Having so much fun !!

I am having so much fun. I am on a new journey as you know. I am enrolled in online classes and am participating in couple of challenges. {See buttons on shide bar.) I am persuing what I love...art,creating and learning new mediums,styles and techniques. I am having a blast !! I have a bew addiction that also fulfills another addiction...What you are saying ? LOL !! Well I have been making hand bound art jourrnals. Yep, cutting the papers,creating the covers and hand binding it. I'm addicted to this process . The addiction it fulfills is my love of journals. Visual Journals, writing Journals,Doodle and Tangle Journals,idea Journals...you gettthe idea !! Lol !! My son is gonna hate me when I am gone !! "What the heck do I do with all of these now ?" I can hear him saying ! Nothing else son...they would make great campfire starters ! Lol !

So over on my Studio blog...
you will find post and pictures of part of what I'm doing.

Here is pic or two of another project I did. I created 35 hand drawn Valentines for my MJF (See Button for MaryJanes Farm on right) Valentine swap. So much fun. Now I need to get a pic of the ones I have been getting !!

Thanks for stopping by ! Please leave a comment when you stop by...good or bad !! Lol !!

Blessings and farmgirl hugs,
Kristy

I WON !!! I WON !!

I won...I won !! I went on my first blog hop for Bo Bunny. I love their scrapbooking / journaling products. To have a chance to win you had to leave a comment at each blog your hopped to. At Julianas blog..http://www.17turtles.blogspot.com/ she was also having a giveaway  and I won !!! Yeah me !! I am 53 and have never won anything in my life! This is so cool !! Here is a peek at just some of the goodies I have won!!

Isn't that awesome ? I am doing the happy dance..well sort of , my back and neck are killing me !! Will let my grand daughter do that for me. I will just keep smiling and saying.. I won.. I won !!

                                                     Thank you so much Juliana !!!

We were really hit hard by snow here. I am still at daughter and SIL's home. I will be heading home tomorrow if weather permits. They say we are going to have another round of snow coming our way. Ugggg !! Hope my friends in blog land are all safe and staying dry and warm.
                                                     Hugs..... Kristy

Help great artists help The American Cancer Society

One Cause, One Wednesday, One Hundred Collages


One Cause – The Fight Against Cancer.

One Wednesday – February 16, 2011.

One Hundred Collages – Created for this event by an all-star team of artists: Natalya Aikens, Pamela Allen, Laura Ann Beehler, Liz Berg, Pokey Bolton, Laura Cater-Woods, Jette Clover, Jane Davila, Jane Dunnewold, Jamie Fingal, Gloria Hansen, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Jeanelle McCall, Linda Teddlie Minton, Karen Stiehl Osborn, BJ Parady, Judy Perez, Wen Redmond, Cynthia St. Charles, Virginia A. Spiegel

The goal – Raise $8,000 for the American Cancer Society in just one day. More details and a preview of artwork: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/ONEFundraiserPreview.html

Fiberart For A Cause has already donated over $205,000 to the American Cancer Society through the generosity of fiber artists and their patrons.

PERSONAL NOTE: This is something very near and dear to my heart as many of you already know. The American Cancer Society was a big help to Marvin and I during his battle with Mesothelioma. They were generous with Gas cards to help us travel the miles for treatments and Dr visits. They deserve all the help they can get ! Proud to post this for some of my amazing artist friends !!

Awesome creative times

It's been a while since I posted on here. I have been off in creative heaven. Learning and playing with so many mixed media pieces. I so love to create. I finised 37 hand drawn and painted Valentine cards for MJF Valentine swap. It was so fun. Now the real fun has started getting the valentines from my 37 MJF Sisters. Each piece hand made and they can tell so much about each of my MJF Sisters. I am so happy I joined in for the swap. I also completed my Feb. Mail Art piece and got it off in the mail as well. I received from my Sister the cutest little Valentine girl and a PINK nail file. I LOVE PINK !! lol !! I will try to crop the pic I have of it and post it as well. I'm so blessed by finding this wonderful sister hood on line. I have made so many wonderful friends there. I love Mary Janes Farm Magazine and I have a link to join the site over on the right of my blog.

I decided since it would probably be spring before my son can come and helo me with setting up my studio that I would set up a temp spot for all my materials. On the main floor in my dining/living room. It works ok for now.... need more space!! Lol !! I have a kitty that seems to think it is her table ! LOL ! So for now have things in storage containers on the table so she will not dump things off. Another reason why I want a studio that I can close off and leave things out. It will happen !!

Well, I am off to go play ! Hugs and blessings to you all...

Kristy

Here is my entry for the Jan. Sketchbook Challenge

Here is my entry for the January 2011 Sketchbook Challenge. This months theme challenge is "Highly Prized" . I have done several other pieces in different journals. But this one is the one I am entering. Highly Prized to me is my family. So a little hand drawn word art. A few silly cartoonish faces for my family. Including Marvin who has a halo at the top of the F. Hanging from the F are our we

dding rings and my Pandora Bracelet. All things I highly prize. Marvin smiled down on this one and had a hand in creating this one. I have not felt his presence as intently as I did today. Peace,joy,and comfort filled my heart.

This piece has been created in a Strathmore Visual Journal. 9x12 size. I used the water color 140pd one. I have used my favorite pens, Pigma to do all of the drawing. I then played with some different mediums. A Niji watercolor brush,watercolor paints,Pitt brush pens and Gelly Roll Stardust pens to add a little sparkle here and there.

