Category : Art

423 posts

Technically these aren’t super long ago… but a couple months old. Honestly, with the way this winter is dragging on and on it still feels a bit like January-February. It’s all just a cold white blur.

My wonky junky journal is getting super thick. I’m on the last signature and am trying to be a bit more aware of the thickness of embellishments I am using. 

I hadn’t realized that I never posted any of these pages. Thankfully I was looking through the folders on my laptop and discovered my error.

I love the colors in this one. I was certainly wishing for warmer days when I created this one.

This page has hidden journaling about my baby girl turning 20! What in the world…that just isn’t possible.

Again with this page I am wishing for springtime. How foolish I was to think it was coming anytime soon.

I used a scrap of fabric to make a little fabric flip to hide a bit of journaling.

When I finished this page I realized that my date stamp ended with 2022. I had to improvise. Since then I ordered this new date stamp. My problem is solved until 2032.

I was thinking about my girl this morning and out came a journal page.

It’s taken a while but I’m getting the urge to create at least in my art journal.

In fact, this was the second page I created on Sunday afternoon.

While searching through my stash I found some watercolor color experiments. The colors spoke to me in that fall sort of feel.

The lined page to the left was a shiny paper from junk mail. I didn’t want to cover the lines but at the same time didn’t like the shine. I used some glimmer mists to knock it back.

Yesterday was a rough day for me. I was very emotional which is not my usual state of being. I’m a very stoic person…I’m Norwegian raised in the mid-west. It takes a lot to crack my shell.

I did what I like to call a mind dump on my page. I like to write very messy and somewhat layer the words. This makes it difficult to read. This is purposeful. I need to get it out but I don’t want to go back and relive it later when I’m paging through my journal.

I saved this label from a beer my neighbor shared. (using as my drink reference as well…it’s a twofer) The beer was really interesting. You could taste a hint of orange and copious amounts of honey. I’m not sure I loved it but I did love the label.

It’s not my favorite page in the journal but it served its purpose.

Today is a work day of course with some grocery shopping on the way home.

What are you doing today?

I do love Fall. The crisp mornings, the rustle of fallen leaves, flannels, jeans, hoodies…all the pumpkin goodies. The warm colors of autumn are also my favorites. You’ll find them all over my house and in my art.

I had so much fun pulling together items to layer. Bits of wallpaper, book spine, scrapbook paper, ephemera postcard just to name a few.

I used some distress oxide to bring the background colors together.

I then dripped water and blotted to make the cool light spots. Love that look. This is my first distress oxide ink pad, and I know it won’t be my last.

I’m nearing the end of this journal. Just a few pages left. It’s been a really fun challenge with all the different types and sizes of papers.

It has gotten quite chunky. Good thing I made the cover with a long wrap around tie to hold the chunkiness in.

When it’s complete I’ll do a recap at least of my favorite pages.

I can’t even remember the last time I sat down to art journal. But I finally did! It felt so good, so natural, like I have been doing it all along. So why haven’t I been??

I used my wonky junky journal to step back into the game. I love that it is so random…no expectations…no limits. If I want to exclusively write…fine. If I want to only paint…fine. If I feel in love with glue and paper…that’s fine too. With the variety of papers as pages I have endless possibilities.

I didn’t think at all. Just let it happen.

I made this little journal flip the my words would be hidden. Not that they are so very private but I didn’t want to clutter up the simplicity.

Since I didn’t share any garden photos last week I thought I should snap a couple to show some progress.

I ‘ve been battling a pest problem in the shed garden. We have a vole living under the shed or in the compost pile. It is getting in the garden and nipping off my plants. The little bugger doesn’t even eat them!! Just cuts them down like its a lumberjack felling trees. I have reinforced the fence…still I found more nibbled plants today. UGH!!! So frustrating. Short of poison, I’m at a loss as to the solution to my pest issue.

Notice the condensation on my pint? That means it actually rained and we have some humidity in the air. We are still super dry but at least there was some precipitation. I never thought I’d be thankful for humid air.

Lastly I have to share the haul I got from a garage sale last Thursday. As I walked up the driveway I saw this box filled with papers and such. I had to ask…is the box really free…as in all of it? Yes. Yes it was. I snapped that up like it was gold. I actually got a bunch of things from the sale…this was the only crafty related item.

Monday was an errand day for me…Tuesday is an at home day. I really need to knock some items off my ever present list since it just keeps getting longer!

Whoa…that sounds deeper than intended. I did find myself sitting down to create today and without even realizing it I uncovered something I hadn’t been thinking about…or at least admitting to thinking about.

I only intended to do the end of the first signature but there was too much and it spilled onto the next. Honestly I really like how it looks.

I’m thrilled with how this part turned out. It has a soft, vintage quality. I used my middle finger to paint the teal butterfly wings. Not too shabby for that occasionally naughty digit.

I used a bit of French grammar text to partially cover the Behr paint brochure then continued with the layers until I finally was happy and had said my piece.

 

 

Overlapping fold-outs are new for me but I really felt I wanted to add a bit of found text.

It about sums up my emotions. I know that this is the way of things…the next step…and I am so incredibly happy for both kids. But at the same time, I am mourning my time as a parent of “kids”.  I guess empty nester syndrome was sneaking on in while I wasn’t looking.

EDIT: Linking up with AJJ for the Butterfly theme…thanks for the heads up Erika!

Art Journal Journey

Once again I’m playing catch up here on my blog. Spring definitely gets away from me. School gets more demanding as we near the end which leaves me too tired to do anything beyond feeding my family and preparing for the following day.

This spring we also have the added pressure of Mini-me graduating from high school! Stressing over whether or not there will be a graduation ceremony, a choir concert, grad parties, etc. And if there are…how comfortable do we feel about it. We finally got the answer to a couple of those question marks. There will be a concert but it will be single choirs to limit people and possible exposures. There will be graduation which will look similar to those in the past due to since our governor announced a step down in restrictions taking effect before graduation. This does make me nervous even though we are all vaccinated. Mini-me will not be having a graduation party.

Last week was an eventful one. Wednesday was my birthday…next year is a big one… I was spoiled by friends and coworkers with kind words and thoughtful gifts.  Thursday, Mini-me and I drove to Duluth to move J home from college for the summer. It was a quick up and back trip.

We had to take a quick detour into Canal Park before heading to campus…we love Duluth so much. I wish we could have spent more time there.

If you look closely there are two ships in this photo. The closer one is a “salty” meaning it traveled in from the Atlantic Ocean. The other one on the horizon is one of the Great Lakes fleet of ore boats.

I did manage to fix my journal. I plan to add some beads along the spine to cover the extra holes but decided that it would make the most sense to wait until the journal is complete.

Look at all the pretty papers! I can’t wait to start using it. I know my birthday cards and notes are going to have a place right away.

I have been sewing too..no surprise there. It is so satisfying to be making a major dent in my scraps. I have yet to decide if this will become a bed size quilt or a couple of throws.

I had to share the mug J bought for me. He said it was a combo b-day and mothers day gift. So sweet.

This summer appears to be getting more back to normal. Both kids have jobs…thank goodness! Mini-me will actually have two. J currently has two but his school job will end in June obviously and he will be able to put in more time at his internship. It’s so very exciting to see them both taking those next steps in life. Although I’m not even going to pretend to be completely ok with being “empty nesters” next fall.

 

What are you doing today?
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