Moxie Blue

Paper Clay Bowl & Trinkets

2012-01-27T14:49:00.000-06:00

My projects from Misty Mawn's Open Studio workshop are not in the order they come in the classes. We are allowed to work at our own pace and however we want to, so I kind of jump in on what speaks to me at the time.

The bowl is from an air dry sculpture class and is made from a clay slab, which I added texture to with found objects, then painted, inked, and rubbed until I liked it. I took the scraps of clay and experimented with the pendents, button, and bead. I pressed a stencil with the word "FAITH" into one and used a rubbing plate on the other, then painted. The button and the bead were formed and the holes punched with an awl.

All the objects were allowed to dry completely before painting.

This was such fun that I can't wait to try another one and to make an animal out of coiled clay. The sculpture was part of the reason I decided to take the class and I have not been disappointed, although this week instead of sculpture on Thursday we had a class in photography photoshop, which was interesting as well. I worked with it some, but I'm going to have to do some more figuring out with my software. :)

Next week is abstract art, which I have never cared for too much, but Misty may change that. Looking forward to seeing what she has to share each day about it. :)

Pencil Drawing of Dorris Donkey

2012-01-25T11:17:00.001-06:00

This a b/w photo of Dorris, which I used to draw a portrait off of (below) for one of the assignments in Misty Mawn's class. No matter how careful I am, everything tends to come out a bit wonky. Maybe that's just how my art is supposed to be...wonkyfullness fun!

Next step is to paint one of him, adding some things I might see in a dream, but not necessarily in reality. Already added a cigar to the next one. He looks like he should have one, doesn't he? Haven't decided on the other add-ons yet. :/

So many fun elements to this workshop! :)

I finished the Traci Bautista workshop in the free Strathmore online workshops Monday, but I haven't had time to actually do all of the work yet.

Taking lots of notes for it and the 52 Playdates with Jan Fox though. Some interesting things going on there too!

Now back to work! :)

Miz Mahsy-First sculpted figure

2012-01-24T10:09:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I finally got brave enough to share my first attempt at a sculpted figure. Meet Miz Mahsey! She is sculpted from air dry paper clay, and she was inspired the class I took in Misty Mawn's Open Studio workshop.

I left the cracks and blemishes, because... well because old ladies have lots of survival scars inside and out, and if she could speak, she would tell you about every one of them.

She's been around the block a few times and lived to tell about it. I realize that she looks like an old tired, worn out, madam, especially since she happens to be wearing her birthday suit, but I like her. :)

I kind of learned how to work with the clay and my tools on her. I used an old Bic pen barrel wrapped tightly in tin foil for the armature to build the clay to. I've learned some new things that I can use on the next one, but I won't promise that it won't be just as colorful. lol

Below is a close up of her face, Mr. DeMille! ;)

Doodles Unleashed-Class 1

2012-01-10T08:49:00.000-06:00

Inspired by Traci Bautista's class in the free Strathmore online workshop series going on now. I certainly did unleash my doodles, and it was great fun! I learned a thing or three new things too! :)

Playdate 1

2012-01-10T08:43:00.000-06:00

From my first class with Jan Fox-Collage with white gesso and pastel.

The words in print say, "Blue is the color of dreams", "The best is yet to come", and "Where the sun coaxes you to feel the sky." I borrowed the image and the words from a Vanity Fair magazine.

Another Journal With a Canvas Cover

2012-01-10T08:20:00.000-06:00

Fronts-The brown one is the first one I made and shared a few days ago. I used spray ink and found stencils to do a background. The blue one I made Sunday and used found stencils and spray acrylic ink for the background, then stenciled with a brush through some brass stencils in metallic copper.

I learned to make these from Misty Mawn pre-Open Studio workshop. The brown one has three signatures of printmaking paper, and the blue one has five signatures of mixed media paper.

Backs- This is just the beginning background on the covers. There will be more doodling and embellishing in the future, but I like them this way for now. Misty's workshop opened Monday, and I'm looking forward to concentrating on what else she has to teach me, so I will come back to the covers later. I love journal making! :)

Gift Boxes/Organizers

2012-01-08T18:04:00.000-06:00

Look what I found at Goody's after Christmas sale! They are to put bottles of wine. or bottles of anything, in for a gift, but I saw storage possibilities for my work space, plus they're so pretty.

They are twelve inches tall and made of heavy cardboard and all three cost me less than ten bucks. It doesn't matter if they are Christmasy. I can use a little, or a lot, of joy and cheer all year. :)

Being Mindful While a Candle Burns

2012-01-02T12:22:00.000-06:00

This is an exercise from Misty Mawn's pre-workshop in being mindful of whatever you're doing, really paying attention to and being present with one thing at a time. Living in the present moment and absorbing the essence of whatever you're doing at the time or whoever you're with.

I spent a few minutes with a burning candle, lit for my dad, absorbing the experience into my soul, and wrote about it. I feel more alive because of it. Here's what I wrote.

BEING MINDFUL

By: Sharon P. Pope

Sitting here at my work table, actually my dining room table, with my creative supplies and my cup of coffee gathered around me, I decide to light one of the three new votive candles sitting on the shelves for Daddy, who was taken from us seven years ago right before Thanksgiving.

I take the little candle and set it directly on the table, feeling the cool waxy smoothness as my fingers curl around it, then release it to stand on its own. I love the rosy coral color and the faint smell, although I’ve forgotten the name of the scent.

I pick up an old matchbook lying nearby, flip the cover open with my thumbnail, tear out a red-headed match, and tuck the cover back into place, noticing the scratchiness as I do so. After multiple attempts to light the match on the strip provided, I give up and toss the now smudged red-headed match into the trash can. It lands with a barely discernible click atop a crumpled up sheet of paper.

The matchbook cover is flicked open again, with a clicking of my thumbnail. A second red-headed match is torn out, and the cover replaced. This time I succeed with only a couple of strikes, and the match bursts into an angry flame, then quickly settles back down to calmness, the smoke curling toward my nose in a tendril of bluish smoke, bringing the slight smell of sulphur with it.

The flame wavers as the match rides between my fingers to touch noses with the whiteness of the candle wick. For a second they blaze up as one, before I remove the match and gently blow out the fire, watching another wisp of smoke dissipate as the flame is snuffed out.

I toss the bent, now black-headed, burned out match into the trash can to join the one whose flame never got to burn. Another flick and the cover is back in place. As I lay the matchbook down, I notice the dark blue background with the diamond shaped logo on both sides, done in shades of yellows and blues. The word, diamond, in white lower case lettering is ensconced across the logo. I suppose the match tips are supposed to be as hard as diamonds?

My attention returns to the candle, whose flame has now settled down into a mesmerizing point of light, slowly undulating this way and that. The tiny flame is so beautiful, yet so dangerous. Its capabilities are frightening.

The sounds of cars passing on the highway, my husband’s gentle snoring, as he sleeps on the couch, the ticking of the grandfather clock that daddy made for us, the rattle of the fan, the fridge’s humming, and the ringing in my ears, which is akin to a heard of crickets, all fade into the background as I focus on the candle.

Melted wax is now dribbling down the wick, melting out a well in the candle top, which was once slightly rounded. The wick is turning black as the fire feeds from it, causing the wax to melt and fill the well, which is getting deeper by the second. The hot wax releases a lovely tropical scent into the air. It delights my sense of smell.

My breathing is calm.

Yellow-oranges and purply-blues meet and form soft shades of gray where the flame and wick join. It continues to hypnotize. The rosy coral candle is no longer one color. It is now several shades around the top where the heat has gently transformed it. The sides are now translucent, allowing a soft warm glow to emanate from within.

It is gorgeous, and somehow comforting, as I feel the sadness of no longer having my dad around wash over me. My life has not, nor will it ever be, the same without him. I always knew that it would be hard to give him up when the time came, but I couldn’t even begin to imagine the pain of loss and vulnerability that comes with losing a parent. Slowly, I’ve learned to live without him physically being here, but I always feel his presence in my heart, and I am grateful for that.

I turn the page in the journal where I am hand writing these words. It slips from my fingers, twice, landing on the candle, angering the flame, causing it to squat and reach out to grab the edge of the paper. My journal narrowly misses becoming a blaze itself.

Next time I will set the candle down in a proper container.

My page is secured and safe and my thoughts return to Daddy. Now I’m remembering all the happy times with him, the wonderful toys he made me when I was little, how he understood me, maybe more than anyone else, and that I always knew that he loved me and was proud of me, even if he couldn’t say it. I am grateful that he cared enough to teach me morals, values, and respect for myself and others. I am grateful that God gave me the parents I have, and grateful to still have Mama.

I watch as the well of melted wax overflows and spills over the side, creating a deep groove as it glides down and forms a puddle on the table. As the wax hits the chilliness of the table top, it hardens, connecting the candle to the table.

There is now a second well forming inside the first well inside the candle walls. The wick has burned down into the candle until it isn’t getting much oxygen. It is now very small and docile, but still struggling to survive, and still dangerous.

I lean over and with one puff blow out the tiny flame still grasping for life. The candle no longer has the warm glow with the dancing light. It is now dark and still. Its spirit, in the form of a blue-gray trail of smoke, dissipates and scatters, as it rises toward the ceiling, or heaven.

I feel the chill on my bare arms on this cool morning, as I think about how our lives are similar to the candle flames. Our flame burns brightly, as we struggle through life with all its twists and turns, learning and growing, leaping, dancing, stumbling. It dims some as we get older, then it is snuffed out, many times without warning, leaving those who loved us bewildered, trying to make sense of it all.

Some people would say that the candle is no longer beautiful, or even pretty. It’s true that it has been transformed by the fire, and is no longer shaped perfectly with a snow white wick protruding from the smooth slightly domed top.

The tiny wick is now charred black and almost covered with re-set wax down in the double wells. It not only no longer stands on top looking down, but it cannot see over the edge, now ragged, translucent, and faded. There is a deep groove down one side and a solid puddle of wax around the bottom. It has dents and dings.

Now it is flawed, full of character, and has an even deeper beauty.

It has lived. It has held onto fire and has been re-shaped and molded. It has brought me a sense of peace, tranquility, and beauty for the few brief moments it burned.

It has survived. Changed. But still beautiful in its imperfection.

Soft Cover Journal

2012-01-02T11:24:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Day and that the coming year is a very blessed one for us all.

I am starting the year off with three workshops. I will try to post and share as often as I can what I create in them, but I'm sure they're going to keep me hopping for a few weeks. I also want to finish the canvas headboard for my bed that I started before Christmas.

Misty Mawn (see my sidebar for workshop details button) generously shared two videos on journal making with us before class starts next Monday, and this is my finished project for the soft cover journal. Misty used five signatures and I think it looks better with more than the three I used, but the good thing about this journal is that I can always add more. I just happened to stop at three.

The cover is canvas and is still the plain gessoed version, because I haven't decided how I want to embellish it yet. I left the selvage across the bottom to add some interest. I used printmaking paper for the signatures, because that's what I had handy, but for mixed media something heavier would probably be better. I'm going to try it and see though. (I have a mixed media journal on the way in case it doesn't work out though).

I also used waxed linen yellow thread to stitch with. It's easy to make, and I love the way it lays open so flat to work in. I never thought I'd like a soft journal, but I do, and I've found that I LOVE making journals too.

The cat is one my quirky doodle paintings and is a work in progress. I know the stitching on the spine is a little wonky, but that's me, quirky and wonky! :)

Start the new year off by sharing a smile with someone. I'm sharing a great big one with y'all! 8>)

It's Me Again...

2011-12-31T10:12:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to thank you all for your comments and your support, which mean a lot to me, and I want to wish all of you a wonderful, blessed, healthy, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I AM HERE

2011-12-30T13:38:00.002-06:00

Misty Mawn's Open Studio Workshop doesn't officially open until January 9, but she gave us a few preliminary things to do to get acquainted. One was to write a poem, of sorts, titled "I Am Here". This is my effort. The lines are not in any particular order, but in the order they came to me.

I'm a little nervous about sharing it, because some of it I've never shared with anyone, plus the fact that I'm not a poet. But for some reason, I want to share it. I hope you can make sense out of it. :)

I AM HERE

By SP Pope

I AM HERE

Still
By some miracle
By the grace of God

Despite childhood illnesses and accidents
Despite polio’s paralyzing attack
Despite being an only child
Despite the mistakes of my youth
Despite close calls with divorce
Despite being childless
Despite the pain of an adoption falling through
Despite suffering many losses
Despite being paralyzed by grief, trauma, and fear sometimes
Despite menopause
Despite many disappointments, heartbreaks, and heartaches
Despite life lessons learned the hard way
Despite bouts of anger and depression with suicidal thoughts
Despite not getting to spread my wings beyond my home town
Despite the guilt that my parents had no grandchildren
Despite a job I was unhappy doing
Despite all of my weaknesses
Despite rejections
Despite loneliness at times
Despite being made fun of in school for walking with a limp and having a weak bladder
Despite feelings of being totally overwhelmed at times
Despite the adjustments of retirement and hubby and I learning to live together 24/7
Despite the aches and pains of aging
Despite waning eyesight and memory lapses
I am here

Because of loving and caring parents
Because I survived polio to walk, run, and dance
Because of amazing friends and family
Because of wonderful grandparents
Because of having loved and been loved
Because of rejection
Because of the encouragement of teachers
Because of bosses who believed in me
Because of three best friends, who, since childhood, have stood by me through thick, thin, and weirdness
Because of all the wonderful pets I’ve been privileged to have in my life, who loved me unconditionally
Because of all the happy times
Because of a mother who loved me enough to encourage, and sometimes push, me to live life
Because of my strengths
Because of being an only child
Because of my imaginary friends
Because there are many sides to me
Because of accepting God as my personal savior long ago
Because of my husband of almost forty-two years
Because of the love of learning
Because I enjoy solitude
Because of my passion for art, writing, music, and reading
Because of finally finding peace within
Because I’m learning to live in the present
Because of life’s lessons learned through the people and experiences I’ve crossed paths with
I am here

Today I am loving retirement
Today I am enjoying my husband, despite the occasional disagreement
Today I am battling type 2 diabetes
Today I am ecstatic with my creative endeavors
Today I am still learning new things daily
Today I feel vibrant and alive
Today I don't have to be busy every second
Today I love my own company
Today I have gray in my hair and I am overweight
Today my body is all soft and mushy, the way grandchildren would have loved it
Today I am more concerned with inner beauty than makeup and fashion
Today I let things go that “should be” done, in order to enjoy the things and people I love
Today I am still making mistakes and learning from them
Today I am living one minute at a time
Today I still grieve and feel overwhelmed sometimes
Today I still live in the small town where I was born
Today I love and am loved
Today I still have my mom and my husband
Today I am still an only child, but with many “adopted” siblings in the form of friends and cousins
Today I still have a home and I am able to live in it
Today I can still take care of myself
Today I still have my old friends, and I continue to make new ones
Today I’m having adventures and looking for the everyday miracles and magic
Today I am on my computer discovering all the wonderful things that the web has to offer
Today I am older, wiser... and a little more forgetful
Today I am content on my little patch of earth
Today I am learning how better to cope with life and all its ups and downs, now that its winding down, but
I am here

I am who I am
I AM HERE
Still
By some miracle
By the mercy and grace of God
And I am grateful

Santa Heartie Wishes You A

2011-12-25T07:47:00.000-06:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND THE

HAPPIEST OF

NEW YEARS!!!

