Kathy's Creative Journey

Chickens, Beautiful Chickens

2019-01-21T19:19:00.003-05:00

Now lets consider the First 6th day. Question-Did God just smile when he envision the thousands of thing humans would do with His newly created chicken hopping before Him and the amazing little brown (why brown, well just because I like brown eggs, he might say) oval object it produced.

Today I am making waffles for my hubby for breakfast, I have never been a great morning person including cooking breakfast but I felt sorry for Billy who had no sweets for breakfast (That's a story for another day but its enough to say he loves his sweets early in the morning) and Oh no, no cookies, no little Debbie's and could you believe it no jelly.

So what has that to do with my ongoing First Third Day series. Everything, as it always seem to happen these last three years, my mind retreats to the ingredients of the day and the first day of their creation. So what in my waffles drew me back again to this wonder. Eggs, chickens and such and such.

My recipes called for separate egg whites from the eggs and to whip the egg whites. As I stood there in my kitchen looking out at this interesting rainy spring day while whipping my egg white I wondered, Lord you spoke and there they were chickens, but more than that as always with anything you have created there is more, much more, just look these chickens, at this amazing little brown oval abject it produced. What brought the smile to my face this day was, did it bring a giggle to Your face Lord as You saw the hundreds and hundreds of ways your beloved humans would use this marvels product form your beautiful chicken. It would seem natural to me that a Father who so deeply loved these humans would just giggle at the little brown oval object with the yellowy liquid inside and Eve trying to decide what to do with the clear fluid around the yellow center of the egg.

As I completed the waffle mix and was pouring them in the waffle iron again one of those crazy thought entered my buzzard mine, When you daily walked in the garden with Your beloved new humans Lord what did you all talk about. Was there a chat with Eve about beautiful flowers, or your love for her. Then was Adam interested in this new garden he would be tending.

I realize no one can know what the chit chat with beautiful Eve and hansom Adam might have been. But here is a fact for all believers to think on. These were real people and real first days on this earth.

I wonder if they even new to be in awe of such a loving God. Did you Lord discus beauty, love, joy, and peace or maybe you showed them how to use all You created the last six days just for them. Did you teach them to plant seeds or yes cook with eggs. I'm sure some of you may think this is just silly day dreaming but I'll say it again these were very real first days. Maybe it was like a Dad showing his children their new presents and yes maybe he sat down and shows them how much fun it will be to use it. So did Dad, walk up to his beautiful chicken just as she laid a big oval brown thing and you Lord picked it up to show them how to have some fun with the brown egg. Of course I doubt he show them what happens when you wipe egg white but who can guess.

\I smile at myself as these thoughts crepe in my mind. They are the after effect of the thrilling exercise of visualizing the Seven Days of Creation literal.
Question-Did God just smile when he envision the thousands of thing humans would do with His newly created chicken hopping before Him and the amazing little brown (why brown, well just because He might of like brown) oval object it produced.

2018-05-09T07:57:00.003-04:00

Trolltunga -means Troll tongue- what a fun project, as my granddaughter is living in Norway for about 2 years she took a hike to this unusual location.

Trolltunga is a piece of rock jutting horizontally out of a mountain about 700 metres above the north side of the lake Ringedalsvatnet in the municipality of Odda in Hordaland county, Norway.

I could't help trying to put it on paper. It became a Christmas present . She was happy with it and I love the challenge of doing it.

As I have been discovering the thrill of my new medium, pastels, I found the challenge of this beautiful place very fulfilling. As I worked on it I am again reminded of the power of our Great God.

The First Third Day

2017-01-05T14:12:00.000-05:00

Don't get lost here, yes this is a journal about my Creative journey but in all journey's there can and will be side trip that often affect the overall journey. So hang in and travel the full journey with me.

As with almost every part of my art work; it always leads back to my faith and what my gracious God is sharing with me. I'm so excited for what I hope to be an inspiring new look at creation and the Creator.

Looking is the most important part here, really looking. I seem to have been convicted that my love of art and nature has had a purpose all these years. Every direction I turn I seem to be drawn to a very strong suggestion of using what God has managed to created and make it a passion in my life. I'm not sure more of us have the ability to find such wonder but it takes the looking.

This love of curiosity combined with nature and my love of creating comes in the form of art but as I get older I see that others in my family seem to have these creative jounces surface in different ways such as interior decorating, woodworking metal working and such. As I retired last year to enjoy more time in my art room I decided to redirect work that comes from this workshop. I have always used Creation by Kat as a name for my business but want a more exclusive title for all work that comes out of here. "All Creation Lives to Testify to its Creator" is my goal. But my quiet time study with the Lord last night seem to put a new urgency to these goals. I woke in the morning with this visual picture of Eph 1:4&5 and knew that I needed to get this picture down on paper before the image began to faded from my mind. I saw it as the Lord was going to direct me for a new project that was chosen just for me. Buy the way he has a special project for each of those who have faith in Him.

So this new series of painting and hopefully writing will answer the deep calling of my conscience. The idea came a few months ago and started in a rather strange way. I had upon my retirement decided I would start at the beginning , the very beginning of God's word and study all the way to the end on a five year schedule in a very inductive type of study (I am more productive with tentative scheduled). Beginning with the first verse is a place I have been many times but this time I urgently ask God to share with me some new nuggets, hug nuggets of new truth of understanding of who he is and what he wants to share. What does this have to do with my art, I will share that a bit latter.

WOW did He. By using the inductive study method which urges us to let God's word lead us and interpret itself by asking myself question and observing the text in context I am able to digest what I'm reading in a much deeper way. To add to that as a very visual person I have for a long time been able to almost see a moving picture as I inductively read the scripture.

At times I stop and ask the question of Who, What, Where, When, and How to be able to visually complete the picture. When finished with this kind of study I have two final questions I ask of as myself. This may sound silly but as I sit before the Creator of the universe whom I have ask to sit and help me see His truth, these question can be powerful and life changing if you dig deeply into yourself. They are "Do I really believe what I'm reading and if so why do I not act like it. I try and feel the Lord's presence as I answer these question truthfully.

Now to bring us as to how all this bring me to a new painting series. I will try my best to explain. As I show you how this inductive study method works in my mind be aware that places where the scripture does not fill in info or I have not found info to answer some of my question as they come to mind and as a artists, I then also attempt to visualize what most humans would or would not do in these situations. How might they feel, how would most humans react. Or from a human perspective what would be a natural conclusion or response. With this I try and fill in my own blanks. So now to see just how this would work and where the art comes in.

I began by sitting quietly looking longingly at the very first words God wanted humans to know. Know about who he is, what he wants from the humans, what he was about to create and what happens when we, his grand creation does not comply with his plan for us. I gently rub these first words and hopefully, I began to read. Even as I write this you will not be surprised at how well I can write them from memory, they are just that familiar. They are words know buy most in America and around the word. But a new inspiration or insight was what I had ask for.

So Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, here it was the very first three words brings people to questioning God at his word. I also find it necessary to ask my own question, do I really believe this amazing declaration as to the beginning. The beginning of every thing I have come to love of nature and life all around me, did it really began as was stated in this first chapter. I almost looked up as if the Lord was sitting across from me and waiting to hear my soul's answer (of course he already new my answer). This was for me easy. Yes, Yes, and Yes, after years of study looking at biblical science, it began to not only seems logical but the only explanation to much of what we see and observe. Now to me at the time the harder of my two question was, why don't I act like I believe this. This is his world, his creation. I am his creation and nothing is for me alone. At times I walk and act as if all were created for my pleasure alone.

