Donna B Miller

A Room of My Own

It was over four years ago when I decided I needed a place to hold my growing collection of art and scrapping supplies. I took over my daughter's old bedroom and put up some shelving, but before I could finish, life got crazy. Abandoned, the room slowly became like one of those that you see featured on "Clean House." I had nightmares that Neicy Nash would show up on my doorstep demanding that I let her crew take care of the mess. 

But recently, I became inspired by the studios of my fellow students in Tangie Baxter's Art Journal Caravan workshop. I started collecting ideas on my Pinterest account, and buying magazines about organization. And then, I saw Graphic 45's new Old Curiosity Shoppe collection of papers and embellishments. I joked that I liked it so much that I could paper a room with it. And, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it would be a great theme for a craft room/studio.

So, here's my new room. 

I made the 36"x80" table using Closet Maid Cubeicals and a hollow door from Lowe's -- total cost right at $100.

I found adhesive measuring tape online at Amazon. No more looking for lost rulers while in the middle of a project.

My crafting partner, my five-year-old grandson, has a table for his own art projects.

All the canvas cubes used in the Cubeicals are labeled with alpha stickers from Graphic 45. The backs of the cubes are papered using scrapbook paper.

To add some visual interest, I framed four torso tags that I created using the Old Curiosity Shoppe papers.

More yummy papers from the collection were used to cover some old cake boxes. I love turning trash into treasure.

But my favorite creation has to be the flying pig. The base is an old ribbon holder, and the pig was made from the cardboard on the back of the Graphic 45 papers. 

And, just for fun, I used the Curiosity Shoppe tags and stickers on my storage jars.

One of my favorite purchases is this old tool carrier that I found at a second-hand shop. It's being repurposed to hold all of my acrylic paints.

 

One wall is full of bookcases. All my tools are at hand. Everything is organized and labeled. I'm ready to create.

Something's Fishy

My daughter's favorite movie when she was little was "The Little Mermaid." Now 26, she mentioned last week that she still wants to be a mermaid when she grows up. As a mother, I don't get to grant my daughter all of her wishes, but this one was fun and easy.

This little art doll was designed with brads so that the wings and tail are moveable. With magnets on the back, it's ready to hang on her refrigerator.

Credits: Somethings Fishy and At the Beach kits from Tumblefish Studio at Deviant Scrap; laugh label from Echo Park; turtle charm (attached to the fiber scarf) from Bead Landing.

When I Grow Up: A Mission Statement

I have a confession to make. I love self-improvement books. Back in my yuppie days, I spent hours pouring over books on time-management, listening skills, presentation skills and more. Out of the hundreds of business books I read while working for the electric cooperative program, the one that made the greatest impact on me was Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Effective People. Twenty years after I first read it, the book still sits on my favorite's bookshelf. I still use a weekly calendar based on his approach, and I still strongly believe in having a personal mission statement.

But the mission statement of a young woman focused on family, career and community is very different from that of a middle-aged woman exploring her long-dormant artistic side. It took awhile, but I finally feel confident that I know where I'm heading. Here's my new mission:

So Very Excited...

to be the newest member of TumbleFish Studio's creative team at Deviant Scrap. Long-time readers of my blog know that I've been a fan of Marsha Jorgensen's art for years. I was thrilled when I saw that she was producing collage sheets for sale, and even more tickled when she started offering digital kits. You have got to check out her oh-so-charming artwork at TumbleFish Studio.

Here's a piece I did after hearing a speaker making a remark about "rising above the mundane." My quirky brain automatically pictured a lady with balloons attached floating into the sky as housework, jobs, and petty grievances remained earth-bound.

Supply Credits: Tumblefish Studios at Deviant Scrap My Picks (hand); Froo Froo (ladies body, colorized); Freestyle (background); At the Beach (face); and You're Invited (balloons and borders). Michelle Coleman Gypsy Spirit brush. The font is Acoustic Bass.

