Tag Archives: blogging

Sep1

Prayer Flags, Or Are They?

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Last saturday was our monthly Diva Day, and after getting together for so many years it becomes difficult to have a project to share.  But share we did!  We had a small group, but we still manage to have fun.  We narrowed it down to two choices, and our Maxine decided on flags.

Our inspiration comes from everywhere, and I researched for hours trying to bring ideas to the table for everyone to be inspired.  Jane laFazzio is an inspiration when it comes to fabric and hand work.  Check out her website if you get a chance, you will be amazed at her work.

The fabulous DragonFly Flag was created by artist Karin deBaay.  As we all oood and aweeeed over it, she told us she was trying to come up with some ideas to bring to everyone when it just fell into place, and she had to go with it.   Karin showed up to the party with a finished piece!

Maxine Custer and myself sifted through bags of fabric, ribbon, and various other trinkets to decorate with while deciding which  bits and pieces  spoke to us.

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While Maxine worked on her flags, we all decided these flags weren’t really Prayer Flags, but rather, Inspirational Flags.  In fact flags can be whatever we want them to be, and today they aren’t prayers, but rather Kindness Flags!

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My first flag just spilled out in a big surprise…..The birds, the sequins, it was all very unexpected.   It was so much fun to put together, I decided to create another flag, and while waiting for glue to dry Karin worked on some of her journal pages…..

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Doesn’t Karin do beautiful work?  She is a fiber artist, and all of us get more inspiration from her than she will ever know.

Maxine was also working on a lovely piece that speaks more eloquently each day.

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While I completed my second flag, I  realized  I needed more flags for them to fly free on my patio.  An artist can’t just have two flags!

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Since we gathered not just to share and inspire each other, but to celebrate Karin’s Birthday as well,  we had a Yummy summer salad, and Fruit Tarts from the French Bakery.

Karin had a fun day…IMG_0127 2

Maxine was inspired to keep creating…..IMG_0125

And I’m here to tell the story…..IMG_0128

This is the story of a Diva Day of small proportions, and lots of fun!  Thank you for checking in with Stone Soup,  I love it when you respond, and appreciate all your comments.

 

Jul11

What do we do when it’s to hot to do anything?

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Now as the summer heats up, and we all get just a little at the end of our rope, this is the time to sit in front of a fan and  sketch.  As  I’ve told everyone many times, I’m a “Goldie Locks Girl!”  I like it just right….not too hot, not too cold.  Needless to say, this is not my favorite time of year.  It is way too hot for me to function, and if I do go out of the house for any reason, it has to be early, late,  or I’m out.

What do we do?

This is what I do… I will sketch, draw on rocks, cut images out and glue them on paper, sometimes I look for ideas on Pintrist.    Sometimes I’ll take a picture out of the paper or a magazine, and just draw it.  This gives me an idea of how to shade a subject or the perspective of a subject next to something else.

That’s cheating!

In my eyes, that’s just practicing.   Art students copy the masters all the time enabling them to study a particular artist, a method, or just perfecting their skills.  I’m working all the time on simply getting better at what I do.  If I’m not trying to sell these little sketches, how can it hurt anyone.  On the other hand, I think it’s very difficult for me  to copy a piece of art.  I can’t help changing things, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.  I always have to put “me” into what I do.  So, no I don’t think I’m copying anyone.

Inspiration comes from everywhere!

Often I say that I’m inspired by many things.  It could be nature, or someone elses style, or color palate.  I love color, and I’m always seeing something new, and creative in my world.  Isn’t that why we take classes from an artist we admire?  I frequently sign up for an online class in hopes of learning a new technique.  The classes are usually Pen & Ink, or Sketching on the Move (that one I’m still working on).  But I believe everything we do, think, and experience makes us, and our art more interesting.

I thought this little video would be of some help in getting everyone going, because I think it never hurts to get another kick start, or see something from another artists eye.  Coffee shops are a great place to find new material.

Thank you for following me, and checking in to see what’s happening. Each of you provide me with a wealth of inspiration, and add to my creativity.  I hope I can do the same for you.

