The Documented Life Project

I finally have altered book done so I can start working on the prompts. Will finish catching up tomorrow. Love to everyone's pages.

Mixed Media Collage

I made a collage this weekend for my oldest son. We picked some graphics out together online. And I used some photos I have taken. Used my paper artist software on my phone to give them some cool effects. Arranged with a few maps with locations that have meaning for my son. He hasn't seen the finished work. I hope he likes it.

Now let us welcome the New Year ... Full of things that have never been.

This definitely describes my new year. 2014 will be full of things that have never been. It will be letting go of things that have been for so long. It will be exciting and scary all at once.

I have had the feeling of "what the hell am I doing", off & on for weeks now. And I always come to the conclusion, I am going to live a life filled with possibilities. God gave me my favorite verse years ago. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I have also said it as" all things are possible through Jesus Christ my Lord". So I have this in me to live by faith and to try new things. I always have. But that doesn't mean it is easy.

I haven't done a great job of recording my feelings and thoughts over the past few years. So my only New Year's resolution is to take time this year to do this. It has been amazing to look back over years worth of journals and remember all that has been a life well lived. I have not always thought of it this way, but when you have a chance to take it all in at one time, it truly is that.

And I will miss not being able to look back in detail at the past few years. But can't go back and this year will be one not to miss all the details.

The title of this post is from German poet Rainer Maria Rilke.

January

And what does January hold?

Clean account books,

Bare diaries,

Three hundred and sixty-five new days,

neatly parceled into weeks, months and seasons.

A chunk of time, of life ...

those first notes like an orchestra tuning up

before the play begins.

~ Phyllis Nicholson

Country Bouquet (1947)

College Text Book turned into a Journal

I made a video and put ideas through it on how I turned this college text book I bought for only 25 cents into a cool journal.
http://youtube/P6ZtxJhYI7c 

Mixed Media Collage "HOME" video

I am having so much fun creating these videos and art while being snowbound at home. 
Here is my latest. Mixed Media Collage "HOME"
I think this would be the prefect project for an Art Gathering at our Bed & Breakfast. Busy planning all kinds of fun.

Another video - My Ireland Paris Travel Journal

Here is my 2nd YouTube video. I am taking you through my travel journal I created before we left and took with me and then finished after coming home. I find it is best to take my journal with me so I can journal in the evenings. I look at the pictures I take during the day and get a feel for what I will include. We collect things all day too. So I create pages. I take decorative tape with me and a tape runner. I usually take some watercolor crayons. I didn't really use them this time. We were exhausted at the end of each day. It only took a few weeks to get pictures printed and then finish the journal when I got home.
Click here to view video.

I have always kept some type of record of vacations. It used to be only a written account. Once I got into scrapbooking I went back 10 years into my travel journals and created awesome scrapbooks. My sons could not believe the details of  my memories ... then I showed them the journal. They were so grateful for the very specific accounts of our family vacations put with pictures.
So I encourage everyone to keep journals. I have journaled my whole life... sometimes it is in the format of a daily calendar, but I also take time every month to write about life.
It has been really eye opening, while packing for our move, I took time to read through parts of my journals. I was writing about how cool it would be to run a bed & breakfast for the past 15 years. Each year there were multiple entries about this dream. And of course having an art studio to invite others to come to has been very consistent for the past 5 years. Just confirmation that I am on the right path ... even when it feels scary.

A little different version of my first YouTube video

http://youtu.be/uAKcWFKb4Cw

So much to learn still about all this. I added captions.

I am trying to get as much done in the next few months. We will be busy looking for a bed and breakfast to purchase. Then I will be able to hold some type of art gatherings.

Life is so good!

My First You Tube Video !!!!

I created a video tonight using pictures I took while creating an altered book into a travel journal.
Here is the link: Travel Journal Video

Playing with paper artist app

This is a cool app i found under my advanced edit on my camera on my galaxy 3 phone. It's pretty fun to play with. This pic is of my DiL and my grandpup, Scarlett.

Packing is not fun!

Now the Clean Up ... spent the day packing art supplies for our move. Now I have to clean off my desk so I can make some art. LOL  ... 1 hour later ... now onto some fun stuff ...

Second picture is getting caught up on my journal I keep during the year ... trying to remember special times and also the ordinary ones. Sometimes I go back through facebook to remember dates. I also have a box I drop receipts, wine labels, movie tickets, etc. into and add these to the pages along with computer printed pics from my phone. I have been doing this for almost 4 years now. I have always kept a diary of sorts since I was 11. I have read through some of them while packing and found that I have wanted to do the Bed & Breakfast thing for over 20 years.

It really is amazing to look back over your life.

Finished Altered Book

Here are pictures of my most recent altered book. I had a lot of fun creating the pages. This one was made it to sell on Etsy or give as a gift this Christmas.  I used a college text book, and then cut pages out and glued pages together. I used some of the pages as part of the book. Then I used scrapbook paper, paint, stamps, envelopes and magazine images. It has room for someone to add their own journaling or pictures and to embellish pages. 

