Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July! Taking a little blogging break! Today we have planned a family barbecue for the evening. Then in the next few days an escape to the beach, a trip to the pool, barbecue and fireworks on the 4th! I hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend. I'll be back after the holiday with some color inspiration on Tuesday. Until then here is a little Pinwheel freebie I came across.

 Star Spangled Pinspinners 

The link above for is for the freebie, printable and tutorial on how to make one! Just in case you have time I thought you might enjoying popping over to All sorts to grab it and make one.

 

Don't you just love pinwheels?

 

Sammie having fun at the pool, those swim lessons are paying off!

See you Tuesday! 

Art Quilt Block

This is going to be a quick post. I have been trying all night to get into Blogger to share my art quilt block with you.

This is created with the paper fabric I made on muslin. Washes of paint are actually done over the papers that are glued to the muslin. When making the paper fabric you use scraps of papers, tissues, fabrics, string, twine or whatever you have on hand. * I don't know if you know that post? I'll try and find it and link it later. Then added fabrics, quilting and some other elements to it. The quilt block size is 14" x 14".

These  photo collages will go close up and  larger if you click on each. 

You'll be able  to see the free motion stitching I used. 

You might be able to see on the first image where their is a direction line in the center that I sewed listen closely referring to your dreams. I have some other fabric paper I made and hope to make a few more. I am not sure if I will piece a few together or hang them individually due to their size. I may make smaller 6" x 6" blocks to piece together as an art quilt later.

Here it is the next day and I am adding the pictures and finishing writing all this, crossing my fingers it will post. Is anyone else still having problems?

I'll be linking this up to Paint Party Friday to share what I have been up to this week. In my resources is the linky if you want to see what all the creative artists are painting up and you can find out more about it via their site.

Have you ever made your own paper fabric? Painted on fabric? or make an art quilt block or quilt? 

Color & Photography

Today I just wanted to share a quick color, pattern post and a photograph I took in the late spring of apple blossoms. I forgot I took it and when I was looking for images for my color inspiration I came across this in my photo files. (how those files need organizing!)

 

I wish I lived on a small farm with a field full of apple trees. Someday maybe, I can wish~ Right?

Soft whites pinks and greens make a wonderful pallet from apple blossoms~

 

Not only does it make for great color inspiration but pattern inspiration. I could spend lots of time making patterns over at Colourlovers with no thoughts of all the other things I need to do around me. 

Over the next few days the weather is suppose to be milder until the weekend and then it heats up again. Oh, how I miss spring already! I am not ready for the July/August heat. 

One cool thing that I have to tell you about is iTunes 31 Nights of Live Music * for Free. You will be able to see all the music headliners for free in real time or later on your computer... Just follow the link to learn more about it! How cool is that? And I have some new projects to share later in the week. 

What are you up to this summer? What is your favorite band?

 

 Starting July 2011

Journal Prompt " Love Note"

When I took the photograph of my journal page "Love Note" the sun just happened to hit the moon and shined upward. Honestly, when things like that happen, I just have to smile!

I made myself a love note in my journal page. I have found over the past few years my focus has not been on the business side of my art. I have focused on growing artistically and I have put others needs first. Squeezing in my art here and there. Now, I really feel a need to focus on many aspects of my art life that has been taking a backseat. My focus needs to be creating my art life with planning, dreaming and creating opportunities and seeing my vision (s) and bringing them to life.

Whether it is putting myself out there more, applying for submissions, trying to get into shows or fairs, writing, creating a piece of artwork, getting artwork published or what ever my desires are,  I know you have to ask for them. At different times I have done some of these and had some success (s) and some disappointments but I must not give up on my dreams and goals.

I am always reading about succeeding with goals and different ways to achieve them. Dreaming those ideas, creating those plans and putting them into action. I have had several goals over the past year. Some put on hold by necessity, some by fear, some by needing to help others. Now I find in the quite of my space that I need to give some attention to those desires and not just ask for it, but nurture it to fruition. Like the journal page I created here.

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When I made this page I had a plan for something entirely different I had created a flower and it made me think of growing so I charcoal penciled in a girl and some thoughts. Then I felt it didn't flow just right so I began to paint her in, I also wrote thoughts all down her dress.

When I think of asking for things I have a way of looking to the universe, a power greater than I that I can reach out to. To represent that, I painted / created the mountains and night sky. All of a sudden in the journal page its vibrancy wasn't there so I added inks.

I arrived at the place where I knew the page was ready. Ready like I am now personally to really focus on  what I am wanting and the love and nurturing  that it will take me to bring my desires to fruition.(& work that it will take to get me there!)

Have you ever come to the point where you really have to work at nurturing those dreams into reality by pushing your faith in yourself and your artwork?  What big leaps of faith have you taken?


Journal Prompt: Create a page with a love note to yourself. A reminder of those things you wish to nurture and see come to fruition. 

Quote: All that we are is a result of what we thought. Buddha

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place. Nora Roberts

Food for Thought: 
Using Inks in your journal pages I used Adirondack ink by Tim Holtz. 

Art Bag

 Artsy, Crafty, Re-cycled fabrics, my own pattern &  Art Bag Creation.

