Counting down to the New Year

I am really having some fun with this new adventure we've begun together...and honestly, I can't think of a better group of ladies to work with!  We aren't close in proximity, except for Betty and I, but we're truly kindred spirits.

For this weeks prompt, I started out by painting my background...then measured and penciled in my calendar grid....once I got it done, the rest was really quite easy for me.  I went over my grid using a white Signo broad point pen, added my lettering, my numbers and finally my snowflakes....the snowflakes were made with the Signo and a couple of Gelly roll pens...I completely forgot to take step by step pictures...it's a problem, I know, but one I'm working on...lol...so on to the pictures...

A full sized shot of the finished calendar for the month of January.  I was incredibly pleased with how this one turned out.

White lettering with pink gelly roll shadowing,

I had soooooo much fun drawing these snowflakes!  I kind of went crazy with them.

Marking New Year's Day!!!

Another shot of the snowflakes

A close-up of one of my larger snowflakes.

And there you have it!  I hope you found a little inspiration among the pictures!

Catch y'all later!!!

Holiday Season - AJ pre-launch post #4

So, I gotta tell Ya, this one was tough for me. I haven't really been feeling the usual excitement I get with the holidays. To me it's been a little more like crazy madness. What's mad about the holidays?    What's more mad than all the shopping, and trimming that must be done? This year just seemed like it was all about the crazy.  And so I came up with this!!!

Kinda crazy, right?  But think about it...what makes us the craziest about the holidays???  All the shopping and fighting to find the perfect gift, sale after sale and deal after deal, not to mention hiding the goodies from the kids and finding enough alone time to wrap ONE present, let alone the 30 something hidden thru the house.

Supplies:

Small Dylusions Journal (2 pg spread)

Modeling paste

Acrylic Craft paint

450 glue

sale clip-art from the internet

happy mail envelop cut into squares

sequins

white cardstock-1 sheet...if you do it right, you can get your snow AND your tree from it

rubber stamps - I used a cheap music stamp from Michael's and a Dyan Reavely background stamp

rhinestones

black ink pad

white chalk ink pad

white Signo pen

scissors

UHU glue stick 

tweezers

brayer

palette knife

I began by grabbing 2 shades of green craft acrylic and putting dots over half the cardstock, then blending the colors with a makeup sponge (if you haven't used a makeup sponge for paint application, I highly recommend it.

Classic Green and Thicket

Blended gives you this.....

A big green blob...lol.

Now, I set that aside to dry and moved on to the background...

Black and pool blue...as you can see, I'd already started the background when I realized I'd forgotten to get these 2 together.

Once I had the paint all over the pages, I then mixed in some modeling paste...

Blended it all together, and spread it around across the tops of the pages, to create a textured, stormy sky....

I snapped a closeup of this to show just how much texture a couple of tablespoons of modeling paste can give you...and it's fun to touch once it's dry.

Now back to that big green blob...I cut it out in a rectangle shape, folded it in half and fussy cut it to make this!

Back to the background we go, gluing down the wavy white cardstock  and then gluing down the tree.  Next comes the clip art and the "presents....

Now we're getting somewhere!!  It's really starting to look like a spread now.  So here's where I step back for a minute and take a good look at it...am I happy with the way it's coming along?  Is this going where I thought I wanted to go?  Yes?  Let's keep going, then!

Next, I started decorating my tree....

I used blue sequins for ornaments, then I went to town with a little bling...

Ok, so maybe it was a lot of bling, but hey!  I'm from Texas and there's no such thing as too much sparkle!

Next, I added the music stamp....

And then I started with the white chalk pad and dots all over....

I love this stuff!!!  But if you're gonna use it, be sure to write BEFORE you put it down, because pens don't like it!

Here's the completed spread....and I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out!  

And a close up...

All in all, it really came together quite easily once I had a plan and got going...some of the work was intuitive,  but I went into it with a plan in mind for what to use.

Hope you found this helpful...I had a lot of fun with this one, once I got going....

Catch y'all later!

Pre-Launch #3

Wow...I'm looking at the calendar as I type this and realize there's only a week and a half until Christmas. Are YOU ready???  We've gotten all but ONE of the big gifts bought...the rest can be picked up in bits and pieces as they're found...

But!  That's not why I'm here today...no, I'm here to share with you my take on the Pre-Launch #3 prompt, Winter Wonderland.

the full view of my 2 page spread...

A close up of one side...

And a close up of the other side...

