Family Room Project 1- DONE

Oh, what a feeling! Oh, what a Night! ….wait that’s a song, it’s more like “Oh what a summer”.

I started this silhouette mural wall project back in July - see this post , and I thought this was going to be so e..a..s..y!!! Well, not only does everyone in my house have an opinion about what silhouettes they prefer and what color fabric i should use. I then had to figure it out and buy the fabric, and then some!! I’d bring it home….test it out on a whitesheet background with the prospective fabrics wrapped around the individual canvas boards. I had to make sure that the fabric wasn’t too LOUD, too white, too similar to the other fabrics used, and wasn’t too graphic itself (meaning that the silhouettes would be lost against the backdrop fabric itself) Headache in a major way! If my “today” self could advise my “july” self I would tell her, pick all your fabric first! Coordinate…..Coordinate….Coordinate!!!

I just had to show you what I changed here:

1- Ikea Besta furniture for Entertainment unit (made all the difference)

2- Mounted the LCD TV on the wall! Can tilt, turn, and angle in many different directions!!

3- Mural Wall (Visual Interest, with lots of color!)

4- Ikea chair (kitchen chair, keeping the extra chair in the family room, made the “bib” for it)…….am contemplating making bibs for the other 5 kitchen chairs with different animals……

5- Ikea POANG chair, i have two in this room now, they really help with extra seating!!

6- Recovered the old valance (see HERE for better view)! Love the simplicity of this fabric!

7- Oops!!! Forgot to label #7, but it’s the repainted walls in a super light yellow! Sure beats the darker walls I’ve had since 2001! Those dark walls were one reason why I called this “The CAVE Room”……being married to a caveman he didn’t see any problem with them at all!! LOL!!

And another couple views of the Silhouette Mural Wall

And to help illustrate my point about figuring out your fabric before you get started. You gotta see the picture below!

Well, that’s all for now! Thanks for stopping by! I’ll have to invite you over for coffee in my family room after the total MAKEOVER is done…..this is just project 1 of my 4 project series (see this post for upcoming projects)!!!!! …….i, yi, i……

[ Eden [

PrismDesigns Homework

I picked up this PrismDesigns work book last week at Michaels and thought I could play around with the mandalas in it.  I really didn’t give myself many rules.  I could color outside of the box and I could embellish any of the shapes in anyway i wanted.  Again, this is a wonderful way to lose myself.  It’s also a fun thing to do while waiting or watching TV.  I also find it’s been a good exercise for me to control the pen. I’m exercising those finer muscles in my hand which will help me to make the lines go where i want them versus wobbly and sloppy.

I’m not sure why i’m drawn to this right now.  I’m still doodling and I think these pages will give me more ideas.  I’ve got a BIG IDEA brewing for something i want to paint.  I just have to find the right item.  When i do I’ll fill you in on it.

The pages come like this (see below).  Yes, just like a coloring book!  There is a whole collection of these books out there.  Nature, architecture, optical illusions and many more.  You’ll have to check them out some time.

 

Here is the first page I colored! 

 

I’d love to see or hear about the ways you practice your craft.  The homework the exercises you give yourself.  Please fill me in on the other tools and habits that you find fun and worthwhile.

Art School?

*sometimes all i want to do is color, yeah, like ALL DAY
* primary colors in use once again
*still looking for an On-line mixed media class
*trying to incorporate journaling into my "coloring"
*for now i have to make-up my own "art school" as i go
*the hard thing is to decide about the homework
*i so much want to go out there and buy more pens/markers
*i'm glad i found this watercolor moleskine, it keeps the colors rich
*i'm getting really flighty, just can't decide what to do next but i know for sure i don't want to spend my evenings watching tv.
*now, netflix is a different matter, but i haven't joined yet
* vacations are good
* work is good
*doing things you'd rather not is good
* expressing yourself is good
*connecting to friends is good
*reading and listening to people that reinforce your values is good
*working on my character issues is good
* exercising is good
*eating less crap is good
*allowing occasional chocolate bites is even sweeter

What things are you trying to learn or do? Can you find the time? The Energy? The solution?

Social Networking......Do you facebook?

Do you facebook?

Where was facebook when I got out of school? If only I had a way
to stay connected with my friends that I grew up with in St.Louis.
A bit of a bummer to move away just before my Junior year in
High School.

