I did this!

When my girls moved into their new house - I gave them a hard time about not hanging stuff on the walls.  Now I understand. I painted the master bedroom this spast summer and when I painted,we took down everything and filled in the holes. We wanted to start over. It has taken months to do anything at all.

Recently, when I was at Papertrix, I found this wonderful sheet of Graphic 45. I'm sorry to say I don't think you can get this paper any longer. I thought it was beautiful and instantly thought I'm going to frame this and hang it in the master bedroom!

I went to Michael's and all I could find was an inexpensive brownish-black plastic 12x12 frame. (It does have glass.) I didn't like the dark frame but knew I could fix it. The fist thing I did was to use my all time favorite paint - Golden Acrylics Titan Buff and started applying with a brush.  Not covering completely with differing amounts of paint. I took some old t-shirt material and started rubing out the paint.  After the buff dried I took some Golden Fluid Acrylic Burnt Sienna and painted some on here and there.  Again, I rubbed with the cloth.  Then it looked too red to me.  I took some Golden Fluid Acrylic Titanium white and brushed over all here and there.  Again rubbing with the cloth. Finally, I achieved the look I desired. It doesn't even look like a plastic frame any longer.

 Long before I ever painted the room, I bought this decal at Target. There was only one bird in the tree originally and I added a few more. The birds are all separate and you just stick them where you want - which is fun.

This is all we've done so far.  Still lots of wall space but I haven't decided what I want to do.  Plenty of time...

Rolling over in goodness

Good. 

 Life is just good right now. 

It has been insanely busy, but good. 

I started a new job last Monday. 

In my previous job, I worked for a person who is very well known.

  An expert in his field.  Someone who is respected and revered by all. 

 It was a good move to go to work for him. 

This new position, is an excellent opportunity, too. 

Another good move.

 All part of the journey.

My new job is busy, busy, busy.

  That is how I like it. 

 The day flies by, you look up and all of the sudden think

how can it be time to go home?

In my new job one of the things I do is go to the mail room once a day.

I like going to the mail room.

Even my new boss said "oh good!"

(Different administrative people have different duties,

so my new boss didn't assign the mail room to me.)

But, it gets me out of our suite.

It is in the next building

and down in the basement.

I get to greet others in the halls.

I get to be in the midst of the students as they hustle and bustle between classes.

Some university employees complain about students-

but not me.

I love them.

Heck, I was a student not so long ago and they were wonderful to me.

(Just earned my B.S. in 2007.)

My children were students.

Those students are the reason we are there.

The reason we have jobs and get a pay check.

I get to walk on the bridge hallway

that crosses over the road

to the other building

and see the cars and people, down below.

And, I get to see the free stuff on the shelves outside of the mail room.

I just scored a new, never used rolodex.

I am over-joyed!

Have you ever seen an altered rolodex?

Some people call them altered "rolos." 

This won't be something that I sit down and complete all at once.

But something that will be a work in progress.

Already I'm dreaming of papers with apples listed under A

Or a piece of purple under P

Kisses under K

Oh the fun

part of the journey

just like my life.

I am feeling

blessed

happy

content

hopeful

rested

loved.

Autumnal Art

The good folks (a.k.a. local Hoosier gal Kristin Hubick) over at Retro Cafe' Art are having a "Anything Goes" Halloween contest.  I've never entered any of my work in a contest.  I entered via facebook.  You can find them on facebook here.  Retro Cafe' Art's blog is found here. 
I created the piece below last fall.  A gal friend of mine gave the retro photo to me.  To make it pop, I mounted it on corrugated cardboard.  I painted the canvas with Golden Fluid Titan Buff.  I distressed with a standard Versa Fine sepia ink pad and Tim Holtz distress inks in various shades.  I distress with finger tip pads and a sponge pad. I distress almost everything I make.  Sepia and the Titan Buff are two of my favorite shades.  The black bird is chipboard from a Tim Holtz set.

Which witch?

This card was created with a new stamp by Inkadinkado called Steampunk Skull.  I do love steampunk but this card is a take-off from what is normally standard for me.  That is what I enjoy about art though- that is is forever evolving.  Would be boring if it was the same old thing all the time.   

It is safe to say that I bought 99.9% of the supplies used on these two projects at Papertrix. 

You can enter up to three items.  I haven't created my third entry yet, but have it in my mind.  Hope over to one of the websites and check it out for yourself.  Or better yet, enter some of your own art work.  You have until October 14th. 

