Sunday Weekly Wrap-Up

This week was hectic as I was preparing for my teacher yard sale. I was told that many teachers would be on holidays - and they were right. Not as much stuff went altho I made over $200.
So half of the stuff went back in the house - to wait for another Saturday. Then it will be gone for good.
Bittersweet to see it go - but the few teachers who did come were happy with the prices and what they bought.

Collage Obsession/ Daily Paper Prompt
Tammy at Daisy Yellow continues with her Daily Paper Prompt and I am already behind. Today when I looked at Day 4  and saw it was flowers, I knew I could combine this with the challenge at Collage Obsession - gardening.
Once I had the quote, the rest fell in place. The background I watercolour and the flowers are gelli papers.

Day 3 of the Daily paper challenge was "Drips" - what fun to drip paint and make a mess!

 

 

 

 

Tangle A Day

I am really enjoying the Tangle a Day challenge at Jane Monk's blog. I have been using her sting and some of her tangles. Some are very challenging and I need to keep practicing.

Here are 4 more.

 

 

ATCs
I created 2 henna hands for a swap this week - fun to do. Not your typical ATC swap.

 

I have a few swaps I still must work on the next few days.

 

Just a note - I will be taking a break from the computer for 10 days. Time to spend some time with my hubby and take some day trips and some rest and relaxation for him.

See you in 2 weeks!

 

 

 

Also linking with:

Creative Every Day

Inspire Me Monday

 

ABC Wednesday - L for Lines

This week at ABC Wednesday, the letter to focus on is L.

I had just finished creating 2 zentangle cards for a swap and knew these would be perfect for L this week, as

L  is  for Lines.  

A line is a basic element in art. So many of the great artists could produce such beauty with simple lines.
Lines can be vertical, horizontal, long, short, jagged or curved - there is an endless combination of lines. What you can imagine, you can create.

That is why the zentangle is such fun - as there are so many possibilities.
Visit here for the home of the zentangle




Here are my creations for the week.

.
Be sure to check out how others around the world focus on L here.

GPP - Crusade 56: I Believe

Michelle Ward hosts a monthly crusade at GPP. This past month was "I'm a Believer". I have taken part in a number of crusades in the past and felt this one shouldn't be missed.


Michelle listed a number of questions about life as an artist. She asked that we journal about our beliefs about art and being an artist.

Most of my life I never called myself an artist or felt that I was creative. I could copy very well. I have fond memories of drawing cartoon characters.

But then I discovered Haliburton School of Fine Arts and for 7 summers, I spent a week or two with my children there and we all took courses. I took courses in basketry, silk screening, design, collage, watercolour. It made me realize that I loved to create and needed to create. I continue to take courses as I can.

Here are the questions from Michelle:


"Tell us about the artist you are. Tell us in your own way the importance of being an artist - do you have a philosophy or are you just happy to be spending time making cool stuff.?"


As I said above I have a need now to create. I know that I need to develop more technical skills.


As a teacher for 30 years at the elementary level, I know art is crucial for children, especially those who struggle with reading. They are definitely focused on the journey, the process. I really believe children (and adults as well for that matter) need to create, to make things, to draw, to make messes, to have fun.


"Are you a perpetual student and/or workshop attendee? Or are you mostly self-taught?"


I have taken a number of courses and I will continue to do so. I follow certain blogs and take part in certain challenges and lessons.


"Do you participate in swaps?"


I take part in the swaps at "ATCsforall. I really enjoy creating ATCs. I have tried different techniques and many different challenges. Creating art on a small scale isn't as intimidating and the community is very supportive.

I also take part in numerous art challenges: Shadow Shot Sunday, ABC Wednesday, Wishcasting Wednesday, Skywatch Fridays, to name a few.

"Do you find time to work daily or do you squeeze in a precious few moments whenever you can? "

I try to create several times a week. I know I should be drawing daily to improve my skills but haven't the time. For the month of November, I want to take part in AEDM at Creative Every Day. It is a great challenge every year.

" Do you have a studio space or do you work at the dining table? "




A little of both. I am slowly creating my studio, although I still do art at the dining room table.



