Yep.....Been away from my blog a LONG time!

I'm back! Almost everyday, I would think, "This is the day I'll get caught up on my blog!" But, there was always a reason that would keep me from sharing here.

I will say that I HAVE still done something artistic and creative everyday, and, for me, that was more important than blogging. But...having said that, I really DO want to be better at posting! I'll try to post weekly.....and, I'll make a goal to for sure not go more than a month without posting. I think if I make this a goal, then I'll do better with the things I need to do to post on my blog. Things that have been keeping me from blogging more.

These things that need to be done in order to post are the main reasons I don't get around to posting. What are those things? It's after I take the pics...and then the downloading of the pictures I took of my art.... Those are really not the problem, it's after that, when I have to close everything down on the computer, and reboot it in order to get my computer to update my pictures. Otherwise, when I go to blog, I can't see the new pictures I just downloaded!

I don't know why I have to do this in order to see the pics I just downloaded. If there was another way, I would for sure share more...it's just that I often have a bunch of windows open I don't want to close to reboot the computer....and so another day passes. If anyone knows how to see the pictures I newly downloaded, without rebooting the whole computer, (I have a MacBookPro) I'm all ears! I would love to learn how to use this newer Apple computer better. Working with an Apple is still so new to me....and don't get me wrong....what I DO know how to do on my Apple, I LOVE so much!

OK....I have a lot to share....I'll get started! I'll post the things I FINISHED in September. (and that are not Christmas gifts, which I will have to wait and share AFTER Christmas! (for obvious reasons) :o)

First, below, I finally finished coloring in my front cover page of my drawing journal. The background is watercolor...but it made it all so wavy, that I used mostly color pencils and a few markers for everything else.

Next, Below is the paisleys that I mentioned in my last post. I enjoy paisleys, and may do some more of them...trying to paint some. But not until after Christmas....I already have too many things on my list of "to do"s to add any extra arts and crafts before Christmas!

These paisleys were fun to draw, and I will be using them as clip art, and coloring them in for cards, or scrapbook pages. I can think of many ways to color them in.....this is the reason, I scanned it into my computer in black and white, and then did a little gray scale coloring in for the finished look in my journal. I look forward to coloring this in many different ways, but I also like it in this gray scale too! I used my gray shades of markers along with a little pencil shading in this:
Close up:
Below, is what I drew on a wonderful Sunday! It was such a peaceful, and sweet day. Full of spiritual highs, laughter, singing, and peacefulness! I had been getting a little bombarded because of sharing some differing of opinions with some friends for a few weeks before this day, so the quote was especially strengthening to me! I have a LOT of friends whom I do know agree with these opinions I have, but there are times, when these friends (who are in agreement with me) are not at my side, and I am standing alone in a crowd in a differing opinions. This is a good quote for times like that. The doodling border was fun and relaxing!

This next one (below) was a harder thing for me to do. I decided that I would draw NO circles! Only straight lines...I didn't know it would be so hard to do! I love all of the grids in the grid! Fun!

Close up:
This heart (below) I drew on my 33rd wedding anniversary....Just for fun! I blended the pink at the bottom (that has my name in it) with the Blue (that has my hubby's name in it) and blended them together.....until it created a purple blend of us together...because I think this is a lot like our union....my hubby and I, through the years, have blended together....so that parts of us really are one! My youngest daughter said to me last night that she thinks it's funny how we (my hubby and I) answer questions at the same time, saying the same thing. She thinks it's funny that we will say the same comment, at the same time...and that we do it often. I've not only known my husband for 37 years, and married to him for 33...but he has been my best friend for all of that time...and we really KNOW each other. We also have the same sense of humor, and the same Spiritual beliefs, which to me, are both SO important to have! I am SO blessed to have such a good friend, and wonderful husband in my life! We've had many ups and downs, and through all of them...we have made it through them together. I'm grateful to have him in my life!
One of my daughters told me this looks like something made by Lisa Franks.....probably because of all of the blended rainbow look of it.....and no matter if it looks like something Lisa Franks or not... I love everything about it! :o)
Here's the Anniversary card I made for my hubby....
Here's the close up:
This is what was inserted into the card.....a song, "Forever My Love" by Carly Simon that I first heard right before we were dating. And while we dated, I would listen to it....just sure that this song would be about us one day. That one day, we would be able to look back, and know that "it was so between us..." I love to sing this song....After talking about this song...I need to take a "song break" right now....and then, I finish writing this blog! :oO ♫♪♫♪Eh-hmmm....OK, now that I'm finished singing....we'll go on to the next drawing.....Below.

