19 minutes, handmade journals, princesses & bird girls

"Can I write an engaging blog post in 19 minutes?" I think to myself. I have 19 minutes because -stupidly- I moved several of my mermaid movie files to another folder and now my iMovie project tells me in a surly voice when I try to continue editing the file: "sorry love, source files are missing". Aaaah - a low-level panic spreads from my nose down to my gut. Then I utilise my techie brain and think: 'hang on, if I re-create that earlier folder with the exact same name (frantically clicks on 'trash' click click click), and then copy and paste the other movie files back there: hopefully - pray god, goddess, cross fingers, toes and other limbs - iMovie should be happy to continue editing this project again as if nothing happened.' If not. I have to do the whole blooming thing again, having wasted precious precious hours.

Breathes.

You don't know yet why I have 19 minutes, do you? If often start a sentence and end up somewhere off track. Well, it's going to take 19 (although now 15 - ha, that paragraph took me 4 minutes!), to copy and paste the files to the new (old) folder. In those 19 minutes, I can't work on my project, so I thought: let's try and write a bloggie.

Et voila, here I am, writing a bloggie of which I want to do a lot more in future. I'm going to aim for 1 as a minimum a week after M3 is finished. I enjoy having a body of blog posts to look back on. I have a big archive on livejournal (back to 2002 can you believe!) and I love looking back on my posts once in while and giggle at the 'immature', highly 'un-enlightened' person I was then! (I jest, but yes, it's interesting to see how I approached things in 2003 compared to how I approach things now). I was also incredibly funny then, clearly, that hasn't changed! ;)

So, I now only have 4 minutes left, so let me leave you with the progress of my handmade art journal (eeeeh) which I'm trying to create in the few little hours after Dylbee has gone to bed. And some new messy mixed media art. The method in the ones below is painting OVER collage. I used to do it quite a bit, but have become re-obsessed with it, hope you enjoy and have a lovely Friday plus weekend mah babies. :) Hugs. x

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OH HILARIOUS! I just closed and opened up iMovie only for it to tell me it needs another 40 minutes to process the new folder!! (Granted it does have almost 60 gigs worth of video in it, but come on, you are A MAC with a reputation for super speedy superior processing capabilities, why you need 40 minutes? Aaagh!

Oh well, some more time for me to blog, so, where was I? Oh yes, my handmade journal in which I'll be doing sacred awareness, getting-in-touch-with-my-feelings stuff. Here it is! (not finished yet) ->





(Rho if you're reading this, I know something is 'off' on the first stitching loop thing, but can't be bothered to do it all again! :))



Pretty no? :) I used watercolour paper, so it's going to be awesome to work in! I can't wait to start using it. It's very satisfying to create your own journal I must say! (Though a little time consuming).

BTW, if you want to learn it too, I took Rhomany's coptic binding workshop which you can take over here: www.mixedmediaworkshops.com/page/workshops-1 (scroll down to middle of the pages for Rho's video).

Ok, and here are the paint over collage pieces I was taking about:



I love the freedom this technique gives and the surreal, out of proportion style of it. Very much inspired by the lovely Misty Mawn, of course, but I think because I've been doing this stuff for a while (although have been taking a break with all the courses), I've found my own voice within the style.

Here's another one. The title Bird Guhl is from a song by Antony & the Johnsons who I adore adore adore adore.



In fact, here is the song for those interested, it is breath-taking.



Antony spells bird girl in a few ways on the album cover: bird gehrl and bird guhl. I think he himself struggled with dyslexia when younger (not sure if this is correct) and also dealt with gender 'confusion' which is a poignant topic on that album.

Last one of the paint over collage pieces:



I love the messy gray with black and white and the strong female figure in the middle. For those actually managing to read any of the small handwriting on the first piece and the last: they are around wanting another baby. :) We have talks with the IVF clinic early March. That's all I'll say for now. :)))

Ok, 2 minutes left now! Perfect to REALLY say byes now!


Sparkles!

PS. It worked! (the moving the files thing - I know, like you cared! ;)) xoxox