her vision. family. art.

it's thursday! and ready for the weekend

quick post. throwing up a journaling piece that was requested. i'm working on some new journal pages tonight, so i'll finally have some updated work to post. i've been craving studio time.

this journaling is with nib and blk ink. i also used a ballpt. pen. mixin it up a little..   *wink. the eye image is a kleenex that i adhered over strips of masking tape. along the eyelashes wrote EYES WIDE OPEN. nib and ink.

here's a few pics of a senior shoot i did this wk. Champ had to dive in for a bit so i shot these! lol..

have a good rest of your week!

k. i'm back

again, thanks for your emails kicking me in the butt to update!!

no art -BUT, i have pics to share. new headshot as well an overexposed shot with champ!the INSPIRED event was a bittersweet trip for me. AMAZING event, and donna put on one heck of a gig! here's me and my friend christiane who came down from seattle. there was a lot of color wash going on, and we all were wearing it!   fun.the bittersweet part of it was that the night before i was flying to n.carolina, i get a call from the hospital telling me that my grandmother was very ill, and not doing well at all. decisions......  damn. i have the most amazing bro who told me that he'd be there with her and i needed to go and fulfill my commitment. he was, and i did. the amazing part about it all was the support and concern of so many amazing women. i honestly want to say THANK YOU and i love you all for being so understanding and compassionate. seriously, you ladies who kept coming in to see how i was doing and give me a hug make me cry still. thank you. i made the right decision to go. i forgot to mention my flight issues...  as soon as my 1-day delayed flight got me here, i went straight from the airport and dove into the 'middle' of my class that had started almost an hour earlier! but it was all good. after my first day i went straight to my room, got into a hot shower, called room service and spent the rest of the eve talking to my friend @ home. basically that was the case both nights! back to the airport for my 815am flight sunday. the update is that my grandmother is improving, and will hopefully recover fully. she's MY #1 life inspiration,always there for me, and she's a scrapper like me (in life, not in art), for sure!

so here's some pics sent to me, a couple i took of "inspired elements" fab gifts that i LOVE. not only because they're so dang cool, but because of the thought. TY, again!!   

i'm craving art now! craving and need it

along with everything else going on recently..  PROM. here's some pics of Eth, his buddies and their dates. Eth's date is a good friend of his who is a statistician for the wrestling team. 

  have a fab rest of the week(end).

l8r

a little art accomplished. have to admit that i've always loved the appearance of a journal made from a spiral notebook. i've been wow-ed by a lot of artists who are known for theirs, lynne perrella is one. so i've started one myself. this visual is of the inside cover. i used a hard-back spiral notebook from target. it's about 10x4". this will be for my 2008. hard to believe it's time to start another years journal, and i just wrapped up my 2007! already march...    procrastinating again, just my style *wink. i have one page started/about finished. will show visuals of that later. i've decided i'm going to take a different approach to this journal. instead of creating my pages month by month, i'm going to just randomly work on my life's happenings as i want. less pressure on myself and most importanly, no guidelines!

on this i used some labels i got in the dollar bin at joanne's, hks ghost clock face, then just writing with dip pen and ink. the metal disk in the center of the clock face is an apholstery tack.

Realize is the title of my first page. consider it a peek at it in it's very raw, early stage

friends

love them.

a worldly girl defined in her way of living as well as her insight and support. this girls got a beautiful soul and i truely am blessed to have her in my life!

serendipity! another good friend.

this is a simple layout using a 7gypsies book board page, hks wing rub-on and sticker numbers, whiteout tape, and i journaled on a wide piece of masking tape. simple with a lot of symbolism.the photo was encased with a plastic piece that i got from some type of packaging, then i soldered around that to secure.

it feels good to finally get back to more art.

short post but wanted to touch base

**edited

i crack myself up at how I stockpile findings to use in my Art! i seriously have so much crap that i don’t use because I don’t know what i have!!! on my to-do list is to downsize and attempt to organize my ‘art elements’. a little out of control!! i am just now using these plastic flip number charts that she sent to me probably over a year ago thanks girl!- J i’m finally getting the chance to use them on these grapple actionshots  i took of Eth this season. at first i wasn’t sure how i’d go about using these without taking away from the numbers (152 which symbolize his wrestling weight class) on the tiles, and i wanted to use the tiles as the journal shell, so..   i printed the pics on lazer and again did image tape transfers. (these are actual number tiles used at some point). this gives me the dimension that i like and the numbers are still visible. i feel like i overkill tape transfer, but the fact is, it’s a simplistic way to more dimension. not to mention it gives me that raw appearance that i like to use in my sport artwork.not pretty, remember!   this was fun to work on. i haven’t done any sport art in a while, and this felt good. doing what i do! ( i love grunge work;-)  one of the inspirations here i got from a recent catalog where they show some pics framed with white-out tape. Layered and Random.  *it fit here. *i documented some key facts from his season in bullet-journaling with my nib and black ink. the rest is just some season memorabilia from tourneys, etcetera.  **sidebar/i’m going to seal the journaling because the thick areas just might flake off the plastic. definately an afterthought!

i love this pic and the very real expression i captured of him after an OT win in districts. (cute, isn’t he-   ;-P

lol

great past week. fun. possibly inspiration for new art..

all’s well except the fact i woke up tuesday morning with a fabulous cold sore on my lip! i’m blessed with a good one about once a year-thanks to my dear dad for that genetic perk! 

here's a little cosmo; my nieces, (i'm crazy about them, but then you already knew that *wink)!!    

it's thursday/CSI night!have a great weekend! mine is buZy!

