Seasons of Creativity

 I am beginning to think that planning/making journals is my most favourite thing!  Unfortunately I always luv the variety of styles and techniques that are involved which means I haven't learned to edit!  So in my hurry to do the next thing I add way too much and go for the fastest ways and means. Maybe one day I'll one day be able to write about how I solved this.  In the meantime... caterinagiglio mixed media artist I follow blogger Caterina Giglio   and I saw her tutorial on her travel journal and I was off and running. From experience, I knew I could NOT over plan but needed fairly blank and interesting but subtle backgrounds for pages.  I chose lots of watercolour paper as I imagined myself sitting at a sidewalk cafe sketching and dabbing away.  Snort!  But just about any paper, napk

It is good to take a moment to step back and consider things.  Things have been a bit hectic but that is better than hody hum in my estimation of things in general. All the plans for the yard are not by any means completed but then where would the dreaming be. Goal number one was to reduce the amount of sand tracked into the house.  A few bald spots to fix up but most of the grass has been planted.  The front terrace was paved with pavers that look like wood.   We were one long paver short and I need to bring back one short one for the arbor approach from my other bright idea! We invited the neighbour to put down her spatula and come over so two could hold the arbor up while we each evaluated the perfect height.  We all agreed!  This is the entrance to my favourite white garden. I was just thrilled that my white clematis has took so well.  When it fills and covers the arbor I hope the meter is hidden. .My transplanted daisies, originally from my parent's g

First big change was buying a dehumidifier.  What a difference that has made to the hobby room.  I hate being cold!  Kinda freezes me up creatively speaking. Getting all my Art 101 projects organized involved watching quite a few instructional videos and my appreciation for several artistic styles has skyrocketed and helped me clarify my own personal style.  I also better understand how to use some mediums I hadn't thought much about like chalk pastels to enhance tempera paints.  And oil pastels for outlining!!!  yes! But the real motivation was having a fellow retreat planner stop by for a planning session.  I had to clean everything up and that's when I discovered how pleasant a dehumidified space was.  We were digging around in my stash looking for fabrics which I kinda knew were in there somewhere.  Some I apparently gave away- my eye spy bin!, and some I had totally forgotten about- I have an whole herd of elephants!  So that evening and the following day I to