A Lovely Dream: The Poodle and the Baby Head

Suzi Blu is having a give away if you post this button. And since she is the reason I became an art journalist I thought I would put it up today. I think is was about 4 or 5 years ago I stumbled onto her and the rest, as they say is history. She inspired me to start making art just for myself - that, and I love her art. I love her quirky, honest spirit!! I have a Suzi painting hanging over my bed - it was my birthday present to myself for my 50th :-))

So go check her out, grab the badge and link to her blog by tomorrow night and you might be the winner!!

all for tonight my lovelies,
kso
xoxoxoxo

Spring is Finally Here!!!

Wow, we have been having some crazy weather in this country lately. I am happy to say that the sun was shining today. Unfortunately that means I had to get out there and mow the lawn - which with a push mower was a bit of a challenge.

I had hoped that my son would have been able to do it before he left the country. He has gone to Peru with his biology teacher. They are gone for 16 days of study in the Amazon at the Tamshiyacu Tihuaya Reserve It takes over 24 hours to get to their destination - Seattle to SanFrancisco - then SF to Lima, Peru - then Lima to Iquintos - then a 4 hour speedboat ride up the Amazon to the lodge. I dropped him off at the airport at 5 am on Saturday and he was to arrive in Tihuaya at around noon on Sunday. I hope he is having a fabulous time!! Only 13 days 'til he gets back!

On the art front I have been too busy to eek out much time - a few minutes here and there... but I finally finished a little Remains of the Day journal. Here it is -

The journal when it is closed - all sunshine and spring time

Partially open with daisies and buttons

The first page in the first signature. Measures about 6x6, perfect size to carry in your bag. I am selling it in my shop here Take a peek :-))

All for today my lovelies,
kso
xoxoxoxo

Okay... I Couldn't Wait!!

The Auctions Are Now Live!!! Yahoooooo!!!!

Here is the information on the Friendship Journal - all the proceeds will be donated to the Polaris Project, whose vision is a world without slavery.

“Named after the North Star that guided slaves towards freedom along the Underground Railroad, Polaris Project has been providing a comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery since 2002. Polaris Project is a leading organization in the United States combating all forms of human trafficking and serving both U.S. citizens and foreign national victims, including men, women, and children. We use a holistic strategy, taking what we learn from our work with survivors and using it to guide the creation of long-term solutions.”

You can find out more about this charitable organization at http://www.polarisproject.org/

The artist’s who so lovingly created beautiful art in this journal are -
Kim Owens, Elizabeth Golden, Linda Hartzig, Danielle Patterson-Weeks, Stacy Sechan, Deb Schaifer, Fran Dussaman, Jennifer Maroney, Cynthia Vose and Timaree Cheney - all members of the online journaling group Blissfully Art Journaling.


This is the link to The Friendship Journal Auction - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250792003391&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

This is the link to The Love Journal Auction - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330544745796&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I'd like to especially thank Jenny Maroney - who helped plan this whole project and also kept me on track. I love you madly girl - this would not have happened without your support!!!

All for today my lovelies...
kso
xoxoxoxo

Art Auctions Finally Here

Last year several members of my art journaling group joined me on a special project. I called it the Traveling Journals... we all worked in journals with themes and the end result would go for auction on Ebay. Well, Jenny Maroney and I are launching the auctions for two of the journals tonight at 7pm eastern time on Ebay. I will post the links to both the Love and the Friendship journals after they are posted. And tomorrow I will post info about the Friendship Journal, photos of the art and the charity we chose.

In the meantime... here is a bit more info on the projects and some photos from The Love Journal. Oh, and tell all your friends - we want to raise a lot of money!!!

Shelley Malone's Art Contribution to The Love Journal - one of three

In January 2010 a small group of artists agreed to participate in a collaborative art journaling project. The idea was for each artist to create three art journal entries based upon a theme – one was about “Love”, the second was about “Friendship” and the third was left “Open”. Each artist was asked to include an introduction page and two art entries about the theme of the journal they chose to work in. Each journal contains 36 different art entries. All three journals traveled throughout the United States and Canada for about twelve months. Two have returned safely and the third is slowly limping home – it ran into a few unexpected road blocks along the way, but will be traveling again soon.

