Skip to content

January Art Journal & Pass The Book

  • by

I’ve had this book far too long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and have a page of typed notes and sketches of ideas I found within its pages. You can see some of my post-its here. So it’s time to pass it along.

PassTheBookw

 You can read about Pass the Book here. If you’re interested in taking a look at this one, leave me a comment, and on Monday night I’ll pick a recipient. I’ve been interested in art journaling for a long time, but haven’t done anything with it in years. Sarah and I took an art journaling class together years ago, but I’m not even sure where mine is at this point. This book, however, and a couple of books I purchased this summer have renewed my interest. Since I’m not doing a monthly layout of my Capture Your 365 photos this year, I decided I’d start an art journal and recap my months there. I’ll probably add other pages as well. 

JournalPocketClose

I started by using my water color crayons to create a background, and then stamped on top of them with a texture stamp. I typed up the recap of the month and inserted it into a vellum envelope. The date stickers are from the Simple Stories Snap! line, and the wood veneer arrow from Studio Calico. I printed three photos from our trip to Florida on Epson Project paper and tore around the edges.

Page1

The photo in the middle of the page was altered with an action in the new Photoshop Elements 11. I’d read mixed reviews about this upgrade, but received a copy of it for Christmas, and like it very much! I’ve spent a fair amount of time playing around with it, and think it is the most user friendly yet. This page shows more stamping, some hand-drawn dots, a bit of Washi tape, and another wood veneer piece.

Page2

Since we drove to Florida in January and flew home, I added the car on the first page, and the airplane on the second. Here’s a look at the two pages together.

TwoPageSpread

Here’s the monthy recap:

It was an unusual January for us. The month got off to a great start with the 50th Anniversary Party for the Presbytery at the Planetarium. All of us involved in the planning were greatly relieved by its huge success. 

As soon as it was over, Tracy & I hit the road for Florida. We drove Ellie’s packed van to her and then flew home. Our road trip to Florida couldn’t have been better. We visited with Susan & Eric in Delaware, Carole and Gordon in North Carolina, and Betty in Stuart, FL. We made quick stops in Atlantic Beach, St. Augustine, and Ponce’s Inlet on our way to Stuart. 

After two nights with Betty, we drove across to Ft. Myers Beach where Ellie is staying for 3 months with her friends, Dick & Caroline. They are avid birders, and I spent a lot of time photographing birds which they kindly identified for me. All of us spent a wonderful morning at the wildlife refuge on Sanibel Island. Another highlight was a trip to Naples to the Naple’s Art Gallery–a beautiful place with two fascinating exhibits: one on women painters and one by blind photographers.

Once we got home, we had the usual busy schedule with meetings, volunteer commitments, and social events. 

I finished two books: “The Plan”, and “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”; saw one movie, “The Life of Pi”; & enjoyed GeVa’s “Next to Normal” (powerful!). We had dinner with Tina & Bill, Cathy & Bob, Jill & Tom, Betsy & Skylar, & entertained  our book group.

Despite being away, I finished 16 cards & 1 layout, & started three online classes (The History Project, A Flash of Brilliance, & Inspired), as well as an 8 week course at the Community Darkroom on Photoshop.

For a first attempt I’m pretty happy with these pages. I actually had another two-page spread done in a different journal, but decided the pages were not heavy enough to handle the different medias I want to explore, so yesterday I took it apart and started over in this journal that has 140# watercolor paper.  Should be a bit more sturdy.

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’d like a chance to read the book!

Retro Sketch #48

  • by

Retrosketches_1000_v2

Retro Sketch is one of my favorite challenge sites, so I thought I’d get a headstart on my valentines with this week’s sketch.

Rs48

I received the February Simon Says Card Kit late last week, and was anxious to put some of the pretty papers included in it to use.

RetroSketch

Everything except the cardstock (Staples) and the wood veneer heart (Studio Calico) came from the kit. The pretty, soft papers are from Glitz’s “Hello, Friend” collection. The hearts were cut with the Spellbinders Nested Hearts dies and the stamp is an OLD one, by Printworks, I think. I colored the heart with some Berry Sorbet ink from Papertrey, edged in Fresh Snow ink.

52/50: Week 4

  • by

At the last minute, my resolve broke, and I signed up for Candice Stringham’s “Flash of Brilliance” class at Jessica Sprague. I’m already glad I did. Tracy bought me a Canon Speelite 430EX for Christmas two years ago. I’ve been moderately successful with it, but had a lot of trouble at a recent Presbytery event. In just the first week, I’ve learned quite a bit.

