Book Review - Artists Journals & Sketchbooks

I know! This has been around for a while (since 2004! ) which is a lifetime for books - but this is one I just visited. I had the library order it in for me, since I had seen it everywhere and it did not disappoint.

The author is Lynne Perrella who is a frontier in the mixed media world and it includes many other artists all of us are familiar with - Teesha Moore, Michelle Ward, Anne Bagby, Nina Bagley, Juliana Coles and many more. FULL of inspirational pictures of journals and sketchbooks PLUS techniques and ideas to make your own.

From making your books to what to put on them... this is a book that I am tempted to own and there are not many of them.

Check it out if you never have or just revisit. I am sure there is a little nugget in there you could explore!

The week in photos

Jan 22 - Snow, snow and more snow!

Jan 23 - Most of the day applying all the shortcuts and cool things I learned from this book. Very thorough and easy to understand. Some neat tricks!

Jan 24 - Music - mixed media on vintage book cover and sheet music - added to the store.

Jan 25 - Most of the day setting up my Zazzle store and making products. Fun!

Jan 26 - I HAD to clean out my cupboard with all my vintage things and ebay things for sale. All organized and now it won't take me longer to find the item than to pack it.

Jan 27 - I uploaded my sketch for the Sketchbook Challenge on my flickr. The theme for Jan is Highly prized. Books? What a surprise.

Jan 28 - And just in time for Valentines Day - some vintage cards I put on ebay.

Have a good weekend!

Etsy Treasury for HOO.

Yay! Another treasury featuring my print of Hoo this time. This was all items with paper.

Loooooove paper.

Just a little chilly....

Keeping my mind off the cold....

Last week I went to Chapters and spent the gift card I had been given by my wonderful daughter for Christmas.

Tough job - spending a few hours in the book store... but I managed. :)

This is my scoop. I got 2 new mags I have never read. Has anyone seen these? They look really fun and full of good ideas and home decorating.

I also got my first moleskine!!! Yay. It is a ruled one, but it is covered by map illustrations and inside too.

Even better when it has this on the cover....
I could never justify spending over 30 dollars on a notebook. But 1/2 off is good! See the map design? I dont know why this one was on sale - it was in with all the datebooks.

I think it would make a nice travel journal.

Then I grabbed this at the cash. It is a book for a gift card, but I think I would like to make it into a little altered book. Not sure if I will keep it orange or change that, but love the cover. And a little ribbon to close it. 2 bucks!

Well, back to painting now!

Stay warm.

Friday again?

Well, that week seemed like it went fast! Time for 365 pics again.

Jan 15 - this is a shot from my living room. I relisted my house on kijiji and lowered the price.

Details and more pics are here.

Jan 16 - Worked on my Strathmore workshop journal page. This was using pages of my other collage works. This was the first stage.

Jan 17 - Very cold up here in Canada - brrr. -31C at 9AM. Frost on the windows for sure!

Jan 18 - I got my tags stamped and ready for a swap I am in. I am getting 20 different stamped tags back! Can't wait to see what I get and I will be sure to post them.

Jan 19 - A painting in progress...

Jan 20 - Books that I have listed on ebay.

Jan 21 - Today! I just listed this new original in the shop.

Have a good weekend! I am gonna be making art, reading, watching movies - all the while TRYING to stay warm in the deep freeze we are going to be in.

What are you up to?

New Collage Art

No. 162

Fluttering

Prints available now at the shop

Cupcake - New ORIGINAL

Available here

Etsy Treasury!

My painting "Be Free" is featured on an Etsy treasury!

The link is here

2nd week 365 pics

Jan 8 - my friends birthday card I made her. We went for dinner at the Keg too - very yummy!

Jan 9 - Groceries on the way home...

Jan 10 - Sweet potato fries I made for supper.

Jan 11 - House sitting for friends.

Jan 12
Jan 13- At my friends house - a cool glass window in the bath.

Jan 14 - More things to put up for sale.

This is kind of neat - having a daily diary of my life this year.

Still at it...

I have uploaded some paintings to etsy - link on the sidebar with some preview pics - and I have made a facebook art page! That is exciting and a link to that is on the sidebar too along with the cute little blue bird from twitter. :)

I better get back at MAKING the artwork.

More pics to come...

365 Project

So... I already posted the first pic on Jan 1 and these are the next ones for the week.

A cool cup I got from Sarah for Christmas. I like owls. And I don't drink a lot of coffee, so it is beside my computer where I can see it all the time.

Jan 3 was spent most of the day looking at this. Got a lot done though!

Jan4 - this is a decal that Sarah got me too. This is in the craft room.

Jan5 - cupcakes I made for Sarah's birthday.

Jan 6 - A trip to the library and these are SOME of the books I got. Look at the size of that snow leopard book! And I only get it for 3 weeks cause someone else wants it next.eek.

Today. Some of the prints I just listed on the etsy shop! They turned out really well and it is exciting.

Sorry for some flashes... sometimes I wouldnt think of it till later and since it is dark here now at around 430 (yuck!) I had to use flash. :)

New website!

Well, the website is up and there's still some more work - like load all my artwork! But there is a big chunk done and I am liking it so far.

The link is cherylconnell.ca and I would appreciate you checking it out. If you came here FROM the site - hello! And please make a comment.

Stay tuned for lots more updates and happenings!

A new year and a new word.

First, I am going to attempt the photo a day 365 challenge. Number one above! I will probably post them weekly but I will try to TAKE a photo each day. How hard can that be? :)

Christmas and Holidays was quiet and nice with family. I had my decorations BURIED so it was good that I went away! That meant that the stocking for Sarah was buried too and even though she is 18 (19 in 3 days! ) she still loves her stocking. I was gonna buy one, but I decided since I had the sewing machine out from making the monster (past post) I would make her one!

I hand stitched the name and did the trim and ribbon. She LOVED it! and now she can take it with her for her next Christmases.

Speaking of the previous monster, when she saw the one I had made - she wanted one! So I made her one of those too.

It's a rockin out one and with some leather and lace. She loved this too! And she can be a little picky... just sayin. She will tell you what she likes and doesn't like and she's not the "artsy" type like her mama so it was nice to see her like the stuff I did.

So now on Day 2 of 2011 I am putting out my word for the year too.

FOCUS.

Something I need a lot of - lol. I tend to do lots of things, have lots of ideas, and not get anything done. Some things done, but not the LISTS of things I would like.

So now to focus, get off the computer more - or USE it for making those things happen. Have a schedule for art, for reading, for leisure, make some deadlines and follow through.

I don't want to be all rigid but just clearer on the vision - FOCUS.

Good one.