Military has hundreds of years of effective organization habits and inventions. It's a great idea to apply their ideas to the family lives.
To get a family working better, it is good to have a command center.
I prefer my command center to be somewhere centered, undisturbed, where everyone knows the bulletin board is to be found and other important information.
I need a small book shelf, a table, a chair - I think a secretary is great for this purpose.
I have several binders in my command center, one household binder, one for cleaning, home and interior decor, one for bills and guarantees and other such papers and one for all the other important papers.
There needs to be a calendar, with the whole month visible at one glance, and a "week ahead" schedule.
There needs to be the menus and shopping lists
There needs to be a place for the post
There needs to be the chore lists and to do lists.
There needs to be a white or black board for writing notes to the family, and a memo board to put all the important little notes and cards etc. up, so that one knows where to look for them.
There also need to be the whiteboard pens, chalks and other pens close by, easily accessible.
I don't have the gadget charging area in the command center, nor the keys. Those are in the staging area (aka launch pad), which is - and in my opinion should be - separate from the command center.
In the staging area one empties one's hands as one gets in through the door. There are all the things that are to be taken with one when one leaves home, their bags, keys, wallets, telephones and other such things, sun glasses, hats, and everything else. Because of this, it should be as close the door as possible.
Ours is right next to the door, but the charging center is by our bed, because my bed is my office.
Every member of the family has a basket where they will leave their things, and where the things they need to remember to take with them are left, like lunch etc.
There is also a clip on the door for all the letters to be posted, store bonus coupons and other such things.
I have the library books in the staging area as well. All the library books are in the book shelf in the entryway, they are fetched from there to be read and returned there, and there is also the library bag with a pocket for the library card there, so that it's easy to just take the books and return them-
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Declutter your home - flow chart
Of course there are complications, but the main thing is "have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful".
I would also like to add "that makes you feel bad". If an item reminds you of unpleasant things or makes you sad, get rid of it. You don't need any reminders of the unpleasant stuff in your life.
If an item reminds you of unpleasant people, get rid of it.
If an item makes you sad, ashamed, angry, afraid, stressed; get rid of it.
If an item doesn't make you glad, happy, pleased, satisfied, calm, at ease, get rid of it.
Get rid of the tons of craft material you are saving "because you could make something out of it". If you don't have a specific use for "it" right now, AND your home is a mess, get rid of it. Give it to someone else to make something of.
Collect all the materials, tools and instructions you need for a project in one place; box or basket or bag. Put a date on it. If you haven't taken the time to finish that, give up. You most likely are NEVER going to finish that. Unless there has been an upheaval in your life, like someone died or you are in the middle of a move or change or work or something other Big, that is the only reason why you "may" hang on to UFOs. (Un-Finished Objects)
These things just weigh you down and give you bad conscience. You don't want that.
I promise you, that when you have cut your "projects to do" list in manageable size, you will be a lot happier and actually will finish the projects you have started. That gives you more self-confident and you will be finishing even more projects. Just be careful not to have mote than five projects at a time. Also, set a deadline. If you haven't finished a project to that date, you most likely never will. Move on.
Don't hang on things you can't use.
Things have "best before" date. Some things can be fixed to become useful, but there are things that cannot be fixed. If you have something you don't use, think about if you really need to have it.
Why don't you use it?
Is it because it's too small or big, or is complicated and difficult to use, or it's not sharp enough or right size or color or material, doesn't work properly, is broken, dirty, unpleasant to touch, see, use, is associated with an emotional load?
Can you fix it?
If you don't like the thing but need it, can you replace it with something you like?
All the things you decide to keep, gather them in "stations".
Keep all your clothes and all the equipment needed to take care of them in one (or two) places; wardrobe and laundry station. "All the equipment" includes things like clothes brushes and stain removals. The only equipment needed that doesn't need to follow this rule is the sewing machine and all the equipment associated with that, and only if you use it to sew other things. If you only use your sewing equipment to mend your clothes, keep it with the clothes.
The same about the iron. That is good to keep in the laundry station, so that you will iron the clothes before you put them in the closet.
Keep
all your cooking things in one place,
all your baking things in one place,
all your paperwork in one place, with a shredder in place over the garbage can so that you will shred the trash post immediately, and with a letter opener to make opening the letters easier.
I have a pot full of bookmarks in my bookshelf. I love bookmarks.
I have all my library books on one shelf, together with the library card and library bags (a couple of sturdy canvas bags... I am a huge user of libraries :-D)
All the things that belong together, that are used together, are kept in one place, in the room where they are used.
