WOYWW #446: Happy Mail + a Mistake

Happy WOYWW to my fellow deskers! 

For my guests who've never played along, you can follow the link, HERE, to Julia Dunnit's wonderful blog to find out more about her fun weekly blog hop.

Note: Please forgive my lack of comments this week. The eye has not wanted to cooperate lately, and has even been somewhat painful at times. This calls for more rest than I'd care to have, but (thanks to Shaz and Shoshi for the new term) this is the "new norm," so I might as well get accustomed to it. 

I haven't been an active participant in weeks, but I really have been otherwise occupied. Mostly, there's been a fair amount of Mail Art to get together, along with some Happy Mail for others who were kind enough earlier in the season to have sent me some very lovely surprises.

Happy Mail is so delightful, isn't it? Sometimes, it is a good excuse for being creative. I sometimes need an excuse, so that's really been fun for me. Recently, I was the recipient of some very pretty and creative Happy Mail from Becky at Aunt Bec's Creations. I know her mostly from her YouTube channel (which you may find by following the link HERE). Her channel features loads of fun videos, including some live streams. She and her hubby, Scott, also keep a blog together HERE.

Now to show you her wonderful Happy Mail creations! I used Photoshop to hide the 2 addresses.

Inside that glistening and richly decorated envelope, I found an example of her pretty, handmade seasons greetings. Gotta love it!

But wait - there's more! 

An entire decoratively cinched bundle of her handmade Painty Papers! Sheer awesomeness!!!

Here's what they all looked like together on my desk.

Aren't they pretty?

And now, last and certainly least, my big Mistake.

I really blew it on this one, which made my afternoon yesterday just miserable. Yes, Tuesday was a dismal day at the workdesk, during which my poor eyesight and its accompanying bad aim (a.ka. clumsiness) caused the utter ruination of my saguaro cactus greeting card art, above. 

The idea seemed simple enough for me to complete. I had a watercolor block that I thought would be just right for the purpose of doing a color wash style of a desert sunset using glazes. To that, I would add a paper cutting like a silhouette of a cactus on a hillside which would be decorated with holiday lights. Such a decorating technique has been used for years by people in the desert southwest of the USA, btw. The family member I was intending to make this card for lives in the desert, so this seemed appropriate.

What had seemed simple enough turned out to have been much too challenging for me, as my eyes simply weren't cooperative enough. While you won't be able to see the big final Mistake which ruined all of my painstaking work, you must trust me when I say that it was a complete mess at the end that couldn't be repaired. A mess is not what I had been aiming to send to a family member, but that's what I got in the end, a mess. It was actually a strangely tough project all through.

If it had not been for Becky sending me such good cheer with her pretty Happy Mail, I doubt I'd be joining you this week. So a great big Thank You to Becky of Aunt Bec's Creations !!!!!!

For those interested in viewing more of her creative spirit at work, she can also be spotted on Facebook HERE.

Happy WOYWW and Happy Holidays to my fellow deskers!!!

:)

WOYWW #442: One Eyed Challenges (#PASC1117)

It's Wednesday, and time for another adventure with my fellow deskers.

For more WOYWW fun, you can head for the hub of the fun over at the blog of our fearless leader, Julia Dunnit HERE.

Some of my fellow deskers already have some idea as to the challenges I've continued to face since the optic nerve to my left eye malfunctioned at the end of summer of this year. Many of you have continued to boost my morale with kind comments. That's really been lovely, and I want to say a fond Thank You now for your recent kindness towards me. As I haven't been able to comment to your posts as much as I used to, such generosity has genuinely touched me.

One thing I keep discovering: my eyesight's strength has had either worse or better days. A better day was when I tried doing a man's face. That was 2 posts ago. I risked the strength of both my eyesight and my morale that time by trying something that I'd never done before: a full color painted sketch of an old portrait. 

