Listening to the Trees

Here's a new journal page for today -- it has been waiting for words for a week now. Even though I was refreshed and rejuvenated on Monday I haven't been able to bring myself to the studio much. I thought my hesitation/lack of interest in finishing it was because it was a tree and I didn't know what direction to take it. Spring or Fall. But it was just my indecision in general, or avoidance, but not directed at my journal though.

Some of it is just end of summer stuff.
Some of it is not really wanting to face what is in there.
Some of it is confusion about what direction I want to go in.

and some of that is simply not wanting to do anything. I did make a huge batch of spaghetti sauce and canned it for the coming winter.

and the other part of that is feeling like I should just get a job and forget all this art nonsense. I waffle daily from one thing to the other. I'm having a hard time figuring out what my heart is saying.

And the other part is having a hard time figuring out what my head is saying.

And the other part is I don't know who to listen to.
 
And the rest of me is simply confused about everything.

When I started this art journey I never thought it would be so hard to figure out where to go.
 
So now I guess I need to listen to the trees and let my heart and head be silent. And maybe I'll make some art.

or maybe go camping. or take a nap. or start running. or write a book. or take a class.

so many decisions. 

September Classes at My Creative Classroom

School is almost back in session here in Maine -- and I can smell Fall in the air -- it was 62 when I got up this morning. Love those cool mornings! With school starting for my sweet boy means I have the house to myself each day to create and work on my classes and projects -- and figure out where I want to go with my new-found freedom and quiet house.

Not sure where this crazy business is going to take me, but I'm looking forward to wherever I end up.

Rather than inundate you with all the classes I have starting this semester (a whopping 14 courses), I thought I would take it one month at a time. So, without further adieu, here are the three classes I have starting in September at My Creative Classroom. 

Spellbinders 101: (click the link to enroll) Class Starts September 7, 2012

This course will start with Die-Cutting with Spellbinders 101; a tutorial on Spellbinders™ Dies. This lesson will include basic information on several different types of die cutting machines that you can use your Spellbinders™ Nestabilities® with. We will also discuss the different types of dies offered by the Spellbinders™ Company and dies by other companies that are similar to Spellbinders™.

We will end this lesson with a separate tutorial that combines different dies to create mats and incorporate them into a couple of basic cards.

Future lessons will instruct in embossing techniques and utilize those techniques on paper, fabric and metal.

Students will also learn the ins and outs of using a magnetic mat with Spellbinders™ dies and other basic techniques.

Each week the lesson will demonstrate a new technique and follow up with a unique project that utilizes the technique learned.

Mixed Media Workshop 1: (click the link to enroll) Class Starts September 14, 2012

Are you bored with your art supplies, want to stretch your creativity or just want to try new intermediate Mixed Media techniques?? Then Mixed Media Workshop with Catherine Scanlon is the course for you.

In this 4 week workshop at My Creative Classroom we will go beyond the basics of Mixed Media and explore working with beeswax, create beautiful layered backgrounds using vintage ephemera, touch on the basics of Gel Medium transfers and so MUCH more. Students will complete 4 creative projects during the length of this course, one of which will be an assemblage piece.

Each week Catherine will provide a detailed presentation and handout with high quality photographs, instructing you how to create the project demonstrating the Mixed Media Techniques for the week.

Spellbinders Card Workshop 1: (click the link to enroll) Class Starts September 21, 2012

 

This class is designed for the card maker...whether you are a total beginner or a seasoned pro. In this 4 week course the focus will be on making all types of cards. Each week Catherine will provide a detailed presentation and hand-out with high quality photographs, instructing you how to create the card for the week. Oh, but you won’t stop there – not with just one card.

The lesson each week will provide detailed instructions showing you how to make 3 cards – a total of 12 gorgeous cards during the length of the class – all using the same dies and papers each week. Each lesson we will start with an easy card, then move to intermediate and finish up each lesson with an advanced, over-the-top card. 

We will cover many techniques during this course, including: letterpress technique, creating windows and frames, creating dimensional flowers, partial cuts and more! Each lesson will provide custom designed downloadable graphics and sentiments for you to download, so you can create the same cards designed for the course. 

For the beginner to intermediate crafter, this course is perfect to help you create the most beautiful cards using your Spellbinders dies and Impressabilities while learning new techniques and tricks to get the most from your supplies.  

Thanks for stopping by -- have a great afternoon! 

Absolutely FANTASTIC Workshop!

Just popping by to share a few photos from a workshop I took on Sunday with the lovely Julie Fei-Fan Balzer at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA. 

You can see Julie's photo's on her blog -- she's got a lot more of the whole group.

When I first got to the workshop and sat down I was pleasantly surprised to be sitting next to one of my students at MCC, Penny. She's taken quite a few classes from me, it was nice to chit chat and get to know her a bit. You can check out her blog, she's very talented and lives not too far from me.

And a few Instagrams from the workshop. 

Me, my project and Julie.

And this is what my nearly completed project looked like last night.

I love using my metal letter stamps to sign my Birch Boards and add a little word here and there.

I also added lots of details in the center of each flower and a few more flowers here and there.

