Climb On!

I have started up climbing again! I began climbing about three years ago; bouldering and building techniques. Now I have shifted to bouldering and top rope climbing. My main focus is top rope climbing and hopefully down the road when I build up more skill, lead climbing. Throughout my new experiences I have learned many new terms and basic techniques for top rope climbing, especially when it came to belaying; who knew a figure-eight knot could save your life! I do most of my climbing at Vertical Endeavors (http://www.verticalendeavors.com/). Here are some pictures Ben and I took while I was working on making a picture artist book:

Art work in progress

I decided to post some pictures of my in progress and finished work. I am finding now that I am done with school I will soon have much more time dedicated to painting, book making, and designing. In the past I have rushed to get paintings done or have not had much time to work on them, so it will be interesting to see what I create over the summer! I am hoping to expand on the work below, either improving the technique or creating a series off of one piece. Feedback, again, would be great:

Paintings:

Chanel ad Paint by number Gwyneth Paltrow self portrait

acrylic, caulking acrylic, caulking acrylic acrylic, caulking

acrylic, beading, cloth Water color Chanel watch SJP

acrylic, caulking acrylic, dry brush

SJP Close up:

Jewelry:

Bookmaking:

book cover

My new nephew baby Cooper was born on May 7!
Below is a link to his website, with some cute pictures :)
http://www.cooperjameskummer.com

Also, added at the bottom of my Blog (where My Website is listed) is my Neices and Nephews art blogs. Check them out, they are really funny!

Final Book Arts ideas

Currently I am working on a final project for my Book Arts class. I have always wanted to write Children's book, so this was a great opportunity to develop ideas that would hopefully lead to creating more books in my future. I have decided create a book similar to Shel Silverstein's "Where the Sidewalk ends". Over the past month I have been creating fun poems and illustrations. I am hoping to touch on the same feelings that are provoked in Silverstein's work; fun, uplifting, humorous poems. Below are some of my ideas or newly developed work, but I am still looking for topics to write about so any ideas would be great! :

My Brain is on Strike
My brain is on strike
it quit today
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
I don't know what to say
My brain is on strike it shut down early this morning
"sorry" it said "no thinking today, I guess you will just have to go out and play"
My brain is on strike
it should be back tomorrow.... I think.

Yearly Check Up
Yearly check up
I think I am okay
My nose is running
my eyes are itchy and red
I haven't been able to get out of bed
A yearly check up what will it do?
My toes are green
and I have lost three pairs of shoes,
my teeth look like candy corns from Halloween
My cheeks are filled with pudding from last Christmas Eve
A yearly check up
I don't think I'll go
I ran a mile until I broke my toe
My bones are brittle
But I think I'm just fragile
My finger nails have grown down to my toes
My hair is falling just over my nose
I sneeze everyday at half past two
oh there is one of my shoes
I haven't showered since last week
My body is turning blue as we speak
So please a yearly check up...
I think I'll be fine...
wait..
I may need nine.

School Kid
The kid who sits next to me
chews on markers and draws on his knees
his glasses are dirty
and his hair is greasy
he sticks his toes far up his nose
his tennis shoes stink
they have holes in each one
he sleeps half the day
that doesn't bother me anyway
He plays on the monkey bars
and walks in the hall like he is trekking in mars
he follows me home
down the sidewalks
it’s almost 5 or 6 blocks
he follows me out the door in the morning
and behind him I hear my mother say
"please please be nice to your brother today"