Sharing when I probably shouldn't

This week has been about mail ART and ART-at-the-desk and Serendipity. I'm sharing because I must, not because I should. I shouldn't probably. It is more than I can keep to myself.
This mail art is actually a journal that I made for my friend who is new to mail ART and mixed media ART and visual journal ART. She is finding her passion.

See what I mean, this last page just landed on this page. No plan. Just Serendipity!

♥ Sharon

It's been a long time since I made ART-at-the-desk

What a fun mess.

I couldn't help myself, you know how I love hands.

Just another mail art piece that I need to send on its way.

It is a mini journal made with a folder cut in half.

Good to go when I stitch the signature in it.

♥ Sharon

You never know with me What or is it Who will show up

Enjoyed an ARTful day. Relaxed with my paints and brushes. I started a new painting and remembered that I have some mail art to make. This is an old file folder cut in half. I was really just playing and didn't have a plan so before lunch I just did the drip thing and while it was still wet, I spritzed the drips. Dripping paint is new to me and I like it. Anyway after my hot dog, I was amazed to see these people in my drips.

That is the fun of mail art. It is like working in a journal because I feel a freedom to just let it go and let it be and be happy with the brush in my hand. I added the lips and a very little pencil definition and there they are. "Nothing with eyes will emerge from my shadow".

Another great ARTful day planned for tomorrow. Hope you are all having a great weekend.

♥ Sharon

I resisted

I'm telling you I have resisted and resisted and resisted this jewelry making thing. Well there are just so many hours in a day and I am so devoted to having a paint brush in my hand and I knew that there wasn't time for making jewelry and besides that I don't even wear jewelry because I am allergic to all metals but gold and silver so I'm just sayin, she wore me down. (big breath)

Don't misunderstand me. She hasn't nagged or anything like that. It's just the exquisite pieces she makes are exactly what I would wear if I could.

I never doubted the fun to be had making jewelry. No, not for a moment. I knew I would fall hard for it. That is why I resisted. Hear ye, hear ye, I'M HOOKED.

And look here, you can repurpose old costume jewelry that can be found at thrift stores and garage sales and maybe even in you own hoarding spot. Join the fun at Of Towers and Turrets and find out how.

Of Towers and Turrets mixed media class sample

I've been working on this all week. Just a little here and a little there. I really feel good when I'm able to squeeze in morning ART time. But you know what? I would feel really really very really good if I could just sit and paint and collage all day. Some day (sigh).

Deryn and I are thrilled with the excitement and buzz going on already in the Of Towers and Turrets classroom. Everybody is excited about getting new tools and supplies and we are excited right along with them. If you've been on the fence about signing up, wait no longer. The first lesson videos will be up Friday and we would love to see you there.
♥ Sharon

Look at my new Dirty Car Windshield App and more

This morning as I was leaving for the dang-desk-in-town, a beautiful butterfly flitting in the mesquite tree there caught my eye. I stopped to watch and then I was struck by the beauty of the whole scene. And so I pulled out my camera and shot this right through the dirty windshield.

And then, I just sat there thinking about how it felt like I was literally going the wrong direction down this path. I tried to reconcile this feeling and knew that the butterfly gift of opening my eyes to the whole scene would carry me through the day when I will return to my path.

She is from this morning just before going down that path.

I'm still working on the girls in the towers. They are all on one 8 x 10 canvas and I will show the whole when done. Probably this weekend.

I'm oh so happy about the weekend!
I bet you are too.

♥ Sharon

Imagine and Wish if you will

Wish and Imagine

if you will.

Or is it

Imagine and Wish?

Or

Wish from you heart

and

Imagine with your mind.

I know I'm not making any sense but when I put these two "sweet spots" on the screen,

it made me start wondering which comes first.

I hadn't even realized they are connected.

I guess it's a "chicken and egg" thing to ponder.

****

You really shouldn't look at these this big because you can see all the little flaws. The little face on the top can be covered by my thumb.

The bottom one is covered with two fingers.

For some reason, I really enjoy painting tiny faces.

♥ Sharon

PS....I'll fix that black hole on her nose...now that I can see it

Random catch-up

Yep, my apron has been hanging a lot lately. You might notice it is right there in a good spot with my to-do list just in case I should happen to put it on. Progress is slow but most of all I think the summer heat is getting to me. The oven ride home at five o'clock each day just cooks all the juice out of me. We are having 100 + degree days and I'm not usually one to whine about that but this year seems different.


I did have a great play date Saturday with my friend Susan. There was some serious concentration going on and we had oodles of fun but I must learn to stop and breathe or take brakes because she plum wore me out.


Cupcakes anyone?



Blogger is doing some new stuff. Have you noticed? Well, I guess moving the photos around and resizing them on the "compose" window isn't new but I'm just now giving it a try and while learning is frustrating, I think I will like it. Sorry for this crazy layout learning curve.

The other thing Blogger has done, Gloria Hallelujah, is the spam blocker filter they have added. I was to the point of moderating comments to stop that stupid spammer that visits me every day. You may not have noticed because I delete it as soon as it hits. Driving me bats!

I guess I'm all caught up for now so I will get back to this crazy-dull-boring-dang-desk-in-town.
I could be doing something so fun at that delightful-fun-inspiring-full-inviting-equipped-bright-desk-in-studio.
♥ Sharon

New Class Start Date August 27th

Sure enough, there were things that I forgot to tell you about the new class, Of Towers and Turrets.