Keep in mind, please....you do NOT have to create a 2 page spread every time you do a prompt, or any kind of work in your journal...it's a personal preference thing...there are no rules other than being true to yourself.

Supplies used:

Acrylic paints

Stickles

Liquid pearls

Cardstock

Inka Gold

Scissors 

UHU glue stick

450 glue

Stabillo Marks all pencil 

White uniball Signo pen

The order in which I did this stuff may not be true to how I actually did it, and I forgot...again...to take pictures as I went...I'm sorry.I'm still trying to get used to blogging with an instructional mindset...

I painted the background first, then cut and laid down the white cardstock to make my snow drifts.

The trees are plain white cardstock, painted with 2 shades of green using a makeup sponge, then folded and fussy cut on an angle to create a tree once it was unfolded...super simple, really.

Once I got the trees into place, and glued down using my 450, I went to work on decorating them...Stickles and Liquid Pearls were my weapons of choice here, and like everything else down here in Texas, there's no such thing as too much...I loaded those trees up!  I believe the best looking trees are the ones that look like they could collapse under the weight of their ornaments.

Once the Stickles and Liquid Pearls were dry, I went around the trees and snow drifts with my marks all pencil, then used a waterbrush on the marks...a little depth, tho if I'm honest, I suck at that part...lol.

Next came, for me anyways, the MOST fun part...MAKING SNOWFLAKES!!!!!  Yes, I do have a thing for snowflakes, just in case you didn't "snow" that by looking at the background.  Using my white, Uniball Signo broad tip pen, I made snowflakes all over the blue sky, as if it were still snowing there.

Then, feeling as tho my trees were still lacking somewhat, I made little white dots all over them around and between the ornaments...call it snow, call them lights...whatever...it worked.

I also used the crystal Stickles on the snow drifts...all along the edge to give it a little "shimmer".  Once I was sure everything was good and dry, I took some Inka Gold in Silver, and using my finger tip, lightly swiped some across the page, to resemble blowing snow.  At least, that was the idea behind it when I did it...lol

And there you have it...Winter Wonderland for Artful Journeys!  Hope you enjoyed reading about my process!

New Journal and a releasing of old baggage

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I am fiercely loyal to my family and friends...and I take it very personally when people do things to hurt or cause problems for them...so I'd been having a rough time over the last week and a half or so due to the actions of other individuals, and had really let it get under my skin.(imagine Tommy Boy with the roll after Richard hits him across the face with the 2x4)  Problem was, it was bleeding over everywhere and I was staying angry about it all the time...So, I thought a little retail therapy and a lot of journaling would help...and I ended up with another small Dylusions journal, that I spent the next 48 hours glaring at because my muse was silent...actually, that's not true...she was telling me how she couldn't work while I was still so angry.  So, I typed everything up and tucked it into an envelope, which I then sealed and taped into my daily art journal, then made the conscious decision to let that shit go...well, it worked!  I got inspired...sort of...ok, that's bullshit...I forced myself to put paint on paper...and slowly but surely something emerged out of the ugly...

Restoration - the word was provided to me by my oldest daughter, understanding what I was trying to express yet couldn't articulate!  She knows me too well, that one does...lol

 Inspired by the success of that spread, and a cute little card made by one friend, and sent to me by another friend, I went to work on the next spread...a little over 2 hours later (that includes my drying time), this is what I had wrought....

Acrylic paints and inks along with scraps of paper, and that cute little frog by Betty Guffey Richardson, and I was thrilled with the result...Isn't he just adorable.  And just in case you can't read the text, it says..."He wasn't a prince until he kissed me"

So I guess what I'm trying to tell you is this....

if you're having trouble creating, ask yourself what negative thing you're holding onto...then let it go...and see what happens!

Later, y'all!

Pre-Launch Prompt #2

I have to say, I am so glad I thought to bring my laptop with me on our weekend jaunt to Oklahoma...I can't even imagine trying to do a blog post from my phone or tablet..lol.

So, this week's prompt is to catalog our paints/markers/pencils/etc.  Well, I'll just be straight up honest with ya, right now...I didn't do all of them.  I have 3 sets of colored pencils, and pastels that I did NOT even touch for this prompt!!!  And, I am pretty sure that I missed quite a few bottles of paint, as well...lol.  Also, I didn't get all OCD about this...I've seen some color catalogs, broken down into Brands, colors and all the grids of color nice and neat and uniform.  Yeah...I did NOT to that...but I did catalog most of the paints and ALL of my Tim Holtz distress markers...I figured that was a good enough start...lol

My Tim Holtz markers...some of them need to be replaced as they don't get used much, because if I decide to add something to a page later, that shit is gonna go slip sliding all over the place!

