Alligning of the Planets

Here we are at about 5:30 Sunday evening and I can barely keep my eyes open. Why might you ask, would that be? Late night partying?? All night chat fest? No--not this week anyway. Nope this chickypoo had all she could take last week with the Sisters's. This week, DS and I, along with my friend Linda went to see Evan Almighty, then for an appetizer at Chili's, followed by Momma coming home and pulling out all her gizmos, cutting tools (which by the way, I am missing all of my good scissors so if someone has borrowed them, kindly put them back where you found them), and proceeded on putting together my handcrafted item for my SGS partner, Breanna. I was up to 2am in a craftymojo caffeinated driver to get er done! After all, next week is the ship out date. I figured last minute Lucy needed to get her but in gear. I still have a few minor alterations to make but for the most part, that part of the swap is done. The container redo--umm--still a work in progress. Somehow, someway though, I always come through so no fear Breanna--your package will be board the mail truck come h-e-double hockey sticks or high water nextweek!

While this isn't what I was working on--I wanted to give you a peak at my new art journal that I'm making out of a photo album I bought and am starting to redo the pages as well as a cute tag I made out of coordinating paper. I am admittedly a very very poor scrapbooker, I do LOVE ME some paper! My one beef with scrapbooking is the cost. Holy Canolli's. You can really go broke making a scrapbook if you allow yourself to be enticed by all the embellishments, the stickers, the stamps, the inks, the textiles, the tags, the paper punches, the brads, the flowers, the....the...the...there's just two many choices!! With that said, collage work and scrapbooking are definitely first or second cousins in the art world. It's all about telling a story in a unique design appealing way, or in a surprsing way. Collage incorporates many elements of scrapbooking but often times in many layers and with an untraditional take on the focal point. You can also go broke being a collage artist I am quickly finding out. As I read more and more about different techniques and applications--I want, I want, I want, I want. I think after this month is out, August will be another use what I have month. Some of you lofty bloggers are doing this for an entire year--but I am not that good or discplined yet.

I am however, definitely in the creative mood. I talked with my X husband the other day and we are going to work on a way to fund my little "art studio" so when all the planets align in my solar system, I can launch my Sweet Repeats Studio Shoppe. Until then, I am still a student. Actually, hopefully I will always be a student.

There is always something new to learn, it's what you do with those learnings that make a difference.

Speaking of inspiration and creativity, supplies, collaging, and journalling---meet my new blog friend, Nancy. We did a little swap together last week (I sent her a box of supplies and she sent me not one, but TWO of her wonderful collages. The pictures didn't come out as vibrant as her work in person, so you'll have to trust me, both of my new pieces she sent are colorful, creative, and will keep me busy reading for many hours to come. She even sent her work in an adorable hand sewn altered envelope. How cool, right?!!



Nancy does a lot of her work on wall paper panels for backgrounds, which I have yet to try, but definitely want to give it a shot. I typically use either watercolor paper or canvas boards. I've recently acquired a TON of wallpaper. If I used it all, I'd be busy until the fat lady sings.





To see more of Nancy's work, check out her Etsy shop. Lots of fun collages. Her work has inspired me to get going on my own shop. (I know, I know..I've been saying that for awhile. It's just that the planets haven't alligned yet for me. I'm still waiting for the sign to go ahead and "get er done"!

Sigh.

Can we think of anymore excuses now?

Oh yeah....one more...I can't do it just now because I have to go mow the lawn. I was trying to get through a weekend post without mentioning the blasted lawn but I couldn't do it. At least it's exercise. Yeah. That's the ticket. I definitely need that, so I'm outta here....the planets are alligned and pointing me in the direction of the backyard. But soon---they will be pointing me back to my canvas and to a "Shoppe" near you!

Until then, be sweet to one another. Try doing one random act of kindness at at time and you will change begin to change the world. ((((Evan Almighty on the brain :))))))



lucy