Ooops! Index Card A Day Starts Tomorrow!!

 I Think I Goofed!

Black and White

My new Copic Markers!


It looks like I may have goofed up the timing of the Index Card A Day series!  My apologies to anyone who 'jumped the gun' with me....I was just so excited!

So....since it's not official yet- here is a  sneak peak at the "before and after's" I'm working on for the upcoming project. 

This is a great opportunity to jump in and just Create Every Day!  Hope you join us!



Share the Link Love!

So today is my first Friday of "Share the Link Love"!

  Scoot on over to Daisy Yellow and Crafty Pod.  I am hoping that I am doing everything correctly! 

If you notice any mistakes, please leave me a loving comment as I SO appreciate the help!

So here are some of my FAVES!

1.  AJ's World  by Amethyst Joelle Freibott-  This Blog's writer is an amazingly gifted, soulful and wise-beyond-her-years teen.  She is heart-wrendingly honest and offers us a look into what it's like to pursue her passion and live the life she feels called to, while trying to survive as a teenager.   

2.  Whimspirations by Joanne Sharpe-  You probably know her has the "Letter Love" gal.  My Mom and I cruised her fantastic blog together and signed up for her Lettering 101 on the spot!  And I'm already doing 21 Secrets!  You won't be able to resist!

3.  Morning Dew by Morning Dove- I met lovely Morning Dove in Tammy Garcia's 21 Step Water Color class and just loved her work!  She has an amazing voice and brings her own 'spin' to all of the work she does for her classes.  Take some time to browse her site!  I know you'll love it as much as I do!

4. I am Rushmore-  I just love this gal's style!  Please go read her Profile...it was fantastic!  This is one I will definitely be following!

5.  Daisy Yellow by Tammy Garcia- Ok, so I know you probably already know all about Tammy but just in case you don't...go there now!   I am a huge fan and follower of Tammy, her art and her blog.  And she is the one responsible for all this "Linky Love"!

So join me as I romp around to new and exciting Blogs...who knows, you might just find a new Friend!

An Index Card a day

 My Giant Leap into "An Index Card a Day"



My Very First Index Card!



Ok, So I will admit that when I first saw the "Index Card a Day" Button on Tammy Garcia's Blog "Daisy Yellow"....I was skeptical.  An index card?  Really?  Hmm.......

But then I had an epifany...  What do I love even more than Nuttella???!!!  SCHOOL SUPPLY SHOPPING!!!  This was my excuse!

As you might know, my boys are now a Senior in High School and a Senior in College.  But GIRL, you know I am right there at Walmart's "Back to School Sale" elbowing my way to those 50 cent Composition books!  Pencils, White Board Markers in colors I'll never use, Crayons, Organizers, dividers..AAAEEEHH! I LOVE IT!

I suppose now I have to call them "Office Supplies" as my oldest son was not at all impressed with the Hello Kitty Notebook with matching Pencil Case that I scored for him....on SALE even!

So, off I went!  I grabbed enough Index Cards to last two lifetimes, which is just the way I roll, got home, opened them up and ZAP....the magic happened!

Index Card Day 2....okay, not really I couldn't help making a bunch of the on Day 1!

I am now COMLETELY addicted to Index cards.  I want to sketch on them, paint them, collect them, organize them, organize them again, Mod Podge them and just generally roll around in them!

These babies are so user-friendly and are completely non-judgemental, non-threatening and non-scary!  A great way to chase away the "blank paper syndrome" that haunts us all. And use can use them for literally anything! Gifts, collage, art work, mail art....great stuff!

I found an awesome blog today by Karen Isaacson called "I am Rushmore".  You absolutely MUST read her profile to find out what inspired her to choose that unusual name...it was really brilliant.  She had a great post on the "Index Card a Day" Phenomenon and some beautiful examples of her own cards.  It is definitely worth the time!  Hop on over with this link!

I am Rushmore: Why you should join this year's Index-Card-a-Day challenge



Card I am pretending is Day 3:)



So Jump right in with me!  Click on the "Index Card a Day" Button on the right and it will take you to Daisy Yellow where you can meet the gal who started it all!

