Car art

On our way to see my hubbys mom and dad, family and friends...impromptu due to my fil's health....took my journal and had fun wth metallic markers....family laughing because i was using alcohol wipes and paper towels....hey whatever you have!

Book of Days - the beginning

Picked my book and just started painting...felt very drawn toward
fuscia, teal and plum.

pulled out my papers, played but couldn't get the back cover
the way I wanted. In fact, I ripped most of it off
repainted and started over.

Finished front cover
Word is Spunk Spirit- I just made it up
You can't see in the photo but the girl's spunky
shoes sparkle... she was my focal point
for the project. The feathers added Spirit.
I am thrilled with the front cover. Can't wait
to delve into this project.

Spunk and Spirit

Fortitude is defined as the mental strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

Every day I awake, every day I take a breath I realize that I am using inner strength. I admit that this task is  becoming increasingly difficult. Some days the pain is larger than I am. Some days, I don't feel like it. Plain and simple. Almost a toddler like spirit decides to have a temper tantrum and be done with all of it.

This disease seems bigger than me. Doctors are giving me impossible choices.

As I approach the New Year, as I start Effy's Book of Days, I am starting anew. I chose a word that will define my future.  I chose Fortitude. But as the blog post was born, I realized that the word was a starting point.

Spunk and Spirit; my twins who will travel with me this year. Spunk and Spirit will help me overcome this disease. Spunk and Spirit will allow me to wake up fighting each and every day.

Creative December Day 13

Dashing through the snow
On a one horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go
Laughing all the way
HA HA
Sabrina, with her faux fur
and perfect pearls
decided to go caroling
with two delightful friends.

Creative December Day 12

Seems our snow girls woke up bright and early this morning and trekked over to see Rudolph and the gang.  Suzy Snowgirl was chatting up Yukon Cornelius but soon the winter winds came blowing by and turned them both blue !!  Tomorrow is another day, I can't wait to find out where they turn up next.

Creative December Day 10

Not feeling the spirit. Sadness has come over me...part missing my daughter Nora who died...part knowing my son is a man...the spirit is coming and going....but these two snow girlies....they are my favorite deco this year. They seem to want to travel....today they visited their snow man friend and paused to pose for a picture...

Creative December - Day 6

Puppy love....Jackie is our rescue... we never planned on having another dog but the universe had other plans. Look at this face... of course we fell in love with her. The moment we found her and her sister abandoned, we fell in love. Just couldn't keep them both.. talk about Sophie's choice. Jackie was least aggressive so we did choose her.. took the other puppy to the local non kill shelter and she too has found a forever home.
So this is Jackie's first snow... at first she was terrified but as the day went on , she started attacking, playing, eating and just having fun. She wouldn't run in the snow until her older sister, Ellie , showed her how.
And now Jackie is a snow lover....after all , snow is magical !!!!

Creative December - Day 5

This piece was a slightly bit unusual for me...
I never set out to do anything particular
Feelings determine the color
Mood determines the medium
Pain determines the type of canvas
The other day I was angry
A red and purple anger
Finished the canvas
It stared at me
and stared at me
I had nothing
Just red and purple anger
until last night
I saw a tree
sketched the tree
softened the tree and the anger
who knows...
maybe there is more to this story.

Creative December - Day 3

Santa 2.0
The original Santa was bought for our
very first Christmas
over 20 years ago
Santa has survived too many moves to count
Santa has survived two children
dogs, hamsters and other mysterious creatures of the night
But Santa was missing some of himself
and his light burnt out.
 The Cat in the Hat's spirit landed upon his head
leaving the rest of him begging for updating
A touch of Santa style bling
and he is hip hopping
ready to go.

Creative December- Day 2

I absolutely fell in love with these two snow gals . 

Shimmering in plaid and pearls

Creative Every day....or at least trying.

Angel on the tree
Watching over me
The days have not been easy
the nights have been long
this year has been strange indeed
so I have a small request
if you would please
just send some luck and love
from up above
to rain down on our family?

AEDM November 29

No content....coloring soothes the soul. That is all. Much love.

AEDM November 28

On our way. I am cranky and hungry. I have never had to do a prep on the road. This sucks so bad. My poor family should really receive some sort of medal for tolerating me. For the record, with todays technology, doctors should not make a person starve for two days. Some of us cant handle it. Me.

