Another Gift Journal

THANK YOU TO ALL MY COMMENTER PERSONS.
I LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU SAY.
Your comments inspire me so, here is more. I have made another Gift Journal. This one is for a him and don't you know I have a hard time not putting flowers on everything. This journal has 32 pages. I'll not show all but I thought you might have been inspired to make one so here is some more inspiration.
Just a little scrap of paper with a pirate on it and some metallic paint.
This is my favorite page so far. It is just an envelope glued on with collage of stuff and stamps.
The first thing I do after prepping the book is go through and paint each spread a different color or colors. It's fun and I have lots of these little bottles of acrylic paint to use up.
This page just has a "big girl crayon" border.
Here I used another envelope which was actually too big for the page so I folded it and added a little tab. The opposite page has a frame ready for a picture.
Cool word I found floating in the art mess.


Another favorite page. It is just stamps but can't you just imagine a story to go with it.


I've just learned how to do the curly things. They are fun and will frame the perfect picture.
Another envelope.
Running out of ideas.
Cool page. Pocket made with greeting card. Random tags.
Found a piece of stationary and split it.


Do you remember my "stash book"? I found some things I used from that source. Of course, I had to use some of my Mother's stamps. Then I dug through a collection of old envelopes and used them in various ways. These are so fun to make and I hope you will try it and then give me shout so I can come over and see yours.

I have had a great holiday and for that I'm thankful.
More later,
Sharon

Homemade Christmas Prezzies

Yesterday I told you about setting up a card table to make another art mess. Here is the scene. I'm taking the picture from my computer chair which is actually in my studio. Sure enough I made a mess and had a ball doing it. (Yes my bedroom joins my kitchen.)
So have you ever thought about illustrating a book before it has been written. That is what I did yesterday. YES. ART. FUN. THANKFUL.


This is a little home made present for a little special person. I have several to make. I have made an art journal or rather the beginning of a journal with an old unwanted book.



The recipient will actually finish it by adding their words, pictures, stuff and imagination. The gift will include some glue sticks, special markers, and of course a little bit of encouragement and instructions about altering the altered book.








I can't wait to see and read their stories.

See, I get to play in the book a little and then send it on for _______ and _______ and ________ to finish it. Actually, I may play a little more on some of the pages. When I get the cover art done, you know I will show you.
More later,
Sharon

THANKSGIVING...part two

First of all, you know I can't
talk without showing something.
So here is a little corner of
my house.
You can guess which room.
I bet.
Pictures are not very good.
They were available.

I have had a rejuvenating day
at the little art table mentioned
in earlier post.
For that, I'm thankful.

My Melissa and Ashley are here
and wonderful.
For that, I'm thankful.

My health is great.
For that, I'm thankful.

I have a wonderful, caring,
generous, beautiful son.
For that, I'm thankful.

I have a lover.
For that, I'm thankful.

I have a soul mate.
For that, I'm thankful.

I had wonderful parents.
For that, I'm thankful.

My brothers and their families
are the best.
For that, I'm thankful.
I have so many things to be thankful for and I am.
More later,
Sharon

THANKSGIVING GREETINGS

THANKSGIVING
GREETINGS

yes I haven't been around much.
yes I haven't done art much.

i haven't had anything to show
so
i guess I had nothing to tell.

how about a few random thoughts
now?

we had turkey and dressing
last weekend.
kevin and boys were here.
so fun.
they spent the night.
loved that.
cooked at leisure.


this is my first stained glass piece
circa 1985 had to show something.

tim left last night with his dad.

mel is working today.
nursing homes don't close for
thanksgiving.

krt is gone hunting until Sunday
it's his tradition.

ashley and I had cold pizza (reheated) for breakfast.

i'm multitasking.

studio is so.....a mess
don't want to clean now
it is my mess
it is an art mess
can't face it.

set up card table in bedroom
for more art mess
in front of tv
between tv and computer
i'm multitasking.

no money for Christmas
what to do.

use what i have on hand
make things.

ashley and i watch lifetime movies
ashley watches too many movies
ashley can watch movies all day long
and send thousands of text messages
i really mean thousands.

happy birthday michelle

absolutely gorgeous beautiful day
should be outside
most leaves are still on trees
could finish mowing
might.

art at my leisure this weekend
may not be able to show
no scanner here
camera is with krt
ashley has camera
so maybe if i create anything
worthy of showing
she will assist.

more later,
sharon

True Colors....White

Snow Fairy Princess

ATC trades

Remember that I made ATCs (for the first time) for the ATC wall at the quilt festival. Here are the cards that I chose in the swap. With permission form the artists, I'm sharing.
This first one is by Terri Stegmiller. It is a quilted card with her original art lady.

