It's nearly here...

Happy 2011 everyone! I've had a lovely day today.  Catching up with friends, tidying the house and finishing bits and pieces off.  Isn't it nice when you have a to do list and get everything ticked off?  I even managed to visit all my blog land friends to see what everyone was hoping for in 2011.  The one thing I noticed was the wonderful feeling of happiness, positivity, gratitude, caring and love in all of the posts I read.  It has long been a tradition to make lots of resolutions at this time of year.  Usually as a result of being dissatisfied with our life or our body.  We promise to give up this and that in an effort to be a better person, to be happier, to be richer or slimmer.  But this year I notice so many posts of gratitude for what we have already and an acknowledgment of our achievements.  How good does that feel?  Isn't it so that when you recognize what you have achieved you have the confidence and motivation to achieve more without even thinking too much about it?  And when you share your success with others you can inspire them to be who and where they want to be too.

So here's what I achieved in 2010 and some of the things I am very grateful for:

• I moved half way across the world to start a new, exciting life, to live a dream.
• I have a family and friends who have supported my ventures.
• I share my life with a wonderful man who encourages me to follow my heart.
• I found new friends here in Manitouwadge and in Blogland who have encouraged me and inspired me.  Thank you all so much.
• I have proved to myself that I can create, I am an artist!
• I can write and there are people who like to read what I write.

My hopes for 2011:

• continue to enjoy my life here and experience everything it has to offer.
• make progress in my creativity and find my niche.
• spread a little kindness each day, however small, just to make this world a happy place to be...for everyone.

Happy New Year Everyone!

As 2011 draws close...

I have just done my morning blog hop and happened across this post by Lisa!  I can so identify with this  post.  For many years I have wanted to write a book.  My best friend, Jan, tried to encourage me a long while ago to enter some writing competitions in the national newspapers.  Each one she diligently sent me I perused, scribbled a few lines and then told myself it wasn't good enough to enter!  Each one being carefully relegated to the wastepaper bin.  Then I came here to my new home and a new lifestyle.  I have been given oodles of time in which to pursue my dreams.  But although I have been creative, making purses and bags which are selling quite well, and painting am I, as Lisa suggests, hiding away from the task of writing behind other creative activities?  So, I will add one more 'resolution' or goal to my last post.  I will find one hour EVERY day to focus on actually writing a book.  I have two ideas, The First Year Abroad - trials and triumphs of an immigrant, and a book about spirituality from personal experience the title of which has not yet manifested itself!  At present I don't know which will win but unless I actually start to focus, write, even have thought showers (if that is still the politically correct term), then we shall never know!  

Well there we have it!  I am committed now, it's in writing, it's blogged so now I'll have to do it won't I?

New Year, New Beginnings, New Art Class!

Ok so it's nearly new year!  I am just so excited!  I have a parcel en route from a new supplier I found - Thank You Tammie for sharing!  Some crackle medium, sparkly things, metallic acrylics, rubber stamps and some gold leaf! On 17th January we get to start our new on-line e-course, Magical, Mystical Makings with Tam.  I am totally hooked on whimsy style, and I love angels and unicorns so as you can imagine I am almost bursting with anticipation on this one!  

Of course it wouldn't be right to start a new year without some resolutions or, more aptly, some goals.  So this coming year I want to stretch a little.  I want to learn more.  I want to experiment more with mixed media,  I want to learn new techniques, use new mediums.  I want to have a go at things that scare me like abstract.  Perhaps scared is too stronger word, or even the wrong word.  Abstract bothers me, I find it difficult.  My little brain cannot cope with it, it doesn't make sense these random shapes and colors.  Having said that there are some abstract paintings that I find pleasing to look at like some recent paintings by Cathy Bueti, and others that I cannot remember the names of, but on the whole abstract doesn't sit well, doesn't feel 'right' or make sense.  However I feel that I should at least try it for myself if only to be able to say "I had a go"!  I also want to try simply experimenting with shapes and patterns.  My friend Lorrie has a particular and personal style which I admire, her work inspired my piece Sea Anenome, again this is something I want to develop.  Lastly, Oils!  Kelly recently experimented with this medium and took to it like a duck to water, and boy look at her now, in a gallery no less.  Well done Kelly here's to a great year for you!  I bought some oils recently, but like the abstract thing I keep making excuses not to try them!  Oh and the calendar...yes my lovelies there will be a calendar.  Hopefully as Christmas settles down my lovely brother will be able to get that template done. If you would like to join Kelly, Cathy, Lorrie, Jeanette, Marlene and myself in 'donating' a piece of art to be featured on a calendar to sell and raise money for Cancer Research please check out my post or e-mail me for details.

