Join me Today for Life Book 2014

Life Book 2014 is now open for registration. I am so excited to be a part of this artistic journey once again and can't believe the incredible line up gathered for a year of creative adventure, it is truly amazing! The piece shown was my favorite lesson from 2013 and what I have planned for January and December 2014 is just as fun and a great learning experience. Life Book includes 23 teachers and 52 weeks of creative inspiration brought to you weekly. Really, where can you get that for such an incredible price of $109? Did I forget to tell you that each lesson is also downloadable and yours to keep too.

Since it begins on January 1st, this is a great time to register and start collecting supplies. Your favorite mixed media paper (watercolor, bristol, mixed media) in a 9x12 size. Tam shows you how to turn this into a lovely journal/book so you can keep all your work together for the year, really a brilliant idea to have one place for your 2014 arting I must say! Your favorite mediums - acrylics, watercolors, crayons, glues and pens, whatever you are used to using. A couple classes will call for a little extra but most encourage you to use what you have.

By using the "Life Book 2014" button on the top left of my blog, you will be linked directly to the sign up page which includes more information about the program. When you click the button through my site here, you will be helping me earn a percentage of the cost of the class. It is greatly appreciated and I wanted to say "thank you" for helping me make money at a job I love, doing art! I look forward to seeing you in class next year!

Word - Sanctuary

The word for this week is sanctuary.

Its noun meaning - a consecrated place; a place of refuge.

This lovely place was taken in my friend Margot's garden in Florida. I absolutely loved the texture of the arched plaque but then you notice the wonderful cragginess of the wall behind it. It is a visual treat for the eyes and my creative side is already trying to figure out how in the world to replicate its beauty. The aged statuary makes you feel transported to the crowded streets of Rome or Italy glimpsing these beauties everywhere you look. The color combination represented in the soft patina of the mossy avocado greens and the touch of pale salmon just sends my artistic sensories on overload. The juxtaposition of the warmer hues versus the cooler background tones just makes me want to grab my journal and start painting. Are you going to join me? I sure hope so!

Vintage Illustrations

I adore botanical prints and was fortunate enough to stumble across a booth that shared my love interest at the Junk Bonanza. I scored so many pages that included the subjects of birds, flowers, eggs, butterflies, bulbs and aquatic life that I don't know where to start. I want to use them in my mixed media pieces but for safe measure I will also be scanning them to reuse over and over. I like to use originals in my art whenever possible because I think it adds an authenticity to my artwork. As for what I will be making, I'm not really sure. I just know by starting with such inspiration, how can I go wrong, right? I will keep you posted on the creative journey and when I get a piece or two finished I will be sure to share the journey with you. So, my question for you, what gets you really excited?

Word - Bright

It has been a while, a long while really since I have blogged and to tell you the truth, I have missed it tremendously. I just wasn't allowing myself the time to sit, look through my photos, choose one and let me get inspired by what I saw. Sad, really, that everything else came before me and what I wanted to do. So, that changes today. I will be posting regularly and if you haven't noticed, I have added a "follow by email" button so you will get an automatic update when I post. Do sign up, I love the little alerts that come for me letting me know my favorite blogs are ready to come and view! Are you ready, here we go...

The word for this week is bright.

Its adjective meaning - shining, radiant; illustrious, glorious; intelligent, clever, lively, cheerful.

This page was done in my art journal. It is a reflection of wanting something bright, cheerful and sunny to compensate for the dreary, greyed down layers of the wintery season here in the Midwest. So I gathered my favorite things - a card from a friend with a fantastic botanical image and of course the insects I so adore along with some odd pieces of ephemera. I worked in one color on the background creating interest and patterns to give your eye something wonderful to rest one. What you can't see is the wonderful dark pea soup color of the ribbon tying in all the lovely greens spattered throughout the page.

Thank you for checking in and I do hope you will become a "follower" so we can once again journey into the undiscovered world we live in together! Have a very warm and sunny day!