Fun and Relaxing Time

It's time to forget about the 9 to 5 (if only it were just 9 to 5) and has some fun. I've taken some time off and will be spending much of it with family, but I have a few days just to myself to do whatever it is I want. Taking time for yourself is extremely important for both mind and body. To immerse one's self in the things that make you feel good and also challenge yourself creatively and that is my plan! I've actually already started that today having read about a new background technique (I love doing backgrounds). If you like them too you have to check out Geo Papers by Jill Berry. I have the first half complete and my papers are drying. The plan is to paint them later today and post a picture or two.

I sent out my November envelopes this past week and plan to do my December ones this up coming week with some of my time off.

Collaberative Artist's Book

So, I'm headed out shortly to a friends house were a small group of us are getting together to compile our Artist's book project. There our seven of us and each of us will be contributing a single signature to each others book. There were no rules on what your signature should include other than it have a paste paper outer cover and 2 inner sheets. The pages must be flat, no dimensional elements, that's it. We will be adding a vellum sheet (design of our choice for our own book) to be inserted between each of the two inner sheets of each signature thus having a common element for our book.

I did nature printing and hand printing, literally painting my hand and pressing it onto the paper. I choose to use parent sheets for all this and then cut them down to the size for the book. I also did color washing and masking. On the color wash only pages I have the following quotes:

Faith
Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.

Lovers alone wear Sunlight. ee cummings

I will have pics of the finished book posted later .... stay tuned.

Catch-Up...Georgia Deaver Workshop and Mokume Gane Fun

Howdy all - Creativity has been flowing. This past weekend I spent with Georgia Deaver in a 2 day workshop on Design. The approach to the workshop was one like I've never experienced before, but then again I've never taken a design class either. The golden mean which is extremely analytical, but for me it was easy to understand having a background in engineering and made perfect sense to me. As this was Calligraphy based many pieces of calligraphic art was shown and discussed. So much detailed info was packed into the short 2 days it was information overload. Only 2 projects were individual and in fact even the individual projects were looked at by everyone and then discussed as a group. The group projects were fun because as artists the chance to work in groups is few and far between and the feedback that others have is vital. What a great weekend it was. Now I have a few pieces that were in mock up that needed to be transformed into finished pieces which is were the true fun begins!

Now the weekend prior I got into an organic/wired mood and took already create "stones" and turned them into bracelets and pendants. The "stones" are actually created from polymer clay using a technique called Mokume Gane. Just creating those stones is soooo much fun, but to have them in a complete piece is way too cool. In fact I donated a bracelet and pendant to be in a breast cancer charity auction this past weekend.

Creative Escape

It's been far too long since my last post. I could tell you it's been due to my day job, or life at home, or well....you get the picture. Everyone can always find a reason for not doing something they didn't want to do, but when it comes to something they enjoy it's simply the fact that the priority of that "thing" has fallen way, way down on the list of things they have to do. Well, I'm raising the priority of my creative time. Yes, it has taken a back seat and it's sat back there so long it's gotten buried under many other things being piled up on and around it to the degree its been lost. It's been kicking a screaming and only recently have I even heard it. Now, it's front and center again and fighting to stay there. And I need my creative escape as it is the time I can truly free my mind and soul of the day to day dust and grim.

This little blog is going to play a role in my creative rebirth too. We have to have goals to strive too otherwise nothing would ever be achieved. I will be adding an entry here at least once a week. It be a simple quote I found or a long winded entry like I'm working on here, but either way DragonFly Studio13 blog will be alive!

Cheers, and may you never lose your creative escape to the dog eat dog, rat race world. You only have one life; do what you want to do and make it a book that has many pages "dog eared" that others want to read!

1st BBQ Flux Sucess

10am - Well, it's over and I'm rolling out of bed and walked out to what I vaguely remember as something from my college days... empty glasses and plates sitting everywhere; kitchen sink is full and just general chaos in the "party zone" that was the kitchen, family room and breakfast area. I hear the clanging of pans and utensils now so the better half is starting the clean up process....better get out there to help :)

8:30pm - Clean up completed with the exception that the furniture has not been put back in it's place. And, no, it didn't take all day, but it has been a very lazy day.
No progress on the next library project of the next card I have to make, basically no creative progress today.

Heading off to do some research for a possible next project which would be juried showed in the Spring of 2012. Yes, it's early but the time will disappear before I know it so I have to take every minute I have. This will be the biggest project I have ever done if I go through with it.

Hope y'all had a great weekend!

BBQ Flux Preperations!

The Egg is almost to temp then the Butt goes on! I have the day off to prep for the First ever BBQ Flux event that being hosted by ....... yup, Me! Duster Lady and Picasso are already here and getting setup for the Grapevine Heirloom event. Brenda and I will be headed to cruise the show tomorrow then after the show everyone will be headed to our place! Had a blast in Jan even though I was a bit out of it having had a knee scope the day before.

Happy Friday All

The weekend is a Wrap

All and all it was a nice weekend. Grand illusions on Friday didn't come together, but it was a peaceful couple days. Got some arranging done in the studio and did start a canvas tonight. No cards or mock ups of cards happened this weekend. Couldn't find any wire at the local haunts, so I guess I'm going to have to break down and order some. Sooooo, no new organically wired creations this weekend either.

The wind has been wicked today and is suppose to continue through the night and most of the day tomorrow. The Texas flag literally blew away today and the American flag is being whipped to death. Can't say this is uncommon for spring here, but if Father wind could keep the gusts below 40 it would be nice! 

Sleep tight cyber friends. Till next time.....

Weekend Creations

Ahhhhh.......the crazy policy driven, dull gray cubical, life draining, creative killing work week is behind me. It's time for color and it's spring here in TX and Mother Nature has woken up from her winter slumber. Pansies are blooming as well as 2 of our roses and the iris' have gorgeous stalks and swelling buds. Hollyhock is turning into small shrubs right now and the bluebonnets are oh so spectacular right now (first year they came back from seed, as we planted several last year). And the larkspur.....Oh MY, are they every going to put on a show and it seems that the Nigella (Love-in-the-Mist) is in competition with them to see who can put on the biggest show! Either way we win cause it's going to be beautiful.

So it's time to create a little color of my own. Last weekend I attended 2 classes with Lisa Renner and was introduced to polymer clay. I think I might have found a new love, well, that and doing organically wired jewelry using the polymer clay. I made another batch of "stones" last night and had a blast. Now it's time to pick up some wire and get putting those new stones to use!

Also up for the weekend to do list is making 2 cards. Totally missed my Dad's B-Day and my stunning brides is coming up this week. I have such a mental block when it comes to creating cards. Not sure why, but I think I over think it and end up getting frustrated and it's always the thing of trying to do something totally different then I've done before. Oh what am I going to do?!?!?

Catch ya when the weekend is over to let you know how the creativeness went!

Maybe some pictures to ;-)

First Time for Everything

First posting ever in a blog. Never had a blog before so I'm going to give it a whirl and see where it takes me. You never know what's just around the corner, so let's take a look.