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

Cut Up Your Stencil?????

I love Carolyn Dube. I may have said that before. I really think Carolyn and I might be Art Soul Sisters who have never met. I love her laid back philosophy about art.  There are so many times I watch one of her videos and I hear her say something that I've thought or done.  

In her latest video, she actually takes a pair of scissors to one of her stencils. I confess I have also done this.  

Then she gives herself permission to leave a page unfinished.  I have recently given myself permission to do that as well.  I was thinking about some of my unfinished pages as I prepared for my day.  Lo and behold, I look online an hour later and here is Carolyn doing a video about that very subject.  Check out her video here.  I love that tree.

Here is a page I started before my hand surgery...

 

It is made from scraps of gelli prints and paint. When I'm not sure what I want to create, I often start by throw some paint on the page and then gluing leftovers on the page.

I don't know if it's finished or not... What do you think? 

Link to: Carolyn Dube

Cross Stitched Advent Calendar by Janice

I'm sharing other artist's work while my hand is healing.

Isn't this a wonderful gift?  My co-worker, Janice Kelly, made it.  It is backed with foam board so you can add a piece of candy to each day with a push pin.  Some little boy is going to be very happy when he receives this. 

Sore Paw

I had Hand surgery on Friday so I won't be typing for a week or two.

I'll be back soon!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Boo

Math in Art? Sure Why Not?

I am a very blessed person. I can name 8 friends who would be there for me if I was really in need.  These are people who have given me emotional support through some really hard times. I didn't realize there were so many until I started to write this blog. I am honored and amazed to be loved by these wonderful people.

I made this card for one of them. She will know it's for her because of the background. I made that background just for her.  She has a thing for numbers and Halloween.  
I made the background in MS Publisher.  It is the part of the endless number of Pi.  Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.. Its a transcendental number. Its decimal representation never terminates nor repeats. It is my friend's favorite number.  

The trees are a Crafter's Workshop stencil and Archival Sepia Ink.  I used Archival Library Green and Manganese Blue and Adirondack Terracotta on the background.  The pumpkins and witch are cut from cotton fabric. The grass is two shades green Distressed Stickles. It is so fun to make something for someone when you know they will really like it.

I AM NOT A COMPUTER GURU

 This is how I feel about my blog right now!!!

Picture from Kid's Guide

If you look at my past posts on this blog you will find a lot of gray triangles with exclamation points in them.  Wellllll, here's what happened, I think.

I had to change my email address.  When I did, I realized that my blog, my facebook and a bazillion other things were attached that address.  It took me over a week to get things switched and I'm still not sure I got them all.

I thought all was going well until someone told me I had a missing link on my blogs. After a little research I believe that all those pictures were some how attached to that email address and stored in something called Picasa. Being ignorant to how blogs work I had no clue my photos on my blog were stored somewhere else.  When I deleted the old email address all those photos went with it.  Sigh.

I find this to be a real issue since this is an art blog and what I write describes how I made the art. Grrrrrr.  This whole change my email address is getting on my last nerve.  I will slowly add the photos for the last two years back into the blog.  I'm not sure where the really old photos are at this point.  

Years ago my sister, who was married to an artist, was complaining about her husband not being able to fix something... my grandmother was laying in a hospital bed and gave my sister these words, "A Painter is not a Plumber."  My grandmother was dying and no one knew she was even listening to my sister talk to my mother.  Those words have great meaning in my family... And today I'll just say... A fledgling artist is not a computer guru, please be patient with me and this silly blog.

My Workspace

I would like to tell you that my work area doesn't always look like this but the truth is, it very often does. I usually work in about 12 inches square.  I have a tendency to toss things when I'm creating. I always need one more piece of paper or another brush or some doo dad.

What is odd is at my day job my desk is neat and tidy more often than not.  There is something about creating that frees me to be as messy and playful as I want. This use to concern me but not anymore. This is the creative me. The happiest me and I'm embracing every messy inch of her.

Seth Apter is hosting a honest look at our workspaces over on his blog this week so I'm linking to his blog. Thanks to Seth Apter for this idea and for allowing me to play along.

Happy Mail and Swaps

 Happy Mail!!  

"What is Happy Mail?" you ask? Artists send happy mail to each other. It may be a card, a drawing or a small gift. It often includes little bits of things we, mixed media artists, think would be fun to use in a project.

I recently participated in a one for one swap.  We used the Hot Air Balloon from Stampington's Tempting Templates.  If you have never visited their page.. check it out. They have very cool templates.   

When my Hot Air Balloon arrived from Scotland it came loaded with other goodies.  Wee Man sent me a personalize ICAD with a dog on it.  He knows dogs are my favorite animals.

Mo included a whole passel of Mixed Media goodies: die cuts, book pages, a page from her newspaper with my birth date on it, feathers and ribbons.  I will have a great time playing with all this ephemera.  

Isn't this balloon just darling? I've hung it from my living room curtain so I can see it every time I sit down.

I'm feeling like a Renegade

The Documented Life Project theme this week was Black and White. I had a really hard time with this one. I thought and thought about it and nothing came to mind. I finally decided that I could doodle on birds. I like the contrast of the white on the black and black and the white.

The birds are cut with a Taylored Expression die I borrowed from Ann. I tore the edges of the black paper to give it a bit more texture.  Three birds in black and white complete with doodled bodies as well as background. I wasn't thrilled with the page but had no clue what else to do with it so I went to bed.

