Donna B Miller

Two A.M. Poet

My husband says that he doesn't dream. That's amazing to me because I seem to dream constantly--vivid dreams, full of images, sounds, and colors. I dream art pieces in their entirety. And, sometimes, I even write novels or create songs. The other night, I woke up with a line of poetry in my head. It went round and round, to the point that I knew that if I didn't write it down, I wouldn't go back to sleep.

That line was the inspiration for the digital art journaling page that I created this morning. The black-and-white images just seemed to capture the state I was in, half asleep, half awake, full of erratic thoughts keeping me from much-needed rest.

Tangie Baxter Black Licorice (ephemera, window, photos, clock handle); Tangie's Arsenic and Old Lace (gesso); Vinnie Pearce Pieces of Me (background); Tumblefish/Crowabout collab Funky People (woman); Tumblefish Nitty Gritty (butterfly); and Tumblefish Freestyle (daisy). The fonts are Tangie's AJF DoDo and Stamped DSG.

Just an Old-Fashioned Girl

Back in the 80s, I took Dr. Morris Massey's class "What You Are is Where You Were When," a program based on the idea that our historical past influences our value systems, and determines our adult behavior. I remember that there was a video and a quiz. And while all of the other baby boomers in the class had values consistent with the 60s and 70s, according to the quiz results, I had the values of the 1930s. 

Perhaps my mother was right when she said I was born 40 years old, or perhaps I spent too much time with my aging aunts and uncles. I hadn't thought of the Massey class in years, but I was reminded of it when I saw one of the Art Journal Caravan prompts for this week, asking us to list ways in which we're old-fashioned.

The following art journal page was the result.

Everything here is from the Tumble Fish Studio kit, Lowbrow, now available at Deviant Scrap. The fonts are Stamped DSG and Tall, Dark and Handsome.

Spring Fun: The Bad Egg

Spring came early to Kentucky this year, with week's of beautiful weather in March, a time usually known for wet days, late snows, and high winds. I'm not complaining, mind you. It was wonderful to sit on my deck, soaking up the sun, so early in the year.

There's only one thing that bothers me about spring, and that's the abundance of pastel colors everywhere you go. Pastels are in the clothing aisles (do you know what pastel pink does to skin with yellow undertones?), the home goods area, even in the candy aisles. Since I'm more of a jewel-tone girl, my shopping options in March and April are limited.

Online, you'll see tons of pink, yellow, and lilac scrapbooking and art kits, complete with fluffy bunnies and yellow chicks. Now, I'm not really opposed to fluffy bunnies and chicks. But, they're not really what I want to use on my art pages.

That's why I was delighted to see the new Spring Market kit at TumbleFish Studio. It's a spring kit, alright. And there are bunnies. But it's full of the rich greens of spring; the elements are realistic; and best of all, it has that little bit of good-natured humor that make Marsha's kits so much fun to work with.

And, I did have fun. As soon as I saw this face, I thought "bad egg." In a wonderful bit of synchronicity, there were eggs in the kit, so I went with it.

Everything is from the Spring Market kit, but the wings. They're from the TumbleFish Studio Flying Things kit.

Celebrating Independent Women

Having a little fun this week playing with the images of strong and independent women. 

This first one was inspired by what has to be the best book title ever, Sarah Shankman's  I Still Miss My Man But My Aim is Getting Better. 

Almost everything from the Head to Toe kit by Tumble Fish Studio at Deviant Scrap; man's image from her Male Persuasion kit.

For this second piece, I recorded my first memory of rock and roll -- the day the Beatles came to America. I had just turned four-years-old, and it was the first time I had ever seen long hair on men, or seen girls fainting over men. At the time, I found it all a little bizarre. 

I used a new charity kit from Deviant Scrap, I'm With the Band. 

Tumble Fish Studio at Deviant Scrap's Head to Toe (woman); everything else from the Deviant Scrap charity kit, I'm With the Band. The font is Acoustic Bass.

 

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.

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.