Hub Bub

New Blog Is UP!

2011-05-24T18:31:00.000-04:00

Go Here! For my newly-designed, beautiful Typepad blog. Yeah! Everything is transferred, my first post is up and I'm drinkin' a beer! Get on over there and comment, link, favorite, share and help me spread the words. Thanks, loyal readers! sniff, sniff, I love you guys!

Full of Promise

2011-05-21T05:00:00.000-04:00

You Are ...

My Fabulous Sisters

2011-05-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, I bought three journals. One for myself and each of my two sisters. We have been (with great pauses in between) writing in them and sending them on. They all just landed on my doorstep.

An inside look at them and us together. It is not something that has a deadline. It is just us being us. Together across the country.

Time again

2011-05-18T16:37:00.001-04:00

Reading Rice Zachary Freeman's book, Creative Time and Space... what does time look like to you?

Plenty of Time

2011-05-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

Slowing down because I've decided to embrace the idea that time is plentiful and there is more than enough. While taking Jude Hill's class this winter, a need for a new bathroom curtain cropped up. An old linen tablecloth was found in the stash. Strips were ripped and woven into the tablecloth and now begins the pleasure of handstitching every strip into place. Doodling and mending with needle and thread, handling the cloth. Some may say laborious. It's all a matter of perspective.

Teddy likes this.

I'm deep into cracking the code over on Typepad. I'll try to keep to my usual blogging schedule in the meantime. Soon, hopefully, I'll be moving.

Tape! Nudge 28

2011-05-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

Get out your tape! I found a page from a previous Nudge that had been gesso'd and portfolio'd and added some sketches I made with washi tape from Pretty Tape over at Etsy. The washi tape is translucent, so I added a couple of layers. You could use any kind of tape: masking, duct, paper, fabric. Glued-up strips of paper. Use it as a stencil or a fastener. Use it as a tab.
Have some sticky fun!

Art Journaling This Saturday

2011-05-11T14:46:00.000-04:00

Quick New Flash! I'll be teaching a 1 1/2 hour Art Journaling workshop at Abington Art Center, this Saturday, May 14, 10:30 am - 12 pm. Bring a journal, everything else will be supplied. This is such a great deal! $20 bucks! It doesn't get cheaper than that folks and we'll have plenty of fun.

Here's the link

Hope to see you there!

Business for Artists

2011-05-09T16:55:00.000-04:00

You want to have make money from your artistic talents? Most of the time, folks will tell you (often right as you are graduating with that BFA in hand): "That a a couple bucks will buy you a cup of joe." Yeah, thanks a lot.

The words "business" and "plan" are not easily uttered by artists. I've done (partial) business plans at least twice. Ugh. Then I heard Jennifer Lee, author of The Right Brained Business Plan on a podcast. She said some of the big-bad business plan words like: demographics, target market and market size and then spoke about pulling off a plan using visual aids. Yeah, I'm all over that one.

I got Lee's book after looking it over really carefully. My first reaction was that the visuals were a bit cartoon-y but pretty quickly saw that this was a selling point for me, it opened me up. There are other good books on the market right now. The Creative Entrepreneur has gotten good reviews. Poke around on Amazon.

I got out my gel pens, my markers, scissors and glue stick and have actually made inroads in my plan. Forecasting? Yeah, baby! Jennifer actually explains to you how to do the research for finding your target market, etc. Oh Joy! I don't feel like an idiot.

Jennifer also suggested the Levenger Circa notebook. Levenger licenses the disc and hole punch technology from Rollabind and if you are a binder person, you will love it. Some of the tools (such as the hefty hole punch, which is all you REALLY need) are cheaper over at the Rollabind site.

If you want to make money at your artwork, you want an art business and if you want an art business, you need a plan. Start slowly. Artists deserve to make a living; to make a life from their art. Dag-nab-it! You are not "selling out" if you do so.

June 2012, Italy!

2011-05-06T23:45:00.000-04:00

Here is the video from Maggie's B and B where I stayed, just outside of Fabriano.

I spent some very happy moments on Maggie's terrace, sipping wine or cappucino (time appropriate) and making art or writing. I made my Italy-drenched paper here. The countryside was beautiful.

Plans are in the works for holding a week long retreat in Fabriano next June (2012). Watch here for updates. OMG! This area of Italy is too beautiful not to share!

Here is a picture of Susan (who invited me to Paradise) and I on Maggie's terrace on my first night.

Enticing, isn't it? Start saving you pennies, euros or pounds!

Creating a Journal Page

2011-05-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

New video up ... Sneak peak into Inner Circle Journal. Have a great weekend everyone! It is deliciously warm and sunny here.

Canio

2011-05-05T17:13:00.000-04:00

Do you keep a pen and paper by your bed? It's very handy. I started doodling this thinking it was me in a fun hat and then ... it was Canio! Oh my gosh. Wait a minute ... am I CANIO? That big circle on the left is not supposed to be an ear, by the way.

Embroidery Journal, again

2011-05-04T21:51:00.000-04:00

Here is the spine of the Embroidery Journal. I'm using buttons when I sew the signatures in. Yep. This might just take me the rest of my life and you know what? That's ok. It's like a perennial garden. You have to be patient till the plants take hold and start to grow.

I think the inspiration originally came from this book, Fabric Art Journals by Pam Sussman. It's an older book but good instruction and loads of ideas. Amazon isn't carrying it but you can get a used copy for about $18.00. Hedgehog pincushion not included. I'm generally not so frou-frou-y but there is good basic instruction in this book. Embellish as desired.

Embroidery Journal

2011-05-02T19:32:00.000-04:00

A journal I made a couple of years ago from an old men's wool jacket (thrown in the washer on hot and felted up a bit.) Needle felted circles and some embroidery.

The interior is (very) slowly being filled with samples and practice embroidery stitches.

Got stitch?

Nudge 27, Stitch

2011-04-28T18:16:00.000-04:00

Ok OK! I got the emails. Here's Nudge 27 ... Stitch. In your journal, on your pants, a tiny corner of a blanket, on your lawn chair. Take a few stitches. Don't know how? What!? Hate it? Aw, come on. When was the last time you sewed anything? You have a mending kit somewhere.

Capisco Niente is a handy all-purpose phrase I learned before I went to Italy. It means "I understand nothing." So true on so many levels. It made me laugh and most of the Italians I used it on laughed with me. I may embroider that on a t-shirt.

Something cool happens when you stitch in your journal:

Yeah. I often like the back of the page more than the front. But you could always glue something on top of it.

Use embroidery floss - all six strands - when stitching on paper. Poke your sewing holes first with an awl or thumbtack and make sure that your needle goes through the holes comfortably. It's way to hard on your hands to try to stitch without the holes.

The Italian Clown

2011-04-27T14:25:00.000-04:00

A story, more than a post. I needed to ramble and let this roll around in my mind. You may want a cuppa for this one.

I was finally on the last leg of my journey from Glenside, PA to Fabriano, Italy. The first gusts of Italy were just swaying my hair and I had a pizza margherita and grapes wrapped in paper for my train journey from Rome to Fabriano. Navigating Termini in Rome was not so hard for a city girl from Philly and the right train was waiting for me.

I found a seat, smiling and buon giorno-ing the older woman who sat opposite with her ticket on the small shelf under the window. Just as the train began to make its creaking sounds that assure you that shortly you'll be underway, the train door opened and striding on board was a young man. Tall and dark and untidy as young men can be. The burst stirred Madame's ticket which flew from it's perch and the young man, graceful as a dance, swooped down to retrieve it and settle it back with a gentle unhurried smile and pardone.

His backpack flew up to the rack above and he smiled and asked me, in English - how did he know? - if he could put mine up as well. Grazie. There was no way I could have gotten that bag to the rack without standing on my toes on the train seat after eating spinach, Pop-Eye style, for a couple of weeks. Up it went.

There were seven of us seated on the train.

Canio is the lead role in the Italian opera, Pagliaccio (The Clowsn)

The young man (I'll call him Canio) and older woman began speaking rapid Italian. Soon, the other four Italian passengers were engaged. I assumed that they were perhaps all from the same small town. I was smiling quite stupidly out the window, enjoying the lyrical sounds of their language, as they chatted and chortled, and the passing scenery.

A grove of cypress trees.

Canio's hair is shoulder length, a mass of curls, a rich nearly-coffee, brown, pulled back with a navy blue hairband. His mother's heart would brim at the sight of her beautiful boy. And that is what he is. Not handsome, not "hot." He is beautiful in the same non-sexual way that a painting or the Italian countryside might be. His eyes, slanting downward at the outside edges, are almost black. Despite the mournful shape, they are not sad. They are deep and you can see his soul there. His skin-tone is Mid-Eastern dark. His face is a long oval, full lower lip and sharp points on the upper lip. His nose is long and straight but in no way sharp. There is a soft roundness at the end of his nose, though his nostrils flare out. There are no angles at all to him. Rather a gentle bulkiness.

In between, Canio translated some of what was being said for my benefit and seamlessly brought me into the circle. I made friends. The older woman wanted to know where I was going and where I was from. And, of course, I wanted the same. We shared and, I think, that my appreciation of what was passing out the window and through our part of the train was indeed "Bella Italia." Beautiful Italy. It translates nicely. Sometimes, you don't need language.

There is something magical about that young man. He is from Milano. He is a clown. He works at the hospital and saves his euro so that he can travel and work with needy children. He'd just returned from Africa where he clowned and before that, India. His eyes and posture reveal a soul filled with magic and kindness. He created a small community there on our train. Not focused on himself but focused on community.

I drew him later, quickly, in my sketchbook. My sketchbook was in the bag that blew up on the rack. I wouldn't have drawn him anyway right then. I was too much in the moment and that moment was given to a kind of gentle crackling that involved my concentration fiercely. Better to draw later - my impression of that moment.

Canio got off the train before me and, as promised, delivered my bag effortlessly at my feet and then, with another gust, was gone. The moment over. The new friends I'd met made certain that I got off at the correct stop and wish me a safe and happy visit.

Yes, the trip certainly started on a magical note. I need to explore Canio's face further, so will probably make more sketches and watercolors along the line. But this is a good beginning

So much of what I saw and experienced in Italy was quickly captured in my sketchbook. I feel it may be months before I've extracted all of it.

Thank you for your well wishes on my tendonitis. It feels somewhat better. I recommend a brace!

Congratulations and Thank You

2011-04-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Connie (of Colorada) and Hannah (in the UK) for winning the birthday giveaway. Thank you all so much for you comments and good wishes. It was so nice to hear from so many of you! You really made my day.

The tendonitis (always present) in my elbow has just exploded over the last couple of days. I'll be resting it up a bit and keeping a low-ish :) profile while I let it heal. Dang, this drives me nuts! But am holed up with good books: A Visit from the Goon Squad; Jennifer Egan and Creative Time and Space; Rice Zachary Freeman. Also lurking around is The New Crewel by Katherine Shaughnessy - but it is perhaps filled with too much inspiration and would make me yearn to stitch!

In the meantime ... I love this photo:

An olive grove near Assissi. Doesn't it look like a beautiful ballet?

Off to ice and ibuprofen.

Evidence

2011-04-21T16:28:00.000-04:00

Beautiful found paper. I was caught in the act of peeling old posters from a wall.

Exotic ephemera opened my eyes again.

And the olive crackers were very delicious.

Congratulations to Connie of Colorado and Hannah in the UK for the Birthday Giveaway!

