Retreat!

Okay, after today I have only eighteen days left before I leave for Vegas Art and Soul Retreat.  I am so looking forward to getting into a more temperate zone.  We have been so cold, so snowy, so fogged in, so wintery where I live, that a warmer clime will be heavenly.  Last year, we were in and around Vegas the last weeks of February and the warmth was so enjoyable.  I am looking forward to learning some new techniques and ideas in the classes too.  I signed up for Something To Crow About as I want to learn or maybe relearn how to make wire armatures.  And learn about a new resin that artists are using now too.  WE are going to make a crow sculpture!  Should be fun.  Going to a retreat always re-energizes me.  I come home so pumped up to create, create, create.  And the pre planning for the retreat is always pleasant too.  Anticipation, you know.   I have been making trades.   You saw the greeting card fairies I made, which I decided would make great trades.  And I made some mini books too.  And of course some ATCs.  I guess, I should scan those and show you.  I really have been spending most of my creative time in planning and creating for the retreat.  Have to gather up all those supplies for the classes too.  If you read KKR's Taking Flight book, she highly recommends getting out to a retreat as often as you can.  I go because I love to do the art!  

Making Journals

I am not sure how I got started in making journals.  I do know why-I just have so much paper that would be nice in journals.

I had these really pink file folders from a past life.

 And when I did some snow dyeing, I had three trays of colored water.  I had these pieces of white drawing paper.  I dropped the pieces of paper into the dye bath leftovers, and got some really lovely pink marbleized paper.  So, I am now in the process of putting the pink folders and the pink papers together in a coptic bound journal.  The papers might be strong enough for some mixed media, but I envision them being used for journal writting and the folders for the mixed media.  I wonder, will it matter that some of the pages of the journal are light weight and some are heavy weight from the folders?  Today, I start to put then together so we will see.

 The other picture is of a large white journal and two small journals I made using water color scraps.  The cover on the large journal is drawing paper with writing practices on it.  The green cover is a heavy weight greeting card.  The beige cover is laminated drawings by Dali.  

The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Out of the drawings I am showing today, this is the one I consider good.

I like this drawing.  It started out as an index card size reject copy that was too light for whatever it was I was making at the time.  I just started doodling on a very faint trace of a face that I copied over with the fauna and the face was just barely visible.  I decided to redraw the face from that, but it actually looks nothing like the real face did, lol.   I just like the drawing for whatever reason.

This drawing I consider bad, and so does everyone else.  But it works for a journal page.

This was an EDM prompt, draw something sweet.  I have  always had a craving for this candy.  I journaled a bit about this craving when I was pregnant with my first baby.  The drawing is bad, and it is on the back side of the glue resist skeleton face I did last fall, which bled through a bit to this side of the paper, so that is why it looks so grungy.

This drawing wins the prize for the ugly catagory!

It is the first effort by me from a prompt from a new group I just joined call drawthis.  He sends pictures of things to draw.  I am not sure wether the ugly comes from the subject (these guys look half like lambs I think)  or from being completed on this vintage manila drawing paper that must be a zillion years old!

This is another Ugly!

From the EDM prompt draw your thumb.  Thumbs are not very pretty nor are they that interesting but they are handy.  For drawing and other things too, lol.

DORSB Practices

Continuing on with DORSB Practices we were to do what I call a modified contour of our hand holding something.  I had been using some embroidery thread on the hot bird so since that was handiest, I drew the contour, checking my progress whenever I needed to.
The shoe was a practice to concentrate on the negative spaces, and draw those more than drawing the subject.  This is the only pair of sneakers I own and they are black and I did not like drawing it. But, a good excercise for practicing, don't you think?  Yeah, you can always find a shoe to draw, lol.

Hot Bird

No, this is not the hot bird-it is published below because I don't get the photo publishing tricks still and get things out of order!  Just keep reading, it might make sense in the end, lol.

