Paint With Me - Three

The theme for Paint With Me Thursday is "three".  In keeping with my last PWMT post, the main focus for me was to "just do it".  I have a hard time drawing things without a picture or photograph to look at.  Drawing things that are just from my head has always been a struggle, so I thought I would try it.

This is Dylan's drawing of "three".  It is Dylan, Jim, and I.  What?  You didn't recognize me?

Don't you just love the way our "hair" floats above our heads?  And our "arms" come out of our "heads", along with our "ears"?  I think I'm the colorful one, with really long legs.

By the way, I forgot to tell this story last week.  For "self portrait", I was going to write words that describe me.  I was writing some ideas down, and Dylan asked what I was doing.  I said, "I'm trying to think of words that describe me".  He was confused at first, but eventually told me I am "Funny", "Silly", and "Happy".  The fact that he would use those THREE words to describe me makes me incredibly "Happy"!

(Speaking of "three", we had professional photos taken of the three of us this past weekend.  I will try to figure out how to post them soon).

Paint With Me - Self Portraits (and Smear)

I have this problem with Paint With Me Thursdays. I went to college for four years to get a degree in Art. I feel that if I'm going to paint/draw something, it should be GOOD. And, there is the problem - I don't have time to be GOOD. I have a really hard time carving out an hour or two of uninterrupted, child free creative time. So, what do I do? Nothing.

Did you ever see the Friends episode where Monica's credit card is stolen, and the woman who steals it is charging all these amazing, fun things that Monica has always wanted to do? She decides to go to one of the classes to confront the woman, and ends up taking the class herself. At the end of the episode, the teacher of the class yells at her, "Monica! You're doing it all wrong!" She answers, "Yea, but at least I'm doing it!" At the time, that really struck a chord with me. I think I need to get on board with that concept. So, this week, I didn't do anything GOOD for Paint With Me Thursday. But... I did it.

Actually I did it last week also, but then didn't get time to post it. Last week's theme was "Smear". I immediately thought of the fact that my glasses are smeared constantly.
First, I took a picture of my glasses.

Then, I quickly sketched them with a marker. Then, the phone rang, and when I got back, Dylan had added a few "smears" of his own with a pencil. At that point, I decided, if you can't beat them join them, so he helped me make another thing that is always smeared around here - his hands.

Now, on to this week's theme - Self Portraits.  I forced myself to just do a quick cartoon with markers, so I didn't over think it, or obsess.(My hair is a hot mess lately)

This one is from college. This represents the things that make me feel alive... Sunny days, the ocean, creativity and art, following my own path, and love and friendship. The words at the top say, "I want to see the world as if seeing it through a child's eyes... with curiosity, with hope, with honesty, and with love".

Paint With Me - Fences

This week's theme for Paint With Me was fences.  I took a picture, and played with Photoshop again.

Since I kept it so short and sweet this week, why don't you read another post?  Stay a while.  Let's catch up.  Pull up a chair, and I'll pour you a cold drink.  Let's talk... but not about politics, because I'm having a hard time teetering on top of this fence.

Paint With Me - Dandelions

I have to multi-task everything lately, so last week and this week, I took photos for the Paint With Me challenge, on a walk.  I've been trying to get more exercise AND be more creative, so it works.

Jim gave me a quick refresher course in Photoshop, and these were the result...

I wrote this post about my mom a while back, which is what the "See Flowers, Not Weeds" refers to.

I have to thank Nicole for introducing me to the font.

Circles

When I saw what the theme was for Paint With Me Thursday this week, Circles, I was reminded of something I've been wanting to do with Dylan for a while now.  When I told him we were going on a "Circle Walk" after his nap, he ran upstairs and jumped in bed!  You would have thought chocolate chip cookies were involved.

The idea was for both of us to take pictures on the walk, but his camera battery needed recharged, and telling my kid to "Wait", or "Be patient", is like telling the sun not to shine.   So, I took the pictures.  He ran ahead of me, shouting loud enough for all the neighbors to hear, "I FOUND ONE!!"  He insisted on me taking a shot of every.stinkin'.circle.in.our.neighborhood.  After getting a few odd neighborly looks, as I took pictures of people's tires, or wreaths on doors, a few rules had to be established.  I couldn't believe how many circles there were in our little neck of the woods!

