Friday, November 30, 2012

On To The Last Month of 2012

  It is just amazing how fast the days, weeks and months go -well, even the years for that matter. I already know that Dec. is going to come and go with the blink of an eye! There are lots of cards to make, gifts to make and buy, cookies to bake, decorating to be done throughout the house and gifts to wrap for Christmas. It can be fun, but a bit hectic and tiring too which is why my favorite time is on Christmas eve when I attend a candlelight church service with my Mom. THAT is what reminds me of the true meaning of Christmas.

  Note: if you do not wish to read what I found out about that mysterious spider as seen in a pic in this post  you can just scroll down further for the art part :)

  Rest easy, I  promise there are no photos of any type of creepy critters. However, thanks to a commenter from Paint Party Friday - Karen Smithey, the spider was identified as an Argiope. According to Wikpedia it is also known in North America as the black and yellow garden spider, corn spider, and writing spider. They are harmless to humans but might bite only in defense. Their venom is not regarded as a serious medical problem for humans.

  Upon reading about the meaning of a spider's appearance in your life (in the book Animal Speak by Ted Andrews) I learned that it's about creativity and the weaving of fate. A spider teaches you to maintain balance and that everything you now do is weaving what you will encounter in the future. The spider awakens creative sensibilities. It can teach you how to use written language with power and creativity so your words weave a web around those who would read them.

  The chapter goes into much more depth and also presents questions you can ask yourself. Fascinating! Well, to me anyway :). So, spiders are a good thing!

  Time for art-yay! I missed last week's Art Journal Everyday and Paint Party Friday - too busy with the Thanksgiving holiday and making cards and necklaces for sale at a Christmas Extravaganza hosted by my friend at her neighborhood community center this Saturday. I may sell a good amount, or I may sell nothing, I just really wanted to do this this year.

  Here are some of the necklaces I've made:


 
 
 
 
 
  I had made similar ones over the summer to give to my beach friends. What I like about them (I have two for myself) is that they are a perfect length to just slip over the head and wear as is, or I've also opened the clasp and wrapped mine around twice for a very short necklace. I posted pics of some of the cards I made to take along in my last post but quite frankly I am not happy with the way they show in the pics.
 
  I managed to get my December calendar spread done for the final entry in Kate Crane's 2012 366 Calendar Challenge on her blog The Kathryn Wheel.
 It's a project I plan on continuing next year in a larger journal.
 
  This is the base of my calendar spread:
 
 
  I dry brushed four different acrylic paints randomly over the pages. I used Americana Primary Red and Yellow Green, Anita's Hot Pink, and Apple Barrel Pumpkin Orange.
 
  Here it is all ready to be filled in:
 

 
  I used the Magenta foam stamp set for the month and weekdays as I have done each month this year. The pages were decorated with stickers, sparkly rub-ons, and a glittery felt tree. Pretty festive don't you think?

  Here's a detail pic showing the sparkle:


  Aren't those tiny snowmen adorable? 

  And here is my Nov. calendar spread completed:


  I decorated what little spaces I had with autumn themed stickers-leaves, acorns and flowers. You can see how the background was created here.

  On one final note- it was a happy mail day for me as I just received a complimentary issue of the soon to be released Somerset Studio Gallery Winter 2013 issue!! I was quite surprised by the fact that I had sent the two published projects in over 2 yrs ago. One is a French inspired tag and the other is a Christmas ornament using a coaster and Christmas napkin. I honestly didn't think they had anything more of what I'd sent so long ago! I haven't had time to really look thru it yet so if anyone stopping by here has anything published in this issue I'd love to know. (Sorry about the lg. pic of this issue on the sidebar. First time I tried doing it myself. I'll get my son to help me adjust the size. Good thing he lives nearby :))

  Linking this post up to Art Journal Everyday, The Kathryn Wheel, and Paint Party Friday. Have a great weekend and I'll try to catch up with you over the next few days.

  "Over the winter glaciers I see the summer glow; and thru the wild- piled snowdrift the warm rosebuds below."  Ralph Waldo Emerson


















 
 
 

44 comments:

  1. Journal pages for a calendar ~ so creative and love your jewelry too ~ (A Creative Harbor) ^_^

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  2. Hey, just followed your link on Art Journal Everyday. This calendar is amazing! I love the juxtaposition of of the warm colors with the wintry month of December and embellishments-- so fun and festive and it really works! I might have to try this calendar idea myself for 2013. :)

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  3. What a great post! I loved hearing all about your spider visitor, and your calendar spread is fantastic. Gotta do mine today!!

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  4. Beautiful jewellery and loving your calendar pages.
    Happy PPF, Annette x

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  5. Love what you've done with your calendar spread!!
    Amazing!
    It is hard to believe it's nearly 2013!
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  6. Thanks for telling me about spiders...I had three yesterday. Haven't seen one for yonks until then. I must be on a creative roll. LOVE your necklaces..you'll sell them easily.

