Feeling poorly... feeding the spirit

For the last few days, a yucky virus has taken up residence at my house.  This unwelcome guest has left me coughing, sneezing, feverish and feeling pretty awful.  It is my turn, I guess... but I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to be stuck at home with no energy.  I have slept and taken in lots of fluids, so hopefully I am turning a curve toward healthier days.  It is so delightful here outside this week, making me doubly sorry I am housebound, except for walking my boys a few times each day.  These items have been my closest companions this week.

Arriving yesterday was a delightful surprise from Ille, a much needed pick-me-up for the day. Ille's girlie-girl creation sure made me feel lots better.  

Thanks, Ille!

    I have been thoroughly enjoying Teresa McFayden's

     Letter Whimsy 2.0. 

This one is even more fun for me than her first one.  When I have felt like sitting up a bit, it has been fun to play with lettering in my art journal.  Here is one I completed, focusing on this meaningful nugget of wisdom.

 Here are a couple more, showcasing some wonderful points to ponder.

One idea I love is that of making a window with something behind my acetate portal.

This page is a hodge-podge of remnants from sweet notes and memories from the last few weeks.  This was an artful expression that could feed my spirit, as my body heals and gets back to good health.

I have known for quite some time that making art is a spiritual experience for me.  I can never express how creating puts me in a higher plane... a good place to be any time.

May the rest of your week be healthy and happy.

A jar full of labels

Yesterday was our first look at snowflakes this season, but they were few and short-lived. Our winter has been quite mild here in the South, and that suits me just fine. I already have "spring fever", with some absolutely gorgeous days warming our bones several days this past week.  It has given me the itch to put out some of my light and airy pieces here in my home.

  Several months ago those wonderful gypsy girls showed an idea for decorating tall glass jars with labels.  I had some fun making mine from all kinds of labels I found in my travels.

I took a styrofoam disk that would fit in the bottom of my jar and covered it with some of my favorite paper and ribbons.  Then I stamped and wrote messages on my labels and attached them to funky wire twirls, standing at different heights inside the jar.  I sometimes leave this out on my kitchen table, so I tried to arrange the labels so that I could read them from all sides.  This was a really easy project, one that could be changed for different seasons.

For my handmade wire holders, I used floral wire that had some thickness. Some of our local stores have all sizes and shapes of these kinds of jars, and they are reasonably priced.  Wouldn't it be fun to do a grouping of them?  

Have you heard that Martha Stewart has teamed up with STAPLES for a fantastic line of office supplies, including every kind of label imaginable?  Here are even more new and exciting possibilities!  I just adore using office supplies in my art and in my life. Our local STAPLES has a huge display of all these goodies.  I bought a few already, and know I will be back for more.

The old groundhog did see his shadow just a few weeks ago,  but I'm still hoping for an early spring.  If not outside, I can surely have it inside!  Have a sunny week.

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's hoping your day of love has been absolutely wonderful.

The love of family and friends makes the world go round.

How delightful to get some Valentine pretties from some of my dearest peeps.

A gorgeous handmade heart from Barbara...

A yummy damask Valentine from Kristi~

A sweet stitched delight from Tonya~

A clever creation from Mama Crow~

The only thing that could make this day more perfect

would be for my doorbell to ring and see this figure at my door...

I'm holding my breath... yeah, right...

A busy February...

I have been absent from "blogdom" for a few weeks now, but all for a good reason.  Several weeks ago, a new opportunity arrived at my doorstep unexpectedly.

A new job offer arrived when I least expected it.  As a retired teacher, I can only work part-time, and that suits me just fine!  A girl has to have time for all her passions...  Anyway, I am now working with Algebra I intervention in a local high school... a job I have never done before.  Soooooo, I am having a little homework myself, staying "sharp" on all the key concepts I am helping students to master.  I do love it, and feel it has given me a new purpose.  My kitchen table is now strewn with a graphing calculator, algebra books, lots of paper and some very sharp pencils!!!

I haven't had quite as much time for my art as before, but working only three days a week still affords me the time to "play" with all my art toys... Yes, more COPICS have arrived... I can't seem to stop getting more colors... There are just so many gorgeous ones!!!

I'm still having fun making art about just normal, yet precious events...  like Sunday dinner at Mom and Dad's after church.  Having my beloved parents still here with me is such a gift, one I cherish and love to celebrate.

I'm pushing the math equations aside for a while to make a few valentines... Lace, watercolor, scraps and markers are scattered all over my little art room.  Here's the yummiest heart I received last year from my dear friend Kristi... Nothing could be sweeter...

Love is really all we need.

Share some love with your special ones over the next few days.  

 Life really is so good.