Now for the paints...

There are more...and I have acquired more since I made these charts, which I have added to the list there...but no picture! Sorry!

So there you have it...I am not loyal to one brand or another...I am not worried about perfectly aligned boxes of color, or anything like that...I just can't!  This prompt was hard for me, because I don't like quite a few of the colors I have, but I keep them in case I need to use them...although, I have to admit, I would rather have pink grass in a pic, than use a green that actually looks like grass.  It's just me.  I didn't sort out the paints by brand, because that is NOT how I have them sorted at home...they're sorted by color - pinks/teals/aquas/blues/reds/purples/others...it's what works for me...might not work for you...and that's OK!

Hope to see what you decide to do with your colors...until next time...

Happy Arting!

December!!

Well, December is here, as is the cold and wind in North Texas!

Our joint venture, Artful Journeys is up and running and seeming to do well, which for one, I am grateful.  I'm hoping to see our numbers climb as we progress...

So, I have decided to do a December Daily type thing this year...although I will probably just include it in my daily art journal, simply because working in more than one journal is just too distracting for me.  And to have THREE going at the same time means something will get ignored.  It's just how shit works in my house...what can I say?

So, every post relating to December Daily will have a tag added to it, so that it's easy to find, but that's about where the total separation is gonna end...lol.

So really, this post is just a quick intro, and I will be adding more soon...thanks for popping in...now...go create something beautiful and delicious!

Pre-Launch prompt 1-add a year calendar

It's finally here!!!  The big reveal has taken place, and Artful Journeys is up and running!

So, now that everything is out in the open, the blog has had a facelift, and I'm not skulking in the shadows anymore, chomping at the bit to share other things I've been working on....here's the page I created for our first prompt...

Just a single page for this one...I used Apple Barrel Bright Magenta for the background, applied with a makeup sponge, then glued down this calendar I found on Pinterest.  Using a white, Signo pen, I wrote the promise to myself and initialed it!  Voila, done!

I am looking forward to keeping track of my journey this coming year, and sharing it with all of you!  See you soon!

A new adventure ahead!

Yeah, it's been a while since I've touched the blog, but if you've been here before you'll notice...it's brighter and a little different.  

So, for the adventure part of the post....

Working with 4 of my friends, we have put together a new and exciting venture... Artful Journeys.
A journey of art, journaling and discovery, geared for ALL levels, from beginners to more experienced artists...

Oh, yeah...I said artists...because the very act of changing the appearance of a simple piece of paper, makes you an artist...You don't have to be able to draw...good Lord, why do you think man made glue, and glitter and pictures?  So you could cram all that shit together in one place and make it an expression of what is inside of you!

So, be sure to check back in with me tomorrow for a look at my first page based on the first "pre-launch" prompt, and then go look at everyone else's pages too!

In the meantime, here's a couple of things I've knocked out since the last time I was here.....

An artful #dailycraft, a collage of words...this was so much fun to create.

This spread was done after I took an awesome online workshop by Kate Crane from The Kathryn Wheel.  If you haven't had the chance to take one of her classes, I highly recommend them!

A #popupartchallenge from the mail art group I belong to...use 3 pieces of Happy Mail, from 3 different people and make some art in 45 minutes or less.

Ok, that's it from me for now....I'll be back with more journaling goodness next tomorrow!!!

Ya know....

There is something strangely satisfying...almost thrilling...about getting a new journal and putting some paint down on that first page.  Most of my friends will understand what I am talking about...some won't.  For those of you that won't...well, I can't explain it...sorry.  But, fact is....I love it!  So many options, so many possibilities...new things to try, new supplies to use, new paint colors to slap down...it ALL matters and it's all so much fun!  So the picture above is the spread I created to "christen" my newest art journal.  I love how it turned out...all the bright, happy colors, the little stamps, the marks, all of it...I look at it and it makes me smile...and I run my hands across the page and my smile grows from the feel of the textures beneath my fingers...it's artistic nirvana, what can I say!?

These two are also spreads recently done in the new journal.  And by recently, I'm talking this morning.  I love it when I am working and the ideas just keep coming, and the NEED to create just takes over and I lose track of time.  That is bliss to me.

