Guest post at Creative & Free

This month author and poet, Christina Hubbard, invited me to participate in her series for creatives called 31 Days of Good Enough:Courage and compassion for the imperfect creative. My contribution is a part of today's post on Christina's blog Creative and Free. You can read today's post here:  creativeandfree.com/follow/.

To read the previous posts from this series click here: http://www.creativeandfree.com/good-enough/

Enjoy your Sunday!

Completed September Tag Book

Last month I was inspired by a challenge Roben-Marie Smith to use shipping tags for art. I took this mini tag book I had found at a thrift store and decided to make an art journal about some of the things I like about the month of September. My completed book:

I really enjoy making books. Whether I fill them completely or not, the joy for me appears to be in the making! I made an accordion book for my next project and intend to fill it with things that connect to my soul for the Get Messy art community Season of Connections.

For most of the year I haven't felt like going thrifting, but I took some time last weekend and went to some estate sales and thrift stores and had a great time. I'm adding a few of my finds to my Etsy shop this week. Tomorrow my sister and I are taking a much needed and long overdue sisters adventure day. We'll see what we can find in Lansing, MI!

September Tag Book

In Roben-Marie Smith's Claim Your Happy group she has a tag art challenge this week. Tag art uses shipping tags as the base for your art pages. Last year while shopping with my sister I found a great mini album with tags in it.

When I started thinking about what I wanted to do for Roben-Marie's challenge I decided to use this little book. Since it had 15 tags and I love the month of September I decided to combine the seven day tag challenge and do a mini book about the things I like about this month.

I took the first few days of the month and prepped all of my tags on both sides, giving me a page for each day of the month.

Here in northwest Ohio we are already experiencing fall temperatures and it's wonderful! The school year is almost in full swing now. Next week we start the walking school bus and in a few week's our after school program, so life is busy again. There's always a bit of adjustment time between the pace of work during the summer and the busyness of the school year schedule. But before it gets really into full swing the hubby and I will take a week of vacation the week after next and spend a few quiet days on the lake in a cottage. Plus take in a ballgame in Cleveland where our Indians are hot and ready for post-season! I hope you enjoy your weekend and take time to be creative, :)

Let Us Make Class

Because I love nature and combining that love with art and photography I decided to participate in a class on the Jeanne Oliver Creative Network called Let Us Make. The instructor, Sheila Atchley, is using the account of creation's first six days in the book of Genesis as the outline for the class. I'm enjoying listening to her read the Scripture and then talk about God's creativity.

I have decided to try some of her art techniques which are new to me, while at the same time simply using the Scripture and discussion as my inspiration for creating. One technique was to use acrylic inks and rubbing alcohol to create the separation of water and sky in Genesis 1:9-10. I was not happy with my results. On the first one done in an altered book journal, I apparently picked up the wrong roll of masking tape because it tore the watercolor paper as I took it off. The second attempt I did on a loose piece of watercolor paper, but still not thrilled with it. I'll have to keep playing around with the acrylic inks until I find a way to use them that fits my style.  So, instead,  I reverted to my favorite tools and technique to make my page- painted papers and collage.

acrylic inks

Once I did that, I decided to make a section in my commonplace journal dedicated to the art pages that result from this class.

My as yet untitled comonplace journal

I may try mixing in some of my photos from nature walks. Happy weekend to you!

Delight in His Creation

Recently, in an art video in a class by Sheila Atchley, I was reminded to take delight in God's creation as He does. To delight in something is not to worship it, but rather to take pleasure in it, to find joy in it. Nature shows us the beauty and creativity of God. My favorite way to delight in God's creation is through nature walks with my camera in hand.

"Worship the Creator; delight in His creation." ~Sheila Atchley

Today I am simply going to share some of the photographs I have captured of God's creation over the past few months.

Loons at my sister's lake.