Less is more like the little black dress

I love this paper from Studio Calico and

when I laid this photo on it,

the photo just exploded off of it.

 I knew that a mat and bunch of layers behind the photo

would pull the photo away from

this gorgeous paper.

So......I decided to not mat the photo.

I know!!!
It's a really different look for me.

 I also decided to keep all embellishments to a minimum.

Until I tossed some of this sew easy copper 

thread around - I wanted some movement and the stars

on the paper are sort of a coppery gold.

Well I used some glossy accents to hold some of thread

in place and it left blots. (FYI...)

Well to cover up the blots I used some gold sequins wherever
 those blots were because you couldn't miss them.

A couple feathers, a tag from HL Spare parts some

paper issues swag bag stars and a Studio Calico phrase made

it all come together.

Lil Miss Annie at 3 years old - tying on her ballet shoes.

Cardstock works as a base

I used to be the cardstock queen way back in the day and 

seriously it was the only thing to use in scrapbooking

until pattern paper came on the horizon.

Of course back then no one thought about adding dimension

 to the c/s by stamping  or drawing on it.

Scrapbooking has really come along way baby.

  I used Ranger Scattered Straw to go with the yellow

and white paper a a dotted stencil in

vintage photo to add a bit more interest.

Also used that adorable Shimelle stamp just because.

 And I used the Shimelle date stamp -

as you can see I still need alot of practice.
It's a simple page - and there are days when I just
need to do something different.

This photo made me laugh - Ms. Amelia has

knee pads on her arms and her smile with the sparkle in her eye
just totally draws you in.

She's such a hoot. I miss her.

Studio Calico is going on here with a bit of Echo park.

DH & I had a date at the theater

and in Sarasota and its considered an event.

(I even wore a dress and makeup).

It was the life and music of Woody Guthrie and

after the show a hootenany was scheduled.

We left our nonexistent instruments at home.

And people were thankful.

People from all walks of life come - those with walkers

and those snorting portable oxygen. 

As the cast took the stage and started to sing

DH and I couldn't figure out where the additional hums

were coming from - behind were several people

with the portable oxygen, some were nodding off and

some were singing along.

Only in Sarasota.

We totally loved the show and Woody Guthrie was quite

the folk hero and had a lot of tragedy going on in his life.

The cast was very talented and all four of them played

several different instruments, sang and danced.

They really had fun with it and you were right there with them. 

We sat in the first row and there were steps down from the stage

and to my dismay it meant interactive.

Fortunately the actors interacted with the other people in the row.

Which was all fun.

This is the hootenany after and the guy in the gray short sleeved

shirt played Woody - all of the cast members were 

playing as well as a bunch of people from the audience

(the lady in green is a cast member).

And everyone was quite talented.

One of the cast members is a friend of Tom's son and that

was fun meeting him.

His name is David and he is the guy in blue by the white haired gent.

The hootenany was on the mezzanine and the people from the balcony

had a head start on everyone else from the first floor.

And boy can those people in walkers and snorters go fast when they're 

on a mission. 

It was fun to watch and a couple of ladies by the window caught

my eye. They had to be sisters and of course they were elderly - 

apparently there were an abundance of tambourines

and maracas and they had some - well.......

as the music started they each began banging away and the

younger sister was smacking the maracas against

the oldest shoulder to the beat.

And then they'd trade.

It just goes to show that no matter how old you are

sisters are sisters.

LOL.

Anyone in the vicinity should make and date and go.

It as amazing and fun.

They'll only be around this next week.

Mixed Media Journal

It is finally completed for our road trip.

I'm not sure I'm diggin' the cover - but this is going to be in an RV

for a couple of months - therefore its bound to get mussed up so

while its growing on me - if I don't like it when I return I'll do

something different - white paint covers alot of sins.

This was the original - and I just didn't like the way some of the flowers

turned out with the watercolors. Unlike the pages I didn't gesso it

and the colors soaked in - which was cool because it

looks rustic - except for the yellow that I tried to cover with a brown.

Inside there is a nice size envelope that I'll fill with

goodies - scissors, adhesives and maybe an alpha stamp set.

 I plan to fill the journal with ephemera from the trip

so I really don't need alot of embellishments.

Also, I think I filled the pages with enough embellies.

As  you will see.

 This is the page inside the journal cover.