Boxes for stuffs
- crap baskets - every person in the household has a basket or a box, where their "lost things" are gathered. Everything found out of place is returned to each person's basket and in the end of the week the people take these things and put them in their right places.
- recycling
- "keep", "give", "toss", "sell", "fix", "return", and "gifts" which in our household is called "the mathom box".
It's best to storage these in a neat container that you can't see through... so that you won't see the things you have already once let go, and get the idea of that you want to save it anyway. Don't.
Things you don't know what to do with
Go through these things with the mindset "would I buy this if I was shopping?". If not, let it go.
The idea with decluttering is not to "live minimalistically because you should", or "you get the bad reputation of a hoarder when you hang on things". You declutter because:
- the more stuff you have, the more difficult it is to keep your home healthy. For you. An unclean and messy home is a home filled with unnecessary health risks.
- the more stuff you have, the less of it you actually can see, use and enjoy of. When you clear up space, you see your things better and can appreciate them. You get the access to your things. You clear up working surface to actually do the things you want to do.
- things get easily spoiled, broken, damaged beyond repair when stored in piles.
- the more stuff you have, the harder it is to keep your home clean, the more work you need to do to clean it, the more time you must waste in cleaning. Decluttered home is easy and quick to clean.
You DON'T NEED to give up all "your stuff". You just need a place for all your stuff, so that it's easily accessible, that you can use it, that you can see it and love it, so that you won't lose it, or break it.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
E squared , experiment 2
I know you want it all, and you want it now.
You don't want to wait for 48 hours, not even 24, not even 2.
The purpose with the first experiment was that there is a force out there that actually hears you.
The purpose with the second experiment is that you start noticing what happens around you.
It's basic psychology. It's pretty common knowledge that women who have just found out they are pregnant, see pregnant women and mothers with babies everywhere. You will see what you are looking.
So, if you don't see something you are actively looking, (when it's something as normal and general as blue cars or yellow butterflies) you are not looking. You might not find your keys, but if you are looking for keys, any keys, you will see keys. Pictures of keys, things shaped as keys, real, actual keys.
If you don't, there's another basic psychological phenomenon in action.
It's a bit like your mind is layered. There's the conscious thinking, subconscious, you know. You know that sometimes you are irrationally scared or moved by something, not knowing yourself why you react emotionally. It's a bit like you are more aware of your subconscious than your conscious mind. You can lie to yourself with your inner voice, but your subconscious hears only the truth.
If you are going through this book with the idea of that it's full bull and you KNOW it won't work, you will find evidence of that.
If you believe it's true, you will find evidence of that.
You will find evidence to support anything you believe.
This is not some magic hocuspocus scam, this is basic psychology.
Now, the fact that you see what you are thinking of, isn't any proof of anything, except that you will see what you want to see.
So - magic hocuspocus scam... the psychology behind these books is sound. The authors might just not know it, or they might be using words that make it hard for you to actually understand what they are saying...
But - let's look at this from the purely scientific point of view.
The book - and it's kind - are very nicely leading the readers into a certain mindset - the mindset of activity. The mindset of bravery - doing even when one is afraid. Risking knowing that good outcome is just as probable as bad outcome. Trying to get us shaken out of the passive, submissive, victim mentality, trying to manipulate things by pretending to be weaker, lesser, more needy, in such a degree one believes it to be true; codependency. (Most women in the world has been taught this for some 2000 years. We have learned.)
There's nothing negative, bad, dangerous, despicable in this mindset, nothing magical, supernatural, paranormal, superstitious or anything unnatural with this. God or some metaphysical force of Universe (written with a capital initial) is not involved. It's still basic psychology.
But because we have been well trained, we need the permission from someone, something higher and more powerful than any authority in our palpable world. We need to be able to leave the responsibility to someone else, because we aren't really allowed to think for ourselves, we aren't allowed to feel good about our choices, what we choose to wear, eat, read, do. By whom? By God, by our parents, by our husbands, friends, teachers, bosses, co-workers, society, world, media, magazines...
Anyway, this book gives us the permission. This book tells us that we not only may, we should. We should go for happiness. We should go for what we think makes us happy. We should dare to believe our dreams are possible.
You don't want to wait for 48 hours, not even 24, not even 2.
The purpose with the first experiment was that there is a force out there that actually hears you.
The purpose with the second experiment is that you start noticing what happens around you.
It's basic psychology. It's pretty common knowledge that women who have just found out they are pregnant, see pregnant women and mothers with babies everywhere. You will see what you are looking.
So, if you don't see something you are actively looking, (when it's something as normal and general as blue cars or yellow butterflies) you are not looking. You might not find your keys, but if you are looking for keys, any keys, you will see keys. Pictures of keys, things shaped as keys, real, actual keys.
