In my Studio - distress ink reVamp!

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Before

I have a tray on my art table that houses all the inks that I tend to use frequently.  My Distress Inks by Ranger take up a lot of room on that tray.  I did a lot of re-stacking looking for the right color. Watching a YouTube video a fellow journalist referenced Ranger's (Distress Ink manufacturer) website.  So, spent a little time surfing and found these...  a Distress Ink color chart and Distress Ink Labels.  Pretty Sweet!

After

It didn't take very long to color code the labels and attach them to the ink pads. Stamp the chart with the coordinating color too.  I now have more room on my tray for supplies I reach for every day.  I transferred my Matte Medium and Gesso to plastic containers.  Much easier getting brushes into. I can now have those on the desk within easy reach now.  I even have space available on the tray still.


So long Art fans, back to the two page spread I'm working on. Its looking good.


Distress Ink Labels
Distress Ink color chart

Memorial Day Weekend UP date!!!

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Hey Blog Readers!!!

Its been a while since I've posted and about time that I've give you some attention.  There's so many things that have happened and so many more to waiting in the wings to occur.  I may have been absent from this here blog, but I haven't been totally absent from my art desk.  I thought that I would give you guys just a brief introduction to my Memorial Weekend to get back in the swing of things.

Saturday:  the Bink had to work and I was invited by some fabulous ladies to a Crop in Historical Downtown Jonesborough, TN.  They are all so very sweet letting me work with them, even though I'm not scrap-booking. This is the second time that I've ventured forth with my journal and I'm getting the hang of what to bring with me and what really needs to stay at home.  #1 limit myself to 2 possible projects and be open to spontaneous demonstrations.  Having the potential for more than 2 just means there is more supplies that I have to carry, take only what I need to survive (at least for a small period of time and I can leave the industrial strength hair dryer at home!)
  The main project that I took with me was for my Pen Pal Bonnie.  I started a mini journal just for her.  I added a few pages that I started for her.  I kept adding things to it and the large envelope that I was planning on using quickly became not big enough.  So, I transferred everything to a postal box that I had on hand and I just couldn't send it without "embellishing" it a bit. I finished it up and began a new collage sheet.
  Spent Saturday evening on Boone Lake!  It was the first time ever in 6+ years living here that I've been on the lake at night.  It was extremely nice. I packed us a simple dinner of BLT sandwiches and Pringles!   The ultimate benefit was that I spent hours on a boat and not one sign of sunburn. The moon is my skin's friend.

Sunday: Spent working on my art journal, killing aliens on the Xbox, and watching Monk episodes.  Its on Netflix right now and I'm totally addicted.  Did fire up the grill for some really thick Pork chops, Parmesan and pepper corn on the cob, and Mashed red potatoes.  For desert individual Strawberry shortcakes, yum, yum.

Monday:  More work on the art journal, finished the sketch I started on Saturday and Inked it, read a lot, Xbox, and more Monk.  We may not have gone anywhere, but it was a very relaxing day spent with my Bink.


that's all art fans!!! Its almost my bed time and I gotz to find out what happens next in Raven Calls!

Invasion of the Amateur Movie Crew

Pin It Now! Saturday, March 24th, 2012

The Bink's movie crew has picked my living room for a scene. It is utter chaos. I have escaped out the front door to Neverness'.  Totally derailed him from his Saturday afternoon pursuits. Mawahahahahaaha! If you want to know what he was doing check out his Blog at Neverness Hobby Chronicle.

B. U. T... I've managed to get him ARTING! We're currently plotting away on our 40K project.

So I'm getting a lesson in inking and then dyes.

My sketch 

My first lesson in inking

I really like how this came out, I've noticed some things in the drawing that could have been tweaked.  Practice, Play, and Practice some more.  I've progressed since I first started drawing and I'm happy.


Update:  He (Neverness) gave me homework before rushing off to the wilds of Indiana.
So I am now outfitted with Black Magic Ink, New liner brush, tracing paper, new sketch pad, and a couple of "text" books.

Now the plan is to add a second page to this here blog that will be center on our exploits in this Warhammer 40K Collaboration.

If Warhammer 40K is complete gibberish to you check out Games Workshop & Fantasy Flight Games for some clarification.

Communing with Gaia

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HELLO Spring 2012!!!

For me its always easier to breathe surrounded by trees.  Trees of all shapes, sizes, and colors.  My favorite is the willow. Did you know that there are champion willows.  My sacred Willow is in Burke's Garden, VA.  It has a sign that proclaims it to be the Champion Willow of 1976.  If it was that grand then, just imagine what it looks like now, HOLY COW!!! 

The weather has been so wonderful that the Bink and I, along with some compatriots have journeyed forth into the Wild Woods so near our East Tennessee home. We're so lucky to have several State Parks so very close.  It is a simple thing to leave work and be surrounded by nature in just a few minutes.  With it being so early in the season we've managed to witness the sprouting of nature in her protected habitat.  We've traipsed among tree roots, last years leaves, and the crumbling rocks of Gaia's bones.  It is but a hint of the beauty that is to come.  I feel so at home with the trees.  I believe that there are places for each of us that allow us to inhale and exhale more freely and to be more relaxed.  My Uncle Ron commented on a photo of our hike saying, "trees connect us with our past and [with] the earth, so we're respected by our ancestors." I so agree with him.  Even my Pops feels that his soul is at peace when he visits the 'ole homestead' where he grew up and learned how to fish in northern Michigan.  Wherever that place maybe for you.  GO THERE!!! Commune with the birds and the trees.  Relax and let your soul find freedom and peace!