Now in just the first three words of Gods I needed to stop and ask forgiveness for not seeing and acting as though all around me was about Him, for Him and none of it is about me. AS I said "WOW" I felt the Lord was about to answer my prayer of seeing a new precept or wisdom from these words that were so familiar to me, I knew he was about to do this in a huge way and just as a child sat on their father's knee waiting for him to read to me a wonderful, exciting story that would lead my mind on a amazing adventure, listen attentively for his wisdom.

Lets move on, In the beginning God created. So here is where my curious visual mind exploded. Speaking as a person who loves creating, creating art, crafts and interesting yard art I saw something and realized something I had never considered before. Maybe you haven't either.

Just how much would God need to create to sustain the purpose for his grand creation, which is humans, so they could survive and complete His purpose for them. Join me and just stop and think about just a few of the life sustaining necessities we need. First shall we consider animals, It seems there would need to be several different kinds, even a whole lot of species but 7.77 million species. There is also 298,000 different plant species and still counting. I realize some of these plants are needed to sustain animals that would also support and nourish mankind. But just how many animals are need to support humans. Sure some of these are to help animals survive which in turn supply our need. Yes you would need a lot but again Heck I have survived well and I can only guess I have never been in need of small fraction of them (that's just a guess), Just think if survival of the human specie was Gods goal. The next item is listed just for us to see the very depth of detail down to the smallest Fungi, protozoa and chromista (I'm no scientist just a lowly artist but I don't even know what a chromista is). So just for you who play trivial pursuit there are 611,00 species of Fungi, 36,400 species of Protozoa and yes those Chromista have 27,500 species.

Do you now see just how this curious mind began to get off track as I study. But for me it is this kind of overwhelming info that gives me a bigger picture of this loving but powerful God. Back to my original question as I interrogated the scripture. How much is necessary to sustain man. In an effort to reign my mind back in I concluded, NO THAT MUCH. What seem natural to me was the next logical question which was why than. Why so many beautiful flower and birds, awe inspiring trees in abundance of colors and shapes, and animal, lots of animals that creep on the ground, tower over trees and swim in the water. Why so many. Some would say whats the point of this train of thought. The point I would suggest is that nothing created by the creator is lacking a point. But so many, the question just keep looming over me. Then one suggestion came to mind and I want to warn you it is my suggestion not some theological answer, just something that accrued to me but only after I read down to the third day of creation. It was a suggestion that seem to consume my mind day and night for several days. Here is the verse.

The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and "God saw and it was good". There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

There it is, these were the words that caused my visual and curious mind into overdrive. Why, consider this, other places in the scripture it is stated God spoke the world into existence, so, so, so if he spoke and the daily creation came in to existence what did he do the rest of the day till evening came where he SAW AND IT WAS GOOD and the third day ended. I didn't at this time want to get lost in all the pros and cons of creation versus evolution, it just keep ruining into this little artists mind using her visual mindset who was watching the greatest of all creators and weighing the possibility that all 7.7 million species of plant life was possibly not all as necessary but consider the thought it may exist because it was just down right fun to create it. Big flowers, small flowers, pink, blue and purple flowers, flowers that feed hummingbirds, plants with all kinds of hidden nutritional uses, and making different species of hummingbirds to feed on fun newly created flowers and on and on it could go. So, at the end of the day as Gods two day old lighting system made its third setting over fields of beautiful flowers newly designed and created and trees just waiting for God's grandest creation of all, man, knowing they were created whether visual or food, for man's enjoyment. I could almost see Jesus skipping through fields of beautiful flowers as they waited for the third setting of the new lighting to retire for the day. Maybe He found a nice overlook and sitting down and giving a long sigh of contentment as the last rays of the sun fell below the horizon and just then voicing the words that were saved for us to reflect on "IT WAS GOOD.

Did any of this really happen, I have know idea but I do know that every species of plant and all those other things we see were spoken into existence on day three to show God's wonder, power and glory. I believe in the beginning God, the TRUE GOD, the one and only God created all we see. I also am convinced that being created in God's image that our awe and wonder are an emotion that God himself also experience. I want others to see his creation and stop an pause just a bit to drink in the wonders of his creation that tells of their creator.

Now finally to my upcoming painting series. I want to do what I call my "First first day" and first second day, and first third day and so on. We modern day humans have spent so much time discussing and arguing about the truthfulness of Creation versus evolution and as believer of this truth stated in Genesis and defending it we have forgotten to just sit at the end of the day and visualize the wonder of the first third day sunset as nodding flowers turned their heads to watch the setting of this absolutely unbelievable light source as their creator looked on.

Future Challenges

2016-12-12T09:08:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading one of my favorite artist blog and was inspired by something she said. "A PHOTO SAYS I WAS THERE, A PAINTING SAYS HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT'.

I love her plan of printing small thumb nails of photos I want to paint and putting them in a jar to encourage my daily painting. So lets get at it.

Because I usually don't print my photos I have made so pick that you will see below. So what a fun challenge to make a commitment to work on these. Why were these chosen, there are variety of reasons.

This is my Dog Giz and I have a drawing book using grid lines to help get features right and want to try it on this cut picture of my dog. Also I am writing an article titled " Everything I have learned about making God My Everything I learned from my Dog" and hope to use some of these drawings and hopefully pastels in it. This is a lofty goal but one I am excited about.

On the left is a peaceful fall picture from our local park. Again I am as interested in doing a pencil drawing and then pastel.

On The left is a red hibiscus flower and left to itself there is nothing outstanding but the purpose and history of this little flower is to me most exciting. What is that history? I will share in full as I begin the drawing and pastel. But it begins with the new found knowledge that Hibiscus can be make into a tea which helps my blood pressure problem. There is much more as to why this one bloom excited me but that can be left to the future drawing of it.

Now this somewhat ordinary picture is much more to me. It should be a fun lesson on the simple things in life can bring real joy.

The next picture below is of the same park and I hope to combine these two for it is simple a view which was slightly to the left and I like the tree in it. But my friend enjoying her trip was a very large part of what made this little park different. There was also a fun little my old traveling pardner introduced me to that we were continuing. Hint, Lunch With A View".

Again an effort to find beauty close by. This is also from a Town Park.

Ok, the goal is to work through these photos and see what happens. I don't know about you but I often go to my workshop and seem to not know where to begin. So for me list and plans adds to the successful attempted to paint daily.

One of the best tools I have found to live each day purposefully is the use of routine, list, and goals. They not only give me direction but also when I seem to feel my lazy mode come on I see what I want to accomplish and throw that lazy mode where it belongs, by the wayside. You see, I really do lean to the, sit in my chair and watch the world go by, love.

So let's get going, Christmas is coming and this could slow down my goal but spending time on reflection of the Gift of Christmas and sharing Christ love for me with others really does top my list of purposeful living. Of course my love of seeing the wonder of God through his creation will naturally spring forth out of this Christmas reflection time.

What do Pastels, Watercolor & Stick Charcoal have in Common

2016-03-11T08:25:00.003-05:00

Nothing gives most people at least those who love the creative side of life more satisfaction then closing the door on several projects lying in the unfinished pile and so it was here. I know you have had those stacks of projects with just a touch here and there to make them completed. I chose a day I didn't seem to be especially motivated to start a new project which made it a good time to attach my unfinished pile. Of coarse all of ue who are drawn to the excitement of the newest and greatest creative thought that comes to us have these wonderful piles. If you are like me when the project I'm presently working on comes to a point where I begin to be satisfied I will be able to accomplish the goal I had in mind I'm quickly distracted by the newest creative adventure I see. You say if you were a disciplined worker you would complete each task before beginning anew. I so envy you if that describes your work pattern but I'm sure I'm not alone in this issue.