More Duck Tape Please!

2011-12-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

I've been really busy for a few days, as most everyone else has, and haven't worked on a project in a couple of days, but thought I'd share another duck tape journal that I made out of the cardboard from a box I recived in the mail the other day.

I used turquoise duck tape, added a little washi tape, and a couple of stenciled animals, then added some old book pages that I had played with acrylic inks on, plus a little tissue paper, then held them in place with a beaded raffia bookmark tied around the middle. FUN! :)

And look! I found pink zebra duck tape at JoAnn's Fabrics/Crafts! I couldn't wait to use it, so I cut the covers from a piece of heavy textured scrapbooking paper, applied it to the covers, and stenciled two crows on the front. This one is still a work in progress.

LOVE the pink zebra tape! The only thing is, it's on a tape dispenser and is not as heavy as regular duck tape. It's more like packing tape, more transparent, so I used a double layer for the spine. I'm just wishing I had splurged for the blue tie-dyed roll as well. Oh well, next time! :)

Would love to show you the progress on the large painted canvas headboard I'm working on, but the pics are on my camera, and I don't have time to upload them right now. I'm hoping to work on it a lot more today. I'm really liking it so far.

If I don't have time to post again before CHRISTmas, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend and New Year. Thanks for visiting! :)

Cheetah Duck Tape Journal

2011-12-13T09:17:00.000-06:00

Another duck tape journal. I used half a sheet of watercolor paper that I had used up excess paint on, put it together with cheetah duck tape, stamped all over it, folded parchment paper in the center, punched three holes through the center of the signature and tape binding, and hand stitched it together with hemp cord. Then I attached a piece of raffia with a bead on it to the binding top...because it was laying handy and I liked it. ;)

These journals are addictive!

Zebra Duck Tape Journal With a Pigtail

2011-12-12T08:45:00.001-06:00

I've been at it again. Having fun, that is! Remember the duct tape journal I made in the last post, which I learned from Diana Trout? Well, Diana shared another link on Facebook from Claire's blog at http://paperpatter.blogspot.com/2011/12/lookit-i-made-book.html?showComment=1323572207382#c8990182204551292942 , who had also seen Diana's tutorial and made one of her own, adding a twist. I liked it, so you know I had to try it! :)

Claire used several signatures of paper and some kind of string to hold hers in place, instead of a rubber band. I think she also used a laundry detergent box to cut the cover from.

I used the covers off an old paperback dream dictionary and zebra duck tape for my covers. I used gel medium to stick the cat rubbings on to the covers to cover up price stickers and the front graphics, and also because they were laying within arms reach and I like them. Once they were dry, I brushed gel glass medium over the page part. The scanner didn't pick it up good, but it looks shiny and sparkly and dreamy in reality.

I used pastel parchment paper for my three signatures. Each signature consists of four sheets folded in half, so it has twenty-four pages in all. I cut three lengths of chenille yarn over twice as long as the book, and I used this because, you guessed it, it was within arm's length. lol It's a little too stretchy, but it works for now. Each length wraps around the center of each signature and the outer spine, and I tied a knot at the top. When I was finished I had six strings knotted at the top and hanging down the spine. I thought about leaving them that way, or adding beads, or making a tassel, but opted to follow Claire's example and plait them together. I like it! :)

The back cover...

You only learn by actually doing the thing you want to learn, and I'm having so much fun learning and doing all these great projects. I'm thankful and grateful to all the wonderful creative people who so generously share their knowledge, so that I can learn, and that includes Diana and Claire!

Now I'm off to see what I can do about those painted angel wings on my headboard. This is the second largest of three large paintings that I've ever done and my first in acrylics. The first and largest to date is a door, and the other is a window mural in a tiny bathroom with no real window, both in oils. This one is on unstretched canvas almost the width of a king sized bed, and it's almost ready to actually try over the bed. Right now, it's attached to a large piece of cardboard on an easel in my tiny dining room, making the traffic area a bit precarious. :/

I'll show you soon. In the meantime, I'm also working on smaller projects that I'll share as I finish them. Keep smiling! :)

Duck Tape Journal & a Penguin

2011-12-09T10:13:00.001-06:00

I had a few minutes to kill before I left for a Dr.'s appointment yesterday, so I made a quick little Duck Tape journal that I had seen earlier in a video by Diana Trout here http://sketchbookchallenge.blogspot.com/.

I wanted to make a sample, so I tore the covers (4 1/2 x 5 1/2") from a sheet of cardstock that I had been using up excess paint on. I happened to have turquoise duct tape, which I tore off too much of and wound up having a double layer on the outside, but that's ok. It just made the binding a little stiffer. I added a piece of washi tape, just for fun, and this is the front.

The back and you can see the black rubber band holding the folded signature inside the book. I just folded some old bills and scrap paper for the inside pages. Diana's is much prettier, but mine is just a sample. Besides, I can always change the papers if I want. I'm thinking I could also use fabric. All sorts of possibilities are possible! Thanks, Diana, for sharing this! Love it! :)

This little fellow is a baby penguin that I sketched from a colored photo on Pinterest. He was so adorable that I couldn't resist. :) He's in my Moleskine journal, and the original is much better, but I like him and he was fun to sketch.

Haven't had time to paint on my large fearless painting for a couple of days. When I set it up, I intended to start it and finish it in one day, but that didn't happen. Too many interruptions. Maybe today...

Smiles. Pass them on! :)

First Prayer Flag

2011-12-08T07:13:00.000-06:00

The first of the three work in progress prayer flags that I showed and explained here http://wwwmoxiebluecom.blogspot.com/2011/11/aedm-day-13-what-im-working-on-today.html.

My dad was taken from us in Nov 2004, and I still miss him every day, so the first prayer flag I finished is for him. At least, it's finished if I don't decide to add something else to it.

Daddy loved blue and purple, so I cut the flag out of the sleeve of a blue oxford shirt (5x11"), and since my sewing machine happend to have purple thread already on it, I practiced some of the machine stitches on the edges. Then I basically used what was within reach on my work table to finish it. The butterfly was cut from a piece of fabric and I found a strip of purple velveteen fabric and a purple placket with buttons on a knit blouse to add. The yellow stitching is with crochet thread and the word Daddy is purple hemp cord. Three inches was folded over at the top and stitched down to run a cord or something through to hang the flag with. I just didn't have time to find something this morning.

I haven't done any hand stitching in years, so I'm very rusty, but it's ok if these look a little messy and hand made. They're made to hang outside so the breeze can take the prayers contained on the flag wherever it goes. Final size, with top folded over, is 5x8". I like the way this one looks, crooked stitches and all. :)

Now, on to the next one! These are so much fun to make!

I have so many projects going that I've lost track. There are so many things on the web that I want to learn and there's so little time! I just started a very large, for me, fearless painting in acrylics. If I like it when it's finished it will become the headboard for my king size bed, after eleven years of not having one. I'm also planning to take the five week Misty Mawn Workshop in January. It sounds awesome!

Now I understand how peoples' homes get so cluttered and overwhelming to them. I'm getting old, and I don't feel like cleaning anymore. I just want to make things! I'm a baaaaaaaad girl, I am! :)

AEDM Day 29-Another Christmas Card Attempt

2011-11-29T11:19:00.001-06:00

Another failed attempt at a Christmas card. After cutting the angel and layers and layers of stenciling, writing, and paint I gave up on this one too. :(

I like it in reality; not so much scanned to print. I'm going to have to think of something else, so it's back to the drawing board...again!

Only one day left in art every day month for this year. I missed maybe 3-4 days posting out of a month, so I consider myself successful. :)

AEDM Day 28-Christmas Card Prototype

2011-11-28T11:47:00.000-06:00

My creative endeavor for this morning has been painting a sheet of gray cardstock with fluid acrylics and inks, adding writing, and cutting paper to glue on top. The original has bright colors and I like it a lot, but when I scanned and printed a couple of sheets the colors weren't near as vibrant and the writing looked sloppy.

I haven't made cards in a few years, but I'm inspired to do so again this year, and this was my first idea. I was going to add glitter and some other touches to the prints and hand write the verse on the inside, but I don't see that happening now, and since I'm not going to use this one, I thought I'd go ahead and share it. So here tis!

The card covers opened up...

The card closed, front ...

Now, back to the drawing board! :)

AEDM 27-Friends R Family Journal Page

2011-11-27T08:32:00.001-06:00

Another journal page made of scraps picked up off my workspace with some paint, watersoluable crayons, pens, stamping, and embossing. The cats are stamped from a rubber molding mat. I was experimenting and stamped them twice. Parts didn't stamp off, so I tossed them aside, and a few days later here they are on a journal page. The background paper under them is part of a small Cracker Barrel paper bag glued on to painted cardstock with some crumpled up paper, and the word card is from a birthday card sent to me by one of my best friends since we were 8 yrs old, Nina, who is very much a part of our family.

The verse says, "Many friends touch our lives, But only a special few become like family in our hearts."

The Washi tape isn't really this bright. It's actually a very pale yellow with pink stripes. Unfortunately, the scanner didn't see it that way.

I was in the company of four delightful little girls over the last few days. I watched them play with child like abandon, and that's how I approached this page, not thinking about the rules, just playing! :)

AEDM Day 25-Mixed Media journal page

2011-11-25T09:51:00.000-06:00

I actually made this page yesterday, but haven't had a chance to post it until today. It's made of layers of scrap paper and post cards that were laying around on my table that needed cleaning up. I've added paint, writing, a little glitter, pencil, some embossing, etc to the papers glued to the cardstock in kind of a helter skelter way, which was a lot of fun quickly, and I like it. So here tis!

"Journaling does a body good" is the gist of this page and is scribbled on the page a couple of times. It also does a mind good!

Hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend! Keep exercising your creative powers!

AEDM Day 22-Journals or Notepads & Happy T'giving!

2011-11-22T18:15:00.001-06:00

I haven't had time to post for a couple of days, but I've been creating something every day, although some days it's been very little.

Sunday I glued fabric over the spine of my cardboard book to hide my wonky binding stitches. I also worked on one of the pages inside, but I haven't made pictures yet. I also bought and downloaded cds by Dana Fuchs and the old original Footloose soundtrack (don't like the new one :/)

Yesterday I had to go out of town for the day, so I quickly painted the bunny that I drew on a practice journal magenta (below). If you remember he was frustrated because I messed up, thus the exasperated look on his face.

This morning I decided to take the strips that I cut off the pages to make the journals last week and bind them into long journals or notepads. I used textured papers for the covers cut to size and the papers inside are varigated parchment paper, cardstock, and pastel paper strips. I bound them, using the Japanese stab punch stitch, with waxed linen thread in purple and pink. I glued a scrap paper to the front just for fun.

The brown one is 6x12" and the blue one is 6x 5 1/2". Both are pretty thick.

The little journal over the bunny is 6x51/2" and is filled with pink parchment paper. The bunny is a doodle on the front of a piece of cardstock folded to learn the stitch on. These were fun to make, plus I used up a lot of scrap paper. Even after I've made lists on them, or whatever, I can use them for collage, etc. How fun! :)

The next few days will be busy, as we have out of town company coming in, and we are going to our niece's house for Thanksgiving dinner with hubby's family, so even if I get anything created I doubt that I'll get it posted for a couple of days.

In case I don't get to post again, I hope those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving have a safe and happy holiday weekend. :)

AEDM Day 18 & 19-Japanese Stab Punch Journals

2011-11-19T17:37:00.000-06:00

I was out of town yesterday, so didn't get my creative attempt posted. I'm posting it in with today's. Yesterday I decided to study a video on a Japanese stab punch journal binding before leaving for the day. I watched the video, then folded a scrap piece of orange cardstock, punched five holes, and gave the stitching a try. Not as easy as it looked! :o I wound up with a double black stitch on the front and one on the back. Not the way it should have been. So I doodled a disgruntled rabbit and layed it aside.

We stopped at Hobby Lobby for a few minutes, where I carried around a stamp and some papers off the clearance shelf until I got so overwhelmed by all the mixed media elements that I wanted, that I put back what I had, and left the store without buying anything. That's a first! I was inspired by some things, however, that I came home and sketched out to try later, so that was some creative inspiration.

This morning I got up, folded another scrap of orange cardstock, punched five holes, and did the stitching with a scrap of yellow waxed linen thread. I love using up scraps, don't you? This time the stitching went without a hitch, except the thread is a little loose in a place or two.

I proceeded to cut two 6x12" pieces of textured asian scrapbook paper for covers, and I found a pack of variegated pastel papers that I've had for years, which I cut the same size, arranging them in the order that I liked them. I punched five holes in the covers and 23 sheets of paper (text block) and got them ready to stitch in a hurry.

One of the videos showed a small journal stitched with a ribbon, and I loved it. After much looking, I finally located the ribbon you see here, threaded my needle, and put it through the first hole (actually the second hole, but the first to stitch). It went through like a charm, and I was off and running. Not!

RULE #1 in bookbinding: Make sure the holes are large enough for what you are going to stitch with.

