Michelle's Ocean Book

First I made these backgrounds. I used Julie's methods from her Journal tutorial (see her Feb 25 post in her blog, then work forward from then!). Of course I had to add some extra coffee staining and then some more white paint. I knew that I kept that bottle of instant coffee for a reason!!!! (see my fear of hoarding post from a few days ago).Then I added some images and a bit of stamping. This was fun, but I'm still really behind on my list of things to do for March Break!!! (the finished pictures look a lot darker -- they really aren't, but when I was taking the final photos the flash kept making the images glare, so I bounced the flash. And made it darker and out of focus in the process. Oops.

My long-lost daughter

Lauren finally updated her blog (only exciting for family). My baby isn't a baby anymore. Here's a picture that I stole from her blog. Her friend Agnes (Lauren's roommate here in Toronto) visited her in Nantes. Agnes is teaching in Southampton, UK. Aren't they beautiful???? It was a night out on the town. Lauren is the one on the left. I miss her terribly.
(48 days 'till the move)

Woo Hoo!

I have finished and mailed my 2007 taxes!!! This is the first time that I've done them on time, EVER!!!! I've also made my ATCs for my meeting with the ATC Hive at Bizzy B's on Friday(I'll post them Friday). I've also been working on stuff for publication that I can't show you.
It's spring break -- I have 2 more days to play!-- here's what i'm tackling next (see, Audrey, I told you that mine had potential for avalanches! Hmmm, I think that the top of my harvest table will need refinishing before I use it as a kitchen table again (um, mom? can you remind me how to do that????) Obviously, this blog will never be a candidate for "Artful Blogging" or "Where Women Create" Howabout a book called "A Real Person Creates here" I'll take another picture on Saturday. We'll see if there is any change :)
p.s 49 days 'till moving day.

Countdown to Moving -- 52 Days

Will I be finished packing? (Will I be finished all of the art that has to be made?) Stay tuned for the saga of Martha's move...... Oh, I move every few years. It always gets moved. There will be many tears and more than a few arguements. But this year we have 3 apartments of stuff to move. All in one day. You see, Lauren and I lived here. And Lauren moved out. Then Ray moved all of his stuff here. Then Lauren moved all of her stuff back. And took off to France. So Ray and I will be moving it all. On a Wednesday! Anyone have any good back strengthening exercises??

On that note, here is my journal page for the month. The topic is FEAR. Okay, maybe not my biggest scariest fear. But this one is more timely. The fear of getting rid of stuff. The verdict? Don't. hahahahaha. My mom is rolling her eyes big time right now as she reads this. I think that this page is more cluttered that my pages usually are. Oh well, so is my life....

You ALL make my Day!!!

Debby and Sandee both awarded me the "You Make my Day" award. It has taken me awhile to pay it forward.
Here are Ten people who make my day -- I go to their blogs regularly -- anxously awaiting an update!(other than Sandee and Debby -- I go to them too -- but here are 10 more!) I go to lots more, but here are a few.....
Ruth Rae -- always inspiring!
Catherine Witherell -- you never know what new medium she's going to tackle next -- and she excells at every single one!
Maija Lepore -- Maija has a great mix of her art, her life, and her finds from other people (gifts and purchases)> I learn something new every time I visit!
Colette -- beautiful beautiful fabric collages -- looking at them takes my stress away...
Sara Lechner --very very cool felting.I really want an embellisher!
Dawn Houser -- A very cool and entertaining blog -- and I keep stumbling across rubber stamps in my own collection that have been designed by Dawn. Go right now and buy one of her Urban Aprons. They are so cool!
Heather Simpson Bluhm -- where she finds the time to make all of her gorgeous art, and make everyone cool blog banners, and take care of her darling little, is beyond me. She's Wonder Woman! Even though she's always getting me into some kind of trouble.....
Audrey Hernandez -- I practice really hard, so that maybe someday my rubber stamping will approach the perfection of hers!
June -- June puts a smile on my face in every single post!
Julie -- from The Land of Lost Luggage -- is a fairly recent addition to my daily sojourns. She has some really cool journaling tutorials. I have learned a lot from her journaling.

