Inspiration...

Okay I'm a little late for Theme Thursday but I thought I'd share anyway. The Tin Man has had to listen to me for months, going on about wanting to get a disc cutter and not being able to find one in stock any where. If it was possible he would have gotten it for me for Christmas but alas it was not. So finally it has arrived and this is definitely been my inspiration for this week. As you can see I had to hurry and cut out one of each of the 11 sizes of discs that it cuts. Oh, my mind is spinning with ideas to try out. I'm hoping to get some jewelry creating time in the next day or so. I'll share my creations with you ASAP.

Go check out what Sheila's inspiration is this week and share yours on her linky. It's so interesting to see what other's are inspired by.

Journal page

For this page I used scraps of paper for the background. Stamped letters for the Direction. Then I did some journaling about having more direction in my life this year. It's probably not very legible but it was just for me anyway. I then dumped an almost empty bottle of white paint here and there on the page and used the opening to make the circle. A few Distress inks blended things together and I finished it off with some grunge arrows.

So my word for the year or maybe just for the time being is DIRECTION.

Check out some of the other art journals on the flickr Art Journal Every Day to see some of the other participants amazing work.

Mosaic tag.

Almost didn't get this posted before the next tag Tuesday challenge over at Kard Krazy! So this will be a quick post. The theme this week was "mosaic". The first thing that came to mind was some kind of paper mosaic. Then I remember a technique I did a few years ago on some cards. I cut up lots a different sizes of paper and used embossing powder for the "grout" . Lot's of fun and a great way to use up scraps.

Now on to some journal pages!

Theme Thursday

I've been checking out a lot of blog challenges in the last few week. I seem to be drawn to them for some reason(I'll have to contemplate that later!) So I'm trying to choose a few to start with but it's been hard because their are so many great ones and I'm trying to get some peace and balance into my life right now. Although I think these challenges will start me on my 2011 Journey nicely I don't want to forget my other obligations...okay maybe I do want to forget them but it's not an option! Okay maybe I'm thinking too much again LOL.

Any way when I saw my friend Sheila's new challenge over on her photo blog, I was inspired right away, which is her theme for this month. So I looked around at what has inspired me this week and within minutes I had my photo ready to post. I just got these colourful Sharpie markers the other day and was working on my Art Journal front page while watching TV that night. I don't think it's finished yet but it's coming along. Last night I was reading this great book I picked up at the library called "Scraptastic!" by Ashley Calder. It has all sorts of different mixed media techniques for scrap booking. I think these techniques could be used for so many different kinds of project though. I don't know if you can see it but the book on the bottom of the pile is Rose Reisman's Family Favorite cook book that I received from a friend before Christmas. It's a great book. I've tried one recipe so far and have a lot marked to try. So this is what is inspiring me at the moment. So how about you, what's inspiring you?

Digital Magic

I just found this great contest to win an online class called Digital Magic. Check it out here for a chance to learn how to collage with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I enjoy playing with Photoshop Elements but oh do I need to learn so much more. Imagine the possibilities!

First journal page of 2011.

Here is my first Art journal page for the year. The background is some scrap paper that was left over after doing some print making on gelatin with Christian over the holiday. This was the paper that Christian was wiping off his ink roller, stamps and stencils after using them. It was too cool to throw away so instead of putting in the drawer with interesting scraps I thought I'd use it up right away.

Does any one have a good way to use up some of all those scraps of paper. They seem to be building up here and I can create fast enough. The drawers and boxes are filling up around me with wonderful bits of scrap paper of all kinds. I keep telling myself I'll use if making cards and such but after spending a few hours making cards there doesn't seem to be a dent in any of the piles. What's a girl to do? Any suggestions? Something wonderfully creative that uses up lots of odds and ends of paper? Any one?!!

New visions...

Yes I'm still here. Sorry I've been so neglectful of you blogger friends. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and happy new year. We had a wonderful time here with the boys home for a while.

My energy level at the beginning of the holiday was low with some old shoulder and neck issues bothering me along the way also so we kept things pretty quiet. As a result very little creativity was happening around here for the last few weeks and no energy for blogging. The Tin Man helped me de-Christmas the house and do some tidying over the weekend so today I was able to start my week in the studio. What a wonderful way to start the year. I have many new ideas and visions for this year. The lists are started. How about you? Any new ideas or visions for the new year? I'm not much on resolutions but I usually find myself writing many list this time of year. Luckily January is a pretty quiet time of year for me so I can work on my lists and new ideas. I've been checking out a few new blogs lately and found some new challenges for this year. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you through out the year. My first challenge is going to be to do an Art Journal Every Day with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer at Balzer Designs. I've signed up for the month of January. I don't know about doing it each day but I'll try. So far I have one done. I'll share it with you later this week.

I'll let you know about a few of the other challenges I'm thinking of doing later this week also. For now I think I'll go and play with a few of my new toys I got for Christmas as you can see above.

Get creating!