So, I actually have quite a lot to achieve this coming year don't I?  How about you?  What are your creative goals for 2011?

Finished!

Remember this beautiful young lady?  This is Amber.  Her mum Sonia, a friend of mine, said that she would love to have a painting of her so I duly offered!  I just did Tam's Heart, Art & Healing course and have enrolled on her Magical Mythical Makings course starting in January.  I just love this whimsey style and experimenting with new mixed media so I was more than happy to have the opportunity to play with new ideas and techniques.  So here she is Amber: The Angel and The Unicorn

Etsy shop now open!

A very quick fly by post to keep all my very best blogger pals up to speed!  My Etsy shop is now open!  I have 3 listings on MistieBlue, do pop by and check it out! There will be three more added tomorrow.   Thank you!

WIP update 3!

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  Today I worked on my unicorn, and I am not a happy little painter :(  I struggled with his eyes.  He looked quite evil and more like he came off one of those awful sci-fi computer games!  I left him for a while to dry as I seemed to be making a bad job worse trying to rescue whilst wet!  Whilst that was occurring I searched the internet for unicorns and horses trying to get ideas how to soften his eyes.  i found one I really liked and set about trying to rescue him.  I think I sort of half succeeded, he doesn't look quite so spiteful but still not a gentle as i would like.  But there's something else, and for the life of me I cannot decided what, that just doesn't look right.  Perhaps his forlock needs to hang down over both eyes, would that soften his face?  Or is it that bottom lip, is his shoulder too high and neck too short?  Can anyone help???  I really don't want to start over cos I'm pretty pleased with my little angel and the coloring on the unicorn.

WIP update 2!

Well, what can I say?  I almost had a disaster, having painted my little Angel and fairly satisfied with her I took a photo and uploaded to photoshop.  At this point it became glaringly obvious I had got my proportions a little off kilter!  Poor child looked a little like Quasimodo with a misplaced hump!  So with the little help of some extra molding paste, gesso and a little white acrylic I think I successfully rescued her!  Then I decided to experiment with my new pot of fluid medium, which I had been told I could use with a tiny amount of acrylic color to make a glaze.  I wanted to give the white feathers on the wings a hint of gold to give them more 'oomph'  so on it went!  I had fun.  I wondered if it would give her hair that little bit of something too.  Amber has beautiful golden brown hair and I couldn't seem to get it exactly how I wanted with watercolor pencils alone.  I actually got so carried away I gave her dress a very thin glaze of gold too.  Just hope I haven't overdone it! So work in progress mkII

Calling ALL Blogging Pals! FUNDRAISER!

Recently I came across a beautiful calendar made by Jessica Doyle on Etsy, showcasing her beautiful art work.  I have made calendars in the past, for family using photos, I think we've all done that from time to time.  Anyhow I got to thinking.  I have made some great friends here on blogger, some of us budding artists, some more established artists and you may also have seen a recent post on my other blog Simply Pleasures about Cathy Bueti.  Well, this idea I had, wouldn't it be great if we all got together and maybe 'donated' a picture of a piece of our own art and made it into a calendar to be sold and all the profit go to cancer research?

My wonderful brother, Jay, back in the UK is currently making me a template onto which I can insert said pictures as we blog!  Once done I can give specifications required for the picture.  If you would like to join me in raising some funds for much needed research into a disease which has touched most of us at some time in one way or another please either leave a comment, or e-mail me for further instructions!!  This message will self destruct....ha ha!  sorry  got carried away then!  I know it may seem like mission impossible so near to Christmas, but trust me I think we can pull this off!!!

W.I.P. Update

A while ago I promised a friend I would try to sketch or paint her little girl for her.  Today she sent me some photos and this one I thought looked SO angelic!

