Farmhouse Evolution

I have not been making art for sometime. I have been knitting dishcloths and they continue to de-stress me. But finally I was able to work on an advent journal. The picture is significant because I did grow up for some years in a farmhouse. And the farmhouse and the people in it and around it made a lasting and significant impression on me--and not in a positive way. So the farmhouse impression is evolving into something positive, as evidenced by this piece.

New scans

One of the many things I wanted to do this summer was to upload scans of a vintage nursery rhyme book with the sweetest pictures! I uploaded them to Picasa and they are in the slide show on the left. They were scanned at 100 dpi resolution. if you are interested in them please feel free to download and use in your art.
Good luck!

And in other news...

AZUSA

Motorists stop to grab cash

Cash thrown onto a freeway by a 56-year-old man whom authorities described as emotionally disturbed caused a small traffic jam Sunday as drivers stopped their vehicles to pick up the bills.

California Highway Patrol officers discovered about 10 people outside their cars attempting to collect the loose cash on the westbound 210 Freeway near Grand Avenue just after noon, Officer Anthony Martin said.

About the same time, the man who tossed the money walked into the nearby Azusa Police Department and told officers he wanted to commit suicide, according to Lt. Steve Hunt.

Los Angeles County fire officials took the man to a hospital for further evaluation, Hunt said.

Motorists who picked up money were asked to return it to Azusa police or the CHP's Baldwin Park office

But seriously folks! I found another one! A board book with all the backgrounds and some pictures it! I think I get much more enjoyment out of making the books than filling them! Eeek!On the left is a scan of the inside of the book. On the right the front and back covers. It is six spreads. Good Grief!

Blue bound Book

I am cleaning up the art room and I found a book I covered and did backgrounds for pages. But now I can't remember why I made such a blue book! So I am hoping someone from the altered books group sees it and wants it. The left is the cover. The right is a spread that I popped on the scanner.The spread is tissue paper over clear gesso over several pages glued together. It is an old children's reading book.

Thrift Store Day!

Yesterday was Thrift Store Day. I am trying to go to the Thrift Store every month around the first. When I realized the first was on Saturday and I didn't want to go on Saturday, I decided the 31st was an all right date! So I invited my friend the adorable Ms. S, who wishes to be anonymous because she does not want her daughters to know that she went shopping at thrift stores. (I told her they will sooooo grow out of that--but I understand). First we went to BC Cafe for Eggs Benedict. I thought that Corky's had better Eggs Benedict, but I think BC won out! Fabulous! Then we went to the relatively new thrift store on Central: What I call the Three Way Thrift Store North. We found tons of cute clothes! And I found some Christmas fabric to make fabric flowers and a door knob. I am not paying retail for stuff like that! Then we went to the Three Way South, which is still on Central but way south. We found more cute clothes! Then we went to the Bargain Box in Covina and I found this fabulous purple silk, never worn, Asian style, Chaus blouse! It was $4.00! But the deal of the day was for Ms. S. We found a beautiful suede jacket in red that fit perfectly and was originally from Nordstrom for----wait for it---five bucks! She definitely got the deal of the day! We finished at the Assistance League where the nice lady was helping us. And Ms S. found more clothes! I found two books and some eyelet lace. From there we made a stop at Fresh and Easy. And then to Walmart to buy a curtain rod, since there weren't any at the thrift stores.By this time, Ms. S. was hungry so we went to Legends in Glendora and had dinner. Of course, I had onion rings and of course, later on I was sick. I need an intervention from fast food!
It was a successful thrift store day, and now on to the laundering of all the clothes!
I will post pictures later.

If this is what it's like to be retired...

So since I have been off work, I have been working harder than at work--okay maybe not, when I think about the Kinders and the Firsts and their energy. I wanted to work on some projects that would stretch me as an artist, and I have been doing that. Here's a painting I did:
Besides the paintings, I made fabric flowers (pictures to follow tomorrow). And...I cleaned behind the refrigerator and found lots of disposable plastic ware that I had washed anyway and they had fallen behind when they were drying. And I washed the curtains in the kitchen and in the laundry room. On the swear-o-meter, I was at a full 10 because the bracket was loose. I found another bracket, put it in, but did you know that curtain rods (those metal kind) don't fit the the brackets sometimes??? So now I need a new curtain rod.
But, on the Handyman meter, where I am usually a minus 7, I am at least a 5 because i put in a door knob! The door knob on the laundry room door has been off forever and I found one at the thrift store for $1.99. So I finally put that on. I am such a Handywoman Goddess!
So although I was going to wash all the curtains, I am exhausted and I need to clean up from the fabric flowers. So I am going to quit handywomaning for today and wash curtains on Saturday.
Obviously the only reason to work is to afford a housecleaning service, so that when you ARE home, you have this nice clean place to be. So I am not going to retire any time soon.

Soul Journal

This summer I wanted to start Sarah Whitmire's Soul Journal prompts. (You can find her prompts here: http://www.souljournaling.com/prompts.php). I thought it would help jump start my creativity after a long dry spell. what I found was that the prompts set me in a new direction. I did all the prompts and then wanted to start again. She has an advanced workshop, but I didn't think I was ready for that. I wanted to explore the first set of prompts again. So I had to alter two books to contain the new Soul Journal. I have always wanted to cover a book in canvas and then paint on it. So I did! I used regular canvas from the fabric store and I didn't wash it (although I am going to do that with the next project). I had some tissue paper with a design i just loved, so I used that for the inspiration.
Then, because I can't seem to do just one thing, I covered another book with a Nick and Nora pajama top that I found at the thrift store. I loved the print and I arranged the top so the buttons are on the front. I tried to duplicate the print on the inside cover and I added a pocket. I had a lot of fun making the books and now I am looking forward to actually working in them!