ART on Friday

Another week has gone by - already the middle of January. Like many parts of the U.S., we face severe cold and snow this weekend. A good time to get some reading and creating in for sure!

Here are a few challenges I worked on this week.

Mary Oliver
I was shocked to hear of the poet Mary Oliver's death yesterday. She has penned so many beautiful poems. One quote from her that I love bears repeating:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Another of her quotes I turned into a journal page:

Here is a link to more information about her life and work.



Take a Word Challenge
The theme at Take a Word Challenge this week was "Green and Blue". When I saw this quote I knew it would work with the colour theme.

Tag Tuesday
The theme at Tag Tuesday is "Mail, postmarks or Postage stamps"
I have hundreds of used postage stamps, so decided to use a few of these and created two tags.

FOCUS
My OLW is Focus and here is my second card.

Linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

ABC Wednesday - Round 24 begins!

We are now starting Round 24!  A new year and a new round.

This round I plan to focus on actions that can be taken to make this the best year ever, and will use a journal to create a page of quotes.

A is for A new year. 2019 has the potential to be a turbulent year, carrying on from the upheaval and discord that has spread like a cancer around the world;

-where a U.S. president is under intense FBI scrutiny and lies repeatedly

-where populism and white supremacy is exploding, world-wide

-where racism has reared its ugly head

-where even schools and churches are no longer safe from gun violence.

But we do not have to succumb or surrender to the hate and negativity of last year.

We need to act.

We need positive, assertive actions and attitudes to push back that negativity.

Yes. It is A NEW YEAR. A year

- to take action

-to adjust attitudes

-to assert positive affirmations.

Make 2019 your best year yet.

Be sure to check here to wee what others around the world did for A.

My OLW Reveal

2017

A brand new year, all shiny and all possibilities ahead. I, like many others, am glad to see the end of 2016. 

I created a journal page for the last Colour Me Positive weekly themes and it really does express what this new year offers:

As I thought about what word I needed for 2017, I reflected on my journey with using OLWs. For five years now, I have chosen a word (or in the case of the first one - a phrase) to guide and represent my overall aim for the year:

2012 - Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)

2013 - Believe

2014 - JOY

2015 - Bloom

2016 - Shine

Although each word did have a positive impact throughout the year, I probably expected much more from my OLW. Last year's SHINE was to help me shine brightly, to move forward with my writing. I had moments but not what I hoped.

Hope is a necessary thing - we need it always. A quote by Desmond Tutu, reminds me to look for the light:

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. 

So as I read and listed possible words, I kept coming back to one word - CULTIVATE.

It struck me that I really needed to put more effort in my dreams, to really dig deep and work at developing my skills and abilities.

A definition online from Merriam-Webster confirmed that and more:

1. 
   

2. 1:  to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also :  to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
3. 2a :  to foster the growth of <cultivate vegetables>
   c :  to improve by labor, care, or study :  refine <cultivate the mind>
4. 
   
5. 4:  to seek the society of :  make friends with

For 2017, my OLW is CULTIVATE:

I need to dig dep, to bring forth new, stronger growth. I need to prepare myself for improved skills in writing and the arts. I also need to make more friends.

I plan to cultivate my best self this year - especially as I hit a milestone on the 7th - turning 65.

I plan to cultivate:  my creativity ~ in art and in writing

                             JOY

                              greater belief in myself

                              gratitude

                              my passions

                              community and friendships

                              healthy lifestyle

                              faith

This will be a year to grow, to DO, to write, to create.I have faith that this year will be a breakthrough for me, a time to pull all my OLWs together - to bloom, shine especially as I get down and dirty prepping and preparing, and loosing the soil so I can grow.

My OLW will enhance my winter dreamboard that I created December 21st.

 What is your One Little Word for 2017??

Linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day

ART on Friday

March came in like a lion - hopefully it will go out like a lamb. We got over 6" of snow and since I am the designated snowblower, I was out for a bit on Wednesday.

Now we are going to have a few days of plus weather next week - even into double digits!

Here are a few things I have been working on this week:

Colour Me Positive:
The quote this week for the  "Colour Me Positive" challenge (hosted at LuLu Art)  focused on beauty and altho the extra challenge was to use flowers, the idea of puzzle pieces was what drew me. I used photos of myself through the years as well.

Journal Play
This quote about habits wouldn't let me go and so I created a journal spread for it. I am reading Gretchen Rubin's book "Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of  Our Everyday Lives" - and enjoying it.

Faces
Even tho the 29 Faces challenge is over, I still want to continue the practice of creating faces. With the range of faces of myself I had for the journal page above, I decided to try to sketch a few of them.

Art Tags
I only created a few tags this week - I'll have some to catch up with for my 366 day challenge.
Here are a couple:

I also created a tag for the ABC Wednesday challenge for H.

APCs
I also completed a set of APCs (altered playing cards) for a swap at ATCs For All.