As I stated n a earlier post, I have began to get my feet wet with this new medium, pastels. You will be excited to know YouTube or Pinterest is overflowing with tutorials on almost any subject you can imagine, its amazing, I have yet to find a subject that is not covered in their search engine. Since finding a pastel teacher is some what difficult for me I am left with the class room of the You Tube and Pinterest. My learning program usually starts with following each teachers instruction just as they instruct us. The next step is to find a photo in my abundance of my personal photos that is usable and again try this teachers new method. This painting of Yellowstone Falls is the end result.

In and effort of multi-tasking I am also having a great time revisiting some of my past travels by paint a scene from many of them. This has been very rewarding since my ability to travel has lessened. I had started this one a week ago and got distracted, and today was just the right time, time to complete little touch up.
I was pleased with how it turned out and learned much in this new medium.

This second painting has been going on for some time, first in my mind and then my effort to become a better drawing student and using charcoals.

The original source of the idea was reading the scripture during my daily bible study time. It is not unusual for me to see scriptures in a very literal and visual way but I often fail to act on it. This time I was just so overwhelmed with the truth of this scripture, It simply shouted at me. I need to put it to paper and who knows what after that.

Much like pastel, charcoal is new to me. I have drawn basic ideas just so they can be painted but to draw something as a stand alone finished piece is a bit new for me and again I viewed a video showing charcoal and different drawing techniques. I was pleased with the drawing but I don't think the wording used on it gets my thoughts through. Maybe if I added some ridiculous date in long past time near the door to emphasize the idea of before creation this event in heaven took place. I used the doorway to heaven to help emphasize the amazing truth that I was not only planned for by the Lord but before he spoke the world into existence in the seven days of creation. So it was extremely satisfying to complete this drawing.

Now for my last finished project. it was much like the first painting of Yellowstone above, in that I was impressed with a fellow's video on painting waterfalls in watercolor and wanted to use my photo of Multnomah Falls in Oregon to try out his technique. It was fun and actually comfortable to be back in a medium I am more comfortable in.

It was very satisfying to complete this one along with the other two projects. For me it is not what I do with my completed projects but the act of daily putting my creative juices to work and expanding my art skills. Not all I paint is my dream painting. But few paintings finished fail to teach me new skills.

Now to remember my overall purpose in painting is to remind myself and all of you who have stop by and take interest in my work that ALL CREATION LIVES TO TESTIFY TO THE WONDER OF GODS LOVE AND POWER.

You have no idea how grateful I am you have visited my blog. Feel free to comment or e-mail any questions or thoughts.

Struggles and There Benefit

2016-01-23T13:52:00.001-05:00

I realize the older I get the easy paths are a fun resting place but only the through the difficult struggle do we grow and are able to rejoice and feel as though we overcame what seem impossible or to difficult. But also it rids us of the sense of failure. The creative posses for most of us is not always the the thrill of complete success but at times a satisfaction of not quitting and finding our way to the completion of a project with a sense of what we wanted to accomplish in the finished product we wanted to creating. That was the way of this painting. I had found a awesome photo of a female bald eagle leaving her nest of tiny babies in the hunt for food. The photo gave you the sense of her great power and I found the desire to freeze it on paper and share with others her beauty.

In the end I'm not sure I was able to convey the complete statement I wanted to make but as one new to Pastels, the struggle with this new medium I manage to finish. Therefore I hope you can walk away from today's blog entry sharing and leaning from my struggles.

These bullet points were thoughts as I went along in this painting. It is often fun when I'm finished to see some of my concerns as it progressed.

One of the funny things I find in pastels is the idea that they seem to be terribly ugly before they even begin to come alongside the idea of being pretty. I have gotten in the habit of taking photographs as I go along, calling them my faith photos. For let me tell you it does take a great deal of faith to think this does not belong in the trash. I had spent a good deal of time on the drawing using a separate piece of paper.
Finally the thing is off the ugly list but still needs some work before I can finish.
One thing through this struggle is I learned a lot about backgrounds and small detail in pastels.
I finally used fixative to seal it because I was having trouble getting the whites around her head to stand out.
For the first time I was able to see the benefit of a good quality pastel. Even as it is softer my Rembrandts went down stranger and more intense.
I really struggled with this piece. I have said it before but this was almost a trash can piece. By this I really mean I plan to develop a unsuccessful folder. I feel my students and I can benefit from my failed attempts.
Interesting that even though I knew contrast would be the key to keeping my eagle the center of interest, some where along the line I allowed the pine trees and sky too, value wise, rob my friendly eagle of some of its glory. It became quite a fight to soften both my pine trees and sky. Remember I am fairly new to pastel and so I was a bit insecure on just how to accomplish this. Also in this struggle I manage to put so much pastel on the paper I had filled the tooth of the paper.
A major struggle is to remember that and to cherish the grain or tooth of the paper. When it becomes full you can not add highlight's very well. I'm not sure what the remedy for me is in this. I guess better planing of choices along the way.
This painting sent me in to new areas such as to have a pine tree that looked real but lacking strong detail. The term impressionist comes to mind and it may have so value in learning more about it.

Beginning, I began by doing a detailed drawing of the bird. I must say the angle of this bird proved to be challenging all in itself for me. I have the right plan here to keep light behind the bird. I think I got lost in my photo and began putting on paper what I saw. For the first time I understand the thought of making a photo into a painting, that you must first considered how to make the photo your own. By this I mean what excited me most about this photo and bring that out, not everything the camera saw. As a very detailed artist I now see detail has its place and sharing emotion, mainly mine must rule over the detail of a photo. Lesson - I want a painting not a photo. I want emotion not overcrowding of detail. A favorite artist of mine said. "A PHOTO SAYS I WAS THERE, A PAINTING SAYS HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT'.

Next I laid what I considered base background color. I wish I had used less green and more blue in the effort to protect the tooth of the paper. A light blue gray might have been better where I knew pine would go in to help add depth behind the trees.

Because I was uncertain abut how to add the pine needles and also as I looked at my photo I thought I needed more blue. You can see I add to dark of a blue in my estimation. I would later go back over and over to try and lighten it. You can see that even in the beginning I lost the strong contrast of the eagle from its background.

Finally after two days I decided enough was enough. I'm not sure the painting has the emotion I wanted to share but it was time to end and move on. I did learn a lot about applying small detail, in a pastel painting. Realism and detail are total different subject. Especially the beak, I found one stroke for the mouth as long as you go for strong contrast is all you want to try. The eyes, beak and mouth I use a #2 charcoal pencil. It was much stronger black.

So what was my hope when I began this piece. This was a picture of Harriet a female eagle I watch on web cam in Florida. She has a new mate as her long time mate of 10 years died this last fall. This photo was taken by a eagle watcher down there and I thought it represented such power and grace. It is one of the few birds God so often mentions in his word. In Isa. 40:31 God promises us we would be like the eagle with strength and longevity as long as we wait on the Lord. And Harriet reminds me of this as she has to deal with the loss of a mate and accepting her role to reproduce, forces her morning period to be short and accept a new mate. All creation lives to testify to Gods love and power.

All in all it was a fun learning process as I experiment with this new medium. I thank the Lord he has instilled in me the unwillingness to not give up. Life is much like this. For the growth comes through the struggle no matter how messy the journey is at time.

Another New Adventure

2016-01-04T19:53:00.001-05:00

What excitement, to see a new path on this fun journey. I have considered, taking too many new directions could become overwhelming, but as I have followed other artist they lead me to believe that using your same creative hunger and applying it to different medium will only cause growth in one’s creative vision. As a person who started over 30 years ago as a oil canvas painter and finally moving out to watercolors, I began to feel some reassurance that my love art was part of God’s plan so as to cause others to pause and stop and see the wonder in the simplest of His creation. The medium really wasn't the drawing power to the creative process. Rather each medium had its own characteristic in which to pull out some different or new aspect thus testifying to some part of Gods identity.

