Arty Girlz, CED, and Mojoart

The Arty Girlz challenge this week is flowers, and although my doll/tulip doodle sketch painting isn't about flowers per se, it does have one in it. :) It's also one of my Creative Every Day entries.

This is another double page art journal entry in my Moleskine sketchbook, done Monday, and right now it's exactly how I feel, as I have gained a lot of weight here lately, added to my already overweight body. The tulip in my drawings kind of represents my dad, whom I miss terribly. They were one of his favorite flowers.

Anyway, for this journal entry I decided to experiment with Golden fluid acrylics, which are thin and mostly transparent, much like watercolors. I still used a black sharpie on the outlines, but painted over the lines some. I started to make the white dots on her hands and feet rounder, but I decided that I liked them kind of ragged. I enjoyed the acrylics for a change and am also using them on the canvas painting I have started. The text was added digitally. I may or may not do some more to the doodle, but, in the meantime, I hope she makes you smile. :)

"2 Hearts Connected"

This one is an atc doodle sketch, done in inktense pencils (ink in pencil form)/water/black sharpie, and digital text. I've entered it in my Mojoart group challenge for this month.

Thanks for visiting! Have a blessed day! :)

Arty Girlz - Frames

Here is my entry for the Artygirlz Challenge this week, which is frames. I decided to share my atc view finder frame (hope this counts), which is laying on a work in progress cloud painting, inspired by Alex Shur in her article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors a couple of issues back. I've gotten it to this point and can't decide where to go next. The technique is fun. I just haven't fully grasped it yet. Still working on it though. :) Check out her blog to see how it's supposed to be done.


Cloud Inhabitants--WIP-pencil, sharpie, gesso, watercolors on wc paper--quite a concoction of souls, huh? :) Can't decide whether to cut it up into smaller paintings or leave it whole with enhancements. I'm using the view finder frame to see how many atcs I could make from it, but at the same time I hate to cut it up. Decisions, decisions! :)

Ms Mouskette (see post below or visit group) was voted the honor of being on the Mojoart group home page until the next challenge. This challenge was "Celebrating Women." She and I appreciate the votes and the honor. :)

Mojoart Challenge--Aren't We Women Fabu-mouse!

The theme for this 2nd challenge at the Mojoart group is Celebrating Women. I thought Ms Mouskette might do. Hope she makes you smile. :)

"Aren't We Women Fabumouse!--quirky journal sketch-wc/pencils, black sharpie on paper

Artygirlz and Mojoart Challenges

This is my entry for the Artygirlz challenge this week, which is to use a quote or verse with your art.

"You Never Know What A New Friend Might Look Like"-- Quirky journal sketch on WC paper --WC/pencils, pencil, black sharpie, digital text on quote "Of all possesions, a FRIEND is the MOST PRECIOUS." by herodotus



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Mojoart Group Challenge 2--Merry Holidays--This one is for a challenge for the group I belong to. We are having two challenges this time, but I haven't decided on one for the other one yet. This little guy just seemed to fit the holiday one, even if he looks a little lonely or shy. ;)

"Happy Holidays" --Quirky penguin--WC/pencils, pencil, black sharpie, digital text on WC paper-

Hope you enjoy my efforts. :)

Mojoart Challenge Entry/Quirky Sketches

"Walls"-Pencil, Sharpie, WC Pencils on Drawing Paper

I don't really have time to write much today, but I wanted to post so I'll share the two sketches I have entered in this month's Mojoart group challenge, which is Abstraction Satisfaction. Not sure if these qualify as really being abstract, but I wanted to participate, so there they are amongst some REAL abstract paintings. Plus I had a lot of fun doing them. :) Members work entered will be voted on in a couple of days and the winner's work will be displayed on the homepage until the next challenge is over.

"Snuggle Bunny"-Pencil, Sharpie, WC Pencils on Drawing Paper

Inchies, Mickey & Minnie

I tried this yesterday and had a long post about what's been going on with me besides inchies, but as I was reading back over it my thumb accidentally hit the touch pad on my laptop and most of the post disappeared and I can't find it, so I'm going to go ahead and share my inchies with you today and when I can I'll try to re-post what I sent into oblivion. :)

This is my first batch of inchies made during Oct & Nov. I was going to try making some anyway, but Tammy over at the MojoArtGroup decided to hostess a 12 for 12 swap, and I decided to play. I started out to make enough for the swap, but got carried away and made a bunch. Some turned out better than others, but I had a lot of fun with all of them, plus it's good therapy. :)

I tried making pictures in all kinds of light, but couldn't get a good one, so wound up scanning them in. A lot of detail doesn't show up, such as most of the blue background ones have sparklies in the background, and some have glitter, the orange ones aren't that dark and have chinese characters in the backgrounds, etc. Some have a matte finish and some have a gel medium finish making them shiny, so that made it hard to get a good picture.

