2 more Art Journal Pages

I know, I should be packing boxes for the move, but I am still lagging behind schedule, and just can't bring myself to not create.
One of these pages I did a week or so ago, but just haven't made the time to put it up. The other one I just finished, and am waiting to send it to make sure it is completely dry.

First is a page for Marion, her topic was School. I went a bit of a different way by going with Education and Knowledge. It is a little quirky, but that is a style that I know Marion loves, so I hope that she likes them.


Second is for Sharron, her topic was Italian Affair. When I think of Italy, I think of stone buildings, and dreamy fields of grapes. I cut out the window of the right page, and added a picture of a castle like building, and then added groups of grapes, which I then covered in Crystal Lacquer to give them that shiny plumpness.
The quote: "A hundred years can not repair a moment lost" is an old Italian Proverb, which to me tied in the dreamy aspect of the piece.

Tribute to Jackson Pollock

Getting some more art journals done, I was able to incorporate the same subject into two different books.
(remember to click on images to see them larger)
The first book is Karen's and it is on Freedom.
I chose to do Jackson Pollock, because his outlook on art is that of expression, not necessarily completion.
He created his works out of feeling, not a predetermined idea of what it would end up like.
To me I feel that is 'Freedom in art'. I created these pages without any idea of what they would look like when they were finished, and it was an amazing experience.

The second journal belonging to Abby was titled 'American Idol', and we were to incorporate someone we look up to into the pages, so I was able to stay with the Jackson Pollock theme.
Even though he grew up in New York, he was born here in my home town of Cody, WY.

Both journal entries were done with acrylic paint. Some thinned with water, and painted on with a straw, a stick, and a paintbrush. Something that Jackson often did was use unusual items as 'brushes'.

The fist pages for Karen were done with pastel colors on a black background. (directly in the book) Then the paint was let to dry for 2 days. (it's thick in places) Then I printed actual works from Jackson Pollock onto Canvas paper, and then heat set and sealed them so they would not smear, then adhered them around the quote from him.
The quote reads:
'I like to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. There is no accident just as there is no beginning and no end...The painting has a life of it's own.'
Jackson Pollock, New York, 1951.
The second pages for Abby were done with earth tones, on a metallic brown linen texture cardstock. Let to dry, and then I added a transparency where I put Jackson's photo, name and life dates on as an overlay to my painting. On the right side, I added a print of his painting 'The Key' done on canvas paper and sealed, matted with the same metallic brown cardstock.
I was really happy with the way they turned out, and how different they look, when still using some of the basic drip technique.

Getting in some art.

I have squeezed in a little art amongst the chaos, here and there, when I can. I am still WAY behind schedule, but I am trying to catch up.
Here are just some of the things I have accomplished over the last several months.

(remember you can click on the images to see them larger~enjoy)


This is my art journal Lighthouse page. I made a very simple how-to YouTube video if you want to check it out the address is : Lighthouse Art Journal Page

Here are some art journal pages I made just for personal growth:

(a new woman~made with parts and pieces from different magazine clippings of women)


Kindred Spirits~ Letters are found from items in nature.


Growth~ Altered Photo


The following are Round Robin Art Journal book pages and Tip-In pages that I made, that are traveling the world.

Love Letter~for Jenene


Wings~for Barbara


Earth Specimen~for Keron


Birds~for Hermine
(second picture shows left page with bird houses open)


"Out with the Old" Doors & Windows~for Diana


"Jeweled Mandala" India~ for Lorna

Whew~ I guess I have done more than I thought, I have been trying to do some 5-15 minute sketch prompts also. The key is to just sketch. Don't think about it. Just look at the image and try to repeat it. Don't erase.... just keep going. When the timer goes off~ STOP. Accept the results, and move on.
I think the 'accept the results' part is the hardest part, but it is taking my art to all new places and I LIKE IT!!!!!

Hopefully it won't be Christmas before I pop in again, but if it is, remember I blog without obligation. ;)
~ Letha

I can't believe I haven't blogged all summer!

