tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27791617671666303542012-01-31T16:22:41.674-06:00Random thoughts about life and various creative endeavors. A place to share myself with my eFriends and fellow artists.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-68580223240571217022011-12-30T12:34:00.000-06:002011-12-30T12:34:39.863-06:00

I hate that I haven't had time to update my blog... things have been quite demented around here. Okay, in a good kind of way, I guess :-) I do have some updates on THE Cancer diagnosis. (I refuse to call it "MY" cancer because I'm not claiming it!) I met with a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist to find out more about the treatment process. I also had to have a second surgery because

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-16851595410764753162011-11-29T00:06:00.000-06:002011-11-29T00:06:58.221-06:00

Dear Blog, This is going to be the hardest post I've ever written. But first, I am so sorry for neglecting you for so long. I feel terrible about it. It has been quite a ride since the last post. I was mostly preoccupied with Artistcellar. We decided that we didn't want to wait until the new year to launch our new stencil line. And so we went full speed ahead through the ordering of supplies,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-21344222805539582862011-10-04T19:35:00.001-05:002011-10-04T19:38:19.127-05:00

I'm jumping up and down doing a happy dance! My last post I shared a link for everyone to enter the free Lifebook class giveaway. The class spot was being given away by Effy Wild of Wild Precious Studio. I said "If I was meant to win, I will. If I wasn't meant to win, maybe YOU will." And I meant it sincerely. I guess Karma smiled upon me... because I won the spot! It wasn't the first entry I put

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-90395221722580368322011-09-29T10:03:00.000-05:002011-09-29T10:03:18.643-05:00

Every once in awhile I come across a class offering that resonates with me. Something "speaks" and I feel like if I don't listen I'll miss out on something wonderful. I've been pretty lucky in the past, I've won DVD's, beautiful jewelry, books from various blog giveaways and Effy Wild is giving away a free space in this Lifebook class. (Listen for the whine...) I waaaant toooo wiiiiiin this

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-61871604784975508722011-09-28T19:56:00.002-05:002011-09-28T19:57:40.173-05:00

A facebook friend of mine posted this on her wall and I HAD to share. My daughter is a doodler. And she's been "caught" doodling in the past, on her homework, on her schoolwork, on the backs of tests, while listening to the teacher read... I told her it's okay, but not sure everyone agrees with me. Take a look at this. It's not too long and well worth it. Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite! |

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-36940944526489943882011-09-21T10:33:00.000-05:002011-09-21T10:33:16.461-05:00

How can I be homesick for a place I've never lived? I was sitting in my office the other day (okay, it's really a dining room) and looked up at my Bar Harbor mermaid picture that I got from artist Russell D'Alessio and just felt... homesick. Where I live now, I've lived my whole life. Minus ten years in the desert, an adventure, to say the least, but not a regret. It was a six hour drive to the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-36700683823555176002011-08-16T19:54:00.001-05:002011-08-16T19:54:25.666-05:00

Last winter, inspired by a friend's junk mail journal, I decided to make one of my own. God knows I get enough junk mail around here. Interestingly, most of the pages are credit card offers. I just gessoed and painted over them, sewed it up the binding, and then the fun part began. Embellish, embellish, embellish. Most of the embellishing used some type of junk or daily ephemera. Some I added

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-1132355804685669832011-07-28T00:19:00.000-05:002011-07-28T00:19:54.747-05:00

Last Saturday I went to a local Fiber Arts Studio in Big Rock, IL. It's called Esther's Place (I learned Esther is the name of a sheep!) and I think I'm still drooling a little bit. My friend's daughter is taking a spinning class there so Celia and I tagged along. Oh. My. Goodness. What a neat little shop filled with colorful soft wooly goodness. They say to fiber artists it's like a kid in a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-26251624135557613262011-07-25T23:45:00.000-05:002011-07-25T23:45:28.259-05:00

If you are feeling stressed out, or need some cooling down from the heatwaves hitting our nation, this is a little gift for you. Sit with me on the rocks on Otter Point, in Acadia National Park, Maine. Listen to the waves crashing over the rocks. The sea gurgles as the waves run across the rocks and back into the ocean. Sea gulls glide above. The cool salt spray mists your face while the sun

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-16353110086509493982011-07-09T11:37:00.000-05:002011-07-09T11:37:54.679-05:00

That's an order!  It's been very difficult getting back to "real life" after a visit to one of the most beautiful places in the country. My little family just took a 1200 mile road trip from Chicago to Bar Harbor Maine, with a 2 day stop in Burlington, Vermont. I've never been east of Indiana so it was all very exciting. I did keep a travel journal, but I'm ashamed to admit it's not "finished".

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-54644721644306660722011-07-08T21:38:00.000-05:002011-07-08T21:38:54.758-05:00

Just a quick post to remind everyone that Artful Gathering 2011 is about to commence! Classes start July 16th. Have you seen the teacher lineup? It's fabulous! Drawing, painting, collaging, bookmaking, journaling, jewelry, dollmaking, tool-using. Well, the one BAD thing about this event is choosing which classes to take! Today I'm leaning toward Jodi Ohl's class "Mixed Faux Encaustic Discovery."

