Visual Inspiration Boards

Just got an email from Toni over at the art journaling yahoo group run by Rice, she reminded me of my intention to do Visual Inspiration Boards. This will be a January project just as soon as the hardwood floor is done, & I get my studio back. Do check out her blog, she is doing some beautiful work. http://seaweedandgardenias.blogspot.com/ Thank you, Toni.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!

Below are a few goals, I expanded a bit from last year. I did ok, last year, but want to get closer to my vision of my life. So I will keep these goals close, in the front of my daily list, morning affirmations & sketchbooks.

Goals For 2009

1. Islands - Paint

2. Heal My Life - Affirmations, Art Journals, Books & Novel
3. Be with Art - Travel Journal

Wishes & Projects

Wishes

Do something creative everyday

Cheerful & helpful

Projects

China sketchbooks

Christmas Art Journal 2008

Novel - Observations

Blurb Books - China sketchbook, Cookbook, etc.

Healing My Life - Daily Art Cards

Refashioning Clothes

Island Paintings - Tree Island

Abstract Art - Play & Understand

Renovation - House/ Furniture

Simple Life - Organization

Garden/Yardwork

From now on I'm going to include a Louise Hay quote for my day.

Enjoy!

It's easy to grow and change in an atmosphere of love. - Louise Hay

Christmas Pecan 2008 Boxes

I found these sweet little boxes at Kris's wedding favors, they were fun & easy to make. You can see a better photo over at Kris' blog here. http://kris-wedding-favors.blogspot.com/ Kris also, has a color stripe blog, see it here. http://color-stripes.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas to all

Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night. Enjoy!

David Scott

David Scott

1926 - 2003

Merry Merry Chistmas Art Journal

The Merry, Merry Christmas Journal Cover & a few finished pages.

I scanned a few work in progress (WIP) pages to see how they look, but for now the WIP pages are going up on flickr. I'll post the individual pages here as they are completed then I'll post the completed Merry, Merry Christmas Journal here in January.

I'm really enjoying creating this Merry, Merry Christmas Journal(don't you just love the name, I do). It is pushing me to work longer & harder than I would without a deadline, even into the evening. But I am concerned that the pages aren't as good as they could be. That's probably my inner critic jumping in too soon before the pages are finished. I need to take into consideration that I am working under a bit of constraint, my fractured foot. Even though it is only a stress fracture, I have to keep the foot up a lot of the time. No problem with a lap desk & sofa, but there are pen marks, paint & glitter everywhere. It gets especially funny when Moby, the puppy girl, dashes up on the sofa to bark at dog, squirrel or person out front. So far no real accidents, but things can go flying.

Snow Dog

You gotta love pure joy!

http://www.dogwork.com/dogsnow/

Guangzhou China Citybook & Large Sketchbook

When I wasn't sleeping during the 18 hour return flight, I sketched Northwest Business Class. I floated the watercolor into the sketch, when I returned home.

The above sketch was completed in my small watercolor sketchbook. Since it was the only painting in that sketchbook, I decided to paste it into my large sketchbook to condense all my china paintings into the citybook & my large watercolor sketchbook. I pasted only the left edge so I could read my journaling on the backside of the painting. I scanned the Dragonboat cover of the small watercolor sketchbook so I'll have a copy of the cover painting. The small watecolor sketchbook will be recycled, probably on a Florida trip. First of all, the Chinese people were as wonderful as I had been told they would be, because being a red headed caucasian, there was no way I blended in with the native chinese. Since I walk around smiling all the time at least on vacation, I got lots of smiles & a couple of giggles from the Chinese police/soldiers. Now, when I paint, I really don't notice to much of what is going on around me, otherwise, I loose all concentration. This is why, I always try to paint in a safe area, which Sha Mian Island & everywhere I painted in China was safe. I sat under a gazebo next to the Pearl River with a couple of chinese grandparents & started to paint. I had sketched in the drawing, when I saw a young boy, his grandmother, & mother cross through the area I am painting. People are always strolling beside the Pearl River & under these trees the grandmothers do their Tai Chi. So I didn't think anything of it, until he made a bee line for me & the gazebo. From then on the grandson was my comentator hovering over my shoulder. Refocusing on my painting, I continued on as he would flit from shoulder to shoulder, back & forth between me and the grandmother & mother. Looking up 1/2 way through my painting, I noticed that every seat on the benches under the gazebo was packed with chinese grandparents. I smiled and continued on, while the grandson flitted between them all. At the end, I said thank you, Zhen, Zhen with a slight bow of the head & hands together. This is the celebration thank you, which I certainly felt I had a lot to celebrate with a good painting & wonderful experience. I do wish I had showed my work all around to them, but I rarely paint with anyone else, let alone in front of a crowd so I didn't think of it. Next time, I will share my work right then & there.

