Mill, Water flow and Gifts

I went to Graue Mill's Holiday Gift show and a few my friends were their selling their artistic wares. Purchased some beautiful cards and this little creatures too.  When I walked up to the Mill under the street (a cool path) there was this image that I said if I remember I will take a picture when I walk back.  Well there it is.... snowing and water flowing.  I do love the place that I live with the four seasons that change. 

Forgive on my window sill, 

A gift to myself...the mouse or mice have been an animal I've been dabbling with in my art for a while.  And mainly for personal behavior adjustment. But I won't got into that...Been waiting to purchase a few of these.  I picked this mouse for the features and not so much for the Word, which you would think that would be the main choice.  But since I've picked it out or shall I say it picked me...might be a good idea to look up a bit on Forgiveness.... 

Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.

Just as important as defining what forgiveness is, though, is understanding what forgiveness is not. Experts who study or teach forgiveness make clear that when you forgive, you do not gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses. Though forgiveness can help repair a damaged relationship, it doesn’t obligate you to reconcile with the person who harmed you, or release them from legal accountability.

Instead, forgiveness brings the forgiver peace of mind and frees him or her from corrosive anger. While there is some debate over whether true forgiveness requires positive feelings toward the offender, experts agree that it at least involves letting go of deeply held negative feelings. In that way, it empowers you to recognize the pain you suffered without letting that pain define you, enabling you to heal and move on with your life.

While early research focused on forgiveness of others by individuals, new areas of research are starting to examine the benefits of group forgiveness and self-forgiveness.



Forgiveness is a thing that takes some digging deeper and really being turthful with yourself..and it can bring up old hurts...so crazy... as we want to forgive ourselves and other we choice not to forgive and walk in angry and hurt....back to the saying I found way back..

What pins your wings, is what's going to set you free.   

The next one I that I purchased was Grateful with the little feather coming from it's head.  I will probably move these little creature around as needed.  For right now her home is next to the landline and the mirror.   Morning bed head and in my night gown in the kitchen...hahaha. 

I also purchased a bowl..the size of it and the color called out.  I've recently read about a prayer pot, but I wanted to have this next to me while I do my morning pages when I'm doing my morning routine and thinking about people in my life that might need some extra prayers.  There's a bit of Tobacco on the bottom to invite the Great Spirit and a candle to keep us drawn to the light in our life and to say positive.  

Pamphlet Collage Sketchbook

I've been teaching collage for sometime...and I have to admit I have a certain way to teach for different length of time, 1 day to 5 or more days workshops and classes that build upon each other. But I'm not that good at keeping it simple for a 2 hour program.  There's been opportunities I turned away because I wasn't prepared.  

In the preparing of the Holiday feast, cleaning the house and shopping for the food I get a bit nerves so here I am making a little video.  My camera dropped and broke somewhat and I had to do it differently...luckily it worked and I have a tutorial on how to make one of these little collage sketchbooks.  I make them as a small note/sketchbook and carry it around in my purse...sometimes ideas pop out at the odds times and I feel if I don't jot it down they'll float off to someone or somewhere else... 

Let me know what you think about this little book if you make one!!! 

Playing around...

working with my sketch but had a few distractions...all good but need a few hours to focus on this. 

I'm thinking the top 10 x 10 piece which is separate in this totem will have a layer of papers stacked or something....and I will have to brace it in the back I think and a piece of wood where I want to have the black dots and short sticks...it's floating around in my head now which is OK  but pretty soon it's going to drive me crazy if I can bring these ideas out and see how they will work...Thanks giving preparation with a few distraction like I said. 

Last Class and WOW !

As the students work through their collage work, I'm always seeing how their doing through the course of the class.  Some one on one time, So I'm not one for a major critic at the end.  I'm a firm believer in the act of doing to learn.  Some times we want to go one way with our art but we aren't sure how to get there and we take the small steps to nudge ourselves to that spot.  As we do that we are constitutionally learning through the choices we make.   I'm a lover of process work...that is my favorite place to being...and it's also a place I get the most frustrated too.  Love / Hate balances itself eventually and you grow as an artist and human being.

Some of us like and want to be told just what to do and how to fix it, make it and create it so we have an accomplished piece.  But what fun would that be if it was so instant...The challenge is in the messy bits, the life and being alive comes out of  the mess bits and moments...

So these gals create some wonderful work and and expressive work too. I'm so proud of them...

Next Class at LaGrange Art League Starts in January 2019...Check it out Here. 

So between things.....

I've been playing around with shapes...how to use them and doodle with them and what every comes up...this morning while doing my morning pages....I was stuck with need to put them down on the pages and what would you do differently with the shapes..and how can they be something else in a pattern...rambling..but it's documented and not rolling around in the mindscape. 

I don't talk as much as I would like to with my mom,  She's a busy woman,  75 I believe and a school bus driver and a care giver for my step father Bill,  They were both truck driver that travel across United States for many years...Husband and Wife team drivers.  So proud of them...So I found this on Facebook my mom dressed up as a nurse.  How cute she is...and good to see Bill too, he looks so happy. 

So in my collage sketchbook I decided to create a beginning sketch of a Collage Totem, I have a class that's to start in January and it's good to refresh my steps before hand...and I'm making a hand out packet for the class...something I do for me mostly so I can stay on course when teaching and for the students...which as I would do too take my own notes while in class but afterwards when I would continue I would have the info to do just that.  

Well off to explore this totem sketch further. 

Mouse....making of one, Win, Win

I found a pattern on Ann Wood Handmade   this pattern is free and well I decided to use what I had and that was some denim and leather for the tail.  I had some book thread and a big needle to get through that leather.  The little pattern..what was I thinking.  What I was thinking it this is a first draft of the experience I  know I was going to have some issue and problems with it...but I did it anyways.  I look into some felt or softer material and different thread and stuffing,  I use cotton balls for this one.  I have a big bag upstairs in the attic full of stuffing to use... 

I feel its a win, win situation...

There's been the spirit of the mouse not in the house but calling upon me and I'm looking it as the winter months come around the corner...there is some insightful stuff to be aware about in my own behavior and personality.