so I guess you could say I am a seriously invested fan! Later this week I have some new stuff to share going up in my etsy shop for gifts, another fun happy giveaway, and all kinds of pictures from snapping away during week in the life. Have a great Monday friends, let's be rockstars together and kick this week in the butt hardcore!!!

giveaways, life, & inspiration

 This month's BYOC kits are bright and full of happy color and best of all they are ready to go! These 3 just went up in MY SHOP at the lilypad, and EVERYTHING in the store is 30% off to celebrate international scrapbooking day this weekend! I just kinda like the idea of shopping for good deals in jammie pants with no line ups ;)

 

 

{photos by Kal Barteski}

Every once and awhile  there are those people who cross your path and leave an impact forever on your heart. My friend Kal is one of tho people; anyone who has taken a class from her, listened to her speak, or who has the pleasure of knowing her is a person who is left changed, left  better than they were before. The new pack above is a kit celebrating that incredible beauty, cuz I think the world needs more people like Kal and this is just what my hands did with all of that thinking. Check out HER BLOG, she has beautiful Art and words that stir the soul. You will be inspired I guarantee you.

There's a story behind my kits this month. They are all about Living life, loving life, going for it with all you've got and sharing the best of what you have!
NOT something I take for granted these days. It is only a few weeks ago that I couldn't even join my kids for a walk no matter how badly I wanted to. So not only am I inspired by my friend Kal's fierceness, bravery and strength as she has been walking a similar journey, but I am trying really hard to learn to make the best health choices I can. Trying do the best I can with what I have each day, and do my little bit to help fill the world with goodness and light. Amazingly it works every time, sharing goodness makes me feel a whole lot better and brighter. Hence, the frenzy of giveaways this week. ( did I just say Hence? oy)

I am trying to be more open, trying to share more and that means I need to tell you a bit of what's been up. Weeks ago I got rid of  all wheat, dairy and sugar ( as well as a whole bunch of other things)... I had had a wicked migraine for months with no relief, severe pain all through my neck and back and nothing was helping at all, no pain killers no treatments and though I have suffered with migraines for most of my life That has never happened before. I'm usually a smile and keep on going kind of girl. But this time all I could do was lay there on ice for months and tell my girls to come and cuddle up. Such a trapped and helpless place to be. It was a tough road figuring out some thyroid problems, and then battling through this at the same time. Hard to be inspirational, hard to just get up and try to be a wee bit wife and mommy while hurting so so much. I'm not telling you this to bore you with a sad story, just being real. I definitely want to not only live life, but absolutely adore every minute of it! Simply existing is just not an option for me. NOT!!! I've never been someone who just let's the days all run together, and I don't wanna be, SO here's to all of that positivity I'm grabbing at, here's to mighty conquering and choosing to give life your ALL no matter what comes your way...aaaand a few spray painted butterflies thrown in cuz spring is my fave and they make me happy.

 

I LOVE this beautiful layout by Amanda Resende, she always manages to wow me with her flow on a page but this one makes my eyes so happy I just wanna keep looking! The wood grain paper looks perfect next to my journal tree, I adore her use of warm colors, and she did an excellent job of clustering everything above the line, leaving lots of white space to rest the eye. Amazing job Girlie!!! Show her some Love HERE

 The kits are up and you can find them HERE

OK friends, Leave me a comment by Monday morning 9:00 CST and tell me how you are fierce in the face of life, how you are choosing to put goodness into the world. I'll will pick two peeps to win all three of these sets. I'm happy to help you get it printed if you are a non computer person.
Can't wait to hear how you shine!