Last post in 2012.

My hope for 2013

 

I've made a mandala and put my hope for coming year into it. To me my hopes are clear, but you might read it as you want to. The mandala is made the same way as always, only difference is that I used a A-3 sheet this time.
I planned on using my new ideas but it's so relaxing to make a mandala that I forgot to think about it. Next time I'll have to write myself a note to keep close when I'm working.
Some of the keywords for this mandala are: safety, unfolding, courage, protection, breaking new ground. It didn't turn out as I planned it but that's ok. I'm pleased on how clean it looks and airy. That's new.

We're going to celebrate the new year quitely, as always. Our choise.
I hope your celebration will be a good one too.

Happy New Year to all of you!

FUN!

 

Yesterday I bought some (alot of ) new colorpens,

 and of course I had to try them. I was so facinated by using a waterbrush to wash them out so that's what I did. I made a fairly small drawing to color and had lots of fun. Here is the sketch overdrawn with micron pen.

I used alot of different colors, but still just half of what I bought. First thing first, ehhhh they're not that good together with water. Perhaps some practice will help. Inspite of that I still love these pens. I've used them for nearly two years, it was just that I discovered the water thing a couple of days ago. The background in my painting is done with WS crayons. I love the result and started thinking of doing a sketch a week, make something from my daily life. By the end of the year I would have 52 sketches telling my doings. But, I have turned so wise now that I don't settle for long term doings. I know better than that. Good idea though.

Right now I'm making another mandala, a large one this time. It's so funny that I, impatient me, love to do these tiny little lines. But I really do and it's calming, probably just what I need. You should try it, no rules free to do whatever you want to. I've also learnt that the penwork in the end hides any mistakes or color out of its way. This mandala is made as my wishes for coming year, and I'll share it with you tomorrow as my final post of 2012.
Untill then.

At least some journaling.

 

 It's been too long since I made anything but food!

In between the Holidays, all the meals, the expectations, gatherings, presents and reading the presents I found some time to make a mandala. The first question I ask myself is: why don't I do this more often? It's so relaxing and it gets my creative juices flow.
I had a background page, nothing great, and decided to use it for my mandala. I made the circle and painted over with white gesso. After some time I made the design and below is what it looked like when I started.

Just when I started to write this post I discovered some new ideas that I'll have to try. Probably more mandalas coming. I found my colouring pens and did the color job. Alot of my pens were dry so I'll have to buy some new ones this week. I discovered that my pens can be used together with a waterbrush too and that increases the use of them alot. Finished coloring it looks like this.

Now the real fun begins. Black micron pen 005 is what I used. I spent hours with that pen alone, and that's the best part. My thoughts flew and I was in a completely different world. No expectations, no meal makings, no dishwashing, no nothing. Just me and my pen. I returned to my family refreshened, and with alot of new ideas. Isn't it strange how a few hours and a pen can make such a differens?

Below is the result, not my best mandala but the first one for ages. And the important thing, it made me think new thoughts. What if I try...........

I do look forward to try my new ideas. I think they will lead to new and different mandalas.

I've had a good Christmastime and I hope you you've had too. Now I'm looking forward to a brand new year and what creative stunts that might bring.

Mail Love.

 

I am the luckiest girl on the planet right now!

As I mentioned in my former post I got a package in my mailbox some days ago. The minute I saw who sent it, my heart started beating like a racing horse, and for good reasons. It's funny, in the age of nearly 55 I finally got my own America package. That is, a package in which I didn't know the content. I've heard of it since I was a little girl. America package is a very special and well known term where I live. Way back it was chewing gum that was the hottest, and lots of other stuff too. Now, the hottest is art! ( for me anyway)

See the beautiful handmade card on top?

Janet, my friend, you're my hero!

I first got to know Janet's blog a couple of years ago, and I clarely remember that the first pieces of art I saw were some cute funny girls wearing hats. They were made for a postcard swap. I fell in love instantly and have been following her since then. She makes some pieces called wintergirls too, and I have been dreaming of owning one of them. Guess what??
YES....I'm now the proud owner of one of her wintergirls. Yayyyyyy! And my girl is a real special one too.

Meet Miss. Millie.

 
As you see Millie  likes to be out even in the winter and she is quite a busy bee. She's an entrepreneur and a smart one too. She's in the last stages of opening her own Dress Shoppe and right  now she's on her way to meet with her advertising agents. She has asked them for some good ideas to her new businesscards. You see, Millie has been a great collector of dresses from the 50's and now found it was time to do something serious about it. These days that kind of dresses are more attractive than ever before and, of course, as the smart girl Millie is she knows that.

The next thing I found in the package was this beautiful piece. How cool of Janet to make me a piece that express my profession in such a great way. Janet knows that I'm an educated dressmaker and her idea couldn't suite me better. Have a look at the details, what a clever idea!

