SUZAN BUCKNER

Some of my flickr favorites:

1. Keepsakes, 2. It would have worked if not for the squirrel mixed media on paper by Scott G. Brooks, 3. Elevation, 4. ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: "Stitch", 5. Untitled, 6. master diver, 7. flower hat, 8. Roulette, 9. purple guy, 10. collage: pretty in pink, 11. abstract drawing untitled, 12. sketchbook, three figures, 13. drawing. Girl with elephant, 14. Altered Journal 25 - Curio Shop Spread, 15. Altered Journal 24 - Curio Shop Spread, 16. Journal - Thinking new perspectives

1. MR, 2. Girl with Red Bird, 3. Sofia ad, 4. "Maniquin", 5. pugilist, 6. illustration 2008, 7. test de primiparos, 8. Late q´late mi corazón por vos, 9. collaboration, 10. I killed the thing in the cave (2008), 11. wip:beneath me trees, 12. Orange Substance, 13. detail----madonna and child, 14. Crown, 15. Untitled, 16. rapture-02-2

OMG!! I have found my soulmate (on Flickr, no doubt!)--this man's art is FANTASTIC, and his philosopies are amazing, and FUNNY.

Jazz and SHE WHO KNOW EVERYTHING --YOU both should love this man!! He's so US...LOL.

Here are the rules for accepting this award:
1) Put the logo on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blog.

I will have to list my nominees a little later.***smile...

Also..have you all ever heard of Celtic Thunder? Gosh, I love these guys! Check them out on YouTube HERE. Great sound, and Gorgeous IRISH Men--what more could a girl ask for??

well...must get busy!!

Live Artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

Here's your FREEBIE for today. This looks pretty good considering the original was about the size of a small postage stamp. I scanned it at really high resolution, so it should work just fine for you!!

~~Suzan~~

Good Saturday Morning! It's raining today. It's the beautiful kind of rain, the kind that comes straight down and cleans the earth. The sun is still shining, there's no thunder or lightening, and it's just simply wonderful! It's the perfect kind of rain to walk through..with or without an umbrella, and I would go walking in it, if I didn't know that the infamous Alabama Anaconda wasn't out there, lurking in the bushes, ready to eat my legs...***snicker.

SHE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING (my daughter--the future nurse)answered the phone last night. This in itself is a miracle, and it made me happy. Sometimes (more often than not), she lets her answering machine pick up--and unless it sounds like I am lying in a pool of blood, with a severed arm, and a side of building on top of me--she doesn't EVEN call me back. I guess she's just at that age, when MOM gets on your nerves. (It's ok, one day I am going to be old, and senile, and she'll be forced to take care of me--and OH..revenge is SWEET..heheheh).

I am going to retreat into the art room today--and hopefully get some work done. I have all those commissioned pieces to get out, and things I want to try.

Live artfully!

~~Suzan~~

There is a wonderful new MARKETPLACE opening soon, and I think it's going to be wonderful!! It is called LOLLISHOPS! So, if you are an artist who does Cottage Style, or glittery goodies..check it out, and fill out an application!! I really think you will enjoy it!!

KATHY over at Vintage Snaps and Scraps was sweet enough to give me this award. Thank you Kathy!!! Her blog rocks, so go check it out!!

1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.
2. Link back to this blogsite -- so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women.and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

I am on a roll tonight. This one just fell into place. A statement in a book about bees --"her brain is bigger than the queen or the drones"-- inspired it.

~~Suzan~~

Today's Freebie will not be posted today--because a storm knocked my DSL out ...or broke it ...or something (probably Nature Boy not connecting it right, but I can't tell him anything)...anyway--I can't upload a file that large on dial-up (which I am happy that I had as back-up). So, they will be here tomorrow morning, and we'll be back on the Freebie Road..and I will post TWO tomorrow to catch up! Thank you for visiting, and your patience. I am working on another journal page for you--it should be up in about an hour.

Live artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

I don't have time to journal today, but I got the page done. I left the upper right hand corner empty to have somewhere to write.