Also, I've noticed that I've started looking at items around the house with one question foremost in my mind..."how can I use that in/for my art?".  Again...most of my friends will understand...they'll "get it", because they're also artists.  The friends who won't get it, probably aren't reading this anyway, so there isn't a need to try to explain.  It's taken over...lol...my husband saw me stashing cereal boxes and asked why..."to use for my art!"  He gave me a strange  look...you know the one...the one that says the other person is concerned for your mental well-being and wondering if the men in white coats should be called out?  Yup...that's the one.  That's the look he gave me before returning his attention to the football game he'd been watching.  I even have the kids doing it now, as well.  My son checks the mail and brings me the "junk mail" he thinks I might be able to use...sweet boy.  My youngest daughter went through the pantry the other day and started checking expiration dates on boxes...why?  So that we could dump the expired food and break down the box for my art....lol.  But they see the way it works, too.  It's reducing waste...reusing/recycling, and making the world a better, PRETTIER place to be.  I like pretty...lol.  

Another example of repurposing....or whatever you wanna call it...the two pics above are of a paper grocery bag that I cut, painted and prepped to make handmade envelopes with...and why not?  The grocery bag paper is thicker than any of the paper my store bought envelopes are made with...and I'd decorate those anyway, so why not just skip the bullshit and make the damn things myself...plus, it's just another outlet for my creativity to run hog-ass wild through.  I like it!

I am also proud to say that I took the plunge, and I listed the above canvas on Etsy!  Yup...I did it....both of my girls applauded...I guess we'll see where it goes.

Ok, well, that's all the time you're getting from me this afternoon.  I'm going back to my paints, journal, stencils, pens, paper bags and food boxes and creating prettiful things to share with the world!

Later, y'all!

What I've been working on!

It's been a bit since my last post...not really a way to win a following, but shit happens and life throws you a curve when you're looking for the fast ball, and all hell breaks loose...

I was on a roll, getting art created, moving along nicely when the curve ball pegged me...straight in the damn face...I got a phone call from my "mom" (step-mom by legalities, mom by actions).  Now my mom almost never calls me....unless something is wrong...well, this phone call was a big fucking wrong...on Friday, August 29, my dear sweet dad passed away...my heart shattered, then caved in on itself, then it disintegrated.  My life will never be the same, but I know that he's in a better place now, and I have a lot of great memories of him to think about when it hits me that I can't call him and talk to him about his beloved Angels, or just watch some random baseball game on the phone with him anymore...that being said, I am leveling out and getting back into a sort of groove with my art....

A few of the backgrounds in my latest daily art journal....I love going back through it and running my hands over the pages, feeling the softness of the paint and the textures of all the different elements.

It's pink!  My fave color...enuf said.

This one started off as a mistake....I couldn't get the paint to smooth out, no matter what I did...so I said "fuck it" and started adding circles to the page....I like it.

This one just might be one of my absolute fave pages....and try as I might, I have NOT been able to recreate it.

Another of my favorites...I seriously thought this page set was going to be glued together...but I let it set....and set...and set some more, and then I started playing around.  I figured what the hell, it couldn't be used for writing, so I had nothing to lose.  I added some sheet music, some more paint, some circles, some stamps, some marks and a quote...not sure if I saw it somewhere or it just came to me, but it says, "Sometimes what you think are mistakes, are really just opportunities in disguise".  That pretty much sums up this spread.

But that's not all I've accomplished...no!  I have been tormenting the children, on a pretty regular basis, with my art journal...showing them what I did today, showing them swaps I've done, and asking them what they thought.  Well, for a while now, the girls have been telling me to quit being such a chicken shit and start trying to sell my stuff...so I finally broke down and bought some canvases....but, so I wouldn't feel terrible if it was a flop, I used a coupon and got a 7 pack for cheap...and I stared at them for a couple of days...the voice in my head telling me I had NO damn business putting paint on canvas, I wasn't good enough to paint on canvas, nobody will like them, etc...if you play sports or created anything, you know the voice I'm talking about and the lies it likes to tell.  So, finally, I prepped 2 and got busy...Once I got going, it was easy to keep going.  And pretty soon I had this...

I was pretty damn proud of myself....no lie.  And so, at the risk of listening to DH bitch about the pink thing on the wall, I hung it in the dining room, behind the table where I do all my art....and not a word has been said.  Well, the 2nd prepped canvas is waiting...not sure for what...it will come to me at some point, but earlier this week, I started another canvas....and finished up with this, this afternoon.....

I am hoping to find it a new home, but I won't be heartbroken if I don't....I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.

So that's what I've been working on...and there's more where all that came from...I can feel it.  What have you been up to?  I'd love to see it!