A storm is coming!

There is supposedly an epic storm headed our way and if this sky is an indication of that it just might happen. Though, so far in the 15 months I've live here I haven't been impressed by the amount of rain that has hit the desert floor.

I'm working on the fabric paper quilt, slllllooowly, and finally like the bottom section. Antiquing gel to the rescue. Fortunately, I bought quite a few bottles of it before "the move" and will most likely have to find an online source for it someday. Michael's craft store doesn't carry it.

This quote is a favorite:

Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Arthur Koestler

I've taught myself about everything I've been interested in.

Glue resist Technique

I have a "thing" for alphabets. I collect stencils and rubber stamps, but this time I winged it and wrote the letters in my crummy handwriting. This is another challenge on Trish's yahoo group. I went to bed before the last batch of glue designs dried and wouldn't you know it, I have to leave in about an hour for an appointment. The next few are textured pieces that I hope to finish this afternoon.
The top one is turned out looking more like watercolor than pigment inks. I wonder if the baby wipes I used to remove color from the glue gave it that appearance. In the middle: Blues and greens, boysenberry and Prussian blue. I was going for a black and white one on the bottom, but the black wasn't rich enough, the pad is nearly dried up! The grayish color didn't work for me so I added some more pigments; perhaps some red and gold? It was late so who knows!

Shining Stone Technique

Okay, so I finally get it! Perfect Pearls are great fun! I had wanted to experiment with them years ago, but never got around to buying them. A challenge on Trish's yahoo group plus a 40% off coupon at Michael's was finally the incentive I needed. But, I discovered back home that nary a rainbow dye ink had I, nor a single sheet of glossy card stock. I was, however, able to round up quite a few single dye ink pads and glossy photo paper. Nothing can stop a determined person from experimenting when the time is right!

The scanner sure doesn't capture the essence of them. Directions are at:

http://trishbee.co.uk/?p=309

Quote: A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations.

Gerald G. Jampolsky

In the Studio

Moving right along at my typical snail pace rather than as fast I'd like to work, vase shapes were cut out and painted. I'm fond of the one on the left, but it didn't work for what I have in mind for the fabric paper quilt. The fourth one, however, is such an improvement that for the first time in months I was truly excited. The fourth one will eventually be revealed.

The paint: fluid acrylics and water soluble pastels. The substrate: thin pellon.

Can you guess my true colors?

Quote: Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.

Sir Cecil Beaton

In the Studio

The trek to Loma Linda Medical Center for the kidney transplant evaluation is on my other blog: http://rocky-point.blogspot.com/

Mm, the beginnings of the fabric paper quilt sure don't look like much. Wonder how it will turn out? I've decided to take the QA challenge listed on their site and in the magazine. So far foreign text and tissue paper have been glued to muslin along with washes of fluid paint and oil pastels. Working on a 12 square isn't as easy as one might think. Back to the studio . . .

Quote: The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.
Edwin H. Land

Thrift Store finds

I haven't dropped into the various Thrift Stores in the area for sometime now. After making the rounds of 5 and not finding anything, to my dismay, I happened upon a case full of gems. Can you picture these on mixed media pieces? I can. I'm always drawn to anything with a horse on it; the pin will find a home, maybe on a jacket. Leaves seemed to jump out at me along with the birds.

Well, we're off to Loma Linda Medical Center tomorrow for a five hour kidney transplant evaluation. Stacy has been on dialysis for 7 years; the nephrologist at the dialysis clinic thinks that Stacy is a good candidate for a transplant. The neurologist told me on Sat morning when he phoned with the results of the ambulatory EEG test that Stacy is also a good candidate for brain surgery for epilepsy. Interesting and scary!

Quote: if you fall in love with an idea, you won't see the merits of alternative approaches--and will probably miss an opportunity or two. One of life's great pleasures is letting go of a previously cherished idea. Then you're free to look for new ones. What part of your idea are you in love with? What would happen if you kissed it goodbye?

Roger von Oech

Happy New Year!! Pay-it-Forward announced.

I was one of those who watched the new year arrive via the TV and Dick Clark and then promptly went to sleep. I've never been one for huge celebrations or crowds so why start now?

The white bougainvillea is once again bursting with blooms. Frost is trying to pay a visit to the desert like it did last winter when so many crops were destroyed. Two of our smaller citrus trees aren't enjoying the cold night temps and are sporting some damaged leaves. I will have to be more diligent covering them up.

Okay, first of all thanks to the 9 people who either left comments on this blog or emailed me. Most agreed with me about the movie "Love Actually" which surprised me. I now own the CD of the music from the movie. Names in the hat were, Nan, Vicky, Linda, Mary Ann*, Carol, Maggie*, Penny, Sammy*, and Connie. And the name drawn by Stacy is Vicky. I don't know what I'll be sending yet, but I'll post a pic when I do. The names with the stars next to them are new to me and I've enjoyed looking at your blogs, so thanks for leaving a comment! Check out their blogs on Dec. 20Th comments.

I hope to start participating in more challenges this year. To that end I'm going to do my best to take the QA challenge listed at: http://tinyurl.com/yw6r6l
Mom has suddenly lost more ground to Alzheimer's so more of my time is taken up helping her to straighten out her confusion. And then of course there is always Stacy's dialysis and seizures to attend to. As they, and so it goes.

Quote: May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.
~Joey Adams