CKC finds

Thought I'd post about my finds from CKC-Manchester yesterday! I started at Dollar Scrapbooking's booth - my favorite for three years because I can usually find a lot very inexpensively. Have to sort through a lot of things I don't want though. Every time I go to these it is so tempting to just buy things without thinking but now I ask myself if I really want it and will I use it! Also picked up some things at a few other random booths. One of which (I can't remember the name!) also had a lot of my finds for $1-$4. Then I picked up a page set at a smaller local store's booth Scrapbooker's Dream.

All my finds! All-in-all I only spent around $40 - my budget!

From A Scrapbooker's Dream: My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane. I loved this paper and embellishments! The rub-on tree is what caught my eye initially and then the bird. Now...what to use it for?

Heidi Swapp chipboard alphas. My favorite! Dollarscrapbooking had them for $1.50 and they were buy 3 get one free! I LOVE these. I got a few last year and told myself I'd buy more this year. I especially like the raw chipboard set because you can really make them to fit your page perfectly and try out different finishes.

These were my first find. I told Cary about them last night (he's in Maine) and he was teasing me...saying "are you going to make a scrapbook about them!" I said, "no...I'll make one about YOU!" I just loved them!

So there were my finds. I had hoped to find some more clear stamp sets but I didn't really come across any that were significantly discounted. Anyhow, I had fun putting my new treats away last night and purging some old stuff. I think my desk is finally back in some order and I can start working. I have been keeping many things still in the ziplocs in my desk (don't ask) for awhile. But that actually makes it easier if I want to grab a bunch of stuff to work.

Well..I'm off. No scrapbooking for awhile. At least this am. Off to the laundromat to wash blankets, the bank and later meeting friends for lunch/dinner and our fundraiser at a local Paint-your-own-pottery place.

Happy Saturday!

inspired by a book

live life - oil and mixed media on canvas

I used some Christmas gift money yesterday to pick up a few things at the art store. I have been reading Kelly Rae Robert's Taking Flight and have been really inspired. A few months ago, before picking up her book, I pulled out my water-soluable oils {an awesome product I discovered in college -oil paints that don't require turpentine}. So I played around with a painting...

...and added to it a little at a time the past few months. But mostly it just sat on my desk. I walked by it everyday trying to figure out what to add. I added two birds. Iridescent dust. Stamped some words with Staze-on black ink. Added some rhinestones. Last weekend I collaged the edge of the canvas with some dark green rice paper. Called it finished. But...it still feels like something is missing.

-Fast Forward to today -

I bought some acrylics a few weeks ago...and some heavy body gel medium and clear gesso yesterday...and love them. They dry so much faster. I had forgotton how much I hated that oils take forever to dry. That is advantage with some paintings...but I like immediate gratification and want to jump into the next part of the project.

I tried some background techniques today from Kelly's book. You will see many similarities in what I did to a few of her background examples. I combined a few techniques she outlines. Used paper towel like a brush. Played with household items {corrugated cardboard from a shoebox} for texture. Spritzed with water and blotted it off to reveal the base color and more texture. Used a bottle cap dipped in white acrylic mixed with heavy body gel medium and stamped circles. I played! I am having so much fun with it! So much more interesting than my first painting...her techniques for building up layers and texture is fun to do and makes for a really interesting background.

-now-


I need to decide where to go with it. I have never been one for drawing/painting people. Was never my thing. I used to love drawing realistic objects and landscapes. I moved away from that in grad school and since because I am such a perfectionist it was hard and felt like work sometimes. I still do love doing that type of art at times but with so much going on have needed more freedom when I'm doing art.

If you have seen Kelly's work you know she does these thoughtful, whimsical girls. I'm liking them. Wondering if I could do that? I have never been one to like copying someone else's style of art. But...that is how you create new art I guess. Every artist has been inspired by another. I might try a figure or a face on this painting. I think I'd like to do this piece for my one little word of 2009. A self-portrait of sorts would be a nice visual for this concept. The idea of coming up with a word to live by during the year was an idea I really connected to in 2008. I had my 2008 word "balance" in an art peice in my office and in a frame on my art desk at home. They helped to serve as reminders and I really worked on living up to that word.

I hope to get some more time to work on my 2009 one little word painting tomorrow and next weekend. I'll post it as I go along....hoping to play around with some more techniques and stop worrying about perfection!