Italy Journal, A Pear Shaped House

2011-04-19T18:18:00.000-04:00

My watercolor moleskine journal came back nearly full of sketches, ideas and words. Working with it to further develop the fertile seeds of ideas is part of the fun.

Double Nickels Birthday Giveaway!

2011-04-18T04:32:00.006-04:00

Dear Readers, It is time for

the double nickels Birthday GIVEAWAY

As a big thank you! to all of you for reading, commenting and making art, and in view of my 55th birthday (April 18, 1956 - yikes), it is just the right time for a giveaway. In fact a double giveaway.

Here's the what ... I an giving away one copy of each

Journal Spilling and Playful Paper Backgrounds (the DVD)

I love you guys, sniff-sniff

Here's the how ... Leave a comment and tell me which you'd like: the book or the DVD. I'll pick two folks: one for each.

I was pretty durned excited the other night to be tagged on Facebook by Jenny Doh of Crescendoh. She reviewed Journal Spilling! Here is the review (and I wouldn't be sharing if it was unfavorable). When I posted this fab bit of news on Facebook, someone commented that she had just returned from teaching her first art journaling class and that Journal Spilling was her inspiration. It doesn't get any better than that. Really. So thank you. Comment away.

I love you guys, sniff-sniff

Edit: I closed comments on April 19. Will pick the winners on the weekend!

Fabriano

2011-04-17T16:21:00.000-04:00

The Italy sketchbook came home nearly full. There was much to record visually and so much to write about. And so, I begin to work within it and juice every memory I can.

Color and shape were simply addressed. Over the next few weeks, these sketches will be plumped up a bit and added to. I see many future artworks on these pages.

The painted paper used as the background in these photos has a story.

One peaceful morning, I took the paper to the terrace at Fonte Fresco and splashed paint on it. Then dabbed my teabag onto it. I let it dry in the hot sun then took it into the garden. I rubbed a crayon on it, picking up the texture of the rocky soil beneath.

It blew away once and I chased it down and rubbed it into the dirt. A leaf from an olive tree felt on it and I traced around the leaf. Delilah, the kitty walked over it. Another leaf blew down and I rubbed it into the paper, it's brilliant green color lending both a scent and a series of smudges. I drew and wrote on the paper and splashed it with Pellegrino. I stamped and rubbed it onto the rocks to soften the paper.

This paper has been embued with Italy.

Post from Fabriano Italia

2011-04-12T07:29:00.000-04:00

Is this heaven. Si. Here I am with Maggie (L) and Susan (middle). We are in Vallemontagnana in the mountains above Fabriano (valley mountain, si?). Maggie's elegant and very comfortable bed and breakfast is here. It is an extremely happy place. A golden eagle flew overhead on my first evening here and then today, as I was leaving, it flew again as if to say goodbye. Bella.

Susan is my host. She is here for six months on sabbatical and has been so generous to have me here and take such good care of me. We are having many art moments and loads of fun. Perhaps some of the hilarity was provided by the farmer and his wife (below with Maggie). They make the most delicious wine in their tiny cellar from grapes that they've grown on the hillsides below. She is bellisimo.

One little bit of a meal at the extraordinary Marchesse del Grillo. The chef, Serena, has invited me to bring a future class of students to her restaurant which is also an olive grove and garden to have a lesson! I love Serena. She is young and a true visionary. More of the meal later. This was a sausage and liver tarte with a lovely bit of lemon in the crust.

I am off to Assisi soon for two nights. Then Roma before arrivaderci.

xo xo (that is a hug and kiss on each cheek, Italian-style).
Diana

Packing for Italia

2011-04-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

Off to Italy tomorrow and the best bit of packing in underway: my art supplies.

I was all set to carry one type of journal with me but then I saw Carole Loeffler's watercolor Moleskine the other night at a meeting and remembered: yes. This is the perfect journal, slim with wonderful paper.

My portable watercolor palette with a couple of brushes. I'm still debating on the caran d'ache as they are not absolutely necessary but lovely to use. It is always a question: what to bring and what to leave at home. Have you ever, really?, badly wished for something that you've left at home?

My tools fit neatly into this zip case. The case is plastic lined and opens nicely so that I can see what I'm looking for. Derwent Inktense pencils are coming along as well. I couldn't leave those behind. But just a selection! Also the Derwent Watersoluble sketching pencils. I love those. I found a Micron pen in Sepia the other day in my favorite sketching size, which is thick - .5 - but is juicy and nice to write with as well.

I'm packing a set of vintage book covers. I will make these into a portfolio and fill it with a selection of italian papers. I like the variety in size and weights, etc. The Museo della Carta has a wide range of beautiful papers and I'll be able to use their studio to create this very simple container. It will be quite an honor to work there and get a feel for this well-loved museum where the watermark was invented in the mid-19th century.

A presto, mi cara amicas.
(see you soon, my dear friends)

I hope to get in a post or two while away. If not, I will be back with stories and drawings. Fully re-energized and inspired.

Frittering

2011-04-03T12:59:00.000-04:00

Frittering my life away - or at least my Saturday night.

Frittering: To spend, bit by bit, on trifles
To break into small fragments
First known use: 1728
"whittle away," 1728, from fritters "fragment or shred," possibly from a noun sense, but this is not recorded as early as the verb; perhaps an alteration of 16c. fitters "fragments or pieces," perhaps ultimately from O.Fr. fraiture "a breaking," from L. fractura. Or perhaps from a Germanic source : rags)

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify." Henry David Thoreau

On the other hand, Nietzche: "I feel as though I've frittered my life away for what else is there to do with a life?"

My carry along journal for Italy. Variety of papers, Rollabind(ed?, bound?)

Nudge 25, Do One Thing

2011-03-31T15:46:00.000-04:00

How many times a day do you say "I should do THAT." Last night:

And then, there was a piece of woven paper hanging around, not doing much of anything.

Do One Thing.

Buon Giorno Italia, again

2011-03-28T17:40:00.000-04:00

From my first trip to Rome where Jon and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary

Oh yes, indeed. I'm dusting off my Italian phrase book! This is one excited woman here and talk about synchronicity! About a year ago, I was invited to teach in Tuscany and for one reason and then another, couldn't do it this year.

A few months ago, I met a new frienc. Susan is an art teacher taking a year's sabbatical in Fabriano, Italy. Susan and I hooked up, bonded and she invited me over to visit. Wierd, right? I guess it was in the universal plan to go to Italy this year.

Traveling light, we were there for five glorious days

Part of the time, the charming bed and breakfast Fonte Fresco will be my home base. In the mountains, just outside of Fabriano, there will be time, peace and opportunity to draw, sketch, walk and breath. The pictures are absolutely amazing. And the price! Yikes, it is really affordable. Wouldn't this be an excellent place to hold a week-long workshop?

Sketch time was at a premium. So I worked quick and loose, concentrating on color. This was our anniversary evening and the waiter wrote something in my book. Which I cannot read and he wouldn't translate.

The other part of the time will be spent in the ancient walled city of Fabriano, exploring the Museo della Carta (papermaking museum) and the art of the city. Yes, I will be in heaven.

Pimping Out My Daytimer

2011-03-27T20:29:00.000-04:00

I had a dull black daytimer until Academy Awards Night. Every year, it's the same question: what to do on the big night between looking at the dresses (and OK, Colin Firth). I also enjoy the speeches about how the stars owe their fame to their moms. Yeah, I'm a sucker.

This year, Hannah Andersson of iHanna inspired me to pimp out my daytimer with this post.

With Daytimer, papers, stickers and paint in hand (and a box of tissues for the mommy speeches), I had myself a nice night.

I stuck a bit of tape to a paperclip to mark the current week but look at this cute bow-topped paperclip from How About Orange. You could definitely riff on that idea. More paint will be added to the front of the book at some point and the fake leather took the acrylics very well after a couple of coats of gesso.

The good news is that I like using my Daytimer more now. I took out all of the pages that never get used, such as the address book section and added sections with fun tabs :) that are useful, such as the ephemeral ideas that float through my mind on blogging and workshop ideas. It is much more fun to use and makes sense.

Tomorrow, I promise to post about Italy. This just seemed like a good Sunday night, back-to-work tomorrow post. It's a darn good weekend project and now you have all week to think about it.

Inner Circle Journal Online Class

2011-03-25T17:46:00.000-04:00

It's coming! As soon as I get back from Italy. What's that? I didn't tell you about Italy? I'll tell you soon. In the meantime, here is a YouTube video describing the Inner Circle Journal online class with a little sneak peek of what's to come.

I forgot to mention the gesso (or white paint) and the gel medium on the vid but it's all listed in the supply list. This is going to be an excellent class, one that I've wanted to teach for awhile now. The online versions means that it will be a more organic style of teaching: more playing around and experimentation, more creative ideas and more response to you, my students.

The full description and supply list is here. I hope you'll join me.

Containers; Nudge 25

2011-03-24T07:50:00.002-04:00

It started with this ...

Women-Vessels

and now, everything seems to be a container.

Citizen Container

Mystery containers

Story Containers

Flotsam and Jetsam containers

I've blogged over at Sketchbook Challenge here today about more containers. Sketchboxes.

First Day of Spring

2011-03-21T13:36:00.000-04:00

And I'm sick. Arrgh. But I'm quite sure that spring is coming despite my inability to do anything but lie (lay?) on the sofa watching Harry Potter movies. Recently spotted the best billboard ever in Mt. Airy:

Happy Spring! If you haven't seen the exceptionally huge moon, check it out tonight. It would be fun to record it waning for the next weeks ... . As soon as I'm feeling better.

Nudge 24, Pattern Spilling

2011-03-16T19:00:00.000-04:00

This week's Nudge is inspired by Jamie Fingal's theme for March over at the Sketchbook Challenge, Spilling. Ya'll know how much I love to spill.

Here's what I did: spilled buttons, coins, sticks, toothpicks, small stones. Pasta could be fun or small stones. How about rubber bands. Think about spilling items that are somewhat uniform in size and shape. And no arranging! I spilled on a contrasting background for my photo shoot so that the items would stand out sharply.

What I'm looking for is the shape of the items and the shapes around them. And patterns, of course.

You may want to just print the photos and find interesting areas of them. You may want to crop the photos and then print them.

Could you draw those shapes around the items (negative space)? Just the shapes, don't worry about the placement of the shapes. That way you will have a collection of drawn shapes in your journal for a resource. Look at where the pieces are going out of the range of the photo. More about that later. It gives the viewer a sense that the pattern continues outside of the picture plane.

I could probably spend two months using this as inspiration.

Let's use the comments to share ideas of what you spilled. And of course, upload to Flickr! Enjoy.

cloth and paper

2011-03-15T13:41:00.000-04:00

Since taking Jude Hill's Contemporary Woven Boro online workshop, musings have been winding around in my brain. How similar cloth and paper are. Paper is used and recycled. We take these materials so much for granted and use them with abandon. Paper is used and recycled. Cloth is used and worn and then so easily discarded. These words "used" and "worn" appeal to me.

Using Jude's techniques to mend and reweave an old linen tablecloth for a new bathroom curtain.

Paper is rarely worn, except for a few whimseys in the late 1960's and more recently on Project Runway.

Deep into the process of weaving and stitching cloth in the evenings, I've found myself pondering ways to mend paper, to stitch papers together. The treasure that is torn and yellowed and crumbling and far to brittle to fold. The tape, yellowed with age, that sometimes is the only thing keeping sheets from turning to dust.

