Is It A Piano?..And Some Journaling

So yesterday, I just HAD to do something in my art journal and while I was busy playing with art supplies, my son was busy finding a new use for my piano...

Isn't that the cutest thing? Every single big space between the black keys has a car parked in it. I just had to let them stay until my daughter had to use the piano to practice. I honestly have NEVER thought about the B-C and the E-F spaces as the perfect Hot Wheel parking stalls. I am finding that much of the learning that takes place in Mommyland is really just the mommy saying, "Well, gee, I have never thought of it that way." Plus, the adventures in Mommyland are way more exciting/bone rattling/exhausting/comical than anything that Disneyland could come up with.

On that same note, here is a little something I have been working on in my altered book journal.

I even convinced a little finger to hold it open for me so I could take a picture. Truly I am grateful to be able to be a stay at home (or car...whatever) mom. Even though some days I feel like banging my head or screaming into a pillow (and I would if I wasn't just so dang tired), I really am blessed to have this opportunity. I have the 2 best kids. LOVE THEM!AND...Don't you just love this quote? I had glued the top of a paper bag into my book a month ago and yesterday it occurred to me that it would make a great fence. I also received a sheet of address labels from the good folks at St. Jude's and since I really don't use them on mail, I stuck them all together into strips. I then wove the strips together as I stuck them to my book despite having no real reason to do so. After I gessoed and painted over them, I really liked the texture and I didn't have to feel guilty about throwing away the gift from St. Jude's, although I will have to feel guilty about not sending them a donation. I know they do great things but my philanthropic budget is a little tight these days, and since, I guess, mom's are supposed to feel guilty about something, that will have to be it for me. But, thank you for the new collage fodder, St. Jude's. I really do appreciate it.

Thank You Kate

Well, lately I have felt a little like I'm drowning. I haven't spent much time doing anything creative, and that gets me into a funk. The funk makes me just feel tired and uncreative, which causes an even bigger funk. It's a vicious circle. I needed an out and the other day my good friend KATE provided me one with THIS post.
She posted about a blog she found called peonyandparakeet and she makes these most amazing doodle backgrounds. Kate found her tutorial and posted the LINK. Holy cow! These papers made my heart pound, my head spin, and the paint fly. I had to try it out at the first possible chance. Here's my first try.
It is basically layers upon layers of watercolors, Sharpies, gel pens, colored pencils, correction pen, and black Pitt pen. It was such an adventure! The hardest part was knowing when I was finished. I think that you could just doodle on this forever. It was nice to just experiment and now I have a background paper that have scanned into my computer. I can print it and manipulate it any way I like. As I was doodle-ling along, I thought of all kinds of ways to use this technique with other paints and supplies and I am excited to try it. So thank you Kate! I am now excited to do some more art experiments and I couldn't be happier! I owe you one.

Another Snowy Spring Day

Well, here where I live, it has been snowing off and on all day and all I can say about it is: BLAAAHHHH! I am so sick of cold, wind, and brown grass. I need spring to come to my neck of the woods. So I had to break out a few tricks to boost my happiness level and I thought I would share them with you. Maybe they would help you think spring (even if it is snowing).

First up, THIS video by the incredibly awesome Pam Garrison. She posted this over a year ago but I must have watched it at least a dozen times. It just makes me SO HAPPY!!! All those stacks of her amazing journals. The colors. The shabby fabric. The vintage images. It is just happiness to me. I LOVE THIS video (so much so that I posted the link twice). If you love art journals (and maybe even if you don't), you have GOT to watch it!

My other little trick today was making some "springy" cookies. I actually made them for my super cool friend Kandice. It was her birthday over a week ago and I finally finished a little something I was making for her and I wanted to bring cookies too. I made these:

These are the Orange-Kissed Cookies from Our Best Bites. You can find the recipe HERE. These are ridiculously yummy and taste like spring. And while I'm on the subject, I must say that I love ourbestbites.com. I have yet to make anything from their site that hasn't been delicious, especially their Chicken FAJITAS. They might, in fact, be my favorite thing to eat. Make them. I'm not kidding. Do not try to add things or omit things. Make them EXACTLY as they direct. I have not met anyone who doesn't love them. While I am not being paid in any way by the girls at Our Best Bites, I can tell you that I also bought their cookbook over the weekend and I must say that it is really good. I had sworn myself to not buy another cookbook again but when I saw theirs, I decided it was good enough to break my self imposed rule. My only complaint was that they neglected to include the chicken fajita recipe (did I mention it was awesome?), but I've made it enough that I almost have it memorized. I'm sure it was just an oversight. Between Pam Garrison's video and the Our Best Bites Orange cookies, I'm feeling pretty good despite the weather. And now I'm off to deliver some joy to Kandice.