See you soon….

Feb24

Making Changes!

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Orchid in Abstract

Orchid in Abstract

Good morning everyone. Since I wrote this a couple of days ago, I haven’t any idea if it’s raining at the moment, or if the sun is playing with us. It’s been chilly here in Southern California, and since I live ten miles off the Pacific Ocean, it’s a bit damp.     Just so we’re clear, in no way am I complaining!  I’m only in Southern California….not Main or New York, or even Michigan. The people who live there have reason to complain about cold and dampness.                                                                        No, I’m not complaining.

Its been a long time since I’ve been able to actually gather enough thoughts to sit down and blog. . Today, Tuesday, I sat down with a big, warm, coconut infused Yerba Mate tea and decided I needed to pick myself up, and make some changes!

Changes come in all kinds of ways, sizes, shapes and forms. Of course the first thing I need to do is make time for you, and my blog.  The next thing is letting all of you know that KarenSamenow with StoneSoup will now be known as Karen’s Stone Soup…

Since some of the changes are to my  blog, and Yes they will be positive changes, and some changes are to my home!  As much as I love the colorful background of my blog, I’m going to replace it as soon as I can learn how to do that.   LOL   Some changes have already taken place.  Like me even thinking about changes!

Admittedly, I have lost touch with the workings of blogging, and I’m working at getting back to a place where I’m fluid at posting new items of interest within my blog.   Blogging is a full-time job, and  I also have interests in  creating my art, my family, and exploring and/or traveling. I belong to an  art group where we critique one another, explore new ideas, or sometimes just stop and relax with a cup of something good!  We support each other through great times, and sad times. Sometimes that means just setting aside creating, and being supportive.  So twice a week is going to be a standard for me, or I won’t have anything to blog about!

It is my hope you will like the changes as much as I do, and find it easier to negociate  your way around Stone Soup.  Thank you for being here, you are the people  keeping me going and giving me inspiration.  🌞👩🏻‍🎨☔️🕗

Jul7

Coming Out of The Fog!

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It's too warm.....

It’s too warm…..

As the weather warms up, I’m warming up as well.  I have ideas!  Ideas for painting,  decorating, gardening, and ideas for fashion.  It’s been important for me to stay away from stores in general.  Everything except grocery stores, and that seems to be just as dangerous.  (I love to shop, especially if it is for me.)

My tomato, and bell pepper plant are growing big. The cilantro,has decided to throw in the towel, and  be compost.  The  celery along with a new organic parsley plant  are  growing quite well.  This gives me hope that they too will survive.

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The lawn, well we have stopped watering the lawn altogether.  The drought has pushed us into a brown lawn, maybe brown dirt is a better way to describe it.     It takes a lot of work, and a huge amount of water to keep our lawn green and healthy looking.  Then….. there is Daisy, our dog!  She is helping make the decision to eliminate grass.  Between the drought and Daisy, our lawn doesn’t stand a chance.  Although I have wanted to do something different with that area for a long time, anything I want to do isn’t affordable!

All the other plants are fine.  We have just about totally replaced water guzzling plants with drought tolerant plants,  and anything that doesn’t live around here,   will get replaced with a boulder!

They don’t take much time, or water…..they just sleep a lot!

Jul2

Timeout for Art: Fishin’ for Time

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Since I have completely lost track of time, and finally remembered this morning that I missed yesterdays post, and now todays post is due.  Being so busy got in the way of my blogging goals.  So today I’m reposting todays post from Zebra Designs & Destinations.  I hope it inspires you to do a little something while we sit here in Southern California suffering from humidity.  This storm seems to be circulating around the drain, we being the drain!  We aren’t use to humidity of this kind, and for this long.  I know it’s nothing next to the heat, and humidity some of you have to put up with, but we are spoiled here, and aren’t use to bad weather.earlier in the week this storm actually brought to us a wonderful thunder, and lightening storm along with a little rain.

On the positive side, the three of us sat on the patio and enjoyed every minute of it.

 

Timeout for Art: Fishin’ for Time.