Home at last!

The package was delivered yesterday! It contained my round robin art journal from the ART SAVES group with Carmen. {Yes, I scribbled with photoshop to hide the address!]


This past winter, I had sent my canvas journal on its way with this collaged cover. [above]

Inside, "Take Joy" my collage on both pages. A hanging envelope holds cards where the other artists signed in to work on the book!

These wonderful tags! Thank-you all for doing these! Love them all with the litte trims.

Turning the page , a collage by me, "Just her type" across from one by Shari with a 3-dimensional dragon fly, the page is edged with sparkly ribbon and crocheted cotton lace. Her's says "Life is Fun" and shows a girl making huge bubbles!

Then, Susie worked out a special collage for me with a bird in a wonderful original nest and an inspiring egg! Wonderful textures and I like the pink!

Across from it is Ileana's offering from art class. A live model and time to draw!

That is something I would love to do again !(the drawing, not the modeling, LOL!)

The double page from Carmen is loaded with delights for those of us who enjoy sewing and fashion! The dangling wooden spool, hooks and eyes and needles are collaged with vintage crochet, lace, and pattern pieces on a floral fabric background! Wow!

Two pages from Gemma feature decades of fashion, art and glamour! I love the pink feathered hat!

Karen gifts me with a collage of a cottage with a wonderful blue door, and the strong inner spirit found through meditation and delight in nature! Inpiring, truly!

Artist Doreen, our mandala artist designed a special mandala for each of us. Mine is "BE", something I am trying to learn! This page really glows!

There are still a couple of blank pages in the book, so I can finish it soon!

These are the inside pages of the back cover, which I did before sending it. "Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations" --Faith Baldwin.

Thanks to all who worked on these pages, we found that ART SAVES through recycling and by helping our souls weather life's changes!

Art Saves Our Dreams

The last round robin art journal page for this exchange. This is Ileana's journal. I made a page by recycling a watercolor into a hidden arched doorway, tied shut with red and gold trim. It says "Believe".

Opening the doors reveals a collage behind misty golden chiffon which says, "Art Saves our Dreams". [Now to remember to sign my page! LOL!]

Within a couple of weeks, we should be delighted to have our original canvas book/art journal come "home". When I get mine, I will post the pages on this blog!

Love that Pink

The two latest pages of the round robin journals..."Art Saves" are for Carmen and Gemma.

Carmen's page is "Dare to Dream", follow your dream, "seeing what is true, the heart becomes free" written on the back of the pink gerber daisy.

Gemma's (shown here just started...I didn't get another photo of it) was Blessings and Beauty.
It featured recycled watercolor stitchery and antique lace.

These are such fun to do!!!!

Round Robin-Art Saves

Working in Doreen's book. "Art Saves", in this case it saves an "old" watercolor and scraps from sewing. Also a gold leaf from Doreen, a stained paper towel scrap and there will be more embellishments....maybe special buttons, sparkles, who knows....

Geishas in the Mist

This is the page I did this afternoon in Shari's journal. Stitching and glueing to my heart's content! Click on photo for enlarged view.

Page from Susie's Book

Scanned image of the last page for Susie...across from her page quoting Thomas Merton...

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." !!!!

My page says "Inspiration is all around you". Using fabric, flocked paper, metallic lace, sequins, foil from a Hershey's kiss (dark chocolate of course!). The glitter and sparkle do not scan!

Rising to New Life

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Springtime. New Life. New beginnings. Hope and joy surpass the worry, pain and trouble of today. It is all a matter of faith and focus!
[as always, if you want to see more detail, click on the photo!]

Round Robin " Art Saves"-- Susie's journal

In this round robin, we do one page in each journal when it comes to us.
Today, I made this page with a watercolor paper collage underneath an overlay of golden chiffon. Using golden thread, I free motion quilted through all the layers. As I did this, I added copper metallic rick rack and some boucle yarn. Then I added two more images on top, a stamp from Italy and a candle in a yellow cup and saucer.

This page will be placed next to Susie's page which says, "live your dream" ...
And...OH YES. I did sign my page after the photo was taken! LOL!

"ART SAVES" Canvas book group with Carmen!

Several of us are in a Round Robin using a small, handmade blank canvas book. We start by working in our own book and will eventually work in 7 other books for other artists! The theme of the round robin is "Art Saves". This is true on several levels, for me, art brings inner joy and a sense of belonging among other things. Then there is the fact that as an artist, I save and recycle many things into my art, it seems nothing is without possibilities!
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I recycled an earlier collage into a cover [below, see the cover open flat showing front and back] which I sewed into the spine of the canvas pages.
Then the collage was stitched with free motion quilting, I attempted to write/stitch, "Lila her book" on the back cover (in the dark blue area). Then the whole thing was given a coat of Mod Podge.
[note: You can "click" on any photo for an enlarged version.]

Just inside the front cover is another part recycled from the same collage....it says "TAKE JOY" I can see that I need to get a brayer to use when I am gluing photos from glossy magazines...I will do that before I work in anyone else's book!

Across the page is the first canvas page, treated first with gesso. The paper cuttings feature a bird in flight, a pink rose in bloom and 2 clocks. These are glued down and then covered with some sheer chiffon which is embellished with embroidery and sequins, then free motion stitched again. The words, "ART" and "NOW" finish off the page.

Inside the back cover, is a little collage of art paper and old dress pattern piece along with iridescent silver rickrack. There is a quote from author Faith Baldwin which says, "Time is a dressmaker, specializing in alterations".

The theme for our Round Robin is "art saves"....I love to use images of clocks and of fiber arts in my work. I seem to be unable to escape doing a lot in the sewing world, so of course this quote was just perfect. AND it was in the February 21st (TODAY!!!) reading in "Simple Abundance" the book by Sarah ban Breathnatch.

This has been great fun, I have one more page to design before I am through with my own book for a while...

The list of artists for our Round Robin:


Susie/Angie http://crinkleroot.blogspot.com/

Gemma/Linda http://gemmasjournal.blogspot.com/

shari http://teainbohemia.blogspot.com/

Serena http://dreamwiththefishes.blogspot.com/

Karen http://deldino.blogspot.com/

Lila http://artycollagesanddolls.blogspot.com/

Doreen http://doegrozsart.blogspot.com/

Scarlet/Ileana http://littleredhare.blogspot.com/

Carmen http://heartandsoulgardening.blogspot.com/

Collage pages in an altered book

These pages are done in a decorating book by Tricia Guild. Much of the beautiful photography is from the page of the book......I did however collage other papers onto the two pages.