Blog-a-long day 10/30

Outside of Renaissance Marriott in Schaumburg Illinois, site of Stitches Midwest a wonderful venue for knitters and crochet.

Blog-a-long Day 9 - flowers make me smile

Hi for the next few days I will be catching up on my blogging.  Been on vacation and the last days were spent at Stitches Midwest in Chicago.  The picture for today shows a beautiful red flower, I just love the color.

Blog - a - long Day 8 Changing Gears

Spending the day in knitting class.  The little sweater above was knitted for an orphan teddy bear who needed clothes.  It proved to me that I could knit a sweater, no matter how small. 

So for the next few days I will not be painting or drawing, I will be learning to weave, crochet edges and knit a lace scarf.  Yes I am switching gears and having so much fun.

Blog - a - long Day 7

Daisy painted in Orvieto, Italy

There are times in life when

When I wonder

Wonder how

How I have survived

Survived pain, sorrow and worry

Worry does not solve problems

Problems need not be an obstruction

Obstructions can only tie me down, if

If, I refuse to Surrender.

Surrender to peace

Peace of mind and spirit

Spirit filled with love

Love comes when I surrender

Surrender and enjoy my life.

Blog-a-long Day 6: Random Thought Tuesday.....Saying Goodbye

Instead of writing two different blog entries, I am going to incorporate the Blog-a-long into my weekly Tuesday Series Random Thought Tuesday.

Thought for Tuesday Aug. 6, 2013:

Tomorrow Morning I leave for Chicago.  I have been visiting my daughter and her family since I arrived early in the morning on July 3rd, 2013.  It has been a wonderful trip and I get misty eyed just thinking about it.  I love spending time with the family.  We laugh and talk, giggle at silly things, watch Family Feud, Tiger Baseball, the lovely Muppet 2011 movie and House Hunter Marathons.
We go to church, shopping and birthday celebrations.  We hug and smile and enjoy each moment.

This is my second year of coming to stay for an extended visit.  Since I retired last year I do not have to rush back home to go to work and it feels good.  But, no matter how long I stay, it is still hard to say good bye.  Between hugs and tears I know in my heart that I will see them again next summer; that when I get home there is much to do; plan for meetings at church; prepare for a trip out of the country in September; catch up on delayed art projects, so much to do because life does go on.

However, Today, Tuesday Aug. 6th is my last day in Detroit, last day to sit and laugh; last day for so many things until.........next July when I come again for my annual visit.  I will make today as special as possible, laugh a lot, hug a lot, get a years worth of loving soaked into every pore because tomorrow I leave for Chicago to attend a knitting convention (see what I mean about being busy) and then on Aug. 12th I head home to Nevada looking forward to my next visit with family in friends in July 2014.

Love to everyone....huggy, huggy and smooches to you.

Blog-a-long Day 5 Using What You Have

Etruscan Pitcher

I am starting the last week of a vacation that began on June 30, 2013.  I have been visiting my daughter and grandchildren in Michigan.  On Wednesday I will leave and travel to Chicago, IL to attend Stitches Midwest (a knitting and crochet retreat).  I have a boat load of art supplies at home, but I brought a very limited supply with me.  Limited palette of colors, a few gel pens, about 20 watercolor pencils, 15 watercolor  crayons, etc.  During this time I have participated in 2 or 3 online projects that required a lot of art work and I had to use what I had.

I have been saying for years..."Glenda, use what you have, you do not need to buy anything else", as I click send for the latest order of supplies, something I just knew would make my art just that much better.  Well, these past weeks have shown me that I can create using what I have.  My life is changing and my cavalier love affair with money has to change with it.  I retired a year ago and now live on my pension and Social Security.  If I want to travel (one of my fave things in the world) I need to save and I can save a lot if I don't order the "latest and greatest".................... you name it I have to have it.

I have an artist friend who is starting  month of not spending.  I like that idea and have designated October as my Not Spending month.  What does that mean?  For me it will mean only spending on what is absolutely necessary, such as food, Sunday offering, bills.  I want to see how much I really save at the end of the month.  During October I am going to take stock of my art  supplies, organize and label them so I really know what I have.  I am going to donate the excess (I know I have some duplicates and probably triplicates laying around).

I think I am going to enjoy this process, this change, this learning to live on a limited budget.  The picture I posted above was taken in Italy last year.  I chose it because it is one that I would probably not use in anything and that would be a shame.  Using what I have also means reassessing everything and use what would probably be an orphan languishing in saved to my computer never to use heaven.