Propinquity Rebellion

As a member of Tangie Baxter's Art Journal Caravan workshop, I look forward to seeing what journaling prompts Tangie has in store for us each Friday. I was surprised at my own reaction to her word prompt last week. Instead of embracing the word propinquity, I found myself stomping my feet, and yelling, "no." Well, not literally. But, internally, I was rebelling like a little child. After all the closeness of the holidays, I guess I just need a little me time.

It wasn't long before I found myself humming Lenny Kravitz's I Want to Get Away. Finally, I just gave into it, and created this page.

Credits: Maya's Streetsmarts (background paper); Tumblefish Froo Froo (woman); Rosey Posey About You (dates); Create23 Revisited (butterfly); BittBox Grunge Wings (brushes)

One Little Word: Embrace

Always bad at keeping resolutions, the idea of choosing one word to serve as a touchstone for the new year appeals to my sensibilities. I don't even remember where I first heard of the concept, but it's been popularized by the My One Word blog and by scrapbooking guru Ali Edwards.

Back in 2010, I informally adopted the word "acceptance," and used it to gude me as I adjusted to the changes brought to my life by fibromyalgia. Last year, I got serious and signed up for Ali's "One Little Word" class at Big Picture classes. My word was "rejuvenate," and I completed a year's worth of activities and numerous related art projects. I even painted a canvas with rejuvenate spelled out in brightly-patterned letters so that I would have a daily reminder of my intentions.

It was such a positive experience that I knew I wanted to do it again in 2012, but I struggled for months to find a word. I knew I wanted it to have something to do with my struggle to find a new identity after my illness took my career and community activities away from me. I did what I always do when I have a problem. I read. One by one, I worked my way through all the classic books on dealing with life changes--Transitions, WishCraft, The Artist's Way, What Color is My Parachute, and so on. They were all wonderful books, but I did not find the answer.

And, then one day, it dawned on me. What if the life I have now, making a home for my family, creating art, spending time with my real-life and online friends, is the life I'm supposed to be leading? What would happen, if instead of trying to recapture something that is lost, I spent my time enjoying what I have? What if I learned to embrace what is? 

And so I have it. My word for 2012 is Embrace. 

(Credits: heading made using the Franklin Gothic font and Krista Mettler's Little Bits brushes; Rosey Posey's magnifying glass (Conundrum) and star charm (Discovery Heart); Tangie's crown (Happenstance), Christine Honsinger's scalloped border (So Edgy); TumbleFish boy and fish (My Picks, both colored); Catherine Designs background and wing (Create23 Revisited); too many brushes to list; and Misproject font.)

 

Starting a New Journey with a Trip to the Movies

How does one miss a whole year of blogging? Rather than go into it, I'll just say that I'm glad to see the end of 2011, and move on.

Before life became too stressful, I started a new art journal last January. My intention was to celebrate 52 weeks of being 52 by completing at least one art journal page a week. I made it as far as the cover (don't laugh; did I mention it was a stressful year?). 

(Papers and overlays from the CreateWings/Catherine Designs collab Create23; face brush from Maya's Weird is wonderful; bike from LaurieAnnDesigns Country Chic; alpha stamps from Kathy Moore; stapled strings from Sausan; and stamp from Mars. The font is Affliction.)

I still like the cover, so I'm keeping it, and trying again. I've enrolled in Tangie Baxter's year-long Art Journey Caravan workshop at Scrapbookgraphics, and I've bought all kinds of new supplies. So far, Week One was a good one. I finished not one, but two pages for my book. 

This one was inspired by the art at the end of the new Sherlock Holmes movie. I loved the movie, but from a visual perspective, the most exciting part was the end credits. I especially loved the technique they used of turning ink drawings into live footage. 

Check it out.

 

Here's my page. 

(Background paper from Rosey Posey's Discovery Heart; heart jewel, exit and paintbrush from Holliewood Studio's Thing Finder; card from Tangie's Art Journey 11; butterfly image from Rosey Posey's Buttefly Escapades; splash from Rosey Posey's Fragments Antiqued; and gesso from Tangie's Arsenic and Old Lace. The font is Dirty Ego.)

