Baby Craft Shower

My crafty friends and I recently had a Baby Craft Shower  for our friend, Rachel.  The mission of our shower was to give Rachel at the end of the night a beautiful scrapbook where she would only need to add photo's.  We had such a great time snacking on yummy foods and laughing while we attempted to make beautiful scrapbook pages.  We had moved over to the mixed media side of art so scrapbooking was a bit of a challenge as we have grown accustomed to messy, inky, painty art, rather than the precision of perfect scrapbook pages.  A fun night was had by all.  My contribution . . . .

Planner Pages

Such fun was had finishing up my planner page.  I went with the Documented Life Project Color Wheel theme and am happy with the result.

Focus

It's a new year and time to record it. My word for the year is Focus. Let's hope I can follow through.

I've made some really cool things in the past year and if they are not displayed, which many are not, they are just pictures on my phone. So, let it begin.

I'm participating in many things in my own way. I am having an amazing time creating and I just love last nights creation, a Steampunk Valentine tag for the  Stampers Anonymous Yahoo group.

I like it.

Painty Goodness

Pulled out my paints tonight so I could prep some tip-ins for my Documented Life Project.  Oh what fun I had!  I wanted to have tip-ins ready with color, rather than a blank white canvas.  I used four colors of Tim Holtz's Distress Paints . . . mustard seed, mowed lawn, broken china and seedless preserves.   I love to splat some color on my craft mat, spritz with water and swipe my pages through the color.  I actually probably like patting the pages better than swiping them as I don't like when the colors blend too much.  I prefer little splotches of the seedless preserves to add little pops of color.  On some of the pages that looked too muted to me, I sprayed some of Dyan Reaveley's fushia for a little added burst of color.  These pages will be great inspiration in my planner on any given week.  I think I will pick sporadic weeks to add these tip-ins so they will be a pleasant starting point when I come upon them.  What fun!!

Recently bought some great pencils that I love shading my daily calendar entries with.  They are woodless pencils and they go on so smoothly.  I love the colors!

Here's a sneak peek at my Selfie page for week 2.  I didn't finish the inside yet and I'm not too sure that I'm done with this outer page either, but I'm loving it just the way it is for now.

Week 4's prompt was a hidden word.  This page was lots of fun too!

Last week, week 7, we were encouraged to select a shape and use it over and over.  Since Friday was Valentine's Day, I'm sure I was not the only one to choose hearts.  Looking back on this, though, I wish I edged the hearts, but I didn't and I still love it.

What I enjoy about this Documented Life Project is that it keeps going and going . . . like the Energizer Bunny.  I can keep adding a little here and a little there, holding on to memories of these weeks that are just flying by.  Wasn't it just Christmas??

My Front Door

I'm having lots of fun with The Documented Life Project.  I've been working on it steadfastly and figured it was time to show some of my progress.  The very first week we were given the prompt of "my front door".  You could use your own door, draw a door you wish you had or whatever inspired you having to do with a door.  I chose to use my own front door.  It's nothing fancy, though I love my door.  I remember going to Home Depot and Lowes to pick out a new front door a couple of years ago.  I wanted a door with a window to let light into my dark living room.  I fell in love with this door.  We bought it and had my brother-in-law install it.  I love when I walk up to it when I come home.  At night, my stained glass lamp inside reflects so nicely through the glass.  I also love sitting inside looking out, watching my palm tree sway  with the gentle breezes.

I then decided on the inside spread to add little houses to signify the seven different homes I have lived in during my lifetime.  The quote on the right says, "There's No Place Like Home".  The butterflies were incorporated to add the Journal 52 prompt of "Up, Up and Away".  It's fun to try to work the two prompts into my weekly planner.

This is really turning into a fun project for me.  Can't say that I totally love what I've come up with each week but it's fun to play around with the different pages, a little here, a little there, until it is something I love.  And I'm totally loving the process!

The Documented Life Project

I love when I hear about a new-to-me project.  Somewhere in my blog hopping or Facebook Newsfeed scrolling I came across The Documented Life Project and was instantly intrigued.  I love the Art Journaling Calendar Challenge I participated in last year and plan to continue with this year.   I will post about those pages soon.  This Documented Life Project sounds a little more involved with  a nice weekly challenge to have fun with also.

 

I have my Moleskine 2014 Planner for starters.  My washi tape is ready and waiting.  I've got lots of tip-ins to include.  Now to assemble!  Each week we are given a challenge.  The first week the focus was "Our Front Door".  Week two is a "Selfie" and our One Little Word, if selected.  I just love all the different things that can be incorporated into this journal and I love the weekly inspiration to focus on.  With "focus" being my one little word for 2014, I'm right on track.  More to come!!

