Green Queen faces the facts

No face

Yes, face

(She really got into posing.
Sheesh, lady! Put on some clothes!)

Art to the Rescue

Thank you for your kind thoughts and good advice. When in trouble, when in doubt, run around and scream and shout!

Or, do art.


I got back to work on my recycle dolly yesterday and today. I really can't wait to bring her to life. She's going to be modeled after our school's green queen, one of the most wonderful and flambouyant people you ever could meet. Here's dolly getting her papier maché layer last night. (In the background, I'm watching The Science of Sleep. If you never saw it - awesome surreal artsy movie!)


Posing with her brand new arms. (Ooh, what a lovely background behind her!) Dolly has now been gessoed and is patiently awaiting her facial reconstruction. To be continued...


I also started a little collage mixed-media canvas last night. (Drats! I didn't even see the angel bending over with her wing spread out to the left until I uploaded this photo. That would have been an interesting painting!)

I sketched a face on top and then let it sleep over night.

Today I tried out my new Golden Open paints. Oooh! I like! Especially for doing the face.

Still not finished, but I like where she's going.

Finally, at bedtime last night I sent a little message to God:

Sending it out to the universe

I've been emotional tonight. When I check my personal email and see the kindest words from kindred spirits - people who don't even know me but are bonded to me through our passion for creativity, I cry again, feeling such a longing to be 100% a part of that world. I search my brain, wanting to spill it all out, to send my plea for change out into the universe. I thought about just typing a word document and emailing it to nowhere, hoping the electronic winds would pick it up and carry it forth, but then I remembered something much more powerful - the friendships I have been making here. It's a comfort to know you are out there. And as Teesha Moore said, speak your wishes out loud and watch the momentum behind them grow. I will hope for that. I will hope for justice for my colleague, I will hope for good changes at work, and I will hope for big changes in my life that will bring me much fulfillment.

I will also cuddle this adorable Teddy that came to my doorstep today, my gift from the One World-One Heart giveaway, made by Lavender Dreamer. Isn't he dashing?

Kitty boo Tiger also brings a smile to my face. Looks like she wants to stow away in my book bag and give me comfort at work tomorrow.

Something good happening at work: our annual recycled art contest is upon us. The contest part is for the kids, but I wanted to participate this year by making something inspired by my Gritty Jane dollmaking experience, that I hope will in turn inspire the kiddos. Here is a sneak peek of the humble beginnings of my piece: dish soap bottle, newspaper and used (but clean!) foil ball, and an egg carton crown. Oh, what will it be? Stay tuned!

Thank you for lending an ear, for sending me a little cheer, just to know you are there!

i am 2

Take two on the "I am" prompt for Misty Mawn's Wednesday journal.

Growing on the outside, but cloaked within are the old fears. Is she shrinking? Will she disappear?

My Busy Valentine

Happy two days after Valentine's Day! (Or, Happy Presidents' Day!) I've been making the most of my three day weekend, doing some of my favorite things. I made mixed media Valentine cards for Emily and Willow on Valentine's Day...

I also went contra dancing for the first time! 'Twas the first time I'd ever even seen it - what fun!!! A traditional folk dance, the hall was filled with people of all ages, great fiddle music, spins and twirls, you dance with EVERYONE - I think I could really get into this! And if I did, I might want to learn some of the moves from this you-tube video. Way cool!

Also on Valentine's Day and Sunday, I made 46 ATCs. Yay! They're finally done. So now, I could work on my Gritty Jane doll again. Here she is with arms and legs at last, in naked gesso mode.

Here she is as a cast iron scuplture. (Not really - it's just the undercoat of black paint.)

After a lot of working and reworking her skin tone, dolly got a face, a body suit, and some leggings. Here she is just hanging out in the studio with me.

She's just a tad late for Valentine's Day, but she dressed up for the party anyway.

I hope your Valentine's Day (/Presidents' Day) was super sweet!

xoxoxo lulubelle

One World-One Heart giveaway

And the winner is..............................................

WANDA EASH, aka Craftymule!

Felicidades!!!