First of all, maybe you would like to know that the class starts August 27th. That's two weeks from tomorrow and just in time for a long holiday weekend for some of us. (ME)

A fun group is already gathering and that brings me to the second thing that I forgot to tell you.The class lecture hall is all set and ready to go. As soon as you register, you will be admitted to the class where you will find a Welcome video, Tool Talk and Supply Videos, and Bonus Tutorial Video. There's more! Forums are already set up with Tool and Supply list as well as a printable PDF of the list and a Tool resource forum with links for some of the supplies. Also, Deryn and I are there to answer any questions you might have about the supplies.

That's all I can think of for now.
♥ Sharon

Oh, one more thing. Before or After you do the Paypal thing, be sure to go and sign up for membership at the workshop site if you haven't already. Thanks

Of Towers and Turrets

Presenting

Of Towers and Turrets

An exquisite Fusion of Mixed Media and Mixed Metals

an online Workshop by Sharon Tomlinson and Deryn Mentock

It is with excitement, a twirling stomach, tired bones, and pleasure that we present

a creative collaboration

for your creative learning enjoyment

♦♦♦♦♦

For a complete class description

visit All NorahS Art at Ning

or

visit my online class page here

Work table

How about a Look at my work table. That's always fun. Not much to say about it except I had an enjoyable afternoon playing ART.

Actually, I enjoyed the whole weekend. I'm still working in the zones. Did you know zones can be as small at 2 foot square. Or maybe a large as a sock drawer. Or maybe just one side of the driveway. Or the shape of one hedge.

The day before my husband's accident, he had pledged to clean the garage the following weekend to make room for his new boat. Oh mercy, if you could see our garage! Needless to say, the cleaning didn't happen. But I have a game going with myself. And that is to find one thing in the garage everyday that can be tossed.

Here is the list so far: A humongous cracked garden pot, a pair of (my) rain boots (no good), two heavy duty extension cords that had been cut or burned (by me), a box of left over ceramic tiles, 4 empty plastic one-gallon containers that were brittle and falling apart when touched, two (not empty) five gallon cooking oil (big fish fry) containers, chewed up dog dish, two rusted stadium seats, an empty 409 bottle and one big box of printed papers. I am making progress. Really I am.

Do you like the "window secret" girl? She is demonstrated in the soon to be available, Of Towers and Turrets online class.

♥ Sharon

Me again just Being

I was awake this morning before the break of day just mulling over what accomplishments were in store for today. In other words my mental things-to-do list. That is a good sign because for a while lately this in-bed morning routine of thinking or trying to think of what I will do only confused me and I didn't feel like I was accomplishing much of what I needed to be doing. I wasn't getting out of bed with a plan.

Then I got up and it was still before daylight. I sneak out of bed as quiet as I can be and heat water in the microwave for my cup of coffee. Will the ding wake him? No it didn't. I carry my flip flops because ....will the flip flop wake him? Maybe as I walk right past his bedside. Then, I turn on the computer wondering if the opening melody will wake him, (who cares?) Well, it didn't. I thought the sprinkler was set to run this morning but then remembered I changed it when we were having lots of rain. So I quietly unlock and open the back door. Will the lock clink wake him? No it didn't. So I'm sitting at the computer surfing and start sneezing. Yep he woke him.

I guess this is going to be all about me today. I'm trying real hard to balance all the things that I need to do with what I want to do and what I must do. I've had an awakening. For a long time, I have let things go. You know, dusting, moping, house stuff that took time but wasn't absolutely necessary, along with outside stuff like mowing, trimming, hedges, dead branches on the ground, sweeping the garage etc. I thought someone else might take charge and do these things if I didn't because I had to do ART. The awakening; these things are to him like house stuff is to me, not absolutely necessary.

Now, I know without a doubt that not only will he not do the things but it will be a long time before he actually can do these things. So, that's OK. I am learning how to balance things and get everything back in order. I do really like having a beautifully trimmed yard and gardens. August is usually the time of year that I fizzle out as far as the yard goes. But this year, I'm trying to be energized. He did provide me with a brand new school bus yellow "think tank" this week as my old one was just on it's last leg and such a chore to even use. He didn't think we should spend anymore money on it. I finally agreed and had the mower delivered Thursday. Yesterday, before the dew on the grass had dried, I was out with the weed trimmer with a goal of just which "zone" I would trim. Then, as soon as the dew on the grass dried, I got acquainted with my new think tank. What a pleasure it was to go around and around thinking and thinking for a couple of hours with my new and improved work horse. Again, I set out with a certain zone to accomplish. Later in the day when I went back out to take care of the dog chores which includes hosing out the kennels and feeding them, I got back on my new mower and tackled another zone.

Zones. It's all about zones for me. That is how I'm going to get the balance back into my home life, office life, and most importantly art life. So each morning before leaving the bed, I choose what I will do in each zone. I have house zones, yard zones, office zones and studio zones. And of course there is always that chair zone that swallows me up each evening as I crash land.

Today's zone is mostly in the studio, working on my new class collaboration. I need this to be done so I can create the painting of three sisters standing tall that is in my head. That is another good thing; the paintings lining up, in waiting in my head.

OK, I'm just being me here. It is better than nothing.
♥ Sharon