I wasn't on the facebook bandwagon until last week. I thought...
"Pleeezzz....it'll just be another thing to take up my time, to
compare myself to (think # of friends), to scratch my head about
thinking of something clever to say. But, that has changed....

I'm a product of the "Class of 79". And I didn't attend my 30 yr
reunion this summer. I only spent 2 yrs at the High School I grad-
uated from. Plus, my moulding time was spent with the St.Louis crowd.
So, they celebrated their reunion without me, as it should be. I
didn't graduate from there. But still.....

Alas, we move on, get busy with our lives, make new friends and find
it harder and harder to keep up with the old. It's these old friends
that are a piece of me. They are part of the fabric of my memories
from grade school, Junior High, and High School. My first swim team
and softball teams. How to win and how to lose with grace. My first
teachers, the ones we made fun of because they repeated themselves all
the time or wore funny clothes. And the cool teachers that taught us
how to believe in ourselves,(Mr.Dunkman). Or the teachers that could
make us laugh. Even the teachers who got us interested in the world,
learning.

I joined facebook last week (scratch that, I've been on it for 3 years
because I thought when my kids got on it I should friend them. But, I never requested it).

I've scanned, uploaded and tagged people in about 40+ pictures, which I
posted on facebook. OMG!! What a huge response I got from the
St.Louis crowd. People were asking to friend me, I was requesting friends
from others that I've fallen out of touch with. What a Trip!!!!
A bit of Advice: Never part with your High School yearbooks, or earlier! I don't know where mine are, Ugh!!

I'm still looking for a few classmates from my graduating class, like Bridget. Hopefully when her kids start using Facebook she'll get on too, and then we can reconnect!

So, I gotta ask:
Do you Facebook? and... has it been a blessing or a burden?

Swim friends doing a little baking, age 10.



Below, the day I moved away from St.Louis.

My current OBSESSION....

* markers

* stencils

* doodling

* moleskine notebooks

Then the questions.............

Why didn't I take more Art Classes?
Why did I compare myself to more talented people only to become discouraged and give up?
Is it too late to find my voice?
Is it too late to learn something new....heck a lotta new?
Am I too old for this? For coloring? For playing? For painting by numbers?
Isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery?
Can I just take a little of this from her and a little of that from him and
make something that is easier for me?

Why now? Why am I able to relax with this now? After all these years?

Ahhhhh, because of the internet....
the Flickr Groups,
the Blogs,
the Digital Cameras,
the Books.
And ALL the frenzy of artistic talent out there.


The above doodle page was done on my recent vacation to Florida.
It's the first time I've actually drawn in this particular moleskine.
I'm not happy with the paper in this moleskine. I think this one was for sketchers. Must find a more marker-friendly moleskine, possibly something
like this ONE.

Picture Frame from ScrapGirls;
Amanda Sok's Worn Overlay Embellishment Templates

Summer 09 Mosaic

ONE- one child flew to Florida

TWO- two crabs caught and devoured

THREE- three is the sum of 2 + 1 in celebration of his 21st birthday

FOUR- four rafts used the most as we played out back in Little Sabine

FIVE- five times these guys took the Sunfish out

SIX- six takes until we got the right shot

SEVEN- seven people picured here plus one more, hangin out at #384

EIGHT- eight letters in the word "Thank You" for a wonderful Beach Week

Beach Time

I really should be packing, really....but how could I resist one last post of some beach pictures from last year? I grew up in this town and have such wonderful memories of this place. Moving here from StLouis when I was 15, I couldn't believe how lucky we were. I've seen this beach while it's been snowing, during huricanes, after hurricanes, in 100 degree weather and in 40 degree weather. It is never the same and yet.....it is somehow.

When we come back for our annual beach visit, we get our fill of the Gulf Shrimp, Raw oysters, crawfish, crab (if we can catch them in Little Sabine) and fish. It's so yummy! It's home!

I pack books, journals, magazines, markers and paper. I grab my camaras and never take as many pictures as I hope to. Sometimes I just take everything in: the sights, sounds, smells, sun and sand. But I bring all this stuff because it's my security, my "just in case I need it".

It's a wonderful gift this vacation and I can never say or do enough to thank my Dad and Bonnie for making it happen.

Numerical Doodles

I finished my Number Doodles last week! The Number 6 turned out pretty cool, a little break from the way I normally have doodled. Possibly I didn't know if the black marker would show up very clearly over the solid colors. I think i like.....




