I Forgot About My Tool Kit

THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
Sometimes life is difficult. There are things that I can't do anything about.  Sometimes it seems that things all happen at the same time.  I felt like that on Saturday. For a little while I felt like I was carrying a lot stuff all by myself. 

I want to hide when I feel like that so I decided to take a nap.  Once I was quiet, this image came to mind. It's how I felt. It wouldn't let me sleep so I got up and made it.

Making art helps me process all the craziness in my head. I can't control life around me but I can control what I put on paper. I used all sorts of leftover pieces of paper to make the "worries" I was feeling.  They are different shapes, sizes and colors... just like real life. Some have rough edges.  I wrote all about how I was feeling around the person. Then I painted over the writing. It was private and I just needed to say it and let it go. 

I am a messy artist. I think that is part of my process too. I can totally let go when I create. I end up with bits of paper everywhere. I save piece from other projects and cut images from catalogs and magazine. Often they are stacked high to the side of my workspace.  That was the case on Saturday.  The pile took a nose dive off my table and all over the floor.

When I began to pick up the papers I found the "Tool Kits".  I cut them out of a Vacation Bible School catalog months ago.  I am a great believer in "Letting Go and Letting God"... I just have to remember to do it.  Sometimes (because I'm a human doing instead of a human being) I forget that if I give my worries to God, He will help me carry them.  My God has a great sense of humor and sometimes gives me a little push that I can visually see.  The Tool Kits were my push, my reminder, that I'm not alone and that He will help me with whatever is going on in my life and in my world.  

I have felt so much better since I finished this page. I gave my worries and concerns to God and for today, I know he's got them. I smile when I look at those Tool Kits. He gave me the tools to deal with life and He sent me a reminder when I was so caught up in my head that I didn't remember that I had the  tools. 

THE ART:  This piece was done with acrylic paint, leftover papers and matte medium.  The diamond background is a Patti Parrish Istencil.  The person and words at the bottom were done with Inktense Pencils and the outlining was done with Stabilo All Pencils. The word Tool Kit at the top are letters stickers from my stash.  

Link to: The Documented Life Project: The Journal, Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Journey,  Art Journal Every Day

We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends

Sometimes I feel like I am always asking someone for help.  I am not handy around the house so I have to ask Mike to help me with my gutters and replaces light bulbs in ceiling figures. T and Debbie have forbidden me from climbing ladders when I'm alone... Just because I feel and broke the same foot twice???  sigh.

After a while that negative voice in my head begins to tell me I'm useless... I don't know how to do anything.  Today I know that voice is not true.  I can do a lot of things, just not things involving ladders or stray cats in cages.

"Cats in cages?" you ask?  The short version is that there was a stray cat who decided to take up residence in Scooter's backyard. To say the least, Scooter was not happy about this arrangement.  Scooter very loudly took exception to Giant Kitty sitting on his deck in the middle of the night.  I was not getting much slept with all the racket.  Giant Kitty knocking over the empty trash can, Scooter barking like we were being invaded by aliens. It was very loud

I finally borrow a live trap and caught Giant Kitty.  GK was not happy with this arrangement and was hissing and growling. It scared the crap out of me.  I couldn't leave him out in the cold but I was afraid to go near the trap.  After calling every cat person I know, T.O. came to my rescue and put GK in the shed for the night with a nice warm blanket.  GK now resides at Cats R Us where he has been neutered, given shots and is waiting for adoption.

You see how I might feel inept?  In the midst of all this confusion, Mike asked me to help him with T's anniversary gift.  Then T.O asked me to help her decorate a T shirt.  It took me until this morning to realize that THEY helped me and I helped them.  I wasn't seeing the whole picture because of that negative voice in my head. I can't do chores with screw drivers or scary cats but I can do artsy things.  

T.O. was amazed at something I thought was so easy that I didn't realize it could be a big deal to someone else. Mike could have framed the T shirt but he has been working a zillion hours and had no time to buy what was needed.  We really do get by with a little help from our friends.  I'm so blessed to have wonderful friends.  

Giveaway at StampLaughPlay Blog

I'm celebrating over 30,000 views on my other blog, 
StampLaughPlay and being published in an art book by having a giveaway. 

I'm giving away a Mr. Huey Stencil and a mixed media surprise. Click the link above to find out all the details.

