WOYWW # 221

8/27/13

Happy Hump Day… time for another week of jetting around the world and peeking in on friends to see what they have been up to. That's right… it's WOYWW, brought to you by Ms. Julia. If you want to see how you can join in on all the fun, click here.

I have been MIA the past few weeks, and I want to thank those of you who sent me messages of concern over my where abouts. I'd like you to know how much it means  to me. (you all know who you are.. :D ) I have not been feeling very well. I had Lymphosarcoma when I was younger, (cancer of the lymph nodes) with a poor prognosis, but by the grace of God, 3 yrs of chemotherapy and 21 radiation treatments I can call myself a survivor. The flip side to all that has left me with a small mountain of health problems, and I suffer from chronic pain due to degenerative arthritis with spinal stenosis.The past few weeks I have had some mystery thing going on that has left me completely zapped. When I am feeling like that I have a tendency to shut the world out. I find it easier to hibernate, cuz just typing that out makes me feel like a hyperchondriac. With school beginning, and dance about to start back up, I hope to find my energy and my mojo here really soon.

I digress though… needless to say I have not been doing much of anything. I did get some happy mail out, and I managed a page or two in my art journal. I can't post the happy mail stuff, but I can post my journal page. The face was actually drawn by my daughter Bridget onto a napkin, I collaged it along with some music sheets into my journal, and I used my Koi watercolors, and some Dr. Martins acrylic Ink. 

"Let Your Freak Flag Fly"

Face done on a napkin

Thank you for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a comment. I will be stopping by to visit as many of you as I can.

HUGS,
Kimmie

WOYWW # 219

8/13/13


WOW…2-1-9, the weeks are just flying by. It's my favorite day of the week thanks to our glorious leader Julia who brings all of us like minded folk together week after week, to give us a trip around the world popping in on friends for WOYWW. She does it all from her neck of the woods at the stamping-ground. 

I have been working on finishing up Ms. Roudi's b'day present, which I had hope to have gotten in the mail. But unfortunately have a few finishing touches left. I will have it done and mailed in a day or so. Sorry Roudi, I promise it will be on it's way in a day or so.

So I got a wonderful THANK YOU card in the post from Claire, over at
http://hamnmuledesigns.blogspot.com. She offered to thank me in a very beautiful and I might add very creative way, just for offering my 2 cents. Claire, I might just have to offer my advice more often :D. I LOVE LOVE LOVE not just my THANK YOU card, but all the other beautiful cards you sent as well. This is my very 1st WOYWW package, you did a wonderful job of making it special. Big SHOUT OUT to Claire!!!!! 

The THANK YOU card

I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to stop by last week, and to leave wonderful comments, and or who started following me. I am very lucky person and am enjoying getting to know so many of you. Who wouldn't feel lucky to be amongst some of the most talented, inspiring, and caring group of individuals, and it is all because of Mrs D.  Julia, you ROCK!! If you would like to be part of this amazing group, stop by Julia's and check out WOYWW. You'll be happy you did. I will be stopping by to see as many of you as I possibly can. HAPPY HUMP DAY!!!!! 

HUGS,
Kimmie

WOYWW # 218

8/6/13

Howdy, how are are all you awesome,  amazing desk hoppers doing this week?? Gues what day it is?? Come on, guess!! Yup it's HUMP DAY, and that means it is time for all of us to gather over at Julia's place so we can get out our virtual passports and see desks, and tables around the world.

Let me start off by saying a big fat thank you to all you wonderful, talented, inspirational, funny, warm, and kind folks who stoppped by my work table last week, and those who are becoming regulars. You all left such kind comments, and words of encouragement. I'd also like to say a special thank you for you awesome peeps who have started following me. You know who you are. :D

As you know I did a surprise, just because, good old fashioned drawing for those who left comments the previous week. Shaz was the lucky winner. I heard her squeals of excitement from this side of the pond. BTW, I finally got your goods in the mail. I probably could have delivered it in person for about the same price. I've never shipped over seas before…can you say "STICKER SHOCK". The woman in line ahead of me was mailing a big box to India. It was $90. I can honestly say, mine was no where near that. I had this giant smile on my face as I was filling out the little customs form, a) because I am excited to be sending Shaz her goodies, and b) I felt all "INTERNATIONAL" shipping a package overseas. I'm a weirdo, I know.