The daily freebie is up too!
Live Artfully!
~~Suzan~~

Click on the link in sidebar.
Live artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

I have been craving journaling, and FINALLY got my art room put together enough to get to things so that I could! It felt like HEAVEN!! I worked on this tonight, and am tempted to stay up and do another one! We'll see!!

Live artfully!
~~Suzan~~

Click on the link--it's where it's suppose to be.
Thank you!
~~Suzan~~

If you haven't went over to Nancy Baumiller's site--Something Two Crow About--and joined her new art adventure--GO. She's going to be giving away prizes, and FREEBIE downloads! If you want to join in--you need to leave a comment HERE. Nancy does the most fantastic journal pages in the world! So hurry!!

Live artfully!
~~Suzan~~

Lori over at FAERIEWINDOW sent me two gorgeous tags and a beautiful flower pin. The images on these tags are so adorable, and I love the yellow crowned birds! They are stunning in real life!! I scanned at a lower res. so that they couldn't be copied, but they are absolutely delicious in real! Thank you Lori!! You are WONDERFUL!!!

~~Suzan~~

I have to get back in the studio today. Yesterday, I think I got everything online taken care of, plus--a new banner to celebrate my newest "job". So, today, I am going to find the floor and the art table in my studio. I haven't created any art in days--have you noticed?? Well, that's because over a week ago, I decided to deep clean my art room. Now, a normal person might have done it one area at a time--but ME?? I threw everything off of every shelf onto the floor and table. I have been working on putting it all back for over a week!! I am having my husband cart off stuff daily. I want to be organized!!(Dreaming here!). Anyway..I am all pooped out from yesterday's "staying on the computer" marathon, and dancing to Enigma--so, I am going to take it easy today, and put stuff up where it belongs.
Live artfully!
~~Suzan~~

Click on the Daily Freebie link for today's picture.

HEHEHEH..I have wanted for months to have a freebie place for you to get images from me (I like sharing). But, I didn't want to lead you away from my blog (I am greedy in that way!). TODAY, it hit me!! Blogger may not give you extra pages to set up cool stuff, but each of your post is a separate page. So...I just went back, and re-did a prior post, and I will add images to it daily, or several times a day. NOW, you can click on a link (in the sidebar with the tutorials), and it'll pull them all up! MAGICAL!!

Whew..I have been busy today! I have went through all of my groups that I have pictures in, and deleted ALL pictures, then I put all of my Etsy stuff for sale back on them. I am no longer going to have photos of my past art on the web. It will be on Flickr, and if you are a contact, you'll be able to see it. As, I sell out of Etsy, I will take the pictures off. So. You better run to Etsy, and Buy the originals, there's gonna be a rush on them, so buy as many as you can!! LOL. Once they are sold, they are gone. Forever. Poof. If you need a payment arrangement--just email me. I accept payments...hehehe. If you need to mortgage your house or car--I can send you to the right person for that too. AND if you mortgage your house to buy my art--I probably will throw a free piece in or TWO.

I am coming to the end of my artistic list. I still want to be published (maybe more than once), I still need to get into a gallery (but one that doesn't want a huge percentage of my money--no thank you on that!), and I need to buy a book. It's called "I'd Rather Be In The Studio!" by Alyson B. Stanfield. I have held off on buying this book for several reasons. 1.I have sold a lot already, and hope to keep selling. 2. I am a terminal procrastinator 3. It's much more fun to spend my money at Dick Blick Art Supplies than to read. 4. Barnes and Nobles doesn't have it--maybe they are just out of it, or maybe it's a book that's only available online.***Sigh..I don't know which.

I am listening to ENIGMA..why does this group's music suddenly make you want to be a pole dancer in a topless club???lol.

