The Knitting Journeyman

Gathering Up One Thread At A Time As I Weave This Web Of Mine.....

Friday, July 31, 2009

I Think I have A Clue

At least with the flame picture...I know now what it is missing....

First, some build up. The original drawing was made weeks and weeks ago, in the midst of wanting to burn away some of the garbage hanging around and in my life, made before the network and I parted ways, made before the miscarriage, all of that. And the hand-drawn burning pile of ... stuff...sat here, tucked in between folders, on my computer desk, waiting for me to feel the urge to pick it up...and just finish it...

The spirit forms--or as I often catch myself saying, the spirit dolls, fleeing the flames (if you will) came to me a couple weeks before I actually dug through my hand-made paper collection (neatly, ha ha, stored in a laundry basket of all things).

Then, after fighting doing it for 3 days, and really wanting that extra laundry basket out of my bedroom room (since i had grabbed it not long after I finished the drawing itself in the first place, for a whole other reason I never remembered after dragging it out--I think it had to do with a hand-made book I didn't make yet--I made something else instead)--for the final time--I drew out the doll form template and then set to cutting out pieces of paper. There were alot of other papers I had wanted to use...but for some reason I only cut out a few. After I painted over everything and you could no longer see the gorgeous patterns or textures or colours on the dolls, I realized why I had held back...I painted all over everything. I had thought at first the thickness of the paper would make the dolls stand out more...but nope...so I used an ultra thin sharpie to outline them...but that didn't really go over well, because of the glitter and the thickness of the paint obscuring where the doll forms started and ended...some of the lines were...choppy. So I pulled out my fine sharpie (and it really is fine since I use it so very much for darn near everything at times) and outlined them again without a hitch.

Gel medium is alot of fun though. That's the day I had so much fun w the gel medium. And the flames were so much fun to paint...I couldn't help myself. I wanted to go bigger with this piece, which is why I went to the canvas...even though the paper and the canvas are the same size. I have to get over my fears enough to start somewhere...and I had a 9x12 canvas ready and waiting...so that's where I went.

Now, I am a member of the Serpentine Road journey...which allows me to also be a memeber of the Hestia's Hearth. Both of which I am so very grateful to belong to..even though I sort of forgot about Hestia's Hearth in the midst of everything else....until yesterday...

I have alot of 'stuff' related to dealing w Hestia--I just haven't sat down and written it out. Long have I dealt with Hestia at my hearth. Long has she had a place laid out special for her at my table.

I was sitting here last night, after the boyfriend left (WONDERFUL day w him yesterday...him and dd both...). It was nearly 2a before I got to bed. He left closer to 1a. Sometimes I can't sleep until I know for sure he made it home. It's not that he has to call or email or anything. I just know when he gets home and then I feel better. I have a need to know he's safe. But as I started to lay down myself, it dawned on me. The issue I am having with this picture is not the picture. I have tried to come at it from every angle. Do I need to add say dragons, or wisps of something else, something ethereal? Nope. I have pondered the sketching in of small koi or something throughout the flames. No good. None of it feels right. I have gone to bed several nights in a row telling myself I would wake up knowing what this picture lacks so that I could fix it before the small girl awakens for her day....and I have awoken with not a darned thing relating to that picture. Until last night (this morning?) when it dawned on me--there is nothing else the picture itself needs ...but it is waiting for something...for its own story....

and I have had the bits and pieces of said story floating like so much ash in the wind at a bonfire around in my head for the longest time. I have simply not made the time to sit down and discuss things w that side of my brain.

I have a few other things to take care of today...but there is no reason why I cannot find and draft this story out before I retire tonight. :-) I think that is the plan then.

I'll let you know how it turns out. :-)

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Prayer Beads


I still need to take pics of the rosary--which came w matching earrings--for free...but here are the prayer bracelets --except for one that is too large for me to wear every day on my wrist....

These were made by Aspen Moon Studio and they are just wonderful.

Flame Picture


I didn't realize that I posted the old version of the spirits outlined in the extra fine sharpie--whereas I went back over it with a fine sharpie to make them stand out more clearly.

Apologies for the glare...I took it about 2 in the morning.

This is still missing ...something....

I am open to suggestions...

More Backgrounds In the Creative Entrepreneur Journal


Gel Medium In the Moleskine


That Missing Mandala

Wednesday Means Wish Time!


