Repin Daddy's Briefcase

With the holidays and all can you believe
I haven't been on Pinterest much!?

If you have time repin Daddy's Briefcase, in books, for me!

Click her to see Daddy's Briefcase on Pinterest for repining

Want to know more about Pinterest, you might like
my post Pinterest!

Thank you so much!!!

One thing I am hoping for in 2012

To gain more outlets for book sales
on Daddy's Briefcase!!! I have a few
local ideas. If anyone has any ideas,
if your a book reviewer or if your a fellow
blogger looking for a guest, let me know!

I am happy to have so many
readers so far, but please remember if you have read
Daddy's Briefcase and would like to share a review do so
over at Amazon.com-click on here.  This helps others
as well as helps me in more than one way,
one being with more outlet sales. Meaning,
if someone sees there is an interest in me,
in my book they will be more willing to help
out with the additional outlets. Whether it be a magazine,
another bookstore, etc....thanks so much! Yall are
a BIG key to this success TOO!!!

I am not sure just how many sales will
ever be enough, it's really not about the
"sales" it's about me reaching out to others,
who are looking for some ray of light, hope!

Other ways you can help:
-by clicking the like but at the top
of the Amazon page-posted above.
-Also on that same amazon page you can scroll to the bottom
where it says, Tags Customers Associate with This Product
click on the ones that apply and/or you can create
your own words as tags, where it says create your first tag!

Art Journal Page 12

another page inspired by our visit to New Orleans this summer

The New Orleans Audubon Zoo

Art Journal Page 11

(click on the image for an up close look)

WE took a small day trip to New Orleans one weekend this summer!

I kept the maps to the zoo and aquarium which are used

here on this art journal page!

Puppy Chow Recipe

I entered in on a chance to win a Jeanne Oliver
camera bag over at Christy Tomlinson's blog!

I had to share a family tradition and the first thing that
came to mind is the famous PUPPY CHOW. We make it
every year. My youngest daughter would eat it all year if
I let her...so I wanted to share the recipe with you!


Puppy Chow

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
9 cups of Chex cereal(whole box/any variety)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, melt the choc chips, peanut butter and butter
in the microwave on high 1 minute, stir. And then 30 seconds or until
mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.

In a large bowl place cereal.
Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, gently stir
until evenly coated.

Then pour your powdered sugar over and gently stir until evenly
coated. If the bowl has a lid you can shake it around for a fast easy
coating...

You also can find this recipe on the back of Chex boxes
this time of year. Some people call it Muddy Buddies!

She Art fun

Remember the online art class She Art

(click on images for an up close look)

This one was done in my art journal on my youngest daughters

birthday. Both my daughters made one as well, they were

really cute!

Knowing Christy was offering an ornament workshop soon, it got

my wheels to spinning...so I created this ornament! Isn't she cute!?!?

and then some She Art face ornaments, cute!

all of these ornaments are on my tree this year, they look great

along with everything else!



Art Journal Page 10

Oh, I had a lot of fun making this one!

(and if you haven't been following my art journal pages

these were done this summer)

McAlister FREE tea day...yummie, and I don't even drink tea!

Fun, fun stuff!!!

Hey, if your looking for an art journal online class to take hop on over

to Christy Tomlinson's page

for her art journal class

Three Hearts

I am currently taking her She Art and She Art 2 class

and just signed up for the

12 Ornaments of Christmas.

Oh, boy! I am about to be a busy girl, right!?

Art Workshop

In an effort to continue to find me,
myself as an artist, I purchased the
She Art and She Art 2 online workshop
combo by Christy Tomlinson.

This is the first workshop
I've ever done! I found Christy's workshop through
another artist friend. Christy's constant style
of mix media art is so ME!
If I were to tell you of someone
who totally inspires me it would be
Christy. You can visit her over at her
blog, http://christytomlinson.typepad.com/christytomlinson/

She has a few videos under tutorials
you can watch of her work - Christy's tutorials
I watched all of them in no time. That's one reason
I choose to purchase these workshops, so that I
would have something to watch that held my attention
while I walk on the treadmill. My mother says there's
no way, she doesn't understand how I do such stuff on the
treadmill. But hey, if it works, it works!

