Digital Collage - The Last Train

Since I have been spending so much time downtown lately I thought I would swing by the railroad museum. It is located in the old train depot building. As this is a port city they bring in lots of supplies and take out a lot of things. Before we had the big trucks that we now have, trains were how a lot of things were transported across country.

This is a window looking out along the train side of the building. I added some texture by using a young friend's scribbles and a few layers. You can see the different colors the brick has been painted, red green, yellow...

Online Journal Class with Dina Wakley - The Journal

This is the front and back of my journal I am using in Dina Wakley's journal class. I decided to go ahead and make my own as I was not sure how many pages and what size I wanted. I decided to go big - 9 inches by 9 inches - and she said to use a paper that can hold a lot of paint etc. I went for watercolor paper 140lb. I took a cheapy watercolor pad and cut it to size for the pages. Knowing if I needed more pages I could cut more.

The cover is a piece of cardboard I cut to 9 1/4 inches by 9 1/4 inches. After I cut the back and cover I covered them with dictionary pages - very random. Then I used the first week's technique on them, let everything dry, then sewed around the edges. I then used my coil binder to cut the holes on the cover, back and pages. I then assembled everything with the coil. Voila! a new journal for the class.

Online Journal class with Dina Wakley...some pages

This past week was the first week of my online journal class with Dina Wakley. I have enjoyed her articles in Somerset's Art Journaling magazine so much. I thought I would take the leap and try her class.

So far so good. The handouts are very good and her video is excellent. We started with the backgrounds in our journal adding texture and color. Here are a few of my first week pages. I can't wait to see what we do next week.

Digital Photograph - Last Night's Sunset

Thought I would share last nights sunset with you. It was beautiful!

Theme Thursday - 2" by 4"

She lived for shoes

This weeks theme for Theme Thursday's Challenge is the 2" by 4". We could pick any format, using digital, collage, etc... I decided to to a digital collage. One of the things my mother an I love to do is shop for clothes and shoes together. We are our best critics and really can get some major stuff done. Then of course lunch or a snack.

Yesterday shopping with an old friend I was reminded of this. When I was growing up we always shopped a lot around my mother's birthday for spring clothes. She would look for something nice to wear for dinner with my father. I got my new dresses for the season. My favorite was looking for the right shoes to go with my dresses. I sort of grew into my feet and loved the ladies shoe section when I was young.

My digital collage is of a lady who loves her shoes. In using the ephemera images I realized I have see variations of these shoes in the stores lately. I guess everything comes back in style if you wait long enough. Hmmm... might be time to look through all the shoes I have been carting around for years...something is probably in style.

Happy Birthday Freebies

I love this little girl's curls. I had curls when I was little, not natural, thanks to rolling my hair in socks or these odd spongy things. Did anyone else go through that?

Ah a lovely mermaid type card. A great Birthday greeting from the beach.

She really seems to be pondering the thought of another year gone by. Somehow she seems a bit sad to start a new year full of promise.

Now here is a little cherub filled with Birthday wishes for all.

The perfect card for a Spring Birthday. What beautiful tulips she has...


Today is my Mother's birthday! I thought I would share some birthday postcards with you in her honor. I talked with her this morning as she was getting ready for lunch with "the girls". No matter how young or old we are it is still fun to celebrate these milestones with family and friends. So ...Mom I will be home soon, we will do lunch, we will shop...I love you and Happy Birthday!

Spring Reminder

Yesterday I had a little reminder of Spring. I have been driving last chick around while his car is in the shop. While he is in school on his short days I just hang out downtown and take pictures and amuse myself. I stopped to park in this parking lot to get some shots. Lo and behold here was this hyacinth growing out of a pothole in the parking lot. A car had parked right next to it.

It reminded me that even in the worst of times and places, beauty can be found. That there are times we go through difficult times and in the end, something wonderful can happen. Spring is sort of like that. All the rebirth and regrowth bursting forth. Telling us just to hang in there. Warm, sunny days are coming.

Quote - Just living....

