Crazy Weather

I never remember having temps in the 70's in February in my entire life.

Friday it was warm enough to dry some laundry on the deck.

Saturday there were snow flurries.

I did see a Robin hopping around the yard a few days ago so I'm hoping Spring is here to stay soon.

Wishing for sunshine everywhere.

Karen

Bagging Anxiety

Another page for my journal.

Not my typical page, but I'm not even sure I have a "typical".

I folded strips of  paper and tucked them into a small paper bag.

The idea is to write all the things causing me anxiety on the strips of paper, stuff them into the bag and clip it shut with the tiny clothespin.

Although I really haven't used it for it's intended purpose, just the making of it worked for bagging my anxiety.

I think it might be something useful for children who have issues with anxiety.

For me keeping busy and finding creative distractions works best.

Have a stress free day!

Karen

Old and Tattered

I'm not sure why, but I like the look of tattered old papers and textiles.

I use these for my journal pages.

Some of this stuff is in pretty bad condition, but that's partly what I like about them.

Books and woven fabric pieces all tied up with twine.

Greeting cards and letters from the early 1900's  in an old wire basket.

Feels good to have some things sorted and organized. Maybe tomorrow will be a day for creating.

We'll see.

Have a nice day!

Karen

Winter Darkness

Winter for me isn't just dark literally, it also puts me in a dark place mentally.

The cold, the snow and ice make me feel trapped and depressed.

Fear and anxiety of traveling on the ice covered roads limits my social life and I spend my days struggling to stay positive. 

Illness and age have changed me. There was no fear or anxiety when I was young. Winter never held me back or put me in a dark place. I loved the solitude of living in the woods, but since I no longer work I feel like the solitude is closing in on me. 

Creating these journal pages helps me to keep things in perspective. I paste my feelings onto paper, place them in my journal and try to leave them there. On days when the weather allows, I go out and then there is this blog and your blog and thank goodness for the internet…I so appreciate all of your visits and comments. 

Hope your day is filled with happiness!

Karen

Handmade Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Just a few random pics of hearts mostly from years past.

Hope your day is filled with LOVE!

Karen

Art Journal Page 2

The Language Of Disease Is Pain

I found this phrase in an ad from the 1870's. I can totally relate to this and I know many of you can as well, so it inspired me to create another journal page.

Made of old cardboard, antique papers, tissue paper, paint, ink, stamp, modpodge, vintage torn lace, magazine scraps and scrap book paper.

I don't follow any sort of rules or learned techniques while creating these pages and I use whatever I have on hand in my studio which is a hodge podge of junk that I've accumulated over the years.

These pages are a meditative type of thing where I just get lost in what I'm doing.

It's more feeling than thinking which is what I need. I have a tendency to over think everything and this is a way of letting that go.

A temporary distraction.

Hope your day is painless!

Karen

Queen Of Broken Bling

Queen of Broken Bling or maybe the Crusty Queen.

Love her face! It's clay and I purchased it years ago from a shop on Etsy, but it's been so long ago that I don't remember the shop or the artist. I had deleted the account that I was using, so I have no way of looking it up. So sorry…..I'd like to give credit to the artist.

Her body is a rusty old funnel covered in bits of news paper from the 1920's and modpodge.

She's adorned with tattered old lace, broken bits of costume jewelry and vintage buttons.

You can see that a lot of the rhinestones are missing thus the name "Broken Bling".

Oh, almost forgot…

Her crown is an old glass drawer pull.

Even broken can be beautiful.

Have a beautiful day!

Karen

Easy Stringing

A few weeks ago I visited Allegory Gallery. It's a lovely little gallery, a sweet bead shop, and they have an Etsy shop too.

www.etsy.com/shop/AllegoryGallery

While I was there I purchased this sweet clay owl.
The plan was to use some copper and beads from my stash to make a necklace.

I guess I'm out of practice, because I couldn't get my fingers to do what my brain was thinking. I just could not get the copper wire to bend the right way.

So instead of doing the wire wrapping technique with beads on hand, I ordered some clay beads with larger holes from www.etsy.com/shop/AtHomeInTaos
Love their beads!

I strung everything on a leather cord. No wire required…

Keeping it simple.

Have an easy day!

Karen

Mixed Media Hearts

Tin hearts, paper, modpodge, glue, bits of vintage hats, ink, vintage jewelry parts, ribbon, twine, lace,stamps, words, charms, cheese cloth, tea bags.

Tin hearts.
Have a lovely day!
Karen

In A Fog

Warm rain falling on the cold snow made some interesting fog out my backdoor today.

I'm thinking that the creek might flood tonight.

 It was just kind of strange here today.

The fog stayed all day and is still here tonight.

Sending good thoughts to you!

Karen

Journal Page 1

I have absolutely no idea what I am doing here.

This is the beginning of what I'm calling…Journal Page 1.

I think it needs more layers.

 And some ink washed over the lighter parts.

 
I'll post photos again when I feel like it's finished.

Good wishes to you!

Karen

Life Is What You Make It

Someone once told me, "Life is what you make it".

Today as I was gathering these dusty dried hydrangeas to dispose of them, they crumbled and made a mess.

At first I was irritated that I had made another mess to clean up.

But instead of going for the broom, I grabbed my camera.

Things just look different when you're looking at them through a lens.

The mess eventually made it into the trash, but I'm glad I took a better look first.

I'm doing my best to see the messes in life as if I were looking at them through the lens of my camera.

Sometimes things aren't as bad as they first appear and sometimes they are.

All we can do is try our best to make life as good as it can be.

Sending good thoughts your way.

Karen