When I started back through the hole with the needle and double ribbon through all those pages, it was a struggle. Since the ribbon has to go through every hole about three times, and I had used an awl to punch the holes, instead of a hole punch, it took me hours, instead of minutes to finish the binding, and I have the blisters on my thumb and forefinger to prove it. I was exhausted to boot.

A sane person would have probably backed up at the first hole and re-punched the holes, but I didn't listen to that little inner voice to do so and trudged on ahead. lol I do love the ribbon binding though, despite some of the stitches being a little loose. It takes practice, and I learned a valuable lesson the hard way.

I liked the 6x12" journal, so I cut two 5x5" covers from a scrap of textured paper, plus about a dozen sheets of pastel pink and green parchment paper and made a small journal stitched in black, which I am happy to say did only take a few minutes, and, as far as I can tell, is stitched without a bobble. I am so proud of myself and what I learned, and that was my adventure for today! :)

AEDM Day 17-Another Journal Made!

2011-11-17T17:01:00.001-06:00

Daphne, I think, is the name of the woman I learned coptic stitching from and her video is easy to see and follow. This is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXdK74_SCZQ&feature=related . The first few seconds are a little wacky, but the instruction is good, and she lets you know that she's just learned this herself from another utube video.

Okay, those of you who saw my first attempt at doing the coptic stitching on the journal I shared in yesterday's post, who are familiar with this stitching, saw a glaring mistake. I knew I made boo boos, but didn't catch this one until this morning. There aren't supposed to be any long stitches on the cover. :o Luckily I had run out of thread in the middle of the first signature (last one sewed in) and had to splice it. So I took the stitching out that far back and fixed the mistake. I like the black stitching on the cover, but, unfortunately, the way I had it wasn't holding the cover securely to the signatures. It's good now. I'm learning. :)

I made another journal 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" this morning, after watching the end of the video again. I used the bristol board covers that I messed up yesterday and salvaged enough for the covers for this one. This time I cut up a sheet of watercolor paper that I had been swiping excess paint on and glued the pieces onto the covers instead of painting them. I used yellow ochre waxed linen thread for the stitching, I left the threads hanging out for a purpose, and here is the final book, ready to play in.

There are five signatures, with five sheets each folded, in this book. The middle signature is off white cardstock, and the other four are pastel colored parchment paper.

First page, ready to write or draw on. Plus, I had scraps of the painted watercolor paper to make two bookmarks to match the covers.

Both journals, with the stitching corrected on the larger one. See? No long black stitches on the cover! I got distracted just as I was finishing up yesterday, but that's no biggie. It was easily fixed. I LOVE making these and can see all sorts of possibilities.

I want to make a few more of these, then I want to try the Japanese stab binding. A whole new adventure!

AEDM Days 15 & 16-Paint Blots, a Handmade Journal, and a great Tool

2011-11-16T17:42:00.000-06:00

I tried a few more pages of ink blot background pages in my Moleskine, only this time I remembered to gesso the pages with clear gesso first and I used fluid acrylics instead of ink. I did these plus I added some random stuff to pages in another journal yesterday, despite being sick. I didn't feel like posting last night.

These were fun. I need more practrice, but I can see images in all of them to build on when I take the notion.

I've been wanting to make a journal with coptic stitch binding for a long time, and I decided that today was the day. I followed a Utube video tutorial, and I'm sorry, I don't remember the lady's name, but it was very easy to follow her. I made lots of boo boos, but I was learning the process, so I'm pleased with the outcome.

It actually took me twice to get the covers cut. I cut them out of bristol board and my rotary cutter blade is dull, plus I can't measure for nothing. :/ I totally ruined the first set. These are a little wonky still, but I decided they'd work. I made a paper template for the holes and punched them with an awl, then used spray ink on the covers and added some faint stenciling with lace and a doily. I'll add a drawing or something when I actually start using it later on.

I found two packs of different colored cardstock that I'd forgotten about, so the pages are varigated. Each section (signature) has eight doubled pages of cardstock, and I put five signatures in to the book. If I had it to do over, I would use thinner paper for the first time to learn on though. I love cardstock, but the stiffness of it made it a little difficult to handle while sewing. I used waxed linen black thread also, and this is how I layed the sections, after punching the holes (5 in each section), to sew them.

Then I followed the tutorial, pausing when I needed to, and sewed the sections and covers together. This is the finished book. There are things I know to do differently on the next one, such as the hole spacing should have been a little further apart, and the cover didn't want to lay flat, because I didn't get the paper folds creased flat enough, but this one will work, and I learned. That's what mistakes are for! :)

One Christmas several years ago I asked for tools, because between my husband and my dad I could never find what I needed. I got tools, and my dad also got me this little anvil. I laughed and asked what was I going to do with it at the time, but it has been one of the handiest creative tools I have, plus I think of daddy every time I use it. Here it's pressing my book into submission. It's also good for a lot of other things. One day I'll do a post about it. :)

So these are my creative efforts for the day. You can click on the AEDM 2011 badge on my sidebar and see what all the other players are sharing. Some amazing things everyone is doing!

AEDM Day 14-Background Pages

2011-11-14T13:47:00.000-06:00

Today I'm working on some background pages in my Moleskine journal, because I can't get to the supplies I need in order to work on what I really want to work on without having to dig through a huge pile of stuff. :/ But all is not lost. I've been having fun experimenting in my journal, and that is never a waste of time. :) So here's what I've done so far today...

These are just starting points for when I have time to journal and draw or add other stuff to the pages. The last three are ink blot practice. I need a lot more practice, but I can see definite possibilities. Leah, who hosts AEDM, has a tutorial on her blog for ink blots to start pages.

It's taken me a while to post these, so I'm off to get something to eat and take a nap now. Then who knows what I'll get in to afterwards. Perhaps some organizing in my workspace, so that I can find the materials I need to learn to do a coptic stitch bookbinding...

AEDM Day 13- What I'm Working On Today-Prayer Flags

2011-11-13T13:58:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the picture quality, but this is what I'm working on today. I decided to switch up and do something a little different today. These are practice runs for prayer flags, which I learned about from Jane LaFazio on her blog Janeville a while back. She participated in the Prayer Flag Project and she also has a tutorial on her blog.

The blue ones are cut from the sleeves of an old oxford cloth shirt, and I practiced different machine stitching on the edges, then left them for a while. The purple thread was already on the machine, so I just left it, because I didn't want to change it, and these were practice pieces, so, there you are! I can be slightly lazy. :/

Today I found some purple velveteen fabric and cut a strip, and I also cut a butterfly out of a purple batik like print. I tried laying them different ways til I found one that I could live with. Basically, I sat down at my workspace and used whatever what was in arm's reach. My needle was too big, but I used it and yellow crochet thread anyway to hand stitch the velveteen and the butterfly down. It's been a long time since I did any hand stitching, so I'm waaaaaay out of practice, but I didn't worry about the stitching changing during mid butterfly or being crooked or inconsistant. I just had fun with it. There will be word/words and some more embellishing. The other flag has a strip of purple knit with bronze like buttons on it laying on it for now. I'm just trying it out.

The white flag was cut this morning from an old embroidered scarf that I got in a basket full of stuff at a yard sale a few years ago. I used part of the scarf for a book binding. I've often wondered about the lady who did the work and her story. Anyway I'm living with the flag til I find the right embellishments for now.

Jane has the purpose of the flags on her blog, but the gist of it is that you embelllish them and write or stitch names or words as a prayer on them, hang them with a heavy thread, ribbon, etc outside, and when the breeze touches the flags it will carry the prayer with it wherever it goes. Isn't that a lovely thought?

These started out in size as 11x8 inches and when you fold 3 inches over for the hanger to go through, the flag is 5x8 inches. Mine are very much a work in progress and practice pieces right now. If you want to see some awesome flags go to the links at the beginning of the post. You will see how the flags are really supposed to look and different ways they're used.

Anyway, I have lots of ideas for embellishing more flags, and hopefully I'll do a better job. Just wanted to share what's in my workspace today. :)

AEDM Day 12-Altered Record Album Back Cover Plus

2011-11-12T16:15:00.000-06:00

I put my creative efforts today into the following three projects.

I hand cut a couple of butterflies out of an old devotional book and dripped inks on them, then pasted them to the back of the altered album cover. The word GRATITUDE is across the top in gold metallic gelly pen. Washi tape was added to the spine and overlapped on both sides of the album. I have worked on this, adding and subtracting stuff, until I'm just frazzled, so I don't know if I'm calling it finished or not. Anyway, this is how it is right now. Except for maybe some tweaking here and there, I'm thinking my album file folder may be done. It's been a lot of work, but it's worth it. I like it!

I think I also finished this page today. It's one I had started during Katie's workshop. It started out as a self portrait in an outdoor setting and morphed into this, which looks absolutely nothing like me, but that's ok. It was a fun experiment, and I like her. Notice the pair of eyes looking over her? Her dress started out as a painted tee shirt, but I took an old embroidered scarf (I love the coarse material and crooked stitches) that I got at a yard sale, cut her a dress top, and used x heavy gel medium to paste it down. The blue between the eyes and the bow at her neck are a different fabric. Fun stuff!

Oh, yeah! There will be words on this one. I just haven't decided which ones yet. :)

This gallery canvas is in no way finished. I've had it started for a long time, but, for some reason, decided to play with it today while waiting for some gesso to dry. This started as one of my quirky doodle drawings and has already morphed a couple of times. It will probably morph a few more times before I quit on it. :) The middle heart has gold metallic strings like a harp/guitar, kind of, which she is plucking. I have no idea where it's going from here, but this is the way she is for now...

It's been a fun day of playing, but I'm tired and hungry, so I'm calling it a day. Have fun with your creative efforts!

Hope something on here made you smile. :)

AEDM Day 10 & 11-Altered Record Album Front Cover & Doodle

2011-11-11T16:27:00.001-06:00

I worked on the album cover yesterday and today, and this is where it's at for now. I'm not completely happy with it, but I'm calling it done (unless I figure out what needs tweaking) and moving on.

I wish the copper metallic paint on the cross, the door knob, and the cat's eyes showed up better. It looks much better in reality, especially when the light hits it.

I also added some color to one of my left-handed character pages with with some water soluable oil pastels and crayons, quickly and loosely, for a base page.

Several of you have commented on the record album idea. I put it on a couple of other posts of the album, but, in case you missed it, mine was inspired by a project in the Layered Impressions workshop with Katie Kendrick, which I took online during October. So, even though it's not the same as hers, I got the idea from her. :)

I still lack the back cover, and it will be done, but I'm feeling the itch to do something else for a day or two, so we'll see how that goes. Either way, I'll be enjoying it! :)

AEDM Day 9-Left Handed Characters

2011-11-09T15:57:00.000-06:00

I was hoping to finish the front cover of the record album today, but I way over slept this morning and haven't had time to work on it yet. I did, however, do some quick sketches in an old book with my non-dominant hand and a magic marker for practice and to loosen up. Besides that, they're fun!

This exercise was also inspired by Katie Kendrick in her Layered Impressions workshop. I can use these as bases for journal pages, collage, or whatever else I can think of. In fact, every page of the altered record album started out as a character sketched just this way, the whole page glued to the base with gel medium, and layers of "stuff" added to them.

These are going right into my box of handmade backgrounds and collage pieces for future mixed-media use! Not perfect, but quirkey and interesting, I think! :)

AEDM Day 8-Altered Record Album Cover

2011-11-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

In case I don't get anything else done creatively today, I'm posting what I have done this morning. The cover of my front record album cover has gone from this...

to this. The cross, which is a paper cutting, isn't showing up, but it now has a layer of metallic copper on it. I'm liking the whole thing better already, but I'm not finished yet. Who knows what will evolve in the next session? Not me! :)

AEDM Day 7-Altered record album

2011-11-07T10:49:00.001-06:00

This is the inside front cover of my altered record album, inspired by Katie in her Layered Impressions workshop, and I have worked on it some for three days now. I wish I had thought to photograph it at the end of each session and post it, but I didn't. It's gone through a lot of transformations and layers over the past three days. Somehow, the Amish looking women I started out with (see day 1) transformed into burlesque looking women, who morphed into puppets, of a sort. The buttons and lace are glitter glue if you can't tell.

It's wonky and quirkey and I like it! lol

Hope it made you smile too! :)

AEDM day 4-Altered record album

2011-11-04T17:27:00.000-05:00

I worked on the front side of the middle pocket of the album today. I was listening to my mp3 player and John Mayer happened to come on singing "Say What You Want To Say". I love the song and it seemed to fit the page, so I "borrowed" the words.

If you look back at the whole album on day one, the pink rabbit is now white. There are multiple layers of images and paint in the background with lots of stuff going on. So I now have half the album sides done. I was hoping to get the other inside cover done today, but it didn't happen. Maybe tomorrow!

AEDM Days 2 & 3-Altered Record Album File

2011-11-03T17:26:00.001-05:00

I've been working on two facing pages of the altered record album I shared on day one. My file pockets are on the sides, but it could also be altered to have them at the top. I'm thinking I could write a story to go with each page and file it in the pockets if I wanted to.

I had the bird page so dark and brown that I wasn't sure I could pull anything out of it, but I managed to keep adding and subtracting until I did. Titanium Buff is my new favorite color. I stenciled the morning glories and checks on using the TB, then when it dried I used charcoal pencils to add a touch of color. I tried to crackle the flower pot, but wasn't happy with it. This morning it came to me to add a door and windows. The writing up the side says, "So my tail is a little crooked. Nobody's perfect!" I'm thinking I may be done with this page, and it's what I worked on for day 2 and a little bit this morning (day 3). I like it!

The rabbit page has been my project for today. The rabbit turned from blue to pink today. Right now, I like it like it is, but in the morning I may add some tweaking or something. Anyway, this is how it looks for now. I also added a strip of artist tape with a strip of washi tape on top to reinforce the glued in middle sheet on both sides. Now that I'm looking at it, the first B in rabbit looks a little pale and washed out. I'll have to do something about that. But probably not tonight. :)

Looking forward to doing more tomorrow! Hoping something made you smile. :)

AEDM Day 1- WIP Altered Record Album File

2011-11-01T18:14:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of art every day month, hosted by Leah Kolidas @ Creative Every Day. This is a work in progress that I started in Katie Kendrick's workshop. I didn't have one of those nice 78 record album covers with several sleeves in it, so I improvised by taking a regular double record album cover that I had on hand and gluing a sleeve in the middle.