Tell us about what you do, have done, and aspire toward. Do you paint canvases? Make books? Make jewelry...ATCs...Ceramics...Knit? Our need to be creative usually spills into several arenas - let us know more about you by spelling it out for us on a journal page.



These are the journal pages I created. I really believe that art needs to be a big part of our lives.

I have always been involved in crafts - I have crocheted afghans, made Christmas ornaments and decorations every year, tried new crafts.

I especially enjoy now creating:

Zentangles, Collage Tags and Cards

Photography
(My favourite subjects are skies, macro flowers, trees and water)

Watercolour
These next few pieces were done with a watercolour course and watercolour/collage course done at Haliburton. Following an instructor made the challenge a bit easier. I would definitely love to do more watercolour.

Mixed Media Collage

This piece was created at another week long course here in Cambridge. I learned new techniques and the instructor kept pushing me to go further. Loved the final result - a homage to my Mom and her roots. This is the direction I would like to explore more of.

As I get closer to retirement (1-3 years), my dreams of spending more time creating get more and more real. When I grow up (or enter the next chapter in my life!) , I want to create daily and teach art to children. They are such a joy to work with.

As I look back on my journey, I need to acknowledge that, yes I am an artist, one who is still growing.

ABC Wednesday -Z is for Zentangles

We have come to the end of the alphabet for Round 5 of ABC Wednesday!

This week the letter of focus is Z. An art form I have had fun with seemed the perfect choice for this week - zentangles.

Squidoo describes what a zentangle is and the origin:

"What is a Zentangle? In a word, a doodle. A structured, contained doodle. The term 'Zentangle' was invented by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas when, one day, Maria described her experience, as she created her art, as feeling timeless, free and engendering a sense of deep well-being'. Rick recognised that she was in a meditative state and so Zentangles were born."

The official website for zentangles has a great description of the different techniques/strokes. You can even sign up for a newsletter.

I have created a number of ATCs for zentangle swaps and thoroughly enjoyed it. Try it out - you might find it becomes addictive!

Be sure to check out the other great participants here.

Last Affirmation - Z

This week ends my weekly look at positive affirmations. Today my focus was Z - for zeal which is especially appropriate for this week before Christmas week.


I chose though, to create zentangles for the journal page. I now have a real zeal for these fantastic doodles (as I used to call them), until I learned there were definite names for different designs. Many other people have got the zentangle bug.
I find it relaxing and you never know where the design will take you.

I will take a break for a few weeks to start another challenge. Come January I plan an art/artist alphabet challenge. Each week I will focus on a different medium or artist and create artwork related to that letter. This will be a whole year project as there are so many choices for some letters. This will also be a learning project as well - a chance to explore different artists and different techniques. I am really looking forward to it. I will post monthly what I plan to focus on and I invite you to join my project. We can learn and have fun together.
Sundays I will post what I have been working on the week before -Sun. Jan. 3 will be the first posting with the focus on Abstract Art.

Another project for the year will be the 52 Books in 52 weeks which I described here. If you love reading you might want to take part!

Have a great week!

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.

Wreck This Journal

Well we are counting down to the end of our wrecking days! Only 2 more weeks after this. As I went through the journal this past week I was amazed at just what I had left to do: most of the writing! I love to write and yet I could not get down to long pages of writing about a boring time or activity!I took it with me to a reunion of former teachers and they had fun adding to some of the pages.

What did I do? I:

*drew with my left hand

*wrote with glue

*made some ugly drawings

*made a list of 16 other ways to wreck the journal

*decorated my journal's cover (I've added my name over this and did stamping on the front).

*and added to a number of pages, as well as adding pictures throughout the journal.

But although I didn't do as many pages or do as much destruction as I had planned, I was creative in other ways.

I am adding to my deck of cards and enjoying the process. (By the way, my first GIVEAWAY is up at midnight Friday - so swing by and give advice!)

I have also joined in several ATC swaps and am enjoying that as well. I'm creating Zentangles right now! It is so00 addictive.

Have a great week wrecking! Be sure to check out the other wreckers at Wreck This Journal.