Saturday Snippet 7

An appropriate quote, especially for me as I get ready to go to Canada midweek.

Happy weekend everyone!

xoxo

Lo♥ 

Illustration Friday: Journey

As she set out on her solo journey by lantern light, her friends stayed close by to ensure her safety.

For Illustration Friday: journey

This is my winning entry for a poster contest in 2005 for a festival in Pacific Grove, CA

called "Feast Of Lanterns."

Today is hubby's birthday so I had to pull something from my archives because I'm busy making dinner for friends. I had forgotten all about this piece which I so enjoyed doing!

I hope you enjoy it too! I had to print the PDF and then scan the copy. This is the best I could do.

Happy weekend!

xo

Animal Wednesday: Journal Journey

I've been a bit quiet on the blogs lately because I'm trying to instill some self-discipline towards working. Today I painted this journal for Etsy.

I scooped up a couple of these at Michael's Craft Store knowing right away what I would add. I think any one of you could have guessed!

Yes indeed, my raven friend! I painted him with an acrylic paint base and then detailed him with colored pencils.

And then I added this to the back. So true, don't you think?

So here's my Animal Wednesday post for this week, a journaling journey!

xo♥

Thankful Thursday: My Traveling Journal Has Found Her Way Home

Well here she is! My book from the ArtySoulSisters project has finally come full circle.

I'm having an awful lot of trouble with my computer today (and my stiff neck from my fall) so please click on this link to see the entire project, page by glorious page.

This will be a forever keepsake. I admire each and every one of these women that helped me put together a book with a "journey" theme, whether spiritual or physical.

Thank you ladies! You sure do rock!  

Please click to enlarge the beauty!

This was a labor of love from the start.

xo

My Artysoulsisters Journal Pages

There are nine of us artysoulsisters from around the world collaborating on nine journals. We each begin one and then we all add a page or pages to one another's book. Some of us have themes, some are freestyle.

I was going themeless at first, but as my pages evolved I realized I'd like my book to be about journies, physical ones or spiritual ones.

After all, we're all on one great big one!

I started out with our cross-country move. The snail represents the slow way home, driving vs. flying. My belongings and loved ones are on the snail's back, Emma and Bliss trying to find balance in the chaos, and of course my raven guide is along for the journey!

It wasn't too far into the trip that I realized this was more than a physical move.

I drove every single mile myself, nearly 3,800 because we detoured for a visit to my sister in Colorado. There was a nasty spider bite I had to contend with and two very scary near-misses on the highways. There were guides with us for sure!

The snail gets us to our destination leaving her glittery trail along the way. No slime in my journal! We open the doors that are clearly marked 'home' and find an envelope inside.

There are keys in the envelope welcoming us home. Little did I know that this journey would be this hard. I have come back to old friends and loving family but I deeply miss California and the life I had there.

I'm hoping when I emerge in the Spring I'll feel renewed with hope and happily settled into my new life and fill my studio with new art.

Luckily, nothing keeps me down!

Please check out the other fantastic journals at Artysoulsisters blog and follow our progress!

Illustration Friday: Cracked

I'm setting out on an inner journey as well as a physical one.

It's as if the skies cracked open to show me the way home.

It appears the 'new leaf' I needed to turn over was back there where I left it.

This is a SoulCollage I did some time last year that seems so fitting now.

Animal Wednesday : Gliding Free

This is a detail from a painting I sold last year. I regret not having a full picture of it because it's one of my favorites. The full view has the pelicans entering from the left with a lot of room on the right yet to go. Your eyes want to follow them across the canvas on their journey.

I used to sit on a bench by the bay with an elderly couple and we'd count pelicans. It was a wonderful way to spend time outside as well as keeping a lonely couple company. The man has since passed away and I don't see his wife anymore. She only lives just up the street from the bench by the bay, yet she can't bring herself there without her long-time companion. Today I can't look at a pelican without thinking of them both.

Happy Animal Wednesday, my friends. May you enjoy your journey.