The Artist Way

For the past 2.5 weeks I have been doing the Artist Way with a group of lovely women online. I have been going on great Artist dates and doing my morning pages faithfully. I missed one day this week when I was sick but I think that is ok.

Morning pages are 3 pages of longhand writing where you usually dump or just write whatever comes to you. I have done Morning pages several times before. This time seems different, sure some of it is blah like I need to do the laundry, run to the store etc but more of it seems to be insights on writing or ways to proceed. Its like my morning pages are telling what to do. Its pretty awesome.

I never made it through the twelve weeks the time I tried this on my own. I am thinking that doing it with a group we be more powerful. We are into week 3, and I spent my Artist date at the public library looking at Art books. I've been a little frustrated at drawing lately so I brought 4 drawing books home to delve into this week. I am also finding myself drawn back to my sketchbook. I am planning to spend some time drawing. The skills need some improvement and this seems the best way to me. Now to schedule some time to actually do it.

Full Moon Dream Boards

This is the dream board I made last night. Jamie suggested to look for ways to shine in the coming month. Most of my images I chose because these women really shine. I chose the patio picture to represent entertaining and the suitcase for travel. I thought the poem in the center to be very appropriate. I hope you can read it. I still have some white space so I may add more later.

It was a beautiful night for a bonfire. I just had two people due to the holiday but we all had a great time. I will be sad when it gets to cold to do these every month. I hope you are all having a great holiday weekend.

Thrift Store Find

I am feeling a little better, its weird one day I feel good and then it comes back again. Annoying to say the least. As my decluttering continues I was taking some bags of things to the thrift store and I was captured by these canisters. They are in the art room right now. I took the one without the lid and put my paintbrushes in it. I think they are so cute. I am not sure what I will use the others for but I am sure something will come to me.























I seem to have been blocked when it came to Art journaling. So I really wanted to do a page. I still don't feel it yet but maybe if I keep at it that art mojo will come back.

A little break

It looks like I will be having a little break from blogging. I have picked up some bug. I thought it was something I ate but its been 24 hours and I still have a pretty sad stomach. Hopefully I will be right as rain in a few days. I'll be back when I feel better.

A lovely getaway

On the spur of the moment we decide to hook our trailer up to the new truck and take a test run for the weekend. We headed up to visit Sarah in Missoula. It was a fun but short trip. On Friday we camped in Divide, Mt and Saturday and Sunday we were at Beavertail State Park. Its about 25 miles from Missoula. We went into town had lunch and picked Sarah up.













At first no one wants their picture taken especially these two.
















Then Flynn needs to worm his way in and get his picture taken.













Before long primitive behavior starts to rein in and the fire bug girl returns. Here Sarah is with her burned poking stick being mesmerized with the smoke.













There was this neat railroad tunnel near the campground.













We also found another tunnel right beside it that was closed off.

We had a great visit with our daughter, it was way too short but it was fun none the less. The truck pulled the camper great and now we are ready for a real trip but now D is so busy at work he can't take time off. Hopefully sometime this fall we'll be able to take a trip.

The other day my friend Kate and I got together for a fabric day. We sometimes pick days to get together to work on projects and we both have been getting back to fabric so a special day seemed in order.













I pulled out this little kimono wall hanging kit I had put aside. I had one kimono done last week. The rest I did this weekend. I am stitching it by hand am finding the process slows me down and its quite pleasant to just stitch. I think the little kimonos are so cute.













This also led me to the zillion cross-stitch project I started over the years. Twenty years ago before I got into spinning and weaving I was an avid cross-stitcher. I found this project almost done so I put the finishing touches on it this weekend. It feels good to complete things no matter how many years are in between.

Do you have any projects you need to pull out from drawers or closets? Maybe its time to reconnect with them.

Weekend

I heading off on a weekend adventure, see you Monday. Have a great weekend everyone.

Additions to the Studio

It seems like every time my friend Lisa revamps her studio I seem to do things to mine too. Not quite as elaborate but I have a few changes. I put this shelf up to hold my collaborative books. Its almost too small. If I do another one I will need a bigger shelf.






















I got the top tier for the Clip it up. It holds embelishments and so forth.













I got this table the other day. I had looked at it before when it was on sale for 129.00 but decided to wait. I went to see if the table was still on sale only to discover it was now 50% off or $99.00. Needless to say I bought it right away. Putting it in the room led to a complete cleaning of everything, I am not done yet but I am getting close. its basically a cutting table for fabric but I know I will use it for many other things too.

















It folds up to a nice small space. Boromir is always trying to help.

Vision Board

I believe in the power of vision boards so I like to use them for varous things in my life. This book project of mine is a big thing so it definetly needed a vision board. I finished it up today. I painted the entire board and then used foam stamps in several colors and images. Then I glued down a pretend book, a pretend article and some ideas I have for the book.

I like how vibrant it looks. I may change it over time like take off some things and add others. I could add a picture of me signing a book or the actual book cover after its designed or some reviews and so forth. There are so many things you can put on a vision board to keep the vision alive. Maybe today is the day you make your own.