I haven't a clue what I'll do with these but they really were fun to do. You can see my whole set here on flickr.

Now, I just have to figure out what series I can doodle next......suggestions? anyone????

Progress

I really wanted to show you the magazine I got my inspiration from for my silhouette wall. It's Better Homes and Gardens issue Summmer 2009. I adapted their project a bit for the wall hangings by using Artists' Canvas boards, instead of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). The MDF would've been much cheaper but I felt it would've been harder to work with. At least with my Canvas boards I can take the fabric off and re-use them someday.

I also preferred the look of fabric than the look of decoupaged papers adhered to the boards. My way will take longer but I think it'll be worth it in the end.

I need to buy some more fabric for this project because some of what I used went into my Gypsy skirt. Versatile, yep, gotta love those versatile fabrics.



I think this wall that you see the Silhouettes leaning against will be a good backdrop for this type of display. I will need to make at least 3-5 more. Depending on the sizes I chose to use.

I really must FINISH something in this room. My energies are pretty scattered at the moment. Going to the beach next week and I'd like to take a couple silhouettes with me to applique. It should be easy enough to do and Lord knows I'll have the time in the car. If I can keep the car-sickness at bay while I stitch.

Progress......it's coming ever so S.L.O.W.L.Y.........

Colorful Gypsy Skirt

Do you ever have a bunch of projects that you are working on, then you come across something So cute, adorable and fun that you just drop everything until you see the “new” project to completion?

Yep, guilty! As charged! This skirt didn’t cost me a thing (well, only because I’d already built up quite a FABRIC STASH). Wait, I did have to buy something..... a package of “non-roll” 1-inch elastic for the waistband. For the whooping price of …..da-da-dum….. A dollar fifty.

I love summer skirts, I love all these fabrics, I love RED/GREEN/BLUE and YELLOW together! I really should’ve been a pre-school teacher. I am so drawn to these colors! I also adore that age……ah…well, that was a long time ago.

I digress…..
I adapted Moda Bake Shop's pattern a little, I used:

Top Layer: 5- 9.5” Squares (which I later clipped 1.5” off
before fastening the waistband. I’m short wasted)
Middle Layer: 44- 16.5” x 2.5” Stripes
Bottom Layer: 26- 7.5” Squares

I took one day to cut the Stripes and Squares. One Day to serge/sew the stripes and squares. The Third Day I did the waist band and cut numerous threads from the inside. I’m so glad that Vintage Farm Lady mentioned using a serger, BIG DIFFERENCE this made. I did not line this skirt because the fabrics are fairly high quality and not at all see through! Whoa!

Tomorrow night, I already know what to wear for dinner! Hee hee.

Here's One for $52

And one for $120

Too many Projects?

I have got so many things that I want to get completed this summer! I'm re-doing my Family Room, and since I bought white Ikea Besta cabinets, I wanted to crochet a granny square afghan throw for the room. After much trial and error, I've relearned how to crochet. I love the colors red and green together. I'm excited to get this project done.

I saw a neat idea in Better Homes & Garden "Do It Yourself" decorating magazine about adding color to your walls with white shapes on colored paper. I wanted this to last so I thought I'd needle-turn applique the shapes onto fun fabric and staple it to the white artist canvas' they have for sale at shops like Michaels, Joanns and Hobby Lobby. The article called for particle board, but I think that may be too heavy for my tastes.



I have a whole wall that I'd like to bring in some Family Pictures. As much as
I love COLOR, I think I'll do these pictures in Black and White. It'll help
to make them more timeless. But I have to tell you this is hard for me, I have
seen some really fun things that people have done with color images.I saw a
kind of Andy Warhol images where someone took their daughter and made the image very "sketchy", then brought in bold single colors for the background. It looked outstanding. But I don't want to overwhelm the room, so I'll do black and white. Which I've never done before.

My Grandmother made some super neat Embroidered pillows for my mom when we moved
to St.Louis a long, long time ago. My mom had white living room couches and
these embroidered pillows in a colorful patchwork design really popped on the
couch. I've always loved those pillows. So......20 yrs ago, I started my own
take on the embroidered pillows, but I cross-stitched them. Well, little did I
know then how much longer cross-stitching would take than if I embroidered them (which I didn't know how to do). So, I would put it down then pick it up. Well, after babies, moves, tennis, and whatever my latest passion was at the time, I
would come across this project half done and not feel inspired to complete it!
Well, I'm here to tell you, I found it again last month and I CAN'T WAIT to get
it done. I've even bought the piping. Just a little bit more work to finish it
up. I've got all the patchwork done in the center, it just needs a bigger
border! Woo-Who! I think this has been 22 yrs in the making!