Adventures in Contemporary Woven Boro

A cozy woven pillow

Cloth and paper are made in similar fashion. Cloth is threads woven and paper, miraculous paper, begins its life as fibers more or less knitted together in a mush. There is an orderliness about the making of cloth and, seemingly, chaos in making paper. Look closely enough at a sheet of paper (through a microscope) and you'll see the intricate order.

That's it, just musing.

Local Communities

2011-03-12T22:51:00.000-05:00

I still have a crush on Al

The Internet is great, right? It puts us in touch with the international community. We can make friends and get inspiration from all over the world. Beyond my wildest expectations.

It is very good, however, to step out into your own backyard. A couple of weeks ago, MamaCita's Lisa Kelly, Carole Loeffler (who just wrote a really nice post about me and thinks I'm "bad a$$") and I popped in on Mt Airy Art Garage's opening night. MAAG is a local art group that is gaining a footing here in Philadelphia. Here is the article. If you are in the Philly area, take a look at their website (linked in my sidebar). There is a wide variety of artists and artisans from the funky to the very fine. Loads of energy, creativity and you can feel the love.

There must be something in your area as well. Where do you find these communities? Sometimes, you have to create them. At last Sunday's workshop here in my studio, we had two women who live pretty close to each other and met. This is a good start at matchmaking. And I forgot to take pictures ...

While the internet (and Al Gore) are fabulous, meeting peeps IRL is excellent. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to meet like-minded souls in your very own 'hood or start a community? Let's use the comments section as a forum.

Rainy Day

2011-03-10T21:49:00.000-05:00

Rain with a whisper of spring

inspired me today.

What is beneath the surface?

Cheap Watercolors

2011-03-09T18:19:00.000-05:00

On the theme of kid's art, try out inexpensive children's art materials

Susan's Journal

2011-03-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

My friend, Susan Cohen's journal.. I spy fabric, paper,

stripes and a cat.

Tab-by inspiration (haha)

Nudge 23 Good Karma

2011-03-02T22:57:00.000-05:00

Definitely inspired by the boys I've taught in the past and Sam's terrific teeth from this post. I'm gonna tab this page and keep it handy. Teddy and I have both indulged ourselves over the winter (on different foods) and our waistlines are zaftig-ier than desired. I'm thinking instead of eating those foods, I'll try to remember to write them down.

Tangential writing ... Scroll down for Nudge 23 (unless you feel like reading).

It occurs to me that the stomach is an organ (machine). That actual bit that is inside of me (not the bigger bits hanging over my pants) is no larger than my fist. The stomach reacts like a muscle in that the more you exericse it (eat) the bigger it gets. The threat of warmer weather and less clothes is coming up fast. Spring's dark underbelly. Guffaw.

I'd love to continue with this kid-inspired nudge. It feels good. But let's do something else this week too. I'm thinking that the world needs more acts of kindness. That people who are in a bad mood might need a smile and a cheery hello this week. Is someone in line behind you impatient? Let 'em in. Is a co-worker really in a nasty mood? Offer to fetch a cup of coffee. Are YOU in a bad mood or feeling stressed? Tell someone and embrace it. It happens. Tell someone something wonderful and honest: her smile lights up your soul or his laugh always makes you laugh. Appreciate the people around you. Wrap your good karma around you and those you touch like a warm blanket. Write about it. How many acts can you do this week?

More Old Journal Page

2011-03-01T22:28:00.000-05:00

Mining for gold in my old journals

Yeah. Still diggin' the grid and trying to find the balance. The more things change, etc.

Lesley Riley interviewed me for Art & Soul Radio and you can listen here. There is a bit of static in the recording :( mostly when I get excited and talk louder than necessary. What the heck are you gonna do? {Direct quote from my Aunt Betty}.

Nudge 22, Inspired by Children (more)

2011-02-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

Hi all, just checking in with you to share a couple of links regarding the very popular Nudge 22.

Here you can find the notes from a Frida Kahlo based project that I did with the 5-10 year olds in my summer library program "ArtEscape."

Jill Berry has shared some of her kids art on her blog here. I particularly love this page.

Jill's son Sam, is the artist responsible for Fish Boy. Gotta love those teeth and the way the hair echoes the teeth. Sam was most likely not thinking "I can't draw a fish boy." Kids' art sure makes me happy.

Jane LaFazio runs an afterschool program for underprivileged kids call "Mundo Lindo." So, if you are kid-less, no need to steal one (hahahaha Hannah and Gina).

Oh yes, and if you haven't see enough of Teddy (my ginger kitty) here are some more antics. I'm the proud mama, what can I say?

Old Journal

2011-02-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Meandering a bit ...

Nudge 22, Inspired by Children

2011-02-24T05:10:00.000-05:00

Here is my page from last weeks' I Spy nudge. I collected a bunch of red things and then, well, then I made a red painting of me. I challenged myself to just use red, brown, black and some quinacridone gold (acrylic paints). I challenged myself to take about a half hour.

Nudge 21, I Spy Red

Cassie gave a great idea last week in the comments. She is inspired to use her child's artwork in a collage. I love this. Children's artwork is so fresh, playful and natural. Wouldn't it be great to go back? Well, let's do it!

Nudge 22: Inspired by Children

One of the challenges here will be to try to work intuitively and organically. Kids are fearless. They don't wonder if they can draw a tree or a butterfly, they simply draw it. Can you free yourself up to do this? There is much symbolic drawing with kids. A house is a rectangle with rectangular windows and a door. The ground is on the bottom of the picture and the sky is at the top. Simple, right?

Here is a link to the Global Children's Art Gallery. You may get inspired there. Or maybe inspiration is right underfoot? If you have a little one around, get out the crayons and draw together right in your journal. My kids used to love to do this. Scattered throughout my old sketchbooks and journals are priceless bits of drawings made by my kids. My son loved drawing penguins.

This is gonna be a good one!

Scenes from a Workshop

2011-02-23T13:06:00.000-05:00

The first workshop of 2011 was Saturday in my studio.

There was a lot of learning and sharing going on. I love these smaller workshops - seven students in my studio. The syllabus is looser which allows us to respond freely to questions that come up. All my supplies are right here at my fingertips. We shared thoughts and materials.

Here is a page Laura (top R) finished when she got home. Thanks for the nice words, Laura.

Kathy Nesi brought along the journal she had made in my Rescue Book Journal class at Art-Is-You. I'm offering a similar class this year in Danbury but using a coptic stitch to bind it. Here is a pic of her book! I was so thrilled to see it worked in. Kathy is teaching a woodburning class this year at Art-Is-You.

Kathy is using her journal for the Sketchbook Challenge. Here is a peek inside showing the Highly Prized theme proposed by Jill Berry. Thank you, Kathy.

A good day, a swell group of women.

Mark Making (more)

2011-02-21T22:46:00.000-05:00

While Jon and I were experiencing extreme sticker shock today in Brigantine, New Jersey looking for a house to rent for a week over the summer, my post went up on the Sketchbook Challenge about making marks here. So go on over there and read it, then come back and take a look at this

This sea grass was washed in on the tide and looked to me like stitches layered on the water. Marks. In fact, that may be why stitches are so endlessly fascinating to me. Can I also swoon over the gold, yellows and russety browns colors? The glowing oranges reminiscent of fall and green that harken spring, the verdigris of the weathered pipes and the textural changes are a feast found in a backwater boatyard. Floating poetry.

Just a dock? I think ... so much more. A collection of pattern, color and texture and line. Oranges, greens, blue greens and blue grays and brown grays and neon. Also a bit of humor with those pilings on the left wearing their rakish yellow crowns. Oh but the line here! The ropes, the looping hoses, the strips and poles. The texture of the water and that of the pilings. Well, what more could a person ask for?

{Oh yes, we could ask for a reasonably priced house for a week at the beach.}

Great nudge idea coming up this week from Cassie Shella about looking at children's artwork for inspiration. I loved her comment in this post about her daughter's artwork. Do you have a nudge idea? Post it in the comments. Another thing I'm wondering ... is anyone have trouble with this blog uploading? I've been playing with the picture sizes. Let me know if you are!

Nudge 21, I Spy Something Red

2011-02-17T17:01:00.000-05:00

Here is my response to my own nudge and it almost didn't get posted. Why? Because it is unfinished (horrors). Then I thought, well, that wouldn't be fair now would it? We are all on the same train. Some weeks are crazy busy and when it comes to working in my journal, a word or doodle here and there is all I can manage. So why pretend? When the little whisper of meaning came to mind with this Nudge, I was happy and finished for the moment.

Frida Kahlo eyebrows? What's that about ...

I did a sketch

Playing with an extreme head tilt.

and some doodles for my class over at Jude Hill's blog

I'm learning a lot in Jude's class. About cloth weaving and Boro, of course. The bonus is watching her teach online. I wanted to incorporate the concept of "working along" with my students. I thought it would give it an immediacy that might otherwise be lacking. I was thrilled to see Jude doing this (and very well).

So here's the deal with the Nudges. I'm going to start working along with all of you now. Not doing the Nudge and then posting it all done. But working on them over the week; this and that. What comes up will come up. We'll all learn a lot more this way.

I'd also welcome any nudges from you! I'd love to be Nudged. If you have an idea, put it in the comments or send me an email. A word, a thought, a material, a technique: all is welcome. Let's really make this a communal Nudging. Whaddya' think?

And now for Nudge 21. Let's play "I Spy." Pick a color - any color you love (or never think much about). Over the next week, collect bits of that color - in all of its saturated or grayed down forms and stick it in your journal. Or put the pieces, if they are 3D, into a box and then you can take a picture. Or go out with your camera and play "I Spy." Whatever runs the flag up your pole.

Nudging Me

2011-02-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

Nudge 20: Take a favorite journal page or photograph and alter it.

I made one color copy and one black and white. The first alteration could be cutting them apart and working with elements of the copies upside down - maybe. I'll work organically back and forth. Have you started?

Plumbing Funny Business

2011-02-15T11:07:00.000-05:00

Jon and I had a "What The Heck!" moment recently and decided to put a new toilet and sink in our bathroom. Our house is old (about 100). The bathroom? Well, it hasn't been touched since the owners previous to the previous owners put in 50 years ago. It's vintage. We've had a door hinge hanging under the sink for about 20 years which acts as a counterweight to keep the plug working. The toilet doubled as a rocking chair when my kids were babes. Yeah, u-huh.

So we went on up to Lowe's and splurged!

Do we know how to live or what? A cousin of a neighbor's friend was going to install our new "furniture" but that seems to have fallen through. Today a plumber came to visit.

"Mrs. Trout, do you know if the pipes to that toilet are lead?"
"Hmmm... copper? Aren't they copper?"
"Well, that could be, Mrs. Trout but if they are lead, we'll have to rip out the whole floor."
"Uh, hmmm... . The floor?"
"Yes, ma'am. That'll really cost you."
"Uh... . "
"It'll take me about 15 minutes to write up the estimate, Mrs. Trout."
"Uh, yeah, no problem."
15 minutes squeaks by.
"Ok, Mrs. Trout, do you want to sit down?"
"No, I can take it."
"Ok, Well, let's see here. The way I wrote this estimate is a little confusing... there are a few different options. With this first scenario, it'll be $,,,, . In this scenario, it'll be $,,,, and if those pipes are lead, well, Mrs. Trout, we can't take responsibility."
"Arck" (sitting down) and wondering if we can return the danged toilet and sink. The door hinge is really kind of charming. Sink jewelry.
"But Mrs. Trout, if you noticed on that estimate, there are two prices: one for members and one for non-members."
"Members?" Of what: church? country club? The Democratic National Committee? WHAT?
"You pay $95 a year and all that year - everything is 10% off! AND we come over and give your plumbing a real good going-over and tell you exactly what you need!"

