A morning with eagles

I felt the urge to go take some photos yesterday. There is a local lake that is close to a power plant. The air is cold and the water is warm, so it makes for some great photography. Bald eagles nest there and some days are better than others for taking pictures of them. Yesterday was a good day.

Enjoy a glimpse of my afternoon!

Finally posting some of the inside pages of the Baby Shower book! I am working on a new one today. I will be taking photos of the process and posting instructions on my next post! Come back and see me!

Ava's Baby Shower Book

I had made a friend a baby photo book for a gift and she liked it so much, she asked me to make one for her sister who was also expecting! She then asked me to make a little book for the baby shower. I had received a wonderful handmade sketchbook as a gift earlier in the year, and had been looking to make my own book. I looked it over and researched coptic stitch bookbinding and gave it a try. I think my stitching didn't turn out exactly like it was supposed to, but I do know it won't fall apart. I used Tim Holtz's distressed grunge chipboard for the cover, mostly because it was the right size. In the future I will be using mat board cut to the size I am needing. I used watercolor paper on the inside and covered it in scrapbook paper and made all kinds of pockets, little cards and places for notes. I definitely will be making more.

My latest obsession

Just snatching a few moments every day to be creative can be difficult. Lately, I have had to figure out how to stay in the creative mode when it is not feasible to sit down with a paint brush in hand. Looking for inspiration one day, I found the zentangle website and blog. While zen is not my thing, I had found that I really enjoy Rick and Maria's newsletter and blog, and I love the travel-bility of this art form. I can sit in my car in the pick up line at school or in the doctor's office or where ever. I love the fact that I can lose myself in what I am doing and loosen up as well. It is just for me and until today, no one has seen any but my family! A title to a song, a photo in a magazine, there are no limits. I am currently using a Moleskine notebook, but am about to have to move to something larger, either that or go get new glasses!

A Mini Break from my currently crazy world

Long time, no see!! Next Friday the football program will be at the printer and I will be able to breathe again, not to mention fold a mountain of laundry! It has been a great experience and I have been really able to improve my design skills, plus get much more familiar with Illustrator.

We ordered CS5 and I can't wait to use it. I have done the whole football program using CS, and while probably not as effective as CS5 it is much more familiar!

I have also been dying to pick up a paintbrush again as well... I have a canvas all prepared, lots of texture and gessoed, ready to go... but no ideas what to put on it!

Ballet, Birthdays & Football

I am thinking I have totally lost it... a fly just landed on my computer screened and I tried to shoo it off with my pointer! That give you any ideas of how crazy my life has been lately? Since my last post, we have had both girls birthday parties, a ballet recital and my son's spring football scrimmage! Not got a lot of paint on anything, but I have tons of photos! I am going to be taking the football team pictures of all the away games from the sidelines and designing their programs to be sold at all the home games! I am very excited about that! The ballet recital was lovely, all those months work for a ninety second song, but she did a great job!

One of my favorite blogs...

I have been a big fan of Rachel Awes blog, All i did was listen for some time now. It is one of the blogs I check everyday just to see if there is something new Rachel has to say! Well, today Rachel is having a giveaway that I couldn't be more excited about! I would suggest you check out her blog and add it to your list! She also has a Facebook fan page so you can take Rachel and her lovely thoughts on life almost everywhere you go on the internet! :) I promise you will become a big fan too!

Background Papers

Well, a pretty good indicator that I will get sick is either I start a project I'm really excited about or if I start exercising... well, I was foolish enough to start both in the same week. Now I am playing catch up with the Artistic Mother group. Thank goodness, it is the most enjoyable form of catch up I can think of (as opposed to housework!) I am posting pictures of the background papers I have completed so far! I tried some new techniques, made some monoprints, and messed around with some old calendar photos! On to create the second half!

The Artistic Mother

Yesterday I joined Trudy Callan's Artistic Mother's Art Group! Looking forward to participating and learning to find a little bit more balance between being a mom and being a creative person! I usually just alternate days!! It is based on "The Artistic Mother" by Shona Cole. Her blog is fantastic also!! Click on the Artistic Mother button on the right to view Trudy's blog and check out the other mom's participating!