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-21094749290898350612011-07-02T13:08:00.001-05:002011-07-07T21:15:53.852-05:00

Happy July! When someone on my SketchbookProject group suggested making some Wild Heart Art this is what came to mind. Of course it was the complete opposite of what was intended... she was talking about giant art, giant canvas, painted freely with wild abandon. Umm. Not really me. Besides, I have NO wall space available to hang large canvases or paper. That I can drip paint all over at least.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-86771256968695634892011-06-12T20:41:00.000-05:002011-06-12T20:41:41.159-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to... Marie Antoinelephant! A very elegant regal Pachyderm who lived in the 1700's. She coined the term "Let them eat Peanuts!" Below, you can see she is ready for the grand Masquerade ball.  She enjoys a bit of tea and crumpets in the afternoons with her lady friends.  Although quite a beauty, she still has her insecurities and will be frequently overheard asking her

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-58873912326412667972011-06-09T16:19:00.001-05:002011-06-09T16:21:38.251-05:00

This is the first cuff I ever made and I think I'm in love. Talk about a quick and easy project... and beautiful too! (I love instant gratification projects!) My base fabric was a strip of canvas and I just started layering laces and cheesecloth and more laces and ribbons and finally sewed on a row of buttons. It has a button and loop closure but I may change that because it's hard to put on by

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-90467074492780745922011-05-30T23:23:00.000-05:002011-05-30T23:23:17.749-05:00

I thought this was appropriate... today was the first day in... a week? that the sun actually shone all day long. No afternoon thunderstorms or clouding up at 10:00 a.m. I'll bet it made for some nice Memorial Day Picnics... and sunburns! The high today was 91 degrees F.  This journal page was made with only Copic Markers. The most recent issue of Cloth Paper Scissors had a few articles in it

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-77245130016219141822011-05-18T07:19:00.000-05:002011-05-18T07:19:21.530-05:00

I knew it was coming but it wasn't completely REAL until I got my copy of the magazine in the mail. My artwork, something I painted with my own hands, in print! The funny thing is, I didn't submit the artwork, the art director of the magazine found it on my blog and asked if she can use it. The magazine is the May/June issue of Horizons Magazine, published by Presbyterian Women. It accompanies

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-90867535586104928342011-05-09T22:22:00.000-05:002011-05-09T22:22:18.824-05:00

Ha! I just made that word up. Springspiration. The feeling you have when flowers suddenly burst from the trees, and the brown lawns suddenly turn chemical green. Those darn weeds start growing like... well, weeds. The birds are back, gathering nesting material and twitterpating in the trees. Growth, Birth, Renewal, Revival, Energy... The top picture is an "Inspiration Card" I made for Val in a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-66792430915924060552011-04-28T22:52:00.000-05:002011-04-28T22:52:33.820-05:00

Hehe. I couldn't resist. Probably because every time I see the word "Collage" I think of those 4 years at Arizona State University... Laura Lein Svencner Anyway... A few weeks ago I went to a demonstration put on by Laura Lein-Svencner, the cofounder of the Midwest Collage Society.  I've seen her before at Art fairs and love both her drawings and her abstract collage work.  Laura teaches a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-80839549757754555502011-04-19T16:08:00.000-05:002011-04-19T16:08:42.938-05:00

I don't think words are really necessary...

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-10774879787603140842011-04-14T16:55:00.001-05:002011-04-14T16:56:44.371-05:00

I just wanted to take a quick post to let you know that my very own "random name generator" (the kid) picked a name out of the proverbial hat and we have a winner for the Artistcellar Newsletter Giveaway. And the winner is.....   ART EXPRESSIONS!  Congratulations Art, I will contact you privately for your mailing address and the Moonlight Mermaid bottle of paint will be swimming to you shortly! 

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-51805129903839571822011-04-13T21:20:00.001-05:002011-04-13T21:21:29.182-05:00

Some of you know that I'm an imposter Art Journaler. By that, I mean that I rarely write down my "thoughts and feelings" in a journal. I've tried. It's just not me. To me, my artwork is personal enough. My art journals are simply... journals filled with artwork. I love my words. I love my symbols. I love song lyrics, quotes and poems. Just don't ask me to pour my heart out. No one wants to see

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-12144599744738745212011-04-06T23:49:00.000-05:002011-04-06T23:49:29.346-05:00

Happy April! Look who I found peeking out of the dead Autumn leaves? Of course the next day it snowed... March was officially dubbed "The Month of Chaos".  I was all over the place... not a whole lot of focus going on.  I did complete my hand painted fabric for the fabric swatch exchange over at Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine.  I intended to document the process. But guess what? Yeah, I got so

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-85575403223055018622011-03-14T13:00:00.000-05:002011-03-14T13:00:31.048-05:00

A few weeks ago I had an itch in my fingers to create something with fabric, while I was doing some utilitarian stitching. I grabbed some fabric scraps, a piece of canvas, a glue stick and some scissors and came up with this sweet, simple little number. It took me about 7 minutes flat, hehe. (Well, I mounted it on the red background and then the black background at a later date.) I really like

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-30497619046893766422011-02-28T20:53:00.000-06:002011-02-28T20:53:56.983-06:00

Fog and Ice. Two of my favorite subjects for photography. So there I was this morning, while waiting for the school bus. Sniffling, snuffling, shuffling around the yard with my camera. The sun was at a very low angle, it was right at the freezing point where everything was still suspended in a layer of ice and time. Breathtaking.  My Lovely Lilac Tree Little Buds Diamond Encrusted Slivers