Friendship, a sheltering tree

A couple of years ago, my dear friend Kristi Steiner and her husband Bill moved just a few miles from me.  Kristi is one of the most talented artists I have ever known, and so generous in spirit.  This is one of her latest, luscious creations.

  I was lucky enough to be invited to Kristi's lovely studio, in her beloved Wren Cottage last week for some delightful "art play". We only spent a few hours together, but feeling Kristi's creative energy so inspired me to get back to my art table.  Seeing her beautiful work gave me the impetus to pick up my art journal, full of white pages... and begin filling it with sketches and washes of color.

I always have to "name" my working art journals. It makes it seem more like a "real" book, and helps me keep a commitment to my work.   I decided to call this journal "My Heart's Song".  I sketched and watercolored my little bird on my favorite-in-all-the-world paper--Fabriano Artistico hot press watercolor paper.  The paper takes the watercolor like nothing I've ever used before... just luscious! I then cut out my little bird and branch, and applied him to the first page of my sketchbook.

For days, we have been wedged in with the "gloomies", making it so dark in the house for painting. But today the warmth and sunshine have returned, bringing rays of light beaming into my little art space.... Ahhhhhhh.....

Trying my hand at doodling, I used a piece of fabric as the inspiration for my sketches.  I did change the color palette, but had fun with my Derwent Inktense pencils, copics and watercolors.

I decided I could take small steps... starting small...and then growing...

I have been focused too, on gratitude for the many blessings in my life.  Friendships are some of life's greatest joys.  I have been blessed with some of the best friends on the planet.  

I hope you'll spend some moments today counting your blessings, too.  It makes life so much more worthwhile.  Enjoy the sun today, if you are lucky enough to see it.

Lessons from my pansies

On this gloomy January Saturday, I decided to get out my watercolors and sketchbook... Playing at my art table always brightens my spirit and helps add balance in my life.  My art is often a spiritual experience for me.  Those quiet moments of introspection help ground me... help me know where I am on this journey... and help me know how grateful I am for my abundance.

Even though our winter here in the foothills has been relatively mild, we still have had some very cold nights.  The only plants in my yard that make it through the frigid times are the winter kale and my beloved pansies.  I wanted to bring their rich, velvety textures into my art studio to sketch on this Saturday afternoon. So I plucked three lovely specimens...

I wanted to do a watercolor sketch and write about these delightful flowers.  I do adore the soft, ethereal look of watercolor... although it is a difficult medium to master... it is such a favorite of mine.

As I wrote today, I thought of the strength of these resilient flowers.  It is so amazing that they can withstand the cold weather, when almost no others can...  During the coldest of days, the little blossoms  bow their little heads... but just as soon as the warmer, sunnier times arrive, they will hold their heads high... reveling in their renewed energy.  I want to be like that... When difficult days come, I want to hunker down and then come back stronger than ever...  Isn't it wonderful that we can learn so many lessons from nature???

Copic love

I have owned a handful of COPIC markers for quite a while. Being a total "art product junkie", I read about them on some of my favorite blogs, so of course I had to have a few.  I have all kinds of other crayons, pastels, pencils and such.  I love using all of them for different purposes.

I was a bit "put off" by the fact that the COPIC markers are a bit pricey... that was until I found out more about their quality and value. I have just completed a fabulous class with Teresa McFayden... the COLOR AS A VERB e-course.

As I have progressed through the e-course, I just had to have a "few" more....

So my collection is expanding...

This little container is pretty full... soooooooo I have ordered a new case... 

one that can "expand" as my collection grows... More about that to come...

Copicmarkers.com has a great blank chart for coloring in all those colors as new ones are acquired...

http://www.copicmarker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/COPIC_BlankHandColorChart_2012.pdf

As you can tell, I've been busy coloring in my chart, 

and putting together the little swatchbook Teresa helped us make.

I was able to take some of the fun from this color class and combine it with the techniques we are learning in the LETTER WHIMSY e-course.  The two classes go well together and have given me some inspiration to "play" in my art journal... the first of 2012.  Here is a page I completed yesterday.

I adore home and love this quote from Emily Dickinson.

The "home" stamp at the bottom of the page is one from Donna Downey.  

I just love how whimsical it is!!!

Another page I did had some watercolor backgrounds, 

which changed the look of the Copic colors just a bit. 

 It adds interest to see some of the watercolors peeking through, 

 but it can make it a bit tricky to work with...

I "learn" something with every page...

some good and some not so good...

I guess that's why it's called a "working journal"...

Hopefully my marker storage system arrives tomorrow...

so there will be more fun in my little studio...

My art play helps my heart stay light...

keeping the January doldrums away from my door.

Let's go have a steaming cup of coffee.

Yummmmmm......