Saturday, February 28, 2015

ARTFUL JOURNEYS - WEEK #9


I am writing this today, after somewhat of an emotional day spent remembering my Mother. She would have been 90 years old today. I dug out a bunch of old pictures of her from when I was a child, and when she was a young woman.  My mother was a kind, caring woman who always had a ready and contagious laugh, and was willing to always jump in to anything to have some fun.  Mother was a registered nurse and I fondly remember her starched "whites", with her hair up in that french twist she was famous for, and her cap starched and always adjusted "just so."  By the time I got to junior high school, Mother was into the craft industry in a big way and was both an Artex and Tri-Chem dealer. She was always creative, and could make a party for us kids on the spur of the moment, make costumes, teach us how to make decorations out of nothing, and she always, always was doing something for someone else.  Mother traveled with me on many, many trips all over the country, and I flew her to whereever I was on so many occasions I can't remember them all. We always had fun together. She was "game" for nearly anything. We loved our late night "pretty coffee" times out of my special Nippon teacup collection cups, taking care to select just that one special cup for the night. I miss her very much, but her spirit is with me each and every day, guiding me still with her firm, but gentle hand.  Thank you, Mother.  Keep smiling down on me and being my guardian angel.

Our prompt this week is to use your favorite quote.  I have a whole book of favorite quotes and sayings, and the one I used in tonight's spread is one of those.  This entire spread is dedicated to the memory of my mother.





Prepared in my large Dylusions journal, I spread Turquoise Dylusions Blendable Acrylic on with a cosmetic sponge, and it took surprisingly very little paint.  I then added the edge in London Blue, just making a sort-of wavy edge all the way around.  I used a circle stencil and put a little water on both sponges and placed here and there.  There was enough paint left in both the Turquoise & London Blue sponges (even using the paint quite sparingly) that I was able to create 3 other backgrounds with what was "left over" in both sponges .... and a bunch of paint on some mop up paper as well.


The edges were finished off with a black china marker and smudged with my fingers. This was tricky tonight. My hands are so dry from having the heat blaring for the last few days that I had to rub my face to get some kind of oil onto my finger tips. LOL.  I then used a black Staz On ink pad and stamped my Deep Red Water Droplets stamp indiscriminately around the page.

I cut a 4" circle, colored it with Holiday Blue Copic marker and hand lettered the quote with a .05 black Micron pen ... "Mother, you left us beautiful memories. Your love is still our guide. Although we cannot see you, you're always by our side." ~~ author unknown.  

The little rose bouquet was hand drawn with a .05 Micron pen and colored with copic marker and white sakura glaze pen.






The lettering on the adjacent page is my mother's name, her birth and death date.



I really didn't want to put anything else on the page or to clutter it up. Sometimes the most powerful expressions are the simplest.  I'm happy with it, and really, in the end, that's all that matters.  I think mother would have loved it.

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Here are some other things I have been working on this week in an artistic vein. Sadly I have had a lot of administrative duties online and grown-up responsibilities to tend to this past week and didn't get much art time.  There's a new week coming, so I am hopeful!


I am trying to develop a little series of "dollies" to use in my journaling, art projects and to send in happy mail and art swaps to my creative friends.  These are still in the development stage, but thought I would share them with you anyway.









And some mail projects going out.......





Leave me some blog love in the comments section below. Go ahead, and make my day!  Go out and make it a great week, and stay artful!
~~ Betty

10 comments:

  1. Awww hugs on missing your mom. Your page is simply stunning. Big hugs!!!!

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  2. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome page, Betty, thank you for sharing!!!!

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  3. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome page, Betty, thank you for sharing!!!!

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  4. Your post today touched my heart Betty.
    I knew just the little you wrote that you loved your mother very much.
    Good job on the page and love your sweet dolls.

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  5. A beautiful page filled with beautiful memories!

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  6. Betty, I love your post and it was wonderful reading about your sweet mother. I could feel the love through your words. You pages are beautiful. I love the colors you used and the quotes.
    Thank you for sharing your heart with us. And love the dollies...especially Rose and the dolly with the winter hat! Great job! :)

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  7. Betty, what a truly beautiful post, both artistically and sentimentally. Your mom sounds like a wonderful person. I'm sure much of her spirit is reflected in your art. <3
    Your little Dollies are fabulous too! :)

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  8. Thank you everyone for your kind comments. We only get one momma. Go hug yours if you can and tell her how much you love her.

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  9. What a beautiful, loving tribute to your momma. I miss mine, but thankful for the creativity she passed on to me. Just wanted to say your blog banner is awesome!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for stopping in, Sandra. I think my mother passed on those creative genes to me as well!

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