If you didn't get over the "the altered page" blog to see what Seth is up to, and to view my submission to his Secret Sunday collaborative art, this is the photo I sent in. You can still go over and view all the artist's submissions.  They also mention some of their "secrets" if you are into that!

 The long story follows.

 The bird started out as a satin lining from a red wool coat I bought from a thrift shop so I could felt the wool.  I haven't used the felted wool yet, but this lining sort of hung around my sewing area for several months.  I kept moving it about from one place to another as needed.

One day,  I started sewing some hearts and valentine look things on a piece of stretch velvet which I was thinking of making into fiber post cards.  Then, I got side tracked onto making something "Twilight" for one of my car girls-who loves the whole twilight look-a pillow for her new bed.    And since I didn't particularly like the hearty thing before,  I made it into a purse for the littlest car girl, who loves purses and because of her age will love the look.  See the first photo for peeks at these two creations.

 And so, back to the hot bird-I made it because middle car girl needed something too.  I cut a square from the coat lining,  dug out all the reds and pinks to keep with valentine theme and this is what evolved.  It is now a cute little pillow too.  The middle car girl will love it!

And an apology- I just today found some comments in my spam folder, grrrrrrrrr!  I am sorry if you left me a comment and it only got published today!  Thanks to all who give me the comment hugs!

Snow Dyeing

A pre washed piece of muslin.

Those of us who have multitude amounts of snow find a way to infuse the snow into an artsy activity.  Snow dyeing has been a conversation of late.  I needed to try that, don't you know??  It is fairly easy.  Just take some fabric, soak it in soda water (something I learned after the fact, lol) place the fabric in something that holds water, cover it with snow,  how ever much snow is up to you really, then sprinkle dyes onto the snow and let it melt.  Dry, then wash, then run to the sewing area and do something fabulous with the pieces!  I still have problems getting photos up in order... but my heart is in the right place, lol.

Some previously mixed dyes.

Trays layered with the fabric on bottom, snow on top, dyes dribbled onto the snow.

NO, no, no, this is not trays from the butcher shop!  It is the fabric after the snow has melted.

Hanging up to dry.  And yes, the garage does need a cleaning.  Soon I hope! And then the finished dyed pieces.  Oh, yeah, I will be using these in some sort of fiber creation.  Have you visted Laura Cater-Woods sites?  She does some fabulous free motion wall hangings and such.  You can see some of her creations if you scroll down on the right to find her link.  (I hope the link works!) And I did get the photo's up in order, so I gave myself a star on my forehead!

Yearning for Spring

First of all, today is national "Give Someone a Hug Day" so to everyone who can see this - here is a big cyber hug!   (((((Hug)))))


Yesterday, I worked on the above thread art quilted piece. Click for a better idea of how it really looks.  Darks are hard to scan, aren't they?
 I actually started with a piece of black fabric for this project BFS (before foot surgery) and one of those bleach pens from the detergent aisle in the grocery store.  I drew the tree with the bleach pen and left it set to see what the bleach would do.  It didn't look too promising so I think after a day or two, I washed the fabric to see what would happen.  The tree emerged but I was not all that impressed so set it aside as we do sometimes.
 Then, when I made some fabric paper based on book Stitch Alchemy by Kelli Perkins, I decided to put some leafs on the tree with a green piece.  I didn't/don/t like the feel of the fabric paper,  so one leaf was stitched on and that is as far as leaves got.  Piece again set aside.  Yesterday, I limped into my sewing room and as I sorta put some stuff away, there was this piece again.  I have been trying to learn how to do good free motion sewing so decided this unsatisfactory piece of fabric would be a good place to practice since it was already in sandwich form.  As I filled in around the tree and one leaf with the reds and oranges and purples, one thought kept flitting around in my head.  It has been so snowy and so cold for so long that I find myself yearning for spring.  And, for some reason, the tree with it's one leaf seemed to be yearning for spring too.  So, what ever this turns into, it's name has become Spring Dawning.  The reds reminded me of our beautiful morning sun dawnings here.  And it reminds me too, to never, never, toss something away because it might grow up to be something worth while, even if it is only for your self!  I think a next step will be to add onto the edges extending the block into a larger size.  Well, I hope you all don't get tired of seeing my maybe this will grow up to be something some day projects!!

