Simply Put

This is another page in the Smash Book Overhaul. The words kind of express where I am today. I hope you've had a good day. Thanks for stopping in..................................................................jo

Refueling

I did not do much art this weekend, which was strange for me. I did spend time in the studio, moving piles of things around and then got a second wind where I thought I was going to get in the groove and then got frustrated again. I just couldn't seem to get focused on one particular thing. Perhaps, I need to stop and refuel, regenerate. The Discoverer Journal was mailed on Saturday and has arrived at its new home. She was pretty tickled and I am pretty tickled that she is tickled. hee hee . So, maybe, I am refueling quietly and more deeply. In the meantime, there are always faces on top of Morning Pages, and experimenting with pan pastels on top of watercolors with my coffee at 5:30am. Thanks for visiting and thanks always for your leaving comments.

Trees Revisited

I took a piece I'd made from the pile of Gelli Plate prints, one that I wasn't too thrilled with at the time, and then took my own piece that I'd had printed. sketched and cut out the tree and glued it down on the Gelli Print. I'm not sure where this is going but I kind of like it. I just realized I didn't get rid of all the white pen marks on some of the branches but I kind of like them too. Here is another tree on a very large piece of plywood. Can you tell what the tree was made from? Thanks for visiting here..........................................................jo

A Year Ago

I get a kick out of seeing what I was doing with art a year ago. My computer files show me this is what I had on my table or at least photographed a year ago on this day. This is a page from my first altered book which I actually think was from more like two years ago. Must've taken me a year to get the nerve to post it. Ha ha ha. Just kidding. I was pretty scared to draw faces then. Still am, but I like this girl. I like her grin. I could go back and add more things to the page. Or I could just chalk it up to it is what it was at one time, which was then, and I could just leave it alone. This what I attempted to draw and paint from a magazine yesterday morning at 5AM Thanks for all your kind comments and support and thanks for stopping by..........................................................................jo

The Discoverer Journal is Finished

Intermittently, I've been showing you pages of the Discoverer Journal. It is an upcycled, recycled journal made by a person who gifted this to me. She planted the seeds, they rooted, and I have filled it. It has blossomed. I thought I would show you the journal from front to back. Thanks for letting me share this journal and journey with you. Wishing you peace. Thanks for visiting here.........................................jo

What I Want

Yet another page from the Discoverer Journal. There's only a couple more to show you and then I can say I have actually completed a project without getting sidetracked, which is more my nature. But I decided to really buckle down and try and stay focused. I'm so full of it. I just wanted to say I finished something before starting something new. If I told myself I was not allowed to make anything else before I finished this it seemed to somewhat motivate me into doing it. It worked for a day until I started and finished this. lol. I know I am not the only one who has many projects going on at the same time but do you also get sidetracked with other things in the middle of working on a project and start something totally new? Is that considered a mental disorder? My work table can get so cluttered because I have not cleaned up after working on something; I want to create art but I am so distracted by (or drawn to at the same time) all the clutter, I find myself getting sucked in to something totally different. That probably sounds like I have no idea what I am talking about or what I just said. Somehow I am quite sure you do know what I mean. Please tell me you also have this malady........... ha ha ha. Seriously, thank you for spending a moment or two with me.................. I am looking forward to a long weekend, hopefully much of it in my pjs in my studio. I hope you will, too...............................p.s. Thank you, Betsy for showing up here. And, guys, let me tell you, there's a story to share about this person who showed up here. Stay tuned.............................................................................jo

Heart Art

In accordance with this too highly commercialized day, I give you my take on hearts. I have sometimes done my Morning Pages in hearts, as I did this morning. And I realized one of the pages in the Discover journal has a heart on the page. I also happened to find a great quote by another artist who's blog I enjoy visiting. You know how timing is sometimes everything? The timing of when I stumbled across this was perfect for me. I needed to hear someone else say this! It was a confirmation. It worked it's way onto one of my pages in The Smash Book Overhaul and I do not think I have shared it with you yet. So, here it is. Thank you, Rhonda! Finally, I am not big on all the Valentine hype, but I do like to tell someone I love them with art. I made this teeny card for MY MAN. I took a 4x6 index card that already had some art on it, folded it into an envelope, taped it up with some decorative tape and put this inside of it. So. There you have it. Happy Valentine's Day.......Stay tuned for the remainder of the Discoverer journal..........................................Thanks for spending a moment or two with me.........................................Jo.

Ask for Peace

Coming down the home stretch of the Disoverer Journal. In case you missed it, this little journal was gifted to me by Stargardener and was made from recycled papers, and full of what seemed like little hidden prompts, some that seemed to say to me, "Here, Braveheart. Run with it. Play." And play I did. I have already shared some of the pages with you, but here is another. (I am slowly stretching it out in sharing it with you.) Wishing you a peaceful day. Thanks for visiting......................................................................jo

Faces - Ongoing

I'm trying to improve my drawing skills by attempting to draw model faces from magazines. Mind you, these drawings happen between 5:15-5:45am in bed.

The eyes are wonky. And so I attempted her again two mornings later.

And so I will keep going with this practice of trying to draw faces in the morning, even though these models look too darned good for that hour of the morning. Thanks for the quick visit. Hope you are having fun, too. :)...........................jo

What I Have Discovered

Since I have been recreating this little Discoverer journal, it is as if I have been standing on the outside watching my artist child play, like no one is watching. I've told the inner critics and gremlins to take a hike.com. In fact, they aren't even there. Making art in this journal has been pure delight. It makes me want to gift a little journal for someone else to recreate. Here is another page.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share this with you..............................................................................................jo

Continuing On

In continuing with the little "Discoverer" journal here are a couple more pages.

Working in this little journal has felt somehow very personal. Maybe it's the energy, the vibes, the mojo, the kindred "spiritness" I feel with the person who sent it to me. Maybe her words art journal pages seem to speak to me when I needed something on a certain day. When I was not feeling brave or grounded. This little journal is a reminder, an invitation, or perhaps an affirmation(or all three) that I AM a "brave heart" and we all are Brave Hearts, have stories to tell and songs to sing, and we are making this world more colorful in doing so.

This little book is nearly done. Stay tuned for the finale. Thank you for spending a few minutes with me...................... wishing you a peaceful day..............................................................................................jo.

In A Bit of A Funk

Feeling in a bit of a funk today......... not sure why exactly. I guess we all can have some funky days. Right? Winter blahs......... wanted to stay at home and play today with ART instead of going to work...I hope you're doing some playing..... with art...... Here's a couple more faces.

I have a feeling I'll be playing with these faces for a long time..I'm going to go play in the studio for a bit...... maybe it'll make me feel better...........thanks for stopping by..............................................................................jo