Books

 
Books have always made me happy.  I remember when I was a little girl, it would be such fun to ride my bike to the public library and fill up my basket with books.  Within days I had them all read and I'd go back and do it again.   Many years and many interests later, I still love books.  It was most enjoyable today to gather all of my art books together so they are readily accessible.  I actually get quite a bit of pleasure just looking at them lined neatly on the shelves.  I don't buy many books any more since so much information is a click away, but I must say, I still do love my books.  So between my books and Downton Abbey, it was a delicious day!

There's a blog I follow, Daisy Yellow, where Tammy posted about her reading list for 2014.  She included a variety of types of books, including the art books she has on her shelves, many of which also sit on my shelves!  Her list was quite the challenge that I'm not sure I would be able to live up to, but I found it inspiring.  I would really like to enjoy some of my books, for their content, in addition to them just "sitting pretty".  I also plan to participate in The Documented Life Project, a fun and exciting endeavor which I will share in another post.  Numerous activities are on my agenda for 2014.  Let the fun begin!

Focus

Here we are!  2014!!  Focus is my word for the year.  I want to enjoy life's moments and not rush on to the next moment.  Focus.   It's a perfect word for 2014.

I truly loved this holiday season.  This was the first Christmas since I was a kid where nothing was on the agenda.  We took our time and cherished every moment of the day.  We have had family and friends over on Christmas Day for as long as I can remember.  This year, it was just the four of us.  We slept in, had breakfast at noon and opened gifts at 1.  We didn't stress about getting the wrappings cleaned up because company was coming.  We put the turkey in the oven at 2, snacked all afternoon and had a nice dinner.  We listened to music and danced in the kitchen while the kids "played" with their new iPads by the tree.  

The day after Christmas was spent at the beach.  It truly was the best holiday season in a long time.  Contentment is  a beautiful thing.  Life is short.  We must enjoy the moments.  Happy New Year!

Card Making

My friend, Sandy, and I got together recently to make cards.  We picked up the hat girl stamp at our favorite scrapbooking and stamp store and had fun making a mask and then creating a group of pretty girls.  We each stamped the circle background, then I free-handed colorful dots sporadically and then colored the girls in with Copic markers.  I love the way the card turned out.  I recently purchased the We R Memory Keepers Envelope Maker and made the green polka dot envelope to match. 

It's going to be lots of fun making pretty envelopes to coordinate with the cards I make.  It's always such fun to create!!

Journal Page - Candy Store

Truly love how my Candy Store Journal Page turned out!  I had such fun playing with colors!  This is a bit different than how I envisioned it when Sandy and I started out with the same images.  I can't wait to see how Sandy finished hers up too!  If you look back a couple of posts, you will see this at an earlier stage.  Here is the finished product........

The quotes say, "Your choices now will dictate your health in the future."  "Choose Wisely!"  I really spent a lot of time journaling today and it's true what they say, once you start, it just grabs hold and entices you to do more.  It will certainly be a lot of fun filling up these pages!!

Journal Page - Wish for More

Certainly more productive things I should be doing today, but I decided to do something with the two page spread where I glued down random bits and pieces that looked good to me.  This is what I started with.

Now with inky fingers, this is the finished product.

I love it.  The quote says, "Did she ever wish for more?"

Happy Sunday!!

Journal Page - Candy Store

I don't normally take pictures of my journal pages in progress, but I'm going to now as I want to see the progression.  My friend, Sandy, and I started with the same image and went from there.  We did our backgrounds together and will get together again with our finished pieces.  I have a good idea of where I want to go from here so stay tuned.

It's amazing how you can also see a quote and just know that it's perfect for the page.  Can't wait to finish it up!!

Cards

I love to make cards!  They are quick and easy and usually come out pretty good.  What I really need to do is sit down one night and crank out a bunch so I always have some on hand.  Or maybe just sit towards the end of each month and make the cards I need for the following month.  Wow.  That sounds pretty organized and efficient.  Not sure I can handle that!

Here are some recent cards I've made.  This first one with the bird was for a black and white with flourishes swap I was in with my Yahoo group, Art For The Creative Mind.  The cameo card was a swap for that same group.  And the last card I made for my hubby for Valentine's Day.  Such fun!

 

Journal Pages

My all-time favorite art project to do lately is art journaling.  The backgrounds are such fun to make.  They are always a work in progress because as time goes by and you go back and look at a two page spread, you can always find another way to add something to it.  Such fun!  Here are a couple of recent pages.  I've gotten a lot of inspiration from Michelle McCosh at http://creativepaperarts.blogspot.com/.  She holds great art journaling classes and teaches us lots of new techniques with amazing products.