Most days have not been as easy for my eyesight as that day was. All of it is tough to get used to in that I need to be constantly vigilant of how my eyes happen to be doing. I'm forgivably clumsy at times when there's delicacy required. Such challenges have often put a damper on my mood. I'm learning how not to lose patience with the whole situation as well as how to content myself with what CAN be done each time that I attempt something. 

Junk Journals offer unique challenges, too, especially in the area of materials used in the building of any junk journal. This one has a tendency to buckle at times, so I've had to use a curly paper clip whilst taking this week's photo. 

This time, I'm trying the November Pick a Stick Challenge, the prompts for which may be found by following the link HERE.  

The challenge calls for making a pocket. I've opted to make a folded paper bag pocket out of a sheet of deli paper to which I added one of the pretty embellished papers which Win Dinn sent me recently for our paper trade. The diagonal phrase I cut from a newspaper, while the other two collaged word bits are both from a magazine, as per the prompts. 

The words mean something on a very deep level to me today. I believe that art can help me keep adjusting even if it is my biggest challenge. As for the advice to not "stress about it," well, that would be another of life's challenges.

Mail Art + My First Paper Trade

My First Art Paper Trade!

My Partner-in-Trade is Win Dinn, who (much to my delight) has, at the same time she has been trading with me, also been in the midst of a studio purge. I am the grateful recipient of her generosity with that purge! It really made my day!
:)

The photo above has been altered by me for privacy's sake.

The fun stripey arrow is Win's.

What a clever way to upcylce that pattern's pouch!

I spent my younger years learning how to sew.

I actually like the red version of the outfit on the pattern's package photo, above.

Wow!!!

Look at that way cool tag!

Is the fuchsia bit paste paper? 

Pretty textures!

The choices seem endless!

A Smörgåsbord for the eyes!

(or, as is currently the case for me, one eye)

Very pretty papers!

So stinkin' cute!

Thanks, Paper Trade Partner Win!

Hope my mail art envelope of stuff 

arrives safely at your door very soon!

:)

P.S. Thank you again for the lovely postage 

on your cool envelope!

WOYWW #439~ One Eyed Art: Learning

Ever since my left eye began to malfunction 2 months ago, I've been too scared to try anything too challenging. That would include learning how to improve my work on faces.

I was afraid of failure. I tend to be, anyway. It can really reduce morale to have something not work out when life's a bit rougher than normal for a while, can't it?  Why try anything difficult that I know I don't have the proper skills to handle during such a difficult time?

For more WOYWW fun, please follow this link HERE to today's blogpost at host Julia Dunnit's blog.

Well, Meri made me do it! I mean, of course, Meri of The Meri Atelier. She didn't know that's what she was doing at the time, though. She has a real talent for doing both people and landscapes as well as mixed media, collage, journaling - you name it! I find it very inspiring to watch her make her art. I always learn when I watch her videos.

But where she really got to me was with her Inktober 2017 Art Journal. I'll include her video at the bottom of this post. In that lovely journal are hand drawn and inked/painted portraits of unknown children from vintage photos. Simply stunning work! I was hooked on portraits again.

I chose something almost at random. It was in a book on my windowsill. The original painting that I attempted to copy is by Dutch artist, van Dyck. The man's name was Cornelis van der Geest.

Despite the many wrinkles, I found that untreated plain brown paper can take gouache paint fairly well as long as it's layered on slowly and without too damp a brush. I began first by using white gouache in the 2 bottom layers, then  tinted more white gouache using watercolors for more layers to keep the paint opaque over the brown paper. I needed to smear and smoosh the gouache so that it would thin in places and not be too heavy at first. I wanted the brown of the wrinkly page to peep through, a bit like underpainting. (I have never tried to do underpainting) The page's wrinkles drove me a bit batty, but really, it's the current problems with my eyesight that challenged me more, especially as to perspective. For the background, I used a wash of Inktense Indian Ink.

