On Peaks And Valleys

Yes, I am still alive! I know, I’ve been gone for a while.

And that leads me right into the topic I want to put out there today.

Whenever you read about successful blogging by the experts anywhere, they tell you that one of the KEY things is to blog regularly. Lots of reasons why and they are all good reasons.

Yet, so many bloggers I know blog in spurts. Does it make me want to read their blogs any less? No, not really, in fact sometimes I find the blogs that give me a great big blog post every single day a bit much, because I will inevitably fall behind.

 

I am very much a “spurt blogger” too. For weeks, even months, I want to share everything on my blog. I find the time, I take the photos, it all flows nicely. And then I inevitably enter a phase where it’s jut not happening. Usually, something else needs more of my attention, or I am just simply “blogged out” for a bit.
I used to have a lot of guilt about this. After all, I wasn’t doing it right.  I was letting my readers down. And it’s not like I don’t have anything to share - I just couldn’t quite get “my act together” to just keep doing it. Surely I would lose every single reader I ever had if I just quit blogging for a month.

Especially if I did that on a semi-regular basis.

 

But lately, it has occurred to me that first of all, the guilt doesn’t help anybody, least of all me. In fact, if there’s guilt in the way, chances are that blog post are even less likely to happen again, because well, it’s just no fun! Who needs that heaviness?

Second of all, it’s part of who I am. Be it on the blog, be it in my art, be it in real life. I work, play, paint, blog, be an extrovert/introvert in spurts. And I thoroughly enjoy it!

And then I need to retreat a little. Find my center again. Refuel. I enjoy the quiet then. I enjoy focusing on something else for a bit. I enjoy my own company for a bit.

I’m not talking completely exhausting myself, crashing and then needing to retreat to recuperate and “save” myself. Even though, that’s been more my tendency in my earlier years. These days my peaks and valleys are more rolling than spiking. *grin*

 

What I am saying is, that I have realized that this is, as much as anything else, who I am.

I am a spurt blogger.

I am an introvert with extrovert spurts or an extrovert with introvert spurts and I need  both.

 

For many years I always thought I should be finding the balance between the two at all times. Like, if I were to do a “spot check” on my life at any given time, I should be able to see balance (slightly more or less) between aspects of my life at all times.

And, not surprisingly, I always failed. Then I would beat myself up about not being able to find the balance, etc.

 

I have come to realize that when I am on fire, when I am inspired, when I am in the thralls of creation - there is no such thing as balance. Not in those moments or phases. The balance will come again, but it’s not there in those moments and phases of creation and change!

I have also realized that this doesn’t mean I am “unbalanced” either.

Much like on an old fashioned scale, when you add weight to one side (or take it away for that matter,) there will be a temporary imbalance as the side that’s being added to will swing to one side. Until you balance it out with the other side. It’s how it works.  And it’s a good thing.

 

Perfect balance at all times would be standstill. And life, the universe and we as human beings - we just don’t do perfect balance/ standstill for any length of time!

And by realizing, accepting, and honoring that I have found much more joy in my life - with both the “peaks” and the “valleys.”  Neither is good or bad. They both just are.

And I mean really honoring that. Intellectually we all know that there can’t be balance at all times. This is nothing new.

 

But to really truly internalize that and enjoy the swinging to the left and to the right of the proverbial scale, and enjoying visiting each side AND the swinging in between, to embrace the chaos that can ensue in the process -  that took a little more work for me!

Embracing the chaos and trusting that it will all work out in the end - that’s not only a true act of letting go of control, but of trust and receiving. Not something that comes easily to me. But I am getting better!

In all areas of my life.

 

And yes, that also means that there may be blog posts every other day for several months. And then there might be nothing. For a month. Or two.

Post by Birgit Kerr.

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Around Here Lately

Hello friends! It’s been a while!

Wow, it’s been quite the ride around here for the last few weeks!

So, I thought I’d give you the nutshell low-down of some of the things that have been happening around here lately!

1. There was a lot of this! My husbands family came to visit in March, which was closely followed by my folks visiting from Germany to celebrate my father’s 70th birthday with us!

{Please ignore my sinusitis induced swollen face!}

 

 

 

And this is the portrait I painted for him as a birthday gift.

 

2. Both my daughter and my husband are currently rehearsing for plays at the local community theater. Two different plays.  Which means rehearsals every night and all weekends between the two of them!