I will be packing up my limited  art palette today so my daughter can ship it to me.  Time to switch to knitting mode using a limited palate of yarn and supplies. I know that my suitcase will be much lighter, my imagination richer and pocket fuller as I start my mantra now......you do not need anymore yarn. Ok, maybe I will limit myself to just yarn that I will faint if I do not buy it.  Let's see how I do.

Thanks for stopping by.....Pilgrim

Blog-a-long day 4: Hello....Come on in and Sit a Spell

Painting done in FW Acrylic demo class

Sometimes I take myself and the things I do too seriously.  I want it to be perfect.  I want everyone to love it.  I want everyone to love me.....well that is not always going to happen.  Not because I am not lovable or because what I do is not any good, but because that is just life. This is hard to accept because the message we receive throughout our lives is to be your best, be on top and if you are everyone will love it. Boy have I learned that this way of thinking is just not realistic.

It took me a long time to learn this, through much heart break and disappointment.  When I first started writing my blog in 2006 no one read it.  I would email friends and let them know about it and not a peep, so I gave up.  I did not write for 3 years until I believe 2009, still minimal responses.  Truly it was not until May of this year that I started blogging on a somewhat regular basis.  I was challenging myself to draw something everyday and post it.  It did not matter if I got a comment or not (of course it helps to get some), I just had to do the work, post the item, and have fun doing it.

Now don't get me wrong, I want people to look at my blog and comment, even a brief Hi. I still get excited when I check and find a comment.  But, the one thing I try to do, if I am looking at a picture on Facebook, is make a comment; or If I read a blog I try to leave a comment to say Hi.  Do I always, no but I promise myself to do better. 

Wow, light bulb moment.....it is like walking into someone's house and not saying hello.  Hey this is interesting.  I am really going to live this now.  This means that I have to live my own truth and be more responsive when I visit blogs and enter your space; when I look at your artwork on Facebook or Tumblr or Twitter; or when I get an email; I have to respond, say Hello and wish you well.

I like this blog-a-long.  It is making me think, making me do some soul searching and remembering to be humble.  So dear reader, as you visit me today I greet you with a Warm Hello and Welcome come on in,  Sit a Spell and have a good time.

Your Friend, Pilgrim

Book Review: Craft-a-Doodle by Jenny Doh

image, a photo by momoo50 on Flickr.

For about three years I have been trying go get comfortable with the idea of doodling.  I bought all of the correct pens, looked at You Tube videos, bought the books and studied the examples.  Somehow my work just never measured up.  I was stuck in the realm of comparison.  I bought Art Doodle Love by Dawn Devries Sokol earlier this spring and it put me on a road to rediscovery.  Doodling wasn't just zentangling and making intricate designs, it was idle motions with a pen, sitting and randomly drawing whatever came to mind. Oh what a breakthrough.   Then, then, then I read that Jenny Doh had written a book with a virtual whose who of the doodling world including my friend Dawn.  I had to get Craft-a-Doodle and see what it was all about.  I have other books by Jenny and have taken on-line courses with her so I knew it would be a quality product.

The book arrived last week.  I am in the process of completing 24 days of doodling, a project that grew out of the Doodle Camp I participated in this July.  I figured that if I could doodle for 24 days I would really get the hang of it and it would become fun. 

I decided to put Craft-a-Doodle to the test.  Day 21, 22 and 23 off my 24 days are inspired by artists from the book.  The book is paper back which is perfect because you can open the page, and it will lay flat as you try the exercises.  Instructions are simple and to the point, which is what I need.  There are the intricate designs, the whimsical doodles, faces and just plain fun doodles.  The instructions include items needed, a getting inspired suggestion by some of the artists such as Jessie Oleson Moore, and detailed written and illustrated instructions.

I randomly opened the book each day and tried the instructions of an artist, no planning.  However my last day will be based on Dawn Devries Sokol.

Below is a photo of my work from day 21, inspired by Cori Dantini, day 22 inspired by Hanna Anderson and day 23 inspired by Jessie Oleson Moore.

 

I am so glad that I purchased this book.  I read it through completely and was inspired by everything I saw.  Put it on your wish list, save your pennies, ask for it for Christmas.....Just get it.  I am not a professional reviewer, just a fan who loves a good book.

 

Blog-a-long Day 3 Great Memories

Calamari, my favorite in Orvieto

Pasta with Black Truffle in Orvieto

Last mean in Orvieto

 Meatballs in Venice

 Lunch in Rome

Last meal in Italy

Last Summer I spent 13 days in Italy; 7 days in Orvieto attending an Art Retreat, 3 days in Venice and 3 days in Rome.  One of the members of our group, my good friend and travel buddy Maryann Villavert, had been traveling through Asia before she met us in Rome.  One of the great things she taught us was to take a picture of our food to  capture the memory of sharing a meal with friends.  I thought it was such a great idea.  I took me a while to remember to photograph the plate BEFORE I started eating.  I look at each meal and remember what we were doing, where we were and how it felt being there.