So this week not much going on. I am working on a belated birthday present for Ms Roudi over at http://c-is-for-craft.blogspot.com. I can not show photos yet. but I should be done in the next few days. I also did my weekly Life Book project. I have only completed a handful of the weekly projects. So I am working on catching up some. (I even put in another supply order with dickblick.com) Week 31 lesson was; "Healing and Authenticity with Jeanette House" Jeanette used Blues, Purples, White and Grey. I chose a completely different color palette. I went with more earthy tones, or Autumn colors. (MY FAV's) I'm going to be selling my cricut and 15+ cartridges. I NEVER use it, actually I don't know how to use it. I'm going to thin out some stuff I hardly use. That way I can buy stuff I will use. Perfect Logic, right??
Friday night Bridget and a small group of other Champion level dancers did a show and danced with Irish singer and performer Sean Keane. He was not only an amazing singer, but he was a wonderful storyteller. On Saturday the girls danced at a North Carolina convention of Ancient Order of Hibernians. You'll notice Bridget wore a different costume each night. Friday she wore what they call a "Pub Costume". It is for doing pub shows and special performances. On Saturday they could wear their solo dresses. 
Well I have most definitely rambled long enough. Please feel free to leave me a comment. I'd love it if you'd decide to follow me. If I'm not already following you, I will. 

HUGS,

Bridget with Sean Keane

Kimmie

My 3rd ever face

Up close of my "Inner Peace's" Chakra

Getting ready for Saturday's show

The girls with Sean Keane @ Friday's Show

The Girls @ Saturday's show for The Ancient Order of Hibernians

WOYWW #217

7/30/13

My my how the time flies. It's time for another week of playing peeping Tom over at Julia's place. This is my favorite part of the week. I have been looking forward to WOYWW for days now.  I have had a rather difficult week both physically and emotionally. For the most part I can usually keep my demons at bay, but sometimes they are just stronger than I am. I can't really do much about my physical condition, it is what it is, but quieting the demons is a sometimes a big challenge for me. So this week I finished my Bisquick box journal, and I made some affirmation tiles in hopes of making a vision board. I'm not totally sold on the vision board, but the tiles will make nice magnets.

The 1st page in my Bisquick Box Journal

My 1st ever binding

I cut the door so it opens

Can I just say that using the UTEE on the tiles was the biggest pain in my rear. I need a melting pot. The heat gun would blow the powder EVERYWHERE!!! In the end the tiles turned out kinda cute.

I'd also like to report that Sakura got back to me about my exploded pens. I need to mail them the bad pens, and they will replace them, even the one I threw out. They also said that for compensation for paying to ship the pens they would send me some extra pens. So I am happy about that. I will keep you updated.

Also this week we took our granddaughter to the movies to see Monsters U. She is such a peanut, the theater chair kept folding her up inside. I had to put my purse, or as my hubby calls it my suitcase on her chair to help keep it down. The movie was really cute. That's my hubby next to Kaya. I can't tell if she looks happy or annoyed.

Kaya Rose

Also last week I mentioned I had something special planned for one of you who left a comment on my post. I wanted to do something special for one of you because you all have been wonderful. So I did an old fashion drawing and have a great little package for the lucky name. Just email me your details and I will get to you. I wish I could send something to everyone, but alas I can not. I really hope this is not breaking any WOYWW rules. I'm not trying to get in trouble. So I am posting the pics of the stuff, and the drawing. Thanks Bridget for drawing the name.

A Brand new SMASH book.

A bunch of GOODIES!!!

An old fashioned drawing. All the names of those who left a comment.

Bridget drawing the lucky name

Congrats Shaz!!! (http://silverwolfcards-shaz.blogspot.co.uk)

I hope you all have enjoyed your visit. I'll be traveling the world to stop by your desks for a visit. If you aren't familiar with WOYWW, pop over to Julia's and check it out. 