Seeing her work, even prior to purchasing the workshop,
has shown me a different path to my art-stuff I already knew, but
has encourage me to apply. Usually, I am all
about abstract. It's been good! Mix media allows me
to be messy, like with my simple abstract and I like MESSY.

I hope one day to use some of my photography for some
mix media projects!


Christy's badge
from the workshop

Art Journal Page 9

I didn't really have a plan on this day, I just jumped right in.

My kids loved it...

Have I ever told you !?!?!

Have I ever told you I like to make dressing, really I do!?!?!

Have I ever told you we are not called to happiness, we are called to Him!?!?

Have I ever told you the movie Game Plan is a cute movie between a father and daughter!?!?!

Have I ever told you that I've forgotten what music is on my ipod, that's how long it's been since I used it!?!?!

Have I ever told you how thankful I am for my life!?!?

Have I ever told you that if your on my facebook friends list you prob just read all the above!?!?!

5 Mix Media Artist Who Inspire Me

Julie Nutting




Christy Tomlinson




 Lisa Kaus

Kelly Rae Roberts

 


Jeanne Oliver

you can click on the artist names to see more about them, see more of their work

Pinterest

What is Pinterest!?

At it's best it is a virtual pinboard which lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. The pinboards can be used to plan a wedding, decorate a home, organize favorite recipes etc. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing the pinboards is a way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interest.

I know what your thinking, I don't have time for that!

I said it too when a dear friend told me about it. With it in the back of my mind, I stopped one day long enough just to browse. As a person who constantly looks for inspiration and a collector at heart, pinterest is now my new friend! It allows me to sort and shuffle in a clean, fast, organize manner!


Here's a video of the founder, Ben Silbermann, watch as he explains...




A helpful video of how to use Pinterest




and another






Here's a list of board ideas:

places to visit
travel
recipe
Holiday crafts
nail polish
weddings
words
nature
DIY
photography
art
organize
dream work space
music
books
people
fashion
home
furniture
deco
party ideas
kids crafts
recycle
trash to treasure

I am going to warn you, pinterest is addicting!

Sketch 6

The last sketch of the week of sketches.

By far, this one is one of my favorites.

She reminds me of a few people,

one being Jennifer Aniston.

The others, people I know who look like Jennifer Aniston.

A painted version....

This is a scan copy painted, you may remember it from

headshot 2

I used it on an art piece that I just 

recently finished.  I will

post the finish product soon!

* a glance back *
at the week of sketches
click on each picture to see larger

 

Art Journal Page 8

Oh boy! This one is one of my favorites. It was inspired by

a card I picked up one day, but never used. Fun, fun...

Art Journal Page 7

This page was done 4th of July weekend!

Pretty plain and simple, just what I like...

Sketch 5

(click on the image to see larger view)

Isn't she a beauty!? This was night 5...

Yesterday, I lost a friend-due to FHC!

My biggest point of starting this blog a few years ago
was to have my voice heard in the FHC community. FHC-
Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma is a rare form of liver cancer
that usually occurs in young adults. Because it is so rare,
finding others with it is like finding a needle in a haystack. And for
those who know me well, know I am a 11 year FHC survivor!

August 10, 2009 I got the sweetest comment here on my blog
from a girl named Jessy:

Jessy said...
Hi there!! I found your blog and wanted to introduce myself and share about my blog (www.canswercolumn.blogspot.com) because you're the only other person I've met with FHC and it just thrills my heart to finally meet someone else who understands completely my cancer (though I truly hate that you have it at all). I was diagnosed two years ago, five days before my twenty first birthday. Anyway, thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures in a blog...YOU have totally inspired me today. :))


Sadly, Jessy lost her battle yesterday!!! :(

Jessy was the first of three with FHC to find me through my blog,
although I had connected with other FHC people elsewhere.
And you can tell by her comment how happy she was to find me.
I remember finding my first FHC person, the connection is one no one else can have unless you have been there. It's a feeling of feeling less alone!