Linking also with:

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

Show Your Face

Inspire Me Monday

ART on Friday

Hard to believe we are near the end of February! We now have snow on the ground but warmer weather is predicted for this weekend.
Here are a few things I have been working on this past week:

Colour Me Positive
This weekly challenge from LuLuArt is enjoyable and one I look forward to each week.
The quote this week made me think of my children and so i searched from of their photos from when they were young. The quote also made me think about Picasso's famous one about remaining an artist.The challenge also encouraged us to use circles.

Here is a look at each half:

Art Tags
I am still creating the art tags for my 366 day challenge - a few more heart ones for February. Here are 2 of my favs. from this week:

I also created a new tag for the ABC Wednesday challenge - g for giraffe. I carved the stamp and created a tag.

29 Faces
I haven't created a face a day for this challenge but I have been able to create a few a week. Here are a couple I sketched:

What challenges are you working on this month and next?



Linking also with:

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

Show Your Face

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day

ART on Friday

This has been a stressful week.
On Wednesday, my hubby finally had the pacemaker inserted. He stayed overnight in the hospital and then was home yesterday. He seems to have weathered it all fairly well, but he needs rest and to be careful. He will have 3 weeks at home.
Art has been a blessing let me tell you. here are a few things I squeezed in this week:

Colour Me Positive
Each week LuluArt posts a new quote and additional challenge. This week it was a quote by Jack Canfield with the added challenge of using cut out words (I used magazines for this)

Getting past fear seemed to me to be climbing a mountain to get to the other, freer side.


52 Card Pick Up
This week the theme word was "Embrace"

29 Faces
THis February challenge at "Sojourner" is forcing me to draw and paint faces, something I really need to practice. I am enjoying it though.
Here are just a couple I was able to complete this week:

Art Tags
I am continuing with my 366 day challenge - art tags. Here are 3 of my favs from this week:

I also created a tag for ABC Wednesday - a fun, weekly challenge, that focuses on a letter a week. This week I carved a fish for F.

What have you been working on this week??


Also linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

Show Your Face

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day

Art on Friday

I am just making it in under the wire for Art on Friday.
I have been fighting a sore throat/headaches all week and today's was wicked. I did shake it but then (since my hubby is home til his pacemaker is put in next Wed.) we were off shopping, then supper and finally a date night of watching "The Martian". (excellent movie!)
So I am finally getting to do this weekly blog sharing of some of the things I have done this week.

Colour Me Positive
At Lulu Art, the new theme is on "Heart" with the additional challenge of using collage. Since I enjoy collage and mixed media this was fun to do.

Art Tags
Since the theme for my cards this month is hearts and love, I made a few for some challenges (check my post here on all of the challenges - lots of great ones to take part in)

Here is the art tag and stamp I created for ABC Wednesday.

52 Card Pick-up
The theme this week for this weekly APC challenge is Believe.

29 Faces
I am still using magazine faces to sketch and watercolour faces for this challenge at  Sojourner . Here are 3 of my favourites from this week.

What challenges have you been working on this week?


Also linking with:

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

Show Your Face

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day (with the theme of love all month)

Art on Friday

Time for a share of some of the art I have created this week and a look at some of the themes of challenges I participated in.

Paper, Paint , Pencils, Pens!
This art community posts 2 themes a month and we all respond to it in different ways.
I created my second watercolour self-portrait this week, by looking in a mirror. My concentration made me appear much more serious.

Tag a Day
I am continuing with my 366 day project - with 4 more collaged tags as well as 1 tag for ABC Wednesday weekly challenge (A is for Arrow)

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Colour Me Positive
I am enjoying the weekly journal challenge at Colour Me Positive. The quote relates to living fully each day and also encouraged us to use lyrics in our spread.

(I tried for layers - with inks, paint, stencils and stamps - it is a wee bit "Busy"!)

52 Card Pick-up

The theme for this weekly card challenge on facebook  this week was "Today". I related it to living our dreams.

Also Linking With:

Paint Party Friday

Art Journal Every Day

Show Your Face

Express Your Creativity

Inspire Me Monday

Creativity Every Day

ABC Wednesday - A and WOYWW

Today begins the 18th round of ABC Wednesday!

I wanted to begin a new challenge for this round and have decided to carve a stamp for each new letter and create aan art tag with the stamp.

A is for arrow.

Be sure to see what others around the world are going to do this round. Check here.




WOYWW

Each week,  Julia Dunnit at "Stamping Ground", encourages us to share our workspaces and what we are working on.

I carved the arrow stamp at my dining room table. I have a special mat so the table is protected. Here's what it looked like after I carved the stamp:

Besides creating the stamp and tag, I am recording the process of the stamp carving in a journal. As I stamp, I check for areas that need more carving. I am happy to be back carving.

I was also working on a journal page for the "Colour Me Positive" challenge. I paint in my art room and here's my work table after finishing the spread.

Here's the spread (you were encouraged to use a silhouette)