Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-seven:
If money weren’t an issue what would you do with your time? (career or otherwise.)
We’re thrilled to have Christine Middlecamp as this week’s Guest Artist.
Here’s a short bio for Christine: Christine lives in South Saint Paul, Minnesota with her young son Ethan. She’s been scrapbooking for over three years and has played multiple roles in the srapbook industry both as a designer and teacher. Christine designs for Crate Paper & Sassafras. In the Past, she’s designed for Prima Marketing, October Afternoon, and Studio Calico. She’s also guest designed for various online venues.
Christine’s art never ceases to amaze me. She pays attention to the smallest details and the more you look into her layouts, the more you discover. She has a unique way of using common embellishments and her art is always layered and full of texture. A pure delight to see.
If you haven’t seen Christine’s art, make sure to visit her blog where she regularly has tutorials.
Here is Christine’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Christine Says:
Stay home. I’d raise Ethan in the house that my husband and I built eight years ago before his passing away from cancer in January of 2008. I still love the house. In the eight years we’ve been here, I never pictured myself living anywhere else. So after my husband passed away and clearly knowing that my financial picture was about to change, I had to prepare myself for the reality that the house was going to have to go away at some point in the near future. After postponing the sale of our home these last few months, I finally made the decision to place it on the market next year. Our home sweet home will soon be looking for a new owner. It’s time to let go…
Technique Highlight:
The combination of transparency and pattern paper doesn’t always happen in the traditional sense, at least not on this layout. Consider alternate ways for combining these two materials. Both have dramatically different surface qualities and technique driven abilities. Take advantage of these contrasting differences when using them together on a layout/project.
I ran into this glittering technique upon reading Martha Stewart’s latest book, “Encyclopedia of Crafts”. Apply a strip of double‐sided sticky tape to paper and add glitter. It’s a simple technique and looks amazing after application.
Flowers are available in abundance for adding to a project/layout, though leaves are a little harder to find. Turn to pattern papers for creating leaves when needed. I hand‐cut the leaves used on my layout from digital pattern paper. I folded them slightly inward and adhered them beneath the flower’s edge using a smidge of wet adhesive.
Even the smallest details can make a difference. Don’t forget to add smaller sized items to your layout/project. Variety is a good thing.
Thank you so much Christine; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I found out later in my life that I wanted to be a full time artist, maybe a theater set designer. So, if I didn´t have a great job, that pays very well, I would probably try this career.
Journaling Reads:
I dream of being just myself, A person without any obligation, A woman free to be just who she is
Dedra:
Dedra Says:
I really would to travel to Paris, London, all over Europe in general. This photo to me makes me think of places like that. The filagree around the windows. These windows in real life are massive. I would also love to own a studio/scrapbook boutique. The funny thing is I already have the name, Jon and I have already constructed the floor plan and what the studio would consist of….It’s always fun to dream, right? So, for me – owning the studio and traveling with Jon and the girls as often as possible.
Journaling Reads:
If time and money were not an object and I could do anything…. I would travel with my family overseas and I would also love to own a studio…
Karen:
Karen says:
If I had all the extra time in the world and my kids and husband were sleeping, I would spend most of it reading. The joy I get from getting lost in a novel is unparalleled. And Dickens is one of my favorites.
Anita:
Anita Says:
I looked at this weeks catalyst and was racking my brain trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I keep thinking, what is it I really want? Is there a career path I would have taken had I had the money to do it? It dawned on me that no amount of money, not changes to my life were desired. I love being a mom! Its the most rewarding job I could ask for. And you definitely couldn’t put a price on it. I am where I am and where I want to be! I am living “my dream job”!
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
Egypt, Italy, France, Greece, England, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, the Congo, Brazil, Jamaica, Canada, the Bahamas, Peru, Argentina, Poland, Japan, China, Thailand, India, Australia, New Zealand… and so much more. If money were of no issue I would spend my time traveling the world…one adventure after another.
Technique Highlight:
I used embroidery floss leading from my photos to the different areas on the map that I would like to visit to add interest and a visual to all of the places that I hope to someday go.
Opal:
Opal Says:
If money were not an issue, I would transform my house into a retreat center for fiber arts. Women could come for week long sessions with as much or as little time at the sewing machine as they needed or wanted. There would be lots of time for sharing ideas, experimenting with new methods and materials, visits to fabric stores, and inspirational guest artists. There would be time to walk on the beach and collect beach stones and sea glass, watch the nesting eagles, or just sit outside on the deck and watch the day slip by. Hired gardeners would transform my yard into a paradise of color and smells. Meals would be prepared with the freshest local bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Those invited would be women who would not have the opportunity nor the means to be away from their homes for a week.
Severine:
Severine Says:
If money weren’t an issue, i would like to be an artist all time and create all day!
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “If money weren’t an issue what would you do with your time? (career or otherwise.)” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-six:
Write a letter to your younger self.
We’re so excited to have Christine Mason Miller as this week’s Guest Artist.
To make this week’s art even more fun. Christine made a page of word art for you to use in your art. These are all different prompts she created and you can use the actual print out in your art like some of us did or you can use the sentences/ideas she listed. If you click on the image below, you can download a PDF version.
Christine’s artwork has wings. It has soul. It’s soft and beautiful and touching. You can easily get lost in her amazing art. I am so honored to have her here. She is also the author of the stunning Ordinary Sparkling Moments. And she teaches beautiful workshops including ones at Squam.
If you haven’t seen Christine’s art, make sure to visit her site and her blog.
Here is Christine’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Christine Says:
I intentionally wanted to keep this collage simple. Since I do so much collage work in general, it was nice to give myself the freedom to work with just a few layers and elements. When I think of being a little girl and what the word “beautiful” meant to me then, it was about being a ballerina, so when I came across this image it was perfect.
Technique Highlight:
No special techniques with this piece aside from using a few Photoshop filters on the original scanned image. What is so fun about Photoshop is trying different filters and adjustments to see what happens. Because the original piece was so simple, I liked being able to add a little more texture and grain to the image in Photoshop.
Thank you so much Christine; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
no matter how un-important you may feel or think you are… you aren’t. no matter what goes on in life… you will always have someone that cares about you… someone that loves you… someone that needs you… someone that you will always be important to.
Technique Highlight:
I machine stitched my rainbow patterned paper on using coordinating threads. I also used Diamond Glaze on top of the raindrops that I cut from patterned paper to give them a watery look.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
For this catalyst, I wrote a letter to myself, to the girl I once was containing a series of reflexions. The deepest one refers to the time this girl lost trying to get social approval, pleasing the others. I told my younger self that she would only get her value when she decides that what matters is pleasing herself. I told her she is like no other…
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
I love to write sooooo much to myself as a little girl…!! All the things, good things and bad things, that I know today….I’m glad that I didn’t know how my life turns out, when I was three. It’s a photo of me. I stamped the prompts on the photo with black Stazon ink.
Karen:
Karen says:
Well this is the book. The one that started the whole thing. The one that led me to start this site. I had put it away a long time ago, not sure what I wanted to do with the cover. I took it out and took a piece of fabric and stitched some interlocked hearts. Some beads and a heart and a note to remember: loved. This book is a reminder that I was loved. I am loved.
