Catching up......

Here is a page I did as a prompt for the Roses on my Table ning group that I found... My Big 3...3 things to describe you or that you like about yourself...




Now, on to the ArtaThon at Jerry's on Saturday...

Here is Christina, getting ready for some serious painting fun...she made the most awesome painting...too bad I was so busy doing um thinking about what I was going to do that I didn't get pictures of it...


And, Sharon, rocking as usual!



Dawn here, making an uber cool book that I won.....which inspired me to try doing some of my own! Thanks Dawn!! We spent so much time talking and catching up with each other which made the day so much more fun!!


And here I am, playing along....trying to come up with something to do!!!




Now for the special part....I'm totally unorganized, and in my packing, I completely forgot one of my canvases...my husband gracious agreed to bring it along, and when he came along with the kids. After grabbing some lunch, my daughter wanted to stay and paint for a bit, so I gave it and oh my!!!!!


She jumped right in started her colors going....I just stood there totally amazed!!!


The special part was that Carissa allowed her to hang her piece in the show for bidding!!!



I was so inspired by her true...well, play. She just jumped right in without a care in the world, and painted. She didn't care what colors she was using or what it might look like in the end...or that yellow and purple could potentially make brown...she just painted away...
Kinda made me wonder why I don't paint that way...you know, with no cares or worries about it...just get in there and do it because I love it....ya know!
Enjoy your day,
Until next time,
Ophelia

My First Attempt...

One of the things that I have wanted to do for quite some time is to learn to make my own journals....so after some serious youtube-ing....I decided to give it a go..

I used some really cool paper on the cover that I found at Jerry's this weekend, and I used some of my hand dyed fabric on the inside....I actually got to whip out my sewing machine and do a bit of stitching around it....so much fun!!

This was a ton of fun...except for the red stains that are on the first signature that I sewed in, and lets just say its not paint!!!OUCH!

I will post pics of my weekend at the Jerrys ArtaThon..I have a special surprise for you all....It was at least special for me!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Here's Where I'm Headed....

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=43949577&id=11818046
At Jerry's Artarama in Raleigh, NC....or next door to Jerry's that is....

If you are local and want to have a chance at some fabulous art....come out and place your bid on your favorite artwork...

All artwork is to be raffled to benefit the Wildlife Federation for animals affected by the Gulf Spill.

I will be there painting away!! The event is from 11-7, so if you are in town, come by....

Enjoy your weekend...

Until next time,

Ophelia

Girlfriends......

Last night, I met my friend Patti. We met at our usual Starbucks, got our usual goods, and headed on a joyride....
Over to her new studio

Oh MY GOSH!!! Talk about eye candy GALORE...
Patti has the most ownderful eye for just the right thing....her studio is simply fantastic, and if you could see all of the antique goodness that she has....I just sat on the floor.....in a puddle....and just stared.
Visit her blog here: http://mariposanegra.wordpress.com/ to keep up with her studio happenings...its gonna be so great once she is unpacked!!
The bum part....I was so into staring, that I completely forgot to take out my camera and at least snap a pic of me and my "girlfriend" and her wonderful studio....the second bum is that we only get together about one a year....but that will change!
You ever have one of those friends that when you leave you are on cloud nine....you know, ready to conquer the world. Well, thats how my Patti makes me feel. I feel so inspired, and just uplifted being around her....she really is such a creative artist, and a great, great friend. Its such a shame that we don't get together more often.
Patti....if you're reading this....send me a pic of you!!! and I'll put it up here later!
So, with that being said....get on the phone, and call your special girlfriend(s), tell them just how lucky you are to have them in your life.....and if you can, head out on a joyride of your own.
Until next time,
Ophelia

I am Guilty...

I am very, very guilty of wanting absolutely everything I see...I am the one who says..."you know...if I had this....or that....I could really make some nice art, or a great dinner, or a beautiful quilt" Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Anywho, after a visit over to Kate's blog this morning....(if you clicked the link you'll see why)...

She did some more awesome journal pages and this time, she's got herself some new spray inks.... I immediately thought...you know....and clicked the link......

Hold the phone here...I realized that in that studio of things, I have spray inks...tons of them..but, Kate's (Dyan's) looks so beautiful, and see what she did with them!!! If I just order them, well you know the rest. (And, no, I didn't order them....yet...)

Off to the studio I went, with an idea that is.....I have these Ranger color wash inks from forever ago.....

And some of these little pots of pearl powders....the actual name of them escapes me as I write this...

Mix them together with a bit of distilled water (I have enough science projects going on around here than to have moldy water stuff in my studio...so I use distilled water in things that I mix if I may have them sitting around for a while..




And let the spraying begin!!!!