Today I see that using any and all mediums is a great way to broaden your understanding of all aspects of color theory, design and perspective. It allows me additional tools to express the feelings of what drove me to pause and notice some new wonder in nature. It seems to me that each medium have its own revealing quality.

I have played with charcoal and pen and ink and fell in love with the simplified means of reinforcing my understanding of value and center of interest. Value I have come to suspect is the backbone of all art. My own creative journey did not begin as many others. That is in mastering some amount of drawing. I have ventured in to the drawing world just enough to get something on a canvas but had not pursed the love of just drawing alone. The experience of charcoals and pen and ink was very eye opening.

I think I have mentioned before that I had begun art journey in the Decorative Art world. I had wonderful teachers who gave me a great background of color, value, and intensity, This was extremely useful but the drawing aspect of art was not apart of the overall art experience process. In defense of the Decorative Art filed, I will say for many who have deep down a hidden hunger to paint but feel it almost unattainable because of the slow tedious work of hours of drawing just to begin to come out with a usable hand painted item that can be place in your home was overwhelming.

Within this field a person can see the work of a teacher and attend her class which provides the pattern and step by step instruction allowed a person to come to a four or six hour class and come home with a beautiful addition to their home. With a relatively small amount of time they can produce some very satisfying pieces of art. The down side is they must rely on teachers to start the creative journey as felt from the individual teacher. All of this was to say I felt I knew how to paint, some might even say I might even have a some talent but I didn't feel the part of an artist. To describe the meaning of an artist of course is near impossible but to answer someone’s question of "are you an artist" would always cause me to dance around this question with things like yes I love to paint or some other low key answer. To be truthful, which is what I was after, I didn't feel like a true artist.

But this venture into new mediums has built some reassurance in my having the dedication and hunger to be a true artist. As I began to realize the benefit going into new directions I was suddenly exposed to drawing as a stand alone art piece. I also began to learn that drawing is like almost all of the other aspects I had dealt with in the art field and that is, its very learnable. By this I mean one doesn't have to be born with some kind of mysterious talent.

I have found that what is required is a passion for freezing on paper or canvas beauty as I see it. So with some books and lesson I would surprise myself out of my chair to see I could begin to create works of art with just the power of my pencil. I am working with one fellow who does powerful landscape drawing suitable for framing. I have tried my hand at this and was just thrilled. This picture to the right is one of my first attempts at serious landscape drawing, and even though it is not finish I have learned so much and really enjoy this. To remove the powerful effect of color and now begin the process of developing a center of interest in value and composition is challenging but learn able.

I have a passionate love of sunrises and sunsets. As I watched this fellow pick up these pieces of chalk and create some of the most beautiful sunsets on Mi Tense paper. I could feel the adrenaline rise in me. I knew I had some pastels tucked away in my work shop I had used in my scrapbooking and also had a good supply of the paper he was using. So I was drawn in to this new world that had a way of creating the peaceful almost romantic feel to nature. I was so excited that even at the late hour I had watched this You Tube video I had to see if it was as easy as this fellow made it look.

It was just absolutely thrilling. I love it because of the softness but also a piece can be completed in a couple of hours. The fun is learning the little fundamentals needed to understand the power and weakness of this medium. I feel all mediums have some kind of weakness but each also has it own strength and at times I find at times you can create even more excitement, intermingling different medium. I believe my new rule is "Whatever medium of conventional and unconventional tool it takes to express what I feel, or the mood I want to capture will be employed".

I feel this creative journey is about to take a sharp turn and if it be the will of God and his guidance as to what he wants me to share in my art will have some heavenly purpose.

The first pastel I did was with a online video. It was made by a fellow named Les Darlow. I loved it and the possibly of sharing the wonder of nightly sunsets shared from the creator himself.

This video open a whole new way of expressing my passion for nature and landscape. But oh my goodness, I found so many more to wet my senses.

I began to go from one pastel artist to another and I believe I will find my own style. I have branched out to a tempt may of my sunrise and sunset photos. I have hundreds you know. My little dog and I would go out each evening at sunset and see what surprise God had painted that night. I am a retired bus driver and my driving friends gave me the title of Cloud watcher for I posted many days a week a daily sunrise.

If you have seen my creative journey you know I took a break from art and enjoyed scrapbooking for a while. So I began a scrapbook I call the 50 state book. I have been in all but 1 of the 50 states and I want to scrap a highlight of each state. Now these pastels are so much fun and take little time to create so it might be fun to add some of my art to this book and do a little pastel of each state. I began just where I was in the scrapbook. It was in the South Dakota which was not one of my favorite states but its history gave it high marks so my choice for this states was a sunset on the Missouri River, a place that you could maybe hear the sound of rowing of the Lewis and Clark who was also making a unknown journey. The painting was a lot of fun.

This last painting was part of a Christmas present for my friend. She had just return from a vacation in Florida and she loves to walk the beaches nightly and photo the sunset. This picture is one of five in a frame of several of the photos she shared with me. I was so exited and not sure where or what is next but I have purchased a better set of pastels and ready to stretch out in this new medium. I would love to do flowers and animals.

The moral of the story is there is nothing like adventure and new mediums and new subjects tho keep life exciting.

So just as a person takes off to hike a new unknown trail or path, you are unsure of the twist and turns that will come along but you want the journey to be eye opening and exciting.

My New Adventure in Pastels

2016-01-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

As an artist for over 30 years I have learned to love the excitement when something new comes along that puts my creative juices’ in to overdrive. It doesn't matter the time of day or night when the new attack comes it’s almost a need to run to the workshop and see what happens.

That’s what it was like when I watch a YouTube video late one evening. I have a passion for sunrises and sunsets and I was watching this fellow pick up several different pastels and scribble what I would call ugly marks on a piece of My Tense paper. My computer mouse at this point was hovering over the delete button ready to pounce as what looked like a collection of ugly scribble marks were laid down and the supposed picture and it seemed hopeless, and believe me after 30 years of art and teaching I am trained to know ugly.

But just before the tap on the delete button this fellow took the palm of his hand and began to rub, shoving pastel color up, down and in swirls and a miracle arose from the paper for sure, a beautiful sunset beginning. Then he proceeded to bring clouds and highlight out of the base sunset colors and I was hooked. Even better I had a cheap set of pastels in the shop I used in scrapbooking and 10 PM or not out to the shop I went. It was a struggle to make the ugly collection of color marks but I ask the Lord to bless the palm of my hand and like magic it was happening.

I felt my art journey had just made a huge turn in a new direction and I was excited. I will never give up my watercolors but these are not only fun but are relatively fast in comparison to my oils or watercolors.

My husband was somewhat impressed with my new art work and that is a bit unusual. He was ready to immediately buy me a good set of pastels and pastel pencils. Pastels handle quite different than anything I have ever used but the experience has been exciting.

As a person who has struggled over the years with my love of detail, pastels has help me rid myself of photo like detail and learn the love of applying a base that with on stroke of highlight the viewer is invited into the painting to explore on their own. I have a lot to learn but love this new challenge.

Here is a sample of some of my first with the ugly's and the finished piece as I tried to learn to handle these little pieces pastels.

This last piece was on request from my husband which by the way seldom happens especially to request a snow scene. The look of pastels has a soft, I guess I will use the word romantic feel to it. This sunset just gave me a sense of peace as the Lord brings an end to another day with the hope of a new day coming.

