Confusion

I am in a tizzy. I am discombobulated. I am confused. I am on a path that is splitting. One path has squares and one path has flowers. And I am trying to run down one while being drawn to the other.

If only the days were warmer and longer and lighter. I need more hours of light. I need light.

Etsy Commercial Break

I just completed a major update to All Norah'S Art Etsy shop. Prints from the above tea parties are now available. The originals sold.

I am also excited to offer prints from all of the paintings in A Paper Napkin Garden Journal. They are offered in a variety of options including as a set with custom cut mat.

I found the above frames at one of our dollar stores. They were complete with a square mat and glass and art. Of course, I removed the art and sized the print to fit the opening. I can do that. The opening in the larger one is 10.5" square and the smaller one is 5.75" square. My point is, feel free to convo me if you have a special square size.

Back to regular programing soon.

Expect a great day,

Sharon

Journal Cover

This little soft journal is made with leftover papers like old calendars, file folders, boxes, sugar sacks, National Geographic inserts, Maps ......you get it. Stuff. Stuff that some would/could/should throw away. I used the little crayon face on the cover with other collage elements.

This inside page is all collage with very little bits of white paint and stamps. I will be teaching the construction of this journal April 11th in Waxahachie at the Crafty Scrapper.

Back tomorrow,

Sharon

Crayon Challenge

Januray ??

This is my crayon challenge and I used my big girl colors for the first time on a face. Some of you ask, and they are Caran D'ache NeocolorII watersoluble wax pastels. Like I said, big girl colors.

I used them exclusively without a sketch. Instead of using water with them, I used Golden Matte Medium which renders them permanent once the medium dries. This is only about 3 1/2 inches square and I am going to use it on a journal cover.

I doubt we will catch up on the January challenge but will carry on as best as we can. I say we because we (my muse and I) had a huge fight and we have been pouting. We cannot be creative when pouting. This has happened before and I can never figure out who is on which side. It all started when in an earlier post I said, "I am also challenged with my grunge journal to stay as dry as possible. In other words no paint." I don't know maybe she said that. Whatever!

Expect,

Sharon

A Story

about holes in boxes. I tell you one has nothing to do with the other but in my head ....it all makes perfect sense.

Do you remember this lovely little painted box that winged out of my wee town back on November 17th? Well it went to Canada and packaged within was paid-for cargo.

After a month, I heard from the recipient that the box had not arrived. We discussed what to do. And we discussed the thieves somewhere between here and there.

Well, to my delight, surprise and amazement the pretty box came back to me yesterday intact and with a note of several attempted delivers. You might notice that I signed and dated the art, but I did not put my return address anywhere .....anywhere on the box. Don't ask me why. So anyway, it came back to the town and zip code that was on the mailing strip. Seems I have a reputation at my post office and they knew exactly how to get it to me.

Turns out the recipient had moved and there was a mix up at her post office. The box needed to come back to me and I'm not sure why except perhaps to show and teach me several lessons.

Not wanting to tempt fate a second time, I placed the box in a box and readdressed it and sent it on its way. I just can't help it.....there was a hole in the otherwise perfect box. The box is winging it way back to Canada throwing kisses all the way.

And now for this hole. I showed you and ask for guesses. I enjoyed all of the guess and there were two correct guesses.

Anonymous said: "Hi Sharon,Just checking in - and I know what it is!!! It is the inside of your latest bird house. The lucky new resident will love it. Andy has some up in the White Mountains here, but none of them are wallpapered.Kris-10"

I've told you more than once, "I'm certified" crazy. Our most popular bluebird box needed a renovation this year. It is an experiment to see what they think about wallpaper. One male bluebird has already been spotted coming out of the box. They are checking it out. I know it seems early, but they start looking for vacancies in January. Isn't it exciting? I can't wait to take photos of the nest and blue eggs in their beautiful new abode.

Expect blue eggs,

Sharon

Anonymous Kris will be getting a print of her choice for the prize. A Sally t who also guessed bird house will be getting a little prize too.

Thanks for playing with me. We'll do it again soon.

Embellishments

January 19th

I have switched to a different journal that I made of leftovers. It is pretty or rather ugly grungy. So I decided that following Misty's prompts for this week might help me get back to it and make it pretty. We'll see. So anyway this is my embellishment page as I used fibers, a ginko leaf and tiny beads. The faces were from an advertisement that I used Nevrdul to wipe away the color. I almost wiped away too much on the one on the right.

I am also challenged with my grunge journal to stay as dry as possible. In other words no paint. It's hard. I sure like to have a paint brush in my hands.

