Posts
One way for me is when I realize I forgot to proof read for typos before hitting the "Publish Post" button on my blog. "Exhibit A" is in my "Message In The Bottle" post just now. SURELY there's a way to get back in to that post and make it look like I really can spell! But heck if I can figure out how.
Apparently I need to simply get ready for bed and call it a day.
Ta-Ta for now.
bj
Friday, April 30, 2010
Message in the Bottle (No, SB page!!)
If anyone looked at my "Go Green" Scrapbooking Art layout posted previously, their first inclination was probably that I was (in the picture) going for a "Vanna White" impersonation thing. Looking at the pic I can see how that could happen. It also makes me think of commercials on TV from my childhood, or even Lucy holding up the bottle of Vita-Veta-Vegamin before she got overloaded on the stuff. However, per the typed message hidden behind the picture (with the little half-circle pullout tab);
This ISN'T an endorsement of Granny Smith Apples. Frankly the only way I like these apples is baked. Red Delicious apples are my favorites, AND the msot nutritious of all the apples. I'm simply alluding here to all the many benefits of "Going Green".
As children, my borthers and I collected soda bottles thrown along the roads. We also collected newspapers from our neighborhood with the help of Mom and her late 50s station wagon. The bottles were turned in at the Rexall Drug Stroe for money to buy comics and candy. The newspapers were collected on a certain Saturday each month and taken to the Miami recycle center. The money was split between us, much of which was saved.
I started recycling early in my adult years. It's in my blood after all. Today I typically have, for one week's pickup, one bag of garbage in the bin and a recycle box with a few bottles and cans without their labels, and a newspaper or two. I've even drastically cut the use of paper towels and napkins by replacing with cloth ones.
Friends can't believe I have so little garbage each week! The truth is that when you decide to EAT HEALTHY, eat the FOODS DADDY GOD CREATED TO FEED OUR BODIES FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH, things like processed foods (and their cardboard wrappings) don't take up space in your pantry or freezer (and garbage bin), junk snacks (and their wrappings) can't be found in your home or garbage, and empty calorie sodas aren't taking up space in the frig to be "downed whenever" and then tossed out in the trash.
I am not at all a Fan of the "Politics of Gowing Green". And, I'm not a believer of the "Global Warming" crap. Too many people have cost a lot of others their jobs, in this country alone, with their demands to "save the planet", and they've made a heck of a lot of money in the process. "Going Green" is NOT POLITICS. It's an individual "Lifestyle Commitment", taking Personal Responsibility for one's self and actions.
I "Go Green" for the PERSONAL Health of it. In the process, I ccreate less waste to spoil my environment. And that's MY COMMITMENT.
Definitely a little sass (little???) in this layout.
This ISN'T an endorsement of Granny Smith Apples. Frankly the only way I like these apples is baked. Red Delicious apples are my favorites, AND the msot nutritious of all the apples. I'm simply alluding here to all the many benefits of "Going Green".
As children, my borthers and I collected soda bottles thrown along the roads. We also collected newspapers from our neighborhood with the help of Mom and her late 50s station wagon. The bottles were turned in at the Rexall Drug Stroe for money to buy comics and candy. The newspapers were collected on a certain Saturday each month and taken to the Miami recycle center. The money was split between us, much of which was saved.
I started recycling early in my adult years. It's in my blood after all. Today I typically have, for one week's pickup, one bag of garbage in the bin and a recycle box with a few bottles and cans without their labels, and a newspaper or two. I've even drastically cut the use of paper towels and napkins by replacing with cloth ones.
Friends can't believe I have so little garbage each week! The truth is that when you decide to EAT HEALTHY, eat the FOODS DADDY GOD CREATED TO FEED OUR BODIES FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH, things like processed foods (and their cardboard wrappings) don't take up space in your pantry or freezer (and garbage bin), junk snacks (and their wrappings) can't be found in your home or garbage, and empty calorie sodas aren't taking up space in the frig to be "downed whenever" and then tossed out in the trash.
