I AM AN ARTIST!

In one of my groups there has been an ongoing discussion about calling yourself an artist. Many of us don't see ourselves as artists and certainly would not tell anyone else we are an artist! It comes from thinking that people will make fun of you. That people believe an "artist" is someone who sells art for a living!

These pages are in my "practice journal", the one where I practice new background techniques. Both pages have layers of gesso, stamps, paint, you name it - it's there! This is my interpretation of the I AM AN ARTIST prompt! The gesso technique was taught by Monica Zuniga in her new class, Inspire Me Workshop.

The reality is that as woman we are all artists. What can be a greater masterpiece than bringing a child into the world? Preparing a wonderful meal... setting a beautiful table... decorating your home with knick knacks, curtains, furniture... all of that is art! So next time you feel shy about calling yourself an artist DON'T!!! YOU ARE AN ARTIST!!!

Now I have to go do the pages in my Marie Journal which has to fly to Europe on the 10th of March!

PLAYING WITH SUZI BLU FACES

I love Suzi Blu's Class a Goddess and a Poet. This is Suzi's "face" or the way she teaches them. Monica Zuniga is more a "reality" artist I think. Suzi is more stylized. I have to say I like her faces more than any others I have seen. If you get the chance take her class... It's totally worth it.

I am determined to make faces so i am trying to do at least one face a day. Practice is the important thing I guess so here goes! I think I should have placed the eyes a little closer together. It's only a pencil sketch. I will cut out this face and put in my journal with gel medium. Once it is try I am instructed to cover it with clear gesso. No idea what comes next but I will let you know!

I may end up doing the face again. Not happy with the separation between the eyes. Yeah... need a new face.

BLISS JOURNAL

My friend Tracy and I are members of an online group which is called Blissfully Journaling. It's a fun group filled with great ladies. They started a project last month which consisted of two people partnering for a year long journal project. Tracy and I are partners. I send her my journal and she sends me hers, we work in each other's journals and then the next month we work in our own and keep switching off and on. We are using really big Moleskine journals (11 1/4 x 8 3/4) and I love it! But then I really love Moleskines!

This is the first month. I just finished working in Tracy's Journal. We decided we were going to give each other prompts every month to make it more interesting. Tracy got to choose first and her prompt is LIFE. These are my two pages for Tracy with that prompt. It goes out in tomorrow's mail Trac!


This is one of my very favorite quotes.

MY ANGEL TURNED 3!!!

My granddaughter, better known as Princess Kaitlynn, turned 3 on the 20th of February! I can't believe how big she is already! And she is sooooooo much fun! Although I have to admit that calling her an "angel" right now is a bit of a stretch!

I love this picture of my husband and Kaitlynn! He was trying to put her down for a nap! Too cute! He adores her and she him. She has him wrapped around her little finger! But don't tell HIM that!!! LOL!!!

PER REQUEST FROM MY FRIEND LILLIAN!

Lillian suggested I upload pictures of my "as is" studio so that we can compare it to the new one!! Well, you asked for it! Here it is in all it's glory!! Believe or not I really do know where everything is -- there is just TOO MUCH of just about EVERYTHING! I feel so blessed!!! LOL!!!

Anyway, this is it - the kingdom - my haven - my little space in the world! And of course my six little ones to keep me company! Dixie (the afghan) can't come in here! First of all she TAKES whatever strikes her fancy and 2nd, she is so big that it's like an elephant in a china shop!

Poor baby! I will put her picture up too!

A NEW STUDIO!!!

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited! I am having my studio professionally built out! My studio is what used to be my youngest daughter's bedroom. It's pretty big and I'm pretty organized but there is just so MUCH STUFF in that room!!! I have book shelves all long one wall, tons and tons of containers, of rolling spaces, well.... you know what I mean! What most of us have!

Well, today I approved plans for my fancy-schmanzy new studio and have to share them with you!!! Isn't this awesome? The long drawers (30 of them!!!!) are the exact size for my stamps! I can put all my stamps in these drawers and just label the drawers and know what's there!! Can you IMAGINE! I looked through tons and tons of magazines before figuring out what I wanted but this is it.

So what do you think?

Blog Award!

I received this wonderful blog award from Valerie Brincheck! (click on her name to visit her blog!)

It's not the just the award but the wonderful comment Val made that made my day!


" This first one is a no brainer because this women always has a good attitude no matter what is going on in her life. I also like her because she lets you know what she thinks with a smile. (Even though I 've only talked on the phone with her I can still "hear" the smile.) http://www.elenaismyname.blogspot.com/"


I try very hard to stay positive ... although in the past few months it's been tough. I am blessed to have such wonderful friends in my life that it really isn't so hard to do even in the most trying moments.

I get to meet Val and the others she gave an award to (except, unfortunately, Ali who lives in England) in April when they come to stay at my house for a few days of art and fun and I can't TELL you how excited I am!!!

Thanks Val! Love you kiddo!

Now I guess I am supposed to give it to six more people? Okay... gotta think on that one! Will be back!