Friday

Gosh I get so involved in stuff I forget to post on here. Sorry. Mainly I think it's because I'm so used to "thinking" inside my own head, I rarely talk out loud. Posting here is like I have to think up words in my head first, which is quite difficult and very left-brained from what I'm used to in my basement studio where I work in silence with maybe a little quiet background Celtic music playing. So anyway, here I am again, if you're still coming here to see something, I have nothing new.... well, I have new stuff, just no pics. I am taking Sharon Tomlinson's newest class, Collage Faces, which is really fun. Anxious for LIFE BOOK to begin on Willowing
I'll try to remember to take some pics tomorrow. Until then...how do you like my background, I just love her graphics

studio pics today

Well I need to clean my studio, it's getting a little cluttered and hard to find stuff. Thought I'd share how it is today so when I get it cleaned up you can see the difference. I am taking Rhomany's FREE class starting October 1st for cleaning up our studios and making them inspiring places to be. You can sign up here, it's FREE:
Willowing






This may look organized already and it once was! But there's so much stuff on the floor in the way I can't reach my cupboards anymore. I'm not even sure what's in them!

Mehndi Designs

I recently saw some great mehndi designs and thought I'd try making some of my own. I did this last night while watching American's Got Talent. Wouldn't this look great as a rubber stamp!

My New Journal

I am so loving my new journal, I finally learned to do the coptic stitch from Googie in Suzi's new journal class. Take a peek!

More Space

Well I was getting really tired of having my table so full of art supplies that I only had an itty bitty space to work in. So I decided to improve my tiny formica table (from our kitchen 40-some years ago) by building a little shelf and cubbies to hopefully keep me more tidy and organized. The shelf is built with 1x8 pine boards and the little drawers are 1x6 pine with scrap paneling for the bottoms. The green knobs I've had in my stash for ages and I love the bright green with the black. The cutting/painting matt is purple not pink as it looks in the picture. I cannot WAIT to fill it all up with my supplies! It's funny, I always seem to build something when my dh is out of town. He's coming back tonight and I'm done! Not that he bothers me or anything, he just likes to give advice and I prefer doing it my way, even if things are not engineering-ly perfect. I'm so happy how it turned out.

New Class

This painting was created in a class I'm taking at Artful Gathering taught by Shiloh Sophia. It is painted on a gallery wrapped canvass. Loved the class and it's not too late to sign up. This saturday is the last day you can get in. Check out the link...lots more classes too.

New Journal

I found this cool journal at Goodwill, it has tissue paper over each page so my sketches won't smudge. Yay! This is what I painted on the cover. It was all black, but I like this much better. Been drooling over all the cool studios atWhere Bloggers Create and it got me in the mood to clean up my studio and make it look more fun and get my supplies more accessable. Hope to have pics to share soon!

Finally summer is here in the Pacific Northwest, but I have to say, I have really enjoyed the RAIN! I'm a forest girl all the way!
Have a great week!

What I Want

I avoid coming here! I think it's because it feels a little like coming on stage where I have to perform in front of zillions of viewers. Why I can't think of this as just a place to chat and have fun? I don't know. All I know is, I feel pressure whenever I think about this 4-months-since-I-posted-last blog. I love to write, but somehow avoid the very place where I can do so. Well I have been writing, just not to you...sorry. You see I have been retired from selling my artwork for almost, hmmm...I can't even remember now but it's been a few years. Since retiring I feel so free, no obligations, no pressure, no stress and it feels so good. But this blog is a reminder of all the online pals and gals I've met and love and think about, but yet I avoid it (this blog) like the plague. So, are you interested in what I've been writing? No? (stop reading here)
Well if you're still reading, to start with I made a list. A list of things I want to do or be.
I want to start clippings of my favorite plants and make new baby flowers for my garden
I want to art journal every day
I want to knit and sew a new wardrobe for myself
I want to collect and restore and display antiques
I want an antique shop
I want a little shop on our property that's only open like 12-4 on Sunday afternoons where I can sell plants, antiques and art
I want to create my own art journal books
I want to illustrate my bff's poetry and make one of a kind books
I want to visit my best cyber-pal in person
I want to dance in worship
I want to sing a big choir again like when I sang at the Billy Graham Crusade many years ago
I want to build a bird and fish sanctuary with jungle vines and reflecting pools for meditation
I want to create a reading, knitting, meditation, (fill in the blank) garden
I want to make pillows for my garden house
I want other artists to visit here and be inspired and refreshed
I want to make dangly things from crooked driftwood with beads and sparkly things that glitter and twinkle in the sun
I want to make kitten cottage where they can run and play and jump without hurting anything or themselves
I want to live a quiet life.
Now see. I do have things to write about, but why I avoid writing them here I don't know. I think basically I hate technology. I've had a brand new cell phone for at least a month and have yet to even turn it on. But I've been knitting up a storm and have finished my first (learn how to knit a sweater) doll sweater class and started one for ME. My hubby has been in Mexico on a mission trip for a couple weeks so I've had lots of uninterrupted time to play with yarn. When I figure out how to upload pics from my new camera I'll post pictures. But again, that's more technology so don't hold your breath. Actually not totally uninterrupted time. I've had to do all of hubby's chores, feeding HIS chickens (which I asked him NOT to buy) collecting eggs, putting them out in the box for sale, collecting the daily newspaper which HE subscribed to even after I told him I don't WANT a daily paper (although they do make good fire starters) and yes bring in my own firewood and build and keep a fire all day and night cuz it's still cold here in the Pacific Northwest. At least I'm getting a little exercise and fresh air every day. Well it's late afternoon now and all my chores (and HIS chores) are done and it's time to sit and knit for a while. No telling when I'll be back here so have a great life and take time to enjoy the little things.

Learning to Knit!

This is a little knitted choker with a crochet border and a vintage button closure. I'm not very accomplished at all the knitting stitch varieties yet, so these hats are mostly a combo of knit/purl and crochet








I'm having so much fun, and the weather here has been soooo cold I love wearing my hats and scarves out and about, I even have one that I wear to feed the chickens, it's got bits of hay that somehow got stuck in it *LOL* Also remaking and altering some clothes from my closet into more of a mori style. I've always loved the layered look, this just gives me more of an excuse to indulge in it even more!

Wandering for sure...

From mermaids to mori girls, how did I get here? I haven't posted anything since August??????? Eeeeps! Where has the time gone? Well to catch you up, I never really got into mermaids that much, I'd much rather paint fairies in the deep woods, with little critters at their feet and their hair tangled and flowing with flowers, nuts and twigs; their gown a little thread bare from traipsing around in the forest for so long. But alas, I'm getting off track. Now I'm interested in Mori Girls

I have joined a new class taught by mori girl Natalie Neumann. We are altering our own clothes to make them more artsy and woodsy. If you're interested check out her youtube trailer HERE
In the first live chat she shows us how to sketch mori girl fashions and I'm so excited. I love things with a formula! I even bought myself a new little journal at the thrift store, see? It was all brown but I added vintage text inside the heart shape and painted some of the twine and added flowers and beads. Inside are my mori girl fashion sketches.