A few years ago, I started going on a Photo Walk in the Spring. It was my way of supporting the “Walk to Cure” Diabetes Walk that my family participates in, since I can’t be there in person. I usually walk on the day that they walk, but this year I just couldn’t help but go early. On May 26th, it was such a beautiful day that I grabbed my camera and my little helper (who joined me for the first time this year, since she was too young last year!) and we hit the streets of Sollentuna. Here are a couple of shots that were taken during the walk. If you would like to see more, just click on one of the photos!

I took the opportunity today to do something that I would never have accomplished if Adrienne and Erik were around. I taped and edited a video about my craft room. I have dreams of someday owning my own craft/art supply store where I would get to create all day long. I always envision a large front area and a group classroom type area, but I have never thought about having my very own art studio in the backroom. One of the entries in the Cloth, Paper, Scissors special issue on Art Studios talks about her special art space in her shop, and it completely blew my mind! What an amazing idea.

She says that she also uses the space to relax and entertain close friends who drop by the store. Wow! Never before have I wanted my own store so badly! That sounds like the perfect work environment and future project for me. Of course, whenever I daydream about it, I always see it in Canada instead of Sweden. Not really sure when that would happen, so it scares me to think that it may never. For now, it is something that I will think about and plan, hoping it will become my reality someday.

Currently, my craft room is nothing compared to what I see for myself in the future, but it is a peaceful place and it is mine. It is where I go to relax and recharge myself, even if only for five minutes.

My original idea was to be in front of the camera, but after not having a decent night’s sleep in over six months, I decided against it. I also have decided that I’m purchasing iLife 09. The iMovie program that I have is good, but when I see all the tutorials about what 09 can do, it just doesn’t compare. I would like to do more movies in the future and I know iLife 09 will help me make them look more professional with a lot less effort.

Without further ado, I present to you - my sanctuary:

p.s. I can’t believe how much I sound like my sister in some parts of the video. Crazy!

After selling some craft and baby things, I’ve been using the extra cash to purchase some of the items that have been on my wishlist for quite some time. I have signed up for 3 more courses and have finally purchased a few yards of Amy Butler fabric. Take a look, it’s gorgeous! It’s going to make the sweetest toddler dresses! To see more of my daughter’s future wardrobe, check out the most recent entry on her blog.

Now, I’m looking around to see what else I can sell so I can keep buying the rest of the stuff on my wishlist!

Another obsession of mine is crows. There’s something about them that I just love to watch, whether they are on the ground, in a tree, or in flight. The picture below shows when my love for them began. We were visiting London, circa 1983, when we happened upon this crow in a park. I’m so happy that my mother caught this moment on film. I was so proud of myself for getting so close to him. He didn’t flinch as I got closer. He was watching me, waiting for me to feed him, I’m sure. I thought if he wasn’t scared, I wasn’t going to be scared either. And so it began…

One of my favourite poems to teach in my English classes is “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. It has everything a poem should: lost love, an unstable main character, and a misunderstood element that makes everything else fall apart. I love watching my students figure out that the narrator is falling deeper and deeper into insanity solely based on his own fear. Plus, it’s nicely written too. The word “nevermore” is key, which is why I used it in my most recent art journal page. It says everything, by leaving it open for interpretation.

My love for all things crow can’t be shown all at once, since there are too many more future posts and journal pages to fill. So, I will leave my favourite movie (The Crow), our mutual love for all things shiny, and my crow superstitions for another time.

Two things that I’ve really been searching for lately and hoping to get my hands on are: The Concentric Circle stamp (by Studiowerx) and Amy Butler fabric (and paper) especially the Lotus line.

photo by: Christina Lazar-Schuler

I know the former will be the most difficult to get my hands on as Studiowerx have discontinued their rubber stamp line. Very sad news, indeed, but what makes up for it is that I came across some instructional videos that Christine (the owner) did on image transfers using inkjet transparencies. She makes it look so easy! If she ever does her “Art of Transference” online course again, I am SO signing up. Take a look what she does with fabric:

I bought some canvas, for this very purpose, during my last trip home to Canada, but have hesitated because I thought it would be too difficult. Now, I just need to add Apollo inkjet transparencies to my wish list, and remember to order some Kroma acrylic medium next time I’m home, and I’m all set. I want to try it now! Her videos are excellent! She explains everything so clearly and definitely makes it so much better than reading about transfer techniques.

As for finding the stamp, I think I will have to continue searching. In the meantime, I might have to think about making a digital brush of similar circles. It’s a shame, because I would really like to have that design in a stamp format.

Edited to add: I just realized that registration for the “Art of Transference” course is ongoing and self-paced, just the way I like it! I need to get myself signed up!

Sometimes you have to lose perspective to appreciate the things that you have in life. What you are suppose to learn or understand isn’t always clear until you have experienced that particular situation. In my life, I have been smacked in the face with reality too many times to count. I try to prepare myself for the potential problems but I should have learned to expect the unexpected by now. I am also trying to learn to let go, to trust that things can work out. It amazes me when seemingly impossible events come together that create solutions that didn’t exist before. Is is just a coincidence or could there be other forces at work?

