ART on Friday

Hard to believe that it has been almost four months since I posted anything, let alone Art on Friday. I took an extended break - from blogging here and even from art. Life overtook everything - and i am now ready to return some former routines - including blogging,creating and taking part in art challenges. I really have missed that, although I have visited blogs as often as I could.
I know I need to create and I've missed that.
My art room is in a state of upheaval right now - but my goal is to get it organized by the end of September.

Here are a few things I created this week and the challenges I took part in.

29 Faces
This challenge for September encourages us to create a face a day. Here are a couple I did this week.

Sunday Postcard Art
The theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is "Changing seasons"

Take a Word Challenge
The theme at Take a Word Challenge is "Doorway"

Creative Every Day
The challenge at Creative Every Day this month is "figure"

Journal Page
The theme of changing seasons netted a number of interesting quotes that I had to use. Here's a journal page I created:

Linking as well with:

Paint Party Friday

Creative Compulsions Link-Up

Inspire Me Monday

ART on Friday - a day late

Here it is, the end of the week - and here are a few things I've worked on this week.


Take a Word Challenge
At "Take a Word Challenge" the theme is "June Brides". As I thought about it, I knew I wanted to use my Mom and I - ven though neither of us married in June. Our weddings were decades apart, yet we are united by love.

Creative Every Day
The theme for June at Creative Every Day is "Stars". This quote by Teddy Roosevelt has always appealed to me:

Sunday Postcard Art
The theme at Sunday Postcard Art is "games"

ICAD
At Daisy Yellow, the ICAD challenge is in full swing.
Here are a few more of my index card creations, inspired by words, text, typography.

Photography

Here are some of the flowers that have been blooming this week in our gardens:

Linking as well with

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

More Art - finally!

It has taken me a few weeks to get back on track with creating art. The desire was there - just not the time or energy or both!

With report cards, then our trip I got out of the habit of creating, if not daily, then several times a week. As well, I have not posted the weekly "ABCs of Art" for a few weeks. I will return with that next Sunday.

In my blog travels last week, I discovered the Artistic Mother blog group, based on the book "The Artistic Mother" by Shona Cole. Although my youngest is 21 (!), I still feel the constraints that effect most moms. I have ordered the book and joined in the blog group. They are working Chapter 3, so I have a bit of catching up to do!

Tonight I worked on collage papers as outlined in Chapter 1. I had such fun squirting different colours of paint on paper and swirling them around. I got 7 papers done.

Here are 2 of my favourites:

Next step will be stamping them and edging them with pastels.

Then on to Chapter 2 and that is creating ATCs - one of my favourite things to do.

I have still been creating ATCs the past few weeks and look forward to taking part in many different swaps. I have also started my own swap of bunnies. This one has been a joy.

(Here are a couple)

My creative outlet the past few weeks has focused mostly on photography. I am amazed at the number of photo challenges there are! You could do several a day, every of the week, if you choose! I am enjoying the ones that I do now.

The theme at Leah's "Creative Every Day" is the five senses. An activity I did with my students today fit right into this theme. I had a tub of jelly beans left over from Easter and wanted to use them up. So I had the children choose one and use all their senses to investigate a jelly bean. They then had to write a descriptive paragraph using their words. The best part for them was eating the jelly bean!

Affirmation and ATCs

This week I am focusing on V - for visualize.

It also stands for Vitality, vim and vigour and vanquish! All great actions and positive affirmations.

My aim is to visualize where I would like to be health wise in 6 months. The measuring tape is a good motivator and symbol of change.

My husband and I have joined Weight Watchers and already I have lost 6 pounds! Woohoo!

This week I need to keep my goal clearly visualized!

I read an article by Alicia Snell in Zoomer magazine. She has lost over 170 pounds and runs marathons. There is an excellent article on her top 10 checklist to eating better. Check it out here.

AEDM

We are midway through AEDM - Art Every Day Month for November, through Leah of Creative Every Day.

I have not been creating as much this week although I had fun again with some ATCs.

I finished one set on Ancient Egypt.

I am working on several other sets. They are fairly quick and fun themes.

Photography is always fun - there are so many different memes to try your hand at - ABC Wednesday and Shadow Shot Sunday are two that I still participate in. I hope to return to several more as time permits!

Right now though, it is report card time. Assessments, marking and the writing ( actually all the report cards are done online!) take up a big chunk of time. Then it will be parent-teacher interviews.

Soon though it will be Christmas vacation - 2 weeks to unwind and enjoy the season.

Creating and Playing

November 1st began "Creative Every Day November". Just committing to it encouraged me to create every day and I actually did!

Posting every day though, just did not work this week. We were away from home for 2 days, and a lot was going on. So, here is a summary of some of the things I am working on:

1. Sketching - with Breeder's Cup this past weekend, I had fun trying to sketch horses. Each day I sketched different poses - I will continue with this for a while!

2. I worked on more ATCs for swaps at ATCsfor All. The Matisse-style collage were so fun and colourful. This may be my new favourite.