I'm sure I won win any of the awesome prizes after seeing my competition, but I am sticking by my previous post... To complete this challenge each month !!!
Blessings and hugs... Kristy

2011...Season of Change

Here we are 4 days into the new year. We are no longer saying Happy New Year to everyone we meet. Many have already broken their new years resolution. Another reason I chose to do my punch list for 2011. Where am I ? I am in a season of change. I have been doing a lot of soul searching while I have been down and sick. I have realized so much and am trying to listen to my internal chatter and listen.. really listen to what I am hearing. I have come to realize how Marvin's passing in July has consumed me. I read back in my blog and see how I have become so stuck in my loss. I know people now avoid me because all I can talk about is Marvin, his final days,my grief,being alone on and on. I don't know who I am without him. He completed me. He gave me purpose in taking care of him. He was my world. He is gone now and I must try to go on without him.That is my reality.I think I have just curled up in my grief and thought it was ok. After all that is what my counselor says. Grief knows no time.You have to get through this on your terms. Well... that is not working apparently. So... what to do about it? Here is where I am at...My reality check.

1. I have fallen short in my relationship with God. He is my strength and I have walked away in my grief. I need Him in my life. I am nothing without Him. I will spend more time in His presence ,without distraction.

2. BIG CONFESSION AHEAD... I am a smoker. I started back when Marvin go the news that there was no more hope for him. I need to quit. Leave it behind forever. Agaia, I am weak. I was doing it when I felt so sick. I'm beginning to feel better and I am back to almost a pack a day. Reminding self of the health issues. The expense that I could do something wonderful with that money. I need prayer .I need to lean on God to get me through this.

3. My creative self died when Marvin did. I had not picked up a brush,pen,paper or even doodled on a grocery receipt. So.. my muse is returning. I am making a commitment to complete a challenge. I am a part of the Sketchbook Challenge.. (There is a button on the left that you can check it out ) It is a monthly challenge. A theme is posted on the first of each month for a year. I have nearly completed my entry for January. ( Keep coming back I will post it here. ) I will be picking up different mediums and trying new things. Creating feeds my soul. It is a God given gift. It's time to explore more into that part of me and then use it for good in some way.

4. I need to get my drivers license. I had stopped driving because of health issues and Panic attacks. I am alone,out in the country and many times I am in need of something or just want to get out of this house . No one is available so I am here for days on end with no way to escape. I need to get my ducks in a row. Put behind my fears and JUST DO IT !! Scared...YES..as I post my hands are shaking. But, for my sanity I must do it.

5. I need to dream again. I need to think in terms of myself. What I want with the remander of my life. WOW..it feels like I am going into a foreign country all alone. But... without dreams I will just living without purpose,dreams or goals.

6. I want to clean up,get rid of things and down size. I don't need all this stuff. It is crazy. I am going to learn to live simply. To be eco friendly, To recycle more.

7. I am going to learn to eat healthier and cook for myself more. I have fallen into the habit of getting frozen foods and heating and going. I do eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I do eat whole grain breads and light dressings but I know that is not enough.

I think that is a lot to put out here. Maybe no one is reading my blog because I have been Suzie downer for nearly 6 months now. But I put if our there for myself more than anything, I need to put myself as a priority. God being 1st in my life.

There it is.. out there for all to see. This is what I have become .The list is the beginning to what I WILL BECOME in 2011. I ask for your prayers,words of encouragement and ideas you may have.

Hugs and blessings....
Kristy
Here I am with my precious granddaughter Trinity. I have changed since then I've cut my hair short, gotten contacts and lost some weight. Just wanted to post this pic as inspiration for myself.

Here's to the New Year...2011

Here's to the New Year. Here's to you and new beginnings.For bigger dreams. To memories that comfort us. For health,happiness and many blessings. Here's to creative inspiration or finding a new muse. Here's to joy unspeakable and unconditonal love. Here's to God whom I love and need in my life. Here's to pink sunsets,dragonfly kisses and lots of laughter. Here's to life !!

I came to a wonderful realization. 2010 will be behind us. In my world the sadness and the loss of my husband this year will never come again .It is now history. Yes, 2011 will be a year of healing, remembering and new beginnings. So come on 2011 !! Lol !

I must thank you all for your support,encouragement,love,laughter and shoulders to cry on. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life for a reason or a season. My hugs and love go out to each of you!

Here is a challenge I posted at MaryJanesFarm...my challenge to my sisters there was to create a bucket list for 2011. New Years resolutions and I do not get along. I usually break them before January is over ! Lol! I find that I tend to do resolutins that set me up to fail ~ So this year I am creating a Busket List or Punch list as Marvin called it. I have a brand new journal ready for 2011 and at the front I am placing my bucket list for 2011. Not my life long bucket list but for this year. I will share a few of my random additions.

I will finally get my studio set up. My little haven to create and allow my muse to run and play freely as she chooses.

I will volunteer at a food bank, community outting, or church work day at least 1 a month, More if possible.

I will spend an hour each day praying,reading my bible and meditating .

Ok... There is a start. Let me know what you come up with. Share them here if you like to spark an idea in another .

Hugs and blessings to you all...
and have a blessed,safe Happy New Year!!