my daily collage challenge; digital; supplies: Studio Tangie; #tangiebaxter; #mydailycollage
...wanderings down the creative path wherever it may lead ... whatever it may be - the current project or interest from the Mountaintop Quilting Studio ...
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
BAILING AND BUCKETS: THE JULY FLOOD
You've heard of Boxing Day? Well, today is BAILING DAY!
We woke to thunder and lighning this morning about 4:30 and then the rain started coming down ... slowly at first and then sheets and buckets and buckets and sheets!
That means water in the basement. When the rain comes down that fast there is nowhere for it to go but into our window wells. The ground water level builds up so fast we can barely keep up bailing out the wells. Mike is pretty handy with a bucket while I'm inside with the shop vac taking care of the water that runs in under the basement door.
AND THEN we looked out to the street and our driveway. Yup, our driveway was washing across our lower lawn and down the street. We now call it the WALKER STREET RIVER since this seems to be happening more frequently than it should. Last month the rains washed away the other side of the street.
Oh, and about our driveway ??? Yes, and I quote a city worker: "We crowned the road so the water would run down both sides of the road." Now, I'm no engineer, but this seems to be just a little wacky from where I'm sitting.
Needless to say, that was NOT a fun way to start the day and there is more on the way yet this evening.
Not much time for art or quilting today.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS 02
... a way to document/share my week ...
... learning to see with my heart
as well as my mind and my eyes ...
... practicing practicing practicing ...
... capturing snippets of everyday life ...
... memories recorded ...
... being present each day ...
... answering the question: what are you noticing ..
PRACTICING: journal doodles inspired by S. Ackerman
SEARCHING: for journal/vision board fodder AND decluttering
LISTENING: to thunder during BSO rehearsal break
AFFIRMING: personal pep talk
COOKING: trying a new recipe (more on that to come in a later blog post)
... what are you noticin' ...
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
DLP CHALLENGE: WK 30 = SMASH IT!
The challenge week for the DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT was to create a page in the "smash-book" style.
I fussed and fiddled brainstorming several different possibilities as to what could go on my page, what it could be about and finally settled on the most obvious content for me during the summer months.
Living in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts it seems the only right thing to do would be to celebrate the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their summer home here at Tanglewood. Of course choosing this topic has nothing to do with the fact that our son Toby is the principal trombonists with the orchestra and you will find us at all three concerts every weekend plus taking in several of the rehearsals on weekdays.
I can't think of a better way to spend my warm summer evenings than sitting on the lawn at Tanglewood having just finished a fun picnic supper, relaxing with a glass of wine and enjoying good conversation with friends before a concert.
Yes, these are the days we'll remember!
... selected photos from programs ...
... add a little washi tape here and there ...
... search through my embellishments for pieces that might fit ...
... and the full spread is ready for simple journaling throughout the week ..
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
INSPIRATION: MOON SHADOW MAGIC
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| photo credits: Melissa Ann |
this morning
i saw the moon
pale and faded
just a shadow of the moon
against the
bright
blue
sky
i sang to the moon
i danced to the moon
and my heart was glad
i whistled a tune
and stepped out lightly
as
i saw the moon
pale and faded
just a shadow of the moon
against the
bright
blue
sky
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
DLP: PLANNER & POETRY
Another week ready for documenting and memory making! This week was all about doodling with the white pens. I think it really helps to move the elements of the doodles across the page seams to help create a sense of unity and help move the eye over the spread.
Choosing which white pens (any pens for that matter) that will work on the background strata of our pages is always a challenge. However, there is an all-time favorite white pen among most of us in the art journaling world and that is the Uni Ball Signo UM 153. The other white pen I used (for the larger tip) was the Sharpie Poster Paint marker.
The base for my pages on this spread were ... a light layer of white gesso followed by pan pastels, spray fixative, and then a little acrylic paint here and there. The acrylic paint was added for the most part after the doodling was finished.
An excellent resource for more information all about white pens can be found on the blog at Jet Pens:
... and now for the pages ...
Sunday, July 20, 2014
NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS 01
starting a new category ...
a way to document/share my week ...
learning to see with my heart
as well as my mind and my eyes ...
practicing practicing practicing ...
capturing snippets of everyday life ...
memories recorded ...
being present each day ...
answering the question: what are you noticing ...
NOTE TO SELF: I see these growing along the roadside - these and blackeyed Susans -
must add to the flower garden.
TREASURED TIMES: a photo walk with son
WORDS TO REMEMBER: thank you Stephanie Ackerman
LETTING LOOSE: moon walk inspired poetry
TANGLEWOOD TREATS: new favorite - vanilla ice cream topped with raspberry sorbet
TANGLEWOOD CONCERTS: get there early; lawn fills up fast
THROUGH THE LENS: always practicing, always looking
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
CONFESSIONS AND CLASSES
Yup ... it's time for confessions to be put out there to the world. I'm addicted - yes, you heard me right. I'm addicted ... to learning new things. I cannot resist signing up for classes. I'm always on the search for a new product, a new technique, a new way of thinking about things, a new perspective. I love the challenge AND I like to think it keeps me young. At least it sounds good :)
I try to have a measure of discipline at this internet smorgasboard of art classes, workshops, and youtube tutorials. I start of each January (acutally during the week after Christmas) making a list of upcoming classes and telling myself to choose one or two of my favorites or must takes. I make the dreaded resolutions to limit myself and keep my expectations realistic. After all there are only 24 hours 7 days a week in which I can devote to making art! And then all of my good intentions seems to vanish in thin air with rationalizations and excuses.
