Channeling Peaceful Resistance

No art to post today, just a few thoughts...

As I was listening to the news over the course of the last 48 hours I said a little prayer for the protesters in Egypt. Stay calm, stay focused and please, please don't react with violence!! Yesterday there was anger after the disappointing speech by Mubarak, but by Friday they seemed to become even more determined and focused.

And then the news that he was indeed gone! The streets of Cairo were rocking with joy - their mostly non-violent protest had brought about the change that they demanded. There was literally dancing in the street!

I am still amazed by this whole thing - so many times in the past these sorts of demonstrations have been squashed with violence and tyranny. It seems that this world is getting smaller and just a bit more transparent with the instant exposure of Facebook, Twitter and the Internet. Things that were once easily buried are broadcast worldwide with the simple push of a button on a cell phone - so mind boggling!

Even with all that technology in action, I still had the sense (maybe hope) that all those educated students were channeling the message of non-violent resistance espoused by Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King all those years ago. Even in the face of violence they resisted the temptation to respond in kind.

They lifted their voices as a united body! Sent a message to the world and we listened.

Now the hard work begins for a newly born nation.

I wish the people of Egypt peace and strength for the journey.

All for tonight my lovelies,
kso
xoxoxoxo

Winter Ball and a Bit of ROD

My son went to his first dance - the Winter Ball. We bought a suit, white shirt, tie and a corsage for his date. He came home to get ready, so I got to take pictures of him and the three beauties he escorted to this yearly event.

This is the corsage that his sister helped him design - she had been with E when she shopped for her dress, so it had to match. She also helped him pick out the suit and tie.

The beautiful A, E and J with my own lovely boy. E on his left is his date and the other two are his good friends. He has a lot of friends who are girls - even had me take a picture of him to send to another girl friend who wasn't going to the ball. Just so darn cute!!

On another front - this is officially the weekend my two spend with their dad, so I had time to get creative. I am constructing another Remains of the Day journal - this I will be selling in my shop. It's not quite done - still have to sew the signatures into the cover. But here are a few peeks...

The front cover - Pretty in Pink

The front of the second signature - the back of this photo has all the

names written on the back. Very cool!!

Just another little peek inside the first signature - it's gonna be hard to part with this one.

But sometimes you just have to let go - right?

All for tonight my lovelies,
kso
xoxoxoxo

More 2010 Artwork

Here are two more bits of 2010 artwork from last weekend, when I was trying to actually finish a journal before starting another. Haven't really done that, but pretty darn close. I will visit 2010 Journal in the next few weeks and wrap up the loose ends... but I am moving on the 2011. I cannot believe that this month is already over, well almost :-) So far this year has been so much better and I am so pleased with that. Many things planned for the new year... wait and see!!

I love these two different tissue papers I discovered when doing the never-ending shuffle in the disorganized studio space. The words on the right are also tissue paper from starbucks - I love the font! I used masking tape down the middle and covered it with two shades pink paint - the cheap acrylic kind. I think it looks pretty cool - I may or may not go back and write on it, we'll see.

This one is for my little bout with mrsa and cellulitis this past November. I found a spider in my bed when I was shaking out the sheets one morning and within 24 hours I had this ugly,burning red, painful spot in my left arm pit area. Caught it quickly and didn't end up in the hospital this time!! Lots of drugs and a little office surgery and it was gone in about two weeks.

Now on to the To-Do List of new art things...

1 - Scan 2 of The Traveling Journals and get them ready for auction - the third one is still traveling.

2 - ATC's for Tammy's swap Word for the Year

3- February Tip-In swap at BAJ - Favorite Childhood Story

4 - Partnership Journal Swap with Victoria

and the big one - start organizing and coordinating the BHS Student Art Show in May - I am the lead this year. So, it's busy busy busy!!

All for today my lovelies,

kso

xoxoxoxo

ps - thanks for the lovely comments my friends - I appreciate your support!!