If you don't, there's another basic psychological phenomenon in action.
It's a bit like your mind is layered. There's the conscious thinking, subconscious, you know. You know that sometimes you are irrationally scared or moved by something, not knowing yourself why you react emotionally. It's a bit like you are more aware of your subconscious than your conscious mind. You can lie to yourself with your inner voice, but your subconscious hears only the truth.
If you are going through this book with the idea of that it's full bull and you KNOW it won't work, you will find evidence of that.
If you believe it's true, you will find evidence of that.
You will find evidence to support anything you believe.
This is not some magic hocuspocus scam, this is basic psychology.
Now, the fact that you see what you are thinking of, isn't any proof of anything, except that you will see what you want to see.
So - magic hocuspocus scam... the psychology behind these books is sound. The authors might just not know it, or they might be using words that make it hard for you to actually understand what they are saying...
But - let's look at this from the purely scientific point of view.
The book - and it's kind - are very nicely leading the readers into a certain mindset - the mindset of activity. The mindset of bravery - doing even when one is afraid. Risking knowing that good outcome is just as probable as bad outcome. Trying to get us shaken out of the passive, submissive, victim mentality, trying to manipulate things by pretending to be weaker, lesser, more needy, in such a degree one believes it to be true; codependency. (Most women in the world has been taught this for some 2000 years. We have learned.)
There's nothing negative, bad, dangerous, despicable in this mindset, nothing magical, supernatural, paranormal, superstitious or anything unnatural with this. God or some metaphysical force of Universe (written with a capital initial) is not involved. It's still basic psychology.
But because we have been well trained, we need the permission from someone, something higher and more powerful than any authority in our palpable world. We need to be able to leave the responsibility to someone else, because we aren't really allowed to think for ourselves, we aren't allowed to feel good about our choices, what we choose to wear, eat, read, do. By whom? By God, by our parents, by our husbands, friends, teachers, bosses, co-workers, society, world, media, magazines...
Anyway, this book gives us the permission. This book tells us that we not only may, we should. We should go for happiness. We should go for what we think makes us happy. We should dare to believe our dreams are possible.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
E Squared, Experiment 1
There are two popular ideas circulating the "spiritual community"; Ego and Karma.
I don't believe in either.
I believe our wishes, dreams, hopes, ideas, wants etc. are specific and unique to each of us.
I believe we are here to live, to feel, to sense, to emote. I believe we have a body with senses so that we use it. I believe we have a body with hormones and emotions so that we use them. We are not to deny the desires and lusts of this sensual body we have, because we have it just for that reason.
I believe people who try to reach Nirvana and stop existing in a physical body has gravely misunderstood the idea of life and physical body.
I believe in "muscle testing" and testing our body reactions to know if an idea or suggestion is a good and sound one. Without a body we can't do this.
I believe in "I". I believe we ARE separate from everyone else, even though we are united, connected and the same. Same, same but different.
I believe this "me" existence has a purpose.
Because I believe in God and I know nothing happens without a purpose, and that God has ways of turning everything to good.
"Everything will be fine in the end. If it's not OK, good and fine and right, it's not in the end."
Maybe it's just that I haven't understood the concept of Ego as the New Age community understands it, because I don't believe things like narcissism, psychopathy, "power of the weak" manipulating, Ayn Rand pragmatism and machiavellianism are beneficial for anyone.
Nevertheless, I believe we must love ourselves and remind ourselves of our good qualities.
I believe manifesting won't work without ego, I, me, and being in me, being ME.
I believe our primary obligation is to take care of ourselves. I believe people who are codependent and always think about someone else or others first, are lost. I believe the classic idea of self-sacrificing mother is very, very wrong.
I believe there should be limits to kindness, generosity, friendliness, giving, considering other people's feelings, respect, and other such qualities. I am not to make a doormat of myself. I am not to become codependent, but interdependent, independent, self-confident. I am to be kind and generous toward ME first, to be able to give anything to anyone else.
I don't believe in victim mentality and the idea of that I NEED to manipulate others to get my needs satisfied. I believe it's better to satisfy my needs and do what it takes to get my needs satisfied in a healthy manner, without manipulations and using others and expecting others to do this, or expecting some karma or rule of three or any other such "people do to you what you do to them" idea.
People are not kind to you because you are kind, they are kind to you because THEY are kind. You can't manipulate people to be kind to you.
