A Collage Completed

This is a collage I recently finished. It is full of symbolic imagery, inspiring quotes, and whimsey. It would be perfect for an office or child's room, or even a family room, and can be arranged in different configurations.  It sat partially done for a long time. I felt it needed something more, but I felt stymied. Does that ever happen to you?  Then I got these spinner hands for card-making and inspiration hit me. Soon I was adding all kinds of metal embellishments. You can find the spinner on the largest (main) piece, on the compass image.  Sometimes that's how I would like to travel. Spin the hands and then set off in that direction!  I am pleased with how it worked out.  I hope someone will like it well enough to buy it once I upload it to my Etsy shop (along with a bunch of other stuff I need to get pictures of ).

Pink Saturday Pink stuff

I adore my groovy new PINK art cases. They are actually cosmetic cases that work great for my art journaling supplies. Many kinds of holders and see-thru pockets to keep things handy, in view, yet separated by type: markers, gel pens,oil pastels, etc... And so portable! Just grab and go- to my favorite coffee shop or scenic overlook, to enjoy my creative impulses away from this claustrophobic little apartment. Best part is- about $3.00 at Target on clearance. I love a good bargain in pink!  Visit other Pink Saturday participants by visiting  http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/  for links to the wonderful, interesting Pink lovers out there.

Giving thanks this Thanksgiving

I have been doing several different journals, so I wonder if it is crazy to think about starting another one.  The thing is, I really belive in the power of giving thanks to lift us up, and a gratitude journal would help solidify it, you know? I mean, a prayer is evanescent, a journal is lasting. ( I wish I could show you the ASL sign for evanescent/evanescence. It expresses the concept beautifully!)  I have so much to be thankful for!  I give thanks every day for my adorable comapanion, Rizzo, and for my apartment.  I was homeless at this time last year.  I am thankful for my children, though I'm sad I won't be seeing them  for thanksgiving this year.  I am also very thankful for my new art friends, both virtual, and physical.  So this would be a good time to show off my Thanksgiving digital collage from my new Collage play group:

I have been tickled by the response I got from the group.  They got the humor of it, which I was worried about.  They seem like a very fun and talented group of people.  I think I will enjoy it as well as learn a lot.

My neighbor, Cyndi, has been playing stamping with me a lot lately, until she had her knee replacement surgery 10 days ago.  I have enjoyed meeting her family, too, and I am grateful I am invited to spend Thanksgiving with them.  They rented the community room here, so I can easily come home if I am not feeling well.  See my blog "the Sickie Pixie" for more about that (fibromyalgia,etc.)  Oh, that reminds me, I am also grateful for the new chiropractor I have started seeing who is also a knesiologist. He is very good, and I believe he will help me a lot.  I could go on and on.  (I might need to join On and On Anonymous-lol) but I'll save it

blogging virgin

I am new to this. How am I doing so far? My kids laugh at me for how technologically challenged I am. (They laugh at me for a lot of stuff, but not my jokes). They're teenagers, though, so it's to be expected. Maybe they'll learn something from the way I keep chipping away at it until I get it to work. At my age I have learned the wisdom of patience. I am even able to be patient with myself now. I hate a lot of stuff about this aging business ~ like how learning is not as easy as it used to be. My kids find it hard to believe, but I used to be a whiz. I hate that the neuropathways in my brain are now set in cement ~ or maybe it's sludge. But I still wouldn't go back for anything. What I've gained is far more valuable to me than what I've lost ~ mostly, myself! So, this isn't so hard. I talk to myself a lot, and this isn't so different from that (ha ha) except the words come out my fingertips instead of my mouth. My main reason for starting a blog is to support my art activities. I still have to figure out how to do that, the adding pictures, links, etc., but I will figure it out ... eventually.