Soul Journaling

Sarah Whitmore just announce the blog button/group badge for the Soul Journaling group and she designed bsaed on my favorite prompt....

Soul Armor!
Think of strength and protection. Think about what you turn to when you are “under siege”. What does your creative spirit NEED more of?
How do we keep all those critical voices from crippling us in our crusade?

I had difficulty thinking of things I needed to protect myself from....so my Armor is to help hold things in that I want to nurture and explore so I don't get sidetracked. Expressing Myself and Making it Personal instead of cookie cutter art are things I want to work on. Time is my only enemy...I have great support here at home and the groups I am in on the internet are excellent stimulation and inspiring!
To see my other pages of this journal....
http://alteredroute.blogspot.com/search/label/Journal%20Challenge

Visit Sarah's site
http://www.caspiana.com/

or the Soul Journaling site itself...
http://www.souljournaling.com/

#10 Grow Where you are Planted

Grow where you are Planted...the grass is not always greener....Make do...you get the idea.


Autumn's Prompt for this week is "Growing" and I went with Grow Where Planted because it explains how lucky I am to live in a secluded wonderland that is truely condusive to being creative. Inspiration is everywhere. My 'location, location, location' is full of Nature and History, two of my favorite things, plus it is in the heart of cowboy country.

(vintage postcard with 'cowboy logic' added as an extra page and first page has a pocket)

#9 Stand By Me...or not

Autumn's Prompt for this week is "Standing Beside Me".
How does this relate to my art revival?? Well, I could have related this prompt to the people in my life who support and encourage me.....but, I didn't. The word 'STAND' is a powerful word. There are a ton of ways that it can be used. Stand up, stand for, stand out, make a stand....the list goes on.

Today, things are changing all around us. The Economy, the face of Politics and the stability of life as we have known it. In times of change, art is the one 'Pleasure' that is constant. If I never replenished or purchased another art supply from this point forward, or if everything I owned was removed, I could still find a way to be creative. It is constant...it is my steady footing so I can roll with any punches the future has in store.

Art is my Constant
Art is my Stable Skill
Art is Comfortable & Pleasurable
Art is a Coping Device
Art is my Voice
Art is Logical.

No matter life's condition, I have my creative spirit, it Stands beside me.

#8 Never Grow Up

Autumn's Prompt for this week is "Never Grow UP"....so I went with art through a Childs Eyes.
You just never know, but your best ideas might just come from your inner child.

#7 Tribute to Granny

Autumn's Prompt for this week is Memories, but mine is more of a Tribute.

Every summer for a few short weeks since I was old enough to remember, I was blessed to spend valuable precious time with my Crazy Granny. She really wasn't crazy and never minded that we all called her Granny....she loved it, it was just her nature. She was a free spirit and her inspiration for all things creative was multi layered.
I truelly believe of all the influences in my life, my Crazy Granny planted many creating seeds....some I am still discovering.

Revival Journal #6 Beginning

Autumn's Prompt for this week is 'Beginnings'.
This was a tuff one to define as to how it relates to my Revival.....
At first I was going to go with an Apprentice, as in, where skills are learned by the aid of experts at the beginning of their pilgrimage or specialty. Well, I could still do Beginning as long as I try something new that challenges me a bit. Here is what I came up with. I turned my journal sideways for this one...to bookmark where this Beginning starts in my journal.

#5 My PLAN

Autumn's Prompt for this week is Plan/Repair, to focus on an area of need and ways can you find to repair or solve this problem. Well....hmm. Since I have more than one and this should relate to my Revival, I decided to explain my three A's.
Adapt, Adjust and Apply.
I think I have been doing this all my life really, but I feel it really applies to the way I approach any art project.
So with this spread, I got out the paint and played with some techniques. I will be adding a peach Library card that I will use to list all the things I would like to try....hope there is enough room.