I don't believe in fulfilling my needs and wishes at the cost of others' needs and wishes. I believe my rights end where yours begin, and no-one has any rights that violate anyone else's rights. I believe the Universe is limitless, abundant and naturally generous and giving. I believe even our most magnificous dreams are just a drop in the ocean of the abundance of the Universe. I don't believe we can ask for ANYTHING that would deplete the resources of the Universe.
Another thing I don't believe in is "reality", in the way "you need to be realistic". I believe in fantasy, imagination and magic. I believe in fairies. I believe in the kind of world Findhorn founders talked about, with other dimensions and other lifeforms and that there is more that can't be seen, measured, tested, controlled than what can. I believe the world is like an onion except reversed - what's in the inside is bigger than what's in the outside.
I don't believe in blaming anyone. I believe in taking responsibility, sure, but it's more important to DO and try to correct, try to fix, try to clean up, without caring whose fault it was. I don't care whose fault or responsibility it is. I don't care whose duty it is to fix it. I believe if one sees something wrong, one needs to right it. If we wait and expect "someone" to take care of things, and not do it ourselves, nothing will be taken care of, and I believe everyone is better off when things are taken care of.
I believe hostility is part of "being closed", and that quality is not just bad. I believe the feelings and ideas behind the hostility are sound and good; taking care of oneself and people who are important to one, and so on. I believe our world is in circles and one cannot and should not expand from one circle to the next before one is ready. The innermost circle includes only "me". The next one is my "family". Then comes our "friends". Then comes the community one lives in, and that circle goes from neighborhood to village to county to country to continent to planet to Universe...
Anyway... I could be speaking about this until the cows come home, but this is not what this blog post is about.
E Squared Experiment #1
The idea of the experiment is to open your eyes and start seeing good things that happen to me. It's to start appreciating the goodness we already have in our life. It's starting to notice all the hundreds of ways how God tells us that She loves us, every day.
I already have so much of goodness in my life, and it started to feel like the Universe is just laughing at me for expecting it to give me a gift when we both are so aware of that the Universe showers me with gifts 24/7.
So I was pretty p'd off yesterday, screaming to the Universe to give me something REALLY BIG, because I have been a good girl and I believe... and this morning I realized the Universe had given me something REALLY BIG. Something I won't tell you what it is, because it's private. I can tell you that it's not material, and it's something I have been praying for for years.
I don't believe in either.
I believe our wishes, dreams, hopes, ideas, wants etc. are specific and unique to each of us.
I believe we are here to live, to feel, to sense, to emote. I believe we have a body with senses so that we use it. I believe we have a body with hormones and emotions so that we use them. We are not to deny the desires and lusts of this sensual body we have, because we have it just for that reason.
I believe people who try to reach Nirvana and stop existing in a physical body has gravely misunderstood the idea of life and physical body.
I believe in "muscle testing" and testing our body reactions to know if an idea or suggestion is a good and sound one. Without a body we can't do this.
I believe in "I". I believe we ARE separate from everyone else, even though we are united, connected and the same. Same, same but different.
I believe this "me" existence has a purpose.
Because I believe in God and I know nothing happens without a purpose, and that God has ways of turning everything to good.
"Everything will be fine in the end. If it's not OK, good and fine and right, it's not in the end."
Maybe it's just that I haven't understood the concept of Ego as the New Age community understands it, because I don't believe things like narcissism, psychopathy, "power of the weak" manipulating, Ayn Rand pragmatism and machiavellianism are beneficial for anyone.
Nevertheless, I believe we must love ourselves and remind ourselves of our good qualities.
I believe manifesting won't work without ego, I, me, and being in me, being ME.
I believe our primary obligation is to take care of ourselves. I believe people who are codependent and always think about someone else or others first, are lost. I believe the classic idea of self-sacrificing mother is very, very wrong.
I believe there should be limits to kindness, generosity, friendliness, giving, considering other people's feelings, respect, and other such qualities. I am not to make a doormat of myself. I am not to become codependent, but interdependent, independent, self-confident. I am to be kind and generous toward ME first, to be able to give anything to anyone else.
I don't believe in victim mentality and the idea of that I NEED to manipulate others to get my needs satisfied. I believe it's better to satisfy my needs and do what it takes to get my needs satisfied in a healthy manner, without manipulations and using others and expecting others to do this, or expecting some karma or rule of three or any other such "people do to you what you do to them" idea.
People are not kind to you because you are kind, they are kind to you because THEY are kind. You can't manipulate people to be kind to you.
I don't believe in fulfilling my needs and wishes at the cost of others' needs and wishes. I believe my rights end where yours begin, and no-one has any rights that violate anyone else's rights. I believe the Universe is limitless, abundant and naturally generous and giving. I believe even our most magnificous dreams are just a drop in the ocean of the abundance of the Universe. I don't believe we can ask for ANYTHING that would deplete the resources of the Universe.
