The one about Lyrical Interpretation

So I made the switch to Facebook last month after about 8 months of avoiding it. I figured I didn't need another internet site to keep up on. I had Twitter (sort of) and my blog, which I wasn't doing very well with anyway. I used to really post here a lot. I miss that. Facebook has not replaced my blog, but has become more of a second blog, like a Blog-Lite, if you will. I love seeing friends and family there and keeping tabs on them so easily with little one-liner posts throughout the day. :)

I am still looking to track down more of my friends on Facebook! Come see me there:

Marilyn Healey

In the meantime, I am down to one art project. A book collaborative called Lyrical Interpretation headed up by my friend Lee Weber! Its so fun--every book has a theme which is dictated by a song of the artist's choosing. I'm still into the semi-dark genre and all around general spookiness so I chose the song Full Moon by the Black Ghosts (yeah, I know---its from the Twilight movie).

Here's my book:

enjoy!

The one about the last of the Halloween projects

These were completed in January, for an ATC swap last fall. Yeah, I know I'm lame and always late. The theme was Mystery and Misery. I used copies of my favorite three stern and scary women.

The one about Julie's book

Finally getting around to uploading this....

The last book I worked on in Julie's Haunted and Mysterious book collaborative was completed way back in December. This is actually Julie's book, too.

The one about the Hello

Hello!!!
How time flies.
Aren't you supposed to be having fun while time is flying? Like a kid at an amusement park or while reading a good book...but I seem to be losing the race with the rats more and more each week.
lol

The LOVE book is out and I still can't believe our little valentine project was turned into an entire publication!!!
I find it interesting what Somerset chose to print, and what they didn't print. Below are a few that I loved, that didn't make the cut.

....oh, and if you'd emailed me recently, especially with questions about the book, and I haven't answered, please be patient--I'll get back to you. Or even better, just email me again!! :)

The one about the movie

It was so bad but really cool at the same time. I'd can't wait to see it again. I was happy to read the studio announced they are moving forward with New Moon. I hope they have a bigger budget!

The one about the shoes

I have a new obsession, unfortunately......buying shoes on eBay!

With my stupid left ankle hurting, I can't handle shoes with heels higher than about 2 1/2 inches. Last winter and again this fall I have been on the hunt for heels for church. Black pumps with a wider heel and/or a shorter heel height. Its either I hate the style, the toe is too round, too pointed, or they are too high, or too expensive.

I don't know why I didn't think of this before. So I went a little crazy last week--thank goodness for my etsy store, I had some extra money for myself. :) But they were all so cheap! I also found some casual shoes, I am picky and can't find what I need around here. ....and my gym shoes just bit it this week so I fixed that problem, too, with some new white Reebok's. So many shoes...so little time! Its going to be hard this spring when I start looking for sandals. :)

I love these shoes!


Okay, so I can't wear these sandals yet, but they were only 99 cents!

The one about the Dark Knight sticker

Soooo.....I've been missing lately. Tomorrow I'll have a cool give-a-way for a book written by a friend, so stop by then, too!

My attempt at hiding my dreaded minivan underneath a white vinyl hibiscus sticker in February 2007 only lasted until the van had emissions and safety performed a few months later. Had to remove the darn thing because I had put it over the brake light. doh! I have been stickerless, unfabulous, and uncool since then.... until now. I even got the Teenage Boy to admit it was cool and I thought I saw a smile. I asked DH if he wanted one for the car and he said, "Absolutely not." lol

Been reading this book all month and enjoying it very much! I must say it's one of the best books Ive read and will be sad when it is finished. It is 928 pages long, about history and faraway places and the search through medieval documents for the original vampire, Vlad Tepes, who may still be alive. :)

The one about more Halloween

Still working on the Haunted and Mysterious book swap. This is my page in the uber-talented Cassondra Walter's tall antique photo album book! I did both front and back of this page.
Drippy beeswax. I love what it does to paper when melted with a heat gun.

"Ghostie" photo sent to me by Kim Kwan. :)

Edgar

This man is wearing Edgar's clothes.

Another ghostie photo.

Semi-tarnished German glass glitter star.

The one about Amelia's pumpkin

Happy Halloween!!!

The one about goblins and haunted woods

New artwork.

Two spreads for Candice's book. The first was based on a page I found in an old 1920's primer....a poem about Nine Goblins. I thought that sounded like fun....making nine little goblins. The orange spatter came about from my getting a speck of orange paint on one of the little white dresses, and decided to just go on and spatter the whole thing. The other spread is a spooky wood with a Halloween-orange sky. I got the idea from a billboard I saw around here for a corn maze. The glitter crescent moon I did because I was inspired by a glittery moon I saw on Teresa's blog. :)

you can view close-ups here on my Flickr

Oh!! the bats on the bottom piece are actually ribbon---really cute puffy bat ribbon that I cut apart.

