Falling behind

I've been slacking a bit with my journaling pages. Partly because I haven't felt well and partly because I'm working on something else that I can't post about right now.

Yesterday we got out of the house for awhile to go see the movie G I Joe and then lunch afterwards at Acapulco. GI Joe was really good. I recommend it if you like action movies where they blow a lot of things up. I was surprised to see Brendan Fraser in the movie as one of the Joe instructors as his name is not listed in any of the IMDB credits. If you look at his page it does show GI Joe under news desk but not the GI Joe sites.

The movie has a lot of cool futuristic gagets and the special effects were really neat. I'm looking forward to seeing the sequel and if it's as good. You just never know anymore. After the movie we went out for Mexican food at Acapulco. I decided to have a margarita with lunch and the waiter convinced me to try their newest one, the Cadillac Margarita that comes with a shot of Grand Marnier. It was pretty tasty. I finished it before we got our food so I ordered a strawberry one to go with lunch. I haven't had carnitas in awhile and it was soooo yummy. I just love Mexican food.

My weather clock says it's sunny and raining right now. It does this whenever there are a few clouds that have any moisture in them. According to it, it's poured here a lot this summer. I really need to replace it since the outside temperature gage isn't working anymore either. Just another thing to add to the ever growing list.

Anyway that's why I haven't posted any journaling lately.....

What a difference from yesterday...

I haven't felt as good as I did yesterday in a long time. I got such a variety of things accomplished. I haven't done that in ages because of the back pains and depression so it really felt great. I even got some cleaning, another craft project started for a friend and some reading in along with my obsessive computer time. Today I'm going way slower. I think it's partially due to medications I take but I did get my journaling project done. I was looking through some of the other projects for today and one stood out that I really thought was pretty but the woman that did it practically condemned it. The colour contrasts were great together but she didn't like it at all. Kelly commented saying, "Remember, we're not going for art for art's sake~hanging on the wall, etc....We're going for TRUE art. REAL art. Art of expression..." Which is something I guess I need to remember. I get so intimidated and caught up in trying to make things perfect and failing that I back off not wanting to try. I can lay awake at night thinking of ideas and not being able to sleep because my brain won't shut down but I won't follow through because I know I can't create what was in my head to an exact so why try... I need to work on this mindset a bit and get rid of all the old criticisms of my youth. For some reason, expectations from those who've long since passed tend to linger and bite when I least expect it.

Today's journaling was "What made you gasp". I think my page is pretty self explanitory. I HATE BUGS!!! I know they're useful (altho I can't for the life of me figure why a fly or maggot is) and help the environment of some such thing. yeah yeah yeah... I just don't like 'em.

I was a bit scared of the painting portion of this because we were back to the green then magenta combination and I had disasterous results with that in the beginning. I've learned that I LOVE the lighter, brighter greens in my work much MUCH better than plain or darker greens. I also got to use one of my favourite animated characters, Jack Skellington. Some of my tastes lean more toward the macabre so I enjoy when I get to do things in that fashion. I have no idea why I like it since it's quite the contrast to other things I like. My tastes are just very eclectic and sometimes queer.

I'm on a roll

Two posts in one day, that's a first and probably last for me. After I painted my background for tomorrow's project I started to look for magazine's I could cut pictures from...that lasted about 10 seconds. I was going looking through things and saw the pin pieces and decided I wanted to try making a pin using a picture that I swiped from my cousin's wife, Lauren. She went to the UK some time ago and she and her friend took some cool pics at one of the cemeteries. I really liked this one in particular and wanted to see if I could use it to make a Halloween type pin. I could only fit part of the picture but I still think it looks neat. I'm not thrilled with the bat (too cartoony) but it's the best I had for now. I'm going to have to look for some better bat charms. It's the first pin I've done since Carson so I'll have to practice on making others.

Journaling Day Five

Todays prompt lesson was our perfect temperature setting. It doesn't show as nice in the pictures but I think this is one of my favourite colouring jobs. I really liked the way it looked before adding anything to it. I should have taken a pic of it. Finally a green I liked blending in.
My biggest challenges have been finding images that I want to incorporate. I have a certain image come to mind for a project but finding something similar to what's in my head isn't so easy, so I settle for what I can find instead.