I have truly been one busy lady! I intended to take the summer off from most of the hustle and bustle and get lots of art done, instead of all the usually running from here and there. I also wanted to get the studio/classroom set up so that we would be ready for fall... still not done. UGH!
We planned to go to South Dakota over the 4th of July, but plans were canceled because my mom got ill, and had to have surgery. So we have been taking care of her all summer. Back and forth every day. We planted flowers for her to look at, and cleaned off her porch so she could spend a few minutes outside each day~ Doctors orders!
Quincy turned 14~ that was a blast! We had a bowling party, and then went for pizza. It was Harry Potter themed OF COURSE :)

Both Quincy and Abby spent most of the summer doing art classes through the Cody Country Art League and Quincy did Tennis.
Beckie came to visit, which was nice, because she took care of mom while I took care of Bethany's kids while she had her baby. A big bouncing baby boy. Nathaniel River 8 lbs 5.7 oz. Nate is the cutest little plump thing! I was not so secretly hoping for a girl, but now that he is here, I don't think we will send him back- he is way too cute :)
Well, now we are getting ready for Mark's mom and sister to come and visit. Usually the girls fly out there and visit for a week, but this year they are coming to see us. The girls are excited to see them, and they are only going to be here a few short days, so we have a lot to squeeze in.
School starts in just a couple short weeks, and we need to do school shopping, so my plans for not participating in the usual hustle and bustle of the summer fuss went right out the window! HA-HA! Oh Well, maybe next year.

March journals on...

I have been working on some art projects, and some journal pages.
Here are the pages I have done and have photos of so far.
I have included the instructions on how I did them, in case you are interested :0)


March week 4 Yellow & Blue. These have to be some of the funnest prompts. Even though Blue is not one of my favorite colors, I didn't have to "think" about it, because it is a color- you just look for the color, and it comes together.
I painted the journal page yellow. While it was drying, I went through our magazine box, and started pulling out pictures of blue items. I did not really care what it was that was blue, just ripped out the item. Totally random. When I thought I had enough, then I cut around them all. When the yellow paint was completely dry, I put down a thick layer of gel medium, and started to randomly set down the images. I did not pay any attention as to where or what they were, so that is why some are grouped tightly and some not, because I didn't plan. It might be wise to plan next time.
When all the images were stuck, then I put another thick layer of gel medium on top of all the images. I let this dry for several hours. (best overnight, but I am an instant gratification person, so I hurried it with a heat tool, and then waited a few hours)
I then added some yellow dots, the word "blue" with yellow paint, and the word "yellow" with blue paint, then when the paint was dry I outlined the words with black sharpie.

March week 3 stitches. I started with pasting down a piece of pink cardstock to the white journal pages. Then I squirted red, white, and pink paint onto the pages, smeared it around with my fingers. That was messy but FUN!
The paint is really thick, so it took a full day to dry. Then when it was dry, I took some fibers, and threaded it into a tapestry needle, and sewed the edge of the cardstock. If I had to do this over, I would have just painted the cardstock first, then sewed it, and then glued it into the book- it would have been SO MUCH easier.
Once the blood stopped ;0)
I then started changing my mind about what I was going to be doing on my page.
I remembered I had all these bright colored stitched flowers, and I have been longing for Spring, so I started gluing them down. I then added stems out of this awesome ribbon I have been hoarding. I added a little embroidered dradonfly, the words made with fibers, and a little silver dragonfly for the dot on the i of Spring.
The coolest part is that everything but the background and the charm, is stitched or fibers!

March week 2 Who is she? I printed both of the images and sprayed with Fixative.
Coated both of my pages with gesso. Then tore the images out of the paper and set them down with gel medium, both under and on top. Then did another layer of gesso, heavy around the edges, lighter as I went in, and a very light brushing over the faces.
When COMPLETELY dry, and no longer cold. Take a fine line sharpie and outline the outside of images- one in a rectangle one in a circle. Then add the add the square spiral and the circle spiral over the "brain" area. Trace over small parts of the face to change the expressions with the fine line sharpie. With a heavier sharpie add the words.

