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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

December Daily 2013: The Cover

 December has arrived... Time to start The December Daily!
You can follow everyone along over at:
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 I wanted RINGS this year... but seeing as I fell down our stairs last week I've 'lost' a lot of time. Enter -Quick and Simple Git'er DONE- (on the cheap!) Strategy. 
$3 Daytimer from Dollarama... 
Fugggggly, but that's OK = NO Guilt on recovering. *wink*
 
 Lots of pages and dividers... 
May or may not get used as bases.
 SCORE! 
Pockets!!!
These will get used... fer sure.

Ta-Da!!!
Paper, Tape, Thicker numbers and a wee bit o'classy Bling later...
This is what you get. 
Even was suuuuuper thrifty and flipped the wrap-label that came on it over, inked and used it in the other direction. 
Waste-Not, Want-Not!

All of Cover
 Inside Cover... almost done.
 Front Cover
 Front Cover and Spine
 Inside Covers all Done!
The 'sweater' calender in the back is a screen saver image...
The Front calendar was a freebie, Thank-You Pinterest!
The front one will be used as the 'Table of Contents' this year.

Monday, November 25, 2013

My art has been PUBLISHED!!!

https://www.createspace.com/4514664

*SQUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!*

ahem... The Book is now available.
*grinning foolishly*

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Update!!!! Published TWICE

 I will be getting published AGAIN when the shiny NEW issue comes out. 

'Quotes Illustrated' by Lesley Riley will be republished by North Light, under the new title: Inspirational Quotes Illustrated. 
Due out: November 2014 
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Quotes Illustrated is a beautiful collection of:
 100 quotes,
 Used to inspire 100 pieces of ART, 
Created by 90 artists.
 I feel very blessed to have 2 pieces included in this fantastic visual buffet! 
HUGE Thank-You to Lesley Riley for the opportunity to take part.  
  Info below on how to order AND get a 20% discount when ordering before December 7th.
Pay-Day is the 5th so I'll be ordering a bunch then!
*bounce-bounce-bounce
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Message from Lesley Riley:

Quotes Illustrated is NOW AVAILABLE! 

Grab your copy now and a few more for gift-giving..

The book is available on Amazon (search my name) and in my CreateSpace e-store where I am offering a 20% discount just in time for holiday shopping.

Here's the link to the store:  

https://www.createspace.com/4514664
and the discount code is: 

85AXKF9S

Remember, the discount is only good at the above link, not on Amazon.

At the risk of making this a VERY long post: here are the contributing artists:

Cheryl Alt, Catherine Anderson, The Altered Page (Seth Apter), Gina Rossi Armfield, Doris Arndt, Jan Avellana, Cheryl Bakke Martin, Linda C. Bannan, Serena Barton, Diane Becka, Marcia Beckett, Jill K. Berry, Darlene Campbell, Joyce Carrier, Pam Carriker, Lisa Chin,Carol Carol Clarkson, Judy Coates Perez, Dawn Collins, Tico Colada, Sarah Cooper, Chris Cozen, Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja, Holly Dean, Ingrid Dijkers, Dayle Doroshow, Patti Edmon, Sheryl Eggleston, Marla Jean Esser, Stephanie Estrin, Jerry Gonzalez, Meg Greene Malvasi, Cheryl Greenstreet, Paula Guerin, Deborah Guthrie, Susan Hance, Andrea Hawkes, Jill Hejl, Sharon Mandziak Hendry, Lynne Hoppe, Lucy Pearce Hughes, Barb Ingersoll, Jennifer Johns, Fabric Photo's Lovey, Liz Kettle, Ruth Krening, Mindy Murphy Lacefield, Lucy Landry, Leslie Levinson, Marlynn Likens, Gina Louthian, Sandy Lupton, Linda H. MacDonald, Catherine Martin, Theresa Martin, Loretta Benedetto Marvel, Stacey Merrill, Linda Teddlie Minton, Susie Monday, Patti Monroe-Mohrenweiser, Pearl Red Moon, Lulu Mypinkturtle, NM Creatrix, Norina Morris, Pattie Mosca, Karen O'Brien, Sue Perna, Pat Pitingolo, Jenny Rodda, Sandy Sapienza, Meena Schaldenbrand, Tricia Scott, Shimoda Donna Emanuel, Carol Sloan, Bonnie J. Smith, Silvia Souza, Joanie Springer, Cheryl Stevenson, Rachel Stewart, Theresa Wells Stifel, Vicki Szamborski, Kim Tedrow, Liz Cuneo Thoresen, Tamara Porter Tolkin, Michelle Tompkins, Larkin Jean Van Horn, Kirsten Murphy Varga, Kim Ward, Ellen Wilson, Nanette Strucinski Zeller

