It's a Craft Thing

I attended a fun monthly meeting of the LA Craft Mafia last night. I just love their logo:This logo was created by Morgan, who is super sweet, creative and has a great blog! She has touching and hilarious hand drawn comics. Please check her out by clicking on her name!

I must say, however, that the ride there was...um...interesting. A little peek for my carpoolers at the mommy life. Let's just say, I think all the drug stores ran out of the The Pill today.

The only way I was going to make it out to the city last night to hang with these cool crafty peeps was to meet the DH at his work and switch cars. A dear friend and two more of her friends, whom I had never met, agreed to carpool with me, and I was happy to pick them all up, since they were not only on the way to the event, but also to the DH's office.

So, with the three kids in tow, we headed the 30 minutes to my friends' house. I walked into her house with all three kids, and they just took over the place. Her cats were, like "I'm outta here" and so, my one year old, and five year old daughters proceeded to corner them under the pool table, giggling all the while. My son managed to give himself an entire tour of the house by saying "I need to go to the bathroom" and then showing up from another hallway. I was so ready to go!

All 7 of us managed to fit into my minivan, and we headed for DH's office, only 15 minutes away. Well, the baby decided she needed to cry the whole way there. No toy, no sippy cup with milk, NOT EVEN THE WHEELS ON THE BUS SONG would do! Of course, when she saw daddy, all tears disappeared and he apparently had an uneventful ride home.

The first comment my friend said as we left the kids and my DH was" Boy, I kinda wish I had driven, 'cuz then you could drink, and I think you need one way more than I even do!" Well, ain't that the effin' truth.

Visual Journaling

I just taught another visual journaling class last week. It was a great class, and as usual, the first question on most of the students' lips at the end of class was - "When can we do this again?!"

I too, have been working on my own visual journal. Working out personal issues, and I am finding it really helpful. Here's one entry: I am working on becoming that butterfly. My hand is still trying to capture it.

I start with my journaling, and then art over it. I don't worry about not being able to remember what I wrote - I will absolutely remember, based on the art that's on top. The brown thing on the right is a sewing "mending kit". It's a folded pocket. I don't really plan on altering it, but I will keep little mementos in there, as part of my "mending".

Below is my latest favorite entry.

It relates to one of my previous blog entries about "My Life in Five Chapters" - so that's what the numbers to five are about. I'm finding new roads, and then the yellow brick road came to mind. Will I find Oz? Is Oz really a place where food will no longer be so alluring, such a temptation that causes me pain? The bottom layer, on top of my journaling is a map. Then I added more papers, and acrylic paint. Then wrote the numbers and "Yellow Brick Road" text with a black sharpie. The red speckled stuff is red oil pastel scraped over glass bead gel. Cool stuff.

I think Oz is more like a place where a false wizard lives. Food will always be a struggle with me, but it might get easier as I get into a habit of saying "no" and focusing my time and attention on other things.

You can't imagine how helpful these visual journaling exercises have been. I hope you'll try the same thing. Journal for 5-10 minutes, then art over it. If you've wrote ugly things or embarassing things, it also helps that you know it will be covered up, but only you can remember what's there.

Explore amongst yourselves...

Which One Are You?

Every once in a while, I go through all the Oprah shows I have Tivo'd and actually watch some of them. Yesterday, I went through this exercise, finding a show on death that had just aired this week. To make a long story short, one of the guests on the show talked about a choice that we make in life - are you a Tigger or an Eeyore?

A Tigger is someone who is generally happy - taking any kind of moment and finding the good. The wonderful thing about Tigger, is Tigger is a wonderful thing, his top is made out of rubber, his bottom made out of spring.
An Eeyore is someone who always has that rain cloud following them. Every situation is bound to end up in disaster. The world is gray and hopeless. Mopey. Nothing good is gonna happen.

Which one would you prefer to hang out with?

Which one are you?

Which one would you rather be?

It was interesting how this man presented that we have a CHOICE of which one we are. Yes, that's right. A CHOICE. We can CHOOSE how we look at a situation, and we can CHOOSE how we react to it.