The cat is the front cover and the tulip is the back cover. I took some of the paint off the front cover today. All of the sides are comprised of layers of paint, altered magazine images, journaling, drawing, stenciling, cut papers, stamping, and whatever else strikes my fancy. The images may look nothing like these when they are finished. I just add and subtract until I get the image I like, and most of the time the finished piece looks nothing like the started one. I love the element of surprise at how they turn out and how much I can relate to them. I guess that's where my intuition and wonkiness comes in. :)

Inside the front cover and front side of the sleeve. I did some more collaging and drawing on both. Some of the drawings were done with my non-dominant hand, adding to the wonkiness.

Back side of sleeve and inside back cover where I did some more collaging today. I also sprayed espresso ink on the sleeve and re-drew the bird, because I hated the colors I had on the background. Now I have it too dark and brown to suit me, but I'm learning and having fun. All six sides still need a lot of work, but when it's finished I'll have a file with three large pockets to hold my treasures.

So that's my art effort for today! Looking forward to playing all month with you all! :)

People, Places, Things

2011-10-31T10:26:00.000-05:00

I got most of the projects in the Layered Impressions workshop with Katie started enough to learn the processes, but didn't take the time to finish them at the time. Now that the workshop is over, I'm finishing up what I started in class, plus I've started a few more. This is a page I've just finished using people, places, and things, plus some words. The place is nature, and the word that the scanner cut off is tranquility.

Notice the rabbit head in the sunglasses. I put that there! Katie showed me how. I love it! :)

The page is nowhere near perfect, but I like it just the way it is, so it will go into my journal that way...as soon as I figure out how to combine the pages into a book without punching holes in them. But first I have a few more pages, a cardboard book with several pages, and a record album with six pages to finish, so I'll worry about the journal of finished pages later. I may combine this workshop and the pages I did in the 21 Secrets workshops all together in to one large journal.

You know, when I look back, I've done a large pile of journal pages in the last year, and I'm very proud of myself. I truly appreciate the generosity of, and all that I've learned from, all the amazing teachers in both workshops.

Sending you all a huge smile. :)

Intuitive Collage & Painting

2011-10-30T09:19:00.000-05:00

A page of intuitive collage and painting inspired by Katie's workshop. I love doing art intuitively, and am constantly surprised at the outcome and what the images and words mean to me. This is a combo of magazine images, drawing, painting, and whatever else came to mind while I was playing. Everything on the page symbolizes something in my life, and I like it a lot, plus I've given you a glimpse at how wonky my brain is most of the time. :)

I tried glass bead gel medium on the wings and the whitish egg, but it was too much, so I scraped it off the egg and re-painted, giving it sort of a muted marbled effect, which I like. Still not sure about the wings, but I guess they'll stay that way, and I learned something new with the glass bead gel.

Hope something on the page made you smile!

Collaged Face 3

2011-10-22T15:53:00.000-05:00

Here is the third collaged face that was inspired by Katie Kendrick's workshop. Unfortunately, the scanner didn't pick up the glitter and metallic pen very well, and the tiny stars in the background look like black dots, but nonetheless, here she is.

I love the Pierrot clown faces, so I tried to do my own version. The next finished page will be something totally different!

Collaged Face 2

2011-10-20T17:32:00.000-05:00

This is my second attempt at a collaged face journal page in Katie's workshop. The words haven't come to me yet. They will be added when they do.

This one kind of shows how chaotic and busy my brain is.

Working on finishing the third one, which is totally different from the first two!

Collage and Waxing

2011-10-18T10:01:00.000-05:00

I finally finished another of the mixed-media projects from Katie Kendrick's workshop Layered Impression, which I really hated to see end. I learned about collaged faces. I thought I was finished with this one, except for the words, but yesterday morning I started tweaking things and wound up revamping much of the background, and I like it much better now.

It's funny how I pick out things and place them intuitively on the page trying not to think too much about the outcome, and then when I call the page done I can see a lot of repeated symbolism that relates to me in a personal way. For instance, I tend to use tulips a lot since my dad died seven years ago. They were one of his favorite flowers, thus in my journals they have come to represent him. It's not intentional. They just seem to appear. It's the same with teardrops. They started appearing about the same time.

Lately, eggs have started appearing in some of the pages, I think they represent the children we never had. The tear, on this page, is for the ones we never had and for the one we got so close to adopting before the mother changed her mind. It was a long time ago, it wasn't meant to be, and we have had a blessed life. Despite all the blessings and chaos going on in the background, there is still a kind of sadness in our hearts that will probably never go away. So this page turned out to have deep meaning for me, even though I wasn't aware of it while working on it.

The little penguin is a quirky doodle drawing that I did a few years back in watercolor. One of Katie's classes was in putting a wax topcoat on pages, book covers, etc. Since I didn't have a project from Katie's class finished to practice on, I used this one and, also, one that I have shared before from the 21 Secrets workshops with Connie Hozvicka.

This is my first attempt at waxing. The wax kept having dull spots and shiny spots (still does). I thought I was doing something wrong. It finally dawned on me that I hadn't prepped the paper with gesso before working on it, and the paper was absorbing the wax. The back is also waxy. Lesson learned! lol

Yep, I can relate to the little penguin that I pulled out of a bunch of random marks and squiggles. I am an only child, and I have often felt like he looks. :)

This is my second attempt at waxing. The paper had been prepped with gesso, plus several layers of collage, paint, and medium. Unfortunately, there were a couple of dips in the page, which allowed the wax to be thicker in a couple of places. I attempted to fix it after it dried, then decided to leave well enough alone. Waxing takes practice! I still love the page and can totally relate to it. :)

That's it for now! Back with more as I finish them! Hope something on here brought a smile to your face! Happy creating, and don't be afraid to try! :)

WIP Cardboard Book

2011-10-15T17:42:00.001-05:00

I know it's been several days, but I've been very busy with a lot of projects, all still wips, which I will share with you as I can. Hope you enjoy my first handmade book tour, even if it is in a prelimanary state! :)

This was the last project in Katie Kendrick's Layered Impressions workshop, a cardboard book. My book is very much a learning experience, so there are boo-boos, but I am very proud of what I learned and accomplished. The covers and pages are out of brown cardboard, and there is a fabric insert of four pages. The whole thing still has a lot of stuff that I want to do, but I thought I'd go ahead and share it now, then again when it's finished.

Above is the cover with a niche and carving in the cardboard. The niche has a background and a wild turkey feather with a copper band within it. I now know that I should have used a light background so the feather would show up better. The "window" is made of mica stitched on with copper metallic embroidery thread, because I couldn't find my bookbinding thread. I also didn't have cheese cloth, so I glued fun yarn to the page and cover edges on three sides and used cotton fabric on the spine, which will be covered with something else when it's finished.

This is the back cover, which will have more work done to it when finished.

The first two cardboard pages with the basic layer done...The scanner bed is not quite long enough to pick up the whole page, but you get the idea. The pages are all already stitched into the spine. The face was drawn with my non-dominant hand and will look much better when it's finished, I hope. There will also be text on the pages at the end.

The next two pages, cardboard on the left, fabric scraps on the right. I plan to add buttons, stitching, and other elements to the fabric pages before hand stitching the sides together. I love my polka dotted cat!

Next two fabric pages: The one on the left is an old hand embroidered picture that was in a basket of stuff I bought at a yard sale years ago. I knew it would come in handy sometime!

Fabric page on the left and painted cardboard on the right. Part of it is cut off, but it's a large tulip. For now, it's white, but who knows how it will transform as I work on it!

Painted cardboard pages: The face was drawn with my non-dominant hand and has a long way to go. The right page has magazine images, which will be transformed as I go along, pasted to a painted background.

The last two painted pages with a germ of an idea and more left handed drawing, plus a hand cut paper dog.

That's the tour! At least for now! I've had a ball getting the book to this point. Closed, it is almost two inches thick, and I love all the hairy turquoise yarn on the edges! So happy that Katie included this in her workshop, and I am so excited to finish the pages and make another one!

Hope something on here made you smile! :)

My Work Table Currently...

2011-09-28T09:14:00.000-05:00

I'm working. I really am! Actually it's play to me. :) It's been a few days since I posted anything, so I thought I'd show you my work space and all the mixed media journal pages that I have in different stages of progress using techniques I'm learning from Katie Kendrick in her workshop Layered Impressions.

None of the pages you see are finished. They are in varying stages of progress right now. Katie feeds us a video, info, and an assignment every day, and I've been getting a page started to learn that day's lesson. This is the third week of the online workshop, and there's only one more week before it ends, so I have paint, paper, scissors, etc, flying everywhere, as you can see. The white sheet on the left is for yesterday's lesson, which I was about to start. It was a fun technique! I'll share the page at another time.

The page with the cat on it is actually the cover of a double record album, which will be a journal, of sorts when finished! I am having so much fun and learning so much! Can you tell that I'm having fun? lol

It's a messy workspace, but I wouldn't be able to work any other way. The mess feeds my creativity. Isn't that crazy? :)

I will share all of these again, plus some more, as I finish them, and hopefully they'll look better and you can tell more about them. I won't guarantee that my workspace will be any neater though! lol

I've just attended today's class on intuitive painting and palette knife painting, so I'm off to start another page or two! Hope something on here made you smile! :)

Layered Impressions Workshop-First Two Days

2011-09-14T17:54:00.000-05:00

Monday I started a four week online workshop with Katie Kendrick at http://joyouslybecoming.typepad.com/joyouslybecoming/ . The first three days have been awesome. Following are the drawings that I did with my non-dominant hand the first day and the same drawings colored that I did the second day. Today's assignment is still in progress.

It was so much fun watching these characters evolve. I was late in registering because I couldn't make up my mind, and I had to order supplies, which didn't come in until just a few minutes ago, so I've had to improvise for the first exercises. That's okay though. I learned the process and had fun, and that's what's important.

This is a background made by using rubbings, which didn't turn out quite like I wanted it to, but it's still usable and can always be added to. Besides, now that I have my supplies I can try another one. It's a fun process. :)

I still have a couple of prepped face drawings. Who knows? They may show up here later too! Hope one of my little characters made you smile.

Gelatin Plate Monoprints

2011-09-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

More gelatin plate print fun. This one didn't scan well. The colors are actually metallic copper and red, and it's actually pretty in reality. I drew into the paint on the plate with a cotton swab, then printed onto printmaking paper. The sheets are a little bigger than my scanner, so the lid kind of wrinkled the paper.

I used my finger to paint onto the plate for this one, and it was so much fun. I like the print too!

This is a ghost print of the one above. I like it even better than the first one!

Another ghost print where the paint left on the plate was drawn into with a cotton swab.

I used a plastic doily on the plate, but the paint was so thick that the print only picked up enough of it to resemble a ferris wheel, don't you think? I like it!

More cotton swab drawing into the paint on the plate.

More cotton swab drawing...

Ghost image paint with a feather drawn in with a brush handle...

Ghost image of the one above with the ferris wheel. I repressed the doily into the paint left on the plate.

These will all be cropped eventually and used in various ways. Some may be framed, other used for journals and/or collaging, etc.

I love the gelatin plate printing, and I've just found out that I can now buy one that stays ready to use. It's the Gelli Arts gel printing plate, and I know it can be ordered through Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. So when I get ready to play with these some more, maybe I can get one of these. I LOVE the feel of the gel and the give it has under the paper when I press it down on the paint with the real gelatin, but I'm going to have to try one of these.

The gelatin print fun is going for a rest for a while though. For the next month I'm going to be taking an online workshop from Katie Kendrick in mixed media techniques, called Layered Impressions. I'll share what I'm doing with y'all, hopefully as I do it, but if I get behind I'll try to catch up on the weekends.

Hope something on here brought a smile to your face. :)

Still Playing With Gelatin Prints

2011-09-05T17:46:00.000-05:00

A few more of the prints I've pulled from a gelatin plate over the weekend. I made several more, but these are my favorites. So far, I have a total of 48 prints. Some will probably wind up as journal backgrounds and others will probably be cut up into smaller formats for other uses.

I made a smaller printing plate for these, which allowed for a white border on all four sides, even if they didn't get scanned that way. These happen to all be on printmaking paper.

Acrylic inks, using a plastic doily and an original stencil...

A ghost image of the first print, using a dog and fiber masks...

Acrylic inks, using a brush handle to draw into the ink...

Fluid acrylics, using a plastic doily and a wild turkey feather...

Acrylic inks, using an original cut out mask and a wild turkey feather...

Acrylic inks, using a plastic doily and a turkey feather...

Printer's ink, using the plastic doily, a bottle bottom, and brush handle writing...

Printer's ink, using an original mask and stencil...

Fluid acrylics, using the doily, a handmade stamp, and an original stencil...

Ghost image of the above print, using dog and tulip masks.

These are so much fun to make, and they look much better with a white border around them, so I can't wait to try a white mat on the ones I shared in the previous posts, where the print covered the whole paper.

I think I'm beginning to get the hang of it now! :)

More Gelatin Prints...And a Boo Boo or Two

2011-09-01T17:17:00.001-05:00

Okay, this is the first print I pulled off a new gelatin plate that I had mixed up, let set, covered with tin foil, and set in the fridge overnight. I used acrylic inks instead of the fluid acrylics I used on the others. The inks worked fine, but the gelatin plate was a disaster. When I removed the tin foil, it had stuck in one place to the gel, but didn't pull any off, so that was ok. The underside of the foil, however, was covered in condensation, which had dripped onto the gel. I dried it off with a paper towel and rolled the ink onto the plate, placed my objects, and pulled a print onto my speedball printmaking paper.

This print pulled off fine, and I like the colors and patterns, etc. I was tickled with how well the inks worked.

So I quickly pulled a ghost image. Not so tickled with the image, but it can still be used. By the way, I'm playing and experimenting, so I quickly cut the masks out myself. Didn't worry about making them perfect. :o

I tried different colors and layed a large bandage gauze across the left side for texture. Unfortunately, the gel didn't pick it up and I had a large blank white space on the print, so I re-inked that side of the plate, added some masks, and re-printed. I also used a piece of lace in the corner.