I still doodle and I thought it would be fun to "doodle" on an actual object.
Joanns is selling these birdhouses for a buck, and I thought I'd give it a try. Don't know what I'll do with this, but it was sure fun to make. I'd like to do
a series and put them in my Family Room.

My head is swimming because I'm so excited to get these projects done. It's
been awhile since I've had any clue what I want to do on the inside of my
house. I have to just keep telling myself "first things first, Eden". Yep,
first things first. I hope to show you some completed projects soon. I've
always been a multi-tasker in the project arena because it helps me when
i get a little bored with something I'm working on. The challenge for me
is to make this all work together! I think I can....I think I can...I
think I can.... :)

Are Artist's Introverts?

Quote: Without doubt, the most common weakness of all people is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence ofother people. -Napoleon Hill

I came upon a poll at http://www.wetcanvas.com/. Something to the effect of "Are you an Introvert or Extrovert?"I stopped and read some of the replies, I was curious how the majority of these artistic folks answered. But, before I read the replies I answered it for myself. I answered YES! Now, I'm not saying I'm an "artist", but I've always thought of myself as kinda "artsy". I'm drawn to color, shape, texture. Yep, very visual. I also try to duplicate what I see, if I can to save a few bucks.

ME, an Introvert? But, I like people, I like my friends, my family, sometimes
even total strangers. But how could I not be an introvert? And what's wrong
with that? I love to get myself immersed in a project. I'll spend hours alone
trying to get the project finished. Then my extrovert will come out, and I'll
summons Mr.Man, and teen girl and ask them what they think... It's usually
best when they don't want me to make too many changes. But there are times
when both of them can state something so obvious and subtle and what fun it is
to run with their suggestions. I love to incorporate their tips when I can. Makes
more of a group project.

After many hours or days in a project I come up for breath. A break with family
or friends. I find that I've become more animated with them. It's like my enthusiasm for my new creation carries over into other areas of my life. I will become more extraverted. Huh???? Its usually best for the people that live with me if I have something brewing on the side. I am more relaxed that way. It's hard for me to be bored or stuck! Bring on the overwhelmed!!!

I'm curious, what are you? Do you need or tend to energize around people or
do you need to go off and recharge on your own?

Decorative Back on my IKEA chair

Customer Freebie bird from http://www.scrapgirls.com/, which I got about a year ago! Always loved this bird, but wasn't sure how I was going to use her.

I pulled the .jpg file into my photoshop program and adjusted the size to my liking, printed it out, and cut it up as my pattern. I absolutely adore RED, so that was an easy pick for the color of the bird. I found some really nice fabric at a quilt shop in town. The white fabric has a white-on-white pattern to it. It's pretty thick so I think it'll hold up to our abuse.

I debated on the white background. I was considering adding a cute little block stripe of different fabrics at the bottom of the back but in the end SIMPLICITY won out. And I think the green helps make the red pop out and not to have any other distractions in the white background fabric.

Voila!!!!

Crochet? Anyone?

I learned to knit when I was 5. My grandmother taught me. She said the hardest part about teaching me was that the knitting needles were so long and my hands were so small. Today, there are all sizes of needle lengths for even the smallest of hands. I knitted a few scarfs and afghans, and even learned to crochet while growing up. I haven't done either of these since college. I wish I learned more from my grandmother in this realm. She was the best at all things hand-made. She always inspired me and still does.

I came upon this picture in flickr and then checked out Attic24's blog. I am in love with her afghans. The colors are so beautiful. Bright and bold, just wonderful. It makes me happy just looking at these things!

I'd like to learn how to do "granny squares". Because I could do these on the go. A square here, and there. Also, with the summer months coming they wouldn't be so darn hot to sit under as I crochet. I found a shop here locally that can teach me. Note-to-self: Take crochet lessons this summer.