I am going to China in 46 days, I plan to take pictures of my meals, savor each moment, capture the feeling through my photographic eye.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blog-a-long day 2 - Hay Fever

Six years ago I went on a life changing adventure.  I moved 2100 hundred miles by myself from Detroit, Michigan to Henderson, Nevada (about 10 miles from the Strip in Las Vegas).  It was a gutsy move I must admit, but one I do not regret.

I was born and raised in Detroit.  In fact I spent the first 57 years of my life there.  It was a good place to grow up.  Museums, the Detroit Zoo, Bell Isle Park in the middle of the City; dynamic shoreline on the river; watching the freighters sail up the River heading to Lake Huron on the trek toward Lake Michigan and Chicago.  My Father worked at Fort Wayne one of the few working Forts at the time.  It had been turned into the Army recruiting station, processing young men going into the armed forces for the state of Michigan.  My dad administered eye and hearing tests to many of my high school friends when they were drafted.

I went to Catholic school for 12 years.  My mother, ever the protective Momma Bear, ensured that her children went to private school and had the best education she could afford.

I raised two children in Detroit, both are college graduates and I am proud of them.  Worked for 33 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and like any company it had its good and bad points, but it afforded me a good living and I was able to help my children through college.

There are a lot of trees and grass in Detroit.  We have a myriad of tree lined avenues; streets with beautifully manicured islands; parks in neighborhoods with majestic grass.  In fact many home owners take great pride in having the best manicured lawn on the block.  There are contests to determine who is the best.  It is also very humid in Detroit, well in the mid-west in general (excuse me, have to sneeze).

So how does this all relate to Hay Fever????? I have it, in fact I have a rare form of it.  I do not normally get itchy eyes, no, no, no.  I get a form of bronchitis with a cough that sounds like a mack truck is coming through.  For six years I have not had to suffer with this malady, sure my allergies act up from time to time, but is minor compared to Hay Fever. 

I have been home visiting my daughter for five weeks.  I was fine for the first three weeks and then like a bolt out of the blue----Friday, July 25th, the cough began.  Uh oh, where is my Sudafed?  Could not find it must have let it at home....It was all down hill after that.  Four days of the cough from hell, woke me up and everyone else too.  Felt tired and sluggish, then the sneezing started and runny nose with itchy eyes.  Today, Aug. 2nd, one week after this attack began, I am starting to feel human again.  Still sneezing but the cough has subsided, had a good nights sleep with no wheezing and I actually feel peppy.

I love to come home and visit during the summer because I do not travel to Michigan in the winter.  Did I mention the reason I moved? I DO NOT LIKE SNOW!!!!!  As I said, I love coming home to visit, last year I was home for three weeks and no hay fever.  This year it will be 5 and a half weeks by the time I leave next Wednesday - hay fever attack.  So what does that tell me dear reader?  Either do not stay any longer than 3 weeks OR do not forget my allergy medicine.  In fact I think I am going to buy some before I leave and put it in my room (did I tell you I have my own room at my daughters? Oh Yeah, grandma privileges), that's the ticket. 

Well, I am going to end this post because I feel another sneeze coming on.

Photo Friday

My attempt at Photo Art.  This is a Tomato that was getting old.  I liked the texture and decided to take a picture.

What Does Blogging Mean to Me?

The Lagoon in Venice

 

I woke up this morning thinking about the journey I am about to take.  Participating in a 30 day Blogalong.  It seemed like such a great endeavor and I realized that I will have to put something in this space everyday for 30 days.  Hmmm, what did that mean?  Do I have enough to say? 

The more I thought about it the more I realized that this is another opportunity to make the most of my goal in 2013 to be more creative, to embrace yet another process and learn more about the process and me.

Each day when I rise, I read Scripture and for the past month The Daily Word.  They give me comfort and provide grounding and a serene start to the day.  I also get an inspirational email from Renaissance Unity in Warren, Michigan.  The prayer below was for today and after I prayed it I wondered how can I reach our to everyone through my art?  How can my life be a river, providing sustenance, peace, life to everyone I encounter on a daily basis.  How can my art, both through writing and painting or drawing, be a catalyst in that effort?

I plan to explore these questions during my 30 days of blogging.  In this way blogging will mean, at least to me, a way of working out questions I have about my life and it's purpose.