As time went on, Jessy and I stayed connected off and on
through facebook. It was so funny when I looked her up
on facebook and sent her a friend request,
her accepting. In my message, I explained who I was, "You left a comment on my blog…ashley's art closet...I am a FHC survivor.....
Thanks for your comment, talk more with you later, just wanted
to make sure u knew the connection, have a great day!"
She confessed she was a little confused of who I was, being a blonde, but was so glad I reached out to her. I was strikingly busy finishing up my book but I watch her Facebook status from a far, she was living a busy life of treatments and planning her wedding, which she did in fact marry the man of her dreams. Oh to hear her tell her love story was just stunning, she too was a writer and a dang good one at that!

This summer when I became more active in a group called
Fibrolamellars of the World Unite, I added Jess.
Everyone who was in the group at the time racked their brain
to add those touched by FHC that they had come in contact with over the years. Jessy was so glad to be apart of the group. Only, I didn't know just how bad her health had really gotten. She came right into the group sharing her FHC story, just like everyone else in the group had done and was doing-each story is so different but has shinned such light to educate and help others. I could go on for days how people have been able to connect, pointing others to counselors, local groups, lodging paid for, meeting face to face another FHC person, sharing doctors info, treatment info, ask this question, take someone with you, and "oh, no they didn't" etc…!!!

I would see Jessy connecting with others. She was a true charm!
A very Godly woman, she had faith till her very last moment-
her husband even shared that with
the Fibrolamellars of the World Unite group
late last night. It just breaks my  heart because if anyone
fought hard to find answers, healing she did.
She wanted more than anything to have children of her very own,
hers and her husbands. But just couldn't due to her health.
I know she is in a better place and will suffer no more,
but a piece of me knows she is mad as heck that she wasn't able to
prove cancer wrong here on this earth-she tried so hard!!!

My heart so aches and my thoughts and prayers go out to her family,
her husband, her friends, to anyone touched by her!
She was just awesome,
I will forever miss you JESSY
but never never forget you.
I too will live a life full of faith and possibility
just like you did my friend, lots of love!

click here who-have-you-inspired-lately
to see the actually comment Jessy left me...
and to help you better understand the stress
in my life at that moment was me trying to fully
release everything in my book. Me and my sister
had talks about things we had been through together
that we had never talked about. Turning loose of thoughts
and feelings is awesome....very healing, which makes you
that much stronger!!!

Reminder: a portion of my first year sales of Daddy's Briefcase:
My Journey through Liver Caner will be donated  to FCF-
Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation
as a part of the Ambassador Project.
Click here ==>Proceeds donated to the FCF
to see my right up of offering my donation!!! 

Or here to see my story on the Faces of Fibrolamellar.
Other ways you can help FCF!

Also remember if you have read Daddy's Briefcase
and would like to write a review do so here.

Sketch 4

Night 4 of my week sketches, I can't wait for you to see night 5!

Art Journal Page 6

this is one of my favorite pages

my youngest daughter had a butterfly stain glass thingie from school last year that inspired this page

we used watercolor, which I don't use alot

but we had alot of fun with this one

this picture just doesn't do it justice

here's some tips, I found

art-journaling-101

I hope everyone has a blessed weekend!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Sketch 3

This was my night 3 of my week sketches, I wanted someone with curly hair...

Art Journal Page 5

Memorial Day weekend while spending time with some friends

they taught us the game of Peanuts-a card game!

Blown away at first due to the spend of the game and how

well they played, when they left we mastered the game.

So for lots of summer fun we spent lots of our time playing Peanuts...

Below are the rules for playing Peanuts, I found on ehow.com!