The one about the Ghost Stories book

I am not into anything especially dark or evil, but I love the whole aspect of spooky ghost stories centered around historical places in the world.
The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida...the whole of Great Britain....for example.
Most of my spare time this past week has been spent working on this altered book of mine. It is part of Julie Collings' Haunted and Mysterious books round robin. There are five of us working on this project. Julie started us off by having a little swap where we sent a goodie bag to all the other players. I had never done that before.... what a fun way to start a project!
This altered book has a niche carved out of the entire end of the book, which I FORGOT to take pictures of before I packaged it all up. doh!

My entire book is posted in my Flickr stream HERE.
:)

The one about the Halloween project

I had the honor of making a project, along with a tutorial on how to create my project, for Artsymama's Sweet and Sinister blog. My project will go live next week.

The one about the fatbook

We did a Birds and Trees fatbook in Club Creative and I was hostess. I had to make covers (front cover above)for all six books and I didn't realize that would be the case when I agreed to do it. lol Soooo.... I am pretty tired of looking at these covers by now. Nevertheless, they are finally completed!
Since it was up to me to make the rules of this book, I did what I have always wanted to do with a fatbook, which is have all the pages be originals!!
Click on any photo to get a better look!

me
me

Sandra

Vesna

Ramona

Paula

me

Lee

Vesna

Sandra

Ramona me

Lee

Paula

the one about finally getting to see this movie

Perfectly awesome.

The one about backpacking

I couldn't get The Teenage Boy to pose in my picture, darn him! But the three boys went backpacking in Wyoming this week. Left me and the girls home. Savannah went to her grandparent's house so it's just Amelia and myself for a few days.

I am still dragging out the reading of Breaking Dawn---its been nine days now! I have about 200 pages left to go. See, you have to be able to read that book all alone. You wouldn't want anyone to see you stop and stare into space and sigh from time to time over Edward, now would you?

:P
Oh! I forgot to mention that my very talented artist buddy Kristy made a really good hand-carved stamp of Edward and Bella from the Twilight movie. She was so kind to sent a stamped image to me. It's serving as my bookmark for now. lol

the one about being sick

Edward is back. :)

I am torn between reading it slowly to make it last, or rushing through it to find out what happens!

I got sick the day we got home from vacation last week. I am tired and run-down and hoarse. And I really need to restock my Etsy store! We drove through Preston, Idaho on the way to Bear Lake to see some of the sights from Napoleon Dynamite. Below is Napoleon's house, sans Tina the Llama.

the one about Bear Lake

We'll be gone on a trip the next few days (I say "trip" and not "vacation" because we are taking the kids... and staying in a condo, and condo means I still have to cook).
Bear Lake is really neat, though. The northern end...the Idaho end, the water is literally Caribbean blue and the sand is almost white. The water is shallow and very gradually goes to deep. Very gradually.
I am going to do as much reading as possible!
My sister lent me these:
Breaking Dawn comes out on Saturday and I am still debating over keeping my order from B&N, which will deliver it to my door a few days after it is released, or driving far to buy it the day it comes out. I am afraid of spoilers! I'm gonna be ticked if I hear something before I read it.

The one about the new series

Artist trading cards in a series done for Club Creative.

Gothic arches!

( I think gothic arches are "way cool" )

can you see the little face at the bottom of the atc?

The one about my desk

This has been my project all week. To uncover my desk so I can USE it!

Mixed media had turned me into a pack rat.

There is no easy and fast way to organize mixed media art fodder.

I wonder if it would be any worse to just put it all into a huge Rubbermaid container and paw through it when I need something?

I haven't been able to use my desk for months. My projects have moved down to the kitchen and dining room. Enough of the insanity.

:)

The one about cleaning up

I've been cleaning again.
No matter how many messes I put away, or stuff that I organize and clean up, there is always that much more waiting (and being created).

But last week I cleaned out and organized my freezer. i LOVE opening the door and seeing the inside now. I think I'll go look again right now cuz its so much fun. heeeeee

I have some kids to unload.
Seriously, I usually have no need for my artwork once I have finished creating it.

These five little kids are on sale here for 12 bucks a piece! Each piece measures 5" x 7.5" and is backed with 1930's sheet music, labeled with child's name, and signed by me.

