Altered Book Spread / CED Check-In 31 JAN

Hello and Happy Monday to you!!  Today I finished an Altered Book Spread:

Its the 2nd thing I have done in this book.  The first one is here.  This page talks about how Egyptians believed that when you died the soul would leave the body in the form of a bird with a human head - it was a "ba." and it stayed close to the body.  Of course my ba would have lots of sparkle and bling! I know its kind of hard to tell but she glitters all the way around and has a necklace and earrings and all those stones.  Also I used the sparkly red paint and my favorite thalo blue! What would yours look like?

I am still working on the Green Art Journal Spread - I've got ideas but have not yet had the time to really work on it.  Hopefully soon! 

Here are some links from this past week:
Ugly Flowers
Black & White Art Journal Piece
My first made all by myself piece of pottery

I've gotta go, but have a great day!!  Check out other peoples Creative Every Day Stuff at this link.  Bye bye.

GF Grains

Hey there!  How has your Sunday been? I went to Yoga this morning - it was a good workout and I was VERY relaxed during savasana.  I did some homework today - reading my psychology book - wish I could have gotten more accomplished but it just was not in the cards. 

I did my fair share of  cooking today!!  I made sauteed bok choy:

Yes, I know that bok choy is not a gluten free grain - but it was something I cooked today!  I also made:

Quinoa:

and Teff:

I did not eat the Teff yet but I tried it - it definitely needs a little enhancement!  I made the recipe that is for breakfast according to the package - so I will be eating it tomorrow or Tuesday and I will let you guys know how it is.  It reminds me of Amaranth, except that it is brown not tan.

I also made Millet:

I have never had millet before tonight, but I like it.  Mostly because the serving size is HUGE!!  Its 1/4 cup dry but seriously it fluffed up to about a cup...see, look at the picture again - it was a lot!  It tasted ok too - I cooked it with vegetable broth and then put salt and pepper on it. 

By the way Quinoa, Teff, and Millet are all Gluten Free!  I am still gluten/wheat/dairy/egg free... This Wednesday evening will make 14 days.  Have I noticed any difference?  Not really - the reason I think I have not noticed any difference is the medication I am on.  I pretty much feel nauseous all the time - but  I'd rather feel like that than have excruciating pain.  Trade-offs!  I am currently contemplating eliminating the remaining items on the most common food allergy list.  Those items would be: fish (shell fish & other fish), nuts (peanuts & tree nuts),  and soy.  I have not yet decided because well I really like eating peanut butter and I like walnuts and almonds too and since I am not eating wheat those items have found their way into my diet on a daily basis.  I could easily give up soy and fish because I don't eat fish that often (unless I'm trying to) and well no gluten = no processed food = no soy.



I also worked on some art stuff but since I am waiting on it try dry before I add the last little bit, I do not have a photo for you tonight.  Perhaps tomorrow!! 

Well, its back to studying for me!  Have a great night.

Progress

I made some progress at pottery class today!!  Here are some pictures of my first all-by-myself piece:

I have several pieces from before but the teacher always helped me - I did this one all by myself though!!

I was exhausted after class today.  If you have never taken a throwing class then you have no idea how physically demanding it is! 

I got my hair cut today, only 1 inch but it made a difference between having to put it up for work and being able to wear it down.  No pictures because its not that much different than before - its still a bob!

After my hair cut I made a quick trip to target and then came home and had some oatmeal and watched an episode of Merlin (my new favorite show!) Then I attempted to read my text book but only got 6 pages done before I fell asleep.  Luckily I only slept for one hour.  I was not feeling good and after the nap felt much better.

I did just a teeny amount of work on the Green Art Journal Piece today - but the best thing is I got an idea of something I want to do on/with it.  I also did some zentangling and finished this page:

The background is watercolor and the zentangles were made with sharpie marker. 

Well friends, I must go and try to read some more of this book - I'm on Theories of Evolution right now & its not so interesting.  Hope to "see" you tomorrow.

Art Journal Every Day

 As many of you know I signed up for Art Journal Every Day back at the end of DEC/beginning of JAN.

