con-tain-it

There is a shrine in my closet...

At least that is what DH is calling my memorabilia that I've hung up on the wall in my closet...and I must say that he is right!  {write this down honey ;}  Months ago, when I was completing The {21} Purge, I pulled out a small basket from underneath my bed on Day 13 and talked about how "some day" I was going to get around to displaying my clothes from when I was a child in Africa and Taiwan.  Well this weekend I decided was the time...since we had so much rain...to tackle this long, awaited project.  As Toni says...one project at a time!

 

You have to look forward. You have to begin telling the story of where you are going, not where you have been!

Chalk Talk:  Studio Sneak Peek Friday...nothing like a little blog party to get me motivated...

That and alot of rainy weather...Mother Nature is really PMSing...as someone commented ;)

So since I couldn't go out and play...I decided to finally tackle a project that I had been inspired to do for some time...that is creating a magnetic, chalk board, inspiration wall in my studio!

When we first moved into the Love Shack I had bought a couple of white ledges from IKEA because I was so inspired by the ones in their store displays.  But then after moving in...I got so overwhelmed with not having ENOUGH wall space that I lost my inspiration and put the ledges on the back burner. Actually they were on top of my dryer in my laundry room right where I'd see them every day to remind me to get off my head around it!

Art Journal: 6 week shape up challenge

Since this is Week 1 of Rhonna's 6 week shape up challenge {for moi ;}...I'm getting all my ducks in a row...as they say.  Which means that I'm taking my before photo, as well as my measurements, and putting them all together in my art journal, a.k.a. my food journal.  Keeping an art journal will help keep me motivated during this entire challenge because it is will show me where I BEGAN and where I want to BE (goals are good).  It will also make this challenge interesting for me because I'll be collaging photos and journaling and will have a creative outlet (so necessary when the going gets tough ;)

 So the first thing I did today was pull out my supplies and spread them out all over my desk.

The Sketchbook Project 2011: Slideshow & Photo Album

As promised last week, I completed a slideshow and a photo album of my completed Sketchbook Project 2011 for the Art House Co-Op.  This took much longer than I had anticipated...not as long as the actual sketchbook...but long enough...lol  So, if you'd like the quick page-by-page version watch the slideshow and if you want to check out any of the detail then head on over to the photo album which I've added to my sidebar.  It will remain as a permanent photo album so you can go to my sidebar to find any time in the future.  Hope you all enjoy ;)

Once upon a time...

Roberta's The Sketchbook Project 2011 has left the Love Shack!

2011 Tour: It's Like A Concert Tour, But With Sketchbooks!

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.  After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.  28836 artists from 94 countries around the world are participating. The tour starts March, 2011.

All books will be included in an exhibition that tours the following cities:

Brooklyn, NY Austin, TX San Francisco, CA Portland, ME Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Washington, DC Winter Park, FL

 

Typical Tuesday: 6 Fun Ways With Chalkboard Paint

Update: Linking up this previous post with WhisperWood Cottage blogspot for her fun Chalk Talk party...cause you all know that I'm just nuts about chalk board paint.  Be sure to hop on over and check out how creative the other bloggers are and be sure to tell Amy that Roberta sentcha!

 

Chalkboard Paint has always excited me when it comes to organizing anything in your home, office, studios and, of course, classrooms.  How can you not get excited over a paint medium that can be used on just about any type of surface (metal, wood, cardboard and plastic to name a few ;) AND that offers a writing surface that is NOT permanent so that if you change the function of your objects! 

Over the years I find more ways to use chalkboard paint in many FUN and inspiring ways. 

How to get published...

 Studios, Winter 2010 (Pre-Order)

Winter Studios will show you real-life art and craft studios that function beautifully in tight spaces and give you tips on how to maximize your available space as well.

Enjoy the beautifully photographed and inspiring studios of 28 quilt and mixed-media artists including: Catherine Thursby, Janice Avellana, Belinda Hart, Liza Julien, Victoria Grobels, Roberta Philbrick, Michelle Spaw, Linda Dolack, Suzanne M. Miner, Marcy Antle, Laini Taylor, Melissa Whittaker, Maggie Swanson, Gail Schmidt, Bethany Rowland-Reid, Julie Richardson, Annette Petty, Jeannine Peregrine, Mendy Mitrani, Bonnie McCaffrey, Sandra Lee, Julie Kittredge, Bobbi Kirk, Jennie Johnson, Dale Donna Howard, Shauna Henry, Millie Cumming, and Marfi Bradford.

