TGI Friday

So, Friday is here and you know what that means.

I always say that to my DH and he falls for it every time and says, "what?" with such surprise.

Then I tell him, "it means you take me out to eat".

He never does...

So, today it means I show my calendar doodle for this week. Not a lot of doodling here. I got several rolls of wallpaper last Saturday on the Treasure Hunt and I've been using some in a journal I'm working on. I used this little scrap on my calendar this week.

He's gone.

I'm doing some serious Art-AT-The-Desk just now. Oh mercy you should see this. I have this office looking like my studio at home.

The project at hand is another journal for a silent auction in Waco. I have to get it finished or near finished this weekend.

Oh gosh this weekend. That means I will spend some time on my think-tank. However, I'm learning to love tall grasses. The only problem is that I eventually must mow and then it takes so long because I learned to love tall grasses.

Oh life.....I need time....

More later,

Sharon

Harper's new Monthly Magazine

No 284. January, 1874

You must click on this to see up close the roots of the pansies. I hope it enlarges and I don't have a clue where the purple and green came from.
More later,
Sharon

Baby Bird Update

Have you ever seen such a beautiful blue?

And now five eggs in this box. Last week there were only two. You can recognize that it is the same box because of the feathers in the nest. This box is in the vicinity of my chickens and guineas. This is the first time I have seen blue birds use feathers. Beautiful decor don't you think? I could see the eggs through the entrance hole and so I took the picture with the lens aimed through the hole.
Here is another blue bird box. Notice there are no feathers in the nest. The picture below is of this box. I thought you might like to see the neighborhood with the carpet of wildflowers.

The last picture of this nest was mom looking up at us. I never got to see the eggs. Chickadees are not afraid and always just sit real still and allow our visits. We always ask permission and knock lightly on the box before opening it. This picture was taken Sunday afternoon when Tim and I made the rounds of all the nest boxes. I looked again this afternoon and they are now fully feathered and look like they could fly any day. I picked one up...couldn't help myself.

Here is the baby red bird that I showed last week. The other two eggs did not hatch. This was taken Sunday and I checked on it this afternoon and she/he is gone. We had a wind and rain storm last night. I really don't think she was ready to leave the nest.

Mud Swallows on my porch hatched. I mean it looks like they just hatched. Picture taken Sunday.

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I am doing a little art but nothing to show yet. There is just so much other stuff to see at this time of year. I hope you enjoy seeing God's ART.

More later,

Sharon

25 Mile Treasure Hunt

My friend and I went on a treasure hunt yesterday. You know Texas always does things big. I'll tell you 25 miles of garage/estate/junk/antique sales on a country road was one great adventure. It is called 25 Mile Antique Alley (I think) and is on the third weekend of April and September.

"Famous Last Words"......my mission for the day was to find paper ephemera. You know like old games, flash cards, old letters, wallpaper, anything paper for collage purposes. And I said, "I am not going to buy any books. I don't need anymore books. I have more books now than I will ever get around to altering."

But how could I pass up a big old dictionary for twenty-five cents. You wouldn't either. Would you have passed up a second one maybe for fifty cents? No Way! So having scored those two, after all they weren't for altering, but in essence "paper for collage purposes", I could justify five bucks for a great old big one in Spanish. That fellow just wouldn't come off his price.

Check it out. Second photo above. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Random House, 1947, is a book of verses or poems that is beautifully illustrated. It is so wonderful and I don't know that I will be able to rip these pages out. Although, I thought I would.

What about the Harper's New Monthly Magazine, January 1874. Wonderful!

I know I needed the German Hymnal and the German Language book.

This little book is not old. Oh mercy but fair game for altering. It is After Dinner Games and is illustrated in such a whimsical, contemporary and yet vintagy way. My brain is whirling with what to do to it.

This little Diary has some really good collage fodder inside.

And look at this cover. I think you can tell by the photo that it is in relief. I can't wait to put a piece of metal over it and burnish....and then alter this little jewel. It is a motivational book and here are some of the chapter titles: "I dare you to adventure," "I dare you to do things," "I dare you to be strong," "I dare you to think creatively".....and so on. Well buster don't dare me. I took it!

This one, I got for the cover. So cool!

I'm sure I needed this one too. But I know not what for. It is great big and has wonderful tabs.

So there you have it NO BOOKS for Sharon, 18 books later. I think it is all Norah's fault. I didn't even tell you about all of them. Did you see the little book, The Story of A Hundred Operas, subtitled, "Invaluable to Radio Listeners," 1940 edition.

I found a lot more treasures but I will just have to show you....

More later,

Sharon

I'm a Thinking Blogger

There is a whole lot of thinking going on. Does this doodle make you think?

Maybe you were thinking I missed a couple of weeks with my calendar doodle. I did.

Maybe you were thinking I haven't been doing any ART. I don't think I have.

Maybe you were thinking she's crazy. I am.

OK, so here I go. This week I had a new set of gel pens at arms length right here on my desk. I have had gel pens before and never managed to use them until they quite playing nice. I was trying to cover as much of the page as I could with gel pen but I did use a bit of oil pastel crayons to finish off the background. Gel pens don't dry to fast. And I kinda smeared. But I liked the smeared look. How about you? I even put my finger prints on the page. If left long enough they eventually dry. I don't know why I'm telling you this because I am probably the last one to play with gel pens.

I like seeing what writes on top of what. I can report that gel pen writes on top of oil pastel and those Zig calligraphy pens write on top of gel and oil pastel.

So think about that.

A blogger buddy, Jeannie has nominated me for the thinking blogger award. I hope I gave you something to think about today.

