Gollywobbles

Be your own kind of beautiful!

2012-01-29T13:56:00.000-05:00

"The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

"Glances of true beauty can be seen in the faces

of those who live in true meekness."

~Henry David Thoreau

"Imperfection is beauty;

madness is Genius;

and its better to be absolutely ridiculous

than absolutely boring."

~Marilyn Monroe

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.

For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.

For every love there is a heart

somewhere to receive it."

~Ivan Pannin

"The opinion which other peopel have you

is their problem not yours."

~True Wisdom

Mini mixed media art quilt

2012-01-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

This was so much fun!

My new addiction.

I didn't know where I was going with it at first.

Each block was a pile of five fabrics,

but the bottom-most fabrics aren't showing.

After clipping sections away,

(reverse applique technique)

I wasn't sure I liked the frayed edges.

I love the organic look, but my clipping

could have been more exact with sharper scissors.

So I started tacking the edges down,

with random stitches in different colors.

Next came the buttons,

and I felt like it needed something,

so out came the beads.

All the embellishments gave it a nice weight.

The wire hanger on the back was an experiment.

I think I like it!

Doesn't it look kind of like salsa?

My inspiration came from watching this video.

I watched it a few times before,

but I just wasn't ready.

Finally, I decided to figure out how my

motion foot and free motion stitching worked.

I'm not very steady with the machine stitching,

but I think I'll get the hang of it.

I love Beryl Taylor.

She's really cool.

Always be Knolling - by Tom Sachs

2012-01-22T09:09:00.000-05:00

First Things First

2012-01-21T08:24:00.001-05:00

In my mailbox this morning,

was a blog post from Lisa Kaas,

announcing her new calendar "Color My World"

published by Lang.

Soooo.....I ordered one.

I love Lisa Kaas,

and if she ever has an online workshop,

I am breaking my rule to "refrain"

from taking workshops.

I hope more people will wish

for the same thing!

I have my weaknesses LOL!

It's beginning to snow,

I have two days to blissfully play in the studio,

but I have an errand that I MUST do.

Yesterday, a package was in my mailbox.

NO NAME,

NO RETURN ADDRESS,

just my street address.

So I opened it.

There was a packaged with some baked goods

and a note from Rebecca to Megan.

Tempted to snack on the goodies....?

Nope.

I'm going to do the right thing,

and take it to the post office,

and hopefully it will make it's right destination.

I have had packages lost by the postal service

and it's not a good feeling.

Hopefully Megan will get to enjoy this package.

When I get back,

I plan on whipping my studio into shape.

Julie Fei-Fan Balzer has been

some great posts on being organized.

I realized that as organized as I am,

I can improve significantly if

I surround workspace with my supplies

within easy reach.

So that is today's plan,

followed by some creating!

Of course, she also has an online

course to tempt me.

Have a great day.

Tick, Tick, Tick.....

2012-01-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

The clock is ticking faster,

as the weekend winds down.....

back to work tomorrow {pout}.

Even the spooly doll is pouting....

Little Max could care less....

Bye for now...see you next week.

Canvas journals in the making

2012-01-15T17:24:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when you add

a 3-day weekend:

extremely cold weather;

online Pandora radio tuned into Blues/Rock;

yards of canvas:

painted wallpaper:

discarded children's books:

and determination to make something different.

Mission accomplished!

I'm drawn to children's book illustrations,

and collect them from thrift shops and yard sales.

Today I chose a book called

FABLES

by Arnold Lobel,

(winner of the Caldecott Medal)

His images are endearing cheerful nonsense.

Crocodile in the garden.

"If you've never been thrilled

to the very edges of your soul

by a flower in spring bloom,

maybe your soul

has never been in bloom".

~Terri Guillemets

First, I glued/sewed an image,

and text to the painted wallpaper.

I then joined the painted wallpaper

to the canvas, with glue and black machine stitching.

I added a protective coat

of satin polymer varnish.

This created a durable soft cover

with a leather-like feel to it.

13" tall, by 7-1/2" wide

Baboon and his umbrella.

I love this one...

"Remember your umbrella when

you go out picking flowers....

Advice is like the weather,

some of it is good; some of it is bad."

I randomly chose text from the book

to create this whimsical message.

This journal measures 10" tall by 8-1/2" wide.

Each of these journals contain one signataure

of 6 pages; yield 26 pages to paint.

"Do you take sugare in your tea?" said the Crane.

"I hope you will invite me again" said the Pelican.

"Perhaps," said the Crane,

"but I am so very busy these days."

After the Pelican had gone,

the Crane shook his head and sighed.

When one is a social failure,

the reasons are as clear as day.

10" x 8-1/5"

The camel dances.

There can be no doubt that I am

a splendid dancer.

I will dance and dance for myself.

That is what she did.

It gave her many years of pleasure.

Satisfaction will come to those

who please themselves.

This journal was my first attempt.

I split the pages into three signatures,

and began to sew on my machine.

I had to rip out the stitches,

and found waxed thread and

the pamplet stitch with one signature

worked the best.

This is one of my first attempts

at using my Rubicoil binding machine.

I used painted cardstock,

and artwork by Hundertwasser.

I found this little book of Hundertwasser's

paintings and accomplishments, in disrepair

at a thrift shop for less than a $1.00.

I hope to incorporate many of his paintings

into my work, as they are rich with color

and inspiration.

Another coil-bound journal

with a sewn, padded cover in a pretty batik print.

Various found papers, cardstock, and painted pages.

This burst of creativity means

I had some serious cleaning to do.

I reach a point where I can't think in chaos, so

everything has been picked up, and put away.

Tomorrow is my bonus day off!

{grinning ear to ear!}

I can't decide if I'll be painting

more wallpaper or sewing dolls!

Thanks for hanging around!

Starting the new year right, making progress.....still restraining

2012-01-11T06:46:00.000-05:00

Frog Posse

available here

A couple years ago, for Valentines day,

my friend Mike asked me

to make one of these frogs for his wife Doris

who is an avid frog collector.

Yesterday Doris had hip replacement surgery,

and my thoughts, love and well wishes are with her today

for a speedy recovery.

This is a really tiny quilt; a candle mat perhaps.

Quick and easy to make with remnants from

my over flowing scrap bin.

Using up woven scraps,

I made this bird on a nest pin cushion.

This soft cushy bag filled with 15 doll bodies

is fair game for Tobey, one of my studio companions.

So yesterday, while catching up on my favorite blogs,

I once again had to pull in the reins.....

Restraint and Discipline

No more workshops for a while.....

but, but, but....

The FABULOUS Judy Wise is offering a

journaling workshop!!!

March 12 - April 6th

AND

she now offers her Plaster Studio workshop

on a DVD e-book!

*******

Magaly Ohika of Itsy Bitsy Spill

is offering an

Art Free Form Workshop

registration starts January 13th

*******

The INCREDIBLE

Mindy Lacefield aka Tim's Sally

is offering a workshop in the spring,

called Paint Your Story

registration starts February 13th

*******

Be still my heart

Restrain, Restrain, Restrain.....

I have a 3-day weekend on the horizon

my plans are to poke around in my stash bin

after being inspired by some funky dolls made

by Baggarags on Etsy

I have a wild side that likes to play

with a primitive streak,

and I've got a little idea percolating.....

I also have a huge pile of painted papers,

and fabric which I intend to experiment with paint,

and hopefully create some funky journals.

I'm inspired by

Traci Bautista's art journals

and

Alisa Burke's

"SEW WILD" style of creating

with stitch and Mixed Media.

Stay tuned....

I hope to keep the productive streak going!

Pucker Up baby, it's almost February...

2012-01-07T07:49:00.000-05:00

I'm an optimist,

and a Pisces

born on Leap Day!

I'm so excited....

I wait FOUR years

for my birthday,

to roll around

and it's coming baby~!

So I'm in the mood

to make a few frogs to celebrate!

Thank you Spencer

2012-01-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

Hello, My name is Ruby.

I'm the latest Rags*2*Trezurs doll.

It all started here.

If you follow my blog,

you might know where this is headed.

Inspired by Junker Jane

to use up fabric scraps,

bits of ribbons and buttons,

I experimented with this doll.

It was in a shop for a short time,

until it sold at my friend's fair.

I learned that a woman

returned to the shop

to purchase it for her grandson.

But it was gone.

So I was asked to create another one.

Hense, Rocco.

Which lead to another request.

After a woman saw Rocco, she

wanted 4 dolls to ship out to California.

That made me smile.

But then.....

I received this email....

{insert email}

"Hi.

I'm the father of the little boy that you made Rocco for.

I wanted you to know your efforts were not in vain

and our little 7yo boy just loves him.

Thank you so much for creating him for our little guy.

-Spencer"

That made me Cry.

Meet Ruby.

Once again,

it's all Rocco's fault.

Thank you Spencer.

Restraint and Discipline - 2012

2011-12-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

I received my copy of this book yesterday!
Simply beautiful!