I have not had any issues with this - it goes along with Creative Every Day, but anyways - the point is that I have been doing something in my art journal (or maybe once or twice on canvas) every single day so far this year.  Last night was my hardest night.  I just did not have it in me, I did however get my little art journal and a sharpie and I told myself I would just doodle.  So, I turned to an ugly page that I had made several days ago and doodled while I talked to mom on the phone.  This is what I ended up with:

"Ugly Flowers" Art Journal Page

I had painted this page and the one next to it with leftover yellow paint when I was working on the Yellow Art Journal Piece.  Then, a few days ago, I added some experimental watercolors.  I have had watercolors for over a year (thanks mom!) but I still really don't know how to use them "correctly" - so sometimes I just play around with ideas and see how it comes out.  When I looked at the page it kinda looked like flowers to me so that is what I went with. 

So... I'm still going strong - my goal is to make it to the end of the year!!  Woo...well that's a long term goal... for now I will just keep trying to knock out one day at a time.

In keeping with my goal I have signed up again for AJED for the month of FEB! You can click the link and sign up too!  There are 2 things I love about doing challenges like this.  1) you get to see other peoples work which is inspiring and gives you ideas.  2) being creative every day (even if you have to force it at first) makes being creative easier and eventually your brain starts working more and more towards ideas of what you should do - your art comes easier and expression is easier. 

So, if you want to be awesome (like me), I encourage you to sign up and embark on your own art journal every day challenge and see where it leads you!

Have a great Saturday and I will "see" you later today after pottery class!

Stickers & a Cool Link

Hey there!  Hope your Thursday was good - but tomorrow is FRIDAY which is AWESOME! 

I don't have too much to tell you about today.  I went to the doctor this morning - shocker I know - and had him look a place on my leg that looks like a bruise (well that is the best I can describe it at least) but was not caused by me hitting myself at all.  Anyways he said to just keep an eye on it and see if it changes... if so come back and see him. 

Then I went to work and read psychology research until lunch time.  Lots of research in my future - I've got a super long paper to write and its due in about 3 weeks...argh. 

After lunch I did an inspection on one of my units.  Then I came back home.  My back has been hurting since Tuesday and it was really bad today.  So since I was hurting I did not do much.  I read more research - fun stuff - and I cooked some veggies. 

I did do some work on my car.  I had some old stickers on the back window - a Puerto Rican Flag Frog from 2005, a "I Love Running" sticker, and an "I'm a Pepper" sticker from 2007.  The I love running sticker was perfectly fine except its kind of crazy to keep it on my car when I certainly cannot run anymore and sometimes I have trouble walking - so I took it off just so it wouldn't be there looking crazy.  The other two stickers were dry rotted and cracked and looking bad so they needed to come off as well.  So, bye bye old stickers, hello new stickers:

an old frog sticker I never used on the lower right side

a recent purchase at A.C. Moore on the upper left

The whole back window

Do you guys approve? 

I also started the last piece in the series - the Green Art Journal Piece.  No pictures to show you yet, all I have done so far is glued the fold out pieces and painted a base coat of green.  Now comes the fun stuff - the many layers that will make my hands covered in green paint and at some point I will have to figure out what I want to say on this one too.  I'm sure it will work its self out eventually - it always does.

Oh, I also started a new altered book page - no pictures of that either but I started it and hopefully it will be finished here in the next few days.

Also, some exciting news - I have finally convinced ( I think) mom to try her hand at art journaling by doing an altered book.  I think its exciting because I get excited for anyone who is starting out on this wonderful journey!  I also hope that they find it as fulfilling as I do and that it helps them though their tough spots like its helped me.  I can't help it - its the nurturer/teacher in me.  One day I'll be able to put that quality to good use when I am an art therapist! 

Ok, I will stop rambling, but one last thing...check out this cool webpage that lets you doodle with cool tools:
http://mrdoob.com/projects/harmony/#chromeI suck at drawing with a mouse, so don't judge me too harshly, but here is a quick picture I made:

Those are frogs by the way. 

Have a great night and I will "see" you tomorrow!!

