Encaustic Art

Before I get into posts from last week I wanted to do a quick post about Encaustic Art.  It's something I have been fascinated by for YEARS.  In a nutshell it's art and/or paintings using wax as the base/medium.  I'm not sure I want to actually use wax if I do get into attempting this form of art.  For kicks I quickly found out there are vegan alternatives!  Plant Based Waxes.  I just LOVE the colors in Encaustic Art that is what really draws me in.  I may pursue this down the road.  Just HAD to share in the meantime.

Goal Book ~ Page 2

Last week I started a Goal Book using Mixed Media and I reached all 5 of my goals.  This is what this weeks Goals are...but before I elaborate on this weeks goals...here's a short recap on last week...1 was to write at least 5 articles - I at least doubled that!  Another goal was to make at least 1 'World Foods' dish - I did 3 or 4 of them.  Then I wrote 'Start A Vision Board' - I started one but it's in the very beginning stages still.  I wanted to breathe more...more deep breaths...I was able to do that.  Then, finally, I wanted to laugh/smile more...I also did that.  Hubby and I started watching Brooklyn 99 on Hulu+ and it's sooooo funny!  Nice way to unwind at the end of the day.

So on to this week!  #1 on my list is to get back into Yoga.  Any kind of yoga!  I mostly do Kripalu Yoga but am open to others.  I also enjoy Yoga Trance Dance that was made popular by Shiva Rea.  #2 on my list this week is to visit my parents.  This isn't unusual for me - I try and get over to their place once a week or every other week - but - it's still a goal.  #3 is to send at least 3 "Thank You" Emails to people and places that I think are doing 'good things'.  It's so often we hear the complaints and not the GOOD feedback and I want to change that.  #4 is to text at least 3 friends that I haven't chatted with in a while.  I have two in mind as I type this.  Finally - #5 is to concentrate on LARGE salads for dinners most of this week!

Not only did I reach all of my goals last week - I have a good start on the ones for this week - AND - I found myself accomplishing a lot of OTHER things around the house and at work that I didn't include in my Goal Book!  I'm VERY pleased so far with this project!

Goal Book ~ So It Begins...

I figured I would do a stand alone post for this one.  I've officially started my Weekly Goal Book and thought I would share it with you.  By posting it here on my blog it will give me a bit of accountability to stick with it, I hope.

I've had this sketch book for a while and have been stain pages and trying to use different inks for junk journaling and art journaling for a while but didn't really have a purpose...now I do.  You can see the edges are starting to change because of the inks and dyes and I think that is completely fine.  I want it to be pretty funky.  The outside is fabric so it's soaking up the liquid pretty well.

Here's a blank page - randomly - in the book that I will use down the road so  you can see that each page will be different. 

I receive daily emails from DailyOm.com and last week they sent me this quote and it pushed me over the edge to finally start this project.

"Take the time to reclaim your creativity and watch your life blossom as a result."

 So this is my very first page...my first week!  What do you think?  Yes...I think the penmanship is a little rushed but I'm ok with that for the first one.  I am looking forward to seeing things change each week.  I found a small photo and the width of it was perfect and decided to use it at the bottom of the page.  Plus the colors match up with what I already had on the page.  I used mostly alcohol inks and Tattered Angels spray for this page background.  I used a glue stick in certain spots and used a very fine clear glitter to accent it.  I scribbled a hand drawn line boarder around the page, too.  And finally jotted down 5 goals I would like to focus on this week.  Some people say if you hand write your goals you are a more apt to do them VS typing them or saying them.  I want to write at least 5 articles (or Uplifters) for The Raw Food World News site this week.  I sort of slacked during the month of September.  I want to make at least 1 veganized World Food dish this week.  Eventho I started this Goal Book this week I still want to start a Vision Board, too!  So I added that one to the list.  I want to at least start it.  Then I want to Breathe more and Smile more this week!

Old Dogs, New Goals, & Green Hummus NOT Made from Avocado!

I am still trying to catch up from my vacation and have lots more to share but I've been itching to post some foodie posts, too!

And share this sweet snapshot of Suzie sleeping last night.  She's lost some weight but still eating and playing like her usual self.
 She's 14 and for the last 5 years have had different things she's visited the vet for.  We will continue to keep an eye one her and each time we visit the vet for her nails to be done they will weigh her, too.