I'm not sure just how I would teach this in a class but I love demonstrating a few pieces for I have come to love the thrill of the first ugly stage and see the magic come forth out the mess.

I have also been trying to move to other subjects like glass, birds and other animals. I want to try some flowers but my love of realism and detail in my flower painting will be fun to try to overcome in this new medium.

The moral of this story is to venture out of your comfort zone. Move to a place that feels unknown and just maybe you will be rewarded with a exciting new experience that was completely unexpected.

I so thank the Lord for the beauty of his evening and morning sky's to those who take time to look also for the love of creating he placed in me. For God is the Creator of all time. One must never forget all creation lives to testify to who He is.

Fun with Sedimentary Colors

2015-09-30T11:19:00.002-04:00

Tuesday September 29 2015

Fun trying new color technique.

I love heading in a new direction once in a while. Several years ago I struggled with coming up with muddy colors in watercolors. I found much of the problem was found in using what is called sedimentary and opaque colors.

My limited understanding of opaque colors is some colors are not transparent or do not allowing light to pass through. When I apply a glaze of one color over another instead of allowing the two colors to reflect a third color it only dulled it. A example would be, a glaze of a transparent yellow over a blue and would then see green.

Needless to say I became familiar with transparent colors and was having lot of fun. Then on a YouTube video they were using a very limited pallet of opaque colors. So now what to do, for this artist was suggesting I use the taboo opaque color. Here's where I found the fun begins. If we are willing to risk failure to jump into a unknown area we always grow. For heaven sake what have I to lose, its only a small piece of watercolor paper and of course risking failure. Oh come on just risk it all and have fun.

The colors that were suggested was Cad Lemon, Cad Red Light, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber. Here is something else interesting, several of these colors are also what is called sedimentary. Webster says it means formed by the deposition of sediment, as in certain rocks. For us it simply means some of the minerals used to form certain colors like Ultramarine Blue or Cobalt Blue contain very, very fine sediment.

Now is this good or bad? I would suggest some things can be both good and bad. It really comes down to using this understanding to your advantage. This little painting to the left was done in a very wet on wet method, meaning the paper was very wet as I painted.
Keeping in mind that these are not transparent colors I starting with Cad Lemon at the horizon line and then moving to Cad Red Light. This was done very carefully as I allowed these colors to mix on the paper. The real test was adding Cobalt Blue. If the two are worked one over the other you will begin to get a muddy look. Even worse if the blue mixed with the yellow you will get green and that would not be very realist for a sky color. But if the red and blue are allowed to gently flow into each other it works well. The fact that these are sedimentary colors meant they left a very slight grainy look. I liked it. I had copied the lady's piece doing the video to get the feel of using new colors before I went out on my own. It was just a small card size. I often experiment with very small size canvas. It doesn't feel as intimidating so how.

This was so much fun I decided to use the same colors again but in a different landscape. To get some darker blues I had to introduce Indigo blue.

Fun, just plan fun is all I can say.

My last thought on this is to say that God said we were created in his image and this might mean his powerful ability to create is found in his created humans. Why do some of use just have real fun creating? I don't know. Actually I'm not sure what I do is creating as much as I'm trying to put Gods creation on paper as it just plain WOW's me and add the emotion that comes to my mind as I observe his creation. So be WOW with the beauty around you and remember that all creation lives to testily to its creator.

Until Next Time
Cloud Watcher

Katheen Jones

Fun With New Direction in my Creative Journey

2015-09-05T20:14:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon, this post seems a bit unorganized but as I begin anew my love of art after a long absents hidden in the world of scrapbooking I just seem overjoyed at all the possibilities and plans I want to put to paper. I also seem to be headed back in to the world of teaching but on a much smaller scale.

Having some real fun on this creative journey, a journey I hope is completely direct by God. Since my retirement from driving a bus I have been drinking in the beauty of all the marvelous flowers in my yard. Wow, such wonders and where to start in capturing these beauties is my real problem. Just a few short months ago the ground was barren and the only real sign of life was in the dead remains of last season’s growth. Death, is what I saw in early march, but now we have color bursting in every direction and values and hues that tickles ones soul. I have no problem believing in life after death when remember my beautiful flowers from last season and them watching there blooms drop and the leaves turn brown and bend over to the earth and let go of life but just below the snow of winter God created a spark of the past life that would resurrects into beauty again. Well with my retirement my summer will not be cut short by two months to go back to work and drive my wonderful yellow block long tank. That means more time observing and trying to put on paper the wonder and emotion I feel as I study each flower.

There is also the thrill of watching my bird feeders and the wonderful variety of birds. Watching the understanding of weather and seasons and for those who must leave knowing just the perfect timing.

But of course one of my newest objects to paint is night skys and the milky way. This verse below explains I think my true wonder of enjoying a beautiful evening at star watching.
Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Just one last thought, nature has a wonder way of magnifying many issues we incur in life. It’s a bit puzzling to understand how most humans are in awe of the abundance of variety in color and different plant species but yet see nothing interesting in the large variety in our fellow humans. This includes different skin color, different temperament, and different likes and dislikes in our fellow humans. Just saying!!!

I began a serious attempt at my new work schedule in my studio by adding to my “From My Bus Window collection”, then moving on to the wonder of a flower extremely hardy and long lasting, the Coneflower.

I have again had fun with Pen and Ink and charcoal. I really did it as a value study to be used for a future painting but when several though it interesting I decided to frame it. Next was the fun of painting it using a few new technique’s. I was surprised in that my home students wanted to try the pin and ink. We all agreed that doing a detail pin and ink study helps give you a better feel for values and tiring to create a center of interest. When striped of the power of color and its color intensity one gets a better feel for just plane value of each area and what it takes to bring items forward and setting others back. It was lots of fun. (just as a side note the choice of doing a pen and ink came first from a YouTube video. I trip up on it on my Pinterest account and realize I had some time ago bought a kit with all kinds of charcoal and pen and ink supplies. Yes a garage sale, and my husband at the time couldn’t understand why I wanted to buy the kit being as I hadn’t the slightest idea how to approach charcoal and pen and ink. My answer will make sense to some but made perfect sense to me, ITS ONLY A DOLLAR YOU KNOW. So here we are laying a path to new technique’s)

Finally I went to my watercolors and painted my wonderful little cabin that I have watched daily on my bus route for the last few years. My season of choice for this work was winter. Not sure just why but this cabin sits in a deep valley and when snow is present it brings some unique challenges while driving my bus.

Till Next time. Remember all of creation and its beauty lives to testify to Gods love, power and beauty. So spend precious time enjoying what was created by a loving God to be pleasing to his human creations eyes.

PS I must say it is quit a thrill to be excited about going to work, for since I intend to go back to travel teaching this is how I plan to handing my time in my studio. By the way my studio as I am now calling my work area is just a closed off garage and I love it that way, nothing fancy just useful. Thank you so much Lord for a place to create.

Until next time
The Cloud Watcher

New direction

2015-04-26T09:17:00.001-04:00

I have been off the grid for a bit but it seems God still has more creative journey in me. Since my last post I have slowly been drawn back into the Art world. It seems the rest from teaching and painting may have been in his plan all along, for I feel excited and see beauty all around me now. I have also been preparing to retire from work which will allow for new and exciting journey for me.

Journey where, you say? Certainly not to the extent of where art and teaching took me before. But with a new title of “All Creation Lives to Testify to Gods Wonder and Power”. Where that leads only He knows. For now I have spent time observing this power and beauty from my School Bus window and put down some of the everyday views from my bus window. My route allows for some rustic scenic spots to daily watch through the season changes. I have a beautiful barn at the bottom of a large hill and decided to see if in pen and ink and charcoal could still bring out its charm. This was so much fun. Doing detail drawings and using only the pen and value to present an objects charm and in this case peaceful feel was a real joy.