Trying to amuse myself with music but its pissing me off....tried to suck on hard candy but I am chewing it like a crazed person. Shopping on google apps for phone photo apps and that made me happy for a bit. Found some good ones for my android phone including some cool filters.

So for the final days of AEDM, I will be doing phone photography...I miss my paints....

AEDM November 27

Today was quite frankly uninspired
no creative monkeys jumping around
tomorrow I leave for the mayo
so I am filled with fear and trepidation
I did force myself to sit
to sketch, to pastel, to picnik
Feeling a bit like Charlie today..

AEDM November 26

Christmas is my favorite holiday next to Halloween.... I love the decorations.  I love going to Goodwill and finding some unique decoration and giving it a new home. Today my  hubby decided that Abby and I needed to get out of the house so Goodwill felt like the perfect place. I found several pieces to add to our holiday collections.. but I also found a 8x10 wood picture that was screaming for gesso.

I gesso'd the wood and sketched out the  snowman. Used acrylics and some cottonballs..really enjoyed doing this piece. I am hoping to continue doing art daily as it has become extremely therapeutic. I am so grateful to AEDM and how it really gave me the push I  needed.

Love to all of you...I have so enjoyed your blogs... thank you so much!!!!!

AEDM November 25

Acrylic background, watercolor pencil butterfly decorated with markers . Watercolor drippings.

AEDM November 23 and 24

Yesterday started out pretty  normal for us...planned on doing art in the afternoon..Abby's dr appt because she was in the er the night before... basketball injury. My son drove me to the appt and suddenly we are registering at the hospital for a surgery. Ever since Nora died, I am a freak when it comes to hospitals and my children and hospitals and well you get it... The surgery was only to take an hour, and it took over two hours. I am not a patient person and this hospital's waiting room was without water, coffee, basic needs like paints, crayons and paper. Everyone had gone home for the holiday and we were all alone.  I needed to do something...so after finishing the end of Gone with the Wind, I went hunting. This may be wrong, but on the secretary's desk sat a pencil and a pad of paper. I snagged both and sat in the dark corner of the room and just started doodling... it got me through until the surgery doors opened and the doctor returned.....On a side note my daughter had four breaks in two fingers. Needed pins, wires.. will be casted until February. Ahhhh...life.

I doodled over the scheduling form, front and back with pencil. Took a pic of Abby's arm..merged..

AEDM November 22

The other night we were driving home and I noticed the sky.... I absolutely love the sky in all its hues. I took a pic with my camera phone and wanted to try to paint that...I used canvas and acrylics.. I love mixing the paints until I come up with the palette I want. Someday I need to figure out how to photograph the pieces because the colors just do not come through. I have really enjoyed this month...sad to see it end but blessed to have been introduced to so many wonderful and warm friends.

AEDM November 21

With having yet another off day, so I did a page in my crohn's journal... everything feels like a mess... my life feels tangled...for this project, the page that needed worked on was done last week with acrylics. I must have been having a blue day because it looks remarkably similar to last week's art. I accidentally washed my daughter's favorite hat, consequentially it fell apart. Bad for her, good for me... what fun to have all these bits of yarn. ( Yes, I do feel bad.) I gesso'd the bits , used the letters and played with it in picnik.

Twenty years later....

Twenty years... twenty years ago, I married my best friend.  Twenty years ago, I had dreams, hopes , pictures of a life that was completely different of what it is now. When you are newly married, you just "know" that your life will be a certain way. You know... that family on tv that has the perfect kids... perfect house...perfect weather all the time to do all your perfect little family activities. Families are always together on holidays, they support each other through everything.

Twenty years has instead been an education in the real world. In the real world, you don't get to choose how many children you will have. In twenty years , my husband and I have been blessed with six children, four of which live in heaven. I miscarried three precious angels, gave birth to a beautiful daughter who was born still. I almost died giving birth to her. To add insult to injury, my family of origin decided that sticking around was too much after the death of my daughter, leaving us alone. I have had numerous health issues, too many to count. This last one that has knocked me down, now on disability struggling each day.