Count them .....84

It is my new Brighton Make up.
That cool little bag traveled with me to Zorana Land.
My plan was to do a little art-in-flight just like I do
art-at-the-desk and art-on-the-couch.
Well, to my surprise, I could not get the image of a little old lady on the air plane and her crayons.


But on the return flight, no problem.

I had more time between flights and so I just pulled my little makeup bag out and started this Tree Flag.

I need to go to the couch now, I'll show you when it's finished.

Guess What

I'm home today.

How about you?

Guess what?

Can you....guess?

The first one to guess what the above ART is will get a little prize from me.

I'm off now on a new challenge.

Expect

Sharon

Pink

January 18th

I did not like pink and I did not have any words for it.

Maybe the words will come another day.

I will expect it.

Yellow

January 17th (18th)

"You never know where you will get inspiration. I happen to think it builds up from many different places. Yesterday our chickens gave us seven eggs. And that made me think of this yellow page. I suppose I can't explain it but maybe the yellow of the egg. And then 'egg head'. So when I came across a little painting again of 3 tall skinny ladies, that was added to my inspiration. Then, I went to bed to dream about it and woke knowing I would choose 3 different text to use for dresses. But I saw on Zorana's yellow page where she wrote on her white shadow and I knew I would do that too."

That's what is says.......................................
I wonder what the Pink will tell me.

Expect secrets,

Sharon

Red

January 16 (17th)

White

January 15 (17th)

When I die

Growing in Green

January 14

Still following along with Misty Mawn and a journal page a day. Green is a favorite with me. So In enjoyed this page very much.

Orange in my Garden

January 13

Orange in my Garden

Here you go, ART-at-the-desk. You know you love it. This is my extra (art) desk here at the office. I can't sit down because I'm wearing the nicest thing in my closet today. However, I frequently find myself with paint brush in hand while wearing my newest shirt.

I will quickly share my process for this page. Yesterday, I took a profile of myself, cropped, printed, and cut out the image. I used spray adhesive to hold the picture down so I could paint around it. In other words, I made a mask.
In the above picture a mask in in place to the right of the profile while I painted the yellow over the previously masked area. This step could have been skipped, but I didn't know that at the time.
In the above, I have started painting my profile. I used paynes gray to show the features. Then mixed a flesh with the yellow that I used, the orange that I used and titanium white (Golden). Eventually, I go over all of it with Zinc White and that is what you see above. Do you also see that I chased the Zinc white out of the lines.


Here is a tip for mixing flesh. Any red and any yellow mixed with white will make flesh. So, the red and yellow I am going to use in a painting is the one that I use to make the flesh. In this case the red (orange) and light yellow are both Folk Art. Below you can see that I also used Folk Art terra cotta in the darker areas on the profile.

My orange poppy napkin is what came to mind for the "Orange" day. Notice the poppies in the top left corner. The stems stop because that is the edge of the napkin. And below you can see that I have painted the stems down.

I will probably do some journaling on this at a later time. With any luck (energy) I will paint a green page next.

Let's all expect it,

Sharon

Dancing in Blue

January 12

Surprise, Surprise.

Today the whole world wide is painting blue.

Check out the links at Misty's to see more blue.

Expect orange tomorrow,

Sharon

Me Again

January 11

Following Misty's prompt to cut and collage.
Wow that was fun!

See, this is a picture of me when Zorana and I went to the Fat Lady for lunch. Sorry, I don't have a picture of Zorana.

OK, I'm not only a Fat Lady, I'm a Big Fat Lie-er. But If I had remembered to bring this outfit, well then, that's what I would have worn. We had such a nice lunch there.

Thank you all for your kind words about my self portraits. They take some getting use to for me. I do see myself in them but I think I will go back to painting pretty young figments of my imagination.

Next week's journal pages will be about color. I can't wait to see what that is all about. If I can stay off the couch at night, well then, you can expect to see some color from me.

Sharon

Another Me

Misty said, "...pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and do it again! and again!" And so I did. I thought it was my double chin yesterday that you did not like. I actually have three and left one off. But no, it was my mean and mad look. And that is how I look. Really. My eyes and mouth relax down and people ask me all the time, "what are you mad about." OK, not all the time but some rude people do.

So, I tried again and this time I put the looking glass on the other side of me and elevated a little. If you look up, you loose a chin or two and that makes me smile. I think Norah's presence led me to the stamp. My new dip pen and ink makes me want to say things, but I don't have many words. The leaves on the left were inspired by a beautiful napkin. I saved the napkin as I only have one.