I started on my anniversary after my hubby left for work in the evening. I got to try out my brand new compass! Being as I love circles so much....I thought I should invest in a good compass. I haven't used one since maybe middle school! This one works really much better than the ones I used while in grade school! :o) This is one of those...."Count the Circles" kinds of things...with WAY too many circles to count! (I'll get around to counting them all maybe one day if I get really stumped as to what else to do! LOL)
The weather was very changeable that day...it started out very hot and humid...then we had a little storm front, and the temps dropped from 85 to 70, within a couple of hours! I liked the 70s way better than 85. :o)
Close up of the center of the flower:
OK....below is the next EDM (Every Day Matters) 288 (which I mistakenly thought was #286, but found out last week, I had the wrong number.) # 288 is Draw something with Spots. I first wanted to draw dice....I LOVE dice! But many were already drawing them....so I thought of dominos...again....someone else drew them...I also thought of a dalmatian dog....but then, remembered I had a new compass...LOL...So.... I made layers and levels of polk-a-dots....because I wanted to use my compass again, and because polk-a-dots have spots too! It was Fun!! Here is another thing that counting the circles could take some time! LOL

Here's a close up:

Next....My daughter who is on a mission for our church....was having a birthday in Sept. I didn't want to send her "Things" that would be hard to take with her....So..we sent her money, and some drawings she could have to uplift her.

This first one...is one of the hymns we sang at church that Sunday....The Hymn was really sticking in my head....so in the afternoon, I sat down and drew it out in a Zentangle....

I copied the actual notes of the first few measures, and drew them in the note...and wrote out all of the words of the first verse.....then patterned the rest. I love it!

In this close up, you can see what I sent to her. I was going to color it all in... But then, thought she might like to color it herself...(maybe not until she gets home.....depending upon her very limited free time) But my plan was to color it in rainbow colors (I know, you're not surprised at all....but rainbow IS her favorite color!) I drew those tilted stripes with a slanted rainbow striped note in mind. I first thought I would do it in bright colors...but I also think it would look great in a very pastel watercolor wash....and yes, still in rainbow order...just much more misty looking.....hmmm....maybe I should make one with light pastel chalks! THIS is why I scanned it as clip art....so I CAN color it in many different ways! I love that!
Below is just the start of Julie's Birthday Card....It's all I have a picture of from it.

This quote below is one I found already printed like this....and then I just drew the border all around it.....of course, in rainbow stripes. She LOVES rainbows AND stripes, so I put them together with a good quote! :o)

Here's another quote I found online already like this...and then, I drew the border all around it! I tried to match the swirls in the quote with a swirly border. Great quote, fun swirly border. :o)

Here's Marty's Birthday Card....His birthday is 3 days after Julie's! We've been having fun doing Sudokus together, He copies the newspaper's puzzle at work for us to both work on, each working on our own...So I thought this would be a fun card for him....I took the last puzzle we did that day, and copied all of the numbers....but left out all of the 5s and 1s....because he turned 51! :o) Then I zentangled a border around it. He loved it!

