Goals

Hi everyone. Happy January 2 to you.

It's time for Second on the Second today over at  Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog. It's time to republish a post that you had on your blog in the past. My second look today is all about something so many people do at the beginning of the new year

 Do you make resolutions or pick out a word? I have a couple of word ideas in mind for 2023, but I haven't picked out a specific word  yet. However,  I am thinking of what goals I want to have for 2023. I like using the word goal because a goal can be long term, can be accomplished in segments, and can take more than a year to complete. I know the experts say you should set time frames for  goals, but I guess it comes down to who you are and how immediately important the results of a specific goal actually are. 

To me, a goal is  more of a morphing and developing idea, and a resolution is a hard fixed thing. As everyone knows sometimes on the way to meet a goal you hit a wall, and so the goal has to change a bit or take longer than you hoped. That's why I like the idea that goals are more long term wishes you'd like to accomplish.

And in my way of thinking, if a goal doesn't get accomplished, it wasn't that high on the "goal" priority list, or it just isn't  the right time to get to it. And yes, I am a goal oriented person so goal thinking is right up my alley.

Here's my goal page that I made in 2021 and which was posted here: Jan. 14, 2021. This is my link to Second on the Second.

2021 was the first time I drew my goals. I can't say the idea of drawing my goals was my own because it was a lesson on Creative Jumpstart that I was participating in that winter. 

I really liked this idea  though. Instead of writing them down or making a mental list as I have done in the past, I drew them again in 2022. I've never posted this next page before, but I thought it not only worked with today's post, but was a good way for me to go back and see how successful I was with my goals during the past year.

In 2022 I accomplished some goals and not others. For those I didn't accomplish, some were out of my control, and others, I just didn't end up completing because on the "goal" priority list, they either  weren't that important or something else (like not enough time) knocked them back down the list. Of course the good thing is that if they are still important, I can just add them to my goals for 2023. 

I'm working on goals for 2023.  Do you do anything similar?

Thanks for visiting.

Feeling Black and White

 Hi everyone.  It's already Wednesday once again.

I'm here to share another page in Eileen's memory at Art Journal Journey. Heads up  this is a pre-post. I received my second covid shot yesterday, and I'm not sure how I will be today.  I'm going to be optimistic and think that I am A OK, but if I don't comment for a day or 2,  it's because my optimism didn't actually pan out.

Do you ever feel like you are this black and white person in a colorful world? That's what inspired my page today. 

Poor Jane has that feeling, stuck in a black and white vintage photo, back at the time when she wasn't even allowed to smile for the camera. I think that  lack of smile was because of the long time it took to get the impression on the film they used. But it still must have been amazing to suddenly have a photograph of a love one rather than needing to sit for a portrait.

This page started in my drawing journal while I doodled one night watching TV. I really did not like the doodles. I decided I needed to do something, so I began with some white crayon scribble and then I used some very watered down acrylic paints over the background. 

I continued by stamping some images in black. Then I added the girl. The page still needed something, so I stamped and fussy cut the flowers, as well as using some rub ones randomly scattered around the page.

I finally added the quote. This page is  a bit of this and that, but I actually like it now. It's always good to salvage a page, isn't it? 

This month Chris and I are hosting at Art Journal Journey in memory of Eileen. Her challenge was Inspired By.

Hope your week is going well.

One More Big Flower

 Hi everyone.

It's the last day of the month. Wow. I love how March did start off as winter and now, spring ( at least here in New Hampshire that is).  Hurrah for spring.

It is also the last day with Sheila (Orange Esmeralda) as our host at Art Journal Journey.

I want to say a big THANK YOU to you Sheila for being such a wonderful and gracious host.

I have one last flower to share today, another giant drawn in my journal and colored with markers and a white pen. The background was painted with watercolors and I stamped the quote.

When I photographed it with my phone, I got the grain of the paper showing and these diagonal ridges appeared. I actually like them and wish they were really showing on the page. I guess you get to enjoy the trick of light even if it is just an illusion.

It was a great month of beautiful flowers to welcome in spring.

Thanks for visiting.

Another Big Flower

 

Hi everyone. Happy Wednesday. 

I'm back today to share another single flower for Sheila's challenge at Art Journal Journey.  There's still some days left this month to join if you haven't already.

