End of May wrap up

Well its the last day of May....it went by fast and not much was accomplished. Over at Joyce's http://knightqueen.blogspot.com/ has 10 things for May so I thought I would do it today as well:

1. Something I bought myself this month: new sandals

2. Currently reading: just finished The Road.. Cormac McCarthy best book ever

3. Last CD I listened to: Eagles

4. Art I made: stencils and page from http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/

5: Last place I ate out: Original Joes for smoked meat

6. Something that made me cry: The reader movie

7. Something that made me laugh: Jay Leno

8. Something I am thankful for: family and friends, blog friends

9. Whats in my purse: labels for collage, moles kine journal, (small) wallet, address book, pen, pencil, coupons to Michael's, keys, change

10. Something I am looking forward to: http://www.alisaburke.blogspot.com/ course.

Now that I have shared mine, lets have yours......I am interested.

Illustration Friday: Adapt

(Artist Disclaimer: This is not me, no congratulaltions required lol). This is the only thing I could thing of for adapt. So here it is, hope you like it.

Hello Friday

A work in progress or i just might call it completed and just journal on it. Today lets kick Friday into high gear, my readers who live in the States have had a short week, with your holiday. Everyday around here is Friday, but you never get out of that Weekend mode. I am off with the Shopper to get some items for her trip. Home this afternoon and I need studio time, I have a few ideas percolating in this head I need to try. I need to try a technique I learned in mu online class from (Lost Luggage). I need to sit on the deck and get some sun on these white as a vampire legs and arms, and finish a great book I have been reading. So lets start this weekend and get going.....oh and I need to think about the word ADAPT as that is this week (Illustration Friday) word.....

Inspire Me Thursday- Altered Ancestors

Meet my from left to right, My aunt Dorthy, My mother, and my uncle. You might have seen this before on my blog. The only one still left is my mother. My uncle was killed just after this picture was taken. He and a friend were playing in the basement of the friends house, cops and robbers, and the little boy had a real gun and shot my uncle by accident. That's why you should never keep a loaded gun in the house. I altered this picture by first copying it, then using watercolour crayons on it , I loved the way it turned out still has that vintage feel to it. Hope you all have a great Thursday and see you on Friday.

lee

Love and Life is not easy....

I have spent all day dealing with a broken heart. No not mine, but someone close to me. Time is the only thing that can mend a broken heart, but its all the worse when you are much older. Its all about companionship and being there for the person. Unfortunately this person was not the person she thought he was. So I did my best. So this is what this journal page is about. The bird and the eagle, not a good fit usually. Does not make for an easy life. I hope you could tell this was an eagle. Well enough humdrum for now, lets see what's new and exciting in my life. Well I am enjoying Lost Luggage class, and soon to be starting a Class with Alisha. And then that's it till the fall for classes. The weather has been great, and I have been sitting on the deck trying to enjoy the nice weather, but unfortunately hot flashes don't take a break and the hot weather is not that great. I had to come in the house and turn on the air conditioning everybody had a sweater on but me. Well should go talk to you all tomorrow.

Good Morning Saturday

Another page waiting for the written word in my Visual Journal. Well today is Saturday, and I am going to kick myself up into high gear and get something done. I am going to whiz through the house and do the minimum needed, take the dog for grooming. Shop for some needed art supplies (really not needed but wanted). Have a drink on the deck, and cut out some stencils. Do a little bit of work in the studio for my online class which I am loving and just generally love the day. Its sunny, warm and feels like my kind of day. So lets take the day and enjoy ourselves and meet back here on Sunday.

Cracked.....Illustration Friday

Here is my mixed media - for Cracked . Thats me in the middle, I sketched myself in for cracked.

The Drips

I have been away from my blog, just catching up on my life and taking a little break. After awhile you feel like you have nothing interesting to say to anyone. I have been working on my online class with Lost Luggage, here is a sample. The blue one ( I like the most) was lesson 2 and the red one lesson 1 (now the red one looks much better in person. The camera does not like reds that much.