Play feeds the Soul

The Art

This page is done in my recycled recipe book. I love this little book. It has thick coated pages that take wet mediums so well.   I started this page with no idea in mind except to use paint.  The need for paint was strong this day. The page already had big dots of paint on it because I used it to cleaned my brushes one day. The colors are mostly Distressed Paint by Tim Holtz and Adirondack paint by Ranger.  

I used a lid from a bottle and navy blue to make the big rings. I used a Mr. Huey Studio Calico Mister Huey's Mask Circle Graph in the background. It is one of my favorite masks. The dragonflies and flowers are from a stencil someone gave me. Sorry no brand name. The writing is from a stamp that Lori gave me. I think it's an unmounted Hero Arts stamp. It was stamped with Archival Ink.

When you are a collector of what other people are giving away, you often end up with supplies with no brand name on them.  I'm that person.... the one people think of when they don't want to throw something away but don't want it anymore.  Down the road, they call me and say... can I borrow that thing I gave you.  LOL... I'm the collector.  I come by it honestly. My dad has a wood shop full of nails that his company was getting rid of before he retired. He's been retired 20 years!

Thoughts and Feelings

I believe that playing feeds the soul.  This subject has been on my mind recently.  I have friends who don't know how to play. Everything they do has to have a purpose.  Even reading for one is for escape.   They don't know how to do things just for fun.

Just typing that made me feel tired.  I know that my mind, body and spirit need to relax and unwind. Life is sometimes stressful. That is unavoidable so I have things that help me. There are three things in my life that help me relax and remove the effects stress. 

The first is reading. I read novels. I have very eclectic tastes.  I might read a romance one day and an FBI thriller the next.  I don't read to improve my mind. I read totally for entertainment and relaxation.  If I go too many days without reading I get irritable and discontent.

The second is talking with a friend, usually about art. A friend who will listen when I'm down and rejoice with me when I happy is rare and wonderful thing.

The third thing I do is Art Journal.  I try to do something creative everyday. I don't always art journal and on days when I can't journal, I doodle or practice my lettering.  Art Journaling is the best form of play I've found.  I'm not a very physically active person so playing ball or exercising doesn't do it for me.  Art does.

I can arrive home tired and stressed and after an hour at my art table I feel so much better. I love to have painty fingers. Some days I get so involved in the process of creating that two or three hours will go by with me even realizing it.  That is the perfect form of play for me.  

Why Art Journaling?  NO RULES!!  That is why it a form of play for me.  I am totally free to do whatever I want.  I can just scribble if I want. It's my book and anything goes in it.  I feel totally free when I art journal.

I hope you will give art journaling a try.  Remember.... No rules... just fun.
Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me.  I'd love to hear what you think about art and play.

In Flight

I guess by now you know I have a thing for birds and other things that fly.  This is another page in my latest altered book.  I used the Art Is stencil by The Crafter's Workshop  for the background.  The page is sectioned off with strips of Black Ink paper someone gave me. The sections are colored with Inktense Pencils and craft paints.  I love how vibrant those pencils are.  

All of the things that fly are cut from Gelli Prints and book pages.  The small birds and butterflies are punched with a Stampin' Up punches.  The large bird is a Sizzix die.  The dragonflies are an old EK Success paper sharper punch.

I used Pitt pens to outline some of the images to make them pop.

Link to:  Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Everyday, Gelli Print Party

Wise Words

This is my page for the Journal 52 challenge... Wise Words.

I found this on facebook a while back and knew it was perfect for the Wise Words page.  

I printed the quote with a copy machine so the ink wouldn't run when I use wet mediums on it.

The pinky purple background is a gelli print. The tiny butterflies and the leaves are both Stampin' Up punches.

Link to: Journal 52

Perhaps they are not stars

The prompt this week in The Documented Life Project is Stars.  

The background is painted with Payne's Gray by Golden. I think Payne's Gray may be my new favorite color.  

I stamped the stars with Brilliance Starlight Silver Ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder.  If you are new to Brilliance Ink, I have to tell you, it is wonderful. It's shimmers, dries on glossy card stock and it's permanent. 

After I did the background I took a pen and I wrote the names of people who I care about who have died. You can't see them but I know they are there.

The words are one of my all time favorite stamps and is made by River City Rubber Works. I love the idea that my loved ones are shining down from heaven letting me know that they are happy.  

The words were stamped in white and embossed in clear powder on a piece of deli paper. I put purple paint on the backside of the deli paper so the words would show on the dark background.

This is a very simple page but one that touches my heart.

Link to: The Documented Life Project , Paint Party Friday