I am not at all a Fan of the "Politics of Gowing Green". And, I'm not a believer of the "Global Warming" crap. Too many people have cost a lot of others their jobs, in this country alone, with their demands to "save the planet", and they've made a heck of a lot of money in the process. "Going Green" is NOT POLITICS. It's an individual "Lifestyle Commitment", taking Personal Responsibility for one's self and actions.
I "Go Green" for the PERSONAL Health of it. In the process, I ccreate less waste to spoil my environment. And that's MY COMMITMENT.
Definitely a little sass (little???) in this layout.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Going Green: My Response
When it comes to my scrapbooking art I am not the "typical scrapbooker". My scrapbooks and wall frames do not have "Mom, Pop, Bud, & Sis", "Here we are at Thanksgiving", "It's Christmas Once Again At Our House", "Look, We're On VACATION", (I wish I COULD have a vacation), and all the various year after year subjects scrapbookers typically fill pages with. There's me, and my now 25 yr old Darling Daughter. Some holidays I am by myself, unless I have the good fortune of having an invite from a close friend. So, my scrapbooking art reflects UN-TYPICAL subjects, along with some typical Christmas or Thanksgiving layouts.
Such is the case with this piece. My friend, Bonnie Olson, took the pictures for my photo shoot last Fall (2009). Thank you, Girlfriend, for your help here. And I had been bagging the pieces (elements) I wanted to include. You see, I wanted to do a "Message" scrapbooking art layout. And this, dear reader, is the result.
OK, LOL, there are a number of "Recycled Elements" on here, purposely.
1) The netting is from a bag of Key Limes.
2) The Green Frame around the middle "go green circle" was the seal on the container of Buttermilk in the Frig.
3) The little Green "thingy" with the word "GO" on it was part of the packaging of one of those oil in the bottle with the reed sticking out air freshener things.
4) The Tan rectangle behind it and the tan "go green" circles were part of the outer packaging of the same air freshener thing.
5) I forget where I recycled the dark green ribbon from.
The scrapbook papers, brads, and chipboard letters, tag, and { } things have been sitting in my stash for, hmmmm, let's just say a good long while. And the "go green" rubber stamp I purchased for $1.00 because it obviously fits.
For scrapbookers in the readership, I used Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink on the papers, Shabby Shutters Distress Ink on the bottom tag, Shabby Shutters and Antique Linen Distress Crackle Paints on the chipboard and brads, and Stazon Black ink with the rubber stamp on the circle tags because the tan circles paper is slick.
My journaling is hidden behind the picture, with the little blue checked half-circle tag attached to pull it out. And THERE is the "rest of the message" of the layout.
Wanna know what it says? Tomorrow (I promise) I'll come back and share that!
Of course, you can always post a comment with your "guess" of what I might have written. LOL
Such is the case with this piece. My friend, Bonnie Olson, took the pictures for my photo shoot last Fall (2009). Thank you, Girlfriend, for your help here. And I had been bagging the pieces (elements) I wanted to include. You see, I wanted to do a "Message" scrapbooking art layout. And this, dear reader, is the result.
OK, LOL, there are a number of "Recycled Elements" on here, purposely.
1) The netting is from a bag of Key Limes.
2) The Green Frame around the middle "go green circle" was the seal on the container of Buttermilk in the Frig.
3) The little Green "thingy" with the word "GO" on it was part of the packaging of one of those oil in the bottle with the reed sticking out air freshener things.
4) The Tan rectangle behind it and the tan "go green" circles were part of the outer packaging of the same air freshener thing.
5) I forget where I recycled the dark green ribbon from.
The scrapbook papers, brads, and chipboard letters, tag, and { } things have been sitting in my stash for, hmmmm, let's just say a good long while. And the "go green" rubber stamp I purchased for $1.00 because it obviously fits.