I go to lots more blogs regularly (see sidebar) and love the new ArtFul Blogging Magazine because I have found so many new blogs to add to my favourites!
I wish that these people would blog more often
Teesha Moore
Cori (LOL -- I know that you've been busy)

Hidden Treasures

Although I'm not doing any swaps for awhile, I am still honouring my RR commitments. Here is the beginning of my fabric book -- in a themed RR called "Hidden Treasures". Pages must have something hidden for the owner to find -- maybe in a pocket. My book is called "The Secret Garden" These pictures don't really do it justice.......

This is my cover. There is a key hidden in the pocket/pouch that says "secret"This is what you see when you open the door. A young couple having a secret liason, LOLThis is the grafitti wall for each person to sign!Here is the full page with the young couple. there are lots of little things hidden behind netting, tulle and organza. I put some paint on the pages for some extra texture. It really helped finish the page for me.The nest is a little pocket. I put a stamped ticket inside for each member of the RR -- it's their ticket into the garden.Don't I procrastinate well when it's report card time???? LOL

Art Fiend

I made these kind of pins for lots of friends for Christmas a few years ago. Mija's popped off somewhere (at an art retreat, I think!)(I hope that someone found it and is enjoying it.....) Anyway... Mija asked me to make her a new one -- it took me a really really long time to finish it. Yes, it is supposed to say Art Fiend, not Friend. Because Mija is such a fiend!!! (not at all!). She sent me lots of goodies in return (not necessary at all, Mija!)(but I loved it all). If you get a chance, check out Mija's new etsy shop -- she sells lots of cool ephemera! (and she sells some of her art too) Just click on the link below!
Mija's goodies to buy!

Yippee - i - o

Or should that be yippeeeee --- I owe ? That would be timely......

Anyway -- I had a terrible time with Penny's theme (horses) and colour (brown). I am terrified of horses (only to be surpassed by my fear of skiing and of public bathrooms). And although my name is Brown, and I wear brown, I'm not too fond of working in it. I just told myself that "brown is dark white" and then I went ahead...... here's what I came up withI learned a lot about horses while doing this. Well, my guilt of ripping up books usually means that I have to read the books before I cut them up. I skip this with foreign languages. That's why I use German and Polish text so often..... it saves me a lot of time.....
Penny's pages were all tip-ins. I'm not sure if I like tip-ins or not....
(that's when you make your own page and add it to the book -- usually using the side tabs which the book owner provides)

Blythecicle Dolls

They make me laugh. Poor Blythe. I keep abusing her picture, LOL. I just love that sideways glance!

The never ending Winter....

It's snowing again. I'm at home sick -- really sick! Too sick to make art or do my report cards. I can't even concentrate enough to read a book. So I'm flipping through decorating magazines -- I've already decorated my new house!! (on paper) I'm sure it will change many times over the next few months.....
Here I am last weekend -- see the SOLD sign -- that's my new house!I'm thinking about painting all of that iron railing stuff in off white. Shabby Chic like.... Note that there is no light at the front of the house. I have to add one at considerable expense. And one at the side door. And one at the back of the house. The flag flying there is a faded flag of the Azores Islands, part of the republic of Portugal. The neighbourhood is predominately Portuguese (mostly from the Azores). So I'll be practicing my Portuguese here!
Adeus!

Monica's Wedding

My friend Monica got married yesterday to Peter. It was a beautiful ceremony in the chapel at The Old Mill -- and then we went to a reception at Le Jardin. I don't know how she does it, but Monica looks younger now than when I met her -- about 10 years ago. I met her at a neighbourhood community centre when I started lifeguarding. My new house is right across the street from the same centre -- life is coming around in a circle. I got to see many old friends -- some who still work at the same community centre -- so I'll be seeing them a lot more really soon!
Here we are last night -- near the end of the night -- I'm a bit tired!And I made her this: The frame is 8x8

Hippity Hop, It's an Easter Swap!