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-53991930202779779262011-02-24T20:55:00.000-06:002011-02-24T20:55:34.792-06:00

Who knows how to actually PLAY dominoes? It's funny... I don't see dominoes as a game, I see them as something to be altered into pendants, refrigerator magnets, embellishments, etc. I don't think I've ever actually played a game of Dominoes. Raise your hand if you know exactly what I'm talking about!  (I have the same problem with old scrabble tiles I find at garage sales... monopoly pieces

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-5602355141955884902011-02-17T21:36:00.000-06:002011-02-17T21:36:40.619-06:00

One World, One Heart has officially come to an end here in Illinois. I want to go to bed now :-) According to Random.org, the official winner of the big prize is...  KATHY! Also known as QuiltQueen.  Kathy, I will email you personally for your address and get your prize out to you.  And keeping with the spirit of giving... and seeing that I got over 200 comments (207 to be exact) I felt like

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-2302156887045971842011-02-07T17:31:00.000-06:002011-02-07T17:31:12.332-06:00

Yeah, I thought that would get your attention!  But it gets better... Fat Free AND full of fiber. Poly-fiber that is. Gosh, I crack myself up. Don't they look delicious? Goes well with a big glass of fake milk.   I'm sorry I can't take credit for these though. I did make them for a Valentine Day Magnet swap with Sarah Whitmire's Soul Journaling Group but I didn't come up with the design. I came

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-48783648490990460222011-02-04T10:02:00.000-06:002011-02-04T10:02:37.337-06:00

Valentine's Day... Blah. There's only so much pink and red and cuteness I can handle. I made something for the broken-hearted. The ones that cringe at those deplorable commercials... "diamonds mean love", and "tell her you love her with a gift you spent your entire paycheck on and will therefore go into debt and take years to dig out" Now that's real love. HA! What a marketing strategy.  I was

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-56527339488247471102011-02-01T23:24:00.001-06:002011-02-02T00:15:29.353-06:00

It's that time of year again and I'm very excited to participate in this journey! I discovered One World, One Heart last year when I hopped from blog to blog and met so many wonderful artists. What is OWOH you ask? It's like a worldwide blog party that lasts for several weeks. You check out people's blogs, drool over all the eye candy and inspiration, leave a comment and maybe win fabulous prizes

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com208tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-85965399232130293212011-01-29T00:29:00.001-06:002011-01-29T00:30:48.624-06:00

A few weeks ago, Zinnia at Roses on my Table posted the journal prompt "Color" and of course I waited until the last minute because that's when  my muse works best. (Or is that an excuse for procrastinating? Hmmm...) Anyway, I was thinking "color" has such a wide interpretation when it hit me. Literally. This really trashy romance novel printed in LARGE print fell out of my shelf. I use it to

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-59132270771948327782011-01-23T22:48:00.000-06:002011-01-23T22:48:56.452-06:00

htt Well, I don't think two blog posts within a week is actually a roll yet... but baby steps, right?  Today I wanted to feature some of the artwork I did when Tam at Willowing.ning so graciously offered a free course in Art, Heart, and Healing. What a fabulous turnout she had! And what a wonderful and informative and FUN course it was. Sure, she's a bit goofy (luv ya, Tam!) but the quality of

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-81503798762635031552011-01-18T22:25:00.000-06:002011-01-18T22:25:33.955-06:00

AAARRGGH.  Hi, my name is Lisa and it's been over two months since my last post! I feel like I've been neglecting an old friend and I'm truly sorry. (Clap! Clap! Welcome Lisa! Start writing and get over it!) Seriously. I can't believe I've let so much time slip. But things have been going on... very exciting things, I might add. Regarding Artistcellar.com, we hit the six month mark and had a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-68395031102809737322010-10-28T23:56:00.000-05:002010-10-28T23:56:04.996-05:00

BZZZZZZZZZZZZ! That's me being a busy little bee. I'm in the middle of so many projects, I'm thrilled to just know I finished one! This is my very first Accordion book I made through a class taught by Zinnia over at Roses on my Table ning group.  I have to tell you guys, this group is fantastic! Zinnia offers several different paid workshops, like Stone Tile Art, and Mixed Media Bottles.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-49397477075934223032010-09-22T11:04:00.000-05:002010-09-22T11:04:37.098-05:00

I've always loved Michelle Ward's art and fondly peruse her "Street Team" blog and the monthly "Crusades" or challenges she posts there. Well this month, my hands were itching to do something different and this looked too cool to pass up. The challenge this month is "In a Scrape" -make a painting but NO brushes allowed! She shows tutorials and examples to help everyone along. I started with a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-40364979009431060102010-09-10T09:54:00.000-05:002010-09-10T09:54:11.675-05:00

I'm not a poker player but this came to mind. What to do with this 100/100 project? I'm having a really hard time keeping up. Actually I'm not keeping up. I'm about 15 days behind. Between taking care of the business and taking care of prior art commitments, I'm just wiped out. And of course that's all on top of taking care of the family and house... sigh. It seemed so easy at the beginning. Just

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-79984887941086348842010-08-09T23:39:00.000-05:002010-08-09T23:39:25.712-05:00

Once again, these dog days of summer have me neglecting my blog. The days are winding down though and soon it will be back to school and the colors of fall will emerge. Soon I hope. This summer has been miserable. Between the super hot Chicago temperatures, the nearly daily rain storms, the suffocating humidity and the blood sucking mosquitoes swarming us, we have pretty much locked ourselves in

