Stormy Artventures

When it rains it pours.

It's been a wild week over at Stampmaiden's. Lots to share with you all but first let me ask you a couple questions. Did you know that your art is copyrighted once you publish it on the Internet? Just because you don't have the copyright symbol or a blurb about your work being copyrighted doesn't give people permission to take your pictures or artwork for their personal use. Doesn't matter how much they like it, if they take it it's WRONG. This is what's happened to me. My second question is if you know who your followers are. I know some of mine but I check on unfamiliar faces to become acquainted with them. This is how I found my art being used on someones blog. Can you imagine my shock?! Oops, that's a third question and I said I was gonna ask you a couple. LOL!! It was a strange feeling to see pages from my journal on another blog. It was also weird to read a post expressing the same feelings with almost the same exact words that where on my pages. Then I had a thought. "Wait a minute! There's got to be mention of my name somewhere acknowledging me as the artist." I looked. No mention. By this time I was pissed off in a HUGE way.

It wasn't the right time to post about it. I was too upset to think clearly and quite frankly I wasn't sure where to begin because curse words kept getting in the way. It wouldn't make sense to read a post full of shit, fuck, uh, you get it. LOL!

The next day brought me advice from a few artists friends who reassured me that I had every right to be upset so I e-mailed this blogger. I was polite, btw. Maybe that was a mistake, to be polite. That was three days ago and she still hasn't responded to my request that she either acknowledge me as the artist of my journal pages on her blog or remove them. So now I'm wondering if she doesn't give a flying fuck or if she's just plain stupid. Maybe both. I thought leaving a comment on her blog would get her attention. She's got one of those automatic comment gadgets so there's a chance she may never read it cause comments on her blog don't need approval. Now I KNOW she's an idiot. Please know that this does not mean you're an idiot if you have the same automatic comment gadget. LOL!

I don't like this paranoia shit wondering if I should post my latest art work. But not posting it would defeat my purpose for starting a blog in the first place. My art will never hang in a museum. I'm sure it'll never hang in a gallery. But it's my art and I need to protect it no matter how simple it is.

Weekend Journal Artventures

Honesty is the best policy, so I've heard. But unfortunately, depending on who you're being honest with, that virtue can leave me searching for a chill pill at the end of a conversation. Somehow I become the bad person for telling it like it is.

Spine. Backbone. Use it. Or loose it.

I'm beginning to believe that children who are psychologically damaged have been raised by psychologically damaged PARENTS!

I have found that you can get through some people some of the time. Then there are those that don't get it, never will and they tend to give me hot flashes and high blood pressure. Rather than waste my time and energy trying to get through, I end the conversation and journal. By the end of finding just the right words and images my pressure is back to normal and the sweats have gone away. Journaling, it's a good thing.

Saturday Artventures

The view from my "looking glass" revealed a beautiful day in sunny Los Angeles.

Texture is the theme I've decided on for my round robin journal. The front cover says it all, don't you think? How fortunate of me to find the "Touch" card in my bag of "one day..." You just never know what you'll find in those bags! I think my friend Jolene sent this to me a few years ago.

This is a trial placement. I love that vintage upholstery fabric in the background.

The sun poured through my art space windows this morning inspiring me to gather a few ideas for my journal which will be traveling off soon. A few days ago I was thinking of collaging around the words "friend" on the book cover but that's changed. I was going through a bag of "waiting to use one day scraps" and found some pieces that would start me off with a new idea.

I love texture. Love to feel and touch anything dimensional. When I came across a card with the words "Touch" I knew it was meant to be part of the cover. Along with touch I found fabric which I may or may not use. I did some trial positioning on a page but I'm not 100% convinced. But I like it.

I've decided that the theme for my journal in the round robin will be TEXTURE. I hope this doesn't blow any one's mind out or send them running for the hills. LOL! There's so much texture out there and it's just not limited to fabric. I'm imagining paper, paint, embossing techniques - there's a lot to think about here. And my pages can be removed to work on with ease and then placed back.

As I send my journal off I don't want anyone feeling they have to stick to whatever look I've done on the first few pages. My art is ME and yours should be YOU, but if you're playing in the journal round robin, don't forget to add some texture. LOL! I will definitely keep you posted on what I end up with. I don't think I'll be changing the theme again. Well, we'll see. LOL!

Travelin' Artventures

Maybe it's the cold weather. Maybe it's reconnecting with a group I once spent an entire year exchanging postcards with. Maybe it comes from spending too much time in my art space. Is there such a thing? With all the extra stuff floating around me do I really need to get involved in a project? Well, the word commitment has never scared me but becoming involved in a project during the school year takes a lot out of me.