For scrapbookers in the readership, I used Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink on the papers, Shabby Shutters Distress Ink on the bottom tag, Shabby Shutters and Antique Linen Distress Crackle Paints on the chipboard and brads, and Stazon Black ink with the rubber stamp on the circle tags because the tan circles paper is slick.
My journaling is hidden behind the picture, with the little blue checked half-circle tag attached to pull it out. And THERE is the "rest of the message" of the layout.
Wanna know what it says? Tomorrow (I promise) I'll come back and share that!
Of course, you can always post a comment with your "guess" of what I might have written. LOL
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
A Pair of Pears
My favorite magazines these days are "Cloth,Paper,Scissors" and "Somerset Studio". And now I think I've added one more, "The Artist's Magazine". This one I just found and am learning some great art stuff. I really study my magazines as they inspire new ideas for me, teach, and set me on a road to more study in an area of interest. I'm still doing my scrapbooking art, and I do pick up a scrapbooking magazine every so often, however, I walked into this year wanting to really grow the artist inside that I'm becoming more and more fond of.
This year, 2010, started with my written down goal of developing my abilities with two different mediums: Colored Pencil/Watercolor Pencil and Fluid Acrylic Painting.(Hmmm, OK, I'm realizing that's three different mediums. Whatever.) By mid-April I honestly cannot tell you which I prefer more. Both mediums are so totally enjoyable for me to work with. I am finding out, however, just HOW MUCH I love painting!!
So, back to my mags. The March/April Somerset Studio has this wonderful "how-to" article by Pam Carriker http://pamcarriker.com/ about painting with PanPastels and special sponges (pgs 105-107). Her instructions and accompanying photos are very well written, teaching how to use this pastel medium to paint a picture of two pears. I just love the colors she used, then realized as I studied through her article that I have all those same colors on the rack of Golden Fluid Acrylics I am learning to paint with. That's when I challenged myself to paint her PanPastel Pears with my Fluid Acrylics. After a couple emails between us to clarify a couple things in the article, I set about working on my challenge.
The drawing pencil was ready to lightly sketch pears onto my canvas when I thought, "maybe I better do a couple drawings in my sketchbook first since I haven't drawn pears in a while". That was a good decision, as I realized the need to work on balanced proportions of the pears. After three pages of pears in my sketchbook the confidence had grown enough to allow my hand and pencil to move to the canvas. Aagh, I kept having to move the pears up on the canvas! Every time I thought I had the balance right, I'd walk away, come back, and the pears still seemed to be sitting too low. Thank goodness I was sketching very lightly. Finally, my little self was content with the placement, and the painting commenced. I spent all Friday afternoon/evening working on this 8" x 10" painting while on the retreat. Had to wait until I got home to write the verse on the painted canvas - the recommended pen was here in the studio. Once that was done I mixed up and layed down two layers of the Golden Encaustic Glaze recipe Chris Cozen has in her "Altered Surfaces" book (pg. 29), letting the canvas dry between each layer. Here is my finished painting.
After having done research online I added a list of food prices above my mother's January 24, 1933 birthday in the "window" to go along with the Bible verse the Lord had given me for this painting while I was drawing in my sketch book; Psalm 145:15.
I've sent a scan of the finished painting to Pam, thanking her for this awesome "lesson", to Chris Cozen for her great teaching of Golden products, and to Somerset Studio for being a great Art Inspiring Magazine. I had no idea it would be a lesson when I made the challenge to myself, but, I learned a lot artistically. Like, I would have never thought to use Paynes Grey as an 'underpainting' for the shadows. And, it was an "encouragement" spiritually that Daddy God always provides without ceasing.
The Ultimate Artist created us in HIS Image, so go do something creative. Whatever it is, it will warm your heart and bring joy to your soul. And that's a fact, Jack!
