A to Z April Challenge - E

Today for the A to Z April Challenge, our letter of the day is E.

E is for enjoy,  explore and embrace. 

There is so much to explore and enjoy in our world. So much to experience and learn and observe.

Here's an interesting article on enjoying the journey.


But be sure to embrace today - and everyday. Here's a motivational article.

ABC Wednesday - M and WOYWW

At ABC Wednesday, the letter of the week is M.

M is for Mouth.

Here is my carved stamp and tag I created for the challenge.

Be sure to check here to see what others around the world did for M.





WOYWW

Each week we are encouraged to share what we are working on and what our work spaces look like, for WOYWW, hosted by Julia Dunnit at "Stamping Ground"

I thought I'd share some of the steps to creating the carved mouth stamp and tag shown above.
I carve my stamps at my dining room table, with a thick board covering the table.

1. First comes the  drawing of the design and then putting it on the speedy-carve ( rubber block for carving). I make sure my design has been pencilled in darkly. I lay it face down on the block and then rub it completely, fairly firmly, so the pencil design comes off on the block

2. I use a speedball carving set with different size tips to carve into the block. I usually carve the outline and then work on the inside.
(There are lots of resources online, videos and courses.I took Stamp Carving 101 at Balzer Designs and enjoyed it.)

3. Then I test the stamp for missed parts and how it looks stamped.

4. Finally I created the tag with the stamp.

I had to share the state of my art table in the basement in my craft room. I am always amazed at how neat and organized others keep their spaces.
I have been working on a background with inks - and when I went to check for something I was a wee bit shocked at how I had left it.
It is time for a thorough sprucing up - new cover for the table and putting things away! Spring cleaning desperately needed!

A to Z April Challenge - D

Today is D for the A to Z April Challenge.

My theme is using affirmations - with art tags, quotes, links and inspiring people to support the affirmation.

I couldn't settle on just one word - so D is for Do, Dare and Dream

We need to take action more often - to just do it..
We also need to Dare - to step out and take that leap of faith. We need to dare to dream....

... no matter our age.

An interesting video on "Do You Dare to Dream?" can be found here.

A to Z April Challenge - C

Today is  C - at the A to Z April Challenge.
 Still time to join in the fun!

C is for create

(in the background are zens - another fun challenge)

For me, art has become a necessary way for me to express my creativity. Using challenges of many kinds I have worked on tags, ATCs, in journals with painting, gelli printing, watercolkour , to name just a few of the mediums I have tried and enjoy.

Picasso is one of my favourite artists and his idea of art (and of course, his art) was extraordinary. One of my favourite quotes of his is:

Every child is an artist. 
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.


*Each of is creative - we just have to find the medium, technique, outlet to express that creativity.


Here are a few links to garner more information on creativity:


TED Talks about creativity


37 Books every Creative person needs to read

40 Books to unlock your creativity



Two tags I made for C (create):

But there are so many quotes that I had to share a few more:

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.

 — Mary Lou Cook

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
― George Bernard Shaw

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
― Mother Teresa

Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.

– Leo Burnett

Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, the just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.

 – Steve Jobs

Creativity is a drug I cannot live without – Cecil B. DeMille

Creativity is contagious, pass it on – Albert Einstein

A to Z April Challenge - BE

Today is B for the A to Z April Challenge.

My theme is using affirmations – with quotes, links and inspiring words and people to support the affirmation.

B is for BE.

“To be or not to be” – how many of you have memorized those immortal words from Shakespeare?We have all at some time wondered who we are and what our purpose is.

There are so many things we can BE – as Shirley MacLaine says – we should “Just Be.”

There are so many books and articles on how to be happy, successful, funny, desirable – the lists goes on and on. But we all have to decide for ourselves who we will be.

 Make your own list of what you would include. Being your true self is a good first one for me.

Who is right – Socrates or Sartre?  Or both?

‘To be is to do’ —Socrates      ‘To do is to be’—Jean Paul Sartre

Be sure to check here to see what others from around the world have done for B.

ART on Friday

Friday has arrived once again - and with it a brand new month.

Colour Me Positive

This week the challenge at LuLu Art focuses on hope. Three quotes appealed to me so I included them all in my journal spread. The additional challenge was to use glitter!

Art Tags

I have started a new daily challenge - A to Z April Challenge and I am focusing on affirmations, with art cards. Here are the first 3 for A.

A is for ACT

I also created a tag for ABC Wednesday - L is for lines.

52 Card Pick Up

I was a week behind with this facebook challenge - making cards for "Magic" and "Perfect".

APCs

I created another set of APCs for a swap - this time with the  theme famous men, using a used stamp.

Faces

This week I only created one - a quick sketch.

Photography

The robins have returned to the nest after a week away - must be Apr. 1st move in date!

And the first flower!

Loved the texture of peeling paint in a basement window.

Linking also with:

Paint Party Friday

Express Your Creativity

Show Your Face

Inspire Me Monday

Creative Every Day

A to Z April Challenge - ACT

Today begins the A to Z April Challenge - where each day (except Sundays) a new letter is the focus.

My theme is inspiring words - using a word as an affirmation and choosing quotes, links and words to support its importance.

A is for ACT

To act is to do, to perform, to exert power.
To succeed in what we seek to do, we need to act, to take action and carry out our plans. We cannot sit on the sidelines and let the world go by.

Here are two quotes that stress the importance of acting with integrity.

A series of questions can test whether you really are acting with integrity. Check them out here.

Gretchen Rubin has written about happiness and habits and has a commandment that she follows that makes sense:  "Act the way I want to feel."
She stresses that the way she acts will affect the way she feels, so she must act positive and take action.

Check here for what other bloggers around the world (and there are hundreds) did for A.