Critiquing the Results

I'm not pleased with the skin tones. I'm too inexperienced to get those right yet. I left my comfort zone on this project. I did not get my copy real enough to suit me, even when I do kinda like parts of how the man's ruff turned out. Fabric's one thing, but faces are much more difficult for me to attempt. All the same, I've decided to try a new face every once in a while, just as a way to keep my hand in. 

My technique needs lots of help along with lots of practice if 

I'm to improve at all. Too late to improve the set of the eyes on this attempt!

Next up? Maybe somebody famous such as Shakespeare. No guts, no glory new messes! 

Please forgive me for not responding to you promptly. This post took a lot longer for me to type than is normal for me. It takes days for me to prepare ahead for each WOYWW these days. I am still too slow to keep up or to have enough time to leave comments at every desker's blog. The eye problem hasn't made things any easier. I do hope to be allowed to at least peep at people's pictures so that I might get an idea as to what they've been up to lately.

Happy WOYWW to all my fellow deskers!

As promised, here is Meri's lovely Inktober 2017 video. 

WOYWW #437: Leaf Prints + Happy Mail !

This week, I am still having trouble keeping up with everything, so I won't be able to comment very much. Thanks for your patience.
I'm leaving the Happy Mail for  visual "dessert," in the 2nd half of this post. There's no relevant news today about my optic nerve problem. That's just as well - let's stick with ART and friends for now.

For more WOYWW fun, please visit our Queen of the Wednesday Deskers, Ms Julia Dunnit, located HERE.

For health reasons, I will leave the pictures + their captions to tell most of the story. 
Happy WOYWW and thanks for stopping by today!

And now for the HAPPY MAIL!!!

:)

:)

WOYWW #435: More Messy One-eyed Art

Welcome, fellow deskers! Not many words this time around. It's still difficult for me to read for very long, and this includes most typing too. My apologies in advance for not being able to either read or comment very much today. I'll try and visit as many places as I am able to, yet probably won't do much beyond viewing some photos there. Thank you for understanding about comments here as well, where only short answers will be offered.

For more WOYWW fun, please visit our reigning and creative Queen of the Deskers, Ms Julia Dunnit, by going HERE.

I've finished adding to the page behind last week's 2 pager.

The pain was at its post-operative worst when I began this newest 2 pager, below. It is improving now, thank goodness. Sorry for the gore. The DIY texture paste which frames the gory image transfer (onto Deli paper) is a mixture of unused coffee + Liquitex Heavy Matte Gel Medium + a dab of Mod Podge and a  small amount of water. Everything else is self explanatory.

Here is this week's.

Apologies on going so anatomical.

More medical appointments soon, with a test or two. Will try and join weekly here, regardless. It gives me something nice to think about, knowing I'll be able to visit a few of my fellow deskers, even when I cannot visit all of you each week or write to much in comments.

~Rose

WOYWW #434

As tomorrow will be a big day for me, and with family dropping by later on today, I'm afraid I won't be able to comment much at all today.

But I was able to add 2 new entries to the junque journal I made last month. The first entry may be seen in my previous post by following this link HERE. For more WOYWW fun, you may visit our WOYWW Queen of the Deskers, Julia Dunnit, HERE.

I am scheduled to have a biopsy tomorrow on the side of my face. This will allow a few tissue samples to be tested. They are trying to save the sight in my left eye that became impaired right before Labor Day weekend. If you pray, I would ask that you would please add the whole situation to your prayers. Nobody knows quite what's causing the optic nerve to become inflamed, thus leading to serious visual impairment. The grey veil is still with me this morning.

Meanwhile, there is still art, isn't there? 

The grey veil truly frightened me at first, but now I am a bit used to it. I did cry a good deal that first week. Terror and tears. A terrible week. Steroid treatment seems to keep the veiled look less heavy, sort of like a semi sheer drape with a thin wash of acrylic paint overtop, so that's better than before. The blood draw 2 weeks ago was intense. I'd never had so many vials drawn in one sitting before. My phlebotomist/"vampire" was a nice guy with a trim beard and a smile who made me feel more at ease. He had a kind sense of humor as well. That always helps, doesn't it?