Dear God,

Whisper to me of Your great love for all beings and help me
spread that love everywhere on my journey.
Remind me to reach out to everyone and draw in the lonely.
May my life be more like a river and less like a reservoir.
So it is.
Amen
I invite you, dear reader, to come along for the journey and see if I really do find some answers. If something touches you or you have a question, feel free to leave a comment.

See you on the journey, Pilgrim

ICAD Summer 2013

Pictures of the Index cards I created from June 1st to July 31st. ICAD 2013 was created and curated by Tammy Garica of Daily Yellow.  Tammy has many projects for the creative spirit.  It was wonderful to be part of a group of really artistic ladies.  Each week we were given prompts to use to inspire the daily card.  You had the choice to use the card or make up your own.  My cards are a combination of the prompts and things that just popped into my head.  Please visit Tammy's blog/website www.daisyyellowart.com.

I am truly inspired by the kindness and encouragement I received from many members of the group. I know that I will participate again next year (Lord willing). 

Dear Reader, if you have the opportunity, sit down and think about something you have dreamed about doing and for what ever reason put it to the side.  Pick it up and try it.  Enjoy the process of learning, enjoy the process of making crap as you move on to something you really like.  Allow yourself to just plain old have fun.  You will not regret it.

Inner peace

Inner peace, a photo by momoo50 on Flickr.

I am posting this today because I like it a lot. This is another lesson in using what you have. The painting is related to week 31 of lifebook 2013. Jeanette House was the teacher and she presented three wonderful videos.

I have to tell the truth because I was herring tired of doing faces. Not because they are not fun, but because I was committing a cardinal sin----comparing my work with others. I look at many portraits and they look so life like, in my eyes mine don't. So I have an inner struggle before I draw one.

This project kept calling me so I decided to use one of my journals to give it a try. Lo and behold, I fell in love with the finished product. Now I cannot wait to get home and really work the portrait. It will be so much fun, but in the mean time, I am happy that I tried.

Random thoughts tuesday

My beautiful grandchildren Lauren and Kellen.  It has been so fun spending this time with them.

Today's thoughts are truly random.  So much has been going through my mind lately, from how we should treat ourselves and others, friends who are ill and anniversaries of those who have died that meant a lot to me.  In fact last Thursday I spend the day quietly in honor of friends who are on the journey of cancer treatment.

When I woke up today I decided to spend the day in relative quiet and peace for two friends that I just found out need to have surgery later this month.  People are going through so many trials and they just need a hug, or a prayer or both.

ICAD:  later this week I will post some pictures related to the 61 day Index Card Art Project that will end on July 31st, tomorrow.  It was a lot of fun to do and allowed me to work on a small art project daily.  I find that it has improved my technique.

DOODLE CAMP:  doodle camp is over but I am on day 19 of the 24 days of concentrating on one concept, drawing something everyday.  I chose doodles and zentangles and it has been very revealing.  My plan has been to interpret and existing zentangle on one day and the next make up my own.  Will post picture next week.

LIFE BOOK 2013:  I have not done anything for this project while in Michigan, but will play catch up when I get home.  I am really excited to get started again and my main goal is to complete the Mitzi B project.  When I left home I did not like it at all, but I was looking at it from a very negative space.  After watching the Jeannette House video yesterday, my perspective has changed and I will look at it with fresh eyes.

You know sometimes you just do not have anything really profound to say.  Life just moves on at it's own pace and basically you go along for the ride.  At least that is how I feel today.  It is coming up on the 7th Anniversary of my Mom's death and I just realized that the last time I heard her voice was August 2nd, 2006.  She has a bad cold/cough and was very busy with meetings that week.  I remember I finished the conversation with Love You Mom, and I am so glad that I did.

Well dear reader, that is about it for this week. Time to finish my art projects for today and work on my knitting homework for Stitches Midwest.  Take care and be blessed.

Photo Friday - Market Day in Orvieto

Random Thought Tuesday - Stretching Myself

Pink Flower

Last September I painted this picture as part of the Art Retreat class I took in Orvieto, Italy.  I had one of the most patient teachers in the world, TracieLynn Huskamp.  She was so encouraging as I stretched myself beyond belief.  To say I was a nervous wreck is putting it mildly. 

First we went on a photo shoot throughout Orvieto, I was drawn to the flowers in the flower shop, they were fantastic.  Then we picked out the photos that we liked and they were printed so we could race them on muslin and then paint them.  When I first painted the picture above I absolutely hated.  I could not get the shading right.  Infact, I just could not comprehend the concept of shading at all.  Internally I wanted to quit, but I just couldn't.  I had to stretch beyond my comfort zone.