Send me your 'Index Art' and I'll post mine!

A New Look!

Blogging for Dummies!

I've been huddled in a Corner with my Kindle for hours this last week pouring over the only 'How to Blog' book I am qualified to read......"Blogging for Dummies"!

And now....I am drunk with power!!!

Ok, not really...but I did manage to Upload an original background! 

Here's what the whole piece looks like.

Acrylics with a credit card, stencils....just juicy color madness!

I'm still reading so be on the look out for little 'upgrades'!

Thank you to all you wonderful, sweet bloggers who left me hints and how-to's!  I love you all!

Dollar Store Art Bonanza!

Just a Buck!

You know I love the thrill of the HUNT!

I made an EPIC expedition recently to my local Dolllar Store....the GOOD one...you know, with the stuff that's actually a Dollar...

I hunted slowly and meticulously through the aisles in search of the often Illusive 'crafting-wonder-of-the- week'.  This weeks target... "printing madness".

Behold!  The creature reared it's head and was snapped up in my frenzy......

Extra Juicy Catch of the Week!!!

Here it is in all it's JUICY print making delicious-ness!!! 

And.. in action for my latest class at 21 Secrets:

Can you see the glorious evenly spaced Magic Dots??? I went a little crazy and ended up stamping 'White Dotty Goodness on almost everything in my studio!

Here's another shot..



It's a little harder to see...it's just adding to the yummy texture of the page...look up there on the right with the red area....too fun!

I just smeared some White Acrylic Paint onto a paper plate with my brayer (the little roller thingee), dabbed  the dart board in face down and Voila! I stamped everything I could find!

And when you are done...you can throw the darts at your family!!

Don't worry, they have rubber tips and will fall apart as soon as they leave your hand...there's no actual danger of contact!

Stay tuned for the next "Dollar Store Find of the Week!"

Bridge to New Beginnings

Bridge to New Beginnings!

So, I have started working on a Prayer Journal based on the book "The Hour That Changes the World".  It's an "oldy but a goody" that I found at a thrift shop when I was about 13 years old. It changed my life way back then.  And then just recently found it again!  I knew it was the Holy Spirit working on me.

As I've been working on art for the different sections I really felt the Him letting me know that I needed to get away....alone.

If you know me, I don't do alone:)  I am usually going at the mock 10 running around, keeping busy....the word God used was "Distracting".  He wanted me to get away from all the distractions that I am currently addicted to so I could listen to Him.

It's been a long couple of years as my son has gone through his second round of chemo therapy for Leukemia and survival has sometimes been the order of the day ...enter in 'distractions'.  Some of them are  good, like  our love of reading and studying the Word, watching movies as a family... and finally this year...art!

But God is whispering that He is going to be doing a new thing....so in order to quiet down my racing brain I went on a little adventure with Him...

We, myself and Jesus, ended up in some pretty awesome places...secret places...I'll never tell!

The sound of the water drowned out my cycling thoughts and I was able to sit on a rock like a lizard and just "Be"....you know "BE still and know that I am God..." I never really seem to make it to the 'still' part.

It took a while of quiet for me to start to hear Him. 

In fact, I am so unaccustomed to quiet, to sitting still and to just 'BE-ing' that I had to take a break and run around for a while....then He took me to another Secret Place.

We had a great Meeting...He was there, the angels were there, several birds and a dragonfly were there.  He went over the new plan with me:)

It's time for some New Beginnings!  I hope you will join me and learn to follow His quiet voice!

Puddle Jumping Journal

 My Collaged "Idea Book"....Using the "Good Stuff"!

Puddle Jumping Collage!

This weeks Art Journaling Adventure  at 21 Secrets is "Jump in Puddles"  by the lovely Kim Phillips Van Buren. Kim has the most wonderful, quiet sweet spirit that just flows out to you from her brief but powerful video lessons.  Her gift to us is a tool for "Getting Unstuck".   You can find her on her Blog "The Dutchess of Orange".