Then I had a thought.  All little girls love ponies and fairies (I know for a fact this little girl has a pink fairy outfit cos I mended it for her!).  Supposing I used her face for the Angel and Unicorn Whimsey?  I mailed mum, she thought it was a fab idea.    I traced my first unicorn onto a new sheet (bit of a cheat but I just thought he was perfect!) then I copied the outline of the angel and sketched Amber's face.  Didn't got to well.  Then I re-sketched her face several times on a separate sheet until I got it right then cut it out and positioned on the original!  Now I know this seems a very strange way of doing it but I have this thing about rubbing out!  I hate that messy smudgy look you get AND I seem to draw exactly what I just rubbed out...so sometimes the only way to do it is to start afresh on a blank piece of paper!  So here is draft sketch number two. 

 

I am going thru my usual love it - hate it thing but I've decided that is more to do with confidence.  I think what really goes on in my head is "I love it, I didn't think I was that good" followed by "I hate it, everyone else will think it's rubbish".  Sometimes it's real hard to get past that "I'm not really an artist because I didn't go to art school" mentality, well in our own head at any rate.  Guess I better sit down and give myself a good talking too!

W.I.P.

Hi all my arty, creative, blogging pals!  Remember last week I said I had two little piccies going on in my head?  And then on Monday my little snow queen was born?  Well, this morning I woke up and the other little girl, an angel, was there again in my head and this time she had someone with her.  I told Lovely Man about my angel and he said "Why don't you go sketch her now?"  BUT  I had promised yesterday that I would do everything I needed to get done and go x-country skiing with him this morning.  So I said "No" she would wait.  I could see her very clearly and she wasn't going anywhere soon.

So this evening, after the skiing, the facebooking, the family phone calls and the beef stew and dumplings I got out the sketch book.  I had taken a photo of one of our local horses last week, with the intention of trying a horse sketch, which I got up on my computer screen.  And then it just all sort of appeared on the paper, and you know?  I'm really excited!  For a change I REALLY like her (and him)!  So much so I couldn't resist sharing the progress so far. 

Now question is...do I play safe and use watercolor crayons and acrylic as I have been for the other two I have done?  OR...do I maybe dabble with the oils I bought?  OR shall I do a truly mixed media - watercolor background as before, textured wings, acrylics and then oils for the face?

Answers on a postcard please!  Alternatively post them in the comments LOL!

Let it snow...

let it snow, let it snow!  Well here she is... my little snow queen!  I have a sort of love hate relationship with a lot of my art.  First I love it.  Then I get real critical and I hate it!  Then again I look and I start to think I like it!  Why is that?

I experimented for the first time with molding paste, oooh what fun!  I really like this, can't wait to use it again!  I also learned a valuable lesson.  As money is a little tight right now and I'm not planning on selling my art work (it's purely for my pleasure) I purchased lots of little boards quite cheaply so that I could play to my hearts content.  The lesson is - cheaper boards and canvases are ok -ish providing you Gesso them!  This one I didn't because I was being impatient - what a difference!  I was also keen to try out my new breyer but I wanted definite snowflakes and wasn't confident I would get that so I used scrunched up paper dipped in paint!  The lettering proved a little difficult and isn't as crisp as I would have liked.  I find it hard to 'write' with a brush, but I wanted white lettering in this particular font.  Any suggestions anyone?  I find pens easier, can anyone recommend a white pen?

Anyway in the end I started to like her so much I framed her and put her on the wall!

Missing my painting :(

Oooh hello my lovely arty friends!  I am so missing you all, and I'm missing my painting too :(  Having decided to have a stall at the local craft fair next Saturday I have had to divert all my creative energy to my bags, and to my writing (to meet deadlines too).  It doesn't help any that we have to go out of town for three days next week either!  So my poor brushes are sitting like lonely little orphans on the shelf just waiting for me to notice them.  I have promised myself, and my little friends (the brushes - yes mum they are my friends, just like the pencils were when I was little), I am going to spend all day next Sunday painting, I have a little girl in my head, and snow, she's waiting to appear on my canvas!  Till then take care and have a lovely creative week. *mwah*

Finished

Just a quick fly by post!  Lovely Man wants to go dancing in half an hour and I'm not dressed.  Finished my canvas.  Not completely happy with shading around the nose, sorta prefer my first one but then I look again and think I quite like this one!!! LOL!!  I used to be indecisive but now I'm not sure! Didn't have a brayer so used an old wooden decorating roller that we used to flatten the joining edges of wallpaper!

W.I.P.

