Keep Calm and Do Art

It has been nearly 1 year since I lasted posted on my blog (not good).  One one of my 2012 resolutions was to get back to it (good idea)!

So - last year, my word was "possible", this year I have chosen the word "CALM".

The KEEP CALM and CARRY ON British poster was on my desk for a few years - reminding me of what I needed to do at work.  This is the first page of my daily diary for 2012!

In addition to keeping the blog going - I also wanted to get back into art work again (on a regular basis) - I thought about a daily challenge - but decided on a weekly one.  

Each week - I will use a prompt from "HOW TO BE AN EXPLORER OF THE WORLD" by Keri Smith as inspiration - and will complete at least an art journal page.  I also have added to my challenge to some how incorporate the word "CALM" into my weekly art (or something that reminds me of this word).

 

Week 1: Exploration #1
WRITE 10 THINGS ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU HADN'T NOTICED WHEN YOU SAT DOWN. USE YOUR SENSES. DO IT QUICKLY. DO NOT CENSOR.  OKAY BEGIN.


I quickly wrote down 10 things I saw - and took a quick picture (I'm sure they guy who sits next to me thought this was very strange).  Today I completed this art journal page noting the 10 things I spotted.  My computer screen was a boring blue so I covered my computer screen with a photo I had taken at the beach on 2 Jan.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

February 2011

I nearly got through February without a post.  Not good.  Today I completed my February "One Little Word" class for my word "possible".  We needed 9 photos that reflected our word.  My photos reflect some of my 2011 resolutions and sources of inspiration for the year.

Mountain & Sea

The last 2 weeks I have been on holidays - we climbed Mt Kosciuszko [Australia's highest point at 2,228 metres]

and then went to the beach for a few days!

And in between...lots of driving...

and a visit to the National Art Gallery in Canberra to see the Ballet Russes - The Art of Costume exhibit.



Gratitude

One of my other New Year's resolutions was to photograph something I'm grateful for on a weekly basis [at least].

This is an idea I got from Notebook magazine [which sadly is no longer available].

1-8 January

Grateful for...

1. Newtown bookshops and very cool quotes written on blackboards!

2. Sisters!!

3. A great show called SOAP at the Sydney Opera House!

One Little Word

My year long on-line course is called "One Little Word" through Big Picture Classes [this was one of my New Year's resolutions].

It is pretty "full proof" in that you are guided along - using pages from a Pink Paislee album and templates that we print from the class website.

 

The first class [January] included a tutorial on creating the first page for our word...

the second page - photo of me...

and the third page includes a quote, a definition and synonyms.

Special bottles

Grace bought me some small milk bottles.  I have made "altered bottles" before - but these were especially fun to work with!  I made a couple for Grace and Emma [I'll have to get more bottles]!

My source of inspiration was May/June 2005 Somerset Studio magazine.

Possible

This is my 6th year keeping a diary/journal.  My word for the year is POSSIBLE.  Inspired again by Ali Edwards, I have signed up for her online course which will last the entire year and will have monthly "prompts".  I've had my first "class" - so watch this space...