Exciting News!!!!!! And a Small Update

Immediately run, don't walk to this web link:

http://comfortableshoesstudio.com/

And check out Leslie Herger's blog. She has created a ning site:

http://artjournaling.ning.com/

And included in it, is a Junk Journal section and a make your own workshop section, etc. This is THE place to be right now. Please go and check it out. I am too excited about this site. Leslie is one of the best visual art journalers around.

The update part of this post is to tell you that I have actually been working in my art house journal this last weekend. I have to mail it off next weekend, since it is due back on the 4th of January. I have almost finished painting the backgrounds and so now to the collage. Not an easy task. The next post you see will be the pages of it.

Whew!!!

Just an Update

Well since I have been soooo busy with work and NOT with my journaling, I felt that I needed to play catch up.

My back has been acting up very bad lately. It makes it hard for me to think about anything, except how I can stay working and not take any time off. So all of my thinking is along working lines.

I also had to attend a "Celebration of Life" service this past week for someone who was ill for 30 years before the disease took him, which was very sad.

So, here I am up early this morning with an overload of work facing me this week and I am in no mood to do any of it. Am I just having a Pitty Party or what???? OMG!! I am sad!!

But as the song says, Time Marches On...........................

Happy Thanksgiving and New Must Do Project

OK, here we go. Sorry, I have not been around much, but you all know my tale of woe with my job, so I am NOT going into that.

First I want to say Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you are having a great weekend. I of course ate too much, but it's not over. I will continue today....Hee!

But what I really wanted to tell you is about the project I am now involved in. Go to www.arthousecoop.com and look at the Sketchbook Project. I joined and they sent me this Moleskine Cahier. My theme is as you can see in the pic is: "You stick to me like glue." So now I have until the 4th of Jan to get this completed. It will be included in a library of all of the sketchbooks and will be shown in 2010. Now the only probelem I have is to get it completed. It has a ton of pages as far as I am concerned, but I need to "stick" sorry for the pun, with the theme.

So if you have any suggestions, let me know. I really can't believe I got myself into this when I know I have trouble doing much of anything because of the J O B!!!!


Gobble, Gobble

Great Flea Market Find

Good morning friends, Just had to show you this cool "Want Book" I found last weekend at the flea market. I bought it from a vendor who had a very large stack of emphemra and old cabinet cards and other paper, and I tried to buy the lot from him, but he said no, so I bought this book for $2.00.

It has a date in it from Sept 24, 18--, but the year was not finished. Looks like it was a gift from a husband to his wife. She made it a book to keep her recipe's in. It is very well constructed and is complete. The paper pages are very thin and every page is perforated and a few in the front are beginning to come out.

The book is 1/4 full of written recipes and the rest blank pages. The paper block has a flap attached on the back so it can slide into the back cover. And there is a cord tie attached to the top for hanging it up on a nail or peg.

The cover is, I believe a very thin leather glued to cardboard. I want to create a journal out of this, but am not sure of how I really want to go about it. Someday, sigh............................

I love to go to flea markets searching for treasures. Sorry, the photos are not the best.

Another Weekend Journal

OK so I have now totally lost my mind and actually

created another journal, this time out of a small cigar box of cigar box postcards. I made it the same as the other one, but now I need to figure out if I want to use it as a portrait or landscape journal.

The pages are torn from a large sheet of Arches 140 lb Hot Press paper. This one will only be used for doodling, I think. I got the idea from Tracy Moore's journal made from a playing card box. http://www.sustainedconfusion.blogspot.com/ That will be the next one I try to make. I am having fun!! And someday I will figure out to use Blogger right so my posts don't look wonky!!!

The Collage Journal, Continued.....

OK so here I am with my finished journal!!! I can't believe I actually

worked on journaling, two weekends in a row. Yeaaa Me!!! Painted some pages as you can see and worked hard to get it covered. It was a very cool project. I used YES Paste to put the paper on for the cover, something I have always had, but never used. WOW!! Great stuff, and worked great in conjunction with an old Safeway card. I was so excited I went straight out and bought me a gift............A new IPod Touch!! (Pictures next weekend). I have always wanted one and so I did it. And got it for $20.00 off at Fry's Electronics in Sacramento!

And now I am off to work, (real) even tho it's Sunday, duty calls at another computer. Til the next time, when I hope I can show you what I have journaled in my new, I made it myself journal!!!!

