Other page's in progress

I am on a roll with the blog posting. :)

Wanted to share some other works in progress and maybe later I will post some completed. Maybe tomorrow. Just have to see how the afternoon goes. Again first pic sideways. UGH! These are not done. I have first layers of acrylics down on each. Then I will cut them out or add a journal page around them. Not sure. But many layers of shading to go.

Some backgrounds that I have started and are not done. Yeah like post people, I have many pages and projects going at one time. Not a fan of waiting for paint to dry. LOL

 The top background page has a small face that I didn't go over. It was a doodle but I have an idea so she may stay.

Now some random unfinished journal pages.

 I sometimes do backgrounds first and other times I will start drawing and then build the page. It just depends. I'll post other backgrounds later. Really having fun with backgrounds lately.

Tomorrow I will post the progress or finished pages.

I have dinner in the oven, coffee going, some evening chores done. So I am going to do some more art.

There are so many products I want, I have a huge wish list on dickblick.com. LOL I am just anxious to keep trying new products!!

There are so many wonderful artists out there. Scrapbooking artists, journal artists, painters, writers, on and on. I think I will start listing some of my favorite Blogger sites tomorrow. :)

Blessings
just, me

The Journey

It's Tuesday, and I missed posting yesterday! But to make up for it I will have 2 posts today. :) I am serious about posting everyday! Really :)

I am really liking this new commitment. To blog and journal and share it all everyday. Well maybe not ALL I do creative wise, but you know what I mean. I thought it would feel heavy or start to feel like an obligation or work. Instead it is very freeing. 

Like in a previous post from a few months back, I talked about the fear of sharing any of my art that really matters to me. Like some how if I only posted the things that I did on the run or well BBQ on the patio that I was some how protecting myself. I wouldn't care what others thought. Or said. Not that many leave comments :) But I do get the occasional email.

Now that I have started this new journey in full force and committed I am feeling a new freedom! Just what I was looking for. I want, no I need to just move ahead. I share my thoughts here mainly to clear my heart and mind. To just "talk". To post whatever I have been doing on that day. It maybe scrapbooking, drawing, poetry, cooking, art journal pages, acrylics, pastels, pencil, colored pencil....

I mentioned, Its the journey not the destination in a couple of posts. At the beginning of the year this thought kept coming back to me. I took it to prayer and know that it is a lesson that I am to learn. The living in the moment. The digging in each moment no matter what I may be doing. 

I was cleaning the cat box, sorry if this is yucky to hear! No worries, no details on kitty box will be provided! LOL But anyway, well I was doing this I chose to let gratitude flow through me. It was a choice I said out loud! I simply said.....I am glad that I am able to do this. Simple, but in that moment the words were released from my mouth, things changed. In ME!! I felt a river of joy. It is so hard to put into words, but I felt tension release my body!

I allowed myself to think on this and pray about this as I continued through my daily chores. I realized in a new way just how stressful dread and dislike is.

We fill our hearts and heads with dread and think about how much we dislike something and with each passing second our bodies are responding to the negativity and tension is created. It leads to feeling stressed!! In turn it leads to negative thoughts and moods and words. THEN.....it blocks our creativity!!

I am not a positive thinking person, I am a person of prayer and faith. But I believe these principals work no matter the faith/belief system you believe in.

I have found that my routine daily chores are just not as bothersome. 

I am one of these people that believe in work before pleasure. Always have been that way. I am also pretty discipled. Very strict about responsibility. Bible reading and journaling about what I read first always. Then I need to do all chores, take care of our furr and feathered babies, plan dinner and then head to the office to do any of my work for the business. Then I shower and dress, including make up and earrings ect. I really feel that if you treat yourself like a valuable women you will act valued and feel valued. Maybe this isn't what works for you. We are all different, the point is find the routine that works for you and stick to it. Your important and the beginning of the day really does set the tone for your day and attitude.

Then once all of the above is done I will head to my studio, art room. Now I have always followed this routine, but since Jan I have had such a better energy and creative flow! Just by learning, and still learning, to value the journey!

Each moment is important. None are less important. They all make up the whole of your life!

I am still learning to choose this each moment. Sometimes it is easier then others and there are times that I fail in a bad way! LOL

But I pick myself up by leaning on God and choose again. It is all part of my journey. Even the falling down times. I am learning and growing. I am having more fun creating then ever before. Some of the art is better and some of it is horrible but I am loving it!!

Plus not as anxious!! Anxiety has all but vanished!

So.....this is something I started today. As you can see it has a long way to go. :) 

Sorry the first pic is side ways. Don't know what happened.

I will be back later for the second post today.

Hope your Tuesday is full of simple joys

Just, Me

Sunday. Rain. Wind. Art

I love the rain. No secret to anyone who knows me. I love peace that the rain brings. Even in spite of the wind.Had a rather rough Saturday evening due to my multiple sclerosis so I woke up not fully recovered and myself so that meant we didn't get to church. It always leaves a homesick feeling in me when I miss church.

BUT!!!! I did spend a rather short time making art. Weekends due tend to not allow me as much time for making art. Hubs is home and even after 30 plus years we still really enjoy our time together. Each others best friend. It is really nice. A blessing.

These are very fast journal pages. They are very much a reflection of where I am right now. Being in the moment. Living fully "here".........in whatever I am doing. It does eliminate stress just by doing this. Of coarse my foundation is my faith. But I have always struggled with insecurity and due to that I would end up stressing. At times fear of all the what if's.

I am always a happy person. But inside I would be battling my insecurities. 

So this page says what I am feeling right now!!