Betsy and Skylar came to dinner last night, and Skylar was willing to let me practice a while. Here are some of my favorites, all taken with my 50mm lens.

IMG_6509Edw

This little girl is almost always happy and agreeable.

IMG_6518Edw

She loved crawling up into the rocker . . . 

IMG_6520Edw

. . . and was able to rock herself. She didn’t want any help!

IMG_6524Edw

But she was willing to sit in Tracy’s lap and rock.

IMG_6521Edw

Although she doesn’t have many words yet, she can surely let you know what she wants, and she understands all kinds of directions. She’s also very good at signing for what she wants.

IMG_6505Edw

It wasn’t easy to pick, but I’m linking this one up at P52 this week. I love the catchlights in her eyes and the expression is “so Skylar!”

P52SST300_125

Papertrey January Blog Hop Challenge

  • by

PTIBlogHopLogo

Today’s the day of the January Blog Hop at Papertrey Ink. I loved the inspiration photo and knew right away what I wanted to do.

6a00d8341c64e753ef017d40014c38970c-450wi

It turned out pretty much the way I hoped but it took three tries. I embossed the flowers with white embossing powder and colored them with a variety of Smooch paints. They have a luminous quality that I’ve always liked. It took multiple coats to cover the black with the kind of color I wanted.

PTIDetail

Here’s the card:

PTIBlogHopJan

I started with True Black cardstock, and embossed the “Stitches and Swirls” with white embossing powder. The sentiment is from Birthday Basics Sentiments. After coloring the flowers and leaves with Smooch, I mounted the focus piece on a card made from Pure Poppy. I added pearls from Queen and Co. to the centers of three small flowers.

Then Fancy Folk Art arrived in the mail, and I had to try another technique I saw on Cristina’s blog during the release. I die cut the focal image from True Black cardstock, colored the main design with Copic markers on X-Press Blend cardstock, and mounted it behind the black card.

FancyFolkArtPTIHop

I like this one even better. The sentiment is also from Fancy Folk Art. You can find more inspiration here.

Two Cards; Two Challenges

  • by

I had two challenges in mind as I sat down to create two birthday cards for upcoming birthdays. The first card uses both the challenge to create a long and short (tall) card at CAS-ual Friday as well as the CAS(e) This Sketch challenge. It turned out to be a bit more of a challenge than I anticipated, so the second card is just for CAS(e) This Sketch.
TwoChallenges
Here’s the first card:
SuperAmazing
Cardstock: Bazzill Prismatic; patterned paper: Lime Twist “Out of the Blue” (MME); stamps: “Super Star” (WPlus9); die: Double-ended banner (PTI); white embossing powder; Gelly Roll glitter pen 
And here’s the card just based on the second challenge:
HBStars
Same supplies as above without the patterned paper, and the addition of a star by Jenni Bowlin
So far I’m managing to keep up with the two challenge/two cards a week I set as a goal for this year. I’ll be back on Friday with another card for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. I know exactly what I hope to do. Let’s hope it works!

52/50:Week 3 and Florida Birding

  • by

P52logo125

Here’s this week’s photo for 52/50. It’s been closely cropped, I was amazed how clear the details were when I zoomed in on the photo so our birding friends could identify it. The birds along the stretch of beach where we walked every morning are totally nonplussed by the human beings walking along the shore. They stand still and let you get incredibly close for a photo. I used my zoom lens at the Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel, but took photos for two mornings on the beach in Ft. Myers Beach with my 50mm lens, and was amazed at the photos I managed to get. I’m linking this first photo to Kent Weakley’s P52.

1.16Double-crestedCormorantw

A Double-crested Cormorant (50mm)

I thought I’d share some of the many bird photos I took at both the wildlife refuge and along the beach. Our friends are responsible for the fact that I know which bird is which!

Anhingaw

An Anhinga drying his wings. (zoom)

GreatBlueHeronw

This Great Blue Heron walked out into our path as we walked to the beach. (zoom)

RoyalTernsw

A group of Royal Terns (50mm)

1.14RoseateSpoonbill&Heron_edited-1w

A Roseate Spoonbill and heron. I was so excited to actually see a Roseate Spoonbill. They were all a long distance off, so using the zoom was essential.