B&W Art Journal Piece

Before I show you the Black and White Journal Piece, look what I got today:

I am so excited about it.  Now, when I am hurting too bad to walk from far away, I can park close!  Yes, I really do need it - sometimes.  This may sound crazy to some of you but usually when I am hurting and there is no parking except really far away I just leave and don't do whatever it was that I was going to do; now I wont have to do that.  The 3 places that I most likely will use it are the hospital, the soldier support center, and Walmart.  Sometimes I get lucky and find close spots, but mostly those places are so crowded that I have to park way off in the distance.  But, I vow to not use it if I am having a good day and I am able to walk that day.

Ok, now onto the art!  Following in the series: Orange Art Journal Piece, Red Art Journal Piece, Yellow Art Journal Piece, Purple Art Journal Piece, Blue Art Journal Piece and now...

Black and White Art Journal Piece:

Flaps Closed View 1

Flaps Closed View 2

 I know its hard to tell from the two photos above but those white starts are cut outs of white glitter foam...so they are raised and glittery. And once again I used metallic paint which is why I gave you two views so you could see it better.

Flaps Open

Close Up of Left Side

Close Up of Right Side

This one is full of affirmations or really things I know are true but I sometimes forget.  So, I made this piece full of them so that I can continue to be reminded just how awesome I am.  I know it sounds kinda goofy, but I really think that being so positive in my art lately has been actually improving my mood.  I have really actually been happy for like a whole month and a half - even when I am in pain!  So, perhaps it would work for you guys out there too - try making some positive art and see if it helps.  Its probably my psychology background but I genuinely believe that your thinking affects your mental and physical health.  The hardest thing to do though is to continue to be positive and try to be happy - my doctor told me Monday that being happy is not easy and it takes work! - but I encourage you guys to be positive and then you can see how great it is too!

Ok, I'm done being weird now.  Hope you enjoyed the pictures.  "See" you soon, I hope!

WOYWW 26 JAN

Hello and happy WOYWW to everyone who is playing!!

My desk is actually kinda messy today... not an unusual occurrence but art spilled out from the studio and into the office:

It spilled out because the art table was covered:

I worked on the black and white journal piece and I added some water color to the small journal (see it there on the right?)  The black and white journal piece is almost done!  It will be done tonight so come back soon and check it out!!

List it Tuesday 25 JAN & Some Back Stuff

List it Tuesday has a new host - Sally at Sow and Sew.  Check out her blog to see who else made a handwritten list.  As for me, here is my list:

I started it yesterday but trust me I made a lot of additions and changes to it today!

My creative activities today included making some things to glue into the black and white journal piece I am working on:

Yes, its small on purpose!

Also I doodled a little while waiting on the Chiropractor to call me in for my appointment.

The Chiropractor had my spine x-rayed last week because he noticed  a congenital abnormality on the part of my spine right above my sacrum.  He said in school he was taught that congenital abnormalities usually come in 2s or 3s.  Well, today we looked at the x-rays from last week.  Guess what!  2 more abnormalities were found.  This makes me think that my hip FAI was also a congenital abnormality but that is just a theory - I suppose we will never know since its been corrected and we have no proof that it existed before 2009.

Anyways, back to my spine - I have a space in one spot where there should be none... and also I have a rib that never fully grew into a rib.  He said the rib one is quite common and that the other one is not.  He called the radiologist who evaluated my x-rays (and found nothing wrong!) and discussed his findings with her and they decided that I need to get more x-rays and possibly an MRI to determine if I am at a high risk for back injury.  He said the abnormality could have been caused by trauma or I could have been born that way.  Again, really no way to know I suppose.  I have had trauma before such as that time I fell off an obstacle course tower in basic training, or all the millions of time I have slipped and fell on ice because the Army makes you work like normal, or the car wreck that busted up my arm, etc.  But, without having x-rays from before then we have no way of knowing - unless the MRI sees something.

So, tomorrow morning I am going to get my x-rays done and Friday he will tell me if there is anything else we need to do.  What I am wondering is will this hold up my MEB... I really hope not!  I want to get out of here so bad!!  I want to be out of the Army in time to go home and spend time with mom and dad before I start grad school.