Anita:
Journaling Reads:
Dear Anita, If there were one thing I could go back and tell you, that would have to be that you should SLOW DOWN and ENJOY LIFE. Put that laundry down and play with your kids. Forget about all those things that you think you HAVE to get done right this minute and snuggle with the one you love. Life will pass you by way to quickly. You must not have no regrets! Enjoy your kids and family while you are still young. Squeeze them all just a little tighter. Love, Me
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
Dear Rachel, I want you to know above all else, that you are important. I know that you often times feel like everyone and everything around you is more important and worthwhile than you are, but that is not true. You don’t always have to figure things out for yourself and it is okay for your voice to be heard. So let it be heard sometimes. You don’t always have to be okay and you don’t always have to be in the background, unnoticed. There is a degree of comfort in being unnoticed but it will also make you feel lonely and unimportant at times, the times when you need to know your value the most. It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to break down and it’s okay to ask for help. Because you are important. Important to your family and your friends and not just because you are unnoticed and easy going, but because you are you. And that is Important. Never think that you are unimportant, because you are important. So important that if you knew how much you are loved it would blow your mind. Never forget how important you are. Love always, yourself
Lia:
Journaling Reads:
Friends have always been important to me, and I’m the type who loves and gives her whole heart to her friends. In the past couple of years, sadly I fell out with a couple of people who were very close to me. It broke my heart, and angered me a little when friends who I treated as my family could disappoint me and treat me in ways I never could treat them. I then realized that this happened to me a few more times before when I was younger. I never seemed to learn my lesson – that I should watch my own heart and its well-being instead of giving it away to people I called ‘friends’. Each time I was betrayed by a friend, I felt unimportant and all that I had done for the friendship worthless. As if it was never enough.
I now remind myself to keep a distance, to not sacrifice all for a friend, to be fond of but not love them. But I am still a dreamer. Only because I still have a close circle of people who love and support me, we share the same level of EQ, who are understanding and who don’t judge, who want me to be the best person and yet won’t hurt my feelings, and who appreciate me.
They instill the faith in me that our friendships are important in their lives. I want to tell my younger me that it’s okay to love all that you know and that it’s okay to have lost friendships, because someone will always value her and feel that she is important to them.
Amy:
Amy Says:
Working on this piece was a challenge in many ways. There were things I wanted to say to my younger self, but what was strongest in me was the need to tell her three things in particular, one of which was… you need to find the art and line within you. Many other things ended up in my preliminary sketches as I tried to find the right storyline and flow for such a letter rendered in this format. In the end, I realized such a letter could be a book in and of itself, much more involved than a single page could contain. [The final line has been obscured here on purpose.]
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Write a letter to your younger self.” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-five:
What’s the most daring or scariest thing you’ve ever done?
We’re so excited to have Julie Prichard as this week’s Guest Artist.
Here’s a short little bio for Julie: Julie Prichard lives in San Diego with her husband and three year old daughter. She can be found painting in her studio or on the streets of San Diego with her camera.
If you haven’t seen Julie’s art, make sure to visit her blog here she also has information about the online workshops she teaches.
Here is Julie’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Julie Says:
I am the type of person where fears frequently take hold of my thinking. There are several fears that can ground me at any given moment and I have carved them into wood for this week¹s catalyst. Always in deliberation, it is tough for me to address one, single, scary moment. It didn’t take long to fill up this panel.
Technique Highlight:
I use only a few colors of paint for most of my artwork. This piece was created using two reds, black and titan buff paint. Once painted, I added beeswax to the piece and then used a wood-burning tool to carve the lettering. To darken up the wood when I was finished, I used a black glaze buffed into the piece.
Thank you so much Julie; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Opal:
Opal Says:
I am not one who takes dares…or ventures beyond her comfort level. Thinking about this prompt took me back to my college days. From my first look through the class schedule handbook, I knew that public speaking was something that I would have to face…sooner or later. Being painfully shy in those days, the thought of getting up in front of a class and speaking just about sent me running for the hills…I put it off…and pushed it back…and overlooked it….until 20 years later when i finally finished my undergraduate degree. I will never forget the meeting with my counselor…and the realization that I had this one class..a freshman level class…to take before I could graduate. I went to that first class of Speech 101 with clammy palms and a pounding heart. The day came when I stood up in front of that class….again with clammy palms and a pounding heart. I remember taking a deep breath…and praying that I wouldn’t forget what I had practiced…and I started talking…tentatively at first…and then, 8 minutes later. I had found the magic. I love the moment when the audience quiets, the hushing and settling is tangible as a breath is taken…and the words become.
This piece is done in layers of fabric. The circles within the squares shows the essence of an audience…one you see with no defined details…the stage in front showcases the bigger than life microphone. hand and machine quilted.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
When I was about 12 years old, I took the blame for something I hadn’t done without knowing the consequences. I remember being in the classroom at school when one of my classmates threw a piece of chalk at the teacher. She got furious, immediately interrupted the class, and said she wouldn’t continue the class unless the guilty one admitted or someone picked the chalk up from the floor. After a long period of silence without anyone declaring themselves guilty, I stood up and picked the piece of chalk up from the floor. I can still feel the terror I felt back then when I executed such gesture. I don´t know why I did this, I just couldn´t stand being there on that situation… I just´couldn´t stand such lack of respect for our theacher.. she was so upset, however, she didn’t punish me; she actually mentioned knowing it wasn’t me who threw the piece of chalk and lectured once again about the cowardice committed. The class, however, moved on…
My work for this catalyst plays with the idea of feeling fear, foolishness and horror… I worked with an amazing photo by R. Cadloff.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
The most daring and scariest thing I ever did is ….. FLY like a bird….in an airplaine….!!!
Technique Highlight:
The beautiful bird is form a piece of Websters Pages patterned paper, The ribbons and laces, found this stuff on a fleamarke, and the wood, found it in the forest during a walk with my kids.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
“Let’s just do it!” I said. We were sitting in Bar 89. Facing each other. Talking about how much we hated our jobs how sick we were of New York. How we wanted something different. “Let’s just quit and move!” I encouraged him. (and myself) I wanted to know that we still had the guts. That we owned our life, not them.
It took us another year but we finally did it. Quit the jobs. Packed the apartment. Bought a car. And moved 3,000 miles. To a city we’ve never seen before.
A city where we knew no one. Had no jobs.
We did it. We got jobs. Found a home. Started a life.
And, most importantly, proved we can do it.
We just did it.
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
I fell in love with the boy… and he change my life and mended my broken heart. I had lost my faith in love, in men, in hope at the age of 14. I saw how fragile and frail that “love” could be and vowed to never, ever open myself to that. I was cold and I was cynical and I was afraid. I carried my fear and anger around me like armor to keep me safe. And then I met Drew, the boy from the music store and my fear and coldness melted away. It was scary. It was daring and bold, but it was my miracle. The cure to my broken heart… and I lept… closed my eyes, smiled and hoped that I would not fail and he caught me and has never let go.
Technique Highlight:
I created the flap that lifts up to house my journaling by tracing a portion of a shaped piece of paper onto a patterned paper and cutting it out. I used trim and brads to create hinges for it.
I also created a handmade flower out of sewing patterns by cutting a strip approximately 10″x3″ and folding it in half creating a piece that is 10″x1.5″. Using a needle and thread I used a running stitch and stitched the open edges and gathered, forming the strip into a circle. Tie off the loose thread and you have a custom flower. I used an inchie for the center, but you could use any embellishments that you may have lying around.
Dedra:
Dedra Says:
My ex-husband was very emotionally abusive. Shelby was just an infant and he would tell me on a daily basis how horrible I was as a mother and if I left I would not be able to survive.
I was 22 years old after hearing this everyday along with other things he said for some reason I started to believe him.
