• Art - Blog - Creativity

    Words of wisdom to a child

    June 9, 2019 - By 

    Last week I found this image I’d printed ages ago…I knew immediately that it would become a focal point in an upcoming journal page.

    Since I’ve been using the term “mop up paper” quite often lately I thought I’d share a bit of a process post to give visuals to my words.

    This is where my page started. A sheet of blue copy paper 8.5 x 11 inches. I used a glue stick to adhere it to some lightweight card stock.

    After the glue was dry I cut it down to my desired size of 7 x 7 inches. Next I got out craft paints and used my favorite tool…my fingers…to spread several colors of paint over the page.

    Some of the colors are more transparent than others allowing the original color and marks to show through.

    Look at that yummy texture…  I decided to let this air dry overnight instead of drying it with the heat gun.

    Of course this is where my process failed…I totally forgot about the fact that I was taking photos step by step.

    I used rubber stamps to create some background texture. The black ink harlequin was super subtle…I felt I needed a bit more color and shape. Since most of my stamp pads are pigment ink I used clear embossed powder to set the ink.

    I also took the completed background to my sewing machine to stitch a funky border in black to contain everything.

    Next I created some layers with paper and fabric to give an anchor to my image.

    Last but not least was the words of wisdom to a little girl learning to tie shoes with her daddy’s shoes. I love that they are on the wrong feet too.

    Not only am I linking up with Words to live by on Art Journal Journey guest hosted by yours truly….

    Art Journal Journey

    but I am also linking up with Try it on Tuesday for Make a Mark.

     

     

     

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Listening is key

    April 14, 2019 - By 

    I was inspired to create this journal page after reading a college student’s first hand account of why he was walking for suicide prevention on his college campus. I was moved by his very eloquent yet heartbreaking words describing his journey. I couldn’t help but think of all the young men and women in my life, especially my own children.  

    Often when I have high emotions, I turn to creativity as an outlet. I let everything go and work by intuition…not over thinking anything. Eventually I get to a place that the page starts to take a shape in the direction my mind was subconsciously heading.

    I’ve always been told I’m a good listener by my friends. They often will turn to me to vent, gab, or problem solve. I may not always have a ton of advice but I do always have a shoulder to lend.

    It is my wish that my children will find someone in their lives that will be able to do the same for them even if its not me. And that they have learned the skill of really listening. It is the key to so many things.

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: completed journal recap edition

    September 3, 2018 - By 

    I am finally finished….as in completely finished with another journal. The inside pages have been done for a month or so but I had not been inspired on how to pretty up the outside until now.

    As you can see this was a big improvement from the original.

    The pretty paper came from a flower Mini-me received at the end of her first campus tour.

    They have a cool tradition there that every Friday local florists bring single flowers for the students to purchase and place in each others mailboxes. Since it was a Friday, each of the kids on the tour got a flower. Hers was wrapped in the lovely pink floral kraft paper.

    I wanted to keep the original inscription so I used washi tape to adhere the paper like a book jacket. Remember covering textbooks with grocery bags…same concept. Just prettier.

    Mini-me and I are both a little obsessed with washi tape. Sometime I’ll show you our collection.

    I received some happy mail from a dear friend of mine the other day. She was doing a major purge and thought of me. Yay! Thank you!!

    On a recent thrifting excursion I picked up a couple goodies for my stash. The journal is really cute but a little small. Not sure if it would work for me to art journal with as my original thought was for it. I’m always on the lookout for a new book to journal since I don’t work cover to cover in a methodical manner. I tend to jump between several journals. The one I shared today was started Nov 2016 and considering there are only 8 spreads…I definitely jump around.

    Mini-me and I had our first taste of Fall with a Pumpkin Iced Crafted Press. So yummy!!

    Tuesday we both head back to school. I’m ready for the schedule. I almost feel more productive at home when I’m working.

    T stands for Tuesday

    What are you doing today?