DISTRACTED .....

Sorry folks but I've got kind of distracted from art journalling and blogging ... and its all the fault of this!

I used to love to work in miniature but for various reasons, including lack of strength and ability, I stopped.  Then when we downsized (twice) I gradually sold or gave away my houses and buildings - I suppose looking at what I'd once been able to do and couldn't any more kind of soured it for me.  Anyway I never supposed there would be room in our new flat, so determined not to look back.  Since we retired I've reconnected with an old friend from my dolls house days, and being around her has made me remember why I loved them so much.

Then looking around I realised I had this small space that would just fit a little house ... and then I found this  on Ebay - not in a very good state, but after some renovation (with help) on the exterior its looking better.  Working on the inside now ... but for obvious reasons very very slowly.

So you see I haven't made a single journal page and although I felt a bit guilty about not blogging, I was having fun ... something I really needed.

I will be back because I love art journalling too much not to keep doing it, but right now I'm in the throes of a new (old) love and giving all my attention to that.

I've been blogging away faithfully for years so I hope you'll understand that a break will do me good.  See you when I've worked this out of my system!!
Love
Rosie

ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE ...

My apologies for the lack of a post this weekend - my computer blew up and I am (slowly) getting to grips with the new one which arrived today!  Unfortunately it is being temperamental about resizing pictures and a host of other things, but I WILL get it sorted out.  Just probably not today ....

EYE HAS NOT SEEN ....

 

Firstly my apologies for being AWOL over the Easter weekend.  Despite having the quietest Easter in decades (now that we've retired from leading services) and no guests either, I still managed to be weary and out of sorts.  I just never got around to doing a blog post, sorry :(

Anyway, I had no idea that this was going to turn out the way it did!  I began with a painted red background and then I was thinking black/white/grey on top - its such a gorgeous colour scheme.  I found this tissue paper in my stash which has architectural designs on it, so that was a good place to start.  I was thinking of God the great architect, or something .... it would all become clear.  It usually does.

Then I found this big eye in the black and white box, and coloured the white background with a Promarker to get it to blend into the red.  So then I collaged some more, and doodled a bit and with the bird shape at the top I was beginning to hear in my head that song from the psalms "His/Her eye is on the sparrow" (whichever gender you prefer), so that's the direction I thought it was going in ...  I added elements cut from magazines and catalogues (free collage stuff!) but I always try to draw on them or redesign them in some way so that they become different from the original.

But there was something going on in the back of my brain about the 'architectural plan' element, and the twists and turns of the wormholes, which led me to the impossibility of understanding the mind of God, or the great tapestry of life she weaves.  These words below were that actually came to me in the end... so I'm assuming they're the ones I was meant to use?

Looking at it afterwards I think these reflections came out of recent experiences and our brush with cancer? I'm not and never have been afraid to die, I'm much more afraid of being left behind.  We all fear pain and loss, and that seems to me to be only normal and natural, life is precious.  In a way this was a reminder for me that we go to something better, something beautiful and lovely, so that death is not an ending but a gateway into something new and wonderful.

I had been trying to prepare my heart to let go of my beloved, if it was his time, but I needed to remember where he was going (although thankfully not yet).

Funny the places the mind takes you - this week I've also been thinking a lot about theories of atonement (yes really!) but can't quite imagine making a page about it. For a start I'd need a bigger journal!