This year, 2010, started with my written down goal of developing my abilities with two different mediums: Colored Pencil/Watercolor Pencil and Fluid Acrylic Painting.(Hmmm, OK, I'm realizing that's three different mediums. Whatever.) By mid-April I honestly cannot tell you which I prefer more. Both mediums are so totally enjoyable for me to work with. I am finding out, however, just HOW MUCH I love painting!!
So, back to my mags. The March/April Somerset Studio has this wonderful "how-to" article by Pam Carriker http://pamcarriker.com/ about painting with PanPastels and special sponges (pgs 105-107). Her instructions and accompanying photos are very well written, teaching how to use this pastel medium to paint a picture of two pears. I just love the colors she used, then realized as I studied through her article that I have all those same colors on the rack of Golden Fluid Acrylics I am learning to paint with. That's when I challenged myself to paint her PanPastel Pears with my Fluid Acrylics. After a couple emails between us to clarify a couple things in the article, I set about working on my challenge.
The drawing pencil was ready to lightly sketch pears onto my canvas when I thought, "maybe I better do a couple drawings in my sketchbook first since I haven't drawn pears in a while". That was a good decision, as I realized the need to work on balanced proportions of the pears. After three pages of pears in my sketchbook the confidence had grown enough to allow my hand and pencil to move to the canvas. Aagh, I kept having to move the pears up on the canvas! Every time I thought I had the balance right, I'd walk away, come back, and the pears still seemed to be sitting too low. Thank goodness I was sketching very lightly. Finally, my little self was content with the placement, and the painting commenced. I spent all Friday afternoon/evening working on this 8" x 10" painting while on the retreat. Had to wait until I got home to write the verse on the painted canvas - the recommended pen was here in the studio. Once that was done I mixed up and layed down two layers of the Golden Encaustic Glaze recipe Chris Cozen has in her "Altered Surfaces" book (pg. 29), letting the canvas dry between each layer. Here is my finished painting.
After having done research online I added a list of food prices above my mother's January 24, 1933 birthday in the "window" to go along with the Bible verse the Lord had given me for this painting while I was drawing in my sketch book; Psalm 145:15.I've sent a scan of the finished painting to Pam, thanking her for this awesome "lesson", to Chris Cozen for her great teaching of Golden products, and to Somerset Studio for being a great Art Inspiring Magazine. I had no idea it would be a lesson when I made the challenge to myself, but, I learned a lot artistically. Like, I would have never thought to use Paynes Grey as an 'underpainting' for the shadows. And, it was an "encouragement" spiritually that Daddy God always provides without ceasing.
The Ultimate Artist created us in HIS Image, so go do something creative. Whatever it is, it will warm your heart and bring joy to your soul. And that's a fact, Jack!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Where I've Been
It's hard when I've done artwork that I want to share but I have to wait until its been published. It has to be treated like I'm moving it over to another burner to simmer. I haven't posted to my blog in a couple weeks, which could make a person think "she must not be doing anything". A wrong perception my absence might be giving out.
Actually I've been quite busy pursuing my "Art/Artist Journey", especially considering everything. I had another product review and artwork published last week at www.papercrafterscorner.com that has been well received. I did a lot of sketching last week in preparation for an acrylic painting that is now almost finished. The "Joy of Six" show at Tannery Row Gallery in Historic Buford, Ga was over on April 10, so the pieces for that show came home and are now on a Local Tour of sorts. Last week I got to meet Sean Hannity at a Book Signing, and that was fun. Then I also had to plan and pack for an extended Art/Scrapbooking Retreat weekend I went on. Got home last night and in true "Brenda Jean" fashion, I unpacked everything and put it all where it belongs. Today I am exhausted and have done next to nothing.
TanneryRowArtistColony.com sponsored their annual Plein Air Festival in Historic Burford this past Friday/Saturday, which I had planned to be a part of before the out of town retreat opportunity came up. Going down to Lake Jackson for four days though, I couldn't past that one up! The location, however, screamed out for some Plein Air painting on my part, so I spent a few hours Saturday having fun outdoors with my watercolor pencils.
