What I’m reading…….

Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art

“With a fresh approach and an A-list group of contributing artists, Creative Time and Space embraces the idea that making time and space is at the core of creativity. It is not just about managing your time or setting up a studio space, it is about your mindset and about making room in your life for your craft.”

And it’s just that, your mindset! (It’s also great to know I’m not the only one to have a dry spell or feel crushing self doubt!)

rejection…

Alas, rejected again. (just between you and me I didn’t really think this had much hope anyway.)
Apparently, neither did Stampington & Co. (Somerset Studio magazine) lol


Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained. But I’ll keep trying!

Look what we found in the garden today……

All together now……….awwwww. Isn’t it cute?

An itty-bitty pineapple! (I put the quarter next to it so you’d get an idea of the diminutive size!) Anything and everything grows down here! Throw it into the garden and you’re guaranteed it will grow!

(When I think of all the times I tried to grow a pineapple in a pot up north and failed miserably, ha!)

We’ll have it for dessert tonight. It’s ripe and smells WONDERFUL. Probably only get a bite or two, but no matter. It’s from our very own garden! That will make it all the sweeter.

                                           Nature is utterly amazing!

finally made a “light box”

I’ve always wanted a light box to photograph my ‘stuff’. But the price (for what they are) just seemed too ridiculous. What to do…..? Google it of course! (I love Google!)

Most of what I found seemed a bit too intensive for what I wanted, and then I found this tutorial http://www.studiolighting.net/homemade-light-box-for-product-photography/ and ran with it.

I used a presentation foam core board (the kind you use for science fairs) so I didn’t have to do all that taping. I added two pieces of poster board. One for a ‘floor’ and one to hide the seam where the foam core meets the ‘floor’. Just use some poster putty to tack it up (if you look closely you can see the shadow of the putty at the top of the poster board in three spots) tape the other end to the ‘floor’ piece, so it curves. I don’t need a top.

The shop lights were $6.08 apiece at Home Depot (I only used two because the house is very bright. I was only looking for a little added light to deal with the shadows)

I used GE Reveal bulbs. (But I’m thinking of trying the Daylight bulbs suggested in the tutorial.)

It’s easy to set up and break down and it’s easy to store, just slide it into a closet and clip the lights on a shelf.

Voilá!



Thank you, Studio Lighting.net!

And here are a few shots using the light box.

Make room for ugly……

I was trying to practice the Coptic stitch.

For the covers of the journals I gathered up some old ‘fabric paper’ I made from muslin and ripped up magazine pages, coated with some unifying paint and splatters, fused to thin batting. I cut them into three inch squares and embellished with free motion stitching. I also painted the batting so it would look cohesive in the end product.

I zigzagged the edges then stiffened the fabric paper with Traci Bautista’s ‘Collage Pauge’.

For the signatures I just used some leftover ‘puter paper in a coordinating color.

Apparently, the Coptic stitch is NOT my strong suit!

I thought maybe I could save them with some funky fibers to cover my awful binding stitches! (Fibers in abundance can make anything better, right? Well, maybe not, after all.) 

Are these not the worst looking things you’ve ever seen? LoL
 
Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained! Onward and upward!!!!!!

Who doesn’t love Amazon?

What are you reading this fine summer day?

“Nothing says ‘get well’ like beef!”

And speaking of not having to worry about dinner preparation….. This came to my door today! My BFF sent me this as a get well gift during my recovery! The card said: “Nothing says ‘get well’ like beef!” (too funny!) Don’t you wish she was your BFF?! I’m glad she’s mine! I am so lucky.

there is an upside to everything!

You know what’s been kinda’ nice about this whole surgery/recovery thing? I haven’t had to think about, plan, prepare, ponder, or agonize over what to make for dinner! lol

ouch update.....

better and better every day, thank you, but still not recovering fast enough to suit me! When I sit down to try to accomplish something I’m still a little fuzzy! (although family and friends would probably say I was fuzzy to start with!) but, all in good time, I guess.

using some scraps and old copy paper to make mini journals to practice the coptic stitch.

OUCH!

Recuperating on the couch….:(


And when the drugs wear off enough so I can focus, maybe I’ll make something……..