March week 1 Postage stamp-I started the page by painting it with a sage green, light blue, and white, all marbled together, but not thoroughly mixed. Let dry. Then I added the words of mail I am not thrilled to receive. Then I painted a coat of pearl paint down on top of that- which kind of covered the sharpie words, but they still show. Adhered the letter, and wings. Stamped images with Saddle brown StazOn ink pad, and then wrote the final words with sharpie. Done!
(sounds fast, but it takes awhile for all those layers of paint to dry)

My Big Day

I have had some requests for "details" about my big day, so I shall share with you my day of pampering!
Since it was Friday, my husband had to work overnight, so he left for work Thursday night at 10:30pm, (I was still on my computer) which is often the case. ;o)
So at 11:59 and 53 seconds the phone rang- it was him, he called to wish me a happy birthday.
I told him he was a bit early, and just as I did the clock turned, so he really wasn't. LOL!
He is such a sweet guy.

I had actually planned to sleep in, but because he was at work, I did have to make sure my girls were up and getting ready for school. When their alarms went off at 6 am, they both got up and came in and wished me a Happy Birthday, and told me I could stay in bed!
(I didn't go back to sleep, since we often have some rough mornings, but it was nice to just lay in bed)
The girls were so good. They didn't fight about clothes and hair, and shoes, and all the other things that middle school girls fight about on a daily basis :0) it was a nice reprieve.
Mark got home just after 7 AM and took the girls into the school. They help out in the library before school starts.
I slept in til almost 10 AM can you believe it? Doesn't that ROCK?
I slept til my body woke up. I am such an insomniac, so it was rather refreshing.
I decided that since I needed to let Mark sleep since he worked all night, that I was going to treat myself to a bit of a spa.
So I filled the tub with a nice hot bath, and a sat there til every finger and toe was as wrinkly as a raisin. Then I got out and gave myself a mini-pedicure and manicure. (I used to be a cosmetologist way back in the day, so it isn't too hard)

I then got dressed had some lunch and checked my email- lots of birthday messages ~ YEAH!!!
My girls came home from school, so I spent some time with them, getting their school week stuff wrapped up, and their bags packed for grandma's house....
Then we finished up all our chores.
Off to grandma's house we went. The girls are going to spend the night, play art, lounge and get spoiled!
Mark and I headed off to dinner at the steak house. We had such a great dinner. It was delicious! I had a steak and baked potato, and Mark had baby back ribs, and garlic fries, we even got an appetizer- yummy mozzarella sticks. We were SO full we couldn't think about eating desert, but because it was my birthday, my desert was on the house, so the waitress sent a slice of New York cheesecake home with me for later, with a sparkler candle!
Off to the movie we went!

Because we live in such a small area, there is not a lot of variety, and most of what was playing was horror flicks- I don't like them- I am not scared by them, I just think they are dumb, and a waste of time. I know- not a popular opinion, but it's my birthday, and I can't say what I want!
So- we could see either, Mall Cop, or Confessions of a Shopaholic. I chose Shopaholic.
It was definitely a chic flick, but it was funny, and cute. I enjoyed the movie.
When we came home, we happened to check the TV for the current temp, and noticed that the movie Penelope was just about to start in about 10 minutes. This is a movie we both have wanted to see, and never had a chance. So we snuggled down together and watched yet another great movie! It was so good. I didn't realized what a great movie Penelope is. It is a perfect family movie. I highly recommend it.
By the time the movie was over, it was awfully late, so sleepy time it was!
My birthday did not end on Friday though- No sir-re!!!
The kids are still at Grandma's!!!!
So Mark let me spend the whole day Saturday playing with Art stuff!
I painted a little, I drew a little, I did some journaling, stamping, beading, sewing, and I even did some photo editting and checked my email.
I played on facebook, and Ning.
I even took a little nap! It was glorious!
Ah! I love my birthday :0)

My Birthday/Blogaversary!

Today is my 35th Birthday and my 1 yr blog anniversary!
SO~
In celebration of my two big events. I am giving away a massive Priority box full of Mixed Media goodies!!!!
This will be a prize to be had. I can tell you that each day there will be items added to the box, and this box will be sent to anyone no matter where in the world they are from, whether they are a blogger or not! So sign up! To do so, just leave your name, and some way for me to contact you in a comment to this post only, and one month from today I will draw a winner from the list of names, and that person will get the enormous box of mixed media goodies!
Now- just to sweeten the "pot" so to speak randomly throughout the month whenever I am feeling giddy I will be picking a name haphazardly and sending that person a goody or two- you will receive a message in your email asking for your snail mail address, and you will be surprised as to what comes your way. So sign up early, your chances of getting picked throughout the month will be that much greater!
So help me celebrate my special milestones! Share this post with all your friends! Post a link on your blog, and enter your name in twice :0)
(to add a post just click on the word "comments" at the end of all the tag words at the very end of this post, and it will take you to a pop-up window to leave your comment. It is in green.)
If you post as "anonymous" you must leave me your name AND your email address, or I will have no way to contact you :( If you are not comfortable leaving the email online- you can email it to me- my email link button is listed in the left column if you click on "view my complete profile" Thanks!