Expect what you want,

Sharon

Looking Glass

Did I have to tell you this is a self portrait?

The princess passed by just now and

she knew.

I hugged her.

***

I made a deal with myself this morning.

I do that sometimes.

It goes like this.

With ease of mind and nothing (the 1001 things I need to be doing) hanging over my head,

I get to paint one page.

Then

I have to go and knock out some of those 1001 things.

***

Have you guessed what my word for 2009 is?

Expect more later,

Sharon

Sharing Journal

A Paper Napkin Garden Journal

Garden Chores

Remembering Susie

Chasing Butterflies

Talking With Baby Birds

Catching Fireflies


I'm sharing the pages from The Paper Napkin Garden Journal.
Until now you have only seen little snips of each page and that was back in October.
I am very excited that I will be offering prints of these pages in my Etsy just as soon as I can get organized enough to list.

***
Good news, I got my camera back and laptop and all is OK with them.
I'm looking forward to and expect to enjoy a weekend of ART.
I do hope to get back on track with a journal page a day following Misty and the whole wide world.
However, I am dodging that "feeling" of having so much to do and so much on my mind that I'm so overwhelmed with the I-want-to-do and the I-should-do and the I-can't-do and the I don't-want-to-do and I find myself sitting and not doing anything. And then at the end of the day/weekend....bummer!
Do you know that feeling?
I will expect it to go away before 5pm.
Sharon

Bird Woman

January Journal

That's me

again

Shadow Dancing and finding my wings.

***

again found myself

having a pre-sleep nap

on the couch

***

will catch up this weekend

***

Expect it,

Sharon

Found in California

Just look at me! While in Zorana Land, we stopped by a big bookstore to check out a book we had read about. She said, "let's check the magazines to see if your here yet."

And there I am in Cloth Paper Scissors latest issue. You might remember this post back in October and several after that one. I was giving little peeks of this and that for several days. I didn't want to spoil the surprise. It is a great article about using paper napkins and I know you will love it.
This is the cover of the Journal that I did especially for the article. And Cloth Paper Scissors did a fabulous job with the layout of 5 pages of my article and art. I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful magazine.

In case you may have noticed that I have been quite since earlier this week, we had some drama Monday at my house and it kinda punched me down for a bit. Everything is OK now and we hope to get the stolen property which included my camera and laptop back soon.

I have a journal page to show but will have to scan tonight as I have no camera. And I hope to catch up again with the journal a day page soon.

I also want to share with you the pages I did for the above Paper Napkin Garden Journal. And I will do that from the home computer too.

Expect more later today,

Sharon

Sharon

She

January 5

Routes and Pathways

January 4

My journey this month is to follow along with Misty and paint and post a Journal page a day. To see more links to journal pages, visit her site.

******

Tomorrow I return to my desk job.

Expect more,

Sharon

Sometimes Creative

January 3

I know you can't really see that I did in fact try the Nevrdull product that Misty told about today on her Day 3 Journal page.

What great fun that was and now I will sit down and yank some pages out of old magazines.

Expect me to try this again and again.
***

A quick moment to share from my trip to Zorana Land.

The ginkgo leaves are all yellow and falling there.

I ask and my friend and she whipped the car over the the curb where I opened the door and swooped up a hand full. I confess, I also stole the yellow flower from a public place.

New ART supplies, yes?

Bart and I

I can't share every moment of my trip to Zorana Land; however, I will share my moments with Bart. To my utter surprise, Bart snuck into my bed the first night. He warmed my feet and slept quietly. You should know that a cat has never slept with me; I like chickens but they don't sleep with me. And then the second night Z told me to just shut the door to keep Bart out. Bart has a secret and he is busted. I did shut the door. Again, to my utter surprise, I woke to the warmth of Bart. I was sure that I had shut the door. We later discovered that extra care to shut the door is needed. Listen for two clicks and it is shut well enough to keep Bart out. Imagine my utter surprise when I awoke to Bart scratching on the door for entrance to what is now known as Bart's room. I was the intruder. Bart and I are good enough friends though.

We had very serious conversations early in the mornings while the house was quiet. Actually, Bart is such a gentleman. While I was sitting in the chair in front of the computer, he would come up and tap my arm with his paw for an invitation to my lap. After some eye to eye and face to face conversation........

We read emails together.

And then it came time for me to pack and leave Zorana Land.
Now, I don't know if Bart was anxious for me to leave or maybe just maybe he wanted to come to Texas. Bart and I.

Expect more of Zorana Land,
Sharon