Shelby was 2 and I had decided that I COULD and WOULD make it without him. I wanted Shelby to see and experience a healthy, happy life.
I moved Shelby and I out into our own apartment while he was at work. It was the most nerve racking, nail biting experience. Knowing that he could show up at anytime.
I received a phone call later that evening, it was not nice to say the least. Hey! I left him the couch, TV and some pans I think. It was the most daring/scariest thing I had ever done, but it was THE BEST thing for Shelby and I. Where we are now seems light years away from that situation.
Journaling Reads:
Me and you, together on our own for awhile. being confident as a single mother. Believing in myself and not what I had been told. Spreading my wings and moving on.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s the most daring or scariest thing you’ve ever done?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-four:
What’s the best gift you ever gave?
We’re so excited to have Lydie Manche as this week’s Guest Artist.
Here’s a short little bio for Lydie: 29 years old, I am a wife and a mother of two little and terrible girls . We are living in a small village in the north east of France. I like this village very much because because it is edged with meadows and because houses full of flowers are made of old stones. Houses have soul, nature is present everywhere and all that contributes to my inspiration… I’ve scrapped since the birth of my first daughter and my scrap evolved little by little towards what they call in France the “plant scrap”.
If you haven’t seen Lydie’s art, make sure to visit her blog.
Here is Lydie’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Lydie Says:
In our world, everything pushes us to consumption, to purchase… A PSP here, an i-pod thereabouts… a jewel, a computer, a television with flat screen… The society constructs its stocks on the idea of “having “.To illustrate this subject, I wanted to emphasize a simple but invaluable present: a present which everybody has but that can be sometimes forgotten: love. And what better to express love than a kiss? The kiss of two beings who like each other, the kiss of a parent on the forehead of her child, a kiss on the cheek of one friend… I don’t believe I have ever given anything more precious than this mark of deep affection… And to contrast the oppression the flapping of the metronome which regulates our lives, I wanted to show purity and lightness… That’s why I picked the white for the background of the page.
In French:
A notre époque, tout nous pousse à la consommation, à l’achat… Une console de jeu par ici, un i-pod par là…. un bijou, un ordinateur, une télévision à écran plat… La société construit ses valeurs sur l’idée de “posséder”.Pour illustrer ce sujet, j’avais envie de mettre en valeur un cadeau simple mais inestimable… un cadeau que tout le monde possède mais qui peut parfois être oublié : l’amour. Et quoi de mieux pour exprimer l’amour que le baiser. Le baiser de deux êtres qui s’aiment, le baiser d’un parent sur le front de son enfant, le baiser sur la joue d’un(e) ami(e)… Je crois n’avoir jamais rien offert de plus précieux que cette marque de profonde affection… Et pour contrecarrer l’effet oppressant que peut avoir le battement du métronome qui rythme nos vies, j’avais envie de pureté, de légèreté…C’est la raison pour laquelle mon choix s’est porté sur le blanc pour ce fond de page.
Technique Highlight:
Having taken a photo of my kiss and thanks to my software of modification, I played with the contrast to whiten my skin to such an extent that it can, once the photograph stacked on white paper, become transparent. I then used two rub-ons flowers on the corners of the photograph and paper to reinforce this idea that there is not photograph but direct impression on paper. I like to create a layout with elements which are not very typical in scrapbooking but that, especially, bring me back to simple things: nature. I like the plant foam, the natural and artificial foilages, the flowers.. I also like the small ends of wire netting, pebbles, the small bricks, wood when they are used with time. I enjoy putting them on my layouts. Here, as I chose to illustrate simplicity, I used only two leaves of bracken, picked some time ago and that I had dried between two big books. After the leaf dries, I pasted it on the back with some glue with bookbinding. Then I put it directly on the page before glue is dry. The leaf isn’t damaged with time. I glued together small artificial leaves over these natural leaves of all to create an effect of dimension. My achievements would not be complete if I did not use a thread of aluminum which characterize them. Just take a small segment of this thread, twist it to give it a form which I like then fix it on the layout in the required place. For this page, I used a brad but some hooks can also be used.
In French:
Après avoir pris mon baiser en photo, et grâce à mon logiciel de retouche, j’ai joué sur les constrastes pour blanchir ma peau à tel point qu’elle puisse, une fois la photo superposée sur le papier blanc, se confondre avec celui-ci. J’ai ensuite disposé deux rub-ons fleurs à cheval sur la photo et le papier pour renforcer cette idée qu’il n’y a pas de photo mais une impression directe sur le papier. J’aime créer des pages avec des éléments qui sont peu habituels dans le monde du scrap mais qui, surtout, me ramènent à des valeurs simples : la nature. J’aime la mousse végétale, les feuillages naturels et artificiels, les fleurs.. J’aime aussi les petits bouts de grillage, les cailloux, les petites briques, le bois lorsqu’ils sont usés par le temps. Je prends un plaisir immense à les intégrer sur mes pages. Ici, comme j’ai choisi d’illustrer le sujet avec un maximum de simplicité, je n’ai utilisé que deux feuilles de fougère, ceuillies il y a quelques temps et que j’avais séchées entre deux gros livres. Une fois la feuille sèche, je l’ai encollée sur l’envers avec de la colle à reliure puis je l’ai placée directement sur la page avant que la colle ne soit sèche. La feuille ne rique ainsi pas d’être abîmée avec le temps. J’ai collé par-dessus ces feuilles naturelles de toutes petites feuilles artificielles pour créer un effet de relief. Mes réalisations ne seraient pas complètes si je n’employais pas ce fil
d’aluminium qui les caractérisent. Il suffit de prendre un petit segment de ce fil, de le tordre pour lui donner une forme qui nous convienne puis de le fixer sur la page à l’endroit voulu. Pour cette page, j’ai utilisé un brad mais des agrafes peuvent aussi être employées.
Thank you so much Lydie; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Amy:
Amy Says:
Many special gifts came to mind for this catalyst. I chose to document visually the way I have come to think about pillows I made my boys last holiday season. Their lists were filled with many things, and many of those they received. The “making” of something each year for them has never been a necessity. Instead, the “making” of something beyond what may appear on any list they create fulfills my own need for tradition. Last year, I made pillows, and I involved them in picking colors and fabrics. I wanted these pillows to be with them for many years and to be special – to be symbolic. I wanted each pillow to mirror and reflect something about each boy as he was in that space of time, at that age. As I worked on their pillows, each took on a life of its own in my head. Once they were finished, someone referred to them as “Mama’s Gifts.” It is a concept I talked about after that in an episode of the Creative Mom Podcast. In working on the art for this piece, I had to look anew at what the pillows contain, what I put into them, and what they stand for. As gifts, these were important to me and, thankfully, to them.
Iris:
Iris Says:
The best gift I ever gave was something I did for myself. I used pay so much attention to my family that I often neglect myself. I have given up on so many dreams and have let go of so many opportunities in the past in favor of my family. I realized that I won’t love my family any less if I start loving myself too. I have then decided to allow myself to dare to dream. I may not have as much chances of succeeding as compared to my youth, but at least I won’t go forever asking myself … “what if?”
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
That’s absolutely without doubt…our cat!! The best gift for my kids! They love him sooooo much, and pampering him the whole day..He can do tricks, walking like a doll…sitting as an doll…sometimes ha has to wear clothes…but he’s never getting angry, and crabs never! He’s so sweet!!
Technique Highlight:
I printed the image on a piece of fabric, and sewed the papers, and the laces together with my sewing machine. After that I added some rub ons, crackle paint, and some flowers..
