Some Photos Around Today....

A doodle in my journal last night where I surprised myself with how much I've learned...

...stamps I carved for fun this morning, before working or doing anything else...

(note: a bunch of the gals on my FB page and Instagram accounts want some for themselves, so I'm carving some more! Let me know if you'd like some, too!)

...cutting down and hand-leafing prints for my Etsy shop...

...and some words to leave you with. 

Admitting it All is Bravery

Creating a piece of art or journal page as a tutorial piece can be a bit intimidating! 

Imagine if you recorded yourself while working on a journal page, and you had to make it, well, work, as though you knew exactly what you’re doing and why. 

Usually, if things don’t go well, you start again. Or you record an in-process video, where things are sped up and you appear to be calm and serene while working, an artist master in her craft, who has the confidence to work and keep working toward creating a beautiful page. 

I’ve been teaching on-camera for five years, now, and I’ve had to re-shoot, for sure! 

 

But I did something different this time. 

I said everything going through my head. 

All my moments of indecision. The mean thoughts of my Inner Critic. The cheering of my Secret Partner (or the Universe, or God, or Divine, or whatever you may see as your connection to something larger than yourself). 

I put it all out there, to show you (or rather, the students of Life Book) what really goes on in the heads of all those artists out there you admire and think have no moments of doubt, or have overcome their Inner Critics. 

The thing is? I changed mine. She was fired, but came back because she promised to be nicer. Now, she helps me find areas to improve, mistakes in perspective, or places I can add just the right element to make a page wonderful. 

 

I'll have a print of this piece up in my Etsy shop this week (as part of the BIG update!).


You can still join Life Book, a year-long celebration of YOU with guest teachers and a TON of content…and we’re just over halfway through! Click here to learn more and join!

 

 

A Magic Toy on My Doorstep (lots of pics!)

Look at the beauty that arrived on my doorstep today! 

I’ve never bought a digital camera before — the one I’ve been using has been borrowed, and aside from my Bloggie, which promised to be great but has been a sore disappointment, I’ve used hand-me-downs and, for a few weeks, a gift that couldn’t compensate for my less-than-steady hands. Being able to not only purchase a camera, but a nice one for video recording and blog photos, well, I never thought I’d have enough to be able make such a big purchase! 

And the reality is, I have, in the past, but realize I’ve been a Money Hoarder, always worried that the moment I spend the money on anything large, it’d never be replenished. This is a definite lack of faith in the Universe or God or whatever you may believe, believing that God would gift you with funds one day and deny you the next. I don’t want to get into a discussion about my thoughts on such things, as they’re still deep in bramble patches full of thorns made from a past of illness and uncertainty, but I do believe that God has a vested interest in you as long as you have one in yourself. 

And I decided, in the swell of magic that’s taken residence in my life since the unbelievable generosity around the mini-class and the lives it continues to touch, that it was time to truly invest in myself and where I want to go. To stop making the little, safe choices, borrowing and cutting corners where I could and take that giant leap into this new path I’ve forged for myself. 

If I’m going to be filming one or two videos a week, pouring my heart into each, then it makes perfect sense to purchase a camera that would not only record beautifully, but allow me to see myself as I film (which, if you’ve considered using a digital camera of some kind, it’s kinda difficult!). It will make my work easier and cut down on frustration. 

But more than that, I believe it says: 

Universe, I am ready. I’m not ‘getting by’ and making it work — I am investing seriously in my future. I have declared my mission; now, I’m declaring my commitment. 

Here are a few shots from around the studio today. I’ve been taking it easy for the past few days, as my FMS has decided it wants to chill out in lounge clothes on the couch, so I decided to show you a few details from my new journal. I went ahead and bought a 9”x12” Strathmore Visual Journal (mixed media) as I love the smaller one they sent me a few weeks ago…and I really love this one, too! I don’t have to gesso pages and can still slather on the layers! 

I cannot stress how much my life has become magical after figuring out how to help you by helping — and being — me. Shifting my focus from simply teaching and sharing to helping and being myself has made everything so much clearer, and the world seems full of opportunity. Things just keep happening awesomely. So this new journal is a place where I dream of possibility and abundance. I want to be reminded of these things every day, each time I take out my journal. 

Okay, I’ll stop rambling now! Enjoy the pictures! 

(I'm transfering the sketch to the wood...fun!)

PS. I have a cool surprise for y'all this week, and so many projects and ideas to write down, I'll be busy for weeks! All things to help YOU journal your lives easier, and create beautiful art no matter how healthy, ill, moble, or tired you may be! 

Learning Curve

We’re working through our second still life in drawing class this week, this one with the full range of shade values — the first only had three. 

I’m finding myself challenged. In a good way. 