1.12WhiteIbis_edited-1w

White Ibis (taken with my Canon S95, a point and shoot)

WalterGreatBluew

This, according to fishermen on the beach, is Walter. I got a great photo of him one morning and inadvertently deleted it. I was so bummed, but the next morning as soon as we walked onto the beach, there he was. He stood perfectly still for multiple portraits. Walter is a Great Blue Heron. (50mm) 

AmericanOysterCatcherw

American Oystercatcher (zoom)

WhitePelicansw

A flock of White Pelicans at the Wildlife Refuge (zoom)

CormorantsOnPolesw

CormorantsInARoww

Cormorants on posts. Just as I got ready to take the first photo, one of the cormorants flew away, but when we walked back up the beach all the posts were filled. (50mm)

Yellow-crownedNightHeronw

A Yellow-crowned Night Heron (zoom)

In all we saw 29 different species of birds while we were on the trip including two American Bald Eagles (too far away for my zoom) and a number of Sandhill Cranes in fields as we drove across Florida from the east to west coasts. I’m quite sure there’s a scrapbook page(s) about birding in my future.

 

Simon Says Challenge with Washi Tape

  • by

The current challenge at Simon Says is to use washi tape on a card. While I was making cards yesterday, I pulled out a little tin of Washi tape I’m using in my History Project notebook, and made a quick thank you note to send to my mother-in-law’s friends who were so kind to us when we were visiting Florida last week.

WashiCard

Most of  my Washi tape has arrived in kits and I’m not sure who the manufacturers are for these. The cute little wood veneer arrow is from Studio Calico. I colored it with Brilliance Rocket Red ink by Bri. The sentiment is a very old one from A Muse that I embossed in white. I may well be back with more Washi cards before the week is out. I still have two more birthday cards to make that must be in the mail by Monday.

Three Cards, One Challenge

  • by

Retrosketches_1000_v2

When I first saw Retro Sketch 46 I didn’t think it would be a particularly easy sketch to work with, but I was wrong. I needed a retirement card for a party tomorrow as well as a thank you note and a birthday card. I pulled out a new 6X6 pack of patterned paper by Fancy Pants and some black card stock I picked up at Archiver’s while we were on our trip and got to work. Here’s the sketch:

Rs46

And here are my three cards based on it:

Retro1

Cardstock:  Bazzill Prismatic; patterned paper: Paper Loft; dies: Labels 12 (Spellbinders), Holiday Shapes (Simon Says; sentiment: Framed Out #1 (PTI)


Retro2

Cardstock: Bazzill Prismatic; Patterned Paper: The Good Life paper pack (Fancy Pants); sentiment: Silhouette file; vellum (PTI); two-inch square punch


Retro3

Cardstock: Bazzill Prismatic; Patterned Paper: The Good Life paper pack (Fancy Pants); die: Labels 12 (Spellbinders), Holiday Shapes (Simon Says); Sentiment: “Framed Out #1 (PTI)

It was 82° when we left Florida Wednesday night. Today it was 17° when I met some friends to breakfast. A rude awakening! I’ll be back tomorrow with another challenge. I’m slowly making my way around to read everyone’s blogs and catch up on Storytelling Sunday.

52/50: Week 2

  • by

I’m down to the wire to post to Kent’s P52 site, but not because I was taking photos at the last minute. In fact, all the photos here were taken in Annapolis, MD on Monday. Since then, however, we’ve been without internet service so there’s been no opportunity to post (or comment on blogs.) We arrived in Ft. Myer’s Beach yesterday afternoon to stay with Tracy’s mom and her friends for four days. The weather is fabulous, and Dick and Carolyn (Ellie’s good friends) are experienced birders so our walk along the beach this morning was not only beautiful, but educational. I’ll have photos of that later.

Here are some photos from Annapolis, all taken with my 50mm lens.

CigarStoreIndian_edited-1w

I loved this old wooden Native American outside a honest-to-goodness cigar store.

PierPost_edited-1w

Loved the textures of the ropes hanging at the end of the pier.

SeaGull_edited-1w

The sea gull isn’t the attraction for me here as much as the reflection in the upper right of the photo.

CapitolAnnapolis_edited-1w

A view of the Capitol Building.

1.7Lights&Lines_edited-1w

But this is my favorite. I love the colors, the lines, and the reflections of this building along the main street. I’ll be linking this one up with P52.

