Spring in Georgia and Doodling...

Well, Spring in Georgia has turned into Summer...temperatures already in the 80's almost into the 90's.  However, for the past two days we have had more spring-like weather.  So we have been outside a lot planting our vegetable garden and flower beds.  I love to watch everything grow and so do our grandchildren.  Our youngest who is 6 now always looks forward to planting radish seeds with her granddaddy and loves to pick them when they are ready, but does not like the taste of them.  The process is what she enjoys.  Speaking of which, a lot of my art work is just a process that I enjoy!  I spend quite a bit of time dreaming up new things to do whether it be painting or sewing. . .just creating is stimulating and the process to get to the end is so satisfying.  This is not to say that everything I picture in my minds comes out that way, but who knows until you try your idea if it might work.

At present I am making my KnitClutch bags for knitters and crocheters to easily grab the project and go in what I think is a bit stylish.  OK, I do love making these bags and making sure that they are all different in some way.  They seem to be well accepted and that amazes me since I made the first one for me to have to take along to doctor visits and anywhere I might be waiting.  Who knew?

I do draw inspiration from other artists and one of my favorites is Alisa Burke.  She awakened in me my doodling past-time and how to turn it into useful and everyday items.  You should check out her blog ... alisaburke.blogspot.com.  She has some wonderful ideas!

She had a great idea about recycling cereal boxes … just paint on them. Here’s my first attempt . . .

Empty cereal box, painted with gel medium, painted with black acryllic paint, painted with crackle medium, painted with different colors of acryllic paints, and then doodled on. When finished, I did add white to help make it pop.  In other words, layering this project is important.

Next I decided that I would take a plain piece of muslin and doodle on it making my own fabric. Here’s how this project progressed:

Plain white muslin. . .I do not use PFD (prepared for dyeing) fabric or even prewash the fabric for my doodles. Bet I will hear from someone on that one!

I start with a lot of different size circles and then fill them in with flowers or zentangles or whatever I feel like doing in the moment. Add dots wherever I want to fill a space and not too much thinking or planning, just playing!

Finished!

You might also try doodling on paper and seeing what you can do with it. I decided to cut out a specific section on one of my doodlings and framed it. This is how it turned out . . .

Thank goodness I had this simple craft to turn to. It has really kept me a little more sane and balanced!

"Dance to the music of your dreams; the steps

will bring you joy."

-Anonymous