Feast or Famine

Well,
I know I don't blog out of obligation, but I feel like I have left you all hanging for quite awhile. I just haven't been doing much with my blog, yet I have been creating. I have just felt rather overwhelmed, and just didn't feel like I could catch my breath much less take the time to post regularly. So here is going to be a huge long post with tons of pictures of what I have been doing. Down at the bottom will be some sketches in progress, and ones that I have done just for fun, that I have been doing to practice my face structure and placement. I WELCOME any critique or suggestion, as I have only been sketching for a few months, and am picking this up on my own, and am by no means a seasoned artist. Many of these are in progress, and I feel I am "stuck" as to where to go next. I think you will see what I mean as you view them.

Here at the top is my first comfort doll- created for a Paper Traders swap, it is going to a special lady, who has been through many trials this past year, and was completely done by hand. Not one machine stitch! I purchase hand-dyed batiks for the materials, and hand-beaded the body of the doll. Then stamped the face, and beaded around it with two different tones of purple beads. (hard to see the different colors in the picture) Once I got all that done, I was able to sew the body shape together and stuff her. I then beaded her arms, and added a teapot for her to hold. I sewed some cream and gold ribbon around the seam where the front and back meet, to give it a sparkly edge, and to cover the stitching, and then gave her some keys for legs. Added a filigree heart for a pocket, and a special little poem inside.
It sounds quite simple, but I worked on it for 2 weeks straight. (I know I am kind of slow)
The next project is a Tip-In Round Robin page that I did for a friend (also a Paper Traders swap) the topic was the Romance of Train Travel. I have to say this was not an easy topic for me and the first couple of cracks at it Did Not turn out well at all, so I was way behind at getting this done! I am lucky that she was patient, and kind enough to wait for me to get my act together. I decided to go a totally different route, and I was so glad I followed my muse, because I am so happy with the results. I ended up using a really mucky painted background, but I think it really added to the aged look of the pages.
The sign in was to be a train ticket, so there is a picture of that as well. It ended up being a fun project once I got my head around it.


Ok~
Here are my sketchings. (click on the pictures to see the details) If you have any comments please feel free to express them. I welcome any help, as I am learning, and need so much guidance right now, so that I can progress and grow. Thanks so much!!!
~Letha

New giveaways from Lisa Vollrath

Lisa Vollrath is doing it again!
Her kind heart is getting the better of her, and she is giving away free images from now until St. Patrick's Day. Don't delay, download them now. The link is to your right, under my tab: Fun Stuff!
You can also check out her other sites, where you can buy her awesome collage sheets and other fantastic products in her store, check out her website, her etsy shop, art gallery, creative booster- Go make something, and the most lovely "world according to Lisa" a must read!

One World One Heart Prize WINNERS!

2009 ONE WORLD ONE HEART FINALS

The folowing bloggers are the winners of my prizes!

#1-(fairy gazebo) Nikki @ Whimsy Love

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#2-(hearts, butterflies, daisies) Valerie @ It's a Wonderful Life

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#3-(chef, cookies, country) Charlene @ Puddle of Grace

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#4-(boots, fishing, denim) Birgit @ Swapping Howdies

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#5-(flowers, hearts, daisies) Franny @ Pickle Beans

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#6-(ducks, butterflies, baby) malleycc @ Guessing Game

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#7-(pansies, butterflies, tulips) Lisa @ Laughing Orca Ranch

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#8-(sunflower, daisies, herbal) Jennifer @ Gypsy Mare Studios

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Each of these winners have been emailed privately, if I do not hear from you by Saturday Night, I will draw a new name on Sunday.
I plan to have all packages mailed out by Monday or Tuesday.

