Coloring Outside the Lines - Part 2

A little stampage & spray to add a little extra layers to my background

Coloring outside the lines

Tonight my creativity decided to bubble to the surface so I just went with my first thoughts using Ranger Distress Markers (barn door, orange marmalade, mustard seed, & fired brick).  I had an art journal page already prepared w/gesso.  After scribbling randomly, I sprayed w/water.  Read on to see the process on the adjoining page.

The weather outside is frightful.........

 Indoor heating is so delightful!

 well, it was getting frightful about 7:30-8ish this morning

All work & no play makes Jill a dull girl........

 Art journaling ......... it's one of those interests I discovered a year or so ago.  It stimulates my creativity.  It is something I decided I wanted to invest more time into this year upon contemplating future goals.  

You can read about my New Year's goals here which hopefully will inspire you to move toward changing what you want or making improvements (even if it's baby steps) in your life this year.   

 

Hearty & Delish

Love me some stew that's been cooking in the crockpot allllllllll day.

Not only do you have a hot meal at the end of the day, but it sends a fabulous aroma floating thru the house that just makes your stomach grumble & your mouth water!

What's tasty on a chilly winter evening......

..........well neighbor......... how about some good ole' fashioned            
Chicken Taco Chili..........YUMM-O

After scouring the net for a while, checking my pantry, & freezer - I concocted my own version...................

I'm infamous for that.......I'm a concoctor from way back (is that even a word? well if not, it is now) 

 

Did I mention this is seriously yummy???

Especially with some Lime Tostitos for some serious dunking action.......

my mouth is watering already........and it's only 11:30am!

Know the best part about this?  I did it in the crockpot.....pile it in the crock, pop on the lid, & walk away.  My kinda easy. 

Here is the recipe for this scrumptious-ness...................

I have always been drawn to mixed media projects........why - I have no earthly idea.......maybe because there are so many layers........which is reflective of me - a gal made up of many colorful layers........enough psychoanalysis - the couch is closed.......back to the conversation at hand..........

Mixed Media projects are made up of those everyday ordinary or not so ordinary what-the-heck-does-this-go-to items we all tend to find, at one time or another, behind the coffee pot, canisters, or on a window sill.  But, if you're a lucky girl like myself then you might have a workshop out back that you can go pilfering thru on a whim until your heart's content, your hands are black, & you're sneezing you're head off.....pass the tissues........

If you don't have the added benefit of a workshop, then going on a treasure hunt to your local craft & thrift stores can be a fun adventure so that we can create something like this..........

an 11 x 14 canvas exploding with color, texture, complete with lots of dimension

Open mouth & say.........

 Stuffed Bell Peppers

It's what's for dinner!!!

Crock-pot Style

Bravegirls Club Post

For those of you who have never heard of this website.......it's fabulous!  Go check them out

This particular daily reminder made me stop & think this morning..........

Dear Wonderful Girl,

Someday you will understand. You really will.

Ridin' my iron horse.....

 

Meet my Iron Horse........Ethel and my co-pilot ........Princess.........who I found sitting on Ethel as I came out of the shop.  All she needs is some goggles & a skull cap!

The good news is.......I acted on the some of the things I wanted to do more of this year......you can read about them here .......... which included the following:

Trash to treasures

Approximately 2 years ago, my close friend & I decided to try our hand at selling some of our creativity.  We'd been scrap-booking together for ages & then we became Pinterested.......which helped inspire us on sooooooooo many levels as well as made us ask the other a bazillion+1 times regarding various projects we'd pinned "why didn't we think of that???!!!" 

Several hundreds upon maybe even thousands of pins later & countless hours of oogling over scads of images got our creative juices flowing like the grand rapids.  We began hitting thrift stores, garage sales, & estate sales in search of buried & dusty treasures.  Sometimes we got super duper lucky......sometimes we found odds & ends we knew we could use to finish a project.......and sometimes we didn't find squat.  But, we always had some good ole' fashioned sister bonding time :)

We've been into the upcycling craze for a while now.  I've gotten friendly with an electric sander in my shop which has led me to become pretty handy with all kinds of techniques like antiquing, glazing, distressing, & waxing.  I've gone to work more than once at my real jobs with traces of paint, stain, or wax peeking out from under my nails or embedded in my cuticles - thank God for mineral spirits & lacquer thinner!