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-28945415747843089292010-07-21T00:17:00.000-05:002010-07-21T00:17:00.026-05:00

I really wish I could take credit for this drawing but I can't. I can only take credit for birthing the child (9 year ago!) who made the drawing. Who made the drawing while sitting in the back seat of the car while driving to a meeting. Who kept drawing during the meeting while her mom and dad talked boring stuff like packaging and shipping and business. But what a beautiful drawing it turned out

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-73577316607830023692010-07-16T00:35:00.000-05:002010-07-16T00:35:12.683-05:00

I am so sorry for neglecting my blog the past few weeks.  I feel terrible about it, but I do have an excuse. I've been very busy setting up my new business venture! My husband and I are the new owners of Artistcellar.com !!!! The past month was filled with emails, talks, contracts, anxiety, number crunching, ordering, stocking, anxiety, organizing, and playing with the inventory. My husband, I

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-22750326469542116562010-06-27T23:57:00.000-05:002010-06-27T23:57:14.131-05:00

I don't have any new artwork to publish this week, I've been busy doing some other Very Important Things, so I thought I would take the opportunity to brag a little bit. The artwork above is my daughter's work. She was chosen by her art teacher to be among a few handfuls of artists out of her whole school to display her artwork in a restaurant in downtown Glen Ellyn, called Bells and Whistles

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-50958853651653902972010-06-20T19:16:00.000-05:002010-06-20T19:16:29.908-05:00

So I'm only 6 days late for Mixed Media Monday! Last weeks theme was "Vintage Ads/Labels". I made this little tag out of those surface samples you get at Home Depot. You know when you're picking your counter top material? It's very sturdy and comes with a hole already in it and the backside is a pretty ivory colored fake marble veneer. (No, I never actually considered this for my counter tops!)

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-40312264996115774462010-06-15T23:24:00.002-05:002010-06-16T15:40:11.782-05:00

Wooohoooo! Project 30/30 is DONE! I think I can call it a success. I created, I cranked, I completed. Here are days 22-30. This was probably my hardest batch to deal with because there were other things going on in my life and some days I just didn't have time or energy to complete a project. But I did anyway. So there. Day 22 was a spread for Carol's Marie Antoinette's Round Robin. Her theme

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-12639534543018267802010-06-05T00:20:00.000-05:002010-06-05T00:20:25.223-05:00

Well, here it is, all caught up! At least for a few more hours until it's tomorrow... I've been working hard on my Layer Love class with Julie Prichard. I fell behind one day because I had to let the paint dry. So to make up for it, I painted two paintings at the same time. Hah! Take that, wet paint! Shall we begin?  Day 17 was Lesson One from the Layer Love class "The Red Page." It is a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-59861421425966801452010-06-02T23:58:00.000-05:002010-06-02T23:58:50.322-05:00

I have been very very busy these past few weeks. I can't quite say WHY yet but it's BIG. And school is winding down for the summer. Husband's last day was today. And C has to go until June 10th. It's always a big adjustment to go from being alone all day to having the family home all day. But it'll be a busy summer too. My Irises are done blooming already but I thought the greens were pretty the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-50062479976431005612010-05-23T20:29:00.001-05:002010-05-23T20:31:27.063-05:00

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

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-21254551841358839852010-05-19T00:23:00.001-05:002010-05-19T00:31:05.000-05:00

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

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-10482771309621658722010-05-10T19:11:00.001-05:002010-05-10T19:12:48.324-05:00

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

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-77277285681844445472010-05-05T00:48:00.002-05:002010-05-06T22:54:07.143-05:00

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

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-67393841630427825962010-04-28T10:07:00.001-05:002010-05-18T23:17:32.152-05:00

The class The Goddess and the Poet is coming to a close at the end of the month and I am SO glad that I had the opportunity to take the class. It was my first online class and I have to say that Suzi Blu is an amazing teacher - professional, friendly, and unique with just the right amount of silly. Which I love. I really learned a lot for her. I took from the class exactly what I needed/wanted.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-85647051695916634102010-04-21T09:34:00.001-05:002010-04-21T10:01:20.480-05:00

I had SO much fun at International Quilt Festival Chicago last weekend, I'm still recovering. And I'm going to be honest here, I only made my way through the actual quilt displays once, very quickly on my way out the door. No, I went for Make It University. MIU is a large area in the middle of the convention space that is set up for Mixed Media Artists and workshops. Drool city. I was fortunate

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-83604692724982612762010-04-14T20:27:00.003-05:002010-04-14T20:32:13.523-05:00

I finished my two thread spool poetry "things" for my swap. They were inspired by Kelli Perkins and when my sketchbook group saw them on her blog, we fell in love and decided to  make a swap of it.  Kelly is also going to be teaching a workshop on how to make these at International Quilt Festival this weekend in Rosemont, IL. I am just about crazy enough to pay for the workshop, just to take a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-18971154869937826502010-04-13T00:33:00.003-05:002010-04-13T11:43:04.418-05:00

I just can't do Mixed Media Monday today. The theme was "Hello Dolly".  I'm drawing a complete blank and decided I'm skipping it this week. No need to stress about it. I finished my Thread Spool Poetry project. The words are drying, and tomorrow I will take pictures in the natural daylight. I love the way they turned out. It's weird that I will be swapping them out and won't see them again.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-80077689913250032682010-04-08T22:26:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:44:08.133-05:00

