Random Goodness

Could Spring be coming?

The March Art Journal Challenge at Ning

A thank you pic from a postcard recipient ... 

A video I like from ItsAWorkofArt (This is not my vid ;)

Journal Spilling Book Review

I almost forgot ... (blood is shunting to my ankle). Hanna has reviewed JS, you can find the review here. Hanna does a lot of great stuff on her blog, mixed media, sewing, JOURNALING! She's a blast, go have a look. Many thanks to her and to SCJ (loyal blog buddy) for the nudge.

Interview ... and other stuff

Sunday night. Magical in-between time. Catch up on laundry, watch a movie, read a magazine. Lay on the sofa stuffed with advil with my foot on a pillow.  Why, you ask?

Friday night was Wings & Beer night for Jon and I. We can't go more than two weeks without our fix. The best wings outside of Buffalo just happen to be at our local pub which also serves up a great selection of microbrew beer. What could be better? Loaded up with carbs and fat seems a good way to start a weekend.

At our favorite destination, I hop out of the car enthusiastically (yay!) and step right onto an icey bit of pavement with my ankle and foot out of alignment. Lying in a snowbank yelling "Ow" (only a bit more colorfully) is not the way to start a weekend. Needless to say, when I regained my senses and Jon pulled me to my foot, I hobbled directly into the pub, ordered a beer (wheat beer + strawberry = yummy) and requested one ice pack. No need for advil, as I'd been hitting that bottle pretty hard (snow+53 years old=hurtin' back and shoulders). It was an Olympic event! Speed Skating + Downhill = Diana at Union Jack's in a big dirty pile o'snow. Is that a di-athalon?

So it was very nice today to hear from Julie Murray that she had posted up an interview with yours truly, the Olympian. You can find it here. Many thanks to Julie for asking me some good questions! I enjoyed answering them. Sarah Anderson of The Art of Moodling has some pics posted here from a playdate with friends. They used Journal Spilling as a jumping off point and they sure jumped off. What fun. I get a huge kick from seeing how much fun people are having with JS, it just makes me smile inside and out. Many thanks to these two talented artists. I enjoy their work and blogs and am honored.

Jane LaFazio's DVD Giveaway

Red Alert! Jane LaFazio is giving away a copy of Small Art Quilt DVD on her blog. Hurry on over. Nothin' like a giveaway.

My Journaling Workshop Journals for Sale

I love Stonehenge paper. It is smooth, heavy and takes all kinds of media. I've tried to find the Stonehenge journal for my students. I had one a few years ago, but I guess they don't make them anymore. 

I decided to make some basic black journals with Stonehenge paper myself and just listed them in my Etsy shop. The covers an interior are nice and neutral so you can feel free to gussy your journal up as much as you like or leave it minimal (or anywhere in between). I am thinking a square white stick with Composition Book

Name ______________

would be pretty cool.

One of the other books I like to use is the widely-available Moleskine Sketchbook. It has thick creamy paper and used to take watercolor. The most recent Moleskine seems to have a waxy finish on the paper (too much sizing?) and is not taking the water media the way it used to. If you have already purchased a Sketchbook Moleskine, no worries. If you put a light coat of gesso on the paper, it will work fine. 

Working Together

Got some great book ideas in the comments on the last post. Thanks! I got a copy of Time Management from the Inside Out, Julie Morgenstern from the library today. I loved her Organizing from the Inside Out and this looks good too. I ordered this planner. Ha! See what happens to the criminally disorderly? They get the sale price!

7 Habits looks like a winner as well and i know the library has it. Now I just need Stewie to come around and make me read these books so I can get back to the good stuff, like "Smelling the Flowers".

Of course, the tug to read Nature Inspired by Tracie Lynn Huskamp, is might strong. It's  a lovely book, full of ideas, techniques and projects. More about that and Tracie and her book later!

Right or Left?

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (15) Right Brain Dominance: (16) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Ha. Big surprise here.
I'm criminally disorganized and do you think that it may be a metaphor that my favorite art techniques involve resists?

Anyone have a suggestion on a good website or book for learning how to manage time? I'm thinking about Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern.

Postcard Swap

Here's a video outlining the project I did for iHanna's 2010 postcard swap.

I started with 16 rectangles, 6"x4" from cast-off cardboard (cereal boxes, a calendar). Each piece was  gessoed, then it was all put back together. The design was drawn with a piece of charcoal into wet gesso. When it was dry, I put a wash of blue over it and let it dry again. Next up, the shapes and lines were painted in and after that was dry, all of the pieces were cut apart again.

My idea was to create a whole painting from pieces. I wrote "connected" on the front of each card and then on the back it says "You are one piece of a whole." Each card is numbered: #1 of 16 and etc. It was a good way to push myself to work larger and I liked the idea of being a piece of a whole.

I am currently lying on the sofa with ice on my back. Too much snow around here; we've had 30" of the white stuff in under a week. Good weekend, all. Hopefully I'll be all repaired by tomorrow.