One of my favorite workshops in 2011
was taken with Katie Kendrick.
The DVD to the workshop is now
available to purchase HERE.

The book and DVD are similar in her
teaching process, but offer different material in each.
In my opinion, Katie is a natural teacher.

She is sincerely down to earth,
and she doesn't just demonstrate
WHAT she does; she inspires you
to LOOK within yourself
to explore your own talent.

I love how Katie utilizes basic items
to create beautiful works of art.
You will NOT be disappointed.

I couldn't have received this book
at a better time in my life.
I have spent the last couple months
soul searching and analyzing
how I have spent my time, money and energy
searching the web, and taking workshops.

My curiosity lead me down the Internet
rabbit hole exploring new artists and techniques.
But I lost my way in my own creative journey.
I spent more money than I should have,
and lost opportunity to be
more productive with my time.

So my key "buzz" words for 2012
are Restrain and Discipline.

I plan to restrain myself from signing up for
workshops unless they are free, and
will add affordable books/DVDS
to my library instead.
(compromise)

This will be very hard.
I'm already sad about not taking....

Misty Mawn's Open Studio workshop
and

Lifebook 2012
hosted by Tam Laporte ~ Willowing.ning.com

or
one of the courses offered by
Sharon Tomlinson ~ All Norah's Art

Ok......I must Restrain
(for now)

{insert free workshop here}

Strathmore Artist
2012 Online Workshop Series
begins January 1st with Traci Bautista!!!!!!!
Hoot Hoot ~ it's FREE!
{grin}

I plan to discipline myself to experiment more
with all that is available NOW in my studio,
before making any new supply purchases.

I need to put the time in
to feel better about my work and myself.

My visual journals have been gathering
dust the last couple months.
My scrap bins are overflowing
and my studio is screaming for attention.

So it all starts this three-day holiday weekend.

But first.....

{insert Give-a-way here}

I threw away my renewal invoice
to Cloth Paper Scissors
and thought my subscription had expired.
Silly Sam...
ordered a NEW subscription,
and this month received TWO copies!

So if you would like to receive a copy
of the Jan/Feb 2012 issue 40,
(still wrapped in plastic),
just leave a comment on this post.
If you like, tell me what your
2012 "buzz" words are
for your goals in the new year.

If anyone is interested,
I'll randomly draw a name
next Saturday, January 7th
My gift to you.

***
Peace, Love and Light in 2012

Rocco's fault...

2011-12-15T07:40:00.000-05:00

It's all Rocco's fault.

Because he has a big mouth,

these kids are being flown to California!

My sewing machine has been hummin'!

2011-12-11T20:21:00.000-05:00

Penelope, Roxanne, Marianne, Deanna and Gerianne

The Raggedy Annie gang

These girls have attitude.

I thought I would take souvenir photos

before bringing them to Diddies and Doodads

where they will be adopted to new homes.

I honestly hate to see them go.

Deanna

Gerianne

Marianne

Roxanne

Rocco

I hoard everything,

and being a thrifty shopper,

I manage to use every bit of it!

So you can imagine how big my fabric stash is

not to mention buttons, lace and trim.

I am a huge fan of Junker Jane,

and after reading her publications in

Stuffed and Prims Magazines, I was inspired

to put my scrappy bits to good use.

I made a similar doll recently,

after it had sold I learned that

a grandmother wanted to purchase it,

for her grandson.

So this little guy is a "do-over".

It was described to me as that

"Junkyard Jane pillow doll".

So I kept that in mind

as this little guy was created.

I also decided to start my own line

of scrappy remanant dolls,

and hopefully put my own spin on them.

This line of dolls will be called

Ragz*2*Trezurs

(I imagined a child spelling this)

Scrap Remnants plus

ribbons, lace, buttons and trim,

"One of a Kind"

a charming doll to treasure.

Well, I guess it's time to put the

sewing machine away for a bit and

focus on my holiday details...

or I'm going to be in trouble!

Hand Made in New Hampshire - Homespun Christmas 11th year

2011-12-02T06:05:00.000-05:00

If you are anywhere near East Kingston, NH

today or tomorrow,

you MUST find a way to this event.

This is Deb Boudreau's 11th year,

and I got a sneak peak last night!

I'm blown away

at the level of beautifully hand crafted items

filling her home to the brim.

She has brought in several new vendors this year

and I personally think this is her best year ever!

You will not be disapointed!

and you will NOT leave empty handed.

But if you do, you won't leave hungry.

(I'm so bummed I forgot to bring my camera)

Seriously, try to make it,

and bring a carload of friends.

Cross my heart, I promise,

you will be blown away too!

Don't forget to ask for directions

to our friend, Lyn Coolen's shop

Log Cabin Antiques

only 5 minutes away!

Follow her here on Facebook

You will find bargains

in her recently expanded shop.

Hope to see you there!

Help support Made in America!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:48:00.001-05:00

Spending time with family and friends.

May your holiday be filled with love and laughter.

May your blessings be many.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,

for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not what we say about our blessings,

but how we use them,

is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

~W.T. Purkiser

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving,

make every day a holiday

and celebrate just living.

~Amanda Bradley

You cannot do a kindness too soon,

for you never know how soon it will be too late.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like

wrapping a present and not giving it.

~William Arthur Ward

Holiday Extravaganza

2011-11-21T06:22:00.000-05:00

Sparkle

2011-11-19T07:20:00.000-05:00

Recently, I had a vision in my mind that prompted

me to pull out my canvas and attempt to create

star ornaments that glittered.

I challenged myself to include clay and beads.

The weight of my canvas is thin and wimpy,

so I first needed to glue the canvas to a stablizer of some sort.

I'm a bit obsessive about saving things "because

I might find a use for it eventually"......

I had torn apart a sample wallpaper book,

and some of the page separators (really thin cardboard)

that I had saved was the perfect weight.

Step 1: - Glue canvas front and back to the cardboard.

dry overnight

Step 2: cut out star shapes

Step 3: - Glue a clay face to the center

(E-6000 is AWESOME)

dry overnight

Step 4: Paint front and back with Light Ivory

dry overnight

Step 5: Add eyelets and beaded wire

Step 6: Glue artist info on back

and add a coat of protective varnish

dry overnight

Caution: Cats love this project...

Keep your spray water bottle handy!

Final step: Add a coat of varnish to the front,

and sprinkle with glitter.

hang to dry and smile.

Mission Accomplished.

I love this wire tree.

It's the perfect way to display my ornaments,

while they are a work-in-process.

It was tedious making 30+ ornaments.

But it feels good to have something accomplished.

I wish I could get my photos to

show how really pretty they are with the

glitter and assorted bevels in the beads

when they catch the light.

With my mom's help, we tried to

come up with a name/theme for these ornaments.

She suggested starlight - starbright,

which I thought was really cute.....

until I decided to limit myself to one word.

*Sparkle*

This past week, I stayed up late, got up early,

eager for each step, with the finished design

even better than what I visioned.

I did the final step 5:30 this morning.

Now that it's the weekend, I can take a break

from creating. The weather is going to be

a beautiful sunny and crisp day.

My goals are eye exam, 2 craft fairs,

an open house to an antique shop,

a trip to Joanns/Michaels to use holiday coupons,

ending with garden cleanup.

I hope there is a little *sparkle* in your day!

Burning the Midnight Oil

2011-11-12T11:36:00.000-05:00

I've been forcing myself to stay off the computer.

It's not an easy thing to do.

But I realized it really eats up my spare time.

This fall weather puts me in the mood to be in the studio.

So, I dusted off the sewing machine;
and had an urge to make dolls.
So I did!

"Tawny"

"Carmel"

"Ariana"

"Pearl"

Then, I had an urge to make Santa ornies,

but I opted to use denim and camouflage fleece

for their stocking caps,

instead of traditional reds and greens.

I originally thought I would try

making some victorian santa ornies,

until my mom suggested camouflage.

It just popped out of her mouth,

and I thought...hmmmm...maybe.

The fleece was so easy to sew with with.

Love them!

and bagged them up in gusseted cello bags.

Got the itch to needle punch again~!

Snowmen inspired by Kelley Belfast's

"MERRY WYNTER designs.

These little designs became

toppers for paper mache boxes.

At the rate I'm going,

Valentine's day will be here before you know it!

(That's how crazy fast my life has been....)

So I'm trying to stay ahead of the game.

The kitty box is my favorite.

Also felt like doing a little collage.

I used book text for the quote

"I see the Moon and the moon sees me"

Added the text on all sides of the canvase block.

Add journals to the list of things keeping me up at night!

Shabby journals using altered book covers,

and stitched with snippets of buttons and lace.

Oh, almost forgot the tags!

Little 2 x 3 tags embellished with paint, paper, buttons,

flowers, eyelets, wire for hanging and sentimental quotes.

I got it all boxed up to bring to

Diddies and Doodads!

