Challenges give our creativity a place to DOCK. Go over to Jessicasprague.com click on forums>7 days in May. Everyday for 7 days a challenge will be described and a freebie to kick start, if you so choose. Unfortunately the freebie is only for the day, fortunately there is a new one everyday of the 7 Days in May.

Keeps Me on My Toes

Over at scrap book graphics Tangie Baxter 2012 Caravan the word for the wordology section was gallivant. The following page is from a 1980 board game that I scanned, with some game cards and flippery clown and hand. Sometime it just take a word to trigger the creative thought. Marination time on this was very short. I had a FLOOD of ideas having just scanned the game this week before reading Tangie's itinerary! Serpendipity? The layout it's self was not too difficult. Scan, resize, place. The title font is from dafont: Roady Roadrunner, A little warping and a paint bucket and voila. Signage is dafont, road sign and road warning signs.

I wondered what I would do with this board game that has been hanging around my stash. 

My Mother-In-Law

Don't Forget your FREE ATC

Free Artist Trading Card Collect the series from this site

Marinating

Suppose the lack of a blog can be an example of the creative stage of Marination. Letting things sit, soak in. For an Artist or creative person this can be viewed negatively. Seen often as a time of non-productiveness. My marination time was triggered by a trip to Marco Island. I had hoped to take at least 200 photos but actually took about 20. My quest was to add to my photo stash to alter in Photo Shop. But, instead I was uninspired and unmotivated finding the Island so commercial that the quest turned into Marination.
But I can not go to the beach without taking pictures of sand, shells, and sea. Here is a page from my art journal.

And my Self Portrait

Altered Shadow Photo of me at the beach! The shots of me in a bikini are long over!

So I have been Marinating, reading, oogling, and also purging, making room to breathe.

How do you marinate? What do you turn to when you need to sit and be? How long does this process take you? Hours, Days, weeks, may be just minutes. Me I was buried for weeks in my purging process, marinating while I rid my belongings to open space in my house, studio, heart and head.

 I won! How exciting. Check out my winning challenge page at http://www.jessicasprague.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4447:are-you-up-for-the-challenge&catid=69:jscom-articles&Itemid=147.
Participating in Jessica Sprague challenges is on outlet for me to use specific guidelines to form a creative piece. The challenge was to use words that were on inspirational bracelets, use handwriting font, and circles (since bracelets are circles) to showcase 6 inspirational words.

Jessica Sprague and her staff have been a major influence on my digital knowledge. Her classes have given me the tools to create. I highly recommend logging on to www.jessicasprague.com and start your digital journey.

Been THERE Done That

I have to apologize to the great people over at shoot fly shoot, I commented on there post and referred to my blog, and for some reason (because I am a rookie blogger) the post was not posted. So here we go...

This long awaited  class Photography 101, over at  Shoot Fly Shoot, is by far the BEST instruction for newbies. From my experience as an public school educator, my mantra, was Tell Me, Show ME, Let Me.

That is what 

                                      Josh                         and                         Kevin

do through there Video instructions. OMG, these guys are awesome! Just imagine you have a best friend who just happens to be a Pro-Photographer. Your friend noticed your interest and said, " Want me to teach you how to use that camera with all those settings?".  Hell, yeah!
So your new best friend tells you, Shows you, and lets you try (still holding your hand, via video) how to manage your DSRL and take photos in MANUAL !  And if you have a table, your new friends can go to the shoot with you. But if you don't, never fear cuz they take you on one of there shoots and talk you through the entire process and show you everything they are doing, how awesome is that I ask?

More soon to come Photography 102! Video ! I am jumping for joy. All this for 55$. Get those fingers moving to Shoot Fly Shoot. There's always room in the class for one more student!