Randomness

I had to chuckle when someone recently mentioned she liked "the seeming randomness" of my posts. I took it as a compliment and I agree....my posts are quite random. But it's kind of funny when you think about it because randomness can often mean unfocused and disorganized. But it also means unpredictable and unexpected. This blog celebrates the unexpected and unpredictable joy that presents itself to me each and every day. I'm just trying to pay attention!

After I cleaned up the pink and green scraps from my craft table today I had just enough space to get back to my mixed media project for Lynn....a random hour of color and fun!

After I finish fusing circles I'll add a little black stitching to each square and finish it off with a few buttons and maybe some beads. Yes it's a bit wild and crazy...but I'm OK with that on this piece. Lynn has a bright and cheery art studio...it will fit right in.

Mixed Media Challenge

When I visited Lynn this last summer in Madison I came home with a project. These two pieces were "works in progress" and seemed prime for mixed media embellishment...so Lynn sent them home with me. I'm going to do something with the grid for her...and something with the circles for me. They've been floating around my house for a while so I thought I would get started. I actually like having several projects going on at the same time...it gives me thinking time.  (Or at least that's what I tell myself.)

Because I had more options for framing I decided to make hers more of a square...so I cut off one row.  I may be able to use the piece I cut off in some creative way on the piece.  I wanted to accentuate the grid so my first mixed media element was machine stitching with black thread.  

My simple but effective way of dealing with the threads is to wrap them to the back and secure them with scotch tape.  Eventually I will glue the piece to a backing which will secure them even more. 

I do have a few ideas....but let's see where this goes. 

Blown Away...

...by Margie's coloring!

One of my tasks this week was to find little gifts for Alice and Betty, two of Margie's neighbor friends who she shares a Bible study with.  I looked a few places...but didn't see anything that I thought was right or worth the money. Then the perfect gift presented itself today....a wonderful collaborative project. It was a good distraction from the tough job of recovery.

I have mentioned Margie's coloring hobby several times. It all started with this simple Shaker coloring book and a set of 12 pencils...and it has blossomed from there.

Over time I have supplied Margie with more pencils, markers, and pens and she's been very busy! Today I got to see her finished pieces for the first time and I was blown away. There were about 100 pages!

We have talked about making some of the images into notecards...and I will be working on that here if there's time or at home. I have photographed all of the pages so I can work with them digitally.

Now....back to Alice and Betty. Once I saw Margie's coloring I suggested we create something with one of her pages. Margie wrote a little sentiment that I added to a 5 x 7 digital version of one of her pieces. I took it to a copy center down the street and made two copies on card stock for less than a dollar! We'll put them in simple frames tomorrow...I think they'll be lovely personal gifts for her friends.

Nice job Margie!

All of the coloring images on this page are hers!