Monday, January 18, 2021

January 18, 2021 Monday-2pm

Good afternoon!

This spot has become my peaceful sanctuary.  No news allowed.  Quiet.  And now even less stressful--LOL!

My plan to use the fancy Fabriano 10 X 10 inch art journal...

...worked well with the mandala.  No problem.

But that's because it was the perfect shape and I have done a lot of zendalas so wasn't too intimidated.  But staring at the next blank page...just couldn't get going.  Plus not sure how well that particular paper would hold up with mixed media and collage and all of that.  

Then I remembered when I lived in West Winds (in 2012-2013 maybe?) that I had some other hand-made art journals I used when I was attempting to learn mixed media through some free online classes.  I remembered I never liked the journals.  Had used some student grade watercolor paper from Dick Blick that was very thin--buckled and bled through.  Had to gesso each page before I could use it.  One of the journals was made with a different brand of student grade watercolor paper I haven't tried yet, but I couldn't remember which one.

Well, I unearthed them.  This one is the one I am using right now for the Wanderlust classes.

I have another (empty) one the same size in blue.
You can see the size of these compared to the tiny one I am using for the Advent Prompts Journal.
Funny, I wasn't intimidated when it was a very small blank page--LOL!

Then there's this even larger (empty) purple one.

Now those are some intimidating blank pages!
Could be that the purple one has the other student grade watercolor paper, but they all feel thin and similar.  I thought I had made another of the largest size but I can't find it.  I KNOW I never used it--LOL!  I might have given it away...or I'll run across it in the studio at some point.

Anyways, I worked some more on the Advent Prompts journal.  Did add something else to the childhood book page!  I remembered I recently received some collage goodies from a new pen pal, Chris, a blogger in the UK over at PearShapedCrafting.  She knows how much I get a kick out of the silly-goofy people and critter stamps so she sent me some all colored and cut out (plus some other little bits of ephemera I have been using in college)!  I figured that AP journal page could use a Jane and a Spot--ROFL!  Perfect!

On the other side (usually go in consecutive order but forgot to check how many pages this little journal had--LOL!)...all she said was write "allow" in the center of the page and do whatever you wanted.  I know--I don't have much imagination and fell back on watercolor blobs.  Oh well.
****
In the kind of rose-magenta journal I have about a dozen pages left to use up.
I don't like most of what was in here, but I did like the mark-making class!  In fact, I think I printed copies of these and cut them up to make card fronts out of them years ago.  I have used mark-making for creating wrapping paper with Ian many times.  It is such fun!
I also loved the blowing ink around on the page with a straw.
I liked making the homemade washi tape (around the outside edges of these two pages) from masking tape.  I am not very good with the rest of it--stenciling and such--but this was at least a better page spread.  Real feather.  I think the class was maybe something about going on a walk?
Anywho...I finally started the first actual Wanderlust class.  Took me long enough, eh?  She had us scribble wildly all over the page with graphite pencils.  (Forgot to get a picture and it's all covered up by the time I took this shot below.)  Then we were to use matte medium to add collage paper.  I had a free page printed off of affirmation circles...(self-care for 2021, right?)...so I glued them all over the place.  Used a piece of blue pretty painted paper from Chris, too. 
After that dried she said to take black paint and do some stenciling.  But I first coated the page with a thin layer of white gesso to calm it down--remembering that from videos.  It worked--LOL!
And that is as far as I have gotten.  I have a few more steps to do, but I am in it now!!  The secret for me--starting in a journal I don't give a rat's behind about--LOL!  No problem at all diving in.  TaDa!

We had a very tiny bit of snow yesterday and it has been snowing lightly today, too.

Just enough to clean up the earth a bit.  ;)
****
I had two packages say they were delivered on Wednesday but they weren't here.  All I could find on Amazon was being told to search around and wait a couple days.  Has anyone else had this happen?  I can't find any way to actually contact customer service at Amazon.  I'm going to try to call my local post office tomorrow after the holiday, but this doesn't look like it is going to be easy to fix.  Anybody have any experience with packages that have disappeared somehow?
****
Leah delivered a small Cashwise grocery order on Friday.  There was ice under crusty sleet-like snow and Leah walked chicken livers to my garage freezer for me (for Annie's food).  She insisted--didn't want me walking out there--too slippery.  Leah is the kindest, most thoughtful woman.  :)  
**** 
My life is filled with blessings!
****
Oh--was delighted to see rabbit poop on the patio!  I startled a lone jackrabbit around midnight a couple of nights.  Could only get a glimpse--they are fast.  Haven't seen one here for so long!  McFamily still has them in the field in back of their house and I have seen them there, but not here.  This one must be too scared to come until late into the night.  I'll make sure there's some food out there after dark.  ;)
****
Speaking of rabbits--lol!  I confess to being down the news rabbit hole part of every day.  Hopefully things will change for the better pretty soon.  But in the meantime, I am so glad to have the Wanderlust classes and bonus materials to fill my studio with peaceful hours.  So glad.  Probably the smartest thing I have done in a while--ROFL!  
****
I find the doing a little and leaving it to dry works great for me.  I can be in and out of there 1-3 times a day on good days.  Eventually I do plan to listen to audio books or be watching the art videos while I work...but for right now I have just wanted the silence.  It's quite heavenly.
****
The big covey of partridges is here.  I need to put out more seed before it gets dark...and make sure there's enough left over for the jackrabbit.  ;)  Till next week.  May this be a new start.  Feels like one.  Might be a very slow start, but a new start, nonetheless.  I am a slow starter, myself--LOL!  Take care and stay well.  :)
****
"An empty lantern provides no light.  Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly."
Unknown

15 comments:

Janie Junebug said...

