DAYS 5-9 of 30/30 Project

This has been an interesting process indeed. Last Thursday I rebelled. I started a project in my book, a whole mess of textured background, and my brain said "enough!" There was just something about HAVING to do a project that my mind rejected. (People who know me well know that I don't take well to being forced to do something.) I put my brushes down, packed up a lunch, a book, a camera and a dog and headed outdoors to the local forest preserve to clear my head. I ate my PBJ but it was too windy to read so we headed on the trail around the lake. It was nice to not think for awhile. When I did get back, I sat down and finished my pages. And did a few more little projects for the next few days since I knew I wasn't going to have much art time. So I'm trying to figure myself out... was I just burned out on the "have to" idea or I am undisciplined? Do other people just sit down and make art when they don't necessarily feel like it? I suppose they would have to if they have a piece of commissioned work, right? How do you keep your creative juices flowing?


Anyway, here's the rundown for days 5-9.  Day 5 I decided to do something different. I was cleaning up my studio (yeah, that's different in itself!) when I came across a sketch on wc paper of a little monster. I decided to finish painting it. I did a few of these monster paintings a while ago for my niece and nephew, also made a jean jacket with the monster on the back and a tee shirt of a princess monster. It was a big hit. But this one was dedicated to all the little monsters in my life. You know who you are.

Day 6 was the troublesome one. Once I put down all these textural layers of tissue paper I had NO clue as how to finish it. After my respite in nature, I saw the background as very organic and finished it with real ginko leaves. I just needed a purpose.

Day 7 was a fun little project. I started out with a block of wood (which had something on it already, shhh) that I painted with black gesso and then put white crackle paint on top. Finished with a few pieces of textiles (burlap, dryer sheet, lace, ribbon) and a button I got from a button swap. Added the few necessary words. 

Day 8 was a cop out. It took me just a few minutes to fancy up this shoe that belongs to Marie Antoinette. It went into Lorena's Marie RR Portfolio. But that's okay because it was Saturday and my daughter and I had big plans. 

Day 9 went to an art journal entry format, telling about our big day on Saturday. We decided to hit the Glen Ellyn Village Fair and Taste of Glen Ellyn. (Where else can you get deep fried Twinkies? and NO. I did not abuse my body in that manner!!!) I took my camera and "shot from my hip". I put 12 photos together on the page. It was interesting because at first I put all the pictures on nice and straight and lined up. But it just wasn't right. So I messed them up, tilted them, doodled around them... yes. Much better. (If you click on the picture you can enlarge it and see the little pictures.) I needed to depict the chaos, the blaring music, the flashing lights, the game yellers, the screamers, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the kids running around... 

Well, that's it for now. I am not giving up on this project. If I'm not disciplined I AM persistent. (Some would say stubborn, but I prefer persistent or tenacious.) This week will be interesting because I do have a fair amount of work to do in other areas of life. So keep your fingers crossed and have a GREAT week!

30 Projects in 30 Days

I started a new challenge because you know, I just can't resist a good challenge! Yet another from my Sketchbook Project Group, boy those ladies keep me on my toes! So the challenge is to create and complete a project every day for 30 days. Since we break rules all the time, we decided if we run into snags (also called Life) and miss a day, we can make up for it with 2 the next day... so long as we complete 30 projects in 30 days. Since I know I won't post every day, I'm going to try and group them every 3-4 days. Before the project started I made a watercolor journal to work in, which is pictured above. My focus for this challenge is to paint and fill up my little journal. I don't want to call it Art Journaling, I would say it's more just mixed media painting in a journal. Of course our regular work in our Marie Antoinette RR and our Sketchbook RR also count. And if I feel like doing something else one day, so be it. Rule breakers we are.

Day 1: I created the 30/30 digital logo you see on the left of my post. Of course I shared it with all the peeps playing :-)

Day 2: I wanted to create a nice send-off page for my journal.  Paint, paper and rubber stamps/ink pad.

Day 3: This was inspired by Cloth Paper Scissors magazine cover for this month. It's an article on painted paper collage by Serena Wilson Stubson. I used various scrapbook papers, paints, stencils/stamps, cheesecloth, and marker. I love that it's so colorful. And yes, some people would be happy to know I used the color Orange!

Day 4: Was just serendipity. I started the day out tired and in a gah type mood so I slathered a very dark blue/black all over the paper and let it dry. Then decided I wanted to do a house theme. At night of course. But I had to lighten the page with blue gray storm clouds. I used torn scrapbook paper, text, music sheets, and words. The text says "It was a dark and stormy night" and the name of the picture is called "Every home has a story to tell." Even the doghouse. If you click on the picture it should give a closeup of the words inside the houses... the story of the house.

I tell ya, I'm having too much fun here. I really enjoyed the past two days' projects. I think what I'm going to do is to grab a random magazine (I only have about 98723765 magazines laying around here!) and open it to a page I have earmarked as a project or technique I want to try. Oh so much to do and try and so little time...  

Oh, on another note and related to my previous post... I WON a hand painted fat quarter from Leilani Pierson! She was giving away this gorgeous fat quarter as a thanks for playing in her challenge to make the little fabric book. This piece of fabric is really beautiful. It will pain me to cut into it, but it's alright. I haven't figured out yet how I'm going to use it, so I can enjoy it now as is. And the envelope she sent it in, is really pretty too! I just can't throw it away...

Mini Fabric Book Challenge

Leilani Pierson posed a mini challenge this week over at the Cloth Paper Scissors blog. Make a mini fabric book using only these supplies:

• Light colored fabric
• Thread (to bind it)
• Rubber stamps or homemade stamps
• Stamp Pad
• Text found from old books
• Marker/pen for doodling and/or marking

Of course I couldn't resist a challenge, especially coming from Leilani, who taught a flower pounding/fabric book class at Make It University at International Quilt Festival. I had a blast at the class and feel like I met a kindred spirit. Here's my little book:

Yes, those are my fingers holding it, the book is tiny! The pages are a 4" x 4" piece of canvas fabric folded in half and stitched. I had to hunt through my stamps for small enough images! I grunged the fabric with a stamp pad, then stamped some images on it, layering some images with a text stamp. The circles are a piece of cardboard tubing I dipped in the stamp pad. Finding the words were the best part, I love using random book text in my work. It took me about an hour to finish the book (after sewing it together the night before!) It was a nice exercise for my brain, a nice change of pace. I was itching to do something new and this hit the spot.


Thanks Leilani!

Tip-toe... through the tulips

Some pretty pictures for you on this middle of the week hump day. Tulips from my garden and my neighbors garden. Have I told you yet this week how much I LOVE my camera??

And if you live anywhere near the Midwest, you'll recognize these... just about ready to spread the joy! 

On my walk this week, I found the big white birds back in their pond. Anyone know what kind of bird this is? Snowy Egret maybe? Some kind of Heron? They're really big. UPDATE: I was informed by several bird experts this is a "Great Egret". How cool is that? Thanks Peggy and Lori!

Have a great rest of the week everyone!