fall jewelry set & discovering my purpose

I had high hopes going into this weekend to play with Friendly Plastic &/or polymer clay to make some unique jewelry pieces. Alas, it wasn't meant to be this weekend. I did, however, squeeze in some time last night to bead/wire a necklace & earring set for one of my favorite fall blouses.

Today I browsed through the fall calendar of local adult education classes. I seriously considered the precious metal clay class, but decided I have enough stuff to play with already, without adding something new just now. I want to play with what I've got first! I did, however, sign up for a class (almost always do... just can't resist). It's entitled, "Discover Your Purpose." My husband just smiled & laughed a little when I told him the two classes I'd considered & which one I chose, saying he knew it would be either arts/crafts or self-discovery/help. What can I say? {smile}...

How about you? What's the last class you signed up for?

getting arboreal: a nature collection

If you follow my blog, you know I have a thing for trees, so when I learned Julie over at The Land of Lost Luggage was teaming up with JeriAnn for their second annual photo excursion and the subject was trees, I grabbed my camera. Meet my tree....

This tree is one of two river birches my husband & I planted a couple of years ago. Isn't the bark interesting? And what a deal we got.... as part of a special program sponsored by our local energy company and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, we purchased them for only $25 each. What a bargain!

Be sure to come back around November 8-14 for a new photo or two, as each of us participating in the excursion will post a total of three times (the last being the week of April 4-10). In the meantime, act like a tree frog and hop (or click) on over to Julie's blog to see her tree, as well as links to all the other participant's photos.

delighted!

I'm delighted to share that today my Friendly Plastic charm from my last post is featured on the Friendly Plastic blog. How fun is that?! Do a gal a favor and check it out, will ya? I'm betting you'll see something you like over there. It's full of inspiration, eye candy, techniques with step-by-step instructions and links to other fun, inspiring sites.

A special thanks to Linda Peterson of Linda Peterson Designs for reaching out to me for this opportunity. Every day holds something special in store!

"It makes no difference how many peaks you reach if there was no pleasure in the climb." ~ Oprah Winfrey

Enjoy the journey.

my first charm swap

front

back

This month I participated in a charm swap with the Yahoo group Altered Art of Visions and Dreams. Each of us created three charms no larger than 1-1/2", and each with a silver jump ring. I decided to use Friendly Plastic for mine. Considering this was only my second time using Friendly Plastic, there was some trial & error, but it was all fun. Instead of using a rubber stamp to create a recessed image, I used a broken broach of my Grandmother's. For the back, I cut a circle from the metal portion of an old floppy diskette (remember those?), hammered it to create texture, then applied metal ink to it. After attaching the front to the back, I dipped each charm in gloss glaze for protection along with a nice shine.

These charms were a lot of fun to make and I'm anxious to make more Friendly Plastic pieces, as a variety of ideas have been swimming in my head.

What about you? Have you played with Friendly Plastic? Do tell....

renewed enthusiasm & goal setting

I enjoy photography. I am not educated in the craft, knowing next-to-nothing about aperture, shutter speed, etc., but I enjoy taking photos none-the-less.

Those of you that follow my blog know I submitted photos to the Iowa State Fair this year and none of them were accepted. While disappointing, it was really a gift in disguise (most disappointments are). We attended the Iowa State Fair on Friday and as we do every year, visited the Photography Salon first to see all the beautiful and inspiring photographs, paying particular attention to those on the wall with ribbons. Afterwards, I asked to retrieve my photos from the back room and was lucky enough to have the Superintendent of the event assist me. He asked if I'd like his feedback on my work. Did I ever?! He looked at each of my photos with me, telling me specifically what I could've done differently that most likely would've earned entrance into the show and even ribbons for a couple of them. He said it was clear I have a good eye and he knew if I worked at it, I'd be in the event next year, giving me all kinds of tips & suggestions. Now, obviously, he wants to grow the event (they broke records again this year) but he was so truly passionate and enthusiastic about photography and helping me learn & understand things, that I believe him. Spending 10-15 minutes with him was the highlight of my day! When we left the building, I sat down and made notes from everything he'd told me, so as not to forget a thing!

