Coptic binding

With today's technology it is so cool to be able to go to You Tube and find a tutorial on any subject you would like to learn.  In this case I found a video on how to do a Coptic binding.  I used this video
Coptic Binding.



So at 10pm I decided to try to make a journal and bind it using the Coptic binding method.  Sorry about the photos...it was a little dark in my studio.  Once I got the hang of it, the sewing part was really easy.

I'm still on the fence about this binding method.

Calligraphy 101

Today I bought this book by Jeaneen Gauthier at Joann's using my 50% off coupon. Don't you just love it when you get a deal!!!  It looks like a really complete book on calligraphy and it came with a DVD.  Jeaneen has projects that you can do as step builders.  This should be a nice way to fill up some of those journals I've been making.

When I was in college I did learn calligraphy, but like anything if you don't use it often, you forget how to do it.  I really wanted to take a local class, unfortunately I'd have to drive into Los Angeles or Santa Monica.  I've even thought about taking an online class.  I'll give the book and DVD a try and see where it takes me.

new little sketchbook

 Today I got two new stamps that I bought from Elvie Studio.  One says "color your world" and the other says "write". 

Since I've been making so many watercolor journals using my bind-it-all, I thought I'd try something different.  Teesha Moore has some neat videos on You tube showing how to make a 16 page journal with one piece of 22 x 30 watercolor paper.  I thought I'd modify her idea and this is what I came up with:

I took two pieces of 8.5 x 11 white card stock and scored each sheet at 4" and 8" leaving  a small piece on the end which is about 3.5". Next I cut each piece in half  4.25", giving me 8 pages to work on.   For the cover I used a piece of printed card stock  4.25" x 8".  I assembled the cover and pages.  In the center of the book I made three wholes, going through all the pages
cover.  Next I hand stitched the pages together.  Teesha
does a good job of explaining the binding part.

With my new stamps, attached one on the front and one
on the back.

With this little sketchbook I plan to practice doing
calligraphy.

watercolor journal

OK I promise last post of the night!  For the past week or two I've been making watercolor journals in various sizes.  I think the two sizes I like are a 8 x 8 inch journal and a 6 x 6 inch journal.

To make my journals, I've been using illustration board cut down to size and then covering  the board with printed card stock paper.  The inside of the cover I use a solid complimentary color.

Today I got to thinking...why couldn't I use heavy white card stock instead of the illustration board.
So with this watercolor journal I took white card stock cut to  6 x 6 inch and then covered the front of journal with this cool postage stamp paper.  Inside cover I used a solid burgundy card stock.  Then I used my bind-it-all to bind the book together.  The cover was heavy enough that it offered the protection of the journal pages without being flimsy.  I think tomorrow I'll be experimenting with different sizes using this new process.

Valentine card # 2

I'm not sure what's going on with blogger but I'm having trouble posting more than one image per post.

This is another sample of a Valentine card I'm thinking about making.  I really like this card and might just add a heart shaped paper dolie under all this hearts.

Valentine cards

Valentines day is not to far way and I'm still trying to figure out which card I like best.  On this card I like the heart border and the hearts of various sizes.  I don't think I like the writing or the key.  So I guess it's back to the cutting board.

IF -- Dusty

Sophie is a Fairy dog angel who spreads fairy dusty all around to give happiness and well being.

Windshield Wiper eyeglasses -- Sketchbook project

Towards the end of  my sketchbook project book I was running out of ideas.  My husband gave me a few suggestions and I ran with it.  This illustration is one of his suggestions.

Papa protecting me from the rain...sketchbook project

Here is another illustration that I included in my sketchbook project.

IF -- Chicken

 Even chicken's like to dress up when they go out for some serious shoe shopping!

school bus for the sketchbook project

This is another illustration that was included in "It's raining dogs and cats.

Pages from the sketchbook project

Here is a page from my sketchbook project "It's raining dogs and cats".  I surprised myself by mailing it more than a week from the deadline.  Once I get notification that my book has been checked in, I'll add a link.