I Actually Made a Journal!!! OMG!!!

Hey folks, thought you would like to see what I did yesterday. My friend Lotus,http://whymsicallotus.livejournal.com/ came over and helped me make this Collage Journal that I learned from taking Julie Prichard's Super Nova Journal Class over at her blog, The Land of Lost Luggage. I actually did it. I have to put a cover on it but that's ok.

And then paint over the collage pages and then actually journal on them. Julie says she sells these for $45.00! Wow. I won't be selling it but I am going to journal in it.
In the second pic, see me in my "Timmy" apron. This was just alot of fun. We used SUPER sticky painting masking tape to put the pages together, cause we did not have anything else. But it will work for a prototype.
I am trying to work on a cover now.
Anyway, just had to show you that I really did work on journaling this weekend!!!

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

OK I know I said I had not forgotten and I was going to be working in my NEW *wink* journal, but that work thing...............................UGH. So I have now decided to organize my off from the job time to time for art and journaling. EXAMPLE: 6:00pm to 6:30pm -Think about what I want to add to my journal. Ah I think that is too much time, so I will change it to 6:15pm. 15 minutes is fine for my brain to shift from work to journaling. So then from 6:15pm to 8:00pm, I will work in my journal. Since I go to bed with the chickens, this will give me time to do the end of the night stuff and be in bed by 9:00pm. Whatta do ya'll think?
I guess I will really have to actually try it to find out the answer. Now since I have to fly for this new shindig, I need a way to carry my journal stuff. I try to take only one suitcase to check and I have to be careful of weight, and my laptop backpack to carry on, the backpack keeps me from carrying a purse. But I also have a very cool journal bag I could carry also..............Hmmm, must think about that. I just hate the hassle of check in at the gates carrying alot of stuff. If I didn't have to remove my shoes, it would be so much easier for me since I am NOT a sandal person. *Sigh*

In the meantime, I bought a very new exciting book: Journal Spilling by Diana Trout. WOW!! It has the greatest techniques, and even a chapter on journal writing! It is amazing, get it from Amazon.

Until next time..........................have a great journal experience for me!!!!!

Wow! I Need to Work in My "New" Journal

This is a pic I found this morning of a 1938 Grey Hound Bus. Very cool!! Don't know the manufacturer but it is cool anyway.

This is what I have figured out this morning........When my new job slows down a little, and I get back into the thick of journaling.........drum roll.........It will all be new to me again!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!!! Just like someone starting out. This is a good thing. I just won't need to buy a gazillion art supplies, cause I have a gazillion already.

My new job makes me happy and it puts me exactly where I want to be, helping other Safety Managers get it right. Unfortunately, I get pulled into current issues when I visit sometimes, but that's OK. I can actually look at those with fresh eyes and mind and without any prejudices cause I don't know all of the players like I did in my own division.

Anyway, this morning I am heading out to a Safety Seminar to assist with getting all of the Safety Managers that attend on the SAME page!!! That's a good thing!

And today my Baby is 34 years old. Happy BD, Little Man!! Psst, he's 6'4"!! HA! But he will always be MY little man!!

No I Haven't Forgotten

I knew when I began my new job, that it would be a challenge to keep up with my blog. I so still want to blog, and will just have to make myself do it. I wanted this to be a place I could post my "tryings" in my journal and not just writing, but it seems that to keep this up, a lot of it will be my thoughts and findings in words, not so much in pictures. *sigh*

I was gone 3 weeks to Anaheim, very close to "The Happiest Place on Earth" for a contract start up, and worked crazy hours, always on very little sleep. Came home this last Thursday afternoon, worked in my old office all day Friday, took yesterday to get ready to fly this morning to Iowa to our Corporate office for a week. So you can see why I have been out of touch.

I am still stalking you, not just as often. I have had such "Sucked" Internet service while away from home, it was either very very slow, or non exsistant or I had to use my Blackberry for a modem and that was slow, but that's OK cause you are still out there journaling away for me and I love it and when I get home I know that I can catch up on what I missed while out of touch.

Daddy's 91st

Well another year and another BD for my Dad. 91 years old. WOW!! See the $$ he is holding? 91 one dollar bills this year, for slots of course.

If you look back a few posts, you will see his 90th BD pics, and the difference in how he looks from last year to this one, quite a bit more aged, woulld be better if his hair was combed, HA! The guy with him is my brother from DC.