If you go to www.ratcliffretreat.com you can see where we stayed, right on the lake. It's a beautiful place, and I did this picture sitting out in the back yard, facing the very brownish looking Lake Jackson. The house next door has this gorgeous area next to their boat ramp which I noticed Friday and just had to go capture with my watercolors. The sun flipped in and out from behind the clouds every few minutes, so I had to just do the best I could with the light.
I've gone swimming in the lake when I've visited here before, with my friends freaking out at the idea of swimming in water that looks like that (you can't see anything, Brenda!!). The water is way too cold from winter right now so I had to admire it from the shore. Would have LOVED being out on one of the many boats that passed by all weekend. One can't have everything though.
Anyways, I have more to share, but not today. Remember, do something creatively, seriously, because it truly warms your heart and gives joy to your soul.
bj
Actually I've been quite busy pursuing my "Art/Artist Journey", especially considering everything. I had another product review and artwork published last week at www.papercrafterscorner.com that has been well received. I did a lot of sketching last week in preparation for an acrylic painting that is now almost finished. The "Joy of Six" show at Tannery Row Gallery in Historic Buford, Ga was over on April 10, so the pieces for that show came home and are now on a Local Tour of sorts. Last week I got to meet Sean Hannity at a Book Signing, and that was fun. Then I also had to plan and pack for an extended Art/Scrapbooking Retreat weekend I went on. Got home last night and in true "Brenda Jean" fashion, I unpacked everything and put it all where it belongs. Today I am exhausted and have done next to nothing.
TanneryRowArtistColony.com sponsored their annual Plein Air Festival in Historic Burford this past Friday/Saturday, which I had planned to be a part of before the out of town retreat opportunity came up. Going down to Lake Jackson for four days though, I couldn't past that one up! The location, however, screamed out for some Plein Air painting on my part, so I spent a few hours Saturday having fun outdoors with my watercolor pencils.
If you go to www.ratcliffretreat.com you can see where we stayed, right on the lake. It's a beautiful place, and I did this picture sitting out in the back yard, facing the very brownish looking Lake Jackson. The house next door has this gorgeous area next to their boat ramp which I noticed Friday and just had to go capture with my watercolors. The sun flipped in and out from behind the clouds every few minutes, so I had to just do the best I could with the light.
I've gone swimming in the lake when I've visited here before, with my friends freaking out at the idea of swimming in water that looks like that (you can't see anything, Brenda!!). The water is way too cold from winter right now so I had to admire it from the shore. Would have LOVED being out on one of the many boats that passed by all weekend. One can't have everything though.
Anyways, I have more to share, but not today. Remember, do something creatively, seriously, because it truly warms your heart and gives joy to your soul.
bj
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
It is finished, and woven artwork
I LOVE to write! And, to be in my studio working on artwork has got to be something akin to what's it's going to be like in Heaven. Then there's the 'take a product, see what I can do with it, and then write a Review about it' adventure. Sometimes when I am finished doing one or the other, or both together, my brain feels like it's been through a triathalon (Spelling 101: this word is NOT in my Webster's 33,000 most used words book here so am not sure I spelled it right. Maybe it's not a 'much used' word???)
Anyways, my brain felt like that TOTALLY when I finished the "Motion Six-ness" piece currently hanging at the Tannery Row Artist Colony/Gallery in Historic Buford, Ga. What a ride that was, exhausting but exhilarating when it was over. I turned around and wanted to do it again like any self-respecting person would. LOL
I'm kind of there again at the moment. I've played and played with the Tim Holtz Grungepaper, designed a number of Art projects with it, have more ideas swimming in my head, written a Review and submitted it and the projects to the editor/owner of www.papercrafterscorner.com for publication. No monetary gain from this one, however, it pushed me once more Artistically, AND one never knows what might be around the next corner. So I do for now what I can do.
