• Art - Blog - Crafts - Creativity - Photography

    T Tuesday: laughter, tears and knitting edition

    November 13, 2017 - By 

    It’s been an eventful week around here. so I think I’ll recap a few of the highlights.

    I’ve gotten back in the groove of being creative on a semi-regular basis. First of which is some more work on the stocking hat I’m knitting.

    Trust me…one day it will be a hat.

    I also made a patchwork infinity scarf.

    My original intention was to make something red, white and blue for our Veteran’s Day program at school but these colors spoke to me instead.

    Speaking of the Veteran’s Day program. It was amazing! I cried all of my eye makeup off. It was very moving. I hadn’t been witness to a 21 gun salute or the playing of taps since my dad’s internment. Needless to say, I was a mess. I seriously am a fairly stoic person but that got me…as well as the Lee Greenwood song, God Bless the USA….gets me every time…especially when all those vets stood up as the line says “And I gladly stand up
    Next to you and defend her still today”.     The tears were rolling.

    I started a journal page…well at least I threw some color at the tissue paper I glued into my journal. It’s a start right!?!

    Here’s the next collection of November photo a day pictures.

    7. on the floor….me, Marvin and the toy…a little view from his side of things.

    8. a place…DQ of course. love that place and its a braizer so it doesn’t close for winter….yes many Dairy Queen stores close over winter around here.

    9. Heck yes! …….saw this sign at school  “Make your life story so amazing that unicorns have trouble believing it is true.”

    10. I do this every day….make and drink coffee.  Bam! got my tea Tuesday reference in as well. 🙂

    11. A set…my fiestaware of course.

    12. normal….my knitting looks normal at least so far.

    T stands for Tuesday

    In other exciting news… J got an acceptance letter from UMD today!! So exciting!!!

    What are you doing today??

     

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Scrapbook journal finished!!!

    November 5, 2017 - By 

    I am very happy to say I’ve completed another art journal. This was a loose leaf type journal. Technically it was a Creative Memories album but I knew in my heart I’d never actually scrapbook this album…or any other for that matter if I’m being completely honest with myself.

    album turned journal

    On Friday night I completed my last entry. It was a very simple page that started with a piece of artists paper from one of the Stampington family of magazines. I used distress paints to alter the color.

    Next I used gelatos to created the base of a flower using my finger to spread the color. On top I drew the loose details of a flower with India ink.

    I wrote with a white gel pen some thoughts I had at the moment. I purposely wrote very messy so I’d be the only one who knew what it said while creating some visual interest to the page.  This was one of the quickest pages I’ve ever completed and a perfect way to end my journal.

    Although I really love working in loose leaf I do struggle with a completely blank page. Many of the papers I used as backgrounds were surface protection pages already smeared with ink, paint and glue.  I think I will always tend to stay with vintage books as the base for my journals. The background text and texture of the pages inspire me.

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Tea Tag quote journal pages

    October 22, 2017 - By 

    I had Thursday and Friday off work for MEA (Minnesota Educational Conference). Since I wasn’t attending any of the conference I was able to get a bit caught up on things around home. The kids and I did yardwork while the weather was gorgeous. So many leaves!!!!!

    Yesterday brought rain…no yardwork to be done. That left time for indoor pursuits.

    When I sat down to create I didn’t realize that I’d finish one page much less two. I was on a roll. It felt amazing to get my hands dirty with crafty goodness. 

    This tea tag quote spoke volumes. Bliss…that’s what being creative again felt like.

    The dimensional line of purple circles are actually tiny shells that have been dyed. I have no idea where I got them, I just happened to notice that they matched the punched flower and felt it would add some balance to the page.

    This page came together from two parts that didn’t feel as if they belonged at first. The lavender is a napkin from Patty from some long ago gift she sent. Thank you Patty! Anyway…I had adhered the napkin over book text on a piece of cereal box and there it sat…for years. Yesterday it found a home.

    Along with a few bits of this and that that spoke to me. The bit of lace helped mute the loud orange color down to a soft complement.

    As I prepared to take photos for this post I realized that I made two pages that would work beautifully side by side in the journal. I didn’t even plan that. Obviously I had a palette in mind without thinking about it.

    The pages flow. I love it when things work out like that!!

    Linking up with Art Journal Journey for LANDSCAPES OF THE SOUL. 

    Art Journal Journey