Water, water, everywhere

One of the things that I love about art is the immersion.  I don't think about anything else.  The edges around blur and the background fades.
Last night, Doug was working his part-time, once a week job at the YMCA.  At some point, he came through the door and came into the dining room where I sat working.
"Do you know there is water running down the entryway floor and out the front door?" 
"what?" 
I had put a load of laundry into the washer.  I think in the very, very back of my mind I was thinking
that load of laundry should have been done by now. 
But I wasn't thinking about it enough to get up to see what was going on. 
My washer just kept filling.  It had not moved beyond the fill stage in hours.  Just a few hours, but hours.  The washer over-flowed. 

When you come through the door of the house, there is a long entry way hall and then you turn right at the end of the hall and that is where the washer and dryer sit.  Fortunately we have ceramic tile and it didn't hurt the floor at all.  Doug and a couple of neighbors loaded up the washer this evening into the back of his pick-up truck.  He will take it in to the repair place tomorrow.  Because we live in the country, it will save some money for him to take it to them rather than having them come out to visit us. 
Why didn't I notice all of that water? 
I was doing this:

Pretty little feather

 and this:

Bloom

 and this:

Building their nest

 and this:

Dream

Doug asked me if I was smoking crack when I made the last one.  I said "no."  He told me that he might feel better if I was.  I don't usually do anything too abstract- but I had seen something similar in a magazine and wanted to experiment.  It was fun.
In the midst of a flood, the only thing that carried me away was my art!

Wine and Canvas

Have you heard of Wine and Canvas?  It is a new craze that is a lot of fun. 

I was online twice on Sunday between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.  About ten p.m., I noticed an email in my gmail account and opened it.  It was from my friend Lisa over at Life Unity telling me she had won a couple of tickets and would I like to join her?  I quickly wrote back. I fully expected her to say that she had given up on me and the ticket was no longer available.  But she said she still wanted me to go!  I was so happy and excited!  I met Lisa through blogging and we took another class together about a year ago.  Lisa's email said something like "I would like to paint with you, again."  Do you read Lisa's blog?  If not, hop over and give her a visit.  She has a beautiful soul that shines from within.  She amazes me- has two little ones but still manages to constantly continue to keep up her quest for personal growth and continuing on her artful journey.

I arrived early and Lisa and I sat and visited while we waited for class to begin. 

starting out

seeing red

Lisa and moi

Our class was taught by Greg and our picture was a brilliant New Orleans image.  It was interesting how each picture was similar, but different.  No two were the same as each artist's own personality and style came through.  Greg kept us moving and there were two helpers assisting and snapping photographs.  Our entire class session is on facebook under Malibu in Bloomington.  If you are able, look into the classes.  Each one is taught by a different artist and there are different paintings.  I would do it again.
My favorite part of the whole evening?  Getting to see Lisa and catch up on our lives.  We sat before class and talked about how art is calming and stress free.  We talked about integrity in art and how you are continually growing and learning not only about art and all that it has to offer, but about self and what is inside of you.  I only began my artful journey about three years ago.  Prior to that, my only artistic expressions were through music and writing.  I love art because it is ever changing.  I love how a piece leads you. 
Now, go check out Wine and Canvas and visit Lisa. 

Mid-life

What matters?

I've been thinking about mid-life. 

My mother took a fall yesterday.
She took a fall about six months ago and got a bad infection in one of her (two) artificial knees.  They did surgery and irrigated and cleaned out the infection about ten days ago.  Then she fell on that knee yesterday and busted it open.  I guess it was pretty gruesome and horrific.  She lives in my hometown, two hours from where I now live.   I couldn't go because I have been sick. 

I've been sick as in wheezing so bad that you can hear me wheeze even when I have my mouth closed.  Hacking with a cough that sounds like a bark.  Coughing to the point that it is embarrassing.  In the beginning I could hardly talk because I couldn't breath through my nose. I was off work last Monday and Tuesday.  Now dug is coming down with it and he was off work today. 

So yesterday when my family contacted me, I was in pajamas- late in the day.  I asked dug when, if ever he had known me not to shower and get dressed.  Even when I was off work last week, I showered and dressed.  But not yesterday.  So my family contacts me when my mother falls and I had this terrible struggle of feelings to rise up within me as if I should run and shower and get in the car and drive the two hours north to be there.  To be the strong, steady oldest child that I've always been.  But I couldn't. 

And the baby is coming and I have a plane ticket to go on March 31st to the east coast to be with them.  And I want to run and be there and peer through the glass at him or her and say to the stranger standing beside me "that is my first grandchild."  But I can't and I will hold him/her when he/she is a few weeks old.  Life doesn't allow me to dash here or there or to be where I want to be when I want to be. 