Well, I am a traveling Area Safety Director now. My new job began July 1st and I have been a few places in just 2 weeks and Monday I am headed for Anaheim for a start up for Disneyland Hotel Shuttles, till the end of the month. Should not be boring, as start ups are always nuts. Usually too many chiefs and not enough indians;-). So now I have tomorrow to get ready to be away from home for at least 3 weeks. I will need two suitcases. At least I am driving because it is only 5 hours, so I can take alot of stuff. Room must be either on the ground floor or they must have elevators, HA!

I am taking my journal and will try to get in some journaling, I hope. I will post some pics of it soon. Will be back later, and don't forget me, please. I am still blog stalking, believe me. That is what keeps me sane.

Work Cuts Into my Playtime

Hey folks, I am still here, but the new job has knocked the wind out of my sails and I haven't been posting much. I will be at home for a few days gearing up for my Dad's 91st BD this weekend, so I will post some pics and some more great things that have been going on. I just wanted to holla and let ya know I'm still here and going strong. Have a great week.

More Journal Time

Hey folks, I have been away for awhile working, working to get my replacement person up to par so I can get on the road with my new job. And I have actually been working in my journal quite a bit lately, to relieve stress I believe.
Anyway, The two poloroid looking pics are from my new Fuji Instant I showed you on my last post. My hubby and my two cats wanting outside. The camera takes good shots and fun since you can get them Right Now!! Quite an amusement for young folks who have never seen a poloroid camera. Hee Hee!!


These other pics are some journal pages I have been working on lately. I actually feel waaay more comfortable now than before I took Teesha Moore's class.

I will be with my dad tomorrow and listen to him talk about those 91 one dollar bills I will be handing him next month on his 91st BD.

Hope everyone has a great Father's Day tomorrow, especially the Dad's.

What I Have Acquired Lately

Ok, this is a little bit of what I have been up to.

These Peerless Watercolor Sheets I saw when I was at Teesha's class. Tracy showed them to me. I was amazed at how much color they hold. I Googled them and found a place http://www.peerlesscolor.com/products.htm that sold them, with shipping, $18.00. I think there is 15 pages, about the size of a checkbook. They will last for years!!

Next up is a large set of colored pencils in this case for $5.00 at the weekend fleamarket I try to go to every weekend when it is not too hot. They are old but oh well. Great for getting down and crazy in my journal.

And last but not least, this totally cool camera. A Fuji Instant 7s camera, I found mentioned on a blog that of course now I can't remember which one, but the pics are instant like the old Poloroids but smaller and I ordered it on Ebay and it came from Japan in about 6 days. Haven't used it yet, but will try this weekend.

I am posting this at Starbux so I could try to get online for free cuz I have a Goldcard and I get 2 hours of free internet everyday and lo and behold today it worked. Yippee!! "My name is Sharon and I am a Starbux freek". Hee Hee

Busy Busy

Hi folks, No I haven't forgotten you all. I have been major busy with work, like always. Just got home last night from a week in So Cal conducting an instructor's class. While I was gone I had two deliveries, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I will post pics this weekend and show off a little. Have a great artful weekeend.

Teesha & Tracy Journaling Workshop

Hi everyone. I wanted to post yesterday about my Teesha & Tracy Journaling Workshop, but life got in the way. So here I am today. What a blast! These two folks are THE BEST Instructors, very cool I learned so much. And so informative about their love of journaling. These pics are of my journal that I created. The bottom pic is my cover and the purple is a page within. Since I was a newbie, I have alot more to add, but I was in awe all 11 hours of this fab class.

And the best best, was when Teesha and Tracy BOTH journaled in MY Moleskine Journal!! WOW!! This was the best weekend ever, since I also got to meet Margaret from this blog, http://creepyheads.blogspot.com/ and Tracy Bautista was also in this class. WOW!! Again!!

And our host Andrea was very gracious and I spent tons of $$ in her shop across the street. She carries EVERYTHING!! This was a great oppotunity since the only scrapbook store we had closed up recently.

Wooo Hooo!!!

Well, I am off to Teesha and Tracy Moore's Journal Class tonight and tomorrow in San Jose; (see title:). I will let you know how things go, I am too excited. And I will tell you how my new baby, Kindle, is going. WOW!! What a magnificent geeky find. Yes, I am in drool mode!!!