 

How do you get published you ask?  YOU HAVE TO ASK...that's it!  

Earlier this year I responded to one of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine inquiries about tips for storing your supplies and I submitted this blog post.  Subsequently I was contacted by an editor to send in higher resolution photos, which I did and now my stylish magazine storage cases are featured on Cloth Paper Scissors site here.

The ironic part to this story is that I thought my storage photos were going to be published in an upcoming issue of Cloth Paper Scissors so I kept looking every month and was so sad when I couldn't find them in their printed publications.  Then one day...out of the blue...in March I got an email notification that I had a comment on my site publication.  I'm like...WHAT?  I wasn't even registered with Cloth Paper Scissors on-line!  Too funny! 

So I quickly created an account and responded to the couple of comments I had received and then became a FB fan of Cloth Paper Scissors.  In May I blogged about my small studio here at the Love Shack and when Cloth Paper Scissors had a question on their FB fan page about "How much space do you need to be creative?" I responded and included the blog post link showing off my studio.  Next thing I know, I received an email from the lovely editor, Cate Prato, inviting me to participate in the Winter STUDIOS publication! 

Still pinching myself and seeing my name in print is so sureal...especially when I opened up the contents pages and see a picture of my studio as featured on The Love Shack on Page 86...woo hoo! 

 
NOW for the really hard part...waiting for the magazine to hit the newstands on November 1st so that I can hold it in my hands ;) 

Hmmm...that old cartoon...with the Turkey Vultures sitting on the fence comes to mind:  Patience My Ass!  Do you all remember this or am I "dating" myself again...lol  If you know it or find it...send it to me please ;)

The {21} Challenge 2010: Days 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14: Happy Dance ;)

Days 9,10,11,12,13 & 14 of The {21} Challenge 2010 and I have completed laying-out and adhering ALL OF MY IMAGES through-out my entire sketchbook for the Art House Coop's 2011 Sketchbook Project.

The {21} Day Challenge 2010: Days 5,6,7 & 8...What's Your Creative Style

Days 5,6,7 & 8 of The {21} Challenge 2010 and I have completed more than half of my pages in my sketchbook for the Art House Coop's 2011 Sketchbook Project.

Over the weekend, I was motivated by the "power layout" process that I discussed in my last post and I continued working very hard at getting all of my pictures, photos and sketches adhered inside my moleskin.  By staying focused on doing this project, one task as at time...I'm keeping my feelings of overwhelmed at bay!  When the I start asking myself questions like...WHY DID I START THIS...WHAT WAS I THINKING...then I remind myself to ENJOY THE JOURNEY...or PROCESS !  AND...I do this by focusing on the steps that I've laid out in my power layout.

The {21} Challenge 2010: Days 3 & 4

Days 3 & 4 of The {21} Challenge 2010 and I have been working steadily...and I'm am so liking the overall design and layout that I chose to incorporate for my sketchbook for the Art House Coop's 2011 Sketchbook Project.

For the past two days I have been doing a "power layout", which means that I have been sorting my original notebook pages and inspiration photos into the separate categories that I'm creating in my sketchbook.  For instance: foyer, floor-plans, kitchen, laundry, bedroom, closet, bathroom and patio.  Here is a photo of my desk as I'm working...lol

It is messy for me...but not as bad as it could be...having limited space makes you use what-ever space you have very wisely.   Most of my time was spent gathering and printing all of the before and after photos of the Love Shack.  I had a lot of fun making up a batch of INDEX PRINTS to use through-out my sketchbook as my own accent "stickers".  The best part is that when you print your photos in Micro-soft Office, the names that you have given your photos are printed with the index prints and they become great captions and/or journaling.  You just have to be organized with your photos, like moi...and adequately label all of your photos as you download them ;)

The {21} Challenge 2010: Day 2

Day 2 of The {21} Challenge 2010 and I feel really good about what I've accomplished!  That is...deciding on the overall design and layout that I am going to incorporate for my sketchbook for the Art House Coop's 2011 Sketchbook Project.

Since I chose the subject INSIDE/OUTSIDE, I want to journal about our emotional, as well as our physical, move here to the Love Shack.   There are over 84 pages in this year's moleskin sketchbook so decided, right away, that I was not going to get overwhelmed by making it too complicated...you know...better done that perfect ;)  So when I was looking through my files, I found some decorative labels and tabs that I am going to be using through-out the book.

 

MOSAIC MONDAY: Then there were twelve..,

Little Dresses for Africa...