I used torn words from junk mail. Oil pastels. Acrylics. Did a wash with Gesso. It is a very simple page. Took maybe 20 minutes.

I know todays post is short. It's sunday, LOL

Off to eat Take out food from our favorite mexican restaurant and then movies on netflix or vudu.

Blessings

Its all about the Journey...not the destination!!

Well.....I have no reason not to now

Sooooo as I have attempted too many times before, I am once again going to set my mind and heart and soul on blogging everyday! Yeah, I know, I have tried this before. LOL! This time is different. I have just signed up for 

ART JOURNAL EVERY DAY

led by the wonderful Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Oh wow!! She is amazing awesome talented lady! I have loved her work and her blog for a year and a half. Since Jan. I have considered joining this group. I went back and forth about it. I told mysel......YOU don't have any serious art on your blog! YOU don't have any art jopurnal pages at all on your blog!! You don't have ANY talent!!! You don't even keep up with your blog!! LOL!

Yep, I ran my whole list of excuses through my mind and heart. I just let it be something I wanted to do and didn't. THEN I thought hold on a minute here Miss Melanie! 

You want to blog, you want to be a daily blogger. You need to write about each day just for the sake of clearing your thoughts.

So I took the plunge! I know no one is going to come hunt me down if I fail and don't do art journal pages everyday, but I will know and thats really what's the most important thing isn't it?

So......look for my first art journal page to be posted tomorrow, done or not! Whatever I have done will be posted, DAILY!

I do art almost daily. I scrapbook, take pictures, draw, do mixed media, or something everyday. I also always do something in one of my many in progess art journals. So why not blog it too? Wow, what a revelation! ;)

I am going to get past this fear. This insecurity.

If you want to see an amazing artist that does art in all forms check out Julie. She does it all! Scrapbooking, sewing, art journals, and much more. Maybe you want to join the Art Journal Everyday!

I am going to try to post the link, I have never done a link so I hope this works.

Art Journal Everyday

This link will take you to the sign up page. Look around her blog if it's the first time you have been there. You will be inspired!

I leave you with a picture of one area of my art room. It is also a "before" picture. I have done some reorganizing and will share those pictures in the days ahead.

This next picture is of my work desk. It has changed so much since this picture.

I hope you are having a great weekend. I hope it's full of art and creating! 

I am praying for Japan and the heartbreaking situation they are dealing with. Please remember Japan in your prayers too.

My new motto.......

It is not the destination, it is the journey.

Tomorrow I will share my thoughts on this and why it is my motto this year. I have had some life changing thinking happening.

Blessings always

Another moment of reflecting

Well ok not off to the best start at consistancy for posting on here. I have been off to a fabulous start at following through with this turning point in my life.

As I posted on my previous post, I know that I am at a special place in my artistic journey. In my life. In knowing myself. In seeing myself and most important in facing my fears.

I know we all have fears. Fear of death or loss. Of being alone or crowded so much that we don't know who we are or even what we like or want. Fear of peer pressure or not being noticed at all. Fear of failure. I could go on but you all know what I am talking about.

One of my biggest fears is being judged. Maybe by words or by lack of words. Also fear of not measuring up.........to my standards. My perfectionist standards.

So one of the first things that I know is being dealt with is letting this all go!! I am feeing a huge sense of freedom. Like a deep exhale. My shoulders relax. I am me. Thats all. Thats good enough.

Your you and thats good enough too. You have your journey, your path. Are you following it? Being true to where you are suppose to be or are you trying to fit into a mold. What you think your suppose to be or what someone has said your suppose to be.

I have never been one to fit in. Now this isn't a pity thing. I have just always been different. Not in the stand out so boldly it draws attention. But in the not like many around me.

I am liking this more and more.

I have realized we are all just a little different and there is a reason we are. To bring our true selves to this world, this life. To make up our place in the "whole".

So as I journey on and get comfortable in this place of fear facing I am finding greater passion filling me. JOY!! yes joy and passion and a bubbling deep in my spirit.

I am creating with new gusto. I am falling in love with the whole process in a way that I hadn't felt before. That fear....those fears had held me back!

So as I continue on and promise once again to post daily!! Yes I said daily......I am asking you to look at your passions. What do you create, what stirs your dreams even awake? Now look at your fears.....what do you fear? Are you trying to fit into a mold? Are you comfortable in your own skin? Ready to put YOU out there? If not, why?......Really think about it. This isn't a one time process I am learning. I am seeing that I will go through this many times. Either to throw off new layered fears or chase off old fears who have found a way to re gain a place in me.

I am so excited about this journey even if this post seems a little hard, dark, sad, down. It isn't its really exciting!!! Its a new moment in my creative process to reach my all. My place to create freely.....to be me. I am me, I am a lady who creates, I am a person who loves, I am an artist!

As each day comes I am so filled with excitment. Like never in my life. I am anticipating where this road is taking me.

So I am going to share a few things in progress. I have not brought anything to completion yet. Many reasons and I will share more on that tomorrow.

So first in process....in progress arting work

This is a sketch that prior to this turning point I would have only found fault with. NOW I embrace all it's imperfections! Yes me!! I can let it be what it is. Let her be who she is. I can now move on to painting her. Maybe transfer her to wood or canvas then paint. Or maybe paint her right where she is......or......

I have many more in process or progress to post. I am glad you came by to read to look. To be part of this journey. To be one of those that I have dared to trust with my art, my fears, my life.

Where are you? What are your fears? Do you fight the urge to be perfect to the point that your not happy with your art, your scrapbook pages, you!?

Well I think your brave and perfect as YOU are.

Thanks so much for reading and leaving comments.

Your friend on this journey

just
melly

My Life Is Changing.