Like a lead pipe to the head? Or maybe a new plug to keep the money from leaking from my wallet? Why not just come after me with a plunger to dislodge all that disposable cash?

Me: "So, ya'll come over and look over our pipes and tell us a bunch of stuff that we need?" (to pay you, all for the low price of $95 + 10% off.)
"Yes, ma'am!"
Wow, whadda deal! Where did they get that business model?

Despite the tragic manner in which our innocence was crushed, I find myself laughing so hard that my eyelids turned inside out.

And just in case you think I have something against plumbers, let me snake your drain: my father, uncle and grandpop were all plumbers. The businessman who visited today was from a company that was in business back in the day, a competitor of my dad and I can still hear Pop muttering: "g-d O'D..." (I won't name names here; I think he's a brother-in-law of a cousin).

Does anyone know a good plumber?

Seeing MamaCita's, Seeing Red

2011-02-13T21:21:00.000-05:00

Friday Night at Love Park with MamaCita.

Kim Mehler and Brenda Howell

Seeing a bit of red ...

Megan Greenholt and me

a detail of Megan's painting.

Lisa Kelly and Karen Hunter-McLaughlin

Heather Knopf Reeves had an X-acto related accident (before the wine).

Melissa Tevere

A red crinoline

a red-letter night.

A festive opening followed by mussels and beer at Eulogy Tavern and a very late night. In recovery on Saturday.

Updates & Nudge 20

2011-02-11T14:43:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness! Thursday came and went without a Nudge. We'll get to it.

First, a bit of business. Inner Circle Journal is ready to roll. This is an online class. The blog is built (students will all be able to post), the camera is warmed up, the syllabus is written and you can find it all here in the side bar. The paypal link is there as well. Whoopee! I feel very good about offering this online class. I had my doubts at first but am really feeling that this will be a great experience for all. Hands-on, plenty of interaction with the other students and the syllabus has space in it for ideas as they come up.

My in-studio workshop, A Journal Spill, is also coming up. You can see the particulars in the sidebar as well. My studio has space for seven students so, if interested, please sign up.

So the belated Nudge #20. Pick out your all time favorite photo or journal page. Make a copy (or 3) and alter the copy. No examples because I'm on the fly here. But I'll post mine on Flickr in the next couples of days. Fun right?

Happy Valentine's Day all. xo Diana

Moon House

2011-02-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

Moon House

Today, on the way to the Post Office, bumper stickers on the car ahead read:

I (heart) Democrats and Eat More Kale

On the way home, another car and more stickers:

I'd Rather Be Killing Communists and Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Diversity on Kia's.

Website tune up is in progress. Taking WAY to much time ... . Coffee Shop is 2 blocks away. Thank you.

Shofuso Moon Pond

2011-02-07T22:05:00.000-05:00

Moon Pond 1; paper, paint, stitch
Diana Trout 2011

Fairmount Park: A Love Affair. Opening this Friday, 6-8 pm at the Love Park Welcome Center in Philadelphia. The MamaCita's. The works and voices are as diverse as our park system. Come, eat chocolates and drink wine. Invitation is here.

Nudge 19, Tabs

2011-02-03T05:43:00.002-05:00

tickets, stiff paper, fabric tape, paper tape, old necklace

We are 122 strong over on the Flickr group now. I know that many of you are not on the Flickr group and that is fine. You won't get any pressure from me. I hope, though, that you are looking at the pictures and reading the responses. There is a lot of inspiration and information there.

I've been thinking alot lately about slow art. Taking time, letting artworks evolve organically. Letting it whisper to you and being quiet in your mind and open in your heart to hear it. This brings us to Nudge 19: Tabs, Indexes or Other Bits that poke out of the side of your journal to mark pages. As much as this Nudge is about the sheer fun or it, it's also about handling your journal as an object: to love your book as a whole.

If there is something that is more fun than tabs on journal pages, let me know. I love 'em. And so many items can be used to create tabs.

Spend your five minutes collecting some items to use as tabs. Anything stiff could be used: playing cards, cereal boxes, cut up plastic milk cartons (you can use sharpie to write a word or draw a picture. Attach your indexes with double stick tape, a brad, a staple, a stitch, a paperclip. Stitch a piece of fabric to the edge of the page. Heck, you can even use file indexes. Sometimes I forget the obvious, ha!

Then take more time. Slow time with your book and look through it. Mark some pages with the indexes.

I found these in a $1 bin and am using them on my Sketchbook Challenge journal.

So yes, fondle your journal this week. Delight in it's 3D-ness. Yum.
Leave index ideas in the comments and on the Flickr Group. Share and Inspire.

Happy Year of the Rabbit. Be gentle with yourself this year and listen for the whisper.

In the Studio

2011-02-01T20:06:00.000-05:00

The weather outside is frightful ... hang in there everyone. Spring training for pitchers and catchers starts in twelve days.

Good things from the studio. A journal page. Me in kimono, Teddy in orange.

Doodling around with some marks

Moon Pond painting in progress (see this post)

Working with some stitched sketches of this scene as well. So many possibilites ...

And in the evenings ... stitching and weaving fabric for Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth's online course, Contemporary Woven Boro. All of the blue and white striped cloth patches will be covered, maybe tonight. The top part is an embroidery piece I did a few years ago. Previously languishing in my unfinished objects drawer.

Working on my On-Line Class, Inner Circle Journal. I'll be putting up a video about it in a couple, three days. The possibilities of this seem endless.

Book Review Sunday, Collage Playground

2011-01-30T06:02:00.003-05:00

Happy Sunday, folks. Today's book is Collage Playground, by artist Kimberly Santiago.

Kimberly is a fellow North Light author and her artwork is very beautiful. In fact, there is a lot of interesting art in this book, although the cover and interior design is not the best I've seen from North Light.

Kimberly provides the reader with a very precise way to go about making the projects in her book. And it is most definitely a project book, very craft oriented. There are a lot of new-to-me materials, such as double tack mounting film, self-adhesive foam pop-ups and self-adhesive mounting board. Fusible webbing is used as well. In her "heavy machinery" supply list there is a color copier, sewing machine and computer.

Kimberly's approach to art-making is very technical and precise. In fact, I immediately thought of my sister while reviewing this book. She is an experienced crafter and loves working on cards and other paper craft projects.

My favorite artwork in this book is "Grasshoppers" (above). Here are some of the supplies listed: matte medium, putty knife, chipboard, vintage handwritten papers, vintage magazine pages, geometry formulas. You could substitute other items for these materials.

To make the "Flowers in a Vase" project, you would need vintage autograph papers, self adhesive mounting board, fusible webbing and a few vintage handkerchiefs with flower motifs. Again, you could substitute if you have enough experience to know what would work as a substitute.

I hope that this gives you a good idea about what to expect from this book. This is a good book for experienced and organized crafters who enjoy clear step-by-step instructions. If you enjoy computer work, thinking ahead, planning, and using new products this may be a good book for you.

Again, when reviewing a book, I review it for the reader. Not for me. I did get a free copy of this book for review. Just sayin'. I like to be as honest as possible with book reviews.
PS: sorry about the truly crummy photos. xo Diana

My friend Julia

2011-01-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

"Bailey" by Julia Salt, Mixed Media Artist

You may remember my young friend Julia from here. We have struck up a very enjoyable email correspondence.

Julia received a set of Winsor and Newton watercolors for Christmas but was afraid to wreck or waste them. I responded that she may enjoy USING them more than just looking at them.

Here is her response:
"I think one of my biggest issues was that I was worried that I would use all my expensive paints on something that didn't matter, something that wasn't important.(What am I doubting myself?!?) I desided my art doesn't HAVE to be important, it doesn't need to have a huge message, say "HEY OVER HERE!" it can just kinda sneak up behind you and tap you on the shoulder."
What do you think of that? Good advice, I'd say.

Nudge 18, Nothing-Ing

2011-01-26T22:22:00.000-05:00

Snowday. Snowy. I lie in bed looking out the window this morning and decide that working at home doesn't prevent me from having a snow day. So I drink tea for a while and read The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald which is satisfyingly long at 845 pages. Poke into the far corners of my sewing/diningroom. Shovel out Snow Part I. A friend comes over and we drink (more) tea and talk and talk: Art. Story. Meditation. The Critic. We talk in present tense for the most part. What tumbles into our minds, floats out. I stitch.

It occurs to me that tomorrow is NudgeDay. So here ...

Teddy and I are nothing-ing today. Poking around. Listen to the weather report. Turn off the TV. Sit with quiet around me. I use my Portfolios and a pencil on an old page. A piece of yellow vellum, some little scraps of paper. A smudging with my finger, wet and dry. A scraping and scribbling with a pencil. The color is so warm here on this page and here in this cozy house. When it is so cold-black, white and gray outside and the wind is whisking the snow around. A bit of warmth within a snow globe.

Work In Progress

2011-01-26T06:53:00.000-05:00

During the sorting of the past couple of weeks, unfinished pieces of art floated up to the surface. How does this happen? I start pieces and they get buried. This is the way I work: Start a piece, then another and another and see which one starts to "work." The other two (or 3) just get buried. So this is a new pile in my bin: WIPs. Maybe I will finish some of them? What do you do with yours?

My Glorious Mess (reloaded)

2011-01-24T17:13:00.001-05:00

The paper stash is a bit unruly at present. Nothing new about that. Just time for a bit of a tidy up.

It's a beautiful thing, this stash o'mine. Categories: Maps, Text, Faces, Animals, Prints, Solids (warm and cool). Tissue paper, Suminagashi/Orizomegami (or anything on Japanese paper), I could go on but why? And the bitty baby scraps sorted: warm and cool. The student bin has been sorted. That was another table-load a week ago.

Fifteen minute intervals is good and having the space to devote to the sorting project is heavenly. Lucky me.

What is your favorite organizational tip? My whole stash will go into a (very) large bin with hunks of cardboard that stand above the fray and separate the watercolor splashed paper from the junk mail.

I have a new post over at the Sketchbook Challenge. Have you uploaded your Highly Prized sketches yet? The big drawing is coming up!

Nudge 17, Thank you list

2011-01-20T06:01:00.008-05:00

Truly 5 minutes. Japanese New Year is coming in shortly and it is the Year of the (Metal) Rabbit. It should be an gentler year. The Western New Year is still ... well, it's still NEW! A moment of gratitude is in order.
Make a list, long and then a bit longer. We have so much afterall, I think.
I used a pilot razor point pen. It is watersoluble (love) and the Strathmore Watercolor Journal. the back side of the paper is smooth enough to write on.

Here's my gray page. A nice bit of fun and playing with values.
And while I'm being thankful, thanks to all of you for your lovely comments and for reading this blog

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

2011-01-19T15:50:00.001-05:00

On a very cold day, just before a big snow

Shofuso Japanese House & Garden in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

Foot bridge over the Moon Pond. A study in grays and elegant subtle line

All subdued with a blanket of white

And this beautiful mossiness

Patched becomes elegant and timeworn becomes Art, like Boro

Tatami mat texture held the oddest element of warmth

Studio and Online classes coming up!

2011-01-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

The light in Snow Time

I've just sent out my Newsletter for the next bit of time, and here's a couple of things that are happening. You can just go to the Newsletter (where you can sign up for it) or read it here!

The really big news {bum bum bum bummmmmmm}

I'm going to start offering on line classes!