21 Secrets - Online Workshop

21 Artists :: 21 Art Journaling Secrets :: One Inspiring Playground
All for 59 Bucks!!!

Dirty Footprints Studio is hosting a luscious online workshop for anyone and everyone interested in the art journaling process...this amazing workshop includes 21individual lessons presented by 21 art journalers/artists, and for one low, insanely low price. The absolutely amazing 21 SECRETS goes on sale MONDAY!!!!

3 of the 21 that I look forward too are Sarah Whitmire, who I feel is a friend through her Soul Journaling, is doing Jet Set-Traveling with your journal. Connie Hozvicka, doing Get it Out, Get it Down....and Less Herger, who is doing OLD SKOOL ART: GLAZES 101.
All 21 are going to be great! Click on the above button to check them out and sign in!

Blog Hop

Autumn of Autumn's Antics who is leading this Journal with new prompts every monday, added a clever way for everyone to see the works of others who are sharing their pages each week...join in and share yours too! Everyone is Welcome...If you are working on a journal page...add a link/picture...we'd love to see it!

What is a blog hop?

A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS.
When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the
exact same list appears on each blog.

Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list.
The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.

Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog
to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!

Deep Within #4

Yesterday I worked on the prompt for this week and I really had to give this some Deep thought as to how it relates to my Revival.


Well, it involved alot of writing.


I wanted to go deep as in dimensional too, so I added one of those folded mini accordian deals (don't know what to call it)but it sure gave me more room even though I had to type it to get it all to fit. This was a enlightening prompt for me and I can't wait to see what next week brings....thanks again Autumn!
Ars Gratia Artis...Latin: Art for Arts Sake

Journal - All That I Am

Prompt 3 is All That I Am. I decided to tell how it all got started in my life and why I am drawn to all things artistic, all the different mediums, styles and how the fragments of Who you are or will become are reflected in the art you create.



I added this spread that I call my excuses...we all have them,right? And because this is a journal and not just pictoral art, I added a page to show how the WORD can be art too.

Revival page 2

The 2nd Prompt from Autumn of Autumn's Antics on this journal is 'Beautiful Things' and we are asked to make a list of things that are beautiful to you and an excerpt on your choices. The things that we find beauty in vary so greatly from person to person.
Thinking hard on how this relates to my revival back to art, I’ve reflected on my own creative habits and found that Solitude describes the most 'beautiful' ingredient. 'Beautiful' is very visual, but Solitude is a feeling or an environment needed to create beauty in whatever form it comes. Love my ME time.

Writers, Photographers,designers and artists will all tell you that their best work comes from a place of solitude.
My List:
* Live a Creative Life
* Moderate Expectations
* Shake Your Tree
* Do What Inspires
* Breaks Molds
* Put a Lid On All That Noise (Autumn's Blog Music)
* Reach inside Yourself
* Participate

But how can you have Solitude and Participation???

I need inspiration from without to have creation from within. Magezines, books, blogs, forums, street art, and art friends sharing....is how I Participate. That is why I felt I needed to add a wonderful hanging, made from a friend Joan W from my AAWA group. I have enjoyed it on my studio door for over a year, but it has a new home in this journal to represent the inspiration and the sharing of other gifted art friends through swaps. ThankYou Joan. While it seems contridictory to Solitude, when it comes time to nurturing creativity, I need to Participate...and that's 2 very beautful things.

Nature's Sick Humor

I'm just sick....
The best garden and yard that I have had in years just got pounded into the ground by Mother Nature. 80 mile /hr wind and golfball size hail will do a number on things.
Today was spent salvaging what little there was in the garden and some cleanup until depression hit me. Here are a few before and afters....

Revived, my journey back

‘A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.’ ~Lao Tzu

I have been on a travel...never really left home, but I have been away from my art interests, including this blog, for well over a year. Life just takes you down different paths that take you to destinations not planned. I seem to have circled back and need to Revive my art spirit.

My friends at AAWA - An Affair With Art - have graciously accepted me back into their circle and invited me to participate in their Journal project guided by Autumn Clark who is a wonderful visual art journalist. Inspiration and prompts are on her website at: http://autumnsantics.blogspot.com/

So here we go....and I call it my "Revival".
Tearing the covers off an old vintage book and gathering up papers, here's the intro beginning.



