Creativity & Growth In Creativity

Hi Everybody! I Came across this video today and thought I have to share it. It speaks to creativity and the learning curves we go through. I hope you watch it!  I posted my completed "Winter" season journal page earlier today & full post with photo collage of progress and other things if you would like to see it click here when you are done with the video. But here is just one photograph in case you don't have time.

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Ira does say years, Years, YEARS!  Do a volume of work, huge amounts of work! So go create something! Fight your way through! Thanks for those words of wisdom and encouragement Ira Glass!

I can so relate to this, sometimes struggling, sometimes hard on myself, aching to grow creatively to produce quality work. I am going to fight my way through! Now going to create! Sketch, Draw, Paint and repeat! Paint, photograph, Paint, Photograph repeat!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead! Linking up with Paint Party Friday come check it out if you like!  Leave a comment so I can visit you back! Follow along if you like! But, be sure and be creative!

How do you work through your creative obstacles?

Journal Page "Winter" from Seasons Series

How this week is flying by! I hope this is finding you well.I did a photo collage & another shot of my "Winter" page completed.

 Winter from the journal page series "Seasons"

She is my favorite so far, I just finished spring & am going to be *editing video of painting that journal page.  Kelly asked, "winter already?" But, no! I want fall as long as possible. I am only doing a series of girls for the seasons then back to journaling & painting other things. I am sure those things may have some fall inspiration, as it is my favorite season!

When I get a chance I will upload a larger version so you can look close up at the detailing. It will be posted to my Flickr account. Link is on the side bar to follow along if you like.

On another note:
Part of why I haven't been around I just had gotten back up hard drive & hadn't finished moving files..... when I lost a majority of my files to a computer hiccup! Two years of photography & art! Can you see me crying!? Any how, the Mr. found a program & reset the computer a few days prior to that to recover images. But things seem to still be missing! I am devastated, but still hoping to recover more!
Photography Storage Tips: 
Never keep your work just on one hard drive! Always back up! & if you use Flickr or some other hosting site add in your edited work as soon as you are done & hold private until needed! Take my advice & don't chance losing your work!

Tomorrow I have an award ceremony at Sammie's school & I will probably add this post to Paint Party Friday, but I might not be able to visit until the weekend. Just let me know you dropped by and I will return the visit! If you want to link up something you made with PPF just look in the resources page and then go pop it in their linky on Friday morning! There is lots of creativity going on with PPF! PS I have some new art quilt blocks to share soon too! 

What have you been painting, journaling or working on lately? 

Do you have a photography storage tip to share? (obviously I could use more!)

Autumn Color Inspiration

 Theresa Huse

Autumn has finally arrived? We still are having days in the 90* but the evening air as the sun goes down is crisp. The things I love about autumn are the colors nature gives us! Vibrant yellows, oranges, reds, green and browns that you can find about nature. Sunflowers, pumpkins, leaves from the trees....You can hear the wind blowing more often and see the dancing of the leaves.

 Theresa Huse 

Our nights and mornings are filled with fog in the area we live and as we round into October we will see the season change, often times I have to stop with my camera and capture the beauty of nature given to us in the autumn months. If you would like to see my autumn journal pages just visit here. 

 Pinterest

I will be looking for fall as I take walks and enjoy the changing season. I hope to capture more photographs to share with you soon. & if you are interested you can visit me at DearCreatives.com where I have been sharing lots of creative, crafty fall inspiration & even links to crafty fall projects! If you have something to share you can visit and link up in our weekly Feature Friday posts!

What are your favorite fall colors?

Beginnings of Winter Journal Page

I took out my journal and was thinking of how I just made my Autumn girl * (you can see her in the previous post if you missed her) and how maybe I should do a girl for each of the seasons. And so the story begins.

I knew I wanted winter to be a girl who was pale like snow, with jet black hair and ruby red lips.

I had this wonderful scrapbook paper that had deer, birds, trees and snow. I added it to give the page interest and dimension. I wrapped it around my girl like winter wraps snow around nature in winter.

I wanted the sky to be blue with snow and maybe have the appearance of rain falling. This was the beginning concepts for my winter pages.

I love how sometimes things just flow better when you sit down on a different days and on different weeks. I can't wait to share with you the finished pages. Here she is with a few layers and sorry the image was taken at night so its not the clearest, but when I post the pages done I will take the photographs in day light.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead! We've been having our typical late CA. summer, which as me indoors under a fan and trying to paint more! If you like to visit other artists and see what they created this week this post is linked up with Paint Party Friday and the link is in resources. See you soon!

Did you get any creative projects done this past week? What is your favorite season? 

Autumn Journal Page

Hello friends & creatives! I am getting back into a little bit of a routine here and trying to paint a bit more. I created this page first by just sketching the outline of the face. I meant to take some work in progress photos but didn't. I will have some on the next journal page, but I did take a few different shots of this one to share with you.

