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!

Wreck This Journal

What a week for getting into the journal. This has been the best yet - in terms of enjoying the process, f or doing my own thing, for just getting pages done.


As others have said, it is the process, not the end product. The actual doing pages has gotten me thinking, planning, doing and then , going on to other things!



This week I coloured, used hair, chewed, added dirt - to name a few of the things I did.







I had to check markers leftover from school eventually, so used them on this page. Then I dirtied up another page.















I chewed on "this" (borrowed the idea from someone! -thanks!) and finished the one continuous line.


My absolute favourite though was creating with hair!

This is a portrait of my cat - she was sitting by the sliding door waiting to go out and I had a brainwave.

Yes - it is HER fur on her portrait! She is shedding like crazy. Eventually I hope to fill it in.

I did a few other things, but these were what I enjoyed the most.

This week as well , Alex and I traded pages. What a treat it was to receive hers in the mail. What beautiful colours and textures. (We ended up sending the same page!) Her is hers.

Thanks again Alex - I love it!

Thanks Jamie for arranging the trades.



Be sure to check the other "wreckers"- see what everyone ( and this is a big group) is up.

Check it out here.

Giveaway by Cottage Garden Studio

Sarah at Cottage Garden Studio has an awesome giveaway of original artwork. Check out her blog - you have until July 14th to get in on it.

ABC Wednesday - Y is for Yolk, Yellow Yolk!

If I was playing Scategoroies, I would have got two points for "yellow yolk" ! lol Great game by the way.

Here it is ABC Wednesday and we are nearing the end of the alphabet and Round 4. Although I joined late, I am enjoying the challenge. Be sure to check out the other members.

I had thought to use yarn for y, but then this morning as I was making a poached egg it struck me that here was 2 ys! Perfect.

Wikipedia describes the yolk so much better than I could:

"An egg yolk is a part[1] of an egg which serves as the food source for the developing embryo. The egg yolk is suspended in the egg white (known more formally as albumen or ovalbumin) by one or two spiral bands of tissue called the chalazae. "

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.

Wreck This Journal

Once again we are sharing our "wreckings" - as Jamie has had us do for the pasr few weeks. This new "Next Chapter" book group has been a fun one - with challenges as well. Be sure to check out the other members of this group at Jamie's blog.

I was not able to post last week so am including what I have doing to my journal over the past 2 weeks.

The biggest event was actually having a shower with it! I wasn't even modest! Even sprayed it! But then it was over 2 days drying out!

That bit of wrecking got me moving after that. I scratched it, threw it, painted it, scribbled in it, cut it, washed it and tore it!

I also "loved" it - and did it my way. (One word page!)

I did a "paint" blot - and then did a print with a butterfly.

I tore a paper out, crumpled it up and tried to get our cat to play with it. I was the one batting it around! She was certainly in no mood to play with me or the paper ball!.


I went to tear a paper out and lose it but discovered my 4-letter word collage on the other side! Yikes! So instead I lost the "lice" - not a word a teacher wants to have around! lol

One of the most fun to do was to deface my face! That was a hoot!

I had fun with it the past 2 weeks and looking forward to more fun times! It is certainly getting a wee bit wrecked!

Allen Designs Goody Giveaway

Here is the summary of this fantastic giveway for:

Allen Designs Goody Giveaway

Enter to Win some of our Favorite Designs:
Party Animal Cat Box, Sunshine Smile Print or 2 sets of (3) Art Blox.

4 Chances to WIN. (we'll draw a different winner for each item)
Here's 3 ways to Enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me one special thing you're doing this summer. If you're at a loss for summer ideas check out Meg's list.
2. Sign up for our Newsletter on the top right hand side of this blog. Not to worry, we don't send many and the ones we do send include some amazing close-outs and giveaways.
3. Promote our giveaway on your blog and get 3 entries! Feel free to pull this image to use on your blog. And don't forget to leave me a comment so I know you did.
Contest will end fFiday, July 3rd