This was fun and kept me happy for a bit....but I keep going back to the link....
http://shop.afth.co.uk/ I wish I could take a day of play at her storefront....
Oh, those sprays are so beautiful....
Have you been to Kate's blog yet... http://www.thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com/
Fabulous, huh....told ya...and if I had those sprays...well...this could be bad :)
Wanted to leave you with some more views of my studio....
This is the sewing station....which could technically be packed up because I haven't used my machine in um....5 whole years....I really want to sew again though...

Notice land of "stamp" in the background (near the window)....those are the Stampin Up stamps that I have that I rarely use anymore...but one day....I keep my other stamps in various drawers and such near my worktable.
Enjoy your day.
Until next time,
Ophelia

Time to Call in the US Marines.....

So far this summer vacation for me has been fun, fun, fun in my studio....FUN! I looked around this morning and realized that I have done little else.

I'm not even sure of how many square feet my home is...doesn't really matter....what does matter is that every square inch of it is DIRTY! There is so much to do and its quite overwhelming....which is why I usually just give up and head to the studio...that is exactly what I did today...

Since I have been in the studio quite a bit...that space is also, well trashed! But here goes...

This is my work table....it is quite spacious, but once I start working on something, I usually have the space of a postage stamp to work on!

Right next to my work table is my rounder with distress inks and some other ink pads as well as my spray inks on top.

Right above my work table is another rack of ink pads....love some ink pads!

I wish I could say that this is all of the paint I have....


Shelves of stamps and embossing powers.

More shots of storage drawers which sit beside my work table...

I love, love, love my pencil storage thingy.....

The opposite wall of my worktable...its my bookshelf which is LLLLOOONNGGG...I love it! The top holds these metal drawers that hold all sorts of things....I keep alphabets, eyelets, brads...smaller things....and on top of those...its piled with lots of stuff..

Finally, a background that I'm working on....

Hope you enjoyed a snippet of my studio, in all of its trashed glory!

I'd better get busy on the rest of this place.

Until next time,

Ophelia

Day Three Is All About Me...

Good Morning Blog friends..

Day 3 of summer vacation and my hands are dirty with paint, and I am loving life! It is way too hot outside for anything....and I'm not an outdoor girl these days anyway....

My daughter has set up a store front right in her room which is across the hall from my studio....she found an old typewriter and is set up for business...she is busy checking out her girls - we keep Build A Bear very busy...she is over there cooking and cleaning, and every so often, I poke my head in her room because her conversations are so real, I really would guess that there are other people in there with her...

I found this prompt over at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal, and I couldn't resist doing a page about..well, Me.

This is such an old photograph...but I still recognize me....it scanned very poorly, but, well, its still me! I was three, with my brand new glasses...dressed up to go somewhere and check out the hair! Problem number 1....I hated being in a dress. Back then, this gal would much rather be in her jean overralls and climbing a tree or playing in a big sand pile and losing my brand new glasses somewhere :)

I wrote all about me all over the page, then just started writing stuffs about me...like the fact that I truly am a worrier...I know its not good, but I am so human about it.

Enjoy your day...

Until next time,

Ophelia

Happy, Happy, Monday!!!

Good Morning Blogland Friends...

Well, today is the official first day of summer vacation for me, and ahhhh.

My family room is crowded with sleeping bags and pillows with little boys as my son is having a sleepover...but, I don't even mind that one! Nothing, absolutely nothing will bother me today!

I am having such a blast with my digital collage finds from Deviant Scrap, and that is where these pieces came!

My plan for my days this summer is to stay very, very close to my studio...VERY.

So, wish me luck and let the play begin!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Crazy Times with the Staton's

No art to report....and this is why. We have just been crazy busy around here with well...new beginnings.

FBC Academy class of 2010!!!


And this is my little one...Madison.

Then....5th grade graduation.....such a great night as these guys have been together since they were 2 years old!

My Stephen is up front here in the red plaid shirt...
Where did my babies go?
Summer vacation official starts today with a half day for kids...I will begin mine on Friday...whew! Then, I will get back to art.
Go and hug your babies (regardless of their ages)...time slips by.
Until next time,
Ophelia

Welcome June...

I wanted to check in tonight for a quick post to show my June calendar page... I'm not sure if its because I am doing these calendars to mark each month or what, but time is simply flying by!

The girl on this page is from Deviant Scrap....my new Digital Love!!! I think this image is from the Funky Birds and Borders one...oh, there are so many over there that I have looked at and want that I honestly can't keep up with the ones that I have. Just so much fun, and I can totally see that it is truly going to be addicting.

My journal is getting so full now that it is getting harder to get a good scan...there are little tabs at the top of this page with the days of the week, but, oh well, I love a full journal.
Have a great night everyone,
Until next time,
Ophelia