Here is what happens when a Zentangle gets together with a Mandala... you get a Zendala. My sketchbook group decided to do a fat book type of swap with these. There are nine of us so we each made nine and sent them off to Canada for Sox to put together. I'll get nine different ones back (but I made color copies of mine before sending them off) and they will be bound into a book. I should have

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-47752282602231508622010-03-29T21:58:00.001-05:002010-04-13T11:45:04.591-05:00

This weeks Mixed Media Monday theme is "Eggs".  I knew as soon as I heard that I wanted to use this picture of a nest I took last summer. I scratched the nest part with rough sandpaper and scribbled over it with colored china markers. Something I learned in L.K. Ludwig's "Point and Shoot Journaling" class.  I then mounted it on an 8" x 10" canvas, stamped words around it and added some Ranger's

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-66279339661544215192010-03-27T00:22:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:53:44.167-05:00

I'm wondering what exactly constitutes an art quilt. Are there any rules? Or is it whatever you make and call an art quilt? Because I was playing around with some Tyvek while I was working on a techniques page for a RR journal project. I think I might have made an art quilt, teehee. Okay, here's what happened. I painted a 11 x 14 piece of Tyvek in pretty colors, very loosely painting a red

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-502660303559843192010-03-22T14:24:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:55:25.245-05:00

Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails... that's what little boys are made of! These three boys are part of my "found" family. I found them hiding in a box in an antique store. I love to hunt for hidden treasures, especially old photos and Victorian cabinet cards. But I don't think I have one old photo where the person is smiling. They all look so serious and austere. I saw these three boys

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-89660116598957627852010-03-20T12:57:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:56:45.560-05:00

Happy First Day of Spring everyone! I woke up this morning to this:  It was 62 degrees and sunny yesterday, all week as a matter of fact. My first Crocus's emerged with a burst of purple and yellow. Here they are:  Can you see them buried under the snow? Along with the Iris shoots starting to grow? The Daffodils shot up this week as well. The flowers are fat little pods under a thin papery

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-62234114483097892562010-03-15T13:33:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:57:45.538-05:00

Mark your calendar! This week's Mixed Media Monday is actually ON TIME! Woooot!  This weeks theme was "Party Animals".  Of course my first thought was to take a picture of my dog and party her up... I actually started one. But then... I remembered this great picture I got at an estate sale and couldn't resist. Those twins just make me smile. You just KNOW that somewhere inside of them they are

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-14398819229361560402010-03-14T16:51:00.002-05:002010-04-13T11:59:50.795-05:00

Hehe. I made this little canvas in response to LAST week's mixed media prompt which was "It's not all black and white". I envisioned very soft white background with the black bird silhouette I got from a blog called "A Year in the Life of an Art Journal". Yah. Couldn't do it in black and white. But... it's not ALL black and white anyway, right? The birds have some Black Soot Crackle Paint on it

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-55265771599940925052010-03-13T14:45:00.002-06:002010-04-13T12:00:19.584-05:00

I woke up this morning to find blog awards from my friends Joanna, Kelly and Janet!  Thank you ladies for the honor!  Now as part of the award I have to do seven things: (1)Post the image of the award (2)Thank the person who gave it to me. (3)Link to the person who gave it to me (4)Tell you seven things about myself that you wouldn't know (5)Choose seven great bloggers to give

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-44825298511088209572010-03-10T00:48:00.002-06:002010-04-13T12:01:54.738-05:00

This canvas was abandoned a long time ago when I did a transfer experiment on it. I transferred three Da Vinci images... one fell right off, one is just to the right of the leaf and is barely visible and the last one is the reversed Mona Lisa on the left. Then I threw the canvas in the corner, hehe. A few months later I found this quote by Da Vinci and I thought it was perfect. I also needed to

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-62817860269804958802010-03-08T00:09:00.003-06:002010-03-08T00:13:50.608-06:00

I love my sketchbook group friends. I have never seen such enthusiasm and joy spread so quickly from one day to the next. One day last week someone mentioned the circus and WHAM. A great prompt was formed, ideas were born, art was created. Kind of like a tidal wave of creativity.  I never really got into circuses when I was a kid. But I fell absolutely and wholeheartedly in love with Cirque du

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-14647714967920585532010-03-01T07:17:00.003-06:002010-03-01T07:18:16.962-06:00

I thought that if I made a pretty picture for the Goddess of Spring, She would be pleased and Her happiness would spread sunshine and warmth and Joy across the land... Okay, seriously, this is the first spread for the Round Robin journal I'm participating in. This is for Janet's book "The Sacred Feminine". I'm taking Suzi Blu's "The Goddess and the Poet" class and thought I'd paint my very first

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-22093473196125631982010-02-22T12:34:00.005-06:002010-02-22T12:57:30.277-06:00

I've had these canvases laying around for months, half finished, not quite knowing what to do to finish them... you know the story. Well, about a little over a week ago, I happened upon my local Dick Blick store and there was a Golden Paint working artist/representative there demonstrating how to use their products. I was so excited I couldn't sit down. She had piles and piles of boards showing

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-70388176043141386802010-02-20T23:40:00.008-06:002010-02-20T23:45:55.803-06:00