Wednesday journal: i am

i am......

busy...

productive...

happy with the way this stamp I carved turned out!...

tired...

and eager.

I have been so busy with mass production of fatbook pages and ATCs! I'm happy with the final product, but weary of the repetition. Good thing I know it's worth it to get cool little pieces of art back from other people. But I am so eager to move on! I want to finish my first cloth & clay doll. I want to experiment and do other things with the cloth & clay. I want to do other paintings/mixed media and go more deeply into the deep of me. Soon... soon.


p.s. My One World-One Heart giveaway is now closed. I'm going to give the random number generator a whirl...
;D lulu

Wednesday journal: song

Misty has extended the journal project, but now rather than a daily post, we'll be doing show and tell on Wednesdays. I am going to try to keep it going, because the January project was so incredibly invigorating and encouraging. And FUN!

This week the prompt was to choose a song to inspire your art. Well, I have GOT to get my fatbook pages and ATCs done this week, so my chosen song ties in with the ocean theme. (Sort of.)

Do you remember when we met?

That's the day

I knew you were my pet.

I want to tell you

just how much I love you....

Come.... with me

to... the sea,

Sea... of.... love.

(Sneak peek of one of my fatbook page designs!)

Keep it going

It just occurred to me that I should label all the January Journal project posts with "Creative Every Day," as they certainlly did tie in with that project, too! Today I did some catching up on looking at other One World-One Heart blogs (so much to see and so many giveaways to enter!) and then tore myself away from the monitor to work on my Artfest fatbook project that is due on the 15th! (ATCs are, too!) I may give a sneak peek of them tomorrow to go with Misty's once a week prompt now. This week the prompt is to choose a song to inspire your artwork. I've got the song in my head that just happens to work with the Artfest theme! We'll see how it wiggles its way into the fatbook page.

Ciao for now, bellas!

january into february: birthday girls and more

I know I should be asleep, but I can't seem to put aside this new blogging habit - just gotta post! yikes. But, there were fun happenings to post about this weekend! I had so much fun at Deirdra's birthday party at her beautiful home - yummy food (see the beautiful cake she made and decorated here), her husband's lovely music, and great company! (I should be embarrassed to admit this, but that may have been my first grown-up dinner party that didn't involve family!)

In the middle of the party we trekked on down to the River Gallery in Independence for the opening of the Wild Women show. They had a great turn-out, as you can see! It was actually hard to see the artwork!

Oh, but there we are... no, not the big piece, the little one, lower left, tiny, the girl in the red dress in the corner...

After the gallery we came back to Deirdra's and danced the night away. FUN! Shoobie and I got to be the overnight guests (very luxurious accomodations!).

On Sunday Deirdra and I worked on some Gritty Jane dolls - my first one! You can see that Deirdra's already an expert at it by taking a closer look at the pretty little girl sitting on the pillow beside her. (And they're in her blog, too!) It was fun to work together, as if we were in a workshop. The whole weekend was SO much fun - thank you, Deirdra!!!

Here's my funny girl in progress. At this point she looks like the bearded lady!

Here's what she looks like at the moment, a little bald-headed grannie! Maybe tomorrow she'll grow some hair...

When I got home today my garden was still torn apart and buried under a load of dirt as workmen ready the buildings to be lifted this weekend. Seeing that doesn't make me happy. But finding this package from Little Glimpses Studio on my porch DID make me happy! Open it! Open it!

Isn't she beautiful!?!?!?!?!!! (If you'd like to see the whole image, you can see it on Mystele's blog and etsy store - I wasn't sure if it was kosher for me to show the whole thing.) I LOVE her, Mystele, every tiny little detail. I'll have to find the most perfect spot for her. For now, I'll keep her close, to inspire some of those wonderful flying dreams! Thank you!!! xoxo

withdrawal symptoms...

It feels really strange not to have a deadline to post something today, so I was going to show pics of my fun weekend celebrating Deirdra's birthday, but... I can't find my camera! (Again???) Did I leave it in Salem again?! Waa! Hmm, maybe tomorrow.