You can see them in more detail in my Flickr HERE. Email me if you are interested and I will send ya a paypal invoice. Shipping is $2.50 for first class within the USA and Canada, $3.70 for everywhere else.

NOTE: Lizzie and Laura have been sold :)

The one about June 20th

I was half dead yesterday from listing so many things late Thursday night, but it was fun and I am ready to do more! I put up a bunch of new things in my shop last Friday and have more to list on Tuesday!! So many fun things, so little time.... I still have more ideas rattling around in my head :)

If you see something you like that has already sold...just email me and I'll see what I can do! I love special requests. :)

The one about tomatoes

One of my samplers that I slowly work on---usually when I watch tv with the family.

You know you're lucky when you receive a package from Angela Harris, like I did today. These are the button themed cards she sent to me, part of a swap on Club Creative. I really like how she incorporated all the button colors into the work. :) Its amazing how much detail she put into these cards---see them better HERE on her blog.

This summer has been deemed (by me!) The Summer Of Reading at our house. Been trying to get the kids into books more (i.e. the boys). Girls---no problem, but the boys are harder.

Momma Bird is back and her spruced-up nest from last year, under the deck. She spends her time sitting on the four tiny eggs she has in there. I wonder if she's the same momma from last year or if it's one of her kids? Kinda like the end of Charlotte's Web.

...AND we found more kittens yesterday! So sweet, they are.

Coke Zero has ruined me for Diet Pepsi. :(

I am dying to make more Pico de Gallo, but can't since there are no Romas to be bought until this tomato thing is over.

...and ...I have a lot of new items to be listing in my shop this friday! Been working hard at many new things! (and old favorites, too)

The one about...

I really need to do something about this, huh?
:)

The one about Cute

I do volunteer hours at my kids' school and so I go up and down the hall several times a week. This CUTE board appeared a few weeks ago and I finally took pics! I love kid art! This one, I think, is a second grade board. Check out those sweet little free-hand-drawn and painted flowers at the bottom!!

The one about the Indian Paintbrush

I am putting off going to bed because I never fall asleep right away (like 40 minutes or more..) and I lay there thinking about EVERYTHING, then feeling like I am wasting time, and my ankle forever aches. Then the RLS begins....

whine

whine

whine

but....I have here a photo of one of the many bouquets of Indian Paintbrush brought to me by Savannah and Amelia in the last few weeks. The Indian Paintbrush was late this year....being so cold, i guess.

The one about the free kittens

I was taken behind the woodshed last week by my crazy friend Emily, who tells me I need to pay more attention to the blog. hee hee
I have many photos and stories that never make it here. sigh.
Last week Austin found another passel of kittens up in the rocks on the hill in front of our house. This time we know they weren't left on purpose by * cough cough* lame construction workers trying to get rid of unwanted kittens while at work for the day nearby. *cough cough* grrrr!!! or should I say *hissssss*
These kittens had been born to a stray momma cat, who took up residence in Austin's friends garage to have her babies, then hid them about two weeks ago. Only four of the five remained for this sweet picture as Austin found a home to the other calico earlier in the afternoon.
They are about a month old here and oh so sweet!!!! We fed them and took care of them for a whole day until animal control could pick them up and take them to be adopted.

The one about wax

Art Night was last Thursday and we played with wax. We are all newbies when it comes to encaustic, but we played around and had fun adding layers of wax to our boards, dipping strings and ribbons, papers...fabric. I stuck to the beeswax more since I love the way it smells---and I added some melted crayon, too. I started with layers of squares of my most beautiful old paper that I had, and poured the wax on over it, using an iron to smooth it around before adding more layers and chunky-ness with wax.

When doing wax in an altered book, I will definitely go for the non-toxic encaustic wax sticks we had on hand to play with as well---- its pliable and won't crack off! I was channeling Lynne Perrella with my two pieces that night, as I totally ripped off her style on the square one. :P She's my very favorite mixed media artist.

The one about the pink and aqua garlands

I love making these---I just love how they look. I wish I were faster at production, though. I just finished two more---a pink and an aqua one this time. They can be purchased here in my shop.

The one about the SALE

I have two pieces of original art on sale in my shop. These listings are about to expire and I won't be renewing them. I love these little faces!!! :)

The one about the glitter

Up for sale are more of my bottles of German glass glitter. By popular demand, I am doing a few with aqua glitter!

Oh, and we didn't get tickets to see Stephenie Meyer :( :( :(
Dang camper-outers! Borders was swamped with fans even before they opened, the line was looooong, and the 500 tickets sold out in just over an hour. ....really really bummed!!! (but I am not willing to camp out)