Don't Blink

In August, my Father will have been gone from my life for 4 years. Sometimes, I am okay...at others, I am so heartbroken. I so wanted my Father to see Tyler become a Trooper, he would have been so proud. I found myself talking to him today, telling him the news! It has been since my Father passed away that I have created art, I have dabbled but nothing real. The last real book layout I had done was for my Father, after he left me. I am ready to start creating art again, I think he would want me to.

Maroon 5...This Love

This is one of my favorite songs, it's absolutely too die for! Take a listen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPpTgCho5ZA&feature=share

Music it is....

I've decided to use Music as my theme for the art journal/altered book swap. I am so ready to start arting, to start creating my book. How exciting is this? I'm only waiting for 2 more artists then we can begin organizing and creating! I'm so excited! Art, Art, Art!

Oh, I do so love working with texture, papers, paint, ink, images....just the idea of creating art is making me giddy! Gotta start digging out the art supplies....make a mess on my table. Touch, Feel, Smell the art supplies....so much fun we'll have! 

Looking for artists!!!!!

Looking for a couple more artists.... to join in on my Art Journal/Altered Book Swap! Oh please, do join! 


The swap will begin: August 29, 2011.
The book needs to be: 7x10" or smaller (this is the one I am using: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=zprd_01899525a)Theme: Whatever you wish, but try to make it workable (please do not use too general of themes; (ie: Life, Happiness, Party, etc.). If you wish, you can just choose a color scheme.
Covers: Please decorate the covers (front and back, simple or not) before you mail off your book. It's always easier for the artist to "read" your style if they have something to work from.
Inside Pages: You are welcome to create some pages inside your book to give it your "feel", this helps the artists but is not necessary.
Pages: Please make sure you have enough pages for everyone to work on, or make your book "fillable" so pages can be added.
Special Materials: If you have specific materials you want used in your book, please send extras (ie: specific fabric patterns, birch bark, Oak leaves, etc.).
Signature Page: Please provide some kind of signature page for everyone to let you know that they had worked in your book, some ideas used: Tags, Leaves, Ribbons, etc. If you need help with this one as some of you may not be familiar with them, email me at: penstuart@ymail.com and I will help you out.
Special Requests: If you have any special requests for your book (ie: Poems, Quotes, Personal Handwriting, etc.), please put a write up in your book of your requests.
Mailing: Books are due to be mailed 25 days after receipt

By July 15th: Please email your theme, book size (any specifics) and mailing address to me and I will compile a list for everyone. After I have received everyone's information, I will send the rotation schedule so  everyone will know who they will be receiving from and who to mail to.

That's it....unless you can think of something else. It's been so long that I don't remember all the ins and outs!

If you would like to join, I sure hope you do! Please email me at: penstuart@ymail.com

Oh Alice, where are you?

I love Alice in Wonderland....I started an Alice altered book awhile back, I suppose I should pull it out and start working on the pages. It would be nice to complete it! Here are a couple pages that I've completed before I put it away! One of my favorite songs is: Through the Looking Glass....hmmmm, maybe I should use that as my book theme?! I've changed it a dozen times so far...Alice, Music, Shoes (I do love my shoes)....what should I go with? Should I go silly (Shoes), touching (Music) or Curious (Alice)....Help me pick out my theme. 

I'm trying to post every night....don't get bored!

I'm going to post this to GPP Street Team as these are my colors of choice right now....I do love painting with bright blues and greens....add black and dry brushed white, I'm in heaven! I love the feel of the dry paper, it's so cool! My favorite paints are acrylics, you can do so much with them. I love to add the acrylics to water, to gel medium, to glue...I love to splatter it, to dry brush, to watercolor with it! So much fun to play with acrylics!

Welcome to the Art Journal/Altered Book Swap of 2011

I am ready, I made the decision to hostess an Art Journal or Altered Book! You decide what you want to call it...a journal or a book!