My Life is taking a new road, path. It is all for the best. No not getting divorced or anything, LOL.

But I have been restless and pressured. For years I think. Its been a crazy last few years.

More on all that later.

I have been a born again Christian for years. God is leading this change. It will of coarse involve way more creativity!

What triggered all this? Many things. I will be sharing things about my life and this journey with each post over this next month......It will be refreshing for me, a blessing for you I hope.

But I have been so sick for 5 weeks. I had a sinus infection but it was the last week of Sept. and that means billing time for our business. So I didn't have time to run to the doctors. That week I took a break after office work that day and sat on out back patio. Love our patio and yard! But while I was sitting out there at sunset, a spider fell on me and got caught under my eye under my glasses. I took my glasses off jumped up and brushed my face. All in one motion.

I didn't think much more of it till the next morning. My left side of face was on fire. On top of skin and under. Same side of face was swelling. Still thinking its a sinus infection and my allergies are really aggravating it.

Nope, you guessed it. I was bit by the spider.....a black widow. Doctors could tell after blood work and the bite mark. It got me in tear duct right under my left eye.

So I have been through 4 types of antibiotics and sooooo sick. Now I deal with Multiple Sclerosis daily, so I am use to discomfort and living with pain ect. Nothing stops me!!

But this, now it stopped me!!! I would do what had to be done, chores, animals ect and go back to lay in our bedroom. Couldn't even enjoy computer time much. Felt too lousy and my eyes swelled shut for a week and the draining, well it was like pouring water out your eyes constantly for weeks!!!

So..........through this God has shown me many things......Art and creating is a gift from him and I am not holding back and only sharing things I don't like. Yeah that weird game of "if you don't like it, its ok I don't either" LOL

Plus the peace and renewed commitment to HIM. I am revived, refreshed. JOY!

So I will be posting projects and sharing many things about my life and much about this new path and what led me to it. :)

I leave you with this.....It is sooooo true and will be used in a new project I am starting......

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ

that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin''

I'm whispering 'I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I am weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible... but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain..

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does... but beautiful is just plain beautiful!

 

 

I hope your blessed.

 

Always just

Melly

Memories

So Its been a busy week and weekend. I was able to do some things in my studio/art room. Nothing finished, I tend to work on 3 or 4 things at a time. Just works best for me that way.

Tomorrow I have to get some reorganizing done in my studio. I am just not liking the flow of the room any more.

It has also been a time of memories. It was this month that my dad passed away and my mom came to live with us. It was 10 years ago that all that happened. My mom is gone now too. Has been for a few years.

It was the hardest and best thing I ever did. We ever did. Having my mom here for the last 4 years of her life was an amazing time. It was full of happiness and sadness. Joy and frustration.

I am going to share a little about this each day this week. the things we learned about people and each other. What we learned about caring for someone very ill and elderly.

Here is a picture of my parents the day after they were married and my dad was headed back from leave. He was in the Air Force in world war II.

Hope your weekend has been blessed!!!

Just Melly

New Layout and Lillian

Hope Your Sunday is Blessed and full of moments that make you happy!!

It has been a quiet day here. Just how I like my Sundays. Church, Lunch and creating time and nap or paly around on the computer visiting some of my favorite blogs. Of coarse there are always chores that have to be done so I fit those in around the other things.

I finished up this Layout a couple days ago but I hadn't had a chance to post it. Its pf my scrub Alex and my sweet Emily.

Here is a picture of my Lillian. She is such a sweetheart! She is a green wing Macaw. She also loves the camera. Pull a camera out and she is posing and acting like a silly clown. LOL

Ok I don't have any idea why the quality is messed up. Last night I had a size problem and no It is a quality problem . I'm sure it is something I am doing wrong. I am going to try to upload copies of the pictures so they are the right size and hoping better quality. I'll be back!

Just A Peek Into My Art Room

I have been doing some rearranging again in my art room. This is an area I am still working on. It is the main work area. I love old vintage containers and pretty things and supplies all around me. So it is a never ending battle in myself as to how to get 2 results. Working room to spread out but keep this look that appeals to my creative flow.

It is so funny tooo because I am such a neat freak! Every room in my house has to be neat and CLEAN all of the time. My husband teases that we live in a model home where people will be coming through any time, LOL. But he is good about my need for clean and orderly. :)

But now my art room....I love THINGS all around. Not just any things. The RIGHT things. Inspiring, old, worn, different, unique, original, sentimental. Maybe your the same way, maybe not. We all have our need to have our creative areas set up certain ways. I love to look at creative spaces, craft rooms, studios, scrap rooms, whatever you call your space. Hope you share a link to pictures of your room or a youtube video of it, :)

I'll post more pictures as the week goes on. I am also getting 2 boxes ready to mail to my 2 neices. Boxes of scrapping goodness. :) So I am having a blast putting together these goody boxes. I am finding supplies I forgot I had, or never knew I had, LOL. It is also a great time to get my paper re organized.

So this is a picture of one corner.






Hope your having a fabulous creative weekend!!

Just Melly

Saturday evening at my house

Like I was talking about in my previous post, it has been a great day. Most of our days and weekends are really I am not complaining! But there have been crazy busy times this summer, well the past year has had some big bumps!! A year ago I was in the hospital having 4 surgeries with in days of each other. Then a month later we moved! That was crazy but had to be done as it was planned and no wiggle room to delay even though I was still very weak and recovering from all the surgeries and being so sick.

