Art Journal Page: Flying Monkeys

 

Happy Halloween!

CGM

Art Journal Page: Crack

I'm showing off a few of my "sassy" art journal pages this week. And for this page I took a few extra pictures of my process and supplies so you can see how it came together.

 First I sketched the bum in pencil.

 Then, using these 3 colors, I painted in the bum area.

Background color

Accents to background: white stamppad, bubble wrap

Black pigma pen used to draw in lips, red acrylic paint to color in lips.

Thanks for stopping by!

CGM

CGM Podcast Episode #69: Cadillac Needle Fail

Listen to the episode here

Show Notes 

Life Update:

• Cramming in the Fall activities
• Item mentioned: Bose Mini Bluetooth speaker

Finished Objects:

• Art Journal Pages - blog post here and here and here, more to come!
• Autumn Girl mini quilt

WIPs:

• Hitchhiker scarf/trouble with my "Cadillac" Signature needles
• Designing 80s sampler quilt
• Art journaling projects/classes
•  Mixed media canvas

 Classic Movie:

The Worst Witch

Book Review: 

 The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

 

 

Thanks for listening!

CGM

Thursday Thoughts: "You Tube Said!"

If you haven't already, you MUST take a few minutes and watch this hilarious and oh-so-true video of my new she-doesn't-know-it-but-she-is "bestie" Linda. She sums up exactly what happens to me, and so many I know, after watching more than a few You Tube craft tutorials. Soooo funny...and true.

 
LOL, my favorite part was "Tim is killing me!" Hah! Me too Linda, me too....and Moda, and Fat Quarter Shop, and Michaels, and JoAnns, and all of those places I can't keep out of but should for at least a year!

CGM

Autumn Girl mini quilt

11.5" x 17"

I had a little time this weekend to play around with scraps and my sketchbook. I've said it many times that Fall is my favorite season, and I have yards and yards of hand dyed fabric in its vibrant colors. After pulling out the background fabric, I knew I wanted to recreate a scene in my sketchbook of a girl walking along a path, enjoying the crisp air and crunch of leaves beneath her feet.

The I started with the trees, which are a rubber stamp. I handcut a simply girl, boots, and coat using small scraps of fabric backed with fusible web. 

I sandwiched the top, then did some thread sketching around the trees, girl, and made leaves with red, gold, and green thread. I usually add a caption to these mini "girl" quilts, but haven't thought of a good one for this yet. Any ideas?

CGM

Thursday Thoughts

 Barn Quilt spotted in Garrett County, MD during my recent book club retreat!

Yes, it's been quite awhile since I did a Thursday Thoughts post. Frankly, I always have lots to say (out loud) but don't take time to jot it all down here. But we've been having a great Fall so far, and things are moving so fast (is it really almost Christmas...really?) around here, I figured I'd better take a stab at it now before the New Year creeps up on us all.

I haven't had much sewing mojo the last few weeks, but recently sat down and just started fusing and cutting fabric. I just wanted to make something, no plans, no thinking it through.

Here's a peek:

I wound up my skein of Miss Babs Yowza! yarn and cast on the Hitchhiker scarf. Sorry, no picture yet, but I now know why this is such a popular pattern - it's truly potato chip knitting! My short term memory is crap so I have to refer to the print out for row reference even though it's a very simple pattern - mostly garter stitch. I have been able to knit this one up pretty quickly while watching some new shows like, How to Get Away With Murder and The Paradise. (I'm loving both!)

If you follow me on Instagram (craftygardenmom) you'll have seen my pics from my book club retreat the first weekend in October. Here's a collage of the fun and craziness that ensued over 2 days:

The rest of what happened...well we have a "what happens at the book club retreat, stays at the book club retreat" motto, so I'm sticking to it.

I did get to stop and take a few barn quilt pics, like the one above, while driving up to the retreat in Deep Creek Lake, MD. This is in Garrett County (northwest Maryland), known for having a very nice barn quilt trail. 

We still have plenty of activities to come this month including soccer games, dance classes, the pumpkin patch, and of course, Halloween. Maddy wants to be (surprise, surprise) Elsa, and Sam wants be...a werewolf. And that my friends pretty much sums up my kids' personalities, except if you asked me I'd switch the costumes around based on actual behavior...wait, scratch that. Isn't Elsa the one who freezes her entire kingdom including her only surviving relative because she's had enough of them? Yeah, that's Maddy alright. 

Now that China has caught up on the production demand for all things Frozen and goods are rolling into stores, it's not too hard to find a costume these days. But this is the face a Mom makes when she finds one for 1/3 of the regular retail price due to a ticketing error:

That's because with Christmas coming and a potential "big girl" room redo into a Frozen tundra, I know Disney will be getting plenty of my money in the next 3-6 months.

Happy Fall Y'all!

CGM

Art Journal Page: Colorful Dreams

Dylusions Creative Journal, white gesso, acrylic paints, freeform face drawing based on a lesson from Tamora Laporte, Dylusions Ink Sprays

 CGM

What I'm Reading This Month

Me:

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Finally reading this one after many recommendations 

and having it in my stack for over 2 years!

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

I've heard such good things about this kids (5th-8th grade) book I had to read it myself. I'm currently about 25% in, and loving it! Think: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory except the "game" is about books vs. chocolate. Sam and I will be reading this together soon.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

You know how I love my (well-reviewed) historical fiction!

My Bluegrass Baby by Molly Harper

I'm a big fan of Molly Harper, she just makes me laugh. 

I believe this one is only available in eBook or audio format for now.

Sam (age 7):

 Goddess Girls: Pandora the Curious  

by Joan Holus & Suzanne Williams

Maddy (age 3):

Ladybug Girl and the Dress-Up Dilemma by David Soman

So, what are you  and yours reading this month?

CGM

Art Journal Page: Follow Your Art

Dylusions Creative Journal, acrylic paints, various stencils for background, 

Jamie Dougherty "Summer" Bloom Girl stamp, watercolor paint on face.

 

CGM

Art Journal Page: Embrace the Rain

Dylusions Creative Journal, White Gesso, Acrylic paint, Rain Stencil by Jessica Sporn

CGM

BBW Challenge Winners!

Sorry to have been MIA around here lately, the Real Job has been taking up most of my time. I did want to pop in and officially announce my 2 winners of the Banned Books Week Quilt Challenge:

mottdiannede and jobforce you are the WINNERS! I have sent you both a FlickrMail email so check your account there. Reply by 10/10 so I can send your package this month.


Thanks to everyone who particpated in the Challenge and those of you who also stopped by the Flickr Group to see the entries this year!

CGM