Jane and Spot look great. Everyone needs a sanctuary. Leah is a gem. Amazon's customer service number is 1-888-280-4331. I quite often receive emails telling me a package has been delivered, but it hasn't happened. I usually wait a day or two and then call the company.

Love,
Janie

Far Side of Fifty said...

:) That journal was just too perfect for you! Keep on exploring and enjoy yourself! All our Rabbits are missing...a fox or an owl for sure or those coyotes:(

Lady Fi said...

I love that quiet spot!

Anvilcloud said...

Let us hope that tomorrow is peaceful and the beginning of a season on greater calm.

DJan said...

You seem to be doing very well these days, Rita, with lots of "spoons" to share all this great play! I am glad to hear your jackrabbit is still around. :-)

Bonnie said...

You are having great progress with your journal!

We have used Amazon for many years and I have run into all sorts of situations with them including once in a while not receiving a package that they said was delivered. In that instance they asked me to wait a few days also. One time it was delivered late and possibly the email saying it had been delivered was a mistake. Another time it was never delivered and I contacted them after a few days and they re-sent me the item. These days Amazon drivers here take a picture of the package on your porch so they can prove it was delivered. This Christmas my son received a delivery notice and picture but the package was not on his porch, but someone elses. He contacted them and they re-sent his item. Amazon does such a huge amount of business and there are more and more "porch pirates" out there so these things do happen but so far they have always gotten our order to us even if late. Good luck with it!

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

The snow looks good, we all need peace and calmness in and around our lives.

1artsychick said...

I've had items lost from Amazon before and contacted them through the order page. I think I clicked on the order and found it there. If you still need to know how to contact them let me know. Sounds like you did, but wasn't sure if you only talked with the robot system.
I did wait a couple of days because I've had things delivered to neighbors and they brought them over to me.
But when one didn't show up, they sent me a replacement.
I haven't been around in some time. So glad you are doing well.
Thinking of you. Wendy. picnicwithants.com

Jenny Woolf said...

Mark making looks like such a lot of fun. I have never heard of it, I'll have to look it up. Frustrating to have the lost orders but let's hope they turn up in the end. These days I take photos of the packets when I mail them or, actually, when they are collected, and I also take a screen shot of the screen after I have ordered. I hope your little rabbit returns even though pooping on the porch isn't considered that friendly as a rule LOL !

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Thanks, Rita, for showing your work spaces and explaining these processes which admittedly I am quite unfamiliar with myself. It looks like you have configured a comfortable working space. That mandala piece was beautiful and i vaguely recall the Dick and Jane book from childhood.
Amazon Customer Service isn't the easiest to reach, but I have done a chat session online to resolve an issue. Packages are delivered to a central package room here in the apts and can often be misplaced but luckily we have not ever had a lost package issue. I hope that yours are eventually located.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Glad you are enjoying that class. I love the blown page and the art you created using Chris's goodies. She is a real GEM. I hope you find your Amazon packages, dear. have a super week.

Juli said...

I deliver to a campground year round here. They have a petting zoo of sorts, goats, bunnies, etc. The black rabbit was out waiting for me by the community mailbox today as I delivered.

He's so stinking cute.

The peacocks scare me the most though... there's 8 of them, 6 traditional and 2 albino. They are so quiet and then WHOOP! there they are, in full plume, scaring the crap out of me with their weird cry. They are cool, but I prefer the bunnies. :)

Divers and Sundry said...

The news isn't nearly as scary a place any more ;) but I like your spot. Getting past that intimidating blank page, and now just look at the beauty you've created!

I had an Amazon package disappear. They claimed to have delivered it to the local post office for delivery, but the local post office had no record of receiving it. That was the last time I used their "free delivery if your order is about a certain amount" option.

Love seeing your snow! We're having highs in the 50s lol

Dee said...

Dear Rita, thank you for sharing the sequential progress of your work. I find that so interesting. I lost 2021, not to Covid, but to Meniere's and vision problems and my own malaise. So I've made myself a self-commitment. I'm going to write something every day because that brings me such contentment. So let's cheer one another on! Peace.

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

I love the variety of pages in your journal. They are all so creative and colorful! Hoping to see a photo of your jack rabbit along the partridges. :) We are seeing lots of bunny tracks here in the snow, but never see them during the day. I think they hide and try to stay warm.