- WOW! such a great buy at the special discounted early-bird sign-up price.
- But she's my favorite teacher!
- Oh, I've always wanted to know more about how to do that technique or process.
- I just got to see her new spin on this topic.
- I love her art/style ... must take the class and learn how to ...
... and the list of all the reasons how I get myself in class overload goes on and on ... but enough of my carrying on about my problem. Let's just get to the good stuff.
I'm so excited about two new classes I've signed up for and they are with my two favorite teachers.
Class number one: The first one I'd like to tell you about is a new workshop being offered by Tangie Baxter. She has us exploring and doing some deep digging as we work toward creating vision boards. I've done a few vision/dream boards and some wish casting (ala Jamie Riddler) in the past, but Tangie is offering a very thoughtful reflective approach to the process in this class. Some real soul-searching and refining happening with Tangie encouraging me all along the way.
Tangie's classes are always well organized and packed with content ... paper as well as video instruction. AND she has a wonderful new classroom making it easy to share your work and connect with fellow classmates. You can learn more about Tangie's vision board workshop here. It's called UP COURSE NO. 1 CREATING YOUR FUTURE THROUGH VISION BOARDS and the best part ... it's still on sale!
Class number two: ARTS AND LETTERING IN MOTION with Joanne Sharpe. She has a great introductory video explaining all about the class on her website. The class starts on July 21st but she's already pushing and prodding us with pre-class fun lettering challenges on her facebook page.
I have always had a love affair with type, print, and fonts. I took Joanne's first class on lettering and bought her book which I find so helpful. Don't you think it is good to step away from the computer screen and how-to videos taking time to be still and just study the printed page for inspiration and direction. No need to push pause on that one.
I took a lettering classes early in the year with Hope Wallace Karney called To the Letter. I love her journal/lettering style. It is so distinctive. I decided that I needed to have a moleskine journal dedicated to my lettering practice. I fill the pages with favorite quotes and doodling ideas. I practice my lettering with nearly everything I write. I think I have the fanciest grocery lists in town, but after a while the strokes and the different fonts become more natural and easily executed.
I'd love to hear about your favorites in the class line-up because you know,
I'm always on the lookout for a new class or workshop to add to the list.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
DLP: ELEMENTS & EMBELLISHMENTS
If you're anything like me as a mixed media artist, you have no shortage of supplies. Paints, pens, sketchbooks and calendars, stickers, gadgets and gizmos ... And, I'm guilty of continualling adding more, wanting more, and saving all of the "more" up for JUST THE RIGHT PLACE" to use them. Can you identify with these thoughts?
And so, to that end, for the month of July (we won't talk about the fact that I'm having difficulty making a commitment to this goal beyond one month LOL) I'm on a mission to use some of the treasures this month. No more saving, No more hoarding. Trust me, SELF, there will always be more out there to tempt you when you need to replace with something new and better.
I captured some shots of my DOCUMENTED LIFE PLANNER and wanted to share how I have gotten the elements and embellishments out of the box and onto the page, and more importantly, let you see how I've integrated them with the page so each page presents as a unified piece rather than as a themed collection.
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| planner page and tip-in view |
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| fun fireworks piece that's been in my stash for more years than one cares to count; adding the multi-colored paint bursts helps to make it a part of the page rather than just being an add-on |
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| aren't these foam stars fun; have a whole bag in many other colors - more than I'll use in my lifetime LOL, but I love the dimensional aspect and lining them with the white pen is a perfect easy way to make them a part of the page (white pen: Uniball Signo UM 153) |
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| this is an element I created using torn note paper; a way for me to practice my lettering skills; I used my new white Liquitex paint marker, and my black china market to border the piece and to add shadows to help it pop off the page |
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| a fun graphic from a magazine that fits in perfectly with what is happening in my life right now (lots of gardening) but also is a perfect match for my ONE LITTLE WORD for the year, cultivating |
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| and there it is, the spread with the tip-in opened up; the common color palette helps present the spread as a unit; hooray for me - I used up the glittery fireworks stickers (added white pen to anchor to the page) and worked in the word stickers (framing them with the white pen to help them pop up off the page) Thanks for stopping by. I challenge to to move your hoarded stash out of the box and on to the page. Write about it on your blog. Send me a link in the comments. |
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
DAILY COLLAGE CHALLENGE: 84
my daily collage challenge; digital; supplies: Studio Tangie; #tangiebaxter; #mydailycollage
Just get back in your saddle and ride.
The Universe
I don't usually make any comments with my collages rather letting them stand on their own leaving interpretation and musings or reflections up to the viewer. However, when I did the copy paste for the standard caption I'd forgotten about the "note from the Universe" I had just copied. Pairing the message with this collage made me chuckle and seemed appropriate.
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