New stamps

Look what I got in the mail...New stamps from Elvie studio  here.   Simplify and inspire...two of the things I'm trying to do in my life.  Check out her blog...not only does she create rubber stamps she also does wonderful hand made books using the Coptic binding.

The winner is!!!

Bebe...thank you for leaving a comment. 

Happy blog-a-versary!!!! Blog Candy Give away

Today is my blogs anniversary.  It's been  5 years since I started my little blog.  I can't believe how much  art I've created, which was the whole purpose of the blog...to keep me painting.  Not only have I painted but I've explored other mediums...colored pencils,watercolor pencils,book binding, card making, Chinese brush; learning how to make jewelry, and getting better with my knitting.  If it wasn't for this blog, I would not have created.

It's because of the support and kind words from my readers, I will be giving away a packet of note cards.  Please leave a comment in this post with contact information.  I will choose a random name tomorrow night and will announce the winner Thursday morning.

Handmade watercolor journals

For the last few days, instead of painting, I've been making watercolor journals using my bind-it-all machine.  As you can see, I got a little  obsessed with these journal.  I made some that were 5 x 7 inches; some that were 5 x 5 inches; 4 x 6, and finally 10 x 10 inches.  Each journal holds about 30 sheets of watercolor paper.

Making these journals gave me an opportunity to use some of the pretty card stock papers that I've been hoarding.

Maddie and the snowman

Last week it snowed all day long,  dropping enough snow that took at least 5 days to melt.  On the last day of snow left, my husband decided to make a snowman for Maddie.

Maddie was more interested in licking the snowman and trying to figure out how to eat his eyes and mouth.

IF--Deja-vu

Deja-vu...the illusion of having previously experienced...going for a walk with woman's best friend.

Magnificent Frigate Bird

I've never heard of a Magnificent Frigate Bird.  It's a different type of bird commonly found in Florida and on the Pacific coast from Mexico down into South America.  He has a rather large Scarlet throat.  I thought he was rather unusual looking.

It's snowing outside

Sophie says "it's snowing outside", as she presses her nose against the window.  I've been wanting to try encaustic painting for a long time.  So this painting was just an experiment with beeswax over watercolor and then I went over the painting with embossing powder. 

chickens

Chickens!!!  Having chickens in your back yard seems to be the latest fad.  When I lived in Washington state, my stained glass teacher had a special hen house built for her dozen or so chickens. I thought the hen house was so cute and the chickens seem to be comfortable in their house.  I love chickens and roosters, so people aren't surprised when they come to visit and find my many chickens and roosters though out my house.   The French believe they bring good luck; so I figure the more I have, the more good luck I will get.  My chickens and roosters are ceramic and very colorful.

Shih tzu puppie

Shih Tzu puppies are so cute.  This is what I had in my mind of what I thought my Shih tzu puppy would look like when I first started to look for one.  Maddie is all chocolate; so much for thinking about one color and getting something better.

Today I woke up to snow.  I live in the high desert, so it can snow maybe once a year.  It's been snowing all day.  Maddie's first experience with snow was to try to eat it.  The cold snow didn't brother her as she ran like a crazy dog all over the yard.  When I finally got her to come back in, snow was stuck to her legs and belly.  I'm not sure if she appreciated my effort to dry her off.  I finally had to take out my blow dryer and dry  her off.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!  What better way to start the day then to paint something whimsical ...Home Sweet Dog Home.   My dogs make my home a happy home.

I came across the inspiration in Somerset Workshop magazine Autumn 2010--a creative lettering project by Rena Askey.  Instead of making this a house, I made it a dog house, hence home sweet dog home.

If -- Resolution

Resolution -- making friends.

Happy New Year!

I'm finished...It's raining dogs and cats sketchbook project.