First thing that meets Millie, when in the agents office, is this great image of a dress and her newly made sign for the Shop. She emediately fell in love and signed a contract with them to print it as her businesscard. Out of the office again she thought of her next core, perhaps she should call up the models and meet with them as well since she had the time anyway. Yes, she called them and set up a meeting. Millie had been advertising for models for awhile, she need someone professional to the show she's planning. Someone that can show her dresses in a perfect way. Of all the girls that were interested, she has picked out four to be her helpers. And now, she wants to discuss with them and let them try the dresses to see what dresses each girl will be presenting. Oh, I'm so excited Millie said to herself, if only the show will be a success half the job is done.

Last but not least I found these four girls (in my head they are models) included in the package. I remember Janet showed them on her blog, but it was never in my mind that they one day should belong to me. I'm so sorry you can't see the backgrounds properly, they are really something. Perhaps Janet will share her secret with us someday. It looks like the paint has been sanded or something, really interesting. I'm so glad for them and they will be part of a special "Janet display" I'm going to make. Janet is such a generous person, not in my wildest dreams I would think of getting all this art from her. The wintergirl alone was a dream come through, and then all the rest. Janet, a deep and heartfelt THANK YOU!

The meeting went well and Millie had this special feeling she gets when things looks good. Two more days and the show was on. All the invitations sent and everything else in place. Now it was just to wait and keep the fingers crossed. She was more than happy with the models too, so what could possibly go wrong? The show came and went and were a huge success, she opened the shop and  sold more dresses than she had ever hoped for. See, my Millie is a real special one!


If you haven't already been visiting Janets blog I highly recommend it, and not only a short browse. Take the time to dive into her arcives. Make it your Sunday morning routine. There are lots and lots of goodies. Some of the reasons I keep going back is first and foremost her art. I love what she does, and she does it with her own personal twist which attracts me. Another great thing is that she's an entertaining writer, often humourous which I also like. And, another fun thing is that each time I think I know her, she makes another turn and come up with something completely different and surprising. Which means, she owns the ability to renew herself, but still takes care of what's hers. I think you owe it to yourself to get to know this girl. She will surprise you, I promise!  Here is the link.

Are you still celebrating or do you make some art as well?

Oh, I forgot...

 

Just wanted to show you something I made for a private swap this year.

There was so much happening at the time that I forgot to show you. The photo below shows the piece in progress. It's pretty much done the same way as my cards for ihannas swap this autumn. Layers of tissue papers, handsewn (the waves) and painted with twinkling H2O's. The fishes are done using some seed capcules from a plant. That tecknique I learned by watching a film suggestion (inspiration link) from ihanna way back in time. Sorry that I don't remember the link.

Normally it isn't easy to photograph the twinks effect, but I was rather lucky with this one. You can see the shiny parts well. When all the painting was dried I glued the piece onto a sturdy cardboard and sealed it with a sheet of brown paper on the back.

Below is the finished piece. The black line at the bottom is a shadow from something it sits on and the stain in the lower righ cornert is a stain within my camera only. Now removed. Handyman fixed it for me.

The top layer of tissue wasn't pure white but had a shade of sand colour. It was very cool to  work this this way and I'll do it again for sure. I did the details when it was all mounted together, the white bubbles and the fisheyes. I was very pleased with this piece and she who received it liked it too, she told me.

The other day I got a big surprise in my mailbox, I'll tell you all about it in my next post that will be one of the days in between Christmas and New Years eve. Untill then.

Postcard swap.

 

I just had to make another post.

All 5 cards have arrived and they are all unike. That's a great thing with handmade postcards. One never knows  what to expect, and they always surprises me.

Otherwise I have been fiddling with my computer all day to fix an error in my netbank. After 3 hours I actually did fix it, and then I had to dance the Sundance for awhile. Yayyy, ME!!!
Handyman will probably not believe that I did it myself, you see, he knows me better than anyone else. Tomorrow is decorating day and then I'm ready for Christmas.  I'm so eager to enter my studio and make some stamps that I've thought of making for awhile now. Don't know if I can do them but I'll do my best.

Best wishes!

Merry Christmas!

I just want to wish you all a good and joyful Christmas.

Sandra and I have been making stuff this weekend and my Christmascard below is the only one from me this year. It was fun to make and it looks much harder to make than it is. The text, in Norwegian, says of course Merry Christmas. I'll post it on my facebook wall as well and then I'm done with cards this year.

I have these old Christmascards and thought I would share one of them with you.This card was sent from Ottawa Dec. 11th 1930, to Stavanger Norway.
It's a nice card and an envelope made especially to match it. Boy did they know how to do things back then!
It's impossible to buy, something similar to this, today. I had to use a flashlight so the image is a bit overexposed but that was the best I could do.