Anyway--I think if I can force myself to read the above mentioned book--it'll help. I can't imagine though that it holds the secret to magical selling. I may be wrong--we'll see. There is this person that I know of that promotes this book heavily, BUT..you don't know if it works or not, because she doesn't have any art out there. I have looked. Several people that know that I know her, have looked, emailed me--and asked ME what's up with that.**shrug..Who knows? Her name is EVERYWHERE. Her little avatar stares at me, everywhere I go..but what are you SELLING??? You speak of this book as if it were the Bible in your life, but you have nothing to sell. (Just a Suggestion--PUT THE BOOK DOWN, and PAINT for goodness sakes!!). Hate to tell you lady--nobody is going buy your name. Maybe if you changed it to Angelina Joile with Babies, they might buy THAT....LOL...11.5 million for baby pictures..GEESH...Angelina obviously READ the book! I have baby pictures--I will sell you copies for half that! HECK..you can buy pictures of me as a BABY, and I will autograph them...LOL LOL LOL.

I am having the best day today! Music is loud, it's cool in the house, I have my 4 bottles of water almost finished for today (I HATE WATER..but, I have to drink 4 bottles a day--to control that womanly bloat thing), Nature Boy is away with his brother doing manly man things, and I have DSL--which is making my life EASIER!! I think that it has helped me mentally. Dial up is a struggle, it's like being stuck in quicksand up to your fat buttocks, and not being able to move. I feel like I am out of the quicksand, and my buttocks are no longer fat...hehehe..HEY! I can dream, can't I?

Ok. I have taken a break--I have made myself snicker a time or two, I HAVE SOLD ANOTHER PIECE WHILE SITTING HERE (YAY!! and THANK YOU!), and now it's time to get back to work!

Live Artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

Here's another FREEBIE! (the first one is below).

This is a freebie!! Please take it and use it as you wish. I thought she was so cute!! Today, I went and picked up several doggie photos, so that I can get busy making art out of them for the lady that wanted them. I also stopped by the frame shop, and got a quote on how much it would cost me to professionally mat some of my work. I think she almost passed out when I told her there would be a least 100 that needed mats. LOL. Then, I went to the antique store next door, and SCORED! 137 old photos for next to nothing!! They cost me about .35 cents each/ after the lady gave me a price for all of them! AMAZING!

So, here's the first one of that bunch. If you click on it, it should be big enough to print in any size that you would need or want!

I think that I am going to start SOMETHING NEW! I THINK THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE A DAILY FREEBIE, AND FOR THOSE ART JOURNAL PEOPLE OUT THERE--A SECRET IS COMING!! IF YOU LIKE TO ART JOURNALING, AND ARE COMMITTED TO JOURNALING SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK--HERE'S A HINT...GO TO NING.COM and GO AHEAD AND GET A NING ID. IT'S PAINLESS, AND IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO JOIN VARIOUS GROUPS, EVEN VARIOUS SECRET GROUPS, ONCE I SEND YOU AN INVITE...HEEHEHE...BUT THE REST IS SECRET.

Live artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

This wonderful, beautiful quilt is a give-a-way!!! Go to Old Red Barn Co. and leave a comment for a chance to win. You only have to comment once! It's a beauty isn't it???

I did these pieces last year. I had found some old notebooks that a man had used in the 30's and 40's, and I decided to do simple collages on them. Well, I don't even know where the notebook is that held all of these (I have it, just don't know WHERE)--but, I was sitting here thinking about pieces that I could rejuvenate for a couple of upcoming shows that I am going to try to do. (Not that I need anything ELSE on my plate right now). Anyway--I was thinking about how some of my pieces would look matted and made ready for a show..and so I went into PSP, and added some borders. I was completely shocked that these looked so cool "matted". If matting makes things look THIS good, well, I am set to go!! I am set because I have about 400 pieces that I could mat, and make readily available. All sizes, and shapes...hehehehe.

Well, it's 5:30 am, and I better head to bed--I have been up all night working on a variety of things..and I am getting sleepy..

Have a wonderful, Artful DAY!!!
~~Suzan~~

Good morning!! Yesterday was such a great day!! On top of all that happened, I also stopped by and saw SHE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING at her job! That was even better than getting the art instructor job! I miss her so much!!

Also, I stopped at this thrift store, and found 33 large canvases for nearly nothing. They are the good kind too--very tight and stretched well. So, maybe, I'll be doing some large pieces one of these days!