THANK YOU ALL!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Donation Art: Spain-ward-Bound!

This is a piece I made for a 'local cause'... 
A durn' good one too. :) 
Helping out the daughter of a dear friend. 

You can check out the event here:
And Please do! 
If you are not in Ottawa and would like to help out there ARE ways, just contact the event host. 

Quickie overview:
 This is a fundraiser to help Miranda get to an exchange program in Spain. She is super excited to practice her Spanish living with a family there. She is also looking forward to learning the momma's recipes!
The school's Principal is behind the plan to get Miranda to Spain. He has said if we can raise at least $1,500 he will make sure she goes.
Beside the bake and art sale, we'll be having a raffle. 

I won't blather, there are TONS of pictures below that are worth a few 1000 words at least. ;) 

Finished piece measured 14" X 11" before framing. 


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Re-Fabbing of the Frame...

Terrible 'Hotel Lobby' Style print... Gotta Go!

Matte was sponged in glossy black...

Frame sponged in 3 shades of Red...

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De-Progression of the Piece...

Finished and unframed

Finished: Close-Ups

She emerges...
 

The Outline...

The Outline: Close-Up

Bottom Right sheet of Made-Mixed-Media Paper is the background in this piece...

NaNoJouMo Day 5

NaNoJouMo
 http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com/nanojoumo2013
Day 5 Prompt:
“Flowers in Your Hair” — The Lumineers
 
The prompt led me to use a different quote I had knocking around...

Let us dance in the sun, 
wearing wild flowers in our hair... 
~Susan Polis Shutz~ 

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

NaNoJouMo Day 4

NaNoJouMo
 http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com/nanojoumo2013
Day 4 Prompt:
“These Are the Days” — Van Morrison 
 
Bit shiny today... forgot how glossy that brand of paint was, lol. 
 
Lyrics used:

These are the days now that we must savor
And we must enjoy as we can
These are the days that will last forever
and you've got to hold them, in your heart

~These Are The Days Lyrics~ By: Van Morrison
 
 
 

NaNoJouMo Day 3

NaNoJouMo
 http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com/nanojoumo2013

Day 3 Prompt:
“If I Could Fly” — Charity Chapman

Lyrics used:

If I had wings, I would soar,
Where no one ever cries,
If I had wings, I would go,
If I could fly 

~If I Could Fly~ BY: Charity Chapman
 
 

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

NaNoJouMo Day 2

 NaNoJouMo
 http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com/nanojoumo2013

Day 2 Prompt:
“Life is Free” — Arkana

This one should be super clear... 
Had to take a batch of ART in for scanning, had an extra slot on the card so it's all like professional high-res-y like. ooooo... Shiny!
I snagged some lyrics again today:

A Whisper is Sometimes
Louder Than a Scream...

Friday, November 1, 2013

NaNoJouMo 2013... has begun. Day 1

It's that time again... NaNoJouMo!
 http://dawndsokol.squarespace.com/nanojoumo2013
Good time to dust off the blog. :) 
It's been a loooong busy time moving into the New House and an even busier summer FULL of fun, foods and canning. I will be doing some updating on the New House and how we're geek-ify-ing each and every room later. 
We have a plan that will reach full fruition by the beginning of 2015. 
Oh yes, we have a PLAN! *evil cackle* 
ah-hem... soooo, On with NaNoJouMo shall we?