So, there is a reason for this obsessive behavior.
I have decided to join this

brick and mortar shop.

One of my co-workers suggested I check out

this cute little shop.

He said he could vision my things fitting right in.

So I did,

and the rest is history!

Merry Halloween New England!

2011-10-31T12:47:00.000-04:00

It's most unusual to expect snowfall before raking the leaves,

or before the trick-or-treaters come a-beggin'!

But hey, this is New England after all.

We lost power Saturday night,

and in the wee hours this morning,

the utility trucks could be heard

repairing the transformer,

and bam, we had our power back.

Some folks are still in the dark however...

5 inches of snow did this damage to our clothes line.

I guess all in all, we were pretty lucky

compared to some folks.

Gotta love New England.

Merry Halloween!

One thing leads to another....

2011-10-22T16:24:00.002-04:00

artwork by Tamara Paré

It all started with the purchase of this post card.

He said "Thank you for supporting our local artist.

She is a member of our staff".

Mom and I happened to be downtown, and

she wanted to stop in the bookstore.

Ironically, I did some unplanned Christmas shopping,

and this little post card caught my attention.

We were interested to learn more about this artist,

and asked if she had a website. He handed me a

card, and said she also has numerous paintings

on display in the bookstore, and coincidentally

is currently displaying her art in the Town Hall Gallery.

He said it was her last day recently,

as she is persuing her art career.

I was handed this postcard, and off we went

to investigate the gallery showing,

but NOT before taking a few photos of the art.

The top 4 paintings is the artwork of

Tamara Paré

The town of Exeter was founded in 1638,

and the downtown area consists of historical buildings.

These are the views taken from the Gallery room on the 2nd floor.

Tamara Paré

As we were heading to our car,

I couldn't resist snapping a photo of this shop!

Art & Tiques

An excellent write up of this shop blogged here

by Elaine of Cafe Chatelaine

I promise you will find what you need here!

We collected vendor business cards and post cards
and headed home. NOT before stopping at craft fair at the library.

We happened to notice several yellow signs with arrows
on our way home, indicating a craft fair ahead.

I was amazed to learn several of the vendors

belonged to NH Team on Etsy.

Everyone was so warm and friendly,

as I stopped to asked questions about their work.

I immediately spotted a mixed media artist,

Michelle Dyson of Stars Align

and made a beeline to inspect her work.

one word says it all - AMAZING!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE her work.

Next I me Kris Keese from Scarlet Cord Designs.

She had the most incredible needlefelted birds

I have ever seen. The details from the embellishments,
down to the their claws really reflects a skilled craft.

She was so charming to explain her skill,

as well to share the information about Etsy Team NH,

and how the vendors planned to be at this event.

Then I met Erica of

Little Cutie Cakes Boutique llc

It was interesting to learn we have been practically

neighbors for over 6 years!

I have a weakness for owls,

and Wendy of Pure Dichotomy

had an awesome selection of beautiful owl prints,

not to mention beautiful jewelry as well.

My favorite part of the fair was stumbling

onto Maxine of Whimsy Fish Arts.

She looked vaguely familiar, and after a few

moments of conversation, it hit me;

she purchased an item I had made a few

years ago when I was vending locally.

You just never know!

This day simply evolved by purchasing a postcard;

one thing just lead to another.

Trials and Celebrations

2011-10-15T08:57:00.001-04:00

Making progress in my yellow altered book journal.

It was one of those moments in the studio;

cleaning and organizing, putting things back

in their proper places.

Sometimes just touching something

can generate a spark....

I was shuffling through a box of collage,

and I stopped cold when I handled this

image of three ladies in the garden.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the publication

it was in; possibly a Stampington magazine,

or Cloth Paper Scissors perhaps.

The artist is Sharon Tomlinson,

known for All Norah's Art.

(did you notice Sharon spelled backwards!)

I am extremely fond of her style of painting faces.

If I remember correctly, she started with a piece of work,

and added photos of her garden to create this new piece.

Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers,

and the colors in this image were striking

against the yellow of my book.

The urge hit me, and out came Collage Pauge,

tissues and my "text" box.

I began collaging the cover of my new journal,

and before I knew it, the cover was done.

A place to record all things

COLORFUL!
A place to practice painting faces.

My trials and celebrations of creating ART.

This cover "sings" to me.

Sharon graciously gave me permission to

post this on my blog.

She is a fabulous teacher, if you

haven't already taken one of her workshops.

She has truly been a great inspiration to me,

and her blog is joy to visit on a regular basis!

This journal is growing on me!

Transitioning into Fall

2011-10-08T08:59:00.002-04:00

This photo was taken by me a couple years ago

while vending at a local craft fair.

This is my favorite time of year.

Warm sunny days, with crispness in the air.

The leaves are turning splendid colors....

...and I feel less guilty spending time indoors in my studio.

The gardens no longer beckon me outdoors....
and it's still too early to rake the leaves...sooooo

I can now spend more time doing this.

It was two years ago that I discovered journaling.

It didn't occurr to me to keep a journal.

It might be, because I was able to express myself

with my doll making, quilting and painting.

However, I quickly developed "journal fever".

I couldn't make up my mind:

on HOW I wanted to journal,

or what type of journal to work in,

or which medium pleased me the most.

I began with a blank daily "Journey to Wings Journal"

published by Brush Dance.

It quickly expanded in size from all the

daily snippets that I glued to the pages:

photos, business cards, post cards, letters,

poems, special e-mails, invitations, birth announements,

bits of artwork for inspiration.

Once I started this journal, it travelled with me to work,

and everywhere I went. I began keeping

my goals, to-do lists, projects and my private thoughts.

Browsing through it gives me flashbacks,

and I am once again, I am back in time,

flooded with memories.

It's almost full to the brim.

So, I will move on to a hand bound

"Full-Tilt-Boogie"

journal I made after taking the workshop from the

fabulous Mary Ann Moss.

Special note:

She is offering a Halloween sale on this

class until October 31st.

She is AWESOME!

...just saying!

I can now boast that I keep several types of journals at once.

I have painted/altered childrens books,

a couple moleskines,

a small and large sketchbook,

Strathmore spiral Visual journals

(140# watercolor, and Mixed Media)

Four hand-bound journals,

One large altered book journal,

one soon-to-be altered jounal,

and a lovely purchased journal I found at Marshall's.

The front and back cover is artwork by Sabrina Ward Harrison,

and it is printed on recycled paper, designed by Anahata Katkin (Papaya).

Currently, I am altering this yellow book
I purchased at a thrift shop.
It contained 160 pages of
painting-on-china patterns/techniques.
It's outdated, and old fashioned, and 9" x 11".
I decided, maybe I could breathe new life into this book.

I began by removing several center pages from each spine.
It is now about 50 pages wide,
with lots of room to expand.

I used a metal ruler to tear out all the colored photos

to add to my collage bin.

These pieces will be incorporated back

into my journal pages in some way.

When I'm feeling in a slump, or

can't get my mojo working,

I work on mindless tasks,

such as painting gesso and/or paint to prep the pages,

or glue an entire page with collage elements,

with no thought process.

When I feel the urge to work on a journal page

it doesn't matter which journal, or which page.

By giving myself permission to work this way,

I have produced some very interesting pages.

No rhyme, no reason. I'm really ok with that.

I love looking at a stack of almost finished journals.

They are all work-in-process;

the results of my journal fever.

I'm looking forward to the long winter months,

as I develop my own unique style of journaling.

Thinking back, I probably discovered journaling

due to the overwhelming amount of courses offered

on different styles and techniques of journaling.

I confess, I have contributed a fair amount of

time and money to that end.

This past week, was the finale of

Katie Kendricks workshop on

"Layered Impressions".

After the many courses/workshops I have taken,

I take great pleasure in saying,

Katie Kendrick is awesome!

The good news is,

she will be offering a DVD

on this class material,

in addition to her soon-to-be-published

book

available in January 2012.

Katie's work reflects her ability to reveal true emotion.

She encourages you to explore and experiment,

and mostly to enjoy the process.

I highly recommend her DVD

based on taking her workshop,

and I can't wait to wrap my arms

arounds her book!

p.s. I will soon be adding a cardboard journal

to my list, after taking this class.

Happy Fall to you!

Fly Beyond the Rainbow

2011-09-24T14:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I just need a little nudge.

After this week's lessons with Katie Kendrick,

I decided to play with a discarded project.

I had collaged some papers to this 6 x 12 piece of wood.

Lost interest, and stuffed it in my wood pile.

I decided to experiment by adding some modeling paste.

Next, I wiped on a couple coats of soft pastels....

and sketched a little angel.

I wish I had taken a photo of the sketch.

She looked totally different, and

I loved the "mood" of her face.

So this morning, I decided to be brave,

and paint a face on the sketch.

One thing lead to another,

and this is my finished project.

I love Katie Kendrick.