Below, this zentangle is called "Hands" I counted the different patterns in this, and there were 57 different patterns in it! The hand is my own....and in a few places, there are words that go with what hands can do. I added talk, communicate to this, not just for those who mime, or those who "talk with their hands" or even those who type with their hands....but also, because I interpret for the deaf at church.... Sign language is a very important thing hands do to communicate! I wish they taught it in every school! I can tell you as a hearing person...it is such a handy language to have...especially if your family members know it too. Before "Baby signs" were invented and taught...(which is modified sign language to help babies communicate with parents) I was teaching my babies sign language. I also helped my hubby learn some signs...and he has does a lot of learning on his own too. Having a family that you can sign to is very helpful, and I have used it often in my life.

to get the hand to pop out, I not only put darker patterns around the hand. Then, I also did some shading all around the edge of the outline of the hand. It really DID pop out well! There is one pattern on the thumb I wish didn't look so dark....but I really wanted to put a pattern of leaves on the thumb....for a "Green Thumb" LOL

This was so much fun to do! It took some time too!
Now that I know I can do 57 patterns all on one piece of work....I now want to someday do a map of the USA, and make a different pattern for each state! That would make a great gift for my hubby one day.....I KNOW he would love it!
OK....in a few days....I post some of my October work.....but not any with Christmas presents spoilers in it! Not until after Christmas!

OK...ending with my gratitude share..

I'm thankful for my family....every member of them! September had me really thinking of all of the reasons I'm blessed to have my family in my life......and especially to have my husband in my life. I am grateful for my best friend, my laughing partner, my forever partner...who are all my husband...rolled into one! He's a great guy!

I'm thankful for the use of my hands, and that I can use them to do good in the world....I can serve others with my hands in many ways (including interpreting with sign language)....and I can share things with them! (Like sharing on here!) I thankful my hands can draw, and paint...at least learn to paint...I 'm thankful I can knit and crochet, and do all manner of arts and crafts with my hands! I hope they keep working for a long time!

Lastly......I really grateful that my health is improving! A year ago, I could not even get out of bed. And with the injury I had in my hips, lower back, and sciatica in my nerves....I had 4 months of not being able to do much of ANYTHING! I was in such severe pain, even with all of the really strong pain killers....I could not function, and was in severe pain! I have not only made it through all of that....I am healthier than I have been in the last 5 years, or more! I'm really grateful for that, and hope that my health keeps improving...so I can just event get into a "normal health for a person in their 50s" kind of health! That would be great!

Until next time....I hope we can all focus on the joys in our lives!
Pam

Here Are Some Shares From My Archives

I thought I would share some of the zentangles I drew before I joined the EDM group. I drew my first Zentangle May 13, 2010. Here it is:

It was so much fun to do, that I decided to do another one....
By then, I was hooked! I have doodled my whole life. I love the idea of doodling becoming art, because there have been things I've doodled on the side of a paper, while on the phone...that I have LOVED....And if it's created, and it's drawn by hand...then why would it not be called art? It IS art....and I love to create it...and I love to look at it....it IS art!

Below is one big, full page scribbled line, that zentangle calls a "string" It was only one string.....and I put a different pattern into each space....it took a couple of days, a little at a time...and it was a LOT of FUN!
Here, below, is when I decided to make a sampler of sorts of patterns...I could, and should make many more samplers, because I have a lot more ideas of patterns in my head. :o)
I made a copy of it on my scanner...it didn't fit the whole page...(stupid small scanner! Our old one would have gotten it all!)

So here that is below...I colored it all in with markers, and a few colored pencils. I would like to do this again sometime, in a better color pattern.
Anyway.....I have been working on another zentangle, finished it yesterday, and on Sunday, I took a break from that zentangle, and drew a border for another good quote....I need to get those pictures taken so I can blog those too. Today....I'm trying my hand at a watercolor...I have it all ready...sketched out, taped down....sitting there....I just need to step out of my box into the scary unknown...and just DO IT! Hopefully, now that I've blogged about it...I might actually DO it!

On another note....I was reading another blog, where the sweet women would end her blog each time, with the word: "Blessings" and would write out a few blessings in her life. I think I will adopt the same things...and add a "Grateful for" part of my blog from now on. Here it goes....

I'm Grateful for:

~My health is getting better, slowly, but surely. I see improvements, I'm so grateful for that!

~I can now stand longer then I have been able to for the last few years!

~The weather is perfect here today!...Lower humidity, and cooler temps! I'm loving it, and am SO grateful for it!

