Oh no

I had to make one of those dreaded cards today......

Used a Chocolate Baroque stamp on watercolour paper

Some watercolour pencils for some subtle colouring and then 1 flower & 1 leaf raised on foam pads.

I really can't believe that we've lost a friend of ours that we first met in Abu Dhabi in 1973.... farewell dear friend we shall all miss you.

Cooler

It's turned cooler here....windows are were in the morning and we had our first serious frost this morning....

As it's Monday I'm sharing my creativity from earlier....

Art journal journey: Image: key. Word: discover. Prompt: write about the time you broke the rules or went against the norm.  Technique: make prints with a crumpled paper towel on a gelli plate. Quote: you are more powerful than you know and they fear the day that you discover it.

Life documented 

Theme: A look at life through pictures (taken or drawn). Prompt: Include yourself

Technique: Collage photos, drawn pictures. Quote: “Time it was, and what a time it was; it was a time of innocence, a time of confidences. Long ago, it must have been, I have a photograph.” -Paul Simon.

Prompt: To incorporate a pretty pocket and elements of a bullet journal in your layout.

Technique:  Use deli paper and the art of brush calligraphy (you can use India ink if you have any or simply use watercolours and a brush)

Quote: Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you.   Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Colour me positive   

We are all a little broken, but the last time I checked, broken crayons still colour the same. Of course this quote is saying that no matter how the past has treated you, you still matter and have value.

Do you remember when you were younger, when a broken crayon may have been a disaster and was thrown out? This used to be me. These days though, every crayon has various ways to be utilised, no matter how many pieces it is broken into.

You should see my Caran D’Arch Neocolor II Crayons. When I get a new colour the first thing I do is break them in half. Why?

Firstly it’s so I can have half in my studio and put half in my travel pencil case, which I keep in my handbag.

Secondly, it encourages you to use it, as apposed to not wanting to waist it. How many supplies have you not used or not used much, as you don’t want it to run out or it’s too good to use?

There are so many ways to use a crayon. Just look at the ‘melting crayons’ art fad. Sometimes you just have to think outside of the box.

Art journal journey  Image: hot air balloon. Word: rise. Technique: use paint swatches. Prompt: what are the songs in the "soundtrack " of your life?  Quote: Even the darkest night will end and the Sun will rise. (Victor Hugo)

And my closing one......my inchie of course! And a very seasonal one because this week is all about spiders 

See you all after we've survived Halloween....

And more

LIFE DOCUMENTED 

41

Theme: A look at life through pictures (drawn or photos)

Prompt: Use a tag some way on your page

Technique: Finger paint

Quote: You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again.  You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life. ~Wayne Miller

42

Theme: A Look At Life Through Pictures (drawn or photos)

Prompt: Use a Tag Some Way

Technique: Stitching a Photo on an Altered Art Tag

Quote: Choose what works best for your photo

Art journal journey

41. Image: bell. Word: signal. Prompt: what motivates you. Technique: use a shaped journal spot or card for your journaling. Quote: ignoring the signs is a good way to end up at the wrong destination.

Journal 52: descend 

I've had this little girl in the moon for quite a while and now she's found a home!

I've also made a birthday card for my eldest granddaughter 

Remembered that today is Rudolph Day so I have Xmas cards to share...

 And finally a mixed media post card where the theme was texture...

Colour me positive

34. The connections we have with others are so important. However not all connections are everlasting. Surround yourself with those friends and family who truly know you and love you for exactly who you are, flaws and all.  These kinds of connections will not only empower you, but will carry you through life’s ups and downs.

35. Be brave, take risks.  Nothing can substitute experience.            

36. Some people come into your life as blessings, some come into your life as lessons

37. Life is like a camera. Focus on what's important,capture the good times,develop from the negatives and if things don't work out....just take another shot. This is such a great analogy. Life is like a camera. It’s about having a go, treasuring the good moments, learning from your mistakes and trying again, if things don’t work out. Life is certainly filled with many ups and downs, but that’s what makes life interesting, as well as often leading to inspiration for our artwork.

Art prompts galore

SEPT. 18-24: THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS...//SCAVENGER: 

golden brown, cream, book page, post it note, handwriting, lace or trim, focal image of your choice, stamping with black ink, metal embellishment , words

SEPT 25-OCT 1: TEXT (use found text on your page)// SCAVENGER: 3 Colours of fall, leaves, acorns , pumpkins, words that mean cold, stamping with random household object, torn book pages, spray with ink or watered down paint, something from some junk mail

OCT 2-7: Shades of blue//  Scavenger: the colours of a sunset, circles, random stamping, book page or part of a book page, something written on, something from a restaurant, playing card, scorecard or other game piece, ink, image, word

OCT 8-14 is: feathers/SCAVENGER:

blue, orange, texture, scrapbook paper, piece of a brown bag, book page, stamping with ink, a bird, a quote or phrase, circles

OCT 15-21:Build a page around one thing you have been saving for something special. //SCAVENGER: orange, red, stamping with ink, something from the mail, something you received in a happy mail, something round, Piece of a dictionary page, piece of a napkin, white paint splatters, some words or a phrase

On this one I had orange and red images that came in the mail, some paper napkin also from happy mail, as is the circle on dictionary paper, the words are from Tim Holtz, paint splashes supplied by me and the circles at the bottom are stamped and coloured with assorted orange & red felt pens

Colour me positive 

33: no one ever hurt their eyes by looking on the bright side of life.

