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Wednesday
May162012

Art journal love...

Monday
May142012

Collect Moments...

Saturday
May122012

Wading Bird Rookery...

 St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Wading Bird Rookery - St. Augustine, Florida
Native herons, egrets, ibis, spoonbills and wood storks seek the security of our Alligator Swamp to roost and raise their young. With hundreds of alligators swimming beneath the oak branches, the birds know their young are safe from tree-climbing predators.

Friday
May112012

Friday Fill-Ins...

And...here we go!

1. What a beautiful day it is when I don't feel so anxious!
2. Hummingbirds are sweet, right?
3. It's no surprise that when trust is lost it is hard to get it back.
4. Paying my way through college wasn't easy, but it was worth it.
5. I like to try ethnic foods of many types.
6. SHINE by Salvador is one of my most favorite songs!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some quiet time, tomorrow my plans include catching up on work and Sunday, I want to go to workship and catch up on my painting class!

Wednesday
May092012

Art journal love...

Monday
May072012

April Instagram in review...

Saturday
May052012

If it is important...

Credits: Art Bits by Samantha Kira Harding and Roben-Marie Smith. Font: JWPennedScribblyCAPS

Friday
May042012

Friday Fill-Ins...

And...here we go!

1. After a while, I am ready for football season to start.
2. I am more organized and focused these days at least.
3. Well, anyway, I heard something about a super moon on Cinco de Mayo.
4. The sound of my box fan is calming to me.
5. I always sleep with Burt's Bees Lip Balm under my pillow.
6. Hope keeps me going.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging with my sister, tomorrow my plans include taking my sister to the airport and Sunday, I want to rest after worship!

Wednesday
May022012

A Review of the Chunky Idea Keeper...

A Review of the Chunky Idea Keeper with guest blogger Sandi Keene.

I recently created a Travel Art Kit using Rae Missigman's new online workshop called "The Chunky Idea Keeper." 


If you are not familiar with Rae, she is a repurposing expert.  She makes the most gorgeous bags, jewelry, home decor and art using common everyday items. She has an eye that sees the possibility in things in a way that amazes me.  Give Rae a coffee filter, a paper bag, a scrap of muslin or a bauble and she will think of the most amazing uses for it. My two favorite questions with Rae are:

What is that made from?
Can I buy that?  Please?!


Rae's repurposed goodies can be found in Stampington Magazines, her Etsy Shop and in funky little boutiques in the south.

This chunky keeper is perfect to pack up my must have art supplies for an upcoming trip to the Smoky Mountains.  It was simple to make following Rae's instructions even though my sewing skills are limited to paper. My sewing machine doesn't even know what fabric is! Rae takes you step by step (in video for all of us visual learners!) creating this workhorse so no fears for those of us who are sewing beginners. In a few hours from start to finish, I had the Keeper completed, embellished and filled!

I gathered up my favorite pens, pencils and markers for doodling. It's my latest passion and I love doodling anytime I have a few minutes so that could be anywhere. Now I am ready with paper and pens.


I love that Rae included a "pinning page." I use it for inspiring things I print off my pinterest board or rip out of a magazine. I am ready to try that new flower or pattern whenever I want because I have it with me at all times.


This may be my favorite part of all.


Not only does it hold a supply of watercolor paper but the pocket on the back cover is big enough to hold my Koi watercolor field set.


Perfect!

My Chunky Travel Art Kit is ready to grab and go. At just $14.95, this workshop is a steal!


Want to see more?   
Find Rae on Facebook and her Blog!

Monday
Apr302012

Faces and backgrounds...

I am taking Mindy Lacefield's workshop called Paint Your Story and finally got brave enough to begin sketching out the faces. They are quirky and fun and I like that they don't have to be perfect! 

Have a  blessed day!

Roben-Marie

 ...and some painted and scribbled backgrounds!

Saturday
Apr282012

Creating with stencils...

Daisy Cocoa's annual Spring Crop runs this weekend.  I was asked to be a part of the Designer's Challenge.  I was free to create anything I wanted with The Crafter's Workshop Blazonry Stencil which is part of their May kit.  Check out the Gallery showcasing all of the Designer's work.

I decided to create a small paper bag gift bag. I used the stencil to trim out paper pieces and then I stitched them onto the bag front, stitched another bag to the back and added some inky fabric to create the handles.

Have a  blessed day!

Roben-Marie

The Crafter's Workshop Blazonry 6 x 6 Stencil by Julie Fe Fan Balzer

Check out the 12 x 12 stencil HERE!

Friday
Apr272012

Friday Fill-Ins...

And...here we go!

1. Ah, me...I am craving a bowl of Pirates Coffee icecream.
2. My upcoming mission trip to Romania is what's on my mind most lately.
3. When I talk to my best friend, he often tells me he loves me.
4. Eating more protein is what's working for me lately.
5. I recently saw The Lucky One and was surprised that I actually liked it.
6. The kindess of others fills me with joy!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doodling, painting and sketching, tomorrow my plans include picking my sister up from the airport and Sunday, I want to go to the beach!

Wednesday
Apr252012

Blog Rewind - A Journaling Assignment...

Originally posted on December 18, 2006

I found this great book titled How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything and it has provided some great thought-provoking exercises when I have needed some for my journal writing.  This page reflects one that I used recently. I have listed the questions below so you can answer these and use it in your journal. 

Answer these quickly without "thinking."

1. I'm happiest when...
2. Someday I'm going to...
3. When I'm really down, what I want to do is...
4. I feel anxious when...
5. I'm afraid that...
6. I like people who...
7. All it takes to make me happy is...
8. What I really want to do is...
9. I wish that...
10. I don't like people who...
11. A person really should...
12. I just hate it that...
13. I have everything I need, however...
14. If I could do whatever I wanted, I would...

Have a  blessed day!

Roben-Marie

Monday
Apr232012

Art journal love...

There is something very freeing in making marks and scribbles with pencils and crayons. I just started Mindy Lacefield's Paint Your Story workshop and look forward to tapping into my inner child while I work. While piddling around in the studio this weekend, I decided to work in my journal without much thought to the outcome.  Here is another page with some funky flowers.  Seems they keep making an appearance in my work. :)

Have a  blessed day!

Roben-Marie

LITTLE art journal page - 9 x 12

Saturday
Apr212012

The Most Courageous Act...