The premier POD project

January is an ideal time to start a monthly project. My friend, Laurel, and I wanted to do a collaborative art project each month and came up with POD.

POD stands for Point of Departure. Every month we give each other an image (relating to the monthly theme) and that image becomes the point of departure. We each take our new, unfamiliar image and make a collage.

January's theme is jewelry.

Pop over to Laurel's blog to see what she did with her jewelry image.

Title: Connecting

Excuses revisited

Well, it's been two weeks since I publicly stated three big goals. See the post here.

I decided to share some short-term goals with Laurel and came up with three to attain before our next meeting:

1. to make and post at least twelve pieces of art to my Esty store

2. to contribute at least once to Illustration Friday

3. to brush away my self-consciousness and perfectionism when it comes to making my art

What was I thinking?!? Make and post twelve pieces to my Etsy store. My Etsy store isn't even set up. I haven't painted the walls yet...

Seriously, I know goal number one is still to be attained and I am fine with that. I am well into a dozen collages. As far as getting my Etsy shop up and running... I will be very happy when the paint has dried and all I have to do is hang the art.

Goal number two will always be a goal. I really enjoy getting the Illustration Friday email every week to inform me of the new subject. Hopefully, once I am rolling with the Etsy routine I'll have more time.

Goal number three: check! I made every effort to just "do" my artwork... Go with it... Discard rubbish... Start again...

Please, stay tuned.

Listful Thinking No.1

Being a planner and a collector of things, I like lists. No, I love lists. Lately, I have enjoyed roaming the blogland to read some new year's lists. Also, I can't say no to any book of lists.

Many moons ago while at school I read that making lists helps your creativity. I started a journal that was just lists: birthday presents for my sister, ideas for the next assignment, even a list of future lists. I found that journal today. What a hoot!

The following is a list from that journal. From what I can tell it is the only list I didn't create. And, it is my first Listful Thinking moment to share with you.

15 Pairs of Contradictory Proverbs

1 -- Look before you leap.

He who hesitates is lost.

2 -- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Don't beat your head against a stone wall.

3 -- Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Out of sight, out of mind.

4 -- Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Don't cross the bridge till you come to it.

5 -- Two heads are better than one.

Paddle your own canoe.

6 -- Haste makes waste.

Time waits for no one.

7 -- You're never to old to learn.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

8 -- A word to the wise is sufficient.

Talk is cheap.

9 -- It is better to be safe than sorry.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

10 -- Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

11 -- Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Nice guys finish last.

12 -- Hitch your wagon to a star.

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

13 -- Many hands make light work.

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

14 -- Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Clothes make the man.

15 -- The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Silence is golden.

No More Excuses

New year, new goals. My studio is clean of all Christmas paraphernalia and it is time to get back to work.

Today I had my first meeting, of the new year, with friend and fellow art-blogger Laurel of Cranberry Cloud. We meet every two weeks to share ideas and experiences with blogging and Esty stores. Although there is a lot of blogging support online it is terrific to talk face-to-face with someone (over tea, out of the studio). It feels like a creative, fast-paced brain storm session which is hard to do via emails.

I decided to share some short-term goals with Laurel and came up with three to attain before our next meeting:

1. to make and post at least twelve pieces of art to my Esty store

2. to contribute at least once to Illustration Friday

3. to brush away my self-consciousness and perfectionism when it comes to making my art

Ready... set... go!

Snowed In

In the Greater Toronto Area we had an unseasonably dry November. Today, it is finally snowing. Unfortunately, it is very heavy, wet, slushy snow. Hard to shovel. Wet on the clothes.

We knew the "storm" was coming and I planned for it. Yesterday, I was out running errands and doing Christmas shopping knowing I wouldn't want to be in traffic today if I didn't have to.

So, I am in all day and quite enjoying it. We are lucky to have a wood-burning fireplace. I don't usually light a fire during the day but it seems to add to the festive projects I need to get done. Our tree needs lights before we decorate it tonight. The hidden gifts I have bought so far are in various places around the house. I need to organize them before I forget what I put where. And, I finished making our Christmas cards last night. It would be great if I could get them all signed and ready for the mail tomorrow.

Many blogs are focusing on traditions these days. Making my own Christmas cards is a tradition I have had for 15+ years. Here is a peek at our card this year. I cut the ornament from lino and used a basic black stamp pad for the ink. Then I painted it with watercolours. Time to go sign them.

Illustration Friday - Unbalanced

Christmas editions

Today was splurge-at-the-magazine-stand day. It happens every mid-November when the juicy Christmas editions of some of my favourite magazines hit the stands.

From top to bottom, I bought, Canadian Living, Style-At-Home, Canadian House & Home, Oprah, Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple and Country Living. Three Canadian, three American and one British.

The British one I bought, Country Living, is actually the edition before the holiday. I guess the magazines from the UK are shipped by boat, thus the delay. Country Living is a magazine I buy more than any other throughout the year. I am not a "country" girl per se. This magazine seems to highlight artisans which is the attraction for me.

Anyone who knows me can tell you I keep my magazines, especially Christmas ones, for a long time. Years. And, when I am finally ready to part with an edition, I look through it one more time and tear out any pages I want to save... gorgeous photos, lovely wrap/gift ideas, even beautiful typography. I am sure you know what I mean... like the beautiful inspiration I see daily on the fabulous blogs I peruse. It sounds as if I am talking myself out of a tradition... maybe next year I will be more engaged in this creative blogging realm and not find the desire to splurge at the newsstand. I doubt it...

Illustration Friday - Skinny

My contribution to this week's Illustration Friday is a drawing of seven, from dozens of existing, skinny houses from around the world. They are located in (left to right): Canada, United States, United States, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Portugal, United States.

Inspire Me Thursday --- Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière

Here is my work for this week’s contribution at Inspire Me Thursday.

My first banner

Belise on Paper has been in the blogisphere for almost two months now and I think it is time to create a banner.

What to do... what to do... ?

It was probably procrastination that told me I should "print" my own paper for my banner. So, out come the printing ink, a roller, a sheet of Plexiglas and some paper (mostly Japanese Unryu tissue). For some pages my rough technique was to roll printing ink on the Plexiglas and scrape off the negative areas. For other pages I painted on the ink in a random way. I also used watercolours which bead on the Plexiglas but soak and bleed beautifully into the tissue.

Here are some examples of what I created:

This kind of project is good for me. I tried really hard to just let go and not think about what to do. My background in graphic design, where every element of design has a purpose, is still strongly part of my creative being.

I now have many new ideas for printmaking the next time.

Illustration Friday - Pattern

Molecular Autumn

Here is my first contribution to Illustration Friday.

It's that time of year again...

Yes, here in North America, it is back to school time. My two grade-school children started yesterday. But, it is also when I create my annual Christmas List book.

Inside at the top of each page is a name of someone I will buy (or make) a Christmas gift for. The very first page I title My Wishes. That way if someone accidentally opens up the book they won't spoil any surprises. I make it at this time of year not because I am super-keen to get started with Christmas preparations, but so I can write down any gift ideas I get and have it all in one place.

Every year I make a new cover design and print it on card stock. Six plain sheets of copy paper are used for the text pages. Two staples at the spine hold it all together. The result: a 3.5" x 7" practical booklet with 24 pages for notes.

This is my 18th consecutive Christmas List booklet.