What Have I Been Up To?

Good question!

Oh blog land I have missed you so! I have spent quite a bit of time taking care of business at home. I have found that I am only able to do so

many things at once. Can you relate? So rather than fight it and collapse in frustration and defeat, I am choosing more wisely. This means less time on the computer and more time in real time- kapish?

But, I have been up to some fun projects that continue to keep my creative heart pumping. Remember my mixed media altered bird book Livre d'Oiseaux? Well it will be exhibited with the Puget Sound Book Artists! If you are in the Pacific Northwest in the South Sound Region please come and visit!

Puget Sound Book Artists Opening Reception

Thursday, June 2, 2

011, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Exhibition Dates: June 2 –July 31

Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington

http://pugetsoundbookartists.org

Please note: This summer, the library front entrance is closed for construction. Temporary access will be
on the east side of library building, in the library parking lot by the loading dock. Entrance is down the ramp.
Library Hours: http://www.pugetsound.ed/libraryhours.

Livre de Oiseaux~Book of Birds

First pg.

Some of you may be visiting from Masterpiece Monday Welcome! I am glad you stopped by, let me know that you visited and leave a comment, I enjoy visiting with those who love the Lord, art, books and nature or any combination of those. Some of you have been curious from other posts to know what my "Bird Book"is. Here is a peak at my Altered Mixed Media Book, Livre de Oiseaux. I haven't finished it yet, it is a work in progress and something I find great joy in creating.

I was inspired by a book my friend Laura of LOC showed me called Nature Inspired by Tracie Lyn Huskamp. This book has great techniques and ideas to walk you through creating your own mixed media book. If you are an altered art fan then you will enjoy this book! My book is filled with artwork as well as poetry, bible verses and other sayings that inspire me to think beyond myself.

Become Radiant

This page features a verse from Isaiah 60:1 & 5a It reads:

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Then you shall see and become radiant and your heart shall swell with joy.

I Love the imagery. I think the birds do this every morning, don't you! To become radiant... it is only with the glory of the Lord that I could ever hope to be this way.

I have been building this book for some time but recently have come back to it and I have found great pleasure in it's creation, I almost can't stop making pages for it. I intend on using my own bird sketches for another 2 page layout but haven't decided on a color scheme just yet.

For the cover, I am using an old rummage sale book. I have taken out the insides so that I can use the cover and spine. And because I am so cheap, I use canvas drop cloths from the hardware store for the substructure. Then I start building the pages.

The Mockingbird details

The Skylarks details

I am a collector. My friend Laura and I call each other little squirrels, because of our gathering instincts. I tell you what, it is hard for me to throw out stuff I know I will use on projects like this. So consequently, I have drawers and baskets, pockets and piles of treasure all around my studio. I tell myself it is one of my best character qualities...hey, not everyone can turn trinkets and trash into soulful treasures from the heart, right?(I say that humbly)

This page is called Mrs. Robin

To be continued....Thanks for visiting.

Altered Art Thankfulness Book

This is my Grateful Book for the Layers of Color Designer Challenge. The challenge was to take a chunky child's book and alter it, the theme being what we are thankful for. Doesn't this theme lend itself nicely to the Fall season we are in? I used a big board book the kind that has flaps to open. I thought this an interesting element that would lend itself to the wonderful world of altered books. That is one of the things I love the most about altered books- the unexpected treasure that you find along the way, as you explore each page. Flaps are perfect for that! This is the cover and first inside pages, there will be more to come as they are completed. It is entitled: The Wondrous Gift. I got this out of an old 1883 Gospel Hymnal.

The first page is Faith and without it I am truly lost. This is true in all areas of my life. When I married and had my first child I turned a corner in life and followed a different path. On this trail I realized that I simply could not live my life separate from my faith...

and I am grateful I have never looked back.

There and many uses of symbolism, the colors gold, brass and copper. These metals are so beautiful when they are aged even thought they may tarnish on the outside the inside still glows with warm light when polished. Its reflective properties are reveal too. I often feel this way when I think about how God sees me. He is the one that rubs away the tarnish of my soul to reveal my uniqueness and who He created me to be. I am also able to glow with the peace of Christ. Sometimes in life others don't see this or don't even bother to look, its old, tarnished... no good. I think that is why I like things that are old and worn in all the right places. It reminds me that what I see isn't all there is in the journey that has been traveled.

There are words and music which are part of who I am, without them I am lonely. The jewel and key: reminders of how being grateful is such a jewel of character and is often the key to changing our perspectives in life.

I hope this inspires you to remember all that you have to be thankful for, letting all that you have overflow into generosity! That is my desire this Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for....I hope my art expresses the gratitude of my heart.

2 Corinthians 9:10-12

10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

One of my Favorite Treasures-Books!

Books are one of my favorite things, aren't you thankful that you were given the gift of literacy? Another treasured kind of book is an altered book, they fascinate me! I have always had within me the spirit of exploration. As a girl I loved to wander the forests of my girlhood home and find special places just for me. Altered books fill this requirement for my soul. I love all the pockets and tags and flaps. They just beckon to me to explore and find the treasure within it's cover. I think I would have been a great pirate!

If you don't know by now, one of my dearest friends is our LOC challenge hostess Laura. Our first artistic project together was an altered book for each other. We used the letters of our names to guide our pages. This is an example of what Laura gave me.

Incidentally, she made this for me and gave it to me for my 40th birthday. What a gift, it still makes me tear up to think about opening this package I got in the mail. No one had ever made something so special for me, ever! A true treasure, just like our friendship! I know this isn't my art work but Laura's(I got permission to post this way) however, I thought it only fair to show her book since she used mine for the challenge inspiration!

So I guess in a round about way you eventually see my work and hers, just not in the conventional way-which is just how we like it!