Pixie ATCs

In one of my groups at the beginning of January, we all listed our focus word for the year.  Then, some wise person decided an ATC swap using those words would be in order.  As usual, an activity I have been involved in flowed over into another.  My recycled Xmas card (and other cards too now) piexies and fairies found a home on the ATCs.  I just think these little pixies are so cute I had to use them on something!  And now?  I am making more of the little dolls.  Half of my shoe box of old cards have been cut up and repurposed to the pixies and fairies.  They are going to Vegas, baby!

For Tammie

I have a friend from one of my groups who never fails to stop by here for a peek at what I am doing.  She always leaves me some positive feedback!  That's what friends do, right?  Well, a day or two ago she viewed my contour drawings practice, then left me a comment stating that the drawing would be fun to view painted in, rather like a Picasso.  So, I took my trusty drawing journal to the copy machine, but in a sheet of card stock, printed out the picture.  Then, back to my trusty recliner with colored pencils and markers.  This is the results.  It was a fun project for a snowy day!   Thanks Tammie for the awesome inspiration and for being my cyber friend!

Sharing

Today, I am one of several artists featured on the following site.

http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2010/01/secret-sunday-9.html

Seth is so good at collaborative activities.  He is also a very interesting and creative artist.  He is also a very nice person!  I hope you will jump over there and check out his stuff!

And today, I thought I would share a little bear with you.  I made him years ago maybe 20 or more.  When my Dad died, I took his old Pendleton wool suit and a wool great coat.  I made three bears from the suit, one for each of my sisters and myself.  Mine has the original pendleton tag sewn on his back.  He just sorta sits around my house reminding me of my Dad.  I do not know whatever happened to the scraps or the gret coat, lol.  This is just a page from my journal about the bear.

Amazing!

I know, my blog is supposed to be a place to show and talk about my art but I just had to share this!

If you look closely on the top of the chimenea, you will see my visitor of the day!

He/she decided to have lunch as he perched on the cast iron lid handle.  Lunch is a little bird.

I managed to zoom in on him through my living room windows.  Earlier he was closer as he perched on the back of a wrought iron rocking chair back, but I missed the shot.

He/she picked the feathers off the bird almost one at a time and you could see them floating slowly down into the snow.  He also took a nice big bite, pulling at the flesh to break it free from the body.  I know this sounds gorey, but it is a natural thing.  We love watching the birds of prey here.  We have had two of these hawks, a falcon, and a larger breed here the last month or two.  I was so amazed to get such a good shot with my little point and shoot camera!

Blind Contour Practices

Have you tried this?  You put your paper down, put your pencil at a starting point, focus on what it is your are drawing, and never, and I mean NEVER take your eyes off what you are drawing and NEVER look at your paper.  If you can make the shift over to right brain, you can get some pretty accurate and interesting drawings.  On this page, I first drew HRH then my hand two different times.  Rather looks like a spagetti bowl and it is great food for a brain, lol.

Some more EDM prompts

Draw some bread and journal about it too.  In this case, Banana Nut Bread.

Draw a fork.  You will need one to eat the Banana Nut Bread, lol.

DORSB (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain) Practices

First Drawing, your left hand.  This will be a historical reference to see if drawing improves.

Faces/vases drawing.  Supposed to wake up your sleepy right brain.

Looking upsidedown at what you are drawing lets you be entirely right brained, as the left brain can't tell you what things are.

