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.

Happy Holidays!

Hopefully all your ins are outs and everything is in the right place. :)

I'm all ready and waiting to see my girlie!! We are going to see Harry Potter over the holidays as that is a tradition we have always seen them together. I thought maybe this year she wouldn't care, but she is MAKIN me! lol. She is like we always do this together - we have to see them all. So of course we are.

Lots of exciting things brewing and I will tell you all about it in the new year!

And maybe give you a sneak peek before then.

Have a joyful time wherever you are.

Chocolate Cookie Bark

MMMMmmmm and easy peasy.

Melt some white chocolate. Add 2 T peanut butter and stir.

Melt some milk chocolate. (around 6-8 squares of each)

Add some cut up pieces of OREO cookies to both bowls and stir.(8 cookies)

Spread out in drops of both colors. Use knife to swirl.

Done.

The hardest part is stopping myself from eating it ALL.

Yikes.

We can always choose...

A page from my art journal.

Nick Bantock contest entry

This is my entry for a tribute to Nick Bantock contest. He is the author of the Griffin and Sabine books which I loved! Plus more.

There is still time to enter and the rules are here.

Here are some of my close ups. I had so much fun making this!

I had an old library card from the first book and used it. On the front of that are some metal wings and a piece of mica and a cigar tag.

I used some vintage stamps and made a hand done post mark.

A couple puzzle pieces and the number 5.

This piece of paper is tucked into the card and it is a copy of a french letter that I printed on vintage paper and then crumpled to look old.

See my entry here!

Meet Lulabelle!

This is my monster for week 3 of the willowing class. I named her Lulabelle- not sure why- the name just jumped at me.

One thing I liked about this is that it is all made from stuff I had here. All recycled! Buttons, fabric, ribbon, felt - all part of my stash. Glad it came in handy for something :) Even the stuffing! I actually had no polyfil and I wanted her done NOW. So I took a flat pillow and gutted it! hehe.

This is a detail of her tummy. I am so psyched that my simple machine even did these stitches! The heart is an embossed velvet upholstery fabric.

It was nice to be at a sewing machine again.

Willowing week 3

This is the cover of my altered book. I used scrabble tiles and a library card for the tag. Appropriately named "It's only too late if you don't start now"

Then another page spread celebrating all the things in my life...

I liked using old wallpaper with texture for the background - very cool.

Next up is my monstah!!

Willowing week 2

First was to make a background on an old childrens board book. With gesso, stamps, paint and watercolor crayons. Then a transfer of me when I was a child. yeah, that's me with my mouth wide open in my high chair. lol! Same as now right? Always laughing and talking. A good thing I guess.

Then I had to write a letter to my small self and what I would wish for her.

Turns out a lot of things I have and want in my own life!

The next spread was to do a piece that represented the opposite of a traumatic event in your childhood. I didnt have one so to do a time when you were happy. The first things I could think of was my tire swing and playing in the haymow.

The thing that was cool was that I knew I wanted a tree on one page and a barn on the next and when I turned the page and started looking to do the background - there was a tree on one side and a barn on the other!! Very freaky.

So I used kids book pages to make part of the background and the whimsy is of myself since the memories are by myself. That continues now too - I like my alone time.

Once I can get the next videos to load - ugh! I can get started on the next lesson. Looks like we are making a stuffed monster!

Winter has arrived...

Here in the north country...

This is the view out my back patio door.