I like this one okay. But now the gel plate, despite my wiping it off between prints was getting really tacky. A thin layer of gel pulled off in spots onto the print.

I tried thalo green and metallic copper on this one with a mask and some eyelash yarn. I was so disgusted with the tacky gelatin that I didn't really try on this one, and when I pulled it up, the gelatin just started coming apart on me, and I was done with it. Threw it out the door! :/

I was still wanting to play, so I rolled inks directly onto the metal cookie sheet and pulled a print. I wouldn't want to make a lot of these, but it'll make a good background for something, and I see interesting shapes in it, so I'll keep it in my stash.

As for the gelatin printmaking, I'm not giving up. I figured out that the condensation from the foil added water to the gelatin, causing it to weaken and get tacky, so I know not to do that again! :o I didn't cover the plate I made before this one and it did fine for 2-3 days, although I overmixed my paints and the prints turned out a little muddy and blah. I'm going to make another gelatin plate and print another layer on top of some of my first ones for more interest. We'll see how that turns out!

Boo boos are great for learning and remembering what you learn! Don't be afraid to try! :)

More Gelatin Print Practice!

2011-08-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

I made another batch of prints yesterday from the same gelatin plate I used before, only I managed to turn the gel over for a smoother side to print these. However, one of the places where I imprinted with a wooden ring on the first side came all the way through, and in pulling the prints it kept coming out, so I finally just left it out and let it be a white disk.

These are made playing with two different strands of fun yarns, a stencil, and a feather. Again, I used what was within easy reach. I can't wait until I get my workspace organized, so I can find what I need or want to use. I may, or may not, add to these prints sometime, but for now I'm just enjoying the process. I love the process!

Wish the feather quill had picked up! I may have to add one! This print is on Speedball printmaking paper; the rest are on rice paper. The rice paper is more absorbent than the printmaking paper and looks duller. I think I prefer the printmaking paper with the brighter colors, but I guess it depends on my mood, plus a mat will do wonders for any of them, I'm sure. :)

Ghost print left from the first print...

First print...

Ghost print pulled and flipped...

Ghost print after I rolled some paint over the yarn and feather...

First print...

Ghost print...

First print...

Ghost print-Doesn't the hole look like a medalion?

I retired the gelatin plate after this batch, because it was beginning to come apart anyway. I'm thinking I may try a round container for the gelatin plate next, kind of like a mandela. I'd like to try some smaller ones than these 9x12" ones. and some different papers, too, so we'll see what turns up next time. Be back later...

First Gelatin Prints

2011-08-28T09:52:00.001-05:00

Hello out there! I have not abandoned my blog. Life just took over for a while. :)

I haven't done much creatively in a few weeks, but a few days ago I saw gelatin printmaking on Utube and thought I'd give it a try. I think it was Linda Germain demonstrating. These are my first attempts. Unfortunately, the gelatin wasn't set in the middle when I put the tin foil cover over it to set it in the fridge, and when I pulled it off it pulled a chunk of gelatin off with it, thus my gel plate wasn't smooth, as it should have been. Rather than start over though, I just went with what I had. I found a wooden ring in the junk drawer and impressed it into the gel three times, then took a fork and ran the tines along the edges and made a few jabs around, just for added interest.

I used only what I had within reach, bottles of yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and magenta Golden fluid acrylics, and my roller and plate still had some black on them from the last time I used them, which mixed in. Four of them are on Speedball printmaking paper and four are on rice paper. They are 9x12". A couple of them turned out a little dark and muddy looking, but, hey, I'm experimenting here. :)

The one above was pulled from the gel plate with only paint rolled on. The marks are from the torn gelatin.

This one was pulled from the plate after I rolled paint on it, added magenta paint drips, a handmade stencil, and layed some wild turkey feathers on it.

Another one pulled from the plate with only paint rolled over the torn gelatin plate. This one is a little too blue for me, but if I look, I can see all sorts of images in it, which I love.

This is a ghost image off the blue print, meaning I pulled a second print before adding more color.

I layed turkey feathers on top of the paint and pulled this print. The circles are where I pressed the wooden ring into the gel. I love the imagery, but the background colors got a little muddy as they dried.

Paint, paper I had cut a heart from, and feathers.

Mostly magenta paint, paper I had cut a butterfly from, and turkey feathers that already had paint on them from other prints.

Paint, stencil, and feathers; the feathers already had paint on them, so I layed half the feather on the white paper, causing half the feather to be in reverse color. Pretty cool! I think I'm beginning to get the hang of this!

So this is my first batch, and I can't wait to do some more! I love printmaking, and this was so much fun! Maybe I'll pull a few more off this plate while I wait for a smooth one to set!

Have fun with your creative experiments! :)

Play and Draw Happy pages ...21 Secrets Plus Some

2011-07-23T12:56:00.001-05:00

Some extra pages I did in the Childs Play and Draw Happy classes after I completed the workshops.

This page, using magazine pages, was inspired by Alma Stoller in the Childs Play class. I have done a little bit of a lot on it. I machine stitched around the edges and all over the papers, gessoed it on both sides, and left to dry.

The dream words were cut out of the front of an old knit sleep t-shirt gown and machine stitched onto the front. You can see evidence of bubble wrap stamping in the white dots under the layers of fluid acrylic paints. I also used some oil pastels on top.

I'm thinking I may add something else later and use it for a journal cover, but this is how it is for now.

The next two sketches are the same page, only the top one I scanned as a magazine photo and the other was scanned as a regular photo. As you can see, the top one didn't pick up all the color, but I like it.

It's an extra drawing from Jane Davenport's class in Drawing Happy and Doodling. I used a sketch and wash pencil and watercolor pencils with a damp brush. She was born of my imagination, then had a pink flower cut out of scrapbooking paper and pasted on with gel medium for some flair.

Not perfect, but she has character, don't you think? :)

My cousin sent me an email with a lot of cute animal pictures in it, and I couldn't resist doing a quick sketch of these two. They were in two separate pictures, but had similar expressions. I used a mechanical pencil and the lead is light unless you really put the pressure on it. It's a cheapie from Wal-Mart, but I like it. :)

I also finished reading "The Curse of the Holy Pail" by Sue Ann Jaffarian and thoroughly enjoyed it. The protagonist is an overweight middle-aged woman, so I can identify with her, except that she's feistier and braver than I am. There were lots of twists and turns to the mystery, plus humor, and it kept me guessing right up until the end. I look forward to reading more books in the series and solving more mysteries with Odelia Grey.

Thanks for visiting! I hope something on here made you smile! :)

3 Little Words Poetry Journal Pages-21 Secrets 2

2011-07-17T10:58:00.001-05:00

These pages were inspired by Aimee in her 21 Secrets workshop Three Little Words. I learned how to take word strings and create poetry and a journal page with them. I love this class. It's one of my favorites, but I would hate to have to pick THE favorite workshop from all of them, because I have learned from and enjoyed them all, and I still have 5 to take.

I've been taking a little break to do some cleaning and stuff that needed doing badly. When I do art, write, listen to music, or read, I tend to ignore everything else, but eventually I have to play catch-up, or at least clear a path for walking. :) My workspace is also in shambles, because I started organizing and cleaning, and right in the middle of it I got sidetracked and haven't gotten back to it. Right now, I can't find anything, and I wouldn't have a space to work if I could. So I'm catching up on my reading until I get re-situated and back into my journaling.

I have discovered the world of electronic reading via Kindle on my pc. Love it! I read "God Don't Like Ugly" by Mary Monroe a couple of weeks ago, which was hard to put down, and I'm now reading "The Craggy Hole In My Heart And The Cat Who Fixed It" by Geneen Roth, also very hard to put down. I purchased these two, but there are tons of free ebooks and short stories that look interesting on Amazon, and I've downloaded a couple of those, as well.

Whoops! I got sidetracked again, but when I find something that I enjoy I love to share it. :)

All three pages are on 8 1/2 x 11" cardstock, the phrases are from Anne Rice's book, "Violin (I love Anne Rice!)," and I used fluid acrylics in different ways, such as fingers, brush, spray, stamping, etc. I kind of overdid the background on this one, I think, and the gold glitter butterfly and swirls don't show up in the scanned image as pretty as they are, but you get the idea.The face was drawn and painted over the background, but before the bubble wrap and the glitter glue. The journal phrase is in the necklace around her neck, and it says, "Dizzying golden swirls Touched her check."

This page also has collaging and cut-out butterflies, one from scrapbooking paper and one from a text page, a page from an old dream dictionary, and black "stitching" with a Pitt pen. The poem says:

I reached out full of hope

Just to rest, to be free

The words melted like a veil from my soul

Stood in fear, shut my eyes in the rain

Caught the light, opened my eyes

No longer afraid of all memories or the unknown

Stomped my foot!

Confessed with laughter!

For some reason, I am really into purple and pink this summer. What do you suppose that means? Anyway, I used pages from the old dream dictionary to collage the background, sprayed them with thinned fluid acrylics, then added some torn shapes from the same book that I had already painted pink over a resist word (Faith) on at the bottom. I cut the upper butterfly from one of the pages and used it as a stencil negative to spray over, leaving the bottom butterfly pinkish and the top one purple. Again, I used a black Pitt pen to "cross-stitch" the torn paper with the poem to the page. I'm not sure I'm finished with this page. It seems to be calling for something else, but I'm not sure what just yet. I love my poem though! The poem says:

A dipped pen

Grand purple ink

Just the moon, mellow and soft

Caught in transcendence

Expressed my soul in that moment

Shut my eyes

Let it go

These pages got covered up, along with my friend's birthday card, for a few weeks, during the re-arranging of my work space, and I just found all of them a couple of days ago, a week after my friend's birthday. :/ So she now has her card, and I can share another of my workshop projects with you.

I hope you enjoyed your visit and that something on here made you smile just a little. :)

I'll be back soon!

Still Here

2011-07-06T10:02:00.000-05:00

I hope you had a great holiday weekend. If you're like me, it was a busy one. :)

I just wanted to say hello and that I'm still out here. I have had a couple more of the 21 Secrets workshop projects finished for several days, and I was going to scan them to share here, but I started cleaning up my work room/space, and in the process misplaced the pages, along with my friend's birthday card. Her birthday is today and I still haven't found either. I know they're in this room, but I don't know which pile they're in. :/

Not much time, or space, to work on art for several days. Too many other things, called life, going on around here at once, besides the really hot weather.

Two of my buddies, Cooter (goat) & Miko

As soon as I find the pages I will share them. Meanwhile, I hope you are having a wonderful creative summer wherever you are. Later y'all! :)

Improvisation Station-21 Secrets

2011-06-20T13:44:00.001-05:00

This page was inspired by Natasha Reilly in her workshop "Improvisation Station" in the 21 Secrets playground, and it was so much fun that I actually started and finished it in a little while. This is a class in improvisation and intuition. I love these processes of intuitive art! I learned a lot about myself in the process, the most important being that I am much more than I think I am, and that's a biggie!

Since I have my work room dismantled and piled up and I can't get to my brushes and stuff, I used what I COULD reach and my fingers. I hate for anything to be on my hands, so this was a biggie for me to apply gel medium and fluid acrylics with my fingers. :)

The large background piece is and 8 1/2 x 11 1/2" sheet of cardstock that I wrote a stream of consciousness prayer on with pencil. I filled the whole sheet. Then I took another sheet and wrote who I am, and who I really am on it.

I glued half the sheet to the middle of the large sheet, over the writing. I swirled paint (what I could reach) in 3-4 colors on over the whole thing, and I must admit that playing in the paint with my fingers felt awesome...until it dryed. :/

The page looked kind of stormy to me, and I thought of the story about the little bird singing in the midst of the storm. My two randomly drawn theme words were "exceptional" and "smile", and for some reason, the words seemed to fit, and because my mind just works like that. :o I took my pencil and sketched what was supposed to be a wren, because they are my favorite little birds, so tiny and, yet, so brave and fiesty. I also sketched in an umbrella and some rocks, then filled in the drawn shapes with torn papers and gel medium. Again, using my fingers I applied fluid acrylics over them. Details were added with shish-ka-bob wooden stick point, gelly roll pens, and inktense water color pencils. The words were written in white gelly roll pen.

I almost forgot! I did use my new favorite tool; my new pointed waterbrush pen, which holds its own water, or ink, etc. I don't know why I hadn't tried this pen way before now. It's awesome with watercolor and inktense pencils. I'm anxious to try it with ink. I also want a flat brush one. I LOVE it!

The wren was going to look like a wren, but it insisted on being white, so it turned out to be an albino wren, but that's okay. He's beautiful, at least I think so. I meant to let more writing show through, but it didn't turn out that way, and the umbrella is a little wonky with too blue shadows and uneven polka dots, but that's okay too. I like wonky, and I learned some valuable lessons from Natasha. That's the important thing!

I also have a self portrait workshop and a 3 little words workshop in progress, which are almost finished. I only have 4 workshops left that I have not started projects in, and I have not taken one yet that I didn't enjoy tremendously and that didn't teach me new things about myself and my art!

If you're interested in learning what she and twenty other amazing teachers have to offer, the 21 Secrets playground has been extended to the end of the year, and many of the teachers are going to be adding new techniques and video how-tos to their classrooms as we go along. Just click on the button on my sidebar for details.

On top of that, and this has nothing to do with 21 Secrets, I learned about making prayer cloths yesterday from Jane Lafazio on her blog "Janeville." She is taking part in a bigger project and is making one a day for so many days. Hers are just gorgeous, and I can't wait to try one!

Now I know why I spent so much time when I was growing up learning sewing, embroidery, crochet, crepe paper flowers, coloring and trying to draw and write, among many other hobbies I learned from Mama, Daddy, my grannies, and my aunts. They have all come together now in my Senior years to combine and be useful in mixed media projects! I am so thankful to have had such a rich heritage from so many wonderful influences in my life. They loved doing these things and took the time and patience to pass them on to a little girl wanting to learn, and when I do them I lovingly think of the ones who taught me how.

