Scattered Artventures

It's been one of those weeks.  I didn't even have time to participate in my inchie project.  I've been busy packing and unpacking boxes of books, transforming a library into a book store (thank God it's small!) and ringing up the sales.  Yes people, the book fair is back and before you can finish asking, "how-much-is-this?" it'll all be over.  That's the number one question these days, btw.
My artventures have been scattered.  Over the course of my current whirl-wind of a world, I've managed to make one journal entry.....

......I took a walk in my bare garden only to be surprised by a blooming purple iris!  What a treat!  A family friend who has long passed on brought me a bag full of iris bulbs from his mother's garden several years ago.  We're talking 20 something years ago!  They came from a hot and somewhat dry environment and I wasn't sure just how well they'd do in our mild climate.  They loved it.  Over the years some have petered out and gone to bulb heaven but the few that remain never fail to amuse me.

.......and although I am so behind on getting samples for a future Make-It-Take-It done,  the idea is there.  The colors are, well, there.  And I did try to get something going but, well, for now they're making a colorful little corner.  LOL!  At least I can laugh about it.  So you know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Make it a great day and make some kind of art.  Even if it's scattered.  

Care Package Inchie

It's Monday which means show-me-the-inchie!  How I tossed and turned when thinking how to create a one inch square reflecting the word "care."  I'm sure when I go to the site and see the work of others I'll say, "Oh yeah.  Why didn't I think of that."  This is what I came up with;  the care package.

I tried to pack as many tasty treats that I could in my care package.  Not an easy task when you're working within one inch.  But as you can see, anything is possible.  Yay for the care package!  Yay for art!  
Have a great day enjoying all the colors that surround you. 

TGIS

Thank God it's Saturday!   And what better way to start the day than with a taco and cup of coffee.  Seriously.  I'm that excited that it's Saturday!

It's been one of those weeks.  There was a box of dark chocolate truffles sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to make me deal with "stuff."  Know what?  It helped.  I swear, they made me feel like a baby being gently rocked by her momma.  No better feeling like that.  And I needed some serious rocking.     

It was great to be among friends at Stampin' From the Heart last night.  A very good crowd.  Lots of laughter, paint splats and birthday cake.  What more could I ask for?
Besides a taco and coffee that is.  !!  
Looking forward to an artful weekend.  I deserve one;  So do you.  Now, go make some art.

Friday MITI Artventures

I've got a Make-it-Take-it going on over at Stampin' From the Heart in Los Angeles tonight beginning at 4:30 and ending at 8:00.  If you're in the area drop on in.  We'll be making large tags with acrylic painted backgrounds.  It'll be fun not just making art but getting together with like-minded spirits.  All supplies provided by moi!  Check the store's blog on my sidebar for more info.  Hope you can make it. 

Thanks to all who have dropped me e-mails regarding the passing of my daughter's good friend, Lisa.  Your comments have meant a lot to us and my daughter appreciates them as well.  Big hugs to you ;)

Powerful Artventure

Wanna see something POWERFUL?  Look in the mirror.

Ever tried cutting glass and not know where to begin.  I have.  What a mess. 

After the glass fiasco,  I decided to cut an old CD.  Much safer and a lot neater.  It was hard avoiding those cracks but l kind of like the distressed look that was achieved.

My  friend Christina gifted me with this cool journal she made.  It has clay covers and

 a great binding stitch at the spine.  Isn't it wonderful?  It's just the right size to hold 

my inchies and perfect for some quick journaling too.                                                        

