Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up

Time once again to recap what I have done in the previous week.

I started a course (She Had Three Hearts) with Christy Tomlinson and am loving it. There is sooo much information, just in the first week alone. The concept of a woman having 3 hearts is intriguing and besides journaling about this I am learning new techniques. I have been watching the videos (28 for the first week alone!), so have only done a bit of experimenting. More next week!

Summer of Colour

This week at "Twinkle Twinkle" for the "Summer of Color" we were to work with orange. I worked on the colour collage and the tints as usual. I am really enjoying this and I am going to use this with my Grade 3s as their intro to colour.

I created another abstract with colour, using some of the techniques from the course. I love the play and unpredictability of abstract.

The Artist's Way

Paula of "Happy Snappy" is hosting a book group working through "The Artist's Way".

I completed the rest of the tasks for Chapter 2. Some of the tasks I rushed through (affirmations, imaginary lives), but several really gave insights. Creating the pie chart really made me see how lopsided some areas of my life are.

I created a list of 20+ favourite activities in my 60 lists book - and I am hoping to add more than the 2 Julia Cameron suggests.

The biggest timewasters for me is being on the computer -blogging (too bad, because I love visiting great blogs) and playing computer games.

I am also going to work on the "Ten Tiny Changes" and try to do one a week.

This week I aim to finish my art room (it's not a studio yet!) With my hubby away for a couple of days this weekend, I attacked the back room and moved out a bed and junk and carted up my art supplies yesterday. Now I will start organizing and setting it up so that I can work upstairs and be able to leave work out, without having to put everything away. This was a major event for me. I am counting this as my artist's date this weekend as it has been my dream for a long time. Yeah!!! I'll post pictures once I am finished.

ATCs

I have been working on 2 swaps and have 6 out of 8 cards done. Most are collage. This coming week I need to finish 2 other swaps as I will be on holidays soon.

(Whimsical Cat and Birdhouse, Blackbird)

Photography

Again, flowers and skies were an attraction.

Our baby robins were a daily draw though, and today I got the last photos of them, as they flew the coop, so to speak. I'm sorry to see them go.

The last one to leave perched on the edge of the ladder for the longest time, as if afraid to try its wings. Makes one think about how we face our fears. The mother bird sat on the roof and chirped a lot, as if to encourage him. And then he was gone.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Shadows abounded this morning and most of this week for that matter. But it was a wee bit hot to just wander ans take photos.

Here are a few from this week:

Had to include a couple of the baby birds:

This is from this morning. Won't be long before they fly away!

Be sure to check out the incredible shadows from around the world, offered at "Hey Harriet", the most enjoyable meme created by Tracy!

Buried Treasures

Last year I saw too late Seth Apter's annual "Buried Treasure" . What a unique way to discover new blogs and great art! Join Seth tomorrow(Thursday) for the unveiling!

As Seth says:
"With so many wonderful art blogs to follow, it is difficult to always find the time to keep up with every new post -- let alone have the time to visit the posts that were put up before you discovered each blog. So...two years ago I started an annual treasure hunt. Buried Treasure is about digging deep to uncover some hidden gems."

It was hard to narrow down which post was most representative of what I do. It came down to 2 and they are:

Sunday Aug.1, 2010

and

Sunday Jan. 24, 2010

Thanks for visiting!

Wishcasting Wednesday

Time once again to cast wishes. Jamie Ridler poses a question each week to encourage us to wish and seek support. This week she asks:

What do you wish to nourish?

As soon as I read the question, I knew that what I wish for is to nurture and nourish my creativity.

While reading a post by Camilla, I was struck by her use of the term her "artist baby" and how we need to be gentle with it. I can so relate. I am taking baby steps towards being an artist and I need to nourish this growing state.

This week I began a journaling course with Christy Tomlinson called "She Had Three Hearts". I am excited by it and learning so much already.

I am also working through "The Artist's Way" with a great group of women. Paula is hosting that and that is a learning process as well.

As Jamie says:

"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog . Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

ABC Wednesday - Alexander Graham Bell

This week at ABC Wednesday, B is our focus letter.

One of the great Canadians is Alexander Graham Bell, considered the inventor of the telephone. He was born in Scotland but came to Canada and settled near Brantford. I have visited his home there and it is fascinating.
Wikipedia states: he"...was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone."
His mother and wife were both hard of hearing and one of his young students in Boston where he worked at a School for the deaf was Helen Keller.
To learn more about this great man read here.

There are many quotes attributed to him. These are my favourites:

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.”

“A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with - a man is what he makes of himself. "

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”


Be sure to stop by ABC Wednesday to discover what others have done for B.

60 Lists 60 Weeks

I had not had done much last week on "The Artist's Way". So this morning I read Chapter 2 and worked on a number of tasks. I did not find the chapter as engaging as the first as I do not feel overwhelmed by crazy people - just events. I was really struck though by her assertion that we all need to pay attention. These quotes really resonated with me:

"The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention."