Beautiful You, Radiant You-21 Secrets

2011-06-01T08:09:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is a combo mandala dream board page in my Moleskine watercolor book (the big one). I learned how to make it, after I did the inner work, and was inspired by Ingrid Murray in her workshop Beautiful You, Radiant You. I learned about all sorts of techniques from her, then just let myself play. To start with, I wrote down things I wanted in pencil around the center. That, over the background, painted with acrylic inks, is as far as I got for several days. I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to proceed and with what, so I kept it in mind while I worked on another project.

Then the other day we got a Real Simple magazine in the mail, and there they were! All these wonderful images and words that seemed to jump out to me, just begging to be in my journal. So I happily started tearing, cutting, and gluing. All of the images are from this months issue, except the watch and the words "find your essence," which came out of an old Marie Claire magazine.

I know we're not supposed to use the magazine images just like they are, because of copyright issues, but I just couldn't bear to change or cover them. I'm not going to sell the page or anything. It's for a class project and my own personal use, so maybe it will be ok.

I am now a Senior Citizen, so the young girl boldly striding across the page carrying grapes represents a huge reminder about health, exercise, and eating right. The terrarium and birds represent my love of nature, and I can not imagine my life without animals in it. The two older ladies and the music signify that I want more art, music, and dancing in my life. The cross drawn on the watch top is my faith, and the watch is a reminder that my time on this earth is swiftly running out, and I need to make the most of every moment I have left. Friends and family are included in the writing.

I forgot a place to hide secrets, and I know I could have meshed the images together better, but I like it so much, just the way it is, that I can't bear to cover anything up. I like the openess, yet the connectiveness of the images, so I'm leaving it as is. Following my heart on this one! I will probably add some writing among the images later on, but for now it is what it is, and I hope I don't get into trouble for sharing the images with you.

I have left spaces on all the pages I've shared to go back and write personal things later. For now, I'm learning and enjoying the process of creating the pages. I eventually want to start printing off my own photos and using them in my journals instead of borrowing magazine images, or maybe combine the two?

Keep creating!

Collage, Paint, and Soul-21 Secrets

2011-05-30T10:49:00.000-05:00

Another great project from the 21 Secrets playground. I'm not saying my page is great, but the workshop was! This one was inspired by Tamara Laporte in Collage, Paint, and Soul.

This is actually the same page. After some emotional digging, guided by Tamara, I layered torn papers, writing, and paint onto a sheet of card stock, then added a layer of torn magazine images that spoke to me from various magazines. Then I added more paint, stamping, doodling over that to get what it looks like now.

I am learning to journal and paint intuitively in these classes, and it has given me so much freedom to just play with the process, which is my favorite part. It also makes it uniquely mine. I'm not sure I like the second version better than the first, but it sure was fun to get it to this point!

The words on her cape (I seem to have a thing for big buttons and capes) say, "I am the product of all my experiences," and that is the truth with my hand up! :) Did you notice that the cardinal turned into a finch with a hat on? He just seemed to need a little striped hat! :)

The tulips represent my daddy, who passed away almost seven years ago, and I miss him every day. Tulips were one of his favorite flowers. The dog and the birds represent various pets that I've loved, and been changed, by over the years. The trees and background stuff represent nature and misc things that have also helped mold me. I love hats, but I live in a tiny town where everyone knows me and would laugh at me, and I've never had the nerve to wear them, but a lot of my drawn ladies wear them. The red circles on the cheeks represent the jester side of me, and I do have one when I'm in the mood. :)

I guess, now that I think about it, the cape with no openings is hiding all the bad/negative experiences that have helped shaped me, and like anyone who has lived a long time, I have plenty of those too. It is true that everything that we experience with any of our senses becomes a part of who we are, isn't it?

I am just now realizing that I had no idea when I tore the images out and glued them down what they would come to represent. Just now, as I was REALLY looking at my page, I realized what they were saying to me. Isn't that amazing? (Light bulb moment here!)

Hope something on here made you smile! :)

Me and My Shadow and Adding Dimension-21 Secrets

2011-05-30T09:48:00.002-05:00

These are journal pages inspired by the workshops Me and My Shadow with Violette Clark and Adding Dimension with Kelley Brown. I did mine on cardstock and used a variety of techniques learned in other 21 Secrets workshops in the background, as well. There is also a lot of emotional work involved before the doint the art, and I'm loving all the different processes I'm experiencing. Can you tell that I'm excited about these workshops? LOL

The first page is my society face, along with labels for the characteristics I tend to portray around other people. I tried to use lighter brighter colors for my "sunny" side. My labels are written on the butterfly and the stems. I wasn't aiming for a smirky smile, but that's how it turned out. I don't think I look smirky in public, at least, I hope not! Reckon my subconscious is trying to tell me something? :)

This is my shadow side. The side I try to keep to myself and hidden from other people, although I'm not too good at hiding things. I have one of those faces that shows whatever I'm feeling, no matter how much I'm trying not to show it. :/ For some reason, in this series of workshops, I've been drawn to a lot of purple and magenta/pink color, although this one isn't actually quite as purple as it looks here. I don't know what that's about. I'm usually a blue/orange person, but I guess everything changes around at one point or another.

This page also contains a sewn on pocket to hold secrets that I want to hide and on the left is a flap, held on with cheetah duck tape, that lifts up for more personal writing. These ideas came from Kelley Brown's workshop, along with some other great ideas. You will probably see more from her class as I go along. :)

The faces and the butterfly were created on a seperate piece of cardstock and attached with gel medium. I have also used hand made stamps, stencils, cutouts, spray color, torn papers, writing, etc among the layers in the backgrounds.

Both these classes were a lot of fun. I would hate to have to pick a favorite from the fourteen I've taken so far. And I still have two to finish and five to start!

Connie just sent out an email that she's extending the workshops until the end of the year. Registration has been extended until Oct 1. So there's still time to participate if you're interested!

These workshops are deeper and more involved than the last round, and I, for one, am happy about this. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get through them all before August and get what I needed to out of them. Now, I will have time to re-visit all the workshops and catch up on any new videos or ideas that have been shared and participate more in the classrooms. Yippeeeeeee!

Have fun with ART! :)

Connect to the Goddess Within You-21 Secrets

2011-05-11T09:19:00.000-05:00

This is the journal page that I created connecting with my inner goddess in Goddess Leonie's workshop in 21 Secrets. This was an interesting workshop and journey to find and meet my goddess, and I found her floating serenely among the tree branches with the sun and sky above her.

As I'm typing this post, I realize that that's exactly where I should have expected her to be. One of my very favorite places to be alone is sitting on the bank of our big pond with my head back looking up through the tree branches at the sky, and very often the bright sun is peeking though the branches back at me. It's where I feel most at peace with the world.

I didn't start this page with that in mind though. It is purely coincidental, or intuitional, or my sub-conscious at work? I don't know. All I know is that I went on a journey and she is what I found.

I watched Goddess Leonie's wonderful videos, read some of the discussion posts, and looked at the amazing pages that class mates had created, but I have to confess that I could never get the audio meditation to play. I tried numerous times to no avail. So, based on what I heard and read in the workshop, I made up my own meditation and quietly went on a mental journey to see what I could find.

After I meditated, I opened my very large Moleskine watercolor journal, dampened a page, and started dripping different colors of acrylic inks onto the page, letting them merge and run where they wanted. Occasionally, I lifted the book to help them along or sprayed a little clear water on them to soften them. When the page was covered, I left it to dry and for a few days I looked at it not seeing anything. Then all of a sudden, I turned the page end ways and there she was, complete with long flowing robe and kerchief head scarf! The bright sun peeking over her shoulder in one little spot throught the branches, the blue sky overhead.

I did some stamping with a large Asian stamp to add a layer. I wasn't paying attention to where I stamped, but when I went to paint her hand, there was a stamped flower right in it. I painted her face and gave her a blue kerchief instead of the green one she appeared with, then I painted shimmering gold acrylic ink over her robe and added the large buttons that it was begging for. The gold ink allows the colors underneath to show through. It just makes them shimmer a little.

I was trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the page when I noticed the cat walking down her sleeve looking all pleased with himself, so I gave him a little attention. Then I noticed the large regal profile with blue hair in the right corner looking out into the future. I gave her a few curls and a little detail, but not enough to take away from my goddess. I wrote in white gelly roll pen and called it done. Just as I was putting it away, I noticed the red/pink heart just over my goddess's shoulder and near the sun.

This quote in Sarah Ban Breathnach's book "Simple Abundance" seemed to fit the page;

"Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the world, and the immense, the boundless treasures that it holds in store." Edward Carpenter

Pondering what all this means gives me food for thought. I'm wondering if the arm that is reaching outside the page is inviting me up to float among the tree branches in peacefulness and serenity with her...

This was a fun experience, and I'm so glad I took the workshop. I love my inner goddess! Thank you Goddess Leonie! :)

Paint Writing-21 Secrets

2011-05-08T11:21:00.000-05:00

I'm on a roll this morning! I've already posted 3 posts of finished projects, and I just completed another workshop, so I thought I'd share it as well. This is what I created in the Paint Writing workshop with Silky Hart in 21 Secrets. Another great workshop, where I learned some different and unique writing techniques and created my own little journal. Love it!

The poem that I chose to write is:

The Coin

by Sara Teasdale

Into my heart's treasury

I slipped a coin

that time cannot take

nor a theif purloin;

Oh, better than the minting

of a gold crowned king,

is the safe kept memory

of a lovely thing.

It's the only poem I remember from high school, and it's stuck with me all these years for some reason. It's etched even deeper in my memory after writing it all these times on these sheets, but it's a wonderful little poem, don't you think?

Scanned portions of the front and back of my painted and written paper. I used kind of a tan colored charcoal sheet. May not have been the best choice. The pen nib kept hanging when I tried to upstroke. Or maybe I just need more practice. That's probably it! I switched to a copper gellyroll pen on the back, because I love copper.

I used a black charcoal sheet of paper for this page and gessoed it with clear gesso, which gave it a sandpaper feel, and I used colored pencils for, well, color. LOL And look! I learned some African symbols. I have no idea what it says though. I hope it's something good! :o

Then we made a little journal out of the pages. This is it closed Isn't it cute? It can be left as is, or I could add stuff to its little pages. I used fun yarn to bind it with, because it was already in the needle, and I can be a little lazy sometimes. I added a hand made bead to it just for fun.

This it open, inside and out.

I really enjoyed this class too, and I love my little journal! Thanks, Silky! :)

Playing With Patterns-21 Secrets

2011-05-08T08:52:00.000-05:00

I'm sharing a few pages here of the many I did in the 21 Secrets workshop Playing With Patterns with Debra Cooper. This was another class that once I got started, it was hard to stop. So many ideas and ways to design with color on these papers. Some of the pages kind of overlapped with the Child's Play workshop with Alma Stoller that I took earlier. That's okay! The workshops are meant to work together. :)

These are actually a little brighter than they scanned, but you get the idea! I used a home made stamp on a yellowish background above.

I LOVE bubblewrap! Who doesn't? :)

A found stamp...

Lifted up excess paint off another page and added bubble wrap stamp...

Some stenciling fun...

The page above and below were made by lifting up excess paint off other pages. I didn't have spray paint and didn't want to buy any, so I tried to make my own by adding paint and water in some little spray bottles. Needless to say, too much water, too thin paint in a spray makes a BIG mess, but I got the idea that Debra was trying to get across! Love it!

More patterned papers...

The one above is actually a sage green folder that I patterned up to hold my other patterned papers.

Text pages...

Small manila envelope-Too much water on the left, which was my first try, so I scooted over to try again, and when they were dry I patterned over the mess. I think it looks pretty cool!

Now that I look at my papers, I didn't pattern too many like Debra showed us. Hers was gorgeous, and I learned how to make gorgeous patterned papers from her. It's just that I tend to use what I have on hand or what's laying handy, as the case may be, and I didn't have any big gorgeous stencils or stamps, so there you go. But I loved the workshop and will definitely be making more papers, because I love the process! Thank you Debra for showing me new techniques for the stamps and stencils!

One thing I love about mixed media, everything can be used and nothing is wasted. And I have all these art supplies that I've accumulated over the years that I've been dabbling in arts and crafts, some I wanted to try and never did use, some I tried, but didn't really know what to do with or how to use them, some I just never got around to trying. Now, thanks to Connie and these workshops, I'm improvising and using up all these supplies that I was afraid to mess up before, because they were expensive. I've gotten BRAVE in my art dabbling and they're finally getting used! What a blessing to be able to play freely!

Urban Layer Cake-21 Secrets

2011-05-08T08:01:00.000-05:00

Another fun workshop in 21 Secrets, called Urban Layer Cake, with Tammy Garcia. I didn't have the fibre molding paste on the supply list, so I improvised. I had gotten a small bottle of Snow-Tex in a box of miscellaneous art supplies for Christmas, so I used that on the page above. I love the texture, but it sure drank up the paint!

For these two, I used a heavy gel medium for the texture. It gave the paint more of a transluscent look. You may have to click on the page above to enlarge it to read the poem by William Blake written in white.

Once I got one layer cake made, I just had to make another, and another, and of course I couldn't help splattering paint all over the top. My intuition made me do it!

I haven't taken a workshop yet that I haven't really enjoyed, and I look forward to using all I'm learning in my journals for as long as I'm able to journal. Thank you Tammy for teaching me how to layer a cake! :)

Silent Messages-21 Secrets

2011-05-08T07:34:00.001-05:00

Love this Silent Messages workshop with Rachel Whetzel in 21 Secrets! I learned about and adore paper clay! Adding it to my permanant supply list! I only bought the smallest package, 4 oz, because I wasn't sure I'd like it. I had enough to make two journal pages, with a tad left over, which I made little discs out of to use on another page. I need a little more practice, but I like my pages, and can't wait to do more.

This is the beginning stage, and the scanner picked up darker places on the page and lighter. It looks much different in the last stage! :)

I used a thick, heavy paper board, and it still curled some from the dampness of the paper clay, but I think it will flatten out okay. The paper clay was such fun to work with, and it adds a whole new dimension to the page. It takes a while to dry, but it drys very light in weight too.

I also learned how to make a page mean something to me without telling anyone who sees it what's really going on with me on the page, which is great for me, because I tend to hold back sometimes, afraid that someone will see it and know what I meant to be private.

Below are my finished pages. That is, they're finished unless I decide to tweak them a bit more. And I can just hear one of my best friends telling me that I better leave well enough alone! LOL

I'm thinking these would make good journal covers, because of the heaviness of the board that I used.