Another thing I don't believe in is "reality", in the way "you need to be realistic". I believe in fantasy, imagination and magic. I believe in fairies. I believe in the kind of world Findhorn founders talked about, with other dimensions and other lifeforms and that there is more that can't be seen, measured, tested, controlled than what can. I believe the world is like an onion except reversed - what's in the inside is bigger than what's in the outside.
I don't believe in blaming anyone. I believe in taking responsibility, sure, but it's more important to DO and try to correct, try to fix, try to clean up, without caring whose fault it was. I don't care whose fault or responsibility it is. I don't care whose duty it is to fix it. I believe if one sees something wrong, one needs to right it. If we wait and expect "someone" to take care of things, and not do it ourselves, nothing will be taken care of, and I believe everyone is better off when things are taken care of.
I believe hostility is part of "being closed", and that quality is not just bad. I believe the feelings and ideas behind the hostility are sound and good; taking care of oneself and people who are important to one, and so on. I believe our world is in circles and one cannot and should not expand from one circle to the next before one is ready. The innermost circle includes only "me". The next one is my "family". Then comes our "friends". Then comes the community one lives in, and that circle goes from neighborhood to village to county to country to continent to planet to Universe...
Anyway... I could be speaking about this until the cows come home, but this is not what this blog post is about.
E Squared Experiment #1
The idea of the experiment is to open your eyes and start seeing good things that happen to me. It's to start appreciating the goodness we already have in our life. It's starting to notice all the hundreds of ways how God tells us that She loves us, every day.
I already have so much of goodness in my life, and it started to feel like the Universe is just laughing at me for expecting it to give me a gift when we both are so aware of that the Universe showers me with gifts 24/7.
So I was pretty p'd off yesterday, screaming to the Universe to give me something REALLY BIG, because I have been a good girl and I believe... and this morning I realized the Universe had given me something REALLY BIG. Something I won't tell you what it is, because it's private. I can tell you that it's not material, and it's something I have been praying for for years.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Week 17
Gelli printing
Most people sort of abuse this wonderful tool. Gelli print plate is a special printing base with soft, rubber like surface that is easy to ink and easy to make imprints on. It is especially amazing with the "ghost prints", the second print after some ink or paint is removed. It is amazing how well it reproduces fine lines and texture, like that on plants or textiles.
You can make your own, follor the video above, or buy a ready-made one. The printing works the same way, the difference is that the store-bought version is more durable and not as easy to damage, but if you damage the home-made version, you just melt it and remold it.
Most people just "play" with it, with no - or not much - planning they just throw colors on, spread them and put on stencils and masks and make abstract papers - and that's just fine, too. Some of the papers created like this are amazing!
But let's go through the dos and donts.
- you will be producing quite a lot in relatively short amount of time, so see that you have place to dry your prints without them touching anything.
- have quite a lot of space around the gelli plate so that you can move papers and stencils and masks and what ever you are using.
- you need to keep the gelli plate stationed on non porous surface, like plastic, glas, china, metal - cutting boards, trays and baking plates work fine. Otherwise the gelli plate will suck itself stuck to the surface. Do not place it on paper.
- you also need to keep the surface of the gelli plate above the immediate surface around it. Keep at least a hand's width free all around the plate.
- the best paper is thin paper. Some say "use cardstock"... I use printer paper, because that is what I have ample access to, but I would use tissue paper or rice paper if I had easy access to that. I still haven't found a place that sells tissue paper in bulk.
- get a brayer. Get a good quality rubber brayer with smooth roll that rolls smoothly :-D
- You will need a junk paper to clean the brayer on between the layers.
I use baby wipes to wipe it properly clean between layers, because I have noticed that some times the paint will stuck in clumps on the brayer, and these will leave marks in your prints.
- Don't open your paint bottles above the plate. Tiny flecks of paint might fall on the plate and create havoc later.
- It will get messy, so see that you have protected the working surface. It's good to use a newspaper or something like that under the surface you have the gelli plate on, so that you can clean your tools.
- It is good to have some kitchen paper and water spray bottle (you can have a little soap in the water, if you want to, but you don't need to) so that you can clean the plate every now and then.
You also need some tissue paper to lift up the extra paint, so that you won't waste it :-D All this paper becomes new decorated paper that you can use in your art journal.
- You don't need to use the size of paper your gelli plate is. You can print large papers in sections, use the gelli plate as a stamp, or print small pieces of paper, like tags or cards, on big gelli plate.