I am pretty pleased with myself, as I usually don't finish projects from workshops.

This one is for a special project next month -- so I'll give you more details then.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day - and I hope you find the time to do something creative today, it is Wednesday after all!

rested and rejuvinated

I've been feeling really tired. Frantic. About a lot of things -- but mostly where this art journey is taking me -- and since I was officially done with my Design Team responsibilities for EK Success last week I decided to take some time to re-group, reflect on the last 9 years, and figure out what direction the next 9 years of my career are going to take me.

I didn't make  any art.
I stayed off FaceBook -- well mostly.
I stayed off Pinterest.
and Twitter.
and Klout.
and Skype.
and I didn't ready all the daily blogs I like to read.
And I gave up coffee. again. 

My husband and I also started a juicing and raw food diet 2 weeks ago -- to help his arthritis. So I juiced and prepared lots of raw food. And I made lists. And I visited with family that was in town all week.

Today I feel refreshed.
Clear-headed.
Ready to make a game plan for tackling where I want to go and what I want to do. 

Ready to open my eyes to the beautiful world around me.

 

Ready to start new things. New classes, new endeavors. New teaching gigs (I've already got 3 lines up for this fall -- wahoo!) and new art projects. Yes. I am ready for the next chapter in my Artsy Fartsy Life!

What are you ready for?
Thanks for stopping by -- have a great week. 

On the Road with Saint Motel

Last month when my sweetest friend Vicki Chrisman emailed me and asked me Martha Richardson, Ronda Palazzari, Louise Nelson and Nat Kalbach to play along in a fun little project -- and since it had art, music and a blog hop -- I just couldn't resist. I'm so happy that I did, because she introduced me to an awesome band with great music and I created a project that I'm pretty pleased with.

The band she talked about is called Saint Motel. Have you heard of them?? You can check out their blog: Saint Motel I do believe they come from Los Angeles, here's one of their posters with tour dates for 2012.

 

Oh, and here's their latest music video -- and the link to YouTube in case you can't get it to play. 

So on to the art. The only requirements were that we had to be inspired by the eyes on the Album Jacket -- which you can see are kinda fun in the poster up above.

Knowing how I am -- I listened to all the songs I could find on the internet AND THEN searched for the lyrics so I could make sure I got them right on my poster. I know I mentioned it, but I'm pretty pleased with this piece of art.

This is a real hybrid mixed media piece -- I scanned a photo of my relatives -- it's from the 30's and I have no idea who they are. After a little manipulation -- I merged that image with a magnifying glass.

Cool, right. But wait, it gets better. 

I also made up a fake arrest record poster and added VOYEUR to it and made my great great uncle henry -- or whatever his name is - hold it.

And gave them all Voyeur eyes.

The background of my poster has a few words to the song "At Least I have Nothing" written into wet paint in the background. (I had high hopes for our generation.......) The background also has pages from the telephone book collaged under the paint -- yes I chose pages from the S section of the phone book. And then lots of distressing, inking, calligraphy, more distressing - and voila -- my Voyeur project is complete.

 

 
I'm really quite pleased with the results. What do you think?

Check out what everyone else created for the release of their new CD:

Saint Motel news blog
Vicki Chrisman
Catherine Scanlon <-----you're already here!
Lousie Nelson
Martha Richardson
Nathalie Kalbach
Rhonda Palazzari 

I hope you'll take a moment and look around to see what everyone else created. I have only seen a few sneak peaks here and there and I'm really excited to get up tomorrow morning and see myself. 

THANKS for stopping by -- have a WONDERFUL day.

Our Greatness….

I don't know about other left-handed people -- but I struggle sometimes doing things the way we are supposed to. Most people hold their paper vertical and write -- me I hold my paper so it is horizontal to my body. Shooting videos and painting -- means holding the paper vertically -- which does not come naturally to me.

But I think it would be hard to watch a movie with your head cocked off to the side to get a clear view of what I'm doing. 

So my art journal pages are a little  bit messy -- at least the ones I'm filming. It probably only something that I would notice. But, I think with practice practice and more practice -- with my paper placed vertically in front of me -- I can work through the messiness and retrain my hand to paint that way. 

Which brings me to my quote today. Everyday -- every year -- all the time we have opportunities to re-make ourselves. Whether it is as a wife, friend, mother, artist, teacher, smoker, eater, beater, President, principal -- every one has the opportunity to shed the way they were for the way they want to be. 

It takes courage. 

It takes hard-work.

And persistence. and a whole lot of strength. But you can do it.

Everyone has it within themselves to be great -- at whatever it is they want to do. Start today. I am.

What do you want to be great at?

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!

continued learning=bigger brain??!!

I'm trying to get familiar with my new video camera and using iMovie on my computer -- and since I'd rather have a completed project to share than just play with nothing to show for my time -- you benefit from my learning. BTW, I read somewhere that learning new things makes you grow new pathways in the brain -- so does that mean you have a bigger brain or just can do more? ha ha.

I thought you might enjoy seeing an art journal page in the final stages. As I got started with iMovie I played around with the templates -- and this one -- totally and completely cracked me up. I had no idea what this was going to be in the end -- but I must say I did get a good laugh out of it yesterday afternoon.