There are many things about Autumn I love. The late afternoon breeze bringing the fog in, the leaves blowing, the changing colors and the clouds in the sky.

 

I layered pressed dried leaves and dictionary pages around my pages

I made sure to give lots of detailing to her face and lips. Some bold, some subtle

Wonky camera angle but wanted to show a face close up

I wanted my page to have the feel of Autumn winds blowing and  beautiful colors ~

Sorry I have not been on a regular posting routine. I could explain all the details but don't want to bore you. I will have more journal art and more to share with you soon. I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of Autumn.

What is your favorite part of Autumn? What have you been working on journals, art, photography? Let me know, I'd love to see! 

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. George Elliot

Journal Pages

Hello fellow creatives. I am trying to journal again daily, as I have been doing other things and hadn't made that a priority lately. What a difference it has made almost like taking steps backwards. I pushed through this page and yesterdays feeling pretty frustrated. I must of done her face about five times.

This evening I worked on some pages that I think were feeling less forced and more at ease for me mentally if that makes sense. I guess what I am trying to say is it flowed better and  the results ended up much better too. I'll be sharing those pages later.

Although she has a party hat on she isn't altogether a happy gal. I wouldn't be either if I had to get made over five times!  lol Oh, well it has been one of those weeks I am glad it is almost over and ready for the weekend! So I am making a wish for a good weekend and better week ahead! And am wishing you the same! Happy Paint Party Friday!

If you want to visit other creative folks drawing, painting and creating just visit the link for Paint Party Friday in the resource page here and join in with everyone if you like.

Morphing My Journal Page

Days seem to be flying by. I don't know where time is going. Do you ever feel that way? I been re evaluating my time and where it is spent. I created a journal page that took the complexity and detours from my daily life and let it out on the page. Big "me" topics are time management, focus & simplifying.  I actually used chalk board paint and chalk ink for this journal page. My journal page morphed several times.

But, then like my daily mindset and routine right now it felt so complicated. I want to simplify, focus, change to make things more productive. And of course compare less! How many times a day do you come across some great artwork, artist, illustrator and just think wow and then you feel like your work is not good enough?

I have been all over the place in my work and thoughts. Focusing on other things yet in my heart I know I want to reshape things to be more clear for myself. Which in of itself can be complicated! Almost like a puzzle.

Sometimes the page can handle the complexity of life more than you can. Let it feel your frustration, pain and take you away from it when you let go.

But the reality of life is you need Focus! 

 

And that is up to ones self 

  Full Journal Page Completed

In life it seems so easy to over complicate, carry burdens and feel mixed up about what direction to go in artisically. For me, right now I know I need to simplify, focus and there is no perfect time like now! Maybe you have heard it before from me or even said it to yourself and even attempted to simplify and focus. I don't know about you, but for me it sure isn't coming easy!

So today I am sharing my unedited, morphed many times page with you as I still look for these things within and for myself. I don't know that I am happy with the outcome of this page, but I do know I feel so much better after creating it. 

Do you ever feel like you need more focus? What is one way that you create more focus or simplicity in your life or for your art?

Artist Quotes:

"The further I go, the sorrier I am about how little I know: It is this that bothers me the most," Claude Monet

"It may be that the deep necessity of art is the examination of self- deception." Robert Motherwell

"Artistic temperament sometimes seems a battleground, a dark angel of destruction, and a bright angel of creativity wrestling." Madeleine L Engle

Falling For Autumn & Color

I am getting excited for autumn. Yesterday although warm we had an evening with crisp air and a full moon. I feel I can breath a sigh of relief from the heat as its temperatures are dropping. I am anticipating autumns air and her colors return.

via Pinerest 

 

Irene Suchocki

I can't wait for fall to bring me an abundance of color and creativity that I can collect like leaves falling from the trees. In return I shall share things with you.

Let the sun dance with the leaves in the day. Let the night chill the air.

Let the textures, patterns and colors play showing nature bringing autumns return.

Let the moss grow and flurish

  Yellows, greens, orange, reds, rusts and browns. Colors I await you~

via Pinterest

A Cherry On Top Photography

 

What are your favorite gifts of Autumn? What colors on your palate will you place?

If you would like to learn more about color  I came across this book: Color A Natural History Of The Palette by Victoria Finlay. I haven't read it yet but it looks interesting & colorful. I might check my library first. Have you read it? Photography not tagged is by me.

Imagine The Stories Journal Page

Hi Everyone, Remember the sneak preview of the journal page I gave you. Well here comes the rest of the page and a little journal prompt for you. This has been one of those busy, the kind that seems like you aren't getting anything done! One step forward, two step back weeks. Do you ever have those?

Journal Page: Imagine The Stories I'll Tell You

This page was inspired as I was reflecting on how I love to tell Sammie stories as she swings. Sometimes she reads to me, we talk, tell each other stories and in the summer all while hanging out the laundry. The butterfly is pulling the book around to open it.