I want to tell you this:  Hone your skills often!  I used to draw quite a bit.  I was considered talented in my college classes.  But, I allowed life to get in my head.  Now, as I tried these practices from the book by Betty Edwards, I realize, I have become an example of the saying "if you don't use it you lose it."  I think one of the reasons this is so is my retiring.  Once I retired, an inner voice tells me I don't have to do anything I don't want to do.  And each year, I find, I don't want to do lots of stuff, lol because I don't want to expend the effort of getting the needed supplies out and such.  Also, I am trying to do some things that are not very messy so I can stay in my recliner with my feet up. My feet are doing better but I don't walk on them unless I have to.  I did not get the titanium wires out of the toes yet.  The heel is still very sore.  The toenails still look gross.  So, I am limited on the creative things I try.  It is rather frustrating to need or want something that is at the other end of the house in one of my studios.  So, I am trying to draw to fill the time with something creative.  But, you can only draw so much.  The scans are of the practices from the book.  They are easy, and supposed to wake up your right brain a bit!

My BFF

My BFF is slowing aging out of life.  Bubba just mostly sleeps.  As you might know, he is mostly blind, mostly deaf.  All fall he wanted me to be on the sofa with him while he slept.  If I left the sofa for any reason, he would follow my scent if he could, get lost, bark and bark, until I would rescue him and go  back to the sofa so he could sleep right up next to my leg.  The last week or so, he has taken over Blueberry's favorite spot.  Who knows why.  Each time I cannot immediately find him, I think I might find he has lost his will to continue on.  HRH and I try to make his life as comfortable and easy as we can.  After fifteen years of faithful loyalty to us, we owe him that.  I am so gonna miss him when the non avoidable end happens!

Vision Board

I had my doubts about doing a vision board, but when I find a new idea that captures my interest, I dive right in.  So, last year, I mounted two black enamal boards on the wall in my studio.  I added my 2009 word and pictures to remind me of things I wanted to attend to.  I had no idea how this would work at the time.   This last week or so, I took everything off, noticing things that I had up there and evaluating if the ideas I posted there had influenced my life through out the year.  I am happy to report, that I did focus on ideas dealing with joy which was my 2009 word.  And, I had some pictures dealing with my feet and here I am, hoping once they heal from the surgery, I will be able to walk more, for the health of it.  I also had some pictures I stuck back on the board... to be continued, lol.  I had some pics of yards on there and I spent all last spring and summer fixing a few places that needed sprucing up so that was good.  I think vision boards helps you visually keep what you want to do and accomplish in the front of your thoughts!  My word ART is back on, it will never leave.  Now, I am searching for new pictures and words for this year.  This is my word under the blue moon we had new years eve.

Getting Some Help With Drawing

I joined a group called thesketchbookproject.  They were doing a RR sketchbook thingy at one time.  That ended and so they started a bookstudy using the book Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain.  If you have been following me very long, you know I decided to work on my drawing skills, so thought I would join the book study to nudge me along.  As I was working on one of the assignments, my furry friend Blueberry decided to come to my rescue and help me out a bit.  Isn't she cute?

Hand carved stamps!?

In one of my play groups book study we were to make a hand carved or other hand made stamp.  I like this idea... it kinda seems more your art if the stamps you use are your creations, right?  Here is two that I have made.  The swallow one is the second swallow stamp I have made.  The first swallow I made from some kind of tape that I "borrowed" from HRH's (his royal highness) stuff in his garage that he used to cushion I think a truck bed cover.  It was easy to cut, to put lines in, to stick to a piece of card board, but I used it too much and it is starting to crumble.  So, this one I made from some 3/8 inch craft foam which I bought at the yard sale mall a summer or two ago.  It too was easy to cut and line, and so far, I like how it stamps.  I don't know how long it will last, but I am sure it is going to hold up better than the foam rubber tape.  The face stamp I carved from some found pieces of rubbery stuff I have had around the garage studio for just that purpose.  I just needed a nudge to get on with it.  The rubbery stuff is again a bit soft for a stamp and it was hard to cut.  I have actually attempted to toss the darn thing away but changed my "stash" orientated mind at the last minute.  I decided to play with it just to see what could be done with it.  It is really a primative stamp, but I think the little smile page is okay!  I have a few more hand made stamps too of like background types that I made by gluing craft foam pieces onto a base.