of 52 Questions that is…Weeks 50, 51 and 52.

I have been doing 52 questions for 2 years and I was going to do another year, then I looked at my BUSY schedule for the year and even though, I like the 5 minute art interludes, it will be hard to blog about them steady.  I will, however, from time to time post about my journal pages.

Week 50 of 52 Questions prompts us with: The greatest gift. What is the best gift you have ever received or given?

For this card, I started with a piece of cardstock that was an old telephone directory for our town.  I tore it into several postcard sizes, then painted gesso or just acrylic paint over the names/numbers.  This one was then painted while I talked on the phone to a friend in California – so basically one handed as I didn’t think about the speaker phone feature until after the call. Duh!

I painted the gift first, then outlined in black and wrote on the gift as if the words were already on the wrapping.  Then, I did the teal watercolour wash over the whole thing but wiped most of it off the ribbon.

Week 51 asks us: Is there something you see or hear or do, that makes you think straight away about somebody?

For this card, the base was the same as the one above, then I painted on a yellow wash, a green wash and a beige wash, smeared it with a paper towel.  I added a leftover piece of scrapbook paper on the left side, then a piece of book text and some leftover tissue a friend has sent.

I drew on the face/head with a regular pencil, wrote the prompt on with a Bic pen and uses a bread tag for the week number.  I hand stitched it on with embroidery floss that was handy – should have used white but its done!

I was really pleases with the eye on this one.  Will have to play more with this way of drawing and I should be able to get better at drawing eyes then!  lol

Week 52 prompt us: ART.  There is just so much you can do with this one!

I started with the same base as the others, painted with a purple wash, then glued on bits from a leftover strip of painted paper towel. I made sure the glue was dry, then did a white wash over the whole thing.

I had wanted to do a border like this for awhile and started with that, then the free form ART and the floral doodle.  I drew the letters with a pen, then painted the white and outlined with black marker once the paint was dry.  The number was from a Sudoku puzzle.

That’s it – that’s all she wrote for this year’s 52 Questions.  I may still double think my decision to not do another round in 2012, but for now I will just journal in my altered book.

I have been having FUN on Fridays when Mark Lipinski has been prompting us to make Art and setting it Free into the world – FREE ART FRIDAY!  He had a guest on his radio show in early December who talked about this.

My first piece is now in Spain and this one from this past Friday will be starting its journey tomorrow (no mail since).

The base for this was also the torn cardstock from the directory.  I did a white wash over it.  Then, started the doodling.  I’m glad there was World Junior hockey to watch or actually, listen to.

I start out with just drawing the lines across the paper, then the secondary lines before I start the doodling, the more I draw lines, the more the heads appear….LOL!

I doodle a different pattern in each of the segments.

HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all!!!

How do you capture YOUR inspirations?

I use sketchbooks and notebooks myself.  I always have lots of both handy and ready to add anything to them.  Some are handmade, some are store bought, etc.  I have been doing it since 2001, as a way to have everything all in one place.  I made a video HERE of some of my sketchbook & notebooks back in February 2011.  I really should do another one as I have more now…..LOL!

My friend, Mark Lipinski, featured one of my sketcbooks/journals  in his January/February 2009 issue of Quilter’s Home magazine.

I always have one beside the computer, one on my night table, several around my studio because you just never know when INSPIRATION will hit me!  I have to be honest – I get my BESTEST ideas in my sleep/dreams.  I am unable to just sit still when on the phone (rather be off), so I am always doodling or in some cases, flipping through a magazine or catalogue.

I have been known to dedicate one sketchbook/journal to one subject.

An internet friend, Dede (known as Inkwell on Ustream) is challenging followers to make what looks like a FUN Idea Collector Project like she made on THIS recording.

Another internet friend, Felicia, made an AWESOME book for her ideas & inspirations – you can see her VIDEO HERE.

I’d LOVE to hear how YOU collect your inspirations and ideas.  Comment below so others may enjoy them as well – THANKS!

In order to access your creativity, you must validate and capture your inspirations.  These inspirations are precious seedlings awaiting nurturance……Gail McMeekin

On Friday, before I left for Saskatoon, I was catching up on emails and read on the Pickle Road yahoo group (Mark Lipinski’s pickle posse) that the March 2009 issue of Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home magazine is being banned from a major fabric chain of stores in the US……because of that statement on the left side of the cover:

SHOCKING QUILTS: We show you the Controversial Patchwork!

Art quilts that have been out in quiltland for awhile, but were pulled from exhibitions, etc. or rejected period from being able to exhibit them.

One of the art quilts is Randall Cook’s HERE. Click on DETAIL VIEW and see the FABULOUS quilting done on this piece.

The art quilts are no more controversial than someone going to an art exhibit in a museum or gallery.  I think its really stupid that the FABRIC CHAIN decided to ban the magazine……it will be the BEST SELLING issue ever!!!Fools – missing on FABULOUS sales and its even in a plastic wrapper, so no one can accidently open it and be SHOCKED.