Hot time in the Sumer Time

The Cottage of Content by Cindy Mayfield

I hope y'all are having a wonderful summer, hoping that its just perfect in your little neck of the woods.  Our "neck" is quite warm at the moment, too warm for me.  Over 100 for today....yuck.  Thank goodness for the "kiddie pool".   


With that being said, I'm taking some time off.  I have not been this giddy over taking a summer off in quite some time.  So, I will see you in the FALL.  Till then....


-Cindy

I love I love I love my calendar, girl.

For those that don't know, earlier this week, I was going to toss an old desk top calendar.  But its sturdy binding and beautiful pages called out to me.  So I decided to keep it and just make it into a journal.  


On some of the pages, i've painted and done paper over them.  But several of the pages are so gorgeous, they really don't need anything.  Except maybe a great quote.  Such as above.  


The quote reads, "I believe you should live each day as if it where your last.  Which is why I don't have any clean laundry, because come on, who wants to wash clothes on the last day of their life."  I could not find a source for the quote, but loved it so, and thought it was perfect for the pic.


As for the pics, I would love to give credit where credit is due, but the only listing I could find on the back was:
Published by UNIVERSE PUBLISHING
A Division of Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.
300 Park Avenue South
New York, NY  10010
www.rizzoliusa.com


Design by Lynne Yeamans/Lync
www.countryliving.com
http://www.countryliving.com/

More calendar pages

I'm having too much fun with this silly calendar.  And it had been my hope to base out all the pages FIRST, then go back and journal, like in a regular journal.  But each page just begs to be finished.  

And so, I do.  

Each page seems to just take on a life of its own.

Garden Journal

 This year, I decided to journal along in my garden, writing down things that I learned from last year (my first year of starting a garden).  Its fun to keep up with what is growing.  As well as jotting down hints and found info for particular plants.  Just call me Mary, Mary.  :)

Creativity is Life

Love this quote, one of my favorites

Emily, over at Beehive Art Salon, had a blog post (on Friday) that really resonated with me.  She started out by using one of my favorite quotes (above).  (Pop over and read her lovely post if you get the chance, it will warm your heart.)  


The above quote is awesome, but I had to change one word.  And that is the word ART.  I replaced that word with CREATIVITY.  So, reread above, using the word, creativity instead of art.  Does it make a difference to you?  Does it feel a little less intimidating? 

new journal pages for today

I paint and I craft, but yet, I have a hard time calling myself an artist.  In fact, when people ask me what i do for a living, I shrug my shoulders and just say, "I'm a slacker".  And then I just add a cheesy grin for effect.  

this old calendar will make a great journal/scrapbook

I think if someone asks, I would be more comfortable saying, "I'm a creative type".  That's a little less intimidating to me, yet, refers to the fact that I do like to work with my hands.  And, much like the quote above, does not limit me (in their mind) to painting, or work in a gallery.  Being creative can be numerous things.  Being creative can just be a way of life.  And for me, it is.  

finished page

finished page

pages as they started out early this am, gesso over with just some of the original photo, which I then painted over with gouache.

This morning, I started to toss out that old Country Living desk calendar.  But as I was about to toss it into the bin, it said, "hey, I have a sturdy ring binder and nice thick pages, don't throw me out".  And i decided it was right  I think its going to make another great journal.  And hey, that's thinking creatively.  Bonus.

June Journal page

June Journal page by Cindy Mayfield

Why yes, another journal page, she said.  LOL.  OK, this one is not one of my favorites.  But that's OK.  It started out as one thing, got lost, and then there was a mad scramble to fill in the holes.  

June journal page detail

Which is generally what happens when I DON'T take the time to layout things prior to putting down color and marker.  And speaking of marker, my love affair of Copics just goes on and on.  I hope to see a colorless blender in my near future.  All of the color in this page is with Copics...love how they just layer.  OK, enough.

June Journal page detail

But, seriously...look at that...all done with Copics.  Love, love, love.  I purchase one or two a month...it replaces my coffee.  LOL.  But art supplies are expensive.

So when you are on vaca, and you find some at a great price, ship them back.  Don't try and tuck them into a suitcase.  For as much as the tiny tubes of Gouache made me happy...TSA, not so much.  They were saved by the fact that they had a plastic wrap over the box, otherwise, I'm sure they where headed for the trash bin.  Lesson learned.