While I am working on a real post...

...I want to share a link.  I have a beautimous* picture as wallpaper on my desktop, shared from a blog of someone 'way more artistic and creative than I, and generous, too!  I love having the little handdrawn calendar in the corner.  Can I stand to let it go next week to switch to her November desktop?  For some reason, I cannot link to single posts on her blog.  The October 17 and 18 posts are the ones, but her whole blog delights me.  Check it out!

Gennine's Art Blog

* Yes, beautimous is a real word.  My Daddy said so.

Sepia-Toned Ephesian Journal

This year I am reading Ephesians. 

I know, it can be read easily in one sitting.  And I have read it in one sitting. 

But I am letting it sink in deeper, memorizing some of it (maybe all by December 31, but I am not requiring that of myself.)  I am writing down sections in a special art journal. Each page may have a passage, or maybe just a few words, like the page that says, "MADE ALIVE IN CHRIST - it is by grace you have been saved -", or the page that says, "brought near."  Other pages might have whole passages, like the one that says,"Therefore, laying aside all falsehood speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.  Be angry, and yet do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. (4:26-28)"

Putting these words in my handwriting, sometimes in all caps, sometimes cursive, sometimes calligraphy, helps me remember them.  I'm a visual learner, and I picture where the info is on a page; especially if I have written it myself.  (I can still squint my eyes and see certain pages from my high school Biology notebook, mid 1970's.)

This is an exercise in art, too - a bit of an art journal.  I've kept it in mostly brown and golden tones.  I've vacillated between calling it tea-stained or sepia-tone.  One of my stamp pads is cordovan-color.  I really like that one.

Some of the pages are just words; others have a little picture or a stamped border. 

This little angel is my rendition of the little statuette that sits on my desk, a gift from our Sunday School class a couple of years ago, she is signing "love."

Some pages I've made tea-stained or coffee-stained.  (no cream:) 

Sometimes I pre-decorate the pages; other times I write, then decorate. Some pages are just plain words.

Some of the pages I like better than others.

So far, I have not decided what to do with the cover.  I may adhere some pretty cloth. 

It's all part of letting the Word of Christ richly dwell among me (Col. 3:16).  And you. 

What Was I Afraid of?

I used to long to know more about art supplies.  I wanted to try out real art supplies.  I wondered what "pastels" were.  I wondered what it would feel like to paint on real canvas.

I would look over furtively from the "craft" side of an arts and crafts store, to try to see what was in the "art" side.  All those tools - what was their purpose?  All those colors.  All that paper...

After learning a bit of decorative painting in a class at age 15, I was able to walk boldly to the paint section, confidently picking out tubes of acrylics and oil paint, but those pastels still intimidated me.  I felt sure the real artists who worked there just knew I didn't really belong. 

What was I afraid of?  Snooty art store staff?  Didn't I know that they are in business to sell me those pastels?

After attending my first Creative Memories scrapbooking class (more than a decade ago!), I grew bold about acid-free pens and paper.  Hurray! Another section of the arts store conquered.

Now, just now, as a middle-aged homeschooling Mama, I am finally losing my fear of art supplies and embracing the lay artist I could be.  What has opened up the world of art for me?  Homeschooling! 

I've actually ventured into the art section of our library, as though I was...an artist.  Here are a couple of things I found there:   The Decorated Page, by Gwen Diehn, and Altered Books, Collaborative Journals, and Other Adventures in Bookmaking, by Holly Harrison. 

Now I'm working on an art journal.  Here is some coffee-staining in progress.  More next time.

I checked out I Draw, I Paint: Colored Pencils, by Isidro Sanchez; and Earthgirl, that intrepid child artist, took it to her desk and went to work.  Look at those cat eyes! 

Evidently she has no fear of art supplies.

By the way, I have some oil pastels now.

Something New for Me

Come visit me over at Sm'Arties and see what we are creating!

I can hardly believe I am featuring a boy wearing a UF shirt.

Illuminated Book

Here is a site out of the Victoria and Albert Museum (a place I want to visit someday) with directions and a template for making your own illuminated book.Earthgirl and I have not done this yet, but we will - oh, yes, we will! I don't remember where I first saw this, but a recent post in Jamin's blog reminded me.

