Praierie Papier Ponderer

I'm a Prim and Whimsy Girl - Join the PWGL Little Tokens of Love Valentine Swap!

2010-01-14T17:20:26-07:00

Two weeks ago, on the dawn of the New Year (I cannot believe January is half over already), I promised to share some good news...well, part of it I can, and the rest will have to wait for a bit...

First of all, before I forget, again, there is still time to join the Prim and Whimsy Girls "Little Token of Love Valentine Swap!

Here are the details….

Anyone can join in! This Swap is open to all Artists and Crafters.

You’ll be creating a heart shaped Valentine item - using any medium, any art style - as long as the finished piece is no larger than 5 x 5 inches.

Deadline to sign-up is January 15, 2010. You’ll receive your partners info on January 17th.

All Valentine’s MUST be mailed out by February 8, 2010

So, there you have it...one day to sign up...the PWGL swaps are wonderful and you don't want to miss out!

Okay, on to some more good stuff...for the past few months I've been busy in my studio...I decided to get back into designing and making my own line of folk dolls again...after 20 years...I can't believe it's been SO long...way back in the day we were wholesaling the dolls to over 100 gift shops all over the US, including Disney World in Florida...we also sold dolls to the ND State Heritage Center (our state museum), and Japan. We sold some dolls to a Hollywood prop company to be used in a movie...I never did hear (or see for that matter) what movie it was...and no, it wasn't Chuckie!

This is what some of my dolls looked like:

These were part of a line called "meadowlake folke tales." Pictured are Goldilocks, Mary Mary Quite Contrary, Little Red Riding Hood, and Little Bo-beep...you probably guessed that they were based on fairytales and nursery rhymes...well, my new creations will look nothing like this...

Right now, a kazillion ideas are running through my head...there is so much I want to do, but trying to focus on an idea or two has proved difficult...plus...I'm going to be putting some of the new skills I've learned over the past year to use, and that's a bit scary since I totally stepped outside of my comfort zone! However, I will not be deterred, and I continue to press ahead! I'm getting closer to completing a few pieces...

I will let you in on a little secret...they are going to be mixed media art dolls...and that's all I'm going to say (for now!)...they will be for sale in either/or my Etsy shop or my own selling blog...details later!

I've also been busy with some new classes, and some new projects...a couple involve doing more art journaling.

I have a new doll class that starts this coming Monday (making Izannah Walker-inspired dolls (totally cool antique-looking dolls!). The class is taught by Dixie Redmond, and this is one of the dolls that she made. Awesome, huh?

...and of course, my school studies in graphic design...I'm learning more about Photoshop (and right now I am NOT having much fun with it...OMG!)...but I know that I'll enjoy the new skills I'm learning with more practice. It's just that right now it's a bit overwhelming...

So, that's what I've been up to...

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to sign up for the swap! And, hopefully before long I'll have some new art to show you!

Toodles!

Anita

Art Journaling - People and Animals

2009-12-31T00:01:00-07:00

Just thought I'd share a couple pages I did for a round robin journal swap...the theme for this journal was "People and Animals," and I'll admit I was stumped...and over Thanksgiving vacation I was discussing this with one of my nieces and she had a brainstorm...a circus! So, my very talented niece, Danielle, helped me do some pages...I showed her some techniques and she painted the background and pasted on the elements...I finished it up...and hooked her on art journaling! Mission accomplished! Plus, later that evening I showed Danielle's two younger sisters, Hannah and Bella, some art journaling techniques using some Vogue magazines and scrapbook paper, and they created some pages as well...again...mission accomplished! Inspiring someone else to be creative and believe in herself is what it's really all about!

Also, I just wanted to share with you a couple pictures from our Christmas celebration at my daughter Missy's...

Here are the "needle crafters" - from left to right are my granddaughters Kristen, Brianna, and my mother...Kristen was weaving, Brianna is learning to knit (with Mom's help), and Mom is crocheting a hotpad for Missy...

Here Mom is teaching Kristen how to make sugar cookies from scratch...Mom was impressed that Kristen did such a great job and is very much into baking...they both had a great afternoon (Mom is never happier than having flour all over...she LOVES baking!)...