I highly recommend this book!

play

I bought this treat for myself the other night. A Christmas present of sorts. LOVE it! It is inspiring. Much of it reminds me of what I believe in my work as an art therapist...but I don't allow myself the same freedom and time for my art. I am really enjoying this read and am excited to experiment with some of the techniques...now I NEED to set aside the time and space and freedome to experiement without worrying about the end result. Just PLAY....

weekend in review

Cover of my Summer 08 Mini board book

I had a nice, relaxed, quiet weekend. Didn't check everything off my list but did do a lot...chores I wanted to get done and fun stuff.

Including:

Got some acrylic paints, gesso and a small canvas. Did some work on one I started with water soluable oil paints I have...not done yet. I hope to post it later when I get some more done with it. It is a theme of Just Be. Live. Relax.

Bought a 12x12 album to start Cary's book. Might save it for a Christmas present.

Visited my parents and unexpectedly picked up my sister from work today.

Baked an apple pie, lasagna and made homemade chicken soup to free me up during the week and have some good lunches and leftovers.

my apple pie. my favorite recipe and dessert!

Went to the apple orchard for cider, cortland apples to eat and some for my pie. Love the smell at the orchard. I could just stay there all day and take it in.

Vacuumed...but think the vacuum broke. Made a "crack" and then shut off...wouldn't turn back on again. Uh Oh.

Did 3 loads of laundry.

Got into the holiday spirit. I know it's 2 days after Halloween. And I'm not talking putting up Christmas decos yet. But I'm starting to get excited. Seeing ads with red & green. Collecting ideas for my Christmas cards. Getting ideas for gifts I want to give my family. Also thinking about doing Ali's album idea for the days leading up to Christmas. Started gathering up stuff I have to start putting that together. Need to order covers and gather a few more things to make pages out of.

Bought a set of sheets and a new large sauce pan...stupid things I needed to get.

Grocery shopped.

Found out that my closest mall is getting both a Sephora AND an H&M next week! Yeah! That could be dangeous...I haven't been to that mall in awhile....

Updated the journaling on my July, August, September layouts in my 2008 Album. Started the rest of the September and October page. Still need to order the photos.

Finished my 08 Summer mini book....

I used a mini board book that I've had for ages and didn't know what I wanted to do with it...until now. I have been gathering ideas and the photos for a month or so. I bought the Memory Makers Passport Collection page kit to use. Also used some of their new tiny alphas for each page title...layered these over a stamped Journaling circle from Autumn Leaves. Stamped those in a bright green to highlight the other green accents. That was a color I saw everywhere this summer and loved.

Here's the cover...used some chipboard numbes and lots of ink on the edges. Also used a little green acrylic paint so that the title would stand out a little better. It's hard to see but also mounted the photo on some bright green cardstock mounted on the light blue paper from MM.

An example of one of the spreads. I used the same light blue as the cover on the top of each spread. This is where I stamped the bright green journaling circles and created titles with the MM mini alphas in cream. I used a variety of the MM Passport Collection patterned papers for the bottom of each 2 page spread. I mounted the photos and then used a little cream acrylic brushed on under each photo so I'd have an opaque surface to journal.

Closeup of one of the pages. Love this MM paper...esp the paper that looks like a collage of postcards.

Closeup of the journaling circles...the colors are much better in real life.
Pages about the Red Sox game we went to. I scrapped each of these events in my Random Album in more detail and also noted many in my 2008 Year in Review Album...but I wanted a quick, visual overview of the highlights of the summer in a small album format to have out in the living room for people to check out.

Another page...


One more page...

So...I had fun. Have a few more things I have to do today. Iron clothes for work tomorow. Unload the dishwasher. Boring. But I also can't wait to try my lasagna and pie and enjoy Desparate Housewives tonight!

Thanks for reading!

independence day

Happy 4th of July! Instead of seeing a parade and fireworks last night I did a little self-art therapy. Here are the ATC's I made last night. The colors aren't translating as well through the scanner. These little suckers are addicting! What I'm liking about them is that I feel more free to experiment and try stuff out that I wouldn't if I was making a card. I played around with my Perfect Pearls, doodling, stamps I haven't used in ages, watercolor pencils, ....and on and on! Originally I thought "oh...I can add them to cards" and maybe I will...but I like that I felt free to make them without worrying! (See my post from 2 days ago!) I'm also intriqued by the new thing "inchies." Interestingly I have been doing that for years on cards. Some of the first cards I made used my square hole punch and a few punched flowers, etc. as the main accent on the center of a card. Sometimes I would do a mosaic. But...seeing all the inspiration with inchies I have lots of ideas in my head for some cool mosaic cards....think the Flickr mosaics but in paper...being excited about creative ideas is definately helping me get out of my mood. So this is why I decided to be an art therapist?! This stuff really does work! lol