The circle theme also reminded me of something I've been wanting to do with the little girl at work.  There is no way I would attempt this particular craft with Dylan at this age, but I figured at almost 5, she could handle it.  

We made Bubble Prints.  Have you ever tried it?  Basically all you need is a small bowl, some dishwashing detergent, some food coloring, a few straws, and some white paper.  If you are doing it in another person's house, like I was, you'll want to make sure you put down lots of newspaper, or towels, or SOMETHING before you get started.  

Put some detergent in the bowl.  Add some food coloring, then fill the bowl about half way with water.  Put your straw in and blow gently, until some bubbles form on the top of the bowl.  Then lay your paper on top to make the prints.  It is the BLOW GENTLY part that she had issues with, causing me to regret not putting down the newspaper initially.  Trust me, this is just fun!  Or, as she said, looking up at me adoringly, "This is one of your best crafts ever!"

Here's one more craft with circles.  This is what Dylan made his grandmas for Mother's Day, 

(with Mommy's help)...

Black And White Photos

This week's Paint With Me Thursday theme, over at Simply Feather's blog, was Black and White.  With Mother's Day and my Anniversary coming up, along with a busy, busy week, I didn't have much time to experiment.  I used my camera at the playground.

(The first shot is what he looked like while playing at the playground.  This shot is what he looked like when I said we had to go home!)

A Creative Family

It's Thursday!  You know what that means, don't you?  Time for Simply Feather's Paint With Me challenge.  After you look at my stuff, why don't you head over there to see what everyone else made?  Who knows?  You might leave inspired.

Here's what Dylan made this week...

Other than cutting the egg carton, I didn't help.  I just sat back and watched him create, loving the look of concentration he gets on his face.

This one, I finished a few weeks ago, for my Mom's birthday.  But, I was rushing to get it done in time, and used the wrong adhesive, so I made her return it, because stuff was already falling off.  Dylan made the picture of him and "Mi-Mi" holding hands, and wrote "I love Mi-Mi".  I just made them smaller, so they would fit.

Remember this from last week?

Well, I made it into this...

One problem.  I need one more T!  It is supposed to say "The Great Outdoors" at the top.  So, now I have to go back to Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michael's and get a whole new sheet, just for one letter.  Of course, you know whichever store I go to first will be the wrong one, right?  GAH!  Another unfinished project!

Now, I've been talking about my talented artistic husband, so I thought I would show you what he's been working on.  I'm fairly certain once you see this, you'll forget all about what I made.  Try to throw a little love my way, too, okay?  My ego is fragile, you know.

What Was I Saying?

I'm not a slob. I'm not lazy. I'm not stupid. I'm not afraid to try new things. I just lack focus. This fact became startlingly clear to me a couple of weeks ago, when my parents watched Dylan for the day, so Jim and I could tackle the studio. If you're going "Studio?", let me explain. Jim is a graphic designer, and is an extremely talented and creative artist. He went to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. So did I, among other schools (See? Lack of focus!). No, that's not where we met. He's 7 years older than me, so when he was there, I was... just noticing boys maybe don't have cooties? Between the two of us, we have just about every art material/tool imaginable. That is why it's not an office, or a study. It's a studio.

The studio was a raging mess. It needed organized. It needed shelving. It still needs organizing. It probably needs more shelving. It definitely needs decorating. It needs new furniture. But, back to my point. I lack focus. (See?)

Here are the photos to prove it...

(Click on the photos to enlarge)
I never sold a photo I took, (unless you count when I worked at Olan Mills).  I got to page 28 on the first journal and didn't fill out a single page in the second.  I never invested online.  I gave up on the silk screen, and t-shirt business idea.  I never put The Monet Project on the wall.  Those last two?  Well...just... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Something happened in the studio that day.  I was shamed.  Shamed into action.  I need to stop starting new projects.  I need to start finishing old projects.  So... I did!

(I've had this frame for two years!  TWO YEARS!)

(Feather posted this idea back in October, and I said I was gonna do it.  OCTOBER!)

(This one Dylan made.  I saw the idea in a magazine 

 last week, and we made it this week!  This is BIG people!)

(I thought the frog was cute, and

it is a TOY!  I even followed the rules this week!)

