Weekend Ends

Hello,
I don't have much to show for my weekend.
Just lazied around.
Watched movies.
Played a little art on the couch.
Just cutting stuff.
I made a Cookie Can for the Princess.
We miss her.
Also, played with paper dolls and mailing envelopes for them.
Started one canvas but didn't paint one stroke...just sketched.
Floors didn't get blessed.
I'm getting good at that.
Early to bed.
I have a busting ear ache.
Don't remember ever having one.
Will see doc tomorrow.
Borrowed a friends camera to try out.
Tried it.
Like it.

More later,
Sharon

Award Ceremony

Red Carpet..........

You know before any proper award ceremony there is a Red Carpet event.............

Retro Pinkie is first up with every one swooning over her beautiful wings etc.etc.etc.

Then there is

brahdelt

my friends call me rella

PJ

Suze

Lisa

Mo'a

Fiona

Janet

back again form years past ....

Sallyt

pattie

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I can't tell you......No, I am telling you this was so much fun and your joining the party made it extra special.

It was thrilling to go to each of the above blogs and see their paper dolls. Give them a visit.

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You Make My Day

I have recently received this award and I confess that I am always little speechless when that happens.

I don't mean to delay the acknowledgement but time seems to get away from me.

But believe me when I say it truly touches my heart and is appreciated.

Thank you, she who flies, who gave me this award on January 2nd.

Thank you, Kate, who gave me the award on January 8th.

Thank you, BlueJude, who gave me the award on January 23rd.

Today I'm awarding the

You make my day"

award to all of the above who made my day when they shared their paper doll with me.

More awards

I know you came to see who won the drawing, so with out further delay....

The Retro Pinkie Award goes to

Rosemary who left a comment that she was cutting out hands but I couldn't find a link to her.

So, Rosemary with your acceptance speech let me know your address.

But wait....

There is more...

I have two more awards.

I couldn't stop with just one so......

the winner of another little something special is cath sheard.

and

I drew a name from the Red Carpet ten

and

mo'a is the winner of another little something special.

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Sorry to be so slow with this Award Ceremony.
The writers strike nearly got me.
The three winners need to send address.

More later,

Sharon

Darkness

"In Darkness"

.....I said, "...in my minds eye I can see a painting with a glowing sliver of a profile of a pretty girl surrounded with darkness. "

I don't know how I thought I would be able to come back to work today and have time to draw a name for the winner of my Paper Doll Party door prize and write a post with links to all of you that played and made paper dolls.

So, until I manage to do that.....later this week, I'm leaving it...in the air...still open...not done...

That means you can still have a chance to win. Just tell me you partied even if you were late.

And when I have "enough" time to do it proper, we will have a winner for Retro Pinkie.

More later,

Sharon

Thank You

....so much for coming to my Paper Doll Party.
We had so much fun. I thought I would just show a little of the mess that we made. I haven't cleaned it up yet. I've just pushed it back to make a little spot to play today.

Several of you have shown your paper dolls on your blog and I can't even put into words the feeling that I get in my heart when I go to see them. It is amazing and is the reason the I love to share.

Don't forget to leave a link in the party comments if you made a doll. You know what, I'm thinking that will give you two chances to win Retro Pinkie. Because when I draw names, I'm going to print and cut up the comments for drawing.

When the winning announcement post is made, I want to give the links to everyone who made a paper doll. So, if you made one, tell us so we can come for a visit.

The party didn't exactly end for me Saturday night. I got up early Sunday and continued. I am officially hooked on paper dolls. I knew I should not have given in to the temptation. But it is so fun.

Before the party the other day I finished this canvas. It is 6/ X 12. Sorry for the glare but I thought it would be good "enough" to show. Not much to tell about her. I did use a new Morning Glory Napkin for a collage layer in the background. I can't get "enough" of playing with napkins.

This morning I have started another. Yep, I'm home today.

Just playing ART.

More later,

Sharon

Paper Doll Party Continued

Wait....Wait....Wait

If you are just just now arriving

Close your eyes

Scroll down to the first post for today

and

Read up

It's time to put her together.