Rules of the Peanuts Card Game

Peanuts is a card game that relies on a combination of speed and patience. (It also has other names, such as Pounce, Nerts and Squeal). It involves players using their own personal deck of cards to create different piles of cards while trying to get rid of all cards in one specific pile. It can be played by any number of multiple players but is best with two to four.

1. Cards and the First Piles

   • Each player uses his own personal card deck, and each deck must differentiate from the others (they must have different backs). Players deal 13 cards from their deck in front of them, with the top card face up; this is the peanuts pile. They then deal four cards side by side next to the peanuts pile to form the work piles. The remaining deck is the stock; it can be placed face down on the table or held in one hand.

   Playing Cards

   • All players play their cards at the same time, with the intent of removing all cards from the peanuts pile. Any face-up Ace on their side of the table is placed in the middle of the table to start a foundation. Players build foundations by playing the next highest card of the same suit---a Two of Clubs goes on top of an Ace of Clubs---until the king of that suit ends the foundation. They can also play any of their face-up cards onto one of their work piles. but the work piles are built in descending value and alternating colors (a Seven of Hearts goes on an Eight of Spades). When a peanuts card is played, the top card of that pile is flipped face-up. When one work pile's cards are all played, the top card from the peanuts pile forms a new work pile.

   Waste Piles

   • When players cannot play any cards, they draw three cards from their stock and lay them face up on their end of the table. This is called the waste pile, and its top card can be played just like all the other piles. Any time players can't play a card, they draw three from the stock and add them to the waste pile. When the stock runs out, a player picks up the waste pile and turns it face down to reform the stock.

   Scoring

   • Play ends when one player runs out of peanuts cards and calls out "Peanuts," and then points are tallied. Players get a point for every card from their deck within the foundations (this is why you need different-looking decks). They then lose two points for every card still within their peanuts piles. They then reclaim all their cards and shuffle the decks, and play begins again. This continues until at least one player reaches a pre-determined score (usually 100 points), and then the one with the most points wins.

Art Journal Page 4

the word for page 4 was DREAMY

i wasn't real sure where i was going with it

i just started doodling

my kids loved it, they still say it's one of their favs

it's actually my least fav

hmmm to create what i like or what other's like !?!?

I have heard from a few who have started an art journal.

Have you, if so I would love to hear from you,

email me at ashleysartcloset@yahoo.com

here's a video I found the other day about art jounaling

click here for art journal page one
click here  for art journal page two
click here for art journal page three

Pieces

For those of you who have read Daddy's Briefcase

may remember Banee. Banee, who was 13 at the time was my back seat DJ

back in the day -highschool- when my car only had am radio.

Banee recently requested a painting, "animal print" she said!

Hmmm, animal print "can you show me" something

to go by, an idea!? She mailed me this print out:

Awesome, awesome big bold leopard print, to work

I went. I shaped, I molded each piece...days would come

days would go. I told her it was summer, that it might take

longer. She waited patiently. The further I got with all the shaping

and molding, I begin to think about my life. Each day has been shaped

and molded, so that in the end I can say I did my very best. I have

to remind myself, I didn't just wake up this way!

i attached this on the back of the painting

starting process

see the texture-i heart texture

each textured piece was hand molded

if i was gonna do it, it was gonna be done right-my style

i have to say this is one picture that took me the longest time out of anything else i have painted

my hardest part when i paint a picture is being able to turn loose of it

i so usually can see all my work in my home some where

i usually run from room to room placing it in different places

i wrote this special little letter on the back of the pieces card

attached on the back

A few days after she recieved the painting, I recieved the

sweetest text message. Having the leopard paint in her living area

allows her to have a piece of me in her home. That's sweet stuff there!

Banee will always be my back seat DJ!

What not to Wear

August 14: Intro from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

August 21: Stop Lying from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

August 28: Anger from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

September 4: Stealing from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

September 11: Gossip from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

September 18: Bitterness from Pinelake Church on Vimeo.

