Always Running

Shoup, Lynda Diane. Always Running. 2017, Private Collection of the Artist.

New spread exploring the time sensitive nature of modern life. 

Do you feel like you are always running? Do you have strategies to combat this? 

Shining New Pages

"Look toward the light" collage by Lynda Shoup. May 2017.

Two Junes ago I took a class with Kelly Kilmer. It was a wonderful day of creation. I had never had any contact with other mixed media people in an in-person style way. I treasure that day. While some pages in the journal we made that day were finished I have many more pages to complete. 

It is not uncommon for mixed media enthusiasts to take on too many projects, to want to try everything and to skip from one journal to another. Picking up this journal after several years seemed like it might be difficult or it would be hard to match the style, but it didn't turn out that way. It felt simply perfect.

"Choose Joy" collage by Lynda Shoup. May 2017.

The next day I noticed that Kelly's teaching schedule is on her blog. I'm eyeing a class and trying to decide whether it can fit in my schedule. Kelly is an amazing teacher. She pulls so much out of you while you are not even aware that she is doing so. I found her class very powerful. If you want to see if there is something for you on her schedule, you can look here:

http://kellykilmer.blogspot.com/2017/05/june-2017-workshops.html

I highly recommend it!

Art on the Run

On the run. 

All the time. 

Art comes along for the ride now. 

Little books made in coffee shops, 

in the car and 

waiting for something I had to wait for. 

No longer remembered, but taking time.

Bits ready for paint, or glue or stamping

can go with me 

and turn this waiting

into playing. 

The coffee shop was crowded

full of people talking

of themselves and their special knowledge. 

Snippets heard and pondered

like the information about how to outrun an alligator, 

fell upon my ears, 

though I bade them not to come. 

The world of ATCs was fresh

an unknown form

lots of fun to try. 

Discovered I like it.

ATCs, little books, envelopes

small treasures of uncertain worth

easy to carry, compact and succinct. 

Color, color, shapes and color

layers, patterns, expected and unexpected

More to come.

Travel bag of paints, pencils, and ephemera

Now my best friend. 

Every Day

Sometimes it's increments of the smallest measure. Sometimes it's bigger. Sometimes it's grand. 

A few dots. Several lines. Once started the gel pen moves almost on it's own. Just a few minutes is enough to keep the momentum.

Remembering June

Remembering June and planning for this year's Roses. 

I left my play journal out on the desk. There were many chores waiting me, but I stole some time for me. There is nothing that centers me like putting color on a page. Tonight it was prismacolor markers that did the trick. The feeling of the marker making contact with the paper - this makes me grounded. 

I had prepared this page over a month ago. Big red circles and then petals from a silk flower gessoed down to the page. The rest was added tonight. Once again....it looks completely different than when I started.

There are chores to do and I'm running behind in my art courses. But I'm adding color to my life and moving forward. 

Busy Time Play

It's been hard to fit in time to paint lately. Too many things to start a new year. I am signed up for two classes and had hoped to make progress in each of them this weekend, but alas, it was not to be.

Still I just had to listen to that voice that begs for expression. Some time ago I decided that I needed to create a forum for just such times. Using a thin journal I splashed paint on the pages, added ink and started adding extra paint/ink/stmaps from other projects. The concept of this book is that it would be easy enough to pull out and do 10 minutes of playing. Some of the pages have ended up favorites.

Too bad it lay forgotten - until tonight. I pulled it out and added color with abandon. It now looks nothing like the page it began as. Transformations are fun. The page wasn't the only thing energized. I was too.

Note to self: This should be a core activity and done so regularly that it is not forgotten in overwhelming times.

Hope you will make a play journal too. 

Optimist or Idiot?

I've neglected my blog, I know, but I am glad to be back at my computer and posting. Frankly, I can't really manage a post on my phone or iPad. Photos get posted to Instagram and then I move on to the next project. So my strategy going forward to is prioritize getting to my desk. 

The struggle to find time for it all is real and yet I remain confident that connection is worth the effort. Prioritizing projects, deciding which things to participate in and which to pass on is hard. After months of thinking about it I finally decided to commit to doing Life Book 2016. The desire to take part is a given, but time...there is always time. I have yet to start my December painting for the Spirit Wings Angel Painting class. There are three more to come. So starting a yearlong project, am I an optimist or an idiot? Can I keep up? The months to come will tell the truth, but I am glad I choose to say "Yes" to this thing I want to do. I'm doing it for me. 