100 Follower Drawing Winner!!!!!

Carol Fosdick, is the winner of my 100 follower drawing!!! I messaged her on facebook as I could not figure out how to send a message through the blog system, go figure ... lol.

I hope it is the right Carol Fosdick. I found her Pinterest page and she looks like she would be a follow of mine :)

Here are the pictures of the altered book I made as a journal to be embellished by the owner of it. I simply used scrapbook paper and some wasbi tape in spots. Included a few stationary envelopes for secrets to be kept. I really love the way it turned out, hope Carol does too!

Where have I been

A little bit of everywhere ...
Kayaking, hiking, Ireland, Paris, North Carolina, and kayaking some more. And we will head to North Dakota sometime soon. Then we get busy and ready to move to Maine. Dreams do come true and I will keep everyone up to date as things unfold. I'll have time and the desire to create art in the midst of it all. And I will post pics. A drawing of my followers will happen today and the winner will get an altered book art journal I am finishing in the next day or so.

Hello followers ... I am still alive!

I am so glad a blog stays put even if you neglect it for months on end... We are getting ready to sell our farm in Ohio and start living a dream... My husband is retired and we are going to be looking in Maine for a Bed & Breakfast type of situation. My dream is to be able to hold a combination of art camp and outdoor adventure style 4 day long vacations. For the most part for women. I love mixed media art and teaching others how easy it is to journal through altered books. I also love the outdoors, kayaking, hiking, backpacking are my favorites. I do not want a real fancy place but want it to be large enough to allow for 10 to 12 participants during each event. Now for your help. I have looked at what is out there and need your feedback on some of the big elements I need to iron out in my head so we know what to look for and what we can afford. Price? Camps run from 800.00 to about 1400.00 for lodging, meals and all art supplies to make projects and learn new techniques, and most important meet new friends and have fun. What price are comfortable with for a 4 day vacation that does not include your travel expenses. Ideally how many participants do you want to share your time with? Would you want healthy food options for all meals or for some? Decadent desserts important to you? Would outdoor activities be a nice break from doing art? Possibly kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing? Would you be willing to share a room, with how many people? Would you consider Maine to be a destination women would love to come to? Would an afternoon sailing on a windjammer and then a lobster dinner be a good extra activity? What months would you be most likely to choose to take a vacation apart from your family or loved ones? I want to do at least 4 events a year and possible up to 8. Thanks again for your feedback and any ideas you want to share. I may not respond to all, but will try.

It appears blogging is only getting harder on my old desktop that I feel so comfortable with. I visited an amazing blog this morning and wanted to add it to my interesting sites list, but alas I cannot not. So I will post her link here: http://mylifeonebitatatime.blogspot.com/ Susie is giving away a super beautiful gift and another one of Christmas Memories today. I loved reading everyone's comments. Sorry I have not been around of late. Life is super busy and time is tight. I will be doing a giveaway after the first of the year, as I have over 100 followers and promised I would do this. It's amazing to me that I crept over that threshold and didn't even realize it. This little blog used to be something I cherished and visited so often to post. I will have to re-evaluate my life as I always do at the end of the year and find sometime, somewhere to bring this back into my life. As I do miss it and my interactions with all of you. Have the best Holiday Season and we'll get together soon!

New art journal pages

Created these pages to remember my weekend in May with my sisters & mom.

May Backpacking Trip in VA on AT

Found a Great Little Company for Smoothies

Wanted to let you all know about a great small company based in Oregon. They make an awesome product. I love them because I can have a smoothie while out on the trail backpacking now!!

I really missed having my smoothie on my last backpacking trip and was determined to find a way to take them with me. I found a heavy packaged 4 oz smoothie that did not need refrigerated, but I knew this was not going to work for my desire to be as light weight as I can be. So I kept looking.
I found the Sherwood Valley Juice Company's website and a great offer of free shipping to give them a try. So I sent away for their trial offer and the small little packages were at my house in just a few days. I tried them and was so happy to know I had my "smoothie fix" for the trail! They are not a replacement for what I fix myself every morning, but they do help out when I am on the go and need to get my fix on the road or trail. And they are very economical to boot!
So I urge you to give them a try and tell them I sent you!

Sherwood Valley Juice Company blends fruit and vegetable powders into delicious, nutrient rich single serving meals. These whole-food instant smoothie blends are freeze dried and dehydrated at low temperatures; this means your smoothie is alive with raw, plant based, whole food nutrition. Simply add one of these blends to your water bottle or blender and 15 seconds later enjoy your smoothie anyplace, anytime.
FREE SAMPLE OFFER: http://www.sherwoodvalleyjuice.com/shop/category/special-offers/4-pouch-sample-box-1-2-oz

First Retreat

I have completed my first retreat and am so happy!!!!

The group of women were so inspiring and we had a great time.
Click on the title of this post to find out about my next retreat.

Here's a slide show.