Art Journal Love Day!

I am back...

So soon.  Well that's what you get when you are late (post after post).  I think that you should Blog when you feel like blogging (is that even a word?).  So here I am again.  Sick of me yet?  Yesterdays blog was a little lame and I felt a teenie bit guilty. 


Over at Dirty Footprints Studio Connie is having an "Art Journal LOVE" day.  How exciting is that!!  I love my journal and why not admit it here and now. So here is my post and picture to prove it.

 Yes I know...it's the dreaded poodle again.  She just got her hair buzzed yesterday and she is in a deep depression, curled up in her bed.  Very sad.  She doesn't even want to chase the cat...so she is really down.  This picture reminds me of better days and hopefully she will be back to her own sweet self soon.

 This picture was "created" out of the sheer love of creating and that anyone can do it, you don't need any special talent or training, I call most of my art "doodling" if that is any consolation, then it doesn't have to be a serious thing.  Don't sit there in hopes of creating a work of ART...you will just sit there stumped.  Just play.  Doodle.  Color.  



Thanks Connie for "Art Journal Love Day" and congrats on finding your way and making your dreams come true.

"Free from ambitious pride and envious care, to love and to be loved is all my prayer"

 

Valentine's Day Love

Hey Folks,

I want to say...Happy Valentine's Day and I hope and pray that you felt the love on this very special day even if it wasn't "external" I hope you connected with yourself "internally".  To Love Yourself is the biggest Love there is.  

A few of movies that I highly recommend for the "lovers or the love-sick" out there.  I cried a small river over these.  

1. Love and Other Drugs starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal.  It was very unexpectedly wonderful.  Have kleenex handy. 
2. It's Kind of a Funny Story starring Emma Roberts (Julia Roberts niece) and Zach Galifianakis.  Teaches us alot about how dramatic and depressed we think we are, there is always someone worse.  Helping those in need, helps ourselves in turn. 
3. Life As We Know It starring Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl.  It's a must see.  I don't want to give to much away.  Watch the trailer.  Click on my links :)

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 Corinthians 13

Love and Hugs :)

The Sketchbook Challenge

Hey Creatives, (we all are you know!)

Hope you are well on this fine day.  Happy Birthday BEN!!

I have got some cool pics for you today.  I went shopping for some lovely fruit.  

 The reason for my "fruit" choices are for this months THEME on the Sketchbook Challenge. Click the link and check it out.  Opposites. I was really stumped for this one.  I googled "opposites" and got a list and picked some that stood out to me.



For Example;
night and day
dogs and cats
sweet and sour
hands and feet
fire and water
old and new 
salt and pepper
heart and mind
perfect and flawed
cold and hot
open and shut
truth and lie
and the list goes on...

So I thought...I have always wanted to try out a still life and what better way than this to learn some new techniques. And of course to eat yummy fruit after.  Ha! Ha! Ha!

I used a some watercolors that my dad bought for me a few years ago.  Van Gogh watercolor set.  Very highly pigmented and bright juicy colors.  Perfect for the fruit I thought.  And I really got to thinking about opposites and what that really means to me.

So thanks to Laura Cater-Woods for this wonderfully "thought provoking" theme.  The picture above was the one I entered on the site for this month's challenge.  I would like to explore more opposites this month in my sketchbook we'll see.

"People think they'll be happy when they have nothing to do, but that's just a blueprint for misery.  Keeping busy is what happiness is all about."

So on that note my "little creatives"...

Create something...anything...today!!



 

Some Mail Art

Hi there Folks,

Its been a busy week...all work and...you know the rest.  

I have now found myself with 4 days off in a row...wow!  What will I do.  Today was a wash.  I did absolutely N O T H I N G.  I lazed around.  Ya I know ...me...nothing!  Not like me.  I call it a "recoup day"  Doesn't everyone need one of those?  One where you can just let go of all your responsibilities and just B E.  No guilt, no should haves, no lists in your mind....just BE.  It felt like one of those days today.  I surfed the net, got some cool movies.  Watched "American Idol" the one I missed from last week.  Checked out some blogs that I haven't looked at in awhile (because I have no time).  I had time to enjoy making supper instead of just throwing something together because it's late.  

It was a very relaxing day.  I feel newly rejuvenated.  Like taking a deep breath of fresh crisp air.  We all need to check in with our inner selves once in awhile and really listen to the calm, the quiet...our own heart beating.  Do you ever make time for yourself...check in?  What does your body want?  Your mind...your spirit.  Reconnect...with....YOU.

I thought I would share with you some "Mail Art" that I have received over the last couple of months.

I got this one just before Christmas.  It is from "Lady L".  It's cool.  It is sewn all the way around, reminds me of the cards and letters I used to get from my Grandmother.  I love it, the colors are calming and the cup of tea...amazing.  Very tiny details to cut out.  Very precise.  Takes allot of patience for this one.  What is better than this...I love getting miniature "Art" in the mail!