After that, and some fair food, we took in all the fantastic pieces at the Fine Arts event and then the Arts & Crafts area. Usually I gravitate to the mixed media pieces, but this year, it was a color-washed pen & ink drawing that caught my eye. The piece has so much going on in it I could look at it for hours. Most importantly, it stirred a feeling in me I cannot describe. That's what I someday want my art/photos/whatever to do. Tell a story ~ evoke emotions ~ transport the viewer somewhere.

At the working artist tent, I met the air brush artist my DH recently took classes from. What a talented & nice guy and wow, his work blew me away. What an inspirational morning it was! I just love our fair...

Today's task? I'm goal driven. If I don't have specific goals, I sway all over the place without purpose. Today I'm going to check the status of my 2009 goals and consider tweaking them. I was bad, putting them away a few months ago, which is a big no-no. Out of sight is out of mind for me. The year is more than half over already. Things change and need re-evaluated from time to time. There's no better day than today!

How about you? Do you have specific goals? I'm curious.... how often do you review and possibly modify them?

shadows on layers

When I was photographing one of the backgrounds I made while taking Julie Prichard's Layer Lover class, I decided to play around with how shadows looked on the piece. Interesting...

What do you see in the shadows?

forget tarot cards...

What do you think toenails say about a woman? Are perfectly tended feet & toenails a telling sign of something, and if so, what? Is she pampered, or just taking good care of herself? I don't wear polish on my finger nails as my art, yard-work, etc. make it too much effort to maintain. I do, however, indulge my feet. Lately, however, I've forgone luscious reds & oranges for clear polish. What does this mean? Am I being indecisive, or increasing my apparel options? One of life's mysteries, I guess.... {smile....}


So tell me, what color polish is on your toes right now?

Snow White in July

The current challenge for Mixed Media Mischief Makers is Snow White. Personally, I don't care for the story; it's far too dark for my taste. However, I love a challenge and the members of MMMM are great, so I gave it a try. Here's my piece. I like it much more than my Alice in Wonderland piece. That one was far too busy for my taste. This one is simpler....more focused on what I wanted to draw attention to from the story.

This 8 x 8 mixed media on canvas includes acrylics, polymer clay, floral tape & UTEE. My photo doesn't show the color variation & texture of the background, but I think you get the gist. I tried to focus on the contrast between how ugly & cruel deception is and how it can deceive us with shiny, luscious beauty.

Tell me.... what part of Snow White captures your imagination?

Jane, I've got a blow

Tonight, as I read the results I'd been waiting a month for, all I could think of was the line in Jane Eyre where Mr. Rochester learns Mason is in his house.... "Jane, I've got a blow; I've got a blow, Jane." Now, granted, my blow is much less by comparison, but it's definitely a let down. Allow me to explain.

As with many state fairs, having your photo selected for exhibit at the Photography Salon at the Iowa State Fair is an honor. I first entered in 2003 and all four of my photos were exhibited. One received honorable mention. I was shocked and thrilled. That year, 39% of the photos entered were exhibited. The next year, two of my four photos were exhibited. Overall, 36% of those entered were shown. I skipped five years and tried again this year. Tonight I learned none of my four were selected. I knew it would be tough since last year, only 22% were selected, but still..... it's disappointing.

As the news sank in, I kept thinking of the positive feedback I've received from my family, online friends & blog visitors. That feedback really helps put things in perspective for me. So what if the judges at our fair this year didn't care for my work, I like it, and so do others. I'll continue to photograph my way and be happy about it. And to those who've ever offered a positive comment on my work, I thank you!

