And one last Remains of the Day moment

I promise this will be my last ROD post for today. I have to share the accordian style ROD that is a work in progress. I wanted to see if I could make this work and it did. I am so pleased with this one.

This is over 20 inches long.

These are the blank pages in the book however they are not bound in as yet.

The papers are made from 140 pd watercolor paper I dyed a few years ago. They work perfectly in this journal. I have begun playing on some of the pages.

 

Falling hearts.

And just in case a few of my art pals from In This House and Garden might be wondering, YES, I am working on my Mainstreet block swap. I have 2 rows of painted blocks ready to open their doors. I have not forgotten them. I paint and then while those blocks are drying it's right back to my sewing machine. I must admit that my paint brushes were starting to feel just a little neglected but they are much happier now since I reminded them I still needed them, that the sewing machine had not become my favorite art tool. Don't tell them, but I HAVE become quite fond of my sewing machine and have no idea as to when this ROD obsession may stop. I am thinking it won't be anytime soon.

And if you want to see some cool ROD videos, they have become all the rage. check these out. Melissa's video, Marci's , Jenny's, Tara's and Lelainia's. I am going to have to try and make one of these myself.

Remains of the Day Part 3

Yup, more Remains of the Day journals. Like I shared, this whole process is quite addicting, however in a good way. Everything seems to fall away for a little while. I can find myself relaxing as I cut, sew, assemble, bind and sew some more. It's very cathartic and good for the soul. They are journals meant to be used and meant to be wrote in something I am striving to become better at. These are meant to be non-precious and meant to be tossed, tattered and taken with you. So here are some more pics of my ROD's and are a work in progress.

This ROD I am calling my 'inspiration' journal. The pages for this journal are being created mostly with images and clippings from magazines that keep me inspired, colors combinations I admire, ideas that are shared and techniques I want to try.

Shaggy ROD. This was an experiment in just how far I could take the scraps. Just an all-around, all purpose, take life as it comes journal. I have completed one signiture of pages for this baby and bound them yesterday. Here are a few pages in this journal so far.

Remains of the Day Part 2

I had to take a breath and load that last entry. So here is round 2. These are the ROD journals I have made for myself so far.

This ROD was created from a pair of my daughter's old blue jeans.

Pocket I created on the inside cover. In it's previous life it was the bottom cuff of Meg's jeans.

And from this point we go to the pages. Remains of the Day pages are made from any paper scrap you can find; old book/magazine pages, vintage ledgers, scrapbook papers, cut up gift bags, and let us not forget security envelopes. You know the kind your bills come in. Once they are cut open the inside decorative print becomes the perfect journal page with a little window cut in it just for fun. Once all these scraps are sewn together; (who knew sewing paper could be as much fun, if not more fun than sewing fabric), pages are born. This is addicting, this gathering of papers, envelopes, scraps, I have begun to use things as papers that were never meant to become journal pages like the plastic bag my potatoes came in. If it can be manipulated to go through my sewing machine it will become a page. The madness never stops. Here are some of my pages.

Paper towel having been used to wipe off excess paint and a magazine image.

A security envelope page a swap came in.

A map page

Old ledger page

Another security envelope page

The pages are then bound into the book with a 5 hole stab binding stitch and an ROD journal is born.

Remains Of The Day

Want to see what I have been doing since December???? I was visiting friends art blogs and happened upon Mary Ann Moss's blog; Dispatch From LA and she had recently been preparing for her newest on-class Remains Of The Day. Mary Ann shares everything and then some on the creation of these wonderful, scrappy journals.  I decided I really, really needed to get in on the fun. Life having been rough and tumble; it was just the inspiration I needed to give my spirit a boost and Mary Ann made the dream come true. The class is on-going for a YEAR...A YEAR people. And we are having a blast. The group of women taking the class and one guy far as I know, are about the most generous and uplifting folks I have ever run across on the web. I knew a few of the gals from being on various Yahoo groups together including, In This House and Garden which I co-moderate with Angela Cartwright and Sarah Fishburn. We have been creating like crazy people. Mary Ann has unleashed everyone's personal 'remains' monster and is basking in the glow of all the goodness she has planted. I know, I am rambling but we really are having more fun than most adults ever have in one life time and it feels so good.


Bits of fabric, and paper have been flying unrestrained ever since. Ever see a dust devil? My art area has become a rather large one that pulls me in on a daily basis and once I am in the vortex, it's nearly impossible to find my way out and work on anything else. I really do try.

So here are a whole lot of photos of what I have been working on.

It begins with a scrappy, fabric cover. I have made 12 of these babies. Since I began all this insanity just before Christmas, Remains of the Day Journals became the gift of choice for my daughter's dance teachers. I made 8 of them in one week. Here are a few.

ROD for Carol

ROD for Ashley

ROD's for Julia, Kelli and Jenny

ROD for Jade

The pages in these journals are blank and are quite different than the pages I will share in the journals I have begun for myself, but these made great gifts.

The ROD's all lined up and bound.

Gathering Again

Gathering up bits of the world. I am gathering again.

It's been awhile since I have had a blog. Long story so I won't bore you with the details, but I am back and gathering again, finding my way through the world one bit at a time.
I have been busy. Life rolls on, some good times, some rough times but alot of laughter that makes it all bearable. And then there is art, always something to work on and create. Art making keeps me grounded, anchored, sane, my safe haven from the chaos; sometimes I create my own quite on accident, however that is part of the process so all I can do is embrace it. Trust the mess as Sabrina Ward Harrison once wrote.

It is a new year, thank goodness cuz last year was no picnic. I am hoping for picnics, parades and fireworks, lots of happy and the gentleness of the calm, quiet, and bliss to keep life balanced. I don't think my expectations are that outrageous and will settle for just a little normal, whatever that happens to be. What I share here will be 'bits' of my life. A keyhole look into my world which I will admit is not always what most would call normal. It's my normal however. Accept it or not, but please walk gently in my world. It is sometimes a precarious place.