An Artful Weekend

I am trying to finish up my 2010 art journal before I can get fully immersed in 2011 art. So with the kids gone for the weekend I have been hitting it hard!! Yesterday I was in my nightgown until about 6:30 pm. The only reason I even got in the shower or got dressed was to go play mexican train with my friends last night. Which, as always was soooooo fun... wine, laughter and plans for the new year :-))

This artwork started when I found the box of Glee gum (shown on the left page) and I thought perfect for my favorite show!! It's one of the things that my daughter and I both love - and that is rare. She babysits on Tuesday night, so when she gets home the first thing she asks is "did you watch Glee?" That show is so much fun and it makes me take a little trip down memory lane - songs always have such a strong imprint on the soul.

This is to record our traditional trip to visit my parents on Christmas Eve. I hope that there will be many more years of making this little trip!! We don't go over the river and through the woods... but it's pretty darn close. I found the vintage Christmas card and it triggered the whole travel idea.

Christmas Morning - before the kids leave me for the day. This year they were up at about 6 am to open their stockings. I lay in bed and listened to them for awhile before I got up at 6:30 to join them. As I lay there, I was tranported back in time to those same holiday mornings with my brother in the wee hours before the rest of the world woke up. It was such a sweet morning this year... because I know that they will both look back and feel the same emotions that I felt on this very special occasion. They are so close and I am reminded how much they love each other in these small, private moments - when no one is watching them.

I have more half finished pages to work on for the rest of the day and then I'll post them tomorrow. Then it's on to 2011.

Cherrio my lovelies, kso xoxoxoxo

Slightly Creative

I have been putzing around for the last few days - packaging and scanning things for my Etsy store, starting a new weight loss blog here and taking care of my sick baby. Yesterday I went for a walk and took these photos...

I walked to the bluff and looked out at the Puget Sound.

Working on creating a healthier body and self image.

Look at all those lovely boats waiting for sailing season to get here.

This was a really cool bunch of trees I saw on the way.

The kids will both be gone this weekend, so I plan on hiding out and making some serious art. No cooking or cleaning - just some dedicated ME time - can't wait :-))

All for tonight my lovelies,

kso

xoxoxoxo

Weekend Art

I have a thing for elephants and I saved this illustration from the book jacket for an old copy of The Jungle Book - so I saved it and this weekend I finally used it. When I looked at this art -later in the day -I thought that the spine from the book jacket on the right, with the leaves stamped on it kind of looked like a tree. I still need to write something on the pages, but I'm not sure what that will be right now - later it will come to me...

I found - in my stash - a little hand drawn Pokemon card that my son made years ago. I like to use these little art snippets from my children in my journal art. I can still remember him asking to use my special scissors to cut the edges of all his cards. He was so pleased with his little designs. I can't believe I still had this!! I know that when I look back at this journal art I will instantly recall my little boy and this moment.

The little "happy meal" tag will also remind me of my son - when he was six he told me when he grew up he would be a much better parent... because he would take his son to McDonald's everyday if he wanted. He was very mad at me because I wouldn't take him for another happy meal.

The little doll tag in the lower left corner is from my daughter - she loved her Barbie's and all that damn paraphernalia - always so many little tiny shoes. Worse than the Legos :-)

All for tonight my lovelies,

kso xoxoxoxo

New projects

I have an uexpected day off so I thought I would post a couple of photos from my little journals I am working on. The first a vintage Spanish book repurposed into a small pocket size journal - it measures 4.75 inches by 6/75 inches. A thin little treasure called "Taboada's Cuentos Alegres". Perfect for carrying in your purse to jot down all your journaling observations. I linded the inside covers with pretty paper to match the really long ribbon that wraps around and around to close it. I love how it turned out :-) The original owner has written his name on the front cover - C. D. Samson - gives it that extra special patina that an old book deserves.

The second one is an old children's book from the 1950's. It's a lovely size - 6 inches by 8 inches - perfect for journaling or art journaling. It has a really nice color graphic on the cover. This one has 3 signatures or 96 pages - Strathmore drawing paper. Will make a wonderful sketchbook or just a plain old journal for writing. I really like the way this one turned out too!!

All for today - off to put some new things in the store :-)

See you later my lovelies,

kso

xoxoxoxo