The idea of being both the canvas and the creator came from a comment by digital artist Angi Sullins in one of the videos she has posted on her site, . The idea fascinates me, because I can definitely see how art changes the way I look at myself and the world. 

This isn't the first page that I've done where I've been influenced by movies and their graphics. More than once, I've turned to husband Barry in the middle of a movie to say, "Remind me to look up that font when we get home." How about you? Do you ever catch yourself analyzing a graphic effect rather than keeping your mind on the plot? What movies have captured your attention? Link us up.

 

What to To Do on Super Bowl Sunday

While the guys are watching football, what's an art-loving gal to do? How about:

* Go blog hopping and win chances at more than 1,000 pieces of art by visiting One World, One Heart.

* Organize your craft room/supplies. I'm getting a lot of great ideas here.

* Participate in one of our Digital Art Quirks challenges.

ATC Swap: We just can't get enough ofthese little 2.5x3.5-inch cards. The theme for this month's digital swap is Summer/Winter.

Art Journaling: The theme for this month's Art Journal challenge is Solitude. Check out the Art Journal gallery for ideas.

Quirky Bookmark Swap: Talk about fun and easy. Create a 2x7-inch bookmark using the theme, Love, and send it in. In return, you'll get bookmarks from all the participants.

Digital Postcard Swap: Who doesn't love receiving Valentine's Day cards? Create a 6x4-inch card for this month's swap.

Quirky Book 2010: Each month, we're designing a 6.25x6-inch page seasonal page for swapping. At the end of the year, we'll have a huge book of quirky layouts. The theme for this month is Love.

Waiting for the muse to strike? Then look no further than our weekly Altered Works of Art Challenge. Each week you're introduced to a new quirky artist and challenged to create a piece of art inspired by their work.

Join us for our weekly Artist's Studio Challenge. Project themes, formats, and techniques change from week to week, so you never know what you'll be asked to create next.

* Learn a new Photoshop technique. Here's one of my favorites, Adding a Gritty, Bronzed Effect.

Or you could always do what I normally do. Take a football nap. Trust me, they're the best naps ever.

Friday Photoshop Freebies: Spooky Stuff

The theme of this month's artist trading card swap at Digital Art Quirks is "spooky," so I'm off on a search for goblins, ghosts and witches. And since it's Friday, I want them to be free.

First up, you'll want to check out The Graphics Fairy's huge collection of Halloween clipart. I'm in love with these bats. 

 

It won't be Halloween without a black cat, so be sure to visit Magic Moonlight's posting of vintage Halloween postcards and art. 

 

For the ulitmate in spooky, you have to download Annika von Holdt's Fifth Muse Photoshop brushes. These delicate, beautiful, and haunting images are so compelling that you'll want to use them all the time. (Am I gushing? They really are that wonderful.) This set is called Old Bones.

If you don't already have a Flickr account, it's worth getting one just to have access to the Collage Images group. When I searched for Halloween, the group yielded 279 photos, postcards, and vintage art pieces. I fell in love with this mask,

 

and this little Halloween chef. Both images were uploaded by SuzeeQue. 

DaFont has a whole collection of gritty, grimy fonts perfect for Halloween. Can you believe there's even a category called Destroy fonts? A couple of my faves are Billy Angel's A Bite and Dead Secretary.

Have fun playing with the freebies. If you're interested in joining our Artist Trading Card swap, you have until October 7 to sign up.

Autumn Window

There's no doubt about it. Fall is my absolutely favorite season. I love cool, crisp weather. Hot bowls of soup. Thick wool sweaters. Rainy days curled up with a good book. But, most of all, I love the jewel-toned autumn colors. The red and gold palette is the one I turn to time and again. It's the palette I used in this week's Three Muse Challenge to use windows in our art.

This piece came about as a result of a tutorial on fantasy photo effects in a recent issue of "Photoshop Creative." I used color-matching, the dodge and blend tools, and lots of blending to get the effect. 

Photo by Heather Sorenson, stock.xchng; background paper from the Picture Yourself Digital Scrapbooking disk; leaves overlay from Lie Fhung's Lumoz Whimsy; and frame from Sussie M's A Little Piece of Summer.