That's Just Me COOKIN'!!!

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I love to cook!  I LOVE to COOK!!!

Of course in the grand scheme of life sometimes I don't.  I think I might even consider myself a foodie... That is if pressed.  There isn't just one thing that I enjoy. It makes me think of a line from City Slickers, where Billy Crystal is asking Jack Palance the meaning of life and Palance's response is its just one thing ..his index finger held up for emphasis... (If you haven't seen this movie, watch it at least once)  I'm going to disagree with Jack. *gasp* Its many things: the process, the ingredients, and ultimately the edible result.  I cannot deny that I like food and the more complicated it is the more I like it.  I cook cause it make me happy and I've been told recently that it makes others happy too.  That declaration makes me even more happy and giddy.  

I'm beginning to see my practice of art in the same manner.  There's not just one thing that I can point to and say that's it.  It isn't just stamps (totally obsessed), paint, pens/pencils, tape, paper, etc, etc, etc... its the whole kit and coboodle.  The Bink told me the other day that he's delighted to see that my OCD isn't affecting what I'm doing at the art table.  It was an AH HA moment for me, 'cause I have to constantly remind myself to let go and walk away if its too messy.  So, when he says this it means that I'm making some progress.  YEAH ME!!!  

I'm currently obsessed with a Mini Journal.  I even got the Bink to help me trim paper for it.  Its 4 inches by 4 inches and totally cute. I'm finding that there are days when I just can't art but a few minutes and my large journal was too much for such a short period of time.  I've got enough space in the mini to journal short and sweetly.  I like that I'm using those scraps that are forgotten in the bottom of my stash.  Because I used Binder Rings I can take pages out to work on them and reorder the pages as I like.  

I've been reading Life is a Verb by Patti Digh.  I have to admit that its my fall back book for when I finish a book and don't have something else to read to finish my workout.  So, I've been reading it spurts.  Days pass and I don't even think about it.  Don't get me wrong there are parts of it that I laugh at and nod my head to.  Sure, I've been there something similar has happen to me or to someone I know.  Patti tells a good yarn.  Today, though there was a passage in Chapter 6 - Intimacy: Love More (Give Free Hugs) that even though my elliptical machine had stopped I couldn't quit reading.  So, there I am standing on the machine reading about Juan Mann, his Free Hugs Sign, and Patti Digh's daughter.  I was riveted by the story and by the time I got to my car I had the Free Hugs Video up on my phone.  I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more. I found it again when I got home.  If you've never seen the Free Hug movement videos, follow the link above or search via YouTube.  I think its well worth it!

So Long ART fans where ever you are!!!

Rising from the Mud

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"I rose from marsh mud
algae, equisetum, willows,
sweet green, noisy
birds and frogs."
― Lorine Niedecker

You may remember that last week I was struggling in mire, just digging myself deeper and deeper into the ooze.  I love, love, love, the color brown, but I'm discovering that when on paper or canvas it helps to create mud very easily.   Earthenmagic sent me a message about last weeks post and her insight was extremely beneficial.  Walk away and refocus intent.  I set my BOD aside and worked on playing with beautiful faces and copic markers. If you are interested to seeing them, they are on Flickr.  On a side note, my flickr gadget key code, blah, blah, blah quit working so I had to take it down.  *grrr*

I pulled out my Vol. I BOD to finish up that final page spread with tip in.  For some strange reason I started thinking about centerfolds.  I started sketching while watching the movie Due Date, HILARIOUS by the way.  My centerfold is sketched and all I need to do now is add some color!  I was left with a prepped tip in and I moved it forward a page and continued the doodles I had there on to the tip in.  Why didn't I think of that before!?  Doodling fun.  


I finally pulled Vol. II back out and just started removing the images I had attached from the front of the cover.  I really like the images I had chosen, very turn of the century botanical garden-esque.  I then reached for the gesso and had at it.  I even removed the binding tape from the spine and started over with a new piece "dyed" with watercolor.  The left image is the new Book of Days 2012 VOL.II.  The two right images are of the original cover & journal sleeve.  What do you think? What are your thoughts on my journal sleeve? Creepy or cool?

I want to thank Artistcellar for the FANTASTICALLY AWESOME rose window stencils and the Stewart Gill Byzantia paint.  This is my first use of Stewart Gill and the color is so Intense, love it.  Also, the watercolor effect of the window was inspired by Earthenmagic's Magic Tree.

How do you save muddy?!

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Focus and simplicity... Words that I need to live by, especially simplicity.  I over think things all the time! I've been thinking, thinking, and more thinking about the last page in my Vol. I Book of Days.  I even have the tip-in prepped and ready to go.  I attended the Girl's Night Out Event at the William King Museum of Art last Thursday and I had a blast with the other ladies. Of course, I over thought my design.  I can still hear Nadia in her beautiful Russian accent going..."Why are you erasing?! It was gud, it was gud.  No, no no.  Don't erase!"  I drove her a little nuts.  I have a painted canvas, but no design...YET!  I was so mired in the murk of my own meandering mind over that last page that I decided to move onto the cover of my Vol. II Book of Days.  Vol.I, I keep with a Smash book rubber band around it to keep it closed. So, I thought that I would make a "corset" for Vol. II.  I have and I HATE it!  hummm... maybe that's too harsh, but I am NOT happy with it.  I set it aside and moved on to the actual cover and now I think its too muddy.  I'm so frustrated with myself!!!  How do you save muddy?  Paint over it?  Highlight it?  Grrrrr...  I'm sure I'll work it out.  

That's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.
Steve Jobs