• Art - Blog - Creativity

    I didn’t dream it

    I’ve started working in a new journal.  So far this one is focused on texture. Not a conscious choice but I see the pattern developing.

    The sky was the limit on what I used on this page, which may seem odd since there isn’t that much color going on.

    I started out by taping down the center of the binding with masking tape. I added some ripped pieces along an imaginary horizon line to start my texture process. Next I added ripped pieces of drywall tape. The texture wasn’t feeling right to me so I grabbed some light texture paste. I’m not sure what has happened to the jar but it was weird…I used it anyway but it got my pages really wet.

    After drying them with a heat gun, I grabbed a jar of white house paint I’d been using for paint pouring a couple years ago. It has really thickened over time in the old peanut butter jar. Perfect!

    I walked away for a while as I often do. Do you complete a page in one sitting? Doesn’t happen much for me…always seem to be waiting for something to dry. When I came back some of the white paint was STILL wet…I decided to sprinkle some baking soda over the wet areas. I rubbed some of it in…other areas I continued to let dry.

    I knew that I wanted to make all the texture pop so I used sage green distress paint and sprayed water to make it flow. While it was still wet I dripped some brown and gold glimmer mists as well. I used a paper towel to mop up excess moisture in places. Used the heat gun to partially dry…and start the process all over again.

    It wasn’t quite blue enough for me so I used a watercolor crayon to make the blues pop since I had already picked out the teal textured card stock and tiny piece of vintage wallpaper.

    Since I’ll never be accused of less is more…I grabbed some pigment powders and knocked some powder off a fluffy brush onto the wet page. Now I was really loving where this was headed.  I took it outside and sprayed satin  clear coat to set the powders.

    I used the same products to color a small piece of plaster casting to add yet another layer. The tag is punched from Tim Holtz packaging. It was too pretty to toss.

    I didn’t lie when I said I used a little bit of everything on this page!

    Linking up with Art Journal Journey for Alison’s theme of Pockets and Tags.

    Art Journal Journey
  • Around home - Art - Blog - Creativity - Kitchen - Outdoors

    T Tuesday: sky’s the limit edition

    I have to say I’m loving the new theme When it’s hot on Art Journal Journey. Nice choice Erika!

    The base of this loose leaf journal page is an equation sheet for an engineering course J had taken last semester. Actually just one of the crazy long, I don’t really see any numbers just symbols, type of things spanning three sheets. Wowsers. I’ll stick to middle school math, thank you.

    I smeared some bright cheerful summery colors then began adding bits of paper not really knowing where I was heading. Since I had completely covered all the math I decided to add back in a table from a vintage math book so I’d remember where this page had begun.

    After I felt my layers were complete, I looked for the right words. The birds made me think of flying, adventure, getting away from it all. The bicycle washi is another nod to getting out into nature and enjoying the fresh air.

    Gosh, you’d think we were cooped up or quarantined or something. LOL Sometimes you’ve got to laugh or you’ll cry.

    I’m so smitten with this theme that I created two pages in one sitting yesterday…either that or I was avoiding housework. Maybe both.

    Art Journal Journey

    Since I mentioned work…this is work I actually enjoy…gardening. It is a lot of work but I do love getting my hands dirty, having to wipe the sweat from my brow. But the things I love most is harvesting!

    I’ll be canning spicy beans this week! And making cucumber salad…or maybe just peeling and eating.

    I’m really looking forward to when the tomatoes ripen. I’m so sick of grocery store tomatoes.

    These two bok choy plants and the habanero pepper plant I got for FREE when the local parking lot pop-up greenhouse was shutting down for the season. They always have nice plants.

    What are you doing today?
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Summer journey

    When I think of summer, I think of road trips. I grew up traveling across country with my parents. Sometimes we made it all the way to the coast. Sometimes to Canada. And other times just to the neighboring state…but we always drove.

    I have so many memories of back roads such as this. Dad never cared for taking the interstate freeway system. He wanted to see the small communities, the heartbeat of America. Times were definitely different in those days.

    I used soft pastel colors to reflect the innocence of the time…at least through a child’s eyes. I’m sure my parents wouldn’t agree but compared to life now…it was definitely innocent.

    I wish I were travelling down that road right now…

    Linking up with Art Journal Journey for When it’s Hot hosted by Erika aka BioArtGal.

    Art Journal Journey