Holiday Memories {Daily December 02}

Since I didn't do anything in regards to Christmas today, I decided to journal about an old Christmas photo.

As I was finishing up this page, I realized that it's appropriate that I used that photo on the 2nd of Dec, because I'm 2 in that photo and the 2 for date seems to work as a 2fer.

Haven't put any Christmas decorations up yet. Have you?

Here's another video of a dance I learned in my line-dance class:
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The Susan D Project

A couple of weeks ago, the day before Thanksgiving actually, I received a fun package from Susan D. This is what the package contained:In the package, there was a list of instructions:

Instructions:
-Lay out contents of this bag on a clean table. (how 'bout floor?)
-Photograph said items.
-Use all of most of these pieces to make a tag, card, scrapbook page, book mark or other.
-Feel free to use any tools you have, just don't add any other elements.
-You don't have to use all the items.
-Have fun creating.
-Take picture of creation.
-Post on blog.
From: your friend Susan D.
PS. That wasn't quite fair since I made you do all the work again!

When I opened the packed, i was SOO excited! How totally FUN! I love challenges like this. It was just a matter of getting the time to sit down and create. Well, of course, the best time to create is when you've got a list a mile long that has to get done by a certain day. So, when I woke up this morning, after checking my email, looking at what my day had in store, I decided to blow it off and create! I pulled Susan's package out, photographed the contents, sat in front of my coffee table w/ Oprah on the tele, and spent 2 hours creating.

Here are the tools I used:the tree stamp in that set, eggshell acrylic paint, bubble wrap, glue, markers and my crop-a-dile. And a black ink pad for the stamp.

And this was the end result:I like it a lot! Quite pleased with how it turned out. I fussed with it for, like i said, 2 hours, before it turned into this. It was never suppose to be Christmas related, but it just ended up that way. In fact, in the bag of goodies she gave me, there was a small package that contained a Japanese Ladybug from Illinois and up until the last few minutes, I had it stapled on the collage. But then it turned into a Christmas theme and the ladybug had to be removed. And in case your wondering SusanD, the white paper I stamped on is the back side of leftover scraps. No other elements added. :) I love that the hole punched tape strip. Where can I get some more of that stuff?? What's it called?

Thanks SusanD for the inspiring package. Hope you liked my creation. I'd send it back to ya, but I can't! I created it in my art journal and it's a permanent piece. I'm still hoping to create something with that ladybug. I'll let ya know when I do.
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Delicious Autumn

Children jump on piles
Of fallen leaves raked by dad
Delicious autumn

The deep golden hues
Combine with brisk cool breezes
Fall is in the air

submitted to One Deep Breath Haiku Challenge

Tea haiku

Have a spot of tea
Some crustless sandwiches, too
Perfect afternoon

A girlfriend's soiree
Let's talk about everything
Who what where when why

One small simple sip
Gives instant comfort - relief
Smooth satisfaction

Submitted to One Deep Breath Haiku Challenge: Tea/Coffee

Smores

A camp fire lends
The perfect environment
For sticky faced bliss

The boy loves his smores
I taught him the perfect melt
He ate four of them!

Don’t burn them too much
Take your time, roast it slowly
Gooey marshmallow

Take two graham crackers
A roasted marshmallow and
Chocolate – Yum! S’mores!

I'm entering a new art challenge: Mama Says Om. I've been lurking on their blog for a while and love the artists submissions and the inspiration I get from seeing everyones entries. This week's theme is "Camp" and...well...if you've been reading my blog for the past week or so, you know that I spent a wonderful week with my nephews and their parents in the Sierra Nevadas. We weren't really camping, per se, but enjoying nature, summer and family. But we really did roast the marshmallows over a wood burning firepit under the tall pine trees and star-filled sky. Does that count?

Here's one more photo along with a few haiku in honor of that sticky grin of his.

The Scenic Route

Famous Coast Highway.
Winding beauty; sea meets land.
California gem.

submitted to One Deep Breath Haiku Challenge: Scenic Route

Jack Sparrow

I admit, I bought the cereal only because Jonnny Depp as Jack Sparrow was on it.

