OLW #73: FIERCE

Revlie put forth the word FIERCE for this month's inspiration at One Little Word.  I quickly slapped the word onto a piece of scrap paper and posted it in my art-ing space.  What does "fierce" mean to me? 

My first conjuring while contemplating this powerful word was Tyra Banks and her modeling mojo. But, I already blogged about that, so I continued my meditation.

Tigers.  Tigers are FIERCE.  

I pulled some newspaper out of the recycle bin to see if I was capable of painting such a majestic beast, roaring with fierceness.

The section of paper I grabbed caught me off guard, and my mind-picture of "fierce" was wadded up and reborn with powerful metaphor and a comparative feeling of smallness.

The Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite firefighting crew in Prescott, AZ, who lost their lives on June 30, 2013 battling the Yarnell Hill fire

I decided that I would continue with my idea to paint a tiger on the newspaper.  These 19 men epitomize fierceness.  

In an article at CNN.com Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo described the Hotshot crew:  "These are the guys that will go out there with 40, 50 pounds of equipment and walk five miles. They'll sleep out there as they try to develop fire lines" to protect homes.  Roy Hall, an incident commander with the state forestry commission said, "They are the elite of the ground firefighters.  They're highly trained and highly specialized.  They are a younger generation.  That's the tragedy of it, that lives would be lost of such a young group," 

I added the names of the nineteen to the flames.  I am humbled by the courageous choices so many men and women of the world make, that they are able to sign on for danger, go through extreme training and preparedness to step up to protect others; not just acting on impulse when a situation arises, but planning aforehand to be the one to call.

Thank you, with fierce appreciation and gratitude.

Whispered Wish

Hello!  I wanted to share this little 8x8 inch piece I made for my local scrapbook store, Remember When using Prima's Fairy Rhymes line.   I didn't think I'd be able to make something with these papers that "are so not me," but I did, and I love it! 

I started by brainstorming my thoughts on fairies, and "Fairy Rhymes" dictated there be some poetry.

A little poem I wrote about dandelions.
Did you think of the floating seeds as fairies when you were young?
Do you still?

One of the challenges I find with papers and bits with people, fairies, cherubs, etc. is finding a photo that won't compete for attention.  The eye is naturally drawn to faces.  I decided a photo without a face was a good solution, and the little fairy peeking from behind it would help draw attention across from the main fairy to the photo.

I love how this Prima Distressing Tool can be used to age a freshly printed photo.

It's ok to whisper your wishes, even though I know some superstitions say your wish won't come true if you say it out loud.   I've always taught my kids that if you keep your wish inside, then you are also keeping it from some human helpers who could assist in making that dream come true.  

A bit of fussy-cutting to make a recessed frame in the design.

So, do you have any wishes you'd like to whisper in my ear, or shout to the world?  :)  The fairies are also listening!

They Glow

We visited my parents in San Diego last weekend, and the sunset was simply spectacular!  As the sky morphed and changed minute by minute I took picture after picture after picture.  I was tickled by the thought that this is my mom and dad's "new normal".  This is the view from their home-- this sunset, visible from their kitchen window, the sofa in the family room, the outdoor dining table, the swimming pool.

I hand cut the title from the card stock and backed it with an array of scraps
from Graphic 45's Bohemian Bazar collection.

Ooo!  This is the first time I've ever used a transparency!  Such a cool way to add depth and texture while
keeping things light and neutral.  This one is from Alison Kreft for Webster's Pages 

I watercolored a gradient on my journaling tag, as well as on my background paper, prior to cutting out the title.

They are so happy!  I am so happy for them!  I love that even after two years my dad is still giddy with the disbelief that this is their home.  Congratulations!  I love you!


Thanks for stopping in!

OLW #72: CRAZY

This month's Word Up at One Little Word is CRAZY, put forth by the lovely Denise Morrison.

Ooo, did that word sing out to me!  Yes, in actual song.  Which made me think of all the songs that have "Crazy" in them like:

• Crazy by Patsy Cline
• She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals
• Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
• Crazy For You by Madonna
• Let's Go Crazy by Prince
• I Go Crazy by Paul Davis
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
• Watching The Wheels by John Lennon

There are a lot of them.  And, yes, I realize I am dating myself with the selections cited. ;)  Whatevs.

It was the John Lennon one that struck me.  

"People say I'm crazy, doin' what I'm doin'"

There are a lot of choices I've made in life that others think are crazy--from adding a pet to the family to quitting high salaried jobs--and there are chances I've taken that are crazy by my own retrospective measure (remaining tight-lipped as the statute of limitations may not have yet expired. Lol!).

Journaled with a Speedball fountain pen and Higgins waterproof black ink
on a piece of Disney Princess drawing paper by Mead.  :)
(It was here, it was 9x12, and it had the weight I was looking for.)
I colored the paper with a wash of several Distress Inks and Dylusion mist.