This is the one I sent her.  I think I have put this picture up already.  But I sure enjoyed making it.  I used a stencil with watercolors and inking and I just went to town.  I have talked so much about this mail art that 2 of my co-workers joined the group.  It is so exciting.
 

I received this one in the beginning of this month from "Winged Heart".  I just love it.  The colors are bright and I love the use of the primary colors. The recycled paper is amazing as well.  And the messages stand out so well.  Like we all have the power.  Use it!

This is one that I made and sent him.  I used recycled paper as well and my "Twinkling H20's" stickers to make the star shapes and stamps and of course inking, I love inking.  Postcards are the perfect size for miniature art.  I am not intimidated by the small size and I feel free to create.  I get to try out new techniques and I don't fear rejection because "it's ANONYMOUS".  Yippee!

This is my newest one.  Different eh?  I am not sure who I will send it to.  Maybe I will put all the names in a hat.  There are only 13 names left on the list.  For this one I used my Windsor Newton watercolors wet-on-wet technique, my Neocolors 11, pen and ink, stamps and stazon ink, white gel pen and piano music paper.  


I think...to answer my sister's question about my studio.  During my days off I will be working in the mess (God help me).  I will try and get some of the stuff put away.  I need some shelves put up and a door would be wonderful.

And another thing...this month is very special and not just because of Valentine's Day.  It is my little nephews 5th Birthday.  Happy Birthday "Little Man"!  I love you.

 Well guys...time for bed.  Sweet dreams.  Until next week have a wonderfully creative week.

"You are the creative type.  We all are...even if we don't know it yet."        Oprah

Where Did Monday Go...?

Hi Folks :)

I completely lost Monday...I mean it...gone!  You know your old when...you actually lose days...wow!  So I was convinced I had today (in my mind it was Tuesday) to blog.  Sorry about that, so it is Wednesday and I am here with my coffee and the silly poodle and we will have a Wednesday Blog instead. 

So last week I left you with my book-binding dilemmas.  Well I am here to say that it all worked out, I was amazed.  It is not perfect or that pretty either but it is "functional" and that 'my dearies' is the most important thing.  The minute we let go of our chains or expecting something to be something it is NOT, we are free to enjoy "What Is".

The copic-binding stitch that I learned how to use, makes it so that when I open my journal it lays down flat no matter what page it is open to.  I love that.  I left some of the pages in and you can certainly tell...they are all warped and buckled and my new "inards" are all straight and flat.  I am very pleased.  I recommend trying this at home...ha! Ha!

As you know I am participating in the "Sketchbook Challenge" and Dianna Trout whose book I own and recommend "Journal Spilling" has put up a short "Doodling Game" video...very fun and funny...she is great!  Check out here video. Put your cursor over the link (in pink) and click and it will take you right there.  Here is my page that I did after watching her short video, she is right - it is an excellent warm up for your art work and it amazes me what comes out of a person when they are simply just "doodling". Here is mine....

Isn't that crazy?  Wow...I had no idea where that was going and don't ask me what it means...I have no words.  But guess what?  It was fun!  The process is what I enjoyed not the end result.  I am still doing some shading and playing with it.  
   
I have two entries that I want to put into the "Sketchbook Challenge"  for this month.  Remember the theme is "Highly Prized".  I sketched "my girls" and now I am working on another one which is "my passion" I guess.  It's in the works right now, its a watercolor and I am learning to play with water-colors...so I am having fun with this one...take a look...

The great thing is that I am using the pages in my journal that I bound myself on watercolor paper.  Cool.  It's nice using watercolors on actual watercolor paper, it works so much better.  So I am learning that using the proper tools, sometimes is essential for easier results.  I am not saying that watercolors shouldn't be used on just any paper because that is not true...I have done beautiful pages with just that.  But using watercolor paper gives you a "tooth" for the colors to stick to that I wasn't aware of, the paper absorbs better and dries without bubbling, almost gives the colors more vibrant color.  Very Cool.  So I better get my butte in gear if I am going to enter these before the end of the month.  Wish me luck :)


Have a wonderfully creative week.  Love and hugs xo

"Just be yourself...everyone else is already taken." Oscar Wilde

Here is another huge video of Milliande's Journal January...
 

An Exercise in "Book-Binding" and "Patience"

Hi There Folks;

Have you settled into January?  

Now that the Christmas rush is over, tinsel and tree gone...how about your New Years Resolutions?  Have they died like mine have?  The only one I've kept so far is to "Journal" everyday.  I am being creative everyday.  This makes me happy and keeps those creative muscles supple....now if only I could exercise everyday, I would be even happier that I have muscles.