I'll be on twitter - hashtag let's go (I'm thinking I need to add Murphy 

or you + me or something to specifically ID us in there)

Still pondering. 

What do you think?

This is the only page I used enamel paints on.

I decided I really was crazy about the texture and the it took

way too long to dry. 

So all the remaining pages have mists.

Lots of mist.

 And stamping.

I used alot of stamps that I had never ever used.

And die cuts.

 ooo oo another trick Dyan R. shared was to sop up the excess mist

with a tag - and don't they just add a little something-something.

 I used up alot of leftover embellishments.

I have a lot more to go.

 I also used some stuff that really is frivolous and fun.

 And this is the last page in the journal.

As the pages turned and got bulkier it was a bit harder to stamp

and some weren't sooooo great, but an art journal - 

I'm thinking perfection is overrated.

And the back of the journal.

My desk before.

My desk after.

With my new Studio Calico kit waiting in the wings.

 It was a lot of fun - and that journal had 100 pages in it.

All waiting.

It's enough room too if I can't put one day on one page.

I also have my favorite pens on order - Uni Jetstream 101's

in blue and black a multitude of them in boxes.

Blue is my favorite and I don't care what anyone says

it writes better than black - but black

is everyone's go to for journaling.

I'm thinking of going rogue and using blue.

Hanging out with Favorite Youngest Son

Who just turned 24.

But who's counting LOL!

We stayed at Ochlocknee River Park again

and had lovely weather and campsites.

And here we have the pole sitter.

Watching over the camp.

Here is the famous white squirrel a genetic mutation of

the grey squirrels - and a tad shy.

This one did have grey on his head and a stripe down his back.

Really cool.

Shane and I trying to get the birthday selfies right.

 It took a few times - and then shazam.

Got one!

Seriously I really only have one chin.

Working on a mixed media journal

for our road trip coming up in July.

And its coming along quite nicely - however,
its taking up a bunch of room (as you will see) with a lot of supplies
so therefore, it is the only thing in my limited space that I'm working on.

I purchased the smaller Dylusions mixed media journal -

 and after the purchase I hit google of course to find 

samples of completed journals - and there are some good videos

out there - AND, there were also reviews,

some good, some bad.

Most were concerned with page saturated and then have the pages

fall out and the band broke - what I learned from the designer

 - was to not do the pages in order.

Skip about - 

I was also "doing" pages after I put the gesso on - which they

say you don't need - but I chose to do it - on all 100 pages in the book.

It helped with the saturation - I have experienced only had a bit

and it came through the binding between pages.

Of course they also recommend Dylusions products.

Since you will see I have a ton of mists - that are not Dylusions

I felt the need to go with what I had.

I also decided to have fun with the book and to try and keep

the bulk to a minimum.

I was pretty successful with the fun - not so much with the bulk.

I pulled out every stamp and do-dad I thought would be good.

And I have used quite a bit of stash.

You will note I'm diggin' on the chickens and critters

in general - and used up the transparency fruits and flora.

I have also used alot of stamps I had NEVER used.

Also a neat tip I found from the videos - was to make mixed media

tags from the excess misting of which I did alot LOL.

I've also found that I'm a deadly mister - and its EVERYWHERE.

There will be a huge cleanup after.

And here is the disaster that my desk is.

Which is why the book needs to be completed before

I move on to anything else.

I can't wait to begin using this - I plan to journal of course

and add bits and pieces of ephemera I collect along the way.

Also my my mojo and summer fun seems to have
an effect on my postings and creativity or lack thereof.
Both have been somewhat erratic and I'm leaning
toward thinking that's the way its going to roll.
So please bear with me.
If you use blog loving and follow me - it makes it easier to know
when I post something new and your then not wasting
time checking.
Thanks for coming by and your comments - 
It totally makes my day.

Abandon to God - Bible Journaling

Abandon is a word used quite extensively by Oswald Chambers

and I have already used it in a couple of places in my Bible 

and there will be more places to use the word Abandon.

Abandon - complete lack of inhibition or restraint.

Be carried away for God.

In Mark 14:6 Jesus points out that

Mary does a beautiful thing for Him and He loved it.

There were not many times in Jesus ministry that anyone 

impulsively showed Him their love and Jesus 

had to actually point this out because a couple of disciples

criticized Mary's impulsiveness.

How often had we been impulsive for God.

I used enamel paint and gesso for this page

as well as a foam heart, Martha Stewart punch and tiny alphas.