52/50: Week 1

  • by

It’s highly unusual that I would post twice in one day, but I found a new photography project for the year this weekend and wanted to link it up to Kent Weakley’s P52Sweet Shot Tuesday. The link closes tonight, so I need to be speedy. I found this project through a Photo Jojo post which took me to this site. The premise is to take one photo every week for a year, shooting only with your 50mm lens. I love my 50mm and need some inspiration to continue on with Capture Your 365, so once a week I’ll be using my 50mm and linking up with Kent’s blog.

Since I was down to the wire, I limited myself to our yard this morning. This is what I found.

Iciclew

Hydrangea1w

Hydrangea2w

I’m linking the last of these to Kent’s blog though I debated about the other hydrangea thinking the composition was better. Ended up thinking the focus on the snow was best here. Which would you have chosen?

Storytelling Sunday: Pick Your Precious

  • by

Sian has been hosting Storytelling Sunday for quite some time, but this is the first time I’ve joined in. She has a theme for the year, and I’m excited to tell the stories of some of my precious belongings. You can read more about Storytelling Sunday here, and link up your story here.

My old-fashioned Santa wasn’t the first precious object I thought of when I read about Sian’s plans for Storytelling Sunday this year. But as I put away Christmas decorations yesterday, I decided that he would be my first item to share.

SantaFullw

Santa was one of the first major purchases I made for our collection of Christmas decorations. Tracy was selling jewelry at a craft fair for his father, and Sarah, who was just a toddler, and I went up to pay him a visit. When I saw this Santa at one of the booths, I was immediately smitten. I loved his kind eyes,

Santa'sEyesw

his darling sack of toys,

Santa'sSackw

and the cute Christmas tree tucked under his arm.

Santa'sTreew

Sadly, the price tag was too high for our budget at that time, so I wandered on. When we got back to the jewelry table, Tracy asked if there was anything out there worth seeing, so I told him about the Santa. He handed me the cash and said, “Go get it.” I’ve always treasured this Santa, and he’s had a prime spot in the living room ever since, some thirty years now.

SantaTiltw

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks–Two Challenges

  • by

I managed to eek out a few minutes this afternoon and make a thank you card. I’ll need a couple while we’re away, and this one meets the requirements for two challenges. Completing two challenges a week is a 2013 intention, and although I meant that there would be two cards, this will do under the circumstances.

The first challenge is CASual Friday:  create a Thank You card, and I used the new RetroSketch that was posted this morning. It would have met last week’s CASual Friday’s challenge as well as it took under 10 minutes to make. Love the RetroSketches! Here’s the sketch:

Rs45

And here’s my interpretation:

ThanksRetroCASFri

I started with Neenah White cardstock, used a scrap of Dear Lizzy Neopolitan patterned paper that was laying on my desk and die cut it with Spellbinders Small Labels. Two pieces of Washi tape, a Basic Grey “Small Details” embellishment, and “thanks” (AMuse), and it was complete.

 

Christmas Journal: Part 4

  • by

This is a photo-heavy post, but I thought I ought to get the rest of the Christmas Journal posted. I finally finished it last night. This might be the first year I ended on December 25th, but given my current “to do” list, it seemed like the appropriate decision.

12.18

Documenting a couple of other Christmas paper crafting projects beyond the Christmas cards.

12.19_1

12.19_2

I don’t think I’ve ever copied an entire blog post for an album before, but I loved Rinda’s meme and decided to add it to the journal.

12.20

My original intent was to take photos of all the beautiful cards I received from around the world, many of which were hand-crafted. But I really wanted to use the stamps, and there were so many that I decided that would be the entry. For all of you who sent me beautiful cards and holiday greetings—THANK YOU. You have no idea how much I appreciate your talent, kindness, and friendship through this blog.

12.21

My annual page on the weather.

12.22

Matt’s first day home and a wonderful visit with Betsy and Skylar.

12.24

After setting the table for Christmas dinner (for 18 this year as it turned out), we go out to dinner on Christmas Eve. Matt decided to change clothes for the church service at 11:00. I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to get his photo all dressed up.

12.25_1

The first page of six pages for Christmas. This is when I really appreciate the Simple Stories album. The lower right-hand pocket holds a transparency so you can see through it to the next page.

12.25_2

12.25_3

12.25_4

12.25_5

12.25_6

The end. Jessie and I took over 200 photos in six hours. I narrowed them down to about 100 which I posted on Smug Mug for the family. Once I had a photo of everyone at dinner, I decided I was done with the journal.