But, through all of this .....my husband, my friend has never left my side. We have weathered every storm together and come out stronger and better. This isn't saying we haven't struggled because we have. We believe in each other though and believe in our marriage. We want to make this work. We have had help....friends who have helped guide us... helped strengthen us, helped us realize that we are the beginning of a new family.

So twenty years later.... my husband and I are the beginning...and we will continue to build upon our family. Our kids are amazing children...our son is an adult, heading off to college. Our daughter is still in school , just a three short years off from college. They will grow, have their own families.. and so on....

Happy Anniversary to my husband of 20 years, my best friend of 26 years and here is to a lifetime of love.

AEDM November 18, 19, 20

Weekend are not my art time due to injections, so I decided to work ahead for the next three days. Surprisingly it came very easy. One I love, second is okay, and third is well an experiment in inkblotting that went horribly wrong. I am pretty sure I won't be venturing down that path again...But nothing ventured, nothing gained. This AEDM has certainly broadened my palette for different kinds of art which is a blessing.. I am enjoying this process so  much.

Watercolors, acrylics, stamp , fingerpaint magic

Acrylics, markers done with fingerpainting

Oy vey...inkblot experiment,watercolors, markers and a promise it will never happen again.

AEDM November 17

The resting suddenly ended last night when I was pulled towards my art room...I have never quite experienced the rush of emotions, the way the colors came together.  I sat down and suddenly I was done. It was quite the release... I found myself dreaming of colors all night.. of pictures that need painted...I have a feeling that this pull will go longer than just this month and that excites me...

This piece is 11 1/2 by 15 1/2 ...watercolors

AEDM November 16

Still resting... but did manage to take a pic late last night of the last field going down.  Thank you for all the support and well wishes.

AEDM November 15

This week has been horrible... and its only Tuesday. My best friend's brother died yesterday, my great uncle died today and I am in a flare that is making me horribly sick and very tired. I am upset because my health prohibits me from traveling. I am feeling less than inspired. My painty self is crying because she wants to be let out but I do not have the energy for her. I am laying down cuddled up with my fluffy sweater, blanket and cuppa ...dogs are sleeping.... its a resting day.

AEDM November 14

Not a good day...simplicity...just the art journal ...seem to be fascinated with the full moon over the not yet harvested corn. I can't seem to get enough of this white wonder....

AEDM November 13

Awesome. Fantabulous. Last night was girl's night with my daughter... typically filled with fun foods, Gilmore Girls, or some fun movie. We had the food, had the Gilmore but halfway through I was feeling the need to paint. Told Abby and away we went to the sunroom, aka Mom's art room. And the art poured out of us...so many laughs, so much fun...I love my time with kids.

Abby spent time altering a wood craft that I had picked up at goodwill. I decided to work on my Crohn's altered book. I started doing this a year ago when I was so frustrated with this disease. I, foolishly, thought that I would be given some medicine and be sent on my way. Little did I know about this journey, the questions, the highs and lows, the debilitating nature of the disease, the constant trips to hospital, doctors... and on and on. I am still working on gaining remission. I seem to have stumped the doctors both locally and at the mayo.  The crohn's had moved into my joints at a very fast rate putting me into a wheelchair on some days.. Which brings us to the altered book. Last night I added another page but I have decided to post what I have so far. I must add, the title came from my son. It was blank and Corey came home from work and looked at my pages. He looked at me and gave it the title... I was laughing so hard. Dark humor runs rampant in this house.

Early on , when symptoms get sprouting

no caption needed... LOL

so many different meds, different side effects

                   

The most recent page...this is sort of what I am feeling right now.. so many doors, wishing that the Hope door would swing open and give me a real glimmer..someday.

After we were done with our crafts, gesso'ing a few more art journals... Abby looked at me and asked if she could do the the door. I should explain. The sunroom we have is finished with this ugly door that we have yet to replace. Last year, I was bored and started painting on it...my husband just laughed which of course gave me free reign to continue * cue evil laugh*  Abby decided maybe we should paint it for christmas... so we did. As it dries, we will add different fun christmas-y things to it. Abby baked chocolate chip cookies.. we sat back and admired our work... what an incredibly fun night.,

AEDM November 12

Today was busy as I don't get many good days...so today is our errand day. When I came home, boys went off to work, daughter fell asleep as basketball has caught up to her so it was perfect time for me to do my art.