In the meantime, I was at http://myrnawacknov.blogspot.com/2010/04/start.html "Creativity Journey" last week reading one of Myrna's posts. She is a fabulous artist and I am inspired by her work and her ability and willingness to experiment outside the box on a regular basis. In one of her posts followed by comments from several of us, the issue came up about what to do with paintings you do and then hate. I mentioned a technique I learned from some of my Artist friends at Tannery Row Artist Colony. You simply cut it up into strips, then use those strips to weave a painting.
Today, since I can't show my grungepaper artwork until it's been published, I thought I would share a different piece of artwork. Upon completion I took it up to show my Artist friends, and they loved it. There was no "I hate this" canvas in the studio here to cut up, so I used a wallpaper border piece, along with other papers, and cut them all up. And being the "I wanna try something a little bit different" person that I am, the strips were cut in different patterns and widths.
Of course then I found that made the weaving a bit more challenging, LOL yeah more like a LOT more challenging, but I ended up liking the result. The choice of the dark blue mat really punches out the sunflowers. This is in a white 12x12 frame and looks lovely on my dining room wall.
Until next time, go find something creative to do. Doing so brings an tranquil peace to your soul, and joy to your heart.
Anyways, my brain felt like that TOTALLY when I finished the "Motion Six-ness" piece currently hanging at the Tannery Row Artist Colony/Gallery in Historic Buford, Ga. What a ride that was, exhausting but exhilarating when it was over. I turned around and wanted to do it again like any self-respecting person would. LOL
I'm kind of there again at the moment. I've played and played with the Tim Holtz Grungepaper, designed a number of Art projects with it, have more ideas swimming in my head, written a Review and submitted it and the projects to the editor/owner of www.papercrafterscorner.com for publication. No monetary gain from this one, however, it pushed me once more Artistically, AND one never knows what might be around the next corner. So I do for now what I can do.
In the meantime, I was at http://myrnawacknov.blogspot.com/2010/04/start.html "Creativity Journey" last week reading one of Myrna's posts. She is a fabulous artist and I am inspired by her work and her ability and willingness to experiment outside the box on a regular basis. In one of her posts followed by comments from several of us, the issue came up about what to do with paintings you do and then hate. I mentioned a technique I learned from some of my Artist friends at Tannery Row Artist Colony. You simply cut it up into strips, then use those strips to weave a painting.
Today, since I can't show my grungepaper artwork until it's been published, I thought I would share a different piece of artwork. Upon completion I took it up to show my Artist friends, and they loved it. There was no "I hate this" canvas in the studio here to cut up, so I used a wallpaper border piece, along with other papers, and cut them all up. And being the "I wanna try something a little bit different" person that I am, the strips were cut in different patterns and widths.
Of course then I found that made the weaving a bit more challenging, LOL yeah more like a LOT more challenging, but I ended up liking the result. The choice of the dark blue mat really punches out the sunflowers. This is in a white 12x12 frame and looks lovely on my dining room wall.Until next time, go find something creative to do. Doing so brings an tranquil peace to your soul, and joy to your heart.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lost and Found Leads to ART
OK, so this week I'm playing around with Tim Holtz's Grungepaper, putting it through various paces and designing with it in preparation for writing a Product Review for www.papercrafterscorner.com. I had this awesome idea for using it on a scrapbook layout and went to pull the TOOL out that I had in mind as part of the design.
I admit it, right here right now; PAPER is my nemesis! After 12+ years of scrapbook and card designing, there's tons in this little studio. And even though I've been actively giving more quality clean up/re-organizing time to change that, it still abounds. HOWEVER, when it comes to my tools, I'm very, very particular in obeying the rule my mother ingrained in us kids growing up; "a place for everything and everything in it's place". No Exceptions!
Imagine the horror then, when I went to pull out my set of these and they weren't where they were supposed to be!
