Our Children Together

It's so nice to see the kids spending more time
together. The older C gets, the easier
it is for J to do things with her. One of
the last walks of the early autum, warm enough for shorts.

Scenes of Autumn Harvest

C sits pleased with the pumpkin she picked from the "manufactured" pumpkin patch we visited on a horse drawn hayride.

Work Done During Summer

Finally a chance to post some of the work I did over the summer months related to altered books. Not much, as it was a busy summer. But as the days lengthen, I am going to get more art done. That is my goal.

This first picture is the cover of my latest AB. It contains a poem, Dare to Dream, that my mom gave to me. It is a good reminder of the need to not be afraid of pushing for what you believe, for reaching your dreams. Over the poem, I used a mustard colored glaze and then added motivational stickers.

This is the most recent spread. This picture comes from a magazine and I had been waiting to use it... The quote just seems to fit. Background color is a cat's eye stamp pad. I am finding I like the grey-green and rust colors in my work.

Another of my Asian inspired spreads. This one has a lot of meaning and history, as most of the items on the page came from my box of Japanese artifacts I used when teaching 4th and 5th grade. The background with the trees and birds is a rice paper napkin that when adhered, it is impossible to tell that it is not just drawn on.

The background beneath that is done with Korean tea bag wrappers.

The rich green ribbon in the middle was used to close the gap that was starting to show in the spine. Mistakes can easily be covered - with nice results. The dolls were decorative on chopstick boxes. The Asian writing - Korean, from paper I bought in Insadong in Seoul, South Korea.

This spread is meant to be a background, done in a book that I think will someday use as a journal. All of the spreads are done so that writing can be done over it. It is a mixture of various papers -- the right side top is a piece of coffee filter that Jaden "colored" in preschool and the purples and blues were really the inspiration for this page.

I like that I used torn out pages from a book and serendiptiously included a page on the left top entitled, "The Professor." Not seen easily, but I used lumiere purple on top of the spread - it glitters nicely in the light.

Ah, summer... this page is not "finished," but I don't think I will finish it. A bright, bold statement of the summer now past...

My Son, the Artist

I now have to share my blog with my son who is an artist himself. Yesterday he wanted to play with scissors, markers and a glue stick and he created the right half of this piece. He called it a train. This morning he got out his art supplies and added on the left portion and "hooked up" another train. I think it's wonderful and love that he is utilizing his artistic talents. He is only 3 1/2, but on his way! He is into trucks, trains, diggers - all the things little boys typically like. Here is a favorite picture of him sitting on a digger and loving it.

Almost the 4th of July

Sad to see that I haven't posted since spring and now it is almost the fourth of July. Goes to show how busy I am with work. I haven't spent a lot of time in my "Stolen Moments Studio" since spring, so I have little to show. I plan to get back to this blog soon, as I do have some cool altered books that my students created that I need to showcase.

Beginning of Spring

Spring ...

Went on my walk a few days ago - the same area I walked and took photos on my sabbatical in 2001. So good to get out alone (with the dog) and just be free to see and photograph. There was a chill in the air and the sky was a pure blue - just gorgeous. I've added two pictures I took which I think are nice - The first picture, the way the trees are in front of the puffy cloud, intersecting it in the middle.



This second picture I like as well. I am finally getting the kind of shot I hope for - I used the macro setting and did a "close up" of the berries and got the "fuzzy" background as I always want. It finally worked for me.

The trees and bushes I like the best in winter and spring before the green comes out, are those with berries such as this, and the red stemmed bushes. I don't know what they are called, but they are such a sharp color contrast to the browns and greys of winter.

Valentine Spread

I created this spread to honor Valentines day... wanted to do a vintage-like spread.

I created the valentine from a doily and sequins and ribbon. The woman is a packing tape transfer, the flower bouquet comes from a book on flower arranging.

Two New Creations

I have completed two new AB spreads in the last few days. Both I had been working on for quite a while - a little work here, a bit or bob there... But is sure feels good to get some artwork done. I especially like the nine sectioned spread that I put a lot of myself into - a lot of bits of me are represented and a lot of new materials/found materials incorporated.

