#InMyStudio - Iconic Angelic Mixed Media...

I am loving her expression... she's so sincere to me.

Well I just loved having my whole Friday at home... I didn't get #InMyStudio straight away but I got everything out of the way so that I could go there guilt free... I have so many assignments and a commission to start... which I have to say I have been putting off because fear has been in my way.  But I knew today was about facing myself... or more like facing my fears.

Last night I worked on my commission (I will share when she's finished) and my assignment piece.  I decided to combine my home tutorials in this piece... Icon Piece.  Painting in Gesso and Stabilo Pencil.  Oil painting.  I incorporated all these lessons into this one piece.

I haven't painted for weeks and I have to say I have loved it... it almost bought tears to my eyes... not for any other reason but the deep sense of joy I feel being #InMyStudio and #Painting

A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

All I can say, as wonderful as they have been, I am so grateful that the birthday celebrations are behind us... We are all celebrated out... not to mention a tad bit exhausted.  We are ready to move on to normalcy.

After 18 months without a dishwasher, I finally got my shiny new one this week... and already there has been a huge load lifted off my shoulders.  Literally.  For me a clean kitchen = all is right with the world.

I have been missing my time in the studio because life, a headcold and birthday celebrations have been keeping me very busy, come last week I was having serious withdrawals... I have been keeping up with watching my weekly tutorials but not with all of my homework... although, I did managed to do quite a bit in spite of everything...  did 2 faces in softpastels, put together 2 collage backgrounds, 2 collage ladies and 1 written assignment.  I also managed to bake Misty's bread 3 times and make her amazing chocolate pudding.  Not to bad!

Abstract Chalk Drawing... using magazine elements and work around it...
I need to finish her dress and background... but I actually really enjoyed this.
Chalk is quite satisfying... because it's quick and fun to work with

My first collage since I was in Italy... and even then,
my collages there weren't that successful.
But I feel like I really had breakthrough here.
I had the right tools, and watching the tutorials
I had a better idea how to do this...

I have some chalk colors to put down in the background,
but otherwise, I am delighted!

Another Collage in my ArtJournal.  I had this face, that I found in Italy

and I knew I wanted to do another collage straight away...

she just came together so nicely too.

I decided to use her for my written assignment, "less is more".

This piece is finished and I have to say...

I think I might be a little addicted to this wonderful creative play!

I hope to do many more that tell beautiful stories...

I love that piece of ephermia that's on her chest ...

"Mother Love is the fuel that Enables"

#InMyStudio - "Less is More"... more-or-less!

I am always challenged by the writing assignments but I totally loved this writing assignment prompt... "Less is More".  We had to tell a story about ourselves in three word sentences - more challenging than one would think... this is my #artjournal page where I incorporated #collage... 

. just a woman . sometimes a girl .

. sometimes alittle lost . sometimes completely found . 

. some special people . close to me .

. special like family . in-love with much .

. esp my girls . my beautiful man . they hold me . my whole me . 

. addicted to art . obsessed with oils . and good coffee .

. plagued by guilt . that I'm enough .

. work too hard . to prove myself . many late nights .

. mostly by myself . embracing the silence . embracing the quiet .

. love to run . hate to run . run silences me . silences the fears .

. always falling short . fear whispers loud . my constant companion . 

. love arty friends . pen-pals from afar .

. love meaningful conversation . feeds my soul .

. love to laugh . love to cry . 

. alone time essential . esp as aging .

. love to surf . ocean restores me . tiredness my foe .

. my time steal-er . sleep heals me . 

. scarves, bags, shoes . 
. to do lists . to don't lists .

. hot baths essential . long rainy days . soft gown embraces . 

3 journal pages . finding Great Creator . my great confidant .
. life's too busy . much to do . not enough hours .
. finding some grace . embracing the me . failures and all .
. being kind today . kind to me . today is today .
. and that's enough .

#InMyStudio... A bit of dusty messy chalk!

I couldn't go through another day not doing anything in my studio...

I chose something fun, easy and light to do.

I knew one of our homework tasks were to chalk pastel

over our pencil rendition of John Briggs Potter's portrait...

Well I couldn't face doing that - so I drew her over and

started playing with my chalks... 

man that felt nice!!!

#InMyStudio - Creative play...

I didn't mean to but while I was sorting out my studio and getting ready for a commission piece... I inadvertently put together a collage theme which is part of week three in Face2face and I can't wait to get going on this week.  I have so much homework to do.

I had an insanely busy week, with month-end, my birthday, 2 dentist appointments, school camp and a get together... 

Just dreaming about some pieces was all I had for this week in terms of me doing art... And sorting my studio which is just precious play for me.

Printing wars... Printing victories...

Today my business cards were ready for collection and I love them.
Now when I send out orders - I have a card to attach.

Rather exciting!!!

Off to a better start this week...

It's my birthday and I can cry if I want to... it's my BIG 4.0. birthday this week and today when I was out running, I realized that I'm not one of the young girls in my running bunch... I'm one of the old gals... OUCH! How did it come to this...  But I have to say, I am super excited for my birthday! My hubby and the girls are spoiling me big big time this year!!! Not sure I deserve more spoils after my Italy spoil, but hey it's a special birthday!  So I'm rolling with it!

Week 2 Tutorials were off the charts which is leading me bravely to new creative play with new things I have never heard of or seen before... like ScratchBoarding and Sgraffito and I'm kind of beside myself.  Misty is a wealth of information and man alive, I got home from finding these small items with much excitement in my belly... I can't wait to play!!!  I am sure I will mess up and make a mess of things but I'm strangely okay with that... I know where to find these items if I do and they weren't too expensive and it's released something in me to learn freely and to play freely!

This is my 3rd week with my local group of runners, and I am thrilled.  I had a tough run this morning but I am loving the challenge.  I am pushing myself, it hasn't been a breeze on any level.  On all three days that we run, there are major hills for the first half of the run, making for long slow endurance running.  I am still working on my base fitness, consistency being my primary objective and holding off the speed-work for now. This week I will consider adding another day of running to my regime... a 2 hour trail run over the weekend!  Hope I will manage...

On this positive note - have a great week further.

Weekend News...

 After a monster week - I was more than ready to escape to my drawing board... I decided to do a Graphite, Charcoal and Pastel drawings using the same reference.  This way covering most of my tutorials.  I loved every one of them.  They are all so different yet the same.  And I love that fact.  I haven't touched paint for two weeks and using dry mediums and working in my #ArtJournal has been so much fun!  I guess sometimes I get so stuck on paint that I forget there are other amazing mediums out there.

I still have quite a few homework assignments to do from

this week and they are all fabulous...

Misty shared a recipe for us... Kneadless Bread!
It was a huge hit and yummy!

                           

We headed to the Waterfront to get more Nespresso Pods...
what an experience... it was Coffee Heaven where all the addicts hang out.

We had an amazing downtime weekend at home... much needed after the week we had!  I guess you have weeks like that!!

But trusting next week will be much better...

#InMyStudio - Sneak Peak inside...

I love this shot.... 
Now I have to decide what to do with all these faces...