Monday, January 11, 2010

Playing catch up

I will start out this post by admitting to one and all that I am a candy *ss about the cold weather - it is totally wearing me out as our house is so cold, our plants are withering and brown, and I am so concerned about the animals here, especially the birds. You can all expect produce to be expensive as all the crops here have been devastated as well as all of the fish farms (did you think that tilapia, catfish, etc. came from lakes or the ocean?) I know it is so much colder in other parts of the US and Europe and I totally sympathize (having lived in northern climes most of my life), but this weather is really miserable for Florida and for the Bahamas and Cuba.
Anyway, I am trying to stay busy and also trying to keep up with all the scrapping and painting that I need to do. The above layout was done with the January Sampler kit from Scrapbookingsuppliesrus - the kit is filled with bright cheery papers and embellishments, a cool mini album, wonderful flowers, and some fabrics - check it out! I so love this Hambly bicycle paper and I find myself using those red October afternoon alphas on everything (I need to see if they come in some other colors too).
this layout is for the Let's Get Shabby summertime inspired layout - their poster example has a sunbrella on it so - just looking at the bright colors makes me feel a little warmer (I wish).

this is a card for the Sketchy Thursdays card contest - the prize is a set of Copic markers and I am dying to win those.


This is for the Sketchy thursday's GD contest from a sketch - mine went off on its own tangent - I made the ribbon flowers for a tutorial for Scrapgal - I am loving the turquoise and brown together. The photo is of a brass compass rose that we have on our front porch - it used to be on our sailboat so it really means a lot to us. We also have some of our old anchors sitting in the flowerbeds - that always gets comments from people coming to the house for the first time.

This layout is for the Artastic Pro Hart challenge - I had never seen his work but after seeing the painting shown as the inspiration on the blog, I goggled him, and his work is brilliant - so happy to learn about a new (for me) artist - I am surprised that art journalers don't mention him as an inspiration - he does 2 very different styles of painting, and the bright semi-abstracts would make great art journal prompts.
So ------ now to do the linkys but before I go, be sure to get us your favorite layout at http://whatisyourfavething.blogspot.com/
and your top 10 resolutions and your sketches 1 and 2 at http://www.scrapgal.com/
I finished a painting on Saturday so at least for one week, I kept my resolution to finish a painting a week - I need to get quite a few finished so I can put them in my etsy shop (I will announce it here and put a link on the sidebar). This weekend I have a painting in the Art by the Sea show at the Vero Beach Art Museum, and there will be a reception at the Museum on Friday night - it's supposed to get up to 70 that day and I am really hoping that it does because I want to wear something that looks arty and not look like a bag lady (which is what everyone looks like as we don't really own heavy coats so like yesterday when I went to BAM and Michaels, I was wearing an undershirt, a long sleeved teeshirt, a cardigan sweater, a light wool blazer (from my working days), a big scarf that I had knitted several years ago, jeans, loafers, and SOCKS.) I know you are laughing but it worked, and I was warm. Dan and I went to a gallery opening last Friday and I wore an undershirt, long sleeved tee, and a patchwork jacket that I had made from Japanese fabrics when we lived in Jacksonville - it was relatively cozy. Dan is golfing today and he was definitely bundled up.
I need to finish and get busy painting - I worked all weekend on DT stuff for blog posts, Valentine stuff, and altered items, none of which I can show just yet - but it's fun. Thanks for reading, hope you have a great day and stay warm! Don't forget the RAK in the previous blog - I will announce the winner on Friday when I post the next Fav Things challenge - see you then!
ttfn




20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow,Chris...you've been really bussy creating!Awesome layouts you made and that card is so fantastic!Love those alphabets too!So sorry the weather is not great out there!Well stay warm ;)
How awesome that painting of you in the gallery!!Huge congrats girl!
Enjoy the weekend!
LOVE your blog and banner..love your paintings and I'm so proud to have one!!!

jacque4u2c said...

Chris you have been one busy lady! I really love all these layouts - they really rock! I hate this time of year and it really is devastating when the weather can do damage to future crops. Hang in there! Oh by the way I love the look of your blog!

Anonymous said...

I'd seen the top LO's, but also some new work here... and WHAT WORK! Wow Chris, you sure were busy! Love the card! I miss playing challenges and scrapping right now, but I'm way to busy preparing my workshop - just not enough hours in a day to do it all. Is it alright when I come drool over your stuf and get inspired (saving it in my head for later) Have a warm week!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

u have been busy!!!! wow!!!! i am loving all of these chris!!! stay warm! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

mandysea said...

Ooooh I feeeeeel for you in the cold....I loathe the cold!! You need a summer vacation!!(in an ideal world*wink)
Love all your layouts and love lovelove your umbrella LO for Let's Get Shabby!! Its so fabulously colourful!! Pro-Hart has always been a little 'different' but well known here in Aust....well before his time too! Yes...the Art Journalers would do well studying his work!! Good point!
Thanks for play along with us at Shabby!!

Julie said...

Great pages here. Loving the umbrellas on your shabby page. Thanks ever so much for playing along with us.

Jessica Wilson said...

Love all those creations!! You have been busy. Hoping you get warmer soon! Love, Jess

Deana said...

Your LO's are all so fun & colorful & that card is so pretty! Good luck with all your contests! Something tells me you'll do quite well!

I think the best thing you can do right now is to imagine how miserable it will be when it's 100 degrees + 100% humidity... it'll be back before you know it! :-)

Have a great week, Chris!

Deb said...

Your creations are beautiful. Luv your interpretation of the "shabby" challenge. Gorgeous.

sarah said...

i've heard about the weather there. i saw it on the news today actually, and i thought of you. they keep saying that OJ is gonna be super expensive because the weather is killing the trees. yikes! :(

anyway, LOVE the hambly in that first layout! it looks great as the background! :) and love the flowers on your sketchy t LO.

have a fantastic day!
hugs,
sarah.

Ruth Philps said...

Gosh Chris....you are busy it must be all that cold weather keeping you inside!!
Love the litttle umbrellas and as always your creative twists!!

Thanks for playing along with us at Shabby:)

Denise said...

Love that bicycle paper, too, and your fabric/paper flowers...you have been busy! Well, I guess it helps you stay warm ;) Love the "bag lady" description; we have several friends in "sunny" FLA and they all find these cold snaps worse than the summer heat and humidity! Stay warm!!

Hanneke said...

Wow, you did a lot of scrapping!!! They are gorgeous love all the bright colors!! Love that card too!!! Hope the weather is going to be better soon and you can take your sicks off!!!!

Elaine. said...

Great scrapping you did. I bet it kept you warm. I know, it's hard to believe that the south is so cold. Love your work.
Elaine

heidi said...

Chris you do AMAZING work. AMAZING. I am so happy you like to play along with us!!!! - Heidi, Sketchy Thursdays

Jenneke said...

WOW Chris, these layouts are absolutely amazing!!!!! Such wonderful colours! And wow, you have been really busy!!
LOVE the umbrellas on your Shabby layout!! Thanks so much for playing along with us!!

I hate the cold too!!! Please, let is become spring soon!!

XXXJenneke

Toni said...

Great los!!! Thanks for playing with us!!!

Chimene said...

What a beautiful pages!!!!!
Thanks for playing along with us at Shabby!!
xxxx
Chimene

Timcso said...

Wow, wonderful pages! Love the flowers and the umbrellas!

Thanks for playing with us at Shabby!

Hugs, Tímea

Lisa Pate said...

Beauiful, I love those bright happy flowers