Kaleidoscope.

Wouldn't it be lovely to own a kaleidoscope that, in a little fragment of time, made a new breathtaking design each time you shake it?


This is my latest work. It was really fun to make it and it took me three days.
The first photo is taken when I was ready choosing the design. At this stage I've decided how I want the design to be, not only the design itself but also the depth of it. In this specific mandala I let the four "side figures" have almost the same design as the main one.
Once this is done I start to choose the colours. And then add the colour as the next photo showes.

I prefer to work on one mandala, so the colours of the rest are decided for when needed.


Not everything is planned, sometimes things appears while working. If you look at the main mandala, you can see the small checked areas which really forced their way to be included. And I'll have to say that I like them very much. The checks are so small that they don't interrupt the rest, on the contrary they help the rest pop out.
The pattern of a ready cut cake wasn't planned either, but when I chose to make a quite heavy line between each square outside the star I got that bonus effect.
The design in the outer sircle (of the main mandala) could have been different. I aimed for a design which held the feeling of air and dissolubility, and it does, but it would probably be even better with that design in just every other or third square. That way it could have been clearer what I wanted to create, instead it can easily be seen as a repetitive design only as it is now. All these things are much easier to spot when the mandala is done. When I'm working on it I'm so focused that I don't see other opportuneties than those I've already chosen. I'll have to work on that.


Don't you just love the red petals?
I do!! They really pop out and looks like velvet, so much that I have to touch them from time to time.
For me mandala is a circle, as you might have noticed, but I'm working on bending the rules. Step out of the frame so to speak and it's exciting.

I hope you're all well and enjoying your time.

Street art.

Today I'll start to show you a photo of a statement :



I've told you about the exhibition of street art. When I was back there this last Sunday I recieved this paper, made for those artists who had made the art.
The back page of the paper is what you see in the photo above. This statement is so speaking to me. In one of my very first posts I spoke about "your own design" that is "is it originally yours" The statement above was the words I was missing at the time.

For me now, I'm still making mandalas and the mandala is not my design for sure, but where I take them I dare to call mine. And this process of making them have started to evolve some ideas that feels like a bubble inside me and it's moving towards the surface.
I can't wait to see the results of that.

In this post I'll show you the three first photos from the exhibition. I have so many photos that I feel it works best to show you just some at the time.
The photo below shows an image from the hall. (before entering the exhibition itself) It is quite amazing what the artists did here. They have peeled of concrete so the only thing painted here is the black colour. Can you imagine how it feels to make an image that big and keep the overview at the same time? (I had no chance to reach the window, just to tell you about the size of this.)


On the opposite wall this image was made. It needs no further comments, but I feel like saying it was really well painted. Remember, sprayboxes are what have been used to make this whole exhibition.



The last imaage today was the smallest one of them all. With this photo I'm on my way to the old Beer halls where each hall has it's own theme. And it was when I first saw them that I felt it relates well to art journaling.


That was all for today, but I'll be back with more. Have a nice day and take care.

What's going on?

Good morning out there.

Yesterday I saw something that made me wonder what is going on in nature. One of my spring-plants are blooming! (?) At this time of year? It was so nice this spring and bloomed a lot back then, but now.... Well, it's beautiful even now but isn't it the wrong time of year?
We've seen it before that spring-plants do bloom out of season so I count that is just what's happening here too, but it really got me thinking.

Today I'll go back to photograph the street art I told you about earlier on. I'm looking forward to that and it will be fun to save it for the future.


Otherwise I've made another mandala and finished the dull one. This time I photographed it before I started the detailing job, just to see the changes. I'm not that pleased this time but it's ok. It came out with a bit too much squared lines, but then again they can't look the same each time I make one. Have a look yourself and see what you think.


Now I'll have to go to let my handyman take a measure of my elbow-hight. He is going to fix my wandering-sticks.(don't know what they are called, hope you understand what I mean.) Almost the same as the ones used when skiing.

Have a great Sunday and take care.

New Journal.

This is the first spread in my new journal. I like the left page, that mandala means something to me and contain my wishes for this new journal. In the right page I've tried to make a "copy" of one of the main glasspaintings in the Chatedral in Palma, Mallorca. I found it was not a good way of working. It's not mine and I don't feel any relations to it. Dull!
I will try to finish it though, wouldn't dream of starting a new journal with an unfinished project.