For my page today I drew the giant flower. I was inspired by all the  rubber stamp flowers that have non-plant details. To make my flower a little different, I drew in some lines, wrote some letters and then used some Technique Tuesday word stamps (very old and very used so they hardly stick to the plastic sheet any longer) to finish it off. 

I used a pink paint pen as well as a white pen to finish off the center of the flower. 

I brushed some pink watercolor paint to color in the background, and then I splattered a little bit of white paint, just to give the page a bit of texture and grunge. You might have to look carefully to find the white splatter, but you can definitely see it better on the right side. Then I added the lady. She came from a sheet of lady tags in an old issue of FLOW magazine, but as you can tell, I cut her out of the tag.

Our spring weather is continuing, although today is supposed to be a bit cooler and cloudy. I'm off for my allergy shots and then hopefully getting in a walk. Thanks for visiting. I hope your week is going well!

Channeling Georgia O'Keeffe

Hi everyone. 

I'm here today with a giant hand drawn flower for Sheila's single flower challenge at Art Journal Journey.

This challenge has me thinking about a Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986),  a very talented 20th century American painter.  I've mentioned her on an occasion or two before. Some of the art she is famous for are her  scenery paintings of New Mexico and her giant flower paintings. 

Here are a few of her flower pieces. She painted around 200 of them during her long painting career.

O'Keeffe's work is amazing and the inspiration for the drawing (or perhaps more of a doodle when I put it next to these paintings) I shared with you today. 

I drew the outline and some details on my piece using my Faber-Castell markers. Then I grabbed some watercolor paints. I painted in the petals and the flower's center. I also used some paint pens to add details to the flower's center. After that I went back with my markers and finished off the flower.

The dots around the flower were made with a small rubber stamp and some black ink.

If you want to read more about Georgia O'Keeffe, you can here: Georgia O'Keeffe Museum write up,  Georgia O'Keeffe info website, and finally the Wikipedia page about her Georgia O'Keeffe.

Hope your day is going well. Thanks for visiting.

 

Wrapping Up February- the Weekend Post

Hi everyone. I wanted to share one more page for Valerie's Heavy metal challenge at Art Journal Journey before February is over.

Thanks Valerie for such a fun challenge. I had a lot of fun playing with metals  this past month. I really liked coming up with  ways to use metal or metallic elements in my pages.

My background on this page is much more complex than what I put onto it. I really like the light watery colors with the pop of some gold.  I started by drawing circles, coloring them in with markers, and then scribbling some writing in them.  Step 2 was to use a white crayon and scribble write around all the circles.  I then used some watered down acrylic paints to color the background.

To finish the background I took out my gold paint and painted some wax paper and also stamped some paint rings around my circles.

Finally I added black  marks to my now dry painted wax paper, crinkled it up and tore it into the pieces which I attached with matte medium to my page.

I love my background, but it didn't seem finished by itself. To complete it I decided to add the butterfly. I left it black and white for some contrast to all that's  going on in the background.

The butterfly is stamped and fussy cut, and the quote is a punch out.

The daffodils I shared in my post the other day  are now  withered  so I'll share this bouquet of tulips I've replaced them with.

You can probably tell, that like many of you, I'm waiting (impatiently) for spring.

Enjoy your weekend!

Assorted Friday Art

 Hi everyone. Today I have some assorted art to share as we start to wrap up the month of February.

I have another page for Valerie's Heavy metal challenge at Art Journal Journey.

This is also my page for February 7 with Cheiron Brandon at Creative Jumpstart. In this lesson we were creating a story with TH relatives and a created background. 

I decided I was in the mood to collage so I went my own way and used up a few scraps which is how my page came to be what it is.

I made my background by first doodling one night while watching tv. I wanted to do something with this background pattern so I  collaged some printed tissue paper and some left over wrapping paper.  I added a few pieces of  ruler printed tape, a piece of sanded down gold paper (it was too shiny if you can believe that), some word circle stickers as well as these ladies with their apple. This page still needed some more pop and the ladies needed something to sit on so I added the brown metal paper trim as well as the copper medallion. This is the first time I tried out this die and some metallic paper, and I must say I love the results.

I think background is still looking like individual pieces not a complete finished background, but it is what it is going to be, at least for now. Smile!

 My story is about these 2 ladies, Eleanor and Gloria, who are teachers. Eleanor on the left was given an apple by her students. I don't know if that is a worldwide idea or not, but giving an apple to your teacher is a way to show appreciation. She must really be loved because she got one giant apple! Gloria doesn't seem to mind not getting one, but being that big, Eleanor's could be easily shared .