Jennifer Maroney's Art Contribution to The Love Journal - one of three

It was proposed that these journals be auctioned off and the proceeds from each sale donated to a charity. The Love Journal would benefit a children’s charity. The Friendship Journal would benefit a women’s charity. The Open Journal would benefit Bernie Berlin’s no-kill animal shelter - called A Place to Bark.

Deb Schaefer's Art Contribution - one of three

This auction is for The Love Journal and all the proceeds will be donated to My Stuff Bags, who offer much needed support for foster children throughout the United States.

“Imagine the trauma of being a child separated from all you know – parents, possessions and home – and not having anything to cling to for comfort. Sadly, each year, hundreds of thousands of children here in the United States must be rescued from severe abuse, neglect or abandonment. Traumatized and facing an uncertain future, they frequently enter shelters and foster care with nothing – no favorite stuffed animal, no special blanket. They are afraid, disoriented, and desperate for comfort. That’s where we come in.
The My Stuff Bags Foundation, with the help of thousands of people across the country, provides these unfortunate children with new belongings and new hope through its innovative “My Stuff Bags” program.”
You can find out more about this charitable organization http://www.mystuffbags.org/

Marie Johansen's Art Contribution - one of three

Each journal is packed with absolutely stunning art work!! The winner of this auction will be quite thrilled when they get their little mitts on it. The added bonus is that you will also be helping out a truly wonderful organization in the process. We also left many pages in the Moleskin journal blank, so that the purchaser would be free to add more of their own art to the journal – maybe your artist friends too.

The artist’s who so lovingly created beautiful art in this journal are -
Kim Owens, Elizabeth Golden, Linda Hartzig, Marie Johansen, Deb Schaefer, Fran Dussaman, Jennifer Maroney, Shelley Maloney, Pamela Ann Leal, Tammy Freiborg, Mikel Goforth and Andrea Peterson - all members of the online journaling group Blissfully Art Journaling.

More tomorrow, so stay tuned :-)

kso

xoxoxoxoxo

Tsunami of Sadness

I am feeling much the same way I felt in 2004/2005, when an earthquake and tsunami caused such devastation in India, Indonesia and Sumatra. Back then, I was in a monthly tip-in swap and ironically the prompt - released in mid December - for January 2005 was "The Ocean".

This is the art I did for that prompt -

I took it out yesterday and read what I had written on the back in January of 2005...

"When I think of the Ocean I am most often focusing on the beach. I think of summer time visits with my family. Strolling along the sand dunes in quiet conversation with my mother, searching for the perfect shell with my children or watching them play joyfully in the waves. I love to spend the night at the beach and to blissfully fall asleep to the distant sound of the ocean coming into shore. The soothing sounds of the shifting tide, gently rocking me into a deep sleep. There is nothing like the fresh sea air to clear the cobwebs and replenish the spirit.

The past few weeks have reminded me that the Ocean is an integral part of a much larger, living planet. A temperamental entity whose mood shifts as easily as the sands on the beaches we all love so much. On December 26, 2004 an earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, occurred deep below the surface of the ocean and caused the sea to swell into a giant series of waves that would rock the Asian region. It absolutely destroyed millions of lives.

We will never know just how many people perished as a result of this disaster. As of January 21, 2005 the confirmed dead stands at 162,000 and still climbing. Millions more have been left homeless and destitute - of family and money! Fourteen nations were hit by this devastating natural disaster. Every day, for the first week, new numbers of confirmed dead would come in and I found the information too much to comprehend. I was horrifed and filled with sorrow. I usually try to record my feelings in an artistic way in my journal. I felt moved to share my journal art as a tip-in for this month."

I will make a new art journal entry about Japan this weekend when I have time, but for today I am reminded how fragile life is. How we are but a speck on the planet. We best enjoy the time we have - every moment - no matter how insignificant it may seem. We need to appreciate all the joys, friends and family that we have - every day! You never know what tomorrow may bring, my friends :-)

All for today my lovelies, kso

xoxoxoxo

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