A Little Tuesday Love..

Good morning everyone,

I wanted to stop in and just get a bit of uplifting for the week ahead.  Around here, its End of Grade testing week...and, well, my oh my are my nerves all torn up.  Today officially starts the test, and I just can't stand the pressure.  My kids at school just work so hard, so I am hoping the best for them that all goes well....and then, my kid at home that puts so much pressure on himself about school and his grades...serious pressure!!!  I will never forget the look on his face back in 4th grade when I got to his school to pick him up and he did not pass his reading test...ugh...I just can't take it...  So...please send good energy and vibes this way...we are shooting for 4's all around...ok...

Now, to the studio...well, my studio away from home at the Durham Arts Council where I am taking my class....

Some nights are just better than others...and last night was just not a good night.  I don't know what the deal is with me and a canvas...not even sure of what.  I start, but then, well thats about it.  I have no idea of where to go, and that drives me crazy.  So, I start, start again, and again.  Thank goodness for gesso!!!

I am not even sure of why this photo is turned on its side.....I think its time to kiss my lovely scanner goodbye.  Its been a good long run, but now, it simply wont work.  So, I have to take the long route with taking a picture with my phone, then email, then...blah, blah, blah....

I hope that you guys have a great week....

Thanks in advance for the good vibes!!!

Until next time,

Ophelia

Journals all over the place...

Happy Mothers Day, my friends.  I hope that you are enjoying your special day...how ever you choose to spend it. 
Here, its been a great day....so far.....my husband took the kiddos out for a few hours, and well, you can probably imagine where this momma went.  Welp...thats after a quick nap of course....





Gosh, my space is a serious mess....such proof that I really do work here...

On yesterday, I spent the most glorious day....I found a place in Durham called the Scrap Exchange...its too bad that I was too wild eyed to actually take any pictures...OMG...a warehouse filled with all kinds of goodness..ALL KINDS!!  I got sewing patterns, maps, blueprints, more giant maps...tags, number stickers, postcards, soooo much stuff....and all of the goodness for under $20!!!!  The back of my car was filled!!!  I spent all day today talking myself out of going back again to get more...seriously, I am in LOVE!!

More work in my journal that I showed you guys in my last post....this journal truly takes a beating!!!

My other table....working in my other journal.  Can you say serious mess....  Just goofing off in my spiralbound journal.  I keep telling myself to just work in only one journal, but, well....thats no fun!!!  I have at least kept it to playing in only two...or three...

Anyway, the family just pulled into the driveway, so I'd better get scootin'.  You guys have a great day.

Until next time,

Ophelia

A New Kind of Wonderful!!

I found myself a new journal, and I have to say, I'm kinda in love.

Its a hardbound....and so far...I've added a few stickers just to begin.  I found these at Jerry's...and they come in a package 3 for $17!!!  The paper is awesome, because I really get them wet with watercolors and they hold up so very nicely!!


I have truly enjoyed working in this journal...well...this is only the first page...but so far, very good....Its by Daler-Rowney a Classic Sketchbook....and for the price, welp, I figured I couldn't go wrong...so as you might imagine...I went back and bought several more!!!  Lets just say, I'm pretty stocked on journals for a while!!

Back to my spiral bound...I've done a few backgrounds to prepare for a class I'm teaching...I think I have been playing to get out of packing for the class for a bit longer...I just have to do a better job at not trashing the place so much when I pack...

I have for some reason lately been on a washi tape binge....I just can't get enough of those little beauties.  They really add a lot of character to a page....or, at least thats what I tell myself when I find them!!!

I hope that you are all enjoying a great Saturday....the little girl and I skipped out on baseball today (for Shame!!) and had a mom/daughter day at her request...I'm in!!!  The girl of mine is already into shoes!!!  Really????


















Have a great weekend everyone....I'd better get busy packing!!!
Until next time,
Ophelia

Weekends Rock!!

There is just something magical about the weekend....

As a teacher, I always feel like on Fridays, I have the excitement of it being the last day of school...Sny possibilities of how to fill my wonderful days off....and in the blink of an eye, it's Monday morning again....sigh...

We had a wonderful, baseball free weekend...and I spent some time in my journal...yes, that canvas is still not saying a word...

I somehow wish that everyday can be a Saturday/Sunday feeling...painting, naps, a tiny bit of cleaning (and I do mean a tiny bit), more painting, and even more naps!  Just a carefree kind of day.

Hope that you all enjoyed the same.

Until next time,

Ophelia

I wanted to stop in this morning...yes, again, I apologize for the absence....our schedule just does not seem to let up any at all. 

Have I been gone for so long that now Blogger has changed...and for the life of me, I can't figure out how to work this today!!!

Imagine beginning my post with baseball...sigh....yes, its that time, and I just have to say that I have learned a thing or two these past few weeks.  One being sometimes you win even when the score board says something different.  You see.....on this day, my son, hit his first home run!!!  Yup...the very first.  What an amazing feeling that was for him!  Oh...we lost the game...but this kid was a winner indeed..

Now to the studio.....












I am once again back to "getting over" comparing.  The second thing that I've come to learn here recently is that its time to get over myself....yup....some tough love indeed is needed.  I start something today...think that I stink at it...and, well, give up... "Get over yourself little girl" ::)))
Welp, you guys have a great day.  I'd better get going because a busy day is calling.  I think though that we are down to the 20 something days of school left before summer break....and, yes, I can live with that...
Until next time,
Ophelia

Another Week Flew By....

I hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful weekend. Here in my corner of the world, the weather is simply perfect. Sunny, just the right breeze, perfect weather for....baseball....sigh.

In my studio, things have been going amuck....that canvas that was not speaking to me last week, has decided to turn its back and invite friends....

I added some collage(photots of houses that I found), and painted, and painted some more...all the while waiting for something to strike me....anything....and, I painted and painted and waited some more.....which is when I decided to take a break and begin something else....now, they are both giving a girl the silent treatment....painting on canvas is HARD!!!

So, back to my trusty journal I go....here, she speaks to me freely!

Remember last week I showed my studio as a cleaning work in progress.....here is one side of my work table...I sure wish it were that clean today!!!!

Enjoy a truly beautiful Sunday everyone. I am off to baseball...sigh....

Until next time,

Ophelia

Friday Already????

Gosh, this week has flown by! Really! I honestly can NOT believe its Friday already!

Nothing says Spring Break like Spring Cleaning....and that is exactly what I have been up to!

I'm not even sure of what came over me, but on Tuesday, I decided enough was enough with my studio....so, the gutting began!

This is one of my worktables - on the other side of this is where I sit at my desk.

This is still very much a work in progress, but, I can at least now work on my tables!! And, who knew there was a floor up there!!!

My sewing space....I sometimes still wonder if there is a quilt left in me....

That canvas is still not saying one word to me....

I'm still working on this part....but, it is soooo much better than it was before.

This is a view from where my sewing machine is...you will just have to believe me that its much better now....it really still looks a mess! But soooo much better of a space it is than where it was at the beginning of the week.

I actually had a nice clean space at my table to create this journal page....I even have space at my desk to sit and doodle a blit on my pages....did I mention I have serious trouble doodling!!!

Welp guys, I truly made the most of this week. I feel renewed in a sense...not so cramped and stiffled in my space...so, that makes all the lifting, heaving, trashing, and clearing out so worth the effort!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Until next time,

Ophelia