Anna's Moly to see us in to the New Year :)

Merry Christmas everyone i hope you all had a great one and a very very happy new year to look forward to.
I have recieved Anna's moly safe and sound in the post (about a week ago) so apologies that i have just got around to posting the piccies. But here they are the beautiful breathtaking views of Dolors world in Anna's moleskin...enjoy

She has captured the rolling countryside...

Eagles soaring high above the rippling cool waters of the lake

Small tumbling houses flanked by a bright blue sky.

All encased in this magical and enchanting moly.

You guys are all so talented im honoured to be taking part in such a great project with such talented artists.

Wishing you all a very happy New Year

Hugs Gem

xxxxxxx

Deck your Hall with Pat's and Kim's Moly. Fa,la,la,la,la,la,la

A tiny peek of Pat's fantasy drawing. Gorgeous!!

Kim's Moly

Pat's Moly

Kim's world of fantasy and Pat's landscapes (and flowers ;-) have been sent off to Dolors.
I can't wait to receive my next book! You are wonderful artists. I really admire the power of your creativity!!

I wish you all a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year !!

Hugs to you all

Anna xx

Holy moly!

Not one but two treats for you as I reveal the wonderful pictures in Dolors moley that arrived a few days ago, and a tiny peek of Gemma's that is winging it's way to Pat in America.

My photos really don't do justice to Gemma's beautiful artwork and words. I'll try and get a decent scan tomorrow and will update the pictures then, but for now, a wonderful poem


and a stormy sea crashing against weathered rocks.



A tiny peek at the Retreat. A semi-fictional mixture of images showing what home means to me.

Anna's moleskine is flying

I have sent this morning, by registered air mail, Anna's moleskine to Gemma. I wanted to send it before but this year I am too busy and i cannot paint. Finally I finished my drawing yesterday and could sent it the last day. I hope it arrive safe and fast to England. I have no photo of my drawing so you will have to wait to see what I did.
Well, I cant's wait to receive my next book! This is a wonderful project and I am enjoying a lot. Thank you Pat!

Gemma's moley.

I'm so thrilled to be working on this project :) Gem's moley is roughed out and will be painted over the weekend, ready to be posted on Monday. I'll give you a peek when it has a little colour. This has been great fun and is something to look forward to in the New Year, when Christmas is behind us and we have our future projects to plan (I do love planning :) )

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Happy Holidays everyone and Have a Merry Christmas too.

Kim's book has been sent off to Anna. I love how it turned out and am excited to see the next one. To have this challenge during the Holidays makes it truly an act of love, but also a wonderful distraction. I can't wait for the next book to arrive. Here is just a piece to give you an idea.

Moly on the move

Hello and festive greetings,
Just to keep you all updated i have finished and sent off Dolors Moly in the post yesterday to Kim. So fingers crossed it will be arriving safe and sound within the next few days.
I can't wait to recieve Anna's and i hope Dolors is happy with what i have done.
Big chrsitmassy hugs to you all
Gem
xxx

Introducing..... Iris :)

Here at last are the lovely pictures from Gemma's Moley. It's named Iris and was an absolute joy to open and explore.



A delicate fusion of beautiful pictures and words.



I have sooo enjoyed my visit, wandering through Gemma's ideal home.



I hope I can do justice to this beautiful moleskin :) It's sooo lovely, Gemma :)

Dolors beautiful Moly

Hi everyone so sorry for the late posting of these pictures, i eventually smacked my scanner into order (after punching it ha ha )
Any way it's working well now after it's little beating. So here is Dolors beautiful Moly.......



Wow look at this beautiful sketchbook, the long stretch of beach, the happy smiling faces, i just want to jump straight into it and spend my afternoon soaking up the sun and laughing with these happy people.



Soaring high above the pretty little yachts reflecting in the rippling waves.
Listening to the gulls crying.



And watching smiling happy children running on the beach. I love the way Dolors has captured the entire feeling of the beach, it's sounds and sights captured forever on her pages. I love this girls cute little dress and the underside of her foot and the way the light has hit her leg causing shadow on oneside.
Oh how i love the sea i can't wait to add to what is already a lovely journal.
*Just trying to rack my brains now for something that compliments Dolors magical paintwork* i have a feeling this will take a while :)
I hope everyone is ok?