Jamie always asks just the right question to get me moving and thinking, doesn't she?


Today her question is:

What do you wish to remember?

Right now, in my life, the things I wish most to remember are:

I am strong. I am powerful. I am capable.
I can make good things happen.
I am creative and successful and blessed.
I can do anything and everything I set my mind to doing.
I am good. I am worthy. I am loved.
I am necessary.

There are so many more aspects I can travel into this, but none of them will be very productive.
So, I'll stop here...

Blessings...

Beautiful Boy



I love my son.

I love watching him sleeping.

He turns 6 in September.

He still nurses in his sleep, just making the motions as if he were still doing so for real. It's beautiful to watch.

Tree


I have a thing for trees...really I do.
I agreed to go back to cracker barrel when I really wasn't in the mood for their food--just so I could take my camera and wander through the parking lot like a lunatic, taking pictures of the trees.

They have such amazing character.

I could not help myself.

Here's one photo. These trees were posing as my models...there will be drawings coming soon....

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

See How Good E's Curls Look?





Recycled T-shirt Into Curlers




for the tender-headed amongst us...
she is ever so proud when she has curls in her very straight hair....
we even bought hair gel to keep the curls in longer--they stay longer with nothing in her hair...but the gel does make her hair fuller after the curls fall out...and the curls look spectacular when the curlers come out....very impressive....

Preparing For the Next Full Moon



This was started on the New Moon. That's when I was playing with the gel medium and everything else...that's when I had a huge spate of I so cannot sleep and I have to be busy doing something anything energy...before it degenerated into I can't sleep I can't think I can't move energy. :-)

I have plans for it, to take it farther...I just haven't had that burst of gotta do it yet...but it is building within me, deep inside...I can feel it...

New Doll In The Works


This is her in a really rough draft stage...she is currently awaiting some beads and wiring....

Just Playing


I was doodling with water colour pencils...I was trying to draw an evergreen sprig...but when I was done...all I could see was the fairy there..so I kinda played it up a bit...so here you go...

Gel Medium Background


I so want to say, please ignore the glitter along the corners...but it seems to be there for good....

This is my canvas piece...before I started to play with modeling paste upon its surface....

My New Best Friend




Gel Medium....it is way too much fun....

This is the first page set in my art journal for 'the creative entrepreneur' by Lisa Sonora Beam...
I have no clue why I didn't take pics of the next 2 sets...only the third was also done in gel medium--this time in reds and oranges...

With everything else that has been going on lately, I haven't gotten very far into that yet...but I am getting there...slowly but surely...

DreamBoard Set


So far, so good...everything is coming along nicely....thank you all....

Can You Identify This?



We would like to know what kind of spider this is...
and if you know this--we have a jet black one w the same markings, only it's smaller in size, living in our linen closet....
clues and ideas are welcome....

Shots of the Girl




Industry





a board, some nails, a hammer--my kids have been busy for weeks with this thing...

Hollow


This was an illustration friday about 3 weeks ago. Done with water colour pencils....

A Doll Knitted





The Princess fairy doll, per request. I still have not written out the pattern for the dress yet...but I might get there at some point...

Made for my niece...per her specifications...the only thing it doesn't have that was requested is wings...and that's because by the time I was finished w the dress, I had nowhere else to put the wings....

Can't Figure Out What's Missing

Here is the beginning of this piece...all drawn w coloured pencils....
you should have seen it before-I swear I posted it here on this blog somewhere...


This is the after gluing hand-made paper pieces on and then painting everything--and then going back to outline the spirit forms with sharpie.....there's glitter and glue involved as well..I do believe....


Something is missing yet. It still feels unfinished. I am not quite sure what it needs...although I have a partial story evolving in my head around it....

What We Did This Week-End




We coloured 'easter' eggs.
For some reason, my nibby little boy found the easter egg colouring we didn't use this past Easter...and he LOVES eggs--and he loves to colour eggs...he won't eat an egg to save his life...but he loves to crack 'em open...and he loves to colour them...
so we indulged him....
over 2 dozen eggs--I am SO happy the boyfriend loves deviled eggs...otherwise I would really be at a loss...

What The Dog Does


this is what Kendall does to tennis balls...

Why I Love My Daughter


A fresh container of margarine...yes....