So we are feeling like we are getting back to our normal routine these last few months. We had everything unpacked and all settled before last Christmas, that was just a month after the moving was complete. That was good considering we do run our own business at the same time and had no time off while moving. Plus we had 30 years of "stuff" to move! LOL

But anyway I clicked this picture to send to my daughter tonight. She wanted to know what we were doing "right now". LOL. It is just something we ask each other time to time in our on going txt messages. So I clicked this picture and sent it to her.

I just think this picture is special.To me. Right now at this moment. It just speaks to me and such an example of us. My husband alex and myself. Together, sharing, hanging out.

So the picture is not a great photo op as far as lighting and quality but it is fabulous as far as holding onto real moments and those daily memories......yes the plant needs TLC due to the afternoon sun getting it too long and hard. Yes thats my windex in the pic from wiping down the table before we sat down with our coffee. Always dusty here, LOL.....but its us...







So I hope you all take time to grab those moments of everyday. The real...the times that you and others will find priceless as time goes on.

I thank God for these moments.....

Just Melly

Saturday Creating and Memories

It has been a good day. Peaceful. I have been a sorry blogger! I am sorry about that. I am determined to change this so hang in there with me......Really!!

Anyway, back to my day here in sunny central California....

My scrubbie had today off and thats always nice. Being self employed is a blessing but there are times, LOL!

We did our chores around here and then he had his play time with his hobby, which is RC cars and trucks and I had some time in my studio/art room. Perfection!!

Below is what I did with the hour or so I had today. It is a picture of our beautiful GERMAN German Shepherd Jessica and myself. She was 9 in this picture and it was taken about 4 years ago. It wasn't too long after this that we lost her to brain cancer. My husband said something so true when I showed him my completed project....he said you never know how special or important a picture will be someday. He told me keep taking pictures! He has always been very supportive of all my art work and scrapping ect. But he made such a great point. It is a foundational truth in many ways as to why we scrap or create, but pictures grab something beyond words.

So I created this on canvas.

A French Layout

Well I have been away from scrapbooking for a number of weeks. I have been doing art journaling and working on painting and skintones and mixed media projects.

Well not away from scrapping all together. I have been doing some projects but not completing them, LOL.

So anyway, here is a Layout I put together this afternoon. Trying to get that fickle mojo going. My mind directed to scrapping. It is nothing fancy. Not too many layers or extras. Just simple. Trying to get back in the groove and I really liked keeping the picture front and center.

I love this picture of my daughter. She is just a natural beauty. It just seemed to scream frech romance to me....

By the way the title isn't tilted, LOL. It was the angle I took the picture at!!







She was 17 in this picture and it was one of those moments when we were messing around in the bathroom doing funny poses. So we thought it would be fun to snap a few pictures.....this one came from that super fun time.

The paper line is my minds eye.

Thanks for looking. It is really appreciated.

Blessings
just Melly

I am so EXCITED!!!

I am so happy!!! I got a GYPSY!

I had been on the fence for so long about this. I just wasn't sure if I wanted it and I wasn't sure if it would be worth the money. I just kept thinking of all the cartridges I could buy for the cost of this "GYPSY".

AHHHHHHH......but I started thinking about it and saw a few youtube videos and starting getting curious.

So, I went looking for all kinds of information on it. Of coarse that included hours of youtube videos. So super amazing ladies out there by the way!!

Then a couple of weeks ago I was telling my scrubbie about it and all it does and he was so sweet!! He said why don't you get it?! I told him the price and I was always worried that I may not use it and it would be an expensive paper weight, LOL

But he was very sure I would love it. So I caved and got it!!

You know what? I am in love!! I haven't had much time to play but so far the little I have done, I think it is a fabulous addition to a cricut.

To be continued.....

Shanon's pencil sketch

My daughter Shanon has started to get back to many types of her art. I am so glad. After she moved to be closer to her fiance she was so busy getting use to her new situation that she just didn't even want to do any type of art.I understood but also knew that as an artist, we need to be creating. It is just how God made us.....

So I was so excited when I saw this. She sent it to me and I was surprised. It is just a rough sketch of Gabriel her fiance. But a pretty good one for not picking up a pen, pencil or brush in almost 2 years.

You have to Love a man that dances

You have to love a man that is not afraid to dance to his ipod! LOL

This was taken last feb. on the back patio. He had just put a couple songs, oldies, on his ipod and was dancing around with Ky. Loves to do this. I shot at least 30 pictures of this moment. You know I have plans for this!!!



I have been going through lots of old pictures of my daughter Shanon this week. I hade some very rough days. Pain muscle troubles ect. So as I would have to sit for a while I would sort through this huge box of old baby pictures of her. It also has her unfinished baby album in this box and lots of misc. scraps of paper. Tokens from special days and places we went when she was a baby or child.

Her is a favorite of her and her Daddy. Quality is not too good. I took a picture of this picture to email to her and thought I would post it here. I am starting one of many of her baby scrape albums.....

Pooh Corner

Favorite song...and its message

My all time favorite song is following this short post. My favorite music is Christian, all I listen to night and day, but this song I am posting below just has always touched me.

Slow down and remember we have a point and a purpose to our lives. It is bigger then us, but we must stay humble. We need to enjoy those around us, give love like we want to get it back....even if we never get it back.

Watch the birds, the butterflies the wind the leaves.....just watch. Participate in your day!!! Go with the flow but don't let the flow pull you along. Wake up excited...on purpose!! Smile till you feel it!!

Just remember this song...