Yea, I know....................

It's been awhile, but my work is the worst to keep me from my journal and blog and cool stuff. It does not mean that I still don't stalk blogs EVERYDAY, but I don't take the time to post like I should. I am hanging my head in shame.

This is my latest journal page. If you knew Modesto, you could tell the back ground is a shot from Google Earth of McHenry and Morris. I wrote up a driver who went through a very old yellow to red light here and the next thing I know he brings me this and says, "You know where that is?" I said yea, but it's old cause the carwash is still there. I'm not exacly sure why I got it, but I thought this might back a good journal page. And so wah lah!

I do have some exciting news and will have to post pics as soon as all of it takes place. Next Friday and Saturday I will be in San Jose for a 2 day Teesha Moore journaling class. Woo Hoo!!! I can't believe it is here already. So I will show you the journal I make. Can't wait! And hope that will keep me journaling like I should be.

And also this next week, I will be the proud owner of a Kindle 2 book reader. Also again, Woo Hoo. One of the applicants for my current position had one when she came for the interview and geek me had to check it out, and I actually held off for 24 hours, but couldn't resist the pull and bought one. It is an Amazon Product. So if you are interested, check it out. Can't Wait again. It will be the coolest gadget I have bought since my flip video camera that I have never used to make a You Tube Video that I was going to make as soon as I got it, sigh.........

Happy Mother's Day to all,

Sharon

Whew..................

Hey there, well I actually had the weekend off, but was soooo busy I never got to my blog.
Just a small update.
Remember when I told you my saga about my HP Tablet? Well, after I got home from Iowa, it blue screened again and when I spoke with HP AGAIN!! First they did not know I had accidental damage protection, grrr, and it ended with them actually saying, "Why don't you just take it back to Best Buy?" I got mad and slammed the phone down, oh right, we don't get that option any longer............I pushed the button REALLY hard! So I did take it to BB, where I bought it in September. To make a long story short....I did NOT have a warranty with them, but they gave me a new Dell Laptop, close to what I had for just the difference in price. $9.00. Since the sales tax went up here in CA in April!!!!! Can you believe it? And they sorta know me since I am in there every weekend buying something. WOW!!!! Anyway. I now have a Dell 1330. It is Red, the only thing I don't really like, but since they did not have to do this exchange, I ain't bitchin'. Know what I mean??? I am happy.

I got my promotion that you don't know about. Today is my first day as a ASD or Area Safety Director. Pay raise, and can run around and support other divisions and their Safety managers. Am Happy!

Gotta go, off to the DMV for a 2 day class....................................Bye!!!

My Trip and After...............

Arrived home Easter Sunday evening after getting to see my son, DIL and Grandkids. I was bushed and then went straight back to work Monday and have been going full tilt and had to work today also.

I had a great time visiting with the folks I talk to everyday on the phone but never see cause our corp office is in Iowa.

On Monday my beautiful DIL you see in the pic burned her hand very very bad with hot grease. She had to be taken to a burn unit 100 miles away to get help. Today is Saturday and my son said she is a little better today. Thank God!! The doctors are talking possible skin graphs. WOW!! I have been so stressed that I haven't slept all week. Please send positive healing thoughts her way. Thanx!

Tomorrow I am going to my LOA Meet Up and we are going to make vision boards. So I need to go and print pictures of money and new cars and a new house, and healthy healed hands. Bye!!!

I'm Back

Hey folks, just a short post to tell ya that I am back in California and am totally bushed, but had a great week. One of the best parts was going to a Hobby Lobby store, since I had only heard about them but had never been to one. So on my drive from Iowa to Missouri, I saw one off of the freeway and freeked and got off at the next exit and was in heaven about an hour. I bought Bind it All binder things (sorry, don't know the exact language) some rub ons and other related, necessary journaling stuff.

Got to see my Grandkids for a little while. Wow!! What a difference 1 1/2 years makes. My grandson is as tall as me.!! Got home yesterday afternoon and now have to go back to work this morning at this job, so color me gone! Hope everyone had a great Easter.