 
I was so excited to complete 12 dresses in all and to get them mailed off to Kristen of, We are THAT Family in time for them to be included in her campaign to send off 200 dresses to the organization,  Little Dresses for Africa. 

 
Above photo of Little Girls Needing Dresses provided by: Little Dresses for Africa.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to be able to participate and I will be starting another batch in August when I'll have more time to sew.  In the top center of the mosaic you can see a photo of the dresses folded and ready to be wrapped for shipping and on top you get a peek at the cute little socks that I found to go with the dresses.  In the yellow bowl near them on my desktop you can see all of the scraps that I have left over that I am going to use in a fabric journal...oh yeah!  More fun...to come!

Today I'm submitting my photo mosaic of all my little dresses to Mary's blog, Little Red House, for her weekly blog feature, Mosaic Monday.  Be sure to hop on over and check out all the lovely photos.

Fondly, Roberta
 

WFMW: Wednesday's Workbook: Art Journaling E-Zines

 
For this week's edition of WFMW, Kristen is blogging about what works for her in the summer...you can read all about it here!

What Works-for-Me, every summer (for the past two summers that is :), are Theresa McFadden's, Art Journaling E-Workshops!  Theresa has done it again with her latest e-workshop, Between the Lines, which you can purchase at any time on her website: Paper Bella Studio.

I was so excited to open up my email after the holiday weekend and find my access code for Between The Lines, the 3rd Art Journaling Online Workshop that Theresa has created ;)  

Just like Theresa's previous e-zines, A Write Place, Write Time and A Journal of Interest, for me, the best part is that you can work at your own pace!  Theresa offers wonderful, detailed instructions and suggestions for how to personalize your art journal and to find your own creative style.  This summer's 3rd workshop offers even more techniques and free downloads in each of the 12 lessons.  AND Theresa is doing something brand this summer by offering art prompts that will inspire us all.

Mosaic Monday: Sewing Projects

Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the Little Red House, blogspot.

Recently I participated in Where Bloggers Create II, the 2nd Annual Party to Share Your Creative Space.  For my post, I included three different photo mosaics of the different projects that I have created since I started blogging two years ago.  Because there just was not enough space (or time) to include all the links for the photos in my post, I decided that I would provide them here for my Mosaic Monday posts.  Going in the order that the mosaics are in my post, this week we will start off with my Sewing Projects:

 
Starting from the top left corner (please note that some of these links are to posts that give detail art instructions for how I actually completed my project while others are just photos of the finished project):

1.   Bathroom Storage Area

2.   Curtains for Bookshelves

3.   Curtains for Bookshelves

4.   Sewn Party Paper Cutlery Bags

5.   Vinyl Patio Cart Cover

6.   Sewn Cards: Wedding Inspirations

7.   Sewn Cards: Embellished Envelopes

8.   Vinyl Patio Bench Cover

9.   Quilted Journal Page

10. Vanity Re-Vamp

11. Sewn Cards: Thank You Card

12. Little Dresses for Africa
 

RUSH: Bloggerette Sorority & Pink Saturday

A sorority is born: June 25, 2010

Now everyone knows to be initiated into a Sorority - you must "Rush"

 

To rush you must do the following:

 Take this picture . . .and create something with it.

A banner, a hanging, an ATC,

a piece of jewelry, a tag, a card . . . anything!

Print the picture and place it in a frame -

 it doesn't have to be fancy! 

Just use your imagination. The possibilities are endless.

You have inspiration all around you.

After all . . . that's what our blogs do - they inspire us.

This can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

Then take a picture of your creation.

There are no rules.

Well - except one. 

You must be in the picture too. 

You can always take a self-portrait in a mirror.

Because we all want to see who are "Sisters" are!

 

Then post your picture the day of our Sorority party.

 

So as a PLEDGE, I decided to make a RUSH RIBBON for our party!

The ribbon itself, combines the Sorority's favorites of soft pink, black & white zebra stripes, and strands of pearls.  Pink represents our soft feminine side, while the animal print reflect our wild and strong sides, while the classic pearls represent our collective pearls of wisdom!

 

Starting from the top...you will see the Bloggerrett Sorority Sister's Crown...

because we are all...PRINCESSES of quite a lot!

 

From the crown you will see the Bloggerette Sorority charms...

the Woman's Silhouette charm represents all the Sisters...

the lock  is for protecting all of our Secrets...

and finally, a key allowing entrance to our Sorority!

