An Artful Look Back at 2023

 Hi everyone. Happy last day of 2023 to you.

Do you like to look back on the past year and take stock of the year that has or is about to wrap up? I like to see what I accomplished, where I fell short, and what I could have or should have changed. It helps me look and maybe see where I want to go forward in the new year. One look back  that I don't mind sharing is my artful look back. Sometimes I don't feel like I've accomplished much variety of art, but after looking back through my blog all year, I can say it was a pretty good artful year. ❤

Warning-this is a bit of a long post today. 

1-A Florida Travel journal

You might remember the hubby and I tried to escape the cold for a week in late January, and we headed down to Florida. When I came home I made a great little travel journal using an old book cover and some sewn in pages.

2- Charleston Travel Journal

I did the same thing after I spent a long weekend away with a friend in May. This time I made my journal in a small (bought) ringed notebook.

3- Iceland Travel Journal

And my last travel journal for 2023 was from my early June trip to Iceland. Sadly I haven't yet finished it. 😕 But since it hasn't gone anywhere, I have plans to get it done soon before I head off someplace else. This journal has pages that are sewn in to an old recycled book cover.

4- My Bee Journal

In the spring I made another journal to keep track of my 2023 bee adventures and also to put in some random artsy pages. I put too many pages in this journal, so I will continue to use it to record my 2024 bee adventures also.

5- I was a guest designer over at More Than Words back in January. Thank you ladies for having me.

6-In the spring  I made a junk journal to do a bit of work table and paper pile cleaning

for this journal I just folded some 81/2 x11 inch paper in half and then stitched it together. It has not hardbound cover.

7- I joined many Tag Tuesday challenges

8- In November I won the challenge over at Creative Artiste Mixed Media with this piece. 

Thank you ladies for your support. 

9- I hosted AJJ in February with my RED challenge. 

I learned a lot about using the color red, which was my goal with this topic.

10- I made a few cards 

 I feel like I have to be so neat making cards (mainly I have to keep my dirty fingers from getting prints all over the card front-😏). I used to make a lot of cards, and I've since gotten away from doing that. To change that, I made a few in 2023 that I was really happy with.

11- I also made some postcard collages

I was still using up those never ending accumulating scraps.

12- I did a few paintings; here's one I shared online

I definitely need more practice painting. 😏

13-  I started (and now just need to sew together) an autumn themed cloth journal

And I definitely need to do more sewing in 2024.

14- I made a fun bingo card Halloween book:

15- I almost finished an old phone directory Christmas journal:

I have 5 letters left. Anyone have any ideas for the letter K that goes with Christmas?

16- And I made A LOT of art journal pages.

For the sake of brevity, I'll share more about those journal pages some other time.

Yes, it was a good art year. In 2024, I hope to expand what I do. I want to get back to some jewelry making (which I haven't done in years) and fabric dyeing (which has also been on hiatus for a few years). I'd like to do more fabric art, and finish up the journals and projects I need to complete. I have a new trip journal in mind, and of course, lots of  journal pages. As the cliche goes, variety is the spice of life.

I also want to thank everyone for the inspiration you shared  in 2023. My art gets better because of you sharing your art.

 

Have a great last few hours of 2023 or start to 2024, depending on when you read this post. I'll back tomorrow with some New Years wishes. 

 

Above Us Only Sky

 Hi everyone. I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday week. I like this week because the Christmas fuss is over but you can still enjoy the holiday.

We are just about done with 2023, which I think is both exciting and bittersweet.  I know for some of you 2023 has not been a great year, and you are just excited for the new one to begin.  I am excited to see what 2024 brings. I have some things on the agenda in the first few months, and I look forward to seeing what else the year has in store. But in other ways, I find the change of going from the blitz of lights, decorations and holiday good cheer to the quiet of January a bit of an adjustment.  Like many folks though, I am definitely ready for the quiet though. 😏

Today I want to share my final page for Wendy's Above Us Only Sky challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Thank you Wendy for hosting. I loved your sky challenge. I still have several ideas, but  I've run out of time. And I also want to thank everyone who joined in. There were so many different takes on the sky, and there were also so many beautiful pieces of art.

My last page's quote is my wish for everyone going into the new year. 

The background is made with some acrylic and watercolor paints. I die cut the stars, and then added the chipboard moon. I also stamped and colored in the little star near the quote,and the image of Saturn. The quote is also stamped. The little copper paper star was sitting on my work table and I figured I might as well add it. Finally, to emphasize the big grey stars, I used a Stabilo pencil and a wet paintbrush around their edges. 

You have through tomorrow to join Wendy for her challenge, and then it will be January which arrives with a new challenge. 

Happy end of 2023 to all you. And of course, have a great start to 2024 also.

Lights!

 Hi everyone. Happy Friday.  I hope everyone that I only visit with on Fridays  had a happy holiday if you celebrated. And are you now in countdown mode until 2024? I still can't get over how fast 2023 went by. 

As some of you probably already read, my husband and I celebrated the holiday with my daughter and her husband on the 23rd and 24th. That meant I had a mostly lazy day at home on Christmas. We  watched several movies and ate too many leftover holiday treats. 😏

I say we had a mostly lazy day because I had heard about a holiday light exhibit that's been around for awhile but was new to me, and  since the weather looked good for Christmas evening, I decided to get tickets so the hubby and I could do something festive.

The light show was at Sandy Hill Farm in Elliot, Maine. It wasn't too far from the house; the tickets weren't expensive, and with  mild temperatures Christmas night (42 degrees F/ 5.5 degrees C), it was a lovely night to walk the mile stroll through an enchanted woodland. Even my hard-to-please hubby enjoyed it.

This building was the hot coco shack. The hubby treated me to a cocoa to enjoy as we walked.

And here's a face for Nicole's  Friday Face Off .   I also love the perspective of this photo.

Here's a tree made from lobster bouys.

Here's a selfie.

I loved all the lighted flowers.

I also thought this next view of a lighted moon and the real moon was great. I wonder if they chose this spot for the lighted moon on purpose.

They even had lights that changed colors to the beat of some music.

I am not only linking up to Nicole's  Friday Face Off, but I'm also joining Gillena's Friday Lunch Break..

To wrap up this holiday post. here are a few more photos.

It's pretty unfocused, but I like the effect.

I leave you with Frosty. (One more face for Friday Face Off too!)  Doesn't he say (when he melts) that he'll be back again next year? 

I will see you next year (well next Friday)  for Friday Face Off. 😏

And of course, have a happy start to the new year also.