In the meantime I started playing with one page, printed by accident on goldenrod paper, using watercolor pencils, a recent addition to our art stack. I love these! You color just like regular colored pencils, then can wash them with a wet brush.  The colors pop out, and you can blend a little.

I think this will be a popular project.  While I was preparing this post, 2 little almost-9-year-olds looked over my shoulder asking, "Did you do that?  Where is it?" 

Art/Craft Resources

Have you seen the bumper stickers or T-shirts that read, "Homeschoolers Don't Stay At Home"? So true! I've heard that there are some Homeschooling parents who keep their children at home for the purpose of isolating their families from EVERYBODY, but I don't know anyone like that. The HS famlies I know are vibrantly involved with each other and the community. We meet, learn, and have fun with each other in classes, Co-ops, and clubs; we interact in the community in helping projects; we often see our non-HS friends in after-school events, classes and clubs..."Socialization?" -- we almost have too much socialization!

This school year, Earthgirl and I plan to meet regularly with a few HS friends for some schooldays together. I am loving gathering up project ideas to use during the art/craft/cooking segments. I pledge these children will NEVER receive from me any cut-outs of craft foam to glue together!

Here are just a few of the websites from whence I take inspiration. Each site has links to other sites equally idea-laden. They whet my appetite and make my fingers itch to get busy:

Not just kiddie crafts:

Art Projects for Kids

Deep Space Sparkle

Wonder How To

Dollar Store Crafts

Sewing School

Oodles of Art

Skip to My Lou

A Spoonful of Sugar

Do you know of some cool website not listed here that would inspire more real art and good crafts for our students (7-12 years)?

Busy Before 4

It's that time of year when I scan the emails and the newspaper ads to find out what cool deals Staples and Office Depot are offering this week. (Monday I picked up 5 packs of looseleaf notebook paper for a nickel.)

It's that time of year when Earthgirl scans the ads and shows me the cool back-to-school clothes she wants. --not that she doesn't have about 32 T-shirts that are just fine, along with associated shorts, skirts, skorts, and capris, and it won't be cool enough to need long pants until Thanksgiving.

It's that time of year when, after a day of childcare, exercise class, soccer tryouts, and a longish Homeschool group meeting (not that I am complaining), I sit on the church gym floor with my friends, admiring a beautiful dozing foster baby ( I got to hold him earlier- so sweet! - Lord please bless and keep Him with your love) drinking caffeinated beverages at 10 p.m., talking about plans for the school year. (Oh, and we have some great plans!)

So it's that time of year when I fall asleep at 11:30, but pop awake at 3:30 with ideas swirling in my head. Grab the two Mark Kistler books in the dark, come into the light to discover I've grabbed The Indispensible Calvin and Hobbes instead.

I love these books! They help a non-drawer learn to draw.

It's that time of year when all 3 of my spiral notebooks are in the car. No problem - just got new ones at Staples, open one up and start jotting.



Because I'll be in charge of Art.

Graph Paper and Chuck Close-style Art.

Here is Earthgirl's Chuck Close style portrait of her cousin. This snapshot (see post just previous to this) is perfect for the project.



I used a Graph Paper Generator to make 1/2-inch squares paper.

I've used this website before, but today I also grabbed some axonomic, circular, and hexagonal versions for future graphic projects. I LOVE graph paper! We always needed 2 or 3 different types available for some of our engineering classes. Even now, I have my very own graph paper pad tucked away in my stationery desk.

I used to get stationery and stationary spellings mixed up. I guess as long as your stationery desk stays still, it can be a stationary stationery desk.

--and now back to your regularly scheduled blog--

One of my favorite places to visit, Art Projects for Kids has put Earthgirl's Kimono Art on her sidebar! We are just tickled! I love Kathy's projects. We have done several, and plan to do more.

Oh, and regarding that title above, after these awe-filled days of prayer, waiting for news, and then the round-the-globe celebration with family, friends, and strangers, I don't feel like I'll be back to regularly scheduled anything for awhile. We rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, with thanksgiving to God for His care of our nephew. As we learn more of his ordeal, we see God's handiwork all over those days.