Even though I live in the dessert I don't really like the heat. I like that it doesn't get too cold most days in the winter but summers I could take or leave. Especially now with the weather so crazy.

Journaling Three and Four

Thanks to my internet going down last night I didn't get project 3 blogged so I'm doing it with project 4 today.

I'm learning a lot about colours and that I'm liking colours that I normally don't a lot more. The first couple of projects I really liked the pastelish look I had before the bolder green and magenta came into it but these last two I think the bold is better.

For project three we had to come up with the last time we stood in line. Since my recent line adventures are for Wal Mart and groceries I didn't have much enthusiasm for it. Then I decided to do my last FUN line and that was the Carson Convention. I like the way the purple and magenta background looked for the painting half of this project. It was also our first try at stamping with paints. I need to work on that as I tend to be a little paint heavy. I'm use to having to really get the ink onto the stamps and by habit put more pressure then I should have.
The 4th project was "Something you can't throw away". Being a packrat that's almost everything. My records and music collection are something I can't seem to get rid of. It's just too much a part of me and even when I've tried to reduce what I have it's tugged at me so much that I just couldn't.

We had to paint paynes grey, let it dry then go over it with white. While the white was still wet write or draw into it so that the grey showed through. Afterwards we had to go over it with our favourite colour. I think I used way too light a green for this. It almost looks light blue and really makes the page look too washed out to me. It definitely needs to be darker green, which ironically is what I've been hating the past couple of days when I've painted. I was thinking of lighter so I could journal on but I think that was a mistake. I should have thought of page first then the colour of pen to use. I added some green metallic streaks after I'd taken this picture which seemed to help a little bit.

My originally idea was to use John cuz I told him I'd never throw him away either and could probably do a second page using that also. I'm kind of curious why some of the people taking the class are still there after seeing their work. It's kind of intimidating because they are so good but a lot of them that have been taking it since it began in January or at least a few months. I've noticed that those who aren't new tend to do their own thing and not follow the assignment the way she's given it. I know I have added more pictures and such just because I'm a rebel (LOL) but I do follow the basics such as colours we're suppose to use (if I have it or the closest to it) and the techniques we're suppose to incorporate. Some of the projects I've seen have no paint at all or tons of background papers when we were only to use 1 or 2. I guess I'm too critical because just taking the class and participating is fun and maybe that's what they're getting out of it. Being with others that share a common interest where a lot of people would just scoff or wonder why you're creating junk art.

Journaling Day Two

Day two wasn't as easy for me because I had a hard time with the colours we were to use. The green I have is just too bold for the softer colours under it and I'm just not liking how it looks. I finally ended up using a more turquoisy green and that turned out much better. So far I've done good at improvising and using what I have that's closest to what I need.

Today's theme was the greatest sound we ever heard. Well I like lots of sounds and don't really have a "greatest" in there so I picked water. I love the sound of rain and waterfalls, water splashing. It was a toss up between laughter and water and since the project example was laughing I didn't want to copy it. I used photo's I'd taken over the years that had water in them as my focal points. I used more than I was suppose to so I didn't follow instructions very well on that. I was discussing different sounds with my friend Mel and she said one of hers was her cats purring so I had to post this example that Janet Plant in our class did. I thought it was just too cute. There are some really talented people in my class so it's sort of intimidating to show my work next to theirs but I'm trying to stick it out and what comes, comes.

Journaling with Kelly Kilmer

Today I did my first journaling project ever. I've wanted to learn how but I've always been intimidated by them. A few years ago Kelly Kilmer was suppose to do a few classes at A Little Bizaar rubber stamps but the store closed down before she could so I missed out on that. I was so dissapointed. Now Kelly does online classes as well as live ones so I decided to give it a go. I've never done anything like it before, the painting is all new to me in this manner. As I was layering the paints I went from liking, then not liking, then liking how they were turning out. I like the effects you can get this way. I'm also learning what to use to write with and things that aren't so good. I started with a white galaxy marker on the right page but it wasn't showing up well so I tried to write over it with other white pens but the slickness of the galaxy markers made it hard to go over and that just seemed to make it messy looking to me. Kelly thinks it gives it an etheral effect. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. Hopefully I get better with time. This is the first time I've had to use what's on hand and not be able to run to the store for everything used so that's a challenge to me in itself... a much needed challenge at that.