 

3. I had more fun with Zentangles - working on a larger piece.

4. More photography - shadows, skies, trees.

I did not read the Chapter for "The Joy Diet" on Play, but I did visit many bloggers who did. I loved Lawendula's description of working on this book as a "buffet" - just pick and chose what works for you!

The affirmation letter for this week is U - for understanding.

No collage yet.

Have a great week!

Creative Every Day for November begins!

November is "Create Every Day" at Leah's Creative Every Day.

I awoke this morning charged up to create! I spent several hours working on ATCs for several swaps I am involved with. It was a real treat to play and create and just enjoy the chance to have a large block of time to create.

Autumn colours - using a weave technique.

 

Hallowe'een was a fun time - all 5 grandchildren arrived with their costumes and we got lots of pictures.

The Day of the Dead blog fest yesterday showcased great artwork. Be sure to check out Mother Henna (and my blog about it as well!)

This week's affirmation letter is T - and I decided to continue with the treats from The Joy Diet. (See my entry here.)

I am looking forward to a very creative month. I am involved in quite a few ATC swaps and am really enjoying the challenge and the community.

I am also planning a new project for this month - more later!

Have fun creating this month!

Inspiration

September's theme at Creative Every Day is Inspiration.

Leah asks us some very thoughtful questions:

What inspires you?

What lights your inner fire?

She answers these questions through a description of a number of things that inspire her. I have used some of her headings to share my own inspirations:

Nature: Nature is always inspiring - water, sky, flowers, animals, rock formations. All these speak to me in different ways, at different times.

Books: I just finished reading "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. I was blown away by it.

I am currently reading:

-"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is an exploration of her search for meaning, through Italy, India and Indonesia. I am enjoying it very much.

- "Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell. Just getting into the beginning but enjoying it so far.

- "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. Had joined a group to explore it but am off-track!

I just bought the book "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. This book was chosen for "One community, One Book", through our local community and there are a number of events coming up to highlight this book.

Writing/Blogs: There are so many awesome writers - check out my sidebar for some of these great blogs.

One I check out regularly for her inspirational photos and quotes is Sylvia. Her latest "Need Washing?" was such a touching, memorable story!

Today (syncronicity in practice!) I found this reference by Teesha Moore to an article by Wayne Dyer on how to let inspiration in and 12 steps to a simpler life.

Inspiration Journal: I keep an inspiration journal and it holds quotes, poetry, inspiring words from magazines, books or newspapers. I am on my 4th book.

Music, family and friends, art - these all provide inspiration. If you just look around you, there is inspiration all around. You just have to look!

Labyrinths

I have returned! It has been a good week of some rest, some travelling, some needed time with my hubby. We visted family, travelled to Saratoga and Montreal and did some shopping.

I did miss the blogworld but I also needed to step back and do other things.

I rediscovered labyrinths this week. An article I read in a new little magazine for our area, "Sunshine" sparked a renewal of interest in labyrinths. The author, Lara Stewart-Panko states that the labyrinth is a tool for "discovery and transformation", that there is no one way to walk a labyrinth.

She also provided a finger labyrinth, which I had never heard of.

This morning I decided to find out more. I discovered some interesting sites:

http://www.srlabyrinthfoundation.com/mkingsds.html how to create a labyrinth

http://www.lessons4living.com/finger_labyrinth.htm There is a finger labyrinth here to follow. At this site as well there is a lot of information on labyrinths, so be sure to explore it.

http://www.pathsofpeace.com/dancingw.html The dancing woman labyrinth – for grief/ enduring love. I loved this one. It is appropriate for this week as my Mom's 80th birthday would have been on Aug.11th.

http://www.labyrinthonline.com/sug.html There are suggestions for walking a virtual labyrinth (about 15 min).

I have yet to walk a labyrinth, but using the finger model has been a meditation for me this week. I hope to seek out local ones soon. (check here for one near you! http://labyrinthlocator.com/

The labyrinth fits so well with Leah's Creative Every Day theme for August of movement. Here, the movement is both physical and spiritual.

Celebrating and Art

Leah of Creative Every Day asked us:

"What are your favourite ways to celebrate yourself?"

As I thought about it and started listing the ways that I nourish myself, I realized that many of the ways involve my husband. We have been together for 9 years - 7 married. This is both our second marriage and we treasure it. We have had many ups and downs in our marriage (our first year of marriage we lived apart as we were waiting for his kidney transplant and as the donor I had to stay with the board where I was teaching.) We survived almost 2 years on dialysis, the transplant, moving, unemplyment, new home, step-families, and more.

But through it all, he has always been supportive of what I do.

There is usually fresh cut roses on our table and cards for monthly anniversaries. There are shows and trips we both enjoy. There is much affection.

I have been fortunate in my second marriage. Of course, there are still some waves but at least we are together in meeting them.

The loss of my Mom last May was a huge blow. There were trials with my family before she died and they have not all been resolved. It has taken me a year to really accept her death and feel like I am coming out of a deep, deep well. My husband has helped me, as have my family and friends.

In February I entered blogland, and that has healed me greatly, by giving me a voice, an outlet for creativity and challenges to meet.

So thank you to all whom I've met and visited and who have visited here. That has meant a lot to me - you really don't know how much!