And I am torn between aging parents and children having children and I am learning this is what mid-life is. 

My gal pal Jennifer and I were talking on the phone tonight and she asked me how dug and I are doing.  I said
"oh, he is o.k.  I'm o.k. with him." 
Because sometimes I am not o.k. with him.  And I said to her "you know, sometimes being with someone is just being with them?"  The two of us sit in front of the fire and his head begins to nod and his book begins to fall and I say
"dug."  
"you are falling asleep."

And sometimes your best friend is the orange marmalade cat that stands on the kitchen table and nuzzles your head with his and he has been in your life longer than the man you are living with.
Or the little Corgi glued to your leg who has stolen your heart and is your new best friend. 
And you sit with the phone next to you waiting to get the next phone call or text telling you
that she made it through the surgery just fine and the artificial knee wasn't damaged in the fall
or they just broke her water
and the cat is at your feet
and the dog is at your side
and the man has gone to bed
and it is quiet
and the fire burns on.

Only one thing is missing

I am about to enter into a new relationship in my life.  My first grandchild.  There is a part of me that thinks I am "too young" to be a grandma, but another part of me that thinks it is about time!  Growing up I was fortunate to have three grandmas.  I had my paternal grandma that lived on a farm.  I had my maternal grandma (who was a lot like a mother to me) and I had a great-grandma, too that was my mother's grandma.  My mother was extremely young (17) when she had me, so that is part of the reason I was able to have my grandmas for a lot of my life.  I was always so close to each of them.  I have things in my home from their homes that I cherish.  Things that remind me of them.  I can't imagine a grandchild wanting to have my things around when I'm gone. 

My daughter's wife is carrying my daughter's egg.  My little grandbaby is a petri-dish baby.  We got to see baby pictures of the sperm donor and hear an interview.  He seems like an amazing person.  I had tears in my eyes as I listened to his voice.  The due date is March 17 but now the doctor says it may be sooner.  I have a plane ticket to go to see them at the end of the month.  I am so excited and yet there is a part of me that can't imagine how I will feel.  I know I am going to love this new little person very, very much.  It will be interesting to see my daughter become a parent and to see my son be an uncle.  We are all just beside ourselves with anticipation.  Every time my phone rings and it is my daughter I am saying "yes?  yes?" 

Here is a tour of the nursery. 

changing table

rug in front of changing table



glider rocker and ottoman. 
 I bought this for them and cannot wait to sit and rock my angel.



baby bed and friends. 
the plan is to take the little one's photo with the giraffe through the years.

 

diaper holder

I recently made this card and sent it.

"Grandma."  A new name.  A new role.  A new responsibility.  I know I will be over-the-moon excited and in love.  Only one thing is missing.  "C'mon little baby, Grandma can't wait!"

When I am not at my desk

At work, when I am not at my desk,

I post a sign to inform others as to my where-abouts. 

I might be at lunch.

 Upstairs.

 Downstairs.  (I work on the second floor.)

 I might be in a meeting. 
 I showed these to dug the evening I made them and he said

"wouldn't you hate to be in a meeting with those people!"

 And my favorite informative sign (take that to mean whatever you decide)...

Too Beautiful This Year

Usually, every card I make is unique.  It is difficult for me to make the same card twice.  I meander and experiment and think "what if I use this color or tear the paper like this?"   A couple of people saw my 2010 Christmas card and I didn't want to send them something they had already seen.  The tree and verse stamp is by Penny Black.  The quote stamp  (by Serendipity) is so lovely it almost makes me cry.  It reads:  "Lord, I do fear Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year."  Edna St. Vincent Millay

Wayne & Cindy's card

Wouldn't this quote stamp make a lovely card for the New Year?

This one went to North Carolina

I double stamped the compass portion and cut it out and used a large glue dot to make it stand out.  I did some experimenting with my new copic markers.  Of course, all my supplies were bought at Papertrix.  I purposely had steered clear of the copic markers believing I would be totally talent-less.  Cindy made sure that I got into a class and the teacher was excellent and I learned how to shade and blend and...I wasn't too bad at it!  I'm so excited to be done with Christmas cards and now I can start doing some things that I really want to do.  More show and tell to come!

Just being my usual amazing self

I work full time.  Forty hours a week at the university.  I also work part-time at Papertrix.  This is my night that I get to be home alone.  Because he works his one night a week part-time job at the YMCA.  (He works full time, too.)