Michelle:
Michelle Says:
As an aspiring photogrpaher, I would love to think that the photographs I take for people are the best give I have given. To be able to be behind the camera and capture the relationships between families, especially mother and child brings me more joy than I ever thought possible. To be able to give a mom photographs of her and her children the way that I see them is such a gift that I am happy to give over and over again.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
A few years ago I finally became an American citizen. I think this is the best gift I could have ever given to my kids.
Lori:
Lori Says:
I think the best gift I have ever given was to my husband when we were dating. I surprised him with tickets to see his favorite hockey team. He was thrilled, to say the least.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
The best gift I have ever given was birth to my 3 girls. This page is just a celebration of that!
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s the best gift you ever gave?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-three:
What’s the one thing you never thought you could do?
We’re so excited to have Linda Warlyn as this week’s Guest Artist.
The wonderful Larissa on our team recommended Linda to me and I asked her if she’s be a guest for us immediately. Linda’s art has so much emotion and so much detail that I couldn’t wait to see what she would create for us.
I asked Linda for a short bio, here’s what she sent: Linda was born and raised in Chicago and has loved to make stuff all her life. She and her wonderful husband Wally have 4 grown children and 2 cute-as-can-be grandchildren. She is self-taught and enjoys just about anything that involves the creative process and getting messy.
Linda doesn’t have a website but she told me that you can contact her at ldyintmoon AT aol DOT com if you’d like. And you can find her work in some wonderful magazines like Somerset Life and Artist’s Cafe. I also wanted to share this relatively new interview with you.
Here is Linda’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Linda Says:
Although I have created art based on a specific theme like a color or holiday, I’ve never made anything prompted by a particular experience or feeling…I loved it! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. The catalyst asking for something I never thought I could do immediately brought to mind the struggle I have thinking of myself as an artist thanks to my inner critic, otherwise known as Raging Bull. I grew up in the 1950’s and mid-century images have a comfort and nostalgic appeal for me. The little girl represents me in my studio. The bottom of this assemblage contains my interpretation of what happens to us if we let the sharp claws and long teeth of the nasty inner critic sink into us. It blinds us to our own unique gifts and binds our ability to create with true abandon and limitless imagination. I like that those feelings are relegated to the bottom and squelched under my desk as I really try to keep my negativity in check. The large image of me is holding a piece of art I made with an “open heart” and a feeling of pride at one of my favorite places on earth, Valley Ridge Art Studio and Retreat in WI. I used vintage gardening images behind me to show that I am growing more comfortable with these feelings of truly thinking of myself as an artist. And I know that as I allow that to happen, my artwork and creativity will be nurtured and flourish as well. Lastly, I wanted this piece to be colorful and have a playful nature to remind all of us that we need to call on our inner child and not that debilitating inner critic when engaged in art making of any kind. It should be a joyous, carefree experience and above all–fun!
Technique Highlight:
One technique I love using is adding dimension to my art whenever and wherever I can. I made several copies of the girl and layered them with foam squares in several places to make her more interesting. Small embellishments to her clothing or adding flowers to her hair also add detail and realism.
Thank you so much Linda; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
There are several things I never thought I could do like being face to face with a criminal, speak in public; being questioned in public and staying calm; impose myself; and travel on my own. When I think I´ve already done these things, I feel myself like a hero, even if it´s a hero full of flaws, guilt and doubts. I often feel proud of myself just because I have the guts to face all of this. So, I decided to portray this catalyst as a comic story, while pointing the things I never thought I could do.
Lia:
Lia Says:
My dad insisted that I begin driving lessons right after I began working at my first (and current) real job. I suppose he knew that if he had left it to me, I would probably never get behind the wheel. While I amazingly passed both the basic and advanced theory tests on the first tries – amazing because I barely studied for them – I still did not have the confidence to handle a car. My driving instructor had me driving on an actual road on our 3rd lesson, and I responded with huge eyes, cold hands, dry throat and a ‘WHAT??’ lol. After many months of lessons, I got some confidence on the road and I took the practical driving test … and failed! I finally got my driving license after two more tries, and when I did I knew it was the right time. I knew what I was doing behind the wheel, I was aware of my responsibilities as a driver and my skills were so much better than when I took the first test. 5 years on and I sometimes still can’t believe that the timid girl I was before had the courage to give driving a go and succeeded! I hardly go anywhere without a car now, and I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t know how to drive!
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
When I look in the mirror, I see myself, a girl who’s waiting to meet her daddy after many years. This big day is coming soon, never thought this could happen…
Technique Highlight:
I used a toilet rol to make this tag holder…I painted It brown, a mixture of paint and crackle medium, when it’s dry, I painted it again with golden paint, and after that with the crackle paint activator…and let dry…after one night, when I came out my bed..I saw these wonderful crackles!!
Severine:
Severine Says:
I think I could never skydive or ride in a balloon, I’d be too scared once in the air to fall powerless to do anything.
En Français:
Je pense que je ne pourrais jamais sauter en parachute ou monter dans une montgolfière, j’aurais trop peur une fois dans les airs de tomber sans pouvoir rien faire.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
“Come work for me,” he said. I had worked for him before and I loved it. I knew he was a great manager
and possibly the answer to the slump I was having at work. But to go live in Japan for six months?
Was he crazy?
I had to leave my life. My boyfriend. My home. And move somewhere where I knew no one. Didn’t speak a word of the language. And hated the food.
Was he crazy?
Was I crazy to be considering it? It scared the crap out of me. And, in the end, that was exactly why I decided to do it. I packed my bags, and moved miles and miles away. Six months in a faraway land.
As it turned out, it was some of the best moments of my life. I made friends. I learned Japanese. I worked hard. I proved to myself that I could do it. Leave it all behind and still be ok. Go despite my fears. I still hate the food. But now I know I can do anything I want.
I am brave.
Lori:
Lori Says:
For me it was to stay at home when I had children. I was afraid I’d be a terrible Mom. I had a great career and just assumed I’d keep climbing that ladder. I really could not imagine not making an income. Staying home is the best decision I’ve ever made that went against everything I was feeling at the time.
Journaling Reads:
I never thought I could be a stay-at-home Mom. I grew up believing that I would have a big corporate career. That I would contribute equally to my family if I was to have one. I have always struggled with a lack of patience. I just knew that I would not want to stay home with my kids. I had always, and still do, associated being a good Mom with patience. Once I was pregnant, I was filled with all sorts of fears, but started having a strong desire to leave work. I realized that I wanted to be the one who was home with my new baby. I wanted to be there for everything. I never thought I could. I thought I would be terrible. I’m so grateful I did.
Technique Highlight:
I traced and cut a heart out of patterned paper. Then cut it into thin strips horizontally. I removed every other strip after placing it on my page. I then sewed in between each strip and around the heart.
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
I always thought that it was a bit of a cliché… wishful or hopeful thinking. You couldn’t possibly see or define or be part of a miracle. It was something that you could not see, touch or prove It was based on opinion and belief. So I dismissed the idea and categorized it away where fairy tales and day dreams live, a thing that would be lovely but would never really happen to me. Until it did. March 2004, I found out that a life was living and growing within me and I knew. Miracles do exist. They happen all the time and all around you. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did. I got to be a part of a miracle. And her name is Roslyn Mae Hall.
