Tag: art journal

Random

How Hot Is It??

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It’s so hot that even thinking of working with wool yarn makes me break into a sweat, even with the thermostat is set on Arctic Circle and the ceiling fans are set to airplane propeller speed.  All my knitting WIPs that are wooly are on hold for now.  I can’t work up any enthusiasm in my pottery studio either, trying to get caught up on glazing and firing at 3 a.m. when it’s at least bearable to be in the garage/studio.  🥵🥵🥵

Still and all, I feel blessed – me and mine are all happy and healthy, the Bangkok bunch got back home to America to stay after five years of perpetual summer without hitch one, self quarantined for two weeks and came out the other side still healthy and still happy.  God is good.

The photo I planned to post is missing in action, but I came across one taken a couple of winters ago and is something to look forward to………

 

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. John Lennon

 

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Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday 12/31/14

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ON MY NEEDLES

Red Bird Knits Tulips, after some cat vs. sock in progress drama, but, it’s coming right along.

BOOKLOVE

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr, a library book that I’m enjoying enough to renew.  There hasn’t been much reading going on the last week or so. Hopefully this will change for the better this week.  I miss reading, but I do have to sleep sometimes!  📚💤

MORE MIXED MEDIA

I started this yesterday.

So far, acrylic paint, stencils, stamps and hand drawn and colored flower.

I’m linking with Yarn Along, Frontier Dreams and Gracey’s Goodies today.

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.  Kahlil Gibran


Happy New Year!

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Curious?  Find out more here.

Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 12/22/14

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MOMM*

I’ve been busy the past few days working on the cover for my 2015 Documented Life art journal and looking forward to using an actual journal made just for that.  I’ve been using the smaller version and loving it.  Sooooo much better than the spiral bound notebook I’ve been using!  Here is a journal post using the smaller one and a look at what I’ve done so far on the larger journal’s cover.  I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings!

*My own mixed media

Stamps, purchased and handmade, hand drawn and colored flowers, inks, die-cuts, stencils

Acrylic paint, inks, stencils, stamps, an ATC and a cut-out

I’m thinking of a more restrained approach for the larger journal cover.

THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT 2014

This week’s prompt, week 52, is holiday traditions.  The first tradition that came to mind was our tree, so that’s where I started.

Inks, copic marker, found hand drawn star and punched red and green cardstock circles

I like it so far.

I don’t know where that white circle came from.

CHRISTMAS GRANDS

It wouldn’t be Christmas without sharing these:

The Papoose and Sprout

 

Babydiva and Babymama decorating cookies.

 

The Elf

Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.  Epictetus

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Knitting

Monochromatic Mixed Media Monday

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M x 4

Monochromatic Mixed Media Monday – I think all those M sounds are called alliteration.  See Mrs. Smith!  I’ve not forgotten ALL of what you taught me in high school English.  I think it sounds pretty neat.  OK, moving on.  This is what I’ve been working on these past few days –

 Fabric scraps, hand drawn flowers, feather, stencil, vintage blueprint, diecuts, playing card, handcarved stamps, purchased stamp, black acrylic paint, spray ink and assorted doodads

I like the vintagey, grungy look of this one – how ’bout you?

An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity.  A pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.  Winston Churchill

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Knitting

Perhaps Today, Fishies, Very Interesting

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MAYBE TODAY

I don’t have anything finished to post knitterlywise, but have high hopes that by the time the clock shows 12 midnight tonight, I will.  I made a crucial mistake this morning.  I stalked did some research on Zauerball Sock Yarn online and, well, we all know how this movie ends, don’t we?  I’ve been knitting gray for way too long. I NEED COLOR!!!!!  Thus the push for gray to be over and done with.

SOMETHING IS FISHY

I’ve been seeing fish everywhere these last few days, maybe due in part to the trip to PetSmart last week with Bigmommy, the Papoose and the Sprout to purchase some fishy stuff for their new aquarium, after winning a goldfish at the Stuttgart Carnival, which promptly went belly up.  All this leads up to this new mixed media project –

Acrylic background, handcarved stamps, ink, gel pen, painters tape and bookpaper

I had absolutely no plan when I started this one, other than “I wonder what mixing a bit of black and blue iridescent paint and pouncing it on would look like?”

I love the way it turned out!

As an aside, I’ve been told that I have an “intuitive style”.  Having no clue what that means, I googled it and this is what I learned:

 Intuitive painting is a creative practice that releases impulses usually corralled by the logical part of the brain to make a work of art. People who use this technique employ their intuition to paint automatically without stopping to plan for the outcome of the piece. Some practitioners like Chris Zydel, who leads workshops on intuitive painting, believe it is a spiritual experience that can help free the mind and heal the soul.