And I have a little more art to share today.

Last Friday I showed you the little frivolous spring book I made (post here if you are interested: Watercolor Book #2)  There were still a few empty pages that I've now completed  from this project, and I thought I would share those today also.

After reviewing my post I noticed how light these last pages feel compared to the my first piece. I guess it's much like this month has been. Cold days and then for a few days earlier this week, some beautiful spring like weather. Now we're back to some colder temperatures.

That's all for me. Have a great start to your weekend.

Another of My Favorite Things

 

Hi everyone. Happy Friday. Another week has flown by very quickly. How has yours been? Mine has been good. I feel like I got out walking a few days, and also accomplished some things I've been wanting to get done. Those are good things to me, and about all I can ask for in this covid world.

I am here today with another page for Art Journal Journey.  For the next few days the challenge is Favorite Things. There's been so much great art this month. I've loved stopping by and checking out all the entries. The month isn't quite over yet either, so feel free to join in if you have a journal page that works.

Today my page started out with some doodles. I like some of them and not so much others. It was a good start for a journal page however, so I added a bit of stamping from a Janet Klein AALL& Create stamp set.  I must say besides baking being a favorite thing of mine, I do like these little folks. They are cute without (in my opinion) being cutesy. 

I haven't done much baking these last few weeks. Last week I  found this recipe for a Bishop's Cake, which was something new for me. It was pound cake like cake (not too sweet, doesn't need frosting, and is a bit heavier in texture for those of you unfamiliar with pound cakes), with added almonds, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries and raisins. I added walnuts instead of almonds because supposedly I am allergic to them (although I have had unknowingly had a few with no reaction, but better safe than sorry), and I left out the raisins as no one else in the house eats them. It tasted great, but even though I buttered and floured my non-stick Bundt pan, the cake still stuck and came out in 3 pieces.

This heart pan is one of my favorite pans, and I've used it a lot without any issues. I think what happened was I dozed off when it first came out of the oven, and it sat too long in the pan. Too bad because it would have been pretty. It was not too sweet either, and it didn't need any topping, which is one of my favorite types of everyday cakes.

Next time I will just have to bake when it doesn't interfere with a late afternoon nap I may or may not want to take. Smile.

We're in the deep freeze again here, so there may be more baking on my agenda later today or this weekend. 

Hope all is well with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Colorful

 Hi everyone. Hope everyone's weekend is going or went well. 

This is the long Martin Luther King weekend here in the US, and it seems especially important to celebrate a man who believed in peaceful protests after so many recent events here in the US. It is also important to celebrate him because Black lives do matter, which is what Martin Luther King was all about. 

I'm not sure how much authenticy I can add to this day. We had a teacher at school who marched with Martin Luther King as a young man, and he could say so much on this subject. This teacher was also friends with Jesse Jackson, another American black leader, and Jesse Jackson came to our school once to speak. My voice is small next to theirs, but I mention this because those stories, like all sorts of people's stories, are impactful. 

On a much lighter subject, two of my favorite things are clouds and color. So why not combine them?

Here's a page for the Favorite Things challenged, hosted by me, at Art Journal Journey.

The clouds are doodled; the background painted and the words are written in by me.  I added a couple of sparkle stars just to finish off the page because I liked them there.

Hope you like my page also.

I wrote this last night (Saturday night), and it was a dark and wet start to the weekend here. Rain, not snow, but certainly a good day to watch tv, read and nap. Hopefully the sun will be back soon so I can find some ambition. 

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Toys and Play

Hi everyone. 

Today's journal pages are for the Favorite Things challenge at  Art Journal Journey . This first one is all about supplies and some familiar tools for many of us.

I drew these in my drawing journal, added some actual paint to the brushes and the tubes of paint, and I also stamped a quote. The view is as if you are looking down on a white work space. 

These toys are some of my favorite things!

The only actual name I used is the ones on the 2 markers at the top. I used my box of  F.C. markers to draw this page along with both a black fine point pen and a white Uniball Signo pen. 

 I also finished my page for Day 4 of Creative Jumpstart that I showed you, unfinished, the other day for T.

 I had some blank space in the middle that needed filling, and I figured out what I wanted to put there to fill it in. .

Ignore the shadow of the spirals along the left edge of the page.

