Painting lesson

I feel the cool nights of September tiptoeing in the shadows... so this is a "must post" or I will miss the entire month of August here. Will someone please slow things down?

Fortunately, I have had a distraction during this incredibly hot summer. The art class at the Land of Lost Luggage has been amazing. Because it is open ended (go at your own speed, teacher and teaching videos available 24 hours a day forevermore [yeah, wow, right?]) I have been able to really work on each lesson until I feel like I understand the process.

I guess now is the time I admit I'm a slow learner. Although it has been 2 months, I am just now finishing the project for Lesson 2. I know, sloooow, but I'm swimming in the deep end, and really unsure of myself. Julie is such a help. Not just a stroke-your-forehead-saying-soothing-words kind of help, but instruction help! Love her and this class. (I have already picked out the next class that I want for Christmas!)

This is where I went with Lesson 2. It started with paints and glazing liquid. That turned to masks and brayers and then back to paints and glazing liquid. This is what it looked like as I went along.

I continued going forward, hoping something would emerge from all the layers that would be lovely. I showed each step to Julie, and she made some very helpful suggestions. (Keep in mind that this is my first attempt at this type of painting... and be kind in your evaluations.)

As I worked, there finally came a point that felt like the end. I looked at it for a few days, wondering what I should do next, when circumstances and verses and a recipient converged in my mind. This is the finished piece.

There are little places in this piece that I love. There are other places that I wish I could push "rewind" and re-do. But, paper is paper and "glue" is glue, so there you go. Now it's time for a final backing paper and it will be ready for delivery.

Love the verses. They have been speaking to me all summer... leading me to rest for my soul.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

Pilgrimage to paperville

Saturday was amazing. We were on the road early to make sure that we reached the destination before closing.

I am not a garage/yard sale fan... in fact, if you see me perusing the table at a yard sale, keep driving. It's a sign that there is nothing here that you (ha! anyone!) will want. It's just a fact of life. But we stopped at a few sales anyway.... just to prove this law of (my) life.

Travelling along old US 12 there were also plenty of antique and thrift stores to keep us busy. This particular marvel of beautiful blue/rust was in front of a rundown used-to-be tourist trap, now permanent garage sale. Could anyone not love that blue? Yum!

We don't often choose to drive into big city Michigan, but the mission Saturday was specific... and it required going urban. Taking back roads made it a little less painful, especially when we came upon  endless fields of sunflowers!

Finally - be still my heart - we pulled into Ann Arbor, straight into the heart of Kerrytown. Pushing past the lo-o-o-ong line outside of Zingerman's, we finally arrived at - can you hear the angel choirs? - Hollander's! I was going to take pictures, but I was so overwhelmed by room after room of paper that I couldn't think of anything else.  Fortunately, I had determined ahead of time what my $pending limit would be. (I only went $12 over!) In addition to a brush and linen thread, this is what I brought home...

I'm so excited. These are so incredibly beautiful that I can't wait to see what I do with them.

So-o-o, what am I doing here?

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

Book #1 - ready to go

My dearly beloved gave me an online art class (Mixed Media Variety Hour) for my birthday. I am loving it. The first project I have completed is this idea book... from start to finish, from pieces of paper to book board, from tape and PVA to needle and thread, I made this book.

You know all those ideas that gather dust in your head? No more lost ideas for me! They are going in this book so that I have a handy reference for inspiration.

I'm thinking of making more for all of the other categories that seem to languish in the dusty corners of my mind. Besides, it was too much fun to just do one.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might... Ecclesiastes 9:10

Booklet project

It's hot here. Really hot. And we get humidity that runs about as high as the temperature!

Now that I have that off my mind.... it's time for show and tell.

I have a booklet project in the works. Eight pages, filled with color, stitched and ready to be filled. In fact, the zendala created here was stripped to a single layer, ripped into random shapes...

 

... and added to the booklet pages.

This was my first attempt at making a single signature. Thanks to good directions, it went well.

All of the little tidbits that will tell the story on these pages are waiting for me to glue them in their proper place. Can't wait to hold the finished project in my hand. It's a gift... I need to get it finished!!!

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Psalm 67:3

What can we do?

After a heavy duty weekend, I was enjoying this slow Monday.