Yes, I am excited.

Front Cover, Stencils, Ink, Stamps, fabric

The first one will be Inner Circle Journal (end of Feb) which is a combination of surface decoration on paper, bookbinding (it's a maze book with a pocket) and art journaling. Registration begins now!

My first studio class of 2011 will be Taming the Critic, an art journaling class that will give your critic a run for his/her money. I love teaching this class, the techniques empower students and that is pretty durn cool. This is a five hour class so we can really "get at it." Yeah. Email me if you are interested. Spots are going very quickly

Mamacita is offering Sunday Salon workshops. They will be held on the last (approximately) Sunday of each month; 3 hour workshops.

Karen Hunter-McLaughlin, is teaching Digital Image Preparation for Artists on January 30. Do I ever need this! A lot of us do. She's covering both photoshop and GIMP. GIMP is a free download and I've had it for some months but it overwhelms me. There may be a couple of open spots left and, if so, don't hesitate. Karen is great!

I'm doin' the next Sunday Salon workshop at the end of February (in my studio). Book and Journal. More about that later.

MamaCita has a fab exhibit coming up in Philly at the Welcome Center in Love Park. Feb. 11, 6-8. Hope you'll come. Go here to get the details!

Sketchbook Challenge

2011-01-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a little video I did for The Sketchbook Challenge. I enjoy these games and my students like them as well - from kids to teens to adults. Games like this are great for loosening up and training your eye. As you watch the pen move across the page, you begin to learn to control it. It's great practice!

Here's the finished drawing. I used pen, and then black ink and a brush. You can read more here on the Sketchbook Challenge blog.

Relax and have fun with this idea. Or make up your own drawing game and share it in the comments! Wouldn't that be fun!! Yeah! Get to drawing.

Nudges {Creative Revolutionaries} Week 16

2011-01-13T06:00:00.004-05:00

Time for a change-up! Hanna of iHanna is the Nudger today while I give my poker a rest! You can find the nudge over at her blog. Oh my goodness, her gray journal page is just brimming with inspiration. Wait till you see it!

Here's the idea "... today, as a creative exercise: paint a whole page (or spread) in your art journal gray! Mix black and white together if you don’t have a tube of gray."

You could also paint over a 5 minute collage page or some other journal page that you don't much like. Is there anything like that lurking in your journal? I'm gonna get the white and black paint out and put each directly on the page and then move them around 'til things get gray. Edit: To mix the gray, add tiny drops of black paint to a puddle of white. The black is quite strong and will quickly overwhelm the white!

I think this will be a good jumping off point for another prompt in the future. Maybe I can get Hanna back ...

A Class with Miriam Schaer

2011-01-09T17:42:00.000-05:00

Do you know Miriam Schaer's elegant installation and bookwork? I've followed her for some years now and so was thrilled when, in conjunction with Raw Beauty at the Princeton Art Center, she offered a class called Wearable Books.

Thrilling, really. We played with paint and paper and the concept of creating small books as pieces to be worn. Size, in this case, doesn't matter - some of us worked very large!).

One of my fellow students stack of scrolls. To be worn as a necklace.

I like working small so was content with that.

Today, I worked (played, really) with the small books I'd started and an idea began to emerge from this "sketching." Stacking, sewing and rolling one bead-like book and then another (and another), I found myself pulling out silky ribbon and tying the scroll-beads closed

neatly with a bow. And then: how easy that is to do to women. We say of small girls: she's a sweetheart - even though she may not be. And so, what is wrong with saying "She's a corker, that one!" I'd rather she was a corker, a character, a tough cookie. She'll go far.

And so sketches grow into thoughts and thoughts, well we should let them continue to move.

I'll be posting more about the idea of using sketches in different media over at The Sketchbook Challenge in the next couple of days. Will add the links back here.

Nudge 15, Wear Something Wild

2011-01-06T01:30:00.001-05:00

OK, shy ones. Time to fly your freak flag and wear something wild.

I'm sort of a Gap dresser, myself. It is simple, quick and moderately priced. What I'm suggesting here is just a little bit out of your box. For instance, would I be able to wear that crazy orange and pink shirt that I got from the thrift shop and wore one time? I liked it enough to buy it but it really does "shout." OK, I'm gonna do it! How about you?

Really? This shirt? This may be the ugliest shirt in the world.
Take a picture of the wild item (it could be as simple as two different colored socks) and/or YOU wearing it and post it on the Flickr site!

New Work for 2011

2011-01-05T09:10:00.000-05:00

Combining canvas, paint and stitch. Something is happening here. A merging of paths traveled and experiences. And passions. It may be the new moon whispering to me. The new work is coming slowly and then a bit more confidently. I'm gently coaxing.

New nudge tomorrow.

Buy Original Art

2011-01-03T22:31:00.001-05:00

So many things are happening right now I hardly know where to begin. I'll simply start with a new venture by one of my dear MamaCita's.

Melissa Borko is hot! She's started a new blog called Buy Original Art. Melissa's intent is to bring artists and their work to the public and to encourage folks to buy original. This has everything to do with what I see as a change in our culture; it may be a reaction to the big box store and the overwhelming amount of technology that we trek through on the average day. We need this, people. We need to see the hand in the artwork be it textile, clay or paint. It's proof of humanity.

We support artists by purchasing their work, making it possible for those artists to make more artwork. Is it more expensive. Sometimes. Is it worth it? Yes. You can start small and then you begin to realize how much original artwork enriches your life. This is a trend. This is where we are going.

Milky Way, Karen Hunter-McLaughlin 2010
SOLD!

To this end, Melissa is featuring one Mamacita artist each month on her blog and this month, the featured artist is Karen Hunter-McLaughlin. Here is her page on the Mamacita website and you can read all about her on Melissa's blog here. I love this piece. First of all, it's the BACK of the flower (Queen Anne's Lace). I love those little black lines and that I feel like I'm lying on the hot ground on a sunny day staring through this flower into the sun. Lucky buyer, indeed.

Could you start a similar project in your area? Could we bloggers team together with other artists/bloggers and spread the joyous word? Yes, we could. Hellz-A-Poppin'! Happy New Year, indeed.

Sunday Book Review, Journal Bliss by Violette

2011-01-01T21:25:00.000-05:00

Happy 2011 to all of you. Are you recovered yet? No? Me either. Crickey. This was a crazy couple of weeks. My daughter is safely back in Missouri with her Man. Young Dan is home relaxing between semesters. The house is quiet and a major clean-up happened today after our trip to the airport. We had peaceful times, ate a ton, saw The Blue Man Group and partied way too much. I'm looking forward to getting back to work.

On to the book review. I met Violette in October at JournalFest in Port Townsend, WA. She's a delight: warm and open and down to earth. My kind of people. Her book is the same. I'm looking forward to getting to know her better via The Sketchbook Challenge (the first theme is up here, btw).

With its bright colors and simple line drawings, Journal Bliss is a good choice for the beginner or teenager who wants to get started with minimal fuss.

Violette's drawing style is one you can learn by looking and practicing a bit: simple drawings and watercoloring. Rather than earth-shattering techniques here, Journal Bliss is an encouraging voice for a beginner. A couple of my favorite ideas were the simple borders and lettering.

I like an open-ended book and this is one of those. I can open it to any page at times when the blank page is just staring back at me and feel inspired.

A technique I enjoyed was patchwork borders with a bit of charcoal. Fun and simple.

You can see Violette's Sketchbook Challenge profile here. There are so many books available right now on art journaling. There is truly something to appeal to everyone! Happy times.

Big hugs all around. It's sure to be a great year.
Diana

Nudge 14, The Grid and two soup recipes

2010-12-29T21:32:00.001-05:00

This is a bit more than the usual 5 minute Nudge but - what the heck! - it's a holiday week.
Ah yes, the grid. I love grids (what's not to love?). And I like messy, free-hand grids best but you may like rulers so go for it. I used a Derwent watersoluble sketch pencil (dark wash) and my waterbrush). I'm cross-posting this with more detail over at The Sketchbook Challenge. Two birds and all that ... yeah, ahem, it's a holiday week, hiccup.

We had a soup night here tonight. Split Pea with the leftover Christmas Day ham bone. Really, it doesn't get better than this ... Unless you want to have the Butternut Squash soup with ate with the ham on Christmas Day. Both recipes are here.

My Split Pea Soup (adapted from the back of the bag of split peas and The Moosewood Cookbook)
Ingredients:
Bag of dried split peas
one diced large onion
4 sliced carrots
2 celery stalks (with leaves, if possible)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 quart of good chicken or vegetable stock (the kind in the carton)
Ham bone (if you have it)
2 Bay Leaves
1 small can of tomatoes
about a quarter cup of red wine
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp thyme
sesame oil
loads of pepper

Saute the diced onion in olive oil till soft. I add a bit ole pinch of kosher salt at this point. But if your stock is salted, don't add too much.
Add the carrots and celery and saute a bit. Add crushed garlic.
Add the ham bone (with ham on it) and split peas
Add the chicken stock and about 2 cups water

Bring to a simmer and let it go for a bit until the peas are mushy or smooth - whichever you prefer.

Remove the ham bone. Take the ham bits off the bone and add it back to the soup with
the wine, the tomatoes (chopped) the thyme and sesame oil and pepper. Cook about 15 minutes more.

The Butternut Squash Soup A Sippin' Soup

large onion, diced
butter
Butternut Squash (I get the package of already cubed squash, it is about 1 1/2 lbs.)
Chicken stock, quart
salt and pepper
nutmeg
a little half & half or cream if you have it

Saute the onion with a big pinch of salt.
Add the squash and the stock and simmer until the squash is soft. The stock should just about cover the squash
After the squash is cooked, blend the soup in batches in a blender (or use that awesome blender stick)
(Be careful blending the hot soup in a blender! Remove that plastic circular handle thingy on top of the cover and put a dishcloth over the hole. Don't fill the blender more than 1/3 of the way.)
Blend til smooth. Return to pot
Add S and P to taste and a nice grating or pinch of nutmeg.
Stir in a dollop of cream (or half & half) if desired

Love ya' all! Happy New Year

Odds and Ends

2010-12-26T23:15:00.000-05:00

Here we sit, the wind howling and the snow piling up outside. Snuggled in by the fire with a sleepy Teddy sprawled on his back. Pots of tea, piles of books, studio time. Here's what I'm reading. In the fun fiction department, Janet Evanovich, Bounty Hunter. Hilarious.

and this amazing book, The Found Object in Textile Art by Cas Holmes.

I've got a copy of Drawn to Stitch by Gwen Hedley sitting here as well.

I'm finding these books to be hugely inspiring as my artwork has been yearning for a more tactile surface. There has been a whispering going on for some time now. The ideas presented in these two books are introducing me to techniques to bring it together. The art in both books is spectacular.

I've also been thinking about this post, Socks Going Feral from a couple of years ago. I am still wondering how that sock escaped from my son's window.

Holiday Joy

2010-12-19T23:12:00.000-05:00

Happy times to all of you; whatever our religious or cultural differences, certainly we can join in the celebration of Light right now. I'm using the word "light" in broad terms. The light of the sun which is certainly slanting away from our part of the world right now and also the light of creativity of sharing art, thoughts, caring and love.

I'm immersed in enjoying my children, both are home now. It's very nice for this empty nester to be "mom" again, at least temporarily. Our tree is up and lit (a father/daughter tradition in the Trout household) and the light is casting its twiggy shadows on the walls of a living room strewn with the Sunday paper, books, shoes, tea mugs, sewing and yarn projects. Lampshades are askew and stockings, waiting to be hung, are lying this-way-and-that. And so, I will tidy up soon, perhaps, but at the moment this is evidence of a full house.