So, here's a preview -- iMovie called it something else but whatever. It still tickled my fancy enough to want to share it with you.


Art Journal Love from Catherine Scanlon on Vimeo.

And here's the fast forward, in case the teaser wasn't enough, LoL! Now I just need to get the intro from the teaser over to the regular video and I'll be GOLDEN.


Art Journal Fast Forward from Catherine Scanlon on Vimeo.

And a few photos, just in case you don't care to watch my silliness.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a WONDERFUL day. It's almost Friday -- and I've been waiting for the weekend all WEEK!

The Whatevers #3 or August at the Beach

It's that time of the month again -- time to find out what Winnie, Newt and Mother Whatever are up to this month. In case you need a reminder, in July Mother decided to take her little family to the beach to spend the month with her Sister. You can read about it here, on this post.

Now that August is here -- let's see what kind of trouble Newton Whatever is getting in to!

Whatevers August at the Beach from Catherine Scanlon on Vimeo.

“Watch out Boots!” Newt shouted as quietly as he could. He didn’t want to to be the one that got blamed for the beach ball hitting her squarely in the head, but he also wanted to see Winnie laugh as the ball – almost in slow motion – smacked his much older cousin Boots with a loud schwack. Winnie seemed so sad since they arrived at the beach that he would do anything just to see her smile. 

Boots and her sisters Forget-Me-Not and Hermione tortured Winnie every moment of the day so it only seemed fitting to see karma hit one of them squarely in the face. He was going to deny kicking the ball, after all he was only 5 and three quarters so who would blame him. When no one was looking he gave his big sister the thumbs up. Unbeknownst to him, Aunt Elldridge caught the whole thing out of the corner of her beady little eye. She vowed there would be hell to pay for that boy Newton, even if he was the youngest son of her only sister Cordelia.

Elldridge was not happy for many reasons. She was the most upset about her sweet and beautiful Forget-Me-Not. Only 17 and already head over heels in love with a man 10 years her senior – and to top it off that Castell man touted himself to be a Count in Germany.  Count Alexander Castell, “my heavens people will tell you anything and think you dumb enough to believe it”, she thought.

If this Alexander really was a Count, Ellie knew this meant her beautiful daughter would marry and move away to some castle far, far away and she might never see her favorite daughter again.

 

 _______________________________

Check out what Nat created this month! 

Check out what Vic created this month!

_______________________________

Here's the image for August, in case you want to play along with our fun Creative Storytelling Project, the Whatevers.

 We'd love it if you play, here's how it works!

Here is how it works

• Vicki, Nat and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos with Whatevers whom we will give a story.
• Every month – if possible always on the 15th –  each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along for us with the same photo.
• If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you todownload and show us your version of The Whatevers.
• There are no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER
• There are no rules on the length or the form of the story- it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER
• There are no rules on the artform you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an artjournal page – WHATEVER
• Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us andshow us your story.
• These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!
• If you want to participate we’ll have a linky list for each Whatever Post.
• You can also join our The Whatevers -Facebook Page  and share your Whatevers Journey with us!

Can't wait to see what your Whatevers are doing this month, thanks for playing along! Have a wonderful day! 

It's a NEW Day, Make it Count!

Whenever I have a bad day -- or something happens that makes me pause or shocks me -- I say to myself tomorrow is a new day. Not that yesterday was one of those days -- it wasn't at all. It was a slow, relaxing day -- much different from recent days. We stayed home. Picked tomatoes, went in the pool, mowed the lawn, drank cucumber smoothies and I painted while sweet boy went to the neighbors house (my brother, ha ha) to play Monopoly. A relaxing day indeed.

A good day. Making art. Hangin'. Chillin'. Jump-Ropin'.  Catching up with old friends.

Anyway, you aren't here for what I did yesterday -- you are here for the art ;-) So I'll get on with it. Usually when I start a new journal page I have a quote chosen and ready to go. This page was different, in that I was going to scan it and add the quote with my computer. At least that's what the plan was when I went to bed last night. I had started it the other day and finally added some color to give it some personality. But the quote part, nothing was coming to me. 

This morning when I got up I decided that a computer quote wasn't going to work. The whole idea of my journal pages and adding quotes to them is to get my hand-writing in there. It was a new day after-all -- with so many possibilities.

After futzing with a few pictures on Hipstamatic decided on this quote about today.  It's a combination of my words and the words from a fun little notepad I have called "100 Gathered Thoughts (for my beautiful child) & Papers for Brilliant Ideas and Laundry Lists" by Sugarboo Designs. I love this note pad and use it for a lot of the collaged backgrounds on my Whatevers pages.  Maybe it is because I found the quote first thing in the morning -- and we have the WHOLE day ahead of us -- but I feel a re-newed sense of hope. Not that I was hopeless, but there are an infinite number of possibilities for today. for tomorrow. for the day after that and that and that. 

Today is the first of those new beginnings and it is up to me to make it and all of them count.

So, with that -- I'm off to make today count. 

THANKS for stopping by, I'd love to know what you are going to do today to make it count? Have a wonderful TUESDAY!