Look Out World!!!

This gal is going through some changes!

Its almost my birthday, and, well, let the thinking begin. Last night, I had a lightening bolt kind of thought, and, well, there will be some changes happening around here....

I know, I know, I've said it before, but this one is BIG! and believe it or not....I'm ready!

My poor family has to put up with me and my birthday....I start early....89 more days to my birthday....35 more days til my birthday...you get the picture, and yes, I drive them CRAZY! Well, 7 more days until my birthday!!!!!!!! I'm staring down the barrel at 41...gosh, time flies! Turning 40 was great although I didn't really make the most of it as I should have...there were a few things that I left out there, but all in all....I'm happy with the year....but...there is still lots to do..and I always feel that I'm Under Construction, and I see that as a good thing!

I have been thinking for quite time....and, yes, I sometimes think WAY too much for my own good...but, what if I really acted on some of it...how different would my life really look....With that being said....do you know the saying "Create the Life You've Imagined"...Gosh, what if I truly put that in front of me every single day!

Can you imagine how awesome we would be!!

So....last night I was doing some blog looking, and youtubing (it was a snow day...and I had to make the most of it...right??) Totally, and completely inspired definitely, but there was a little bit of something that just made me kind of bummed....you know, that I'll never be as great as...nasty old thinking...

Just be Me is so easy to say, but man, oh man is it hard to live....I'm gonna try though...you'll see

I figured that I had just been up way to late after my bedtime and just wasn't thinking clearly...it was 9pm for heaven sakes! So, I went to my studio, grabbed a few books, and settled in nicely...

If you have ever taken a workshop with Robert Burridge, you will understand why I'm crazy about him! He is such a fantastic artist, and just so incredibly awesome! A few years back, I took his Loosen Up workshop, and because you know me so well, you know that all of my excitement stayed in my seat there in the workshop...somehow, it didn't make it back to my studio with me....I picked up my Loosen Up workshop book last night, and BAM!!! Just like that, it was back! Oh....I could hardly sleep....

This girl wants to be BOLD....BOLD!! You know my issues with canvas..right...I want to break out of the security of my journals and do something BIG and BOLD...

I was asked some time ago why I don't work on canvas, and I only could come up with - I'm too chicken...well, that set me to thinking (see there I go again) but it dawned on me that my journal provides a sense of security, where I can still hide my "work".....I have never really put my art out there...well, here, but never out THERE...definitely too chicken for that....so, my journals stay safely tucked away in my studio for me to enjoy. I want to change that....oh, definitely the journaling EVERY day will continue...that is a ginormous part of me that will never be lost, but I want more!!!! Stay tuned!!!

I have been gifted with an early christmas present as our schools are closed again today.....Christmas vacation begins!!!! My kids and I will get in the car soon and head out to my parents....where I will kiss there little heads, and squeal my tires, so that they can have 5 days of bliss with my parents....and I can enjoy those same 5 days as I please!!!!!!!! YEEEE HAWWWW!!!!

My husband is on call, so we will not be heading there this Christmas as we usually do, and its gonna be a good thing....I think.....or, I'll make it good. Its just so hard to be away from my family during this time, but, we will spend a few days before Christmas with them, then head back home! But...until then, while my kids are enjoying all of the spoiling that only a Granny can give....I will be here playing in my studio....I have play dates planned with some of my firends....LOTS of Christmas shopping to get done....you don't honestly think that I've started anything yet, do you?????and some good ole fashion R&R!!!!

If you've made it to this......thank you for listening to me ramble!!! I hope you enjoy your day....I'm gonna!!!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Color, Color, I LOVE Color!!

The weather here is quite dreary....wet, rainy, cold, just plain yuk.

So, I spent the day playing indoors with color. Today, I had another S.T.A.R.T. class, and there was color, color everywhere!!

I love, love, love using these Liquitex inks....not only do I use them in a nib and write with them in my journals, but I have also starting using them in spray bottles!!! Talk about fun!

I love using watercolors in my journals! Like I said....I just love color!

Paints, crayons, and watercolor pencils...oh, my! I can hardly stand it!

Gouache....adds so much more to the fun!


Mary was off to an amazing start in her journal. She has such a great eye for color....gotta love that!!
Regardless of the the weather outside where you are, I hope you make the most of your day!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Rockin' Art Day....With A Magical Ending!!!

Today was my START class at Jerry's and boy, oh boy, was it great! I could not have asked for more than to spend the day art playing with these ladies!

We played, painted, stamped, and got plain messy!

The journal pages these ladies created were just amazing!!!

Then, as I was leaving the store...like a magical ending to a most perfect day....snow!!!

I hope that you all made the most of your day....I sure did!!

I'll be back at Jerry's tomorrow (I love that store!!!) for a demo with Strathmore Journals...with my FAVS - Liquitex Inks!!

Until next time,

Ophelia

START...

Jerry's Artarama in Raleigh has a program called START. Stop Thinking Art is Really Tough! It is a great program for beginner classes....2 hours of instruction, all supplies included for $30!!!!

I am teaching an Art Journaling class there on this Saturday, December the 4th beginning at 10am!

http://www.startart.com/meet-the-artists/ Go here to check out all the instructors! There are classes being offered all over the area!

I am really tempted by all the art goodness that is out there!!

So, you want to try something new.....this is a great way to, well....START!!

Enjoy your day!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Visual Journaling Fun!

I hope that you all had the best Thanksgiving holiday. We stayed at home this year and it was so great. My kids enjoyed helping us cook an incredible meal (that we all ate way too much of). It was so nice spending time with each other and just hanging out. Since we were at home, I had 4 days of studio time where I could just run up whenever an idea hit me, and play for a bit, so that was especially nice.

I am doing a demo at Jerry's this coming Sunday, December 5th with these new Strathmore Visual Journals, so I have been having a great time playing with them. Since the covers are hard, I have also been playing around with impasto gel and modeling compound through a stencil to decorate the cover before I actually begin.

Here is a bit of what I have been playing with so far....

I hope you have the greatest day ever.

Until next time,

Ophelia

Good Morning Blog Friends....

I am still floating on my creative love cloud...and wanted to share with you a few pages that I created in my journal this weekend....with the hustle and bustle of life, its important for me to find a way to be creative everyday...

Enjoy your day....go out and make the best of it....

Until next time,

Ophelia

All I Can Say...

Is that I was on a cloud....

Art of the Carolinas was just fabulous!!! Completely and utterly amazing! The entire weekend went in minutes. And, although I was dog tired each day at the end of the day, I was up and out of bed super early for the next day to begin. Oh, the life....

This is Allen Clapp and Michele Theberge and I at the show. Allen was also a demo artist for the weekend, and he is so amazing...and Michele, just ROCKS!!

The weekend went so quickly, and I had the best intentions of taking my camera around to capture some of the action, but...well, that didn't happen. I met so many amazing people...even the designer of the Liquitex Acrylic inks that I LOVE!!! (Next time, I will do better at getting pictures!) Here I am with my very first Art Journaling Teacher....Jeniffer Hutchins....I haven't seen her in years and years!! It was so awesome for us to catchup!!

The event was just so amazing...meeting the manufacturers and brains behind my favorite products!!! I could honestly do this king of thing for the rest of my life....but for now, its back to life....so, I'd better get going..

Until next time,

Ophelia