As I said before, I need some practice, but for my first attempt, I'm pretty happy with these, and they are silent messages to myself. I'm so glad Rachel taught me how to "go silent" on my pages! Thanks Rachel! :)

Becoming Brave

2011-04-24T09:17:00.001-05:00

I also completed Erin Knepp's workshop Becoming Brave and came away with a lovely little journal and a lot of encouragement. Erin is not a big talker, but her words speak volumns. I enjoyed this workshop very much, and will be adding more to my journal as I go along.

So here are the pages I created and I became braver with each page. I chose to use a square format, for a change. I used metallic paints on some of the backgrounds and some of the stitching, etc, which, unfortunately, the scanner doesn't pick up very well, but you'll get the idea.

Front Cover...

This page shows that I am loved. I am 61 years old, and for my last birthday my mom gave me a card with a kitten on it. I used the face, heart, and glittery flower on the page to represent her. My dad is no longer with us, but he loved tulips, so I added magazine page tulips. We've lived in the Rabbit Hop community since I was two years old, thus a little bunny seemed appropriate. My husband of 41 years brings me much joy (and sometimes frustration) so I added a little joy button. I have been very blessed, because I've always known I was and am loved.

I used a couple of paper cuttings on this one. The cross was cut from a coffee filter, which didn't show up much when I used gel medium over it, so I painted it metallic blue. The star was cut from a text page. I'm still using things I learned in the first 21 Secrets. Papercutting was one of my favorites! :)

Back cover-Don't you just love the three kitty stamp? I got it in a stash swap that I participated in a couple of months ago. I can't imagine why the lady parted with it, but I'm glad she did! :)

These look much better in person, because the metallics shine and add a little glitz to them. Anyway, it was a wonderful class. Thank you, Erin, for the encouragement and the experience! What I learned will become a part of me from now on. :)

Happy Easter & Childs Play Workshop

2011-04-24T08:36:00.001-05:00

Wishing you a Happy Easter!
I didn't realize that it had been so long since I posted. I've been so wrapped up in the 21 Secrets (see badge on sidebar) workshop projects and life that I lost track of time, I guess. I'm like Alice in Wonderland in the playgroud, jumping around from here to there, exploring everything, then trying it. I've learned some new processes and techniques, and I've found some new to me art supplies that I love and will definitely be using again. Connie has again put together a great collection of teachers and workshops!

I have at least three workshop projects in progress or almost finished right now, but here are some that I've done so far. The first is from Alma Stoller's class Childs Play, where I learned different ways to prep, stamp, and emboss, using magazine pages. I also made a terrific little journal in her class that I can't wait to fill, but I will come back to that later. I made tons of pages, so I'll only share a few with you for now.

Some of the paper scraps are the negative shapes from where I did paper cutting that I learned in the first 21 Secrets workshops. I love that you can use anything in art journaling, so there is no waste, and you can combine all the things you love, like stitching, painting, pasting, writing, gorgeous papers, your hands...

So much fun prepping the pages that I had a hard time stopping! LOL

This page, and the next three, are in my watercolor sketchbook, where I tried out a couple of Alma's suggestions and some different items I found around the house! It was so much fun treasure hunting for stamps!

I loved the embossing fun! Only problem was that I had liquid gesso and it tended to run under the edges, but it was fun, and I learned what I needed to, so it's all good! :)

Stamping fun!

I love my little journal, and can't wait to fill it with things I learned from Alma and all sorts of other fun things! It was hard to stop and move on to the next workshop, but I did. I will for sure be doing more of these.

Thank you so much for teaching the workshop, Alma! You did great! I had fun and I learned a lot! :)

21 Secrets-Abstract Adventure

2011-04-09T17:48:00.001-05:00

Connie's workshop in 21 Secrets (see sidebar) was just that, an adventure! I watched her fun videos and read the pdf file about using my intuition and trusting the process, and I couldn't wait to get started. I found two 14x21" sheets of student grade watercolor paper, gessoed them, and clipped one to my stand up easel. Then I plugged my mp3 player into my ears with some Michael Grimm blues, did some stretches and shook my booty to get my juices racing through my body.

The soft acrylic colors seemed to jump onto my palette, then onto my brush and all this stuff flowed right out of my heart through my hands and on to the paper. I even caught myself dancing several times while working!

I painted both exercises back to back. The warm-up just seemed to flow right over on to the line painting. I kept my brush moving and my booty shaking until I felt like I had said enough. I'm not sure I'd want to know what it means, but I like it! :)

The colors are actually a little darker in reality, and the lines are dark blue, not light, but you get the idea of my abstractness, don't you? :)

This intuition is something else if you listen to it! I love this process, not worrying about every little thing and just letting your brush dance along to its own drummer. Thank you so much for teaching me to paint big and fearless, Connie! :)

I'm also working on adding fragrance to my journals in Lisa Dieken's workshop. So far I've spilled Pomegranite essential oil all over my writing journal (not intentionally, it was supposed to be a few drops on the center threads), spilled talcum powder all over the floor, and tried to corral a dryer sheet cut-out heart into another journal. Who knew adding smell good to a journal could be so challenging? :o No pictures yet, but I'm working on it! This is also an adventure! :)

Zentangle Mooka Challenge 16

2011-04-08T09:27:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge at http://www.iamthedivaczt.com/ is to use the new Mooka pattern created by the founders of zentangle art. It's a fun pattern to do. I don't usually use a string to guide me, but this time I did. Of course, I didn't stay within the string. I love learning and the doing of the tangles. :)

These were both done on 3x3" squares in my Moleskine pocket journal with a medium Pitt pen.

I tend to forget that I have more than one size pen, and whichever pen or marker I pick up is what I use. Trying to make them perfect is stressful to me and sort of defeats the purpose of meditation, so I just have fun with them.

I sure do enjoy seeing everybody else's gorgeous tangles though!

21 Secrets 2 is in Session! Drawing Happy!

2011-04-02T14:47:00.001-05:00

The second set of mixed media journaling workshops in the 21 Secrets playground opened yesterday. They are hosted by Connie Hozvicka of Dirty Footprints Studio (see the badge on the left sidebar). I had so much fun in the fall session, and learned so much, that I've been on pins and needles to start this one. I looked over the classes and worked on my profile page yesterday. I also tried to decide which of the 21 workshops to take first. Not an easy decision!

This morning I decided to go with the "Draw Happy" workshop with Jane Davenport. It's a class about, well, drawing happy. :) She showed us how she draws and doodles, and the different tools and surfaces she draws on in several very upbeat informative videos, which also starred her cute-as-a-button dogs and happy music.

The first exercise was to show her some of the things that we automatically doodle when we're on hold on the phone, in line, etc. I shared the doodle below.

I call these heart people my little Hearties, and I love them. The lower left corner is a series of connected dashes, and I tend to do them when I'm very nervous. I used a Pitt marker pen in my Moleskine pocket journal.

One thing I love about these workshops is that we're encouraged to feel free to explore and experiment; that it doesn't have to be perfect, and if we don't like what we've done we can always cover it up with something else. I love it! :)

The second exercise was to do a test page with some of our drawing tools over different textures and to share what we liked and didn't like about them. Below is my chart, and I know it's wonky. That's because I'm wonky. :/

I used white cardstock with strips of Quincidrone violet fluid acrylic, white gesso, and clear gesso to test on. The acrylic proved to be too slick for most of the pens/pencils to write on. I am loving my new Pitt pens though. I'd never tried them before until I did a zentangle atc last night.

The third exercise was to do a finished journal page using our doodles and tools and to upload it to share. Here is what I wound up with.

This is a page in my Moleskine large sketchbook, and I used fluid acrylics, my Pitt marker pen, and gellyroll metallic pens. I wish the metallic and white pens showed up better in the scan, particularly the gold in her hair. I'm happy with it. :)

Well, I've completed my first workshop and I've spent a beautiful Saturday inside doing it, but I've loved drawing happy. Jane is a delightful person, a good teacher, and I appreciate her teaching the workshop and sharing her knowledge with me. I will continue to draw happy. Thank you so much, Jane! :)

Zentangle Challenge #15-Curves

2011-04-02T06:27:00.000-05:00

This weeks challenge at http://www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ curves only, no straight lines. I just bought a set of Pitt pens and decided to try them out in my pocket Moleskine sketchbook on an atc (2 1/2 x 3 1/2"). Love the pens and had fun doing the tangle. Here is the result!

Zentangle Boo-Boo turns in to The Dinner Table

2011-03-29T08:43:00.001-05:00

This week's challenge for zentangles is Curves Only. I started out with a double circle and petal shapes, but then I forgot and did a zigzag pattern around the outer circle (no straight lines allowed this week). I tried to fix it by turning the zigzags into black "pearls", but some of them ran together, not looking too good, so I just had fun with it. Still all curves, not so much tangle! But I like it. It makes me smile! Hope it does you too! I call it "Dinner Table" :)

Navy Zig ballpoint pen on a quarter sheet of pink cardstock.

Stash Swap & Sneak Peek at Felted Doll 3

2011-03-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I participated in a stash swap at Creative Artitudes on Facebook with Cynthia Hanna hosting. This was my first stash swap ever. In fact, I had participated in only one other swap before, and it was an inchies swap a couple of years ago.

In this swap, the participants were put in a list. What we chose to send was to be intuitive about what the other person might like. The person above you sent you some of their stash that they no longer wanted or needed, and you sent the person below you some of yours. There was no limit on how much or how little, only a $5-7 postage/mailing limit, and a deadline for getting the packages mailed out.

I just had to share with you! It was like a Spring Christmas when I opened my package from Erin, and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing. Just look at all the neat stuff she included, much of it co-ordinated in spring colors. This is a picture of as much as I could get into the picture and still show a portion of it.

She sent embossing glitter powder! I've never used embossing glitter powder before! Of course, I had to open it and examine this wonderful stuff. Later that afternoon, in the Dr.'s waiting room, Mama noticed my face was all sparkley. Oh, well, I needed some sparkle! :/

There are decorative papers, tags, some gorgeous handmade papers, collage ephemera, the cutest kitty stamps and ink pads, an adorable stamped rabbit finished project with stuff for me to make one, various kinds of stickers,

lots of beads, buttons, an oragami album project, ribbons, pretty tape, heart-shaped paper containers to assemble and decorate...and I know there's more. I am still so excited over my "new to me" stash, and anxious to put it to use, merging it with my other stash and projects. I also look forward to playing with the things I've never tried before. Thank you so much, Erin, for all these wonderful items that you shared with me! I will think of you every time I use any of them.

Thanks Cynthia! This was so much fun! :)

OK, this has nothing to do with the stash swap at all. I just thought I'd share a sneak peek of Felt Doll #3 that is now in progress. I'm trying something new with this one, as she is seated. This is only the needle-felted core form, and as you can see she is missing a foot, one and a half arms, and a face, but she's getting there. I don't know if you can see, but she does have indentions for eyes and mouth, and a small bump of a nose. I haven't decided on her outfit yet, but her personality is beginning to emerge. I have to say that she's a patient soul. She hasn't griped once about it taking me so long to complete her. :)

I have several projects in progress, and I start another round of the 21 Secrets workshops on April 1, which I am so excited about. My main project right now is to clean off a spot to work in. :/

Have a wonderful creative week, and I hope something on here made you smile! :)

Challenge 14-I Walk The Line Zentangle

2011-03-27T08:15:00.001-05:00

This week's challenge at http://www.iamthedivaczt.com/ was I Walk The Line. We were to use only straight lines for the tangles. The first two I did are with Zig ballpoint pens on post it notes. The notes are hot pink and the Faith one is a Hunter Green pen. The second one is hot pink with a purple pen. I don't know why, but my scanner would NOT scan the paper as hot pink. Instead, it's a pale pink. They really look better in person, but I decided to share them anyway, just because they were fun to do. :)

Not easy to keep the curves from creeping in, because I love curves. However, any curvy lines you see are because my hand wavered while drawing the straight line. They are not intentional. :)

These two are actually only one. It is done on hot pink cardstock (a quarter sheet) with a purple Zig pen. I seem to have been on a hot pink/purple kick this week for some reason. I did the one above, scanned, and saved it, then filled in some more of the blanks and added a smidgeon of burgundy pen. I liked it too, so I scanned and saved it as number two.

I have to confess that a ballpoint pen is not the best to draw tangles with, although I love to draw with them. They tend to leave little blobs sometimes and you can't get really fine detail with medium point pens, but they are still fun to play with!

Another fun and challenging challenge!

Zentangle Challenge 13-Non-Dominant Hand

2011-03-19T08:17:00.001-05:00

This week's challenge at http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ is to draw a zentangle with your non-dominant hand. I am right handed, so I drew with my left hand. I used a Zig marker on 4x4" white cardstock, and I thought I was using the smallest end of the marker, but when I finished I had used the larger end. :/ It felt totally foreign and awkward to use my left hand, but I was amazed at how well I did, despite the size of the marker point and the lack of control in my hand. This was fun! :)

Then I tried one with the fine end of the marker. Shaky lines, but I like the design.

I believe the "correct" pens to use are the Micron fine tip pens, or something similar, but I tend to draw with whatever is laying handy, and a lot of times it's a marker. The finer the pen, the more delicate the design.

I started not to share these, because they are not that great. Then I thought, the ones I do with my dominant hand are not that great either. My hands and eyes are not as steady as they used to be. However, I LOVE doing these. They are a great form of meditation and concentration, which is a good brain workout. So why not share something I find so beneficial and enjoyable?

The non-dominatrix challenge was just that. A real challenge, and it was fun! :)

Zentangle Challenge-Blue, a Fish, and an Angel...

2011-03-11T10:02:00.001-06:00

This weeks challenge is Something Blue @ iamthediva.com (see the Diva's Challenge badge on the sidebar). This is an atc (2 1/2 x 31/2") in my pocket Moleskine sketchbook with a Zig ballpoint pen in turquoise. I started off with a black spiral covering the whole card, then filled in the spirals with patterns.

