Welcome to my blog!
My name is Melody M. Nuñez - I’m an artist, a writer, and an art teacher. To learn more about me and the book I published - An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past - please view the “About” & "Book" pages…-
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Category Archives: writing
My Article in Where Women Create Magazine
I’m pleased to share that my creative space and article have been published in the May/June/July 2015 issue of Where Women Create magazine. I’ve come to know the magazine’s creator and publisher, Jo Packham, through my work at Sizzix – what an amazing, talented, and stylish woman! I’m honored to be included in her beautiful publication. The article runs from page 82 to page 89.
Given that my creative space is tucked into our small apartment my “studio” space isn’t nearly as grand as many of those featured in WWCreate, but I’m hoping readers will find the article and photos interesting and inspirational nonetheless.
If you’re new to my blog, and have found your way here through the magazine and article, welcome! I’ve been focusing on quilting lately, but have a wide variety of posts in my archives, including:
Art
Crafts
Recipes
DIY projects, including jewelry and more!
Photographic Tours of places I’ve visited (Europe, Peru, Ireland, New York City, New Orleans, etc.)
You can learn a bit more about me on the About Page, and read about the book I published here. I have photos of my creative work in the Gallery, including photography, mixed media, collage, and art journals. Information about my art journaling program for at-risk kids (including a brief video) can be found here.
Whether you’re a long-time blog follower or a new visitor, I thank you for joining me on this creative journey called life – and for stopping by!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art journaling, art supplies
Tagged Jo Packham, my studio, Where Women Create magazine
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Haiku: Winter Tree
Though branches are bare
there’s such beauty to be seen.
I love life’s details…
I hope you’re enjoying the season, dear readers. And if you happen to live in an area that’s been walloped by ice, cold and snow this winter, hang in there! Spring is just around the corner…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in haiku, inspiration, life in general, nature, photography, poetry
Tagged nature photo, winter
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A Peek at My Newest Art Journal
Greetings! I hope you’re having a great week thus far, dear readers. Today I’m sharing a peek at my newest art journal – art journal number #16! I just started it last week, and thought I’d show you how I customized it.
The Book Itself

The journal is an 8 ½” x 11” book that started out with a blank white cover and blank white inside pages. I love getting these Possibilities Blank Books from skybluepink.com. The proprietress of skybluepink, Christina, is a longtime supporter of my art journaling program for at-risk kids. Hooray! :] I believe the style I order is the large portrait journal with 46 sheets…
Personalization

I decorated the exterior of my journal by covering it with vintage wallpaper. (Thanks for the wallpaper, Karan!) The central image on the cover consists of an original black and white vintage photo that I mounted on black cardstock and a vintage label stamped with the word “sixteen”. I also traced around the edge of the label and photo with a bronze metallic gel pen. The exterior of the journal is treated with a clear sealer in order to protect it from spills and muck.
The Spine

I customized the spine of my journal with another number 16. This helps me order and locate the journals quickly if I have them on a shelf. The number was cut from a page of vintage ledger paper – I wanted to carry the vintage look throughout on the exterior…
Inside

I always make sure to put my name and phone number inside my journal, in case it gets lost. I also like to include the date I start and finish the journal. Because I date virtually all the pages/entries in my journals I could also look at the first and last entries to figure this out, but I like having this quick reference in the front as well.
On the right side of the inside spread I like to mount an envelope. I use this envelope to hold odds and ends like movie tickets while I’m working in the journal. In this particular case I’ve embellished the envelope with some washi tape and a butterfly that I die cut from fine wire mesh. However, the envelope embellishment varies from journal to journal.
Credit Where Credit is Due
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Many of the ways I customize my book (decorating and sealing the cover, envelope in the inside, numbering journals) were adopted from the supremely talented artist Janice Lowry – I was lucky enough to take a class from her several years ago. She was a lifelong journal keeper, and her 100+ journals are now part of the collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art. Janice was an incredible artist and a lovely person, and I’m thankful to have had her for both a teacher and a friend. :]
I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick peek at my newest art journal. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art journaling, art supplies, inspiration, vintage
Tagged Janice Lowry, vintage photo
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Haiku: A Glorious Sight
This glorious sight –
a perfect blend of colors!
Nature brings me joy…
I hope you’re all having a wonderful week thus far, and I hope you enjoy your weekend!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in haiku, nature, photography, poetry
Tagged sunset
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Reader Participation Haiku/Giveaway: Winner!
Congratulations, Jo! You won the Reader Participation Haiku Giveaway! I hope you enjoy Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way. Please email me your mailing address so I can mail out your book.
I really enjoyed reading Jo’s haiku. For those of you who didn’t see it, here’s what she wrote to go along with the jellyfish photo.
Weightless, beautiful,
strength in its fragility.
Ballet in the sea.
Big thanks to all those who participated. :]
Warm regards,
Melody
Reader Participation Haiku & Giveaway!
This month’s haiku is a bit different. Instead of me writing the haiku, I’m hoping YOU will. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a haiku based on the photo above. I took this photo at the Monterey Bay Aquarium last year, and would like to see which words it brings to your mind. I hope you’re ready to compose a haiku, because I’m combining this reader participation haiku with a giveaway!
Wait, what’s a haiku again?*
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A haiku is a poem with three lines. Each line has a set number of syllables.
Line 1 – 5 syllables
Line 2 – 7 syllables
Line 3 – 5 syllables
Here’s an example:
To write a haiku,
remember five seven five.
I hope you enter!
Giveaway – The Artist’s Way
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To submit your haiku, simply comment on this post and include your haiku. All those who enter will be entered in a giveaway. The winner will receive a softcover copy of the classic book The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. You may post multiple haikus if you’d like, but only one entry will count per person. The winner will be drawn at random, so don’t be shy or feel like it’s a competition. I’ll announce the winner on my blog on Tuesday, July 16th, so write/comment/enter today! 🙂
Happy Haikuing!
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in giveaway, haiku, photography, poetry
Tagged Julia Cameron, Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Artist's Way
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