I woke the next day still bothered by all that black and white.  It was just too dull for me.  Then I remembered I still had the cutout of one of the birds and I went looking for the sharpies. I made marks all over a piece of white card using lots of different colored markers.  I began to feel better.  

I glued the bird cutout to the speckled paper and attached it to my book as a tag size inclusion. I love knowing that bit of color is behind the polka dots. 
Yep, I'm a renegrade,
 

How Are Your Feeling?

The prompt for The Documented Life Project this week was draw a face or alter one from a magazine. 

I tried drawing faces about a year ago. I found it to be extremely frustrating. I wasn't having fun and it was irritating the crap out of me. That gave me pause because the point of my art journal is to express myself and enjoy it. It's my time to escape the real world full of rules, problems and pressure.  I gave up drawing faces that day. I have artistic talents but that's not one of them.

I decided when I began this project that I was documenting my life and my art life so I would do my own thing and use the prompts as a guide. When I looked at this post card from my friend, Wee Man, in Scotland I knew I had to use that face.What an interesting face a Rhino has!   

The Feelings checklist (the page of faces) was on my desk.  I found it when I was cleaning a file cabinet a couple of months ago.  I thought it was perfect for this page. Lots of faces and each one of them depicting different feeling. 

The backgrounds are gelli prints.  The tip ins are attached with a combination of clear packing tape and washi tape.  

Link to: The Documented Life Project

The Act of Creating is the True Gift

Thoughts:  I am finding that I am called more and more to create with paint and paper.  I feel more in tune with myself when I'm at my art table. I feel free of the restraints of the world when sitting at the cluttered little table surrounded by bits of paper and glue. I truly believe that whatever creative talents I have are a gift from God. The gift is how I feel when I'm creating. I'm content. The stress of the day slides away and I am at peace. The finished piece is secondary to the calmness and serenity the act of creating gives to me. That is the true gift from God.  

The Art: I used a heavy coat of thick gesso to create some texture. I used a pallet knife to make swirls in the thick gesso. I started by trying to drip orange paint but it was too thick so I used a brush and a spray bottle. I was working towards getting puddles of color in the ridges but was not too successful. I turned the page sideways to get a few green drips and used a paint brush for the blue. I wiped most of the blue off with a baby wipe. The birds are a Stencil Girl stencil that I traced and cut out in different pieces of background paper. I went back and stenciled on the legs. The words have no hidden meaning....they are just the words that came to mind when I looked at the piece.  I'm still not sure if I really like this piece. The background is "so-so."  I can tell you that when I finished this page I was feeling much better than when I started it, so for me, it is a true success.  How does creating make you feel?

Mixed Media Madness

The Summer of Color Challenge  is coming to an end. This is the last week of the challenge. I really enjoy this challenge and I'd like to thank Kristin Van Valkenburgh for hosting the challenge once again.  

I was out of town last week so I am a little behind in my challenges. I combined the SOC and my Journal 52 (Technology was the theme).

I used acrylic paint and Silks for this page. I'm not sure I love the Silks because they ran when I used matte medium on top of them. The sun burst was made with a Tim Holtz stencil. The dots were made with a rubber stamp I found in my drawer.  My art drawers are always fun because they are like a treasure chest.  I forget I have something so when I find it, I feel like I've gotten something new.

I've heard a lot of pros and cons about the internet. I would just like to say that I've made many new friends in the last three years.  This page represents where the members of one group of friends live.  We share art and our lives with each other through the internet. We also trade mail art. I've received a lot of international mail in the last three years.  I feel like I have 20 plus pen pals. These friends have taught me a lot and have helped me gain confidence in my artwork.  I love the ladies of Mixed Media Madness. This page is for you. 

Link to: Paint Party Friday

Nostalgia

  

I started this page because the challenge this week at Journal 52 is Nostalgia.  I mulled several ideas over in my head and then I saw this picture in an old Child Craft Encyclopedia.  It reminded me of my one and only train trip.  My grandmother wanted me to experience traveling by train before they were phased out in the area where we lived. We traveled from Memphis to New Orleans to Houston.  I wish I could do it again.

I am really missing my grandmother right now.  I think part of that might be because I'm watching my friend, Mo, spend so much time with her grandson.  Logan will have so many wonderful memories of his grandmother because she spends so many quality hours with him.  I would not give all the money in the world for the many, many hours I spend with my grandmother.  This one's for you, Mamaw New Orleans.

Link to: Journal 52,  Artist Play Room 

Guest Artist... Wee Man

If you've been reading my blog you know that I've made friends who a wonderful lady and her grandson who live in Scotland.

The Wee Man and Mo, his grandmother, really liked my journal page using a Word Search.  I decided that I would make Wee Man one on his favorite subject... Transportation.. especially Trains and Buses.  

You see the results on the left.  He found those so fast I made the next one longer.  I also figured out how to make the next one shaped like a train.  

I am having so much fun sending things to Wee Man and his grandmother.  I have a feeling he is smarter than I am and I'm going to run out of words for the searches soon.

Again, I'm amazed that I'm making friends with people who lives across the ocean through art and word puzzles.  I am also very careful to send Wee Man's email to his grandmother because I want him to be safe. Children can meet dangerous people on the internet and so we must be very careful.  He is too young for an adult to contact directly. His grandmother is very good at keeping him safe. He is very lucky to have such a great grandmother.