New journals

Hello everyone!  I spent my day making new journals.  It has been over a year since I made journals, I think.  Can you believe it?  It was fun, and I got to try out some of my new transfers.  I have two journals listed for sale in my etsy store, as well as a number of the new fabric transfers.  I don't know when I will have a chance to make journals again, but I will try to get them all listed on etsy this week.  If you need a pretty little book to put your dreams, poems, sketches or recipes in, you just might need one of these journals.  I am almost out of the fabric I used for these journals, so I guess it's time to hunt the thrift stores again.  Most of the things I use to make these journals are re-purposed.  The fabric is all leftover from projects long past, as are the buttons and ribbon.  The paper is computer paper that was used to test the printer, so a few pages have colored printout on the edges.  They have a lot of character, these little journals.  The last time I made them, I had intended to save one for myself, but somehow that did not happen!  No one knows why.  So I might have to save one of these new ones, as a little gift to myself.

It has been awhile since I used my sewing machine, and boy do I really love it.  I am so glad I pulled it out and made use of it.  I do use it for regular jobs like hemming pants, patching holes, etc., but to get a chance to use it for fun was what today was all about.  I have decided that this year I will be making an effort to add more fun in my life.  This was inspired by my friend, Tina Bluefield.  (Hi Tina!)

Another thing I am doing for myself this year for adding fun will be to attend the Las Vegas Art and Soul Retreat.  It is next month, and I have signed up for two classes.  This retreat is way outside of my usual way of thinking about art, and that is why I wanted to do it.  Also, my good friend, Carla Sonheim, is teaching a couple of classes, and I wanted to see her.  I am even taking one of her classes!!!  I think it will be a great new adventure, and I am excited.

This is one of the new transfers.

I am planning to get back to oil paint and canvas tomorrow, so new images will be posted shortly, I hope.   Thank you for stopping by, blog readers!

Rain

It is so rare to get rain here, that when it does rain, I find that I can't focus on my work at all. I just have to stop what I am doing, and go outside with my camera and my eyes open wide. That is what happened yesterday. I watched the clouds build with hope, but tried very hard not to get too excited, since often the rain seems to be all around us. Not ON us. It can be disappointing. The wind began to pick up, but still I told myself not to get excited yet. Even as the sky darkened, I reminded myself that it was just a cloud, and there was nothing to be distracted by. Too many times have I stood out on the patio, waiting and wishing for rain that never came. I didn't allow myself to really believe it was raining until I looked out the window and saw this:


Then, I decided I could drop my project and stand under the eaves and watch the rain. We had .39 inches of rain (for the year, that is) and now, after yesterday, we have had .63 inches of rain. We are over halfway to having ONE WHOLE INCH of rain for the year!!!! How exciting is that?? Welcome to the desert.

The rain seemed to bring out all of the wildlife, which of course I love. I saw an extremely wet roadrunner, cruising past the house. It had its head tucked tightly against its body. Maybe its neck was cold??? I tried to get a photo, but darn! those roadrunners are fast! Pono and I then saw two coyotes at sunset. They really are beautiful creatures. Once again, I wish not only that I had my camera with me, but also that I had a good zoom lens. It would have been fun to share that with you.

I made a few more journals yesterday. These new ones have some of the images from my monotypes on them. I am not sure if I like them as much as the earlier ones. What do you think? I bought some really inexpensive t-shirts on sale at Target Monday, and I am going to put a transfer on each one of them. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully, they will turn out, and I can show them to you tomorrow.