Another atc I started in the Moleskine while sitting in the waiting room at the Dr.'s office. I used a black Zig ballpoint pen, and later, a turquoise one. The egg and wing shape are patterns I saw online somewhere. Mine didn't turn out too well, so I added swirlys and polka dots. Still not happy with it, but thought I'd share my not so good with my better with you anyway. :)

This one and the next two are 4x4" tiles cut from white cardstock, and I used turquoise and black Zig ballpoint pens. I started this one in the left upper corner with one of my favorite patterns and continued across the tile with more of my favorite patterns free-hand. As I said before, I don't pre-draw with a pencil, so any wobbly lines and uneven patterns show, but that makes it mine! :)

I prefer free-hand drawing to using patterns, because I have a really hard time following patterns for anything. However, I decided to try some cookie cutters for a starter pattern. I used a plastic cutter for this one, and it barely fit the 4x4" tile. I placed it on the paper, and, using a pencil, drew around the inside of the cutter, which left the very basic outline. Then I lightly divided it into sections, and using the Zig black ballpoint pen, went over the pencil lines and filled the sections in with some favorite patterns. I really like my little fish! :)

I used a very thin metal cookie cutter angel here. She looks a little like a nun, doesn't she? Same process as the fish.

I just wanted to show you that whether you can draw or not, you can tangle. There are lots of ways to get a starting line to fill in and some great tutorials online. I don't claim to be a pro, but you don't have to be a pro to enjoy doing what you love. :)

More Zentangle Practice...

2011-03-08T08:12:00.000-06:00

A zentangle in my watercolor paper art journal with a watercolor background and a chocoalte brown Zig marker. My tangles may be more doodles, because I don't use patterns, I use whatever is handy to draw with, and I've only learned enough about zentangling to make me dangerous. :) I just usually start with a shape, or not, and go free hand, which accounts for the wonkiness and sometimes the escaping of the page. :) I love doing it though! It's very mind-consuming and helps me focus.

Same art journal as above, but a pink Zig marker sounded like a fun idea, and it was, plus I still have room to journal. :)

Two small ones on the same page in my Moleskine large sketchbook/journal. I don't draw them in pencil first, so any mistakes I make with the Zig marker add to the character. At least, that's my opinion! :)

Last page in this Moleskine. I did the tangle on the left for a challenge, but it got so cramped at the seam that I decided not to share it there.The small one on the right is an idea from a past challenge, before I signed up. I like the idea!

This one, and the one below are some of my first attempts at tangling in the large Mole sketchbook/journal. I like the little fellow above a lot, but I see now where I could add some more patterns within to really bring him out.

I've been doing mostly large tangles with a Zig double-ended marker, but I notice on most online sites they use 4"x4" squares, or "tiles" of smooth paper, a variety of fine micron pens or pencils, and patterns. These are much more delicate than mine, but any of them can be scanned and printed for art journaling, collages, transfers to clothing, tattoos...

Meet Memaw! Needlefelted Doll #2

2011-03-07T18:25:00.000-06:00

I've been birthing another character through wool and needlefelting. I have no preconceived ideas in mind when I start. I just let the characters evolve and learn as I go, my favorite way to work. :) This is my second attempt at felting a doll, and I learned much from her.

Meet Memaw! Memaw has lost a hundred pounds and is on a quest to lose the rest of her chunky butt. She is dressed in her exercise clothes and has her medicine ball, ready for the gym.

Memaw is about 10" tall, and since I haven't really figured out how to felt clothes seperate from the body yet, I felted her pants, top, shoes, & sox to her body. This and the following 3 pix are before I tackled her face and hair, but she already has personality, doesn't she? This is before...

Behind...

Side, see her chunky butt...

Three-quarter, notice her round belly, still faceless and hairless...

Memaw has hair, and she can see, smell, and talk now!...

I felted my first piece of seperate clothing in the skirt. It's a little thick, but I did it, it has a slight gather to it, and it's felted onto her top to make a little dress, because Memaw doesn't like for her chunky butt to show in gym class. I also added metallic embroidery thread shoelaces to her workout shoes, and gave her an exercise medicine ball to workout with...

Side view, I haven't given her fingers, because they're tiny and tedious, and I haven't had the nerve to do them yet. :/

Three-quarter...

Close up of Memaw's face. When I got her face and hair on, she looked like somebody's memaw to me, hence her name. As much as she wants rid of the rest of her excess pounds, she HATES to exercise, hence the facial expression. :/

Memaw and Selma (Doll #1-see label needle felting) have spent the afternoon chatting and becoming friends. They are finding out that, despite their differences, they have much in common. They can't wait to meet Doll #3, already in progress, and perhaps a pet or two...

There's also an explanation of needle felting under that label at the bottom of the post. It's a lot of fun, meditative, and addictive, and I can't wait to see the next character evolve from the head I already have formed!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Memaw as much as I enjoyed creating her! She has a lovely personalilty! :)

Zentangle Fun

2011-02-28T09:33:00.000-06:00

Double page zentangle in large Moleskine sketchbook using a Zig double-ended marker. I'm new to this artform, but I can tell you it's very calming, a lot of fun, and highly addictive!

I read that one of the ways to start a tangle is to close your eyes and draw a few simple lines trying to express your feelings, then fill in the lines with patterns. The other day while my father-in-law was visiting with us, I was doodling in my book, and I turned to a clean page and just let my pen glide around the page while I was looking at and listening to him talk. I came up with a large tangle line, which I filled in and finished while watching TV after he was gone. This is how it turned out.

I really like it!

Now to finish the other three I have started...

What I'm Working On...IF I Can Find the Space!

2011-02-28T06:51:00.001-06:00

I'm sitting in front of my laptop pondering where I'm going to make space to work today. My current studio/playroom is our dining room.

Just for fun I thought I'd show you what I'm facing as I sit here. Sorry about the picture quality. I forgot to turn the flash on, and there's a flouresent light overhead with a yellowish tint to its light. Needless to say we never use the table for eating! LOL

Here are some of my ABSOLUTELY favorite tools that I always have within arm's reach. Laptop, Mp3, gum, scrap paper for notes, post its, and COFFEE. Art Journal page for a screen saver! WIP felt doll #2 guarding my coffee.

Still to my right and up a little, WIP felt doll with the rest of her top laying near on a box of wool felting supplies, waiting patiently for me to get back to them. Behind them an old computer desk full of books, beading, stamping, half-finished paintings and projects, and misc.

Straight ahead is my sewing machine on the other side of the table with a stack of art journals in progress between me and it. I've been sewing on some of the journal pages, although I did repair two pair of hubby's pajama pants while I was at it. Between the journals and the machine are piles of paint and stacks of background and misc papers, plus files of stuff. My water container and brushes and my styrofoam plate palette is on the left side of the table. The painting corner to the left I'll explain on down the post.

To the left of me is my printer on a TV table with my drawing board laying on top of it, where I've been doing my larger painting. I know, NOT a good idea! :/

Still to my left, two large cheap watercolor papers that I've been working on for the last 2-3 days for backgrounds. I've gessoed and painted both sides of each page. Also a zentangle that I started last night in my Moleskine journal while watching TV with hubby. Great alternative to eating! Behind is a portrait of my little Pekingese, Kibbles, who has been gone since 1997. I can't bring myself to finish it.

I'm not going to show you the view from the other side of the table or the floor. But I can scarcely believe it myself. :o It is like getting through a mine field to get to the other side of the table, and any day now I'm going to straighten it up. :)

I have a very large studio upstairs, but it has steep stairs (and I'm prone to falling), it costs too much to heat and cool it, plus since hubby retired he likes me down here with him, so I'm relagated to our very small dining room, but I'm blessed to have a space at all, so it's all good.

This is the whole sheet of the corner showing in the picture above. The light glared on one end of it and the following pictures, but you get the idea. As I said above, these are big sheets of cheap textured watercolor paper that I've randomly applied liquid acrylics and inks to, using brush, bubble wrap, sponge wedge, etc.

I planned on cutting this sheet up for collaging or journal pages, but a pinkish face shape appeared on the left side and I've. since taking the picture, painted in a face, shoulders, and hair, and I've lightened up and changed the background. Right now I'm liking it, and I'll show you when it's done, unless I really mess it up, and it still winds up in pieces. I did sponge paint the back of the paper with a sea sponge, just in case. :/

The second sheet I used mostly acrylic inks on. I drizzled them on then used an old credit card to try to spread them. They soaked into the paper pretty fast. despite the gesso, thus the blurred effect. I used a brush handle to draw squiggles and stuff in the damp ink. It does look better in person.

This is the back of the previous sheet, using acrylic inks, liquid acrylics, bubble wrap, and a sponge wedge. This sheet will most likely be cut up for journal pages, or atcs, or.......

So these are some of the projects I'm working on, plus I started two more zentangles while visiting with company yesterday and finished one of them last night while watching TV with hubby. I'll show you those in a different post.

By the way, the answer to the riddle about a space to work? I stand up to paint on the makeshift table to the left, and I either hold my sketchbook on my lap or take it to the living room to draw or zentangle, I take my needle felting to the living room and hold it on my lap, and I set the sewing machine down in the floor to glue stuff in my art journals. I can also take those to the living room to write or draw in. It would be much easier if I could work on only one project at a time, but I can't. I have to have a variety of projects going at once, or I get bored. It's not about the finished item for me. It's about the learning and doing of it, the process of figuring things out. But I will eventually finish them...

I'm so glad you visited, and I really hope something here made you smile. Now to get back to one of those fun projects... :)

Zentangle Challenge #10-Open Spaces

2011-02-25T10:09:00.000-06:00

I'm still new at zentangles, but I discovered a challenge blog, http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ , a couple of days ago on the blog of a member (I'm sorry I don't remember whose) of the Everyday Matters drawing group that I belong to, and I thought I'd like to try the challenge. It's hosted by a certified zentangle teacher, and there's some great work on it. I already had this one started on an art journal page, so I thought I'd start the challenges with it.

This one is untitled, but I used a black Zig marker on a watercolor paper (textured) that had background colors and patterns painted in liquid acrylics on it. Sorry about the holes down the side, but I had already put it in my journal. :/

Here I go to share it in the challenge! I hope it fits the criteria and the subject ok. I loved doing it! :)

Doodles, Crow and Cow Sketches, & A NF Sampler

2011-02-17T08:36:00.000-06:00

All of these were done with my sketch and wash pencil in my Moleskine, practice and play.

I like to doodle while watching TV. The other night we were watching Blade II, and I did quick sketches of patterns in the background. They had to be quick; there's a lot of action in the movie. :)

I sketched a small version of this in the doodles above while watching Nights in Rodanthe. It was a black metal sculpture, sort of a room divider thing, in the movie, and it was gorgeous. So I decided to try a larger version in my sketchbook. I had already brushed on some leftover white gesso onto a portion of the pages, so I drew over it, then went over everything with a damp brush. It didn't turn out quite like I wanted it to, but there is a little charm to it, I think. :/

Clara Nell was sketched from an original photo, and is my first attempt at sketching a cow with a pencil. I tried one in paint when I first started painting, but it wasn't solid black like this one. Black objects or animals are very hard for me to shade. I decided not to use a damp brush on her. I left well enought alone, for once! She's not perfect, but she's mine, and I learned that I could do it! :)

I got in an order from Joggles with some new colors and textures of felting wool a couple of days ago. I wasn't quite ready to start another doll just yet (first doll in post before this one), and I didn't want to dig out something denim to try needle felting on, so I made a sampler, of sorts, on a square of wool felting that I had handy. It only took a few minutes, and it was fun!

I have way too many hobbies and way too many half finished projects and too little time! LOL

Meet Selma!

2011-02-15T10:29:00.001-06:00

So a few months ago, after seeing some needle felted animals online, I thought I'd like to try it and bought a little simple kit at Hobby Lobby. It was really easy, and when I was finished, I had a flat flower applique (see under needlefelting label on sidebar). I also tried a little free-form flat piece. I loved it and was hooked!

Right after that I got involved in some art journal workshops and since I only had the needles and a minute bit of yarn left from the kit, I concentrated on my art journals. However, I acquired more supplies from Hobby Lobby and an order to Joggles online during this time, and two or three weeks ago I watched some Utube videos on needle felted dolls, then jumped right in to making one of my own. From a simple flat flower to a doll with a needle-sculpted face is a big jump. But that's me, for ya! :0

Anyway, below is my 3rd needle felted project and my first doll. Don't know why I named her Selma. That's just the name that popped into my head when I looked at her, so I guess she introduced herself that way. She certainly wound up a character! :)

Selma in her birthday suit, front: I began with roving wool and a felting pen to form her body. The head was formed and felted to the body. The arms and legs were formed and joined at the knees and elbows, then to the body, then her butt and breasticles were built up with the wool to create the basic figure.

Selma behind...literally!

Closeup of Selma's face with a little sculpting where her features will be...

AND

introducing

"Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful!"...

SELMA!

From Behind...

I didn't want to figure out how to needle felt her clothes just yet, so I just needlefelted them directly to her body, boots and all. I only had a few colors of felting wool to work with, hence the color combo.

Three-Quarters View

Notice the Pink strip of hair (I know, it looks whitish in the sunlight). She is posing on the car bumper and she is light as a feather. The wind kept blowing her over and twice she fell off the bumper into the dead leaves. I tried to get her cleaned up. Luckily, nothing was broken...

Full View--13 1/2" Tall

Not the best face and hair, but, hey!, it's my first time to try sculpting a face. Besides, you can't say that she doesn't have character! LOL

I realized after I made the pictures that I made them before adding her jewelry and her nostrils. Also, in the event that you think her hands look odd. The thumbs and each finger has to be formed and felted on individually, and I didn't want to take the time just now, so she has thumbs, no fingers. Just pretend they're fists! LOL

My tools: The bubble wrap is only to keep the felting mat (brush) from sliding around while I'm working, but all you need is roving wool for the core, wool felt in colors, needles, and a felting mat.

The needles are extremely sharp with burrs on them to tangle the wool into itself, and I can tell you from experience that if you jab your finger with them, it hurts. :/

I am in no way an expert or a professional, but I LOVE needle felting. Other than making sure your finger is out of the way where you're holding the wool, it's very meditative, and an easy thing to do while watching TV.

There will be other projects coming. I've ordered more colors of wool, and I'm already planning another doll, plus I want to do some felting on denim, so stay tuned...