 

{Anna during the performance of her last play!}

 

3. While we got through the winter with very little sickness, it seemed to have caught up with us now. First I went down with some icky sinusitis (right in the middle of my folks visiting!) then the kids went down with something too, even though not nearly as bad. They had the good sense to wait with the real icky stuff until my folks left and Max is still down with it right now, having been home for 4 days, sick!

 

4. I have also had a bit of a redecorating bug, as I have already mentioned, and in addition to being busy sewing a bunch of stuff for the redecorated bedroom (curtains, pillow cases, duvet covers, etc.) I ended up making a few decorative pieces for various spots throughout the house, too.

 

 

 

I’m not quite done yet. I think the living room is next in terms of a redo, which will require quite a bit of DIYing on my part as well. I’m planning on using some of our existing Billy system, but as they don’t make our color anymore, I will most likely have to paint the lot to make it uniform with the extension pieces I am planning on adding and making into a custom “built-in.” However, that is a whole different story and will probably be one of those  “I do a little when I can” kind of projects, as well as a “now that I have this down, let’s paint all the walls while we can and have a minor renovation” type of project.

For now I have, yet again, given my little IKEA drawers another make-over. I think this is the third décor/color change they have been through over the years. I wish IKEA still sold those! They are so much fun to alter!

 

 

4. And while looking for something else I came across the instructions for these little beauties and I just adore them! I’ve made two so far but I think I have a few more in me! Aren’t they so cute?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V9qmKE9wN4

 

My idea at the time was to make a paper mache mannequin stuck on a candle holder with a chicken wire skirt for my earrings, but then I cake across these sewn ones and I just had to try them!

One as a pin cushion:

 

 

By the way, for this one, I used a “candle holder” that I made this way from dollar store items.

 

The other is for my earrings:

 

 

I used drawer pulls for the top of the mannequins.

 

5. Of course, there is also always the garden. Lots to do there! Planting, harvesting, processing ... weeding!

 

 

    

 

 

And Mr./Mrs. Squirrel is back too, which would explain the disappearing strawberries!

 

{We caught him/her in the act this morning!}

 

6. Even though I’ve been doing a lot less of the painting kind of art these last few weeks, I have still kept up with  it somewhat. I’ve been working on several faces with the pastel/watercolor/gesso method. Totally new experience for me and really a different style, but I’m loving it!

 

 

7. I am currently really into expressing myself through things other than just paintings, so I am also working on my first art doll!  Totally still a work in progress at this point:

 

 

8. The other thing that’s been rocking my world:

 

 

I love, love, love this pot! It’s amazing! And I’m sure it will be the subject of many a blog post and recipe to come!

For now, let’s just say I haven’t cooked a day without it since I got it!

What is it?

InstantPot is an electric, programmable pressure cooker!

My favorites so far: Perfectly soft boiled eggs in 3 minutes, a full pot of potatoes in 10 minutes, beautiful, rich bone broths/stock in 1 hour (!!!), fluffy brown rice in 20 minutes, whole chicken, incredibly moist and tender in 25 minutes! Oh, and it makes yogurt too (dairy and non-dairy) .... and I get to make it in mason jars!! Oh and dairy-free cheese cake - yep, in the pressure cooker! In 20 minutes!

Basically, it has taken over the function of a pressure cooker, the crock pot, the rice cooker, the yogurt maker and so much more! And the insert is stainless steel, so no issue with non-stick coatings and such!

And non of the scary parts of pressure cooking are involved with this little machine! It has a bunch of built in safety features and  clean-up is so easy!

Anyway, as you can see, I am totally in love with the thing!

If you are interested in knowing more, there’s a nice little video in the amazon listing I linked you to.

And no, I am not affiliated with InstantPot, I just love the pot!

 

9. I’ve been working on quite a few blog posts recently. But they seem to evolve. So, they started out one way and while writing, they turn another way! As a result, I have quite a few blog posts in my draft folder, none ready to post and all in progress. I will get them all to you at some point. I hope!

 

10. There has also been a fair bit of this.

 

Gelli printing is so much fun!

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Work In Progress

That seems to be the theme for me the last couple of weeks. Work.In.Progress.

I don’t have much finished, most of my art is currently in the “work in progress” stage.

We’ve had a lot of visitors lately and there is more to come!