I used brads as you can see to attach the head and legs.

Surprise!

It's an ATC Valentine Paper Doll

Wasn't that fun?

And isn't she just the cutest!

Her name is "Retro Pinkie"

I can't wait to see yours all finished up.

So be sure to let us know when you post.

Just about every body has gone and I'm about to clean up the paper mess.

But first, I have a thought.

If you let me know that you came to play paper dolls,

then I will give Retro Pinkie as a door prize to one lucky person.

I'm thinking I will wait to draw Tuesday morning when I go back to work.

Now I'm going to say good night to everyone and tell you how much fun I have had and hope you did too.

I have three ATC Valentine Paper Doll to get made...

for my swaps.

More later,

Sharon

Party On

I'm still having a paper doll party......

But it is pretty quite here so I thought we might just switch gears and make ATCs.

I ask Fiona if she would like to swap ATCs.

So lets make some.

I had some paint chips that were almost the perfect ATC size.

I had to trim a little off and then I rounded the corner.

I gathered up some other bits and pieces that I thought I might glue down.

Oh Look!

I made Valentines.

Let's make valentines.

Great idea. Don't you think.

I ask Zorana to swap Valentines with me.
Well, I think I will go back and play some more.

I'm having a great time.

PJ says she has started her paper doll head and baked a cake too.

She is going to show us her progress tomorrow. Can't wait.

Fun!

More later,

Sharon

More Party

Hey, Glad to have you.
If you're just getting here, check out the first post today.

We're making paper dolls.

It's a party.

Maybe we got the cart before the horse by doing the hands first. But that happens at parties.

Having a little extra time at the desk yesterday, I started thinking about making paper dolls. It is something I have been resisting. I wanted to trade with my fRieNd rElLa so I jumped in.

I knew I wanted to use these legs and red shoes so I went to my photos and looked for a head that would work. She is one of my first sketches from way back in the beginning of blogging.

She is perfect for a paper doll.

I printed the images on card stock and then gave you a little tease.

That's all I managed to do yesterday.

I'm thinking you may have a stamp of a head to use or maybe an old vintage photograph that you can scan and print. How about something out of the ever-lovin advertisements in the newspaper. Or you could just do a quick little sketch. Same goes for feet.

I don't know how to tell you how to size all the components other than be a little girl playing with paper and

just play.

I wanted my paper doll to be heaver than card stock so I found a discarded bit of watercolor paper. It was a left over that I saved.....in case.

I glued the images to the watercolor paper but forgot that the pattern on the paper was not waterproof and almost made a mess.

I decided that it would work and was good enough

I cut out the head and legs and painted a coat of Golden soft gel gloss. Totally optional step.

You should do your own thing.

We're having a party!

Fun little body coming next.

More later,

Sharon

Don't you want some snacks? You sure are quite.

Paper Doll Party

Welcome to a paper doll party

and more....

Lets get started with the hands first.

I remember the fun of paper dolls from oh so long ago.

What I remember is that I made my own and like many of you, I used the Sears Catalogue.

Maybe that is why I still cut hands from the advertisements.

Have you been collecting a few hands?

Today is the day to play with them.

I plan to make more that one paper doll so I scanned the hands and printed several sets.

This set of hands were from two different models. I am using a right and left but it is OK with me if you want to use two rights or two lefts.

I found these little strips of heavy watercolor paper that I had saved for ....in case.

They are perfect to make arms with. So, I first glued the hands down and then I sketched an arm shape.

Notice the vellum pattern in the above photo. After I drew one arm, I traced the vellum and cut it out so I could turn it over for a mirror of the arm patter.

Do your own thing here, that is just the way I went about it.
II played with some skin tone paint and of course added white and red. I was just trying to make a matching flesh. And you will notice I change the size of the lower arm section.
Then I used a brown watercolor pencil and went around the arms.
Using Golden gel matte medium, I blend and smudge the watercolor pencil. Now it is permanent.
The gel medium does that.

After cutting the hands out, put the two sections together and punch a tiny hole for the brad.