Domo Meets Mortie

Way back when, I joined Jasmine Beckett-Griffith's page on facebook and shortly after was asked to "friend" a nice lady named Justine Birmingham. She's a big fan of Jasmine's fairies also but she takes it a step further. She recreates the dolls that Jasmine draws in her fairy art and sort of brings them to life. Today I received my Mortie Voodoo doll and this is Domo getting a first look at him. I think they'll become great friends.This is one of Jasmine's drawings that includes Mortie. I also have a sticker of this on my truck.
I have been doing a little bit of stamping and crafting. Right now I'm covering some magazine box holders or whatever they're called. Nothing fancy, just trying to make them look better then they do now. I also made a few cards and atc's. These are some pictures of the cards I've made recently. The first is one I made while trying to make the flowers I learned at the Carson Convention. Since I don't have the exact stamps that Wendy used, nor do I want to stamp and cut out individual pieces constantly, I used my die cutter for this one.

This card I made for a friends birthday just before the convention. I used the crochet flower along with some prima flowers and a utee heart. I poured utee into a heart mold then added some rub and buff over it to show off some of the detail that was in the heart.

I've started several things but not finished them yet. My back is making it hard to sit or stand and do very much at one time so even when I'm in the mood to do something I don't always get through it. I am happy that I'm getting back into stamping and crafting lately. It's been too long....And I'm trying to remember to blog more.

Carson RSC

I haven't blogged in awhile. I tend to be very forgetful and by the time I remember I even have a blog the stuff that's happened is way since past. My friend Mel told me I needed to update my blog and the details of my weekend would be a good way to do it.

The 4th of July was my 23rd wedding anniversary and my husband John decided that he'd give me a weekend at the Carson Rubber Stamp Convention that's put on by A Stamp In The Hand 3 times a year. The Carson show is one of the bigger shows we have, although this last one was kind of sparse compared to past shows. I'm sure much is due to so many companies having to close over the past few years. There were also a few missing that are normally there.

When we arrived the first thing to do was turn in my ATC for the contest they were having. I originally made this ATC with a lot of crochet lace around the one side of it but after we tried slipping it into the holders it looked too bunched up and so I turned in another one that was very similar but no lace edging. The rules say you can submit any ATC as long as it fits into the holders they have but they may be rejected if the judges don't feel it met certain guidelines...one of which is size. Better safe then sorry. The girl that signed me in goes, "Oh I see you brought a guest" and she pointed at Domo sticking out of my purse. Then she proceeded to shout out the door to the girl selling tickets and asked if she saw my "guest". I guess she really loves Domo's too. It was so cute because when I went back into the info room later to get one of the vintage shirts they were selling, the girl snuck in behind me and tickled domo's head like he was a puppy or little kid, then giggled and went back outside to work.

Then next stop was the Stampers Annonymous section to see if there were any classes left I could get into. I was surprised when Mario said that I'd be able to get into all 4. Originally I was going to skip the flower class but since I could get into it early I decided to go for it and make the weekend complete.My first class was Saturday at 11:00 with Tim. I got there early and was able to get him to pose with my domo before we got started. I told him how my friend Mel had made it for me and that she'd be thrilled to see him with it. He laughed and said, "Well now she can make me one". The classes went in 30 min. intervals. Tim had the Saturday morning slot and Wendy Vecchi from Studio 490 had the afternoons. For Sunday they swaped and Wendy had the morning and Tim the afternoon. When one wasn't teaching they were demonstrating at the other end of their area. It was really cool and of course when Tim was demoing you couldn't get very close because there was such a crowd.