Today, we have our upcycled & hand crafted goodies in a couple of places locally.  We are constantly on the lookout for hip, slick, & cool ideas......here are a few things we've sold in our booths.......

I picked this table up at a garage sale for cheap cheap cheap....

Babyyyyyyy..........It's cold outside.........

When Anchorage, Alaska is 20+ degrees warmer than here in OK........you know it's C-O-L-D!!!  

                                                                                      

                Seriously!!!???

18 degrees feeling like its a whopping 5 degrees out there......school was even closed due to the cold -

not common around this neck of the woods!

You can also tell it's really cold out when Lou Lou naps in front of my little heater with her binkie.

Dreaming of spring days to come rolling in the warm grass while getting a suntan I bet. 

Sunday snuggling............

Good Sun-grey Morning

Do I have to let you up?

Lazy girl

Happy New Year!!!

Ok......so I'm a couple of days late......and a dollar short......not uncommon for me.....which is something I'd like to work on changing this year.  So let's talk about change....I'm not a big fan of making the normal 'New Year's resolutions' because I believe 'normal' is a cycle on a washing machine, but prefer to reframe the concept.  For instance, 'setting goals' is a little better in my brain but even going a step further & thinking of change as seeking a "revolution".

revolution - noun

1.  a sudden, complete or marked change in something 

2.  Mechanics - a turning around or rotating

                         a moving in a circular or curving course

Upon deep contemplation, which translates into me sitting in my flannel pj's while drinking hot tea or java with or without a 40lb pooch either on or beside me, revolution simply means movement - rather than stagnation.  Sometimes we, as individuals as well as couples & families, can become stagnant in repetitive patterns of behavior that long ago stopped being effective.

New Year's Eve..........

Cleetis (aka my hubby) 

somehow he's picked up the nickname 

& it has stuck like glue - as in Gorilla Glue - 

because we are now known as "The Cleetis's"

Letting go............

of the old........as in........D-E-C-L-U-T-T-E-R-I-N-G

HOLY CRAP!  We just started w/our closet, then migrated to dresser drawers, then under the bed ..........

 

That's just clothes!  I'll be adding shoes to the pile shortly.  Plus, rescued those moving boxes from certain death by the trash truck.......score!  It's the small things really ;)

I don't know about you but I tend to "spring clean" when I'm hibernating during winter time.  Who wants to declutter when it's 85 outside & one's Harley is calling her name........not this chicky!

Soooooo.........this ever growing pile shall be blessing others in the next couple of weeks.

I challenge each of you to grab a sack, trash bag, or box & let go of some clutter this week : ) 

As Christmas vacation comes to a close......

I am humbled by the true magic that God has manifested in my life, in my kid's lives, & our lives intertwined as a blended family.  Although, we don't act like a blended family........we're so comfortable with each other....which, to me, is part of the magic.

For those who don't believe that ex's & current partner's can't get along or maybe who are struggling.....I can offer hope.  We do it & have done it for years.  Our kids & grandmuffins get to experience God's magic in a very special way.........................

Early Mornings

There is something sacred about early mornings.....whether I'm snuggled up in bed drinking coffee or snuggled up in my chair or on the couch with my Trixie Joe Dog ....... the solitude, the quiet, the hum of the fish aquarium are all quite comforting. 

Being in quiet helps me hear me.....and God.....God whispers sometimes & sometimes I am so busy by daily distractions (you know like laundry, dishes, paperwork, & a gillion other things) that God's voice gets drowned out.  

Today I am grateful for.....

living in a world in which technology allows me to video call family.....I remember when we thought email was hot stuff!

knowing how to build relationships.....I've come to realize that's an aquired taste & skill that not everyone possesses

laughter......the tears-rolling-down-my-cheeks-oh-my-God-i-can't-breathe-&-my -side-hurts kind of laughing......its sooooo very healing

What's on your gratitude list today?

Sunday afternoon

The ice hasn't melted much............

Christmas is almost here!

6:30 am............as I'm stumbling thru the kitchen on my way to the back door to let Lou Lou out to potty this was the sight that greeted me.....................