She is amazing, and leaves me feeling

stimulated to create, play and explore.

This is one of the best workshops

I have ever taken.

Today I would like to send out personal wishes

to the universe to surround

to my dear friend who's family is dealing with

the loss of a loved one that lost her battle to cancer.

My heart aches for all of you.

On a happy note,

tomorrow I will be seeing my other dear friends,

and we will be celebrating their daugher's wedding day.

Life is so bittersweet.

Layered Impressions

2011-09-14T21:03:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to be taking this class.

I truly hesitated, dragged my feet, and swore I was

not going to sign up for another class.

You know, take some time to create,

and get OFF the computer....

I'm truly a "workshop-a-holic".

I'm drawn to them like a magnet.

Katie Kendrick is amazing.

She is so laid back, down to earth,

and incredibly generous with her knowledge.

Not to mention her truly unique style.

It never occurred to me to "warm up"

by sketching with my non-dominant hand.

After several attempts,

I actually really liked the results.

When I'm feeling brave and ready,

I'll post some pics.

It's only a couple days into her class;

I feel like my battery got charged,

from the energy she exudes.

She is simply a breath of fresh air.

With this workshop,

I want to sit down and play right away.

In my opinion,

Katie is worth every penny!

Listen to her podcast with Rice Freeman-Zachery here.

View Katie's Collage Background tutorial

Blame it on the Mailman

2011-09-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

(this is a scanned image)

I created this mixed media collage

on a 9 x 12 wood panel.

(photo image)

I listed it in my Etsy shoppe,

and was surprised to find that it had

been purchased from a friend I haven't

seen in over 30 years.

Sadly, the package never made it to her.

Somehow the package was lost in transit,

(Blame it on the Mailman)

I was really bummed about it.

So I experimented with printing the image

on Matte Photo paper....and tinkered with

a couple ideas to sort of re-create something different.

I modpodged it to a couple layers of canvas,

and stitched in black around the edges.

I collaged on some tissue flowers,

added stabilo pencil, shaded with charcoal,

doodled a bit in black ink,

and kicked it up a notch with

Swarovski crystals and beads.

It sparkles now.

The lighting wasn't very good (farthest right),

but I almost think I like the newer version better.

I guess in a good way,

I can blame on the Mailman.

I will mail it to her tomorrow as a surprise gift.

This is an example of how I roll with it.

(you know; when life gives you lemons....)

I still wonder where the original ended up?

It has my business card info on the reverse,

with this website link....so maybe one day....,

I'll learn the truth.

Just curious.

Have a great day!

Long Labor Day Weekend = play time in the studio

2011-09-04T14:57:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, we had some cool weather days;

a sign that fall is just around the corner.

Fall is my favorite season in New England,

and crisp weather puts me into a creating tail spin.

This weekend turned out to be warm and humid,

so working in the cooler studio

sounded better than sweating in the garden

doing weeding chores.

I know it's a little early for Halloween,

but I got into the mood to create a prim pumkin

after seeing a particular freebie doodle from Robin of

Bird in the Hand Primitives

I chose to use my latest technique,

making mini art canvas hangings,

and embellished it with stitching and beads.

These projects are fun, quick and easy,

giving me that instant gratification to fuel my creating habit!

I honestly can't wait for those brisk chilly days!

I hope you are enjoying your Labor Day holiday!

Keeping an eye on the weather and power!

2011-08-28T14:24:00.000-04:00

Tensions were high at the start of the weekend,

putting away garden furniture, stray pots, and garden decorations.

Newscasts were hyper, and it was eerily quiet outside.

The wind is definitely stronger, with periods of stillness.

Between power surges and trees snapping in the woods,

I managed to work on these three little

mixed media inspiration ornament/tags.

I have huge rolls of canvas,

that I have cut into small 4 x 6 rectangles.

I began with layers of tissue and acrylic paint.

I added hand sewn painted paper appliques,

with text and bead embellishments.

The colors are enhanced with twinkling H20's,

black ink and inktense watercolor pencils.

The beaded wires compliment the art.

Maybe I'll get these listed on Etsy before I lose power.

I don't think we are out of the woods yet....

but it's looking like we are going to be ok after all.

My heart goes out to those that weren't so lucky....

Goodnight Irene.

Journaling by the campfire

2011-08-20T09:39:00.000-04:00

While packing for my recent camping trip,

I grabbed a couple sketchbooks;

4 Art Journaling magazines;

the book, RAW Art Journaling by Quinn McDonald;

pencils, watercolor paints/crayons and markers.

I have trouble sitting still for very long,

and journaling/doodling by the fire

was very relaxing for me.

The author, Quinn McDonald is conducting a free workshop,

hosted by the yahoo group: Artists of the Round Table.

Our homework for the first week is to identify/sketch our

Gremlins; that "thing" that prevents us from creating.

We were also encouraged to make ourselves

a "permission slip" to create.

One day, I gathered leaves around our campsite,

and tried to identify them in my sketchbook

with marker and watercolors.

Hours go by quickly,

sitting by the campfire,

with full bellies,

journaling to soothing music in the background.

I documented moments of our trip, on pages

previously painted with decortive borders.

I know, revisiting these pages again someday,

will bring back vivid memories of our camping experience.

I decided to experiment with drawing

faces with only a marker,

followed by a quick splash of watercolor.

No planning, NO erasing,

NO rules.

Luckily, we planned our vacation in the middle of the week.

The day before we left, it poured all day!

The day we returned home, it was steamy hot.

Once we were totally unpacked, it poured

hailstones the size of peas and lima beans.

No kidding!

Just beatiful weather in-between.

We couldn't have planned it better.

From our site, if you squinted

and looked between the trees, you could

catch a glimpse of the water.

Waterfront sites are reserved a year in advance.

But we were pleasantly secluded, with

the exception of a single woman one nite,

with very noisy children.

Did I say noisy? never mind....

Also on the last night,

one very robust crowd,

chose to ignore the 10:00 curfew,

and continued to howl and play loud music into the night.

Once all was quiet,

it was a lullabye listening to the loons....

(my favorite part of the trip).

My mom spent the first night with us in the camper.

We were joined for dinner by my brother and nephews.

Ryan is doodling his art in my sketchbook.

Mom is demonstrating how we improvised

after finding our can opener "bladeless".

This year instead of driving three hours to camp in Maine,

we decided to camp locally.

I used to bring my boys to the nearby

public beach when they were very small.

Being close to home, meant we could make a

second trip to get the boat.

We spent two days on the water,

with a packed lunch, just cruising around.

I think next year we'll be back with a canoe or kayak,

to get into the rocky areas that was

too dangerously shallow for the motor boat.

There were these little islands everywhere.

You could tie off, and take a swim,

or enjoy lunch on land.

Notice the blue sky, contrasted with the

cloudy sky and strong breeze on the second day.

The dragon flies were plenty and huge, while the mosqitoes

seemed very small and under nourished.

Daddy Long Leg spiders were everywhere.

The blue herron was silently hidden,

blending in with the fallen trees.

The little green frog appeared on the last day.

The ducks were cute to watch,

checking out the boat,

while I waited for Tim to park the truck.

Every night, we enjoyed the eery songs of the loons,

I once heard described as a sad yodell.

They were amazing to watch every day,

but difficult to take pictures, as they were elusive, dove quickly,

and resurfaced a great distance away.

Bard owls also hooted to one another in the distance.

Every day, we were loudly scolded by a nearby squirrel.

The last night, I heard rustling outside the camper.

Thinking it was a racoon, we attempted to shoo it away.

Since it was a skunk, we carefully pulled a pair of shoes inside,

and decided it wouldn't be worth getting sprayed.

On the last morning, I was about to light the stove,

when I noticed wads of tissue below the flame.

After removing the plate,

we found several clumps of tissue.

Apparently, a mouse figured out

how to enter the camper,

found the box of tissues,

and made several trips to the outside stove,

to prepare a new nest.

Amazing!

Now it's back to reality, housework, laundry and routine.

I must say however, it was a well spent vacation after all,

and I still have a smile on my face.

Vacation!

2011-08-16T07:38:00.000-04:00

Photo by OHLUCYgreetingcards, Raymond NH

Taking a few days for R&R with family!

A very needed vacation!

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do

with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.

~Will Rogers, Autobiography, 1949

Rainy day in the studio

2011-08-07T18:25:00.000-04:00

I am a huge fan of Junker Jane

and her style of doll making.

A pinched nerve and lousy weather

kept me close to home and in my beloved studio....

Last night I as I lay on my heating pad

I read the latest issue of "STUFFED"

featuring Junker Jane dolls.

So with her instructions,

I was on a mission to play with my odds 'n ends.

NOTHING goes to waste

as far as supplies in the studio,

so I have lots to experiment with.

I don't like following directions,

staying in the lines,

or playing by the rules...

so this style of doll-making

is right up my alley.

I didn't measure or plan.

Serendipity prevailed.