 I spent some time rearranging my art space. Truly , just seeing what I have so I can give a proper Christmas list to my hubby.

 Decided I wanted to play with watercolors and markers and some acrylics.

Started playing with my camera and macro, taking fun shots of my art stuff. I gesso'd my art journal that I am doing to  rid myself of Crohn's stress. Then I decided to work on my other art journal today. Add a fun page.

I just let the art flow and went with my heart. I would like to take this time and thank all who have stopped by. It has been such a wonderful joy to meet all of you and see your amazing work.

AEDM November Day 11

Off day for me...injection night leads to blah day..can't get out of bed....so just playing on my computer...cleaned up a pic I took last weekend. Hugs to all... enjoy your weekend!!!

AEDM November Day 10

Autumn. Fall. My absolute favorite time of year.  I love to hear the crunch of leaves under my feet, love to look at the beautiful palette of colors that is so inspiring. This year was difficult for me, because due to disease , I was unable to run and jump in the leaves. Yes, you read that right...up until two years ago, I would actually jump in leaves... with or without my kids..my inner child gets out often. My son, bless his heart, took me on a walk in my wheelchair. I still started to cry because it just wasn't the same. He stopped, came around the wheelchair, put the foot rests up and said " Mom, drag your feet." I listened to him.. and though it was not crunching, more like shoveling..it was fun. We laughed so hard and I am pretty sure , neither of us will forget that moment that my feet were covered in a great big pile of golden leaves that I had shoveled off the path.

So today's piece was my homage to fall. I started out with a piece of cardboard that had been gesso'd.  Second layer was all of my favorite fall colors done with a rolling brush and blended together. I didn't like the rough look so I covered the edges with ribbon. Of course, the great big pile of artificial leaves were scattered all around me, so I started decorating the canvas. I couldn't manage to get the lettering right and finally just went with stickers I had on hand. Honestly, I am disappointed with that lettering but I am letting that go... I took a picture of it, played with it in picnik making the colors more vibrant and adding a mirrored frame.

I know fall is nearing its end... but if you are able.. go jump in a pile of leaves. I promise you won't regret it.

AEDM November Day 9

This actually happened last night. I can't quite describe it....but wow was it fun. I have certainly learned that art should be fun, a source of  joy, of energy...I sat down with my art and just had fun.... It was funny because I didn't see the face right away until I put the zipper mouth on... and I fell in love with her.

AEDM November Day 8

This started out as a photograph I took while on a day trip to John Wayne's birthplace. The replica of the old western town drew me in. I absolutely love walking back through time. I can always just take a moment and envision how life must have been during the that time. I could imagine me with  my day dress going to the general store and picking up some needed items. And of course, I would have purchased this luxurious Chocolate Cream Coffee.
The photography was done using different filters and adding a texture layer. I struggled today. I wish with all my  heart I could learn how to merge, layer, texturize, etc. but I seem to have this block in my brain.I have paintshop pro and for three hours and many tutorials , I worked with it. Gave up and used picnik. I am not proud I did but I just don't get it. I feel like algebra all over again... my tutor ,many years ago, would tell me I had this stubborn block. Apparently it has moved to image manipulation. I admit... I am insanely jealous of all of you that do AMAZING work with photographs and drawings.
But not to fear... I continue to say inspired... with other things.

AEDM November Day 7

Staying in the lines, following the rules... not me. I am pretty sure I was born without that function. Today was an interesting AEDM. I realized I had no canvas, had nothing. Thanks to Mother Henna and her idea of gesso-ing cardboard, I suddenly had a ton of canvas. After I completed several sheets of cardboard, I was itching to do something, anything artsy. I started digging through my art stuff and found all these "crafty" projects that were given to the kids as christmas gifts years ago. They were just sitting there. So I grabbed them and shuffled through. An engraving kit peaked my interest, so I sat down and started "following the rules." That lasted about two minutes.... heart took over and suddenly I had a mess, a bright, beautiful mess. Next step was to paint over the entire piece with paper paint....oh I love paper paint. Spattering with silver acrylic was next.

One big jumbled, beautiful  mess and I love it.

AEDM November Day 6

blades in beauty
dancing delicately
in perfect unison