I want to thank you all for reading my blog over the past year. Thank you for you funny, lovely, teasing comments. For your enthusiasm and creativity. I love writing this blog and would continue even if there were no one reading it. But to know that my words and pictures resonant with you makes it all so rewarding. You warm my heart. I feel a sense of community here and on the Flickr group and that's really been so cool.

There will be occasional posts over the next couple of weeks but mostly I will be spending time with my family and finishing up my last painting project for 2010.

I wish each one of you joy, because that is what I celebrate: joy and light, the warmth and love of my family and friends, and the creative force of human nature that manifests itself in our work on this planet.

Off to bed (or, perhaps, to tidy first).

Howling, Nudge 13

2010-12-16T04:32:00.001-05:00

slow cloth time

Miss Julia's visit with me last Sunday reminded me of a time when my daughter was 13 (was that really 10 years ago?). Bess was obsessed with wolves, reading everything she could about them. She educated all of us about these beautiful, shy and maligned animals.

I found out that there was a wolf pack in New Jersey at the Lakota Wolf Preserve , near the Delaware Water Gap and one fine fall day, I liberated my kids from school and we went.

There are four wolf packs there (all fenced in - no worries!). Some of the wolves from one of the packs were playing right where we could watch them tumble and roll like great big puppies. We saw one wolf have a squirrel snack. And then, on the path where the corners of the pack meet, we began to howl. The group of wolves that we could see immediately started howling with us. Gradually, wolves from all the four packs began to howl. We could hear them far in the distance - from a mile away. We all howled together - or was it singing?

It went deep within me, I could feel it in my gut - the howling. Mystical.

So that is Nudge #12 (oops, it #13). Howl - or sing - at the top of your out-of-key voice. Put on some music and dance and sing and hold a wooden spoon that you are pretending is a microphone. Sing. 'Tis the season.

I'll probably be sketchy here over the next couple of weeks. My kids will be home this weekend. I plan to spend a lot of time enjoying them. No more Nudges till the New Year. The Sketchbook Challenge blog has been busy as each artist is introduced. Jane Davies bio is up today and, if you scroll down, you'll see a scintillating little piece "Sketchbook:Defined" by meself.
xo Diana

Magical

2010-12-13T14:36:00.000-05:00

magical

Julia's mom drove her 2 1/2 hours to come to the Mamacita Holiday Show

Julia (13) didn't know when they set off on Sunday morning that she was going to meet me!

She's had my book for a year. And her journals? They are brimming over with thoughts, color, art and joy.

Going through this young artist/journaler's books brought such happiness deep inside. To see her copy of my book, well used and tattered: this is why I wrote Journal Spilling. So many people over the past year have been generous in sending me emails, artwork and love. I thank each one of you.

Julia's favorite passage from the book (she circled it!) is on page 21, under Time to Play:

"...I've seen plenty of blank journals. We don't often get the opportunity to see the journals that are just started and brimming with promise, half-full and beginning to splay. full to bursting, spilling over with bits of paper, overflowing with color, words, images ... .

If you go through one of my journals, you will find incomplete pages, messy ugly pages, beautiful pages. Pages full of writing and some with art. ... In this way, a journal imitates life. It is not a TV family or an ad with a successful woman wearing great boots. It is wabi-sabi; beautiful and dying; ugly and alive. It has a true, deep beauty like a woman over 50."

Thank you Julia and your mom/chauffeur.

Also ... a beautiful show.

Now, I drink tea, bundled in my blankie and give in to the cold that is coming my way.

let the weekend rip, links and invites

2010-12-10T11:12:00.000-05:00

Once again (just in case you missed it. I'll be at the (W)holons Opening on Saturday at Abington Art Center from 3-5 (Dec. 11) and on Sunday, the every-popular, super-festive, not-to-be-missed Mamacita Holiday Party and Sale (420 Paxson Ave, 3rd Floor Rear, Glenside, PA. A sneak preview ...

Making Fabric wrap bracelets and canvas cuffs

I'll have little paintings, copies of Journal Spilling and my DVD and other goodies as well.

I need to share some links with you:
This beautifully edited journal flip from Friday Eudaeonism on YouTube (love her vids).

Very quick MOO card case (a sweet little giftie). I used felt as suggested in the tute; but you may have a scrap of thrifted vinyl or lightweight suede or some other non-raveling material.

Ledger book from CSN Stores, Inc. in Boston via Michele LaPoint's blog. A very nice book that I won in her blog giveaway :-)

OK, this is so cool: a magnetic organizer. I saw these at Ikea and wanted one. Bad. Now I can make one! Another easy hand made gift!

Someone on the Flickr group mentioned photo sticker paper. A google search turned this up ... $19 for a pack of 100 sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Holidays blog posts all of November! go here for loads of tutorials and inspiration.

Oh my goodness, this film, Creating Love at DeWanda. It's really cool.

That's all folks, I hope to see some of you over the weekend! If not ... enjoy, be merry.

xo Diana

Nudge 12, Rip It

2010-12-09T05:42:00.001-05:00

I've been going all internal this week. Starting the winter hibernation, perhaps? Or maybe it's my current art project. It's taking me back to topics and imagery circa 1990. Very deep stuff and I am quiet as the images roll out and unfold. They are whispering and I need to be silent, you see, so that I can let them come along.

So on to this week's Nudge. Rip It!

I went through my journal and found a 5 minute collage page. You might find a page with writing or another unfinished page.
Tear the page from your journal. Yes. Go ahead and tear the page out. It isn't precious, ya' know? It's simply a piece of paper. Tear it into pieces.

What do you want to do next? Do you want to burn them? Throw them into the air and then collect them and glue them down haphazardly onto another journal page? Yes? OK, do that.

See where this takes you ...

Here is a picture of Teddy I took on sleepy Sunday.

He's settling in very well, I'd say.

The Sketchbook Challenge

2010-12-07T14:50:00.000-05:00

The sketchbook challenge!

this is big folks.

So you want to start keeping a sketchbook but every time you sit down with a book in front of you and pencil in hand you freeze up and just can’t seem to get started. I'm talkin' to you, Nudgees! More inspiration is on its way. Extreme inspiration!

The sketchbook challenge is a new project launching on 1/1/2011. Follow along with us as we fill our sketchbooks based on a monthly theme that will be announced on the first of each month.

You’ll be sketching alongside:

Jill Berry
Sue Bleiweiss
Laura Cater-Woods
Jamie Fingal
Judi Hurwitt
Leslie Tucker Jenison
Lyric Kinard
Jane LaFazio
Carol Sloan

Carla Sonheim
Susan Sorrell
Melanie Testa
Diana Trout (that would be me)
Violette

Each month we’ll announce a new theme on the sketchbook challenge blog and throughout the month we’ll be showing you images from our sketchbooks and talking about the intention and inspiration behind them. Along the way we’ll be sharing tips, techniques and tutorials. We hope that by giving you a peek inside our sketchbooks and showing you how different they all are that we’ll inspire you to start keeping a sketchbook of your own. And of course if you do, we’ll want to see some photos of your book too so we’ve designed a blog badge for you to put on your own blog to show your participation in the project. You can get instructions and the html code for your badge here.

We encourage you to post photos of your sketchbook pages on your blog and then post a link in the comment section of the Sketchbook Challenge blog so that others can look at your pages too!

And wait! There's more ! (is this sounding like an info-mericia?) ... thanks to the generosity of some terrific sponsors we’ll be doing some givewaways and special shopping offers too!

So pick up your blog badge, go grab a sketchbook, some pencils, pens, markers or paints and get ready to sketch with us!

Until then, Nudges will be as usual. Pssst ... Get your crayons and glue sticks for this week.

Book Review Sunday, Colourful World

2010-12-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome to a new week and the first Book Review Sunday. On the first Sunday of the month, I'll be here with a book review.

Today's book is one of my absolute favorites for color inspiration. Coulorful World by Amandine Guisez Gallienne is simply sumptuous. It is filled with photographs of people, places, textiles, vegetables, pottery (and so on) all over the world.

There are just a sprinkling of words at the end of each color group. The photos are, mostly, full page and are grouped according to color: white, yellow, green, blue, red and black.

I've used this book over and over as a resource and just to sit down with a cup of tea and look through the pages is a wonderful refresher.

It is super cheap at Amazon, wow $2.81(used)! It's a no-brainer at that price. For you and your best art buddy.

Yum. Yum.

Nudge 11: Weave

2010-12-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

Fun with Paper Weaving! This nudge might take a bit longer than five minutes so break it down or - what the heck - take 10 or 15 minutes!

Cut a strip of paper, try to keep it even, about a 1/2 inch.

Cut a bunch of slits down the length of the journal page that you want to weave. The orientation of the book is different in this next photo (sorry). Can you see the slits?

Now just weave the paper strip in and out through the slits.

I just dabbed a bit of glue stick down and stuck the end of the paper strip down. It probably won't go anywhere though.

I turned the top of the strip down as well. Just fun to leave a bit sticking up at the top of the page for a tab. Love the index-y tabby thing.

As you can see from the facing journal page, you can weave an entire journal page! Woohoo ! It's a great thing to do with pages of writing, a 5 minute collage page or other pages where you may have a background but not much else. Go forth and WEAVE!

It's All Coming Up!

2010-12-01T09:01:00.001-05:00

(W)holons Opening Reception at Abington Art Center, December 11, 3-5 pm.

detail of "Valley" 20"x20", mixed media on canvas

Holons: something that is simultaneously a whole and a part.

MamaCita is a Philadelphia area cooperative of women artists. This exhibit exemplifies our philosophy that the group is a collection of individual artists working together in a spirit of collaboration (from the invitation).

I look forward to sharing photos from this show with you. If you are in the area, we'd love to have you at the opening on Dec 11 or Saturday, Dec. 4 from 9:30 am to1:30 pm, Abington Art Center is hosting a CoffeeBreak. Five bucks gets you coffee, pastry and conversation about art with members of MamaCita. Members are free! Great idea.

A Nudge will be coming on Thursday. Sorry about last week ... holiday craziness.

Starting this Sunday, I will be doing a monthly book review on art and craft books. Wheeee! There is a pile of books sitting here that I've been pawing through. The hardest decision is deciding which will be first! Journal Bliss by Violette? Collage Playground by Kimberly Santiago? or perhaps Doodle Diary by Dawn DeVries Sokol ... Or maybe a new book from the editors at Northlight, Mixed Media Paintbox, a "best of" with 52 projects from 45 artists, myself included. Yikes. It eeney meeney miney moe time.

See ya' Thursday!
Diana
ps ... if you follow a link from my blog to Amazon, I get something like a couple of pennies if you buy. cha ching.

Four (Paws) on the Floor

2010-11-30T18:43:00.000-05:00

And they are pretty big paws! Here is our new addition. He is six months old and adorable (as you can see). "Little Lion" was his foster name and will always be his pet name. We are also calling him Teddy or, when he is scratching the furniture: "Edward T. Kennedy"(The Lion of the Congress).

Teddy likes: pets and sitting on my lap, lying on the quilt, playing with a feather on a stick, Friskies Shreds (not ground!), his lazer toy and the plastic tab from the orange juice container.