It's been so long, I am having trouble finding the right pens to write with on all the different textures. What are your favorite pens to use?

Under Lock and Key

I haven't been around much nor have I created much art this summer. But I did join in with a bunch of talented gals at AAWA for a wonderful Fat Book project. The theme was Under Lock and Key with any interpretation that comes to you...and boy was there alot of different meanings. It is truely a treasure!! Great art with glorious techniques and creative meaning...pictures would not show all the detail, but I will show my addition or both sides of the page that I created.


Thanks girls....and you know who you are!

Summer Time * Friends!!

Well, I'm Back! I feel so bad about slacking on the blogging because I enjoy it so much...and I miss my friends. Things have been crazy-busy here at the ranch and with the other regular summer stuff, my artroom has seen little action. We haven't been getting the usual HEAT that limits my outside activities...so outside I have been. We are in the middle of haying season and the wheat is turning.


Cows are out to pasture....and the garden & yard look great! I'll share some pictures in a few days. I need to tell you about some Friends......


I received a wonderful package in the mail from Linda Manning Findley. The girls from An AFFAIR With ART had their Art Retreat down in Texas and the theme was 'Girlfriends' and it was so sweet of her to send me the wand. Just LOOK at all the detail and I bet it weighs 5lbs! It has all the girly girlfriend trinkets and gizmos...so funny!!


Another treat that Linda added to the package was one of her Tag Books...so cool and wonderful in Detail, just love it! ....and some TimHoltz Sprockets and some 7Gypsies gaffer tape...cool stuff!!! Thankyou so much Linda!!!

Another few surprizes...
I got a wonderful phone call from Jeri Aarons from TX...had a nice visit and it was a real treat to hear her sweet Texan accent. Neat to put a voice to an online friend!

And then yesterday, out of the blue...a Christmas Carol via phone from the S.Carolina branch of AAWA who were at Claudia's having a Art day, theme, Christmas in July! What a surprise... and it sure sounded like they were having a super fun time!!(wish I coulda been there...they do sound pretty good too!)

And today...Anne of GaalCreative
sent me the The Circle of Friends Blog Award. She is celebrating her blog Anniversary and has been a wonderful blog friend to me. (if you have read this post this far, please pick up the Friend Button and add it to your blog and consider yourself tagged)

So you see....it is all about FRIENDS! The past few days has been an omen or maybe just a great reminder to me of how special out online friends are and that no matter how busy life becomes and how long you have been away from the hum of the internet...
Online Friends are Special and the relationships are REAL!!

Memorial Day

In honor of those who wore the uniform....
John Wayne was a Great American! I'll let him tell the story.
God Bless America! Long Live The Constitution!



Why I Love America, As A Great American Put It

WET........

It's been a hard Winter...
and now an extreme Spring, at least in these parts.
All thawed out and now mudded in...here's a couple pictures of the flooding on the Montana side of the ranch where the river went out of it's banks.Soon it will be time for branding, then out to greener pastures.

Altered Spoons

I tried my hand at altering a spoon.
Since these weren't the cool antique silver ones, I decided to completely wrap mine in vintage papers then wire/bead wrap. I picked a sunflower girl and used copper and amber to accent. Hope the girls in the swap enjoy these.
Below are two that I received...the big cool spoon with seashells and pearls is from Jeri
and Gloria sent the silver with gold wire and beads...just love gold and silver combo! Thanks girls!

Gadget Necklaces

I'm on a roll...and having fun!
I am going to put a few of these in my Etsy Shop and see how they go!



Here's another...

Keeping It Handy...

...because handy matters! I know I will take more pictures and at the 'right time', if my camera was more handy.
Sure, I have the zippered black hard case that I use to throw my camera in the bottom of my purse, practical, but not so handy. I want my camera handy so that I can quickly grab it and go and have it ready to shoot at a seconds notice. Cameras are small enough nowadays that, why not wear it like a necklace?....to wear at family events, nature walks, sporting events...you name it!