Out of Touch

Hey folks, just a note to let ya know that I will not be posting for awhile. Tomorrow I am flying to Iowa to spend a week at our Corp Office to work on updated training curriculum (sp). So I will only have a little time in the evenings to check out what is happening on your blogs.
Also recently I won a giveaway from Rice over at http://voodoonotes.blogspot.com/ well it arrived yesterday. WOW!! It is a box wrapped in red duct tape and must weigh 10 lbs!! It is full of collage fodder. OMG!! I am in heaven. I have to get into it between packing binges! Hope everyone has a great week.

New Baby Go Bye Bye.....AGAIN!!!

OK so yesterday I was all happy that I was using my new HP Tablet. But later it blue screened and so again, it will be sent back to HP. I bought it on the 7th of Sept and haven't used it because it does not work. This will be the third time it will be sent back and they told our room mate that talked to them because I have to work and can't stay on the phone all day, that we have to send it back 4 times before they will run a diagnostic check on it. OK, but on the 2nd time they said they replaced the hard drive and it worked for about 3 hours before it blue screened this time..............................I have had it, and I bought a Unlimited Damage Coverage Policy so if I "accidentally spill a soda in it, I will receive a New Laptop. They are sending me a return box tomorrow. WOW!! I do not recommend HP Computers, not Tablet Laptops anyway. *sigh*

A New Baby

This is finally in place so I can use it. It is an HP Tablet Laptop. I have had it for a few months and wasn't exactly thrilled with it from the beginning because I thought it was slow, so it sat. Today I had our room mate transfer everything from my Dell to this. And I must admit, it is working OK.

Wow! What a week I had....................I was instructing a corporate training class all week. 20 students and two other instructors to help out. Everyday from 8 to 5. Ugh! On Thursday I had an appt with my Ortho doc for my knee cause I haven't been able to walk good and having to stand up in front of a class all week was the final straw. So off I go, and leave my two colleagues in charge. First the Doc was 30 minutes behind and then 1 hour behind and by the time he saw me he was 1 1/2 hours behind. I wanted a shot in my knee so he said OK, but also I had to tell him that the end of my elbow would just kill me when I sat it down on a table or touched it with anything. He told me it was bursitis, and there is a sack of fluid at the tip that is inflamed, but it will go away, but not before I will wake up some morning with a golf ball size bump on it, and my arm would look like Popeye's arm. Just great. It is the right arm and the same one that has tennis elbow. I have actually been using my mouse for my computer with my left hand, cause of the pain. What next???

I have been working a little in my journal, but not enough to show yet. And next weekend iImay not post as I will be getting ready to fly to Elk Horn Iowa to our corp office to work for a week. But Friday the 10th, I will be driving to Kansas City,MO to see my son and his family for about 24 hours before I fly home on Easter. I have not seen them for almost 2 years, and the company is letting me fly home from a different airport and keep the rental car, so I am excited for sure. But again I will not have time to post next weekend, maybe. But the next time I do, I will have a pic of my son, DIL and my grandkids:)

The Newest Journal Page

Well, since it is the weekend, thought I would post my latest journal page that really isn't finished yet. The best part about this page is the sketch in the bottom right. That is what I call a "Napkin Sketch". When we go out on the weekend for breakfast at a fast food joint, I immediately grab a napkin and draw some kind of face or a naked tree or something. My friend Lotus, http://whymsicallotus.livejournal.com/ gets upset with me because I always either throw them away or leave them on the table for the next person to see that sits there. Anyway, I never keep them and this time I did. I think if you click on it, it will enlarge to see it better. I need to journal on the page.

I just found out today that I have a Flickr Acct that I didn't even know I had. As soon as i figure out how to gat back to it I will post the address so you can see.

The Weekend Scores

OK I finally made it back to show you all of my weekend find from the Flea Market. The Bamboo Stationary Set has a tablet with very cool paper, a bunch of envelopes and some other paper and a pen that does not write and it came in a great paper box.

I received my Zentangle Kit to learn how to draw Zentangles. This pic is from the web site, http://www.zentangle.com/ go and find out about the fun. It came with pens and the zentangle papers and a mini DVD on how to create them. Love it.

Next is probably the best. I found this book at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento last weekend. It is called, Antique Packaging by Josep M Garrofe. It has dozens of photographs of old packaging from Pharmacy to Tobacco. The pic I posted is from the Office section. It is so cool. I can't stop looking at it. Great for scanning for my journal.