I want a Mentor

Build, yep, that's what I'm doing. That's what we all are doing! We are
building our lives. No, I really don't have a model or a personal guru
that I can run up to every time I feel stuck and need some help in the
decisions I'm facing. I've got to figure it out for myself. I've got
guidelines (the bible, morals, ethics), but on the day-to-day little
minor things it's pretty much up to me and the little choices I make.

For instance, I'm re-painting my Family Room. It was a light brown. This
room doesn't get much light. It faces South. When the sun is high in the
sky it doesn't really get into the room. I've been calling it THE CAVE.
The paint I've chosen is very light, almost a white. I like how it's
transforming the room. It's got a Beach House feel to it now. I want
it to be PERFECT! But I don't trust myself and my DECORATOR skills to
pull it off. I want someone to copy, someone to come running up and
TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

But I'm going to have to be BRAVE. I'm going to take it a little slow.
I'm going to have to ignore the voices in this house who don't like
change. And trust that the vision for this room will appear. I'm already
getting some ideas, and scrapping some other ones. It's fun!

How do you mentor yourself?

"Maybe being brave is no more than staring down the "less than" feeling and stepping up to the "I am worthy" feeling." -Terri St.Cloud

You Are What You Think

I have started collecting quotes that I love. I have a little 4x6 notebook that
I carry in my bag and when I see a quote that resonates with me I'll jot it down.
This quote is by Dale Carnegie. Wouldn't that have been fun to listen in on one of his talks? I can really get inspired by great speakers, speakers that tap into my self-reliance. My wanting to do more with my life, my self. I love to be around "Yes" people, it's like they give me permission.

What are some of your favorite quotes? Please share!

Mother's Day

I'm so lucky, I've been playing for the last 5 hours! I've finished up my "Doodle Alphabet" inspired by Sue Doodles at www.suedoodles.wordpress.com. I've sat
outside on one of those crisp 70 degree sunny days listening to my Kim Komando podcast as I played with my pitt, sharpie and faber-cast markers. And now my DH is making dinner, my DD is doing the salad and I get to enjoy the company of my DS for a few more hours before he goes back to school.

Yep! Life is Good!

Hope everyone is enjoying their own Special Mother's Day blessings as well!

Flicker Favorites Mosaic

1. in the dead of night, 2. trying to find my way home, 3. Party Dots Closeup, 4. Journal Page in Progress, 5. Journal Page in Progress, 6. hopscotch #2, 7. orange slide, 8. Pieces in Rhythm, 9. bfacetoon21, 10. 52Q: How do I feel today?, 11. Journal for today, 12. Babette-ish crochet cushion, 13. Beware the Grinch!, 14. Fanciful, 15. Easter Birds, 16. circle.doodle

Alphabet Doodles

I came across this blog from Sue Doodles. Isn't she so creative? I love the way she doodles. Being one that was fresh out of ideas but oh so willing to "do something" I was inspired to try my own set of Alphabet doodles. I use really good pens when I can. I have fallen in love with the 0.05 Black Micron pen. It allows me to outline real fine and it doesn't bleed into the paper.

I've uploaded the letters I have so far into Flickr. I've been doodling during my
break at work. I carry my son's old blue pencil case and a clipboard and doodle
for 30 minutes. I found some art paper at Hobby Lobby, but it's not as good as
the paper I bought from the Art Store. The down side of the art store paper is it comes in 24x36 and I have to cut it down to 8x10. The Hobby Lobby paper is already precut. I've noticed that the colors are better with the art store paper. This paper is much more forgiving to erasing pencil marks. The Hobby Lobby paper likes to take up the ink more. It has a bit of a tendency to bleed and absorb the colors and if I've erased, it grips the ink even more.

Ah well, at least I'm staying out of trouble! And having some fun at it too!!

SLOW, Mom's playing

I was wandering around Half-Price books children's section looking for a book that could teach me some fundamentals in drawing. I spotted a sticker book about SIGNS, so I grabbed it. The book is great! It's loaded with simple graphic designs. It was just what I was looking for. I was drawn to the "SLOW, Children playing" sign. Not only because I love the color yellow, but it made me think of my kids and how fast they've gone thru their childhood.

And well, now I'm in my second childhood!! LOL!! I feel like I'm a kid again, because I'm letting myself doodle, and play with paint and just indulge myself. Because now, I have some time. I think the hardest part for me is to just play with markers and paints. To allow myself to experiment with color and shape and to let it show that I'm a novice. It's so relaxing.

What are you doing that you haven't done since you were a kid?