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  7. Hi Linda, your necklaces are wonderful! And your journal pages are fascinating, love the square layout. Wonderful info on the spiders, sure makes you look at them in a different way. Happy PPF! xo

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  8. beautiful calendar pages and necklaces Linda, oh the magic of colour!

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  9. Great calendar! Your jewels are wonderful also. You're very talented! Happy PPF!

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  10. Great calendar and your necklaces are awesome. Very Springy. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Delicious designs, beautiful necklaces, excellent work.

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  12. A fun way to keep track of things on a calendar. Love the necklaces too. HPPF.. I did pass over the spider stuff.. lol

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  13. I am not crazy about spiders, but I enjoyed reading about their symbolic meaning. Very interesting. Your jewelry and November journal page are all really nice.

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  14. Beautiful jewellery and art journal too. Yes those snowmen do look adorable as well. That lovely Christmas season is nearly upon us now.

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  15. Love the info about spiders, Linda. And, your November/December calendar pages are fabulous, as always! A big CONGRATS on being published in the gallery - will have to watch for this issue to appear at JoAnn's and pick one up. They absolutely do hold on to things for a very long time!!!

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  16. so interesting about spiders! I love your calendar pages! they are so bright and pretty!

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  17. Your necklaces are really lovely, wonderful calendar too. Happy PPF!

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  18. These calendar pages are inspiring. I see I need to learn to decorate my pages better. Yours are simply amazing!!

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  19. I tried to leave you a comment, but I don't think it took. I'm using my translator, so am not sure. Anyway, I just wanted to compliment you on the use of color in your calendar pages. They are both super. I need to learn a better way of decorating my pages.

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  20. Congratulations on being published. All of your work is great. I love the colors on your journal page.

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  21. FAB colour and I love the snowmen.

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  22. Your necklaces are beautiful! I hope you sell lots! That calendar project sounds like fun, I might try it too next year. Congrats on being featured! That must be great after such a long time to still hear something from them!

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  23. I love the calendar spread! So festive, fall and winter are my favorite times of year, although we've been having some very unseasonably warm weather here. I'm not one for journaling but I love the idea of doing a calendar like this.

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  24. Firstly, interesting spider facts! You seem like you've had a busy thanksgiving and will have a busy but fun Christmas! Enjoy!

    Beautiful jewellery! Love the blue one best..Looks so summery and peaceful and your calendar is fantastic!Love the colors and the stickers....add a very nice and all your details and plans written down give it such a full look

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  25. Wow..such gorgeous necklaces..stunning work..I love them all..especially the blue-turquoise colors! and i love your calender too..fabulous! yay..wishing you many new blessings ahead on your journey with spider-magic in your life..! yes it is a very good book!
    Happy Creating Kindred!
    Victoria

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  26. Beautiful pages. The background for December is GORGEOUS!

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  27. You're doing a wonderful job with the monthly calendar pages and great to know there will be more to see next year. I love your necklaces, really fabulous! I'm sure they'll sell well. Just sorry that fair is not anywhere near me!

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  28. Love the vibrant colours for December!

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  29. I came for the calendar but stayed for the necklaces. Very nice. And your calendar pages are much more month-appropriate than mine lol.

    And what fun to be in the magazine. I've had fiction published and it's a real rush the first time you see your work in print. Congrats!

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  30. Congrats to you miss Linda! Your art is outstanding! I love your art journal pages and gorgeous necklaces too!

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  31. I LOVE your calender pages Linda :) those snowmen are toooooooo cute!

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  32. Your necklaces are so beautiful + I love the back ground for your December calendar. I love the idea of simply journalling like that. x

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  33. Congrats, Linda!!!. I'll look for the magazine soon :). You make really gorgeous necklaces, WOW.

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  34. Beautiful calendar pages, I've just come across all of this and love it!

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  35. Hello Linda, I love these calendar pages, definitely have got me wanting to create my own ones!

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  36. Love your colors and those snowmen!

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  37. I liked the colours you choose for your Dec. calendar. And those tiny snowmen ARE definitely adorable. :)

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  38. Beautiful necklaces! The top two are my favorites but they are all so pretty. Your December calendar page reminds me of a bag full of jellybeans. I don't like to eat jellybeans, but I think they are the prettiest candy ever.

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  39. Glad I could help with the spider id! You'll have to watch for an Argiope next summer--their webs really are amazing!

    Love your necklaces! They have a good feel to them--pure? natural? simple? Really lovely--for me they kind of tied in to the quotes about spiders and their symbolism--

    Happy PPF (late ;)

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  40. wow so much beautiful creativity here! Gorgeous necklaces and calendar and I loved reading about the meaning of the spider. Congrats on being published!

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  41. I really like you that calendar has been beautifully colored.

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  42. Love your calendar pages!-especially the colour choice to December. Chris

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  43. Congratulations on being published again dear Linda! SO exciting and well deserved...a very nice surprise after all that time too!

    So true about time flying by...I Love December and all that comes with it...each year I hope I will be better prepared eventho we keep things quite simple

    Your calendar pages are super!

    Love your beautiful necklaces ... you've been busy! hope your sale went well!

    so interesting about the spider too!
    oxo

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!