What to say for a New Year

I have been pondering what to post to start off this New Year.  It is hard to come up with any words to express what is on my mind.  I'm not sure why that is.  

I want to be positive but both my husband and I have been sick - him more than me and it is worrisome to say the least.  On New Years eve. he woke up with pain and thought he was having a heart attack (pain was similar to when he did have one 9 years ago) so I took him to emergency.  We sat there for 8 hours having tests done and in the end, they said there was no sign of a heart attack.  That is good news but he continues to feel poorly every day.  What in the world is going on? 

I am looking forward to this year because I am geared up and taking several online courses.  Last summer I discovered Art Journaling and it literally has been a life saver in the midst of everything that happened.  I have always been creative and artsy fartsy but in a controlled and perfectionist kind of way.  Taking mixed media courses has allowed me to go ahead and fling paint and find out what beautiful things can happen.  I love the freedom that I have when creating an art journal page.  The best technique I learned was to journal negative thoughts and then cover them up with paint or gesso.  How cool is that - to write all your bad stuff and then release it by covering it with beautiful colors?  

 

I took Art Heart and Healing from Tamara Laporte (Willowing) and loved it so much that I signed up for Fabulous Faces and Life Book 2013.  She has a lovely compassionate way of teaching her courses. 

In November I found the site of Effy Wild and really found out how to not be afraid of layering color and paint on the page.  I took two courses before signing up for Book of Days 2013.  She even taught us how to make our own hand bound journal...... that was awesome!  Effy is a giving soul and shares her talent with anyone and everyone.   

This is the first hand bound journal I have ever made  and it will be my Book of Days journal for 2013.  Effy gives weekly videos with lots of good information.  Some free classes too!

My BOD has a canvas cover which I gessoed then painted many layers of paint and stencils over until it was a mottled color I liked.  I love how the canvas looks like it is aged!   A length of purple Sari Silk wraps to close it.

 

 Four signatures sewn together using a book binding method taught by Effy Wild.  (link above)

Hemp cord is used to bind the signatures of watercolor paper together

A recent course I signed up for was Unravelling with Susannah Conway  In it, we take weekly photographs and are then given a writing assignment.  It is designed to make us more aware of our surroundings and get real about our thoughts.  I am looking forward to this.

I so badly wanted to have a thought provoking post written for the New Year but I can't seem to dig deep and find the right words.  Maybe that will come with the Unravelling course.  

I do know that I appreciate every single one of you who read my little blog.  I want to be more active and inspirational this year.  I will take pictures of my art journal pages and post them soon.  Can't wait to share!

Thank you for your comments and support as always!!

My new working studio.....Yay!

12 Ruffled Grouse feeding in our driveway

We moved in to the house our daughter used to live in a month ago....wowsers, is it that long ago?  The house isn't new.... part of it is two stories built in 1937 with three charming bedrooms upstairs.   An addition was built in 2000 which has a master bedroom, bathroom and living room.  It is smaller but very cozy indeed. We are fortunate to have lots of huge mature trees surrounding 2.4 acres.   So far, we have seen a fox, deer, ruffled grouse and hear coyotes at night.    

This cat came to live here in the summer she has a very lovable disposition.  I wonder how anyone could get rid of a cat like her?  She is a good mouser too.
We call her Titty Tatterson.....it's a long story :)

I picked colors from a paint chip this summer when I was in BC so it was a real shot in the dark.  We hired a painter to paint the entire home top to bottom.  I chose white for the ceilings and Designer white for the walls.  Then I started to panic thinking it would be too stark.  There is still the old original hardwood floors in pretty good shape, and  lots of wood mouldings around doorways.  When I saw it all painted - I was totally in love with the warm colors I chose.  Yay!

My beading side of the studio - lots of plastic I know...but hey, it does the job of holding so many beads

The very best part was setting up a studio in one of the upstairs bedrooms that has good lighting throughout the day.  I love the thought that this used to be my granddaughter's room.  

Jenica is very artistic so it is nice to think about her when I create.  

Wire and components.  Pictures my grand daughter painted to inspire me

Art side of the studio and all my supplies within reach

This is where I work - I love the big window that faces South.  Believe me it won't stay this neat!

Teeny tiny walk in closet typical of older homes but is very charming.  I decided to surround it with pictures I love of all my family.  It adds color and inspires me.

The corner wall features art work by my grand kids and pictures.  I have all my beading books within reach.  

So this is where I will be spending my days from now on.  I love my new space and can't wait to get back to being my usual creative self.  It is inspiring to have a new space where I can work.  Thank you for stopping by and visiting me!