"Each moment is not without its beauty."

"Attention is an act of connection."

I did create a list of time wasters - that's how I looked at it and the biggest was time on the computer! I love blogging and visiting blogs but have overdone it, as I am on holidays. So I have resolved to spend less time and do more art!

I created my list of things I enjoy doing and I realized I do have many in my life, but several not at all.

I used to love crocheting at night and had created a number of afghans. I have several that I have not finished. I can still remember my young son asking (many years ago!) why I wasn't doing that "knitting thing" anymore". Talk about observant. I had gone back to full-time teaching and was tired at night, so crocheting fell by the wayside.

One of the tasks asks us to pick some things from this list that are not in our lives right now. As soon as I read that I thought of crocheting, dancing and playing piano. I am going to try to do more of all three.

Paula at "Happy Snappy" is leading a group of us through the Artist's Way. It's still not too late to join!

Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up

This week has sped by, in a haze of heat. Even though I did not venture far, due to the heat, I concentrated more on other things rather than art. I have been working a lot on scaling back of my school books and units. I have been reading as well.

I have also started a writing course online through University of Waterloo.

Monday I start a journalling course called "She had Three Hearts" offered by Christy Tomlinson. I love the whole idea of a woman having 3 hearts.

The Artist's Way

I must confess I did not work much on Chapter 2 of the Artist's Way. A group of us are working through the book with Paula hosting.

As I worked on my writing course, the section on "Separating Your Creative and Critical Sides" really resonated with me. By writing the morning papers (they called it free writing), we are able to get rid of most of that critical chatter. The course stresses writing with your creative side totally and then to go back with the analytical/critical side to edit and revise.

I had a wonderful hour in Michael's today - which was my artist's date this week. I spent way too much, but had fun looking for stamps and paints and items on sale.

Colour of Summer

This week the colour purple is what we were to create with.

I worked on my usual magazine collage and the tints of purple.

Then I had fun with paint and different tools. One piece was just paint and a scraper on paper. This will be used for ATCs.

The second piece started with different papers collaged onto a canvas. I then scraped on paint, used stamps. Later I will create a mixed media piece.

Photography

I had fun this week trying to capture the baby robins. They are all neck and beak now! It won't be long before they are on their way. They are so ugly they are cute!

Skies and flowers continue to be my favourite subjects as well.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! One more week! Check here.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Time to share shadows once again. With bright sun this week, shadows were easy to find. With this heat, I didn't get much further than my own garden!

Here is an update on our robins - the eggs hatched earlier in the week and they are beak, being fed by both parents.

Be sure to check out Hey Harriet! the super fun meme created by Tracy. You'll see shadows from all over the world!

Simple Things / 60 Lists in 60 Weeks

At "Words of Me", the Friday Prompt is:

What are the the Simple things that make your life oh so good?

I would add, in the summer, especially with this heat! And, it is supposed to continue well into next week!

I love the idea of feeling grateful for those simple things that add joy to your life. My list would include:

Calling my children or friends

Enjoying a swim after my hubby gets home from work

Watching "So You Think You Can Dance" (I'm in heaven as there are 4 nights - 2 for Canada and 2 for the U.S.!)

Creating art

Working on other projects

Reading a book

Taking photos, especially of flowers and skies

Watching the new nest of baby robins develop and grow

(Taken just this morning)

Having air conditioning and overhead fans to keep cool

Eating fresh fruit, especially berries from the garden

Holding hands while we watch a movie

Having an ice cream cone

I could go on - but this made me realize just how many simple pleasures there are and that I really do need to appreciate them!

A quote I can across recently says it all:

"Pay attention to your life. With attention, comes joy!"

Why not join and create your own list!

60 Lists in 60 Weeks

I almost forgot about the challenge at "On the brink ..of something Beautiful". Every Sunday, Kellie posts a topic to create a list. This past week's was:

Things to do on a rainy day

I had a chuckle - here I was writing about things to survive the heat - should have added praying for rain! As I am trying to complete 60 lists in 60 weeks (compared to Kellie's 52 in 52), I thought I would take part.

Fantastic Giveaway at My Art Journal

You really must stop by Diane's blog "My Art Journal" for a fantastic giveaway of an art box created by her.

Take a look around her blog as well!

Sky Watch Friday

The heat dome sitting over the US midwest has sent record-breaking temperatures throughout Canada as well today. This week has been progressively hotter and hotter each day. A swim after work has been wonderful - our local outdoor pool has not even been crowded.

But today, the temperature could hit 38 C - with humidex of 45+. Hot for us for sure!

The skies were a bit moody at the beginning of the week, but now there is just that blue with a sprinkling of clouds. Here are a few skies from earlier in the week:

Be sure to stop by here and see gorgeous skies around the world!