They of course will look much better when I put on my main elements etc. They are going in my visual journal. When I have finished the pages I will show you again. I also have been working on Illustration Friday which is cracked which I am going to post later. Stay tuned.

Dazzle

One of the definitions is "to shine Brightly". How often do you shine? Some days it's pretty hard to get a good shine on. On those days when you have no creative energy, you doubt yourself as an artist. On those days when you say "what the hell am I doing". When you have those kind of days , "get your dazzle on". Just Shine , walk away from what your doing and go do something that makes you laugh, smile and feel good. Or just go have a good cry and get it out.

I tried to make my background (aka like Lost Luggage does her), luckly I am starting her class on Monday. And then you will see my backgrounds (DAZZEL)

Petal-Inspiration Thursday

The word is petal - for Inspiration Thursday. This is my version of Petal. Hope you like it.

SP Wednesday-Am I a Croc

Your probably saying to yourself, what is she nuts, now she thinks she is a shoe.. No I dont think I am a shoe, but this does represent some parts of me. It shows how I love summer, I wear sandals and dont wear socks. I stop wearing socks when the snow lis gone and dont wear them again until the snow flys. I think this shows that I am not uptight and think I am a free and easy type gal sometimes. My husband might disagree.

The world wants to know how I cut my stencils...

Okay the world really doesn't give a damn how I cut my stencils. But I thought I would tell you, so if your not interested just go on to another blogger. Well I read a tip on Gary Reef's ning site on how one the ningers cuts her stencils. At first I didn't understand it, Okay not all. So I have been thinking about it for days and trying this and that and I finally figured it out, brilliant scientist that I am..(lol). So this is how I did it and it works fab... First go into photo shop and make a three layer stencil...If you don't know how just email me and I will tell you or will direct you to a great video that explains it. So on this one, black, grey and white. The black layer I made red etc. Now it easy to see with these colours where the islands should be. I always had a problem with the islands. This works great for me. Now I love this pic of Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Ann at Dispatch from LA used one like this. I loved it and found one online, and a Marlyn Monroe one which I am cutting out. Today I did some errands, worked a little in the studio. Wanted to sit on the deck, but the sun flurries were blocking the sun. So any questions just ask, I am no expert but I can help./

Are you on the Grid

This one scanned funny it is straight in real life and so much nicer looking, kinda of done of the Grid System, and it is not finished yet. Well its Monday, and its early, Devil Dog landed her toy on my face this morning and lets me know its time to get up and get the day going. Well today
I have to do housework , some art, some walking and we are taking the mothers out for dinner tonight. Its always to busy on Mothers day, so we are going tonight. I had a great day yesterday, just relaxing, got some great gifts from my daughter. My mom came over for dinner. We had a few laughs and a couple of glasses of wine and that was it. God this blows, I don't have anything reverting to talk about, so I am signing off for now.

Now there are a few things wrong with this stencil of me. One it is only one layer, so it looks flat, which it is. I am now cutting out a 3 stencil - to give it some omph. Stay tuned for that. You probably wondering what's with that fish on her head. Well it is because I was born in March, and am a Pisces, and don't ask me why I put 53- maybe wishing on my part.

Now I have introduced you to Sofie (aka The devil dog). She looks, mild and sweet and generally she is. But open that door longer than a minute she is faster than lightning and off to parts unknow. Then I am off to parts unknown, now this body is not faster than lightning let me tell you. Treats of pretzels wont even tempt her back. We have taken her to the dog park all the time, off leash and no way she strays, runs and comes back. She goes to doggy daycareat least once a week for interaction. And I must take her on 4 walks a day. She has gone to doggy training, and really just passed by the hair on her nose, they felt sorry for her. At home, she is sweet and loving, So does anyone have any idea how one trains them not to run out the door, and to come when

