And I was so darn proud of myself . . .

that I got one arch done for the many arch projects I've been behind. The work project with the software install is wearing me out, so thus I'm a tired puppy when I get home and get Hazel around in such that art has taken a back burnere . . . but anyway, I got this Shirley Temple arch done and was tickled and made a big dramatic check mark on my list, danced around . . . I got one done . . . I got one done . . . I sang and sang . . . then Hazel and I left the house to go for a walk . . . a Sunday walk mind you, but we hadn't checked Saturday's mail . . . so we checked the box and there was a note from the mail man, package to big left on side porch . . . so we go to the side porch and what was waiting for me . . . a box with two more books to work in . . . so one step forward and two back hey?

But don't worry my arty friends that I owe book pages and arches too . . .

I will get them done . . . Pat, Peggy, Frieda, Michelle, and Heather (I think it's her, someone I know I have I and J for the alphabet) . . . I'm missing someone, I know I am . . . but please, I'll get them to you I promise! OH and don't forget the two RR books I got in the mail also . . . .

I will work them slow and steady and win the race in the long run!

Speaking of running . . .

love ya, love your art

ja-who-dee

My Crazy World

I've found a moment to blog. It's been far too long. Not that I haven't wanted to, it was just trying to find a spare minute in my crazy buzy days! Wow!

My time first got ate up by the software install the hospital I work at was and still is in the midst of doing. We've started with replacing with the new software company the current packages that we had. That's in and we're still doing some tweeking and adjustments with that. Today is day 13 of the conversion. I work in the IT department, so needless to say, I've been thick in the middle of the conversion. It's very stressful at times, but at the same time very exciting and rewarding to be at work. I've been wanting a change in software for some time now! But needless to say, I'm exhausted when the day is done . . . oh girls just want to have fun . . . sorry, that just popped right into my head.

Then on top of that pressure, I came down with some respiratory crap that just knocked my socks off for a while. Wow. That was something. My chest would burn when I coughed up a woogie . . . oh gross I know, but it was the strangest feeling. This whatever it was sickness ran through our family. I still haven't bounced back 100%, but I am feeling much better. Spent Mother's day weekend sleeping for the most part.







I made these journal pages weeks and weeks ago. They are for Lenna Andrews who's theme is "NEST". It's a mingle of a tingle type of RR, meaning we are just sending pages to each other, but don't know who too from month to month. thus why I was able to make them early but not post nor send them on until now. These pages are by far my favorite art I've created. I sure wish you could see them up close and personal. Tucked behind the stencil letters spelling "nest" are little faces. I love stencils with little pictures peeking out from behind them!

Well enough tooting my own horn, duty calls and I must get back to work.

Love ya, love your art,

ja-who-dee

Happy Birthday

crownBirthday
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

Happy Birthday Mom, Mary, and Fred! Hope you all have wonderful birthdays this week!

More Snow . . .

Greetings1a
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

More snow. I suppose this will be really great for all the water levels in the summer, but right now, I'm tired of the stuff. I am finding the older I get, the less I like the snow. I actually think it isn't I don't like the snow, it's more I don't like driving in the snow. Or more to the fact, I don't like driving in the snow and having to share the road with other people! Yep, that's more like it. But if I had my druthers, if it's gonna snow, I'd just as soon stay home covered in a nice warm comforter and watching it build up from my window. yep, that would be perfect.

Longing desperately for spring,

ja-who-dee


about the post art:

making time, less than ten minutes

This is a generic greeting card I made. Love that dragonfly beauty. It is from www.artchixstudio.com The stamps of the splater and rings in from Tim Holtz, but right of hand I can't remember the shopping site. Just google Tim Holtz and you'll get many choices of spots to buy from.

It's a blank "craft" colored paper card to which I stamped, then added the striped paper, then distressed with Tim Holtz distressing ink and used a piece of sequin waste as a stencil. Then I adhered the imgage, and then of course, as most happens when I'm creating, out came the red pencil and the circle templated.