Nothing much here--other than that. I really am missing SWKE, and I think I need to spend the day with her....which means probably a trip to the mall...

Have a happy day!!
~~Suzan~~ (zipping all over - in her DSL Porsche!)

Well, today is a very, very thrilling day for me!! I am now an ART JOURNAL INSTRUCTOR for the Huntsville Art League!! I will be sharing my journaling techniques starting on Sept. 4. I am extremely nervous, but happy at the same time. So, much is happening right now, it's like my mind/life is a whirlwind of activity!!

I am sitting here, nervous and happy--and not even knowing HOW I got here!!LOL.

Petey the Wonderdog had a bit of excitement too this morning. He went on his morning walk with Nature Boy, and then trotted off to see his friend Hershey (a HUGE chocolate lab), who lives down the street. Then the telephone company guy drove up, and got out of his truck, and I go out to meet him...and... here comes PETEY THE WONDERDOG, teeth bared, growling, and running as fast as he can towards this man--I told Petey it was ok--but, the man TOOK OFF RUNNING...LOL LOL...hahahaha...omg..THEN, Petey thought he wanted to play, and was chasing him around the house. (Good thing the old fellow didn't drop dead from fright). Of course, ME, being the sweet woman that I am--grabbed my gut, and laughed to the point of tears coming from my eyes...LOL..anyone with half a brain KNOWS not to RUN from a dog...LOL..But, it started my day off wonderfully!!

The telephone guy was there to connect our DSL line!!! It's about time that us people that live in the boonies--got a fast Internet connection!! I LOVE IT!! I feel like I have been riding a tortoise, and someone handed me the keys to a Porsche!!!

Well, that's about it--I am TRYING to get my art room organized, and have been working on it for 3 days now. I am going to go work some more before I go to bed!!
Live Artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

Good Happy Morning!! I have called on the teaching thing, (waiting on the call-back). I have read the remaining 13 pages of my book. I have straightened one inch of my art room (I need a good picture of it--and it has recently been hit by a cyclone. The floor isn't even visible.) I have watched TV, had coffee, and ate lunch. The mail came. I got a folk art school catalog. I have been reading every single word of it for 2 hours. I am just about to hyperventilate, I am so excited!! I am planning, scheming, making phone calls and wanting to go off to Folk Art School. They teach fiber arts, and everything else simultaneously--so MAYBE, just MAYBE my friend Lana will want to go with me, and take quilting, or something. I can at the same time take a painting, book making, etc..whichever I choose. It is 3 hours from my house. It's a retreat like situation, and they have week-long and weekend classes. (Faint, Faint)..I may have to mortgage my house, sell everything I own, and take a job. I want to go live there!!!LOL..omg!! So MANY delicious looking courses!!!


Well, yesterday--I went to Barnes & Nobles, and bought the TRUE VISIONS book. FANTASTIC!! So, far (about 8 pages into it), and I love it!! I also bought :

This book is just wonderful!! I have several new "favorite" artist out of this book. I really am loving it!

Other than all described above, I have to go and pick up pictures today for my commissioned doggie (French Bulldog) piece. It should be interesting. I hope my "artistic muse" returns, so that I can do it! She is probably buried in the mess that was my art room--hopefully, I can get in there and dig her out.

Live Artfully!!~~Suzan~~

Synopsis
As art journaling grows in popularity (even attracting a new breed of scrapbookers who call themselves "life artists"), there is a movement afoot toward creating more authentic, personal, what some people call "raw" journals. These journals are filled with not just attractive, well-composed pages, but pages that are filled with personal, meaningful content.
True Visions is focused on ways to bring authenticity and meaning into one’s art journaling. The book examines themes and topics common to all while offering activities and exercises to create rich meaningful content. Each chapter highlights familiar subject areas such as life events, spirituality, childhood, and even an artist’s favorite writings. Within each topic, readers are given guided activities and exercises for developing content, provided one or two artistic techniques, and are shown inspiring examples of work by a variety of talented art journal artists.