Digital Photograph - Spring is in the Air

Happy Monday! Yes, Spring is in the air here. It is windy and cold, a little cloudy, but the trees are starting the lime green tint to the branches, the leaves are getting ready to burst forth. The azalea bushes are starting to bud and everywhere the signs are there. Oh happy days...

Digital Photograph - Tulip Magnolia

What a glorious day! I awoke early this morning to watch one of the qualifying marathons for the big Boston Marathon being run through our neighborhood. Nice skies, some wind, and the runners were out in full force. Being on the end of the marathon was really cool. You could see who were the seasoned runners and who were the weekend runners. As I sat on my front porch I had to admire them all, no way could I run 34 miles or do the half marathon of 18 miles.

The neighborhood was out in full force in lawn chairs, baby strollers and dogs on leashes. Clapping for each and every runner. My neighbor did the half marathon and in the celebration I noticed this beautiful deep magenta Magnolia tree. This is one of the trees that so represents the South and our Southern hospitality. Today was no exception here in Coastal North Carolina.

Kanji - Spring

Yesterday the library right by my house started it's week long book sale. I love this sale. They have so many interesting books. The historical an antique books are my favorite. I go there first, then to the foreign language section, then to art, and on to the cookbooks. I found two 1945 Kanji books that the U.S. Navy had put out. What a treasure. I thought in the next few months I would share some with you. Here is spring. This would make an interesting journal addition or a nice background for an ATC.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

A little Irish lass

A little Irish lad

Love her shawl and umbrella

Too sweet

Love all the shamrocks she is carrying!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I hope everyone is wearing the green and if not getting pinched wildly. I hope everyone eats something Irish today. Me I am off for lunch at the local Irish pub, a Rueben is in order. My family is Irish and in fact we have several relatives that own pubs and Inns in the homeland. I am wishing everyone of you "the luck of the Irish" today and everyday!

Digital Photograph - Cherry Blossoms

This weekend was full of blue skies and these big puffy clouds that look like cotton candy. Glorious. As I turned the corner there they were these cherry trees in the library parking lot full of blossoms. I pulled over and grabbed my camera. I was not the only one excited, they were covered in honey bees. I thought I would share these blossoms to start the week out with something beautiful and pink.

Four Letter Words - Hope

Digital Collage - Promise

A small digital collage. The Queen Anne's lace is my photograph the background was a freebie from someone who I can't remember and failed to write down. If anyone recognizes it let me know and I will give credit to. I thought the marriage was nice and used it today in my journal. The promise of spring.

This Week's Art Journal Pages

This week I have had to put my faith in a lot of people. Generally, I just rely on myself and get things done. Not this week. I think my journal pages are showing this tendency. The great birds are from the Graphics Fairy. I was able to do the border with some of that new tape I got a few weeks ago.

This is one of my favorite quotes. The first time I heard this was when I was a little girl from my grandmother. I have watched youngest chick stand up for the right not to do or think what his peers think the past few weeks. I have seen him be the victim of his peers because he would not cave under their pressures but stand up for what he believes is right for him.

The past is the past, today is your future. I chose this dark blue to accent the young girls dress. I like the simplicity of her. I did transfer the clock backwards on purpose. Sort of you can't turn back time thing.

Again, I am obsessing on the future and the actions you have. We all carry a lot of scars - baggage with us. I am trying to make mine turn into something positive and teach my kids the same.

Normally, I do at least five or six journal pages over a week's time in this particular journal. Not so this week. I thought I would share what the painted page phase looks like with you. I am not sure where I am going from here, but it should be fun...may be some of those Marigold freebies might look at home here.

Flower Freebies

This is so magnificent. My grandmother planted Marigolds by the doors to keep the flies away.

The glorious sunflower. So tall and proud. Feeding all the birds. When we had our farm we would plant 5 acres of sunflowers. It was truly a sight to see.

I am going to make some flower girls out of these. I love the color and the size of these.

I had to include one of the south's favorite flowers, the Magnolia Blossom. It is so large and creamy looking.

To me these are very Zetti looking flowers. I love the purples, raspberry shades with the orangy yellows.