I started journaling with the intent to obliterate some crazy confessions and over-journal with my crazy dreams.   I realized that I don't hold regrets for any of the crazy stuff I've done.  It all makes up who I am, the past experiences, close shaves, exhilarating risks, and leaps of faith.

 "Crazy" is subjective--what seems crazy to some may be completely sane to others.   

I tore the journaling into strips, mixed them up because my past and my dreams for the future, no matter how crazy each might be, are a part of me, perhaps the essence of me.  I wove them through a little self-portrait that I'd done with a Stabilo All Pencil, watercolors, and oil pastels.  (Kind of a mess…)

Check out all the crazy, wonderful inspiration on the One Little Word blog, and join in!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweeping Up

Sometimes when my floors need sweeping I call my mom.

I knew it sounded awful when I said it out loud…

…which made me laugh…

…which inspired me to make a scrapbook page.

First of all, let me assure you that I do NOT call my mom and tell her to get over here and clean my house!  But, when I realized that I do have this weird thing that I sweep while I talk to her on the phone (and never when I talk to anyone else) I spent a few minutes psycho-analyzing my behavior.

I doodled that little telephone, cut it out and added the button over the dial.  Fun!

I think that when I talk with my mom, when we connect, I begin to look at my surroundings with her eyes and feel compelled to clean up the things I'd hate for her to see.

Some goodies from Cocoa Daisy, layered and tacked down with some
red embroidery floss to echo the stitch I put on the telephone's button.

This layout also made me realize something about my scrapping style:  I'm a literalist.  I like supporting  embellishments that visually, literally tie to my story.  Hence the telephone.  And, here, I used water soluble pastels, colored pencils and graphite to lightly extend the dirty floor in my photo onto the white background paper.  Lol!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a call to make…

"Hello, Mom?"  

Thanks for popping in!!  Have a great day!

Edit:  With a little nudge from Ashli (aka SoapHOUSEmama) I've linked up this layout to the challenge over at Simon Says Stamp and Show.  You can link up, too and be entered to win a $50 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp!  Woohoo!

Beauty Secrets

Yeah, sorry to have pulled you in with that post title.  Lol!  It's more a "Dirty Little Secret" than a "Beauty Secret".  Um…maybe it's actually a "What Not To Do" than it is "A Tip".

I cut my own bangs.  And Meaghan, (and Leyla, and Lindsey, and Sharon, and the other Sharon, and every other professional I've ever entrusted with maintaining my locks) deal with it, kindly, and ask me not to, and will do it at no charge if I would just come into the salon and ask.  "5 minutes!" they say, "that's all it'll take!"

So, here is the secret, here is the probable reason they object to my self-care:

Cocoa Daisy has a monthly "Pleased to Meet You" challenge, highlighting one of their amazing Design Team members, in which you take inspiration from their personal style of scrapping.  This month features Denise Morrison.  A few of the design elements I took from Denise are, off-cropping (for lack of a better term) my photo, journaling directly onto the background paper, use of arrows and torn paper, and paint splats.

True Denise style would have included scribbles, gesso, and stenciling.    Head on over to the Cocoa Daisy blog, get inspired and link up!  This "just for fun" challenge goes until May 13, so maybe I'll have time for a second attempt at channeling my masterfully-messy, inner Denise! (God, I really hope I have an inner Denise!  Getting to know her through the Cocoa Daisy message boards--this is the kind of woman you'd wear a WWDD bracelet for, for strength in the moment, and asking yourself, "What would Denise do??  I love her!)

Still Searching for Myself

I found my art journal the other day.  It was buried on my work table which is decidedly too small a space for working AND allowing in progress things to dry and/or marinate.  A re-design of my space is in progress.  :)  

Flipping through, I found this spread from May of last year.  "You can be who you want to be….and it doesn't have to have a name.  It doesn't have to be defined.  It is You.  At your core, your center, it is You."  Hmm.  Sage advice I'd given myself, and yet I am still struggling, still trying to construct a definition.   

I need to put that torch down.  I need to answer "Who Am I?" with "I Am Me."

"Me" is answer enough, though I can always continue developing, evolving, and emerging into my me-ness.

This bit of blue paper that I made into a pocket for my journaling was piece of a two part experiment.
Part One was to draw and cut out the "girl version" of the paper dolls seen in the Amy Tangerine washi tape there, with the connected hands and feet forming heart shapes.  Part Two was me wondering how bleach and colored paper would react.  I mixed some bleach and water in a spray bottle, laid the paper dolls down as a mask, spritzed and waited to see what happened.  I like it!!

I know that my art journal is a pivotal part of my self-discovery process.  In finding it, I feel I found a piece of me.  A forgotten piece, literally buried beneath a bunch of "have-to's", projects for others or for purposes other than play.

How completely perfect that it resurrected itself today, on Easter Sunday.  :)

Happy Spring!  Thank you for visiting!