Technique Highlight:
I wanted to use this particular font of thickers for this layout, but did not want them in white which was all that I had available to me when I created this layout. I wanted to be sure to maintain the glitter effect of the letters so instead of simply painting them as I have done before, I used alcohol ink to die them. This allowed me to change the color and keep the glitter. To do this I used a Q-tip to dab the ink directly onto the letters. A simple and versatile way to make your letters work with every layout.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s the one thing you never thought you could do?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty-two:
What’s your superpower?
We’re so excited to have Susan Tuttle as this week’s Guest Artist.
If there’s one thing I can say about Susan’s art, it’s that each piece is full of emotion. It might be haunting, sorrow, joy, confusion, curiosity, wonder or millions of others. But each piece is dripping with emotion and it makes it impossible for me to look away when I am staring at one of her pieces.
Susan’s first book, Exhibition 36: Mixed-Media Demonstrations + Explorations, was released by North Light Books in December 2008, and her second book, Digital Expressions: Creating Digital Art with PS Elements, a technique-based publication on digital art, will be published by North Light Books in April 2010. Susan is also a frequent contributor to Stampington & Company publications and other mixed-media books. She also teaches digital art workshops on the subjects of photomanipulation, digital montage, and a variety of Photoshop techniques online.
If you haven’t seen her amazing art, make sure to visit her site and her blog.
Here is Susan’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Susan Says:
My superpower is inner strength — it is both something that I feel glowing strong inside of me, and something I will cultivate my whole life through. I have had many instances for practicing the “art of inner strength” in my life thus far, and am sure to encounter more. Instead of telling you my personal stories, I wish to share with you what I have learned from the experiences. For every human being, there are inevitably times of darkness in life — trials to go through, hard lessons to learn. We always have a choice, even if we hit rock bottom. We can choose to embrace hope and trust in both ourselves and in a loving Universe that has our best interests at heart, or we can choose fear, anger and bitterness. We can call up that inner strength that resides in our core and it will rise to the occasion as soon as we summon it. We can let go and let our inner strength buoy us along as we learn those hard lessons, moving us toward the light, picking up even more strength as we step forward, one foot in front of the other, one step at a time, with the pinhole of light in the distance growing larger and larger still, until we arrive, standing in a room full of perfect light and joy.
This particular digital piece which I have named “Inner Light” personifies inner strength. Instead of describing what this piece means to me, I want you to discover what it means to you.
Technique Highlight:
The imagery used in this piece is of my dear friend Jessica. When I create digital art, or any type of art for that matter, I must feel a strong emotional connection to at least one of the imagery elements in the composition. Doing so is a powerful experience that allows me to infuse the work with personal meaning, feeling, and even love. For me, using personal imagery immediately sparks an authentic, creative process.
Thank you so much Susan; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Amy:
Amy Says:
My concept for this piece, and my “superpower,” is that I “juggle” many things, many aspects of my life, many roles, many interests, and many threads that make up the day to day. I don’t think of it as a superpower. It is just “me” and how I respond to the forces around and within me. It isn’t even something that’s obvious or visible always in the world of surfaces in which we live. As I worked, I began to question if maybe I should have termed my superpower the ability to multitask. But, in the end, juggling and multitasking occupy a similar space. It took a while to settle on an approach to this set of panels. I started out seeing many dialogue strips surrounding a central panel, spelling out all the things that vie for my time and attention, all the things I keep in the air. But as I sketched out the panels, I moved away from the text. I stripped the piece down to a visual essence, letting the balls speak for themselves. When I inked the large panel, I decided at the last minute to leave a space for a caption, and for several days the piece sat, finished, but the caption blank. With only one space for text, finding the right words to explain this piece was difficult. Many words would have worked. Many words would have stated the obvious.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
If I can have a superpower, i would love to be a heart reader. It’s just something I made up and someone who can: Discern heart motives. I think it would be totally awesome to know how someone feels in their heart. Even to be able to know + understand my own heart. But even though I cant do it, i have a heart reader with me all the time: He is called my Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and my Standby. And for that I thank you my wonderful God.
Opal:
Opal Says:
I see my superpower as not one thing, or word, or concept, but a blending and melding of my life’s experiences and faith. The people I have known and admired, my family and friends..those select few who I considered “my people”.. are in my balcony cheering me on, giving advice and nudges, suggestions, strength, and encouragement when I need it. My superpower comes from within. This piece is done in fabric with strips of vibrant color and line filling and weaving into the O (for Opal) that represent all those experiences….the circles represent my balcony…hand appliqued, hand and machine quilted.
Severine:
Severine Says:
My superpower was in number, i love numbers, I have some ease with numbers. “40″ is the departement i was born, and i don’t have any superpower without my “origins”.
En Français:
On va dire que mon superpouvoir réside dans les chiffres, j’ai toujours aimer les chiffres et le calcul, j’ai quelques facilités avec. Le “40″ est pour le département où je suis née, parce qu’il n’y aurait pas de pouvoir sans mes origines.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
i’m not sure if it’s a superpower if it’s also something that ends up hurting me the most. can it be both? it must be.
because my ability to love wholly, fully, with all my self and all my heart is my super power. the one thing that makes me, me.
and it’s my magic, my genuine-ness, my ability to give you all i have and ask for nothing in return because once i love you, once i trust you, i am here for you, forever, all of me. forever.
Lori:
Lori Says:
I don’t like the notion of super powers. I don’t like society saying women need to be “SUPER”. Women are beautiful just as they are with all their weaknesses and strengths. I’ve spent a great deal of time trying to find my balance and live in the now. I want to be at peace with who I am and what I have. This is a difficult goal, but very worthwhile to me.
Journaling Reads:
I have no super powers. I just try to do the best I can each and every day. I’m finally learning that life is about being joyful with all I have and being at peace in the present day.
Anita:
Anita Says:
I guess I never thought of it as a Super Power but I believe I have the ability to “read” people upon first meeting. I usually am a good judge of character and can tell upon first meeting whether I am gonna like that person or not. Whether they are happy or sad. Have a good life or a troubled one. I can usually sense these things about people.
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
“Please.” “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.”
Phases that are heard all too seldom now a days. Common niceties tossed aside for a me first, gimme attitude that is so prevalent in this day and age. I often find myself wondering what happened to good manners, common courtesies and respect. I refuse to fall into the lazy and bad habits of not being polite and manner-ful. So my super power? You can call me Ms. Manners,
Thank you.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s your superpower?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty:
Who’s the person who supports you the most in your life (emotionally and intellectually)?
We’re so excited to have Stephanie Howell as this week’s Guest Artist.
Anyone who’s seen Staphanie’s art shouldn’t be too surprised that we asked her to be a guest here. Stephanie’s layouts are simple, elegant, and always beautifully designed. But what I love the most about her layouts is that they are always meaningful. You can tell she puts a piece of her soul into each one.
I’m not alone in being a fan of Stephanie. Stephanie has been published in Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks, Memory Makers, Scrapbooks Etc., Scrapbook and Cards Today, and Scrapbook Trends magazines. She designs for Lily Bee and Studio Calico and has guest designed for a multitude of wonderful companies.
If you haven’t seen Stephanie’s art, make sure to visit her her blog or her gallery at twopeas.
Here is Stephanie’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Stephanie Says:
For me, the sentiment behind this layout was a no brainer. when i saw the prompt, i knew immediately who i wanted to write about. my husband, jimmy. he is my world and i wanted to get a bit of how i felt down on paper. these pictures of him were taken at a ranch, and i love that he has let down his guard at the moment i took the photo. he looks truly relaxed. looking at these photos caused a flood of emotion and the words came pouring out. there is more journaling tucked behind the photo mat.