Back to Pooh Corner!
One of my favorite songs is "Return to Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins. It's a reminder to slow down and enjoy the simple things of life. The Lyrics go like this:


Christopher Robin and I walked along
Under branches lit up by the moon
Posing our questions to Owl and Eeyore
As our days disappeared all too soon
But I've wandered much further today than I should
And I can't seem to find my way back to the Wood


So help me if you can
I've got to get back
To the House at Pooh Corner by one
You'd be surprised
There's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh


Winnie the Pooh doesn't know what to do
Got a honey jar stuck on his nose
He came to me asking help and advice
From here no one knows where he goes
So I sent him to ask of the Owl if he's there
How to loosen a jar from the nose of a bear

Help me if you can
I've got to get back
To the House at Pooh Corner by one
You'd be surprised
There's so much to be done
Count all the bees in the hive
Chase all the clouds from the sky
Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh

It's hard to explain how a few precious things
Seem to follow throughout all our lives
After all's said and done I was watching my son
Sleeping there with my bear by his side
So I tucked him in, I kissed him and as I was going
I swear that the old bear whispered "Boy welcome home"

Also in honor of this wonderful song full of fabulous reminders I am buying the Pooh cartridge for my cricut that for some reason I don't have!!

Then I am making Pooh and friends to hang in my craft studio!!

Have a wonderful Pooh Corner kind of day!!

Ressurection Sunday!!!

It has been a hectic day here today! Church first of coarse and it was fabulous! I love Easter services. No, we didn't go to the sunrise service. we always say we will but end up going to the 11 o'clock service. I have a hard time getting my muscle working too early due to the MS. I get up alright, but need coffee and a good sit down before my body cooperates well. LOL

Then we had to do a water change on the fish tanks. That is always fun! :)

I managed to get into the studio and threw together this layout. I am not happy with it at all. I rushed it and had too many interruptions then just wanted to finish it to have it done!! GEEEZ!

Not sure how I figured I would be able to get a whole layout done on a sunday. What was I thinking. :)

But anyway, it is done and I promised myself to post good and bad...so it is here. I haven't had a chance to do much to the paintings I am working on. That will wait till tuesday.

Hope your day was blessed and that you had a chance to reflect and remember What Jesus went through for us....all for love.

The beginning of painting on wood

So I have one painting started yesterday, it is still in progress. No pics of that one yet. It is a work in progress. :)

But here is the very beginnings of one on wood. I added gesso and was waiting for it to dry and was watching donna downy on ustream. I got to dabbing at the gesso and went ahead and started to sketch out the rough outline of the face. I like the way it etches into the gesso.

I am letting it sit now. Time to skype with my daughter, :) Just had Bible study for Good Friday!!

Anyway....I will lay a coat over the face and start to collage and then finish the face. Hope to have finished painting up by sunday.

I think I will post progress pics...:) Why not right?

He LIVES!!

It is in progress

So I am still working on this page. I ended up going a different way then I intended. I added lace doily on corners. I also made an envelope and am using that for the title foundation. I am not done doing the coloring on the title. It is not glued down yet. I am thinking sparkle...but maybe not.

Anyway...little update.

If your going to start some time....why not now?

It is coming!!

I know my poor blog!

I had when for a couple of years and then when I got super sick last summer, well it died. It was painless I was told...:)

No really, I just wanted a fresh start so i removed the old and started this one.

I have many projects that I need to get pics up of. It is coming. It has been such a busy week, no busy 3 weeks.

My goal this weekend, get the pictures up of my current works finished and in progress and also some of my past work. Aside from the very first LO I ever did years ago...:)

It has been a time of growing and coming back to center these last few months.

I have really liked it.

Anyway.....hope your creating!

You got to start some time....why not now?

Unfinished layout...working today

So I spent the day in my crafting studio. I started the day painting. A painting without any pencil drawing first!! It was fun to see the face come through. No pics of that ....yet, :)

But I also started a layout, that I will show pic of. I still need to place the title and it will be framed. Not sure with what or how yet. But I am also doing a pull out envelope to keep the journaling private. The pic is of my daughter.

Work In Progress

Picture of my beautiful daughter who I miss so much!!




Yeah thats what I feel right now....I am a work in progress. We all are really.

For me tho, I am seeing a change come about. The direction my crafting and or art is going. In some ways it is back to my roots, the place I started but in other large ways, it is on to new things. Using old and new products.

I am really liking this place, of....growth? I guess thats what it is.

I haven't blogged in a while. I had too much going on with the business and also, well I had to do some stepping out/back/around, LOL.

I did a sort of soul search. I knew I had gotten off track in my artful journey. I had found myself sitting on the side lines and comparing myself to others. I had gotten into a rut. Too many youtube videos was the beginning. I DO NOT mean the youtube videos that show you projects or instructions. I am talking about the videos that focus on buying. I had gotten too caught up in that while I was sick and having 4 surgeries over last summer. I started spending more time looking around at products on line then just creating and playing and scrapping and you know...crafting!! So first thing I did.....stop watching youtube haul videos!!

Then second....there are just a couple youtubers that seem to me to come off a little to....how to say it,....liking themselves and what they do a little too much. Now go ahead...hit me, its how I feel. I do not like it when someone says..."I want to just SHARE this with you"....but it just feels like....I want to show off and have you tell me how great I am. I am sorry....it is just how I see it.

NOW let me say there are tons of fantastic ladies on youtube!! 99.9% of the gals on youtube are not like this!! I sub to so many awesome talented ladies and look forward to the projects they create! I get inspired and encouraged by them.When they teach how they created something, you know its from the heart!! So don't go getting all upset thinking I mean everyone...or most, or something else silly!

So I have just stopped watching a couple people. Don't bother guessing who it is either! You may not even have heard of them anyway!

I would just get to feeling too insecure or I would just end up trying to re create something that I saw, but honestly, I didn't really want to. It was weird. Prob just me, I can be strange this way, LOL!