I recently took the plunge to participate in a journal round robin. The only rules are to send it off every 3-4 weeks. I told myself I could do that. The other rule is to include enough pages for each player to journal on the front and back of 2 pages. I'm using heavy (140 lb) index paper so players can layer on the paint, glue, whatever without wondering if the pages will hold up. I'm also keeping it simple. I dug around, found an old book, gutted the pages and punched two holes along the side of the spine at the top and bottom. I'm putting two binder rings through the holes for easy removal of each page as it gets worked on. I still have to punch holes through the pages and alter the covers a bit. I'm comfortable with paint so that will most likely be my choice of media for the cover. The words "Best Friend" stand out and I may leave them exposed.

I have my own journaling style and this rr will surely challenge me as I work with various themes. Oh yes, did I mention each journal participant has a theme? OK, I will focus on the fun of making art and pushing the envelope and not fret with questions like "how? WHAT? why?!" In other words, don't ask, just do. And have fun with it.

Heartfelt Artventures

Happy Valentine's Day! What's love got to do with it? EVERYTHING!

Knowing I probably wouldn't see my son and daughter-in-law today, I stamped, glued, cut, inked and rearranged (several times, btw) this card until it met the approval of "momma." That would be me. Along with a couple of candied apples, I placed it in their hands while they visited with us yesterday afternoon.

I assembled this tag card for my daughter. I wasn't very happy with the pink background streaks until I began to look at them as "pink breeze."

Lastly, this card was made for my Valentine of 38 years. Man, that seems so ancient. But the love feels the same. You have my permission to say "awww" or run to the nearest bucket to puke. LOL!!

Here's the inside of Jim's card. I mounted a piece of vellum which had scatterings of copper, silver and gold bits throughout the paper. I wrote my sentiment using a Gelly Roll Glaze pen by Sakura. I love the way the ink flows from this pen without skipping or pouring out a lot of ink at once. It's perfect and leaves beautifully raised and glossy writing. If you click on the picture you may see the details.

There's so much happening today and over the next few days. Chinese New Year's AND Valentine's on the same day - I can't remember that ever but maybe I was too much into the love thing to know that. It's been 38 years, remember?! Then tomorrow is an off day in honor of President's Day. Oh man and on Tuesday it's big ole FAT TUESDAY! Whoopie Yum-Yum!! It all winds down on Ash Wednesday.

Well, whatever you do, however you celebrate, whoever you love, do it with a full heart. Life doesn't guarantee another anything and I'm not waiting to see how they party on the other side. LOL!!!

Angelic Experience

The asphalt stompers and I were touched by an angel today. Actually two. We had a free book distribution courtesy of the RIF (Reading is Fundamental) foundation, angel number one. Each child receives a free book three times a year and with each distribution comes a planned event. We celebrated our 100 (+1) days of school today BIG TIME, thanks to my second angel. She provided games, gift certificates, pencils, stickers, suckers, and cookies for each child. And it wasn't cheap but angels never notice that cause their good deeds come from their hearts. And I grew up thinking angels where invisible beings. LOL! Needless to say, the kids had a terrific time and their friendly librarian had such a great time she temporarily lost her voice! Big THANK YOU to my angel Ana who made a lot of little lives extremely happy today!

Balancing Artventures

About two years ago McDonald's had this phrase printed on their take-out bags. I knew that one day it would play a role in my journaling artventures. Didn't think it would take this long. Oh well, better late than never!

When I sat at my chair to balance my checkbook, I was taken in a different direction as you can see. NEVER, I mean NEVER, try to balance your checkbook in an art space. The temptation of all that surrounds me in my art room made me pick up a pair of needles to knit a few rows. Just a few. My intention was to eventually do what I originally planned to do. What was that again? LOL!

I knit a few rows, put it away and thought I'd do a journal entry or two. One page turned into three. It all started when I saw these words in a neighborhood flyer. I've never been a firm believer in these words so I don't practice what they say very well. LOL!

It didn't take long to express myself but it took forever to find the word ME! Somehow the word ME is not often found often in periodicals. Not in large font anyway. Shame. It's such an important word too!

Did I ever get the task of balancing my checkbook done? No. But I tried. Lesson learned - don't try balancing your checkbook while surrounded by art supplies. Do I feel guilty? Not really. It's my goal this year not to over stress, remember?! Besides, that kind of stuff is for weekends anyway. Isn't it? Don't answer that. LOL!