Thank you so much Stephanie; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team. I think this is the first time in eighty weeks every single one of us has chosen the exact same response to a catalyst.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
When I started thinking about this challenge, I knew that Travis would be my main subject, but then I realized that I don’t have many…if any.. good recent pictures of us, so I decided to use this snapshot of he and Brayden that I immediately fell in love with when uploading pictures the other night. (I included the orginal photo since you can’t see it all that well in my journal page). Travis is definitely the most supportive person in my life. I feel like I’ve opened up a lot more as a person by being around him all the time. We are complete opposites when it comes to personalities. I am quiet shy and he is-by far-the most outgoing and talkative person I’ve ever met, but I feel more comfortable with him than I ever thought I could be with anyone. He was extremely supportive and patient in the beginning of our relationship and took up the role as Brayden’s stepfather when Bray was just four months old. He supports every major and minor ordeal in my life. Whether it be about Brayden or something as simple as scrapbooking, he is always there and understanding.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
Without a doubt this person is my biggest source of inspiration and comfort. I think we have been together for so long, that we have shaped each others lives in such a way that no one else can take the credit for who we are. Never in my live has one person so consistently be my support. Not only in my physical necessities, but emotional and especially spiritual. I draw on him everyday. He draws on me everyday. It’s a wonderful beautiful thing. I would take more of him everyday. every month and every year.
Dedra:
Dedra Says:
Well, I know there’s a reason and I know there’s a rhyme.
We were meant to be together.
That’s why….
We can roll with the punches and we can stroll hand in hand.
And when I say it’s forever you understand.
That’s why you’re always in my heart, you’re always on my mind.
but when it all becomes to much you’re never far behind and there’s
no one that comes close to you or could ever take your place.
Cause only you can love me this way. love you always!
9.2009
Severine:
Severine Says:
This person is my Husband. It’s THE person who supports me in every situation. 
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
i thought about this one for a long time. i wanted to make it about someone different. I’d already made so many of these about him. it was getting rather ridiculous but anyone else would just be lie compared to him. he’s the one who’s with me night and day. crazy and sane. success and failure. the wonderfully amazing thing is, i managed to find someone who understands what i do and can support me intellectually. can push me. but also he gets me. he’s there for me when i go dark and become the worst part of me. he’s there when i win and i want to celebrate. he’s not jealous, he’s not scared, he’s not angry. he’s always there. with those arms that wrap around me and envelop me tightly make me feel secure and loved. so loved. how can i choose someone else when he’s the one? there’s no going around the truth. he’s the one.
Technique Highlight:
I got this wonderful idea of scattering the sequins from the amazing Gigi Kennedy. I just love its whimsicalness.
Iris:
Iris Says:
I’m genuinely thankful for how my husband Bryan has supported me in so many ways. From the time we were sweethearts until know, he has never lost his faith in me. Journaling: Because you never said “you could not”, because you always believed in me, because you knew me better than I knew myself… my genuine thanks to you… for always believing, always having faith, and for always dreaming with me.
Lia:
Lia Says:
He’s a blessing to me. He gives me strength, he gives me confidence, always believes in me and my capabilities, he laughs with me, he makes me happy …. he completes me.
Anita:
Anita Says:
When I seen this catalyst I knew RIGHT AWAY my answer to the question, “Who’s the person who supports you the most in your life (emotionally and intellectually)?” My hubby is my best friend! I think that’s why we work together so well. He supports me with everything in my life. He understands me and stands by me no matter what! Journaling says: You have always stood by me, believed in me, even when I didn’t, and stood by me even when others didn’t. I am so glad you have total faith in me.
Michelle:
Michelle Says:
That’s an easy question..Todd, my husband. I am not always an easy person to support, but he stands by me no matter what.
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
He is my rock and my foundation. From the moment we met, he took my breath away and I knew that he was someone truly special. And while I swooned with my giddy school-girl crush day dreams of him being mine, I found my best friend. I found my shoulder to lean on. I found my greatest support and ultimately, my soul mate. He is my number one fan and he inspires me on a daily basis to follow my heart and fulfill my dreams. He never wavers or compromises in his love for me. Like our song says, “You’ll always be my sweet addiction… in this life my saving grace… you’re all that really matters, you know its true… there ain’t no me without you.”
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Who’s the person who supports you the most in your life (emotionally and intellectually)?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number eighty:
Tell us about something you cherished as a child. It can be a toy or anything else.
We’re so excited to have Pam Carriker as this week’s Guest Artist.
Pam is one of those artists whose art touches my soul. When I look at her paintings I get completely lost in them and just want to look at them forever. Her portraits are so soft, so meaningful, and so very elegant.
I’m not alone in my awe of Pam as she’s been published widely in magazines like Somerset Studios, The Stampers’ Sampler, Art Journaling, Somerset Apprentice, and Cloth Paper Scissors. She also teaches workshops in real life and online.
If you haven’t seen Pam’s art, make sure to visit her her blog or her shop.
Here is Pam’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Pam Says:
As a child I cherished the times spent with my grandmother all by myself. I suppose it had a little bit to do with the ‘middle child syndrome’ but those times made me feel so special, and in a family with three children, the ’squeaky wheels’ often got oiled first and I just wasn’t very ’squeaky’.
Grandmas are a very special type of person to a child. You can really do no wrong in their eyes. Things that would have sent Mom over the edge, do not appear to have any affect on Grandma. They have a seemingly limitless supply of patience, teaching everything from how to make a perfect Pineapple Upside down Cake, to tedious French Knots or how to save lots of money by clipping coupons.
My mom had ’special’ dishes and things that we never used to my knowledge. She wouldn’t dream of letting one of us eat off the good china! But grandma, would on occasion, take out her very special dishes. I was especially enamored of her lovely teacup collection. Each one different, delicate, and beautiful. Sometimes on a visit she would let me pick which one I wanted to use and she would fill it with tea, sugar and a little milk. We would sip our tea and have important discussions just like two grown up ladies. She even let me sit at her dressing table and try on lipstick and perfume. She nurtured the girl in me right from the start.
Today I work in my studio, surrounded by some of the beautiful things from grandma’s house. I sit writing this from her lovely secretary desk, filled with lovely pieces from her home. I cherish my grandma for helping me to appreciate the beauty in the things around me and for making the little girl inside me still, feel very special.
Technique Highlight:
I created this journal page on 110lb hot press watercolor paper. Sketch the cups, first in pencil, then in XS Black Pitt Artist Pen. Shade with Shades of Grey Pitt Brush Tipped Pens. Journal some thoughts with XS Pitt Pen. Add some more design elements (scrolls) with the Pitt Pens. ‘Paint’ in the teacups with PanPastel and colored pencil. Fill in the background with Caran d’Ache water soluble crayons. Shade with charcoal. Transfer images and text using ink jet transparencies and hand sanitizer.
Thank you so much Pam; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
Stuffed animals were my favorite toys as a child. I can remember my most favorites that I had and every single one had a well thought out name… One being Chubbles in the far left of this picture. I never was really sure what exactly he was but I just called him Chubbles by the name on his little robe. Now I’m thinking he’s some sort of ewok (?) Either way, he was one of my favorites. I hunted and hunted for a picture that I have from when I was about three of me holding Chubbles, but couldn’t locate it, so I snapped a quick picture of Chubbles in his new home… a shelf in Brayden’s room with a few of Brayden’s first stuff animals, an Elmo that was his first gift from Travis, and a squirrel that we eventually realized was a squeaky dog toy…(ha)…among others. It’s strange to think that this little stuffed toy actually still works… even after twenty years… with a little wiggling of his wires. He chuckles and his eyes light up when you run your hand over his face, or hide under the covers with him, just as I used to as a kid.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
What I cherished when I’m a child…going to the beach near our home, to make sandcastles and go for a swim, and especially seeking treasures…like a message in a bottle!