This one has got some seepage from the reverse page :-(

I'll just share my inchie here and then leave you to enjoy what's left of the weekend...

Yes....a seasonal squirrel! I wonder if it's the one that came tapping on my patio window last Sunday?

Catch-up

Life documented 

Week 38: Theme for September-Admit You're Happy-Do what makes you happy 

Quote: It is not how much you have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. Prompt: Use very basic supplies to create an art journal page, focusing on technique, not art supplies.Technique: Use paper and scissors to create your own circles, or any other shapes that make you happiest.

Week 39 

Theme: Admit your happy do what makes you happy

Quote: The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise.  It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us. Ashleigh Montague

Prompt :Use distress inks to make your journal page background and add pockets to represent what makes you happy.  I have decided to do seven pockets which represent family, art,Christmas,  birds and nature, sewing, tea and friends. .so many things make us happy.

Life documented & Journal 52

Week 40 

Theme: Admit your happy do what makes you happy. Quote: How beautifully leaves grow old.  How full of light and colour are their last few days.  John Burrows

Prompt:  To use something from nature to create a spread that represents the changing of the coming season.//FALL: Descend freely by the force of gravity. The season when leaves fall from trees: Autumn. Synonyms: Descent, dive, decline, diminish, drop, decrease, fall off, reduction. Prompt: Create a spread that honours fall – either the season, or the experience of falling (away from, into, out of…). Oracle: What is falling away? What are you falling into? What are you falling out of?

Journal 52

NURTURE:To help someone or something grow. To hold something, such as an idea or a strong feeling, in your mind for a long time. Synonyms: Cultivate, encourage, incubate, foster, nourish. Prompt: Create a spread that celebrates the things that nurture you/the ways you nurture yourself/the way you nurture others. Oracle: What needs to be nurtured in your life right now?

STRENGTH:The quality or state of being physically or emotionally strong. The ability to resist being moved or broken. The quality that allows someone to deal with problems in a determined and effective way. Synonyms: Energy, force, might, muscle, potency, power, vigour. Prompt: Create a spread that celebrates your most potent strengths. Use strong, bold, forceful colours & symbols.  Oracle: Where is your strength required at this time? Where can your strengths be most useful? What force are you exerting? How strong are you feeling? How might you feel stronger?

Art journal journey 

Week 40 

40. Image: sports/ball/equipment. Word: challenge. Prompt: the science of solitude. Technique: stamp your page with bubble wrap or other unique texture. Quote: don't take every challenge as a problem, take every problem as a challenge.

Home

I've started to play catch-up....

Life documented 

Week 37 Quote: Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.  Paramahansa Yogananda (From Brainy Quotes)Prompt: Use a stamp as your focal point.Technique: Stamp, collage and drippy paint

Art journal journey 

Week 38 Door / entrance 

Week 39 Image: letter or mail. Word: connection. Prompt: write a letter to your future self. Technique: incorporate dictionary definitions or pages. Quote: connection is the energy that is created between two people when they feel seen, heard & valued.

Our inchie is bear...

A little button that has been in my collection for about a decade!

And finally I thought I'd share a picture of my new thumb ring....it's a silver Demi-tasse coffee spoon!

Deer

The weekend came around very quickly and it's almost time for me to return home to Scotland, the foliage has been slow to turn this visit thanks to some warm weather which has been very welcome.

We had several days out visiting Freeport, old Port where a couple of cruise ships were in, cape Elizabeth lighthouse where my stepdaughter got married, even got somewhere new...Gardiner - we went over Columbus weekend for the Swine & Stein event and I drank some very nice local cider or cidah as they say around these parts!

Sunday we went to the Fall Festival in Freeport & I got a new silver ring!

It's time for me to share my latest inchie....

And my next post will be made from Scotland, we return on Wednesday night....it's gone by so fast :-(

Still away

I managed to get my hands on a dylusions journal with 40% off voucher this week but no way of doing anything art wise! 

We went back to Freeport this week and had a wander round taking more photos...

And enjoying an excellent lunch at Jameson's Tavern

Thursday we went to the Cumberland fair, lost my purse...but it was handed in Intact! I was a very happy girl :-) and the kids were delighted to watch the Monster Trucks, personally the fair has now become old news - the stalls are just so much tat and numbers seem to decrease year on year, replaced by yet more food stalls. All the nice craft ones have disappeared.

Saturday was the Maine lakes Brewfest and we arrived later than normal. The weather was cooler than usual  so we still haven't worked out why the bill started to run out by 230!

On Sunday Bill and our son in law Joe went off  down to Boston to watch Patriots playing American football at their home ground.

Nicki, the grandchildren and I went to get some fresh doughnuts from a local orchard but the lines were too long and then we planned to go to a local beading shop my grandson loves visiting but they were closed! We ended up going for ice cream & then onto go karts.....

Well, a little art on a Monday with my inchie for this week: chameleon!

A good week to you all & ill be back soon.....