We have all experienced being 'stuck' in some part of our lives; creatively, emotionally, spiritually. Sometimes we have parts of our life that feel alive and flowing while other parts are just empty, dried out and barren.  Sometimes it's fear that dries us out...fear of failure or even fear of success.  Sometimes we've just gotten so busy in the everyday-ness of life and have forgotten to go back the Source.  Just like we can't stop breathing, or eating and drinking to noursih our bodies, our hearts, souls, minds and spirit need to be 'Watered' or they slowly shrivel up.

In Jeremiah, God repeatedly calls himself the "Source of Living Water" and in John 7:37 he has this to say:

John 7:38

He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.   (Amplified)

I didn't realize just how "stuck" I was until I 'jumped in' with Kim and started going through my hoarded 'favorite' pictures, images and bits and pieces that I was saving for 'the perfect page'.  I found this funky 80's 'scrapbook' at the Thrift Shop for $1.99 and loved it because the right side is a pocket and you can slide out that white paper for some Secret Hidden Journaling:)

I was of course "saving it for the perfect time"....guilty!:)  I'm so glad I Jumped in that Puddle and now I have my first completed Journal!!

Pattern Play...ideas for Doodling

She encouraged us to boldly "use the good China" and to put those treasures into a place that we could enjoy and splash around in them.  These are all pictures that I love to look at and would like to sketch at some point.   They are also great for inspiring new patterns while "Doodling with much Zen':)

Juicy Animal Pics for Sketching...love the Armadillo..

Her advice of moving quickly and not letting our critical mind catch up with us was so spot-on!

  I am SO color and image driven that this was huge for me.  I think, feel and react in pictures, colors and patterns.  I have since I was tiny.  It is sometimes very difficult for me to communicate verbally and so I end up very 'stuck' in a lot of areas of my life. 

Just seeing all those things on the page, the colors, the images and the patterns is so suprisingly healing!  I feel like the 'junk' is being cleaned out of my system and the Source of Living Water is able to rush in to those thirsty areas.. 

My favorite Colors!

Now I can grab this 'Inspiration Book' anytime I am feeling a little 'blocked up' and all my favorite pictures and colors are all in one place!  This is such a great technique! 

Won't you grab those old magazines that are lying around and a Glue Stick?   Just cut out whatever jumps out at you and glue those suckers down- it can be in a 20 cent notebook from Walmart....I promise you magic will happen!  Please check out Kim's wonderful Blog and On-line Classes at "The Dutchess of Orange".

New and Improved!

Seriously...those are your Pictures?

Okay, So I am totally editting this right now because I am SO COMPLETELY better at blogging now then when I wrote this...practically an expert...I am, as you know, one third of the way through "Blogging for Dummies"...so Ya, I know what I'm doing....( My 16 year old Neice is on the floor laughing right now...)

(My original text is not bolded...for your laughing pleasure:)

I promised better pictures.... or at least not completely hideous pictures....and VOILA!!

Ok.  Still not perfect....but progress my friends...PROGRESS!

(OK- now seriously this was a stinkin' good photo for me two weeks ago!)

I am now the proud owner of Picasa Editing Software and am hoping that all my future photos will be much eaiser on the eye. 

(It's About time!!!Of course I have no idea where in Picassa these are now...that's the next Chapter in "Dummies"...)

Here are some reposts of the worst offenders:)

Really Bad Picture #1

Really Bad Picture #2

So...the obvious problems: 

The paper is warped, the lighting is dim  and I have an ugly Kitchen Table...

Solutions: 

Iron the pages between two clean rags

Take the pic outside in better light

Try to convince my hubby to let me paint the Kitchen Table AND

Run the photo through Picasa, crop, add light and....

Voila!

So much better #1

"Can't believe I didn't learn this sooner" #2

Hurray!!

(Your Eyeballs will Thank Me!)

Thank you for coming with me on this Journey!  I hope to inspire you with those profound words from "The Magic School Bus" ....."Get messy!  Make Mistakes!"

Send me a sample of a really tacky photo and it's new and improved version!