Technique Highlight:
I painted the bottle with alcohol ink, with a pearly alcohol ink too. It looks like ancient glass.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I cherish the time I used to spend with my brother… I kindly remember the time when we used to share the same room, listened from mommy the same child story before bedtime, had pillow fights, argued with each other…all these moments and everything related to the 80´s are special.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
I loved this teddy-bear. As far as my memory goes, it was always with me and provided comfort and joy. It’s name is simply Teddie and sometime and somehow along the road it lost an eye. But never the less, i loved it wit all my heart. To this day I love teddy bears.
Lia:
Lia Says:
I loved being the youngest in the family. I was Daddy’s little girl, Mummy’s favorite and my siblings especially my sis always did whatever they could to make me happy. I always felt loved … and while others might get spoilt by all the attention the youngest child gets, I’m thankful that my family taught me to be respectful and affectionate to others through them loving me.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
i remember asking my parents for this computer for my tenth birthday. “you just want to play games,” they said. “no” i insisted, “i will learn how to program, I will use it all the time, I swear.” they were reluctant, I could tell. everyone else just used theirs as a fancy toy but i wanted one. I knew I wasn’t going to use mine as a toy, mine was a keeper. I don’t know what finally convinced them but I still remember the day my commodore 64 arrived. i fulfilled my promises, I took lessons, I worked, I played, I tinkered with that thing all the time. As it turned out, that was the beginning of a lifelong love of computers a career in programming and the internet. now i help build browsers. and it all started with one little machine. a present that changed my whole life.
Karen Says:
The Commodore 64 my parents bought me when I was a little girl was the very first computer I ever loved. Today, I have eight computers and I love them all. I made a career out of working with computers. I cannot thank them enough for believing in me, supporting me, and of course giving me my first computer.
Lori:
Lori Says:
I know I cherished my parents and brother and spending time with our extended family. I certainly remember wanting things. The only toy I had that made me feel special was a green bear. He was my best friend for many years, but I don’t even have a photo with him. This catalyst just reinforces why I scrapbook for my family.
Journaling Reads:
I remember having a little green stuffed bear with me all the time. I named him “greenie” and he was my constant companion. I loved this little green bear so much, he never left my side. Soon he had no fur left and was really nubby instead. I wish I still had him. This is one of the few toys I would love to have kept.
Iris:
Iris Says:
I have always been fascinated with water fountains as a child. Be it am architectural wonder, or a table top decor, I would stare at it in amazement. It was such a pleasant surprise when I noticed that my daughter Nicole also has that same fascination with fountains.
Technique Highlight:
Use a favorite felt shape or die-cut as a mask for misting and get to use it in several more projects.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about something you cherished as a child. It can be a toy or anything else.” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-nine:
What’s a family or personal tradition your cherish?
We’re so excited to have Traci Bautista as this week’s Guest Artist.
I met Traci briefly during CHA Winter 2007. She was teaching a make’n'take where we created a collaged journal cover. It was one of my favorite make and takes from the show and Traci was so patient and so nice as she showed is how to do it. She then signed copies of her book: Collage Unleashed and there, too, she took her time and created a piece of art inside each book as she signed them.
Traci’s art is beautiful, creative, layered and like no other. She makes printable downloads, she teaches art workshops, and also teaches online.
If you haven’t seen Traci’s art, make sure to visit her her blog or her site. You can also follow her on twitter.
Here is Traci’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Traci Says:
~Halloween MEMORIES~
Playing. costume. excitement. Candy.
creative. making. crafty. {hobo. catwoman. Pocahontas.clown}
cherished memories. trickORtreat. photo with daddy…
dark.flashlights.hoping 4 good candy.LOVE.
Ever since I was a child, dressing up for Halloween has been a tradition in our family. My parents would let us choose our costumes every year. I’ve had numerous costumes throughout the years and most have had some sort of handmade element. From the little hobo outfit, to the bunny costume to my days playing Catwoman, a Moulin Rouge dancer and Pocahontas..creating handmade costumes has allowed me to express my creativity through costume. A yearly tradition was to take a photo in the front door with my dad before we went out trick-or-treating. He would always do the same pose with the growling sound…such fond memories. Now with my niece the tradition continues. For her first Halloween, the little “Glow Worm” took a snapshot with papa in front of the door.
Technique Highlight:
The collage art quilt was created by stitching together leftover pieces of my handpainted papers and fabrics. I have a scrap stash that I save and then pull bits and pieces from the stash to create the background collage. I sew randomly wild stitches using straight and zigzag setting. To attach the photos, I used my product line, Collage Pauge, to adhere them to paper frame. Then, I sewed photocopies of the original photos onto a dyed paper towel and color lasers of my original artwork to create the frames. Once I finished the composition, I took photos of the art quilt and added a couple digital photos. The freestyle patchwork quilt is never a planned piece, I pick pieces from my stash and build until I am satisfied with the composition. It’s a very random and freeing way to work. Let your creative intuition take over and have fun piecing together leftovers.
Thank you so much Traci; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Amy:
Amy Says:
I am one of those people that believes in personal tradition and ritual. I cherish the small things that define my days and weeks and years with moments of symbolic routine. But when I considered this catalyst, I wasn’t sure where to focus, what to pull out, and I realized that in this moment in my life, the traditions that I crave are hard to spot. The one I chose to illustrate is partly reality and partly wishful thinking. It is a concept that will always be with me even if I don’t always manage to make it happen. The tradition: watching the sun rise on one’s birthday.
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
It started out with Young’s Farm and then moved on to Windmill Farms when Young’s closed down. The annual trip to the pumpkin farm is my most cherished and treasured of traditions, starting when I was a little girl. The pumpkin picking, the cider, the barbeque, the hayrides and pony rides have become an integral part of my life and of my very favorite of seasons… the season all about gratitude, fall. We have gone every year of Roslyn’s life and always will. It feels like home to me.
Technique Highlight:
To create custom pumpkin embellishments, I simply punch out three circles using my large circle punches and distressed the edges. I then layered them so that they resembled a pumpkin, and added some pen stitching.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I happily remember all the events/traditions related to the preparation of Christmas Eve. What a delight to get back in time where my aunts and grandmothers were sewing little Santa boots, making sweets, ornamenting trees while my cousins and I excitedly waited for the arrival of the good old man. Being able to see him through the window, decorated with Christmas lights, makes it even more the most perfect translation of a magic moment I can give…and this is the tradition I try to recreate annually in my home for my daughter. Her joy starts with the setting of the Christmas tree, a moment of which I decided to portray for this catalyst.