This is just a little gizmo that I used because it makes a tiny hole and it was right there handy.

Well we probably should have started with the head and that's next. I'm having to share computer time this morning but that's OK.

I'll stay as long as you can.

It is so much more fun than those Tupperware parties.

Back later,

Sharon

Tease

I'm teasing......maybe

I'm feeling a party

just not sure when

bring scissors

and

heART

Mail

Look here. I needed something that Sally T had. She sent it to me in this very cool mail art envelope.

I do believe that Sally is the queen of mail art.

She included a little extra extra stuff. Sorry, I didn't show what's inside. But you know me and how I love to glue it down so as not to be caught up in that hoarding thing. I hope I get a chance to do that tonight. If I do, I'll sure enough show....and tell.

I'm bursting with inspiration at the moment and frankly, they are stacking up in my head. I hope Norah's keeping track because this week end, I'm thinking we will be having an art party making valentines and paper dolls and painting and oh my ..... I can't wait.

More later,

Sharon

Let's Talk

Let's talk while I show you what I've done.
Last Tuesday morning I bounced out of bed with a new mission in mind. Instead of doing my 30 minute morning wiggle in bed while dear husband was in the shower, I decided enough bed time.
I pulled on the pants and shirt that I had peeled out of the night before and in my bare feet, started walking the path right here in my house.
I walked around and around and around for 30 minutes. I have walked every day since and tomorrow will be seven days straight.
The layout of my home is such that I can go around and around without disturbing anyone. I found it to be much more interesting than walking the treadmill at my office. I will continue.

I was thinking that I needed to go and buy some alphabet letter for our "words". But I realized that I just didn't have "enough" money at one dollar each for wooden letters. Then, I remembered that I had some chipboard letters and thought surely I should have "enough" art supplies on hand without buying more.

This is going to work for me. I can already tell. Oh yes, Tim remembered his word. It is "Passion". Melissa's is "Peace".

While I was on my walk today, I noticed the stale bread, one dinner roll, and a square of cornbread sitting on the corner of the cabinet waiting to be fed to the chickens. I don't know who designated this spot for such but it is.

Another trip around and I noticed the Christmas Goose and Santa Cookie jar still hadn't been put away. These things had been out long "enough" so when I finished my walk, I put them away. They were gifted to me this year and I don't have "enough" storage space for such so I had to look for some.

I also thought the bread for the Chickens had sat there long "enough" so I took that out too. It's amazing all the things you can find to do while going around and around. Had I been on the treadmill, I would have never accomplished these chores.

It wasn't planned but I think using the sunflower napkin on my "enough" project is an interesting choice. I feed my wild birds sunflower seeds. My one resolution for 2008 is to feed the birds. They just can't seem to get "enough".

The first word has been hung on the icicle tree. See I told you that I put the icicles away.

I'm working on a canvas that I may finish tonight. But I tell you, while watching TV last night I saw something that registered with Norah'S brain. Now I can't stop thinking about it. I don't have a clue what we saw but in my minds eye I can see a painting with a glowing sliver of a profile of a pretty girl surrounded with darkness.

Oh yes, I didn't find a napkin with big white flowers yesterday. I'm still looking.

Enough talk.

More later,

Sharon

Enough

I confess that I have a lot of stuff rambling around in the attic at the moment. Therefore, this will probably be very disjointed but that's OK. It's Friday and I'm counting down.

I mentioned in my last post something about my "word" for the year. I'm still working on "balance" left over form last year as I never accomplished it. So that will be one of "our" words. Remember I told you also that I was going to invite the family to join in with a word.

So at the dinner table a couple of nights ago we had a discussion. I had already talked to Tim about a "word". He "gets it" and was going to decide on his word. So at the table, I give my spiel and Ashley knows immediately that her words is "happiness". A super word. I ask Tim if he had his word yet and he says he did but forgot what it was and that he wants a real good word so he will keep trying to remember it. He knew it started with a "p" or and "s". We tried to guess a few.