If you're interested, I entered two of the photos already posted on my blog along with these two (without the watermarks, of course)...

circus rose

deck chair

movement

Today I worked on my piece for the "Snow White" challenge I'm participating in. If I'd been thinking, I'd have taken a picture of my Sculpey Glaze mishap & share it as a blooper, but I thought of it too late. Suffice it to say when they say you can bake the glaze a few minutes to help seal it, they mean 1 or 2 minutes ~ not 5 or 6. LOL. Anyway, the background paint isn't dry so I can't yet assemble the piece. Thus, I'm sharing a photo I took today which captures some of my very favorite colors. I'll share the challenge piece yet this week (it's due 8/1).

a little push

"Our own well-being is always the result of healthy decisions for ourselves coupled with disengagement from the choices of others."
~ Karen Casey

I'll tell ya up front the sole reason I'm publishing this post is to push myself to create something today. I want to. I need to. I will. I've been taking care of family & other things for a month now with little/no down time. Today I'm taking a much-needed break to replenish myself. I'll be of no good to others if I don't stop & take care of myself. And, like most of you who visit my blog know, one of the very best ways to do that is through creative expression/escape. Whether it's good or bad, done or not, I'll post something tonight, then hopefully catch up on all the blogs I love to visit. You might see me tip-toeing through your blog in the next couple of days! Leave the porch light on.....

create where you can

I haven't had any studio time for three or four weeks (yes, I'm going through withdrawals) so I express myself wherever I can. Yesterday, it was mowing the front lawn. I think it looks like pond ripples around the tree. What do you see?

it's how you look at things

Life threw a nasty curve my way a couple weeks ago, one I certainly didn't see coming. Ever. But with every painful, unhappy situation there's an opportunity. An opportunity to grow & become a better person, to help someone else, and yes, to be happy in spite of situations. Sometimes it takes us awhile to see it, but it's there. We need only look for it. That might mean changing our position.

This photo visually expresses what I'm saying. These plants are less then 1" tall. People rarely even notice them. They're growing out of the moss that grows in between our cobblestone patio. Lying on the ground with my camera on macro, I see another world. I can almost see the fairies dancing about. Can you?

if you don't like it, change it

I've been taking Julie Prichard's "Layer Love" class the past month (great class!). My attempt at lesson 1 left something to be desired, so after later lessons, I went back in and modified it. I like it much better now. Can you see the trees through the vegetation? And yes, I need to work on my lettering (smile). Try clicking on the above image to see the texture detail. Below is the "before."

an amazing book, a wren house and a quote

Tonight I finished "Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh. Well, finished my first reading ~ this book will not be placed on a shelf to gather dust. It was one of the most moving & insightful books I've ever read. Reading it these past few months (this is not a book to rush through) I've laughed, cried, written notes, done some of the action exercises, highlighted passages & quotes and tabbed so many pages with colored post-it tape it looks like it's got fringe! If you haven't read this book, I encourage you to check it out!

Afterwards, I strolled through the garden with my camera. The wrens came back again this year, nesting in a ceramic acorn. Funny, we have about a dozen wooden houses we put out for them, and they choose this acorn which was meant to be just decorative. Hey.... whatever they want they can have.... I'm just tickled they're here! I'm continually amazed at how loud those tiny little birds can be with their songs.

Lastly, I want to share a favorite quote in follow-up to my poem from Sunday.

"The only fundamental rule for me is to just be yourself. Let your freak-flag fly, and if someone doesn't get you, move on." ~ Drew Barrymore

I choose embrace

do you ever feel
like you don't fit in
anywhere
you wonder why
you seem to see life
differently
from everyone else
you know you don't
not with 6.8 billion others
but yet it feels that way
sometimes
surely there are others
others with similar thoughts
questions
beliefs
interests
you can connect with
on some level
but
connections are fleeting
friends are rare
we're all too busy
with the details of life
we don't notice
don't care
don't have time
and tomorrow comes
another opportunity
to wake up
enjoy
every precious moment
we're given
we're all intimately connected
whether we realize it
embrace it
or not
I choose embrace

Creative Spirit Art

copyright 2009, Caryn Lynn Duncan

copyright 2009, Caryn Lynn Duncan

I'm late with this post, but I just have to share the wonderful surprise I received in the mail this week! Caryn Lynn Duncan from Creative Spirit Art in Dover, NH, http://www.carynduncan.com/ sent this inspirational "pocket full of Creativity." I just love the sayings & the colors she chose. And what attention to detail she has.... the silver thread used for the stitching & button-tie closure are great. It brings me such joy. Thank you, Caryn Lynn!

birthday "cards"

My husband's birthday was Friday. We took the day off to celebrate together, as we do every year. Since he already received his gifts before his birthday, I wanted to come up with something to surprise him. He's commented on occasion that I make cards (as in greeting) for everyone but him. So this year, I decided to make cards for him. But, instead of greeting cards, I made playing cards so he could "deal" the day however he wanted it to play out. It was a big hit. Here are the steps I came up with, in case you want to do something similar for someone you love.