Ritual

Native Rituals
Keep demon spirits away
Totems Guide the tribe

submitted to One Deep Breath Haiku Challenge 
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Journey

Listen to the wise.
Journeys speak her reverence.
Earth, spirit unite.

submitted to One Deep Breath: Journey
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One Bird

One
Bird
Waiting
Silently
In her nest of twigs
For her babies to emerge safe

Last week's haiku challenge was awesome and I'm sad I missed it. The theme was to create a haiku that followed a Fibonacci Haiku sequence with syllables of 1/1/2/3/5/8.
We just returned from our little cabin in the woods and there was a nesting bird in the tree in front of our deck. After reviewing my pictures, this Fib Haiku just flowed so easily off my tongue. So despite missing the submission deadline, I still wanted to share my poem.
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Pathway Haiku

Follow the right path-
Longitude and latitude.
Found! Geocache there!

This week's theme for One Deep Breath's weekly challenge is Pathway. Last night, I was tucked in bed last night ready to bag some z's when a little 5-7-5 prose hit me and I had to get up and write it down before falling asleep because I knew I'd never remember it otherwise. However, after looking through my photo bank today, I decided to create a little haiku dedicated to geocaching.

If you're not familiar with geocaching, visit their website for more detailed information. But essentially, it's a scavenger/treasure hunt. On the website, they give you the coordinates, and with your GPS, you find the treasure. You can see most of our finds on our family website here.

This photo was taken a few weeks ago with our nieces, geocaching in Morro Bay.
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Moonstruck Haiku

I'm maniacal
when the full moon rises high
only magic calms

submitted to one deep breath: Moonstruck 
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Walking in Nature - Haiku

white petals of spring
appear when coldness retreats
barren tree anew

submitted to One Deep Breath: Walking in Nature
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The Graduate

Oh, I hope my niece forgives me.

This weeks Illustration Friday theme is "Portrait". I haven't been very regular with my IF submissions lately (or any submissions for that matter) and since I've never drawn a portrait of anyone outside of a stick figure, I truly believed this theme would pass me by. But I was looking a photo of my neice and thot: what the hell, I'll just try to sketch it and see what happens. And considering I'm completely unskilled in drawing (I can doodle swirls like a maniac, though) I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. Her eyes are wonky, and I couldn't draw lips so just gave her a big goofy grin. And she's WAY cuter than this obviously, but...I really thought I'd do much worse!

CupCAKE

Bday card I made for my SIL last year.
Darcie Country Folk rubber stamps.

submitted to: Illustration Friday: Cake
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Studio Friday: Contrast

I create my arts and crafts throughout the whole house. But if I had to label a particular room "my studio", it would be this one:
but I really don't create much in this room. Mostly because this room is away from the heartbeat of the household.

But another reason why I don't create many things in this room is because of this:
my husband's hockey gear shares this space.

And there's a huge contrast in my ability to be creative while smelling stinky hockey gear vs. not smelling stinky hockey gear.

So instead, I work here.
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Studio Friday: Robot

I'm a little late in my Studio Friday submission...but I love this week's theme: Robot. I've posted these pics quite recently but since this theme came up, decided that I had to re-post them.

Roomba cleans while I create:
and...

I made this fun robot a few weeks ago for Illustration Friday. I love him! He's one of my favorite creations. My programmer husband helped me with the code for the background text/numbers. It actually means something...can you figure it out?
submitted to Studio Friday: Robot 

Android

.......Hello World......

submitted to Illustration Friday: Robot  

Studio Friday: Sparkle...

Sometimes I have the compulsion to be obsessive.

Like here for instance.

I like to catalog. I like to organize. I like to keep track of things.

When I started using Art Institutes glitter, I fell in love with them. I remember exactly when it happened. It was 1995 and I was in Arizona with Leigh selling stamps at the Scottsdale RS convention. We went to Barbara Trombley's studio and we got to play with all of her glitter. I was hooked.

The problem when I get hooked is I have the desire to acquire the entire line. If you saw my marker collection post, you're getting a teeny-tiny glimpse at my obsession (I have hundreds more markers in and around the house somewhere - actually, I know exactly where they all are).

So, when I fell in love with this glitter, I felt the need to collect every color she made. This was my attempt to catalog the colors I purchased and the ones I still needed.

Thankfully (!) a severe ecomomic crisis hit the Silicon Valley and ducats were tight. And I stopped working for a rubber stamp manufacturer and suddenly had to pay full price for all of my goodies. And {mostly} my obsession has been tamed.

Just don't ask about my paper collection.

Submitted to Studio Friday: Sparkle Shine or Shimmer

Elephant Seeing Spots

Perhaps too many appletini's.
submitted to Illustration Friday: Spotted