I also went to my Law of Attraction Group meeting today. It is so refreshing to be around folks that are positive. I am around such negative people everyday, it is a struggle to just maintain my sanity. We watched the DVD of The Secret. I have a copy and have watched it alone, but it was very cool to watch it with others who believe in the LOA and be able to discuss the video with them.

I went to a yard sale today and found some findings to make some cool jewerly or to add to my journal.

And last but not least, I saw on Barb's Craft Therapy blog how she wanted to give something back to the folks who follow her blog. I love her art and understand how she feels because she speaks of the pain she is in. So I posted a comment to be included in her give away and told her about the LOA and how she could go about bringing positves into her life for her health, etc. She posted to my blog that she has begun to use the LOA................And that's how it begins.

What a great POSITIVE weekend.

I Will Be Back

Good morning, just a short post to tell you that I have not forgotten about this blog and my new friends, but like I said earlier, work takes up most of my life. I have a great new book to show ya and I got my Zentangle Kit to show also.
I will post them later this weekend. Off to the flea market to find treasures. Byeeeeeee

OMG!! I Almost Forgot

When I got home I had to jump on and begin my Blog Stalking and found a blog comment on Teesha Moores blog from this blog http://mistressdebrina.blogspot.com/ that Debbie AKA The Governess was wanting to give free Stuff away. Well I went and commented and received a message back that she will check out my blog. YEA!!!!! Since I am just getting started in this world of art journals and such, I was excited again. Wow!! What a day! Hope yours was a happy as mine, and if not, tomorrow will be.

My Great Sunday Finds

Hi , I had a great day. When we got to Sacramento where the car swap was suppose to be, an ANTIQUE SHOW was there instead, much to my husband's disappointment. So he found out the swap meet was down the street in another parking lot and took off but left me right there where I wanted to be!!!! So I found some great stuff. Sorry the photos are not the best. The book on the left is a very large book of quotes, called The Tresure Chest. The other one is another large book called Year, Pictorial History of America. It begins with Chrisopher Columbus and ends with the fire at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub in 1942. It has 2500 picturs and 200,000 words, so it says. I love American History. I only paid $3.00 for the first one and $5.00 for the other. WOW!! great fodder for journals.

The Chatalayne (?) with the old watches was being sold in two different places but the chatalayne was being sold by a lady from Modesto. She makes lots of jewerly from old watch parts and sells them in an Etsy shop called Grouse and Badger.

But the best get of the day was the ArtOMat score from the Crocker Art Museum. The Personal Passion Puppets. Mine is called Secrets, and the torso has a coffee cup with coffee as the tummy. Perfect for me.The box says Uncover your personal passions. The body parts are connected together with very thin wire. Simply wonderful. It was made by Martha Schermerhorn at 585-244-3786. I will be calling her up and thanking her personally soon.

I also found a big Peace Sign and a $10.00 and $50.00 bill from Venezuela, more great stuff for journaling and I don't think I spent more than $50.00 all day. Except I paid for lunch. But I was so happy I didn't care. And then I was told they have this antique show there the 2nd Sunday of every month. Gee it's only 85 miles away. Woo Hoo!!

My Win

This is not the best pic I can take, but I was in a hurry. So believe me I will repost soon. These are my altered clothes pins I won in a recent blog give away, thanx Aimee. Check out her blog http://artsyville.blogspot.com

Today is Sunday and since we changed the time again, I actually got up at 3:30AM!! But I get up between 4:00 amd 4:30 everyday when I am working sooooo. But today has been planned for a few weeks and so I am up ready to go, but no one else is. That of course must change in a while. We are going to Sacramento to a car swap meet. What is so exciting you say??? Well first of all there is waaay cool junk to check out, among the rust and grease! I always find cool art stuff. But the big news is I am going to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento to buy art from the Art-O-Mat machine that is there. Happy dance......Oh you want to know what an ArtoMat is? First go to this site http://www.artomat.org/ and check it out. But it is simply a genius idea of taking old cigerette vending machines and making them into art machines!!! The artists create great art the size of a pack of cigs and either put them into a cig size box or make the art onto a wood block the size of a cig pack, then they are wrapped in cellophane and put in the machines. You go visit a place that owns one of these, put in usually a $5.00 token, select your art you can see in the little windows, pull the handle, the art piece falls down and you now own an original piece of art. I have 4 pieces from a few years ago. So Cool. They call it "kerplunking" cause of the sound it makes when the art falls to the bottom of the machine. Please check them out. They are all over the US. You may have one near you. Funnest thing in the world.

