Be Who You Are

above: a gift from me to you for your personal desktop use, open it up, right click to save + enjoy! :)

I can't believe it's March already and Spring is right around the corner!! How are things with you shaping up right now? I wasn't as productive in February as I had hoped, but I hit the ground running this week and looking forward to sharing a few really cool projects I'm working on very soon...

As you may or may not know, The Lorax premieres tomorrow on Dr. Seuss's birthday - which just happens to be one day before my daughter's b-day. She loved it when she was in elementary school because the teachers always did something fun or cool right before her special day! And she still remembers the first book she ever read of his, "Hop on Pop" followed by "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" and "Green Eggs and Ham"...

Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel, March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) has always been a favorite children's book illustrator of mine, he had a real feel for what kids (and adults) needed to hear in a style that was colorful, weird and charming all at the same time!

I feel very devoted to keeping kids and adults reading [real paper books] in this very digital age - and freaked out a bit when I read that Borders was closing down stores last year, I was like - umm ok, why don't we start burning books too....

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved walking into libraries and book stores seeing & smelling all that knowledge and fresh information! In fact, every time we move one of the first things on my to-do list is to seek out the local library and sign up - hello, geek alert! :)

My daughter and I didn't read all of the books below but these 5 Seuss books are ones that are more than just stories, they teach kids how to handle challenging situations and open their minds more:

The Lorax – Teaches children the need to be environmentally conscious, The Lorax speaks for the trees ("Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better. It's not.")
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (a personal all-time favorite) – Teaches children how to remain positive when faced with adversity
The Cat in the Hat – Teaches children about responsibility and honesty
I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! – Teaches children that reading is a useful tool to acquire knowledge
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street – Teaches children to be imaginative

I hope I've inspired you to take yourself on an artist's date to the library or pick up a book & read with someone - have a wonderful 'unplugged' weekend!

Dropping Petals

We come to realize how fragile life is

As time passes and things fade away.

We may remember some moments

with wistfulness, sadness or regret.

Even when we know the necessity

of 'dropping petals'

If we are ever to bloom again.

-- LTM

Do you need to "drop some petals"?
What are you holding onto that you need to let go of?

We all fade and then bloom again in one way or another....

Don't be afraid to drop those faded petals - creative methods that aren't working for you, a relationship that has had its' time, or maybe it's a negative habit you've wanted to give up....

Those 'faded petals' hold you back and hinder you from fully blossoming...

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Working on a new journal today, signatures are pressed,

needle & thread are ready to go....

will post how-to's very soon, so stay tuned.

And now it's time for some iced 'sweet tea', temps are heading up

into the 100's again today - stay cool....

More Photocrom[e]s

A few more Photocroms, fresh from my camera to your screen...

found a windmill close enough to the road to grab this shot...


taken on top of the Amistad Dam: Rio Grand separating Texas [left] and Mexico [right]...

Happy Monday y'all, have a great week!

Happy Independence Day!

My red, white & blue (with a splash of yellow sunshine) for y'all this 4th of July weekend! :>

I love the results of the technique I tried out today playing around in PS Elements! I was going for a vintage postcard look inspired by "Photochroms".

According to the American Photochrom Archive Gallery a "Photochrom (also 'Photochrome' - it was originally developed in Switzerland and to aid pronunciation when it was introduced to America, an 'e' was added) is a color photo lithograph, produced from a black-and-white negative. The final prints were created using different color impressions from multiple lithographic stones. A minimum of four stones and as many as fourteen stones might be used for a given image."

This technique became very popular in the 1890's, especially when the Post Office introduced the penny postcard.

Shown below is the original photo: good angle and shadow play but the vintage look takes it up a few notches. I'm hooked on this technique and can't wait to play around with it some more.....



Wishing you a safe and happy holiday!!!

January Art Journalers - Altered Photo

affirmations journal - title to be determined when journaled :>

The prompt today for Misty's Jan. Art Journalers is 'altered photo'. I was organizing my studio today and came across one of my fave magazines Cloth, Paper, Scissors and remembered that there was an article in there about altering photos digitally. Do you have the Jan./ Feb. issue? Well....let me tell you about this feature article in the Workshop section by my friend, Chrysti Hydeck (whom I had the pleasure of meeting in person at the inaugural ZNE art retreat in Cali last year, her work is stunning). This article ROCKS! If you haven't done much in the way of digital art, you must give her step-by-steps a try.

This photo is from my private collection and was taken in Michigan about 2 years ago. The aged/spotted portion of it is a manipulated photo of an old cookie sheet that I was ready to toss, no kidding! Anyhow, Chrysti's instructions were super easy to follow with lots of variations to help you personalize your own work.

Okay, I'm off to do a print of this and work it into a journal page......