Paco is plugging along, and we will be visiting the vet again soon for more blood tests to see if his platelets continue to climb.

Earlier this week I was hungry for hummus but I wanted to change it up a bit so I came up with this one.  I really don't have a name for this hummus yet but here is what's in it...
 1 Can of Organic Chickpeas
1/4 C Tahini
1 tea Garlic Powder
1 T Lime Juice
1 T Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 tea GoL's Perfect Food Engerizer
Water to consistency

On top I sprinkled some Raw Vegan Parmesan Chipotle Flavor that I got over at The Raw Food World.

A sneak peak of something that I will start doing and blogging about on a weekly basis starting Monday.  I'm combining the Vision Boards and Inspiration Boards that I have blogged about doing before into a Goal Book.  I haven't decided whether or not I will be doing 3 Goals each week or 5 goals each week.  Regardless it should be great for getting my rear in gear and start setting some goals and mini goals for myself and having some sort of accountability for them.  I will apply a bit of Mixed Media and Junk Journaling or Art Journaling into this project a bit but I intend to take photos of my Goal Page each week and post it on my blog here for all to see.  Comments and feedback welcome and encouraged because it will encourage me to stick to the goals!

The inside cover to the Goal Book isn't all that involved but I think each individual page will have a theme of its own or a completely different look and feel to it each week.

I think this will help me get back into crafting, too.  I need to use up some of my supplies that have just been sitting there for months and months.

Also...I hope this helps with my Time Management a bit.  I've been slacking in a number of areas.  Perhaps this will help!

This project will be positive and fit in nicely with my blog here at My Blissful Journey, too!  What do you think!?

Participant:
Healthy Vegan Fridays

Lengthy Post ~ Eventful 2014 Start!

LONG Post Alert! 

Happy 2014!  I've been VERY busy!  In this post you will see a BUNCH of things that I have been working on!  Starting with this Quinoa Dish from a few days ago!  Unfortunately, I have misplaced the recipe!  DRAT!  But it does have various Spices, Quinoa, and Diced Tomatoes in it!  I hope to post the recipe as soon as I locate it tho!  Sorry about that! 

Eeeeek!

Another Mini Project that I have been working on is this Mixed Media Artsy-Crafty Piece.  I have but using various mediums and doing many layers over time.  It's so thick right now it's much like a canvas texture-wise!  I'm happy with the colors and texture and weight of it.  I will be revisiting this again soon, I'm not sure if I will use it in Art Journaling or Wall Art - perhaps do a collage over top or maybe just add a phrase and Frame.  I will keep you posted, tho!

As some of you know...I'm soooooo NOT a baker!  But I'm TRYING to at least TRY!  This was my FIRST attempt at Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies. 

Yes...they are a little flat...but they tasted YUMMY and kept well.

Recipe:

1 1/2 C Bob's Red Mills Flour
1 tea Baking Soda
1 tea Soaked Chia Seeds
1 tea Vanilla Extract
1/2 C Earth Balance
1/2 C Peanut Butter
1/4 C Chocolate Peanut Butter
1/4 C Applesauce
1/2 C Brown Palm Sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners)

My Craft Room is a MESS!

And...I mean...a MESS!  Beyond a MESS, actually!  One of my many MINI Goals is to fix that.  I start in on this a little bit yesterday!

You certainly can't tell from this photo!

What I will show you is HOW I started in on this MESS...

 I started in with the PENS - Markers, Pencils, Water Colors, etc...

You name the utensil...it's HERE...

I like the way it turned out!  I thought I would share it with you here...step by step!

There are 24 compartments - empty - for now...

We made these out of 10 feet of PVC Pipe.

We cut them into 5 inch "rings" for lack of better word, I suppose!

I really wanted a BACK on each one so it would STOP the items I put in there...and they wouldn't fall thru or fall out the back.

Decorative Duck Tape worked nicely.  We covered about 75 to 80 percent of the back because I knew we wouldn't fill them with pens all the way to the top!  I had two colors/patterns of Tye-Dye so I thought it would be cool to use 'em.  It worked pretty well!

We had 4 compartments left over.  As you can see here we could fit 5 across on each shelf for a total of 20 compartments.  With the 4 left over ones we covered completely with the Tye-Dye Duck Tape and set them right-side-up on the top shelf for 4 more containers.