A beautiful, barely teal colored teapot on the table at the White Swan Canton restaurant caught my eye & had to be painted. Again, the staff discretely hovered watching me paint, but didn't intrude at all. Wonderful shrimp dumplings for lunch & the tea was delightful.


Above, is my favorite side of a double spread collage, you can see the other side over at my flickr along with more chinese paintings & photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/26331259@N06/collections/72157607856381647/ . These are packaging materials that caught my eye as we dined on fabulous canton, shanghai & thai food. Included in the above collage are the chinese dried fruit packaging. Whenever, we travel I put together gorp, this is dried fruit, nuts & a bit of chocolate for snacking. Chinese fruit was very different & even now, I'm not sure what we ate, but it was delicous, although not as sweet as american fruits.

Merry Merry Chistmas Art Journal & Moleskinerie Mention

1st Day of the Merry Merry Christmas Journal, which was to state our intentions. My intention is to bring more joy back into the Christmas Holiday for me & my family. Joy & more Joy - that's my intention.

A little bit of news - I'm on Moleskinerie here - http://www.moleskinerie.com/2008/11/sketches-from-g.html . Thanks for including me.

Crockpot Turkey for Thanksgiving

Here is a art journal page on cooking turkey for Thanksgiving in the crockpot. Enjoy!

China & New Hampshire coast

The left hand side of my moleskinne depicts Swimming Point Park, (my name for it). Every morning we would have the buffet breakfast, which Art, my husband, absolutely loved. The dining room faced the Pearl River where it widened out a bit. Swimmers entered the water at Swimming Point Park to swim down & back along the White Swan river bank right past the dining room. The swimmers started very early, almost before the ferries ran. Between 6:30 & 7:00 am the ferries would quickly go back and forth, up and down the river delivering people to work. The ferry captains were very good, they always knew exactly where the swimmers were. Even though the swimmer's head was the only part visable in a vast array of water. In addition, the ferrys timed their runs to weave between the barges running up and down the river.

The watecolor vignettes on the right hand side of my moleskinne were completed from photos back in our White Swan room at night. I really enjoyed taking the time to get the watercolor on the page, while the memory was still fresh.

One afternoon, I wandered through the White Swan gardens coming out at their private dock. Next to the the White Swan dock, was the pier where the ferrys would come & go. I took this photo of a gentleman, who appeared to live on his ferry with his small green garden & the complementary red flag of China.

This is a line drawing of the New Hampshire coastline near where my sister, Kathy, lives. The drawing is a pleasant reminder of holidays past. Happy Thanksgiving!

Guangzhou China Citybook Sketchbook

Above are the 1st of my China watercolor paintings, the rest can be seen at my flickr under Travel, China, Guangzhou Citybook Sketchbook http://www.flickr.com/photos/26331259@N06/sets/72157610014484475/ .

As I finish adding the watercolor to the sketches, I will post them & I will post the information pages once the paintings are done. Enjoy!

Christmas Stash 2008

Christmas Stamps & lettering

Christmas Charm Makings

Christmas Prep. Sketches Old & New

Christmas Papers

Merry Merry Christmas Art Journal Kit

Dad Scott - December 21

Can't wait to play with all these goodies for the Merry, Merry Christmas Art Journal 2008.

Merry Merry Chistmas Art Journal

Art on the top floor balcony of Zhen-hai Tower, Guangzhou, China.


The Merry, Merry Christmas Art Journal was made using Kira's Easy Peasy Journal Video.- http://blog.journalgirl.com/2008/03/the-easy-peasy.html. It is very easy to make & I enjoy being able to make a custom size (8" x 7" seems to be working well for me). I've pasted the watercolor canvas to the Christmas Art Journal cover & used Water Green scrapbook paper for the inside end papers. I actually flipped the paper to the wrong side so it is smooth enough to write notes, to do lists, ideas etc. Right now the art journal is squished under a stack of books drying so I'll post the journal & the rest of my stash tomorrow.