I'm happy to say I finished all my illustrations for the Sketchbook project!  YEAH!!!  Tomorrow I'll take the book to Kinko's and have the whole book copied in color.  Once that's done, it's off to the Sketchbook project in Brooklyn.  To say I'm relieved that it's done, is an understatement.  Now I just have to do my bio for the project online.  I'm glad I participated in the project.  Gave me a taste of working with a deadline.  Now I can get back to painting.

Here is the latest picture of Maddie.  Can't believe my baby is already 4 months old.

Would you believe rain drops of cats and dogs???

I wanted to have different texture pages in my sketchbook project, so this 2 page layout was done in colored pencil without using watercolor paper. 

My Mom's birthday

Today is my mother's birthday.  If she was still alive she'd be 85 years old.  A day doesn't go by that I don't think about her, but I know that she is in heaven and at peace...something that seemed to allude her on earth.  If I still lived in the SF bay area I would have gone to the cemetery to clean her head stone and bring her Xmas flowers.  When my sister comes on Saturday for Xmas, we'll have a celebration of my mom's memory.  "Happy Birthday Mom"

Raining ....dogs and cats

Dogs and cats watching it rain out side.

The sketchbook project

Today I got my new hand held scanner.  After being frustrated with the directions on how to use the scanner, I broke down and called customer service.  Within 5 minutes I had the thing working.  Now if the people who manufacture this scanner could write better instructions.  The scanner does pick up the true color on your paper, which is a plus.

More drawings for the Sketchbook project

The deadline is quickly approaching for the Sketchbook project.  I have 7 more drawings and I'm done.  I hope to be finished with all my drawings before Xmas.  Now all I have to do is scan my whole book.  Having to scan is a major production for me; my scanner is on the floor under my desk..it's so time consuming that I ordered today a hand held scanner that runs on batteries and doesn't need to be hooked up to a computer to scan.  The scanner that ordered is a VuPoint Magic Wand.  This will be an early Xmas present to me!  Once the documents have been scanned I just have to take out the memory stick and plug into my computer.

Coming up with ideas for "It's raining cats and dogs" was a challenge.   All of my drawings were completed with watercolors and markers in a whimsical "children's art" format.

IF -- Mail

Guess who's getting Mail...my little Maddie!!

Tags for xmas

Several weeks ago I went to a make-take demo on making holiday tags.  With this tag I used card board from a box, exposing the ridges inside the box layers.   Added  letters, embossed background paper, and ornaments to finish the tag.  I came home and have made a dozen or so tags.

Christmas 6 x 6 mini book

This past weekend I took a class at the local scrapbook store.  I made this really cute Christmas mini book that is packed with layers on layers of embellishments.  What made it so nice was all the planning was done by the teacher.  All I had to do was follow  her detailed photo instructions.  This mini book was very labor intensive.

Front Cover



Inside pages...layered with paper,tags, ribbon, buttons





Back Cover



Holiday cards

When I'm not busy painting, you can find me taking classes at a local scrapbook store.  These are the cards that I made from a recent class.  All the cards used sizzix embossing envelopes to add texture to the background.

Desktop Calendar for December

I've been seeing a lot on various blogs, artist making desktop calendar for anyone to download.  I think it's a great idea, so I made this calendar with a xmas picture of the original "Just Crazy About Dogs" photo.

So please feel free to download and use.  Just right click on the calendar to make it bigger and print.

It's already December????

I can't believe it's already December...Where has the time gone??  I thought I'd share a new picture of my puppy Maddie who is 14 weeks old.  She's decided that Pink is her color and has a wardrobe with many Pink dresses,sweaters, and even a Pink raincoat.  Maddie has discovered her squeaky voice and now barks whenever she wants attention.  My other dogs think she's a toy and tend to play rough with her, but you know what?...Maddie is really the trouble maker.  Out of all the puppies I've had, Maddie has been easy to potty train.  Maddie knows her name when called, understands words like outside,NO,cookie, and let's eat...all the essential words a dog needs to know.  I'm rather thankful and happy that she has come to live with us and enrich our lives with her cuteness.