You also don't need to use the whole surface of the gelli plate.
- you can use a retarder with your acrylics to keep the paint wet longer, but if you notice your design has dried too much, let it dry all together, put a new, fresh layer of paint on top and it's possible the fresh paint will lift the dry paint from the gelli plate.
It doesn't take more than 10-15 minutes for the paint to dry.
- Have some plan before you start.
Collect the tools and materials you plan on using.
- any water based medium is fine. Most use acrylics, but I have used watercolors too, and those work fine as well. Someone said that ink colors the gelli plate. I don't know. It's ok, though, except for the esthethic impact. It won't dye the papers you are going to print.- don't drown the plate in color. It's better to use too little than too much paint, because the paint will smudge the print if you have a lot. About 1 teaspoon is good. Three blobs of the size of your fingertip.
- The more colors you use, the more probable it is that you produce "mud". When you mix all the colors of the rainbow, you get nasty brownish grey color. Use only one color at a time; colors next to each other on the color wheel or colors with white and/or black. For example; blue-green-purple is OK, blue-purple-red, red-orange-yellow; yellow-green-blue, green-blue-turquoise - green and purple without the blue in between starts to create mud.
Opposite colors is an almost certain way to get mud.
Now, if you like the vivid and energetic impact of opposite colors, you need to let the first layer of one color dry and then print on the other color. Just be aware of that if you use transparent color - and most acrylic hobby paints are translucent - you will get sort of mud effect on places where the top color layer is thin. You could use masks and leave parts of the paper white when first printing, and then printing the second printing on those white parts. People who are used to printing are pretty good at placing the paper on the plate so that it falls about the same spot, and there are some tricks to this, too, but I would make the first print, let the paper dry and then mask - on the paper - the colored parts, either with paper (mask/stencil) or masking tape - and printing the second time this masked paper, to be sure I get the paint where I want it.
It's nevertheless best, if you make your papers and then collage them together, to keep the colors bright and clean.
note what kind of color combinations you like. Do you like clear patterns? Then you should use a light and a dark color.
If you like more batik kind of patterns, then you should use colors that are close to each other in value. But if you print light blue on light blue, grey or purple, you won't see much anything. But that might be an effect in itself. Experiment.
Also, start collecting color combinations you like.
- gelli plate is created to be an easy and quick way of adding color, so it is designed to be used with stencils, masks, stamps, combs etc. It's a bit like a combination of linoprinting and paste paper.
I like paste paper...
Don't mix patterns a lot. Don't put a strong pattern on a strong pattern, you'll end up with a chaotic mess. And a weak pattern on a weak pattern will create a weak blah mess. :-D
Strong pattern on weak pattern creates a nice batik kind of effect, weak pattern on strong pattern gives nice texture.
You can use any stencil when printing with gelli plate, but if you use the stencil as mask (let it lay on the gelli plate as you print) it should be very thin and have big, clear, open holes.
If you want to use an intrigate stencil, you use it as a stamp and push it on the paint and remove before printing, like when using the bubble wrap.
The best way to get in the mood is to watch all the videos by Gelli Arts. They have plenty of instruction videos on how to use their product, and they give you a lot of ideas and tips.
Most people sort of abuse this wonderful tool. Gelli print plate is a special printing base with soft, rubber like surface that is easy to ink and easy to make imprints on. It is especially amazing with the "ghost prints", the second print after some ink or paint is removed. It is amazing how well it reproduces fine lines and texture, like that on plants or textiles.
You can make your own, follor the video above, or buy a ready-made one. The printing works the same way, the difference is that the store-bought version is more durable and not as easy to damage, but if you damage the home-made version, you just melt it and remold it.
Most people just "play" with it, with no - or not much - planning they just throw colors on, spread them and put on stencils and masks and make abstract papers - and that's just fine, too. Some of the papers created like this are amazing!
But let's go through the dos and donts.
- you will be producing quite a lot in relatively short amount of time, so see that you have place to dry your prints without them touching anything.
- have quite a lot of space around the gelli plate so that you can move papers and stencils and masks and what ever you are using.
- you need to keep the gelli plate stationed on non porous surface, like plastic, glas, china, metal - cutting boards, trays and baking plates work fine. Otherwise the gelli plate will suck itself stuck to the surface. Do not place it on paper.
- you also need to keep the surface of the gelli plate above the immediate surface around it. Keep at least a hand's width free all around the plate.
- the best paper is thin paper. Some say "use cardstock"... I use printer paper, because that is what I have ample access to, but I would use tissue paper or rice paper if I had easy access to that. I still haven't found a place that sells tissue paper in bulk.