(I like the one on the magazine better.  The store I went to didn't have a black zipper, and I had a few other problems, but I did it!  A FINISHED project!

Although the studio shame gave me the biggest kick in the pants, I would like to give Feather credit also.  She got the creative juices flowing initially, with the Paint With Me challenge.  How about you?  Got some unfinished projects sitting around?  Why don't you join in?

Paint With Me - What Week Are We On Anyway?

I sat down with Dylan, to try and paint some umbrellas.  Five minutes into our painting session, he spilled the entire cup of water all over the table, and the floor.  After that, he was disgusted with himself, and insisted that we do something else.  So much for finding myself in The Zone this week!

I did finish the second scrap box, but I don't have a picture of it.  It was a gift for my mom, for her birthday, and I rushed to finish it, forgetting to even snap a picture!  So, I will just show you a few things we've been creating the past few weeks...

Dylan painted a birdhouse.  He was very serious, very concentrated.  He couldn't wait to see some birds come to eat the seeds we put in it.  We have not seen a single bird!  Could someone explain that?  Did we accidentally paint it a color that scares birds? What the heck?

I love Sesame Street.  I grew up watching it, and now I'm watching it with Dylan.  He's learning all sorts of new words - "Hibernation", "Metamorphosis", "Habitat", etc. (I drew the picture with a permanent marker first, which explains the line that doesn't belong. Then colored it with Dylan's markers).

Do you know about "Rolie Polie Olie"?  It is one of our favorite children's books!  The pictures are adorable, and the rhymes are just fun to read. "The Rolie Polie Rumba Dance was always done in underpants".

(I drew this one with pencil first, then colored it in with markers).

If you would like to join in on this Paint With Me challenge, or just want to see some other creativity, check out Feather's site.

Scrap Boxing

Ever since the Paint With Me challenge started over at Simply Feather, there's been more art in my life.  More looking at other bloggers' art, (which I am greatly enjoying), more thinking about art, more talking about art (my husband's an artist), and of course, more creating art.

Every time I go to Target, and wow, I go a lot, I find myself in the dollar section.  I find my hands full of scrap booking supplies.  I never knew why.  I don't scrapbook.  I don't have the time or desire to scrapbook.  It didn't make any sense, but I just kept buying those stickers.  I figured it involved a desire to go back to my childhood, to the days of collecting stickers for my super cool sticker book.

Recently, I finally figured it out.  Scrap Boxes!  I made my first one last week.  I'm just about done with my second, and I've started on my third.  It has nothing to do with nature.  Sorry!  I'm not the greatest at following the rules.  Perhaps you've noticed!  But, I'm participating, and that's what counts, right?

(I blurred out some details (like our last name) )

I didn't have a lot of time, when I posted this.  Here are the detailed shots...

(The first shots taken of Jim and I with Dylan - Jim's taken with my cell phone, because Dylan came so fast, we didn't even have a camera with us!)

(Look how little his feet were!)

(The little hat he wore at the hospital, and the picture the hospital took).

(His little bracelet, and the bib his doctor gave me).

Scrap boxing appeals to me because instead of shoving these precious things in a box, which would probably be lost, or end up in the attic collecting dust, they will be displayed and cherished.

The Zone

My favorite art teacher didn't walk, she glided gracefully through the classroom.  She was a strong, confident woman, but sweet and soft-spoken at the same time.  She never tore people down, but instead made all of us feel special.  She made us want to be better.  She taught us to use the right side of our brains, the creative side, and how to get in "The Zone".  When you're in "The Zone", you are creating freely, without inhibitions, without worry of "doing it right".  You lose track of time and place.  Your body and your mind is peaceful, caught up in the joy of being creative.

I used to be The Queen of "The Zone".  I had an art class right before dinner, and I would meet my roommate, and some of our other friends at the cafeteria.  When someone would talk to me, my roommate would say, "Don't even try to talk to Jen for at least 15 minutes.  She's still in The Zone".

My junior year of college I transferred to the college where my dad taught (where I should have gone all along).  At that college, juniors went to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for a year, and completed a Visual Communications/Graphics program.  This was a bit of a struggle for me.  Previously my art was very loose, very free, and very messy.  Suddenly the focus was on precision, design, and execution.

