Day 643: Beauty and Brains!

No, not me.

But thanks if that crossed your mind.

In my forty-five year teaching career ...

I've had a lot of really special students.

Meet one of them!

Meet Tayler ...

just days away from graduating from 

Schreiner University in Texas.

A pre-med student with beauty and brains!

But, I've known her since age 6.

I watched she and sister Kasey ...

grow up, have friendships ...

through years of classes and training ...

helping with countless demonstrations ...

attending workshops and seminars ...

all while advancing in rank and knowledge.

Displaying manners, dedication and honor.

Attaining the highest rank for Genbu-Kai juniors.

Nintai ... determination, perseverance 

They say teachers aren't paid well.

But, there are other benefits.

A smile for Wednesday ...

Day 642: I discovered the secret ...

if I want to be really productive ...

not just the run of the mill, but really

getting work done and lovin' it ...

all I have to do is work on projects 

other than what I should be focused on!

Simple as that.

I should be focused on entries for a show

to be delivered on Friday!

THIS Friday!

Three days from now.

But ...

I am having so much fun today doing these.

And, I am using some of the sorted scraps from yesterday.

These are all junk mail, magazine & various paper collage. 

And have I mentioned I tend to procrastinate? 

A smile for Tuesday ...

Day 641: Too much, but necessary?

A magazine & junk mail collage.

Today I am working on my "gotta do" list!

Top of the list was clean-up my studio & supplies.

I am often asked how I store my papers?

Well, in baskets and containers ...

too many, but necessary?

Today I am sorting and even purging,

but it's taking longer than expected.

Wish me luck?

A smile for Monday ...

Day 640: I am expecting company!

Soon!

He's coming from Florida!

He should be here soon.

I've never met him.

I've heard of him.

I have an image in my head, but it may be off?

They say he's on the the thin side, flexible even. 

He wants to go and see it all 

while here in Orange County, CA.

I will do my best to accommodate.

After all, I am hosting him as a favor for Gavin!

Gavin is family!

Anything for Gavin!

And my visitor Stanley? 

I'll let you know how it goes.

today's collage ...

a combination of magazine & junk mail. 

A smile for Sunday ...

Day 639: How much can you fit in a day?

Today was catch up time.

Errands included a  trip to the post office, 

grocery, my local Office Depot closing sale,

and grand-dog sitting for six hours.

Then, a little work in preparation for an upcoming class ...

Mixed Media Faces  (aka ...  Faces in a crowd).

Crowd ... because we will be creating a lot of faces,

in various sizes, thus making our own crowd.

Using various collage & acrylic techniques ...

on various sized paper & substrates.

collage & acrylic on journal pages ... just starts 

Lots of quick starts  ... 

work in progress

 with a lot of experimentation. 

work in progress

The three hour class will fly by, in a fun way.

If you're near, maybe you can join us?

Saturday, May 17, 2014  10-1PM 

Class information here. 

Direct sign-up here.

A smile for Saturday ...

Day 638: Thanks Ray!

Always wondering what today's blog will be.

Most of the time, something pops up.

Today it was Ray!

I love stamps and just got a sheet of this new series ...

Isn't it great?

And that would have been that.

But I wanted to send Linda a note, so ...

I took one of the stamps ...

attached it to the envelope and ...

it was just begging for a body!

front of envelope, addresses blocked for privacy

So Linda will get a little mail art,

back of envelope, just because I got this new jazzy washi tape!

and I got a blog topic, sort of?

And all this while I should have been 

finishing the project shown here.

A smile for Friday ...

Day 637: The joys of procrastination!

Ah yes, there are many!

And I am experiencing most of them today!

The rosy cheeks from the adrenalin rush.

The mental exercise as I try to ...

figure out how to meet that deadline.

Evidently I have already calculated the ...

last possible minute that the 

project can be started and completed?

Then some juggling to see 

what else will be sidelined in order to

get to this emergency.

I once wrote a blog about my being a Fireman.

That pretty much described my approach.

Today's deadline is the round-robin journal 
an exchange mentioned in an earlier blog here.
I am on my second round. 
Now in Terry's journal.
A month ago it started out like this ...

then collaged into ...

and ...

then after a second phase, it became ...

and ...

and ...

and now phase three ...

and ...

and ...

Near, but not finished ...
I totally planned to show you the finished project,
but at 11PM I find myself clinically brain dead!

And the natural, comfortable solution is ...
to wait till tomorrow? 
So stay tuned?