From Paper to Pixels

Here is my calendar for September. I almost always include an i-zone photo, but I am going to include other photos since I can get them printed while I grocery shop.

Today my husband found an arrowhead in the pasture where we recently dug a trench to install water pipes. How interesting to think that many years ago there were Native Americans hunting where we now live.

Here is a picture I drew of my daughter and one of our seven cats. I don't like to draw people, because unless they look like the person, I don't think I've done a good job.

Here is my August 2005 calendar page. I used watercolor lines to make the squares for this month.

I haven't updated in a while, but I am still making my daily entries on a calendar in my journal.

With the end of July comes the end of another journal. My journals, like my purses, seem to get bigger each time I buy one. This journal is 7" X 10" and that is about as large as I can get and still be comfortable drawing in public. I like the spiral bound kind with black covers the best because they stay flat when in use. The covers are stiff enough to give a firm surface when holding without a table in front of me. The paper is only 65 lbs., which is kind of flimsy for paint and glue, but I really don't mind. I also like that I can easily tear out pages when needed. If I didn't remove a few pages now and then, it would be too thick to close properly. I'm always the person who has a piece of paper when someone is in need of one.

Here are my calendar pages for February and March. I haven't been posting here, but I've really developed a habit of daily journaling. I used to leave a lot of squares blank on my calendars, but now all are filled. If you go to all the trouble of living a whole day, I guess you should have something to say about it.

This is my calendar journal page from Feb. 2003. It doesn't have as much "stuff" on it as my more recent calendars. I never know how they will end up when I start them. Some times they look balanced and busy other times they are sparse and quiet...just like life I guess. I didn't make a calendar page for February of last year.

Here is my grid for the week. I mostly drew things from around the house except for the 26th when I drew the Walgreen's logo because I was stranded there when my car broke down. I was happy I had my journal and a pizza with me. Imagine all that time to kill with no journal.

I finished my blank February calendar. I used a 3 color Color Box ink pad (Bouquet: Orchid, Lilac, Heliotrope) and bubble wrap to make the background. First, I placed post-it note squares I cut where the dates go. Then, I patted the bubble wrap onto the stamp pad and dabbed it on the page. When I removed the post-its, I had white squares underneath. I stamped the date numerals with an office supply date stamp.

I'm posting this month's calendar early. I think it's because I am ready for January to be over. My father-in-law and a friend from church both passed away this month. Our family is grieving and very tired. I am ready to creep back into the life we used to have.

Yesterday I went to a rubber stamp store. It was overwhelmingly fun. I hadn't been there in years.

Here's the thing, I almost paid $4 for a rubber stamp of a baseball. I planned on stamping my calendar pages with it on the days my son has baseball games. (Really original, I know.) The image wasn't especially well done, and it was smaller than a dime. I thought I could just draw a baseball on his game days, but I like the way that stamped images look. So, I got out my eraser carving stuff and made this tiny stamp:

The tennis ball becomes a baseball by adding stitches. It can also be a basketball by adding a line and coloring it brown. One stamp, 3 different uses. Aren't I clever? Too bad no one here plays tennis or basketball...

Ten years ago I was into rubber stamping in a big way. I had an entire closet filled with neatly labeled shoebox-sized rubbermaid containers each full of rubber stamps. I saved all year for the Stampaway convention in Cincinnati and spent the rest of the year using the new things I bought. I made greeting cards and gift wrap, belonged to a local club, and subscribed to all things rubber stamp.

Then I became busy with the daily chores and tending to my children. I didn't have time to play. I got out of the habit.

Something about stamping always bothered me. As much as I liked to make things, I didn't feel like what I made was truly mine. I was stamping someone else's drawings. I have been toying with the idea of having some of my drawings made into stamps. I want to make the stamps that I want to use.

Anyway, the stamps in this picture are what I am using to make daily grids. The blank page looks a lot less blank when a grid is stamped on it.

Sometimes it gets tough to find time to journal, and sometimes the big blank page becomes scary. I started a daily grid drawing which takes care of both problems. I found a rubber stamp that has 4 squares, each about 1" X 1". I stamped it twice on this page in Color Box ink. Each day I draw a tiny drawing in each square. I stamp the number for the date after the drawing is complete. (I don't want to feel like I've messed it up if I skip a day.)

This has been good for me so far. After 2 days, I found myself drawing in my Moleskine. Last night I drew another picture. I feel like I'm going again. The grid exercise got me over my temporary lack of enthusiasm for drawing.

I want to make an illustrated cookbook of all the foods my children like. I did this page to see what it might look like. I found this recipe on the Internet. My kids love it. The texture of the fudge is best at room temperature.



Zachary's Creme Drop Fudge

1 package Zachary's Creme Drops (12oz.)
1 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Prepare an 8" X 8" square baking dish by lining with wax or parchment paper. Mix all 3 ingredients in a bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir until well mixed. Spread in the paper-lined square baking dish. Place in the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes to set. Cut into small squares. Enjoy!

I started drawing regularly again. I used to draw in high school and college and sometimes in my journal. I had abandoned it in the 16 years I've been married, pursuing now abandoned career goals, raising babies, and making a home.

My inner critic is silent these days, and it's fun to make pictures on paper for no other reason than it's what I want to do. I'm not concerned with the product as much as I am simply enjoying the process. I've started to see again.

Everything is back to normal after the 2 weeks of celebration and chaos. (One of my 2-year-old daughter's favorite words is chaos. She says it, "kay-hoss".) I like making small drawings when watching TV. I have such a short attention span. I usually have to be doing something else when watching. Drawing keeps me still.

A couple of years ago, I started putting calendar pages in my journal every month. They are a natural way for me to order my journal. I usually write just the basics about what I did that day. Not very exciting to read, but it gives context to the written and drawn pages between them. Sometimes it helps me understand my mood by looking at what else was going on at the time.

I always make my pages by putting down post-it notes that I cut into squares to match the days of that month. Then I use paint or sponged ink pads to put the color between the squares. When I remove the post-its there is a blank square underneath. I add the days of the week and rubber stamp the numerals.

This is the month that my now 2-year-old daughter was born.

I always include stickers, ticket stubs, postage stamps, clothing tags and product labels...anything that is around at the moment. The baby food label dates the page for me because we don't use baby food anymore. The bandaids are from my daughter's shots.

My pages get more busy each month. I guess I am in the habit now of gathering bits of this and that to add to my pages. It is my secret obsession.

I've started my January calendar page and reviewed my journal of the past year. I am glad I keep a journal. I feel conscious of the passing of time. I am able to remember my journey through life.

I should make a few resolutions, but I usually don't keep them. If I did make resolutions, they would be like this:

This year I would like to try a lot of new things, even if they are only small things like a new restaurant or recipe.

I want to draw more. I am happy when I am drawing and painting. I am by no means a artist, but I want to develop my skills and try new media.

I want to leave room in my life to help others. We work hard to keep blank spaces on the family calendar. I want to use that time to visit friends and family and tend the relationships in my life.

I want to get enough sleep. Nothing contributes more to my well being than adequate sack time.

I want to be an intentional eater. I find myself eating sometimes without really even thinking about it. I want to eat only when I am hungry and not when I am bored. I want to eat only things that I like and things that are good for me.

I want to keep an illustrated blog.

I want to take down the Christmas decorations before Spring.