**** Ignorance is NOT Bliss ****

I'm almost too embarrassed to blog about this, but I am thinking that I am not the first person this has happened to.

Just yesterday, I finally realized that I have been replying to norely@blogger.com all the while I thought I was replying to you all. This has pretty much been happening since  I started my blog.

There were many sites on the internet to help me fix my problem.  This one by
Sweet Simplicity gives a very good and simple explanation on how to fix it.  I'm pretty sure I have everything fixed up and hope you don't mind a reply back from me once in awhile.

Have a wonderful evening and I hope you haven't been emailing to the black hole, like myself. hehe

xo carol

A Little Bit More

Before I start my entry today, I just want to thank all of you for your lovely comments and to let you know I appreciate them all very much.

I thought I'd post about three of my favourite exercises I did last week from the "Crafter's Devotional"

The first one is "Purse Ephemera" 

We were to empty out our purses, suitcases, junk drawers, etc and pick out things that you would throw out and then use them as inspiration in our art work. I grabbed some of the store cards that I don't use anymore and thought they would make an interesting canvas.

old store cards

I picked out one of the cards and put a few coats of gesso on both sides,  let it dry and then started creating. I painted both sides with a few different colours of purple. Added some decorative scrap book paper. Then finished it off with an inspirational saying using the word "Empathy" and I do believe a little goes a long way. 

Revamped store card

completed exercise added to my journal

The next one was titled "Gravestone Symbolism".  

Ya, that's what I thought, "Ok what am I going to do with this. However, once I started reading through the exercise, it all became very clear.  There were many different ways one could be creative. I chose the symbol of a bird in flight, which means "Flight of the soul" in gravestone symbolism. Leaving one life and moving forward to another, just like mine is now.

 A little bird told me, "I heard you were leaving your day job to live the life you imagined". 

And I said "Yes!"

I loved doing this picture and I can't wait to start my " Contented Journey"

The third one is "Sensory Exploration: Vision"

We were to take a walk in our yard, neighbourhood or local park and observe the colors around us.
We could capture the colours in our journals or sketchbooks, using markers or paints. I chose to do a knitting project in the colours I thought represented winter. Here's my version of the colours of "Winter", a knitted neck warmer.

Poor Rosie, she really wasn't happy modeling, but there was no one else around!

Have a creative, contented and wonderful week and don't forget to show a little empathy now and then....xo

Bits and Pieces

I'm into the third week of my 365 days of the Crafter's Devotional Exercise Book! 

Time goes by so quickly when you are having fun....

It's easy to fall behind, but I got myself caught up yesterday. I also have to remember that the exercises do not need to be complicated and time consuming, unless of course, you want them to be.

My journal is a book I bought at a second hand store. I loved the colour and the oldness of the pages and I wanted a hard cover.
I felt really weird gessoing the first pages and writing on them. So I only thought it fair to read the novel if I was going to start altering it's pages. I also left the author's name in tact on the front of the book and left the title of the book "Victorine" on certain pages. I'm much more comfortable with the whole process now.

My first journal entry

Had a hard time writing on the pages......

Day 8 we got to personalize our Journal. I had a lot of fun doing this. I can't wait to go through some of my own hard cover books and turn them into journals and artist pages.
Day 15 will be perfect for this, the exercise is "Starting a wordless journal".



these are fun to do




close up


I loved the day to explore the folk art. I found a whole new world of artists that I just love.
Time With Tasha is an awesome Youtube video that takes you step by step to create this sweet folk art girl. I love Tasha's Art.
I am really loving the Crafter's Devotional Book.
I have only done two weeks of exercises and I feel I've learned so much already.


First Folk Art

 There are so many wonderful exercises in this book, I won't be able to blog about them all. I will, however, continue with a few bits and pieces...... probably my most favourites.

I'd better be off..........today's exercise is starting that wordless journal I talked about and I know I will be putting more time in than I should so bye for now and have a wonderful day.

xo

The Crafter's Devotional - 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit by Barbara R. Call

When I saw this book at Chapter's book store, I knew it was for me and just had to have it.
I have never been very disiplined when it came to my creative side. I spend more time reading and researching than doing.
I thought this book would be a great inspiration for me to set some goals and then achieve them.

For 365 Days of the year you do something creative. Every day of the week has a different category:

Monday is Journaling 
Tuesday is recycle, reuse, or revive  
Wednesday is collection, stash, and materials  
Thursday is personal history  
Friday is noncraft inspiration   
Saturday and Sunday is collaborate, gather, and experiment

You can make it as complicated or as simple as you want.  I am looking forward to the committment and challenge.

Today is Monday and the first day for journaling.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.........

Happy New Year to you All!!!!!!

January 1, 2011, here we go................


Good news is always a sign of wonderful things to come. That is how my year has started, along with knowledge of how precious life can be and that we only have one of them to live. 

It's interesting how differently one looks at their life when it suddenly becomes a game of  "russian roulette". Over the last couple of months, I have had the opportunity to look at my life through this perspective and what a different perspective it has been from any other way I have seen my life and what I want to do with it. The best we can learn from this is to embrace those changes you want to make, achieve those goals you've dreamed of and to pay attention and respect the life you have. 

This is how I am going to start my year and I am genuinely looking forward to it.

Hello and Welcome 2011!!

from my journal pages