Yes...I already filled all 24 of them.

I love the way it turned out tho...but...I do have a LONG way to go on this Craft Room OVER HAUL.

Here's a closer look at this project.

I have more photos, too, but I think you get the picture!

I also love that this was reusing something and multipurposing.

Cost-Wise it made me smile, too!  We figured it cost roughly 80 cents per compartment by doing it this way!  YAY!

One of the main reasons my Craft Room is TRASHED is because I am a Pack Rat and have too much stuff! LOL

One of the items...

I've been saving and have been given LOTS of tins!  This is just a small amount of the overall picture and problem.  I want to make a mini goal to do a few a week...I will keep you posted on that.

Another item is this...

Yes...those are empty Plastic Soda/Pop Bottles.

I have in the past and I want to get back into working with them again.

I make Plastic Beads out of them...stay tuned for that in the near future, too!  I posted about it a while back on my old Crafting Blog, too!

This is a photo of my 2 cats on New Years Eve.

Gabby on the left and Charlie on the right.

They stayed this close for about a half hour or so.

While I drank my smoothie that I posted about the other night!

And...finally...

Vegan Garlic Ranch Dressing!  Woot!

2 Small Zukes
1/3 C Soaked Cashews
4 Small Dates
4 T Lemon Juice
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Shallot
1 T Parsley
Sprinkle to Taste Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
1/2 C Almond Milk (or to texture/consistency)
1/4 C Nutritional Yeast

This is WONDERFUL!  I'm so happy with this flavor!  What have you been working on in 2014 so far!?

Mixed Media Tag

Since my last post about the tags I have been messing around with I have been trying to fit in more of them.  Today is that day.  I only have one photo to post for this one but I have over 50 tags that I have made already and I hope to post them down the road for all to see! 

For this specific tag I used various things to create the colors you see here.  I used Alcohol Inks, Distress Stains, Tattered Angels Spray, Powdered Chalk, Modge Podge, and Embossing Powders.  For the shiny surface you see I used the Modge Podge on the top layer and then used a heat gun to dry and it melted a little but dried...I king of like that look...might try it again soon! 

My husband wants me to use the tags I have made for Christmas Presents/Tags this year.  I might add a few final touches to those and post at some point.  HAPPY WEEKEND everyone!

Blissful Crafting Journey ~ Crafty Tags Using Distress Stains

I was telling OPAL about the Tags I was making over the last few weeks using Distress Stains.  I promised her I would post some of them.  Once I got going I found that I already took a LOT of photos of my very first ones so I will be posting them in clumps, I guess.  Here are the first batch with many more to come! 

These are just standard tags I bought in a bulk bin a while back and thought they would be perfect for learning different techniques with various mediums.  For the most part - the colors and mediums you will see in this post are ones I buy from Ranger Ink's Tim Holtz Distress Stain Line.  Right now I'm only working with 3 colors but I hope to get more - especially now that I am hooked on using them!

In the first photo you will see a more light blue based tag I did.  I used mostly the blue I had as well as a bit of the brown...I will post the exact color names in a near future post...I don't have them on me at the moment.  To get the texture in the first tag I used a smooshing technique against another piece of paper while half dry and moved the tag around in the liquid until I got the desired color and look.  I air dry most of my crafts - unless noted otherwise.  For this 2nd tag I used mostly green with a spec of blue.  The clouded or gray areas I went over with powdered chalk at the end. 

What makes these Distress Stains different from the other mediums?  Well, this is what they say on the website...

Distress Stains are fluid water-based dyes for papers and other porous surfaces. Use for quick and easy ink coverage for backgrounds and larger areas. Mist with water to lighten color and create mottled effects. Apply layers of stain to achieve more saturated color. Available in the entire Distress color palette, including Metallic shades.

The brushed nylon dabber top has a built-in spring valve. This allows for controlling the release of Distress Stains from the bottle. By pressing the dabber top down onto surface, the valve opens and fluid releases. Lift dabber away from surface to stop fluid flow. Spread Distress Stains by swiping the dabber top lightly as a brush across the surface.

As for this next tag - I used the technique mentioned about but covered it more and pressed harder on the distress stain padding and bottle and layered it more while half dry.  After it completely dried I used a small clear acrylic stamp with white ink and stamped it several times in various directions and let dry again.