So, besides love, affection, family, friends, flowers, our cat, music - being creative has really nourished me.

This past weekend I finished the angel cards for my first giveaway winners and they will be heading out tomorrow. Thanks again to the winners for their help!

I also finished and mailed the zentangle ATCs for the swap at ATCs for All. This was the second swap I have done but the first with this group. I loved the zentangles. Next I want to try the mandala zentangles!

I also created a couple of tags that celebrate love. May we all have it in our lives.

Creative Every Day -focus on "SELF"

This month at Creative Every Day the focus is on SELF. This month for me is also a focus on self.

I have been trying very hard to be creative every day - whether it is photographing (which I am loving more and more), working on "Wreck This Journal", collaging, or working through some art books.

Last week I started a new project - my own set of 52 cards, with each number/face card having a different theme. I set up a giveaway (see the previous post) and have received some great ideas for certain numbers that were challenging me. (By the way, the giveaway is up on Friday.) This is a challenge for me (both the project and the giveaway -my first) but I am enjoying it.

Then today when I was thinking I needed a way to focus on getting at some issues - my very own copy of Violette's "Journal Bliss" arrived. (I had won it on her giveaway!) Talk about syncronicity!

The Journal Bliss is gorgeous and filled with ways to follow your bliss. I am so going to love diving into this book! Thanks Violette!

So this week will be a busy crafting week - journalling, collaging on the cards, wrecking the journal and photographing.

I will also be continuing the purge!. I am collector -especially of paper and books! I am trying to do a bit each day and by month's end I hope to have my studio! (Saying it hopefully will be my prod to keep working to that end.


I visited Mel"s From Clutter to Shine blog today and ended up doing the personality test she wrote about. She is always a joy to read and visit.
I was curious to see what I would be labelled as! It was actually very informative - as it made me realize why I have been so lost the past few years. According to the Personality test I am "INFP" - the dreamer. One section really hit me:


"They will find great satisfaction if they encourage and develop their artistic abilities. That doesn't mean that an INFP has to be a famous writer or painter in order to be content. Simply the act of "creating" will be a fullfilling source of renewal and refreshment to the INFP. An INFP should allow ... herself some artistic outlet, because it will add enrichment and positive energy to their life."

Wow! No wonder I was sad at times - I needed to create!

So create I will most definitely - and not worry about the result so much as the process!

RENEWAL , ENRICHMENT, POSITIVE ENERGY, REFRESHMENT ! What a lot I can expect to receive from creating daily!

First Give-Away / Creative Every Day / 100 in 100

This week I have been finally able to attack my clutter. Right now I am trying to organize teaching files and units. I eventually hope to reclaim the family room and transform a back room into an art studio for me! Big plans, a lot of work but I really need to downsize (talk to my kids and they'll tell you the same thing!) Mostly though, I want to be able to create in a lovely space rather than at the dining room table and, I want to be able to find what I need, when I need it.



This past week as well as been an active one creatively. Being a part of Jamie Ridler's "Wreck This Journal" has been fun, even challenging at times. I'm finally letting go and just doing the pages.

But the doing has lead me to try other things as well. I am taking a lot of photos - skies, clouds, flowers:



I signed on for Rowena's "100 in 100" and altho I have been trying to be creative every day, it has been a challenge. Then this week I had the idea to create a deck of cards in collage. I had seen a challenge where each week participants created a card based on a prompt. I liked the idea, but several months had passed already when I heard about it.

I have the first 2 sets (almost) done. What I am looking for is some honest feedback. This is where the giveaway comes in!




**************FIRST GIVE AWAY ************************************

As this is the first time I have attempted something of this scope, I would like to see what else I might add to them. Any ideas?


The first set I did was the A's - for angels. Each card has a different angel with a different word.
The second set is J - for Jackson. (in memory). Each card has 2 different pix of MJ.


The other help I am seeking is - what could be the theme for 5's , 6's and 9's. ? I have themes for all the other numbers/face cards.

Anyone who offers any feedback will be entered into a draw for one of the angel cards ( 4 draws in all!) . Leave a comment for either question (or both - each answer puts your name in the draw) by Fri. July 17 and the winners will be announced Sat. July 18.
Thanks in advance!

Creative Every Day - SELF

Leah of Creative Every Day has had us focus on a new theme - that of "SELF". A bit scary as I have not done a self-portrait for a looong time! My first one leaves a lot to be desired but it loosened me up for some other art tonight.





For July as well, I am hoping to create a collage/piece of artwork each day as well as take a photo a day. (For 101 in 1001 Days as well as Rowena's 100 in 100 Days)


Here are my offerings for the past 2 days:


July 1



A sunflower - using oil pastels, glued to a watercolour background




The baby bird allowed me to get up close - we couldn't find his nest and he was certainly looking for food from mom or dad! We kept our cat in - as she is still a "killer" at age 17! What a scruffy little thing!



July 2



Another sunflower - this time with tissue, watercolours and collaged to a watercolour base.



Our gardens this year are blooming with some beautiful, colourful flowers. But this white rose caught my eye.