I plan on doing this beautiful barn in watercolor and also posting additional bus route photos in the future.

Gods beauty is any were and everywhere if we only take time to look.

I got in a bit of trouble at work for helping direct other drivers in viewing clouds and have been called the Cloud Watcher. So this will be my new title. Go out and be present for sunrises and sunsets and until next time keep watching for beauty all around you.

Until next time
The Cloud Watcher

Palm trees or no Palm trees

2012-04-06T14:01:00.001-04:00

This was a lot of fun between friends. We went to Nashville In. to one of my favorite Scrapbooking shop and bought a lot of Stampscape stamps. Was that the fun part, no, it was the fact that I hate Palm trees and refuse to buy or entertain the thoughts of Palm Trees.

You say well why is there a Palm tree in this new stampscape card. Yes, you are quite right. My friend Gloria who loves Florida and Palm trees has refused to accept this rejection of Palm trees so behind my back she bought this Palm tree stamp. What was I to do, be rude and refuse to use it. Oh what the heck, whats a Palm tree or two, If it makes my friend happy.

Fun with Mistakes

2012-03-21T21:04:00.002-04:00

I have so much fun with some of these backgrounds but this one below I just didn't like. The color just seem to grab the paper and was to bold. But I have always told my students never let a piece of paper defeat you. So I was bound and determine to try and make this work. What I really didn't like about the background was the bright pink.

Ok so I was wrong the pink was hug parts of making this stampscape really have some drama. I tried to tear paper pieces that looked somewhat like Teton Mt. Well I'm not sure I got that part done, but was really happy with how this not so pretty background turned out. Never through away background pieces before you try and work with it. It just may turn into that surprise beauty.

2012-02-23T18:51:00.000-05:00

Fun Backgrounds

I am still investigating Stampscapes card scenes. I truly love this fun technique to creating scenic landscapes. After years of teaching landscape painting this is something anyone can learn to achieve. The snowy hills were done by using a piece of stick-em note paper that was torn and used as a stencil. Just plain fun and quick.

The dock scene was done by using children markers that were scribbled on a acrylic block, mist with water and then lay a piece of card stock on the block. This technique is just great. You are never sure what you will end up with. Both of these cards will make nice peaceful scenes for Sympathy or Thinking of you cards. They are also great for the more masculine look.

I have spent years painting landscapes with oil and watercolors and this fall right in line with this love of for freezing nature on canvas or cards.

I plan to investigate different background effect, from alcohal ink, pastels, and anything else I can get my hands on.

Sometimes it is good to create for yourself a idealistic world were peace and beauty are the overwhelming factor to take a rest in before we jump back into the real world.

Until next time
The Cloud Watcher

New Direction

2012-02-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

If one will allow themselves to accept new direction or thoughts, life can be just down right exciting. I have not posted for awhile but here I am at it again. I have just discovered the love of Stampscap cards. It allows me to use my love of art, watercolors, stamping, and card making. Is that possible, it seems so. So we will just see were this go. Hopefully it will be so long before my next post.

Woooo Hooooo!!! I have a Secret. Spring is coming.

2010-03-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

How am I so sure, with snow still on the ground, flower beds looking lifeless and ugly with debris, that spring is on its way. I mean the ground hog says, Oh, I don't care what the ground hog says. Let me show you what I found in my flower garden.

Surprise Lilies

Daffodils

Crocus's

So Don't tell me Spring isn't on its way

My sister will scream Hallelujah

I will keep all of you updated on this breaking news and the search for spring.

Now to my New Years Resolution and celebrating two months of keeping it going. Here is the fun part of this resolution. I made some rules to go by and they are my rules and I can change them if I want to and do feel the, want too, urge.

Here is the thought behind my need to alter my plans. I read something the other day that said " Knowing more and having more can at times stiffly creativity". I thought on this for a while and decide it may be true. If you only have a few things to work with and must create several scrapbook pages and cards you would begin to think of more creative ways to use them. OK I'm game for it. I picked several stamps, 4 by 5 paper stakes, cutters and two tinplate's and decided I would use these for a month. I'm not sure how I feel using other odds and ends but I'm ready to give this a try.

Right off the bat I feel like I have had my arm tied behind my back. Two or three stamp sets, What Was I Thinking. Get over it Kathy and just start thinking out of the box. Here is the pleasant side of this new choice. The last two month when I found a hidden treasure I had forgotten about, used it and then moved on to my next hidden treasure and I felt unready to put this new tool or cutter away.

I am determined to use all the stamps on this set even the ones that seem unusual.

My first attempt was using a tinplate I had used some but didn't quite get the feel for some of its designs. Well, it was not to bad.

I had used this part of the template before but only this design. One of the blogs I follow had a challenge of embossing so I put the two together and embossed the background.

I use the design on the bottom left and the next card I used the one on the upper right but I was not thrilled with the look of the second when done but went ahead and used it on a card and it was OK. You will see more of the use of this tinplate this month.

While we are still waiting on spring go out and look for a few signs for yourself. It is very uplifting.

Have a Great Day

Kat

2nd Addition for my "Close to Your Heart" friends

2010-02-27T13:24:00.000-05:00

Winter seems to still be enjoying its visit so I will just keep playing in my workshop. I decide to try something a little different. You know me I get easily bored with the same technique or same approach to something. So I remember the complete thrill I got taking marbles and some reinker to accent paper and just need another real kick. Now that I have a bit more of the coordinating reinkers, paper and stamp pads I got one of my "Close to My Heart" ideal books and at random pick one of their cards and color choices and said lets run with it (I wanted to use the latest book but spent an hour looking for it and it must be in my very active black whole. I hate it that I seem to spend way to much time hunting for just what I want. I must be a little more flexible and just go with something else and maybe that may end up being better anyway). The colors this card used was Goldrush (this looked rather orange to me when placed next to the Hollyhock), Hollyhock, and Olive.

OK, if you forgot my overly exciting experience of making pattern paper with marbles then you need to go back to January 4, 2010. But a short reminder is to put some reinker and marbles in a plastic container and add a scrap of paper to the top of the box, now shake for all its worth. I was so thrilled with this that I put it to music, no I did not include a video of the experience, but a picture will have to work.

No one can say I don't incorporate exercise in my work experience.

When this was finished I seem to like the colors on the small cards, but it was not until I pulled out the matching papers that I seem to have a problem. The basic problem began with the fact I rarely use pink or orange for that matter but together, well this could be a problem. Well, you ask why in the world did you choose them in the first place. The answer is very simple, if you will remember I said I went to the "Close to MY Heart" ideal book and RANDOMLY choose a card and its suggested colors.

OK, so this must be part of the creative process, learn to work with what you have and maybe my creative genes will grow, probably not but maybe Hee Hee! I went to drive my bus and came back, pull out my thinker statue (Isn't he cute) and looked at it for a while and said, its the orange paper I'm really struggling with, so I will just us a very small amount of it. The pink paper, I'll just soften by having some fun with soft white background print on it.

Woo Hoo! I think I like this so lets keep going with it. I found a cute picture of my daughter at 2 yrs old (why you say because she had a pink dress on). I went to some of my sketch layouts and found one I thought would work. The green was easy to use and yes I even found a place for the orange. My marble paper just became a nice accent on the side of the picture. Because all the colors of the ink, paper and stamp pads coordinated the marble pages seem to just tie everything together.I even used the orange to add Pam's name, the orange seem to help draw attention to it even thought the letters were small.

