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    A second look: 2014 Art Calendar

    June 2, 2019 - By 

    Just yesterday I was thinking about buying a planner to help me keep a better handle on my blog and personal/family commitments. The family uses a shared digital calendar but I feel the need for something personal as well especially for the blog and art stuff. All of a sudden I remembered the art calendar challenge. It honestly feels like more than 5 years ago but there it is…2014.

    Take a look…

    1/1/2015

    December complete!
    2014 art calendar challengeThis challenge hosted by Kate has been a good one for me.  I was able to stay on track and have ended up with a great keepsake from 2014.

    2014 art calendar challenge

    From the start, I had the idea in my head of what I wanted the end product to look like.

    2014 art calendar challenge

    After taking this photo I decided that perhaps gluing the pages together would give it more visual appeal. 2014 art calendar challenge

    And I was right…  In addition, it provided stability to the binding.

    2014 art calendar challenge

    I’m in love with how this looks. I don’t want to come off as patting myself on the back but I have to admit that I’m so happy that my vision of this project actually came to fruition. 2014 art calendar challenge

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    I might just be making myself a planner after all. We’ll see if I get inspired enough, quickly enough. HA!

    Thanks for stopping by for Second on the 2nd.

    Second on the 2nd
  • Blog

    Words to live by

    June 1, 2019 - By 

    I’m super excited to announce that I have the honor of hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month.

    Art Journal Journey

    I have chosen the theme of Words to live by.

    An art journal page just doesn’t seem complete without at least one word on it if you ask me. I’d say that I’m a stickler for the rules and true definition of a journal but that would be a big fat lie. I’m more of a rules are meant to be broken sort of gal…just don’t tell my kids at home or school. However, the gals over at Art Journal Journey do have some rules to adhere to if you want to play along so be sure to check them out.

    For my first journal page of the June theme, I began with an abandoned piece of painted watercolor paper. I think Mini-me was attempting a night sky perhaps. Or maybe it was even me…who knows…who cares. It became the base as I began to stack layers of papers and fabric until I found a pleasing arrangement.

    I used my sewing machine to loosely stitch the background layers together while I still contemplated where my page was headed. I rarely have an end goal in mind when I sit down to create. It really tends to stifle my creative process.

    After a time, I decided on an image I know I have used at least once…but I’m thinking perhaps twice in the past as my focal point. I slipped a piece of dictionary page and scrap of vellum under the image before attaching it with brads. 

    The page was really coming together now. I added a few extras such as washi tape, a punched medallion and vintage button before searching out words for my page.

    In general the words are my last but critical step in my journal process. As I said before, I cannot seem to create a page with words. Found text is really my favorite way of adding words. The challenge to find something relevant that speaks my mind is so much fun!

    When I noticed this phrase I thought it very fitting for the crew in the photo. What is up with this group anyway? Siblings, co-workers, man and his many wives, school chums, glee club…what’s their story? I bet it could start with the phrase “Strangest thing happened…”

    Won’t you join me for Words to live by over at Art Journal Journey?

    Art Journal Journey
  • Blog

    T Tuesday: motivation edition

    May 27, 2019 - By 

    The beginning of this long Memorial Day weekend was filled with activity. Outdoors was where it was at. Mowing, garden planted, attending a graduation party, grilling, bonfire, morning “campfire breakfast” with the neighbors just to name a few. It was amazing.  

    Obviously this was before planting. I didn’t get any photos of the after…not sure why but must have slipped my mind.

    This is today…nothing much to see. I feel for all the Memorial Day remembrances and ceremonies that are either extremely soggy or had to be cancelled. Can’t change the weather though.

    Today our pursuits are of the indoor variety.  I put together this this gift for another rock loving gal.

    Mini-me is working on a children’s book assignment for her AP Biology class. They each had to pick a topic from the year to base their book upon. She chose ecosystems. The penguin will be explaining ecosystems to the leopard seal. I love out of the box projects such as this. Of course, it would have been a nightmare for my left-brained boy but it plays quite nicely into my creative girls strength.

    I have been working away at my blog a bit. Getting caught up on some things. Leafing through the pages of ideas I’ve written over the past month or so in preparation for summer vacation.

    I am old school when it comes to brainstorming. Pencil and paper are the way to go for me. I know there are all kinds of mind-map programs and other digital forms that people utilize, I’ve even tried a few myself but I always go back to the pencil paper method.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?