Well I love doing this so much and thought of the news my daughter Krissy gave me a bit ago. She is having her second baby due in December. Shes has had a rough pregnancy but is doing better now, but still has to take care. Any way, this page is for the little one who is on his way. I created this page for him.

One day Sammie will be older, the swing empty and waiting for the little boy to come and have me tell him stories. It won't be often as we live far apart, but I know he will enjoy the tales I have to tell him. I can't wait to hear a name, see his precious face and enjoy another baby in the family. Her daughter Audrey will be almost 4yr old when he is born.

Journal Prompt:  I just thought I would share you can add pages about events happening in the family and how they relate to you personally. I said things in layers that didn't show, you know some personal things. I also added in real tree twigs and some mesh fabric ribbon. Lots and lots of textures and layers.

Well, that is all from me for now. I hope to get back on track with things this coming week. Thanks for visiting! & Have a great weekend. Oh, and its Paint Party Friday if you like seeing other creative folks work. The link is in the resources page. Follow along and sign up  Or subscribe by going back to the top left side. I'd  love to have you here and return your visits. Be sure and comment so I know you stopped by!

Do you journal? Have you worked on your journal pages lately?

Reflections & A Reminder

I have been MIA this week. It has been hotter than hot here. I can't seem to get my head out of the freezer and creating anything! But, here are a few things I did work on prior to things being heated up!

 Editing photos

Do not use without giving credit

River by the waterfalls of Lake Tahoe

 

How quickly things race by us, rivers, visits with family, life, time......

I feel like my head hasn't been in the right place this week between the heat and close family friends losing a loved one. My mind has been elsewhere. Its always a reminder to be present for the ones you love and cherish your time here. And tell them that you  love them daily!

Part of my journal page

This is a part of the journal page I was working most recently. I wanted to post more but for some reason Picnik and my computer aren't agreeing. So I will have to run a scan and do all the fun tech stuff then hopefully I can post full page and story behind it on Friday. I incorporated twigs, netting and texture in this page.

Another Reminder 

I thought I would remind you to enter the giveaway here! All you artsy, crafty folks might like this for printing off your work! Just leave a comment to enter. It closes tonight at 7pm PST and the odds are good! ( its on my craft blog) I really wanted everyone to have a chance but could only have the giveaway over on my craft site. So if you want something for nothing but chance, just drop by and comment.

With that said I am off to spend time with the kiddo and help with the homework and maybe tonight when the Mr. is playing music I will have a chance to paint in the cool of the evening.

Have you had time to journal or make art lately? 

One on One with Nature- Still Life Stand Outs

I was remembering our trip to South Lake Tahoe and  thought I would share this photograph I am going to link up to a little Still Life Photo Challenge that Branson runs. This makes me wish we had a full week to venture back up for a visit. I love being in the woods and the lake there is so beautiful. The snow was still on the mountains yet it was quite warm.

 

There is something to be said to being one with nature or maybe two in this case! 

I hope you all have some time to get outdoors this long Labor Day weekend and if you are traveling may it be safe! Maybe we can make our way to the beach or woods for some much needed inspiration after a week of back to school and computer stuff. If  you want to check out some wonderful photography just visit the link I have added. I refrained from adding my flower shots this time, maybe another day I will enter one of them! 

Happy Labor Day Weekend! What plans do you have?

Color Pattern & More Wishes

A little color,  a little pattern and getting back into the art room today. I have been busy getting ready for changes here, tech things, but more of that later and on to the color and pattern~

Click images to enlarge 

  I called this pattern He loves me.

Did you ever sit in the grass as a child or teen and pull the petals off of daisy s? He loves me, he loves me not. That is what this pattern reminded me of. I made a few other patterns over on Colourlovers; Organic Poppy, Lovely Travels, Lovely Travels 2, Deers Sunrise it is amazing how you could just keep making patterns with colors. I love that! I want to print some patterns on fabric and sew something soon!

 Here is one of the color palettes I came up with. I just had to add the wishes for you in the left corner and my painted illustration in the right where I had taken the color inspiration from in case you didn't stop by the other day. If you have time see Tuesday's post I shared some lovely music and wishes~

 Painted Illustration by Theresa Huse 2011

 Wishing you living and loving your great big dreams~

 One thing I have learned is if you don't love them and live it then it won't happen, so nurture your heartfelt dreams and follow them where ever they lead you. If you 'd like to see more people working on their dreams visit Paint Party Friday artists and even join in. * see my resource page for link.
I hope I have more to report soon! Along with the full painted illustration. Follow along with GFC or Subscribe if you like I'd love to have you here and visit you~ Have a great weekend!

When did you start following your heart and nurturing your dreams? 
What plans do you have for Labor Day Weekend?