So I am on a complete inspiration only diet!

This week has been billing for the business so not much creating going on this week, but it has been great all the same. The time to reflect and re think my goals and directions.

But I am happily gearing up for creating!! I have ordered all the new cricut cartridges...crazy I know, but I had stopped buying things for a couple weeks waiting for this time.

I have plans not just for 12 x 12 LO, but all so for some mixed media using many images I have seen on the cartridges.

I think we all get off track at times. Fades come along and products are released that look so exciting that we may jump on bandwagons that do not keep us on the crafting creating road that is the most fullfilling. So I say...BE YOU!!!

Get off the fade wagon, don't follow be yourself. Create from the eye you have!! The heart that leads you!!

Have a great Saturday!!

I am so Happy!!! Creativity!!

I am so imspired!! I have been collaging and doing mixed media all day!! I am just mixing the two, scrapbooking and collage/mixed media. I have been trying to seperate the two. I do not know why. I was keeping my painting, collage and drawing all seperate from scrapbooking.

It doesn't work for me. I hate boxes. I do not fit well into boxes. I love the unusual, different. I have tried to just do the simple grunge scrapbook pages, but its not enough most times. Sometimes it is, but really I was always so tempted to put other things or do other things to the page. But resisted.

Now thanks to some great ladies on youtube, I am comfortable to just be me. To just create my way. I want others to like it of coarse. Don't we all? But really I have to create first for me. Cause it is my love, my passion!

It is my memories. All my art is some how connected to me and what is happening at the time. Weather it is my art journal, or scrap pages. It is always some how connected to moments in time. Emotions.

I am weary of some of the same old things on youtube, but if you search you will find others who are just who they are and are doing scrap art to suit themselves!!

I have always loved the vinatge and grunge and Tim Holtz!! I also love tons of scrap paper and all the products, but I also love the vinatge odd one of a kind things.

I also found a fabulous vintage ephrema store on line!! Hooooray!!! I just placed a large order and cannot wait to get the stuff. I have tons of it already, but it seemed fitting to order today cause of my new determination to just be who I am and create for myself.

To allow the ideas in my head to merge into projects and not try to keep scrapbooking seperate from my other creative passions.

So as of this post.....things change. I have thought of getting rid of all old posts...but haven't decided yet. It is a part of my journey. Good or bad....it is the road and struggle I went through...I have always been so insecure about posting any work, art or scrapping. I have posted tags done in a rush, posted old LO, posted unfinished card....all things that if rejected I can tell myself it doesn't matter cause my heart wasn't really in to them.

But it does matter....and now as of today, pics will be posted of what I have worked on that day...iunfinished, good bad, things I like, love and hate...

There are times I have done a collage and then tore it up and put it into other projects...LOL Love this in a way.

So to myself, Go boldly in the direction of your dreams...live the life you have imagined. I am me, no one else. I do the best me I can. I can create what I want how I want. I do not need to be in a box!!

There! Done. No pics today. I spent the day shopping at my new favorite vintage store on line and did start a collage, also a LO of myself! First one ever!! They aren't done and I didn't even think to snap pics. Maybe I will later just to record the progress.

To you I say...don't buy the latest and greates...don't try to be like someone else! Scrap your way!! Create your way!! Use products you like, love!! Not what you see everyone use just cause everyone is using it!!

I am an artist, I create and document time and memories....I am good at being me!!

Just Melly

Card..Not done

So today I wanted to try out the blending of my colored pencils with baby oil. I love the look!! I used a little too much in some spots and it ran. So lesson one, easy on the baby oil!! But Love the look.

I am not done with this card at all, but thought I would post a pic anyway. I'll post the finished card tomorrow.

Hope your day is Creative!

Just melly

The First LO I ever did...Flashback!

This is the very first LO I ever did!! LOL!! It was done, I think, 3 years ago. I had been searching on line for some blogs for inspiration. I was doing a collage work at the time and had hit a brick wall. So bored I started looking up blogs.

I came across a couple of art blogs and the gals also did scrapbooking and had posted a few LO's they had just done. I was hooked!! So I started searching blogs for scrapbooking!!


Well I spents days, weeks reading and looking and learning. I found a few message boards and just fell in love with scrapbooking and all the products!! LOL

It was 6 months or more later before I made a LO. This is it. LOL! I love the LO don't get me wrong, but it is so funny to see how I did things back then.

It is a LO of my Macaw Lillian. She was pretty young. I got her as an egglet, REALLY I did. I adore her! Here she is playing with her Winnie the Pooh toothbrush. :)

She is such a ham!! Loves her picture taken.

But anyway, wanted to post the first LO I ever did. It is sweet pictures, but so funny. Do you ever pull out your old LO's?

Blessings
just melly

Best Book, MUST READ!!

I have had this book for almost 2 years I think, maybe 18 months, but anyway, GREAT BOOK!!! I saw Yoliebean on youtube talking about it. I think she had just gotten it.

She was telling how much this book had inspired her and gave her courage to follow her artists heart. That is exactly what this book does!! It set my heart ablaze in news ways.

Years ago I started doing collage, then mixed media and moved into painting and drawing faces and then combining them on one canvas at times. I always have trouble sharing my work with others. I want so much for others to see it and share the whole process, but I am my biggest critic and the fear of rejection is so huge to me.

But this book really helped me step out a little. I am now re reading it. After hearing Yolie talk about this book I got it back off the shelf and started reading it again.

In the short time since I first read it until now, I see so much growth in my attitde and comfort level with myself and my art.