HUGS,
Kim

WOYWW # 216

7/23/13

Hello all, to another week of WOYWW over at Julia's place @ http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com. How was everyone's week?? I'm very late in posting, though technically it's still only Tuesday. I was so hoping to stay up there in the top 5 this week. Well there is always next week.

So this week I have been organizing, and I use that term loosely, all my junk. Being that my son Jake, who is #3 in the pecking order has flown the cookoo's nest, SNIFF…SNIFF.. No seriously, SNIFF..SNIFF.. I'm not digging all my kiddos moving out AT ALL. 10 yrs ago I would have probably packed their bags. Now I want them to be 10 yrs younger. Wait that would make me 10 yrs younger too… FIrst one to craft a time machine WINS!!!!
In light of the newest event of my latest baby bird growing a pair and flying the nest,(I meant wings, growing a pair of wings) we did some room re-arranging and I am working on making myself a space of my own. Hubby is going to design me some wall units to help me out. I have to share this space with Bridget, her dance floor which was too heavy to move upstairs, so we will share this room with each other. I'm totally ok with that.

My Side, It's a Start, all the rest 
of my crap is still in the living room

Bridget's Dance Floor

I have been putting all my ephemera into sleeves into a binder. I didn't realize how much I have. I need to find a way to put some of it to use. 

I need 20 more binders,
What you don't see is the extra
large bin full of emphemera at my feet

More piles of stuff

I also got some new supplies, I got new Microns, because I have had a few explode like an ink pen. Anyone else ever had that happen?? I keep them stored flat, and the ones that exploded I had just bought about 6-8wks ago. I had 3 that exploded. I emailed the company with ZERO response. I almost didn't buy their product for that reason, but I love the pens. I got some Souffle`s too, I also bought some UTEE at the suggestion of Trish over at "easily amused, hard to offend" to try and shine up my beads. Thank You Trish for enlightening me. This stuff is good for way more than beads. (P.S. My new heat gun I ordered to heat my UTEE should be here any day) You will also see a small jar of Dorton's Wax for my journal pages to keep them from sticking. I also have a friend perched there in the background just for Elizabeth. No I will not be sporting a horse every week, I came across him looking for something and thought of Elizabeth over at alteredbooklovers. I also bought a little somethin' somethin' for one lucky person of all those who comment on this weeks post.

New Supplies,& Something just for Elisabeth

Here are 2 of them

I want to thank everyone who left me such warm, and wonderful comments last week.  I look forward to seeing what's happening on desks around the world. I need to get crack-a-lackin' and start my tour. HAPPY HUMP DAY!!!!
HUGS,
Kim

WOYWW #215

7/16/13

WOYWW # 215

YEAH!!!! It's another week of a meeting of crafty minds over at Julia's place. Another week of visiting very talented, very inspirational woman. Fun tidbit...This is my 100th post!!! And I broke 10,000 visits today. WOO HOO!!! Now if only there were enough hours in a day to visit every single desk. I want to thank everyone who stopped by my desk, and took time to comment, each and everyone makes me smile. :D  

So this week I have been working on my paper bead stock. I made various paper beads, I even tried my hand at saucer beads. They are really cool looking. I also made some beads out of tissue paper. I actually love paper beads, but boy are they time consuming. Tracing them out, cutting them, rolling them. My favorite are my tissue paper beads, but they are very messy to make. Tissue paper and glue… not a great combo. But here are a few:

My Scrap pile

I take little leftover pieces and twist them into tight little ropes

The final beads

Here I combined 2 pieces for a different look

I take long strips and start wrapping them around a toothpick adding glue as I go, forming them into balls, I then add the tissue ropes around the balls using lots of glue to adhere them. They sure are pretty, but a messy pain to make.

I also made lots of paper beads. I took all the thin scraps left over paper after cutting out the strips for the beads and decided to glue them to a piece of paper with gel medium, and I am using it for collage, I cut out some flowers and a heart. You can see them on my doodled page in my graph paper Moleskine. I love this Moleskine for practicing doodles and Zentagles*. 

