Friday, February 10, 2012

Close-Up x3

Sketchbook Challenge for February is "Close-Up"
I wanted to see if this was something that I ever do in my artwork. I know it do it with my photos but couldn't recall if I did much closeup in my sketching. I was happy to discover these three tiny drawings in one of my journals. I tried to clean up the scans a bit by removing some grayish-purple cast and apologize that you can still see some and most certainly you will if you go larger in the views.
I did discover that typically I do NOT draw things zoomed in so to speak. It is something I will be trying this month though.

hatched seed

stippled pen

pumpkin seeds

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Imagine

I am not loving this very much but am posting it anyway. The background is a copy of an original painting I did last year and the small zentangle was inspired by one of Shelley B's. The entire time I was working on it I kept thinking that my life is MORE than I could ever have imagined and that I am living it exactly the way I want to be. Married to my best friend, parents to wonderful young adults, blessed beyond measure, creating art, all in the middle of the sea. IMAGINE. 
Comments welcomed!

2012-02-09 08.45.45
Here is the original painting with much clearer and vivid colors.
2012-02-08 15.38.01

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Mama and Baby Sketch

2012-02-07 19.06.24
I did this sketch some time LAST YEAR and then never got around to scanning it so it sat in my sketch book unloved til now. But the coloring and angle is wonky so I am not sure I am doing it any favors in sharing it now. It was done from a photograph I saw online of a mama and her then new baby.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Another Class - 10 Tips for Better Type

Big Picture Classes
Although I just took a type/font class a few months ago I was excited to see Cathy Zielske was offering one on BigPicture. I love her clean and classic style for scrapbooking and was anxious to pick up some ideas to improve my layouts. This is a short class (2 weeks) but man is it jam-packed with great and highly useful info! I cannot wait to begin implementing these simple but brilliant concepts. I am planning to post some things and will point out the concepts. Growth is good.

January Roundup

Roundups
I have been using Katie the Scrapbook Lady's idea for roundups for a while now and really like doing them. It helps me gather my thoughts and ideas for journaling throughout the month. I took a class on this at the beginning of the month and got some wonderful ideas to take it even further!


I thought it might be fun to share a portion from this month since I went crazy with my KINDLE FIRE that I got for Christmas! (Obviously, I am loving it!)
I really like Katie's idea of printing out the Roundups each month and putting them in a binder so most likely will be incorporating that idea this year. 



** What reading/learning did I do this month? (books, blogs, magazines, ebooks, podcasts, classes, etc.)
Reading:
The Bleeding Sky – Brandsdorfer
Ruby – Snelling
One Life – Rumzi
Annie’s Ghosts – Luxenberg
Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson – Shelman
Rena’s Promise: Two Sisters in Auschwitz – Rena Kornreich Gelissen
Daughter of Joy – Morgan
Wildflowers of Terezin – Elmer
A Heart for Freedom - Ling (began reading 1/31)
Podcasts:
Family History: Genealogy Made Easy
The Digi Show
Webinars I Participated in:
Chat with Stacy Julian
Personal Geographies with Jill K Berry
Classes:

Are YOU doing Roundups? 
What's on your reading list so far this year?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Avon Breast Cancer Walk

Thought I would share something I worked on recently that also is for a great cause. For those of you who may not know, this is my mom and my oldest daughter when she was almost 3. My mom got to hold our second daughter shortly after she was born but died soon after. She never met our youngest daughter.

you should know-2
My mom died from breast cancer. And until last week we didn't know if this would be a legacy she had passed on to me or not. Happily, it is not. I am forever grateful that I was able to be tested for the breast cancer gene and majorly relieved that I do not have it. My mom's cancer was probably an anomaly or environmental cause. We will never know for sure. But my girls, as is the rest of my family, are committed to finding a cure for this horrible disease and eradicating it. Our oldest one is currently preparing for the Avon Walk in June. If you would like to make a contribution please visit her page  or visit her on facebook to leave her a note of encouragement! Your support is deeply appreciated by every member of our family.

We are in it to END it!