What I Loved Doing in 2008

for Mixed Media Monday and Wednesday Stamper



My friend Serena honored me with this award. Serena, whose blog is Dream With The Fishes, is an artist of uncommon creativity and one who takes the time to build relationships and to unselfishly give of herself and her resources to support other artists. If you have time to visit her blog, you will be delighted!

As a very happy and fulfilling year comes to an end, I want to recognize some of the kind souls who have fed my soul, cheered me on, and lifted my spirits with their creations. Click on the names of the blogs listed below to meet these extroidinary women.t

Sharon at All Norah's Art for her tea parties and her "Sisterhood of the
Traveling Paints" stories

Jennie at The Artistic Stamper for the pats on the back, her three lovely blogs, and for introducing me to so many exciting new artists

Roc at What's Up Roc? for simply seeing into my kaleidoscope head and understanding

Taluula at Taluula's for sharing the process and for introducing me to the indomitable Mabel

Bev at Indy Bev for letting us peek into her childhood memories and for sharing her art and photography

Sandy at Stempelchaotin for being the hardest working woman in Blogtown and for always being there for me

Marie at Ozstuff Online for taking me all the way around the world to see her amazing digital and hand-drawn art

Heather at Creative Solace for her kind words, generosity of spirit, and amazing collages

Shannon at Original Bliss for a wild combination of humor, spirituality, art, and politics

Bel at Bel's Nook for miles of quirky inspiration and color intense enough to give me happy eyes


The rules for this award are as follows:
1. Add the logo to your blog.
2. Link to the person from whom you received this award.
3. Nominate 7 or more blogs.
4. Leave a message on their blog, letting them know they are “One Lovely Blog”!

Love,
Alberta

TGIF: All Is New

I am grateful for life
And all that I love
I am grateful for the Earth
And the Sun up above
I am grateful for my spirit
And my inner being
For the One that I express
And the joy of this feeling

Owen Waters


10 Things I Was Grateful For In 2008

1. Beginning to paint again after 20 years
2. Making new friends through my blog
3. Celebrating my 25th Anniversary
3. Turning 50
4. Creating art with Ava
5. Campaigning for Obama
6. Touching others with my art
7. Traveling
8. Getting my own computer, scanner, and printer
9. Being featured as the Artist of the Month for an art group
10. Teaching high school for the first time

Santa in the Moon

Created By Hand Patterned Paper , One Powerful Hour Revisit Challenge Step Outside Your Box Saturday



Love came down at Christmas;
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Stars and angels gave the sign.

Christina Rossetti


Love and joy come to you!
Alberta

A Brighter Outlook

Here's my entry for Sunday Postcard Art,for Think Monday, and for Crazy Amigo's Christmas challenges.

IF: Listen To Your Inner Voice Even If It's Ranting

I started this journal page early in the week, in response to Crafty Amigo's heart challenge, (that's me, of course, the Queen, can you tell?) but it's evolution took so long that it also fits the Saturday Workout magazine challenge. I was very frustrated over my possible schedule next semester. I was told that the administration at my school is considering collapsing my writing classes because of the high failure rate among the resource students in the area of math. Apparently, they need to create more math classes for these kids to retake the math class and earn a math credit. I realize that math is important, but how many kids with learning disabilities in math are going to use math in their professional lives? Exactly. But they'll all need to be able to communicate effectively in writing. So, I stewed in my own juices a few days, hoping that good sense would prevail and these people would approach me to discuss the value of the Writing class, but then, big surprise, I was unable to keep my mouth shut. At least I'd had time to cool down, when I went to my department chair to present my case. She agreed to TRY to keep one writing class, but she couldn't guarantee me anything. At this point, I don't even know what I'll be teaching On Jan. 3rd, and I won't know until Jan. 2nd. How effective can I possibly be, if I have no plans nor materials for these students who already have enough challenges and need a highly modified and individualized curriculum? Sometimes I'm glad that I'm nearing retirement because I think we've gotten too far away from doing what's in the best interests of children in special education. What's "special" about imposing regular grade level curriculum at the regular pace, using the same teaching methods used in regular education classes, upon students who have clearly demonstrated needs for individualized instruction? I'm sorry for ranting about something that can't possibly interest you and for being so negative, but I am irritated!