Remember a couple days ago I mentioned that Kristen made cookies and had her color theory down pat? Well, here are her cookies...never saw purple and orange Christmas cookies before...

And yes, that's a turtle...she decorated that one for her sister...great job Kristen! You are VERY creative! Hope making sugar cookies with your great-grandmother will be a memory you cherish forever!

Thanks for stopping by today and...

Toodles and hugs...

Anita

The Crafter's Devotional - Do Something Creative Every Day!

2009-12-30T00:01:00-07:00

It's no secret that I love books. One of my new intentions for 2010 is to share more about myself, and what I like. I purchased this book a couple months ago and was ready to dive right into it, but because I'm ADD/OCD I had to wait until January 1. Far be it for me to start any time during the year...perhaps that's why my intentions (goals) seem to fall flat after a few days...I have so many that I get burned out within the first week of the New Year!

There is something elemental shared among artists and crafters, regardless of chosen medium: creative energy. Crafters dabble, collaborate, muse, and make, all in their own way and on their own timeline. For all crafts, there are established techniques to follow but wild, innumerable ways to experiment, using the basics to launch crafters to new heights. Crafter’s Devotional can aid that launch. Each day of the year is given its own focus, on which the reader will find a daily dose of craft content that inspires, instructs, and illuminates. And, there's still time to order your copy! Just click the link here:

Amazon.com Widgets

This New Year I'm not setting myself up to fail, at least I hope not...I'm going to try really hard not to do that but rather challenge myself to spend some time doing something creative every day whether I'm actually creating something OR reading something that has to do with creating OR sketching...I'm still working on my "studio time" intentions...it's hard to think today...the headache is piercing...but I'll share when I have more definite plans...

And to get warmed up, I'm designing a new line of folk dolls...today I worked on the pattern...OMG...why didn't I pay more attention in geometry? Seriously...I had to look up the formulas on the internet...I knew pi was in there someplace...you would not believe my paper mess...drawing circles with my compass (it's pink)...cutting out circles...making smaller circles...cutting them out...making bigger circles...cutting them out...saying the heck with circles...that's not what I need...I need to know how to make a cone...now, in my brain, a cone spread out is a circle...well, it's not...what the heck! Do I even know what I'm doing? It's just a doll...I'm not building a space shuttle...eventually I got it...I don't know what to call the shape but it's not a circle and it's not a cone...I have no idea how to replicate it, but for now I have what I need. And that is how I create...barely able to hold two thoughts together to call it an idea, but I'm getting there...

Thanks a bunch for stopping by today! I so appreciate it! Until next time...

Toodles and hugs!

Anita

Inspiration Tuesday - 500 Colored Pencils!

2009-12-29T09:55:56-07:00

One of the things that truly inspires me is color! Maybe that's a misnomer because it's rare that only ONE color inspires...but 500!!! OMG! That about puts me in inspiration overload!

My intentions for 2010 include doing something creative everyday...and to do that I need some inspiration...and what better way to get it than by owning the coolest set of color pencils EVER!

What would one color be without 499 others?

Introducing 500 Colored Pencils: the only set in the world that matches the span and wonder of human creativity.

Express whatever you dream, with beautiful visual precision.

Each pencil is its own story. A unique hue with an inventive name to inspire the far corners of your creativity.

Together, the colors suggest infinite possibilities.

It's human to have favorites. To be drawn to certain colors, to have others surprise you. The greatest beauty of 500 Pencils is that you don't receive all of them at once, but over the course of 20 months. It gives you new focus as an artist, working with color families and feeling the precious nature of each pencil. You'll receive 25 pencils a month, crafted to order. As you build to 500, the pencils become your story and experience. It's about enjoying an unhurried creative process, and the artist - that over time - you become.

WOW someone you love with color.

There’s no gift in the world quite like 500 Colored Pencils. Encourage a young artist, surprise a child, thank a mentor or inspire a creative soul with a gift they can hold in their hands, and heart.

Each month when the pencils arrive, they become a new gift to unwrap a new present every month for 20 months reminding someone special that he or she is in your thoughts: a dramatic gift any one would remember for life.