Well a very sniffy hello to all my arty, bloggy friends!  Yep I tucked myself up on the couch most of the day with the lovely Tam and her tutorials having woken up with a sore throat and the sniffles!  Lovely Man disappeared off to practice ballroom dancing on his own and then, bless him, he went to the cat rescue and did my hour of volunteering!  What a yummy man eh?  So anyway having watched the tutorial my creativity started to get the better of my cold and I took off down to the studio for some painting therapy!

Last night I had Gesso'd a canvas which was now dry and ready.  I re-sketched me from yesterday having studied Tam's instructions.  Keep it simple, make the eyes larger, mouth smaller and so on.  I also finally worked out, again with a little help from Tam, how to get the background effect I had been longing for!  Gee Whizz I am so glad it's easier than the methodology I'd concocted!  Lesson here is watch the tutorial BEFORE you start!  So...it's not finished yet but I have had to leave it to dry off a bit before I can go to the next stage, and well Lovely Man deserves a little attention for being so nice doesn't he?  

Ok  progress so far...

An Experiment

Today I did my usual little bit of blog hopping and stumbled upon Cathy's latest post.  I too had signed up for Heart of Art, with Tam but as yet had not gotten round to doing anything.  The last two days I have met a creative block, two projects I had in mind were proving difficult for various reasons.  One project is something I simply sorta made up in my head but like all experiments things didn't work quite how I planned and I found I needed to put it to one-side until I was able to get to town again to get supplies.  The second one didn't even get to the experimental stage simply because when i found out what I needed to acheive the desired result I didn't have those either!

original photo of me!

Downhearted I started to watch one of Tam's tutorials, if i couldn't do what I wanted then at least I could learn something.  So inspired by what I watched I started to sketch a whimsical style face from a picture of me on the wall.  I quite liked the sketch and decided maybe I would try out some water color crayons I had been given.  Not wanting to waste my last canvas if it didn't work I decided to do it on watercolor paper.  i have used the crayons before but not properly with water.    A couple of hours later i emerged with this, feeling quite pleased!  It's not 'finished' by a long stretch but I am fairly happy with what I've learned from this piece:1. maybe next time try over Gesso on canvas; 2. be a little more confident with the crayons and the layering; 3. watch Tam's tutorial again to make sure there's no technique I've missed!  Of course I haven't even started the background, that's for the next one!  Also not sure of proportions, not quite right, but again next one!

First draft!

So...Thank you Cathy for inspiring me and thank you too to Tam for her lovely tutorials!  What a lovely lot of arty bloggy friends we have!

My first life painting!

Ta da! Here it is my first attempt at a life painting/mixed media! Oohh this was a frustrating little project! I had all these ideas. I am a great admirer of One Little House. Maisy has recently done lots of mixed media ladies and I absolutely love them. I've also been watching some tutorials on-line about layering with acrylics and generally swotting up! So there I was with all these ideas swimming around in my head when I realised that I didn't have any Golden Matte Medium which is apparently what I need to stick things and be able to paint over it. And when I looked further I didn't have a lot in the way of things to stick on either, despite having oodles of boxes of what Lovely Man refers to as "Crapola".

So I sorta ditched the mixed media thing and just went for a little canvas painted with acrylics. At least I could do the layering thing and experiment. All was going quite well. The background came out more or less how I wanted it. I had used gesso to prime over the top of my pencil sketch (I thought I read somewhere that was what you did!) And I did layers of thin colours and then used a scrunched up piece of tissue paper to dab some lighter blues and white on. I used a BIG round bristle brush to dab about a bit with the greens and some yellowy tones.

Then came Kelly. Oh my! I've never mixed skin tone before! I had a vague recollection of an art teacher at school saying you mix a pink and then add a tiny bit of yellow. Poor Kelly nearly ended up some very strange colours. Eventually she ended up like this but I haven't a clue how I did it and I'm still not sure I'm happy with the colour but hey! It is the first one and I just wanted to have a finished piece. And how on earth do you paint fine features with even the smallest brush? I retreated to my trusty Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens in the end! Hey! It's mixed Media OK?! I wanted flowers at the bottom and a butterfly but I was terrified I'd ruin it if I tried to paint them. Then I remembered my mum gave me some transfers of flowers from her card making stock and I searched them out. Whilst doing that I came across a rubber stamp of a butterfly and a gold ink pad. An idea started to take shape. Mixed Media. That means you can use anything right? So Hey Presto! One mixed media canvas, albeit a little crude and perhaps childlike!