Remember when I mentioned all those art bags & posted about all the wonderful inspiration? Well I haven't been in the painting mood lately, but I printed out something I painted onto muslin and created an art bag / purse using felt, burlap and fabric scraps I had laying around. I used some decorative machine embroidery. Although far from perfect my daughter Sammie fell in love with it. She asked me to make the straps so she could wear it from shoulder to hip. I thought I would share the results and a few steps I am going to take to make it better next time.

If you have ever printed something from your computer you will notice how sometimes the colors just don't match the image. That is just what happened here. It was pretty light on the muslin that I printed it on. But I used permanent felt tip markers to draw in shapes and color it up. I need to fix color prior to printing!

Well, you know how I hate to stop even where there are mistakes. I decided since I started and this was kind of like a pro to type any way to finish what I started instead of scrapping it. I love figuring out how to create patterns on my own. This image shared is the back where underneath the front flap is sewn in and connected.

Another thing I will change when I create my next one is the strap material. For this I didn't want to go out and purchase anything. I wanted to use felt I had, burlap from a recycled coffee sack, woven burlap scraps I had from the wedding table runner we made, and for the straps I had these great silk pants that were ripped which I cut and created them from. Added a vintage button from one of the grandma's stash & ta da.....

A happy girl modeling her new art bag with gnomes. I promise to share  my next one with you when I make it! & I hope I can even try painting directly on fabric when I get unstuck from my painting slump! Here is the acrylic painting completed which the art bag was made from.

 If you'd like to see my post about the art bag inspiration just click here. Also visit here to see the original post of the gnomes acrylic painting  and if like you can visit my link on the side bar where I have video of  how I finished the painting on You Tube.

Have you ever tried creating and sewing an art bag?  What art or crafts inspiring you right now? 

If you have never sewn a bag & need a pattern and instruction this might be something you would like. Amy Butler's Style Stitches.

Color Inspiration " Pomegranates In Bloom"

 Today I thought I would share with you my favorite flowering bush of the season where I live. It feels so tropical when these bushes bloom, but they are not tropical they are native to the Iranian Plateau and the Himalayas in north Pakistan and Northern India. They are vibrant with color, yet feel so cool in the heat of the day. I could look at them for hours due to the ever changing blooms which then turn into pomegranates.

These flowers start from a round bud that is hard like the shell of the pomegranate.

 Then they burst open like a star exposing their soft vibrant orange petals. 

When they are at full bloom you can see the centers and their bright yellow stamens just bursting with pollen which the bees and birds love! There is nothing like finding a humming bird feeding on these beautiful flowers if only I could capture a photograph of that!

WikiMedia Commons

The history and lore around the Pomegranate flower and fruit is quite fascinating. Here is an amazing illustration of the  plant. If you want to find out more about this plant and its history visit Wikipedia.

  Theresa Huse 2010

I am inspired to draw and paint some more pomegranate flowers and later when the fruit comes I would like to try and illustrate the fruit also. I am sharing two links to prior posts you might also enjoy with pomegranate's painted by me, and one has a journal prompt.

Since I missed giving you a journal prompt since it was Father's Day about about revisiting this journal prompt page where I illustrated pomegranate flowers as an example of a page you can create for yourself & with a prompt. 

Also you might remember from a previous post an Exotic Woman Acrylic Painting I created with pomegranate flowers in her hair. If not you can see it here.

Here is part of a passage from the Bible I am not sure from where, it might be Exodus if anyone knows I would love to find out.
I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and pomegranates budded.

What flowers inspire your creativity? Are their colors vibrant? soft?  I would love to know~

Summer Plans

When Sammie got out of school I asked her how she felt and this was her answer. Jumping for joy. I can't say she is loving the laziness of summer as much as I am but we both agree we are ready for planning some activities and travels. So she is jumping for joy again since we have decided on a few summer plans!

 

Day trips to any of these are fine by us! The beach, a castle and aquarium. Then a museum *or two, zoo and botanical garden trip in San Francisco would be wonderful to check off this summer! 

 

 

 

The beauty of the vineyards, mountains and being near the Russian River. I think a raft or canoe trip down is on the plan & we'll have the luxury of visiting family in the area. Hanging out, barbecues, horse shoes, and a little shopping and a lot of catching up. 

 

 

 

 

Another family trip to visit my brother & his family in South Lake Tahoe, CA. We always make a trip or two to the beach for kayaking. Plenty of outdoor activities and this year we get to see his new addition to his home an art studio! I am jealous? hm... I'll try not to be!!  & hope we get to play with paints. We also love to get out the telescopes and view the stars and planets there are no city lights which make it amazing!  

 

 

Lots of hiking in Tahoe and when back around our coast line. That should be fun! I'll bring my camera and snap wild flowers and nature. I promise to share.

There will be plenty of swimming when the pool opens here in a week & where ever we find water! No fancy trips, but summer plans that will take us here and there. Visits with family long over due. Lots of outdoor and fun activities! Swim lessons too. And of course a bit of art in between it all~ 

 

 

 

What are your summer plans? Are you finding time to create art around them?