The Ho's Art Journal Challenge

My daughter, lovingly known as the Ho over at TallyScrapper, has posted an Art Journal Challenge. The thing I like most about it is that you have a whole month to complete each prompt. Here is the cover and my first page. It didn't turn out the way I envisioned it in my head. Too simple and it doesn't tell the complete story. But I did it and I hope this whole thing will be a learning process, not just stuff stuck on pages in a book., so I am forcing myself to let it go...

The little card has a list of general instructions. I've checked Handle With Care and No Substitutions. The journaling I wrote says, "So many voices telling me how to live my life. It's time to listen to the still small voice in my heart!"

Baby it's cold outside!

This is the beautiful view from my kitchen window this morning. We don't get this every year, and certainly not two days in a row, so I'm pretty giddy about it! It's even snowing as I type...

Got a lot of this today!

My first layout for Overlooked

Back in May of 2006 I took my first online class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It was based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. (Excellent book, BTW) At the end of the class I had two scrapbook albums to hold my own random thoughts, the kind that don't really need a whole layout, but I wanted a record of anyway. You know, just in case somebody someday cares about what some lady who lived during the twenty & twenty first centuries was like. It is a work in progress and all the pages look something like this:
I've been adding entries to it slowly but surely and when I decided to participate in the Overlooked project, I thought that rather than create yet another album just for that, I will put those layouts in my Random Me albums. Each Overlooked picture & journaling will all take up a page, like this:
Gotta keep it simple so I can stick to it!

I love this quote!

This was the first project from Teresa McFayden's Winter Bella. I love that I am able to use up some of my stash for these projects. I've had the vintage bingo card and buttons forever. The only thing I bought new for this was the pompoms. They were white before I dyed them in coffee.

The '53' is circled because that is my age right now. The 'be bold' crown is a reminder to myself about my art.

The little tags are three things about myself that make me unique. My widows peak, My smile, and My dreams.

What sort of projects are you starting the new year with? I'd love to see them! Leave me a comment so I can visit your blog :)

Deck of Me Challenges #49 & #41

Lots of projects going on around here! These are a couple of catch up cards from Emily's challenges. This is the 12/09/07 challenge: Time flies

I had to add paper to fit in all the journaling. It says, "Life has certainly flown by. It's cliche but oh so true, "it seems like only yesterday" I was a child growing up in my parents home, then leaving home to marry and start my own family. Looking forward to growing old with John. Before I knew it, our babies were grown, making their own place in the world and their own babies. Now even the grandsons are no longer babies and soon they will be on their own too! And now I no longer look forward to growing old with John - I AM growing old with John! What does that mean for us now? I never really thought about it before and I am not sure. In two days he retires. I guess I'd better get to thinking about it!"

This one's the 10/14/07 challenge: If you had a magic carpet right now, where would you ask it to go?

The journaling on this one is a little personal, but basically it says that I would go back to my first year of marriage and appreciate how wonderful it was.

Finished this today

for Winter Bella.

And I got my tree put away the other day!

It definitely feels like spring in my house.

Even though it's COLD outside!

Finished these yesterday

for Winter Bella.

But my Christmas tree is still up!

Good thing it's faux this year!

Sweetness

Been busy working on my Winter Bella projects. That Teresa McFayden is one creative woman! Five projects already and I love them all. This is the only one I've completed so far. I feel like a crazy woman. I have the house to myself and I've been flitting from one project to another, plus staying up til the am hours reading! Having fun though ;)

New challenge up at Em's and this...

December 30th Emily posted the final challenge for the 2007 Deck of Me Mini Art Journal. It is hard to believe we've been at this for 52 weeks! It has been so much fun, and, duh... challenging!

I still have a few cards to finish so I am really going to miss the feedback from all of you who took the time to check on mine. Each comment left was such an encouragement! Like a tiny treasure, really. And thanks to those of you who stopped by but didn't have time to comment! I know there were way too many participants to visit and comment on each one. I know I couldn't...

This is my card for the last challenge: " ART. there is just so much you can do with this one! let loose. "

Rx for the Winter Blues:

I signed up for this at Teresa McFayden's Paper Bella shop, and I quote her here, "Baby, it’s c-cold outside! So come on in and let’s create! The Winter Bella E-Zine brings you a fresh, interactive way to get inspired. 12 projects ranging from an artful journal, altering and aging techniques, card building, easy to download templates and adorable Valentine’s projects. Oh, and drawings for some heartwarming door prizes! I hope you are ready to discover and start the New Year with some artful projects, because I sure am.
Every Mon., Wed., and Fri. during the month of January there will be a new project for you to complete."

Doesn't that sound great? I can't wait to get started. The first two projects are already up but I haven't had time to start yet because I've got some leftover Christmas company (grandsons) until Sunday. I'm not complaining, they're a pretty good Rx for the winter blues too!