Well, off to wake up my husband who had better be excited...............at least about the swap meet.

Fun Vintage Board Game Book

Good Sunday Morning Folks,

I found this great little book at Barnes and Noble last night for $4.98. It is filled with the greatest colorful photos of vintage board games. I took some photos and wanted to show you. It is written by Nina Chertoff and Susan Khan.
This one is from an old Monopoly game. Look at the cool old playing pieces.
This is a cool Candyland game. Sorry about the flash. I am still learning all of this blog stuff which includes taking great pics W/O the flash. Anyway, I can see these pages getting cut up for collages in my journal.

I think this is an older version of Clue. This book is so full of color and some of the strangest games. They show some that were popular in the late 1880's. 144 pages of great eye candy. Yum!!

I had a crazy, crazy week at work this last week and did not even look at my journal at all, so I am going to try to work in it today after I figure out what is wrong with my Blackberry and why it won't accept my new password for my work email. UGH!! Besides it is raining and I am not wanting to venture out. And I am enjoying my new FASTER internet. WOW!!

Have a great Sunday!

Lance Armstrong and Life

Hi everyone, thought I would post a pic of my latest journal page attempt. Last Tuesday the Amgen Tour of California with Lance Armstrong made their way to Modesto. Very exciting. Of course, I had to work, but what a day.
1. First every downtown street was blocked at 6:00am, when the bikes were not scheduled to be here till around 4:00pm, because they started from San Jose at 12:00 noon. Which meant that our buses were on major detours right off the bat. Which meant many yelling complaints on the phones all day about us being late. Yikes!
2. Next, it rained sooo much, I think we got about a 1/2 inch, that I thought they would have to come in by boat:) 3. Crazy day all around. But from my downtown office I can see our over the railroad tracks overpass and I got to stay warm and dry and see them when they rode into town. They ended the day in Modesto before heading south the next day.

There were 150 vendors downtown, giving away stuff and selling everything from bike safety stuff to giving away free stickers. I wanted to go down just to be involved in that. The Modesto Bee said there was 5000 people down town that day. WOW!! 5000 very wet people. Anyway here is my page, not really complete yet. I want to journal on it, and I took my friend, Lotus' advice to get closer to the page when I take pics of them. Someday I will learn how to scan.

I am going to tell you that I will only be able to post probably on the weekends, as I work so much 6:00am to 5:00pm and most of the time later and I am exhausted when I get home. But I want to keep going with my journal. Yesterday we went to the flea market and I was on a magazine hunt as this summer, when I was going to have company from out of state and was cleaning, I threw away EVERY magazine in the house that didn't have to do with art. So now I need fodder. So all I found was a stack of national Geo's for $2.00 (about 6) and some really cool wierd art catalog for free. So last night while watching Cops, I sat and clipped eyes, faces and letters and numbers and other interesting collage pieces.

Next weekend will be interesting as we are switching from DSL to Cable Internet. It is like 16 times faster, I hope. Can't wait, but with my luck it will be buggy.........Have a great Sunday!

Journal Pages

WOW!! Maybe I have figured out how to do something with posting pics to Blogger. Anyhoo, this first journal page is one of a tree and is still in progress. The background is blue paint and scratched with a Tonic Tool Scratcher that Tim Holtz puts out. (Timmy is one of my heros). I am still adding to the tree and need to find a cool moon and some other collage to finish it.

This next one is two pages still in progress. I can tell I should be looking at the photos before I post so I can retake until I get good shots......but the collage on the left came from a score I found at the flea market of a ton of graphics that had been printed on adhesive back paper and so they are stickers. Again the back ground is paint and scratched. The page on the right is a blue green back ground with spirals written in paint with the end of the handle of the paint brush dipped in the paint.

And finally this page was finished on 4-20-06. Yes, the same Moleskine I am working in now. The back ground is a napkin with the bamboo plants and dragonfly's. I added the man, the birds and the large music note and the words. Plus the fairy on his shoulder with wings. Again, the pic is not the best. Napkins are so cool for adding to a journal page. This one was 2 ply napkin and I separated it to glue it to the pages. It has held up well for almost 3 years.

I have some more pics of this journal to share and will soon. Let me know what you think about this post, since you all have a ton of experience and I am a newbie.........

Have a great Prez Day!