The swap will begin: August 29, 2011.
The book needs to be: 7x10" or smaller
Theme: Whatever you wish, but try to make it workable (please do not use too general of themes; (ie: Life, Happiness, Party, etc.). If you wish, you can just choose a color scheme.
Covers: Please decorate the covers (front and back, simple or not) before you mail off your book. It's always easier for the artist to "read" your style if they have something to work from.
Inside Pages: You are welcome to create some pages inside your book to give it your "feel", this helps the artists but is not necessary.
Pages: Please make sure you have enough pages for everyone to work on, or make your book "fillable" so pages can be added.
Special Materials: If you have specific materials you want used in your book, please send extras (ie: specific fabric patterns, birch bark, Oak leaves, etc.).
Signature Page: Please provide some kind of signature page for everyone to let you know that they had worked in your book, some ideas used: Tags, Leaves, Ribbons, etc. If you need help with this one as some of you may not be familiar with them, email me at: penstuart@ymail.com and I will help you out.
Special Requests: If you have any special requests for your book (ie: Poems, Quotes, Personal Handwriting, etc.), please put a write up in your book of your requests.
Mailing: Books are due to be mailed 25 days after receipt

By July 15th: Please email your theme, book size (any specifics) and mailing address to me and I will compile a list for everyone. After I have received everyone's information, I will send the rotation schedule so  everyone will know who they will be receiving from and who to mail to.

That's it....unless you can think of something else. It's been so long that I don't remember all the ins and outs!

If you would like to join, I sure hope you do! Please email me at: penstuart@ymail.com

What can I do to get ya'll interested in joining? I would really like to have at least 10 people in the swap, there are currently: 7. Come on, join the fun! 

Pen

So, I can't sleep because I am excited about this Journal/Book Swap!!!!!

Okay, so I am SO not sleeping. Going to bed at midnight, waking at 4am....whole time I am awake, I'm thinking about the Art Journal/Altered Book Swap....what am I going to title my book, should I keep my theme, how should I design my cover, should I go bright, should I go dark, what should I do, what should I do, what should I do? OMG.....I am so excited! I am going with MUSIC....or maybe TATTOOS.....or maybe....

Just throwing in some art to make my page a bit more interesting, this is stuff I've done years ago when I was in many swaps...did I tell you that I am excited about this swap? I simply cannot wait to work on/in my book...I am working on my theme now...I keep changing it....that is how I do it....I pick a dozen different themes, think of pages I want to do and then pick the theme dependent on my favorite page idea. Sleep, who needs sleep! 

If you wish to join, please read the post located below or in the archives to the right! Are you not excited yet? Come on!!!!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...: "For this Thursday Giveaway , I wanted to do something special! I wanted to share a few things from the show with everyone out there in the ..."

So, I wanna hostess an Art Journal/Altered Book Swap...

I am ready, I made the decision to hostess an Art Journal or Altered Book! You decide what you want to call it...a journal or a book!

The swap will begin: August 29, 2011.
The book needs to be: 7x10" or smaller
Theme: Whatever you wish, but try to make it workable (please do not use too general of themes; (ie: Life, Happiness, Party, etc.). If you wish, you can just choose a color scheme.
Covers: Please decorate the covers (front and back, simple or not) before you mail off your book. It's always easier for the artist to "read" your style if they have something to work from.
Inside Pages: You are welcome to create some pages inside your book to give it your "feel", this helps the artists but is not necessary.
Pages: Please make sure you have enough pages for everyone to work on, or make your book "fillable" so pages can be added.
Special Materials: If you have specific materials you want used in your book, please send extras (ie: specific fabric patterns, birch bark, Oak leaves, etc.).
Signature Page: Please provide some kind of signature page for everyone to let you know that they had worked in your book, some ideas used: Tags, Leaves, Ribbons, etc. If you need help with this one as some of you may not be familiar with them, email me at: penstuart@ymail.com and I will help you out.
Special Requests: If you have any special requests for your book (ie: Poems, Quotes, Personal Handwriting, etc.), please put a write up in your book of your requests.
Mailing: Books are due to be mailed 25 days after receipt

By July 15th: Please email your theme, book size (any specifics) and mailing address to me and I will compile a list for everyone. After I have received everyone's information, I will send the rotation schedule so  everyone will know who they will be receiving from and who to mail to.

That's it....unless you can think of something else. It's been so long that I don't remember all the ins and outs!

If you would like to join, I sure hope you do! Please email me at: penstuart@ymail.com

Its About Time...

So, I finally made a decision...to create art again! I am so ready to show myself that I can be creative, that I am an artist! I miss the art, I miss the friendships I've made through art. I want to begin an Art Journal or Altered Book Swap, I am hoping I can find others to join in.

This is who I am...