I am a caregiver. I think of the needs of others in so many of my roles. If you are reading this you probably do too, It has been a long time since I started putting the needs of others first. That's ok as long as I put my needs somewhere in the calendar. I'm learning this and it is a struggle. So I am glad I joined this groups as well as the others I enjoy. Life Book 2016, Spirit Wings Angel Painting, CarveDecember, Art Journal Every Day, Mad Tea Party - all these events and the people who host them have made my life more exciting. Thank you all. 

So I may be an idiot, but I hope I will be a happy one following dreams that bring joy and holding the things I cherish dear. If that makes me an idiot, I embrace it. 

Oh Happy Day!

Today is the day that my dear friend, Cindi Huss arrives for a few days of making art. We have talked about taking some time together for a long time. Our "Artist Retreat" has taken some unexpected turns and has toned down from the original idea. I trust that it is unfolding just as it should. Here's proof of my optimism:

The fabric paint I ordered was delayed. The arrival date shifted to a date when it would be too late to use it. Disappointed though I was, I knew we had more projects than time so shrugged it off. It arrived yesterday! In plenty of time. Now we only have to use Hermione Grangers time warp to have time enough to use it! 

As if that isn't enough, tomorrow is the Mad Tea Party. My post will be up bright and early. Be sure to visit all the wonderful parties going on!

Bloom Where You Are and Let the Seeds Carry You Far...

My variation on Bloom Where You are Planted. Bloom and then bloom again where the seeds take you. Allow yourself the happy happenstance of enjoying new vistas, new horizons. Bloom where you land and allow yourself to keep on moving and blooming. 

It's been a weird week here. More about that in the next post. Let's just say that things did not go as planned, but there is learning and love everywhere you go. 

I wish you a week full of unexpected blessings and meaningful lessons. I hope it is full of joy.

What do you do when things don't go as planned? Do you roll with it? Do you embrace it? Do you fight it tooth and nail? 

Cherry Blossoms - Self Care Saturday

The world seemed to blossom this week. Everywhere the flowers seem to pop up out of nowhere. Today I am giving myself the gift of taking the time to see them. Actually see them. So often in springtime I'm noticing them with half my attention (if that) as I drive by. This is a busy season for school employees. It's easy to get caught up and neglect to really enjoy the loveliness around. 

Today, camera in hand, I will stop and be mindful of the beauty in front of me. I will soak it up. 

This will not be the only extravagance of the day, but it will certainly be a part of it. 

Things don't last forever. I will enjoy them today. 

Ephemeral. Beautiful. Enjoy now. 

What things do you wish you spent more time appreciating? Enjoying? Savoring? 
Are your favorite flowers long flowering or do they have a short run? Are there seasonal foods that you try to enjoy during their season? Here we are having asparagus season. 

Many delights to you today. 

Wear Your Joy Course with Kelly Rae Roberts - Fashion Friday

When I saw the course by Kelly Rae Roberts called Wear Your Joy I just knew I had to take it. It resonated so well with this art journal. She provided a forum for exploring some of the very things I thought I'd put in this journal. So today's Fashion Friday is dedicated to Kelly. I started a few days late, so I'm still working on day two, but already I've identified one big thing that will make a difference in my style - actually wearing the beautiful accessories I have! 

You can see that my page features a blank spot - an unfinished area on the page. This is where I traced two beautiful pieces I wore today - both made of glass. 

Below you see the necklace I wore today - a beautiful piece of art made my a friend. 

The other item I wore today is my Troll Bead bracelet. (I do mix in beads from Camilla and Pandora.) I love the glass pieces especially.  These pieces of joy made me smile all day. Accessorize. That's the word this week. 

 Want more information about the course? Here's a link to the course description:
http://kellyraeroberts.com/wear-your-joy


I can't wait to see what's next!

The Gift of Laughter and Books - Self Care Saturday

Laughter is one of the most powerful self care strategies I can think of. Others might prefer face masks or manicures. A good ole belly laugh that makes me snort and pound on the table while tears stream down my face…now that's the kind of self care I love best. It is extra good if I'm with a good friend. 

So today I indulged. I could tell you about the lovely lunch with my family at a nice restaurant. I could tell you about stopping for the first ice cream of the season from the local cone maker. The best part of the day, however, was the company and the sense of humor and the uncontrollable laughter. 

Ok, so books were a plus. I'm a librarian. 

Almost forgot to mention one of the things that led to hilarity were the Mother's Day socks I received. One pair looks like library check out cards from years gone by and the other was a pair for banned book week. One of the socks has the titles of commonly banned books. The other has words crossed out…censored right off the sock. Perfect gift. 

