Keeping busy

Spent an entire morning last week gel plate printing at the dining room table so the dogs would calm down

Dog Mom - this is how I grocery shop

The inside of a new junk journal

Spine shows stitching. It's super easy

I covered the inside covers with scrapbook paper

How to stay healthy. EAT healthy.

Made a tie for the journal and glued the fabric down

Start of a 2nd journal, used bookbinding tape and scrapbook paper for reinforcements. 

I so need to keep better track of when I post. Had no idea it was almost a week. No reason for that, except I do lose track of what day of the week it is. I am old. That is my excuse.

Cathy turned me onto the free workshops at Sketchbook Revival with Karen Abend. They are only accessible until April 26th, so go today and sign up. You have immediate access to 17 workshops. I have not watched all of the videos. There are some artists that are very talented, but the personalities that come with that talent make me want to run out of the house screaming. Not a good look right now. Anyhoooo, the first workshop is how to make an altered book junk journal.  Fast and very easy, and I am off and running. I am not using any new papers in these, and will stop (I think) at two, but just wanted something to do with my hands and mind that wasn't drawing for a day or two. It helps me to refocus and start fresh.  Caylee Grey is the artist showing us how to make these, and she is a delight to watch.

There is also a workshop from Karen Stamper, who I have followed on Instagram for over a year, and I am so doing this project today or tomorrow. It involves making a huge mess. Can we say yes, please? Yes, we can! Charcoal, and crayons, and ink and oh, my!

Moving on, Julie Fei Fan Balzer has a two week journaling class up for free, that includes how to make a mini journal. I don't know if there is a time limit on access. Go to balzerdesigns.com to sign up. Warning, her website is slow. At times, really slow.

Kellee Wynne Studios has a ton of free stuff on YouTube and Facebook. She does product reviews, painting projects, whatever on Fridays in a livestream at 5pm Eastern Time Zone.

Gulfsprite - Christy Sobolewski - is doing at least one free video a week on YouTube. Search either Gulfsprite or her name to find them. The list is in chronological order. She has also uploaded all of her workshops on YouTube, for free.

I love to watch journal flips. If you want to be inspired, search for Jill Faust on YouTube, and there are at least 3 older videos of journal flips. Jill is an amazing artist who works mostly in pen and watercolors.

There are no words to express my gratitude to all of the artists now posting free content in this time of stress and anxiety. If I didn't have my art, I would be in such a deep depression. We are all in this together, and we will survive it together.  OH, one more word. Eat healthy. Seriously. I have been roasting most of my vegetables. Had fresh asparagus the other night. This is what I do: one pound of asparagus, with bottoms cut off about an inch to get rid of the stringy tough parts. Toss in about 2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil. I season with garlic powder and greek seasoning in the yellow container. Spread on a cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes. I let mine go until the tips are brown, because they are then crunchy and taste fried. To die for, folks! Enjoy.
Linda