This is a view of the inside of the card. Same steps of paper, image, and distressing done. The image is a smaller version of the one on the front of the card.

Belated Valentine Wishes

Valentine
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

I made this arch for a mingle I am doing in one of my yahoo-sisterhood groups. A Favorite Holiday was the theme.

I picked Valentines in honor of my father's birthday. It is also my nephew's birthday, lets not forget that!

I love the hand holding the heart with wings. Symbolic in many ways as my father will always hold my heart even though he has left on the Ultimate Journey to be with our Lord. He still is so very close to me in my heart.

Love ya Dad!

And as always, love you all too!

ja-who-dee

Psalm 19:14

Prayer
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

which goes like this:

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, oh Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer.

This has always been my favorite passage of the Bible. And when Gina wanted to us to use our favorite Bible story or passage, I knew exactly what I wanted to art around.

Now the thing is, this was actually put to the test. on me last night.

I was in town running errands and on my way to my very last spot. I was going to pick up a pizza for dinner as we were all running late. Dale and Hazel were at the dentist, and it was working out that time wise, well heck, with the pizza I should have a couple hours to work in my studio.

Well, not to be. I'm headed east on main street near the corner by my mothers house when all the sudden out of no where is this white car. There was nothing I could do but hit the back end of the car. The driver hadn't even looked to see if traffic was coming from the west before she crossed the street. Oh my. Okay, I'm thinking, my air bags may go off here . . . they didn't . . . I watch as it seems in slow motion that my front driver side bumper is cramming into the back window of this car. I swear I can see every piece of glass crack and break into thousands of pieces. Finally, we come to a stop. I'm all right, no air bags smashing me, I can open my door. I get out and check to make sure the driver of the other vehicle is okay. There was a young gentleman that stopped to make sure we were okay and who called the police for us. We move the cars away out of traffic to my mom's driveway.

All I could think of as this was happening, and I wanted to scream out, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING . . . and . . . . THIS IS MY NEW CAR THAT GOT SMASHED. But my heart and mind told me, now be calm Judy. Dad would say that cars can be fixed, people sometimes can't. Which I did tell the young gal as she looked so upset. I stayed calm. I didn't lose my cool. As many times as I wanted to cry when I looked at my car, I didn't. Although Dale and Hazel made it there before the police, and I could tell my the grin on his face he knew I wanted too. It's true that it is more important no one was hurt.

But man, did I tell you . . .

THIS WAS MY NEW TO ME CAR, MY NEW BABY . . .

sigh. Time to re-read the passage and calm my heart.

love ya, love your art . . .

ja-who-dee

Optical Lense Book Laces

Optical Lense Book Laces
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

These are my newest Book Laces.

For these I used vintage optical lenses and diamond glaze to hold the small collages in place. the Laces are waxed linen thread and beads ranging from wood to glass.

they are awesome . . .

if'n I say so myself . . . smiles

love ya, ja-who-dee



these are the 'backs' of the laces

Back from Vacation . . .

RED/BROWN color theme
Originally uploaded by lapaixdart.

welp, it's back to the ole grindstone. It was hard to get myself around and come into work. Of course, the fog didn't help increase my thrill of driving in this morning . . . Michigan weather . . . or should I blame it on global warming . . . is this how the wooly mamoths felt when all the ice started melting to end the ice age? What was the trigger for that global warming? See, going back to work, it just stirs up all those voices in my head and they ponder such questions . . . . so I have to sing REALLY loud to drown them out . . .

you do realize I'm kidding don't you?

Phew . . .

Anyway, over my little break, I did make some art. This is one of the porjects I did. It's an arch for a RR/mingle I am doing this year. This lovely little arch will go to my friend Cindy Mc in Canada. She is a wonderful gal that I met through the ARTchix ya-ho-sister-hood group

I know I did more projects. Tomorrow I will show some things i made too, but where the heck are all the fruits of my labor . .. I only have a couple scans . . .

perhaps I "vacationed" more than I thought hey?

ah well, them's the breaks . . .

see ya when i see ya!

love

ja-who-dee