She is listed here

I managed to sew a little

pencil pouch with denim, yellow cotton and silk flowers.

While I was stocking my Estsy shop,

I decided to list a few DESTASH items

while I was at it.

A very productive day for feeling out of sorts.

Have a happy week!

Mixing canvas, painted papers, beads and floss....

2011-07-31T13:10:00.000-04:00

I should be playing in my garden

rather than playing in my studio....

but you know how it goes

when you get that nagging to notion to play.

I have a pile of painted papers that I decided

to cut into shapes, and applique onto canvas.

Pastels add sparks of color.

Next comes the stitching with floss,

embellish with beads, followed by

inspiration quotes and inky details.

Eyelets and beaded wire are the finishing touches.

A few closeup shots outdoors....

a few tweaks in photoshop...

Ready to list in my Etsy Shop.

I have chosen this one as a giveaway

in the HAF

Handmade Art Fair

openhouse August 31st.

Stay tuned for details....

Lazy Sunday

2011-07-24T16:04:00.000-04:00

Another hot, hazy summer day.

Did some chores around the house,

watered and weeded a bit in the the gardens

and brought in a huge bucket

of cucumbers, squash and zucchini.

I also finished this needlepunch project I've been working on.

My design felt a little drab, so I decided to kick it up

a notch by embellishing with beads.

I really like the way the beads catch the light

from different angles.

This angel was an unfinished project,

that somehow managed to call to me today.

A few minor changes left me feeling a little better about it.

I didn't have music playing in the studio,

and I suddenly noticed the cat point his ears to the window.

Moments later, I heard the same sound.

One of the triplet fawns sounded distressed in the woods.

It sounded like it was calling for it's mom/siblings.

Suddenly, another fawn came running to it's sound,

and together they bolted to another section in my yard.

I didn't disturb them when I quietly walked out on the deck

to take pictures of them, being playful, and grazing on my plants.

Mom was no where in sight.

I suspect they were mischievous

and sneaked away without her permission.

All three together in this shot.

They are different sizes by comparison.

I'm particulary fond of the smallest one.

It is truly a gift to witness this rare event.

Full Tilt Boogie - Good Friends in Wells

2011-07-18T21:40:00.001-04:00

There is a new buzz word catching on:

Full Tilt Boogie journal

The old buzz word was ROD;

the shortened form of Remains of the Day journal.

So I confess, I took the ROD class,

and watched the videos over and over,

and still couldn't pull it together

to complete a journal.

Then I dragged my feet about taking

Mary Ann Moss's new Full Tilt Boogie class;

kind of punishing myself for not making a ROD journal.

I couldn't stand it any longer.

I did it, and I

LOVE LOVE LOVE

this class.

I knew I would,

and I'm so glad I did.

Mary Ann's classes are so chock

full of juicy goodness.

I absolutely love her style of journaling.

What used to be a The New Yorker book,

became the cover to my new FTB journal.

This journal is primarily made of wall paper; but in this

shot, I have painted both sides of the wall paper.

The pages are embellished with graphics from children's books,

envelopes, cardstock, ledger paper, tape, stickers,

pattern paper, homemade paper, photos from a 1930's

book, cartoons, french poetry, lined paper, and stamps.

It's made of 10 signatures,

with about 3 pages in each signature

I attached this belt with embroidered flowers

and D-rings to bind it together.

I have already decided on a new book cover,

and my next journal will be slightly bigger.

I will have trouble parting with this journal.

* * * * * *

We packed the camper,

and invited my mom to join us,

and headed to Wells Maine,

to have visit with our friends.

It was a rather warm day,

but very cool in the shade of trees in our campsite.

After a hearty meal of lobster, steak, salad, garlic

bread and many cocktails,

we took a stroll on the beach.

Ok, we are feeling pretty relaxed about now.

Mike, Doris, Nettie and Tim

Yes the water is cold!

Doris and Mike with a beautiful sunset in the background.

My sweet hugger!

It was fun day in Wells!

A mermaid, backgrounds and triplets!

2011-07-10T08:47:00.000-04:00

"A mermaid found a swimming lad,

picked him for her own.

Pressed her body to his body,

laughed; and plunged down.

Forgot in cruel happiness,

that even lovers drown."

~William Butler Yeats

Another journal page in my newest altered book journal.

Background created using Kate Cranes' technique.

Acrylics, cutout illustration by Tony DiTerlizzi,

inktense water colors, stickles, ink, and text.

prepped background showing new technique

I recently purchased a combo DVD pack

on Art Journaling techniques by

Kate Crane of The Kathryn Wheel

titled:

Right From a Blank Page

and

There are No Mistakes in Art.

Fabulous!

I highly recommend this purchase.

prepped background #1

prepped background #2

prepped background #3

Recently I heard/saw a baby fawn in the woods

crying for it's momma.

I felt sad and helpless....

Later in the week, my mom

witnessed triplets with their momma.
I knew the little one found it's way.

At first I thought they munchined on my lillies.....

but found they were eating sumac seedlings.

Yay, less weeding for me.

You don't usually catch them out in the middle of the day.

I suspect the little ones have energy to burn!
That's a busy mom for sure.
I hope they live well and long.

Sadness and Faces

2011-07-04T14:34:00.000-04:00

Today I was inspired watching a video

by Mystele demonstrating her

"gut art" painting style.

I hope to sign up for her class in the fall.

This sad face appeared,

when I attempted to paint

like Mystele (without taking her class).

I just used my "gut" to paint.

I love that!

It was so much fun.

I don't like following rules,

painting within the lines;

nor do I necessarily paint with

someone else's suggested palette.

It's the experimentation

and the "I wonder what this will look like" result?

that is so much fun,

and my journal is the perfect place for that.

The clay faces on this journal page were cut out of

a Stampington magazine some time ago,

and I do not remember the artist that created these figures.

But they were whimsical and I kept them with

the intent to collage in my journal.

A fun way to keep cool in the basement

on a beautiful, hot lazy day.

Now I can go play outside and enjoy that sunshine.

Happy 4th of July my friends.

Courtship

2011-07-02T08:19:00.000-04:00

I had a few minutes to work in my journal.

My intent was to work on the latest

prompt from A year in the life of a journal,

but this happened instead.

One thing lead to another.....

This is the first page in my newest altered book journal.

I thinned out the pages,

then glued the pages with YES glue.

Next, I painted each page with gesso,

on a sunny, windy day on the deck,

with a heat tool. THAT really

speaded up that task! Awesome.

It was formerly a National Geographic

Wilderness USA, so I will dedicate

this book to all things nature.

Now I'm off for a boat cruise to the

Isles of Shoals on the Thomas Leighton.

Have a lovely day!

Beauty is not in the face....

2011-06-29T20:20:00.000-04:00

I decided to sign up for Sharon Tomlinson's

mini workshop called Inktense faces on fabric

My first attempt was a blast.

I love my intense pencils, but I haven't

experimented as much as I wanted to.

I've also been concentrating on how I could

improve my doll face making skills.

The dynamics of this face changed drastically

from lying flat to being stuffed.

She has an unusual expression, so

I had to research quotes on BEAUTY and

decided to decoupage a particular

quote on the funnel.

"Beauty is not in the face;

beauty is a light in the heart".

Kahlil Gabran

Once her head was stuffed, she needed

a bonnet or something.

Red roving was needle felted in place,

with a couple crystal embellishments.

A red grosgrain ribbon around her neck,

and I still don't know what possessed me

to create this unusual piece!

********

My sweetie treated me, and our moms yesterday,

to a whale watch out of the Rye Harbor.

Nettie ~ Barb

If you look really close in the next photos,

I barely managed to capture this beautiful

whale feeding off Jeffrey's Ledge.

It was awesome!

I wanted to watch most of the time,

instead of limiting my view through a camera lens.

Something magical about seeing a whale's tale

dipping into the ocean with the sunset as a backdrop,

and diamonds glistening on the water.

Barb ~ Tim

Barb ~ Nettie ~ Sam

You can find even better photos and more info

here: Blue Ocean Society

Thank you Sweetie xxoo

Another dreary forecast

2011-06-25T07:10:00.000-04:00

It's early Saturday morning,

thunder is rumbling in the distance,

the sky is very dark outside,

the cats are vying for my attention,

walking on my keyboard;

while company is still in bed sleeping;

and I'm torn in all directions.

I love my weekend studio time,

and I'm looking around for small projects

to casually work on, and not

appear rude while the company

lounges around snug in blankets,

watching movies,

for lack of better entertainment

on a dreary day.

This kind of weather gets my creative

juices flowing, and its hard to contain myself,

but it's going to be one of those days.

I need to turn my "creative volume" down low,

and enjoy the day with company,

however it unfolds.

I will have visions of ink sprays,

painted faces, fabric scraps, journaling,

collage, gesso and gel medium ideas

all scrambled in my head,

remembering my manners to be polite,

and save those thoughts for another day.