Back in the day (late 1990s) when I first started scrapbooking, I bought and greatly used these Creative Memories decorative edge rulers. We didn't have all the "toys" with their bells and whistles that scrapbookers and paper artists have available today, and though I don't use these particular tools like I used to, when I want one of them, they need to be In Their Place! Fortunately I found them early yesterday afternoon, and the funny part was that they WERE where they were supposed to be. Rather than standing up in the storage case, they had fallen over and were laying in the bottom under other art making supplies. That discovery, made after hours of purging/re-organizing in here, made me want to sit back down to art making. So back to the Grungepaper.
I had a piece of this heavy grungepaper already torn and laying on my workstation. I decided to work it into a card since a longtime friend's birthday is coming up and I wanted to do something special in designing his card. My artist mind started whirling, and excitedly I pulled out watercolor paper, a fine ink drawing pen, water color pencils, artist paint brush, and a couple Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads. The torn GP would be inked and act as the Foreground of my painting. This is what I came up with.
After drawing the picture with ink I laid colors in with the watercolor pencils and a wet brush. I'm very excited about this little painting which is the base for the Birthday Card. Another friend from our growing up in South Miami days sent us this old pic weeks ago that we all had fun reminiscing about. It's the old Lighthouse off Biscayne Bay, Miami, Fl. 
I want to do a big drawing/painting of it, but for now it helped in doing this little picture as it's been way too long since I saw our beloved palm trees on the beach up close and in person. I will post the link when the finished card, other grungepaper art, and the review article are published. I'm on my way back to the grungepaper scrapbook layout now, however, I just couldn't keep from sharing my latest painting, even though this one is small.
Remember, do something creative every day. For sure, it is food for the soul, and brings joy to your heart.
bj
I admit it, right here right now; PAPER is my nemesis! After 12+ years of scrapbook and card designing, there's tons in this little studio. And even though I've been actively giving more quality clean up/re-organizing time to change that, it still abounds. HOWEVER, when it comes to my tools, I'm very, very particular in obeying the rule my mother ingrained in us kids growing up; "a place for everything and everything in it's place". No Exceptions!
Imagine the horror then, when I went to pull out my set of these and they weren't where they were supposed to be!
Back in the day (late 1990s) when I first started scrapbooking, I bought and greatly used these Creative Memories decorative edge rulers. We didn't have all the "toys" with their bells and whistles that scrapbookers and paper artists have available today, and though I don't use these particular tools like I used to, when I want one of them, they need to be In Their Place! Fortunately I found them early yesterday afternoon, and the funny part was that they WERE where they were supposed to be. Rather than standing up in the storage case, they had fallen over and were laying in the bottom under other art making supplies. That discovery, made after hours of purging/re-organizing in here, made me want to sit back down to art making. So back to the Grungepaper.
I had a piece of this heavy grungepaper already torn and laying on my workstation. I decided to work it into a card since a longtime friend's birthday is coming up and I wanted to do something special in designing his card. My artist mind started whirling, and excitedly I pulled out watercolor paper, a fine ink drawing pen, water color pencils, artist paint brush, and a couple Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads. The torn GP would be inked and act as the Foreground of my painting. This is what I came up with.
After drawing the picture with ink I laid colors in with the watercolor pencils and a wet brush. I'm very excited about this little painting which is the base for the Birthday Card. Another friend from our growing up in South Miami days sent us this old pic weeks ago that we all had fun reminiscing about. It's the old Lighthouse off Biscayne Bay, Miami, Fl. 
I want to do a big drawing/painting of it, but for now it helped in doing this little picture as it's been way too long since I saw our beloved palm trees on the beach up close and in person. I will post the link when the finished card, other grungepaper art, and the review article are published. I'm on my way back to the grungepaper scrapbook layout now, however, I just couldn't keep from sharing my latest painting, even though this one is small.
Remember, do something creative every day. For sure, it is food for the soul, and brings joy to your heart.
bj
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