This is the Christmas pin we made at my first class. It was really cool how quick it went and I was please that I could actually make something like this. I'm definitely going to try and make others.After Tim's class we looked around a little bit more then went back to our hotel to rest up a bit before my next class with Wendy at 1:30. We had received these cookie rain checks when we checked in, which I thought was funny for a "cookie" of all things. The hotel gives a complimentary cookie to people as they sign in for their rooms but we'd arrived much earlier than we expected so they weren't ready yet. When we went back John went over and got our cookies while I got some postcards at the gift shop, (yours should be there by now, Mel). They were still warm when we got to our room so we split one and it really was a yummy chocolate chip oatmeal walnut cookie. I hadn't slept very well the night before so we sat back and relaxed for a much welcomed rest. Domo needed to rest too. lolAt 1:00 I headed back to the show for my class. We made these cool grunge paper flowers. You stamp the flower image (which was predone for us) onto the grunge paper then cut them out. We had to cut out each flower piece, stem and leaf which took quite a bit of time and with a mini class that was like ours you really don't have time to spend on one thing like that. One of the differences between Wendy and Tim's classes was the preparations of their kits. We did a lot of cutting with Wendy's whereas Tim had everything pretty much pre-cut so there was little to do but put things together. He even had the bows tied for the tops of our pins because he said there's no way people are going to want to try to tie a bow when they're under pressure to hurry through a class. I can't tie a nice bow when I'm not rushed so I can just imagine what I would have ended up with.

After we cut out our flower pieces, we coloured them with distress inks (broken china and brushed corderoy), front and back because you see the backs when you curl the edges. After colouring we stamped the pieces with different texture stamps, plain dots on some, starbursts on the others. Lastly we layered the pieces we poked a hole thru the center then used the idea-ology foilage piece and brad to hold it together. The stem and leaf were glued on and we were done. Somehow I lost my leaf in transaction. As soon as Wendy's class was done the announcement came over the loud speaker for the ATC roll call. Everyone that entered had to be present at for the announcement of the winners or they would disqualify you. Once roll call was done we all stood around and exchanged ATC's with one another while we waited for the results. I hadn't made a lot of ATC's to exchange but I did make enough get a nice mixture for the collection. The first place winner made a really neat grasshopper ATC out of that puffy stuff you wrap washi paper around. It was fun just being a part of it all, though John was sure the competition was rigged since I didn't place. I couldn't believe how hard he took it. That was the end of our Saturday at the show. We decided to go back to the hotel and get something to eat since we were exhausted by this time. We decided to eat in the room since we were both too tired to go anywhere. This is when I saw that they had their cookies on the menu for dessert. This is also when I found out that 1 cookie is $4.00 and you get a bargain price of $5.00 if you buy 2 cookies and a glass of milk. I thought Mrs. Fields was high. I appreciated the second free cookie much more when I knew it's true worth and savoured every bite. I had another rough night trying to sleep because of my back so was up early again. I had a 10:30 class with Wendy so we checked out of our room and packed up the truck before heading over to the show.

Wendy had a helper during the class this time. Katie, the daughter of the owners of Stampers Annonymous was there to help her hand things out to everyone. It was neat because when she gave me my basket of supplies one of the items was a little charm that dangles from the bottom of the piece. I thought we all got the same charm but afterwards I found out we didn't so I just happened to get the letter "K" by chance. We made these clipboard looking necklaces. They are ATC sized grunge paper cards decorated then the clips put on and chain strung through them. When I first saw this project announced online I thought it was an altered mini clipboard. It didn't even dawn on me that it was all completely made of grunge paper except for the hardware. I think they turned out really cool. After Wendy's class I had a few hours till my 1:30 class with Tim so we went across the street to get sandwiches then came back and looked around a bit. One of Tim's new stamps is this heart on the tag below. I really liked it so I got it along with another set from his new line that's not out yet and one of Wendy's. These were previewed here at the show but won't be officially released for sale until after they are shown at CHA. The Cat's Pajama's booth was showing shrink plastic and water colouring at their booth. I thought their cat's were so cute. I picked up the cat pin for my friend Mel since she's a cat lover.
There were so many things to see and I tried to get in as much as my achy old body would let me. My back has been bothering me a lot the past few months so I'm really thankful it let me get through as much as I did.My last class was to make this Halloween hanging sign. It was the one class I really wanted to take and the one I didn't think I'd get to so I'm so jazzed that I was able to get in and at an early time too. I'm regretting now that I didn't let John get me the Holiday grunge pieces because I do like the pieces we used here and that set of grunge board is being discontinued. At the time I just didn't think I'd use the other pieces so couldn't see buying a whole package for just a few pieces. I wish they'd come out with set of bats, lanterns, signs. I could use those three a lot. lol