Rarely do I get excited over anything, but I'm a tad excited right now. I was checking out the post after I posted it and wishing the pictures were better, and I discovered that if you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can see a lot more of the details. I'm still a greenhorn at this blogging thing you know. :) Passing this on for friends/family that might not know you can do this either.

All kinds of things were used to make them. I made the backgrounds on watercolor paper using stamps, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, liqui-gem acrylic with sparklies, etc., then cut them into 1x1 inch squares after they were dry, which I then painted, collaged, stamped, added glitter to, etc. In other words, each square was an experiment. :)















I finally decided on 12 to swap and they are fixed up and ready to put in the mail (not telling which 12 yet though :)). This is my first swap and I'm a little nervous, but I'm sure it'll be okay. I look forward to receiving 12 back from the other participants. They are all wonderful artists and I hope they aren't disappointed in mine.

Each of these little squares is a seperate 1x1 inch picture. The clown faces and pears on some of them are miniaturized prints of some of my linoleum block prints. The hearts (except the white one) and feather ones are carved eraser stamps (the gold ink on red doesn't show up much in the picture). The one in the top right corner of the first picture with the pink pears was my very first attempt. It has sparklies in the background that don't show up. I tried to make each one different. Sorry the pictures aren't better. :(

Anyway, as I said it was fun and therapeutic and I'm going to be making more, but not for a while. Too much going on between now and Christmas, like Christmas cards to make and shopping, which I haven't started yet, and Thanksgiving before that, plus a zillion other things that I've avoided while playing. :o

Right now I have to get busy on a project a friend dropped off on me yesterday evening. It's a wooden cutout blank of Mickey and Minnie Mouse sitting together on the moon. She brought me a picture to go by and wants me to draw in all their features, limbs, clothes, etc. so she can paint them. I tried to tell her I couldn't draw it, but she said I could do anything and left it. She's one of my best friends since we were kids, and she told me if it took me a year it would be ok (she knows I work slow :)), but patience is not one of her strong points, and I know she will call in a day or two to see if I've started it yet. I tried scanning and enlarging the picture so I could trace it off, but 2x the size isn't quite big enough and 3x was way too big. So I now have out a piece of charcoal and am going to see if I can sketch it off onto the wood enough that she has lines to fill in between with paint. If that doesn't work, I'll think of something else. So here I go... :)

Take care of yourselves. OK? :)

PS: I'm having a heck of a time getting this to post with seperate paragraphs, and have tried several times to get it to change, so I'm going to post it, and if the last paragraphs all run together again, sorry, and I'll try again later to fix it. If they're seperated...great!

Happy Birthday To Me

Today is my birthday. I don't get excited about birthdays and holidays. Wish I could, but I don't. I never did really. I don't want a party or to go out and eat or do anything special. A simple "Happy Birthday" from people who care about me and a quiet day at home is enough of a celebration for me. Is that weird? Most people seem to think so. :)

I didn't realize that it had been so long since I posted. I just haven't been in the mood to write anything much lately. I wonder if anyone is reading the posts anyway, but that's ok. I enjoy sharing when I do post in case someone does drop by. :)

Not too much going on with me right now. I've been kind of down for a couple of weeks because of a weight gain, which I really, seriously do not need, especially when I'm due for a Dr.'s appointment. I joined an online weight loss support group, which is a great group of women, but I haven't really gotten started on an exercise/healthy eating routine yet. I meant to, but a few days after I joined J (hubby) had to go to Paducah, KY for a brush up on fire fighting. We spent part of two days traveling there and back and two days with him in school and me holed up in a very nice motel suite of rooms.

I took some art/writing supplies, my laptop pc, my camera, and two novels to keep me busy. I meant to finish my writing assignment, which I've had to extend the deadline on yet again, but I didn't. I spent the time re-ironing our clothes, straightening up, watching TV, looking out the window (we were on the 5th floor overlooking the pool house and lounge area), taking long soaks in the tub, napping, and eating. I did take some pictures and work with them on the pc and do a little reading the second day.

We had bought microwavable breakfast and lunch food and junk food snacks for in-room eating. The first night J had to study, so we ordered a big pizza delivered to the room. The second night he went out and got tacos, etc., and we ate in the room. He was really tired. We stopped in Murray, KY at the Cracker Barrel going and coming to eat lunch. I finally had one of those delicious chocolate cobblers with ice cream. I always want one, but am usually too full to have it. This time we ate salads, then shared the cobbler. It was worth the wait. Then we stopped and got BBQ sandwiches to eat for supper when we got home.

Point is I gained four pounds in four days. I wanted to cry when I stepped on the scales. I knew part of it was water retention, but I was miserable for a week, all puffy and feeling sluggish. I finally lost it, plus another half pound. I was so happy. Well, I got on the scales this morning and have gained two and a half pounds back, so that wasn't too good a birthday present, but I'm thankful to be alive and ok, and to have family and friends that care about me and that I care about, and THAT is a good present. :)

I did get to go to Michael's the morning we left Paducah. I felt like I was in Disneyland. Now, I do get excited in art and book stores. :) I got some gorgeous decorative papers, a couple of new stamps, some yarn fibers on sale, and some beautiful glass beads. J got some beads, as well. He enjoys making jewelry. It keeps his hands busy while watching TV.