So, normal life has been not at all “normal” and has sort of been happening between bouts of visiting and other distractions.

As a result, I haven’t really been able to do all that much art and the little I do get done, seems to just add to the work-in-progress pile.

 

This is not an easy state for me to be in - the perpetual WIP, without something finished and filed away - is not something I revel in!

However, these days, when I find an area where I am supremely uncomfortable, instead of “making it go away”, fighting against it, resisting it or pulling some superhuman efforts out of my hat, usually at a great price to myself, or, decide not to do something just so I don’t add to the pile -  I try and lean into it and embrace the discomfort.

I say “try” because some days I’m more successful than others with this!

 

But, I am learning so much about myself! So much to clear, so much to let go and so much to open up to!

Having a perpetual work-in-progress pile in my art, is just one of those discomforts in my life right now. There are many more. How did I get so lucky?

 

But, I am learning to really appreciate the discomfort! It’s that message that tells me something is up!

• It tells me that there is an opportunity to let go of an outdated way of thinking/feeling/acting.
• It tells me, that I am learning to recognize and leaning into my vulnerabilities, something I would have avoided at all cost not too long ago!
• It tells me that in this moment, on this day, in this situation, however minute, I am practicing courage and I am opening myself up to not only vulnerability, but also change!
• It tells me I am one step closer to being authentically me, and one step further away from needing to be “perfect.”
• It tells me, that at the other end of it, there is so much more opportunity for ease, joy, gratitude and expansion!
• It tells me, that I am  also a constant work in progress and that that is a good thing! Sometimes it’s also a difficult thing, but it’s never not a good thing!

 

And with that, I will show you one of those work-in-progress pieces from my pile.

 

I decided to go big on a face, to really practice features. But not only that, I also learned a new (to me) method of painting with gesso, watercolor crayons and black ink  while I was at it! It’s nowhere near finished, but it is starting to take shape!

 

 

 

 

 

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
― Brené Brown

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Happening Around Here Lately

Hello everyone! I feel like I haven’t posted in a while, even though I had daily posts going on every single day the last 20 days! Phew! I hope you enjoyed the 20/20 series!

For those of you who are subscribed to my newsletter, I’ll be sending out the download link for the e-book to the series later today!

 

1. Happy Spring, everyone!

Look who I finally captured on “film”! I get so many hummingbirds in the garden and they let me come up quite closely, but I’ve never had a camera handy when they do! Until now!

   

 

 

Things are really happening in the garden as we’re moving out of the “winter” veggie harvesting and into the “summer” planting. I put adverted commas, because the dessert seasons are obviously not like the usual seasons! We’re having a little bit of a lull, right now, while the various summer veggies are getting there! But I still have plenty to keep us happy!
I have to say though, I am REALLY looking forward to the zucchini, cucumbers, beans and melons that are currently growing! Won’t be long now!

 

2. I’ve been working on my first portrait. It’s a gift for my father’s 70th birthday.  I am all at once fascinated by the thought of me doing even a single portrait and astounded that it actually looks like him!

I was somewhat in the zone when doing it, but haven’t been able to do another portrait of similar “skill” since! Go figure! Now, how do I go back into that zone?

 

 

3. I’ve been busy playing with my Gelli Plate! So much fun! I am working on a separate post on this however, so here is just a little preview.

 

           

 

4. Lifebook 2014 has had some more rocking lessons, in particular the last two I worked on, which was one by Tamara Laporte and the other by Anna Dabrowska, aka Finnabair!

 

Tamara’s lesson was on the “paint over collage” technique, which took me from this

 

 

To this:

 

 

Anna’s lesson was on her collage technique, which was quite fascinating! My take on the lesson took me from this:

 

 

To this:

 

 

The final collage was a little hard to photograph, as I used primarily shimmer mists to color the collage and they don’t photograph well! In real life the colors and objects have much more distinct colors and the separate objects stand out much more in their own right than the photo suggests. But you get the idea!

 

I am so glad I decided to do Lifebook 2014! We’re only in March and I have already learnt SO much and I just love having all the different artists show us how they do what they do!

By the way, if you’re thinking you might want to join too, you can! It’s not too late! Once you join, ALL the lessons are available for you to download and do at your own pace!

Even though Lifebook 2014 has a somewhat overriding theme every month (this month it is “celebrating connections”,) the lessons don’t build on each other, so you can jump in at any time and do the lessons in any order!