We picked him up on November 26 and he is settling in very nicely. Already he is stalking the house with his tail straight up and leaping out at me from behind the curtain. He slept on the foot of our bed last night and before settling in we played on of my favorite kitty games: I move my feet under the blanket and Teddy pounces. Very fun. We feel pretty darn lucky to have such a beautiful, fun little guy to share our lives with. There is nothing that compares to a furred friend - cat or dog.

Many thanks to the fabulous people at Forgotten Cats in Jenkintown, Pa. and in particular, to Robin and her Dad who foster our Little Lion. Those animal rescue people really deserve our support.

Tomorrow, I'll be back with newsy-type stuff. xo all, Diana

Cape May, NJ

2010-11-26T12:13:00.000-05:00

Beginning our Thanksgiving week at Cape May, NJ at this elegant, victorian bed and breakfast.

I woke early in the morning, scooted downstairs in my jammies for a cup of coffee and returned to bed. Sipping and looking out over the ocean was indescribable. Yes, indeedy.

Stowaways ...

made a bit of mischief.

Enjoyed the brisk ocean breeze,

observed self-photography and

walked the beach.

We read up on the history of Sunset Beach

and watching the glory

unfold.

Today

2010-11-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

Cape May Seagulls

Whatever your day holds today, no matter your nationality, stop for a moment and appreciate it. Spread the joy with a smile or a hearty G'day. Kindness is contagious.

Melly and Me

2010-11-19T05:40:00.000-05:00

Last week Melly Testa and I challenged each other to art journal in the other's style. As an aside, I love Skype. She had her coffee and I was drinking tea (still half asleep) and got to see her cat, her home and a new piece she is working on. Melly got to see my bedhead. We gave each other instructions on how to work for this challenge. Melly's instructions to me were:

Use frisket to create an object. Use watercolors and work in the negative space. Um ... yeah: think ahead? Plan? In my JOURNAL? Okey Doke.
Frisket is like Art Masking Fluid, which I've used lots with watercolors. You paint the fluid on and allow it to dry and it blocks out all color around it. I've used it in my little paintings, here. Frisket is a paper form of masking fluid, it acts as a stencil to block out or mask. I made a drawing of a teapot and mug, then cut it out of the frisket and stuck it onto the page.*

Using my watercolors, inktense pencils and a pen, I began filling in the negative space. When I peeled off the frisket, the watercolors had snuck under there (perhaps the frisket wasn't stuck down enough or I used to much wet color?). There is loads more I could do on this page: more pattern, more line, more COLOR! Definitely more fun to be had. This was a excellent challenge for me to be so careful in my journal.

My challenge to Melly was: be messy, use gesso and doodle into it while wet, use smeary gooey portfolios. Don't plan. Here is her response. And, yes, Melly! It is messy enough. (She cracks me up.)

I use my journal in many ways and to try someone else's style is definitely one of them. More often, my journal is a dumping ground, an idea keeper, a playground; someplace where I can be a two year old with a fistful of crayons, totally unaware that there is even such a thing as "judgement." That's what I strive for in my journal. But, it is also a great place to try out new ideas, materials and techniques. Like Melly, I go to my journals for inspiration and always find it there. I'm much more careful in my sketchbooks and this exercise has me thinking that, really! why are they separate books?

*I'm working in a Rag & Bone Bindery journal. It's a beautiful book with smooth. heavy white paper. Not good for watercolor. I am in the habit of applying a couple of coats of Golden's Absorbent Ground (White) to create a watercolor surface ahead of time on some of the papers. The stuff is awesome; you can make a watercolor ground on a non-watercolor journal. Prepping the pages ahead of time allows me to have these spreads ready to go if I want to use watercolors.

Have a great weekend, everyone. My husband and I are off to Cape May, NJ on Sunday for a couple of days of extreme peace and quiet before Thanksgiving. I love the beach this time of year.

pax diana

Nudge 10: Good Words

2010-11-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

Super quick one, folks. Take a 2 page spread in your journal and make a tab for it. I've used a piece of brown postal tape, folded on itself. If you work in an office, you could use a self-adhesive label or one of those plastic file labels. You can staple a folded piece of index card or a hunk of cardboard cereal box. You can get all fancy and use eyelets. But if you are one of those folks who are taking baby steps: keep it simple! Just make it happen.

This is a word collection page. We all hear great words everyday and here is a good container to keep 'em in. If you have some good ones, write them down now. You could also go to the Word of the Day site. This week's theme over there is "in the air." Nice.

Melly Testa and I doing a journal page in each other's style and late tomorrow the instructions we gave each other and the results will be up.

See you then!

The Pamphlet Stitch

2010-11-16T22:21:00.000-05:00

Some time ago, there was a comment about the Pamphlet Stitch. It is a super simple little stitch; perfect for binding just a few pages together. I love it because it makes it so simple to make a bunch of little "on the go" journals. If you don't know the stitch, here is my latest YouTube video demonstrating it.

For these books, I used:
Awl, bone folder, 2 binder clips, waxed linen thread (although for small sized books you could use embroidery floss), 1 piece cardstock (mine is paste paper), 5-8 pieces of assorted paper (graph paper, lined paper, brown paper, white paper, etc.)
The nicest thing about making these little books is that, once you have the tools and materials out, you can make a bunch of them. Use them for small gifts, by inserting some quotes or pictures or bundling them with a set of pencils and/or pens. Or tie a bunch of these small gems together with a bit of ribbon for your favorite journal artist.

Or a trade!! Oh my goodness! A little trade would be fun! Perhaps after the perfect storm of holidays, parties and exhaustion has passed? Shall we?

Monday Morning

2010-11-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

I grew up on the idea of getting the "work" out of the way first and saving the fun stuff for when you are done. Malarkey. Take a 5 minute break before you start working with something that will motivate you.

I'm gonna start this morning with a list of the high points of my week; instead of the dreaded bookkeeping that I know is waiting for me in a big messy heap.

Fun stuff such as blogging about wabi sabi. Do you know about Wabi-Sabi? Here is a children's book that is, in my mind, the perfection introduction.

Wabi-Sabi, by Mark Reibstein with art by Ed Young, is about a cat named wabi sabi.

Here is the introduction:

"It is a way of seeing the world that is at the heart of Japanese culture. It finds beauty and harmony in what is simple, imperfect, natural, modest and mysterious. It can be a little dark but it is also warm and comfortable. It may best be understood as a feeling rather than an idea.

Let's just leave it at that. As usual, Japanese culture simply hints at things. It is up to you to use your imagination.

And now, I'm off to do my bookkeeping. (One and a half weeks to Thanksgiving, and counting).
xo Diana

Journalfest, Rescue Books

2010-11-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

Magic happens when you put a bunch of old books into the hands of book lovin' artists.

and then, of course, self photography is just so fun and silly...

Quinn McDonald's monsoon paper
Laurie O'Neill's blog post, here, for really beautiful pictures and more workshop descriptions from JournalFest, 2010.

Have a great weekend, xo Diana

Nudge #9, The Creative Revolutionaries

2010-11-10T05:57:00.001-05:00

Taste something new.

The nudge this week isn't journal-related. It's all about our tastebuds. When you head to the grocery or produce store this week, look for something you never ate or rarely eat. In my case, it is beets: fresh beets with their tops attached. See here for beet dyed fabric and here for Beet Soup.

At Ina Garten's personal suggestion (ahem), I peeled the beets, cut them into chunks, tossed them with olive oil and roasted them in the oven. Yeah, diggin' the beets. This could be a good time to browse your recipes or make something crazy, play with your food. S'mores, anyone?

Yes, this nudge is more than 5 minutes but cooking is good, right?

If you can't bear the idea of cooking, go to a new restaurant. Desserts absolutely qualify. It's all about taste.

I'll be simmering my beet trimmings in some water to make beet ink. Yeah, diggin' the beets.

Journal as desired.

Yesterday, Today

2010-11-09T08:09:00.000-05:00

Painting: the art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather

and exposing them to the critic.

Do y'all remember the (W)holons Painting Process blog posts from the summer?

I really disliked that painting (umm... yeah, disliked).

{resisted sending it to the show with

some bogus reason

which felt completely legit at the time}

Well, another showing is coming up and it's time to face the music. Over the weekend, I met with my lovely Mamacita's and mentioned my emotional reaction to this painting. Good advice was given: revisit it. So yesterday I did.

It was immediately clear: this painting is unfinished. How did that get by me? Oh yeah, it was due on August 1 and the month of July (after teaching a good bit) had been completely taken over by family upheaval.

This a really great lesson for me: I cannot do it all to my satisfaction. Prioritizing is where its at, baby.
There were so many things going on in July, there was no way that painting was getting the attention it needed, and on top of that, the decision to blog it all through added more weight to it. I'm so glad that painting didn't go off to that show. It was awful to miss a deadline. Truly. I never ever miss deadlines. But have learned something further about extenuating circumstances. Everything people say is right: "Go Easy On Yourself." I've even said it to people (most sincerely). It's taken 55 years to really begin to understand it. Who the heck needs that kind of aggravation?
And on an entirely **HAPPY NOTE * ...
new (used) Husqvarna sewing machine is a dream. Free motion quilting is really fun.

That's it folks.

JournalFest in Pt Townsend, WA

2010-11-07T19:40:00.001-05:00

There is a thriving community in there: bacteria and fungi and seeds and moving living things.
Fascinates the daylights out of me.

dreamy, mossy Fort Worden. Take a cuppa' outside early in the morning and sip and watch the sun touch the mountain-framed sea. It puts me in mind of the NorthEast Kingdom. There is utter silence outside of the scattering sounds of leaves and grasses all shivery and rustly from small animals and the stiff breeze. Watching, listening, sniffing, sipping and feeling the cool air on my face was the way to start a day that was otherwise anything but quiet.

{NOTE: Of course, to get the tea, you have to pirate a coffee mug from the dining hall along with some tea bags. Some thoughtful elf, thank you, Mardi, put half-and-half into the frig.}

In the Journal Spilling class, we carved eraser stamps and everyone shared and put a stamping in everyone else's books. Very nice reminder and food for later inspiration ...

such as this page in my journal where the final student stamped and inspired me.

Amazing papers were created in ColorWheel Quilting class. Colors were mixed, spilled, patterned, sprayed, drizzled, splattered, sponged

All of my students were hand sewing which was very lovely and quieting for the afternoon of their final class at JournalFest.

Delicious-ness

Traveling Light

2010-11-05T07:36:00.001-04:00

What journaling supplies would you bring for a minimalist getaway?

A small journal (4"x6" with watercolor paper), my Inktense watersoluble colored pencils, a pencil, black pen and my colored Pitt markers. I learned the trick of combining the pencils and markers from the Journal Junkies. It turns these simple tools into a paint box. Everything fit neatly into a pencil-type case. Using a regular pencil (especially the Derwent Sketching pencil) extends these basic supplies even further. Yep, I could be happy indefinitely with these supplies.

And here's the "desert island" question.

What would you bring?

Would you be willing to limit yourself to just those minimal supplies for a week, even if you are home?

Do you ever think that an overwhelming number of supplies slows you down?

It's good to be back. xo D

Nudge #8

2010-11-04T05:08:00.000-04:00

Back from Journalfest (more about that later) and ready to get going again with Nudge #8. Well, frankly, I'm still a bit brain dead.

Remember that 5-Minute Collaged and Painted Page from Nudges 6 & 7. Let's take it a step further. I love Portfolio watersoluble oil pastels for this layer but you could use regular oil pastels, caran d'ache, or - heck - you could use regular old crayons or any kind of paint or markers. Use whatever you have on hand for color. Portfolio's are available at Staples and some art stores. They are reasonably priced; a Binney & Smith product: the folks who make our favorite childhood crayons.