I used some of the marble paper to make the flower's. Then the corners and top and bottom frame I used the olive and a heart punch. I seem to have this obsession with the items that are left when I punch these things out and this time they left these tiny hearts. Oh my goodness I can't throw them in the trash so I retrieve them put them in my little glue machine and you see in the close up how cute them turned out. Thrifty, Thrifty, Thrifty ladies, waste not want not.

The letters were chip board and I didn't have an "i" so I used my marble paper to make one.

OK what is the moral of this story, well so what "Close to My Heart"s color choices were rather good after all. I even like the spark that the orange gave the whole thing. No I will not be using a lot of this combination in the future but it was fun all the same.

It goes to show how important it is to get out of your comfort zone at times.

Have a wonderful Saturday

For my "Close to My Heart" Friends

2010-02-26T13:46:00.002-05:00

I will have two post for my "Close to My Heart " Friends, but this one is having fun with the set "Softball". My husband has a great friend who was having a birthday so he ask so sweetly if I would design a card for him. Are you kidding that's what I do daily, design or accept challenges for new cards. His friend, George is 89, they have been friends since childhood. They are also cousin's but George was his idol gowning up In his day he was quite the ballplayer and in my husbands eyes he was a baseball star so he was hoping I could do something along that line. I guess George was also a boxer. Bill said George taught him a lot, (about boxing well I guess that can serve you well later in life) I think he was a bit doubtful I would have something along this line but can you believe I bought a stamp set a while back all about softball. Now of course he didn't play softball, hard ball is close, who knows the difference. A bat is a bat and a ball is a ball. I haven't played with this set much so found it a challenge to use it as a birthday card. ----------------------

I had fun with the little base ball stamp and used it as part of the pop up and the back ground. I"m beginning to love making my own back ground . I also used some of the blue paper I made with spray paint

It was fun trying to make a stamp set work as something it was not meant to be.

Woo Pee!!!! more snow this Saturday, God certainly wants to keep the song "White as Snow, White as Snow", fresh on our mind The next line was something like, and our sins are forgiven. I keep sing it write or wrong after each snow. At least we're not in DC, there getting another 14 to 18 inches of snow. I think God is a little upset with Washington.

Have a Blessed day!

Kat

Windshield Wiper Card

2010-02-25T10:26:00.000-05:00

What in the world is a windshield wiper card you ask? Well it is a fun card that you can see some movement and interact with. I will show the picture and then discuss it.

As you can see it can be pulled like an accordion and a fun message or in this case a happy face pops up. It will also be easy to stand alone. I just love this concept and have made several different styles.

It is the challenge of new ideas that keeps me going.

I love the message on this one, it talks about butterflies which is one of my favorite subjects. It is a card of encouragement and just a lot of fun.

I have just one more card I want to show and this one just makes me laugh out loud. When I got done I made two or three more and never stopped laughing. Because you know as well as I do, "IT IS REALLY A JUNGLE OUT THERE. Have a blessed day and be sure to Laugh Out Loud just once.

I've been playing just for getting to post my fun

2010-02-20T18:04:00.001-05:00

Where oh, where have I been, well playing in my shop but just forgetting to post my fun. This winter weather has made me hunger for color so color is what I have been playing with. I'm beginning to see that I love marbleized backgrounds. Now that I think of it I love the look of abstract backgrounds. Oh no I have admitted to liking abstract art. Well maybe the saying that everything has its place is true. I have played around with this marbleizing of paper in several different forms, like using chalk and tube watercolors in shaving cream, yep real shaving cream and my hubby wasn't any to happy about it either. But this time I used spray paint. You can take a pan of water and spray different colors into it and then run some card stock through it. It is really fun and really messy. I used some red, and gold. Then red, green and gold and finally some blue and black. My fingers look much like the paper, guess I should of used some rubber gloves, oh well one must get into there work. See for your self they are rather unusual.

I had fun making a couple dozen of these papers. I don't know what I will use it all for but you can bet it will be used. Also love this stamp set, it is from Our Daily Bread and is a great set for encouragement.

Now I didn't stop with playing with spray faint. I also decided it would be fun to make my own printed paper. I have lots more to play with but these two were fun. The pink one with the flourishes (the stamps were Close to MY Heart called Love Flourishes) I liked but the one stamp was a little big and I want to try it again. I just love the leaf and pine needles. I plan to use this in one of my camping lay out I will post that later.

Then there was this last one I made using some flower stamps. I have this fun tinplate to make a mini basket. Fun, fun, fun

Winter wonder land

2010-02-12T13:12:00.000-05:00

Well this day starts at 6 degrees but with some fog that caused a real winter wonder land. Its times like these I am glad I drive a bus. It gives me reason to be out and about early, VERY early. But it is worth it to see sights like I saw this morning.

Now, for using unused treasures, I found some tinplate's that I liked but haven't used and thought I would make my Hubby's Valentines card with them. Now I hope he doesn't check out this blog before Sunday. We do not make Valentines day a huge thing. I have always felt that just because Hallmark decided this is the day one must show there love. If you fail showing it properly on this day its all over. Well hogwash. It is an all year occupation. But being a craftier and card maker I thought it a fun thing and he usually looks forward to one of my cards. We will go out to dinner and be grateful for each others company.

Now for a fun card using some of my stacks of stamped image I am always planning to fill in color and use in some cards. I have dozens of these stamped images. I've said it before I will be years using my unused stuff, lots of stuff, so much stuff I feel a bit ashamed of my stock pile.

Oh, well have a great day.

Kat

Super Sunday,

2010-02-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

Yes it is Super Bowl Sunday but that's not what I want to reflect on as I consider the word super. With scrapbooking resting today I enjoy the photos I took of the snow Friday and Saturday. It has always amazed me how two people see the same view and yet they seem to take away different pictures and emotions. Snow really seems to bring this to the forefront. It often brings the same work, same challenge and some time even two people with severe arthritic will not share the same pain, but come away with extremely opposite emotion and memory of snow. Some will see only beauty and wonder and others will see dread, confinement and what ever else those who dislike snow see. To be fair the weather that brings snow often brings pain of arthritic and other health issues but even with this some will see it different than others. I wish I had the answers has to how those who dread snow could see the beauty of it for I'm sure they have no idea what they are missing in the wonder of the moment.

With all this said I wish to share a painting I did a few years ago that seem to have some revelation to the subject. Of course it was a snow scene but I had been studying a fellow who at different points in his painting would just pour bold color over his master piece. This was always fun to demonstrate at conventions because it always brought a "OH NO" reaction. I would pour strong yellow and let it dry then maybe intense blue from another direction and then, and this was the best, blood red in some areas. Fun, fun, fun, and if done right it would set up some real emotion in the painting. I did this to several paintings but my favorite is the snow scene below.

Now what does all this have to do with my discussion above to how people see things differently. Well the first thing I notice that in real life as well as this painting when the sun breaks out over the woods it changes everything, the snow in the sunshine as well as the shadows. It drastically changes all the foliage and weeds. It brings drama with the adding of unusual shadow to the snow. Its like joy has fallen everywhere even the dark areas. Is this not what might change our vision of something, pouring a little joy in our difficult areas of life. The decision to see the wonder of of snow, even if it is a challenge to deal with.

Oh my this is two deep for a watercolor scrapbooker. Let just get to the beauty of nature that always is my inspiration.

It has always been hard for me to talk about my painting but I have always loved this painting in particular. So if you are one who struggles with winter weather maybe I can at least help you see the wonder of it from your warm secure home. Just put on some wonder glasses, you know like the 3-D glasses at the movies and see some fun and Gods beauty outside.