What makes you laugh? What is your favorite kind of laugh? Who can you feel comfortable to laugh messy with? 

Resting - Self Care Saturday

Today I allowed myself to sleep late, laze about and recharge. Lately I've been driving so much the car feels like an extension of my body. Last Saturday I vowed I would not get in my car and I did not. What a great feeling that was! This week I decided that I would do that again. 

So this Self Care Saturday is all about not pushing, not forcing, not allowing the voices of doubt tell me that I should be doing something when I knew full well that I needed to rest. 

Tomorrow I will drive. I will push. I will rise to the occasion. Today…today is for me. 

Yes or No - Your Choice - Self Care Saturday

Sometimes I say "Yes…" when I want to say "NO!" I'm guessing I'm not alone in this. Today my self care included saying no to the alarm, yes to my pillows, no to moving fast and yes to taking things at my own pace. I said no to the car. Yes to the kitchen. Generally I did what felt right. I cleaned because I wanted more order rather than cleaning up because it is messy. 

Attitude is a game changer. 

So I choose to pay more attention to what I really want to say and practice saying it. Kindly. Creatively.  

I also plan to practice being more creative with the way I respond. Friday I told a friend that yes, I had time for lunch if it could be half an hour later. Today I tried something similar. The results so far have been really positive. 

As this art journal page evolved I noticed little buds emerging from the background. They reminded me so much of Tokyo in June. The big patches reminded me of the Ajisai (Hydrangea) that blooms so gorgeously in the rainy season. There was a stretch on the Inokashira line where the sides of the train tracks were bursting with the flowers - blue, purple, pink and white. I used to ride back and forth just to see them. Around the same time the azaleas come forth with such loveliness it takes away your breath. I saw both of these flowers in my background. 

Do you struggle with saying what is in your heart? Do you wish you could say no? Are you true to yourself? How do you balance the greater good with your own good? 

I'd love to hear from you. 

Texture - Fashion Friday

Textures - I love them! I once had a boss who was a master at the use of texture and color, for that matter. It was a joy to see the way she engineered her outfits…dressy, but a bit funky. I'd love to dress like that. In the last few years I've gone for simple to wear and to choose. I'd like to reclaim my sense of style. While I am engineering a new set of items in my closet I want to remember to add texture. 

The images I chose this week are hardly the styles I would wear. I found them beautiful, however and full of texture. They were a good reminder of how I might like to go about adding texture - fabrics of various thicknesses, densities, and, for lack of another term, texture. Brocade, silk, lace, weave, embroidered, fluffy, rough, beaded, yet nothing furry that originated as someone's skin, thanks. And whether it is out of a love of beings that fly or based on my own allergy to feathers I prefer looking at them on the sky creatures rather than wearing them. 

What are your favorite textures? Do you think much about textures in your wardrobe? In your interior? At all? 

The images came from a Marie Claire magazine from 2012. I cut out the exact issue and page and then lost it in a pile of clippings. 

Books, Books, Books - Self Care Saturday

Self Care Saturday is here and I don't have a page spread done to share. 

But hey, Self Care Saturday is about self care and I decided that pushing myself this late in the day to create a spread was going to end in a sad looking spread. 

So what do librarians do for fun? 

Here is a video for National Library Month that sums up why I love my job:

If this doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Would it surprise you that today's self care included going to someone else's library, finding books to read over the vacation and then hitting up a Barnes and Noble? 

(I also slept in, had a great meal and took a nap!)

Shabby Chick - Stamping and Printing Sunday

Before I started Art Journaling and Gelli Printing my style would probably best be described as Shabby Chic or Boho Chic. I love pastels, lace and roses. White on white on white textiles make me swoon. 

So I have a sort of style dilemma - a sort of mid-style crisis. 

For my Stamping and Printing Sunday, I thought I'd see if I could make some shabby chic style prints. What followed was a lot of frustration, some wild vibrant prints (not pictured) and a few shabby chic worthy pieces.  

Here's what it looked like with my first pull. If you can't see anything or can barely see it, that's about right. 

The difficulty is the lack of contrast. Using white on white paper and adding pale pink didn't provide enough of it. So I went a bit more extreme. I did end up with a few pieces that I thought are quite usable. I also decided to be ok with my split design personality. I'm kind of a shabby chick. Soft and vibrant. That's a contrast right there. 

Do you have a cohesive style or do you like opposing styles? Have you gone through this questioning process? If you have, how did you resolve it?