Day 20 WOW...time goes fast.

I still can't believe we are past the middle of November time sure does fly by.  I went to the grocery store and still wasn't ready to get the turkey yet.  Today was another day of not feeling to great so I laid low and did a little Zentangle still learning.  It is very relaxing and calming, so I sat on the couch and did that for awhile.  But I needed to get some fresh air so I took my ole trusty friend Bud for a walk.  The leaves here are still changing and falling now. The air is crisp and so fresh, I felt better getting some air.  Hoping tomorrow I will feel a little better and we can get out on the motorcycles.

I did this in my new Visual art journal...Love my journal.

Our walk in our neighborhood.

My sweet Bud..he is the best running/walking partner with 4 legs.

Sometimes we are so busy looking forward that we don't take the time to look up and thank God for the things in our lives..I am so blessed..

The colors are so pretty..

I would like to get out to our NC antique market tomorrow, hopefully we can work it in the day..I am looking for a vintage orange Pyrex bowl ( I collect them, I have a pink, yellow, green and turquoise).  If I find one I will post..Until tomorrow, make memories today.

Sparkles and Leather.Day 19..

I was so excited to get in the mail today an order I placed by a fellow blogger "Artsyville".  Please go visit her blog, she is amazing. She sent me a extra little gift with it as well so I was even double happy.  I truly love getting things in the mail.  I miss getting things in the mail, with technology the way it is we tend to forget how special it is to get something in the mail.  Don't get me wrong I love all my tech goodies (ok, I am really a geek when it comes to technology)..I would love to get an iPad (hint hint to hubby).  But still miss the good ole days of waiting for the mail for something other then bills.

Today I made a necklace and if you have been following my blog you might of noticed one that looks alot like this one.  I have received so many request for that one that I needed to make others like it.  My only problem is somethings are one of a kind due to the materials.  I start with a hand cut leather heart that I hand die, then I added a vintage crystal element to the middle with vintage beads and crystals dangling from the heart.  I finished it off with a brush brass chain in different styles to give it that fun funky flare ( I believe that could be a new word for the dictionary..heehee).  I love making Jewelry it is my first love of creating.

 This 3 little pieces of art came in my package...sweet little jewels to use in my journaling.

 This is the one I bought..I am a Yoga instructor, so this I really like.

This speak to me so much, and the artist gave this to me as a little extra too..so sweet, LOVE IT!!

Heart and Leather..

This picture does not do the beads justice for their colors. You can order this on my Etsy site.

Vintage Crystal element..

Have a blessed night.

A little under the weather..Day 18 of Challenge..

I woke up feeling really yucky today, the headache, sore throat super tired.  I figured I would get some fun creative things done today.  Well it has taken me a little while to get moving in this day.  I started my day reading my new Beth Moore bible study "Jesus".  I am doing this with a friend, I am loving it. Always makes for a good way to start the day.  I bought a new book to turn into a Visual Journal/Altered Art Book.  I worked on the cover today, I had to step away.  I was doing the whole "I need to do more thing"..I will go back to it later, and either add more or come to terms in keeping it the way it is..I have a new project in the works (it's a secret) I am excited, so I need prayers that if this is what I am to being moving forward with, God will open the doors that need to be open and close the ones that are not right...

Now tea time and maybe a small nap, I am not one of those people that does well sick.  I am to active for this.  But I guess this is my bodies way of saying slow down.  Until tomorrow..many blessings.

There is always time to be creative...Day 17

 What am I talking about? This is something I hear over and over (from my friends or I am not creative):

"I want to do creative things too, but I don't have time."

Well, guess what it can be done I found this out with this challenge? You don't have time to NOT be creative. Creativity is all around you. You CAN fit it in. You can live a creative life as much or as little as you want to. No one is stopping us but ourselves. Being creative has So many physical, mental and emotional benefits that you don't have time NOT to do it! Here are some suggestions for fitting in creativity with a busy schedule (this is something I still work on).

1. I take pics with my cell phone when I can't lug my camera with me. What do I take pictures of? WELL, it's all about how you think. When you think of life as a creative experience, everything ordinary becomes interesting all of the sudden! Try it. Some of you know what I'm talking about! Don't worry about taking "bad" photos. Sometimes they turn out blurry, but so what? Even that can help you see things in a whole new way. I have blurry photos...like the following...