When was the last time you were learning something so interesting, you wanted to work through the struggle to get to the other side? When you were so engaged, hours could pass in the blink of an eye? And I’m not talking about learning on your own, where the pace is set by the books you check out from the library and the blogs you read, but a class, where there’s structure and an instructor, and grades. 

Oh, yes. This girl is getting graded. Which is always a challenge when you’re a bit of a perfect student. My college GPA was a 3.975, which bugged me (though my final semester was straight A’s!). Despite taking this class for personal enrichment, I’m striving to get a good grade, to do good work, and be liked by my teacher. Which is hard when you’re always asking for help. Input. Pointers. I want to amaze. 

I want to prove I’m an artist. 

I know, I know. But I think some part of me wonders, “If you don’t do well in this class, are you really an artist? Do you really have talent?” 

But the other part of me is thrilled at all I’m learning. For example, when I was editing the above photo, my eyes were drawn to the black vase on my artwork. I had to do a double-take — is it me, or can you see the light reflecting off it, the shading, the light? Did I really do that? 

Yes, I did. And I will keep trying, keep drawing, keep showing up to class, because I want to be challenged and stretched and grow as an artist. 

And as I prep for my first free demo at Jerry’s Artarama here in Tempe, I know how you, as students, want to be taught. 

The Magic of Magic + [how to] covered shipping boxes!


{my birthday present; a fujifilm instax mini 25!}

Today started in a rush. 

Last week, I forgot to go to class, so I wanted to make sure — doubly sure — my alarm went off and I headed off on-time. Leave it to me to be fumbling at ten to eight, cursing my need to change my purse, as I wouldn’t be able to stop for my new favorite drink. 

Oh, yes, I have a new favorite! I gave up Diet Coke a little over a week ago after doing some research on the connection between aspartame and pain levels (thank you, Melissa, for linking me that first article!); I’m still going through a bit of detox, as I’ve drastically cut down on how much pop I drink, but I think it’ll be worth it in the long-run. Anyway, favorite drink! It’s this all-natural pomegranate green tea — a perfect combination of healthy and yummy and all in a mega-can for $1!

As I was running late, I was bummed that I wouldn’t be able to stop for one (another thing I’ve started doing; visiting the grocery shop every day instead of stocking up). Then, yay! The piece I was working on, drawing and shading a sphere with charcoal was going well. Boo! The box looks horrible and frustrated me to the point I wanted to cry. 

Then I went to my car to be greeted by a warning from campus security — apparently, you need a permit to park in the college parking lots! Still fuming from my sad box drawing, I crossed campus to get more information, a permit, and an ID. An ID that looks silly because the woman forgot to mention I had charcoal smudged all over my face! 

Then, magic of magic, I started to smile as I headed home. 

I don’t know when this happened, really. It might be the wind that’s been sweeping through the valley all day that reminds me of those breezy days back in Chicago. Or maybe it was the absence of the pain that’s been plaguing me since Saturday. Whatever it was, I felt calm. Happy. Boppy (this means, to me, that bouncy, happy feeling that gets you bopping up and down in the driver’s seat as you “dance” to the radio!). I chanced upon my Magic Happy Drink at CVS for less than $1 each, grabbed a bright copy of Nylon (one of my favorite magazines to both read and cut up for my journals), and curled my eyelashes for the first time. 

My car got a nice, VIP wash while I doodled in my sketchbook in the warm sunshine. My studio was cleaned and a new lightbulb was found. Most of my alter was set up. 

And as I sat down to get working in my journal, the film for my pretty birthday present arrived (3 days after my birthday!). Looking at the ridiculously-sized box used for such a small item, I found I didn’t want to throw it away. I’ve already tossed a few, and wondered if there was a way I could use them in my studio to organize my daily photo habit and growing collection of found papers and scraps. Want to re-use shipping boxes, too? Here are two ideas for how you can re-cover them for use in your studio! 

 

 

Click the image -- it gets bigger!

1. Cut the flaps off your boxes (but save them to use as dividers when you’re done!)

2. I found that Eco Green Matte Artist’s Medium worked the best for this project. It’s the same consistency as Modge Podge, more-or-less. 

3. Spread glue on the vintage wallpaper, then burnish it to each side, wrapping it over the top and bottom. I did with in 4 separate pieces. 

4. For this box, I decoupage dyed paper towels down on the cardboard (these are just the paper towels I use to dry my brushes, etc, that I save, just in case!).

5. I then added a layer of tissue paper I wrote across with Copic markers. 

6. The finished boxes — the wallpaper’s around all four sides, and the decoupage was finished with a final paper towel layer. 

I plan on cutting down the long flaps to use as dividers between months or colors or type! I don’t know, yet, but had tons of fun making these!