The Muse isn't happy,

but heck, she'll get over it.

You just have to seize the day,

and enjoy making memories with loved ones

every moment you can.

I wish YOU a joyful a day!

Vertigo and Circles journaling prompt

2011-06-18T07:15:00.000-04:00

Prompt provided by A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Vertigo
THE SONG: Right Round Ft. Kesha
Written Lyrics HERE
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Circles

This journal page simply happened.

I started to apply color with a couple dauber bottles,

in colors of raspberry and gold.

I have dozens of folders with magazine clippings,

and this bird was the first thing that caught my eye

puffing out his golden chest.

I enhanced the page with Sennelier pastels,

using a deep blue, black and sunny yellow,

which are vibrant when rubbed with a wet wipe.

Then I stopped.

I couldn't find words to express my feelings.

When I saw the newsest prompt,

I KNEW this page would have a happy ending.

I searched for a "vertigo" quote,

typed it on the computer,

printed, ripped and pasted,

outlined the text in vine charcoal.

Next, I journaled a few words from the song,

in a spiralling downward pattern,

and enhanced the bird a little bit,

using black gel pen.

Three more circles in raspberry paint

to emphasize the words

"round" and "falling".

Voila! C'est finis!

I'm learning to let go and play

without thinking about it.

I am often frozen or paralized with doubt,

or lack of ideas to plan a project.

Stuck.

It's the act of "doing" something; anything,

which "sparks" and "ignites"

that special unexpected experience,

often referred to as the "journey".

This a perfect example

of being lead by my Muse.

So I'm learning to not think.

Grab a color of any medium,

and make a mark.

The more frequent this happens,

you will find your style.

The rest will follow.

Enjoy the journey.

Vintage inspired lavender sachets

2011-06-13T07:21:00.000-04:00

Rain, rain go away!

It's been a rainy spring,

and this past weekend was no exception.

It turned into a washout (weather-wise)

Ready for the birthday party to begin!

We stayed in the garage mostly due to the

rain and chilly weather, but it was fun.

Smoked ribs and chicken were a huge hit.

Thanks to Skip and his secret ingredients.

Nettie and Craig in their hoodies!

It was a fun party in spite of the rain.

After cleaning up the garage,

I spent yesterday in my studio,

(enjoying the rainy day actually).

Rainy days inspire me, but I won't say that too loud.

But, the cats are even affected by the weather,

just laying around sleeping all day.

While getting caught up on workshop videos,

I worked on these lavender sachets.

Printed vintage ladies on fabric,

embellished with a decorative stitch,

buttons, beads, and organdy ribbon.

Two are backed with black velvet,

and two are backed with a pretty tapestry.

I also organized my paints.

I'm getting the itch to paint again,

so I'll practice my techniques in my journals

to get warmed up, and see if I'm rusty or not.

So many possibilities.

At least in the journals, I can let

serendipity lead the way for now.

Then perhaps I'll be on course again.

For now, I will enjoy the rain while it lasts,

for once the sun shines, I'll be enjoying my garden

once again, as well as the fresh air.

Hopefully!

A view of my gardens

2011-06-10T10:21:00.000-04:00

Spring is such a busy time of year.

Graduations, weddings, and birthday parties.

My poppies were supposed to be red/orrange.

I was disappointed at first, but

this color is growing on me.

This year I didn't delay in buying pansies.

I love birds in my yard.

My dad made me several birdhouses

before he passed away in May of 1995.

It was difficult to put them outside,

but life goes on, and I think Dad would

be really happy to see them now.

It warms my heart to see them raise their babies.

The noah's ark birdhouse was a gift,

and looks awesome hanging from my planter.

This is my hosta garden, with an ornamental birdhouse.

We built our farmer's porch last year,

and it's our favorite place to hang out.

The rickety shed in our backyard,

served as a shelter for a ferral cat this winter.

We had so much snow, and he would

crawl to the food I left out for him daily.

This weekend I'm preparing a party to celebrate my

mom's 75th birthday, and my youngest son's 21st birthday.

Family are coming from out of town, and

the weather looks to be perfect.

So I have taken today off from work

to clean the house, shop, and

prepare the food.

Not before counting my blessings,

enjoying the little things that make my day.

Heaven Help Me

2011-05-30T11:27:00.000-04:00

AYear in the Life of an Art Journal

Musical Musings 5.30.11

The Prompt: Faith

The Song: Heaven help me by Gretchen Wilson
Product/Technique: Wings
Written Lyrics HERE

This song "Heaven Help Me"

by Gretchen Wilson is so beautiful.

Victorian Lavender filled pillow sachets

2011-05-28T09:42:00.000-04:00

I decided to experiment with printing

some of my angel paintings on fabric.

I sewed each one on a piece of linen

that had a soft woven feel to it.

I had fun picking from my stach of buttons,

beads and lace trims to embellish each pillow,

and filled them with wonderful smelling lavender.

I listed each one in my Etsy shop,

pleasantly surprised to see that Etsy

has made recent improvements in the listing process.

Their "circles" feature seems to be really catching on!

I love Etsy!
I hope you have a sunny day!

Where is the sun?

2011-05-22T08:39:00.000-04:00

The weather has been gray and dismal

for the last 2 weeks.

This weekend shows little improvement.

At least I know I can find sunshine in the studio!

* * * * * * * * *

Yesterday I went out of town for a combo graduation

celebration, and there WAS sunshine there!

Ryan and Moe

Sunshine, and two very shining stars!

We are so proud of you!!!

Itching to punch again

2011-05-17T07:27:00.000-04:00

I made this star punch needle pattern a while ago.

My intention was to attach it to a little

pinkeep in a rusty canning jar lid.

I had to keep it safely hidden from my cat,

or he would have stolen it for a new toy.

So...out of sight, out of mind.

But I happened to find these 2 cute little

jewelry boxes sort of, and immediately

saw the potential to use with my star design.

First I stitched the prim crocheted doily to the box lid.

I securely attached the design by stitching

around with wool yarn and linen thread

I added a piece of black felt to the bottom.

The pinkeep now has storage for pins, buttons or what ever!~

Can even be given as a gift box with jewelry or token inside.

I finished a second one as well, but haven't taken

photos of it yet.

This long stretch of dismal weather we are having

is kicking my creative juices into overdrive.

I love when that happens.

I'm trying to enjoy it while I can,

as once the sun shines again,

I'll be playing in the dirt!

Happy Mothers Day!

2011-05-08T12:16:00.001-04:00

Mixed Media fun!

Painted papers collaged onto canvas.

I have YARDS of canvas that I finally decided

it was time to drag out and use.

I LOVE playing with my chalk pastels.

The colors are vibrant and

spread easily with a wet wipe.

A while ago I made some painted cloth paper,

and couldn't figure out what to do with it, until now.

I decided to experiment with sewing right to the canvas.

I added a layer of chipboard between two layers

of canvas, which stablizes it nicely.

The sewing machine presented no problems.

The eyelets were easy to add for the ribbons.

The reverse has a coat of gesso,

and it perfect for adding a special message

if given as a gift.

This is how I spent some of my Mother's day morning.

I'm anxious to make more of these.

My boys both called making my day,

and my sweetheart is adding loam

to my two new raised beds he made for me.

The weather is beautiful, and

it's time to go outside to play.

Happy Mother's day to all!

Wish - mixed media collage

2011-05-01T10:46:00.000-04:00

All I need is one star in the sky

to wish for you every day....

7" x 12"

magazine clipping, napkins, book text, pastels,

black ink, stamps, gel pen, rubons and stickles

protected with a polymer varnish

scanned at 300 dpi

photographed in natural light

edited in Photoshop

Busy - journal prompt

2011-05-01T09:14:00.001-04:00

The Prompt: Busy!
The song: Manic Monday by the Bangles
Product/technique: Lace/trim
A year in the life of an art journal

My life IS busy.
My Monday's are most definitely Manic.
My body keeps sending warning messages....
I tend to to ignore...
I live for my weekends,
not reserved for housework,
however I can't create in a dirty house...

So I bite the bullet
get it done as quickly as possible,
so I can settle down to some artsy time.

Yesterday I got the chores done.
Washed floors, shook out the rugs,
and picked up a little.

Grabbed the garden tools and wheelbarrow,
and spruced up the garden beds.

With chores behind me, I can really enjoy
"play time" in the studio.

This journal page sums it up.
Take time out of your busy schedule to wear
your roller blades and GO have some fun!

I scanned this really fun postcard
and used gel medium to apply to my page.

For the trim element, I sewed black rickrack
to the page, used black stayzon ink and gel pen.

I don't want to grow up, and I definitely don't
want to waste my life in exchange
for a spotless house.

Do you?

A smiling face in the garden....
(this one is for you Polly!)

Time to plant the pansies!

Really?