Love

Now I cut this stencil myself, as I am sure you can tell. When I spraypainted it red, it looked really flat. So I rubbed it used red paint and painted over it to try to give it depth. Then I used charcoal for the rest. Still needs something but I am not sure what. I then went on the net and found the word Love written in Chinese. Which I tried to duplicate up in the right corner. Now if someone read this and could read Chinese, I am sure that's not what it says. Well today, I am off to lunch and shopping at Winners etc. So we will have to see what I come home with. My daughter is taking me out to lunch, gotta take advantage of that when she is paying. Why did I go with this Asian theme, dont ask me, I have always been drawn to the colours they use, reds, golds, yellows and they all mean something. Well gotta go, might be posting when I get back, stand by.

Summer in the City

I have been busy this week creating art and loving ever minute of it. Sure I have made some bad art, but I just paint right over it and not stress out about it. I am learning to live in the moment. Now this one is just about all stencils, I wanted it to look like I was taking a picture behind the leaves of the City. That song Summer in the City has been running through my mind lately. Went out tonight with Mom, had a chinese food. I love chinese food it was amazing. My mother told me a funny story tonight about my sister and I that I had never heard before. We lived in France in an upstairs suite and my sister and I always played outside. My mom always had to check on us, so she always left the window upstairs open. Every day 20 times a day, My mom says we yelled up " Mom whats for dinner. This one day is was fed up , and of course we yelled up whats for dinner. My mom came to the window and yelled down "shit on toast" (I know not nice). My sister who was 5 and I was 3 yelled up "do we like it. Just thought I would give you a laugh.

Shine Your Light

This was a housework free zone today....and it shows. But I was busy creating and having a blast. Dancing in the house, the dog going crazy...I had an idea of a floating angel above the city. And using my favourite song by Robbie Roberston "Shine Your Light" if you have not heard this find it fast and listen. Some of the lyrics fit it perfectly and I am not writing any more on it.

Fixing up the Studio

These are just a few pictures of the studio where I create. I try to be organized and know where everything is. But then I put it somewhere and cant find it anymore. And I spend all
my time trying to.

I have been thinking about fixing up the studio. Everytime I look in one of those books like

Where Women Create" I see these amazing studios and think wow. Now could I paint better if I had a fancy dancy studio with gardem doors out to this amazing patio and pool. Probably not but I sure would like to try.

This is a picture of my new easel. I have one that sits on a tabletop, but I wanted one that I could stand up or sit on a stool and paint with. I love it, the wood is beautiful. Now I just need to get painting. Hubby is away for a week on business. So the housework is not on my list of things to do today. Michael's has a 50 percent off all week coupon. So I am dragging my daughter, they sell Golden paints, so all week I will be going. The ladies in there asked me if I wanted a job I am there so much.

handywoman

I came into a little bit of cash windfall on Friday. The business from which I retired from last year, held some money back for something and on top of that a little bit of a bonus. So I had some mad money to spend and spend I did. Not on this table , this I bought at Ikea a few months ago, and never put together. So last night it was time. After a few hours of swearing and such, I did it.

Now it doesn't look like it should take time but let me tell you Ikea stuff is not easy to put together. Now back to the windfall, so I went to my favourite art store and bought an easel. Such lovely wood, I could not resist it, it was calling my name. So I brought it home and put it together, pictures tonight. Well I am off to the dollar store to look around, I happen to love the dollar store, I am a junkie....

Trash to Treasure

It started out as an advertisement in the mailbox for West Edmonton Mall. Now most people threw there's in the garbage next to the mailboxes. We have one point where we pick up the mail. I looked at thought I bet this could be used for something else.

So here is the front cover, I used spray paint on it and masks. The book was quite glossy and the spraypaint took to it well.

Here is an inside page in the works, really two pages, one page cut to fit inside a page (if you know what I mean) this page is in the works. So you ask what are you going to use this book for. Well I have quite a few ideas, one could be small works of mixed media on artist trading cards, attached with photo corners, original poetry, favourite quotes. So today went back to the garbage and picked up 3 more. I am now an official garbage picker