We are going to get wooden letters to make these words and have them on display someway in the house as a reminder of our intent for the year, I ask Ashley, "do you think happy would be just as good as happiness, since it is a shorter word?" Without hesitation she pronounced, "no, I want happiness".

So then, I said to dear husband (grandfather to Ash and Tim), "what is your word going to be?" With the same swiftness and lack of hesitation as Ashley he said, "Silence". I think he "gets it" too.

So far, that is our words: Balance, Happiness, and Silence. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you my new word for 2008 is "Enough". If you think about it, "enough" is a pretty good word. I'm always thinking I don't have enough time for ART. But I will apply the word more consciously while at the table to remind myself that I have had enough.

So now I have to get Melissa's word and see if Tim has remembered his great word and I will be all set to get these new power words of intent up for display.

Here is something that excites me. Oh wait first, you will need to look here. Just a quick refresher of the page...not the words but the picture. Then go here and take a look at the bottom of this cover. I'm squealing ....can you hear me? I don't know exactly what is on the inside but there I am. So proud. So happy. Can't wait to get it in my hands.

Now about the paper napkin above. Isn't' this a gorgeous one. A friend here in town gifted me with this one and I'm pretty sure you will be seeing it in my next little piece of ART. But a favor I wish to ask of you is, "do any of you have a white floral napkin?" I'm on the look out for big white flowers. I will trade some of mine for a white floral. Thanking you.

More later,

Sharon

Excuses

I was trying to get a better picture of the finished "Night Letter". I'm still not capturing the true color of the flesh tones but this one is better. Then I thought I would like to see the unfinished side by side with the finished so that maybe I could see where my Mother went.

The strangest thing happens to me when I have finished a painting. Especially one that has given the the pleasure of being "in the zone" as this one did. It is no secret that I am a real Chatty Kathy most of the time. I Can't help it that I do go on and on. Well kinda like right now.

So here is the weird thing, at these moments right after the signature on the painting, I just want to show and am not comfortable telling anything. I really did have so much more to tell about this painting. But now, I'm done.


Last night I watched a great movie. Sorry I can't tell you the name of it or what it was about because that is just the way I watch movies. Entertained "in the moment". But while the movie was going on, I am so proud to say that I disassembled Christmas and put it away. I really did like the tree sitting there with those words, "angel", "joy", "peace", "noel", "snow", and "merry". Right there in the middle of the room it didn't seem intrusive at all. I was real tempted to leave it up; however, if I did, I knew there was a huge chance that it would still be right there come next Thanksgiving. Just like the icicles that were left up from three years ago and the stocking hangers left up since last year. I put them all away. So, I am either way ahead of last year or way behind next year. I don't know.

I do believe I am going to make some more words and find a place to hang them in my house. Isn't that a good idea. You know how a lot of you are using a single word in lieu of a resolution. I wasn't going to do that. I'm having second thoughts now.

Last year, my words were focus and balance. I think I did focus on my art, but I'm a real failure on the balance part. So maybe this year I should repeat "balance" and I'm going to think of some more words to make and hang. Or maybe I will ask each person in the house to give me a word. That way if they are hanging out there where we all see them, we will all enjoy the benefit. Or maybe we will each "get" each other.

Well, OK I didn't mean to go on and on. I just wanted the side-by-side up there for me. Some of you have noticed that when your work is on the screen, you see more than in real life. Me too.

Again, I wish to thank you for commenting. It means the world to me. Truth is, I wouldn't get half as much done art wise if you weren't out there feeding my addiction to comments.
More later,
Sharon

Night Letter

"Night Letter"

Here she is. I'm going to just say it.

I'm thrilled with her.

Sorry about the glare, I'm not patient enough to wait until tomorrow to take a picture.

I didn't take any more pictures between the last one in the last post and this finished one.

Ooops.

Well anyway, you can see where I started and where I finished and all the rawness in between.

Can I also say, I love using napkins.

I have enjoyed hearing from all of you who stopped by to watch and hear and listen and see.

Your comments mean the world to me.

We are adjourned.

Thank you,

Sharon