Today I'm going down town together with a friend, looking for what's new this season. We have such a beautiful morning here. This last night we had our first frost, and early this morning I could follow the sunrise which made the mountain - edge look like gold. That sight always take my breath away. A lot of crows had their morning meeting in a large tree in our garden and it seems they couldn't come to any agreement. Right now the town starts to awaken and the sounds of it reaches me. It's lovely to be able to have these slowly mornings, which I missed a lot when I was working outside home. I really whish everyone could have the time and opportunety to enjoy the magic moments of a sunrise.



I'm not as creative as usual these days. I don't know why but I prefer doing other things. Amongst other things I've read about low carb food because I'm going to reduse myself a bit. I have gained some kilograms and I don't feel comfortable with that.
My mandalas have inspired others to make them too, my niece (Lill's Life) has made a mandala too and felt the calmness of doing so. I liked her first attempt and am certain that she will make them again. She lives far away from here, so I enjoy following her blog.

Have a nice day and take care.

Closing one, and open another one.

At last I've finished my first journal. When I'm sitting here looking back I feel I just started it, but time flies. It's 6 months since I first started. I've learnt a lot and still enjoy the time spent in it. Now I have a new book to start in and this one is even larger so I have more space to work on.

I have done Mandalas lately and they are so fun to make. I've even made some very private ones. I will continue to make them and try to make them even more "my own" Have you ever tried to make them, and did you put into them expressions of your hope or thaughts of any kind?



This one (below) is made in remembrance to my father, or to this little Buddha that belonged to him. My father was given this item as a gift when I was a child and I always liked it so much. I asked my mother for it some years ago and she told me it was broken and thrown away. Early this summer we (my husband and I) had a clean up in the attic and I found my old schoolbooks. To my pleasure I found a drawing of the Buddha in one of my books and that's why I could use it in one of my Mandalas. It makes me happy to have it in my journal, that way I can always recall my memories of it.



The next one is very private too, it's made for a close relative that suffers from breastcancer. My hope for her is the very best and is expressed in this Mandala. I really do hope it helps. The four seasons of the year are included because she told me that she had to count a year to overcome this illness.


The last Mandala I made is the last page in my journal and doesn't mean anything special. It is the end of my journal and that's it. It is a bit different than the others and I guess that I was influenced by my friend Alw'en when I made it. She came visiting yesterday and I made it while she was here. We spent several hours together painting, and good things always happen when we spend time together. I really enjoyed her company!


That's all for today which is windy, rainy and cold. So cold that we have a fire going in the stove. First time this season.
Wish you all the best!

Mandala

Hello.

It's about time for a new post and what could be better than to show you my latest made Mandalas. It's a very relaxing task to make a Mandala, what attracts me the most are the fact that there are no rules. Use what you have and let your feelings guide you.

Like most people I'm very facinated by the wonderful glass-paintings in the old churches and lately I've start wondering if I could do anything similar to that using Mandalas as my workingspace. I've let me be inspired from a blog where Karin Bartimole are showing how she makes a journal. The journal showed is ment for making Mandalas in. Have a look here, scroll down till you find the name Karin Bartimole and look at her you-tube films on how she is making her journal. It's very inspiring.


As you see I have another space ready for my next Mandala and I just can't wait to start it.
Right now I'm waiting to know who is the one to get this years Nobel Peace prize, that's always such an exitement. Today a Syrian woman is the hottest name.
Today is windy and rainy here so the weather outside is perfect to stay indoors making Mandalas.

Have a nice weekend everyone and take care.

Busy days.

Hello.
Anyone who remember my showerbuddy? Now it's done and in use. It's really nice to use it but so are the ones one can buy. I finally took the time to finish it, so that leaves me with one item less to think of.


I've had a busy weekend with Sandra. Saturday we went to an artshow together with a friend of mine and her kids. In fact it was Street Art painted inside an old building. Unfortunately my camera went flat so I was unable to photograph anything inside. But, I'm going back soon to do just that because I want to save the images and share them with you. I really liked what I saw and it was easy to compare them to artjournaling.
When this exhibition is over all of the art will be painted over and gone forever, that's why I want to photograph it. I was able to snap some photos outside though.


I was so amazed when I first saw this painted building, what a job to do that. It's so big so I wonder how the artists could keep focus and do it right.
There were a couple of artists out painting the walls this day too and they were kind enough to let our children take part for a while. The kids enjoyed it, and had a really good time. This little boy,Isak, below looked like he had been doing this all his life

Here are Malika and Sandra in action.

Here are Sandra and Isak.

On Sunday it was Sandras birthday (her 9th) so we had to bake some cake for her, and later on we payed another friend of mine a visit. She showed me some very nice dresses which had belonged to her mother. From the early sixties. Sandra got some presents too and was all smiles when I drove her back home in the afternoon. So in addition to that I've read some books.