FANTASY & DREAM

Kim's book has arrived and it is wonderfully imaginative and going to be so much fun to carry on her theme. I see a fantasy life ahead.

Look at this cutie. How wonderful to have a stallion that moonlights as a Unicorn.

Now we are underwater because there are creatures we all know of that live and are cared for by this beautiful maiden.

Now look at these wonderfully rendered lovelies. I can hardly believe that I get to add to this wonderful book.

What if i published a poetry book?

Hey all, im still awaitig Dolors book in the post but will keep you updated when it arrives. Mine is on its way to Kim (after the mishap at it ending up with Dolors *sorry*)
Meanwhile i was after a little bit of an opinion on whether to go ahead and publish a book of my poetry and illustrations. I'd love to know whether any of you would consider such a purchase if i were to publish?
(For a better understanding of my poetry please pop by my blog and take a look at some of the ones i've posted)
I'd be really really grateful if you could give me your opinion as im a bit scared and nervous of the whole thing and whether it would actually sell if i were to go ahead and do it.
Please pop by and comment (or comment here) There's a little more info on my blog here's the link here
http://sandyfloorboards.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-if-i-published-poetry-book.html
I can't wait to hear from you all
Hugs
Gem
xxxx

The beautiful olive trees of Anna

I received the Moleskine book from Anna. When you open it, immediately you are transported to a sunny hill in the Mediterranean, where the ground is red and terraced with old stones. A group of trees are there from a thousand of years ago or more, surviving the wind and the cold, the drought and the heat. In the autumn they are full of little fruits, from which people take the oil, source of live for generations.

Anna's olives are incredible, an explosion of light and colours that you can open and enjoy. Here are the pictures, so you can see them. I'm so happy to receive her book. Now I have to think in something to draw. Thank you Anna, what a magical scene.

Pat's painting unveiled!!!

Wooowww!! - I gasped in admiration when I opened Pat's journal. - And in a few months, I'm going to have Pat's paintings in my book!!. I feel so lucky!!

The whole painting is a beautiful piece of work!!! I couldn't help taking some photos to post them to all of you. Aren't they gorgeous?.

Thank you very much for your present, Pat! I know you are pretty busy and I really appreciate it. It is a lovely gift.

An now it's my turn. What a difficult task!! I hope I meet your expectations.

Enjoy Pat's painting and have a nice weekend !!

My book

Finally I mailed my book to Gemma today. I hope it arrive safely and fast. Here you have a bad picture of a part, it was very dark when I took the photo.

Here's a final sneaky peek of my journal before i send it off today to Kim

It will be posted today and fingers crossed it arrives ok, as we have had some bad postal strikes just lately here in the UK.
I can't wait to recieve Dolors journal, i will post as soon as it lands upon my doorstep.

Hugs to you all
x

Just in time!

I thought I wouldn't make it! First, the lack of time and then panicking in front of the blank paper. Stop the train I want to get off!!

I feel soooo relieved, Pat!

I painted an olive grove because I love olive trees, so my topic could be 'nature' or 'landscapes'.
Anyway, if you don't feel comfortable with the topic, paint whatever makes you feel at ease.

Now I have to meet Dolors. She lives 100 kms from my place but we are in touch.

Have a nice week !

WooHoo!

Mine is finished and I'm quite pleased with it. I won't be sending it until Monday though, as we have Postal Strikes and I'm worried that it will go missing as the Post Office guarantees nothing!!!

I can't wait to see everyone else's moleys :)

Want a sneaky peak? Ooooh go on then!

My Moleskine is Meandering!!!!

I just needed to let you know that I have sent my Moly on to Anna today. I enclosed a little book mark for each of you in the back pocket. Take one if you would like. The post office wanted to know if I wanted to insure it. How do you place a value on something like this? I hadn't thought of that until I was faced with putting a monetary value on this little $11.50 book after everyone has painted in it.  Please sign in on the front signature page and sign your artwork too.  OK?