I hope you all have a perfectly wonderful day!

Pam

Days of Color....

But first, The Black, White, and shades of Grey Zentangle I mentioned in my last post 8 days ago! (Where does the time go??)

This last week went really fast! I've had some rough days.....but the highlight of my days have been working on my arts and craft projects! I actually got to spend a little money and get some more colors of paints, and color pencils, and even a set of shades of grey brush markers...Fun fun fun!!!

I tried out those shades of grey brush markers first, on my on the zentangle I had been working on. I used them for the solid parts that I would have used a pencil in different shades...I still used a pencil to get a demential look...like to round things up and such.

I worked on it a little at a time...which turned into 4 days before it was done!

Here is is:

And here, below, is a little bit of a close up. If you click on the pic, it should get even bigger to see the details...and mistakes LOL (it seems that the close works even better on the pic above)
Here, below, is my Sunday drawing...When I had gone to the store earlier in the week, and all of the markers, and pens and pencils and paints were on sale...(and I wanted them ALL!) I decided to get a fountain pen. I used to, way back when, do a little calligraphy. This here below, is NOT calligraphy....it's just using the pen for the first time!

It was a wonderful Sunday...I love my Sabbath day. After church, while I was reading, I found a quote I liked, and wanted to use it to doodle around...So I did. It was sure very scribbly, and at a angle, which I seem to write that way a lot if there are no lines to "keep me in line"

I would rather cut out this border below, and use it as clip art, and use one of my cool fonts with it. :o)

I did take a pic of the border before I colored it, so I might do that sometime soon...but, until then,

Here's my border drawing:
For one of my days of drawing....I couldn't decide what I wanted to draw....and kept looking at the colors I had...and decided that I needed to make some charts out of what I had. PLUS...this way, I get to use them all, and see exactly what I had!

The first page, below, I did my watercolor pencils (on the left) and on the right, my cheepo, not very good water color tray that's for children....when I tried to use them, they left shiny spots...weird...and yucky!

The "I love Mom" note was given to me by my daughter, and I put it in this journal for safe keeping. :o)
These next 2 pages, below, are all new paints! Pan Watercolors on the left, and Gauache paints from small tubes on the right. They were both so fun to paint!
Below is my Prismacolors color pencils pages...my old ones mixed with the new ones I just bought...and spaces to get more! ;o)

The last little red one at the end was so small, (I have used it SO much!) that I missed it when I was lining them up to color in....so it's out of order....but glad I found it hiding on the bottom!

I decided to write down the pencils that were small, so next time there's a sale, and I have some money...and they co-inside all at the same time...I can bring this with me, and buy what I need. I can look at this and see I still need some colors...(like some yellows!)

Right now, for yellow and some of my purples, I'm using my Crayola yellow color pencils for yellows and purples and such.. I didn't color out my spare Crayola's and other spare color pencils...maybe I'll do that at another time. Below is just my Prismacolors color pencils:

Now....I was having some sad days this week. My heart was broken about some things that have happened...

In the past...when I was sad, or crying and such...I would draw really sad, and morose things...and that would only make me more sad....I decided I wanted to focus more on the positive things in my life...

So when I found out that the EDM sketch challenge for this week was #285 "Draw something Colorful" I thought...this is perfect! I would do this!

It took me a while to draw out this quilt, At least I have a good ruler now, (yes, at the store this last week) LOL I still erased way more than I thought I would....I was trying to use the "Pattern" I found online as my base....Bradie, is sharing the pattern for this quilt every month this summer, as a quilt along for the Summer...and I've been collecting the pattern, so when I decide what materials I'm going to use...and can buy them, I'll make this quilt...

Anyway...I colored this WAY different than she had hers (I loved her muted colors too)....I used a "rainbow" of 16 of my colored pencils, and my brand new blender colorless pencil...(I've always wanted to try one!) It did help a lot with blending! So...here, below, is something REALLY colorful!:
Now, doing this, instead of something sad....has really helped cheer me up some. I think I need to start on something else that's fun...I can see this is good therapy for me....