Ok, guys my friend Lindsey is teaching yoga for free tonight so I have to head out to make it on time.  Hope you had a lovely Tuesday. "See" you tomorrow!

Armed and Dangerous!

Watch out!  Today I picked up my concealed handgun permit - I'm now authorized to take my 9mm with me when I go places - so long as they don't sell alcohol or charge an admission price, etc etc.  Woo.

Go Me!
I got more homework done today than I expected!  Go me!! 
I ate a pear today!  Go me!!
I ate raw veggies as my afternoon snack!  Go me!!

On to other things...
I went to the stores (3 of them! yikes.) and got some goodies to help me out on this gluten/wheat/egg/dairy free thingy.  Here are some pics:

Health Food Store Items

Harris Teeter Items

I have never tired Teff before but I thought I would give it a shot since its wheat/gluten free and its the smallest grain in the world (ohh...ahhh.)

I did not get a picture of the stuff from store number 3 but it was some veggies and chicken strips and cans of beans and ham steak - Ham and White Bean Soup here I come!

I did some painting - working on the white & black art journal piece:

Trust me it probably will look completely different by the time its finished.  I had some left over paint so I added to a page that was already painted with a metallic red that always looks kinda pinkish (one reason I like it)

I actually think this page is ready for some words now.


I also taste tested the cookies!  So, Product Review!!

These cookies are 90 calories per cookie - which did not seem that bad until I saw the size of the cookie.
Kinda small for 90 calories.  They taste AWESOME though and they are kinda sweet so you probably would not eat to many anyways.  I completely recommend them!

Have a great night everyone!!

CED Check-in 23 JAN

**After posting this and linking it to CED I realized that it was in fact 24 JAN....but I am not going to change it because I've already linked it... so..sorry!**

Hello there!  Just a quick review of the last week and what art I have been doing - click on any of the links to see the original post (these are only sneak-peaks!)

Pottery during my first ever pottery class:

I finished the blue art journal piece:

I made a collage:

And I drew a girl:

Check out those links if you want to see more pictures and the stories behind them!  I have to go, I'm running late!

(Soy) Milk & (Gluten Free) Cookie

Hey there!  I know, 2 posts in a row- but I have a lot of pictures and I thought it would be better this way.  So, today was my 2nd day of pottery. Pictures of what I worked on last week:

My first piece - a pinch pot...or bowl lol

And today I learned how to trim...After you center it, upside down, on the wheel you block it (I think that is what they called it) and it looks like this:

Then you can use the tools to trim it and make it look pretty.  You can do quite a bit of shaping during the trimming process.  Here is one after it was trimmed:

After pottery I came home for lunch - no shocker there, right?  Then I made plans with my friend Lindsey to go to see No Strings Attached at the movies at 415pm.  So, I quickly went to Target to get a new jacket since I broke my most favorite jacket the other day at the Yoga studio.  I was just un-zipping it and the zipper broke off in my hand.  Anyways, I knew target had a similar jacket so I went to go another one.  While at Target I found a cute black and white dress to wear for my interview at FSU.  They did not have the jacket I wanted in black like I wanted but I got a gray one on clearance!  And also on clearance a warm feeling black jacket of a different style...yes I got both.  I am highly addicted to jackets.  Some people buy shoes, I buy jackets. 

No Strings Attached was a pretty good movie.  I am a sucker for the romantic comedy, even if it is unrealistic.  There were a few places that I almost shed a tear -but seeing as I was with a friend who has yet to see me cry - or go to a movie with me - I wasn't about to cry.  Anyways, if you like love story type of movies then I recommend it.  I will warn you though, beware who you see it with.  There are some inappropriate phrases and some risk-eh (imagine an accent here) scenes - so, just know what your getting into if you are taking a teenager with you.

Now, on to the title of this post.  After eating dinner tonight - spaghetti squash w/ turkey and tomato sauce - I tallied up my calories for the day and discovered that I still needed to eat 538!  Yikes... so first I thought I would make banana soft serve with chocolate chips...sounds good, right?  But then I was cold and didn't want to eat anything super cold so I decided to have soy milk and a wheat/gluten/egg/dairy free chocolate chip cookie.