Interesting.  I’ve always called it flying by the seat of my pants. 🚀✈️🚁😋

We are all of us imaginative in some form or other, for images are the brood of desire.  George Elliot


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Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday #3, Booklove 12/10/14, Two Weeks left

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ON MY NEEDLES

Christmas knitting continues, but slowly.  Next year, I’m starting holiday knitting in January! My  rule of one knitted gift per year will stand, I’m just trying to minimize the stress of “down to the wire” knitting.  We’ll see how it goes.  Once again, my WIP is this:

 

BOOKLOVE

I’m immersed in Ann Hood’s An Italian Wife, which I’m enjoying very much and have The Night Circus at the head of the queue when Wife is finished.  After that, who knows???

JUST TWO MORE!

I can hardly believe that the 2014 Documented Life Art Journal has just two more weeks, two more prompts and bang, 2014 shuffles off stage and the brand spanking new 2015 project will take its place.  Know what I’m most proud of?  I stuck with it, even with only the vaguest idea of what an art journal is, and learned more than I ever thought possible.  The most amazing thing I learned?  I’m an artist and I love art!  This is a huge take away for me, who has always had problems with “staying in the lines” and always “marched to the beat of a different drummer”.

I’m linking with Ginny’s Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams today.  Visit  and be inspired!

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.  Lao Tzu 


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It’s that day again!

Click below to add your link then link back here to share the love!

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Knitting

Dream Vacation

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IN MY DREAMS

I have a confession to make:

I tried hard to make this week’s Documented Life prompt, week 50 if you’re keeping track, about a dream vacation at the beach, I cut out pictures, made a background and arranged everything just so.  Except……

My dream vacation isn’t the beach – before I go any further, I need to make this clear – I love the beach, I do, but being the hardcore homebody I am, I confess that my dream vacation is being home, with my family, my pets, my bed and my spot on the couch, the spot where the cushions fit me perfectly and the lamp is perfect for knitting or writing or reading or a conversation with Mr. Iknead.  I figured this out when I was putting together a packing list for my dream vacation and noticed that I could put my hand on everything I listed from my spot on the couch — books, knitting, paper, pens and family.

So, that’s my confession.  I’m owning it.  Most days, I’m living my dream vacation.  The only tan I have is the one I get from being outside in my yard, playing with grandchildren or pets, or piddling around my patio and plants.  I don’t have a ton of vacation pictures to share, unless you count the ones I take of knitting projects, funny family, art projects and those odd ones you get when you accidently hit the button on my iPhone, I do have a ton of those.

I know this sounds sickly sweet and too good to be true, but it is.  True, some days are better than others and I’m happy to see some days disappear from my life’s rear view mirror, but I’m a radical optimist and believe every day holds something good.  Sometimes you have to look a little harder to find it, but it’s there, every. single. day.

I am lucky.  I am blessed.  This is my dream vacation.

HEY!!!! Wanna see some vacation pics??????

 The latest photo of my ridiculously precious newest grand, the Elf and her equally precious mommy.

You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.  James Thurber


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Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 12/8/14

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MY OWN MIXED MEDIA (MOMM)

I’m so happy and excited to have started my new Dylusions art journal.  After using an spiral notebook with lined, not mixed media or watercolor paper, the mixed media paper is such a treat!  Not having to prep my pages with gesso before starting work is awesome – more spontaneous I suppose.  I love everything about this journal!  Here are the first two projects:

 

Stacked Birds

Book paper, Distress stains mustard seed and crushed olive, blue jean and barn door

 

Doodle–>ribbons–>tree

pitt pen, assorted gel pens

This particular journal is the smallest one, the pages measure 5×8 inches.  I have the larger one also, I plan to get started painting the cover sometime this week.  The first cover was just a warm-up! 🎨😺  Blank pages are sooooooo exciting!

The dream is over…  

I was the Dreamweaver

But now I’m reborn

I was the Walrus

But now I’m John.

             John Ono Lennon

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Knitting

Getting Close, Real Close

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GOTCHA COVERED

More Layers

(If you missed out on the beginning of this project, you can catch up here.)

 

14.  Hand drawn and painted flowers

15.  Grunge heart stamp – silver

16. Pink acrylic paint splatters

17.  Light teal acrylic paint splatters

18.  Stencils

19. First part of wonky frame done with white paint pen

20.  More pink acrylic paint splatter

I think this cover is very close to being finished.  I need to decide if it’s finished or not, I can always add a little more of “this or that.” Feel free to comment, do you think it’s finished???