More to come . . .

Change

It's time to change things up.  I'm so very bored with this blog, but I've always loved it and find it to be a wonderful reflection of where I am at any particular time.   I am passionate about art and that will now be the focus on my blog.  I have made some pretty things over the past few years and rather than going through different discs of pictures, this will now be home for my art.  So come along on my journey as I share my creations.

I'm working on an Art Journal Calendar that I heard about on Facebook.   It has been sponsored by Kate Crane of  http://thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com/ for the past four years.  I've had such fun making these calendar pages each month and above all else, I'm proud of myself for keeping up with it.

My first attempt was January, of course!  This was lots of fun decorating each square each day.  I track my life on the calendar in my iPhone, so it's easy enough to make up for lost time if I don't get to journal each day, though that is the goal!

February is the month my daughter, Rachel, was born.  I've always loved the month of February because of Valentine's Day and now it is extra special because that is the day I brought my now 19 year old daughter home from the hospital.

March was interesting because I started a page that I really did not like at all, so I covered it up, something that I don't often do.  I was at a loss and couldn't think of what to do, but am very happy with the results.  Can't say that I live a super exciting life, though it's mine and I love it, but you will see some days with just a number because it was just another beautiful day.

 April showers bring May flowers.  While I have yet to come up with my design for May, I loved these little umbrellas cut from pretty scrapbook papers.  Must catch up on the journalling, but even though we are showered with rainy days in most parts of the country in the month of April, I love the colors!

And that is the story of my life so far for 2013.  Onward bound!!

View From My Window

Each morning as I sit at my desk going through email, I have a little visitor that strolls on up to my window to gaze at his reflection in the glass.  He doesn't stay long, but long enough for me to admire his beauty and snap a picture to preserve the peacefulness of his grace.

ATC's

Love to make ATC's with my group of artist friends.  Here's for our most recent swap . . . Birds.

His little feet are a tad interesting, but I like the feather.  Must practice bird feet more.

Hollywood Tags

Recently joined a Hollywood Tag swap with one of my Yahoo groups, Altered stART.  Each participant needed to select a star or movie and then make one tag of each participants selection.  I chose Elvis Presley.  These tags were such fun to make.  I'm anxious to see the finished product.

Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Carole Lombard, Mae West, Maureen O'Hara and Elvis, just in case you didn't recognize any.

My next project is a Halloween Fat Book.  I'll be using a new Tim Holtz stamp that I need to pick up from my favorite store so I can then get started.

A Wonderful Father's Day

We had a great day today celebrating with Tom for Father's Day.  I had the bright idea that we should take a pedal boat out for a ride.  We surprised Tom for fear that he would refuse and he was close to doing so when we pulled into Okeeheelee Park.  I dragged the three of them, mitching and boaning, until we climbed into the four-seater and then thoroughly enjoyed ourselves while making meaningful family memories.  We laughed till our bellies ached and enjoyed the beautiful weather and cool breezes while on the water.  There was a little island that Rachel went out to explore.  Tom and Logan tried to drive away and leave her, but Mom prevailed.

We listened to music on Rachel's iphone and laughed again when Logan's hat when flying into the water and we pedaled like crazy to reach it before we couldn't.

We then went to The Diner for lunch and then home to open some presents.  It was a great day and Tom enjoyed it.  A day we will always remember and that's how it's supposed to be.

Happy Father's Day to my Dad in Heaven . . .

 This picture was taken before he was married, before he even thought of the children he would have or the amazing Father he would turn out to be, before he could have realized the everlasting impression he would leave inscribed within our hearts.  Rest in peace, my dear Father.  God Bless.

Chapter Complete

I started these picture frames in 1995.  Today they are complete.  Seventeen years of public school.

"Our" schooling actually began before that when Logan and Rachel both attended the JFK Medical Center Preschool.  I served as President of the Parent Advisory Committee for several years, always busy planning fun events for the children.  We envisioned a charter school way back then when my kids were little, a place where we could keep our kids sheltered and safe.  The JFK Medical Center Charter School just celebrated its 10 year anniversary.  I was a founding member of the Board of Directors and still serve on the Board.  I always wanted to be very involved in all my children did as they were growing up and I have no regrets.  It's been a fun ride with a kazillion memories that I pull out from time to time. 

Today I put the last picture in Rachel's frame.  My babies.  They are not babies anymore.  I hope they remember the things I tried to teach them along the way.  It's kind of liberating to watch them spread their wings to fly.  I remember that feeling.  It was beautiful then and it is beautiful now.  Reach for the sky, my little chickadees.