There are alot of times you just don't want to pack a purse around or wear something ugly hooked to your belt, if you even wear a belt. I just need to have my hands free and my camera handy. And that goes for cell phones, MP3 players,iPhone/iPods or any other smaller gadget!
I also wanted it to have a jewelry artsy look much like a ATC.
So this is what I came up with....



It measures 3.5" x 5" and hangs by copper chain that matches the Tim Holtz Idea-ology trinket charm. I used batik moda fabic and lined it, so it's soft and non- scratchy. Pictured here with my 4.5"x2.5" Motorola Q phone (since I was using my camera to take the pictures), but my Pentax Optio fits perfect..it's 3.3" x 2" x 1".

AB Tip In

I received a Tip In today. The theme for my altered book is History....old west and US history. The challenge was to add a horse or horses.
Nancy Bridges from South Carolina sent me this wonderful watercolor Tip In.


I think she nailed the theme...
The quote says,
"Look back at our struggle for freedom,
Trace our present day's strength to it's sources
and you'll find that
man's pathway to glory is strewn
with the bones of the horse." ~ Author Unknown

Nancy, thankyou!
You sure want to go visit her blog if you get a chance!
http://jazzysfavoriteart.blogspot.com/

Altered Book Tip Ins

Participating in a Horse altered book exchange this month, where the receiver picks the theme of their books and I am to create a page for it. Here's what I came up with...


Anything in TAN

By the Sea

Fantasy

Art Canvas Substitute

I have had a few conversations and questions about this substrate I use for about anything I would want to use a canvas for. It's cheap, versatile and lightweight.

I'm going to do a Helen Keller description of this board so you know what to look for if you are interested.

I don't have a brand name, but they call it 'rigid insulate board'. It comes in 4x8 sheets just like drywall. It is 1/2 inch thick. There is a tyvak type paper on both sides with a expanding type foam inside, not styrofoam. You can cut it with a blade knife and snap it just like drywall. One sheet is around $12.00, but will yield boards in any size you would want. I have substrates cut posterboard size down to 2x2inch and my favorite size is 36"x16" for art worthy of hanging over the fireplace. 8x8 works best for shipping (1 oz) in padded envies. It can be cut on the curve too.
First thing you want to do is cover it so you don't ding corners and such. I bought a tablet of gesso canvas paper. I used white school glue, cut box corners and finished both sides. Another way when I know I will end up with layers of mixed medium, I just use gel medium and glue pages of an old book and completely cover it. I do all this covering and mess in one day so that I can store them for later use.
If you have a lumber place that has this stuff, just have them snap cut the big sheet down to 3 pieces so they will fit in the back seat of your car. The coolest feature is that it is so lightweight for shipping or hanging....and being only 1/2 inch thick it can easily be framed.

Blog Party Winner

What a fun Valentine Party!!...just the right size to visit and enjoy all the bloggers in one afternoon. Thank-you Leslie of Flatwoods Folk Art for hosting a fun event!

Kathleen Grace of Kathy's Cottage is my WINNER! Enjoy!

Romancing the Blog PARTY

Happy Valentines Day!!
I joined in with Flatwoods Folk Art for a Valentine Party!
There are over 54+ participants so far
who will be offering you wonderful Valentines. Some with free downloads or random drawings to win some goodies, as well as sharing their blog
with us. I hope you will join us and visit as many blogs as you can.

Here is what you do.... CLICK HERE or the banner, to visit the party host, Flatwoods FolkArt, and on her left column is a LIST of party blogs to go visit and leave comments.

But before you go.... Here's my giveaway!
A steampunk Valentine that you can wear year-round!


This giveaway is open to all! You can enter by just leaving a comment on this post only in the comments area (click the little comments button below). If you don't have a blog, add your email addy so that I can reach you! The random drawing will be midnight tonight...February 14th and we will e-mail the winner.
Good luck!

Here are some pictures with a little Romance to add to your collections....

Rose O'Neill, originator of the Kewpie doll 1907