 Nope, not finished yet.

21.  Wonky frame complete on front.

Finished (for now) I haven’t decided whether or not to wonky frame the back.

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.  William James

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Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday 12/3/14, Booklove, MOMM*

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ON MY NEEDLES

Christmas Knitting

 

*MOMM ART JOURNAL COVER

Remember Monday’s post about this journal cover?  If you don’t, you can refresh your memory here.  It’s made more than a little progress since then –

 I added more layers today.  Here’s a list, in order of appearance:

1.  Gesso

2. Light violet acrylic paint brushed on

3.  Anna’s Acrylic Craft Paint, Heather, sponged on

4.  Anna’s Acrylic Craft Paint, Royal Fuchsia, sponged on

5.  Black acrylic paint, randomly applied with my finger

6.  White acrylic paint, randomly applied with my finger

7.  Green acrylic paint, randomly applied with finger, which immediately turned into some totally disgusting urine yellow color

8.  Book paper torn into scraps and applied with matte medium to cover as much of the above mentioned yellow color as possible and allowed to dry

9.  Distress Ink in Dusty Concord, dabbed and blended

10.  Distress Ink in Seedless Preserves, dabbed and blended

11.  Stencils, iridescent white acrylic paint

12.  Stencils, iridescent pink acrylic paint

13.  Stencils, iridescent green paint

If not otherwise specified, all acrylic paint is Artist’s Touch, from Hobby Lobby.

Stay tuned – more layers to follow!

BOOKLOVE

I finished a great book yesterday, Family Pictures by Jane Green, good enough to keep me reading for most of two days.  No spoilers here, sorry.  Bigmommy loaned me one during our visit last week, Jodi Picoult’s The Storyteller.  I don’t usually read her books, I don’t enjoy the kid with the disease of the week stories, even with happy endings, but this one has a Holocaust storyline, switching back and forth between past and present voices, more like historical fiction and I’m enjoying it very much.  Check these two out if they sound like they might be your cup of tea.

PLEASE, PLEASE MEME (sorry, overcome by Beatles lyrics for a second)

I’ve started a new Wednesday meme, Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday, open to all artists/crafters and I’d love for you to add your link below to spread the craftlove.  All I ask is that you link back here to further spread the sunshine.  Just one more thing – If Mr.Linky isn’t working, please let me know.  Thanks!

*My Own Mixed Media

Linking with Ginny’s Yarn Along and Frontier Dreams.

 It’s a funny thing about life.  If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.  William Somerset Maugham

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Knitting

Mixed Media Monday 12/1/14, Raku

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PREVIEW

Here’s a look at a new mixed media art journal cover I started working on today, after a false start with blue paint and stencils that I knew I hated, all the while painting and stenciling, convinced that “with just a little more paint, I’m going to fall in love with this project.”  NOT!  So, with trusty gesso and brush, i reduced the cover once again to the clean slate and started again, this time with different colors and without a fixed plan, decided to use the technique that has proven to work really well for me in the past – using colors I love and letting my intuition tell me what’s working and what’s not and then just going with it.  Want to know the best lesson art has taught me?  It’s taught me that what I create is mine, and being mine, i can do what I please with it.  So, like today, if something just isn’t working for me, i can cover it up and start fresh.  It’s totally up to me, to do as I please.  This is my mantra: If I like it, then it’s perfect.

Gessoed to cover what I did previously and then started sponging acrylic paint over cover then going back and adding black and white accents.  This one’s not even close to being finished.  I plan to do lots more with it – stamps, stencils, collage paper, stickers, handwriting.  By the time it’s finished, who knows how many layers will have been added!  Keep watching this blog, who knows what it’s going to look like when it’s done.  Gotta say I’m loving the grunge look.

DUH MOMENT YOU ASK?

This morning at 5:30, even before my feet hit the floor (I’m an early riser) I remembered that I somehow forgot to add the photos of a raku pot I mentioned in this post’s title. Duh. So here they are, better late than never, they say.

 From where I sit, these pics are huge!

Pot exterior glaze is Candy Luster

Pot interior glaze is Copper Luster

REMINDER

Don’t forget to drop by my blog Wednesday to add your link to Watcha Workin’ On.  Remember, it’s open all crafters/artists, whatever your medium.  Can’t to see everyones projects!

No matter how deep a study you make, what you really have to rely on is your own intuition and when it comes down to it, you really don’t know what is going to happen until you do it.  Konosuke Matsushita

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