These days, when I try to draw, or paint, or do anything creative, I struggle to balance the two sides of myself - the free and the precise.  I probably lean more towards the graphic side.  The free, loose part of myself is harder to reach.  It's hard to get in "The Zone" when your 3 year old is saying, "Are you done NOW?... How about NOW?"  That is why I love what I did last week for the Spring prompt (I'm a week late).

I started out drawing the picture in pencil, then colored it in marker.  Then, I got out the watercolors, and the precise side of myself tried to paint "inside the lines" (I'll discuss that some other day).  But, that's the great thing about watercolors.  They bleed.  They run.  They do what they want.  They force you to be free.  I won't say I reached "The Zone", but I could almost feel it on the horizon.

(If you don't know by now, Simply Feather, is the ringleader of this Paint With Me weekly challenge.  If you are creative, or long to be, head over and find out how to participate.)

If Ever It Were Time To Leave A Comment

As I mentioned last week, many moons ago I was an art major.  Some of the people majoring in other subjects thought that we had it pretty easy.  They thought that while they were reading chapter after chapter, and studying for tests, that we were just painting the days away.  They didn't know about the critiques.

In my art classes, every so often, it was critique day.  On that day, we would each line, or hang our work up on one wall, and then the torture would begin.  When it was time for everyone to critique my work, I would do an inner pep talk to appear confident, but in truth, I was sweating and ready to collapse from the anticipation.  When people would say something critical about my work it was tough.  But, the absolute worst was when the teacher would ask for opinions and the room would fall silent!  I'm telling you, I would rather a person say it was the worst piece of junk they ever saw, than to say nothing.  Saying nothing, to me, said that they didn't care.  The piece had no effect on them.  It didn't make them feel... anything... think...anything.  They didn't care enough to even give me some constructive criticism.  Ouch.

So, when Lisa over at Boondock Ramblings, asked me to show some of the art from my art school days, I cringed.  Did I really want to open myself up to that?  What if I show my work and I only get one or two comments?  I'm not sure my ego can take it, people!  But, this Paint With Me thing IS a challenge, and what's a challenge without...well... challenging yourself a bit?  So, please, say whatever you want to say.  Be brutal.  Be honest.  Just say SOMETHING, okay?  (I'm talking to you people who never comment, too.  If you don't know me, you can be even more honest.  I don't know where you live!  If you don't want to leave a comment, email me.  I'm declaring this National De-Lurking Day).

(Heather, I did do something artistic this week also, but I'll save that until next week. I can only take so much! Didn't want you to think I cheated!)

Once An Artist, Always An Artist?

I work as a nanny on Mondays and Tuesdays.  I've been a nanny for 6 years now, and I've worked for numerous families in that time.  I always do art projects with the kids.  I certainly don't get paid extra to do so, and I don't even get much extra appreciation from the parents, if any.  But, the kids?  LOVE them.

At my current job, we are too busy on Mondays, but every Tuesday morning the little girl greets me with "Did you bring an art project?!"  I'm not sure she'd let me in the door without one.

When Heather, over at Simply Feather started talking about this Paint With Me project she has going on, I knew I could always fall back on my weekly art projects.  I didn't want to, though.  I wanted to create something for me.  Something I wanted to create.  See, years and years ago, I was a college student, majoring in Art.  Yep, that was me, running across the campus with charcoal and paint smeared on my clothes, my face, my hair, late for Spanish class because I got so engrossed in my art class.  Now, X years later, a husband, a kid, and adult responsibilities, I've lost that part of myself.  But, maybe, just maybe this Feather girl is going to bring a bit of it back.  What about you?  Are you missing that artistic part of yourself?  Why don't you join in?

We made crayon resists. If you've never tried it, first you color an entire white paper with crayons (start with a small sheet and put the color on thick). Nothing fancy, just blocks of color covering the page. Next you cover the entire paper in black tempera paint (again, a THICK layer of paint. The little girl didn't really listen when I said "Thick layer of paint" and I hate to harp on someone while they are in the process, so hers didn't really work). Once that dries completely, use a toothpick or chopstick to scratch through the paint, revealing the colors underneath. It's a tricky process, as the paint flakes off in ways you can't always control. Just go with the flow. Don't be upset if it looks a bit like a kid did it. This one is mine, not the little girl's! : ) (Maybe next week I'll do something for myself).