Anna, I have enclosed a little something extra in the envelope for you. I hope you like it. When I was making it I thought of how kind you have been to me in the last year and so there is a lot of love built into it.

Gemma, you need to let me know when you get home from your trip so we can get started on our exchange.

Everyone please keep good thoughts for my Meandering Moleskin while it travels to Spain.

Pat's Sneak Peek

Ok everyone. I did it. I finished painting my journal. I am going to send it to Anna in 2 days. That's Wednesday the 30th. Would you like a sneak peek? Ok just a little one............

A Christmas Swap i hear you say???

Hey everyone,
I hope your moly's are cruising along nicely, me? well i now have all six pages drawn but i am awaiting inspiration for a poem to include in it and ive also got to watercolour the whole lot so in fact i still have quite a bit to do.

From one creative topic to another....I am holding a Chrsitmas swap on my blog, so far it includes Pat, Kim and me if anyone else would like to join in please please leave a comment on the following link, the more the merrier and please mention it to other bloggers alike.
Rules etc are here.....

http://sandyfloorboards.blogspot.com/2009/10/christmas-gift-swap.html#comments

Sorry there's no pictures today.
Looking forward to hearing from you all

xxxxx

update on moly progress.....

Hi everyone i thought i'd give you all sneak peek at one of the pages on progress in my moly journal......

I guess you'll just have to wait and see the rest when it arrives at your doors.

How's everyone else's going?

Hugs

Gem

xxx

In the begining...

Hello to you all,
Well this is hard i must admit starting off your journal with a topic that ou hope everyone will enjoy and be able to submit to so i sat and thought, i twiddled my thumbs and the i thought some more and some more when.........Ting! an i dea popped into my head, an idea that everyone will be able to submit and become involved in because it relates to everyone it is

Home

(what home means to you, your idea of home and what things remind you of home)

It diesnt have to be a house or in the same country as you or even your own home its just hat ever gives you hope and brings you comfort your home for your body and mind.

Ahhhh im so relieved i have come up with an idea i just now need to get down and dirty and begin creating my pages ready to send on.

Hope evryone is good?

sending love n hugs to you all

Gem

xxxxx

I did it!

It's been really hard, sitting facing those blank pages and finding the nerve to put down some marks. But I have and so far have resisted the urge to rub out my sketches. I've deliberately put the book down for the weekend and will take a quiet moment tomorrow to work on it.

My theme is Fantasy and Dream, so that should open it up for people to be as real or abstract as they like.

How is everyone else doing?

Creative procrastination

I finally did it! I have thought of a theme and title for my journal.

Friendships and Art
Friends Creating Art
with
Paint, pen and pencil

I awoke this morning with the image in my head for the first 6 portions of my fold out journal. Virtual image is always easier than actual image.

So now the creative procrastination part is over and the get it done part begins.

I hope my theme makes it easy for all of you to paint something in my book. I truly just want the art you love to create.

How has everyone been doing?  Are you creating?

Welcome to The Adventures of the

Meandering Moleskine!

This Japanese fold-out Moleskine sketchbook exchange blog site will be the posts of 5 artists, 2 from United Kingdom (Gemma and Kim), 2 from Spain (Anna and Dolors) and the last from United States (Pat) and each has been set up as an author. We met on line and share a love for art. I have been enjoying Anna’s beautiful watercolors and Gemma’s gift of words along with her wonderful paintings and asked them if they would be interested in joining me on this adventure. Anna asked Dolors and Gemma asked Kim and now we are five setting off on The Adventures of the Meandering Moliskin.

We will create a theme and then write, draw and/or paint on a spread of 6 pages, then send it on to the next person. Upon receipt of the book, the next artist will scan and then post the previous artist’s work for everyone to see. After the book has traveled to each artist and is returned to the owner it will be filled with the artwork of all of our friends.

By posting regularly and communicating via email we will be able to know where the books are, when they are received and sent. A chart at the bottom shows the book we will be drawing in each month and where to send it at the end of the month.

OK, let's have some fun!