Water Color Playground!

Psychadelic WaterColors!

Water Color Playground!

  Once again I've been immersed in 21 Secret's Art Journaling Wonderland!  21 Classes, each fabulous and different!  I've been trying to focus on one class at a time to keep myself from feeling overwhelmed.  I tend to take several classes at once and have several projects going...but with all the new techniques it is just too much even for me...the 'Queen of ADD'!

I am currently taking Tammy Garcia's "Water Color Playground" on-line course and I have to say it has been one of my favorites.  I am absolutely completely new to WaterColors and was very intimidated.  I also had the mistaken idea that Water Colors were...well, OLD!  I have only seen really watered down pieces and I am really all about the Vibrant colors.....and Tammy's Class really showed me how wonderfully wrong I was!  They are totally Psychadelic!

I would highly recommend this class to anyone out there..from complete beginner like me to experienced Water Color junkies! Her Art is Inspiring and her Blog Daisy Yellow is Great! 

Let's all pause for a moment of silence to commemorate the fact that I, Molly, actually managed to put an actual LINK...a WORKING LINK!....inside my blog.  A tear is slides silently down my proud cheek.....

OK!  So on to Water Colors!!  The top one is our first class "Stripes"....Love the Colors!!  And she showed us how to do the groovy lettering that I've always wanted to try!



Stripes!

I apologize again for the picture quality.  Today my neice, who is also my "Blog Tech Support" is going to show me how to stop taking really lame pictures with weird angles and strange borders.  I, like you, will be very relieved...

This was our "Bubble" assigment.  I am totally addicted to this technique and sat through two Disney Fairy Movies making Bubbles for this class!  It was so soothing and relaxing..and it takes a lot to get this chick to relax!




Water Color Bubbles!



Blue and Green Bubbles

This next one was the Final Project called "Playground".  She gave us so many ideas!  AND you got to watch her paint hers with the camera sped up which was really fascinating.  I am definitely going to do another one of these.  It's something I can do while sitting with the fam in front of the TV or while watching old Psych re-runs:)


Playground!



I did this whole class with a Water Color set that I picked up at the Thrift Shop for a buck! Now for those of you who don't know, I am a "Thrift Shop Diva" and the Lord is very good to me when I beg Him for new supplies!  But, you too could find an inexpensive set and use your 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby to buy an 8'x8' Water Color pad for about $3.49.  Then you would be off and frolicking in a Water Color Wonderland!  Consider treating yourself to Tammy Garcia's Class or better yet, sign up for 21 Secrets Art Journaling Course and Join me on the 'Play Ground'! 

Inky Messy Fun

Ink Background...Love them!

Hey Everyone!

Gosh darn it if life doesn't really get in the way of my blogging!

I am happy to report that after a very stressful week of 'life' in which I wasn't able to sneak away too much...I am back up to my elbows in paint and frolicking around in my Art Room working on my latest class "Journal Soup" by Kate Crane, part of 21 Secrets Art Journaling Course.

This has been a fantastic romp through my art supplies and especially focussed on Ink Play!  Too fun!  I learned that you can actually spray the ink ONTO a 'craft mat' and then press your paper on top of it to make delicious patterns and backgrounds. 

I had no idea what a 'craft mat' was and suspect it might be a British invention, so when my 16 year old wasn't looking, I stole one of his plastic cutting boards:)   I am very much aware that my gifting is not in cooking- so my Son, probably as a matter of self preservation, has taken to doing a lot of the cooking.  He hasn't noticed yet...so I am hoping to find a 'craft mat' soon so I can return the now 'muti-colored' cutting mat to it's proper place.

Everyone was doing kind of weird funky figures so I just jumped in.  I have been working on drawing faces and since we are still involved in chemo most of my female faces and girls are bald:)  Bald and Beautiful !

My little angels:)

There are three sessions in this class so I am working on the next one right now.  I will post them as soon as I can get them facing the right direction!  I hope you will see that strange is totally acceptable and jump in!  Grab your 'cutting board' and some ink and get messy!