Funky Art Queen

I dug through my old cedar chest yesterday and found all of my journals.  This is a picture of most of them.  I did not include all of my calendar books and idea books.  Good gracious! I did not know I had so many! So many of them have tons of pages that need some love.   I decided to work in the one in the front with the hand on it.  It is an old art book I picked up at a garage sale once.  I gesso the pages and layer, layer, journal, layer! Here are two pages that I completed yesterday.  Or, I should say, here are the reasons I did not get all my household chores done! LOL I have another couple of pages ready to work on tonight to bring in the New Year.  I hope you all have a safe and happy new year.  2013-Bring it!

  Oh and I have this diagram:  Step One: OK-Here is everything I have.  I do have some ink that I ordered "Gamblin Etching Ink" BLUE! It does not seem rusty much.  Just a little where the nuts/bolts are (the impression screws) but I can turn them.  The I have not tried to move the roller hooks.  So do I clean it? I found some instructions somewhere last year on line by Jack Gifford "secrets of a Kelseyman" and it instructs how to clean with a bit of a process but doable.  1 gallon vinegar, 1 qt lemon juice, one guart of oil (what kind of oil), 1 can of laquer thinner, and a pump type oil can, large square container, heavy plastic garbage bags.  See how I got bogged down. LOL I don't have "furniture" for it. Oh and I purchased some letter stamps. I will take a pic of that. No special paper. I purchased some last year when I was getting started and ended up using it for other art. LOL I figured out how to take off the c

I was going through old blog posts and found the one about the Desiderata Poem and I was once again inspired by this poem.  I decided to use that as my inspiration for my current creative journal.  Here is the poem again: It has such a good message about life in general. I will add the other pages as I complete them. Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

The above: Compliments of my good friend Donna Baker Gosh, I just can't let go of the Funky Art Queen! I'm really missing that part of my life lately.  Lately, I have been dabbling with my creative journals.  Seems like I kind of lost my mojo-they just don't seem as vibrant or fun.  So I picked up a few books lately about creative journaling and I'm kinda feeling it again.  As I am typing this post, I have several pages started with the first couple of layers of paint/color.  Actually, I have quite the mess on the kitchen table and my husband will be not so pleasantly surprised when he wakes up and comes into the kitchen.  I actually finished every page in one journal that I have been working on for two years.  It is the first journal I ever finished! I have so many that I got half way through and got bored with and abandoned the poor things.  Maybe some day I will begin to attack those.  I just get so caught up in the fact that they have to be in order of dat

I so started out this morning looking at fabric bracelets.  It all started with a conversation with a dear friend yesterday about a fabric bracelet with pearls, fabric, and all kinds of stuff.  Well, I got up and cleaned house in a hurry so we could go to Midland, TX to HobbyLobby and get some supplies.  I bought some fabric, some beads, some wire, etc.  I was so going to make a fabric bracelet.  Well, that never goes like I plan! LOL   I started with strips of fabric that I sewed together-kind of an off white print.  Two pieces.  Then I braided in some copper chain that I picked up at HobbyLobby today. I spent half the afternoon trying to figure out how to finish the ends! LOL! Finally, I decided to sew a loop (copper) and a bar (copper) to each end for finishing and closures. Then I decided to add all these beads. Now you can't even tell it started out as fabric!  Oh well, a happy misadventure! It turned out alright.  I would so wear that!  LOL

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Three Ingredient Berry Cobbler/Cake Found this recipe on Pinterest today and just had to try it!  It is basically what we used to call a "dump cake" but it sounds better to say "Berry Cobbler" to me.  I was surprised at the simplicity of the recipe and the fact that there are only 3 ingredients!  Ingredients 1 Yellow Cake Mix (no pudding) 2 Packages of frozen berries 1 bottle 7-Up or Sprite   Instructions 1. Spray pan with Pam or baking spray 2. Put in the frozen berries  3. Pour the yellow cake mix over the berries evenly  4. Pour the 7-Up over the entire cake evenly (it bubbles up-FUN!  5. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until it is done.  Your call! LOL 6. We are going to serve it with Vanilla Ice Cream! YUMMO! 

Desiderata I just felt the need to revisit this poem today.  I first heard it years ago when I worked in Activity Therapy at the State Hospital.  One of the teachers that trained me to teach classes was wheelchair bound and one of the most positive people I have ever met.  His name was Jim Potter....I wonder where he is now?  I was always amazed at how positive he was all the time in spite of his disability.  He could have been so negative and sorry for himself....instead he was an inspiration to every one around him, including the patients and employees at Big Spring State Hospital.   This poem was a part of his curriculum for the Stress Management Class for the patients. He read it with the greatest emotion and feeling and then the group would discuss the meaning of the poem. It touched me so and I have revisited it so many times.  I used it in my son's graduation from high-school scrapbook.  I have hung it in many places to remind me to be a better person. I hope if y

Some how, I always come back to my little Funky Art Blog.  I know, I keep leaving and coming back.  I know I am fickle like a pickle-you don't have to tell me.  Life is cool like that though....we are ever changing, learning and growing.  We do have constants though...things, people, places, feelings and drives that are constant and ever there for us.  Funky Art Queen has long been my saving grace-she is who I lean on when times are tough.  I can remember when I first created her....was it 2006? There was so much going on in life, so much to cope with.....she saved me and helped me through that period in life.  She was where I went to escape.  All the friends I made through her and this blog, all the things I poured myself in to provided me with comfort and helped rekindle my passion for creating funky and colorful things.  JOY!  Here I am again, kind of going through a little thing.  Change in job, husbands upcoming retirement, son about to be deployed again, missing my new gra

Craig and I picked up some little outfits for the grandson (Caden) today to send him for Easter.  Not Easter clothes just some Easter presents.  We also got him a cute little stuffed bunny.  I wanted to make him an Easter card so I got out the cards, glue stamp, bunny stamp and glitter.  This is what I came up with.  We are going to send Cody and Patsy a treat too!  Since we can't be together these are the things we do until we are together again!