Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Go Forth, Friends!


"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world:  those who are afraid to try themselves, and those who are afraid that you will succeed."       -Ray Goforth

Sunday, June 26, 2016

iHanna's Spring 2016 Postcard Swap

A close up of one of my postcards

I thought you might like a little peek at my latest postcard creations for iHanna's spring postcard swap for 2016.  I've done this several years in a row now....and it is always so much fun!  For a small fee, Hanna organizes the swap, and she does a great job with it!  You create 10 different handmade/decorated postcards by the deadline, and Hanna sends you the addresses.  I sent them off on time this year....some of them here in the US, some of them in other places around the world!  In exchange, I received 10 unique, lovely cards from 10 different artists. It's such a lovely surprise to find a little gem in your mailbox, amongst all the bills and junk mail!

Here is the entire bunch.  I love seeing them all together!

As you know, I love an inspiring message!  This year, I decided on the "It is within you" theme.  I love the idea of this little message possibly reaching someone at the right time, giving them a little nudge of encouragement to go after something they deserve, or try something new and exciting!  I used heavy mixed media paper, and then scribbled with oil pastels, crayons, and pencils. I added some acrylic paint, and then a few more scribbles.  Lots of fun!!!

Scribbles make me happy!

Think about joining us next time!  Click on the link at the beginning of this post to find iHanna's website, and get on her newsletter so you don't miss it!  It's a great way to stretch your creative muscles, not to mention "meeting"other creatives!   Cheers, friends!




Friday, June 24, 2016

A New Beginning and Art Journaling!

I love this mantra so much!!!

Hello friends!!!  Okay, well, here we go....my first official post on my new blog, on my new journey!  Yes!  Hi!  Thanks for stopping by and visiting my little world.  Many of you know that for 12 wonderful years, I was the proprietress of The Dreaming Bear in uptown Marion, Iowa.  It was a glorious space, and I had a wonderful time running my store and my make and take studio. I am blessed to come away from that venture having made a lot of wonderful friends, young and old!

This is what The Dreaming Bear looked like inside!

 But about a year and a half ago, there was a small tugging at my heart, that was calling me elsewhere.  You know the feeling....twitchy, unsettled, not as in love with what you are doing.  I was getting weary of the grind....having a store means sticking to your hours, and sticking to your hours means feeling a wee bit tied down.  I was having fun hosting events, and sharing and teaching....but I wasn't finding the time to dive into the art making I knew I should be working on.

I found this pic of our empty backroom haunting and beautiful.  

 Lovin' Man, always supportive and long suffering, helped me come up with a plan to become more free....and here I am!  We closed our doors on May 21st, vacated the space, threw a graduation party for my son, and then I promptly got sick!  BLAH!  Isn't that the way?  And then Lovin' Man got sick.  We both haven't been that sick in a long time.  So, I have only recently been able to "get settled" in my new space....my home!  I'll share pics of my two new workspaces on another post.  (one upstairs for small projects, and one downstairs for large projects)  I've been nesting like a crazy woman!!!  I'm excited!  There will be tweeking to be done, naturally, as time goes on, and I figure out better ways of doing things.  For the moment, I'm quite tickled with how it's working out!

 Not gonna lie though, finding a new routine, and figuring out my "new way of being" has been an adjustment.  As my sweet friend D said, it's a little like a death, and then a rebirth. Not to be underestimated, as I'm learning.  I'm still deciding what is my best routine, and what to focus on....but I'm getting there!  Yesterday, after getting some yard work done, I was able to spend a nice chunk of time, uninterrupted, with my art journal....and here's what came out.....

First, this funny little red head girl....I suspect she appeared because we had to say goodbye to a sweet girlfriend with red hair who had to move to Chicago this week.  I loosely scribbled a face down with ball point pen, added some collage, and then painted her in.

I love her funny shaped red hair!

Scribbling, with pens and pastels.  Can't get enough!

I've got flowers on the brain these days too.....so these guys showed up.....

Thinking of covering a piece of furniture with this pattern.

This is an inclusion (a small flap) that I attached to the journal using an old envelope.  The placement wasn't ideal....it flaps over my poor little red head girl's face....but I'm learning to just let it go...turn the page.

A good message discovered in my paper scraps!

And this was the final page I completed before Lovin' Man cooked up some dinner!  I might love this one best.....maybe because by then, I was in a groove.....warmed up....loosened up.  The first page after several weeks of not creating is always the roughest, isn't it?

Yes it is!!!!


Thanks so much for visiting, friends!  I hope to share what I'm up to often and with plenty of pictures!  I've gotta run and eat some breakfast now, and paint a piano.  Yes, a piano.  Hee hee!