If I go to workout, then I don't get to have my evening home alone.  I like to be home alone. 

He calls.

Guess what he said?  (In unison, ladies...) "What 'cha doin'?"

 I said (and this is the truth) "I'm doing dishes and ironing, simultaneously.  I iron for a bit and then go do some dishes, then go back to the ironing and then back to the dishes. "
And that is what I was doing. 

 Then I wrapped a present for a friend who is turning fifty.  Her family is having a party on Saturday night and we are going.  I found this adorable angel necklace at Kohl's.

One of my tags that I made.  See the little bird peeking out?

Keep pulling the tag from the envelope. 
Then I worked on my Christmas cards that I'm making.
Then I opened the flu wide-open and  I built a one match fire.  How amazing is that?  All those years in Girl Scouts is paying off!
Then I sat down to write to you!
What amazing tasks did you accomplish this evening?

Hallowe'en In Wonderland, Alice's Tea Party

Alice in Wonderland is an age-less story that just about everyone loves.  I know I do. 

I saw the recent release of the  Johnny Depp version.  I loved it.  Graphic 45 jumped on the band wagon with Hallowe'en In Wonderland, Alice's Tea Party line of papers.

I made this altered book for Papertrix, which is the shop in Nashville, IN where I work part-time and do some design work for.

 The "Down the Rabbit-Hole" ephemera shown here was from an ad I found in a magazine.  In her hand, I placed a real key.

 I used some of the words from the Jefferson Airplane song "Go Ask Alice."  I tried to remove most of the drug references since young ladies are often in the shop, looking at the books.  I did my best, but that song is filled with drug references.

I love how Graphic 45 made Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb pumpkin heads!  What kind of Halloween art have you created?  I would love to see it!

A job with class

If you are a regular reader, you know that I work full-time at the university and then I have a part-time job at Papertrix in Nashville, IN.  I love working at Paptertrix.  The truth of the matter is, it isn't work at all.  Nashville, IN is an artist's colony with many shops.  Especially in the fall, we have a lot of tourists staying in the hotels and cabins.  Many of them come back year after year.  As one woman put it yesterday, "we're home."  Yesterday, Cindy had Emma Lou Beechy, owner and designer of Heartfelt Creations come in to teach classes.  She taught three classes and there was one open spot in the second class and Cindy had me fill that spot.  The name of the class was "Classic Card."Emma Lou is knowledgeable, sweet and very well spoken.  I like classes because you learn new technique.  Sometimes, you learn a different way of doing something that you already knew how to do.  On the card we made in class, we used markers and blended.  We also used glue with a metal tip,  (seen in foreground of this picture) which gave you not only a lot of control, but the tip made for a very fine line of glue. 

 We were in the basement of the Artist's Colony Inn which is a warm and cozy classroom.  Look at all of Emma Lou's storyboards.  She is all about details and bling and lots of layers!  Go to her website and take a peek!

 Here is the card I made in class.  Wayne, Cindy's husband, was so excited that he kept showing everyone in the store my card when I returned.  This isn't normally my style of card, so the class caused me to step outside of my "normal,"  which is good.  This photograph does not do it justice.  We first used markers and blended.  Then we cut the picture in thirds (which isn't something I would think about doing) and mounted on gold and then mounted on a forest green card.  We double-layered the cardinal and used a couple of mounting squares to give him a fat tummy. Then we glittered.  We had glitter everywhere.  Pat, beside me, patted her face with her hands to give herself some extra sparkle.  I had glitter on my hiking boots!  Thems some pretty hiking boots!

 I picked up these mums on Friday and it occurred to me to share them with Cindy, owner of Papertrix.  Cindy is always doing nice things for everyone.  (Like putting me into the class.)  The mums pictured here are mine, but the ones I took to her I put into a vase and tied up with a two different cloth ribbons and made a tag.  When I gave them to her I said "welcome to our busy season."  I think she liked them.

Cindy is encouraging and I have seen her (on more than one occasion) JUMP up and down in excitement and enthusiasm.  She is one crazy lady.  She has a heart of gold and I won't give all of the details, (some acts of kindness should be kept private, and it was kind of personal for the customer) but towards the end of the day yesterday, I witnessed an act of kindness involving a customer that moved the customer to tears.  So, I think Cindy is the sort of person who deserves some fresh flowers, don't you? 

