Tiger Lily and Altered Book

I began to add the darks to the middle parts of the tiger lily petals and wasn't at all pleased with how they looked, but left them alone to dry without fussing. The next day when I checked on it, I was tempted to trash it, but instead I began to work with other media in order to "save" it. I used some Caran d'Ache Neocolor IIs on the petals and then removed the masking fluid on the stamens. All was not as I had hoped for, so I brought in the big guns. I played with my oil pastels and my stencils and then declared it done. I am not sure if it will stay in this form or if it will be broken into smaller parts for inclusion into other mixed media pieces. My girl tribe, all of whom spent the night with us on Saturday, had only positive input. I suppose I've taught them well in that respect.

It has a bit of a shine on it from the wax crayons.

While the girls were here, I got out some paper and my Portfolio oil pastels and my Neocolor II wax crayons and let them play. They wanted me to work with them, so I got some magazines to cut out more collage things for my altered book. This got them cutting too and they came up with some very nice art.

Miss 4 is again using the theme of roads - as in the road from her Mom's house to Nana's house. It is apparent this is an important, repeating idea from the use of the words "important facts" that she found in my container of collage elements.

When I explained to Miss 9 that the theme of my altered book was eating natural foods, she decided to do a mixed media piece on the same topic. I am so impressed with her art.

Yesterday I decided it was time to paste the back pages in my altered book together in preparation of the cutting of the niche. My problem is that I haven't the foggiest notion what is going to "live" in said niche. It is time to make the rounds of the dollar store and the second hand stores to see what "grabs" me.

While I was going through the closet of mixed media "stuff" I happened upon some old post cards that my Mom had given me a couple of years ago. I couldn't help sketching a couple of them that I found particularly fun. I did these on Saturday morning before the girls arrived.

I have my exercise class this morning and then I am going to try the Zumba class this evening. I hope I like it and that I don't show off my "two left feet" too well.

What about you? What are you doing today? Does it involve art in some way? Will you make time outside of your normal routine for yourself? I hope so, as you certainly deserve it. I can't wait to see what you've been up to lately.

xoxo