I will sometimes use water or hairspray to move the stain around or give it a different look or to help layer.  I'm finding more and more ways to layer and make the stains move and am constantly coming up with new textures!  It's quite FUN!

As for this tag with the Bees on it...I first laid down the stains and then used a distressing tool of a pad with a similar  touch/feel/surface of a "Magic Eraser" to it.  I then rubbed in the liquid very well.  For a 2nd layer I went around the outside of the tag again with the brown but as you can see I mainly used the brown and blue stains for this one.  When it was all dry I used Clear Acrylic Stamps with Blank Ink.  I'm actually using 2 different stamps here - again in different positions, etc.  With the swirls I purposely stamped off the tag, as well.  I was thinking of Opal while making this one because of the BEES!!!!

With this tag laying on top of the red background you will see I only used the brown but went really dark and heavy with it.  I squeezed the liquid out on on hard plastic surface and then directly pressed the outside of the tag around the liquid to 'sop it up' so to speak.  On the surface there was still a little color from a previous project on there but I like the way it looked and decided to keep it that way.  For the shiny finish I used Modge Podge and let it dry.   The cream color in the center of this one is the natural color of the tags I was using.

This last one is one of my favorites so far!  I used a heavy and dark blue directly on the tag for this one.  Then I Modge Podged the 2 corners with a sponge stick and used Alcohol Inks just barely touching the side of each corner where I applied the Modge Podge.  It reacted really NEAT as you can see.  I let dry.  I also added a bit of Powdered Chalk to the center part in some spots.  I did add a little heat to the sides that were Modge Podged, too, but not much.  I will be blogging in the near future more about Mixed Media using Distress Stains, Powdered Chalk, Alcohol Inks, Stamping, Modge Podge, Gesso, and Embossing. 

I have been mixing the Distress Stains and Alcohol Inks in various projects and they look pretty cool together, too!  This is just the first batch of tags!  I have LOTS more to share in the very near future!  What do you think so far!?
 

Vegan MoFo Coming TO A Close ~ Raw Vegan Swiss Cheese Spread & Altered Framed Art

I've been taking it easy getting back into crafting lately.  I have been working on this upcycled frame.  I used Powdered Chalk blended with acrylic and metallic type paints to get this color.  I painted on several layers.  I also painted right over the glass frame.  No real reason - just felt like it!  On top of the glass I used these embellishments.  I think it would look neat over our faux fireplace mantle for Fall/Autumn.  I bought this frame a while back for a dollar at the Dollar Tree.  I think I bought a few others as well so I will probably end up doing more altered and upcycled art with it.  I've also been into Mixed Media and Art Journaling more lately, too!

Vegan MoFo 2013 is coming to an end.  The last day is Monday which also marks the end of the month.  I will miss it but will continue to post more Vegan Dishes and Recipes here on my site as I did before.  I've meet a few great people thru it this year and I hope to keep in touch with them and their blogs.

As for today's food related post - I decided to try and do a Raw Vegan "cheesy-like" spread.  It ended up tasting VERY good and resembles the flavor of Swiss Cheese.  I would like to try this again and get it more firm to try and slice it for 'cheese slices'.  

Here's the recipe for this one...

Raw Vegan Swiss Cheese Spread:

1/2 C Pine Nuts

1/4 C Hemp Hearts/Hemp Seeds

1 T Nutritional Yeast

1 T Lemon Juice

1/4-1/2 C Water

Splash of Garlic Grapeseed Oil

Pinch Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

The Grapeseed I use is organic and in raw form.  I realize Nutritional Yeast isn't necessarily raw but many raw foodists still use it in their foods.  I think that if I try and dehydrate the spread for a bit it might be able to be sliced but I will experiment with that at some point.  This works well for a dip and/or a spread as it is right now and full of flavor!

Blissful Journey ~ Adventures in Art Journaling, Self Esteem, and Avocado Hummus!

I've struggled with Self Esteem issues and Body Image Issues most of my life.  As I get older I am more accepting of myself for the most part on most days.  I think some of that came along with dropping dairy from my diet, too.  I know that sounds like a superficial item on the list of reasons but it's just something I have noticed the last few months.  I think because I feel better overall it has made me feel better about myself.  Not in a vanity type way but more accepting of who I am, I guess.  I guess it's just hard to explain. 

