possumus

Possumus is latin for we can

Possumus is latin for "we can". That is what the little words say on the dark background. They were there when that page went into the journal, so they stayed.

map of the world

the map at the bottom forms a pocket

cards in the pocket

the map at the bottom of yesterday's page got folded up to form a pocket--that was my starting point today. I found myself overthinking the direction the pages were headed and made myself stop and go with the flow.

possesed

the strips are loose and fold over the picture

each strip of paper has a few words glued onto it

the stripes at the far right fold over to the following page

I just finished reading a book in which the main character writes a book that takes on powers of its own. Maybe its just the power of suggestion, but I know the feeling. This current journal seems to be directing the progress and telling its own story and I'm just the conduit. (if it starts directing me to write page after page of "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" ala The Shining it will be time to retire this particular book!)

playing along

(rectangle on the right hand page is a cellophane window that opens to the next page)

So far, this journal seems to be taking on a life of its own and I'm just along for the ride. And I'm
OK with that. I'll just keep playing along and see where it takes me.

inspiration

"Inspiration is 99% perspiration"--I do believe the old saying. You gotta do the work. But sometimes it feels easier than that. I started out with a scrap of purple paper with a practice pomegranate print on it (say that 3 times fast) and the rest just fell into place. Maybe today was the karmic pay-off for the "perspiration" that went into yesterday's leaf mounting extravaganza!

turn over a new leaf

I had this vague plan of starting the new journal with fall leaves in some sort of open overlapping way (think wax paper placemats). It turned out to be way more fussing than I expected, but its a nice beginning.

start all over again

I finished off the red, dog-chewed journal yesterday and it is time to start a new one. I spent some time looking through the three I have filled since starting this daily process. Its seems like a good time to take a measure of where I am, how far I've come, where I'm headed, etc.

-choosing a journal to work in has been a bit of a Goldilocks process. Too big, too small, seeking "just right". Or maybe, continuing to change sizes is a good thing, a way to keep the process fresh.

-I started with the idea of wanting to improve my comfort with drawing because I've been frustrated in the past when trying to keep a journal while traveling. I had hoped daily practice would improve that. Instead, I've done some drawing, but lots of other stuff as well. So going forward I'll recommit to the drawing, but keep enjoying all the other stuff too.

-Looking through the first book I worked in, I noticed that I did a lot more experimenting and just trying out new ideas. I'll try to aim for more of that again. I really enjoyed it and it keeps the creative juices flowing.

So, here I go on #4!

studio table

True to the blog name, this is a "table of contents". And I even did some selective editing of contents while I was drawing. Maybe this dreary, rainy day should be studio clean-up day........NAH.

autumnal delights

My daily horoscope this morning encouraged me to "sample the cornucopia of autumnal delights". Seriously, how do you respond to such a statement while eating your cheerios?! It sets a tone for the day ahead.

Center for Book Arts

Tonight was a meeting of the journal collective which is held at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. I like to go early enough that I can sit and have a bite to eat in the cafe before the meeting--they always have good, out-of-the-ordinary soups. I did this sketch of two women sitting at a table right next to the open staircase--it made a nice backdrop.

sunshine

My dog, Bonnie, came into the studio and circled around til she found a spot in the patch of October sunshine coming in the window. I didn't even give her a hard time about acting like a cat--I think she has been missing the sun as much as I have.

future applesauce

These fat, red Macintosh apples might not be looking quite so shiny and cheerful if they knew the fate awaiting them in the very near future!

apropos of nothing

Its a phrase from a song--maybe Sheryl Crow?-- and it came to mind when I did this piece today. No particular context or inspiration. Just using the colors at hand.

dipchycks

I was so taken with the idea of diptychs using images from two people that it evolved beyond just a post on my blog into one all its own. Check out the newly minted "Dipchycks", a combined effort between my sister and myself. It promises to be lots of fun......

ratatouille

long before it was an animated rat it was a vegetable stew. Its a wonderful dish and even better when someone else does the cooking. Thanks, ma!

dipchicks

I was reading a blog called Dispatch from LA (always entertaining and inspiring) and she had posted several diptychs or pairs of photos. A couple of them were pairs of images from two different people--one hers, one her sister's. There was also a link to a site called 3191 where two friends who lived in Portland, ME and Portland, OR (3191 miles apart) each posted a photo from their day. I love the idea (the simplest are the best). So, here is my first attempt at a "diptych" between my sister Martha and myself. Her beautiful fall photo, my fall drawing. (BTW, she gets credit for the title!)

old coots

This time of year, large flocks of coots--round, black birds with white beaks--gather together here on the lake before migrating. I have to laugh when I see them trying to get away from the kayak. They actually run across the water trying to get airborne--they are the most un-aerodynamic bird I can imagine!

quilt

Maybe the gray, rainy afternoon set the tone, but I was struggling to find a subject and feeling very uninspired. Even my old stand-by collage left me flat. I finally settled on piecing together a quilt of whatever textures and colors caught my eye in the stack of fall catalogs.

fall garden

I saw a beautiful, loosey-juicy watercolor today and it inspired me to grab some paint. The view out my window of the remains of the summer garden.

ode to a crock pot

A couple more seasonal rites of passage--the heat has been turned on and the crock pot taken out of its summer resting spot. I do love the feeling of knowing that dinner is already taken care of and its barely past noon. A simple pleasure, but I'll take it.

bead monkey

My friend Peggy and I spent a nice chunk of time at a store called the Bead Monkey yesterday. She gets drawn in by the crystals and shiny baubles whereas I am drawn to the handmade or "used" beads, like the African trading beads. Judging by our respective bills, it doesn't matter what type you pick out, its gonna cost ya!