Nancy Kaschmitter made this second one. It too is quilted with her whimsical lady and has a layer of polka dotted tulle.

The third card was made by Susie Perrott. It is stamped with flowers and well yes, "Art does make me happy".

Also, I was very excited to hear from two artists who chose my cards. One was Susan who lives in Humble and Gloria who lives in Houston. This was a really cool experience of exchanging.

Confession...I flinched

Inside Front Cover

Explore Colors in Flesh

My confession: Do you remember the verb form of funk in earlier post about being in funkified mood? Well, it is flinch. And I did. I was having so much fun exploring all the colors in flesh with my new paints. Then there was that whole big corner of the page. I flinched.

I had a vague notion of what I was going to do from the beginning but that critic fairy hiding in my head sometimes made me flinch and I withdrew. I figured out that I was trying to give too much thought to what I would do. I mean, does it really matter? If I don't like it I can just throw the page away and start over or gesso right on top of all of it, or cut it up and use bits and pieces on another page. So last night, having all this worked out with my critic fairy, I just went in an started playing ART like I know how. Just do it. And don't you know, I gotta have some tissue paper on my page.

More later,

Sharon

Lutradur

I have been in such a funk that I haven't even shown the project that we did in the mini workshop at the quilt festival. Lesley Riley introduced all to Lutradur. This was one sheet of Lutradur approximately 8" by 16". It is folded and with one slit partially through the center it can be made into an 8 page booklet.
Lutradur is a non-woven polyester interlining. You can paint it, color it, burn it, stamp it, write on it, and collage on it and with it. And we tried all of that. Lots of fun.
We used Crayola Oil Pastels which excited me the most. They are rich vibrant colors as you can see and easy to blend. We used our finger to blend. The oil pastels come in a box of 28 for $4.99. Definitely a new art supply for me.
You can google Lutradur and Crayola to see more about these.
So, what I'm thinking now is that part of this will surely find its way into my True Colors Journal. Maybe on the hot pink and orange page. Don't you think?
More later,
Sharon
PS I will tell about my ATC trades next time.

Funkified Mood

So what is "funkified"? It is the way I feel just now. My little bitty desk dictionary says funk = a shrinking back from fear; v. flinch. The shrinking back part might be what I have done ART-wise for a few days. But not from fear. I tell you it is because the sun goes down so early now. I need sun to shine. I think I have to readjust every year at this time.

So do you have an inspiration journal? I do. It is a blank journal shown here. It is at my elbow and I jot down inspiration phrases, quotes, ideas, sketches, web sites and anything that I want to remember. I also glue in snippits form the newspaper as well as my own doodles.

This is today's lunchtime doodle colored with lipstick found in my desk drawer. Did you ever use lipstick? I'm challenged.
More later,
Sharon

International Quilt Festival

My friend Susan and I did make it to the International Quilt Festival in Houston on Thursday. We had a great time. We got there early and signed up for all the Mini workshops at "Make It U" sponsored by Cloth, Paper, Scissors. Class size was limited to 25 and we were both so lucky to get into the first one by Lesley Riley.
I need to go to Las Vegas with Susan. She is one lucky girl. We missed the drawing time for 2 of the classes but she was drawn for 4 of the 6. I took her place at one of them. Fun.
Here she is participating in "Surviving the Runway: The Ultimate Creative Challenge" conducted by Patricia Bolton. It was a fast paced collage challenge.
To sum it up, next time I want to go for at least 3 days to see everything. The quilt exhibit was out of this world and I didn't even have time to see all of it. We had so much fun, got back late and now I getting geared up to tackle November, house stuff, yard stuff, family stuff, stuffed turkey, and ART.
More later,
Sharon