Over the past week or so I have been adding more and more layers to a few Art Journaling Pages and last night completed this one.  I had the layers down and even the two digi stamps but last night I decided to go with the "JUST BE" theme and text.  It seemed to work here and as I added more and more of the "BE..." elements it 'felt right'.

I saw this little 'meme' on Instagram the other day and LOVED that is was Pirates of the Caribbean and Johnny Depp and Captain Jack Sparrow and it all seemed to come together.

I realize we all have our faults but I also think we are all 'perfect' in our own way!  Yes...that's contradicting but pretty deep if you give it some thought!

Yesterday, I forgot to mention, while at the Festival over the weekend we ended up meeting some 'new friends'.  That's one of my favorite parts about being a vendor at these things!  Meeting people but also fellow vendors that you 'click with'.  My mom, dad, sister, and I always come with 'goodies' and invite other vendors over to 'take a break' with us.  Ever since my sister had some store-bought 'Avocado' Hummus a few months ago she's been wanting to try some others.  I finally decided to make it last week.  It made a HUGE batch and I brought it with me to the event and shared with about a dozen or more people!  EVERYONE absolutely LOVED it!  Even people who are NOT focused on their diet or food intake or 'health' foods commented.  One person even said he didn't like hummus - as a rule of thumb - but LOVED my Avocado Hummus!  This totally made my day!  Woot!  Here is what I used...

1 1/2 C Chickpeas
2 Avocadoes
3 T Lemon Juice
2 T Tahini
2 Cloves Garlic
Water (or Grapeseed Oil), Pepper to taste/consistency

Photography & Art - Blissful Journey

 Once again I have some catching up to to in the form of blogging. 

I've blogged about my adventures out and about - around town - and such - and I have some more to share with you.  This time around it will be a bit different, tho. 

Starting with this photo.  The only filter I used was a 'Black & White' setting after taking the photo on my iPhone.  It was taken at a local park.  This is part of Soldiers & Sailors Park in our downtown/Business District (also known as our Historical District). 

You can see the steps going up.  On both sides there are cement seating/bleachers for outside concerts (the stage is behind me).  At the top you will see a small structure - a cement gazebo.  You can sit in it.  There is also a large Sculpture to the left with soldiers as a remembrance.  Behind you can see our Main Street Buildings and Storefronts.  Of course there is a road in between this and the other side of the street.

Several weeks ago I took a walk over to our Crescent Park area of the city.  That's were our General Hospital is and other medical buildings but also a very nice walking park and water front.  This section of town is a big part of why we are listed as a Tree City USA City.  It's not really promoted much around town so I had to do some research on my own!  As you can see I took a LOT of photos that day and held off for a while to post here because I wasn't sure how to go about it.  So last week I did a collage of a few dozen photos and thought that might be best - or this post would have been a mile long!  You should be able to click on each photo to enlarge if you so choose!

Some day I will post photos of the water and ducks but for today I will stick with the trees.  This is really the first time I have concentrated on trees in that area.  There are also historical markers and structures that I will post down the road, too!

There are many things that make me happy - nature, photography, art, culture, traveling, etc. 

I thought I would take some time-out and share some of them with you.  As far as ART is concerned - if you followed my old Crafting Blog you can see see many of my past projects.  But I took a long hiatus from crafting and am trying to slowly return.  I think I am going to switch gears and focus more on Mixed Media for a while and maybe more altered projects.  I also think I will be posting them here on this blog instead of my old one since this is my main site now.

Here is one of my new projects - an Art Journaling page using mixed media.  I know it's a bit dark for my Blissful Journey site, here, but it all can't be rosy.  PLUS...I find this therapeutic so it does bring me bliss.  Almost like a before and after type thing.

"Everyone Has a Dark Side"

"Darkness Lurks Its Head.  Was It Something I Said?"

I used: Gesso, Modge Podge, Powdered Chalk, Glitter, Perfect Pearls, Tattered Angels Ink Spray, Digital Stamps, and Sharpie Craft Markers.

Because I did various layers this page took a few days of going back and forth.  In a way I keep going back to the thought of dedicating this page to those struggling with depression and alcohol and substance abuse.  I know of many and think and pray for them daily in my own way.