Pears & Such

I finished my pear painting today. I am thinking that the angels may have to take the backseat for a while. I guess that is the beauty of challenging yourself to something. Changing your mind is always an option!! I think I may be entering a fruit phase now or may wake up with a new idea tomorrow. Today I plan on setting up a still life for my next painting and shoot my photos. I already have my canvas prepared, so I may get to start painting tomorrow. After I take my son to take his driving test. Eek! May need to paint to handle the stress of him being out on the road alone in the near future!

I have been busy despite my lack of posting!! I really spent a lot

of time getting to know other blogger's during Lisa's One World,

One Heart event! I was blessed enough to win a few things from very talented artists and the first of my prizes arrived last week!

Lovely earrings from Colleen, and today, a too cool, handmade sketchbook arrived from Gail in Australia.

Also, I was the lucky winner of a tile from Aimee from a giveaway she had a couple of weeks ago! I am a big fan of hers, so that was pretty exciting! Trying to decide what to do with it has been pretty fun! I have a few ideas and will get busy over the next couple of days. I will post a picture when that is completed!

As far as art goes, it's been more about learning from failure than success lately! I have painted over several canvases... and spent quite a few hours knitting.

Angel #5

A little bit of fun over Christmas lead to these angels. I think the background is a little busy and competes with the rest of the imagery. Definitely a learning experience! I find the blue angel a little more to my liking as far as the overall feel, but I don't like her face as much.

“No other artist sees the world exactly as you do or feels what you feel—that story is yours alone to tell, when you become vulnerable enough to paint what’s inside of you, that other dimension starts to come through in your work.” -

Nancy Guzik

Being vulnerable, such a difficult concept for me in life and in

art. It is one of my goals for 2010. My other goals? Doing art every day, reducing my fabric and yarn stash (one way or another), getting rid of clutter EVERYWHERE and beginning an art

journal!

Moleskin Giveaway

I should have more angel pictures to post tomorrow or Tuesday, but I wanted to let you know about the giveaway on Cecilia's blog. You have until midnight to enter her moleskin giveaway and check out her blog!

It's been a while since I have worked in pastel,

and this one really took a long time. I reworked it several times and finished or not, I am ready to move on.

Something to think about...

I am slowly finishing my next angel in my series... it is a pastel this time. I am anticipating having it finished by tomorrow afternoon at the latest.

I think my next angel may have to do with the website I posted, a project by the Holocaust Museum Houston. It should be a fun challenge and something I can give. I actually can't wait to finish this current angel so I can start on the Butterfly! I hope that it's going to always be this easy to find my next "new" way to paint the same thing, but I doubt it. We'll see how I feel about it when I get to the 40's and 50's in the series!

We finally have some sun and I am able to get better pictures of my latest pieces. Hopefully, a little truer to actual color.

I am blessed to be married to my own art instructor/critic/encourager. Clay pointed out that my sketch needed more contrast in some areas and to push back details in others. After making adjustments he suggested, I like the sketch better!

Angel Sketch

I decided to do a sketch for my fourth angel in my series. It was a learning experience as I usually don't do many detailed sketches. It really forced me to pay attention to value.

Aha Moment

I have finally had my "Aha!" moment, although in a few months or weeks I may be questioning my sanity. I have been searching for inspiration and focus in my art and after reading the October issue of Watercolor Artist, I have decided to begin a series based on angels. Specifically, on two angel Christmas ornaments I picked up last year. I have already two paintings done to begin with and have just completed the third. I plan on doing 100 pieces, hoping to stretch myself creatively. If you want to join in this challenge with me, just post a link in the comment section.

Whether you do 5, 10, 50 or 100, challenge yourself!

Rainy Days and Cookies

It seems that some rainy days are just cookie making days! The house is full of the scent of molasses and ginger! We are forecast to get 3-6 inches of rain today! Wow! We may float away! I would usually use a day like this for painting or creating something (in reality, probably reading a book), but I am in the 4th day home with a sick kiddo. She is recovering finally and ready for entertainment. That would be me!

Here is my recipe for when you are in the mood for some yummy Oatmeal Molasses Cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1/2 C shortening

1/2 C sugar

Cream together until fluffy.

Add:

2 eggs

1/2 unsulphured molasses

Mix together in a seperate bowl:

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp

Add to molasses mixure and mix well.

Stir in:

1 1/2 C quick oats, uncooked

1 C raisins

1 C chopped nuts

Place in heaping teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool for 2 minutes and move to a wire rack until cool.

Enjoy!