So without further rambling I present..............

Kelly Berkey in mixed media! LOL!

I now patiently await your lovely comments (be kind ladies!) AND my order from Wallacks before attempting a more 'professional' piece! Oh and if I thought this one was an exercise in stretching outside the comfort zone go visit Kelly's blog and see what she has for us this week! OMG! Face, hands....and now feet too!!!

Kelly's Challenge

Ok so I got a bit sorta lazy this week.  Well no, not lazy, distracted maybe.  To get to the point I had grand ideas on something different and then realised that I didn't have what I needed to achieve it! I thought about plan B but that didn't seem as appealing as Plan A, and so I went off the boil a bit!  As I can't just pop to a shop for art supplies (I have to order and then hang about for about two weeks waiting for it to tour Canada before arriving in my mailbox) it means that I have disappointingly produced.......another pencil sketch!  However, I am actually quite pleased with it as it is but I am keen to stretch out of my comfort zone and do something different with it.  To that end I have made a promise to Kelly that I will get it done....soon!

From my last post, Marlene if you're reading this, here is the link to the paper article with my caricature as promised!  The Echo - Different Eh!

You never know until you try!

I have recently started writing a column for our local paper.  Usually I attach a relevant photograph along with each piece, but yesterday I wrote about our local wildlife and included the story of our chipmunk jumping down my t-shirt.  I have loads of pictures of my babies but felt that, as the story was quite funny, it warranted something equally comical.

A few years ago Lovely Man and I had a caricature drawn by an artist in the UK and they are displayed in the lounge.  So as I sat there the idea sort of popped into my head.  What if I could do one of myself with a comic chipmunk poking his head out of my top?  First of all I took a very quick, and unflattering, photo of myself trying to look surprised!  Then I started to sketch the basic lines and shapes of my face.  I then searched the internet for some cartoon chipmunks to get an idea how to accentuate their faces.  So here is the photograph (anyone of a sensitive disposition may wish to leave this blog now!!)

 

Yup, scary!  Sorry folks!  Now here is the first sketch, which at first I was pleased with, but then I went off it!  Wasn't quite right somehow.

First attempt - a little naive perhaps?

Ok, so I went off it.  What next?  Well I had this idea to try to copy the one on the wall but change my hair (it used to be short and spiky) and my clothes (I was wearing a strapless dress) and the expression.  This was OK-ish.  I didn't feel comfortable because it wasn't strictly my own work, I felt I had just copied someone else's work even though I'd changed it substantially.  However, it did give me more of a feel for exaggerating the features.

Second attempt - still not happy!

Still not happy I decided to try just one more time.  Eureka!  Third time lucky!  This, I felt, was me.  My own work, my own style and a definite improvement on the first attempt.

As promised!

Ok, so you have to keep this real quiet!  Remember I mentioned that I tried to sketch Lovely Man while we were on holiday last year?  Well I found said sketch and sneakily took a photo of it so I could share it with you! But promise you won't breath a word to Lovely Man!  

So go on!!!  It does doesn't it?  Remind you of someone I mean.  Alan Carr???  I tried again, same result!  This could mean any number of things.  Either: A) I am subconsciously in love with Alan Carr, B) Lovely Man does actually look like Alan Carr or C) I need more practice!!!

PS If anyone knows Alan Carr's address please forward maybe I could work on this a bit and sell it too him!!

Now from the back!

Kelly's challenge this week was a back view! I really enjoyed this as it's something I've done very little of...sketching people/bodies I mean! So anyhow had to have two attempts. The first was pleasing although I had real trouble getting the top arm right. Lovely Man pointed out that I was drawing her 'straight on' but that she appeared to be at a slight angle. So sketch no.2. I feel I got the angles and the arm a bit better this time but overall I think I prefer the first one!

Sketch 1



Sketch 2

Although I'm still not sure! Comments please!

Second Sketch - First Body!

Well folks I really am feeling quite pleased with myself! A few weeks ago I found a lovely lady on blogger called Lisa who sounds very much like me, i.e. realising a dream (or two)! Through her I found another blog written by Kelly Berkey. Kelly posted some pictures her husband had taken of her and challenged us to sketch one of them. Well I don't think I have ever sketched a whole body, clothed or otherwise (well actually come to think of it I did try to sketch Lovely Man when we were at a naturist camp but ...well we won't go into that one! He looked like Alan Carr when I finished!) Anyway, as I said, first attempt at a life drawing! I will post the Alan Carr lookalike some day (don't tell Lovely Man!) only the head and shoulders tho, not sure the world is ready for more than that!


