• Art - Blog - Creativity

    We flew

    Lately most of my time has been spent creating journals, writing in them or thinking about them…but not art journals.

    I tend to do this…I get completely obsessed with one thing and virtually abandon the rest for a time. Art journals and mixed media always find there way back to me. They are my true calling.

    Today though I knew I wanted to art journal. I started out with some dress pattern paper and gelatos for that lovely aged yellow color. I added bits of torn fabric and papers in opposite corners of my spread. I then added some red and gold with a variety of sprays and golden paints.

    After that I wasn’t really sure other than I thought I needed another color…something contrasting. I came across a tattered book mark in my stash. The colors of the flowers matched perfectly and the blue gave that contrasting color I was looking for.

    After I decided on the wooden bird for the opposite page I dug out my sealing wax just for fun. I haven’t use it in ages. My cousin and I got little sets back in the early 1980’s when we were girls and wrote letters to each other. I still have my set and a few more seals that I’ve picked up over the years just because they are pretty and kind of a unique thing to come across at a rummage sale.

    I happened to find a journal tag that was the right color blue to act as a perch for my bird. The words we flew jumped out at me from my box of found text. I thought a bit of loopy thread gave some nice texture and was a bit reminiscent of a nest.

    The tag looked a little boring so I used a bit of distress ink on a script stamp for a little more vintage feel. I didn’t have a brad the right color so I dipped a white one in paint then sprinkled with baking soda. once it dried It had a nice muted appearance in just the right color.

    I’m super happy that I gave in to my impulse and got creative today.

    Linking up with Art Journal Journey for Vintage or Modern

    Art Journal Journey
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    A secret society

    I got my vintage vibe back today. I really felt like art journalling. Getting paint covered fingers and messy grungy pages was all I could think about.

    I didn’t really give a whole lot of for thought other than wanting to use some really watered down sprays so show off the texture I was going to create.texture on art journal page

    In the end I used gelatos and water color crayons as well to add the depth of color I sought.

    I layered strips of yellow and blue scraps on both sides of the spread before adding the first layers of color sprays. Layer upon layer until I got the look I desired.  After I found this woman on a pattern envelope I knew she needed something sort of snarky to say. She just had that look about her.Then this image from one of the Reader Digest books I tore apart magically appeared. Well not magic but darn close…it was basically the first image I saw in the stack. 

     From where I’m sitting it looks to me like a secret society

    Yep…in those days the ‘good old boys club’ pretty much was a secret society to women.

     

    Art Journal Journey
    Linking up to with Art Journal Journey for this months theme for Vintage or Modern.
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: art of arts sake

    Taking time to play in my art journals has been a challenge. I’ve been suffering from bouts of extremely busy schedules followed by times of extreme sloth. No, I’m serious. I’m not sure what’s up with that but I find if my schedule or to-do list isn’t packed with stuff, I have a hard time getting motivated. I justify it to myself as “I’ve just been so busy, I’ll just sit down for a bit and __(fill in the blank)__.  These options often include a screen, but of course not a useful screen such as learning something…no, just time wasters.  Netflix, Pinterest, phone apps, iPad games. WHY!!??!!

    Ok…now that I got that confession off my chest I’m ready to move on since I actually have broken my slothful ways the past two days. Taking time to create. Let’s hope it continues, shall we!

    This page went together as so many of my recent. I begin with what is around me. Gluing pieces down as the mood strikes.

    Next comes the color. My fingers are truly my best tool….second best being the baby wipes I use to clean them off.  As I add paint with my fingers I remember the joy this brings me. I recall why I consider art my own private therapy.  I let go. Let it happen naturally.

    I honestly cannot walk away from a page with adding words. They don’t have to be mine. They can be a quote, a sticker, handwritten or stamped. You may not even be able to see them. I often will “journal spill or mind dump” on a page. Sometimes its so messy that it’s illegible. Other times I cover it up with paint or papers. Just the act of writing it out helps ground me but really what it says is no ones business but my own.

    These words struck me. Not in the way they were likely meant to.  For me it was more about how creating is good for me, for my soul.

    And that is a beautiful thing.

    Linking up today with Art Journal Journey is Art for Art’s Sake hosted by Chris of Pearshapedcrafting.

    Art Journal Journey