inspiration, fun stuff, and new artwork reveal!

i've wanted to reply to few sweet comments but i'm not able to. for some reason i cannot stay logged into blogger unless i'm behind the scenes, updating or editing my blog. i've cleared my history and cookies and temporary internet files but it hasn't helped. so...i can't comment here or on other blogger blogs and i can't follow anyone new :(

that out of the way, i'm excited to share that i'm starting two projects inspired by two different mamas. i came across threads that each of them started on the cloth paper scissors forums. i ended up there because i might participate in the recent home sweet home reader challenge since the idea of "home" is close to my heart.

the first idea came straight from the forums and it involves an index card challenge. create a piece of art on an index card every day. that in and of itself is brilliant! the forum member took it a step further, though, and said this is how she would be inspired to try new techniques and overcome her intimidation of art journalling. this immediately resonated with me because, as much as i look at gorgeous and intricate art journals and think "i could do that" when it comes down to it, i don't go very far with the art journal process. i don't know if it's because i find it difficult to expand my mind and technique on pages that are stuck together or what but the index card idea is awesome because i can do whatever i want on each card, they're much sturdier than moleskine pages, and i can bind them together into a journal or add them to existing ones or just...the possibilities are endless and i've finally found one awesome solution for using up the hundreds of index cards i've held on to for no apparent reason.

the second use for them is going to be to help the kids create their own summer scrapbook! i don't know how much two year old sprout will contribute but he likes to color alongside us and might just go wild if i let him try other mediums! fifteen year old bean looked at me like that was the lamest suggestion i've ever made so he likely won't participate, but five year old pea? he is over the moon excited and in fact, i shouldn't even be writing about this all right now because he just came to me and said, "i cannot WAIT to do this fun thing!"

camera is ready and supplies are gathered - but this summer scrapbook must be properly credited. i read about it on the forums but the author of the post is also updating her blog with the weekly themes and all sorts of fun instructions for new techniques. you should totally check it out. if i could stay logged in (grrr!) i'd be following her blog in a heartbeat! she's doing hers a bit differently but i am definitely going to learn some new stuff along the way even if we start out using index cards as the base, initially :)

and finally. all three etsy shops are coming along and stocked with goodies. i'm really excited about one of my latest pieces. i started it last year and painted it entirely but then decided to rework quite a bit just recently and highlighted certain areas with ink. then, because i just had to, i enhanced the color in photoshop to create an aura or feeling that i couldn't quite capture with ink and pen alone. i keep tooting my own horn, i know. but i sort of love it and it's my tribute to having only birthed three little sunshines :)

once i can decide on a name for it i will list prints at slightlyimperfect.