Did I mention I along with some other fun people, drive a school bus. I'm not sure they love the snow as a matter of fact I pretty sure many of them don't but they take it on any way. We were getting ready for our evening run and trying to get these big monsters ready for the road.

Roll-em, roll-em roll-em, get those buses roll-em. We were getting ready to load the high school students. The fun is about to begin.

I love to play with the camera at night during snow. I wish I knew how to take better pictures because it's just magical out there. With the snow falling and Ice on the trees it really is the wonder of the moment.

Ok its time for a snow angel. The only problem was after I so artistically made the angel I had to get up. I think I'm to old for this manuever.

But by golly it was not bad looking after all.

You can find wonder in the simple things.

Woo Hoo!!!! love that snow blower!

Don't even have to leave the yard for some real beauty.

Now here is the truth, no good play in the snow is complete with out ending with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

I will now get back to watching the Super Bowl and a little playing in my work shop, so until later.

God Bless

Lots to catch up on

2010-02-06T14:45:00.000-05:00

So much to catch up on as I sit here on a beautiful snowy Saturday. I think first thing to share is a fun project I started a few years ago. I have scrapbooked a calendar and the Feb page need some work so I went at it. When this page was made about 3 years ago serendipity paper was a hot trend and I still just love it. The process is just taping scraps of paper to one sheet of paper, then cutting letters or other objects out of it. The first time I did this I was sure the paper was way to ugly to be of any use but I was so wrong. The first two pictures are the calendar pages. The serendipity paper was used in cutting out letters for the word February and some additional squares.

February is one of those months that I feel a sense of waiting. The calendar for this month address's this thought. Nothing in my flower garden is what it seems. To the average eye the ground is frozen and every thing planted there is dead. Dead is what they are for sure but just beneath the snow a magical spark of life sits in wait for just a little warmth and it will again be reborn to its previous summer's beauty.

Now I want to show you what the serendipity paper looks like.

I love using foil Christmas warping paper to give a shinny look in some areas of the paper. It was fun not having to hide my scrapbook pages in a book but can hang them. I just print a up to date calender page for this year and I am good to go.

I also did some fun cards. I have wanted to use some of my painting techniques on a few cards so the next few are stamps and then watercolor pencils.

Later I plan on posting some fun pictures on some of the weather we are experiencing here. I have had too much fun out side in our snow. So check back later.

So make sure you find the wonder in the moment, wether you are one to go out in the winter weather or not. Just feeling safe in the warmth of your home is a great privalage and wonder all on its own.

Have a great day.

Kat

Finding great joy in finding out "I am satisfied".

2010-01-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

Its been a month! WOO HOO! I started this whole blog thing as a way of accountability for staying close to my New Years Resolution. I believe it is working. With one month under my belt I find a new sense of accomplishment. Am I the only one who seems to continually want more and more stuff to feed my creative side (or whatever You enjoy buying) and not really enjoy all the blessing God has shared with me. This will seem quite strange but in some ways I feel this recession has been a blessing. I believe I will never go back to feeling at liberty to keep adding to what I already do not have time to use.

At the very first entry of this blog I borrowed the words of Beth Moore, "we live in a culture motivated by one major goal-a little bit more. We have more than enough to live complicated lives, but less than enough to be contented".

I say all this as a new thrill has happened with this Resolution, and that is a real joy in being satisfied and content. Sounds simple but I believe in this age of being bombarded with advertising telling us we are not satisfied until we have whatever new product or thing they have to offer. I believe being satisfied doesn't just happen it is a mental choice we make.

The hunt through my workshop has led me to understand that there is more than enough hidden treasures here to feed my need for new ideas and technique to keep me busy for a year or two and then I will have forgot the first treasures I found and need to start all over again and they will again be hidden treasures again. It will be a never ending game. So for some of the fun I have been having this cold weekend.

I often do a card and then leave the sentiments for later. That way I can make it a thank you, birthday, or even symphony card when I choose to use it. This was done with melting crayons. This is fast and a bunch of fun. I take a warming plate (you can use a old skillet on the stove set on low) and just start scribing on it as the crayon melts. You will want to make sure there is a lot of color on the plate. I don't intermix the colors too much and I just love the metallic crayons. I then pick up a card (I used blank index cards) and just swipe one side and then the other side of the card. At times I will re-swipe them if they didn't cover well. The best plan is to have a lot of index cards handy and just keep coloring and playing. I plan to do some more and cut letters off of it. Oh I forgot to admit to trying to talk little kids out of their metallic crayon which wasn't to hard because they usually don't like coloring with them.

This was just a fun card using some of my huge amount of scrap paper and a stamp set I haven't seen in a while.

Now this is something new, yes new, sorry but it is a tinplate that you can cut these delicate looking flowers out. I don't think I have ever gotten over the fun I had as a girl playing with paper dolls and cutting them out.

The next few pictures were ones I played with in on of my photo editing programs as I get ready to do some fun mini scrapbooks for a few gifts. I love play with pictures in this way. The first was one taken from my camera as mom and I were rafting, yep rafting the mighty Colorado river. I don't know why I thought the little spots I add were so much fun but I liked it when finished. The second picture is a beautiful trillium I saw when wildflower hunting at Turkey Run State Park. I then add the outer mat of soft brown.

Ok, this was a fun day and I hope you have a blessed day. Keep Warm

Kat

What to do with a cold rainy Saturday

2010-01-27T13:29:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday my poor hubby seems to have a terrible case of feeling house bound. So what does one do on a very rainy, cold day. We decided to drive down to one of our favorite camping spots, Raccoon Lake here in Indian?. In the summer it is a beautiful lake that is a water shed, but in the winter it is reduced to a small creek which has always been know as Raccoon creek.

This was a very interesting view. The area is usually completely full of water all the way to the back of the farthermost tree line. It is some of the idle zone we use to enjoy when we had our pontoon boat. Even on the over cast day the brown fall trees in the foreground with leaves still on it warms up this picture.

The next picture above is just looking the opposite direction. The day would not be complete unless we took pictures of Billy's fishing hole while it had no water in it. Now Billy is a great chauffeur and drove his favorite photographer (that's be me of course) around to get her precious photo shots.

It look so strange to have the boat docks laying on the ground and no water around the ramp many use to go retrieve there car and trailer from. So enjoy just a different look at our camping area. All in all it was a great way to get out of the house.

OK, I have not forgot my fun workshop and even though I have not posted for a few days I have been doing some fun things. I have seen this interesting looking cards on the internet many times and have the correct cutter from Spellbinders to cut the pieces needed for it but had a terrible time figuring it out just from photos. Then thank goodness I found a tutorial, guess what it was much simpler then my attempt. I just love the lacy look.

Tuesday I had my fun girls over to paint together and finished a couple of bookmarks I like to paint and add in a some cards.

Last but not least I have never posted cards on a few of my friendly blogs I follow. They often have different challenges for you to try and then submit them to their pages, so for a change I decided to participate. There were two different ones, a sketch challenge and also one who gives you some colors (red, dark brown and light brown) to make a card with. I combined the two and found this to be a great way to inspire your creativity. It was a lot of fun. Also went to my "this and that" box and found the red flourishes on this card. Also I used a long unused stamp and felt very good about moving forward with my New Years Resolution. There is only one problem with my goal of using up many of my "this and that" stuff. It seems to never go down. Be sure and go back to the beginning of Jan 3 headed Playing with Marbles, to find out and see my "this and that box".

Its going to be really cold the next few days so, Yep that means more playing in the workshop and just looking at the snowy day from my warm perch.

Have a blessed day.