New materials used: Slide mount embellished with stamp pad ink, turquoise glaze I recently bought (love the color and bought a large bottle) and a wash of Gold PearlEx powder over that.


The stem of leaves on the top right is from a placemat that I had on display on a shelf for many years. When it got ruined with water spilling from a plant, I decided to cut it up and save the applique leaves. The "G" is a metal letter purchased which I embellished with inks and embossed with powders. The sequins come from a collection I inherited from my husband's crafty grandma. And everyone asked me "what will you do with all that junk?" Junk it is not, it is now keeping me creative, just as it did for Grandma.

The puzzle piece is something I am proud of - I just inked and embossed it today using the puzzle piece colors (purples and greens) to inspire it. There has been a lot of discussion about using puzzle pieces in AB's on the AB listserv so I have been anxious to try using the puzzle I bought just for this purpose. The stamp seen in the same box is from a recent purchase through a "Stampin Up" party. Fun to use new tools immediately.

The third box on the top includes a packaging tape transfer done - This is such a cool technique. Owls are fascinating to me and I often hear (and sometimes see) them on my late evening walks with the dog. "Great things in small packages" is wording that came off of a package of Revolution Tea (see bottom left corner box) - it reflects my lifelong love with small things - dollhouse minatures being one of my first crafting passions.

Box 4 - Time and the Clock - such a theme in my life currently and always. I love planning and looking ahead and looking behind (the other new spread I uploaded is a good example of my thinking of time - past and future). I have been experimenting a lot with altering images with stamp pad inks and this clock and word "time" are examples of this "aging" effect.

Middle box - the face stamp is one of my favorites and represents so much I think. The squished bottle cap is something I found on the side of the road and was going to use the other side that has writing on it on this spread, but as I turned it over and saw the back with the rusted orangy color, I had to attach it bottom side up.

Box six, far right middle - the first box I I filled as one day I was punching tags from my tag punch from paper I had laying around. I was fascinated with the cool images I could use as tags. The map/time/travel theme of these tags reflect my life since adopting from Korea. The "one" brad I used to attach the tags is remniscent of our "One" family that has now been complete. The fibers and bead attached to the tag add a lot of dimension to this "box" in my opinion.

Box seven, far left bottom corner - I LOVE OFFICE SUPPLIES and especially love the mini file folders I found. I used my favorite face stamp to embellish and used PearlEx powders - a new favorite of mine now that I know how to use them. The mini tag inside says "family."

Box eight - middle bottom - the Korean Gingeng tape I have been holding onto since our first trip to Korea that came off of the box of Korean Ginseng traditional tea we bought. Korea - my children - my new life that includes this culture... what more need I say.

The last box, box nine, far right bottom - A part of the Revolution Southern Mint Herbal tea box and a picture of mint. My favorite tea. I like how I embossed the box/tag and have it hanging over the edge of the page.

Hi Nahyun!

Hi Nahyun -
I just sent you an email telling you about my blog. I hope you come visit and see what I do with my creativity. Scroll down to "Green Tea Treats" to see pictures of our memory of O'Sulloc Tea House with you!
Geri :)

Latest Altered Book Pages

Finally I am getting the opportunity to post some new pages I've created in the last month or so. I have little time to create and whenever I get new "stuff" I only have the chance to set it on my work table and then I have no room to create even for a few short minutes. So, I spent a little time cleaning it off and can take five minutes here and there to get some creative work done.

This spread is Asian inspired - I've collected a lot of Asian materials. The background is wrapping paper I have been dying to use - I love the colors and dragon design. The large fan is from Martha Stewart Living magazine, from an article on decoupaging. The fortune - appropriately about "family" comes from a fortune cookie I opened after a Chinese meal.

This spread was inspired by the "ball" ornament that was in a scrapbook magazine ad, advertising a new line of scrapbook paper. I loved the colors and they were not something I typically use in my artwork. I painted the background with a matching cranberry acrylic paint, painted some paper with colors that were similar to the greens and blues in the ornament and then cut tags out of the papers. I found that I had ribbon that matched and used a buckle that appropriately said "spirit." I think this spread depicts the Holidays quite well.