Conservatory Shadow Box

I've mentioned in the past that I work as a designer for a shop in Nashville (Indiana) named

Papertrix.  A recent assignments was to design a shadow box using Seven Gypsies Conservatory papers.  I started with the black photo tray.  I also used chipboard letters from the Seven Gypsies Venice line and rubbings from the Natural History collection.  I also used a package of 7 Gypsies Vintage hardware which included a spoon, a clock face, a label holder, a sprocket and a key. Ephemera that I had at home included a coffee stained piece of doily, metal numbers, a real twig from a tree, some real butterfly wings (including a whole monarch), real moss, real dried leaves from my yard.

Here I am in the shop.  If you look closely, you'll see Wayne and Cindy behind me.

Doesn't the shop look fascinating?  It is!  

I also used a brass bug that I had, watch parts that I bought from Wayne and Cindy, ribbons and word sayings cut from a sheet (Artchix Studio).  I also used a new stamp that I had just bought (Memory Box vintage scroll) with a new Versa Magic Dew Drop (oasis green).  I LOVE that ink and will buy more!
I get a little bolder with each piece I create.  With this piece, I was using two different adhesives and one of them dried white rather than clear.  I just ripped off everything I had used the white adhesive on and started over.  There are no mistakes in art, just character.  I also distressed the black frame a bit using picket fence Tim Holtz distress crackle paint.  Cindy has it all in the shop!
I spent hours on this piece and really loved it.  When I took it in to Cindy, she told me that she loved it so much it about made her cry!  Do you know how good that made me feel?  It is such an amazing experience to work for someone who empowers me in my artistic adventure.  Wayne and Cindy both feel that there is no "less is more," but rather, "more is more," which is exactly how I feel. 
If you live nearby, come in and see this shadow box in person.  I know Cindy can fix you up with all that you need to make one for your own home.  And if you aren't local, call her!  She will send it to you.  Pretty soon, I'll start working in the store on weekends from Fall through Christmas.  Come down and see me!  Wayne and Cindy are enthusiastic and friendly and FULL of good ideas.  Every time I go into the store, Cindy has lots of new things.  So, if you have been in, go back again and again.  You'll find new and fun items to create with every time!

art therapy and more

Last night, I had to have some art therapy. You know the kind...when you sit down and all of the bad stuff just ooozes away? Plus, I made something for someone else and I always feel better when I do something for someone else and take my mind off of myself.

I didn't have a great day, yesterday. Most of my days are good. For the most part, my life is good. But yesterday, some yuckiness surfaced. It was dealt with and resolved, but painful. I always joke that my blog is "the life I wish I had." For the most part, I am realistic about my life- I just usually tend to leave the bad parts out. There are not a lot of bad parts in my life, but when life gets yucky, I tend to shut down. Maybe it is self-preservation- like a turtle pulling her head into her shell. I just tend to retreat and don't have a lot to say. If I am quiet, I usually don't feel well or something is wrong. My friend and colleague, Mary Jo, is moving to a different department at the university. I will miss her and made this for her going-away gift.

I made it last night and gave it to her, today. She likes birds.

I have been reading our book club selection, which was my choice, and I like the book a lot. It makes me think about a lot of different things. I am in the middle section where she is at the spiritual retreat place, (ashram) and the way she learns to seek God through prayer and meditation is interesting. I don't feel I've ever really meditated, although I have spent what I would consider a great time in prayer. Prayer isn't something I would want to lie about, but I believe I pray every day at some point or another during the day. If no other time, when I go to bed, before going to sleep. It helps me to relax. I've written about my faith in the past. I believe faith is a very personal part of my life. I don't like people to be in my face about things, or shove stuff down my throat. I know what I know. I don't really enjoy arguing politics or religion. And I don't like judgmental people who tell me I'm not this or that I'm that. There is only One who may judge me. Overall, at this point in my life, I feel as if I am fairly liberal, but I take comfort in my faith.

When I went to bed last night, I was still feeling sad and I cried as I prayed. I asked God to show his love to me and that I might feel his touch in a special way today.

When I first moved to Bloomington, I went to work at a law firm. I didn't really care for working at the law firm and was only there for three months before I got on at the university, but in that time, I made some good friendships. I call them "my law girls." They are both about the same age as my daughter. (Mid-late twenties.) We had not seen one another for while, so I emailed to see if they would like to go to lunch today and one of them said yes. I felt so much better after seeing her and talking with her. So, I felt as if my prayer had been answered.

Today was a good day. I was tired because I didn't sleep very well and didn't feel great, because my angst tends to affect me physiologically, too- but it was a good day. I will sleep better tonight.