Original Photo of Kelly



And my sketch:



So guys let me know what you think.

First Portrait Sketch

I decided to have a go a sketching a portrait with charcoal pencils, a medium I haven't played with since secondary school art classes!  I just happened to see some in a dollar store and thought I'd have a go!  Away from home right now and didn't have any photos to hand but I did have an Avon book!  Haven't a clue who this woman is but it was good practice.  Actually, although it's not perfect, I am quite pleased that it turned out as good as it did considering it's a first attempt!

Two new pieces

Well the journal challenge finished, we are currently away from home sorting out damaged shipments, a broken trailer and a sick car.  However, I have managed to do these two pictures and they have helped me relax and preserve my sanity and spirits!  And do you know?  I kinda quite like them!

JFAC Prompt XXX

Journal Prompt 30:  Closing Page. 

JFAC Prompt XXIX

Prompt 29: What should you be doing today?

JFAC Prompt XXVIII

Journal Prompt 28 :  Today I want you to start thinking about goals for September!  Five goals that are completely do-able! 

Another prompt that was quite easy to do and really enjoyable! Just for once I'm pretty confident I'll be able to tick all the boxes at the end of September!

JFAC Prompt XXVII

Journal Prompt 27:  Today I want you to create your journal page using a different medium then what you are used to using :)  Search your studio/craft spaces and challenge yourself to try something new!!

 

OMG! I absolutely LOVE this page! At first I thought oh no what can I try, I've none of my stuff, just the same watercolor pencils and art pens I've been using all month. Then I remembered a recent book I got from the library on craft. One of the things I had made a note of to try was the art of taking fresh flowers/leaves and then placing them between a layer of kitchen roll, a cotton hankie, another layer of kitchen roll and then bash them with a hammer. I can't remember what they call this, and I wasn't convinced it would work! But WOW! It did! I ironed the piece afterward as this makes the dye permanent! I will certainly being doing more of this. it was SO easy and SO effective. probably my very best page ever!

JFAC Prompt XXVI

Journal Prompt 26:  What are some lessons you have learned through this journal class?  Have you grown as a person?  Have you grown in your journaling?

Oh how we take things for granted! It wasn't until this prompt arrived that I really stopped to think about what I've done, how far I've come! I have so enjoyed this challenge. So much so that I intend to pretend it's still happening after 30 days and just ask a friend or my partner to suggest a prompt each day! I revisited my goals from day 2 and realised that I have indeed, come along way. I actually like the pages I've produced. I feel that I am good enough! And yes, I am a creative person!

JFAC Prompt XXV

Journal Prompt :  What is your favourite Season?

This one needs no explanation!

JFAC Prompt XXIV

Journal Prompt 24: This prompt is all about documenting a feeling that you felt this past week.  Does that make sense? lol!  For example...something that made me happy this past week or something that made me mad this past week.  Choose a feeling, and document it.

I loved doing this one! Last week when I went to collect the mail from the post office there was an unexpected parcel waiting for me. Inside was a glossy magazine, some watercolor pencils and a watercolor pad. My best friend had sent them over from the UK to keep me happy until all my things arrive here! What a star! Well I decided to do a collage using the front cover of the magazine, a picture of my best friend and I (taken a good few years ago) and a picture of the UK! Then I remembered a beautiful card Jan gave me before I left the UK. I didn't want to stick it in the journal because I have a special treasures box where I keep special cards and momentos. So I decided to have a go at drawing it using the pencils she sent. Above is the card, the illustration by Friedrich Neitzsche. Below is my journal page with my attempt at drawing the bloom!

JFAC Prompt XXIII

Journal Prompt:  The unsent letter.  This is a page where you can let all of your feelings out without hurting anyone's feelings OR sharing any feelings that you aren't ready to share yet :)  This letter is to be written to someone who you WANT to say something to, but can't or won't or don't.  This could be a secret love letter, a letter telling someone how they hurt you or anything in between!!