As challenges continue, I won't give up on art entirely.

Art Therapy for one, given by one, from self to self.....

A First Attempt at Making Art One-Eyed

Despite my eyesight issue, I find that I cannot abandon any ideas for creative play. My aim is terrible today. Making little dots go where I wished them to be turned out to be a trying time, yet I refuse to stop altogether. In fact, during this dreadful time of wondering what's causing the problem with the sight in my left orbit, I know that I will have to make art in order to help my mind relax, even if it most certainly is bound to be sloppy and messy.

It's kind of handy the way in which I gave myself permission at the turn of the year to be as messy as I want to be for 2017. I say kind of. Once messiness was imposed upon me by this new and serious health problem, however, I began to worry that I might never be allowed to make art in a refined way again. This new worry comes after having been told that nobody's yet certain as to how come the left optic nerve is problematic. In fact, I'd always had pretty darned good eyesight up till now, a thing I long to have restored. I will never, ever be able to take eyesight for granted again. Even typing is more difficult than before - and I am all thumbs at the keyboard usually anyway.

So here is my first entry that is the title page for the new Junque Journal. From now on, it will have to be a no holds barred, wild and messy little book. The blue tape is from the length that a nurse cut for me at the place where they had to give me IV steroid therapy for 3 days in a row (she sent it home with me along with a spare glove so that I could still safely shower even with the IV still in my wrist). At first, that stuff would not glue down so easily. Seems it only likes to stick to skin and itself. I had to apply Gel Matte Medium thickly. I am pleased with the effect, tho', so that's nice to reflect back on. I plan on utilizing every bit of ephemera/junk I find during all of the various clinic and hospital trips I'll be taking. I already have a small stash to get started on.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The alphabet letters are mainly from a small mixed bag set of typeface letters. Some are made of wood, while the rest are metal and quite heavy. They were a 2nd hand store find from a fun day out shopping long ago. These I stamped using a Colorbox Dragonfly Black Pigment ink pad. I added a thin layer of matte gel with ultramarine blue watercolor for a glaze to pull the blue bits together on the monotype clean-up pull page I chose from my junk stash for the book. The card is from a mixed incomplete deck of playing cards I keep around for collage purposes.

Anyway, that's it for the first try. Expect more in future as I feel my way through this new limited ability, self-made art therapy course I'm set on giving myself. As the famed British Prime Minister, Churchill once said, Never, never, never give up.
Words to live by.

On Hiatus for Health Reasons

I won't be able to do much of anything for a while. How long, I cannot say. Last night: ER for an MRI. Next Monday, an appointment to see a specialist. The entire thing revolves around my eyesight that became strangely impaired late last month.
I hope to eventually be allowed once more to create and to blog about it. I won't be able to do my favorite WOYWW weekly blog hops for a while.
I am having the best of care. Perhaps something really good will come out of all of this.
Meanwhile, please know that I'm thinking of you all very fondly.
Sincerely,
Rose

WOYWW #430: Junk Journal Flip-Through

Happy WOYWW #430 and Welcome to the Flip-Through of my August Challenge Junk Journal.

If you'd like to find out more about Julia Dunnit's fun weekly Wednesday blog hop, please visit her excellent blog HERE. I may get behind in responding to comments as well as visiting the whole list early enough. Please forgive any lateness. I should be able to manage it eventually, even if I get behind. I am an irregular, sporadic desker, so you may not see me for a few weeks.

So what is on my particular workdesk this time around? A finished Junk Journal. I'm offering a "tour" of its many pages here. My guests are welcome to view as few or as many as they wish. I actually did not think that there would be enough time to finish it, but once I'd rediscovered the ease and quickness of wrap style bookbinding, I knew that I'd soon have the whole thing done and ready to be played with. This is a long post, so I will leave the rest to the photo "slide show" below. For more on the earliest stages of this project, guests may wish to follow the link HERE.

I can hardly wait to see what my fellow deskers are up to this week!