A really good read on Journal Fodder Junkies take a look at Eric's Rules.  They are amazing and inspiring.  This is exactly what I'm talking about.  No matter what your creative craft may be these are good rules to live by.

So today is my second day off in a row (this never happens).  And I have been struggling with my new 2011 journal.  I love it but the paper sucks.  

 So I searched the Internet (as I always do when faced with a challenge) and found this.  So I went to my paper stash and behold I had some old watercolor pads collecting dust and various other good quality paper and decided to try my hand at book-binding.  The black book on the bottom is my journal and on top is the signatures that I made and sewed together using a "copic" stitch so that the pages lay flat when the book is opened.  Cool eh?  The fun part came when I gutted out my journal and placed the signatures inside and it was toooo THICK...omg!!! How could this have happened!  OK...deep breathes and problem solve.  

I had left one signature in the journal because I have done some art in it already and I wanted to keep some of my pages in, but this made it too thick so I cut out a little more of the pages in my journal and placed weights on my signatures so hopefully that will make it fit.  I am learning alot in this old art of book-making.  I do love it but I must say I am a bit stressed, my beloved journal has been gutted and I have nothing to draw in.  So I will be up ALL night until it is fixed.  As you can see there is my journal on the bottom and my signatures on top.  It will work out and I should give myself a break as Jackie says; "this is your first time, you can't be perfect at EVERYTHING."  This is true, I am so hard on myself.  I am pretty proud for attempting this, even if it doesn't work out I still come away with alot more knowledge that I didn't have before.

I belong to a "Mail Art" club.  People in the club send you a postcard in the mail and you send one back, as simple as that.  You can do anything you want.  If you are into photography you glue a picture on a postcard and send it, if you write send a poem on a card etc.  I received one over Christmas from "Lady L"  (oh yeah it's anonymous) and this is one that I was working on for her.  Making art for someone you don't know brings up alot of different feelings, you are basically doing "art by intuition" I guess.  I did what I like and I sent it.  This is how it turned out.

Well...I must get back to my poor journal with no substance, she needs her guts.  Wish me luck.  ;)

"You're Braver than you believe and Stronger that you seem and Smarter than you think"  Winnie the Pooh

Here is Milliande's Day 2 video
 

Art really is everywhere....

Good Day All :)

I have had a pretty busy week trying to get in all my favorite art journalling classes.  There are so many free ones right now.  January is the greatest month for art is seems.  Check out the Sketchbook Challenge, you'll notice the new button on the right side of my blog.  Click on it and it will take you right there.  They are posting a "prompt" for the month of January.  It is "Highly Prized".  I pondered this for quite awhile...doing a journal page for this is hard and if you saw how small my journal is there isn't a lot of room for everything I "highly prize".  Family and close loved ones are the most prized for me and if I was doing a mural I could fit everyone who have changed my life and inspired me...but I am not so here is what I have so far;

I am still working on the layout, but it is turning out pretty good I think.  I still have some work to do on Britney (the girl on the right) she isn't quite done to me yet.  If I get done before the end of the month and post it in the Challenge I will have the opportunity to win some cool products.  Want to join me?  What is it that YOU "highly prize"?  It can be anything from God to a salt shaker...join the challenge :)

As I mentioned before Milliande is doing her Art Journalling January.  And in week 2 we were doing Zebra Mandalas.  I was just beginning mine and it turned out very busy lol.  
Needless to say, Milliande is on day 10 and I am still on day 2... I am definitely NOT a speed artist.  No wonder I can't make a living at this.  But it isn't a race thank goodness, and I am totally enjoying drawing and doing art with these fantastic women!  I have allot of catching up to do.  I will attempt to upload her video on my blog so that you can see what I see.  She is such a free spirited artist...she creates without fear.  That's what draws me to her, I need me some of that.  She isn't afraid to mess up and is perfectly fine if it doesn't turn out the way she expected.  I am learning to do that.  Let go, breathe....

I uploaded a video but it turned out supersized...sorry...I am still learning how to do stuff.  Next week I will try and make it smaller.  


I received some amazing "Art" in the mail from my "Amazing Uncle Don".  At 70+ yrs of age his painting just gets better and better, he inspired,coached and supported me as a little girl and still inspires me to this day.  I hope and pray that I will still be in love with art at that age and can still produce the beauty he captures.  Thanks Uncle Don ;)
  Every year he sends me a beautifully hand painted ornament and every year I am so thankful!  These are the best gifts, art from the heart.  


Another cool site that I am taking a free online art class is the strathmore visual journal workshops .  Check it out, I am taking a free class with Pam Carriker and her new book will be out in February...can't wait!!

" Doing and making; are acts of HOPE and as that hope grows we stop feeling overwhelmed by the troubles of the world."                    Corita Kent

Well folks...Have a creatively wonderful week.
Love and Hugs :)