As I slipped into bed for a nice, mid-afternoon nap after taking a break to read for a little bit, I couldn’t help but smile and think: 

Today’s been pretty perfect. 

Just goes to show that even the most rushed, frustrating mornings can give way to joyous afternoons. 

 

All the windows in my apartment are open, the wind whistling through, taking with it all the negativity, doubt, and depression that’s lingered for far too long. I’m cold, just a bit, but bundled, smiling, and writing before heading back in for more creating. 

New (smartphone) Photography Discoveries & More!

 

I was going to post the Q&A video today and this post tomorrow, but I’m a bit tired and wanting to curl up with my Smash book, so the Q&A is going up tomorrow and this tonight. Which means things may be confusing for one line or two in the vid, but if that’s the only odd thing, we’ll all be lucky. When I’m not bouncy excited, I’m weird-humor even-keel, and living a life on camera, well…welcome to me!

Ever since Becca got an iPhone, I’ve been a green-eyed monster, especially when she whips the thing out to show me her most-recent Instagram pics. In fact, while we were hanging out last night, we spent half the time with our noses in our phones, playing around with pictures! It’s quite addicting, and even though I have Mad Skills on teh Photoshop, I love the different filters and textures available in all these camera apps. And before you ask, no, I don’t have an iPhone (to my eternal sadness. Actually, the phone I have is marvelous, especially since I bought it for $200 on eBay. What I don’t like is that I have a 4G phone, pay for 4G service, yet live in a city without 4G service. Oh, Sprint. You piss me off for the tune of $120 a year…). 

 

All of these photos were taken with Vignette, which is very, very worth the cost for the paid version. I love it to pieces! 

I processed them in either Magic Hour — another paid program that I just purchased this morning and adore — or GO Photo, which is free and goes with GO Launcher, which is a ton of fun, if you have the time/inclination to personalize your Android. 

 

But that’s it. Lots of playing around and clicking and adjusting. The knowledge I have from Photoshop actually helped make things easier (for example, Magic Hour allows you to adjust the Curves, which I only know how to do because of playing in Photoshop since I was 13), but it’s so user-friendly, you can get started with no experience at all!

But let’s not make this whole post techny! I carved those stamps from craft foam with my new wood burning tool (thank you, 50% off Michael’s coupon!) and it really is like cutting through butter! I messed up on one, but then got the hang of it really fast and it was like drawing, except then I could make block prints with ‘em! The foam was $1 and I still have over half a sheet left, and can’t wait to make more. Oh, why was I intimidated in the first place?

 

Except for the fumes. OH, the fumes. Really. I was sitting in front of a window under a fan at high speed and have learned that I need to dig a mask out of my garage or else I’ll get sinus headaches very easily. Or I could go outside and work on ‘em. Either one — trust me, darlings, the warnings are in the books for reasons. And this is one of them. Even when I was working with wood, I needed to take a step back for a bit and relax. Then again, I have a tendency to lean over my work when I get into the details (which isn’t good when your back dislikes you most days!), but still. Better safe than sorry!


We also wrote on tissue paper with Copics to layer, but didn’t know that the markers would leak through the tissue and stain the table, so that’s a reason to have a black craft table (I honestly had no idea as I bought my desk in black for this very reason). 

And I found out that GAC 100 is so super awesome, I’ve got to play with it some more to see what else it can do.

Most of these are close-up shots of backgrounds I have yet to work over. I have a few awesome pages in the works -- why can't I post everything all at once by visiting you all and gushing over art?

[how to] Doodle Your Own Bias Tape

 

A few shots I snapped while working on tonight’s issue of Journaling Deep. 

Sometimes, I catch a shot on the digital display while setting one up for something else, and can’t help but snap a picture. I may not be the best photographer, but I’ve learned to enjoy taking pictures around my studio. Maybe it’s because I’m hoping to catch Process in action, much like trying to catch a ghost on film. 

I haven’t found it yet.

 

 

Here’s a freebee lesson from tonight’s Journaling Deep:

Making an art quilt? Instead of searching for the perfect color binding or fabric to turn into bias tape, why not grab a few packages of white and create your own?

 

I took Copic markers in colors that matched the fabrics in my art quilt and scribbled along the binding. All the feelings and emotions that were in the quilt were written out in big, loopy letters I overlapped. Doodles were added in here and there.  

 

And you don’t have to use this only for art quilts; cut off a bit to edge a journal page, or glue it down in a college. Edge a canvas you’ve painted on. There are so many uses, and it’s definitely one of a kind!

 

This week’s issue of Journaling Deep is all about dying and scribbling on fabric to create fun, colorful embellishments for your journal pages & more!