I scribbled the Portfolio's all over the page and then rubbed in the color with a dampened paper towel.

After the background was rubbed in real good, I scrounged around in my bits and pieces box and found the word "hand" which led to tracing around my hand. I love my hands. Soft pencil reliably goes over and into the Portfolios.

Work quick and intuitively. Remember that this is 5-10 minute Nudges for a reason: no thinking allowed! Upload to Flickr as you like. The link is at the top of the sidebar.

There are loads of interesting conversations in the comments. Don't miss out. Go read 'em. I'll be responding there to questions going back about 3-4 posts.

Cheesesteaks and Granola

2010-10-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Yep cheesteaks. With onions and peppers (the kind in the jar called "sweet and sassy" - gotta' love that) and provolone cheese, not that cheez whiz - yuck. The Phillies lost last night and, no, I don't actually care that much. Don't get me wrong, I love the Phillies. Just not a big sports fan and so my Phillies-love in sort of unconditional. Nobody really understand this about me. They can win or lose for all I care. It's a Philly thing to love 'em and to eat cheesesteaks. ("Yo! How'ya'doin?)

Home Grown Mossy-Goodness. More about the
Wabi-Sabi nature of Autum in a future post.

Off I go on Tuesday across the continent to Washington State. It's really like going to a different country for me. First, all of that rugged, majestic beauty and the walrus and the buffalo and the trees there are all different. The moss blows me away. Glory be, I do love moss. I WILL take my shoes and socks off to walk on it, run my hands over it and bury my face in it (aaachhooo). Also, the clothes on the West Coast are different - all crunchy Birkies and socks. Folks are sooooo cool: carrying their messenger bags on the ferry and wearing jeans and cords and groovy sneakers to work; all laid back and simple and nature-y. It does seem less rushed and crazy in the great Pacific NW.

Around these parts you could drive west or south for about two hours and find yourself in a totally different culture. Once you get away from the east coast cities you are plopped down in a different world with different ways, food and accents. Rural Pennsylvania is pretty much the Midwest from my vantage point.

I'm going make-up free cross-country (gasp) and with only ONE pair of (sensible) shoes. No laptop will weigh me down (omg). Hey, if my accountant can go to Italy for two weeks in the middle of our audit, I can certainly go for a week without my computer. How many art-related emergencies are there? No TV at Port Townsend, WA. Cell phone reception is iffy. I say "yea." I yearn to be in a bubble. To teach, to write and journal, to sew and read, to relax with friends and be quiet.

Whatta'ya' think? Could you be cut off from technology for a week?

I'll be back in a week (or so) with loads of pictures and tales of travels. Hopefully, all of my glitches happened today when every single travel plan I arranged fell to pieces and needed to be rearranged. Not a fun tale but, thankfully (and hopefully) over.
Ciao, Diana

The Creative Revelutionaries, Nudge #6 & #7

2010-10-21T05:30:00.009-04:00

Nudge 6 is The 5 Minute Collage. This idea came from a friend a long time ago (thank you Robin). It is simple and a great starter exercise.

What you'll need:

A timer

An old magazine

Glue Stick

Set your timer for 5 minutes. Take the old magazine and rip through it. Tear out pages that speak to you, working intuitively for about a minute and make a nice pile - 12-15 sheets. Now winnow down the 12-15 torn out pages. Look quickly at each page: what speaks to you? Glue 'em down. The idea is to work quickly to outpace the critic. Don't think. Tear and glue. Badaboom. Done.
Since I'll be in beautiful Washington State and computer-FREE next week, I'll give you nudge #7 right now, if you are game! You'll need gesso or white paint and a pencil. Paint loosely over your 5 minute collage with the paint and draw or write into the wet paint with your pencil.

I'll be back with loads of pics around Nov 7.

JournalFest in Pt Townsend, WA

2010-10-19T18:03:00.000-04:00

And now ... a moment for a commercial break.

OK! Who's going to Journalfest? I'm getting so excited to get back to the Pacific Northeast. Maybe it's that the landscape is so different from the East Coast? I feel like it's a magical otherworld out there. And it's really mossy there. Moss is the best stuff on earth (pun). Or could it be that Teesha Moore's art retreats are totally awesome and that Fort Worden is a great place to stay - no, not luxurious, a bit bare bones in fact. But the almost-camping atmosphere really adds something to the ambience.

I will miss a week of my favorite October in Pennsylvania

If you are in the area, Teesha is accepting one-day class sign-ups so stop on by. I'm teaching Journal Spilling Layers, Rescue Book Journals and Colorwheel Journal Quilts. There is a great roster of classes and Port Townsend is a amazing place.

Regular programming will now resume.

xo - Diana ;)

Quilt top Finished and a bit of business

2010-10-18T18:02:00.000-04:00

Last night I sewed the last two seams in my Big Quilt Project. Despite the hilarious wonkiness of the whole top, there is a great deal of satisfaction here. You see, I wasn't aiming to make a show-worthy quilt, there were no delusions on my part. The aim was to bust out the ginormous number of fat quarters in my stash and stitch them together into an item that would keep my friends and family warm and cozy. I wanted to see my stash. And so I did and can. Though my quilting future may not hold another pieced quilt, I stuck to this one and did the best that I could.

There is a crack in everything... that's how the light gets in.

"Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen, yes of course. But did you know that there is both an Asian and Celt philosophy along the same lines? There is a lot of light in my quilt and I find myself smiling happily about that. It means, to me, that Quilters are amazing craftspeople. It means also, that I don't need to be a Quilter to have enjoyed this process. It makes me inordinately happy that I was able to cobble together this warm thing, using the quilter's tools and body of knowledge to get it together.

As I measured (not well), cut (not evenly) and stitched (crookedly) I acknowledged the vast skills of of Quilters, past and present. It made me feel so happy to know that they are there, quietly working away.

As to the bit of business ... Let's use the comments section here more effectively. In other words, if you have a question, post it there and I (or some other commenter) will answer it. If you have a link to share on topic, put it in the comments. I think it would make the blog more interactive if we did this. I'll revisit the comments from the blog posts for the week and then move on. If you have a question on some older post, feel free to email me!

Lurkers may lurk as usual, no worries. BUT, do check the comments area for more information related to a post.

2010-10-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

A long walk through the 'hood today revealed this.

A morsel of Summer lingering on the cool spicy breezes of Autumn.

Are you working on your Days of the Week Nudge? I forgot Friday but on Saturday, my husband handed my a tiny fragment of the kitchen wallpaper that we removed 15 years ago. Which really is not an indication of our housekeeping. Ahem.

Nudge 5 {The Creative Revolutionaries)

2010-10-14T13:55:00.000-04:00

Let's take a two page spread in your journal and split it up into seven segments today. One for each day of the week. That means Homework!

So ... today, split up your page. Nothing fancy is required.

Then add a few words, a sketch, a funny or not-so-funny story. How about a quote? Or maybe one of those photos you took a couple of weeks ago? A wee collage or stamped image, perhaps? The book you are reading or a new song you heard? A leaf that fell into your path today or a candy wrapper. Use any and all of these ideas for your homework (which can take 1 minute or 1 hour).

If your dog eats your homework, that is something to journal about. If, at the end of the week you've come up with seven excuses for why you didn't do your homework, write about that: kids, work, forgot, put it off. Whatever the excuse, write it down. This will NOT be on your permanent record.

Now stop cruising the blogs and grab your journal. (Bossy britches is back).

Ice Cream Recovery

2010-10-12T22:17:00.000-04:00

Sunrise over Danbury

Friends, it is not as hard to finish a pint of Hagan Daaz Dulce de Leche as I thought it would be. I paced myself and over a period of about 2 hours managed to slide every drop of that frosty silk down me gullet. Did I have an excuse for this bit of piggery? Yes, my throat is sore probably from talking for 5 straight days. I am unbearably sick of hearing my own voice!

Hard at Play

Journal Spilling Layers

Art Is You was worth every syllable and resulting calorie. It was so much fun. I made so many good friends, met such talented, generous people. I loved every minute. I think that the heart of an event such as this is what determines the atmosphere. Ellen and Salliane are a warm, smart, generous and talented heart and everything ripples out from there.

This retreat was so much more than the sum of its parts.

The Art Is ... Report

2010-10-10T21:36:00.001-04:00

Dateline: Danbury Connecticut, Art Is You October 2010 Retreat.

Oh my yes, the prep work is SO worth it when I finally get to teach. The folks here have opened their arms, minds and hearts to meeting new friends and absorbing new ideas. As usual, I learn as much as my students and am so grateful to Sallianne and Ellen for their tireless enthusiasm and excellent instincts in putting together an altogether top-drawer art retreat experience for all of us.

The Colorwheel Journal Quilt class. We spent the morning splashing around watercolors and exploring color theory to create papers.

WIP ColorWheel Journal Quilts

Sewing

The Rescue Book class deconstructed an old book and then rebound them into a journal ... Second Rescue-er from the left is Sallianne's mum, Kareene all the way from Australia!

The Book Rescue Team

Am having a GREAT time.

Nudge, Week 4 Lettering

2010-10-06T23:02:00.000-04:00

Dreaming ...

Of InkTense Watersoluble pencils and markers

I had to do a few things first, like pack my dozen or so boxes and bags into the car and drive to Connecticut for Art Is You. Then unpack them. Then I had a lovely dinner with a student/friend and THEN ...

I used my letter stencils with the InkTense pencils. The markers blur the watersolu-bility of the pencils - yummy; a great idea I picked up from the Journal Junkies. Listen: my lettering ain't so great. Is yours? If it isn't, try using a highlighter or other very broad marker to print then go around the printing with a finer line marker or stencils. This nudge was inspired by Uber Art's journal page here at the Flickr group. Teesha Moore has (had?) a fab YouTube vid on lettering but I can't find it! If you have it bookmarked, could you link it in the comments?

Have you looked at those photographs from Nudge 3? Drool.

Fun with Cigar Boxes

2010-10-04T16:42:00.000-04:00

Every so often, the women in my 'hood gather for a bit of fun. This month, we had a craft night in my studio and decorated cigar boxes. Some decorated their boxes as lovely containers. It was a perfect project - you don't have to be an "Artist" just will to have a good time.

Nancy and Janine used wallpapers to decorate their boxes.

We used, besides the cigar boxes (thanks to Hugh for the big score there):

Scissors, papers (wall paper, scrapbook paper, cast off and found papers.

Paints (craft paints are fine) (a hair dryer to hasten the dry time)

A bit of sandpaper to rough up the surface of the box

Pencils and pens

X-Acto knife and cutting mat or paper cutter

Glitter, sequins, lace, fabric scraps.

Bits and bobs of this and that (old jewelry pieces, stuff from the scrapbook aisle, trims

Glue: my special mix of Methyl Cellulose and PVA or Elmers glue.

Attendees can have a theme in mind if they'd like. None of us did and we had a wonderful time. (Well, I did because I tripped over the tea set while I was cleaning up my studio).

Chrissy worked on the interior of the box as an artpiece.

The first thing to do for this project is to collect the background papers or paint your box. Well, the first thing, really, is to pour the wine and beer and lay out the munchies. Then backgrounds after that followed by middleground, more wine/beer and then the foreground.

I used the remaining pieces of my childhood tea set.

I wanted to share this project with you because it was so accessible to everyone and we all really enjoyed it. You can too with a group of friends or neighbors.

Next up: I'm thinking about tiaras made from plastic dime-store hairbands... .