Laundry... dishes... the beginning and end of my must-do list.

No deadlines, no cooking.

Then I got the text. A 10-year old friend and her friend were asking for an ideas to fill a long afternoon.

The perfect project popped into my head, but just to make sure I had the details right, I watched a few minutes of this video...



... and then forwarded it to them. The challenge was to pull an inspiration word from a bag and make that the zendala shape.

Good bye laundry! Who cares dishes! This sounded like too much fun to miss. The word picked from my bag was "mountains".

I'm so thankful for unlimited texts... and photos! We kept the air busy with the back and forth.

Now that was fun!

A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! Proverbs 15:23

Why am I doing this?

If I hurry, I can get one more post in before May is history. Where did the month go?

We have a small veggie garden, planted and waiting for rain. After years of planting things like turnips, eggplant, and beets (with only minor success and even less pleasure) we made the decision to quit playing with plants we don't really like and stick with the basics. So ... this year I have tomatoes, green peppers, and green beans. Ok, ok, I do have one jalapeno plant. That's my nod to unusual.

I pulled out my sewing machine again. I'm trying not to get over-committed to sewing projects that don't fit or look like the pictures (see discussion above about unsuccessful veggie choices), but I do need a new Bible cover. I've worn out the old one - even my vintage buttons are breaking in pieces - so I'm hard at work on an improved version. Hopefully, I will be happy enough with the outcome to show pictures... soon.

I did make a 20-minute-skirt a week ago. It didn't take 20 minutes. I made some adjustments to the instructions (I just gotta be me!) and it's ok. Of course I haven't worn it yet. I don't have one single thing that goes with it. It probably would have been a good idea to consider that when picking fabric. *sigh*

I have been making some note cards. It has been my goal to create a design that could be printed - one step, easy, fast. The problem is that what I really like are card fronts that are layered with colorful paper, and then finished off with some hand stamping/embellishment. It's just not right when it's fast.

We had grilled pizza this week. Last time I made it, it was wonderful! So this time, I used a different crust recipe. (I am my own worst enemy.)  Too bad that when we tried to peel the raw dough from the (suggested) waxed paper, it stretched and ripped into the most grotesque shapes! Well, where's the rule that says pizza crust has to have a shape? Or not be holey?

I'm pondering these fleeting moments of life. The whys and the who-fors. What is accomplished of eternal value? How much is for the eyes of mankind?  And I'm trying to stay honest.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Colossians, 3:23

Trials and errors

Days are flying by. Too fast. I can't keep up.

I think about what has been accomplished between the dawn and the fall of night, and I wonder,  With so many experiments behind me .. all these lessons learned ... was it worth the time spent?

I don't know. So let's have a little bit of show and tell. (FYI: Those thoughts you'll be thinking? I know... I've thought the same thing. But hey, I have to build up this thick skin that gives me the courage to keep aiming for better all the while providing a good belly laugh for my friends.   *smile*)

Here goes....

A rustic little scene that has been distressed. Not unlike the maker.

They look like poster girls for Tylenol. Not exactly what I was going for. In fact, I never did achieve what I was going for. Hmmm.. maybe it's a mirror.

A background that I have plans for. Layers yet to come.

The worktable gets cleaned, only to be piled again with papers covered with ideas that evolve while I'm trying to clean up the last pile of papers that are covered with ideas that evolved while ....

Is there a cure for this? Do I want to be cured? Not so sure about that.

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Psalm 94:19

Vintage buzz

Last week, we took a day to wander through some antique stores. We didn't buy anything, but the looking was... well, interesting.

"Vintage" is the new buzz word. If an old anything can technically be labeled "vintage", then it's a hot item. According to one very chatty dealer, everyone wants to decorate with the things they remember from early childhood at mom's or grandma's house.

That means that all the things I was so happy to sell at a garage sale, pitch into the garbage, or use as fuel for a bonfire could be financing a very comfortable retirement right now. *sigh* Oh well.

There were two especially great things about our day of leisure. First, the opportunity to deliver guerrilla art ...

Woven paper strips on coffee stained time card

  

Image transfer on book page

...topped off with a dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant. I don't know who General Tso is, but his chicken is out of this world!

 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Psalm 113:2