And for those of you that don’t want to do it because they think that the inner mean girl would never let them post their work or enjoy any of it - Lifebook has an amazingly supportive community, with EVERY level of artistic ability fully represented. Really, from ABSOLUTE beginner, the I-never-even-held-a-brush-before kind of beginners, to professional artists!

Anyway, as you can see, I’m really, REALLY enjoying myself in Lifebook 2014! It rocks!

 

5. I want to leave you with this awesome reminder by Ira Glass, about the creative process!

 

 

Yes, yes, YES!

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The Big 20/20 Event: Day 16: Making Your Own Art Journal Part 2

Welcome back to “The Big 20/20 Event” - I am so glad you’re joining us! We will be sharing 20 fantastic tutorials from a host of awesome contributors, for 20 days.  If you missed the previous tutorials in the 20/20 series, just click on 20/20 icon over on the side bar and it will take you to all tutorials, without having to scroll through all my blog posts!
Or, you could just sign up for my newsletter, as all my newsletter subscribers will receive a beautiful PDF eBook at the end of the event, showcasing all 20 tutorial projects to keep and peruse at your leisure!

Here we go with our Day 16 tutorial, by the fantastic Lisa Scott! Part 1 of this tutorial can be found here, in case you missed it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Making Your Own Art Journal Part 2

 

 

Supplies:

• Awl - Sketch Book (I used Canson Watercolor 140lb 9"X12")
• Bone Folder (a ruler will work or even the handle of a spatula)
• Waxed Thread (for the tutorial I used Sinew but for the book I just used embroidery thread. But waxed is best!)
• Large Needle
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Pattern Paper

Sponge (I used a Magic Erasure. You can use anything including an old rag. It is to just back the paper when you punch holes through it.

Now I know I already talked about some of this in the 'Making the Book Cover' part, but just for in case there are those who just wanting to do the book I want to go over a couple of thing. So bear with me if I repeat something.

 

Start by pulling the Sketch Book apart. Pull out all the pages and remove the glue. Then separate the front cover from the back. The back is a thick cardboard and this will serve as your book covers.

 

 

You will find the center of the Card Board and cut it in half.

For a 9"X12" the center was 6" from the edge. Cut it to make 2 equal sides. The easiest way is to use a paper-cutter. You can also use a utility knife ran down the side of a straight edge like a ruler. And then there is always scissors.

 

 

If you already decorated your cover you will follow these steps to just do the back side of the front cover and the back cover. If you did not do art on your book just repeat what is done to the back cover to both pieces to have a basic cover.

 

Starting with the back cover you will cut paper out that will hang over all four edges of your cover piece about 3/4". Completely cover one side of the cardboard with glue using the glue stick. Press the paper on centered and with the bone folder (or ruler) slide it across the entire piece to push out any air bubbles.

 

 

Next you are going to cut a moon shaped arch from each corner being sure to leave 2mm of paper of paper from the tip of the corner.

 

 

Using the glue stick glue down the edges on the other side.

Then you are going to cut out 2 pieces of pattern paper. These are going to go on the inside of the covers. You will want to measure your book cover then subtract 1/4 inch from each side. Using the Sketch book I bought the book covers are 6" X 9". So my inside pieces are 5 1/2" X 8 1/2".

 

Using the Glue Stick completely cover the pieces and glue them centered on the inside part of the book, one on the front cover and one on the back. Run a Bone folder (or ruler) over to push out any bubbles.

 

 

Now we are going to start on the inside of the book. You should have all your papers that you pulled out of your Sketch Pad ready. You will take each sheet and fold it in half. Then using your bone folder run it along the edge to press it flat.

 

 

After folding all the pages you are going to group the pages into what is called Signatures. Now now the Watercolor Paper is really thick. I only put 3 papers per signature. But on anything thinner do 4.

 

 

Now there are two ways to measure out the holes. One is you can take one of your folded sheets and mark them out and then use it as a template slipping it into each signature which in this case is what I have done. Or you can mark out the top signature and then line a ruler up along the edge of all the signature when they are stacked and mark them all at the same time.

 

 

Either way you will want to mark them starting from the edge every 1/2" for three marks. Then one in the center. (see picture below) Of course if you are doing a bigger book you will want to increase the measurement up to an inch.