We made this sign on a mini canvas that we covered with a sheet of book print. Coloured with ink then started layering on the pieces of grunge that we'd inked. Tim's big thing was, "don't think, just do. If you over think it it won't turn out". Apparently my brain has been my problem all these years. The whole weekend, except the arguements on the freeway, were great. My hubby is the greatest (when he's not yelling at me to turn the other way. lol) and I really am grateful for him putting up with me all these years and taking me to this. Even the weather was nice in Carson since it is closer to the ocean. The breezes were really nice. Then we got home and it was 103* at 5:00 p.m. It was nice to be back home and back in my own bed but I could have done without the heat.

Memories

I've been sorting through my closets because they are so crammed full that I am having to store clothes on the bed because I can't fit them in the drawers. Of course mostly t-shirts because I have a hard time passing up a shirt with something funny or cool on it. I took 2 trunks full of my "old memories" out of the closet to fit one of those organizer drawers inside and then proceeded to go thru the trunks to empty them. OMG I am such a packrat. I already knew that but it always seems to sink in more when I'm actually faced with it. One trunk was full of my old music scrapbooks and magazines. Those were fun times.

I started collecting keychains when I was in high school and use to carry this on my purse. There were more keychains on it back then but I took a lot off and either gave them away or put them elsewhere. I still collect them and probably should put them all together on this now that I've dug it out so they'll all be in once place.

I also loved to write back then and had over 100 pen pals at one time. I found several address books in my trunk as well. Why I kept them after getting new ones I'll never know aside from the one that I kept because it had home addresses for people like Duran, Shoes, Tom Petersen and I think a few others. I still have a few pen pals but we communicate more online then snail mail these days. One is from my early days so we've been writing over 25 years now.

My scrapbooks are filled with the different bands I liked at various intervals of my teen years. I had tossed out the very early ones with my Donny Osmond and Michael Jackson stuff way back when but I still have a lot of crap from my late teens early 20's. Many I kept because they were signed and or I had pictures I took or friends took. I am dissapointed I can't find (so far) my Bauhaus pictures from meeting them and regret not taking pics when I saw Iggy Pop and some other people. He didn't impress me and was kind of crude so that's why I didn't but for posterity I probably should have just the same.

I also have a bunch of toys and things I've collected from various places I've been. I have toys from fast food kid meals, Disneyland trips, movies, and so on and so on. I'm such a big kid. I think because I didn't get a lot of toys and had to take care of family things at an early age that I've been making up for lost time. By the time I was 13 birthday and christmas gifts were scarce if at all because we just didn't have the money for it. Probably the cause of my uncontrollable spending problem now. lol When I first got married I was collecting teddy bears and our first Christmas John went all over the place looking for the Snuggle bears to get for me. No stores in town carried them and he ended up finding one in the hospital gift shop.

I also didn't get to go to Disneyland as a child like most kids that live in Southern California. I was living in a foster home when my brother and sister went for their first time so I missed out on that trip. I think I was about 13 when I had my first taste of the big D. A teacher took me and a friend. I was hooked from that day on. The same teacher took me on my second trip, go figure. I was taking journalism in high school and there was a conference being held at Disney for it. Jody Foster was guest speaker because she was also a member of the journalism society/club whatever it was I belonged to at that time. We had a blast.

I had back surgery shortly before the Indiana Jones ride opened at Disney but I still had to go on it.... lol They gave out these cards at the ride. I haven't been on any rides since then because of my back but I still love Disney just for it's ambiance. I have a blast just soaking up the energy of the place.

In 1996 Disney retired all the bulbs used for the 1977-1996 Main Street Parade floats. So I had to have one of those. It wasn't the actual years I started going but close enough.

Latest creative ditty

I'm not even half as creative as my friends but they are a great inspiration to me and I really appreciate having them in my life. I haven't been all that crafty lately ... I go more in spurts so I did this one fairly fast since I had a deadline.

One of my friends, Shari is celebrating her 50th. birthday next weekend so one of the things I made her was this little cross stitch ornament that says 50 is beautiful.

