I liked the framework of the A to Z Challenge. I had enough guidance with the alphabet, but I could make it my own theme and explore different things. Sometimes it was easy to come up with a word, sometimes it took a couple days to come up with the right post for the letter in question. I did meet some new bloggers and I am going to continue exploring new blog spaces from the linky list on the A to Z web site.

So have you ever done a blog challenge of any sort?

I’m a sucker for the real thing and honestly, it is much more interesting than the small reproduction. Plus they are the covers of the mixed media juicy journal!

Then I positioned the image on the paper and began taping them down. Once I had the transfer down where I wanted it on the paper, I started working my way across with the xylene blender marker. I’d saturate the paper a section at a time and then burnish it with a spoon.

Repeat the process until you have the image transfered, lifting the paper gently on occassion to make sure that you are getting the image nicely burnished onto the paper.

You may have to rewet the paper with the xylene marker and reburnish to get the image fully transferred.

And here’s the end result!

Xylene markers are very stinky — be sure to work in a well-ventilated area. If you are chemically sensitive, this is probably not a good technique for you.

Tonight is a catch my breath kind of night and figure out what is next for this month’s posts. I thoroughly enjoyed the A to Z Challenge this past month and I want to continue to build on what I’ve started.

I’ll be doing a lot of arts and crafts this month and traveling some as well. Plus there’s a lot of other opportunities that are presenting themselves too. Tui over at MentalMosaic has a travel carnival that I occassionaly host for her and I haven’t done a submission for a while so maybe I’ll do a couple posts related to travel destinations in and out of Texas from when I was touring the Southern United States last fall. I’ve been focusing on cooking out of my cupboard a bit more so I think there’s some opportunities there as well.

I’m looking forward to what the next month has to bring and I do hope you’ll sit down and share your thoughts on what I post.

Anyhoo, it was my older sister that properly introduced me to red wine and all the flavors that come with it. And for that I am thankful. Because sometimes there’s nothing like a nice glass of zinfandel with some great cheese or chocolate pairings.

150 Grit Norton Sanding Sponge. Can I just say it works fabulously! I like the fact that my hand has a little more to grip while I am sanding to rough up the coating on the paper. It also can be wetted so I can clean off some of the build up on occassion.

I used it on an envelope that I put into one of the Juicy Journal Samplers I’m making for my classes this summer. Here’s the end result and it didn’t take long at all to rough up the finish on the envelope.

I hope you find this item useful in your arting endeavours!

I don’t sail, although I thought it would be fun to learn how to do so. But I’d like to think that I am prepared. I’ve got an emergency fund if there’s something that comes up that is outside my budget. I plan my purchases for art supplies and use coupons to add to my art stash. And I make sure that I don’t buy more supplies than what I need. It can get a bit expensive when I’m trying to figure out class materials and I need to purchase products that I don’t already have, but sometimes I can find some really wonderful substitutions and not have to spend any money at all.

I’ve also got a well stocked pantry with foods that I could use during an emergency situation (think hurricane here on the Texas Gulf Coast). When Ike happened, I did a lot of cooking on my grill with goods I had in my cupboard.

I’m also planning ahead on this blog to see what I’m going to do for next month. I like the momentum that the AtoZChallenge has given me and I want to keep moving forwardo on this and my other blogs. So I think I’m going to focus on using what I have in my cupboard and focus on using a lot of the materials in my stash for art so that I am using what I have.

I’ve also read many of the other series (both Fantasy and Sci-Fi) that Anthony has written: The Apprentice Adept Series, The Space Tyrant Series, but my favorite is the Incarnations of Immortality. Books 1-7 were well crafted. While I was briefly excited tonight as seeing there was another book in the series, the reviews for it are not favorable so I’ll probably skip it.

And it’s fitting that Anthony is included in the A to Z Challenge. This prolific author claims that one of his greatest achievements is to have published a book for every letter of the alphabet from Anthonology to Zombie Lover.

You wouldn’t know it by looking at me, but I actually enjoy lifting weights. Its the first exercise that I can remember that I enjoyed. There’s something fun about lifting really heavy weights that a lot of people can’t. I like the personal record aspect of it and its a lot of fun mastering an exercise that you couldn’t do two weeks before. But what I really miss is my muscles. I liked seeing how my body changed over time and having new bumps and curves to look at. It’s time to make that happen again.

I spent some time last week and these were the top 10 Things I Miss about Exercising:

1. The thrill of a PR
2. Watching my body change
3. Feeling the muscles
4. Lifting heavy stuff easily
5. Being stronger than R
6. Learning what my body is capable of
7. Not breathing heavily when I exert myself
8. Being able to move more easily
9. Having good aches and pains (there is such a thing!)
10. Feeling healthy

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a weight bench I need to clean off so I can get my traps back!


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