Opal:
Opal Says:
Once, not so very long ago, I held many traditions which revolved around my family and children, birthdays, and holidays. As children do, they grew up and moved away, and they now have families and their own traditions. Loved ones have passed on. Cherished traditions have taken their toll…becoming cherished memories. I have one tradition that bridges my family of today, and yesterdays. When we get together, children and grand kids, grandparents, cousins, nieces and nephews, I always use pieces from my mom’s complete set of Jewel Tea Autumn Leaf dinnerware. She was very proud of this collection. It was in the years after WWII in the housing tracts built for return servicemen…The Jewel Tea truck drove slowly down the residential street in the city where I grew up. Honking the horn to signal his approach, housewives and children would run out to see what goodies he had that week, bread, sugar, coffee, donuts. Somehow there were points earned..and the points were accumulated and traded for dishes…These were her every day dishes, so they do show signs of wear. It is this that we all love. So, we use her Jewel Tea dishes, and one of us makes something from one of her recipes….Her apple pie recipe I used on this piece is in her own handwriting..printed on fabric, and cut into pieces to show that it is shared by all of us. The dinner plate is my version of the Jewel Tea Autumn Leaf design…the piece is quilted by machine and hand, with raw edge applique and embellished with gold thread.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
december is my favorite time of year. it’s when we get to buy a beautiful tree that gives off the most amazing scent in our house for a whole month. the tree that’s lit up. the tree that brings me joy every single day. it’s also when i get almost two weeks off work to enjoy my time with my family so we can curl up in front of the tv or the fire or our tree and enjoy each other’s company. december is when all the houses in our neighborhood light up and spread the joy. but the best part of december, for me, is the little book i get to create every single day. full of our memories, our daily moments. i love putting the pages together before the month starts and sitting to alter each page every day. just a little bit of art and a little bit of memory-keeping that allows me to re-live my day and smile. my december daily album is something i cherish deeply and a tradition that is here to stay.
Karen Says:
Two years ago, thanks to Shimelle, I started a december album. Last year, thanks to Ali, I did a more personalized december daily album and I fell in love with it so much that it’s, by far, one of my most cherished albums. You can see the pages in my albums here: 2007 and 2008. I highly recommend making one of these.
Technique Highlight:
It seems I go through phases when I create my catalysts. Sometimes they’re artsy, sometimes plain, sometimes with no journaling and sometimes with a lot. Ordinarily, I am someone who likes to journal a lot and I like to create journaling strips because they allow me to create a design with the words if I so choose. So in the next few weeks you’ll see that my pages will all have a lot of journaling and I will create the art/design around the journaling. Sometimes it’s all about the words.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
Well, this November I’m married with my dearest for 17 years!!! And the tradition is…making a special day for our wedding anniversary ..with a little party, or a dinner for two…a beautiful present…so exciting! Can’t wait till November 20th!
Technique Highlight:
The background I used is a chipboard book cover from 7 gypsies. The edges are crunched, and how I do that? With water! Make the edges wet, wait a few seconds, and the chipboard is more soft, so that you can crunch it with your hands…
Dedra:
Journaling Reads:
Every year we send out a lot of invitations to friends and family letting them know the details of our pumpkin carving party. We set up tables and tools and all together we laugh and spend time.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s a family or personal tradition your cherish?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-eight:
What’s something you want to accomplish before you die?
We’re so excited to have Luzinha Folch as this week’s Guest Artist.
Lucy was recommended to me by one of our team members, Larissa. And I fell in love with her work immediately.
Her pages are vibrant, playful and draw you in right away. She’s a fashionista for Scrap in Style TV and she designs amazing, beautiful papers for scrap diary. You can tell that she’s someone full of life and full of talent.
If you haven’t seen Lucy’s art, make sure to visit her blog.
Here is Luzinha’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Luzinha Says:
I’m just passing through that phase where the feeling of having a baby is making me a stronger woman. Although I can’t have a blood related child I have a strong feeling that I’ll adopt a little one soon. As sooner my husband and I can get together again. Right now the world crises had us apart, but it won’t last longer. For us it doen’t matter the color or the sex cause we just have so much love in our hearts that we already love the baby even before we have him or her in our arms. It’s a love that is bigger than any word could ever say. I know for sure the day that I’ll be a better woman is arriving soon.
Technique Highlight:
I did a mixed media using gesso, a texture with glitter, acrylic paints and watercolor. I drew the mothers and painted them with watercolor crayons. Old dictionary paper, ric rack and sharpie. To finish it I used a layer of bee’s wax.
Thank you so much Luzinha; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Severine:
Severine Says:
I’d like to learn to navigate and to pilot a sailboat.
In French:
J’aimerais apprendre à naviguer et pouvoir piloter un voilier.
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
When I sat down to create my piece this week, all I could think of to answer this question of what I wish to accomplish before I die was simply to be authentic. To be myself. Always. I know that this is something that I will spend my entire life working towards accomplishing, but slowly, day by day, I am getting there.
Journaling Reads:
My whole life, all I’ve ever really wanted was to be *me*… real, authentic, genuinely me. To delve into my hobbies and my passions, living whole heartedly an existence that is truly my own. To quit caring about what I should be doing and dive into what I want and know I need to do for my family, my friends and myself. To be comfortable in my own quirky, not quite status quo skin. I’m getting there.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I want to publish a book, maybe a book for children with my own illustrations (wow!) or a book to help people work on their creativity.
While I still can´t accomplish it, I continue working on scrapbook altered books.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
One of the things that I want to do before I die is travel. I would love to visit Europe-Greece, Italy, France and also want to make a trip to Ireland one day. Another dream destination of mine is Australia. I’ve wanted to go there since I was little. I’d also want to go as far north Alaska as possible in hopes to see the Northern Lights and go whale watching. Those are just a few of the many places I’d love to see one day.
Karen:
Karen says:
My first instinct was to do this about my book. I want to write a book. I want to get it published. I’ve had this dream/goal forever. But I’ve done art around this so I decided this time I’d do it about another dream. I want to go to Antarctica. I want to pet a penguin. This is something I really want to do before I die.
Technique Highlight:
To put this together, I cut out a bunch of penguins, painted my paper and added some texture with fabric. I then added some glossy accents and some pearl to make it look like ice/water.
Lia:
Lia Says:
I see in my near future, a future with him. Our union, a family we will create, a life we will experience together. I’d like to leave my mark in this world through this before I die.
Technique Highlight:
I randomly pleated some tulle over the wedding dress cutout to create a ’skirt’ and embellished with ribbon and pearls.
Anita:
Anita Says:
I KNEW what the answer was to this one right away. I know that would love to be able to travel abroad, one day before I die. To be honest, I’ve never even flown, let alone go to another country. I don’t really care where I go but just to be able to say I’ve been to another country would be so neat.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
A really hard one this time! There’s so much to do, beautiful things, hard things, bad things….ooooo I don’t know!! The only thing I know, whatever I’m going to do..is Put my trust in the lord! My life is in His hands.
Technique Highlight:
I use a lot of bees wax. Melted in pot with my heatgun, and smear it on the picture and the chipboard scrolls. After that I used crackle paint, and glimmermist to give it an old and glimmery look.
Michelle:
Michelle Says:
I am not the most adventures person, and while there are many places that I would love to see, I am not a huge fan of traveling. Because of that, I guess my “bucket list” could look a bit boring to some. Even so, answering the question, “What’s something you want to accomplish before you die”, was actually quite easy..I want to be content. The definition of content is ” satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.” That’s it, that is all I want. I want to be comfortable in my own skin, I want to not let my insecurities stop me from following my dreams, I want to go to sleep at night not second guessing decisions I made, I just want to be content. A glass of ice cold lemonade in a mason jar, that is a picture I see in my head when I envision feeling content.
Lori:
Lori Says:
Since I was ten-years old, I have wanted to write books. I don’t know why there is fear there, but my life-long goal is to finally write my book. I don’t need it to be published, I just need it to be written.
Journaling Reads:
Before I die, I will write a fantasy novel. This is one thing I must accomplish.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s something you want to accomplish before you die?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