• Decide what you want on the cards. I used categories such as food & drink, movies, culture, outdoors, road trip, etc. Click on the photos to see what I mean.


• Create a 3-column table in Microsoft Word or similar program, setting the column height at 3.5" & the width at 2.5"


• Type in the table cells & use available clip art to add visuals & color. Print. I used glossy photo paper, but this isn't necessary.


• Make a generic version for the card backs. Print.


• Trim excess from all printed pages, keeping the table of 9 cards still together, 3 columns & 3 rows per page.


• Glue card fronts to card backs. I used my tape gun, but if I do this again, I'll use the adhesive cartridge with my Xyron.


• Laminate the fronts & backs. I used the two-sided lamination cartridge with my Xyron, but any lamination product should work.


• Cut the cards. Use a small corner punch on all four corners of every cards. Note, however, this was extremely tough on my punch, so I'll be buying a new one at some point.


• Print two of the generic card backs on one page of card stock. Cut and glue/tape to create card box.

metal & wood yin & yang

One of the Yahoo groups I'm in does a weekly ATC hobnob. This week's theme is Yin & Yang. I chose to use metal & wood. The metal is light aluminum and the wood is a veneer insert that was inside one of DH's cigar boxes. It's a very simple ATC, but I like how that simplicity seems to strengthen the elements & put the focus on them.

Live easy, love freely & laugh loudly!

mom's day cards

Here are a couple quick cards from last night. The images are from Stampington & Co.

I hope all you moms out there have a wonderful day!

dogs as teachers

The following is from an email making its way around, so you may have already seen it, but if not, enjoy.... I love the message and I'd like to give credit to the author, but the email I received didn't indicate who wrote it. If you happen to know, would you please contact me so I can give credit? Thanks!

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

wonderland challenge

The open house blog party at Mixed Media Mischief Makers is just around the corner. Here's my completed piece for the Wonderland Challenge:

This 8x8 mixed media on canvas includes acrylics, polymer clay, "silk" flowers with UTEE centers, grunge board with spray paint, cut pewter (dream), mosaic tiles, drawer pull (crown), "admit one" ticket (part of a goodies packet my pal Marsha at http://tumblefishstudio.blogspot.com/ sent me a few months ago), glossy photo paper (Cheshire cat grin) heat-treated copper mesh, heat-treated soft copper and a safety pin.

Don't forget to swing by the Mixed Media Mischief Makers blog on Tuesday, May 5 for the open house! Be sure to leave a comment for a chance for a door prize. http://mixedmediamischiefmakers.blogspot.com/

golden visitor

Yesterday I was treated to several visits from a goldfinch. Although it's our state bird here in Iowa, I've not seen very many of them. I was delighted to discover it likes the new seed in the feeder. The photo isn't very sharp, but isn't this feathered friend a gorgeous yellow? When s/he flies across your line of sight, you see it!

planning the day

Good morning! I took today & tomorrow off work to prepare for the city-wide garage sale Saturday. I get rid of clutter, the money earned goes to my favorite charity, and anything that doesn't sell goes to yet another charity. Everyone wins! Plus, we get a clean garage when it's all done (if you'd seen it the last few months, you'd understand my excitement about this prospect). Anyhooo.... my fabulous hubby shared this quote with me a couple days ago and I loved it. I hope you do too...

"I wake up every morning determined both to change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning the day a little difficult."
~ E. B. White

May we all have one helluva good time changing the world!

goslings!

A couple Canadian geese nested outside the office where I work. Last week the eggs hatched. I'm so glad it happened when we could enjoy it, rather than on the weekend. Papa was very protective, so I took this photo from inside.