My dog Maddy had the right idea. She found a little patch of bright sunlight and parked herself there for a mid morning nap. I think she misses the sun as much as I do although she does love romping in the snow. Of course if I had 2 inches of shaggy fur all over my body I might like to romp in the snow too. This is my little patch of sunlight. Sometimes my daughter spreads a blanket on the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-38281507296866153332010-02-07T12:00:00.002-06:002010-02-07T12:01:30.828-06:00

A few days ago I finished up and packed up my Round Robin Journal and sent it off to Colorado for Lori to work on. I received Janet's a week ago and am eager to get going in her beautiful journal. Okay, I'll be honest here... I'm a bit nervous to make my mark in her beautiful journal, but that's the way the game is played. This is my first Round Robin and the artists I'm playing with are really

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-63901968850086931962010-02-03T12:19:00.000-06:002010-02-03T12:19:53.495-06:00

I've got the winter blues. Good news though! It was cloudy this morning (never thought I'd say that was GOOD news!) so any groundhogs dumb enough to emerge from hibernation did NOT see a shadow. Doesn't that mean spring is coming soon? At least in my back yard? I'm trying really really hard to keep my spirits up and continue in my search to find beauty in this gray world. I'm not having much

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-56724886903006352352010-01-29T19:42:00.000-06:002010-01-29T19:42:52.874-06:00

I've been stealing bits and pieces of art time between entertaining a sick child. I've had this small canvas laying around here for a year or more. First I practiced using my crackle paint on it. Then it sat some more. Then something in a magazine caught my eye and I glued some pretty paper squares on it. And it sat around some more. Then I eyed my scraps of Cloth-paper and viola! The cloth-paper

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-62877143641041095472010-01-27T10:47:00.002-06:002010-01-27T10:49:27.038-06:00

First, I need to confess something... Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a bookaholic. There, it's out in the open now. Okay, moving on... the above is a picture of a mini quilt I made with my "Word of Intent" for the new year. It's made with paper-cloth letters stitched on a paper-cloth background which was stitched to painted canvas and sandwiched into a quilt. Keep reading and you'll see how it

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-76996658453028231962010-01-25T16:46:00.005-06:002010-04-13T11:41:44.600-05:00

Today's topic for Mixed Media Monday is "The Games People Play". I just happened to be in the process of making this cloth-paper mini quilt and found the perfect words for it in a vintage children's textbook. This is my first submission for MMM. Hopefully it won't be my last. The background is painted canvas cloth with flourishes a'la bandanna style. The heart is paper-cloth zig-zagged on the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-38282008045363905082010-01-19T22:16:00.010-06:002010-01-19T23:35:55.550-06:00

I am really having a hard time getting through the month of January! I can't remember the last time I saw the sun. It was supposed to be 40 last weekend but the weatherman lied. I have to admit there was ONE benefit to the weather, the trees and shrubs were beautiful, covered with hoarfrost. But I forgot to bring my winter boots and my feet froze while I walked around my parents' farm taking

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-82428839238334235392010-01-14T11:24:00.002-06:002010-01-14T11:27:04.465-06:00

Because we just can't have a blob of kneaded eraser laying around!Every time my daughter sees my kneaded eraser in it's "being used" form (aka a big blog) she grabs it and MUST sculpt something. This is a roadrunner.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-87614885202647700042010-01-13T11:56:00.003-06:002010-01-13T12:07:37.617-06:00

I had another bald Goddess and a problem. She was too far up on the page to draw hair so I gave her a crown. Okay, okay, I'll 'fess up. Veracity and all that... the hair that I drew just looked dumb. Part of the problem was that she was too far up on the page so I couldn't reach the top of her head... but seriously, I gotta figure out this hair thing.But first I have to get warm... my fingers are

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-75171774145404119002010-01-12T13:35:00.004-06:002010-01-13T12:08:38.096-06:00

Well, the Goddess needs a consort. I can't really call him a god... that seems sacrilegious in some weird way. Hehe. At first I wasn't going to post this because the picture seems a little... strange. But I decided you guys deserve to see the good, the bad, the ugly, the strange. It's not that I don't like him, I just can't decide what's wrong with him. I don't know if it's the rock-n-roll hair (

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-89941157713984955102010-01-10T20:58:00.003-06:002010-01-10T21:44:07.655-06:00

One of my goals this year is to learn new things. And to share myself with the world. I was salivating over Suzi Blu's paintings and drawings and kept watching her Blu-tube videos. That is one funny AND inspirational woman! I have a link in the sidebar if you want to check out her "Le Petit Academy". I took the plunge and signed up for "The Goddesss and the Poet" class. I want to draw pretty

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-31652062059352613342010-01-08T21:22:00.003-06:002010-01-08T21:36:53.748-06:00

Right before winter break my 8 year old daughter got a letter in the mail from the superintendent of schools. He let her know that a picture she made in art class was chosen to be displayed in the public meeting room at the district office. We were so excited. Her first public display of her art! At age 8! A dozen students were chosen from four different schools. The art teacher picked the best

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-58558068921247416812010-01-07T22:49:00.002-06:002010-01-07T23:04:41.800-06:00

Hehe. I've worked on designing hundred thousand dollar homes... and million dollar homes on mountainsides... but this was one sweet job. The snowfall today reminded me of this house... everything covered in sugar-white and slightly sparkly. If only my sidewalk were made of real gummies...and snowflakes were made of powdered sugar that melted sweetly on my tongue. We demolished it on New Year's