To the right are the bead strips, the middle are scraps, and then my new collage sheet

Flowers & a Heart for collage

My Doodle page, to the right is my box of pens and pencils

Saucer Beads

The side of my saucer beads

My paper beads

Well I hope you enjoyed your visit. I know you all have lots of desks to visit, but I have one last thing to leave you with. A poem I wrote, I hope you like it. And if you haven't linked here from WOYWW, please click here, and join in on the fun. (((HUGS))))
Kim
                                                   THE ARTIST WITHIN
As I sit and try
to find the artist within,
I have no idea
where to start or how to begin,
As I ponder on how I am to be,
I feel at a loss
For this doesn't feel like me,
My desire to create, draw, and paint
is more powerful than one can believe,
I am working hard
tearing down walls,
Digging deep for the emotion to create,
As I sit and try
to find the Artist deep within,
Raw,naked, ready to go
to start, and to begin,
No longer left to ponder,
Who is this artist within.    -Kim Hogan

WOYWW #214

7/9/13

Well It's another WOYWW over at Julia's. This is my first year doing this, actually it's only my third week, and I have "met" some of the nicest, supportive, positive, and truly talented women from around the globe. How many places can you find like that??? It's fun popping in on others to see their creative world. I just wish there were enough hours in the day to visit every single person that links up. 
So this week I finished my cover to my Bisquick box journal, which is a tutorial I got from Jenniebellie's cereal box journal here, and her large box journal here using the same technique as her cereal box journal, only a bit different. I Tinted some Titanium Buff acrylic with a very light Pink, then used Distress inks on the edges and to bring out the crinkles in the paper. I then used Twinkle H20's on the spine and Dylusions stamps. I stamped the images(except the ones on the spine) onto manilla paper, painted with H20's and cut out and glued on. I glued a 30 ss AB Swarovski crystal (left over from stoning Gidget's Irish Dance dress) for some bling. I don't know if I am totally sold on the Twinkling H20's. I love the shimmer, but they take some fore thought to use, and som work to get the consistency right. But I do LOVE there shimmer. I'm all about twinkly, shiny, sparkly things. (just in my art, and my eyeshadow) So here is how my cover turned out.

The Cover

The Spine(have to order wax linen)

The Back Cover

Chillin' On the Wall

Spine Close-Up

Close Up of her Bling

I have also been working on one of my Life Book 2013 assignments. This one was 
Stencils, Masks & More with Joann Loftus. Basically we journaled our feeling onto our canvas, then we Gesso'd, painted, stenciled, collaged, and put it all together. Mine turned out a bit different than it was intended too. I mistakingly decided that I would add some "FINE TOUCHES". Well we all know that those usually don't turn out fine. I ended up spending an added 30 minutes trying to fix my "Fine Touches". I used the Twinkling H20's on the Tulip, and the Butterfly, (which has an AB Swarovski Crystal too) Then I thought well I will add some to bring out the Swirls, UUUGGGGHHHH….
What the hell was I thinking?? I had to paint over the entire paper, twice. Now if you have never used TH20's, they are a bit of a pain, maybe it's just cuz I'm new to them, or I just can't form a bond with them, regardless, I struggle with them. They require some thought cuz you have to spray them with water at least 15 minutes prior to using them, then try and get the right consistency, I think they are more work than I have patience for. I don't like sitting and waiting, I lose momentum, or I get distracted with another project and never get back to what I was originally was doing. Thats why I have 100 unfinished projects.
Now if some you have never heard of Joann Loftus, she is one of the most delightful people ever. She is talented, and funny. Her lesson for LB had a BLOOPER reel. I was Pee'ing my pants I laughed so hard. A much needed laugh I might add. Do any of you do Life Book with Tam Laporte?? I'm behind, as I am on my SOC and ICAD.  I have been WOYWW desk peeping all week. Ok, well I have definitely rambled long enough. Thank you from the bottom of my aging heart for stopping by and checking me out. I love comments. Please feel free to follow me on Google and Bloglovin', if yo do, I will follow you back. If not, I will still stop by and see you, I hope you all have a great Hump Day!!! 
HUGS,
Kim

The Tulip

The Butterfly with Bling

My Stencil area with empowering words

My Workdesk/Coffee Table

Tim Holtz Word stickers

Feeling words I chose

At the top of the page

I still need to Glue my GIRL down