Inspiration "Shopping" and other things

Hello my blogging friends!

So I still am in a painting rut...I just can't make myself sit down and paint,

so I decided to try doing other things for the time being.

Remember how I was SO E-X-C-I-T-E-D

(a la Jessie from Saved by the Bell)

about Hanna's recent posts on how she makes her own book

through blurb.com? WELL, I am going to do one!

I floundered for a few days on what I should do.

My life is pretty boring, and I don't have much to doucment

other than Jack,

(this is him last night sleeping next to me while I worked)

I'm relationship phobic, an introvert, and only have one good friend in town.

But, as I thought about the photographs I do take,

I realized I like to walk around Charlottesville and

take lots of fun close-ups, details of life.

Lightbulb moment!

I bought two books to help me along this path:

Indesign for Dummies and

Design Elements: A Graphics Style Manual

 Indesign is relatively self-explanatory, 

as I want to make this book through it.

But I have slowly realized that I LOVE

design...I can stare at good design forever

and drool. So why not learn more?

Last night I made little proof sheets of what

I wanted to put in my book photographic-wise

and sent them off to Kinkos.

(My brand new, not cheap, Lexmark printer sucks...why does this always happen?)

Today, while at work, (UGGGHHH)

I plan on reading these glorious books 

and start figuring out my layouts for each page.

This is a daunting task. I'm just a LITTLE scared!

Yesterday though, I decided to go window shopping,

to try and get myself out of the rut, and be inspired.

I grabbed my camera and headed down to Anthropolgie

for the first.time.ever...and also happened to find

the CUTEST little store too!! Eep!

 I felt sort of like a criminal taking pictures...it was very nerve-wracking! 

I love the colors and the pattern here! 

I am realizing that teal is SO one of my favorite colors.

Too bad its everywhere.

Little pieces of hardware for cabintetry!

I can't wait to own my own place and REALLY drool over this stuff

Hand-dyed books...oh my, I love it

I found this wall painted where I was shopping,

and the wood was peeling and crackling.

So beautiful, huh?

Have a wonderful Sunday,

 and maybe I will paint again someday. 

Still Struggling

I can't tell if I am just in the "ebb" part of 

art-making ebb and flow...

or if I am still fighting against the tide.

I have been painting a little bit lately,

but rather uninspired. I get some color

down here and there, and then lose interest

and inspiration.

The orange spread is done, and yellow mostly...but they have been
sitting there for weeks, and I'm still not loving them totally.

Details of another spread I'm working on.
I like the colors and texture,
but it still is just color on a page,
not cohesive.
This is one of my biggest problems,
to pull it all together.
What I do love was melting crayon wax over parts of the page!
I used a regular iron, but I read you are supposed to use
a quilting iron, probably because of the lower heat.
I may have spilled red, glittery crayon was
all over my beige carpet.
Woops.
 Now if I could be inspired, it would be so nice.

Hanna and her Inspiration

If you don't have Hanna's blog bookmarked,

GET TO IT!

She is SO full of creativity and inspiration

and ideas that it truly boggles my mind.
When I grow up I want to be just like her

:)

Her most recent topic of discussion has been

Blurb and its very awesome capabilities

to produce professional-looking books

that. you. make.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!

They have pre-designed layouts you can use,

or you can upload PDFs of your own layout 

and upload it to the website.

Hanna uses InDesign for her spectacular photobooks

she's made. I am on a free 30-day trial trying

to learn this stuff.

I love learning new stuff

Gets the creative juices flowing

One thing I worry about,

what if I learn TOO much?

Or run out of things to be excited about?

I sometimes worry that I am not focused enough

on what I like to do creatively.

This whole new world has exploded last July,

and I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off,

drooling, going "Ooh I want to do this! and this! and this!"

And then get overwhelmed and shut down.

What do you do to focus your creative spirit?

 (But I still want to make a book...I just have to think of what!)

You know how I said I loved my iPhone? 

I still do...and the fact that I can take decent pictures

anywhere I want has me on picture taking overload. 

Me getting ready to water the plants outside work

(I loathe this task)

This little fella somehow made its way up to the desk

Today a Kindergartner goes to me:

"Do you like chicken?"

"Yes, I love it"

"Well you should...EAT MORE COWS!"

*he dances a jig out the door*

Kids are hysterical, aren't they?

Cool lighting, eh?

I get to write on this board...pure joy

my arty water fountain shot

I mean...for a phone taking these pictures, its pretty great.

One day I'll get back to art journaling....

Thank you blogging world...

Your sweet words helped lift me up.

Today I sat down and wrote and wrote,

trying to get out my demons.

I cleaned the apartment that I had ignored for too long.

I ran errands.

I even painted a little.

It is a long road I'm on, I think,

but it helps to know that someone out there 

does care. Even if I never met you!

I just got an iphone...and the camera compared to

the blackberry I had is WORLDS better.