I took Kira's Artistic Alchemy online journaling class this past summer, which was wonderful. She tells me she'll be offering the class again after the holidays. Hop over & check out the Easy Peasy Journal Videohttp://blog.journalgirl.com/2008/03/the-easy-peasy.html & the rest of her blog http://blog.journalgirl.com/, she has all kinds of goodies.

Strawberries & Pansies Print

I just received this print from Sarah Ahearn and isn't gorgeous. I'm keeping it in my studio for inspiration to what mixed media art can be, when created with wonderful color, text & natural images. Sarah is teaching at Squam Art Workshops in 2009, which usually are in Sept. I think. I'm going to be 1st in line to sign up when registration opens in April 2009. Check her out at her blog - sarahearn.blogspot.com and her etsy - sarahearn.etsy.com. Enjoy!

Merry Merry Chistmas Art Journal

These are the goodies I received from Dawn at dblogala.typepad.com. They are going to be lots of fun to play with this Christmas season. Dawn has lots of cool stuff on her blog - be sure to check out her 2006 & 2007 Christmas Journals and her etsy shop. Have a Merry Merry Christmas Season.

Gratitude Dance

Home Sweet Home

Can't believe it's almost been a month since I've been here. China was wonderful until I got sick, oh well. I'm feeling better each day and am winding up the China Moleskinne Sketchbook & my own Guangzhou citybook with more watercolor. I'm starting a china sketchbook/photo book with blurb. The software looks really exciting & easy to use. I just love books, can't you tell.

In other news, my friend Sarah got me onto Facebook so I'm playing round with that. I believe that you have to be the change you want so I'm creating an artist community around myself. I hope to have it all connected here on the blog. I get confused if I don't have order, I just am too scatterbrained.

December big news is that Anna & I are going to do a Merry Merry Christmas Art Journal/Scrapbook. It is time to bring a bit of joy back into the Christmas Holidays and creating always brings me joy. I'll post my pages here as I complete them.

Now for a bit of old news that I forgot to share. I'm writing a novel. Yup. A novel. I've been working on the Nanowrimo write a novel in the month of November. Yes, I am way, way behind, but it's been fun. I'll finish even if it goes into December or later.

I've promised myself to really learn how to post & join in the online community more. I want enrich my blog so it is easier to see what I want to do & have done. To do that I feel I need to blog more so I'm going to step it up and even blog daily for awhile. I have to train myself to get on do what I need to do & not go looking at all those wonderful blogs out there every time I'm on the computer. You see - moving the paintbrush or writing with a pen is what keeps me sane. I have to do that every day, but I easily get distracted.

Palm Tree Doodle

Below is a doodle I did from inspirating Traci Bautista book - Collaged Unleashed. Fun to do & I love the layers of color. I'm certain to do more of these, but for now we are off to China for 10 days. I don't think I can blog from China, so I'll see you when I see you. Enjoy!

5K Arlington Race

Art came in 1st in his age class. Yeah! Art!

China Sketchbook Covers finished -Trip delayed

Just as I finished the last 2 China sketchbook covers, Art had to postpone the trip (see below). I have decided to take 1 more blank watercolor sketchbook, just in case I need it. The dilema is always how do you pack very light, but have everything you think you will need.

The hardware Art needs to work with in China won't be ready so we'll be taking our trip a week or so later. This gives us time to work on the hardwood floor in the great room, but more importantly we will vote early as we will be out of the country the day of the election. It will be interesting watching the American democracy work from a communist country.

Life is an adventure.

China Sketchbook Covers

These are 2 out of 4 moleskinne sketchbook's I am taking to China. I am taking this large watercolor sketchbook, Hong Kong city Book, small watercolor sketchbook, & a small sketchbook, which I am making my own Guangzhou city book.

We are flying directly into Guangzhou & staying at the White Swan on Shaiman Island. Shaiman Island, being an island, is contained enough for me not to get lost, beautiful gardens with the river on all sides to paint & western enough for me to feel comfortable by myself. I realize China is going to be totally different from Paris & America, but the people always make for a great trip.

October Already!

Since I am a sloppy painter, I have decided to embellish my favorite clothes by drawing & painting patterns to cover any paint that accidentally gets on them.

Art washing the walls in the office end of the great room & the finished caulking of the office.

Work in Progress Bennett Cove Island or Nubble.

September Joy!

Lots going on this week - My birthday, Dad's Birthday, our aniversary.

My favorite photos of Dad through the years.

Our Wedding September 18, 1999

Bennett Cove Island for my Birthday - 52 years young.