Adding creating something fun to my list of helps....along with the other positive things that help...like prayerfully studying scriptures, prayer itself, exercise, and meditation, serving others....even working on my family history....They're all very helpful "tools" to bring peace, and happiness to my life. Here is the close up of my fun fun FUN! ...what I call my "Rainbow Stars Sampler Quilt":
I was thinking....I should post some of my older stuff that have not make it on here yet....Maybe I'll do that next time!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Pam

TaDa!

It didn't take me 2 weeks before the next post! I would have posted 2 days ago, but every time I tried to post, the pictures I had in iPhoto were not showing up here when I tried to find them to download. I had to completely reboot for this blog search to finally see them, but I had too many things open that I didn't want to close for a couple of days before I could reboot...so I had to wait to share here until now. TaDa!

Anyway...I had some time to think on Monday and Tuesday this week while I was trying to not think about my migraine pain....I kept thinking about how strong my desire to, RIGHT NOW, do so many creative things...and do them RIGHT NOW! I want to paint...watercolor and acrylics...I want to try pastel pencils and other things I don't own....I want to quilt, and crochet, and knit...I have more projects I want to do with those crafts that I could never finish in a lifetime! I also do not have enough money to even attempt a 100th of what I want to do and try!....aye, there's the rub!

So, as I lay there, head throbbing with migraine...I tried to stop thinking of all the things I wanted to make and do NOW....and be more realistic. Instead, I tried to think of what I needed to make and craft for Christmas this year....and I still need to come up with the supplies for those.

I did get to do some shopping today to get a few supplies...and managed to forget to get the yarn I needed to start a knitting project I needed to make for a birthday gift! I had gotten SO enveloped in the wonderful pens and pencils, and markers, and paintbrushes, and paints...etc..etc...that I forgot to get the yarn I needed!...Ack! I do have just enough money left to get that yarn, but the weather is SO hot, and the heat advisory is on out there, that I can't breathe well outside, and won't leave the house until I go to church on Sunday...so next week I'll get to the store, and get started on that knitting project.

OK..to make a long ramble a little shorter....I decided to just draw some things I wanted to do in other craft forms...Here's the first....Below is a tree that I think would be a cool part of a 4 seasoned quilt, (This one would be fall of course) but I can also see all of the other seasons in my mind too. I think these squares could be cool made of crocheted squares too!...which would be a blast to make too!

It was pretty fun to do too! I had to use some cheaply, not so great color pencils along with my wonderful Prismacolor pencils...because I didn't have enough Prismacolors colors to do this. SO the paper curled up some...(I did just buy a bunch more of them today...Yippee!) This was SO fun to do and I can already see the other 3 seasons done like this! (And I can also see the corrections for this one too)

Here's the close up:
Next....Below are a few samples of some of the quilts I want to make....Not necessarily in these colors...I just grabbed a 9 color rainbow type color group, and used all 9 colors for each "Quilt block." The first one...a Sudoku quilt...

My husband and I love to work Sudoku puzzles..and one day, my daughter said.."Those would be fun to color in when their done, like a color by number" It got my brain thinking..."I could make a quilt from one!" And since then, apparently, I am not the only one who thought of this fun idea....If you Google image "Sudoku Quilt" you would be amazed how many different ones you'll see!

I still have to find the 9 materials I want for mine....(and money to pay for them LOL) But until then...Here is the exact order the pattern will be that I'm using for it. I may just do a rainbow selection to do mine in....or maybe do it in a monochromatic, or maybe with just 2 or 3 shades and a variance of those shades...Hard to decide, since I want to do them all! ;o)
The next 3 quilting blocks...the appliqued hearts, the stars, and that rotating squares quilts....are all quilts I AM going to make one day....(not counting the ones I'm making for my grandchildren, and the Irish chain pattern I really want to make too)...These are quite a good start to my quilting plans and desires....as soon as I can buy the material..LOL

I drew these like they were on a demential canvas, or on a block of Styrofoam, like I saw at the Styrofoam website, where they took 1" thick, by 12x12 squares of Styrofoam, glued scrapbook paper on them, and 1" ribbon around the sides of the foam and hung them on the wall for home decorations. I wondered what would happen if I did that with my drawings...so I drew it.. Here's the close up:

Bear in mind...I had a migraine, a pretty rough one, when I drew these...(and with no ruler, or anything to make everything straight or uniform) these have many mistakes in them...but you get the idea. :o) Again...even with a migraine...(when I could open my eyes to draw)....these were pretty fun to draw.....and next time, I should use graft paper! LOL

I have a Zentangle coming up the next time I post...but for now....I'll say...Stay cool, and have a great week end!

