Tuesday, March 11, 2014

doodle-oodle-do

I admit it...I had to take a break from my dictionary...it is still there and waiting for my March choices but for the past few days I have been doodling.

First I found a little youtube video of how to make a little tabbed book.  Really cute and really easy!  Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceBr0pgS85s&list=UUR_hv9cJ23G29-OaSZKVkaA

Heer is my blank book:
Honestly this was so much fun to make and because I had a blast I am making up a few of these for future use...I am also going to teach some great students how to make these books in an upcoming workshop.  The only question is...are you one of those great students?

But I digress.  I am filling this little book with my own doodles, quotes and other little pieces.  Here is my progress so far:
Front cover:
Done with prismacolor markers and copic markers.....Scarlett Lime Pilot Pen for all black
Front cover with band:
Inside front cover:
next:
loving the Tim Holtz Distress Spritzer for putting sand in our hair and on our faces!

inside cover and page 2 full view:

Page 3: lucky me

Tim Holtz Distress Markers and ScarlettLime Pilot Pen
Page 4:
missing the ocean
Tim Holtz and Zig Scroll and Brush with Scarlet Lime Pilot Pen

page. 6: to-do-list
 
Okay that is it for now.  I will continue to fill this book with doodles and quotes and lists.  It relaxes me and fills me with a sense of accomplishment.
 
I had a wonderful gift come to me today.  I have arthritis in my hands and wrists and have had since I can remember.  Today the mailman delivered a pair of Tommy Copper fingerless gloves.  They are compression gloves and for the first time in weeks my hands are almost completely pain free and my freedom of motion is vastly improved.  Thank you Patti!  You cannot begin to know what this means to me.
always,
michele






Thursday, February 20, 2014

Holy Socks!

Kathee came by the shop on Tuesday to show me all the new words she has recorded in her dictionary and to give me a little kick in the pants!  I have been doing a little doodling here and there but not nearly as consistently as I should...kick taken!
 
I will get all her beautiful words up in a day or two but in the meantime I thought I would share some of the little doodles I have been doing.
 
Pluviophile: one who loves rain!
It has been wet here this month, thank goodness, so this word was perfect!

Cheep: the sound a chick makes...hence...chick chat!

Chalk Art:  love!  I love the black and white of chalk art...just makes me happy

believe: a list (not complete but important) of what I believe

The Beatles: not in the dictionary so I added a page...the music of my generation

abecedarian: a person learning the alphabet 

bel-esprit: beautiful spirit


love

heart

January: first month of our dictionary challenge

February: 2nd month of the year!
 
Okay that is a little of what I have done this month...what have you been up to?
Please share!
always,
michele
  p.s.
here a few more I neglected to put online

 



 

Friday, January 24, 2014

gone so long

I am so sorry I have been absent so long...first came our California trip and then came the flu from heck!  I worked through the first week of this awful stuff and now on week two I feel like poo.  I have found that the worse part is that I have a hard time seeing to type when my eyes are watering like a flood!  Enough of my woes and on to more fun stuff...
 
Kathee Clark came by the shop with her old dictionary and I got to take photos for the blog and facebook.  WoW!  She is so organized and her work is wonderful...First off I want to tell you about her organizational skills....
 
She has a little pocket calendar she keeps with her and each day she writes in the calendar what word she worked on for that day.  CRIKEYS!  I not only do not have a pocket calendar, even if I did I would have lost it by now!
Then in her Dictionary she dates each word! Who would have thought!
 
So for your enjoyment I am featuring Kathee's work.  Enjoy!









 










 


 
 

Thursday, January 9, 2014

tools

 
tool:
An instrument used or worked by hand
 
This week is becoming more busy by the moment...I have so much to do and yet I have things I really want to do that have nothing to do with my "to do" list.
 
So instead of checking off things to do on my list I am taking the next 20 minutes to talk about tools.
Each of us are going to use different tools, whatever is available and so on to create the kind of  "dictionary" we want to keep.
Sarah Williams isn't using a dictionary because she likes a more lumpy bumpy interactive result.
Pat Gomm's tool is her camera and with it she captures the words she is illustrating.
I like pens and color and all kinds of mixed media so I use anything I can get my hands on
Some of us are going to like pencils
Some will want all black and white
Some will add bits and pieces of fabric, book pages, music and more.
 
There is no right or wrong in this challenge.
There is no grade.
I have no expectations other than we will support each other and give freely of our talents
 
I have been asked the "bleed" question.  I have found one black pen that is not bleeding at all in my pages
here is the link to this pen...you're welcome
 
There are other black pens I use in various line weights. In no particular order they are:
PITT - all widths
millennium
zig liner
uniball signo in black and white
sharpie - all widths
papermate flair (an oldie that is still a fav)
 
I don't limit myself to any one pen because different pens are more suitable for different projects.
It is up to you to find the one you like best.
 
Other bleeding things:
Stains bleed
watercolors bleed
copics bleed
zig bleed
sharpies and bic bleed
pencils don't bleed unless you add water
 
 
I really don't mind any colors or images bleeding through to the other side of my page.  If you are not comfortable with this stick with colored pencils
 
 
My other tools include
copics

distress markers (watercolor)

stardust gel pens

my originals - zig scroll and brush & writers

colored pencils

Tim Holtz distress stains

old school bics and sharpies.
 
I use a glue pen when I am adding elements to my page
 
I use notebook paper, old book pages, and music pages to my dictionary.  I also use stamp pads and stamps.  I have also used chalkboard paint, chalk and white pens.  Keep looking for ways to expand your art and your pallet.
 
Challenge:
Try something you haven't tried before
Promise:
even if it is a disaster it will still have value because you will have learned!
 
always,
michele