Today's prompt is:
“Let It Be” — Superchic(k)
I choose to use some of the Lyrics...
 We could believe in ourselves more
We could try for unique
Instead of trying to conform
We could defy what they tell us
Don't buy the lies they sell us
If we're brave we can believe in what we are

I'm also had BRAVE come to mind right away after dressing as Merida for Halloween last night. 
It worked so that's what I did! 
The background was one of the papers I already had prepared and (as usual) I painted right over.

Scanned Image:

BONUS: The Costume :)
Pretty durn good for last-last day-of minute. 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The 4th Inspirational Altered Card Deck Swap!

Summer is dwindling to a close and it's time to start coming indoors:
The garden is giving it's last, the canning is almost done (though is it ever done-done?), my four boys are back-to-school, the chill in the air is reducing time spent outside since these old bones get achy fast... 
All of which means I have TIME now, not a lot, but still *some* and it's MINE. 

Though I was sick with the 1st Back-To-School-Brought-Home-Bug the idea of wasting my *ME* time was NOT happening, so I settled down to get my cards completed for
 The 4th Inspirational Altered Card Deck Swap: http://www.carddeckswap.com
Heard about this 3 years ago and was too shy in my abilities to go for it that year...
Last year I registered but had health issues for almost the entire summer so my limited energy was spent elsewhere...
This year: 
I got it done!!!
HUZZAH!!!
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The topic this year is 'Favorite Song Lyrics'... not as easy as it sounds. 
Eventually narrowed it down to:
"See The Art in Me"
From: Art in Me by Jars of Clay

Seemed very appropriate for this AND one of my all time favorite songs!

Made Mixed Media backgrounds on 14" X 17" Strathmore Bristol.
Base layers are some of the fug-ly pattern papers I keep around for Mixed Media, printed images from my Collage collection and a few die-cut items all attached with Gloss Gel Medium.  
Top layers are Paint, Spray and Stencils. 
Once they dried a few hours, LOTS of Yummy layers...
I cut the backgrounds down to 2 1/2" X 3 1/2" 'cards' 
92 cards in total from 4 background sheets.

I made a template of a Face Silhouette with a printed image glued to some heavily waxed cardboard, a backing from a stencils package... waste-not, want-not!
Traced the stencil on each card with Broad Black Permanent Marker and colored around to make a 'Face Full of Art' on each card. 
Each one is ~completely~ unique, each it's own piece of ART.  

Then added the Lyrics on the front and my name, email, song choice on the back. 
Voila! 
90 Finished Cards 
*Only ruined 2 with my shaky hands when tracing, not bad!*

Sending the 52 required cards (plus a few extra in case she needs them...) 
AND I have some left to swap or send out in my own Happy Mail!

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9 stacks of 10 cards:


 Some of the individual cards:
 

14" X 17" Mixed Media  Background #1:
 

 14" X 17" Mixed Media  Background #2:

14" X 17" Mixed Media  Background #3:
 

 14" X 17" Mixed Media  Background #4:
 

Finished  14" X 17" Mixed Media Backgrounds drying:

erm... yes... it was QUITE messy!
 

 ***BONUS!!!***
Smeared the leftover paints in 2 of my personal Art Journals for some pretty cool backgrounds (or starts of ones...)  Waste-Not, Want-Not! *grin*

The Entire mess...
Including a page done in a Travelling Art Journal at the same time. 

Cut 'Cards':

Adding the 'Face'...
Done on the left, Stencil over a card on the right:

Adding the Lyrics:

All Done! 30 cards seen.
 Batch #1:

 All Done! 30 cards seen.
 Batch #2:

 All Done! 30 cards seen.
 Batch #3:

***Reader BONUS***
For making it aaaaaall the way to the bottom...
A Bunny Bottom!!!
Our House Bunny: Hope, was busy digging around under our Pantry Cupboards while I was gluing the Lyrics and Info on... TOO cute to not stop and take a picture of.
That is one HUGE Dust Bunny!