This week I am doing some flowers for you. These are old flower prints I have picked up along the way at flea markets and antique stores. Earlier this morning I was telling someone how I woke up to rain and paying bills. Ugh! The rain brings flowers and new leaves on the trees. That was somewhat cheering. So anyway I decided to give you a hint of what is yet to come...Spring. Hope these cheer up your day!

Digital Collage - The Farm

This digital collage sort of fits the mood we have had around here for the past week or so. I am not one to rant a lot about my private life, but last week something happened here that just sort of blew the air right out of me. I can't really go into a bunch of detail as the boys in blue are handling it, but it did sort of erode my faith in people and the way that some of this new generation of kids seems to feel themselves so entitled. Do not misunderstand I truly believe most of the kids walking out among us are just good kids, but there are some that have never been accountable for anything they have done. These are the ones that scare me and that we are dealing with right now. Our "wa" around here is definitely disturbed. More later...

Recipe - Naked Chicken

The weather is starting to get warmer and I am seeing lots of people out walking and exercising. Getting ready for swimsuits. This recipe is a good one for those dieters out there - me included. I serve this with a wild rice and some broccoli or asparagus. It is an easy meal to prepare on a busy day. You can start the marination before you go to work in the morning.

Naked Chicken

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 chicken breasts, skinned

Mix together the first five ingredients.
Place the chicken in a ziplock or plastic bag and pour in the marinade.
Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for 4 to 24 hours. The longer the better.
Turn the bag whenever you can.
Remove the chicken and place in baking pan.
Bake covered at 350 degrees with foil for 40 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes.

Serve on top of wild rice with some fresh vegetables - I use asparagus or broccoli. Yum!
Serves 4 hungry people.

Forgotten - Digital Photograph

This is a house in our downtown historic district. It is in such bad shape that no one wants to buy it and the owners can't fix it up. I feel so bad when I see places like this. It is as if everything that has gone before have been forgotten. Sometimes I wonder if progress is really progress.

Freebies - Pre-Ralphaelite Images

The Archer

Valkyrie

Opening Pandora's Box

Madea

The Charmer

Circe Invidiosa

It has been a long week! Some unexpected happenings around here sort of through a monkey wrench in things. I am sooo late getting my freebies out. Bare with me. I am giving you some assorted Pre-Ralphaelite paintings this week. They always inspire me and have such great detail and meaning. Next week I will do better.

The Artist Within

This digital collage journal page was created with an original photo I took down on the docks. I then added a ledger page just because and the stamp is from I Brake for Stamps. I have been taking photo after photo of circle things and trying to incorporate them into my art work. I loved the color and texture of the paint on this one.

In several of the journal groups I belong to there has been much talk about being an artist, when you knew you were an artist, what is an artist. I felt like this pretty much summed it up for me. I think most of all you have to follow the rhythm of your heart. If you are true to that, then you will be successful and happy.

Latest Journal Pages

The past week or so have been filled with odds and ends. I have spent what free time I have had in the studio working on a few pages for a Round Robin Journal that is to be auctioned off for a worthy cause - an abused woman's shelter. The theme for this large moleskin journal is "friendship". The first two pages shown here are in this journal.


On this page I used some border images from Crowabout and the two crows are from Artchix Studio.This is one of my favorite quotes. It always reminds me of my friend Pat an I hanging out and singing at the top of our lungs to the car radio, her helping me remember who I am through difficult times.

On this journal page I decided to go a little more serious. I played with the background to get an aged, cracked feel to it. These two sisters are so endearing. I want to swoop them up and take them to get some new clothes and shoes and then a long bubble bath, followed up with a good hot meal.

The next few pages are in my own moleskin. This year I am using the large moleskin. I must say I am loving it. Just a bit more space. Yet still feels good to the hand. Here on this page and through out this journal I have been using circles in my art. They are a visual theme throughout.

This was a journal prompt from the Yahoo group Blissfully Art Journaling. We were to think about being alone in a room. For me that is alone in my studio. Working on all the possibilities. [Plus I got to use my new orange tapes on my journal page.]

Sadly, last month a dear friend lost her mother suddenly. I am not sure where this all came from, I just know I felt so bad for her family when I heard. My continued thoughts are going out to her and hers. This past month seems to be a sad one for a lot of people. Spring can not get here soon enough.