My daughter lost a friend.   It was on the news yesterday but no one knew it was Lisa.  No one ever knows who the victims are until the information begins to circulate among friends.  Well, it was a shock to all of us.
Lisa was one of my daughter's liveliest friends.  She was a walking party!  LOL!  Wherever she was you knew it cause you could hear her.  And she was just as sweet as they come.  So talented and creative.  She designed t-shirts for Hot Topic and other similar stores.  No one's sure what made her father snap.  She loved him and postponed a trip to England so she could stay home to  help nurse her dad back to health following his surgery in December.  Unfortunately he took the life of his wife as well and then he jumped to his death.  It feels very odd for me to be delivering this kind of news on my blog cause it takes away from the nature of it.  But I'm upset and am finding it hard to understand how a parent, PARENT, could do this to his child.  It's horrific enough that she died tragically but the fact that her father did it makes it worst to me.
Somehow this makes today's inchie word - POWERFUL - stand out and have a deeper meaning behind it.  Lisa had a POWERFUL personality that drew so many people to her and this incident has caused POWERFUL pain among many.  Rest in peace, Lisa.  Your life had a powerful impact on many and you will be missed.         

Every Inchie Monday

The power went out tonight.  The entire neighborhood was pitch black and there I sat at the table with a candle and flashlight trying to make my first inchie for the Every Inchie Monday project.  I had the one inch square.  No one told me it was hard to be creative in the dark.  LOL!  Finally after an hour the power came back and instead of going to bed as I planned,  I shot back to the table.  And here she is.  Ladies and Germs, I present, Queen Bee.....

Here she is looking like Humpty Dumpty.  With a some stamping and snipping everything came together.

The theme was "eclectic" so this had to be an inchie with loads of personality.  I had to edge it with a gold leaf pen.  After all, we're talking about  royalty here -Queen, remember?  And because she's royalty, I had to incorporate some kind of visual to show off her presence.  No room for a red carpet so a swiveling tag of a door was created.

A little sparkle was added onto her dress and later, the rose.

 

Small format but BIG fun!  Go to http://www.everyinchiemonday.com/ for links of other participants who are inching along the way!

One Artventure

Happy New Year!  One day down, 364 left.  But who's counting.  Not me.  I did, however, participate in a number postcard swap.  After much trial and error I finally settled on a design.  The number one had to be featured on this card.

The creative spirit hit me the other day.  Actually, an attempt to expedite samples for an upcoming Make-It-Take It prompted me to play around with colors for some wintry-inspired backgrounds.

I'm content with the outcome that my inner winter girl produced.  Now that the backgrounds are done, it's time to find stamps and images to compliment the colors.

The following letter was written by Dr. Carol Bliss, a spiritual guide.  Isn't it lovely that her name and profession go hand in hand?  
Enjoy and reflect.....

Dear Creative Spirit who Makes all Things New,

Thank you that we made it through to see a New Year
For there are many who did not.
Thank you for the miracle of life, this grand adventure, our beautiful blue planet
For we know there are new lives being born this very moment.
Thank you for a world of possibilities
For there is so much we have not yet done, imagined, experienced.
Thank you for the promise that each New Year brings
For the magnificent unknown that is yet to come.
Thank you for the love of friends who have laughed with us and shared our days
For those friends and people yet unknown who will come and make our lives richer.
Thank you for those who blessed our lives and returned to the Field of Love before us
For those who have taught us and for new teachers who will yet come.
Thank you for the priceless gifts of health, sight and wondrous bodies
For the breath of life and light-filled cells that are being made new in every second.
Thank you for the ability to reflect on our lives and to feel
For the power of emotions that heal our sorrows and lead us toward love.
Thank you for the animal spirits who share our lives
For they bring us great innocence, the consciousness of the present, and the power of play.
Thank you for all that lies before us
For the faces and voices we have yet to know.
Thank you for grand adventures and unexpected turns in this miraculous web of life.
Thank you for guiding and protecting us
For the beauty of our lives and our hearts.
Thank you for the love that we have given and will yet come to know.
As the veil of time opens again, we are given a fresh string of days
Let us release the disappointments and sorrows of our past as we begin again
Remembering the great promise,
"Behold I make all things new."

Dr. Carol Bliss

Hoping you're enjoying the first of the year and letting your creative soul out to play.