Now I am suppose to send you to five or so thinking bloggers. Actually, I think that all bloggers are thinkers and I'm having a hard time with naming just five. So I think if you just click on any of those in my sidebar.....you will find a lot to think about. And if you are one of those in my sidebar......consider yourself nominated for the THINKING BLOGGER AWARD.

Speaking of my sidebar....I still haven't got in back into shape since having to change over from old blogger to new blogger. Lazy...procrastanator...comes to mind.

More later,

Sharon

My Birds

You might remember that I showed this cardinal nest in an earlier post. The nest was all ready and this little lady waited until the time and weather was right before laying.

Last Thursday evening I took a stroll around to the various nests and nest boxes and low and behold she had made three beautiful eggs.

Yesterday I went out to take a look-see....just hatched. Aren't they ugly-beautiful? I will check this afternoon to see if the other two eggs hatch. You never know but she is attentive. I can see her from my kitchen window.

Early January, Tim and GP(grandpa), my DH (dear husband), made new bluebird nest boxes. The old boxes were falling apart. Of course the sweet little chickadees appreciate the same accommodations as the blue birds. This was taken last Thursday and Tim reports that we have babies. I promised that we would take pictures this afternoon.

This is a mud swallow nest that is on my front porch. It is up high and I can't look down into it because there is no head space. I can just aim the camera into it. Surprise! They come every year and I'm not really happy of their location-location-location. However, we agree to disagree about that and let them stay. I do draw the line though when the choose directly above the door. I remove it and insist that they take their second choice. I have learned they will.

This is bluebird eggs and last Thursday there were two. DH reports that now there are five.
Updates on all and...

More later,

Sharon

"Book of Me" Workshop

And this is "Me"..... but the book was not to be about me. It was to be about them. But you know how that it. I tried very hard to impart the experience of playing ART without any expectation of the end result. You know, listen to your Muse (norah's mine) and not your "doubtful Debbie" that sits on your shoulder or in your head. So, if their finished altered book turns out not to be about them....they "got it". Likewise, if their "Book of Me" does turn out to be about them....they "got it". Now how cool is that? I set myself up as a successful teacher no matter what.

We had our own little Art Party and I think everyone enjoyed the day. I know I really learned a lot. I won't go into that part as I just want to show a little and tell a little for now.

This is my beautiful Daughter and most wonderful assistant. She took the workshop too. It was a surprise to some there that she had never made an altered book before.

Here is the group as we get started. Notice the tables are relatively clear. We had nine taking the workshop. My granddaughter popped in and is standing in the back.

Cindy (front left) was one of the lucky ones of the day, She won a little door prize. Then Carolynn who has made many altered books that I wish you could see and Susan and Terri.

Celia's not here yet.........that's her spot.

Celia made it just a little late but boy of boy it didn't take her long to catch up. Notice the tables are beginning to look more like my workspace. Things closing in on you. I love that because your Muse is there processing and telling you what to do next. She really can't be as helpful if it is not all right out there.

This is my extraordinaire friend Susan who gives me so much support and confidence and friendship. You know my friend Susan who has more toys than me...and you. She put together the most wonderful little ephemera and paper packets for us to buy. We had our own little vendor table too. Maybe I can share that little packet in another post.

Here is Judy and Nancy. The smile on their faces tell it all. I can't wait to see their finished book.

And my Buddy, Terri. We do lots of things together. Like sew and build playgrounds. Not sure what she is telling me here. I bet it was good though.
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To Celebrate "ME" and my first workshop I had a special door prize. Each packet included a "How Was I?"..."How Did I do?" sheet with just a few little questions to answer and their final exam and assignment was to alter the page with something they had just learned and place the sheet in the white envelope.....and do not alter the envelope. Everyone's page was most excellent.

Gloria was so excited about her day that she altered the envelope. No one knew what I had up my sleeve. So Gloria had to have another envelope. Then we shuffled and reshuffled and mixed them up and up and then Melissa drew for the door prizes. Cindy won the first prize which was a set of fun pens. And guess who won the "She Sac"..................

Gloria won. Here she is checking it out. And my friend Carolynn watching.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your day and playing ART with me. I had a great time...but my feet sure did hurt...this old lady is not use to standing all day.....I know I will have.......

More later,

Sharon

Workshop Packets

I think I'm almost ready for my "Book of Me" Altered Book Workshop tomorrow. So I thought I would do a little show and tell while I take a sit-down break.

I reused some old file folders for my packets. I think they turned out pretty good. They actually still had the old labels on the tabs so I used paint chips folded to cover that. Wall paper on the front and a wall paper pocket on the inside. The pocket on the left is made with an old envelope that I ran through my printer.

Breaks over....it is going to be fun....wish you here....you know I will take pictures...for

More later,

Sharon

More She Sacs

The bag in the middle above is my loaded art-to-go She Bag. (You've already seen it). The two on either side are She Sacs and I shared the fused art pieces Sunday while they were in progress. Aren't they fun? I'm showing front and back of each below. I simply can't seem to get decent pictures.

"She was honest she wanted everything"

"She look thoughtfully
and she said
I'm going to marry"

"She thinks you wouldn't like it"

The She Sacs are faster to make and smaller. Each has a pocket on the front and a pocket on the inside. What do you think? Are you getting tired of seeing these?

More later,

Sharon

She Sac

I finished all four of the She Sacs. They are a mini version of the She Bags that I did for myself and my daughter-in-law.

Will show and tell...

More later,

Sharon

More Shes

This is what I worked on yesterday. More Shes. But these will be a little different. I think I will call these "She Sacs" when finished. I will show you perhaps tomorrow. I'm getting ready for my workshop this weekend.

More later,

Sharon