Found time to Share...a Lot!

I have had such a busy time the last couple of weeks that I barely had time to draw daily, which I am happy to say I DID complete that goal, even if it was only a couple of minutes right before I went to bed! I love that I've been able to sustain that goal! Well, maybe I should make a goal to post on here more often, because I kept putting it on the bottom of my list, and day after day, it got moved to the list of things to do for the next day......so here is me, catching up with my sharing:

This is not an EDM challenge. It is just me drawing a fun quilt design....something I love to do!
Here's the close up. It took a little longer to do than it looks. I worked on it a little at a time over 3 days....But it was fun, relaxing work while sitting with the family and watching TV with them...so it didn't take time away from anyone, and it was calming too!
This is probably my least favorite work in my whole journal. I was in a hotel in Michigan, exhausted and achy from the long drive. I drew part of it right before going to bed, and finished it quickly before leaving the hotel to go to the family reunion. I like some of the patterns done on it, but it looks just way too busy for me....even for a zentangle.
It does look a little better closeup, so you can see each pattern better:
This was a more organized doodle art..this one I LOVE! I can see me using it for clip art and making cards and such from it!
Here's a close up:
Here's another one. I liked the other one so much, I decided to make another one...This one would be so cute colored in for a valentine!
Close up:
EDM #43 Draw something ceramic AND #283 Draw something shiny. I combined the 2, and also did my first watercolor on watercolor paper. This is a picture-like vase with a spout that my daughter made in ceramics class in college. This vase is special to us...My daughter, Sarah had finished this, and a little time later, her grandma, my mother in law passed away. at the funeral, they gave us one of the candles that had represented her children, and it fits perfectly into the top of this vase. So now, this picture-like vase with a spout, is not a candle holder that reminds os of someone we love very much. (it's Grandma's favorite color too)
It was hard to get the shininess to show up, and the grittiness of the clay. I speckled it with a toothbrush, which you might see close up. I'm just glad I pushed past my fear of trying the watercolor paper. (so afraid of wasting and silly stuff like that!)
Next try at the watercolor paper with my watercolor pencils:
It was fun to do. I need to push past my comfort zone more often. I can already see things I would have done differently on this...but I've got to stop looking at all of the bad things, and focus on the positive things in the things I make....so....I do like this. It was a good practice, and look forward to doing more. Here's a close up"
I drew this at my sister-in-law's house when we were at a Birthday party for my father-in-law. It's hard for him right now with his dear wife passing, we wanted to make sure he felt loved and supported. It was a good day. When the family all settled down to watch the Cubs game, I pulled out my journal, and started this 60's looking doodle art.
"All you need is love.....love...love is all you need" Here's a close up:
EDM#44 Draw an animal... I drew a carousel horse. I saw a picture online, and I used that as my muse, and went on from there to make it my own patterned fun horse!
Now, after I colored (with colored pencils) everything but the horse, I decided to take pictures of the different stages...all of which, I could have stopped and said it was finished. I like each one of them!

Here's the first one, I like the horse white:
Here's #2. the horse white, with golden hair:
Here's #3. The white horse with light brown hair:
Here's #4. Now the horse is tan. I love this one! Cute!
And the final horse. Brown horse with darker brown hair. Can't you just hear the music from the musical "Carousel" playing? la de da da... la la la... la de da da.... la la la... la de da la de da da....." But I regress....
So now, I'm all caught up in my sharing....I hope to share sooner next time! Have a blessed week end!