Angels Everywhere

Here's the Christmas card I made for my Secret Santa at school, Arty Girlz and My Time to Create. I'm sitting in my favorite class, Writing II,(NOT grading papers or doing iep updates) while my students take their final exam. The writing prompt is: write about the impact this class had on you. I think setting the right mood is important for getting the creative cogs turning, so I've got "The Nutcracker Suite" on my cd player, and a pumpkin spice candle is burning (Michelle Ward: Scent of the Season)From our window, we can see the glow of the traffic lights reflected on the wet street and the bare trees through the gray mist. We get to stay here together snug like this for two hours before braving the clamor of the halls or the rain outside on our way to the next class. This class had an impact on me too, but I'm not going to write about it here because they'll probably read it later, and I don't want to embarrass them. This is our last day together. Next semester, Jazmyne has to retake a math, so she won't have room in her schedule for Writing. Darius needs weight training to satisfy his football coach. Wille and Natalie will be back and Tyler, I hope. Maybe some new faces. But this morning is perfect: cozy, quiet, sweet.

A Rare Bird

I made this for Think Monday's Lamp challenge and Creative Therapy's catalyst 40 "What's a principle you firmly believe?" One of my favorite artists, Teesha Moore is their host this week, and you can definitely see her influence on this page and, indeed, in a great deal of my art. Here's a poem from a formula called "The Bull Durham Credo" that I used in my writing class.

I Believe

I believe that silliness is a sublime state
I believe we were put on this earth to love each another
I believe that lying is a mortal sin
That necessity is the mother of invention
Creativity can solve anything
And that laughter is the best medicine
I believe that the best time of the day is before the sun comes up
That family is the most important thing
And that people are good
I believe in love at first sight
I believe in Santa Claus and fairies
And I believe that you can fool the world, but not your sister
I believe in art every day
In the healing powers of soup and prayer
And that you can only be happy by making someone else happy
I believe

Bright Colors

I'm not sure what gave me away, but one of the first discoveries my husband made about me was that bright colors (Sunday Postcard Art) make me happy. Not rocket science, but true. That's why January and February are the hardest months for me; the dim muddled light of these two months makes me a little prone to the blues. I just seem to want to eat and hibernate, Maybe I have a touch of Affective Light Disorder, I don't know, but I have found out that I can fight off tho blues with art. I used to spend the long cold winter days sewing or making scrapbooks for my sons, and, this year I plan to paint. I've actually been dying to work on the three ideas that I have swirling around my brain, but December has been devoted to Christmas decorating and to finally making curtains for my keeping room.

This postcard was originally the title page for the new art/poetry journal I started with my writing class, but my students really like it, so I've converted it into a Christmas card that I plan to give each of them. For the final semester project in Writing, I assigned a compilation of original poems and illustrations. My students have written enough 5 paragraph essays, as far as I'm concerned, and I think they'll do just fine on the Georgia High School Writing Test, so I decided to wrap up the year with some creative writing for their souls. We've spent the last week eating cake, burning cider-scented candles, and listening to holiday music (I told them, "I love Christmas music. I love to sing, and I don't do it particularly well, so deal with it.") When my Harry Connick Jr. c.d. cycles on we've even danced a little bit. Good times. Don't get me wrong; we're not just partying. They actually have to include specific criteria in their poems. You know: the ubiquitous metaphor, simile, personification, visual imagery, yada, yada, yada, but we are having fun. Somewhere in the midst of all this merriment, each student has managed to write 8 poems, and some of the journals are beautifully illustrated. One of my girls, Jazmyne, loves journaling so much that she spends an extra class period (her lunch and advisement time) with me every day, painting. When the journals are turned in next week, I'll share some of their pages with you. Until then, though, "may your days be merry and bright!"

Naughty or Nice

This Thursday, I'm a little of both. Visons of Sugarplums 8 X 11" mixed media

But know I must have been naughty because Cyber Hell is where I've spent the past two weeks thanks to the evil virus that is eating my computer! Every time I try to scan and save any art, my computer goes nuts, strange websites appear, bogus anti-virus ads pop up, Flickr freezes, and everything comes to a shuddering halt. Ava has taken my modem to the computer technicians at her school, but the anti-virus scan they ran seemed to make things even worse.Then yesterday, she "deframented" my hard drive, whatever that means, and I was able to post this collage. (Arty Girlz)for Crazy Amigo's What Keeps Me Warm and One Powerful Hour's Warm and Cozy challenges. Keep your fingers crossed for me because I was been miserable while I was unable to communicate with you. You know how other people take blogging breaks? Well, I don't want one! Blogging inspires me and I like to talk to you about art and politics and random stuff. I can't do that, if I don't have any art to post. My words and thoughts just aren't that wise or original enough to stand alone. I do much so better with pictures. So, please, Santa, I'll try hard not to be naughty; just make my computer work!