Awakening the Secret Garden within Part II

Michelle Casey's finished Secret Garden page. Faber-Castell Art Grip colour pencils were used to colour this.

Today I thought I’d share my first coloured page in Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden with you along with imparting some more reflections on colouring. Recently, I was compelled to buy the book because I hoped it would […]

How to Make a Collage/Origami Artist Trading Card

A peek inside my collage/origami lotus flower artist trading card…

Hello! This is a follow-up to last week’s article in which I mentioned creating an origami/collage fusion-inspired artist trading card (ATC) using the lotus flower design as inspiration. Today I’ll share some tips on making one with you…

After showing my husband Kevin […]

Significant Contributions: An Origami Project Unfolding

A selection of my origami magazine papers…

For years, I’ve longed to make origami but haven’t been successful. You see, It’s embarrassing to say, but I’ve never been able to follow the written or diagram instructions on how to make it. I remember once trying to fold a simple boat, and no matter […]

Awakening the Secret Garden within

My two-hours' worth of colouring in progress in Johanna Basford's "Secret Garden"

… I told the interviewer, I believed stories are found things, like fossils in the ground, he said that he didn’t believe me. I replied that this was fine, as long as he believed that I believe it. And I do. […]

Part II: The Fabric & Patterns of Everyday Life

November/December 2013 issue, Selvege. A favourite fabric-related magazine of mine… see link at end of this article

Developing a Secret Code…

In Part I of this blog article, you learned of my fascination for fabric pattern prints and textures found in fashion magazines and my childhood home. While I noted, I used […]

Part I: The Fabric & Patterns of Everyday Life

Michelle Casey, "Untitled", Journal Page, Collage/Mixed Media, 8.5 inches x 6 inches, 2009

When I first began visual journaling, working with magazine fragments of fabric patterns really began to interest me. I remember a friend pointing out how cool it was that a character I’d collaged was wearing “hound’s tooth”. I had no […]

Collage Tip #16: The Call of the Vision Board

Michelle Casey, "Aurora's Dream: Part II: Song Bird", Artist Trading Card, Collage/Mixed Media, 2.5 inches x 3.5 inches, 2013

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Tales from the Observer: Pattern Alert!

Anastasija Kondratjeva's “Busy bodies” fashion shoot. Okay, if this doesn’t blow your mind print wise I don’t know what will! This wild style is what I sometimes aim for in my collages. For more incredible photos of the shoot see Front Row blog under "Other Related Links" below.

On my daily jaunts through […]

What Dreams May Come: Ghosts of the North, Part II

I discover two versions of myself in “Ghosts of the North, Part II” (a collage in progress). Part III will soon be in the works. What it will reveal, I have only just begun to imagine…

Dream Journal, September 6, 2010:

My husband’s body and that of an Inuit hunter are discovered floating […]

Listful Thinking: Using List Making to Motivate Your Spirit

Michelle Casey, “The Secret of Life”, Collage/Mixed Media, 7 inches x 5 inches, 2011, Upper text: “The secret of life is to dare”; Lower left text: “Imagine”

Last week while savouring a cup of coffee during a rare peaceful moment in my life, I began thinking about lists again. Posting my Gratitude List […]