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-81937641943018487112010-01-03T00:30:00.007-06:002010-01-08T21:22:15.366-06:00

A few weeks before Christmas I asked some art friends about their opinion about what I can make for my niece for Christmas who lost her baby in utero at the end of July. This would be a bittersweet Christmas for her and I just wanted to let her know that we hadn't forgot. I got so many great suggestions it was hard to decide what to go with. Jewelry was a little too personal. An ornament was a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-76454183129747164812009-12-30T23:54:00.004-06:002010-01-03T01:31:33.908-06:00

Last week we had an ice storm here in the Midwest. Temperatures hovered near 32 degrees F and it alternated between rain, sleet and snow. It was a cold, white Christmas Eve we woke up to. But what a beautiful sight! I'm trying to establish the habit of having my camera nearby at all times and I'm glad I had it with me that morning. I walked around the yard amidst the frozen downed tree branches.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-6968755354975458842009-12-27T22:32:00.012-06:002010-01-05T10:09:20.887-06:00

First I thought... I can't do a project like this! I did it. Then I thought... I am NEVER going to get this done in a month! I did it. Then I thought... HOW can I send my original art away permanently? For thousands of strangers to see? I did it. You know what, negative voices in my head? PPPHHHLLLLTTTT! I DID IT! And you can't stop me anymore!!!Now that my inner dialogue is out in the open, I

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-33625459788115822892009-12-21T23:17:00.004-06:002009-12-21T23:49:31.394-06:00

Most of you know I love to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. Well, that involves "keeping" things around in case I need them, right? (Ok... hubby says I'm a huge pack rat!) But take a look at these cute little guys. They used to be CLOTHES. Every since that second issue of STUFFED magazine came out, I've been enamored with Stuffies. And what better way to reuse clothes that would be thrown away? Now, don't

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-1842019471334828932009-12-19T00:35:00.004-06:002009-12-19T00:46:14.304-06:00

...she says with a laugh. Thursday night at about 8:50 my daughter informs me that she's supposed to wear something Christmas-y to school the next day. Well, she has no holiday wear, I generally don't agree with themed clothes, call me a grinch, call me practical. BUT we did have 2 yards of beautiful Christmas fabric we bought several weeks ago. SO... I got out the paper and scissors, an old

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-70232050142316672852009-12-16T20:00:00.000-06:002009-12-16T20:00:01.395-06:00

Well, this page looks like a battlefield! I was making a page for my sketchbook journal about the heart, love, science, emotion (all timeless) and ended up with a mess. I used Perfect Paper Adhesive to glue some thinner collaged pages into the sketchbook. The PPA gave the pages a beautiful matte finish (with no tackiness) but I ended up with a disaster. Serious wrinkles. Think elephant butt here

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-13572357426775347012009-12-15T22:56:00.003-06:002009-12-15T23:23:52.259-06:00

Whew, the emails were flying today with my girls over at Sketchbook project! Two new blogs were born today, congratulations to Janet and Joanna. I'm so proud of them! I'm not going to link to their pages because I don't want to freak them out. But they took the big step into the blogosphere, with encouragement and a bit of help. Which encouraged me to learn more about Blogger. You know all those

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-4446229353852934112009-12-13T22:16:00.004-06:002009-12-13T22:48:59.788-06:00

Well, after all the great comments and encouragement I received after posting my FIRST attempt at sketching I decided to try my hand at another page. It was funny... I was drawing my Girl from the back and it looked a little funny. My daughter walks in the room and looks at it. She says "the shoulders are too high. Move them down and make the arms smaller." You know what? Without questioning her,

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-9477971608545683042009-12-12T23:40:00.004-06:002009-12-12T23:58:44.750-06:00

I have been slowly plugging away at my sketchbook journal. I put it on hold the past few days to attend to other business (and because the last page spread I did turned into a wrinkled disaster and I got fed up!) Truthfully, I'm not thrilled with my book as a whole. I LOVE some pages, I'm just "ok" with others. I find that when I force myself to make something it doesn't turn out so good. But

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-20556152594987780302009-12-09T22:00:00.006-06:002009-12-10T01:00:06.753-06:00

There was a journal prompt listed a few weeks back on one of my art groups and it's been floundering about my brain, trying to get out. I had done a quick sketch back then and just came back to it and finished it. This is a BIG first for me, using my own words in a picture. I usually use a quote by a famous person or song lyrics to express something. Also a first is actually drawing something

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-27035291319741449022009-12-04T19:26:00.003-06:002009-12-04T19:39:42.628-06:00

I'm sitting here in the Midwest, freezing my... toes off. If this is an indication of winter to come, I've gotta come up with something warmer to wear. Like an indoor snowsuit. As long as I have my hands free, that'll be good. We're supposed to get snow that sticks next week. The shoveling kind. I can't wait (she says sarcastically.) Don't get me wrong, I love the snow, the trees and bushes and

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-18289715396258094922009-12-03T20:04:00.005-06:002009-12-03T20:22:45.563-06:00

The day before Thanksgiving I decided to treat my mom to a matinee movie and took her to see "The Twilight Saga: New Moon". Believe it or not it's been EIGHT years since I've been out ALONE with my Mom. (Hmmm. That's exactly how old my daughter is! Interesting!) We had a great time thanks to my 13 year old nephew who agreed to kid-sit Celia. Of course I had to give them a project to do to keep