That's all for me. Hope your week is going well.

 

Big Moon

 Hi everyone. We're getting close to the middle of January, just a couple of days and we'll be there-already.

Last summer I bought myself this drawing journal. I picked it up because it was a marker journal, and I wanted to try more  marker drawing  without  having the colors seep through onto the next page.

What I didn't plan  was that this journal with so many white pages would be rather intimidating .  I didn't use it for several months. That may sounds strange as I use journals all the time, but I wanted this one for drawing, or should I say in my case, practicing.  Specifically with markers. I'm not as confident marker drawing (at least not yet) as I am splashing paint around on a page.  Although I write my daily journal and use some small marker doodles in that format, moving them onto a large journal page was a little scary.

My next reason for letting it sit was this question. What to practice draw?

I recently convinced myself that I just needed to pick  up the notebook, open it to a page and make some marks. No penciling in a piece first.  Just drawing straight with my markers. Good, bad or whatever.

One of my first pages was just making this rough and tumble plaid out of colors I really like.

Then I realized I could turn this into an art journal page.  This small realization made me excited.

I thought the  ink dropped on paper filter (I made awhile back) looked like the moon, and the colors on it matched my background.  So I rubbed some black and grey ink on my page, not enough to dull it too much but just enough to give a slight idea of night. Then I added the paper moon.

 

Last fall  while watching something bland on TV, I was looking at used rubber stamps on eBay.  I came across a set of 50 stamps that I really liked. There were some  woodblock looking people (you can see them above) dancing and also some other items to create mini scenes. The problem was the price was about twice what I wanted to pay for them, but I bookmarked them anyhow. A couple of days later I got an email from the seller, slashing the price 50%. I guess they must have been sitting online for too long. and when I showed some interested, she figured she might be able to unload them. Since they were right in my price range now, I picked them up. 

I've  used them to create this circle of dancers. A warm summer night dancing  out under the stars with no covid to worry about sounds like fun to me right now. 

I doodled in the musical notes as well as the word dance.

I am linking up to Art Journal Journey and this month's challenge of Favorite Things.  I love the background plaid colors, the dancers wiggling to some funky music, and also this journal. (The paper holds up really well with paint, glue and matte medium too. If you are curious, it is a Bee Creative journal.) Not only do I like my filter paper moon, but the real moon in the sky is also a favorite thing too.

Thanks for visiting my blog! 

Drawing Journal

Hi everyone.The new week begins.

And I shall start my week by showing you my daily drawing journal. I've been keeping this all year, but since my drawing skills are not going to impress anyone, I haven't bother to show you any of my amateur pages.

So today I will. But first quickly  tell you about my journal.

My "rules":

I do pages when I have time, and it is OK to do back pages if I don't get to them for a couple of days.

It is also OK to leave pages blank.

I don't have to draw on every page.

I can talk about my day or I can try to draw something I want to draw.

I can also tape in tickets or other paraphernalia.

And some pages are just for me to keep track of my life, like when a bill is due or other events I need to keep straight.

But the biggest rule,

I don't spend a lot of time on these.  The point is to make this easy so I will actually use it.

Here's a few pages from the last few weeks.

I am linking up to Day 18 of Art Everyday Month.

Thanks for visiting. 

2018 Calendar Wrap Up

Hi everyone. Yesterday I had some awful snow driving on my way to work and that had turned into rain by the time I got to work. At home we got 3 inches of snow and at work we got none. This had been the story this winter, tricky morning drives. But here's something that has never happened to me in this crazy winter driving. I have a bridge over a narrow strait between where a river goes into a bay that I have to cross, and as I drove onto the bridge it was snowing heavily and as I exited the bridge on the other side it was raining. And it isn't really a very long bridge.
 Today I have some of my "doodles" from my drawing journal, starting with the December calendar that is in the front of the book.
And here's a few of my favorite drawing pages from both November and December.

It was a successful year doing my drawing journal. I didn't necessarily get to it every day, but I would go back in fill something in.  I had some days where I had some new ideas for journal pages, but other days where I just did the same thing, or at least what felt like I was doing the same thing.
I did get myself another journal for 2019. I am hoping some new ideas will come to me as I go along, and I am using this year's journal as more of a general journal and not just a drawing journal. But I do hope to continue drawing because the more I do, the more confidence I get. And confidence seems to be half the ability.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed your visit.