2011-04-20T06:54:00.000-04:00

THE PROMPT: Really?!

from A year in the life Art Journal

THE SONG:

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

by Selena Gomez

PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Speech bubbles

I had a page already started in my journal:

wallpaper scraps created a border,

splash of color with pastel crayons.

So I worked quickly, looking for

random images from magazines.

Everything was falling into place,

tissue, gel pen, charcoal, marker and more color.

Everything is feeling good,

then the MUSE screeches

to a halt....!

So the "story ending"

to what this page

is all about is left to the beholder,

until the MUSE returns;

at 3:00 in morning,

or travelling on a road trip,

or journaling in a coffee shop.....

...til then,

this IS my entry!

Really??

Mail Goodness and Swaps

2011-04-09T18:03:00.000-04:00

I love getting mail,

and participating in a swap

is a great way to get mail.

Today I worked on little 3 x 5 cards

for a swap I decided to join

hosted by a yahoo group

called In This House and Garden

The theme is "Meet The Artist"

An actual head photo is required,

and the rest is the artistic/creative part.

You make a card for every participant (20 total).

I used the body from a prim bunny doll

I had made a couple years ago.

My story involves my creative journey

from making prim dolls to mixed media.

I am really looking forward to seeing

the creativity in this swap!

I received this really neat card in the mail this week.

I ordered it from

LittleJoys on Etsy.

I intended for it to be a gift,

but decided to keep it

after displaying it on a shelf in my studio.

I may have to order another one!

The craftsmanship is perfect in every way.

I really liked the way this card was

constructed to resemble a house,

and especially enjoy seeing it on my shelf!

My curiosity led to buying this book,

In This House purchased from Altered Bits on Etsy.

It arrived all wrapped up like a present.

I enjoyed the suspense.

I didn't realize at the time I made this purchase,

that these authors are the same moderators

for the yahoo group I will be swapping in.

The book became more special with that realization.

In fact, I feel honored and more excited for the swap.

Such a small world.

I will wrap up this post by showing 4 postcards

I received this week from the DIY 2011 postcard Swap.

Three little birds from Cave Junction, OR

Coffee Bean collage from Carol Stream, IL

Collage with stacked rocks and daffodils from Chicago, IL

Illustrated penquins and Flamingo from Teloma Village, Australia

The last post card included a very lovely note from Anne,

which absolutely made my day!

Tapestry & Chenille and Night critters

2011-04-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

I recently had my old faithful sewing machine repaired,

after breaking down before the holidays.

It needed a new motor, and I can't believe

how it hummmms! *grinning*

I have a lot of fabric to choose from,

but seriously wanted to downsize a huge

inventory of chenille and tapestry.

I decided to play with a Sue Spargo pattern,

omitting the hand stitched embellishments.

I just want to whip up something quick.

The finished size is 21" x 14" and

I think it's just what I had in mind.

* * * *

Back in January I wrote about a cat

shelter we put outside for ONE ferral cat,

we named "Spooky".

After seeing a racoon in the yard,

Tim setup his night vision camera

so that we could see who's eating in the cat house.

Here is new Cat #1 - looks young

New Cat #2 "Scruffy"

It looks like it's been around the block some!

Here's original cat "Spooky"

So glad this cat is still around.

We thought it was living under our shed,

and discovered it INSIDE.

New Cat #3 with a collar

Neighbor's cat I presume.

Baby Rocky Racoon (darn it)

I really didn't want to attract raccoons.....

What have we here with a rat-tail????

Looks like a Pesky Possum......

In addition, there is also a hole about the diameter of

an orange, created by chipmunk(s) or red squirrel(s).

So now I'm faced with the decision of

continuing to feed or not.

I omitted the night feeding hoping the

cats would seek food in daylight.

My indoor cats don't know how good

they have it!

Not Broken and 10 for 10 Swap

2011-03-31T19:50:00.000-04:00

THE PROMPT: Love
THE SONG: Not Broken by the Goo Goo Dolls
Written Lyrics HERE
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Sillouettes

A year in the Life of an Art Journal

Recently my mom gave me this postcard for my journal.

She knew I would do something creative in some way.

I collaged it into my journal,

and scribbled on some red and gold color

with my Sennelier pastels.

Without thinking, I grabbed a Lysoll wet wipe,

to clean my fingers and wondered what would

happen if I smeared the color on the page.

It got really creamy and became so vibrant.

I was surprised actually because the pastels

are so chalky, and don't work well with water.

The page sat for a couple days until

I saw the prompt for yesterday.

I knew instantly this already prepped page

was perfect, and created a black silhouette,

subtle black accents, and journaled a

few lines from the lyrics.

I seem to be gravitating to these colors lately!

* * * *

The following photos are from a 10 for 10 swap

with about 40 gals from the yahoo Remains of the Day group,

created by wonderful the Mary Ann Moss.

(Seriously this workshop is the best!)

We sent 10 packages to Jan who was hosting the swap,

and she mailed back 10 packages from different gals.

It was like Christmas opening presents.

My sewing machine motor died in December,

and I just got it back recently.

I now have no excuse to work on my "rod" journal.

Socks for Japan

2011-03-26T11:48:00.002-04:00

There is something you can do to help.

Donate new socks!

Click this link to learn more.

http://jasonkelly.com/helpjapan/

I found this information on Michelle Ward's site
Find out more, and snag a translated sentiment
to ship with your socks!

Spread the word!
This is good thing.

Strut!

2011-03-17T19:18:00.000-04:00

3.15.11 Prompt

read about it by clicking here:

A year in the Life Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Confidence Shot
THE SONG: Strut by Adam Lambert
Written Lyrics HERE
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: eye shadow

This morning began with starting the coffee

early after a restless night.

I don't know what came over me,

as I started to browse a Vogue magazine

just looking for some "confidence shots"

and inspiration for a journal page.

My original thought was to create

a stencil of a "confident looking position".

I laid a few elements on the page,

and after a quick shower,

thought maybe I would play with the

elements to find a good composition.

I realized my concience is

"keeping an eye on the clock"

and the muse is whispering

"go for it, you are on a roll!"

I quickly collaged,

used the heat tool,

and cut out some letters to spell

"S-T-R-U-T"

I was definitely on a roll,

so I decided to look at the lyrics

for a little more inspiration...

A little doodling

with a Tombo marker,

and cool smudges with a

charcoal vine came next,

to finally finish the page.

Sometimes you have to let your

"muse" take over.

As a result, I drove to work (late)

with a smile on my face

getting to squeeze in some journaling,

in spite of skipping breakfast

and a bad hair day!

Sweet!

Post Card Mail Art Inspiration and Experimentation

2011-03-13T15:26:00.000-04:00

This morning I decided to play

with creating postcard mail art

for the swap I signed up for here

For inspiration, I decided to browse

1,000 Artist Trading Cards

by Pokey Bolton

I knew instantly what I was going to do

the moment I realized Misty Mawn

was a contributing artist on page 238!

So I printed out the perfect postcard

template on ivory cardstock

(generously provided on Hanna's site).

I began the background with Distress Inks

and soft pastels.

I printed out tiny faces of my prior creations.

I worked quickly without
thinking about it too much....

Each figure was dressed in
newspaper print that had been used as
"table protection" during painting sessions.
This paper is carefully stored in rolls
for special occassions such as this.

The text was taken from an old book;

Andersen's Fairy Tales

and randomly cut and placed

to create odd sentences.

Final touches of fixatif and marks-all pencil

and a coat of Golden's Polymer Varnish.

I coincidentally have these clear little bags

that the postcards will fit oh so snugly in,

adding protection until it reaches it's destination.

I will print a paper version of the template

to place over the original, and the top

copy will have the recipient's name.

Then I can tuck a little note inside!

These whimsical cards were so much

fun to create. I think I'm on a roll!

Postcard Swap - Care to join?

2011-03-12T07:26:00.000-05:00

There's still time to sign - up

Deadline is March 18th

Details here: ihanna

Last year she reported 1,500 participants.

Imagine getting 10 little pieces of art

in the mail from where-ever?

Swaps are an easy and fun way

to meet other artists that

maybe will create lasting friendship bonds,

not to mention the inspiration

and keepsakes that you will acquire.

Won't you join me?

Love and Peas

2011-03-06T14:57:00.000-05:00

I received this awesome wallhanging

all the way from Scotland,

from my new friend Jenny Blair of

Love and Peas

I signed up to participate in the February

Creative Color Challenge

hosted by Louise Gale

Our creation was to be two

complimentary colors in the color wheel,

and had to have something to do with "bloom".

Jenny chose the colors orange and turquoise.

I can't believe the detail with the image,

as well as the machine and hand stitching!

On the back she adds

"Stop! and smell the flowers".

It now hangs in my studio.

The little flower brooch is adorable,

and personal card reflected her talent,

and super friendly, and bubbly personality.

You can check out other participant's

work on the Flickr site.

I also made a wall hanging,

using some homemade red cloth paper,

and green watercolor paper,

red and green beads,

and interestly black and white accent

(like Jenny's card).

