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Nature Time

Sometimes you just need to reconnect with nature

via

See you after our trip!

Photo Shop Color and Pattern

 

White Sage 

 I managed to get back to working in Photo Shop I am still in the learning curve stage, but thankfully some things are coming back since the last times I worked on some images with textures and frames. So here are some examples of Photo Shop work I played with and outcomes.

* Images can be clicked on & enlarged

 

White Sage with texture over image

You can see the photographs look very different by changing the effects and textures. I have come across a website with a series 31 days to a better photo. Darcy has all kinds of tips and some with Photo Shop. You can visit her here for the series @ 3Boybarians.

Color Palette Inspiration

I took these photographs of the white sage blooming before we were going to cut off the flower tops to spur growth of the white sage plant & shared it when I did a post on purple and green back on May 26th. You can see the original photograph here.

Pattern made with color inspiration

I hope you are finding a  little creative time in between all your goings on this summer. I have a few new photos I will be working on in other colors, but they needed more work prior to sharing. This is the last week of swim lessons & piano for Sammie and then we are free to travel. I will post when I am going.

Do you have a favorite Photo Shop or Photography web site you like? What is your favorite color?

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.