- get a brayer. Get a good quality rubber brayer with smooth roll that rolls smoothly :-D
- You will need a junk paper to clean the brayer on between the layers.
I use baby wipes to wipe it properly clean between layers, because I have noticed that some times the paint will stuck in clumps on the brayer, and these will leave marks in your prints.
- Don't open your paint bottles above the plate. Tiny flecks of paint might fall on the plate and create havoc later.
- It will get messy, so see that you have protected the working surface. It's good to use a newspaper or something like that under the surface you have the gelli plate on, so that you can clean your tools.
- It is good to have some kitchen paper and water spray bottle (you can have a little soap in the water, if you want to, but you don't need to) so that you can clean the plate every now and then.
You also need some tissue paper to lift up the extra paint, so that you won't waste it :-D All this paper becomes new decorated paper that you can use in your art journal.
- You don't need to use the size of paper your gelli plate is. You can print large papers in sections, use the gelli plate as a stamp, or print small pieces of paper, like tags or cards, on big gelli plate.
You also don't need to use the whole surface of the gelli plate.
- you can use a retarder with your acrylics to keep the paint wet longer, but if you notice your design has dried too much, let it dry all together, put a new, fresh layer of paint on top and it's possible the fresh paint will lift the dry paint from the gelli plate.
It doesn't take more than 10-15 minutes for the paint to dry.
- Have some plan before you start.
Collect the tools and materials you plan on using.
- any water based medium is fine. Most use acrylics, but I have used watercolors too, and those work fine as well. Someone said that ink colors the gelli plate. I don't know. It's ok, though, except for the esthethic impact. It won't dye the papers you are going to print.- don't drown the plate in color. It's better to use too little than too much paint, because the paint will smudge the print if you have a lot. About 1 teaspoon is good. Three blobs of the size of your fingertip.
- The more colors you use, the more probable it is that you produce "mud". When you mix all the colors of the rainbow, you get nasty brownish grey color. Use only one color at a time; colors next to each other on the color wheel or colors with white and/or black. For example; blue-green-purple is OK, blue-purple-red, red-orange-yellow; yellow-green-blue, green-blue-turquoise - green and purple without the blue in between starts to create mud.
Now, if you like the vivid and energetic impact of opposite colors, you need to let the first layer of one color dry and then print on the other color. Just be aware of that if you use transparent color - and most acrylic hobby paints are translucent - you will get sort of mud effect on places where the top color layer is thin. You could use masks and leave parts of the paper white when first printing, and then printing the second printing on those white parts. People who are used to printing are pretty good at placing the paper on the plate so that it falls about the same spot, and there are some tricks to this, too, but I would make the first print, let the paper dry and then mask - on the paper - the colored parts, either with paper (mask/stencil) or masking tape - and printing the second time this masked paper, to be sure I get the paint where I want it.
It's nevertheless best, if you make your papers and then collage them together, to keep the colors bright and clean.
note what kind of color combinations you like. Do you like clear patterns? Then you should use a light and a dark color.
If you like more batik kind of patterns, then you should use colors that are close to each other in value. But if you print light blue on light blue, grey or purple, you won't see much anything. But that might be an effect in itself. Experiment.
Also, start collecting color combinations you like.
- gelli plate is created to be an easy and quick way of adding color, so it is designed to be used with stencils, masks, stamps, combs etc. It's a bit like a combination of linoprinting and paste paper.
I like paste paper...
Don't mix patterns a lot. Don't put a strong pattern on a strong pattern, you'll end up with a chaotic mess. And a weak pattern on a weak pattern will create a weak blah mess. :-D
Strong pattern on weak pattern creates a nice batik kind of effect, weak pattern on strong pattern gives nice texture.
You can use any stencil when printing with gelli plate, but if you use the stencil as mask (let it lay on the gelli plate as you print) it should be very thin and have big, clear, open holes.
If you want to use an intrigate stencil, you use it as a stamp and push it on the paint and remove before printing, like when using the bubble wrap.
The best way to get in the mood is to watch all the videos by Gelli Arts. They have plenty of instruction videos on how to use their product, and they give you a lot of ideas and tips.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Moon Blood Ritual
By Dorottya Varga
“When the women of the world return their blood to the earth.
Mother earth will know peace is on its way.”
Our bleeding is a beautiful thing. It is our entry into womanhood. It is a thing to celebrate. To listen to deeply. To honor. It is our higher calling to shed these old ways of thinking that do not honor the power that our menstrual cycle and moon blood possess. The blood of a woman is her inner power.