Synopsis
Once upon a time… storybooks held a special place in our lives, filling our hearts with wonder. Thanks to this extraordinary crafting anthology we can experience that magic again in a marvelous new way by recreating and reinterpreting the picture book. An overview outlines a variety of structures and techniques, from simple collage to gluing. But above all, these highly visual pages offer ideas and inspiration, with talented artists presenting lovingly designed story spreads and covers. Take a fantasy vacation via a travel booklet fashioned from vintage, nostalgic postcards. Follow The Queen of Tarts in a story that unfolds in a miniature puppet theater motif. And two different artists offer their revised versions of a classic: The Princess and the Pea.


Good Morning...OHHHHHH...I KNOW BETTER. I KNOW NOT to go on Barnes and Nobles and look at books. BAD SUZAN. Now, I have found two new releases that I have to have.

Sorry to those of you that loved the little bird. Shortly after posting the picture below, and before reading the wonderful comments (thank you SHE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING--my daughter), I poured Laquer thinner on the bird, and scrubbed him away. I just wasn't happy with him. The bad thing about painting on dark colors is that I cannot see my pencil lines, and therefore, I can't make very good corrections. The poor little bird was just not right. I will repaint him (the good news) though. I just need some pratice. I should not have depended so long on other's images (collage). I should have been painting more of my own stuff this past year, so now, I have this whole new learning process to go through.

But, thank you for the comments on my little bird. I will try to make the next one better.
Live artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

Good Happy Morning Everyone!!! Sorry about the evil scare yesterday...hehehee...I loved all of your reactions to it though! Thank you so much for making me feel so loved!!

I woke up this morning to an email. I am featured this month on the HUNTSVILLE ART BLOG. One of four featured artist. Thank you Gina and Alissa!! I appreciate it!!

I hope to be more involved with the art world in Huntsville soon. I am just trying to wait until this season is over for the antique and collectibles business (Nov). Then, I am going to join all the local art groups, and get busy! I feel like I need to build up some work too. So much of my stuff has sold, that I am running low. I DON'T MIND that at ALL!! I appreciate every single customer, and every sale!! So, Keep BUYING and Thank you!!

So, yesterday I took my husband to his college class, and while he was in there, I took myself to dinner. Out for pizza. I carried with me a copy of Somerset Studios magazine, and had a very relaxing time, eating a personal pan pizza, and reading my magazine.

Well, then I went to Staples, and the little light bulb went off in my head. I can make transparencies NOW. I have a fantastic printer, so I bought some transparency paper (GOSH--that stuff is EXPENSIVE!!), and I think that will bring something new to my art. I also figured that I go to Staples WAY TOO MUCH. I walked in, and three of the workers there asked where I'd been..LOL.

After that, I went to Books A Million to see if they had 1000 Artists Journals out yet. (Of course, I gave you the link to Barnes and Nobles link instead of B.A.M. --because I prefer B&N.) I wanted to see my friend Nancy Baumiller's (Something Two Crow About) Journal Pages. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL Nancy!!! Also, Teesh Moore (my hero) has some in there, and many more artist with beautiful, gorgeous, eye candy journal pages that make me want to drool on myself. I didn't buy the book yet, but will (from B&N--I'm loyal to a fault). I did end up buying two magazines--Somerset Studios and Cloth,Paper,Scissors. More happy eye candy stuff!!

My friend Lori from Faerie Window made it back safely from her vacation--if you haven't seen Lori's stuff, hop over there and take a look! She makes gorgeous things with glittery goodness on them! I own several of Lori's pieces, and they inspire me daily.

Well, that just about covers my life. I didn't have ice cream yesterday, so far, so good!

Have a wonderfully happy day!!
~~Suzan~~

Good morning! I have a very sad post this morning. It is time to say goodbye. I have just had enough! I TRY to live my life well, I try to eat right, I try to be happy and positive, but lately things have gotten out of hand, and I have decided to end it before it goes any further.