The last three days before we leave to drive Tracy’s mother’s van to Florida for her are jam-packed so I’m not sure if I’ll get any more posts up before then. (Although I do have an idea for Sian’s Story-telling Sunday. I’ve never participated with that before and would like to get it up.) I’m sure I’ll be checking your blogs while I’m away, but I’ll be reading them on my iPad and find commenting on it a bit of a trial. We’ll see how I do. 

“DO” in 2013

  • by

I didn’t expect to choose One Little Word for this year, but this morning it leaped out at me as I was going over the lists I made a week or so ago after reading similar lists on Karen Grunberg’s blog (although now I can’t seem to find the specific post). I made three lists for 2013:  What Do I Want to Learn? How Do I Want to Spend My Time? and What Do I Want to Read? This morning “DO” popped out of all three questions, and it seemed like the right word. There is a lot I want to do in 2013, and all of it is not covered by my lists. I tried to be more realistic about my intentions for this year. I’ve read repeatedly that if you devote just 20 minutes a day to an activity, your performance will improve greatly. I have always had trouble with that, so this year I’m aiming for a few times a week, rather than daily. I made a very quick layout this morning as one way to hold myself accountable.

Do_LOw

I couldn’t be simpler:  one piece of cardstock, the printed lists, some AC Thickers and three vellum arrows that came with a Studio Calico kit. 

Learn

Here are a few books (some were Christmas gifts) I hope to use as resources:

BooksLearn

Time

ToRead

Three of those books are already on my nightstand (and I’ve started all three). I have a huge list of books I think I’d like to read, but most of these have been on my list for too long. Both Mary Oliver’s book of poetry and Alice Munro’s book of short stories are new books. My sister-in-law gave me Happier at Home since she knew I’d loved The Happiness Project.

BooksRead

Keeping myself accountable is always a challenge. I ordered a gift for Betsy from Lisa Leonard and received this lovely calendar. It’s quite small, but I think I can code the things I do each day in it, and hope to do some regular  summing up on the blog as well.

Calendar

I’ve always like the start of a new year. I like setting intentions (rather than resolutions), and I’m always ready for a fresh start. We’re leaving on a 10-day trip on Monday, so most of these activities will have to wait until my return to become part of a routine. 

Christmas Journal: Part 3

  • by

I finished culling and editing all the photos from Christmas yesteday so now I can get busy and finish up the last few pages of this journal. If I get a good photo from our small gathering at friend’s for the New Year, I’ll add that too. Usually I get busy enjoying myself and totall forget to take any pictures. Here are the next pages of the Christmas Journal.

12.11

This year’s page about shopping, three-quarters or more was done online. The packages on the right were the ones I mailed to Oregon although many of those went directly from the company. Sarah wrapped Adam’s and he wrapped hers. 

12.12_1

12.12_2
This month’s Take Twelve layout. In the journaling I reflected on the two photography projects I took on this year:  Take Twelve and Capture Your 365. I’m not sure I’ll do Take Twelve again, but I’m definitely planning on continuing with Capture Your 365. I’ll still trying to decide how to document that in 2013. I’m not going to do the Ali Edward calendars again.

12.14_1

12.14_2

12.14_3

A three-page spread of photos of Betsy and Skylar who came to dinner that night.

12.15Closed

12.15Open

This year’s entry on baking. Some topics do seem to get repeated because I have something new to say about them. I wasn’t sure I’d like this Starbuck cup cozy as a journaling spot but it worked out well.

12.16

The hardest thing about Christmas this year was being so far away from Caleb! Yesterday was his first birthday, and we did Face Time twice, once for the requisite cupcake, and one for opening presents. Here’s the card I sent him.

Caleb'sFirstBD

And one last photo for the folks who were so surprised to hear we had a snowblower. Almost everyone on our street owns one, although not everyone has a driveway as steep as ours. As you can see, the snow can only be put on the right side of the driveway because of the stone retaining wall. It’s not that we don’t also use a shovel, but we’ve never tried to do the driveway without the snow blower when we’ve had a big snow. It’s a pretty long endeavor, even then.

Drivewayw

Have a Happy New Year, how ever you celebrate. I’m just as happy at home, but this year we’re going to some friend’s for a small gathering. I’ll be back with more Christmas Journal, but first with some thoughts about the New Year.