Canadian Scrapbook Carnival

Well it's been a very busy and exciting day! I went to the Carnival by Canadian Scrapbooker magazine. I took two classes today!

The first class was a fab photography class by Allison Orthner. Allison is well published and teaches many classes about the art and the FUN of photography. I learned quite a lot. Mainly about 'LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION', the title of her class. I know composition is now KEY. Lighting is key. What you are looking for in your photo is key and the importance of watching for the 'blue speedo' in the photo!! The blue Speedo is that distraction in your photo that is not at all what you intended to capture! In the photo we saw in the class there was indeed a man in a blue Speedo! We were howling in class! The rule of thirds was stressed and that how and when to use your flash. Such a fab class! Thanks Allison!! Allison Orthner's web site. I have discovered a picture of myself and Susan my girlfriend who attended the class too!! We are doing some posing in the picture that was posted on the lovely Allison's website! ohhh such a funny pic.  Please know at the time we were doing a bad photo! Not my best pose to be sure! But it was a heap of fun. 


The second class I took was a class by Christy Riopel called 'Releasing your inner artist'. We certainly did that! We got dirty with paint and chalk and glue and made a fab mini book!! I will post pics soon. Her class was just incredible. Tomorrow I will be taking 'Technique Rich, Yet Frugal', by Connie Nichol. I look forward to this class and I will be posting pics of this project and describing the day as well as posting the class project pics by Christy. Well I'm wiped out so I'm off to bed! Up early for tomorrow's class and some pics! What a day! Take care all!

Calgary Weather : Amazing clouds and Rainbows

I have been seeing some incredibly volatile weather here in Calgary as of late.  We have had warmer weather and a lot of rather violent storms.  With the storms I have seen incredible cloud formations.  I love to take photos of weather and would also like to share a few of the special ones with you! Check out the cool things clouds can do!!

towards the city

This picture is shot from the balcony on the second level of my home.  This is looking towards the South East.  I love the layers in the clouds! The play of dark and light is just, in my opinion, amazing!!

Rainbow over the city!

I love this picture.  The rainbow is small and was very fleeting.  I love the layers of the clouds and the texture I see in them.  I want to touch the clouds and feel how soft they are!  The rainbow is directly over the city and I am looking from my home towards the South East.

Over Nose Hill

This rather ominous mass of clouds is above a protected park in Calgary, just a couple of minutes from my home.  It is called Nose Hill.  There are a heard of deer and lots of coyotes and hares as well as all the other animals found in such an ecosystem.  The coyotes actually come over to our backyard! Scary, as they could eat my little dog in one foul swoop....or rather bite!!   I just love the colours in this pic!  The dark clouds above the light ones were very heavy and dangerous looking.  They did open up after I snapped this shot and there was quite a downpour and much thunder and lightening.  This picture is looking towards the East in the city.

another angel over Nose Hill

Another angle of the above picture showing the imposing dark clouds. It is a shot of higher in the sky than the above picture. I look up higher snapped and this is what I got! I love taking different angles of similar shots as I find I get so many different views and can see things from a different vantage point.

Another Rainbow over the city

This is taken on the same day as previous city rainbow picture above......I just wanted to share the texture of the clouds again.  It is an amazing cloud. 

Rainbow in the deep dark cloud

 This is looking over Nose Hill again.  This picture of the clouds is the same day as the other Nose Hill pictures towards the East.  The sun is gradually setting in the West.  It's placed behind the main clouds and thus creating this beauty of this rainbow for our viewing pleasure!


Thanks for sharing in my joy of rainbows and amazing clouds!
Wishing you all a creative and happy weekend!!

Art Journal????

Hi friends!
I have been dabbling in some altered art and have wanted to do an art journal for quite some time.  I have attempted my first  page.....well I don't think it can actually be called a JOURNAL page as it is not IN a journal.  Oh I know this is ironic....a journal page not in a journal, how IS this possible.  I'll tell you....confidence...that is what was slightly lacking for a first timer! Okay so now the plan is to "suck it up buttercup' and get the journal pages into a journal.....oh my!

I have the journals I have the supplies.  I have been amassing my supplies on the advice of Paula Phillips a well known and published artist AKA Journal Artista.  Her work is amazing.  She has a DVD out explaining techniques and how to begin journaling and I have used this DVD, as I have previously mentioned and posted a link to it in a previous blog posting......here it is again for those who would like to see it...You can buy Paula's DVD here  A great investment! Thanks again Paula....amazing work.  If you are so inclined Paula broadcasts on UStream on a regular basis.  Just sign in and look for Journal Artista and you will find her previous broadcasts to view or watch her live and chat with her.  Lots and lots to learn from such and incredible teacher!

okay so here goes my attempt.......ready?????  Here it is!!!

my non journal page

Well yes I have stuck my art onto my wall and yes,  oh my,  I did use green painters tape.....(head hung in shame....) I didn't want to damage my paint...I do love my yellow walls!!  I think it is very difficult to see the actual texture on the page and the colour has not shown up very well in this photo.

The second picture below is a little better with respect to showing the colours I used.  I have added three pictures of the page so that you can get a good idea of the textures and the colours I have used. I had a great time doing this.  It was very, very freeing and it was an amazingly creative experience. 

Time 4 An Evolution

Same page.....just to show the colours. 

different angle to see the colours

Well that's that!!! I do plan to begin working in one of my journals for my next page and will hopefully become more confident in my work over time.  I have been told this is the case, the confidence I mean!  This is a journey and an evolution as I wrote on my first page.  A growth of myself, my skills and many other areas of my life. 

Thanks for sharing in my creative joy!!