HeadShOt 2

another scan of a piece I am working on

Art Journal Page 3

Judy Moody and The Not Bummer Summer

cute, cute movie

only the time we went to see was sold out....

we bought tickets for later that day!

I smeared green, blue and yellow lightly on the background

pasted the movie ticket

pasted a picture we took and had printed that day, which got lost in the machine

and we had to wait twice as long as we thought just to get one print each

painted a box of popcorn and a movie wheel

If your thinking of doing an art journal, google art journaling

you can find lots of other blogs/websites with ideas

and tutorials on youtube.

For starters here is a great site, artjournaling.blogspot.com

Sketch 2

WHAT !? by Ashley Murphy 2011

This was night 2 of my week sketches, she was inspired by my headshot!

HeadShOt

This is a scan of an art piece I've been working on...!!!
* i heart her lips...

Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation

I am honored to share with you
I am one of the faces of fibrolamellar
on the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation website.

This Foundation was founded by Tucker Davis in 2008
with the hope to raise awareness of FHC-Fibrolamellar
Hepatocellular Carcinoma-liver cancer
and possibly find a cure. As a very passionate person
about this rare cancer, Tucker lost his battle early last year!

His family and friends are
carrying out his wish to find better treatment,
find answers, find a CURE!!! Although I didn't ever
personally speak with Tucker, I was aware of his foundation
when I was contacted by his girlfriend.

What I am really happy to share with you is a portion of proceeds
from the first year sales of my book, Daddy's Briefcase
will be donated to Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation. Just like Tucker,
I've been very passionate about finding answers for this rare cancer...
it's my hopes that my small donation from the book sales
will do great things to carry on this foundation.

The Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation features
The Foundation :What We Believe, Who We Are
Tucker's Story: Tucker's Message, Tucker's Diagnosis and Treatment, A Mother's Story
Understanding Fibrolamellar
Research: Current FCF Research Project
Patients and Families: Get Help and Support, Faces of Fibrolamellar, Keep on Tuckin', Share Your Story
Ways To Help
and more...

I want to give a big shout out to those behind the
Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation.
What an outstanding job to carry out
Tucker's legacy...the FHC community needs you! This
is the most FHC activity, other than the facebook group,
Fibrolamellars of the World Unite,
I have see and been apart of, Thank You!

I've dreamed for along time for something like this, Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation! In a weird twisted way,
I am honored to be one of the faces...
to help make a difference!!!

Art Journal Page 2

At the first of the summer the kids and I watched Justin Bieber Never Say Never DVD, 

it was really good. I even enjoyed it! 

From that moment on my youngest fell head over hills for Justin,

I spent most of my summer listening to his music and looking

for t-shirts he appeared on.

So when it came time for page 2 in our art journal guess what the theme was !?

Justin Bieber

The first page of our art journal went so well

that we couldn't wait to do page two. I let them pick the theme.

Justin it was.

We looked through magazines to find pictures of him

and then for the most part I just doodled! One good thing about an art journal

is there is no wrong or right way...

Art Journal page 2

I used a clipping of Justin from a magazine my daughter had

white and purple paint

my favorite black pilot pen

words from one of his songs, One Time

If you missed page one click here !

My first sketch since junior high

This Kiss...xo by Ashley Murphy 2011

This sketch was inspired by author, photographer,

artist friend of mine, Cathy Bueti.

Along my writing trail, I met several different

authors, Cathy being one. She actually published her book
Breastless in the City a few years prior to me.
Since then, she has moved forward

in the mix media art world.

I have enjoyed watching her grow as an artist this past

year. So now as I grow deeper in my art

she has inspired me to try new things while finding

just who I am as an artist!

My first week on this art journey, I sketched a face

for the first time since junior high. It was

inspired after seeing Be a Star by Cathy.

Be on the look out for other sketches,
I sketched one each night that week! Fun stuff...