an idea

Just wanted to quickly share something before I go to class (2 more weeks - Yeah!). Reading Ali's blog today I was inspired by a woman's blog she linked - Erin Zamrzla. Using recycled paper, she makes little books and things. I decided that this was something I wanted to try with my Art Therapy group tomorrow at work. I've been struggling with new topics and ideas that will help them focus on thier goals and issues in a new and interesting way. So I did a sample today so they could get the idea and gathered up some index cards, envelopes, cardboard, manila file folders, string, hole punches,..you get the idea. I hope that in the coming weeks the group can work on some art therapy group topics in their little books...(i.e. we've focused on coping skills, goals, successes, stressors, etc.). Usually we just work on these topics in drawings or collages but this way they'll have a place to "hold" all of these group experiences. We'll see how it goes....it's pretty plain right now but maybe I'll show mine when things get added to it.

creativity is

Washington National Cathedral, DC - 2001

Two Peas Challenge - Why is CREATIVITY important?

Creativity...

• creativity IS problem-solving. not just in art but in life.
• makes life interesting!
• can be found in children drawing and playing, adults balancing a budget and in someone making a recovery from mental illness and/or addiction.
• is something I feel in places... like homes, the Cathedral in the photo. hands that placed each beam, stone, light. creativity.
• allows for self-expression...our thoughts, dreams, goals, fears...
• lets us get out what we can't speak in words.
• brings beauty into the world in art, music, design, architecture, parenting, cooking, customer service...
• brings new things into the world to make our lives better and/or easier. a creative person invented cars, pencils, ice cream, chairs, comfy slippers...you get the idea!
• helps us find new solutions to old nagging problems.
  

That's my list for today!

Had some frustrating parts of my day today but also just got some exciting things accomplished...I'll tell more later. Trying to narrow down ideas for a research project I have to do during my 6 week class. Research is not my thing! Took a nice, long walk after dinner. Hoping to read a few blogs before I call it a night!

black & white

I started a project today based on an upcoming theme for Somerset Studios. I've always thought about submitting something to them. It's a work in progress and I'm not sure it is to the level of thier magazing but I'm having fun with the challenge of working in only Black & White. Here's a sneak preview...



We'll see! It's been fun anyhow.

today

Know when you are looking for something and you have something particular in mind and can't find it anywhere? or at least for a decent price? That's been my search for some shoes to wear with the dress I got for the college graduation next weekend. Today I found some at Filene's Basement. They were a little more than I wanted to spend but not outrageous...and I love them...

Today has been a day of errands so far. The shoes. A haircut. A birthday present for my brother. And a few treats at C.O. Bigelow for me! I could spend hours there walking the aisles smelling all the luxury...but I only left with three small sized products - I have to stop spending $$. I got a small aromatherapy lavender pillow spray to help me sleep... hopefully. Last night I couldn't and lately I've had trouble. Dreams, nightmares, etc. I usually sleep through the night but its not a restful sleep. Even though I only left with a few small things, the great thing about that store is they always slip a bunch of free samples into the bag. Love it!

So...now I'm home with my finds checking some more things off my "to do" list. A few minutes ago I grabbed a store bag and re-designed it to wrap my brother's birthday present. I hate the idea of spending $4 on a giftbag like I usually do so thought I'd recycle this time. Here it is...I'm quite proud. I even recycled the tissue paper from my buys at C.O. Bigelow. It literally took 5 minutes while I was waiting for my lunch to heat up on the stove!

In a little while I'm off to the college for the opening of the Senior art major's Art Show. I'll have to mingle with faculty, students and parents. This whole experience of being in the professor role has been surreal. Last night at the student BBQ my supervisor hosted it felt strange. Like I didn't quite fit with the faculty but also not quite with the students. Wierd. Especially wierd since it doesn't feel like that long ago since I was in the student's shoes and my (now) supervisor was my professor. Also in the catagory of wierdness...just now...as I have been sitting here writing this blog, I had an itch on my hip...a tick. A deer tick no less. Yuck! The season begins. It didn't bury its head thank goodness but it was a sucker to get off...I hate them.

Well, now that I've grossed everyone out I'm off to relax for bit and read my new issues of Somerset Studios and Somerset Memories that I picked up during my errands.

inspiration

I broke my creative freeze! I decided to scrap this photo I took recently of the trees...found a quote I that seemed to fit for me and did a little journaling. I tried to keep it simple. Letter stamps, ink, black cardstock and the photo with a white matte. I used Autumn Leaves clear stamps for the journaling circles.

I was on a roll so I started this layout too...