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-2251599331053648522009-12-02T10:22:00.004-06:002009-12-02T10:57:49.695-06:00

Time to start making the Holiday cookies! This was last year... do you think I should get her an apron?Well, now that the Holiday season is officially upon us (I refuse to acknowledge it before Thanksgiving is over!) it got me thinking of some things. I know alot of artsy folks love to reuse and recycle items for their artwork and I think that is wonderful! I'm an avid recycler (and my husband

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-85167293499210392802009-11-18T09:22:00.005-06:002009-11-18T09:51:47.769-06:00

Well, I took the plunge and completed my first spread for the Sketchbook Project. It's called Revolution. My theme for the project is "Past, Present, Future." A favorite song of mine is "Neverfall" by the Lovehammers. And I've had this awesome image in my files for about a year now (came as an advertisement for a graphics firm.) Here's what happened when I put them all together. Background is a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-5042161606970660562009-11-15T23:24:00.006-06:002009-11-16T00:54:25.147-06:00

I have met such beautiful souls recently in various forums and groups, people who encourage me and inspire me to be creative, and who make me feel safe sharing my artwork. I have gotten such wonderful positive feedback I have to pinch myself once in awhile. A very special e-friend, Toni, gave me this award and I'm tickled pink. When I started this blog I figured it would be a thing I did for

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-59359816362992718232009-11-13T19:04:00.008-06:002009-11-13T21:11:24.922-06:00

My name is Lisa and I am a multi-tasker. (Is there a 12 step program for this? Maybe all steps at the same time?) I rarely do one thing at a time. Right now I'm typing and listening to a favorite CD thinking about lyrics I can use for a photo journaling assignment. I can't just cook dinner. I have to have a book to peek in or a pile of mail to go through while the water boils. I don't watch TV, I

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-28990504362934195142009-11-04T16:31:00.012-06:002009-11-04T19:37:26.291-06:00

Oh where to start... Madonnari is an Italian Street Painting Festival dating back to the 16th century where painters transform village street squares into colorful temporary galleries. Well, my little town decided to host it's own "Madonnari Off Main" in downtown Glen Ellyn. This is the second annual, last year we had a little 2' x 2' square my daughter designed and colored. But this year... my

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-90624743354343064852009-11-03T21:54:00.006-06:002009-11-03T23:38:56.416-06:00

I am SO excited... I found out Sunday that I won the Twinchie Lottery over at TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts yahoo group! The Twinchies I made for the lottery were posted here a few weeks ago. I've never made a Twinchie before and of course had to try one. I had no intention of winning cause I've never won anything before. Well, that's not true... I won an "Air America" tank top in a "Why I

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-19756410037682585742009-10-27T10:57:00.005-05:002009-10-27T11:15:16.655-05:00

This is Jack's way of wishing you a Happy Halloween.Most people who know me well know that I just don't get into Halloween. It kind of creeps me out. I hate opening my door to people whose face I can't see. Sure, the princesses and little witches are cute... I don't mind the cute part. I don't like the gory, bloody, scary part. The world is scary enough. But that said... I know a lot of adults

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-3074916758435700922009-10-22T22:56:00.011-05:002009-10-22T23:37:11.441-05:00

Well, last Monday we all played hooky and spent the day in downtown Chicago. Hubby had a seminar to go to and my daughter and I tagged along. While he slaved away in class, C and I went up to the observatory in the Hancock Center (that's educational, right?) We learned about how the building was constructed and saw the beautiful views from the 94th floor. We got up there in 8 seconds in the

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-21428123492000185512009-10-17T21:47:00.004-05:002009-10-17T22:23:09.446-05:00

Over the summer my friend Leigh introduced me to GlueBots. I had never heard of them and when I saw her pictures, I was completely enchanted. Her GlueBots were intricate, whimsical and adorable. Then she was kind enough to send me an original and kind of challenged me to try it. Well, of course I couldn't resist. So one day my daughter and I grabbed some catalogs and scissors and set to work. My

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-4316977270240439682009-10-12T21:37:00.004-05:002009-10-12T21:43:36.103-05:00

My daugher and I were talking about our day and snuggling together the other night. The next thing I know she's saying something that brought tears to my eyes, it was so sweet and profound. I knew I had to write this one down, to remember when she's a teenager and is driving me crazy. So I made a page in my art journal to savor it when I need a mental hug. Here it is.

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-8168905965190962322009-10-09T21:12:00.007-05:002009-10-09T22:54:03.585-05:00

The big kickoff for Fall Festival time in our family is the first weekend of October. Oregon, IL hosts it's annual Autumnfest and Parade. It's become a yearly ritual, no matter the weather or apparently, our health. This year it rained a cold misty rain all Saturday, and Sunday, Mom walked around with Pneumonia (granted, we didn't know it at the time!), nephew was sick, sister was coming down

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2779161767166630354.post-2728493640710816462009-10-05T10:33:00.005-05:002009-10-05T10:55:18.101-05:00

Well, this is actually Friday Art since I was gone all weekend to Autumnfest in Oregon, IL. More on that later...My TheLatestTrendsinMixedMediaArts yahoo group posted a Halloween Lottery Challenge this month. The challenge is to create a Twinchie with a Halloween theme. There were so many fabulous Twinchies posted I couldn't resist making a few of my own. For those of you who may not know, a

Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08252730057290857409noreply@blogger.com3