This is one I put off and put off. It was quite difficult for me to which may come as a surprise to some people who know me as I'm not usually stuck for things to say. I could only think of one letter I wanted to write and yet I didn't want to either. A few years ago someone one day suddenly decided to cut me out of their life. They will not tell me why despite being asked and I have apologised for anything I may have said or done. Apologising when you don't know what you are apologising for is very difficult, and to be honest a little insincere. After all an apology is also a pledge not to to the same deed again. If you really don't know what the deed was how can you promise not to do it again? So there we are. I have done it. I have said in the letter all the things I feel and have felt for three years. 

JFAC Prompt XXII

Journal Prompt:  What are you looking forward to?  There are so many great things on the horizon, in the near future and the far.  

I decided I needed to make this page a little different. I seem to have slipped into a rut over the last few days of simple writing a list and doing a little sketch. I received a glossy magazine from my friend in the UK in the mail the other day, so I carefully snipped a bit of color from pages here and there and I found a small picture of a sewing machine which fitted nicely with a small scrap of fabric which I could spare from the piece I bought to make my first bag.

JFAC Prompt XXI

Journal Prompt:  Right this Second...  While you are sitting there with your journal I want you to tell me what is going on right this second!! What do you hear?  What do you smell?  What do you see?  What are you wearing, everything...

 Need to practice sketching! I used to be really good. I remember my passion was motorcycles, plants and people! I had a whole portfolio containing some real good sketches when I left school. My biggest regret is that I didn't take more care of them. They got lost in one of our house moves. But I was a teenager and as such placed little importance on such stuff. Now some 30 plus years later it all seems much harder. I think it boils down plain and simple to the fact that I am impatient and I don't actually stop to really see the basic shapes, proportions and angles before I start adding the detail. Sometimes it's almost like there's a deadline to adhere to and there's a panic to get it done as quickly as possible.

JFAC Prompt XX

Journal Prompt:  Today you are going to make lists that will add up to 100 things that you love!
This prompt may take awhile but it will definitely be fun!
Here is how it will go down...
*  10 Activities
*  10 Restaurants
*  10 People
*  10 Foods 
*  10 Games
*  6 Famous People
*  4 Desserts
*  10 TV shows
*  10 Websites
*  10 Books
*  10 Songs

 This took a while to think of everything. The ten people I love was not long enough so I had to extend a little because I wasn't going to 'drop' anyone from the list! The TV shows, however, was infinitely shorter. I'm a doer mainly. TV holds no fascination for me. There are some things I like to watch but even these sometimes get pushed aside. I'm sure it irritates David when I insist I watch a certain thing on TV and then get absorbed in a book or drawing something, or worse I wander off to another room to get something and don't come back! When I lived alone my best friend bought me a TV. For a whole year I lived in that little flat and I think I did put it on -ONCE! So....at last count there were 100 things on my list, just not many tv shows!

JFAC Prompt XIX

Journal Prompt:  I had read somewhere today, "What you deal with, does not define you."  I absolutely loved it and it spoke to me.  For example, if you are divorced, that isn't what people see when they see you.  I have a huge anxiety problem BUT that's not who I am.  I love it.

So, that lead me to the question, Who are you? What are some categories that you fall in to?  What types of things define you?

Well!  This one was a bit of a challenge! Come on how often do we really stop to think about what make us who we are.  And when we do how many of us focus on all the negative things because we're not comfortable 'blowing our own trumpets'.  I sought help on this asking David what was unique about me, what did he think made me "me".  A long drawn out discussion ensued.  It went something like this.  "I'm really quite organised" "Ha! you're not!"  "I'm quite an adventurer" "A timid adventurer, you need a kick up the a** sometimes!" and so it went on.  Everything I thought I was I realised I could be exactly the opposite too at times.

In the end I came to the conclusion that I am me, I am unique, like a diamond with many facets. Or as David might describe a woman of contradiction!

JFAC Prompt XVIII

Journal Prompt:  What's the buzz? What is going on in your mind right now?  What are some things that are going on your life right now? They don't have to be super significant life-changing events or thoughts to be documented in your journal.  Even the littlest things are important to write.

Fairly self explanatory I think.  A head full of questions, worries and idle chatter!