I took this photo in March...it's of the artist's Fitz Hugh Lane's House in Gloucester and a statue in his honor. Next to the statue on the rocks are a sculpture of his sandals and the words, "Step into my shoes and become inspired." I love it. I have always admired his paintings of the harbor and schooners. This layout isn't complete yet. I used a favorite Basic Grey paper as a the background and highlighted some of the flourishes with a black Souffle pen. I want to add some journaling but I'm just not sure where yet.

Then...I did a page in my "Everyday Life" mini album.

I got the idea from Ali Edwards. It is a set of alphabet index card dividers held together with binder rings. I keep it on my desk where I do my stuff and add photos, writing, quotes, pieces of life here and there. This page is a photo of the Valentine's Cary gave me this year...I just put it all down and didn't try and plan too much. Well...now off to watch some trashy reality tv, eat oreos and relax!

freezing. creatively.

I haven't been as good about blogging every day. And I haven't had time to do any scrapbooking. Tonight (after work) I'm going to my muscle conditioning class at the gym. That has been on the back burner for too long also. Maybe when I get home I will do a page. If I set that goal maybe I'll do it! I got some photos back from scrapbookpictures.com yesterday...maybe that will be the inspiration I need. I've been drawn more to my knitting as a creative outlet this past week. But I would like to try some new techniques and ideas I have for a mini book and scrapbook pages....we'll see. After the stress at my job so far this week (it's only Tuesday) it will be welcomed. Hmmm...I also haven't touched my Art Journal recently... See. This is what stops me from doing art sometimes. TOO MANY ideas. I freeze. I need to just set a small goal. One scrapbook page with one photo when I get home tonight. That I can do. and be ok with just that. And stop using "no time" as an excuse. There's always time for something here-and-there. I've been reading Julia Cameron's The Sound of Paper...creative blocks, carving out time, ...and yesterday I read a chapter that talked about preparing for creativity as a way to get past a block. Gathering, organizing, turning to other creative outlets. Sometimes I let my perfectionism get in the way and don't allow myself to do something small and quick or like I said I freeze with all the ideas I have floating around in my mind. So tonight...I'm going to carve out an hour. I will do one scrapbook page with a photo I love that I got yesterday. A challenge for myself.

calendar

Just got back from my class at Absolutely Everything with Robin Beam. It was so much fun! I have never really known much about inks and what to do with them and I learned some cool techniques. We made a calender attached to a 12x6 thick Hambly overlay. Added some chipboard elements inked with a new opaque Ranger ink that isn't going to be out until the end of the month. I learned some technqiues of using the texture of stamps (instead of just looking at the stamps in terms of thier images) and Robin's "Bandana" technique. Here are a few of the calendar pages. I still want to add some embellishments and details with white and black pens, etc. We used Tim Holtz's inks, Pearl Ex., a white Ranger pen, various stamps, Heidi Swapp masks, and a variety of techniques.

The upper part of the calendar with Maya Road Chipboard mounted on a clear Hambly overlay.


One of the pages using a Heidi Swapp Mask and inks.


Page using a wrinkle-free distressed watercolor effect.


Detail of one of the birds inked with a new Ranger opaque ink and stamped using a section of a stamp in Archiver's black. Details added with a white opaque pen using Robin's Bandana technique.

Thanks to those who sent "Get well" messages! Just have medicine head. Might stay home tomorrow and get a day of rest. We'll see. Just a crummy cold that won't quit!

creative plans

Hmmm. My creative plans for the day are probably not all going to fit into the day! Cary unexpectedly has to work today 12-8 so that means (a) I have time to do stuff, and (b) I get my desk to work on. Our place is SO tiny right now we are sharing my desk. When he's home and on he computer I have to set myself up on the couch. I try to accommodate because right now most of his stuff is still in storage in Maine until we get a bigger place. I try to make him feel at home as much as possible. But I do miss my desk sometimes!

Today I want to (should) go to the gym for a bit. This crappy weather is getting to me because I can't just walk outside which I prefer. Then I'm going to just sit in my favorite coffee place downtown and read my new Somerset Studios and a book on selling crafts I got yesterday. This will inspire me to go home and MAKE STUFF! I also got my pict back from Scrapbook Picts yesterday and started my "Week in the Life" album which is going to take awhile. Also some small pictures for a tiny book to keep on my desk at work when I need a stress reliever. Hopefully I'll post a picture of something I make today. I also need my mom to help me undo some rows in a scarf I'm making. I messed up and need her help! Hope everyone has a fun day!

creativity is...

Two Peas Challenge: What is creativity to me?

freedom. losing myself in a project. problem solving. in all of us. communication. original. fresh, new. how I view life (not just art). new perspectives. a process. necessary. ideas. children. seeing possibilities. discoveries. healing.