A special THANK YOU to Lisa for hosting such a wonderfully successful project. With 910 participants this year, I can only imagine what next year will bring. I look forward to seeing you all then, and hope that in the meantime, we will get to know each other so much better.
Please remember to go back and check out all the blog addresses, and venture through the lovely art and works there is to see. Make some new friends and re-aquaint with some old ones.
Big fun!
~Letha

One World One Heart

PRIZES Awarded check link Here :o)
Please check out the rest of my blog by clicking on MY BLOG or you can click the blog header and it will take you to the front page- thanks for a successful and way fun project!

Yes! I am participating!!! I thought for sure it would be too late, and with well over 800 participants, there may be only a few visitors, but hopefully next year I will get with it sooner.
What IS ONE World-ONE Heart?
It is a blog-wide giveaway event. The original idea behind this was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. To see the list of all the blog givers, you can click on the globe above, or on Lisa's (oceandreamer)name here.

I will be offering more prizes as the comments increase. For every 50 comments, I will add another gift. So the more participants, the better your chances to get a goodie!
Please if you enter, make sure you have an email attached to your blog, or leave your email address in your comment post. All comments must be to this post only or they will not count toward the drawing. Last day for the drawing is midnight on February 11th Mountain Daylight Time. I will be posting the winner here on my blog on Thursday February 12th, and will contact the winners privately. They will have til Saturday night to return my email, or I will draw a new name. I would like to mail packages out on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks :0)

It is not required, but if you would like to, in your comment, I would love to know where in this vast world you are from, and how long you have been blogging?

I am from Cody, Wyoming, USA which is in the far northwest corner of the state just a few miles from the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. It is beautiful here, and we are blessed to live in this part of the world.

I will be having my one year blog anniversary in March, which is my birthday, so come back then, and help me celebrate! I will be having a massive party!

Prize one:

This is a flower fairy gazebo. It measures approximately 10 inches tall 7 inches wide. It comes with all 5 flower fairies. I may possibly continue to embellish it in the weeks to come, so it may become more jeweled and glorious before it reaches you :0)

I have been adding a bit to it, and here is a new picture. The fairies have faces, and the gazebo has a few more fun things. Sorry the picture is so dark- I was having trouble with all the shadows.


Prize Two:

This is a set of three packages of Jolee's Boutique dimensional stickers, in the following Spring styles:
pastel hearts
fluttering friends
white daisies

Wow- 50 comments already! Here is a third prize!

Prize Three:

This is another set of three packages of Jolee's Boutique dimensional stickers. These are all in comfy homey styles:
chef
ginger cookies
country breeze

I see we are up to 100 comments, so here comes another prize!

Prize Four:

This set is inspired from my little home town. Being from Cody, Wyoming- I had to throw a little Western flare into the prize fun! So the Jolee's Boutique stickers included here are:
wild west
fly fishing
denim jacket

I see we are up to 150 comments, so here comes yet another prize!

Prize Five:

Here is a lovely either spring, or wedding set which includes:
Vanilla flowers
White floral hearts
White daisies

OK, I am not going to prolong the torture any longer: I had every intention of adding more give-aways all along, regardless of the number of blog posts, so here they are. :0)

Prize Six:

Sweet little things! This set would be great for a new baby girl. If this is one you would really like, please comment for sure. It includes:
baby girl accessories
fluttering friends
she's expecting

Prize Seven:

Spring is on it's way! Let's celebrate- think warm weather, and watch for those flowers to bloom. It includes Jolee's, and some Daisy Hill dimensional stickers:
Pansies
Glitter Butterflies
Spring Flower

Prize Eight:

This is also a springy set, and a gardener's delight! It includes the following Jolee's:
Golden Yellow Flowers
Yellow Daisies
Green Thumb

AND possibly more, if I have time, or if there gets to be a ton more comments!

Don't forget- the more the comments the more the prizes :0)

I can't wait to meet all of you.
Thanks! Letha

LeeLou is having a Baby Shower

LeeLou blogs is sponsoring a baby shower in honor of two very special NICU babies.
When you get done reading the stories about these two babies amazing and inspiring stories, you too will want to do what you can to help. In the process, you might be able to win a prize.
Make sure you check out the LeeLou link to see what it is all about!!!

Queen & Co giveaway

The Queen goes Green!!!
Be sure to go to the Queen & Co. link and check out their new amazing products and giveaway.