Yes I said art. I am now more into scrapbooking, 12x12 LO, 8x8 LO, minis....cards, but still do my other work.

Yes I consider this all art. Crafting is art. It is an art form. Your an artist! Now if that seems crazy I am sorry but this is my opinion. You and I take material and put them together and alter them and cut and glue and glimmer mist and stamp and arrange.....this is art!!

I know that there are some offended if someone calls themselves an artist if all they do is scrapbook, LOL, seems so silly to me that this would get under anyones skin! But it does indeed.

I don't know why. Maybe someone will tell me.

But back to this book. No matter what type of craft you do this book is a must read!! Her story of finding her passion in her 30's is very inspiring. Realizing that how ever we create is fantastic!! There is no right or wrong way to make art, creat...scrapbook.

There are great projects in there too. Some step by step. Maybe even will get you out of your comfort zone and get you trying some new things with products you had never heard of!

If you read it or have read it, leave me a comment please. Love to hear your thoughts on it!!

Blessings

just melly

Hubby's Birthday

Sunday was Alex's birthday. So after church we went to IHOP to pick up lunch to take it home to eat. I snapped this picture as he was opening the door for me to get into the car. My man, so kind! Always opens the door for me.

We hardly ever eat out. It is just more comfortable for us to take food home. If we even get food out. We just are more of an "eat at home" kind of people. Health being a big reason.

But it was a sweet day. Church was great as always. Message was about not getting discouraged. Keeping hope alive.

It was suiting. It has been very hard since our daughter moved to texas to be closer to her fiance.Being our only child, and one we waited for 11 years to have, makes it more intense it seems.

I have at times struggles with insecurity. As I get older I have less trouble with it, but fear of whatever always seems to get my mind racing.

I made red velvet cupcakes and a pineapple upside down cake for alex's birthday. Being just the two of us I gave some away to some of our customers...LOL we could never eat it all.

I love to bake from scratch. When I have good enough days to that is. Having MS can make life unpredictable. My legs can go right out from in under me or just be too weak to walk well or stand. Then the shakes that creep up on me, yikes!!

But it was a good day!!!

Happy Birhtday my dear sweetheart of over 30 years!!

Napkin mini album

I am making a mini album using pretty paper napkins. The base is the dollar minis from Mike's. Then I have collected some pretty paper napkins from different places over the last few months. I applied the napkin with gloss medium. Using it under and on top of the napkin. Let it dry for an hour and then trimmed and sanded.

Because the chip board used in these type of mini albums isn't super heavy the medium makes it soft at first but as it dries it gets hard. It also adds the extra protection the napkin needs. It sanded really nice. This is the cover of the mini.

I still have 4 other minis going in different stages. LOL! But just had to use this sunflower today.

Do you evre do that? See paper or an embellishment that just grabs you but just won't fit into any project that is in progress. So off you go to start yet another project, :)

It is part of what I adore about this passion. The ability to flow with the mood, weather, happenings. I love to allow things to take the lead.

Today it was the weather. After many many days of rain, today was sunny for the most part. I threw open all doors and sliders and did all the Monday laundry. So downy filled the house. As I walked to our mailbox I noticed all the neighbors yards had flowers blooming. The first touch of spring!!

Tag

So it is statement week here. What that means is, I make a statement, bill, for each of our customers. All 100 plus of them. I have been doing this for 10 some years. But it never gets easy. It is the one part of owning this business I do not care for much, LOL.

It is time consuming and you have to be so careful cause some people do not like any mistakes!! Most of our customers are long term clients and if there is ever an oversight on a statement they are super great about understanding. But then there are those that I swear just wait for a slip up, :) I do not make many mistakes, praise God!!! But it is a little stressful, and it also takes big chunks out of time in the scrap/craft room, :)

Now thats really the problem, I just want to spend all my free time in there! Love my room!!

So I slipped out of my home office for a little lunch break and made this sweet little bird tag. Also watched a couple youtube videos as I created this tag. Glad to see some actual projuect videos!!! Nice break from haul videos, LOL!!

Yeah it was a fast create, but I love it.

New BBQ for my sweetheart

So Alex, my hubby, has a birthday fast approaching. This past weekend I was trying to figure out what to give him. I knew he had talked about getting a new BBQ grill. He had seen this fancy one somewhere.

Well I asked him if he still wanted the BBQ. He said he did but it was too expensive. I reminded him that we use to BBQ every weekend until our 12 year old grill just started to not work right. It would stay lite, we had replaced the regulator at least 4 times.

My hubby loves to BBQ. It has always been a main focal of sat. for us. We BBQ and watch a movie or two. Now with Shanon moved out it became even more of an event to us. Everything seems to have a new intensity honestly, but thats a nother story....:)

Well I convinced him to go look again at BBQ cause I missed this part of our weekend evenings. Plus I reminded him his birthday was just a week or 2 away and this would be a great gift!!

So off he went...I staied home cause I still had our 3 macaw cages to clean and then shower and dress. Due to my MS I really have to pace myself to get the most out of any day, but I am really careful on weekends. I hate to end up in agony with pain and pain from muscle spasms and cramps that curl my hands and feet.

Well the one he had loved was gone!! Now he really wanted it!! LOL...so off on the hunt for the perfect grill. He finally found one that he loved. He said better then the original one he saw. Its smaller and better color. Goes better with whole patio colors ect. But it was more, go figure!! LOL

Either way, we are back to our BBQ sat.!!

Happy Birthday baby!! You deserve it!

I won!!!

I cannot believe it!!! I won a cricut cartridge from Mary!!! She is this amazing creative lady!! She has a youtube channel and thats how I found her. Her channel is cardztv. I think I have a link to her blog on my sidebar.