Check out the web site (click on the badge in the right sidebar) for more information about this amazing collection that's been featured in many publications as well as on Martha Stewart's program...and then subscribe! Unleash YOUR creativity!

A Belated Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T23:50:39-07:00

I hope you had a very blessed Christmas celebration this past week! My family and I celebrated last weekend. Our youngest son is a submariner, and was home on leave for the first time in almost two years, so it was wonderful having him here! Unfortunately he had to fly out on Christmas Eve and we decided to come home early because of an impending blizzard. It was a good thing to, because later on Christmas Eve it began snowing and blowing and by early Christmas Day we woke up to a raging snowstorm! We got over two feet of snow, so to say it was a white Christmas would be an understatement!

I'm hoping to share some family photos as soon as I get them uploaded and edited. We celebrated at our daughter's, and took my mother along with us. I think Mom had a wonderful time as well. She helped my youngest granddaughter Kristen, age 11, bake her first batch of homemade sugar cookies and banana bread. They enjoyed an afternoon of baking, and we all reaped the benefits! Kristen decorated the cookies herself, and I must say she exhibited her love for art! I've never seen orange and purple Christmas cookies before...Kristen certainly has her color theory down pat...she mixed her frosting in all the colors of the rainbow!

In order to focus our celebrating on the things that mean the most, we all decided to keep our gift-giving to a minimum...there were a lot fewer presents under the tree, but the gifts that were given were meaningful and much appreciated...Missy and Duane outdid themselves in preparing all the meals (it was such a treat not to have to cook for almost a week!)...our early Christmas dinner was fabulous with a smoked turkey and home-cured ham! All four of our children were able to be together for the first time in two years and we had a wonderful time visiting and laughing together. Kristen read Luke 2, our annual Christmas eve tradition, for the first time...years ago it was Chris' father who read the Christmas story...he passed away in 1996 just before our oldest granddaughter, Brianna was born. Since then my dear husband has read the Christmas story, but this year Kristen sat on Grandpa's lap so he could help her with the "hard" words...she did a beautiful job reading, and helped us focus on the reason for the season.

It was hard to see Luke leave on Thursday, but I'm so thankful he was able to be with us...he is such fun to have at home!

I'll leave you with a couple of Christmas projects, all created with a Christmas stamp set, Winter Snow, from Oxford Impressions (one of my favorite rubber stamp companies!)...

I'm also hoping to post some exciting news soon...at least for me it is!

And I'll leave you with a treat, one of my favorite Christmas carols, performed by a group formed over 20 years ago when they were students at NDSU. In the summer of 1989 I was participating in a craft show at Trollwood Park in Fargo, ND, and the Blenders were the entertainment at the park...I've since had the pleasure of hearing them perform in Beulah.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Toodles! Anita

Drawing Tutorials Online - Check This Out!

2009-12-01T15:27:54-07:00

As many of you already know, I love learning, and I love taking classes. Never, ever, ever say you're too old to learn anything...if you don't start now, then when? Seriously, learning something new keeps your mind young...keeps you interesting...and it's a lot of fun!

I recently signed up for online drawing classes. I truly suck when it comes to drawing, and I need to improve my drawing skills for my graphic design course (will I ever finish?). My friend Mish emailed me last week about this, I checked it out, and we both signed up immediately! We have goals for next year, both artistically and professionally...and we agree that one of those goals is to improve our drawing skills. Please do yourself a favor and check out Drawing Tutorials Online...it's so inexpensive, and trust me, there is a wealth of info there! You can learn to draw...if I can do it anyone can do it...it doesn't matter if you've ever picked up a pencil and couldn't draw a stick person (again, trust me)...you CAN do this!

Oh, and if I haven't enticed you enough there is a $1 (yes, ONE DOLLAR) one week trial period, so click on the banner and give it a try for one week...and then leave me a comment. Please?!

Thanks for stopping by!

Toodles!

Anita

The Butterfly Circus - Hope

2009-11-18T00:49:01-07:00

My sister Denise emailed this link to me...she said it was a bit long but worth the time to watch. It was...

What holds you back from your dreams? Don't let it; there is always hope... Thanks for stopping by today... Toodles! Anita