We women are deeply connected to the earth, to the moons pull, to the joy and the pain that effects our great mother. Our sacred moon blood is the gift of life and when we give it back to the earth it amplifies our gifts to her and it creates peace within us and within our lives. No longer do we need to feel ashamed for this gift. It is sacred. Menstrual blood is life-blood. When we give this blood back to the earth it allows for clearing, healing, sacred connection, ceremony and ritual. When you listen to the calling of your womb and her desire for you to sit, to allow, to just be, this is when physical pain and discomfort is no longer there, it leaves. You are tuned in and listening. Listen to your womb. What do you need and what do you need more of. What are you willing to let go that no longer serves you. Allow your moontime to be a time of deep reflection, nurturing, tuning in and just being. Allowing yourself to benefit from rest, sleep, hydration, nourishing meals, to allow for less doing, and more being. This is a time of great receptivity.
Your blood has powerful magical and spiritual properties. It will enrich and bless the land it is given back to. I saved my menstrual blood from my very last moon time which was one year ago this full moon, my last cycle before becoming pregnant with Naia. I waited until that August when we moved in with my love onto this sacred land that we are blessed to live on and I then offered that last blood to the earth in quiet, peaceful ceremony as a gift of gratitude for blessing us with a beautiful home where Naia was to be born, a place where our family has grown in love and community & continues to grow.
Collect your moon blood each time you empty or change your blood vessel. I have a special jar for my offering, which is waiting to be used once I begin to bleed again. I use a Diva cup as my vessel and each time my cup is full I pour it into the jar. If you choose to use tampons or pads (cloth or otherwise) you can put them in water and create an infusion and gently massage the blood into the water and this can also be an offering.
Create a sacred time and space, to create ceremony and ritual, to offer your sacred blood back to Gaia, mother earth.
Sit on the earth.
Go to wherever calls your spirit.
Take your offering of sacred moon blood, and listen.
Talk to Gaia.
Ask her for her permission, and share your intentions with her. Your intentions for wanting to share this divine gift.
Listen for the answer.
You will feel it.
May you begin to allow yourself to listen more closely to your body, to your womb, to your beautiful flow of menstrual blood each moon. May you honor her, and in turn honor our Mother Earth in sacred offerings of ritual and ceremony. May you listen and do this if it resonates with your soul, your highest calling, your truth. May we honor our bodies and heal the old wounds that may reside there. As we heal, honor and rise together we in turn heal and deeply honor our sacred mother earth. We are one.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Week 16
Adding pockets to your art journal
1) The easiest way to do this is to take an envelope or a bag of some sort, and glue that on the page.
You can use these as extra pages or "tip-ins" (Tipped-in page is a page that is printed separately from the rest of the book and then added to the book as a page; either bound in together with the other pages, glued in or glued on an existing page.)
It's fun to use envelopes with windows or plastic bags or translucent bags.
There are also printables online, like library pockets. Those are kind of cute. :-)
2) You can also glue a pocket in by adding glue or double-sided tape on the edges of a page, or tape it on place.
You could also sew the pocket in place, or staple it. Any way you can attach the pocket on the page is good. (Sewing and stapling adds texture, if you use washi-tape, you add colors and patterns.)
It doesn't need to be a rectangle, you can use any shape as a pocket.
3) Glue two pages together at the edges, leave the top open. That is sort of a hidden pocket.
You can also leave the side open.
Or you could glue the pages together at all sides but leave them unglued in the middle, and cut a slit in one of them to create a pocket. It might be a good idea to glue the top of the slit on the "background" page, to make it easier to use.
1) The easiest way to do this is to take an envelope or a bag of some sort, and glue that on the page.
You can use these as extra pages or "tip-ins" (Tipped-in page is a page that is printed separately from the rest of the book and then added to the book as a page; either bound in together with the other pages, glued in or glued on an existing page.)
It's fun to use envelopes with windows or plastic bags or translucent bags.
There are also printables online, like library pockets. Those are kind of cute. :-)
2) You can also glue a pocket in by adding glue or double-sided tape on the edges of a page, or tape it on place.
You could also sew the pocket in place, or staple it. Any way you can attach the pocket on the page is good. (Sewing and stapling adds texture, if you use washi-tape, you add colors and patterns.)
It doesn't need to be a rectangle, you can use any shape as a pocket.
3) Glue two pages together at the edges, leave the top open. That is sort of a hidden pocket.
You can also leave the side open.
Or you could glue the pages together at all sides but leave them unglued in the middle, and cut a slit in one of them to create a pocket. It might be a good idea to glue the top of the slit on the "background" page, to make it easier to use.
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