Oh yes, I also found a small piece of fabric at Michael's for the contrary art doll that refused to wear what I already had. It's kind of antique background with inspirational words written on it. I cut it so that the word "Joy" is "tattooed" on her cheek. I have her sewn and stuffed with a painted face and am in the process of finding hair and embellishments to suit her. Of course, she's nothing like I had in mind when I started her, and she's full of imperfections, but that's part of the fun of creating. You're often surprised by the creation. :) I'll post a pic when she's finished.

I signed up for my very first art swap ever in the Mojo Art Group. It's also the first swap for the group, so several firsts going on here. Tammy is graciously hosting an inchies swap. These are also my first inchies. These are works of art on 1"x1" squares, and they are a lot of fun. She was very lenient with us. The only rule is the size and we have to make twelve to send in to her, any style, any media, any subject. She will then send us twelve back, so we will have tiny original works of art from all the artists who participated. What fun! Mine are in progress. I'll post a pic when they're finished.

OK, here is something that IS finished. The latest Mojo Art Group challenge was "Hand Jive" using our hands as the basis for a piece of art. I tried a few ideas, but nothing would come together. I wanted to play, so the morning of the deadline I inked my right hand with a variegated ink pad and layed it in opposite directions, as in friends reaching out to one another, on one of the decorative papers I bought on our trip. I then used my new brush alphabet stamps to stamp the words on strips of paper, which I glued in place, then used my other new stamps in the palms of the hands. The stamp in the right hand says, "Of all possessions a friend is the most precious." As usual, it looks better than the pic, (I'm not the greatest photographer), but here it is.

I guess this is why I haven't been writing much. I've been more into my art persona, plus J has been home for a month, which keeps me pretty busy. As you can see, when I do get started writing, I don't know when to quit, which explains the long posts. Sorry! Not really. :)

Have a great week and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Getting To Know Me Artistically

Hi, I answered the following artistic questions in participation with the Create A Connection for getting to know you day for Tues., Oct. 2. Thanks to groovyholly, who was the hostess that day. You can also go from there to read other artists answers.

1) Do you do something creative every day? If not, do you wish you could?
Yes, I do something, however small, every day. I feel like something is missing if I don't at least look through my sketch book, write a short description, do a quick sketch, take a couple of photos, prowl through my supplies, or look at creative things in a magazine or online, even if I don't have time to work on something larger.

2) Where do your ideas come from? Are you inspired by others art, music, your children?
I'm inspired by other artists, but I also get inspiration from nature, taking photos, memories, friends and family, our cats, daydreaming and imagination, or sometimes I see something on TV that triggers an idea.

3) What is your favourite art form? Why does it call to you?
I don't really have a favorite. Each has it's own perks and I enjoy learning new ones (I'm about to try making inchies). Oil painting and working with pastels are favorites, but lately I've been more into collage, atc's, altered stuff, and I love linoleum block carving and printing. It calls to me because it's challenging and it makes me happy.

4) What is one art form you long to try? What holds you back from trying it?
I would love to take a photography class where I could develop my own black and white prints in a darkroom, but the nearest class is almost four hours away, round trip, it's at night, and I'm getting old. :)

5) Are you the type of person that concentrates on one thing at a time or do you have many projects started that you are trying to finish?
I'm definitely a multi-project person, and always have a lot of different media projects in progress at once. I can focus on and finish one project if I have a deadline, but there are always other wip nearby. I get bored if I work on one thing too long, so when I start getting bored, or stuck, I switch to another project...or start a new one I'm dying to try.

6) Do you belong to any creative communities, swap groups, yahoo groups that encourage creativity/art?
I belong to a relatively new yahoo art group, Mojo Art Group, of mixed media and creative artists, who are very talented, generous, and supportive of one another. I also have been a member of the Savannah Art Guild/Gallery since 2001, although I haven't been active in it for the last few years. Both of these groups have been invaluable in helping me to grow as an artist. Fairly regular visits to creative online blogs and sites help keep my inspiration and motivation up. I have never participated in a swap, but that's about to change.

7) Is there a group of friends in your community that you get together with to help each other out with your art?
No, unfortunately, I live in a pretty rural area, and the people are more interested in sports than the arts. I keep meaning to become active in my art guild again to have more interaction with other artists in person. It's in another town, several miles away, and I just haven't done it yet.

8) What is the most important reason you create?
It keeps me sane, is better than nerve pills, keeps my mind active, plus I love the challenge that each project presents to me.

I guess that's it. If you choose to participate, let me know. I'd love to read your answers. Have a happy and creative day!
Sharon