JFAC Prompt XVII

Journal Prompt:  Today I want you to focus on something beautiful.  I want you to think of something that you saw, and it was beautiful.  This could be an object, something that you heard, something that you saw, etc.  I just want it to be something that just resonated with you as something that represented beauty in some way :)

 Last week at around 11pm our neighbor came knocking on our door to tell us that the skies were clear and you could just see the Northern Lights above the tree tops at the back of our yard.  At first we stood outside on the deck but figured as it was so dark this might not be one of our better ideas having been warned about bears being around our neighborhood lately.  So from around midnight until 1.45 am I took up position by the bedroom window!  The light show in the skies beyond the trees was awesome.  I never dreamed I would actually live somewhere where I could view this phenomenon first hand. I consider myself VERY lucky.  Truly a thing of beauty to watch.

JFAC Prompt XVI

Journal Prompt:  This page is going to be dedicated to the pet or pets that have you heart :)  This could be a pet of the past, a pet your currently have in your family, or even a dream pet!  Dedicate a page to a special animal :)

When I read this prompt I was so excited! I couldn't think of anything I'd like better than to dedicate a page to my beloved Springer Spaniel, Jake. It was, however, very hard. Six years ago I 'lost' Jake in a messy divorce. Suffice to say I didn't get custody. I think that probably the reason I'm finding it difficult to 'let go' is because I don't know where he is or how he is. When a pet dies you grieve and gradually you come to terms with the loss. But somehow when they are still around just not with you it's harder.




I cried buckets while doing this one. I'm surprised the paper didn't get spoiled! But I couldn't have done this page for anyone else but him.

JFAC Prompt XV

Journal Prompt- What are 50 random facts about you?  This is a great page because you are documenting some random facts about you at this time in your life.  I'm sure this one will be a fun page to look back on some day :)

 Ha!  So what does this say about me?  I have a healthy preoccupation with food, I'll try anything at least once, I'm a late starter (given that I waited till I was forty before I tried anything).  Guess I'm  not boring tho eh?!

JFAC Prompt XIV

Journal Prompt:  5 Things!!  This journal challenge is all about using 5 different things that are just laying around.  These five items can be supplies, tools, pen colors, whatever.  I want you to find 5 things that are sitting out and can be used for a project such as this.  Don't go to your supply stash and dig out the five most perfect things, use what is already out, challenge yourself!!  The prompt is up to  you.  This is more of  a challenge then a prompt today :)

 OK. Not so easy this one. Having just moved in to a new house with only a suitcase full of clothes each there is not much lying around to stick in a journal!  I scraped the barrel a bit and I must confess to a slight cheat - The midge repellent hasn't been used yet so I was loathe to stick it in in-case I need it!  The beer bottle top is also not stuck in for several reasons - a glue stick will not hold it, I have no tape and lastly I wouldn't be able to close my journal nicely!!!!  All excuses aside I quite liked the finished result!

JFAC Prompt XIII

Journal Prompt:  What were your dreams when you were a child?  What did you aspire to be?  What did you hope for?

I enjoyed this one. I don't actually remember ever consciously wanting to be something in particular except for when I was a teenager I said I wanted to be a vet.  But my parents talked me out of it saying I was too soft and it would tear me apart when I had to put an animal to sleep and that I wouldn't be able to cope.  In a sense I regret this as now I know, as an adult, that I would have coped.  I have no problem ending a life of an animal if it is suffering and cannot be made better.  In another sense I don't regret not becoming a vet because I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that if we don't do or get something it's because we are meant for other (better) things.  However I can recall easily all the things I used to do and enjoy as a child.  On doing this today I realised that, although I didn't consciously dream of being who I am today, I did set a pattern or path for myself.  I still am happiest when I'm creating, I still make my clothes occasionally and I make bags.  I love to cook from scratch (I hate ready made). And until recently I was in a caring profession.  I don't have a monkey but I do have my little chipmunks in the yard! 

Just for a change I thought I would try sketching using a fine ball point pen having got fed up with the cheap felt tips I managed to find locally - Please Angels of Art - Please deliver my new pens tomorrow!

Creative Colour Challenge

Well, after all my enthusiasm and good intentions I have stumbled at the first hurdle on this one.  Having joined Journaling for a Cause (which, by the way, I am really enjoying) late I have only just caught up with that.  Add to that a distinct lack of materials here it is now Saturday morning and I haven't done anything yellow!  I did consider sacking it altogether, however, it did say you don't have to submit every week so I will wait to see what this week brings!

JFAC Prompt XII

Journal Prompt:  Today...

How was your day today?  What did you do? 

 This was a nice easy one to do today, straight forward, tell it like it is!  Just right after such a tiring day!