Otherwise the rain came as usual and now the amount of slush is incredible, but it decreases every minute so I'm glad. We had a blizzard friday night, it was more noisy than I can ever remember.
That's all for today, and I'm not sure I will write another post before Christmas so take care everyone and enjoy!

Oh my.......

Yes, we live in an arctic like country but still, we are not used to this.

Up north they do have alot of snow and winter, but in our parts of the country this situation is rare. Remember the photos from yesterday?

Today is different, now it looks like this.

We've had one meter of snow the last 24 hours. Alot of schools are closed and people are told to stay home from work. That is very rare here. Handyman drove to work early this morning and I wonder if he'll have to spend the night there. The forecast promis strong winds today and that will bring caos.

I'm so happy to stay home, to drive a car in this kind of weather isn't my strenght. Never was!

This was yesterday.

Today it looks like this.

Good to be online, gives us an opportunety to "travel" inspite of the weather. Sandra made it to school today but had to return home. School closed. We didn't see alot of snowmen yesterday, the children stayed indoors.
I just hope that the usual rain won't appear. Think of what slush that would bring. Well, I still have some baking to do, so I better get started.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

12.12.12

Amazing date, don't you think?

Excactly a hundred years till next time someone can use the same numbers to write the date. And 88 years untill the numbers are the same again. 01.01.01. Are you focused on numbers? Are you one of the people that counts everything? Stairsteps? Sidewalk stones? Houses in a row? Kettels in a field? Birds in a tree?

I'm a counter but I don't count everything listed above. My whole life I've been counting, just for the counting itself. Afterwards I don't remember the excact number. I've often wondered about this habit, where do it come from and why is it so? I'm not a person that HAVE TO DO IT, it's more like when I remember to count. That probably means that my counting is soon over, I mean, if remembering is important.

Today it's snowing, these large wet snowflakes you know. When I look out it looks like a Christmascard.

The children will love all the snow. I bet we'll see several snowmen later this evening. Handyman and I are taking Sandra to a photocourse this evening. She has chosen photography as her theme in 4-H next season and we thought it could be nice for her to learn using the camera.

I'm baking and am very pleased to stay indoors today. I never liked the snow. They announce on the radio that there are trafficjam all over today.
Right now I got a phonecall that cancelled the course, the leader was sick. Handyman will be glad to know, he has alot of snow to showel after dinner.

Take care!

The beautiful blue light.

Have I ever told you of the blue light we have around where I live?

It's been said that people do recognice it while driving from east to the south west part of our country. Today I did capture it with my camera. Wasn't planned, just an accident. I was going to photograph my doorwreths, and I didn't use a flashlight taking the first photo. Below you see the one using a flashlight and an irritating wire. It was the wreths I wanted to show you, just to tell that my washing is over and the decorating period has started.

Below you can see the blue light. One could almost believe I shot this photo before the daylight had appeared, but I didn't. It's in the middle of the day and that room is completely white. No other colour that could influence the light.

I did plan to start baking today but had to do other stuff, so tomorrow is the day. I'll make 3 sorts for sure, and maybe a fourth one. Two sorts will be bought, the bought ones are better than I can ever make them......good for me.
With that done I still have 14 days to enjoy. Couldn't be better. Right now I'm knitting a babyblanket. Soft and beautiful.  I'll show it when it's done. Plain white it is.

I hope you don't feel to stressed, it's such a blessing to just enjoy.

Still in hat mode.

I'm still making hats. 

Today I tried some new embellishment instead of flowers and I think it looks great. I'm also preparing for Christmas, so my days are rather busy. I like it though and it's easy when there are no dayjob to attend. This week I'm washing and next week I'm going to bake. After that I'll just enjoy!!

We have the most beautiful weather now, but freezing cold. Good and warm indoors though.  Well, I just wanted to show you what I'm up to and say hello.

I hope you have good days too.

Busy with all sorts of things.

This weekend Sandra is here and she will be next or the next after that too.

I've had my first sale in the new shop and that made my heart beat a little extra. I've sold a bikeseat cover, and many of you might think that I used the pattern from my earlier made cover. Well I didn't, I made a brand new pattern that fits the seat much better. Besides, if I did make a similar to the first one it would be called stealing. I can't hide though that I'm totally inspired from the first one, but I made it my own way.

This weekend I've made some hats. Sandras mum asked me to make one for her, I did and got totally inspired.  I  made the first one out of my head and experience, the second one I made in purpose to have a written pattern. After writing this post I'll start a third one, a white one. The orange one is for Sandras mum, I'm not sure she will like the band and the flower but I made them both removable. She specifickly asked for an orange one which I liked. That gave an oportunety to use the rest of the orange yarn.

As you see from the photo it has been snowing this weekend, and Sandra and I even have been rehursing all the Christmas songs. So, now we are prepared ! I almost feel like saying : Let the game begin!

I hope you've had a good weekend too.