I worked with lots of different layers for this page. Layers always bothered me before because if I liked what I had done, I never wanted to cover it up. Now, I realize that it’s a part of the process and to achieve the look that I *really* want, I will have to cover up bits and pieces of the previous layers.

I’m so excited that my Portfolio oil pastels finally arrived. I really like my Caran d’Ache pastels, but they have nothing on Portfolio for what I want to use them. They are oil pastels whearas the Caran d’Ache are more like crayons (because they’re wax, duh). They spread so smoothly and the colours are so clear and bright. Dina Wakley was so right when she said that the Portfolio pastels are the best way to go. I can’t wait to use them again!

This is the first full page that I’ve done for Dina Wakley’s “Art Journaling 102″ class. I’ve done loads of backgrounds because they are addictive, but I have yet to collage, layer or journal anything on those ones. I did this page in my practice art journal since I don’t want to make stupid mistakes in my moleskine journal. I’ve also purchased a 9×9 journal that I will be using for bigger journal entries.

Being creative or crafty didn’t really hit me until after high school. I mean, I did the occasional friendship bracelet or pin here and there, but the need to create something with my hands happened much later for me. I think it all started with hemp necklaces. Just the idea that you could make your own funky jewelry and it would be an only one like it. First I started making necklaces, then I started getting into making my own beads since there weren’t many bead stores around at the time.

I thought I would show a sample of things that I have made during my creative evolution that has occurred over the past 15 years or so.

Handmade Beads/Jewelry * Handmade Figurines, etc. (FIMO) * Altered Clothing/Patchwork * Collage Canvases * Altered Dominos * Altered Books * ATCs * Scrapbooking

The beauty of constantly changing what I’m working on allows me to integrate different mediums into each other. I used to say that I would never be a scrapbooker, but when I saw how that it was growing into a mixture of altered arts and freestyle expression, I jumped in with both feet.

My newest passion is Art Journaling. The more I work with it, the more I realize that I’ve been pretty much working with it since I started working on canvases, ATCs and altered books since a lot of the techniques involve collage and layering of paints, ink, and ephemera. I am also learning that I have a lot to learn. I have never worked with oil pastels (since junior high art class!) and am loving what they can do for a page. I took an online course on it last year that mainly focused on acrylic paint. It was a great class but it didn’t get into any of the new techniques that I’m learning now, so I really didn’t stay motivated for long. All I basically did was create my own art journal binder for my future work that never actualized.

Stay tuned for the newest addition to my newest obsession that will be posted tomorrow. I’m still just practicing, but I’m excited to share what I have been working on. I can’t decide if I’m done with the piece or not, but I think I will leave it as it is, so I can move on with new pages while I’m still so excited about it.

It’s almost 4:00am and this tired mommy needs to get some sleep!

Maybe it’s the fact that Spring is on the way, or that the end of my maternity leave is rapidly approaching, but for some reason I’m starting to feel super motivated. So much so that I’ve just signed up for some of courses.

First, I will be spending the next 10 weeks, with some other English-speaking mommies, brushing up on my Swedish skills. It will only be once a week, but it will help me feel more confident while speaking. This will be a great opportunity to practice without feeling as self-conscious as I do when I’m with native speakers. Plus, Adrienne can come along and maybe pick up a few words!

The other course that I just signed up for is learning about creating art journals. I can’t wait! Years ago, I made altered books but seemed to have switched more into scrapbooking. Hopefully, this will help me merge back into the messier side of creativity. I feel so inspired by the instructor and also by the other students. The overall message of the course is to go with the flow, make mistakes work and have fun! I’ve been collecting the required supplies for the past few days and only have a couple left to get. They are things that I can’t seem to find in Sweden, so I’ll have to get them sent from Canada or the States. More about that course later!

I’m also finishing up the “Design Your Life” course with Cathy Zielske. It officially ended on Christmas day but my trip to Canada made me fall behind on the assignments. I still have all the videos and handouts to work with, so it should be no problem finishing it. I have learned so much about design from that course, so far, I feel like going back and redoing all of my scrapbook pages.

It’s so fun being the student for a change!

With all these doctor visits and all the other wonderful things that this stressful September will bring, there are a few positive things that will give me something to look forward to. One of which is happening mid-way through the month…

I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since I saw them last. They put on such a show that you wish that it could last forever. Last time, Chris Martin ran a lap around the whole stadium. I can’t wait to see what he does this time. I just wish I could go to their concert on the following night too, but it’s been sold out for a while.

Another something that I’m excited about that’s happening at the end of the month is the start of an online scrapbooking course that’s focused on design. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to take classes and learn by doing. Since it’s a little more difficult for me to go to evening classes right now, this online course is absolutely perfect for me. And, since it’s based out of the states the price is excellent too (even though most would think it’s too expensive!). This twelve week course, is equivalent to three evening classes that I would take at one of the local craft stores here. The instructor is none other than “Simple Scrapbook”’s design guru, Cathy Zielske. I love her style and her sense of humour - it should be fun!