Plus there are lots of fun apps for it.

I saw this car at Target. Hysterical, eh?

I had a similar car when I was 17

88 Oldsmobile named George

My friends and I spray painted it for my graduation party

I drove it around like a proud badge of honor.

I cried when two weeks later my parents

took it to the car pound

:(

And a certain kitty named Jack

makes me feel better when he's all cuddly on my lap.

Art Interrupted

I know this has nothing to do with art or creating.

I need to get these words out somewhere,

because I don't feel like I can anywhere else

in the world.

I am barely holding it together,

and I'm not entirely sure why I feel this way.

I had my boss and my boss's boss worried about me today.

I can't let this interfere with work.

I need to get paid.

I'm scared

and lonely.

What do you do when you have no one to talk to?

I haven't picked up a paintbrush...

I haven't picked up a paintbrush in well over a week.

I feel myself sinking.

How do I pull myself up?

I've been tagged!

Hey, this is a first...I feel so special!

Eden (check out her blog...its awesome) tagged me

in a little game called "Honesty." I must tell y'all

7 things about myself you don't know.

Honestly?
I hate these things! I am so bad at talking about myself.

But, this should be pretty easy since I don't divulge

too much personal info here.

And then, I shall tag 7 more people...ooh...

Ok. Here goes.

1. I am left-handed, and apparently write many letters backwards. 

Guess I was never taught correctly :)

2. I am small. I am 4'11", but played rugby in college. It was awesome.

3. The last time I had a stomach bug, I was 12.

4. Also when I was 12, I was babysitting my younger brother.

He made me angry (little brothers are SO GOOD at that), so I chased

him out of the house. When he ran outside, I shut the door and leaned

my hand against the glass pane.

SMASH!!!

In went my hand through glass. I freaked out and proceeded

to run around the house waving my hand around.

I went outside and cried on the front steps, all the while

blood was sopping the grass below. My neighbor (who was "slow")

gave me a couple paper towels.

I cried, my brother stared at me from across the street.

My friend called me, so I answered the phone and went
"I cut my hand"

lol!

Her mom drove her over, and they both lost the color in their faces.

They immediately took me to the hospital.

I had to get 20 stitches.

5. I am so so SO afraid of doctors/hospitals. I had to get tests

done when I was a kid because my blood pressure was so high.

Nothing was wrong, but I'm that petrified of them.

I'm still putting off getting my wisdom teeth out.

I can't fathom doing something to cause me pain voluntarily.

6. I am not a crier. I don't cry over movies, tv shows..it takes a lot to make me cry.

7. I love to dance around in tshirt and undies and sing loudly 

There ya have it folks!

Now....to tag others...
1. Spooky/The Paper Phantom
2. Paula
3. Seth
4. Lori
5. Hanna
6. Evangeline
7. Little Black Kitty 

I can't leave a post with no picture...so here is my favorite muse, Jack.

Want to make cheap painted paper?

A roll of paper towels could probably last you a VERY long time.

Each piece of paper towel lends you to two pieces of your

own original painted paper.

Plus, its fun! And easy! And cheap!

All you need to do is gather up your spray inks

(I use Adirondack inks)

or acrylic paints, and a bunch of paper towels.

With watered down inks or paints

just scrunch/fold your towels and dip.

Similar to those tye-dyed shirts when you were a kid.

Lay them flat to dry.

Once dry, iron each piece out and the paper towels will separate,

and you will get two sheer, translucent paper...all of your own

original doing! You can create layers of towels to create

depth and awesomeness to your paintings. 

 Once you iron the paper towels, 

they get a different, more stable consistency,

ready to play :)

Painting and Baby Ducks

Hello folks! I feel like it has been awhile.

I have officially come to the conclusion that me and art

will never be able to be separated again.

I went 28 years without it,

and now can barely make it 24 hours.

I house/pet sat from Saturday into Sunday,

and I was chomping at the bit to do SOMETHING

by 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon.

<3

The past few days have been a whirlwind of painting.

First up, page 6 (?) of my Music Book

I have been OBSESSED with this Pearl Jam song

that has been playing all over the radio.

Just Breathe 

An apt title for the time in my life right now.

Check it out.

Navigating the Rough Terrain

I have decided to try and start naming some of my paintings.

Its difficult! I guess it depends on the process.

Sometimes I have a certain mood or idea in mind, 

so it is easier to name.

But for this one, I just threw some molding paste down 

on the paper and went from there.

But, I like the name and it fits I think.

detail shot.

Revolution

The words "Its a Revolution, baby!" were stuck in my head.

I want to say it is a Beatles lyric, but I could be very wrong.

Oh yeah..the baby duck part...the place I pet sit for

just got baby ducks and chicks.

CUTENESS OVERLOAD

(one of my favorite pictures)

There.

Now I am SURE you are smiling from all the cuteness.