This will be my last swap for awhile. I'm in an Easter swap -- just like the 12 Days of Christmas one! Again -- Heather Simpson Bluhm is hosting. There are a few different groups (4? 5?). I'm in the Pink group. It's just the name of the group. I don't think that our gifts have to be pink.
We don't get to start it until 12 days before Easter. So I can't show you what I've made. But here is the wrapping (click for a better view) The tags are bamboo tiles. And they are very cute! I used a clear stamp from Stampington for the rabbit (I think that it's the French Dictionary Page set)
Okay, twist my arm, here's a sneak peak of what's inside.... LOL....

Family Day

Today is Family Day -- a new holiday in Ontario. It's nice to have a holiday in February! I needed it. In celebration of my family I'm sharing a few pictures.
First -- my family around 1970My Grandma and Grandpa Poole (mom's parents) with me in 1966My Grandma and Grandpa Brown with me and my brother in 1972My baby around 1990Lauren and I in 2007 -- we like photo booths! (click on it to see it bigger)
My brother and his family in 2006
Ray and I in 2007

Flag Day

Flag Day in Canada was on Friday -- and I forgot to post my flags :(
They were part of my Red and White ATC Swap at Bizzy Bs

Red and White

Our theme this month for ATCs at Bizzy Bs was Red and White. This is one of the red and whites I did. I've kept this one for myself. I'm going to frame it with some red fabric behind it. (the image is a rubber stamp -- Paperbag studios -- stamped on cotton organza with Cherry Pink Stazon. I layered on lots of different white fabrics and put a little stuffing behind the image to make it puff out a bit. Then I crazy stitched it all together.

Whites and birds -- encore une fois!

Do I do too may spreads with whites and birds? It's very much in my comfort zone...... This is a spread that I did for Rachelle. -- her theme was whites and birds -- so you can't blame me for this one, LOL!!! The backgrounds are papers, gesso, fabric and texture added with white paint. Only the nest side has fabrics and fibers. Maybe someday soon I will branch out and do texture with colours!

Orange

June picked out the fabrics for this collage a long long time ago when I did a demo at Bizzy Bs. (They were my fabrics -- I let people pick fabrics and then I was demo-ing techniques -- but I never made it to June's) I finally sat down and made it. I'm quite happy with the results! It's about 5"x6". The old alphabet is laser printed on transparency.
I'm working very hard at using up my fabric stash. But people keep giving me more faster than I can use it up. (please don't stop!) Oh well.........

Ch ch ch ch changes.....

Changes are coming! We're moving at the end of April. We bought a house! It's only a few blocks from where we live now. It's exactly where I want to live! Unfortunately it's clad in this lovely angel stone -- but I'll be painting it a nice light sage green some time in the future.... It is semi detached -- that means it's attached to one other house (this is very common here in Toronto). It's got a little back yard for Andy to run around in. And an apartment upstairs for Lauren. And a basement for me to work in. What more do I need? (a giant kitchen? It's got that too!)(Yes, there is workspace for Ray too -- we didn't leave him high and dry, LOL)

There are many more pictures of the interior of the house in my PictureTrail Gallery, but they are password protected. Because I don't own the house yet, or anything inside of it, I wasn't comfortable posting pictures of someone elses house (I did have permission to photograph). If you would like the password, please email me.

I'm supposed to refrain from calling it "The Money Pit". Unfortunately it's taking up every penny that I have, so I won't be swapping/trading until May. I'm sticking with my RR commitments, but that's it. I'll still be making art -- I just can't afford to mail it anywhere!

The Year of the Rat

Thursday marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year. In the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the Rat. I was born in the year of the Dragon (very auspicious). My forcast for this year insists that this will be year of wealth. I can't really see that happening....... well, monetarily anyway... I'm very wealthy in other ways!
I made this ATC for Diana. These very cute little rats were in the newspaper. So I did a packing tape transfer. That's the best way to use newspaper images! I am very impressed with the quality of the image.

I'm still loving birds........

This spread is for Sandee in the We Dream in Colour RR . Here colours were white, sepia and an accent colour -- I guess that my accent is robin's egg blue -- but this isn't a Robin. Oh well.....