 

 

Next you will take each signature and make sure they are all lined up. If you need you can use a paper clip or clothes pin on them to have them not move. You lay a sponge under each marked area and using the awl punch a hole through all three pieces.

 

 

Once all the holes are punched take one of the signatures and place it 1/4" away from the edge of the cover. You are going to mark where each hole has been marked in the signature. A detail to pay attention to here is to have the outside of the book facing up. When you push the awl through each hole it will blow out the other side a bit. You will want that hidden on the inside of the book. (wink)

 

 

This is how everything should look at this point. Now for tutorial purposes I am going to use a blank cover so you can see everything. AND I am using Sinew which is a huge thick waxed string for doing leather. But I think it works good so you can see things clearly. Alright! Lets get started with the sewing!

 

Cover and 1st Signature

Starting at one end of the signature you will push the needle through the hole closest to the end starting from inside the signature.

 

 

Loop around to the back side of the cover and through the first hole closest to the edge.

 

 

Pull it tight and then loop it around and thread it through the stitch.

 

 

Now stick it back through the hole in the signature.

 

 

***Go to the next hole over and thread the needle through.

 

 

***Loop it around to the back side and through the next hole.

 

 

***Loop it around and through the stitch.

 

 

***Then stick it back in the signature.

 

Follow the above steps until you are at you last hole. (I placed stars alongside the steps that need to be repeated)

 

Once you are at the end of this signature instead of putting the thread back into the signature you have been sewing, you are going to add a new signature and place the thread in the first hole of the new signature closest to the edge.

 

 

Middle of Book

You will go to the next hole from inside the signature and thread the needle through. Then you will go one under the signature that is below the signature you are working on. You will loop the thread around the stitch already there. I find it easiest to stick the needle through then open the book to where the needle is to then stick it back through the other side of the stitch.

 

 

Here is another view of the looping process.

 

 

Then you will stick it back into the hole on the signature.

 

 

You are going to repeat all the steps above in this section for the rest of the book leaving out ONE signature. Once you have one signature left continue on to the "Cover of Book" step

 

Running out of Thread

If you run out of thread it is not a big deal. You simply will tie it off, rethread your needle, tie it off at the end and start in the next hole. Then take the ends that are dangling around and tuck them in to make it look neat.

 

 

Cover of Book

To finish off the book you are going to take the last signature and the book cover and work on them both at the same time. To start this you are going to thread your needle through the top of the cover then loop it around the stitch as shown below in the picture.

 

 

You then will thread the needle back into the signature and out through the next hole.

 

 

***Now you will run your needle behind the stitch from the previous signature.

 

 

***Now return to the top of the cover and run the needle through

 

 

***You will want to pull the thread all the way through. Try to keep everything a little tight, not too tight but enough to where the gap is the same throughout the book.

 

 

***You will then loop around and through the stitch, pulling it all the way through.

 

 

***Then go back into the signature and on to the next hole.

 

 

You will repeat these above steps all the way through doing even the last hole. (I placed stars alongside the steps that need to be repeated)

 

You should now have everything done and be on the inside of the signature. You going to tie it off in a knot, cut the thread, and tuck it in.

 

 

VIOLA! You are now officially a book maker! (wink) Pat yourself on the back! Here are some finished images of my book. Here is the texture! I LOOOOVE TEXTURE! (wink)

 

 

Here is the back of the book. My daughter helped pick out all the pages. She loves butterflies!

 

 

This is the inside of the back cover.

 

 

Here is a close up of the thread. It is so pretty when it changed colors like this! hee hee

 

 

Here is a closeup of the flowers!

 

 

If you want to share yours please feel free to email me your pictures. I would LOOOOVE to see them! floppinflower(at)gmail.com

 

Have an awesome day! (wink)

 

 

Lisa's Bio:

Hello! I am so excited to be apart of the BIG 20/20 Event! Let me introduce myself. My name is Lisa Scott aka Floppin Flower. I have been blogging since 2011. I started out basically just doing it for fun to see what it was about. And through the years it has changed right along with me. About a year ago I decided to take some art classes. Painting was one thing I was never able to understand or do. Now it is my love! Especially once I found the world of Mixed Media where there are no rules, you can mix things up the way you want to create a wonderful outcome of colors and textures!! (wink) You can visit me over on my blog www.floppinflower.com

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