Snow Blind and a break

Hey to all of you from winter wonderland. We still have piles of snow here, deposited last Friday to Saturday and here we go again. We're expecting another 18" (some of it ice). Eeeks! I did get to make my journal (above and below) via Comfortable Shoes (at Ning) on line class and it was a great experience. I'm not a beginner bookbinder but there was enough content here to keep me interested. I'll be making another in the Snow Time. I'm working on a project right now that I'll share with you shortly. But for the moment, I'll  take a few days off, dig out and settle into my studio and get some artwork started! I started working in my new journal ....

Comment Conversation

Oh man! I love reading your comments. You all are so great: honest, real and funny! Here are some responses. Do you read the comments? There is some great stuff in there.

For you folks who are worrying that Stewie will get the upper hand in my time organization project, don't. I'm progressing slowly. I made a list of things I do each week such as blog, paint, sew, class prep, paint ;).

I've made up an index card for each task. In some cases, I've made up more than one card - as many cards as I want/need to do that task in a week. I'm not sure what to do next, though. A big board? A really big board? As to my lending Stewie out ... embrace your own inner Stewie (he's the guy with the pocket protector).

To Anon. in Pittsburgh. No plans to teach in your 'hood this year but would be happy to travel your way! I've got some great classes and venues coming up (more info to follow on VA, CA, CT and WA)

To Mary and others who are have trouble getting started lately: Yeah, me too. Do you have any ways that get you moving? I like to do simple rhythmic crafts. Right now, handsewing is very good. Papercutting is very good. Anything to keep me moving forward. Still making little felt hearts. Best of all? Just painting papers. Splashing around some watercolors, drawing designs on them with pencil.

What do you do? Share it with us.

Random Art Journal Video

Trying to escape into my imaginary world. Real world keeps barging in these days.

Flag Books for Art & Soul, Hampton

My Journal Spilling Watercolor workshop is full :(
BUT!
there are spaces available in my Flag Books Workshop. This class is a romp into the world of messy colorful paper. I don't limit spilling to my journal classes!

Innards (we're makin' paste paper!)

Outside, yep, the spine gets some treatment too!

Studio Redo, part 2

In my new (PapaSan from Pier I) chair. I feel very happy.

Here is an idea I wanted to share with you. I had a stack of cigar boxes not being used. I glued a sawtooth hook on the back and voila! a display case. I did the same with a Clementine crate.

(more) Small Books and Flip Books

I wish you could all come over for an art night. Do you have any organizing ideas from your studio?

Studio Redo

Welcome to my new studio.

Below is a shot from the classroom into the hallway with a little glimpse of my studio side.

What an amazing difference a coat of paint makes! Of course, it was hard to get to the walls in my studio there was so much trash in the way.

I'm extremely lucky to have great studio space on my third floor: a classroom, a studio and a bathroom. In a massive effort over the summer, a load of trash got cleared and I've been picking away at it since then. With my daughter home for a couple of months, I've put her to work with a paint brush. The entry is now a cheery periwinkle with fresh pear-green trim. The classroom is the inside of a juicy apricot. My studio space is still sorta white. Which I thought I'd like but am not diggin' at all. I think I need to be cocooned in color.

What did I clear?

Stuff that was given to me (awfully hard to refuse free stuff) that I'd never properly sorted.
Odd assortment of found objects that I loved and saw great potential in but just am not using.
Some things were donated, some are taking up space in the landfill.

The curtains on the landing were recycled straight out of my fabric stash. The skeletons were made ages ago by my kids and I for Halloween. The little chest was brought home from my husband and sitting atop it is a very funny fabric bird made by my friend, Susan. It is so good to be able to see and enjoy these things.

Alisa Burke video

Painter, Alisa Burke, has a video up at her blog that you really must go watch. First of all, watching someone painting always mesmerizes me, and then ... well I won't spoil it for you. Take a look.

2 from Alisa Burke on Vimeo.

Patchwork Japanese Craft Book

Am making an attempt to blog with Inca on my lap. It's a little dicey. We have given him a middle name: "Poop In Your Box." Apparently he is stressed out despite the pheromone spray, special kitty litter and oodles of love and attention. Sigh.

Anyway, on to a more pleasant topic. This is my absolute favorite Japanese craft book. I imagine it's called Patchwork Something Or Other. I love this book so much, just about every page has nibble marks and I never let anyone borrow it. It is chock full of inspiration. I know this is a load of pics but I really wanted to show you as much as possible!

Oh! The color!

Oooo. The patterns!

Can you even imagine getting a gift wrapped like this?

What could be in these pouches? 

Swoon. I love the grays with the red and oranges. Oh Bliss.

Enough of this drooling. Pick a picture and make a journal page! Yes, that is what I'm gonna do. Which is your favorite picture here? Do you LOVE this book as much as I do.

ISBN: 4 579 10963-5