I look at the painting now and cannot believe I actually did it.  I am so happy that I did not give up, that I listened to Tracie and embraced the work.  I have grown so much in the past year.  I have continued to take classes and try new things.  I am stretching in ways I cannot imagine.

I have made books with multiple signatures, I have finally learned how to draw zentangles.  Faces, forget about it......I am getting more comfortable with each portrait.

Face Drawn for Radical Wellness Class

 

What does stretching yourself mean?  For me it means attempting to do things that either I have never done before or have been afraid to attempt.  Over the past couple of days, I have given this a lot of thought.  A friend named Monica encouraged me to just be me.  Spend time doing what I love to do, not as a job or work, but as a time to give peace to myself and just be.  It really feels good to take her advice.  Orly Avineri, one of my favorite painters and bloggers gave this concept in the last class I had with her:  :Create, do not Produce."  These words mean so much.  Creativity should not be a production line, rather, for me it must be a time of discovery, allowing myself to be imperfect and love it.

 

Stretching myself has given me peace and joy.  When was the last time you stretched yourself dear reader?  Tell me about it.



Photo Friday -

Today starts a new series, Photo Friday.  I have taken a lot of photos throughout the years and for the most part they just sit on my camera or computer.  Photo Friday gives me an opportunity so share some of them.  No words other than a basic theme.  Just sit and enjoy.

Flowers of San Lodovico in Orvieto, Italy

Random Thoughts.....Using What You Have

I read a post this morning by Danny Gregory (http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/author/dannygregory/.  You should go and read it, it is very good.

This post started my mind churning, thinking about what I have been doing lately.  I am currently in Michigan visiting family.  I packed a limited amount of art supplies for the trip.  If an outsider were to look at my "stash" it would seem like I brought the house with me, but it is really just a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  I participated in Doodle Camp from July 8th to the 12th and found that with imagination and letting go you can make do with what you have.  You can also learn to use those items more creatively.  I am now really comfortable with using a watercolor brush.  This really neat tool is great for traveling, you fill the barrel with water and paint away with your watercolors.  I have used Tombow watercolor markers for years but never to their full potential.  The colors are so rich when scribbled on watercolor paper and activated with a watercolor brush.

I cut squares of freezer paper and used them as a really inexpensive and easy to carry palette (saw this idea on pinterest).  I took my water soluble crayons and colored on the palette and then activated it with water from a mini spray bottle.  whoo boy the colors are so vibrant and I solved the problem of writing over the painted area.  You see  these crayons are waxy and when you color directly to your paper and then wet them, they leave a waxy film.  If you want to write over it, your options can be limited.  BUT......if you rub them on the palette paper and then activate, the act just like any other watercolor and can be written on with anything.  Of course a lot of people probably know about this, but it is news to me and what makes it more pleasing is that I was willing to experiment and try something new.

One other aspect of my art that I have found interesting is the color palette I have developed.  I find that I am liking vibrant colors, reds, oranges, turquoise are so yummy.  It is so fun to paint backgrounds for future work and these colors as a base just sing to me.  Plus that is pretty much what I have with me in various shades and hues. 

Since January of this year, I have been really exploring my creativity and Using what you have has been buzzing in my head for quite some time.  But it was more of a "suggestion" rather than a must do for me.

Now "Use what you have" has taken on a whole new meaning.  I will be taking a class Mastering Twinkling H2O 101 when I return home in August.  I purchased some Twinks, but I have some paints in pots called Angel wings (this may not be absolutely right because I can never remember off the top of my head).  They are little cakes of shimmering paints similar to twinks, so I figured I would use them as well as the Twinkling H2O's.  Colors are just as vibrant and they have the same shimmering quality.  We shall see how it works.

Using what I have has been a learning experience and it makes so much sense.  Why make life harder than it has to be?  Well those are my random thoughts for today..

Peace to you dear reader, thanks for stopping by.

Faces

Faces, a photo by momoo50 on Flickr.

I am learning how to doodle. I know it should come naturally and anyone can do it. While this is true, I find it hard to just sit and doodle and then not compare my doodles to others. I participated in an online Doodle Camp last week hosted by Dawn Devries Sokol. Let me tell you that it was so much fun.

The photo here is part of that class. We had to draw a random series of wavy lines and then find areas where we could draw faces. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the camp. It lasted 5 days and we had assignments each day. I find that I am still working on them tweaking color, adding more doodles and just plain old enjoying myself.

I made the book that I used for the camp. Making a book was a part of the process and some really great books were designed by my fellow campers. I do hope that we have camp next year. It was a really inexpensive treat.