Anyway she had a give away for reaching 1000 subscribers, I believe that was how many. LOL, o.k. I am so excited that I won that I am not making sense!

Mary is just awesome. You have to check her out. She makes beautiful cards and mini albums ect. Such talent!!

Also just ordered, or rather pre ordered all the tim holtz dies and embossing folders. I was just going to wait for them to come out. I hate paying for things and having to wait what seems like ages to get them, LOL! But I found them at liveteachcreate, and she is so awesome I had to just order. So at least now I know I am getting them!!

Ahhhh just dreaming of the creativity that will be done with these. Its a good day!!

Winning this cartridge was such a blessing. With my daughter living so far away, it has been hard. It was such a down day for me yesterday. Then this happened. God is so good!

Layout

Well had to take a little creative break from the mini albums I am making. I am making one for my hubby out of Graphic 45 collection, Gentlemen. Can't remember the exact name. I think it is very popular right now. I am thinking that lot's of husband will be getting something made with this collection if their wives are the creative type. You know like us, LOL!

Anyway, this is a layout I put together of our very old lady cat named Sassy. She is 18 years old. Her and her brother, who is still alive too, were rescues. At 6 weeks old they were dumped in the yard of the water company at the end of the street. We don't live there any more, thank goodness!! It was so sad so many animals left there!!

Anyway, the Layout....




I have a mini album going for my husband alex and also one for my daughter. She is living in Texas just outside of houston. Her fiance had a great job offer and she didn't want to be away from him....so she is there.

I am also making an album for her and Gabriel, thats her fiance. It is just the first year, falling in love. The fun stuff!! They have known each other for 3 years, but it has been 2 years that they have been serious.

They have a vow of purity, no sex before marriage. I was so proud of them when they shared that with us. If you knew my daughter you would know that she would be very dissapointed if it hadn't been this way, LOL

Well back to this great book. I have read it 2 times, now 3. A sweetie on Youtube reminded me of it. Its called Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts. Always gets my creativity flowing and makes me relax and shake off any pressure I may have been letting to hold me back. You know the pressure to fit in even with what you create, so that you can hope to be accepted.

Well, shake shake shake.....I am free to be and create my way!!! For me, and so are you my dear heart!!

New Stacks of Goodness

Hi!!

Well I went to Mikes on Friday evening. I had not been to my mikes in at least 6 months. First off, I don't drive due to my MS. It is just not comfortable for me. Second and most important reson, my mikes was horrible!!

It had a very small selection of scrap items. They had stickers, boy did they have stickers! LOL!!

But as for any variety in any other area. Nope. A couple of Tim Holtz items, a small section of paper but no stacks. No chipboard anything....you get the idea I'm sure.

Well Friday my dear hubby needed to go get new boots for work. So I asked if he would drop me off at Mikes. After watching many haul videos on youtube ( I have a love hate relayionship with those videos, LOL) I really wanted to see if my mikes MAYBE had any of the mini chipboard albums. I mean a buck, wow!!

So thats why I went and gave it another chance.....

I was so excited to see that my mikes is now a real craft store! I could not believe it! I was in heaven! So I did some shopping. I found some paper stacks I had never seen before and boy they are gorgous!! I will share a few this week in each post.

So paper pad one



It is by Making Memories. Its so pretty. Very delicate and oh so english garden, just like it's name. If you want some pictures of the papers just let me know and I'll post some pics of them.

Next paper pad



This one is to die for! It is very meriposa in a way. But much more vintage feel to it. It is one of my favorites. I am already starting a project for my daughter with it. But I will upload some of the papers tomorrow. Just so beautiful!

I got a couple other stacks I will post tomorrow. Very vintage. Glittery. Oh yeah some of the pages in the above pads have glitter and or flocking.

Dinner done. Yes!! We recorded the super bowl. Alex had been working on refinishing a beautiful park bench today. So when he got done he decided to take a nap. So I had already set the recording of the game up. So we are going to be watching the game now. Shhhhh, don't tell me who won! LOL

Leave a comment or email. Always looking for friendship
Thanks for your time

Tim Holtz Interveiw

Hey, Just wanted to let everybody know that custom crops has a great video on youtube. It's two parts and it is a fantastic converstaion with Tim Holtz! It is really good. He talks about how he got into art and crafting. He shows his products too, but if your like me you have seen all those already! LOL

This is a must see video. Just search Custom Crops on Youtube. You will find it.

It is super nice to see Tim in this video. Hearing his story and a little history. Love it!!

Hope your day is going great and I'll talk to you later. I am organizing my studio.......love and hate it, LOL.

I have just gotten too many new products in the last few weeks that I had to get it set up better. Plus being the Youtube addict I am, I have found some great organing ideas from some of you fab ladies!!

Thanks so much!!!

Vintage Goodies In the Studio

This is a clear plastic bin that sit's on one side of work space. It is full of vintage goodness. It inspires me and keeps my juices flowing. I am excited to get going with some yummy projects with these items.

I love some of the new products out there, I watched tons of CHA videos to get those sneek peeks at the new items just like you all did!
But......I also love to scrap and create with odd items and I enjoy going a different direction many times and using old products or off the wall items.

I am moved more by what grabs me. I am not moved by the latest greatest got to have it.

Now don't get me wrong, I love getting packages in the mail!! LOVE to!!! Like I said I love some of the new products that are being released. But what really grabs me is vintage odd items.

I will once in a while show a "haul" post. But I hope to make it more about the product and pictures of it. Maybe a few humble thoughts on it. Less about "this is what I got today" LOL!

Long live Vintage!!!