*have to include this email i just received:

have you forgotten us little ones sitting back waiting for more jaw dropping work??? i know you have a life and all but really!!!! think about your fans okay..........

having withdrawals -that's all it read! lol   -and i say "TY...   i've been having withdrawls myself, promise! *wink) I so appreciate you fab people!!

L8R

Finally some much needed time to get some journal work done and to relax for a moment! Of course I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked, but I’m learning not to complain about any free I have these days, it is what it is!  My age-old theory of living for the moment has taken on a completely new meaning-   so after my groovy friend reminded me that I had pushed my deadline (notorious of doing..   but then again I work better under pressure *wink) of getting this piece done for my inspire classes, I got this little file folder journal re-worked; with instructions and step-by-step images for a guide she’s putting together for the event. And, this was done in the course of 3-4hrs and with a great desire to catch up on sleep at the same time (not my best work). But, This was in much need of being re-created because the original was put together last summer.     -lol things change.  Anyway, it’s re-worked, and I didn’t miss my deadline by much    

I  was working on this, and I found myself using concepts and thoughts that I’ve used on other journal pages. Then it made me start thinking how things and people of your past   are amazingly still in your mind and come out through your art.. (you won’t understand by looking, but I know it’s there J; hint- the taped ‘wing’ on the cover). This mini journal just focuses on me and mine. At this pt.     I really love using dyes and alcohol inks. you can do so much with them. and, I really like the fact that they’re so versatile and can be used untraditionally-.  For example, I dropped some alcohol ink onto one of the pages, and instead of using the blending solution to move it around, I threw water in the mix and moved it around with my hands. I like the appearance I get when I tape transfer on top of wet acrylic. SMUDGE! Also on the images of the boys these aren’t supposed to be ‘perfect’ photo images! I printed these with the intention of doing a tape transfer, and decided to do this little flip-thing. I folded the image in half and then taped over it with packing tape, making sure there was excess along the edges to attach the image to the page. I framed the image with masking tape (SURPRISE)!!! and acrylic. Now the image flips back-forth so you can see both of my manchildren. I’m sure I’ll play with this mini journal more before the event because I have more thoughts and ideas, but, it will have to wait. No time at the moment.

I wanted to share something that was said to me recently     one of my bro’s coaching friends came up to my ‘part time’ job a few nights ago and I was talking to him and his wife and then he says I wanted to tell you something.   He told me that he had googled my bro’s name one night and he found my typepad.  he said I’m just a baseball guy, I know nothing about ART, but I want say your work impacted me, and I wanted you to know that!     that was pretty cool to me.

I’ve done a little blogging here/there, and I’m loving the St.Valentine’s that I’m seeing, it’s not  in me this year. no ‘tattoo’ valentines! *wink, so not making any myself.

Ok.

Wrestling districts this weekend. 

L8R

ok..    i don't have blue eyes..   BUT... a friend of mine played with my photo in a photo program and sent these images to me. the 'enhancements' remind me of me of me in the 80's.. no PINK hair either, but a little on the rebelish side! a little crazy fun maybe-? lol  what the heck- it's a good headshot for an artist.

definately!

no art today.

i've been at home with eth (sick), and showing some much needed attention to my home. it's amazing how 2 jobs, a teenager and puppy can throw everything out of control!! my crazy life, and i love it :-)

have a fab week everyone!

hmmmm  ...have i showed you this yet-? it's one of the university journal pages i did. i think the word for this one is 'question'. the image is an oversized tape transparency that i framed with rolled + torn aluminum foil. kinda cool/different approach to framing. i wanted an edge with color here, so i mixed wine and black acrylic. ok- so to define more accurately, i smeared the acrylics! i'm digging the 'edgy' appearance of this whole page. i used a heat gun on the transfer to distress it a little more

random

another CSI night, hanging out with my boys, catching up on blogging, and looking for much needed inspiration...  this catalog came in the mail today. check out the website.. a virtual catalog. i'm inspired, not to mention taken back approx 25years ago when i used to dress very similar!*wink evolution amazes me still...

