River Bend Ranch - Patty Van Dorin

the book piranhas

still making jeweled bottles and still playing in Photoshop

this bottle was made using a old costume ring that had a huge "diamond". I split the ring in the back, worked the bands so they were flat and then formed the ring to fit this potato chip thin mini bottle.

and since I had the matching necklace, I added it to the neck of another old bottle. I am not sure what I was thinking as I can not even fasten necklaces around my own neck and then trying to resize then fasten this necklace with it's hair thin chain to the bottle neck. Let's just say there was lots of cussing involved.

I am nearing the end of my journal and I have been scrounging around looking for a book to recast into a visual journal. It just so happens that my local library branch was having a book sale today. I waited until mid day with high hopes that the "professional book buying piranhas" had already been in for the kill but it was still buzzing when I arrived.

I was able to find these books that will be perfect for my next journals. For me all that matters in book selection for journals is weight of paper, size and a good binding. I was able to get in to the book sale quickly and out with only a couple of bite marks to my arms. There were some wicked serious used book buyers who felt no shame in drawing blood.
 
on my way home, I stopped at one of my favorite places. Always known as the Japanese Tea Gardens or the Sunken Gardens (take your pick) even though the sign overhead says Chinese. I love the quiet ruins of these garden. Since attempts to restore it have never succeeded there are few people here. Most days I have the entire place to myself. I love it's decaying beauty. I sit in the amphitheater and dream what it must have looked like years ago when all the ponds were filled with water.
   
No journal pages to share as it has been a busy work week. I have planned the entire weekend to work in the journal and will share pictures next week. I am thinking my next journal will serve as both my visual journal and the daily dairy one that I keep.  Typically I work in two journals at one time but I am trying to stream line things in my studio.

rugosa petals

today's page in the visual journal

journal frenzy

holiday weekends are made for days spent at the table working on journal pages

Since I would rather spend the day at the dentist than shop with the crowds, my post Thanksgiving days were filled with paint and paper, big cups of tea and reading.

and what a frenzy it was
a perfect long weekend playing in journals

and speaking of frenzies
so maybe just before "walk time" was not good timing on trying to get a picture of a dog who demands to stay on schedule.

but Max the cat is always up for a photo. In the mornings he feels it is his job to lounge on my appointment calendar. Schedules just don't exist in "cat world".

iris inspired

a pre-Thanksgiving journal page

journal pages inspired by an iris from the garden. Now an iris may not be a traditional Thanksgiving flower but it is what is currently blooming the garden.

I was fortunate to be part of an incredible exchange with a group of journal artists. We have been sending our journals out to each other. It is something very special to be able to see these journals up close and personal exploring the books and getting a glimpse into personal pages.

Not only have I been inspired by the art but I have also learned something about myself. On my journals I glue everything down so tight, nothing is going to move on it during the next century. This made me realize that I am very controlling, a perfectionist, and too reclusive. So notice my attempt at change, a tiny corner has remained free to be lifted for inspection. Just a tiny corner but it is progress.

I work on at least two journals at a time, a diary type and a visual journal. Since my work space is small and cramped, the journals are always flipping on the floor, sailing through the air or getting pushed into things.  The visual journal that I was working on took a hard hit to the floor and exploded breaking it's binding. Normally the perfectionist control freak that I am would have taken the book apart and properly repaired the binding, cussing the entire time. But the NEW me just stuck it together with a big piece of strapping tape. I like the grid pattern of the tape and the pattern it forms on the page. I see a new beginning on the horizon.

the last of the Iris for this season.
The roses are still in bloom but I don't think I have posted any pictures of the iris yet.
And I am still loving Photoshop brushes
The freezer is now filled with turkey pot pies so I have a weekend free to play with color and paint.

not just any old tom - these are the pin up boys

yesterdays journal page  (this is my daily type journal)
Thanks to Carol (aka Mary Ann's sister) who provided me with a pumpkin martini recipe, my pumpkin pie this year will be a couple of tablespoons short of filling.

then a quick stop at the local library branch to pick up some holiday reading:
Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury
The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty
Storey's Guide to Raising Turkeys by Leonard S. Mercia

For years I have been wanting to raise turkeys. I have had a fascination with turkeys since I was a little girl.  But the last couple of years, I am really feeling the turkey love and not any old turkey but Heirloom Turkeys. Not just any old Heirloom turkey but specifically "Bourbon Red" and "Royal Palm" breed of turkeys.

Growing up my grandmother raised all types of chickens from the standard to the fancy and although I love chickens as much as she did, I am totally in love with the old breed of turkeys.
Why, I have no idea, I just LOVE them.

Wishing everyone some turkey love this Thanksgiving.

found it's purpose

An old chippy painted shaving cabinet, tossed around until today I decided it needed to find it's new purpose.

I remember from my grandfathers that the slot in the front used to hold a calendar. I cut a piece of scrapbooking paper to fit the front panel. I love how I can slide in a new one whenever I want to change it up a bit.

the inside is perfect for displaying small tiny objects.

since it is a metal cabinet, I can add notes and clippings to the inside of the door with a magnet.
(the newspaper clipping is my first day of kindergarten. I found this when I was sorting through my mother-in-laws boxes of things that she had left to me.)

some photos of favorite stuff

an old ironstone vase with the Texas star in the back. My grandmother used it for wildflowers collected from the roadside.

I love butter pats and mismatched salt and peppers

A teapot with a broken spout and some ironstone bowls that were found in an attic space by the roofers. Something good from having to have to have an entire roof put back on the house you just moved into. Still amazing to me how a roof can blow away but a box of old railroad papers and small pieces of china in an attic space stayed put.

Negative Spaces

today's journal pages
stencil on right page from yesterday's stencilaton

My usual way of working is to fill a page with graphics, numbers and text. The goal for this month is to appreciate the negative spaces and keep it simple.

Ralph the dog loves his babies. Nap time always involves searching for just the right nap buddy.
Usually I pick up a bag of stuffed animals from the Goodwill store every few months. Even thought Ralph loves his stuffed animals they don't last long.  He caught this frog "red handed" (sorry I couldn't help myself) along the curb on garbage day. He carried his new baby home and once it had been run through the washer and dryer...viola a new favorite baby.

spraying stencils while sipping a martini

today's journal page (on the right side is a Teesha Moore Post Card received in the mail)

and another journal page.
Yesterday I started cutting stencils for spray painting and today found me still cutting away on stencils. Then with a bit of break in the stencilathon, I sprayed a few of them and added a small stencil test to this journal page.

There is little better than a day spent cutting stencils and spray painting but finding mail art tucked in the post is about as good as it gets. This is not only mail art but MARTINI MAIL ART!!!!

Carol is the supreme martini mix master a.k.a Mary Ann's Sister

My world would be perfect if I could master spray painting while sipping a martini.
Thanks to Carol for sending more recipes to add to my "Good Martini Book"!!
So far I have only tried the snowdrift which is excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

superhero carnival freak

yesterday's journal page on the left.
Playing around with the Kiban cat image that was already on the page.
The one on the right ready and waiting.

Now I am off to wash the ink off my hands, face and hair and head out to a dental appointment.

under the magnifying glass

today's journal page