My Rule Number Three for Me

One of my many artistic quirks is perfectionism.  Insert scary da, da, DAAA!  here.  Oh the dreaded perfectionism.  

 When I get caught up in the evil binds of thinking a project has to be absolutely perfect or not at all....doing it not at all usually wins.  Therefore, "Baby Steps".  I have to keep taking baby steps in whatever new skill or task I'm trying to learn.  Thus began the theory for Rule #3, "Baby Steps".

Does it always work?  No.  But I have to be kind to myself.  I have to tell my own self to "don't be a hater" when it comes to what I create.  Sometimes I have to say this several times.  And then I keep moving forward.  

I was really happy with the way that these two pages turned out.  I wanted quirky colors, an odd version of pink and blue.  And the paper doily pocket above holds a small inspiration/journal tag.

With a picture of, of course, a baby!  Just another way to remind myself that I would not expect a baby to run a marathon the minute it first starts walking, and I should not expect marathon results from myself, when I've just begun creating.  That makes baby steps, rule #3.

The Big Book of Creative Rules and Strange Oddities

Perhaps I should start this post as, "What I did over my Summer Vacation".  One of the few things that I did do creatively this summer was to start YET another new journal.  Really?  I know, but for me, they seem to be like potato chips, I can't stop at just one.  

This journal started out as a great find from Dollar Tree.  Cause ya gotta love Dollar Tree.  For a store where things are only A DOLLAR, I sure can spend allot of them there.   Anyway, it is a lovely book, and it drew me in because there were several pages of great black and white photo's involving mountain climbing.

 As I flipped through it, I was thinking how the gentleman (who was a mountain climber) that wrote it, must have known no fear.  And as I glanced through it, one theme became apparent, he persisted.  Fear and Persistance.  Two words that I always seem to wrestle with when it comes to being creative.

I decided to try it out as a journal and explore my thoughts on being creative and my fear of failure.  And thus began, "The Big Book of Creative Rules and Strange Oddities", the journaling being me giving myself advice.  Then I decided it would be a series of rules.   Rules that made sense, but were presented in a silly, nonsensical way.   

For the art part, I got started by removing several pages, and then going back and gluing some pages together.  Above, I've taken two of the pages and on the right, just gessoed over the existing page.  On the left, I've glued down scrap book paper and then gessoed over that.  Now these two pages are ready for when inspiration hits.

Above are two completed pages.  They did turn out a bit messier than intended, but that's OK.  I like the feel of them.  Again, gesso over the book pages and then layers of paint, scrap paper, stamping, sewing etc.  The rule for these pages,  "Fake it till you Make it", seemed to mirror the faces of those young men, as they took those first hesitant steps up the mountain.

Without a doubt, these two are my favorite pages in the whole book.  

For as long as I've been creating books, I've always loved flaps, pockets, windows, things that pop out and move.  And that is what these two pages do.  They are actually pockets.  And the little man on the clock face spins.  

The text reads, "How many times should you toot?  Spin to find that number!".  The strong man has a tiny horn that dangles off his arm.  He is ready to toot too.  For me, this falls under "rule # 29".  Because I really do hate saying, look at me, look at me.  

Well, when it comes to my art anyway.

Tomorrow I'll show you the pages called, "Baby Steps".

Fall is here and so am I

Summer is truly over and here I am.  It was a good summer.  We did some traveling, spent some time with our god-daughter, got to know her better.  I did a little gardening, until the heat began to hit the 100 degree mark...then, forget it.  It was a wonderful summer, and I do hate to see it end.

I did very little creating.  Well, some, but I'll show you that later.  For the past couple of days, I've played with this journal page.

I loved the quote.  My niece had it on her Pinterest page, it was actually a tatoo.

Finally found a rolodex at a garage sale.  And while it was not exactly what I was looking for, it'll do.  I did my first little "rolodex art" piece to get started.  My thinking is, that as inspiration hits, this will be a fun way to do some smaller pieces, working on techniques, lettering and especially composition.

More later.

-Cindy

One Class, different spins

Bump in the Night Triptych by Melissa Hines

For those that don't know, my other blog is Paper Cowgirl.  I'm hosting another Art Event this Fall called, "Something Wicked this Way Comes".  And its a small event, four classes, to get you in the mood for Fall and Halloween.

The above photo is one of the classes for this event (registration opens in the morning).  But what I really wanted to show you was how a class project can sometimes take a different vibe, depending upon the student.

My sweet god-daughter came down for several days this summer and we made her hang out with us old broads and craft.  We decided to try the class out on her, and this was her version.  She did a totally diff background color (and this pic does NOT do it justice), a vintage image on the gal and she added a trio of pumpkins, which is personal to her and her family.  Her trick or treater holds her "bucket" by a string.  Very cute.

I proceeded to do my version.  I also opted for the vintage gal and larger moon.  I Mod Podged my pieces, as well as painting in a haunted house in the background ad adding in some glittered bats, stars and hand-writing.  Again, the piece now has a different feel.

As you can see, side by side.

Our friend Annette did her version and she really put a spin on it by using the moon as the head. And blocking in the eyes.  I love it.  And that's what I love about taking one of our (Paper Cowgirl) classes, you can do the project as presented or you can put your spin on it, to make it yours.

Pop over to the other blog and check it out.  Http://papercowgirl.blogspot.com and come down and take a class with us!

-Cindy

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.