Recently I stumbled on this site

Megans Creative Bliss

where her motto is

"Make Art and Live Happy".

I am intrigued with her videos

where she demonstrates her techniques

of painting whimsical ladies and journaling.

She makes it look so easy,

and I can say it's NOT.

I attempted to sketch my image in pencil

on watercolor paper,

followed by colored pencils,

acrylic paint and glazing medium.

I cut her out, and pasted her into

my moleskine. I decided to add an application of

Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS.

That stuff is totally awesome.

It sealed my page beautifully,

and I was able to journal on it.

I'll keep trying!

I painted this gal with Paulette Insall's technique,

in a child's board book that I altered recently.

I want to fill this book with all types of painted ladies.

Well that wraps up my post.

Thanks for visiting!

Celebrating with Lisa Kaus

2011-02-27T07:37:00.000-05:00

On Valentine's day,

I made an online purchase,

(sort of a birthday gift to myself).

I am a huge fan of Lisa Kaus

and she had a valentine's special in her shop.

So I purchased these 2 little heart prints

and they arrived with one of her greeting

cards distributed exclusively by Trader Joe's!

The sentiment inside the card read:

Sweet! It's your birthday!

I love, love, love them!

The sticker on the back reads:

Experience the wonderful whimsical art of Lisa Kaus.

These artful goodies will shine in my studio.

I was born on the 29th,

so tomorrow is my birthday;

well, sort of.

If she only knew!

Sweet!

"Breakin' Dishes" by Rihanna

2011-02-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

Feb. 15th - Musical Musings Prompt

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Fight
THE SONG: Breakin' Dishes by Rihanna
Written Lyrics HERE
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Bleach

Ok, this prompt was tricky for me.

First I had to wrap my head around her attitude,

which isn't where I'm at all,

and second I'm not a big fan of Rihanna.

So, it all began with an urge to paint a face.

I had a magazine clipping already collaged

into my moleskine, and I picked up a paintbrush

for the heck of it, and just starting painting.

Next thing I knew, one thing lead to another,

and I realized she HAD the attitude for a fight.

I happened to have a magazine clipping fo the dishes,

with a clock face to boot!

There you have it.

I created a journal page for a prompt

without intention. I love when that happens.

I incorporated bleach for her tears,

and picked a couple lyrics from the song.

I enjoyed painting the face the most.

I want to practice painting over magazine

clippings to get a better feel

for shading and proportions.

This is another attempt to paint a

magazine clipping in my moleskine.

It's not easy...she looks "slightly crooked"

but I do enjoy painting them.

(are you reading this mom?)

LOL!

My mom refers to her journal as "slightly crooked".

I like that!

Inktense Watercolor pencils in my sketchbook

2011-02-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

I'm taking an online workshop with Alisa Burke

called Sketchbook Delight.

(I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT)

I decided to experiment with

my Derwent Inktense pencils, but I

needed inspiration to practice some sketching.

My first page was inspired by browsing through

1,000 Artist Journal Pages by Dawn DeVries Sokol.

On Page 39, I was drawn to the artwork by Andi Arnovitz.

I began with pencil, outlined with a waterproof marker,

then filled in with my Inktense pencils and paintbrush,

and used regular watercolor for the background.

Next, I am fascinated with the work of

Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm.

You can purchase her designs

at Spruce Ridge Studios.

She is so talented, and I am

especially fond of her fractur drawings.

I also used regular watercolor for the background.

This page was inspired by

Folk Artist ~ Karla Gerard

I love her whimsical houses, trees and birds,

which happen to also be objects I'm drawn to.

This was a very relaxing exercise.

It never occurred to me to use

color in my sketchbook.

I am so fascinated with Alisa Burke,

and the yummy photos she posts on her blog.

It occurred to me, perhaps I could find

a way to be creative while travelling,

at work on my lunch hour, or simpley watching TV.

(instead of always creating in my basement like a recluse).

It is my goal to become more experienced

sketching actual objects found around the

house, or outside in my garden, and on my walks.

I do want to authenticate

my work with my own creative spin.

It's not my intent to copy the work of

other artists; but to experience what they

may have felt in their creative process.

I started this sketchbook in March of 2010.

Looking back I can see my progress,

and feel so much more confident in myself.

Thank you for visiting!

Beauty and Attitude

2011-02-06T16:08:00.001-05:00

Beauty

collage on 6 x 8 canvas panel

magazine clippings, book text, inks,

acrylics, ink, computer text and charcoal

Attitude

Another page in mixed media journal

magazine clippings, scrapbook cardstock,

gesso, acrylics, inks, charcoal, gel pen,

pitt marker, and charcoal

Today I discovered, I could lay down some

cool color by collaging scraps of newsprint

that had been splattered with paint.

I added gesso, more paint and inks and paint splaters

~all ready to journal

more examples of using paint splattered

newsprint as collage

just a little gesso and paint to blend it all in.

I thought I liked 90lb paper the best,

but after today have decided this

Strathmore mixed media journal really rocks!

The pages remain soft and supple

after everthing I added!

A week after the storm...

2011-02-06T08:34:00.000-05:00

A picutre after last week's monster storm,

and this doesn't truly reflect

how buried we were.

Even though this wind chime is encased in ice,

I could hear it loud and clear,

indicating a very windy evening last night.

This ice is also a bad sign,

indicating future problems inside....

which is partly why I cleaned and organized yesterday.

Maybe preparing for water leaks,

will be a deterrent in a way.

(fingers crossed)

Tim packed down the snow

so that our feral cat would have

a path to the food we leave out at night.

Tim also feeds the deer,

especially when their food becomes scarce with deep snow.

My son borrowed ladders stored in the shed

to help remove snow from roofs,

and discovered our feral cat is not living under the shed;

but living INSIDE the shed.

That is a relief for me.

The heated shelter is in a perfect spot,

as far as the snow is concerned.

Once the snow melts, this could become

a very wet location.....

"Spooky" comes every night for dinner at least,

even though he prefers the shed to this warm little "condo".

After spending yesterday, organizing and cleaning

my studio, today, I was in the mood to paint.

I looked for some newsprint to protect

my table, and spotted a corner on this sheet

that was really pretty.

So I decided to tear it out,

and collage it into my journal....

To blend the edges, I pulled out more paint,

and glazing medium to slowly build

up the transformation and camouflage

where the edges met.

I pulled out a couple stencils,

and blended some white paint with my fingers.

I experimented with my gel pen,

and found no issues in journaling.

This was a quick, fun

and very unexpected surprise.

The day is young, and this was a

great kick-start to my day.

So maybe I'll play in paint just a bit more,

before I have to tackle the tax return....

Giveaway at The Twinery

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

Act Fast!

Check out this awesome giveaway from THE TWINERY

11 full-sized spools of bakers twine

hosted by Hannah from Sherbert Blossom

Entries close on Feb 5th 11:59 pm

I love the fact there are so many colors!

I love this stuff!

Gollywobbles

Be your own kind of beautiful!

Mini mixed media art quilt

Always be Knolling - by Tom Sachs

First Things First

Tick, Tick, Tick.....

Canvas journals in the making

Starting the new year right, making progress.....still restraining

Pucker Up baby, it's almost February...

Thank you Spencer

Restraint and Discipline - 2012

Rocco's fault...

My sewing machine has been hummin'!

Hand Made in New Hampshire - Homespun Christmas 11th year

Happy Thanksgiving

Holiday Extravaganza

*Sparkle*

Burning the Midnight Oil

Merry Halloween New England!

One thing leads to another....

Trials and Celebrations

Transitioning into Fall

Fly Beyond the Rainbow

Layered Impressions

Blame it on the Mailman

Long Labor Day Weekend = play time in the studio

Keeping an eye on the weather and power!

Journaling by the campfire

Vacation!

Rainy day in the studio

Mixing canvas, painted papers, beads and floss....

Lazy Sunday

Full Tilt Boogie - Good Friends in Wells

A mermaid, backgrounds and triplets!

Sadness and Faces

Courtship

Beauty is not in the face....

Another dreary forecast

Vertigo and Circles journaling prompt

Vintage inspired lavender sachets

A view of my gardens

Heaven Help Me

Victorian Lavender filled pillow sachets

Where is the sun?

Itching to punch again

Happy Mothers Day!

Wish - mixed media collage

Busy - journal prompt

Really?

More postcards from Ihanna DIY poscard swap 2011

Mail Goodness and Swaps

Tapestry & Chenille and Night critters

Not Broken and 10 for 10 Swap

Socks for Japan

Strut!

Post Card Mail Art Inspiration and Experimentation

Postcard Swap - Care to join?

Love and Peas

Celebrating with Lisa Kaus

"Breakin' Dishes" by Rihanna

Inktense Watercolor pencils in my sketchbook

Beauty and Attitude

A week after the storm...

Giveaway at The Twinery

Sparkle