Look how thick it was:

I got it the other day at the health food store.  It was huge!  180 calories per serving, 2 per cookie.... so I ate both hehe... with 2 cups of soy milk.  Yes, I felt a little sick afterward...oops.  All in all, my vote is Super Tasty - if you want to eat that many calories it is worth it.  It was soft and a good texture and it tasted good.  and like a regular cookie it fell apart if you held it in the milk too long.  It was yummy.

Now though, I am pretty tired.  So, its off to bed with me - I have yoga in the morning.  Have a great night!

Feeling Blue?

I finished it - the Blue Art Journal Piece is finished!! Here are the photos:

 Next, you open up the flaps:

The left side says ""the more light you allow within you, the brighter the world you live in will be" ~ Shakti Gawain.  The right side says "being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.  It means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections." ~unknown.

And...one more time, open the flaps:

I think I did a pretty good job of keeping it from being a sad/depressing piece.  Blue is the color I tend to use when I am really sad, but I was trying to stay positive with this one. 

I often say "My brain hurts," so the left side of the piece is very applicable to my life - and I love that I found that picture of the hand squeezing the brain! 

What do you guys think?

Elimination Diet and a Collage

Hey there, I am not feeling too good tonight but I thought I would do a short post since it has been a few days.

Yesterday I started the elimination diet - eliminate some common food intolerance/allergies and see if I feel any better - the reason I am doing this is because of the Heat Hives I started getting in 2009. I decided to start with Wheat, Dairy and Eggs.  Don't ask why I decided that but well that is what I am doing.  So far it has not been too extremely hard, mostly just annoying.  I bet you don't realize how many products have wheat!  And if they don't have wheat they probably have dairy and eggs.  Not too upsetting because my diet is usually pretty good so not many changes.  Most notable change thus far - besides no more eggs or egg beaters and no more Greek yogurt or cottage cheese - well, the most notable thing is the lack of bread!  I searched high and low for some wheat free, gulten free bread and I found some but forgot to check for eggs... got home and realized my 6$ for 1/2 a loaf of bread was for something I can't even eat.  Frustrating!  I did stop eating cream of wheat and I changed my oatmeal - no more Quaker oats, but now I am eating Wheat Free/Gluten Free/Dairy Free Bob's Red Mill Oatmeal:

It tastes the exact same.  The only difference is the calorie count - 190 calories for 1/2 cup dry versus 150 for Quaker.  I also had to cut out the vegetarian products - like the veggie sausage that love so much.  Guess what - wheat, soy, etc, etc... so no more of that.

Since I eat breakfast twice a day I needed something for 2nd breakfast since I can no longer have eggs or yogurt.  So, I got a sample of GF Cereal:

I had it this morning with soy milk (which I already knew I liked because I was milk free for at least 3 weeks back in OCT/NOV) and a banana.  It was better than I expected.  I thought I would have to add a stevia packet to it but it was not necessary.  It did a decent job of holding me over too.  I had it at 815 and was ready for lunch by 1040 but did not actually eat until about 1115 - so that is about right.

So, whats my elimination diet crutch?

Chocolate Peanut Butter, of course - this might be a problem though if I get to a point where I need to eliminate peanuts!  I would so not be happy with that.


Here is my latest art journal piece:

The top says "the meaning of life" and "all figured out" and the bottom "peace of mind?" and "definitely."  It is in the big art journal - 9x12 I think - the hand was too big for the medium size journal if I wanted to put any words with it, which I knew I would. 

I have been working on the blue art journal piece here and there but its no where near complete yet.  I have been feeling yucky all week.  I have been tired most of the week and just like on the verge of getting sick for the last two days and now a headache.  So, although I have added to it here and there its not going to be done any time soon unless I start to get better!

Ok, friends, that is all for tonight.  Tomorrow I have pottery class bright and early.  Hopefully I will feel good enough to stay for all of it.  Also, hopefully I will have something interesting to tell you about tomorrow.