Eating and Sleeping...

I used to paint. Then I had kids.
My creative outlet became scrapbooking. Easier to contain. Easier to clean. Easier to walk away from and not worry about coming back to a mess made by creative monsters.

Now, I've found an online class for painting and mixed media collage. Bring on the mess.

Here is one of the paintings for the color class:
Fun, but not nearly as exciting as doing an image transfer. I have been dreaming of pages. Ideas are swirling. If I could just have a few un-interupted days. Can you imagine? :)
I keep thinking that this one needs more:
I was thinking about a word written in a swirly font. Not sure which word to choose. Ideas? Comments? Suggestions? Add them here. Help me get my brain moving!

I'm off to create. . .

Rhoda

Loving Learning...

I have signed up for another online art class (actually 2). I can't seem to stop myself. Learning on my own has never been a problem. Online classes in college were awesome. Now that I can find classes on art, I am in heaven.Here are the classes/workshops I am taking:

Color Beyond the Basics
and


Complex Collage

There are videos, pdf files, message boards, and GREAT information. The cost is great (especially compared to information you receive). I've been obsessed :)
Here is an image that I created in the last few days. My favorite so far, but I know there will be others:
Okay. I'm off to play. Keep checking back. I promise to try and post a little more. One of these days I will be better at it...

Rhoda

Ahhh. A Day Off...

I took my last personal day for the year on Monday.
Spent the day in Missoula.
Scrapbook store (new papers).
Lunch with my sister (Bagels on Broadway...YUM).
Barnes and Noble (with a London Fog tea).
A quick Costco trip.
And then home again. That part wasn't fun. I could have used 3 more days just like that one. I actually started missing my impermanent home from last year while I was there for school. That is just crazy!!! :)

And what did I do with the scrapbook paper. Well, I couldn't keep my hands off it. So, I made this: HAPPY



And that is what it made me...Happy :)

This weekend is supposed to be sunny. That makes me happy too. Some warm weather to play.

Happy Thursday!
Rhoda

Maybe eBay...

I spent the morning posting some of my art prints on eBay. We will see how that works out :) It can't hurt, right?

This morning I woke up (too early for a Saturday) and the first thing that went through my mind was a journal. Should I play with it? Should I sell it? What can I put on the cover? How attached to the scraps inside it am I? It's just paper right? But it makes me happy.

I am off to the Farmer's Market, the Nursery, and lunch. I'll think about it. Maybe I will come home and work on creating a new one, or I will list this one. Decisions :)

Hope you all have a creative Saturday, in one way or another!

Rhoda

Paper, Paper, Paper...

I had a chance to play :) Hopefully, there will be more chances to play again this weekend. One can hope...right?
You can see the entire set here: By the Sea

I'm also thinking about selling one of my Remains of the Day journals. Most likely on Etsy. If I don't list one that is already made, I will be making another one soon. I'm getting the itch. It's a good thing summer is just around the corner.

Okay. Enough rambling. Have a great weekend :)

Rhoda

Ahh! Lavender

My daughter had a sore throat yesterday. We started lavender and honey with lemon. Lots of vitamin D.
Today, no sore throat, just a nasty cough this morning.
This afternoon, my throat tickles and I just feel puny. Bring on the lavender. I'm hoping to know this germ on it's butt before it can knock me on mine :)

On a better (no pun intended *grin*) note, I was browsing eBay this morning and I had the most overwhelming urge to scrapbook. That hasn't happened in at least a year. Maybe longer. WoW! It was an intense urge, and I LOVED it. Tonight I plan on playing with paper. I might mix in some paint and other fun things, but mostly, just paper!

Happy Wednesday!

Rhoda

A Great Week in Art...

This week we have been so busy finishing up symbolic self portraits.
After that, I taught them to make their own altered album. Some wonderful person in the community donated matting scraps. I cut them down to 5x7 and we are adding pages and spiral binding. They are furiously digging through scrapbook papers, magazine pages, and the paint. Some very amazing pieces of art are forming :)

We have also been avidly watching our Donors Choose site. I posted a project for new art tables. Ours shake when we erase and were not meant for art. We have had 4 donation and only need a handful more to make our goal. It's been very exciting :)

And, now it is Friday and we all get a break for a couple of days!! Someone needs to tell Mother Nature that tomorrow is May. She didn't get the memo here in Montana!!

Have a great weekend :)
Rhoda

Tech Literacy...

I've been playing (again). I know, I know. Every time I post, it's usually to comment on my "play". Must be that when I have time to play, I have time to post :)

It was a little different this time. There were the usual piles of papers, paint, ribbons, etc. Then the photos of the finished product. And then the thought to try something different. We bought this Apple over 2 years ago. Chris has played with the iMovie. I've ignored it. Today, I experimented and upped my technology literacy. (I even had to ask him for help...*gasp*...that NEVER happens when it comes to technology!)

Now, I have uploaded my photo slideshow on two different sites. Vimeo looks like it will be more user friendly. Flickr only takes 90 seconds of the movie. Mine was a little over that at 2 min. 30 sec.

So, if you traveled here via Flickr, you can now view the whole thing. My next devious plan is to add the video to my eBay auction for a unique way of viewing the product before bidding.

My Easter Journal on eBay.

Among these pages you can journal, doodle, write out quotes or verses, paper trimmings, memorobilia, photos, and more.

Wish me luck. I'm having technical adventures :)

Oh! The Places You Will Go!

I know it has been forever.

I am back!!

And I have even managed to make something creative :)

It is a sweet little spiral bound book. It quotes the wonderful words of Dr. Seuss.

If you would like to see the inside, you can find it here :)

Happy Spring!

Rhoda

New Toy...

I walked into a scrapbook store this weekend, and for the first time in over a year, I SPENT money!! Not sure what the deal has been for me lately, but I haven't been very inspired by all those pretty papers. They looked good. They just didn't speak to me.

This weekend, they were yelling!!

I also purchased my birthday present (early). That was even more exciting. I couldn't play with it right away. Had to wait for Sunday, but when I was finally able to get my hands on it, I created a cute little book for my niece. I'll post pictures later.

So the toy...

It is a Zutter Bind it All. It punches holes and then you thread them onto metal spiral binding and squish them down. You can do any length of paper imaginable AND some really thick chipboard. I even punched through a few of Kyla's iTunes gift cards. SWEET!!

Can't wait to go home and play with it some more. I have many many ideas zipping though my head :)

Happy March,
Rhoda