 Take random pictures, put them in your visual journal

 

2. Always have something to read in the car. I always carry a great magazine or book in the car for some quick inspiration/eye candy. My favorites are all the Somerset Magazines especially Somerset Studio's Gallery Magazine. It's like your own little art gallery in the car! If you don't want to spend money on the magazines, there are tons of great mixed-media, art, collage, photography books at your library. I use the library ALOT. It's a great "re-treat" for me to dash into the library and get some new books to soak in while waiting in the car!

3. Go outside. That's it. Walk around the block. Look at the clouds. Look at things you don't normally notice.

 God gave us this world to look at and cherish...enjoy it!

4.Keep a little memo book and pencil/pen in your purse/car, etc. You never know when you'll have a moment to sketch or write.  It really get's me to relax and slow down. 

This is my husbands first Zentangle (I can't take credit)..

Ok, so those are only a few things you can do today! Remember, you don't have time to NOT be creative. Every day is a new opportunity to nurture your creative self, many blessings my friends!

God grant me the serenity
to accept the fact that I can't make every room in this house a craft room:
Give me courage to clean my little Blue studio/room I have;
and wisdom to know the difference. Amen!

Day 16...Computer Issues..

Frustrated to say the least, I have a real issue with computers not working and not being able to figure it out, when everything seems to be the way it should but you still can't connect.  So I came to my husbands office to post on my blog.  I have not had the chance to work on anything as of yet today and it could be a little hard.  Hubby is not feeling well so I am at office rescheduling his patients and then I have woman's night tonight with the girls at church.  So I thought I would post about a book I got in the mail the other day (recommended from another blogger) called "What it is".  It is such an awesome book about Creative writing with such amazing illustrations.  I love visual journaling ("Visual journaling is a creative way to express and record life's experiences, feelings, emotional reactions, or our inner world - visually and verbally. Essentially, visual journaling can become a potential key to the artmaking process"). so this book appeals to me.

I would love to teach some visual journaling classes (that's a whole other project).  I started Zentangling as well and I am really liking that.  I hope to be getting more time to delve into that in the next day or so.  Our weather here is a little gloomy, it is such a great day to do nothing but create, but looks like I might need to leave that until tomorrow.  But as this book sits on my passenger seat, I will be creating in my head.  Until tomorrow..many blessings.  What are you creating today???

Half way through challenge...

WOW!! half way through the AEDM challenge.  I have been having alot of fun with the different projects, and finding things I would like to try that are new. When I visit other post I have seen alot of this art called Zentangle.  I love the look of what people do, so I thought I would give it a little bit of a try this morning.  It is fun you can do it on the phone watching tv or just listening to music.  I have a way to go in feeling comfortable with it, maybe because I want to be perfect in  it.  But I know it will take alot of practice.  I started on an ATC card and will finish it later tonight.  

My other way of creating today was putting my shelf together that my mom bought me while she was on her visit with me here in NC.  I spotted this shelf at the antique shop up the street, I feel in love it so my mom surprised me with it.  I still have to put some shelves up in it, but first I have to buy some extra little shelf hangers for it.  I have alot of books (the ones in the picture are just a fraction of what I have).  I arranged some things on it and put some books on the shelf.  Knowing me I could rearrange this a few more times.

 My rendition of a Zentangle..

 New bookcase..still need to install some of the shelves.

 I bought this funky hand at a flea market, it is a mold from an old latex glove manufacture.

  A few books..

 The shelves that need to be added.

Love me some Yoga...;-)

I am feeling cards in the air...Day 14..

What a beautiful day out, there is nothing like a Autumn day in North Carolina.  The leaves are changing all colors.  We took the motorcycles out Friday and oh how I missed riding.  We have been so busy I haven't been out the last 3wks, feels good to be back on.  Well today I was thinking of things I could do for the challenge, I could paint, draw (not good at that one), color, bake, collage or make cards.  Cards won, I have not made a card in awhile.  I use to make all my own Christmas cards but I have stepped away from that. I seem to put so much stress on it that it became a chore rather then fun, so I stepped away, when something is no longer fun when it comes to creating I tend to step away for awhile.  But I am feeling the need to bring my stuff out again, thanks to the challenge.  I am a little rusty but here is what I came up with.

 Bloom Where you are planted..

 It's the little things that matter.  I love this saying, we put so much into getting and wanting bigger that we forget that sometimes it is just the small little things that truly matter.  Until tomorrow. Many Blessings.