Are you waiting around for life to happen to you? Or are you out there making life happened for yourself? Did you know that opportunity only knocks for people who are willing to get their butts out of their chair and answer the door? Sometimes it may feel like you’ll never make it to the door, it’s too far away, but if you keep walking, you’ll eventually get there.

Tigger is someone who definitely Lives Each Day.

And, on that note, I’ve been tagged! Lisa tagged me. Here are the rules:

1. Write the title to your own memoir using only 6 words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who tagged you.

4. Tag 5 more blogs.

I am definitely not as clever as Lisa, but I knew what I would want my memoir to say: “How One Woman Changed the World”. So, you think I’m uppity? Full of myself? I don’t think I am. It is definitely my job to change the world, just like it is yours too. You have just as much responsibility as me. We will just do it in different ways, and that’s actually the most important part.

I will tag: Julie, Karen, The Trend Spot, Maija, and Peggy!

50th Post !!!!

Yes, this is my 50th post, and I will just drown you in art!

Firstly! I want you all to know that my summer workshops have been posted on my website, so please come visit me at Viva Gallery for a class!

Secondly, as promised, here is also the link to the UCLA Weight Loss Program I am doing right now. I know, I know, it's a little drastic, but I need drastic right now. I'll tell you what it IS - is TOTALLY EFFING HARD, but I've survived 10 days. Things already feel way better when I bend over to tie my shoes.

And, finally, the drowning...

Here is a piece in a similar style to the commissioned piece I did.

Can you tell that's half a heart? I'm not sure... I love the colors. It is 15"x20" on watercolor paper.

Below is my first mandala. I took a mandala class at Viva Gallery - well sorta. When I signed up, I didn't realize it was a 4 part class, one class a month for 4 months. That is waaaaaaay too much commitment for me. Plus, my busy schedule just didn't allow me to make the middle two classes. But I still completed the mandala. The teacher was visibly horrified. What do you think? Her comment was - "Well, it sure is your style." It's 2 feet x 2 feet on wrapped canvas.

That's ok. I'm confident enough to realize that she didn't appreciate it because it was not in the traditional looking style of the Tibetan mandala. But, I'm not Tibetan, I'm me, and I'm glad it's in my style. After looking at it for a while, I thought it might not be finsihed. It looks a little empty. Not sure what I'll end up doing, but that's what's there for now.

Last week, I was struggling with my new "Food" plan, and the one thing that makes me completely forget about food, eating, or anything else for that matter is doing art. So, I spent LOTS of time in the studio last week, after the kiddies went to bed. I didn't stay up late this time, too tired. But here's what came out.

This first piece is my favorite. It has a hadwritten line from a Grateful Dead song: "When I had no wings to fly, you flew to me". I love that line. This piece is 11"x17" on watercolor paper. Next is a piece I made from a leftover phototransfer, which is the background. I simply added the elements as you see. The gold blob on the bottom right is sealing wax melted over the collage, allowed to almost dry, then I stamped cool text with a rubber stamp into it. It is approximately 8"x10" on photo paper.
This next piece was something I finished up from a leftover from LK Ludwig's Nature Journaling class from Art & Soul. This piece is 11"x17" on watercolor paper.
Next is a sweet, pink lotus piece. Yes, I know, it's the same flower that Anahata uses in her cards. Well, damn it, I like that flower too, and it's a copyright free image, so I intend on using it. This piece is 11"x17" on watercolor paper.So, there you go. Not really feeling drowned? Me neather. That's really not EVERYTHING, but definetely my favorites. They will all be on sale at this event! Oh - except the mandala.

We have a winner for May!

ok, ok, I know it's been too long since my last blog, and I will have a good post tomorrow, including the food program I'm on. Your comments really make a difference for me. Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone.

I have a crap load of art to photograph and want to make it beautiful, so please be patient, as I have a very demanding 13 month old who would like to become attached at my hip. And, she has discovered climbing kitchen cabinets and anything else that might have a high skull cracking potential. Oh yah.

But, I wanted to get in our winner for May - is...

Theresa Martin!

yay! she gets the lovely blue dichroic glass earrings. They will be off to Theresa early this week.