The Point

Dotty shared this little painting she did a while back after my Start Somewhere post.  I love the message....the colorful and textured background...and the child-like writing with pops of color in just the right places.  Her inspiration came from a children's book....where she had several lightbulb moments about seeing something ordinary in a new way.  

And...I'm inspired too.  I want to do some background pages for more quotes in the blank pages in my art journal....and maybe this concept is where I'll start....even though it might not be where I'll end up.  

And...doesn't this message apply to so many things?  The point is to start! And the beauty is....whatever you start...is completely up to you.

Here's my list of things to start....or restart in some cases:

Restart being more mindful of my health choices both with my food and my exercise. 

Restart my organization project in my studio....even if it's just one little corner or surface at a time.

Start giving some life to some of the projects in my head that I can't stop thinking about.

Start a small furniture painting project I've been putting off for months...well...a year actually.

Start cutting myself some slack when I choose to not start anything at all on any given day.  Not starting is OK too!

And the real point...is whatever you start...allow it to bring you some joy.

Hopeful

The air is cool and crisp....the windows are finally open. 

I'm feeling hopeful....so I recorded the feeling in my art journal.

Just before I left on this last trip Patty gave me this sweet little pin. She knows I have a few things weighing heavy on my mind...and her gift is a tangible reminder that there are reasons to be hopeful.  

This pin is part of of Charlie Hewitt's "Hopeful Project"....spreading the powerful message of hope in a sometimes dark world.

https://www.charliehewittstudio.com/

The project started in 2019 with this commissioned  sign on Forest Avenue right here in Portland.  I drive by it often....and I didn't know the story until now.

Thank you Patty!

Charlie has done a dozen installs across seven states.....

and I couldn't love them more.  How can a brightly illuminated and beautiful reminder to be hopeful not be good for anyone who sees it. This one can be found in downtown Augusta...the capital of Maine.

I have reason to be hopeful!

Start Somewhere

"The world falls apart constantly and comes together just as constantly in new and surprising ways....because that's how life works. It may take some time to come to this...but the only real question is how you will delight in that."  Brian Andreas

My art journal is filling up....

but I've had a blank section right in the middle just waiting for the right inspiration.  I had ripped 3 pages at various widths so they would stack up....and I knew an idea would present itself sooner of later. 

I had to start somewhere.....and the notion of using what I already had was my inspiration.

I wrote out this quote for Tracie's "delight" page in our our accordion book shared art project. I misspelled the word "question" on this version....so cut it out.  I ended up doing another version for her book....so this one could go into the art journal.  

I thought it paired well with this circle painting I did on Cranberry Island 

so decided to cut it up and layer it on the stacked pages.

I added the word "question" behind the quote to fall in the opening and cut up the circle painting and stitched the four pieces into the book.

I do like the way it all stacks up....and I'll fill in the negative spaces with words...doodles...or something.

The backs will be a challenge....but I'll figure something out.

"Everything is figureoutable!"  

I had to start somewhere....

and now I get to play on all these pages.

Home Again

No matter how wonderful time is away....there's no place quite like home.

I twisted a little more cording during the drive back...and I'm going to stick with the reds and purples on this one. It was the perfect car project because it takes no thought...and I can even do it without looking so I can enjoy the scenery.

As I settle in back home....I'm looking forward to get back into the studio and get into a bit of a creative groove again.

Paul called me outside last evening to look at the sky....we do that for each other when we notice something special.  There was a lot of humidity in the air....and the sky seemed brighter than it should have at 8:30. There were all kind of colors reflected in the clouds from the setting sun...it was both ominous and beautiful.

I spied this beauty on our morning walk.

I'm especially tuned into all different bloom habits this season...

and I love how this aster is unfurling. It feels so special.

And although it is nearly impossible to photograph...my smaller meadow rue is putting on a nice show. I just love these long arching branches with their sweet little flowers.

My taller plant by the fence is not doing all that well...but it has one short little blooming stem.  I'll take it!  I just adore these little pink pearl buds.....and they photograph well against the fence.

All Wrapped Up!

Good morning!  

 I always like a little take-a-long project for car rides...and this time I twisted some twine out of fabric scraps on the drive up last Monday. This morning it was all wrapped up around Alex's book.....and hopefully she can find a good use for it.

On one of our walks we came across this fabulous patch of 

Canadian Dogwood.....also known as Bunchberry.

The clusters of red berries were so beautiful.....I was smitten!

A small intimate and very special wedding happened this morning....

on a very beautiful farm. It was a privilege to be there.

Another fabulous trip seeing people we love in beautiful places...

is all wrapped up!

Book In A Day?

We woke up in Perry today!

Is is possible to make a book in a day?  A few days ago....the answer was yes.

When I was at Patsy's last time I made her a book to keep her game and card scores.....she keeps track of everything.  Her daughter Alex loved the book....and I knew at that moment I wanted to make her one as a wedding gift.  I had all the time in the world before my next visit.

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2023/02/scorebook.html

But time passed...and just a few days before we left I told myself it was OK that I didn't get to it...and I let myself off the hook.  But I couldn't let it go.  So this last Saturday I made a book in a day.

I wanted something special for the cover....Alex is pretty special.  I auditioned several papers and fabrics...then remembered I still had a piece left from this batik project I started early in the pandemic.  I didn't use it how I had intended...so it's just been available....for whatever.

I had already made a pillow out of it for Alison....

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2021/12/good-excuse.html

and I decided it would make a beautiful book cover.

I used matt board for the cover and the two little binding pieces....and taped it all together with masking tape leaving a little bit of space in between.

I cut two pieces of the batik stripe for the front and back covers and added a piece orange batik for the binding.  I didn't want another bulky seam so fused the orange piece on...and topstitched with a decorative stitch. 

I got on a roll...so didn't take more process photos...but I had a little photo shoot of the book before I headed out of town.  

 

I fused fabric on the inside covers for a liner.

The inside pages are a hodgepodge of papers...

including some graph paper from Janice.  Alex will like that.

 

This binding technique is so quick and simple...

and will be my go-to for any book binding project.

Beautiful Places

Views from Dana and Anne's porches.....and other beautiful places.

Views from our morning walk.

Anne's art table make my heart sing!

Our moments have not been mundane....but miracles abound!

This is a page from Anne's Love your Imperfect Lettering Journal.