I love this spread - the photo does not do it justice unfortunately. I began by gluing down circles cut from an ad in a magazine that had great "vintage" colors. I then glazed with a turquoise-like green color. I added metallic purple with a nailpolish color that really is more appropriate for young girls than "old" women like me. I loved the effect on paper - not so much on my fingernails. I don't really feel like this spread is done yet, but I just cannot make myself ruin the background look to it that I love so much. Maybe this is the way it will stay.







This spread is a tribute to my dog, a cockapoo named "Lewis Charles." The pictures are cut from a children's book from the 1950's my sister in law gave me. I used silver inkpad to create the "vintage" look background.








This spread has a background from a magazine that was very peaceful and looked like a place I would like to spend time... The orange flowers made me think of the orange leaves that were on the trees at the time with it being autumn. I pressed some leaves from our yard and attached them with matte medium. I love the effect. The other part of the spread it my journaling that day.

Holiday Season

New Year's Eve Today

Holiday Season coming to an end. Setting resolutions for myself to allow more time to relax and create - if not physically create, create mentally. Two children are making it hard to spend too much time creating ABs, but I can always THINK about my creativity and spend the few moments each day or so DOING it... That is my newest way to work - it has to be.

December - no November Posts

Visiting my blog today I was very surprised that I didn't post anything in the month of November. Kind of a rough one with the acclimation to the newest family member. However, I am back, feeling good, and actually doing some work in my studio.

I am excited for the holiday season - it feels good, something to really embrace. Some years I don't feel ready for it, this year, with our little boy almost 3, his excitement is contagious.

My goal before Christmas is to post at least 2 pages from my latest altered journal - which is really becoming just an altered book and less of a journal than the first one. But I'm liking it a lot!

Altered Journal #2

Began my second altered journal. Here is my title page, made from an advertisement from a scrapbooking magazine. I loved the color and pattern combination. The end papers were a dark blue and I eased them down with a wash of white acrylic paint. The collaged materials are from a paper lunch bag I bought at the dollar store around valentines day.

Images of Autumn

A burst of bright orange radiance peeking through some still green leaves. Autumn beginning to paint our backyard view.

Sweet Baby Girl

Does it look like our baby girl loves her rice cereal? Yep! Life has surely changed with another child in the house - but has definitely been a wonderful change.

Have had a bit of time to work in my studio - sometimes with her in her little chair watching me or drinking a bottle. Finally finished my first altered journal and began a second. It was a freeing process to finish up the one - although I am still trying to get inspiration for completing the cover.

Starting the second journal has been fun too. I have been using some of my clippings from my files and using images that are pleasing to me - trying to keep myself upbeat and awake - sometimes I can get so tired these days!

I hope to photograph some of my journal pages soon and upload them. I just read about creating a book/journal using a magazine. This sounds interesting and something I'd like to try.

I am also back trying to get my studio organized since I mostly just stuffed things into drawers and cubbies as I was setting it up before our trip to Korea. Now I want to really get organized so my limited time working in my studio is productive and creative without feeling unorganized.

Green Tea Treats

A memory from our trip to Seoul, South Korea... Green tea desserts from O'Sulloc Tea House. Everything was delicious and I fell in love with green tea, especially in an ice cream and sweetened dessert format...

THE CALL CAME- WE ARE GOING TO KOREA

The call came yesterday, Sept. 22, 2005, to tell us that our daughter is ready to come home! We leave on Monday to go get her.

Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting...

We are still waiting for the call. With each passing day, our daughter is getting older and we are getting more anxious to get her home. I feel better this week about the wait - last week was horrible. I was sure we would hear last week and each passing day was pure agony. I guess the time waiting and not hearing has helped me to relax and know that the call will come, but only when God deems that it is time.

My "Studio" is pretty much all set up - this only means the structure is there. The materials I have are somewhat organized, but mostly they are just stuffed into drawers and piled on my shelves until I have some time to really spend some time organizing. My work table is pretty much continually piled high as I try to begin sorting through things. Then I find time to clean it off and complete a little project ( a page in my ab journal or starting to create Claire's birth announcement) but then it gets piled high with stuff again.

I am looking forward to getting the studio area organized so I can do some really fruitful working there, even if it is only for 10 minutes a day. Ok, off to do my real job - teaching.