Now I have to get organized again so I can do some more projects on my list. ... it's a BIG list.

24/7 part deux

Today I went out for a bit with my sister, Gin to take some pictures. She's taking a photography class with her hubby and they're hoping one day to become professionals. I just like to play Japanese tourist and now I have domo to add to the equation. :)

This is Domo getting tanked.


This is Domo at the park lighthouse. He needs to be a little bigger then he could have pretended to be Godzilla. As it is he can only play Andre the Giant knocking on Billy Crystals door ( you have to be a Princess Bride fan to figure that one out I guess) .... but it's a start.

This is my sister Gin woman handling Domo at Sonic. We were too early for happy hour...that's why she doesn't look so happy I guess.

We just got a new Bed, Bath and Beyond and Domo says "Rawr!" I have never been to one but he says they are fun to sleep in.

This is Domo trying to drive off without us. Lucky for us his feet can't reach the pedals.

I've decided Mel needs to make me another domo (dos domos) with wire inside so it can be posable. Then he can hang onto things better and then he can run, jump and play like the other domo's. :)

Domo 24/7

Domo has been very busy, busy, busy lately. Running around getting into mischief and exploring his new world. Here are a few of his latest exploits.

Happy Hour is the best! Everyone needs to replenish their fluids, especially on those very hot days.

Once we're all happy from "Happy Hour" we need to pick up necessities.

Domo...the beginning

This is my birthday cupcake...isn't it pretty? I love flowers and I just adore how beautiful this cupcake is/was even though the rose was way too sugary.
Delta Burke use to go on talk shows and tell about how she shellacked foods she thought looked nice for decoration. She had a bunch of bread rolls and things she had done. I can't imagine doing that to food but this would have made a really pretty ...something.



My friend Mel made me a domo and he is just the coolest. I decided I want to take him places with me so he lives in the truck now. Today we went to Joann's where he searched the stamp and scrapbooking aisles.
Then we went to the mall but I didn't get a picture of him inside there because I didn't want to be the crazy old lady that goes to hot topic and takes pictures of her dolls... OMG they have the cutest goth dolls in coffins. I wanted one so bad but I was good. *sigh* There's one with purple hair that's so cool I will have to try and get.


My main objective for the mall, well my only, was to go to Hallmark which I found is no longer there. What the heck is up with that?

Anyway... since I haven't blogged in awhile I thought I'd share something new....not that the two of you (Mel and Kristen) couldn't have read this on facebook since you're the only ones following my blog. lol

Sleepless Nights

I have a lot of nights where I'm tired but can't get to sleep and most of the time I lay there thinking of things I should or could do but tonight I decided to put this tag together while I still had it in my mind. Not something most would like. A bit different for me as I was experimenting with different things. I really like these Marah Johnson skulls so I wanted to try something with it. I layered distress inks with metallic and luster rubs and H20 twinkle paints for my background colour. It's hard to see the contrast as well in the pictures.

Now to try and sleep again.....

Crocheting Projects

While I was cleaning out my craft room I found some blankets I had started and set aside quite some time ago. One I couldn't finish because I can't find the same colour yarn for it so I'll have to think of something else to make with it, the other I just finished yesterday. It's a really soft yarn so I love the way it feels.

With the leftover yarn I made this little pursette and embellished it with one of my crochet flowers layered with a Prima flower. I also made a little crochet envelope and embellised it the same way. I thought they'd be cute for holding little cards and things.

Gripefest...

Of course today would be the day I have one of those depressed, moody, uninspiring days since today is a day I don't want nor need any of those things.

My cousin's wanted to get together today for a girls day at the gardens but things are really bad financially for me so I couldn't afford to go. I'm so bummed because not only do I miss out on seeing them, I miss out on some beautiful gardens and I love seeing those.

A few days ago my back started acting up and has been really bothering me so I've been having a really hard time sleeping at night. And of since my sisters birthday is tomorrow and I only have a couple pages left to fill it's only logical I would not feel very creative today. I did finish off the cover and did this one page.

So now I'll sit here and gripe about it all lol. I'd better start thinking about all the things I am thankful for instead. ....