Hooked on Tags

Using some new ideas I created this tag today.  Tags are really fun to make, they're like little works of art but they don't take as much time.  I can work on one when I'm on the phone or in a few hours.  This one is inspired by Emily Dickinson - "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all."                                Diane

Tin Can Chic

 After decorating this tin for a Christmas gift container I wasn't happy with the rim which still showed through.  After noticing the old German paper lace on ornaments I decided that I could make my own out of old yellowed sheet music.  Here's the container after I finished the top ...............

and this is some more I finished this evening.                           Diane

Inspirations

List of ingredients;             I hope you can read this post, it danced all over the page!!!!
                         double faced tape
                         sharp little scissors
                         old magazines and catalogues
                         pretty paper for base (light shows up better, dark is more dramatic but
                                you mostly have to use white on it)
                         a thought
                                 a favorite color or thing
                                 something meaningful to you
                                 an emotion (if you want to write something private to you you can hide it behind a
                                                     picture, seal it up in an envelope or think of other creative ways to hide it)
                                                   (if you are the kind of person who only wants to put beautiful thoughts that
                                                     makes it easier - if you want to leave it for posterity you might want to 
                                                     not even put it down or else consider the above)
                         a few hours to just think about your page.                      Diane

                                                                                                                  
                                                    
                                

Creating Myself Through My Journal

Yes.  It's true.  Journaling is so deeply personal and such a trusted friend that besides listening to all my problems it also has helped me turn myself around and look for the joy in life.  In my journals I find myself and I design myself.  I find out what I like, try out new ideas, throw things out and see how they land, make commitments to myself.  Journaling is a transforming act, I hope that it will matter in the future to someone but right now it matters a lot to me.                                    Diane

From Me To You

My thanks to each of you, Amanda, Tammy, luv, and Romeo for

your sweet and encouraging comments on

my tags.  Merry Christmas to each one of you.  Diane

And The Last One,,,

I don't know how it happened but the combination of the yellow background and the green paper I have it on caused the red ornament to appear orange.  It's definitely not orange. 
This tag is the last one in the series 12 Tags of Christmas.  This has been a fun project to participate in.  Each morning I could hardly wait to get on the computer to see the tag of the day.  My tags have much more improvisation that the models.  I had to make so many of my own elements (such as the corners) and even the blended colors.  But it was a real learning experience as well as fun.  Diane

Day 11 Tag

Next to last day on the 12 tags of Christmas.  This was a pretty easy one.  It would have been easier if I had many of the elements from Ranger.  I had to improvise on the believe tag as well as the frame around the quote.  The tree is another improvisation.  I guess that's O.K.  it just makes it more mine.  I love the color pools on it and the little child (which was another of my additions). 

Day 10 Tags

I really must get some more stamps with writing before I do these tags next year.  I print the best

I can but it just doesn't have the polish I want.  This little snowman is kind of a cutie, isn't he!! 

Diane

Day 9 Tag

This one is softer colors than some, more subdued.  Fun to make. 

Diane

Day 8 Tag

I just finished this one.  Since I didn't have the elements I had to copy it and cut out each little thing.  I love the colors in this one.  Diane

Day 7 Tag

I took a lot of liberties with today's tag.  Almost everything on it was things I didn't have.  Sooooo...I spent 1/2 the day at the dollar stores and did come up with some pretty things.  His silver flourishes I had to use pipe cleaners for and I didn't have the kind of paper product he does so I used a similar looking stuff that I had.  I think this poinsettia turned out very pretty.                                 Diane

Day 6 Tag

Day 6 tag - it's nearly identical to Tim's but I got the results in different ways than he did.  Isn't this a pretty little deer?  On the ticket he had Season's Greetings but that's an expression I never like to use so I'm pleased with the French Christmas greeting.                     Diane

Three For Five

These don't resemble Tim Holtz much today but he did furnish the idea and it's really fun to make these every day in his 12 Tags of Christmas.  My Santa face is not stamped but I used an image and then photocopied it and kind of went from there.  Much of his tag today featured many of his own elements like the number 25.  I just skipped that and added rusty stars instead.  Instead of making one I made three and varied them somewhat.  This is so much fun.                   Diane

Day 4 (12 Tags of Christmas) 2 Tags Today

 Decided to make two tags today.  It seems kind of silly to be working on one when you could be working on two at the same time.  I found images in Victorian Trading Company catalog and used some little gadgets that I ordered once for the little children.  The WISH tickets I had to make because I don't have these on hand.  It was fun playing with the colors on these.  I think the second one resembled Tim's more.  His was beautiful blue tones. 
                            Diane

12 Days of Tags

 Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas - Above is Day 1

This is day 2 and below is day 3

A Little Push.....

All it takes sometimes is for someone to make you step outside of

your comfort zone and do something a little different than

you might.  This was the case with this pottery. 

One of my daughters was visiting and she suggested we go to the paint your own pottery shop downtown.  It turned out to be a wonderful couple hours talking, painting, deciding on the colors and designs ending up with a coordinating set of nesting trays.  I might even take an afternoon off by myself sometime and do something else. 

You don't need to feel limited to "I only do watercolors" or ""I'm a photographer".  We can do it all - the sky's the limit.  Just do it.                 Diane

Journal Page

I know Halloween is over but I want to post this art journal page anyway.  I'm kind of pleased with the way it turned out.  Ingrid Dijkers journals are so inspiring to me.  I was smitten after seeing her featured in Art Journaling by Somerset Studio.  I'm still having so much fun with different edges on the pages while she's off and running on some other great ideas which she leads workshops on.  I'll take my time, it's so much fun to do it this way right now.           Diane

Thank you card

My little neighbor girl did a sweet think for me and I made a card for her.  I hope she likes it.  Diane

Someone's Christmas Gift

This is the second item I've made out of this color, the third I've made out of this yarn.  It's Lion Brand HomeSpun and it's a little difficult to work with but it works up just gorgeous. 

I'm in love with this color.  It's called Waterfall.     Diane

Welcome!

O.K., I said it.  In great big letters in a great big brand new blog. 

At the age of 68 I've finally said it out loud.  I'M AN ARTIST!! 

I hope I didn't offend anybody.  I have this nagging feeling that I'm really a fraud.  I really shouldn't call myself an artist.  I'm a fake! 

That's been going on in my head all these years. 

From the time I was old enough to hold a pencil in my hand and draw pictures on the back of a calendar page I wanted to be an artist.  I wanted to be able to capture beautiful things on my paper.  I wanted to splatter paint on the paper and have someone else admire it, or crayons.  Admiration, as everyone who has ever created anything knows, is very important to the creator.
So I struggled for years because nobody said "You're fabulous!".   Nobody has offered me a showing at a famous gallerey.   In fact no one cares. 

BUT........does that stop me from being who I am? and what I am?

After much soul-searching (I've had a lot of time)  I realized that an artist is not because other people say you are but who you say who you are.  If you look for the beautiful color, the certain slant of a leaf, beauty in other people's faces.  If you love to have your surroundings beautiful, not for others so much as just having it beautiful to see in your own eyes.  If each act of your life is determined by the beauty of it and how it can be masterfully and beautifully done, if disappointment comes your way much of the time because you share it alone, doesn't this mean you're an artist?

I think I think too much.  I am the artist of my own life.

You're welcome to come along if you want, I'd love to have you.                            Diane