a good night to dig for inspiration too, we got more snow today in kansas city, (i think it's still snowing) and it's so cold out! going through a lot of firewood, and at this point, i call it winter 'crap'. we've had a lot of snow this year, and realisticly WINTER IS ONLY BEGINING! and more realisticly, we haven't had a lot of snow... just more than we're used to getting. i love snow during the holidays, then jan1, i'm over it! i'm ready for spring :-)

have a great rest of your week!slm

another new year

CHEERS to it

first off...  i finally got the university journal
project complete and sent out. i'm happy with the end
result, i had a total of 63 words/pages plus the
cover/backs of 2 journals. <this is a visual of one.
it's simply a collage with a little beeswax and
acrylic! i found a great new statement; FORTUNE SIDES
WITH SHE WHO DARES. (how cool is that) i wrote this into the warm beeswax
then covered with layers of acrylic (wiping off each
color before i applied the next.....) this resulted in
a layered/distressed and very random appearance with
about 4 different colors of acrylic. LOVE IT. the
cover to journal 2 is very different. i love bright
yellow, BUT am very intimidated to use it in my
artwork (lol at myself) seriously, this cover is very
cool as well.  it's very simplistic/and BOLD at the
same time, not taking away from the focal pt. the eye came from a mini kleenex and i just modge-podged it onto a piece of
fabric, already adhered to the book cover. it's a little busy, so the bright yellow makes
it stand out and is simplistic enough, not taking away
from the focal image (the eye). the eye was also framed
with layers of masking tape that i also painted.

with my nib and black ink i wrote Look underneath the
eye, and at the bottom i wrote SEE

      Feel then smeared the ink (the ink was smeared
intentionally! i don't know why i love the way that
looks)   this is the way i presented the identity of
each page; book text numbers,and i wrote the word that
the page was designed for next to the number.
different. some of the pages are identified itself,
some not, so i thought i better make a table of
contents...

this last image is just fun. the 2 journals stacked
together. this is actually one of my most fav visuals
of a finished journal; the outside. seeing the pages
buckle, the gaps, things coming off the pages to the
outside of the journal!! to me it just screams CHECK
ME OUT!!

i hated to pack these up and send them off!!!

but

i'm completely excited to get the feedback and to see
these pages finished with journaling by the students.
i'll post some of them when i get them back myself.

OK, now i am ready to finish up my 2007 LIFEart
journal of my own. i still need to finalize october
and nov. and the very last page with my new years
'goals' i've set for myself. AND to start on my NEW
2008 journal. i've had a lot of fun making this
journal, and can't wait to finalize it, then sit down
and go through it visually, as well as read the
journaling i've tucked inside each page/(envelope). itsn't it funny how we evolve from year to year-? my life is basically the same, but very different in a lot of ways. -double=edged statement, but possible!

i got this fortune email that i thought was kinda
cool, and i'm going to share it with you..   hope
your's turns out as 'good' as mine did! :-)

This is a Chinese Feng Shui Horoscope
>
>
> Take a moment to take this test! If you are honest
this tells the truth,
> it's pretty accurate.
>
> Write your answers on paper. Find out your horoscope
at the bottom.
>
> 1. Which color is your favorite color: Red, Black,
Blue, Green or
> Yellow?
> 2. Your first initial?
> 3. Your month of birth?
> 4. Which color do you like more, Black or White?
> 5. The name of a person that is the same sex as you?
> 6. Your favorite number?
> 7. Do you like Cal ifornia or Florida more?
> 8. Do you like a lake or the ocean more?
> 9. Write down a wish (a realistic one)
>
> When you are done, scroll down. Don't
>
> cheat!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Answers:
>
> 1. If you choose:
> Red- You are alert and your life is full of love.
> Black- You are conservative and aggressive.
> Green- Your soul is relaxed and you are laid back.
> Blue- You are spontaneous and love affection.
> Yellow- You are a very happy person and give good
advice to those who
> are down.
>
> 2. If your initials are:
> A-K You have a lot of love and friendships in your
life.
> L-R You try to live your life to the max and your
love life is soon to
> bloom.
> S-Z You like to help others and your future looks
very bright.
>
> 3. If you were born in:
> Jan-Mar: The year will go very well for you and you
will discover that
> you fall in love with someone totally unexpected.
> Apr-Jun: You will have a strong love relationship
that will last forever.
> Jul-Sep: You will have a great year and will
experience a major
> life-changing experience for the good.
> Oct-Dec: Your life will b e great, you will find
your soul mate.
>
> 4. If you choose:
> Black: Your life is about to get better. You are
more than ready for the
> change.
> White: You have a friend who completely confides in
you and would do
> anything for you, but you may not realize it.
>
> 5. This person should be your best friend.
>
> 6. This is how many close friends you will have in
your life time.
>
> 7. If you choose:
> California : You like adventure.
> Florida : You are a laid back person.
>
> 8. If you choose:
> Lake : You are loyal to your friends and your lover.
You are very
> reserved.
> Ocean: You are spontaneous and like to please
people.
>
> 9. This wish will come true if you send this to 1
person in one hour.
> Send it to ten people and it will come true before
your next
>
> birthday.

we're barely into the new year, but so far mine has
been full, fun and prosperious!!! -just how i like it
to be

the boys are great, eth's in the heat of wrestling season, and doing great! he went to georgia over christmas break for a big tourney and went 4 and 1, and just tonight he got back from a tourney in jefferson city.

champ is growing like crazy!!! so amazed at how fast! we laugh at him because he's all legs at this pt. and he's clumsy like a tall-lanky teenager!!he's a good pup, but SPOILED. i snapped this pic of him and eth the other night watching television.so funny.  

cheers to a good year!

Happy New Year!! Cheers  slm