Goodbye my friends, I can no longer keep up our relationship because it's killing me.
Am I leaving the art world and blogland?? NO. I am saying goodbye to ice cream. (were you worried?--heheheh) Goodbye Ben and Jerry's New York Chocolate Chunk, Good bye Mayfield Coconut Cake, Goodbye Bryers Natural Vanilla, Good bye Blue Bunny Waffle Sugar Cone (I may miss you the most!). In an attempt to be healthy, I have given up mayonaise, butter, salt, beef, and so many other things this year. It is time to grab hold of the one food addiction that I have left (besides chocolate--and sorry folks--but they will have to take my last Hershey's bar from my cold, dead fingers!). I eat ice cream every day. I am a gluttonous pig about it, we buy 5-6 half gallons a week. It's got to stop. It has become the love of my life, and now--I am getting rid of it. I want to lose weight, and have lost some by getting rid of all that other stuff --now it's time to push the envelope--take the plunge--dive right in. I am trading the ice cream in. I will replace it with fruit. Hopefully, the withdrawal pains won't send me spinning into an unknown darkness.

So, this is it. Goodbye faithful friends. Wish me luck. I will need it.

Live artfully!
~~Suzan~~

Oh!! This piece (#4 today) turned out awesome!! It has so much dimension to it, and the middle sticks up about 1 inch from the center. I will show another picture of it tomorrow. If you are interested in it, contact me.

Good night and sweet dreams!
~~Suzan~~

Hello! I am just painting my little heart out. Not the best that I have ever done, but getting back in the swing of things.

Live artfully!
~~Suzan~~

I ordered these little pinback buttons of this artists' artwork from her Etsy shop. She is SO MEGA-TALENTED!! I adore her work!! Her name is Ashleigh M. Popplewell, and you can see her work HERE. Take a moment and check her out! Her talent just amazes me!! Thank you Ashleigh!!

Good morning!! Well, I survived selling antiques and collectibles this weekend. Three LONG, hot days out there--of course money wise--it was well worth it!! One bad/good thing happened this weekend--I am almost completely wiped out. I started out with about 20 large plastic totes FULL of goodies, plus a trailer FULL of big stuff, and ALL I have left is about 2 1/2 totes of items to sell, left. SO, I have to do some major buying this month and next. (I have decided not to sell antiques and collectibles in August, but am going to sell my artwork instead). Then the next month is Labor Day, which is the biggest sale of the year. So, I have 2 months to rebuild my stock. Luckily for me--the LONGEST YARD SALE (Highway 127), runs right through our area, and so, for 5 days I will get to go out and shop until I pass out. (usually I go from 5 am until 2pm each day).

Good Morning!! I can hear you say that it is NOT morning, but it is for me. I slept until 1:38 this afternoon. The kind of good sleep that I rarely get. OF COURSE--Nature Boy (who was probably hungry by this time), was thumping around, and making Petey the Wonderdog make noises, so I was viciously yanked out of my wonderful, heavenly sleep...AHHH..but you know what they say about PAYBACKS. So, Nature Boy and Petey the Wonderdog are in for something..hehehe.

YOU CAN NOW BUY MY ART IN TWO PLACES!! I have the Etsy shop and NOW, you (the public) can buy my art directly from my website (using Paypal). Each place will have different pieces in it, so that I don't get messed up, and sell something twice! I have been very busy this morning and late into the night making everything cohesive. All 3 of my sites have the same look, which drives me insane..but, that's what the art experts tell you to do.

Well, I have to start packing up stuff, and loading the trailer, and blah,blah, blah to get ready to sell antiques and collectibles this weekend--3 Days of it...Everyone have a beautiful, happy day!!!

Live artfully!!
~~Suzan~~

It is a beautiful day!! Petey the Wonderdog is being a brat, and has destroyed one of my old feedsack quilts--which I SO KINDLY was letting him sleep on..and it's still a Wonderful day!! LOL.

I was "talked" about twice today--on two very good blogs. The first was The Altered Page (Seth) and the second was The Raven's Claw (Burnell Yow!). Thank you both for your purchases, and for being so happy with them!! I appreciate it and you!! Both people have FANTASTIC blogs, so hop over to them and say "HI"!!

That's about it. We are off to Nature Boy's (my husband) Tuesday college class, which mean shopping for me!!

Live Artfully!
~~Suzan~~