Some new pages...checking in

Haven't been here in a while ... still painting  .. all of us are healthy and still wishing for the warm weather to stay a bit longer. We had 2 teaser days in the 90s last week and we are back to the 40s again! Oh May, you are such a tease!

I'm taking a lot less photos than in previous years. Or, maybe it just seems like that since I now have 4 devices to take photos: my iPod Touch, my phone, and 2 cameras.

How about a page of my beautiful girl....

An experiment with Photoshop

Art Journal Caravan page on the word TRY

Art Journal Caravan page on the word UNDERSTAND

Just a thought

New Pages

While on this Art Journal Caravan that I've mentioned many times before, we have an monthly assignment, of sorts. This month to illustrate 4 word phrases based on Patti Digh's book, 4 Word Self Help (love Patti's stuff). Here are a couple I've completed.

Fight for Your Dream

My next project is to create an altered board book with some of my favorite 4 word phrases - with actual materials, not digital. I stopped in my favorite used book store and picked up a little board book for this purpose - My First Word Book - a favorite of my Ana's when she was a baby. In fact, her's was so loved, it's in pieces in a zip lock in her keepsakes. I couldn't think of a better book to alter, and I think today is a great day to start working on it. Hopefully, I'll get around to sharing my progress on that when the month's over.

Anyone have a 4 word (inspirational) phrase to share?

Bloom Where You're Planted

This week's Art Journal Caravan Challenge was to take the statement, Bloom Where You're Planted, and illustrate it. Our guide, Tangie Baxter, who issues the challenges, admitted she just doesn't get what this means. I agree, it's vague. It can mean a number of things. It's one of those phrases that I've seen around, but never really zoned in on what it means to me. So that was the challenge. And here is my entry:

Here's the journaling:

What do you mean this wasn't the plan? You have a unique opportunity to show the world that it's not how much you have, but what you do with it that matters. Stop wallowing in what could have been. This is you life. It's all up to you to share your gifts with those who's lives you touch.Maybe you're here for a reason, after all?

This is me talking to myself. I struggle, as I'm sure many of you do, with why I'm here, and how I got so far off course. But maybe this is the plan. Maybe the change of plans was the plan, all along. I've recently started some new chapters in my life, as I've shared. And every time a start a new adventure, I want to remember this sentiment. It'll be my "kick in the pants" when I get overwhelmed with the direction I've chosen.

So, what does it mean to you? Something different? Similar? I look forward to your comments....

An Art Journal Page for the Caravan

I made a digital art journal page based on my 17 random thoughts for the Art Journal Caravan using Tangie Baxter's Art Journal Caravan Provisions #30 and Compendium of Dreams kits.

Don't you love the party elephant? Elephants never forget, right?