October Love Notes

I participated in the Love Notes Postcard group.  We were to send just 3 postcards in 3 weeks.  My cards went to Terilyn in Colorado.

Week 1 - I sent her a little fall watercolor.

Week 2 - a quilted house postcard.

Week 3 - a collaged flower card.

This is always a fun project.

INCH BY INCH

I have finished sewing the selvages together.  Now to add a border.  It was so much fun selecting the colors and fabrics - I still have a lot left over though!!!

Tissue Paper

Our weekly challenge is to use tissue paper.

I created a background on my page with acrylics and gesso.  Using artist tissue paper, I traced this drawing from a magazine then added it to my page with matte medium.  Pencils gave her face a little color.

I love how the tissue paper disappears.

Documented Life Journal

Still catching up with my journal pages, I was able to finish two this past weekend.

The art challenge was "Silhouettes" and the journal prompt was "There is no shadow without the light".  I made a collage using black and white magazine pages then added the balloons with colored pencils.

Art challenge was "Storyboard" and the journal prompt was "A week in the life".  I had a very busy week with weddings, lunches and reunions - it was easy to use photos from the activities.

Selvage Quilts

Ever since I discovered the colorful quilts made from selvages, I wanted to try one.  I started cutting 1 1/2" selvage strips and have saved them for several years.

It is recommended to sew them onto muslin first for stability, but I decided to break the rules and sew them directly onto my batting.  It's working!

This is a fun project and seeing favorite fabrics that I no longer have sure brings back memories.

A Quilt For Avery

I just finished another baby quilt.  This one is for Avery, her nursery colors are turquoise, lavender and light grey.  I hope this quilt wraps her in loving warmth when she makes her appearance in October.

A Quilt For Ethan

A turquoise and grey quilt for baby Ethan.  Can you guess his last name is Fox?  It was so much fun finding fabric with foxes and other forest critters to use on the quilt.

Congratulations to the entire family!!!  Sweet dreams Ethan.

Pienza

I finished another page in my Documented Life Project Journal.  Now I am only 5 weeks behind!  The art challenge was:  "Photos and Words" and the journal prompt was: "A picture is worth a thousand words".  Luckily I can use my summer travels - perfect timing!

Fat Joey

I just received a Paula Best Christmas craft stamp ordered from Jill Holland of Fat Joey Knitwear.  I love the stamp but really love the sentiment written in the thank you card.  "A portion from each sale goes directly to charity in the honor of the late, Great Fat Joey".  Fat Joey must have been a very loved kitty!

Switzerland and Italy

Just back from my first trip to Europe - so exciting! My daughter Paige, her boyfriend Parris and I joined my husband Storm in Switzerland.  Storm was on a 3 week cycling tour and we were lucky to join him for the last week of the tour then the 4 of us traveled on to Italy.  After working non-stop for 5 days on my photo journal, it's almost complete.

Gruyeres, Switzerland - I was able to watercolor one tiny piece, my only art finished on the trip

Solothurn, Switzerland - a beautiful town on the Aare River, right outside our hotel room

Florence, Italy - we were so lucky to be able to rent an apartment from neighbors in San Diego

Pienza, Italy - a quiet village in the Tuscany area

Rome, Italy - a whirlwind tour of ancient ruins before our journey home

I hope you enjoy looking at a few of the pages from my journal - it was a fantastic vacation!

Keeping Up

This week the art challenge for The Documented Life Project is "Recording Memories".  My sister and I have been very lucky to travel together several times in the last few years.  We always have a great time and I wanted to document some of our memories.

With my husband out of town, I am finding lots of time to keep up with my art, quilting and gardening - although I find myself talking to the cats more and more!!!

2nd Week of ICAD

This week we were given names of fruits and vegetables for our art prompts.  Most of the group created cards using the actual items.  I chose to paint the colors for my backgrounds and used stencils and stamps to create interest.  Blending the wet acrylics with a dry brush really helped my colors flow across the cards.

1st Week of ICAD

Days 2 through 7 of the Index Card a Day challenge.  I never thought I could create something on a tiny card - it's fun and I've already started on the next week of prompts.

The Documented Life Project art challenge this week is "Illustrative Art Journaling" and the journal prompt is: "Take Me Away".  Perfect timing since my husband just left for a 3 week cycling tour of Switzerland.

Time For Art

June 1st, the official start of the Index Card a Day challenge.  Our first prompt for the week is to use only pens, markers or inks and day one is to draw a chevron.

I'm also keeping up with The Documented Life Project.  This week we were to use textured papers.

So much fun with art, I really appreciate the talented and inspirational people who organize these fun challenges.

ICAD

I have joined another Facebook group - ICAD "Index Card a Day" by Daisy Yellow

Starting June 1st through July 31st, we will create daily art on an index card.  She will provide us with prompts and has already given 10 warm ups to get ready for our 61 day art journey.

Warm up #1 - do a puzzle, crossword, jigsaw or scrabble game

Warm up #2 - write a haiku poem using the 5-7-5 syllable format

Warm up #4 - Set up a mobile ICAD creation-station

Warm up #10 - write your name on index card

I am skipping around on the warm ups and looking forward to the official start on June 1st!

I'M BACK..........

A big thank you to Annie and Priscilla for encouraging me to start posting on my blog again.

I have been keeping very busy with the Documented Life Journal, National Letter Writing Month and the Love Note Postcard Project.  Here are some photos from April.

I love sharing my art and thank you for following my blog.

A New Project

My friend Sherry has asked me to make a sewing machine cover for her.  She sent me color samples and a design idea.  I already had this mauve batik fabric and I think it will be fun to start adding beads and fancy stitches to it.

It has been a very long time since I used a tissue paper pattern (provided by Sherry) and I'm eager to start this project.

2015 Documented Life Project - The Journal

For 2015, the ladies from "Art to the 5th" have suggested using a Dylusions 11 3/8" x 8 1/4" journal.  It is much larger than last years journal and I really like having more space to create on.

We will be receiving weekly art challenges and journal prompts every Saturday.  The first week is to use book paper and the prompt is "Be Your Own Goal Keeper".  I have chosen to use the left side of the page for a weekly planner and to add little memories of the weeks activities.

This is a great way to include art in your life and to have a wonderful journal at the end of the year.

Moleskine Journal Cover

I finally finished the cover for my 2014 Documented Life Journal.  It has been a great year of weekly art and the 2015 journey has begun.