• Art - Blog - Creativity

    Journaling through the emotions

    June 27, 2021 - By 

    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
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    I didn’t dream it

    August 5, 2020 - By 

    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
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    For a minute

    June 11, 2020 - By 

    I wanted to share my latest art journal page for A Stitch in Time on Art Journal Journey.

    I decided to go with an asymmetrical page again…I like how the edges add interest to the page. The patterned paper with the clock face is from a 12×12 piece of scrapbook paper from my stash. I have no recollection of when or where I got it. I have picked up box lots of craft supplies/scrapbook supplies etc. Unless I purchased something myself, I really stink at remembering a source…and even then its a little iffy.

    The tag is an offcut of a masterboard I created. I love how much interest is created in a simple tag creating them in this fashion.  The stitching is both decorative and utilitarian. it holds down any bits that were not properly glued.

    I added a beautiful dyed skeleton leaf as a dramatic backdrop for my found text.

    Won’t you join in the fun for A Stitch in Time?

    Art Journal Journey