End of Summer Has Come

Summer ends...
Supposedly summer has ended - but we are now in Indian Summer - the weather is hot and humid. I miss the cooler days of autumn. Some of the leaves on the trees are turning.

It looks like we'll be in Korea the last week of September to get our daughter. A nice time to be there I hear. I am looking forward to the travel and gathering up some great "objects" to use for altering. I have a travel journal and a glue stick ready to take along so I can make a page or two a day to record our experience. Off to the weekend - one of last to prepare for the coming of our daughter.

Home from a much needed vacation...

Home from a relaxing week - One the whole family needed. Here is a picture of our sweet boy in a beautiful garden in Minoqua, Wisconsin. We came home to find out that all of our immigration paperwork is done and we are just waiting to hear that our daughter who is almost 3 months old, is ready for us to come to pick up from Seoul, South Korea! We could get the call anyday and we are getting very anxious thinking about all we need to do yet to get ready for her!

The Day Lewis the Dog ate a Baby Bunny

The day that Lewis attacked and killed a baby bunny was the day that my journal listed the book "Death and Dying" by Elizabeth Kubler Ross (1969). What serendipity! Although I was horrified by what Lewis did and felt so bad for the bunny, I made a page as a tribute and a sympathy note to the bunny. The tag in the envelope is my apology to the cute little guy I had to bury.

Altered Box

Tonight I altered a box that I am going to use to store all my folders with magazine clippings and ephemera for my ab'ing. I knew I saved old calendars for a reason! I covered the sides of the box with the prints from the calendar, "The Reading Woman."

ABC's of Spiritual Literacy Altered Book - In Progress

This is the reverence page in my ABC's of Spirituality book fashioned after the book by the same title by Fredrick and MaryAnn Broussault. An inspirational book and my first try at ABs. Someday I hope to finish this 26 double page spread book.

Each letter of the alphabet has a spiritual message that I have reproduced in some manner on each AB page.
Following are some of the other pages I have done. The photograph of the sky and trees is my own photo that I am very proud of. My first try at tape transfers - the asian letters on the paint chip. The definition of "reverence" came from an old dictionary. "Tranformation" Page - An transparency with "Old Trees" poem by May Sarton. The "You" page includes a sympathy card from the passing of my parents with a poignant quote - that's me in the frame.

Quotes about Books and Reading

This AB scan contains quotes about books that I have had for many years cut out from a book publishers catalog. The background image is from a Pier 1 advertisement and when I saw the colors I just knew it had to be the backdrop for some of my favorite quotes about a beloved activity.

One of my favorite AB journal entries done when I was in San Antonio, TX at the reading conference in May. Loved the historical homes - they were gorgeous. The drawing comes from a historical homes walking tour brochure. The parking ticket stub was a found object I picked up as I walked the 15 minute trek to the conference center. THe pine branch comes from a tree along the infamous riverwalk where I spent some time writing. THis branch was new growth and I flattened it in a book and dried it a bit before attaching it with matte medium. Chalks were used to age the drawing and the background is green mulberry paper - one of my favorite background items to use since it still allows the text of the book to peek through by allows me to write over it and be able to read my journaling.

More Pages from ABC's of Spirituality AB

The "Attention" page is the absolute first AB page I ever made. I think it turned out pretty cool. While I like to think of myself as creative, it is a struggle to "admit" and this page helped me to see that I really can be artistic and creative without any formal training. After all, like my writing, I don't do art to necessarily please others, I do what feels and looks good to me.

Dreaming of Creating

I haven't posted here in a while and haven't done much creative work what with this textbook I need to finish to meet our deadline date. I dream of creating and working on my altered books. Now that my office and studio area has been moved and not yet reassembled, it is not as easy to get creative at a moment's notice. But I can dream and I can o0h and ahh at the creative work I see that others are doing through the listservs I belong to. Just saw Eliece's altered reading journal - a composition book that documents her reading. It is gorgeous. I have reader's and ABers envy. Maybe soon I will find the time.

The Joy of our Lives

The most beautiful boy in the world!! 18 months old - our little man.

Today is the first day of my blogging

We' ll see how this goes. I see so many blogs of altered book pages and I want to share and post mine.