 

Directly below the crown, you will see the Bloggerette Sorority classic, Sister's photo...

which is framed in soft pink glitter...cause we all love a little sparkle!  Hanging from the Sister's photo are the Bloggerette Sororitydog tags...with more bling!

Next you will find my Pledge Photo, sitting on a medallion of more Bloggerette Sorority ribbons. 

 

AND finally...hanging from my Pledge Photo medallion is a charm chain that is woven with more ribbons and pearls.  This is where I want to hang all of my individual charms as they represent my interests and Sorority Sister charm swaps :)  For now...I have hung a BIG HEART charm (front and center ;), a FLEUR de LEI (cause I'm a Frenchy ;), a PROTECTIVE ANGEL (to watch over all my Sorority Sisters ;), a MESSENGER BIRD (to always spread good thoughts to all ;), and a PAIR OF WINGS (to give flight to all my hearts desire and dreams ;).

In time I want to add more charms as I find ones that I really like, for instance, money for charity, books for reading, pens for journaling, etc.

 

Hope my RUSH RIBBON inspires the rest of my Sisters to have fun with the RUSH PARTY and I can't wait to see what everyone else has created ;)

 

A SPECIAL THANKS GOES OUT TO  KAREN OF,

SOME DAY ARE DIAMONDS, blogspot for hosting this wonderful event and creating the...

I am also sharing this post for Pink Saturday, so be sure to hop on over to Beverly's blogspot, How Sweet the Sound, and say hello to all the lovely ladies! 

Fondly, Roberta

from Raleigh, NC

Typical Tuesday: DIY Candle Shades

Typical Tuesday: DIY Candle Shades

Because you never know where your inspiration will come from...

hence...while working on my RUSH project for this upcoming event:

A Sorority is Born: Friday, Jun 26, 2010

I was searching for some inspiration and while flipping through one of my idea books (told you all about here in this post) I stumbled upon this old clipping for making candle shades...

The writing on th magazine clipping says this: "You can make these candle shaded from pleated window shades."  NOW, I have had this clipping in this blank book for over 7 or so years and I always thought it was a neat idea and that I'd make them out of pieces of vellum or scrap-booking paper that I pleated like a fan...I know it is that old because the I used a corner rounder on the photo's corners! ha!

Mosaic Monday: Art Journaling

Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary of the, Little Red House, blogspot.

This weekend I participated in Where Bloggers Create II, the 2nd Annual Party to Share Your Creative Space.  For my post, I included three different photo mosaics of the different projects that I have created since I started blogging two years ago.  Because there just was not enough space (or time) to include all the links for the photos in my post, I decided that I would provide them here for my Mosaic Monday posts.  Going in the order that the mosaics are in my post, this week we will start off with my Art Journals: Starting from the top left corner (please note that some of these links are to posts that give detail art instructions for how I actually completed my pages while others are just photos of the completed project):

1.   My Summer Art Journal

2.   Fantasy Folded Altered Book

3.   My Summer Art Journal

4.   Day 5: The {21} Challenge

5.   My Summer Art Journal

6.   Day 11: The {21} Challenge

7.   Day 21: The {21} Challenge

8.   Day 15: The {21} Challenge

9.   Day 13: The {21} Challenge

10. My Summer Art Journal

11. Day 7: The {21} Challenge

12. Day 9: The {21} Challenge

Where Bloggers Create II & Pink Saturday

Today is the Where Bloggers Create II, Annual Blog Party that is hosted by the very talented, Karen Valentine on her, My Desert Cottage blogspot.  Please be sure to check out all the wonderful spaces this year for Where Bloggers Create II.

It is also Pink Saturday where we get to share all the inspiring PINK things that come into our lives.  Pink Saturday is a weekly blog party that is hosted by Beverly on her blog, How Sweet The Sound, so be sure to hop on over to link up with the rest of the wonderful Pink Saturday posts this week.  It is funny, but I didn't really realize just how many PINK things I had in my home/studio until I sat and looked at the picture...so there is lots of PINK inspiration here at the Love Shack!

Sisters in the Bloggerette Sorority...

Won't you join us?   The lovely, Karen of, Some Days Are Diamonds blogspot is hosting the Bloggerett Sorority and your all are invited to RUSH the Bloggerett Sorority this coming June 25th.   What fun we shall all have and there are so many more Sisters to meet!   Won't you join us for parties and giveaways, tours and workshops, sharing creations and ideas - all of this, and more, is in store for all of us.   Be sure to RUSH on over to Karen's blog post for all the juicy details!