PROJECT 52 COMPLETED

About 18 mos ago I started a project of altering a deck of cards. I showed some of them to you here here and here. Since one of my goals for myself this year was to finish some projects before I started another (yeah right), I have done just that with with my Project 52. It was a good way to challenge myself, use up scraps and work smaller, which at times was ok (Like art in the car) but at other times, not. Like I lost or misplaced some cards and had to buy another deck. I didn't like some of them so some cards have been altered as many as three times. I can see how some of my art has changed and know exactly how/what I was feeling/doing just by looking at these mini canvases. I gessoed, painted, stamped, used up scraps directly on the cards. Sometimes I just plain glued down something I'd already done on deli paper or used that as a background for inspiration. Sometimes I was bored with the cards and left them for dead for awhile. Some I really like and some I can just let go. So, once again.......... here are the first few. I will catch up and pass the "here, here and here," for those of you who have already seen them. The bear is my mother's childhood teddy bear. I dearly love it. I needed this month long break from blogging. To refuel, to nurture me, to help my mother pack up her house. You know........ life and **** happens. I'm on a roll again. Thanks for visiting and please come back. P.S I am now on Instagram under jogatheringwild so if you would care to follow me there I would appreciate it very much. Thanks.

Paint Party Friday

Last week I showed you the canvas I'd been working on as part of my Saturday morning workshops teaching at my local AC Moore arts and crafts store. I wanted to add some bling but wasn't sure how I wanted to do it. I had to work quickly with laying down these beads with a hot glue gun. And then I trimmed the length of the bead strands. I was pretty happy with the end result. If you zoom in you can see I got happy with gold glitter. I am enjoying this home made tapestry on my studio wall and look forward to showing you more tapestries by the people in my workshop as they become finished. Happy Paint Party Friday!! You can go here to see more wonderful things. Thanks for visiting here.

Pocket full of Post It Notes

Lately, after working all day, I struggle with how to use the few hours I have before I have to do it all over again the next day. I have to decide whether to actually work on something for myself, work on planning a class or project for the Saturday mixed media/art journaling class I've been leading on Saturday mornings, or post to this blog. I can blame it on my getting older or the horrible summer heat which I seem to have less tolerance for on top of my already natural power surge moments, or all of the above. ON that note, I HAVE been doing what I can in those few hours after I come home from work. I just haven't been sharing them as I can't seem to stay awake long enough to do so. Everyday I come home with a pocket full of post it notes with all these creative ideas. I have a pile of them paper clipped on my desk. HOpefully I will remember what they're for when I do get to them. I do get some of those ideas started.. I feel this is the time in my life when I am feeling or being most creative and I struggle with not being able to own all my time quite yet. Can you feel me? Can you relate to what I am saying? Thank you for hanging in there with me even though I don't post as regularly as I'd like. Thank you for supporting me and asking if I'm alright. Thank you for your comments. They are very much appreciated. I am off to join the party since I haven't been there is a few weeks. They always have good "stuff" at this party.

No Longer an Android

So I made this little mini book on cheapo water color paper, although I think it's really cheapo mixed media paper. Good way to use up scraps. I realize as I am uploading these pictures to this post that I have taken pictures of the book upside down. Two weeks ago I inherited my daughter's boyfriend's Iphone 5 since he has upgraded to a newer one. I was just too tickled because now I have also begun to post on Instagram. Imagine. I recently had to buy a new printer, and then a new computer and now I have a new phone. So much new technology!! The phone was a wonderful gift and daughter and boyfriend Reggie have been wonderfully supportive and patient with my numerous questions regarding the phone and posting to instagram. It has taken me nearly 1 1/2 hrs between photographing and posting to instagram and this blog I am going to watch a 'Bones'episode before it is time for me to hurry up and sleep. I hope you are well. Thanks for visiting. And if you go here you can see a lo of cool stuff.

A Little House for a New House

I had lunch with my Mom the weekend after Mother's Day weekend. It was just too crazy with graduation stuff. I made some home made wrapping paper. Had some fun with home made stencils and some stamps and then I took the little wooden house that I made and wrapped it up with bling because my mother loves bling. I think the gold ribbon looks awesome with the colors in the wrapping paper. I hadn't realized how long ago I had made these little wooden houses which you can see here. I actually used one of these and one of these I was pretty tickled with myself. At one time I had posted them in my once upon a time Etsy shop and they have since sat in a box waiting for good homes. Not only does Mom like bling she really loves art with buildings and houses etc and since she is moving to a new house pretty soon I thought this would be nice to hang in her new home. She loved it!! Thanks for stopping by.

Loose Pages

I have a lot of art done on loose pages over the years, mostly on cardstock. I wanted at some point to purchase a binding machine but have not yet made a decision which one. I happened to be at Kinkos one day and was reminded that they bind things into a spiral journal. They charge by the thickness of the paper. So, for under $10.00 I had 18 loose pages counting the front and back cover (which they provided) bound in to an instant journal. Here are few of the pages. The nice man at KInkos was confused as to why some of the page were left blank. I told him those pages would eventually be filled up. I took it home and decorated the front and back covers. I know there are way more "cooler" ways to book bind, it takes time, patience and practice, which I don't always have, this seemed to work for an instant journal for not much money. I can pick it up and work on it as I feel like it. Next time I will take some smaller pages and see how that works with a smaller size journal. Thanks for stopping by.