Day 369

I wondered if doing a word sun would help me in my struggle to make a sun each day. I use one of those quote a day calendars called Keep Calm and Carry On when I make these word suns. There are still plenty of words left but I still struggled to find words that fit how I'm feeling now. Everything seems to be a struggle right now.

Day 290

Each day this week I've had appointments and meetings to get ready for my surgery next Wednesday the 23rd.  It all seems to really wear me out. I'm trying to keep my spirits up and my famous positive attitude in place. Sometimes it's hard but then I'll get a call or text from a friend and I am reminded how lucky I am to have people loving and praying for me all over the world.

Day 258

A print I made using a little stamp I carved out of flat foam sheets. 

Day 246

Played around with my handmade stamps tonight. The center is a foam marshmallow I pressed a Lego into and the points are made from an old flip flop.

Day 235

Today we celebrated my cousins oldest18th birthday ...it is amazing how fast it all goes, seems so recent she was a little girl running around. Riley I hope you had a happy birthday. You are a bright shinning star.

Day 158

I hadn't used this recipe in awhile which I first created on Day 26. The background is handmade stamps of coins made from old flip flops and printed with distressed stamp ink.  I drew the sun with Conte Crayon. 

Day 154

Hadn't done any stamping lately so I made a stamp from foam sheets then glued it to foam core. Then I used a piece of plastic from a jewelry cleaning kit and a pencil eraser.

Day 87

I haven't used my handmade stamps for awhile and after a long tiring day they were the perfect choice.  I started to dose on the couch had to wake myself back up to get this done.  It isn't easy some days to get a sun done but I am still really glad I am doing this project.  Cheer me on. . . .

Day 71

I hadn't used my handmade stamps for while and they were calling me tonight.  This is made with 10 different stamps mostly made from old flip flops and foam marshmallows.

One month from today is the first Saturday of Artomatic 419.  This is a huge event happening here in Toledo where I will be selling my Suns and my Toledo series. There are 400 artists signed up to share and sell their art.  It is a must attend for anyone in the area.  It is April 13, 20, and 27th right here in Vistula at 911 Summit street.  I will share more about this as it gets closer.

Day 63

I used my handmade stamps for the background.  The blue is a piece of rope I glued to a wood block and the stars I carved out of foam core and glued them to foam core. My wink didn't turn out that great, it looks more closed than winking.  Of well tomorrow is another sun and I can try again.

Sun 57

Another late night of getting my sun done.  I seem to struggle to get started each night but I am always glad when I get it done. Some nights I think I might go to bed early then I remember I haven't done my sun yet. The background is another of my handmade stamps. It is a heel of an old flip flop that I pressed paper clips into that are shaped like dog bones.  My mom gave me these she'll be glad I am using them.

Day 55

It seemed time to go back to this recipe again.  I inked up my button stamp with three colors for the background then used my conte crayons to create the sun.  I haven't drawn a face for several days and I missed it.

Day 48

I bought three new stamp ink pads at Michael's today, they were 40% off.  Of course that is not what I went there to get but isn't that how those things always go.  It has been suggested I might include an image of my handmade stamps that I have used several times.

The left three I used to create the background. Starting top left this stamp is made with curtain hooks glued to some of those pads rug cleaners put under the legs of your furniture after they clean.  Below that is a piece of rope from a gift bag glued to a wood block. The bottom is a piece of an old flip flop I heated up and pressed some coins into.  The other four red pieces are also from flip flops, as a larger piece I rolled a glass sugar bowl across it to make the pattern then cut into shapes.  Next is a green foam puzzle piece I pressed with another stamp with a leaf pattern.  And last is a foam marshmallow that I used rice to create the texture.  Stamps are fun to make.

Day 30

The background here is another stamp I made from old flip flops and drift wood. I am enjoying drawing the faces but don't feel that every sun needs to have a face. Can't believe I am finishing my first month of my blog, of being in the blog-o-shpere.  Yeah I'm a blogger.  It seems a long road ahead but I just need to keep taking it one Sun at at a time.

Clara Belle was off the the vet at 7 a.m. to get spayed.  At 9:20 the vet text me this photo of her when she woke up.  She is the sweetest little kitten I am so glad I rescued her.

Day 28

I wanted to revisit the same recipe from Day 26. Today the background was created by taking a block of wood (1 x 4) and wrapping hair ties around it.  I made it a few months ago and hadn't printed it yet.  I think I'll keep making this recipe.

Day 27

I keep going back to these stamps when I don't have a good idea.  I need to make some more stamps. This one feels disappointing after yesterdays which I really liked.  Oh well every day can't be a masterpiece especially with the time constraints of this project.

Day 26

Mixed my media tonight. Started with a stamp which I made by heating up an old flip flop and pressing buttons into it, pretty cool.  I went on a tear making a bunch of stamps this way a few months ago.  I then drew the sun with conte crayons which I am still loving. I'm lovin' this face.

On Friday it snowed here and when I was arriving home with my dog I looked down on her black coat I noticed I could clearly see the shape of a star shaped snow flake on her back.  Then I noticed  more incredibly clear flakes on the railing and took this photo, so pretty.

Day 23

This handmade stamp sun has a real windmill feel to it.  I am still working on this video which is taking a lot of my time. It will be done by Saturday so I will be able to spend a bit more time on some of my suns.
Went to a meeting about Artomatic 419 which will be in April right here in Historic Vistula. I am going to volunteer and show some of my work.  It will be at the old beer distribution plant on Summit,  it is going to be fun to watch the space transform over the next few months. Want more info go to Toledo Arts Commission web site http://www.theartscommission.org/

Day 21

I spent all evening editing a video I'm working on, so I busted out my handmade stamps and whipped up this airy little number.  I'm impressed I've been doing this for 21 days straight. This blog is the best thing I have done for myself in a long time.

Day 15

I spent all evening punching out one inch circles from my old Entertainment Weekly magazines for an idea that didn't work out... well it didn't work out yet.  So instead I made another stamp creation.