Joyful

 A mixed media spread in my tiny journal... Joyful

The white writing barely shows, and I think it needs more, however this is where I left it today. 

I've just started this spread in my altered book journal. Happy colors! Much more to come....

Junk Mail Journal

As many of you know, this past week I was in Portland at the ArtforAll 2012 Event, sponsored by atcsforall.com. I was very involved in the planning process, coordinated the workshops and helped make sure things went smoothly during the event.

Along with teaching two classes, I also took a couple of journaling classes from the amazing Amy Sargent. Her focus was that journals don’t need to be expensive!

One of the key thoughts that stayed with me was that my personal journal is for ME… it doesn’t have to be perfect. It can end up ugly, and it doesn’t matter. It’s just for me. I loved that! Very freeing!

Her first class was how to create a journal from materials you already have on hand. What better way to recycle/re-purpose things?

I constructed two quick journals in this class; one from old post cards, local art announcements, junk mail, paint chips, envelopes and book rings.

The other used the cup wrap I had on my to-go tea cup from breakfast, and paper from the “free” table, where folks put assorted supplies and ephemera to share with other artists. (One person’s junk is another’s treasure…)

Amy’s second class had us working on a journal page, using some of the ideas she gave us. 

One of the ways she starts a page is to glue random scraps of paper and pictures onto the page, and then cover with a light coat of cheap acrylic paint as the “gesso”. She told us the “dollar or less” paints have a high chalk content, dries more quickly than gesso, and is very inexpensive to use. Great for traveling! So that’s how I started. Torn pages and a layer of cream paint. 

I actually completed the page below in class using materials I gleaned from the “free” table, or that were shared by friends during the class. Amy also  suggested that if writing over the whole page is daunting, make a circle and just write in that. *light bulb* I can do that!

Amy’s classes really inspired me. Quick, easy and inexpensive journals! I can so do that! Funny how sometimes it just takes a new perspective to give you a jump start.

While it’s not a “painting”, I did paint in my new junk mail journal this week, and am linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin. I urge you to check out what the other PPF artists have created this week! 

Dancing with light

It amazes me the way a heart can take the worst losses and still survive. This week marked a sad anniversary, and we worked hard to make it a day of happy memories.

Joyful expression

Swirling flowing bright colors

Dancing with the light

Dancing with Light

I want to create a "dancing with light" image that I see in my head. This watercolor sketch from my journal is a start. (The yellow in the photo did not come through well at all, it is more intense.) I plan to rework this more intuitively (and larger) to see if I can get the flow more as I see it. 

Two hearts

Another page from my journal this past week... two hearts. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

If you have time, I'd love you to check out my newest Etsy Treasury. :)

Sharing with Clytie at Guest Heart Thursday

Joining with Rebecca at Haiku my Heart.

And also joining in with Paint Party Friday, a fun weekly event held by Kristin and Eva. 

30 Days - July 25

Well! The temperature has dropped from 62 with a bit of blue sky early this morning to 58 with wind and rain this afternoon! Bah! I want my sunny day back! *wink*

So I decided a yellow and green spread needed to start in the Blue Journal - reminding me of the lovely yellow and green (with bits of red) day I had out in the garden yesterday.

I spread a pale yellow down, mushed it to the other page to "mono-print", then used large bubble wrap with a yellow green, and followed with my favorite stencil by Mary Beth Shaw for the light green.

Much more to come...

30 Days - July 24

It was a lovely sunny warm day. The thermometer outside my window showed 79 degrees! And it feels like it. I played outside in the sun most of the day. A bit later this afternoon I took my art outside on the patio, and worked on this journal page:

Not the best picture, but I took it outside at the table because I could! Ha! While I was out wandering the garden, with camera still in my pocket, a trio of hummingbirds starting playing in the garden. I love to watch them chase each other around as if playing tag, chitting to each other just like they are talking. One stopped long enough to attempt pictures...

Can you find him?

We re-did this side of the yard, covering (we hope) the invasive buttercup and horsetail. This raised bed was put in to hold some of my herb garden. We have a few more things in there... including the tall bee balm. I just love bee balm! And so do the hummingbirds.
Some of the plants we moved are now in pots along the fence where they will be planted this fall.

It's still delightfully warm; I think summer may have finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. And now I need to go assemble the taco salad for dinner. Enjoy your evening!

Spring Journal

I've been working on my little journals... this one is Spring themed. Pages are prepped with a watercolor wash, and the cover has sections of paper napkin adhered with matte medium. Much more to do...

Three Little Journals

I spent a bit of time last night and this morning making some journals, adapting the format from Teesha Moore's 16 page journal to fit 9 x 12 watercolor paper... 'cuz that's what I have. I cut a few sheets into 4 1/2 inch x 12 inch lengths, using 3 per journal. It's a size that I'll actually work with. I am not comfortable in large journals, that's just how I am. :)

One is a black and white journal done for a challenge by a friend from Canada who I see every so often at Wednesday demos at a local crafting store. I stamped the cover with black gesso and a foam stamp. It will get more work, but I wanted to try a bit of painting before sewing it together.

I've started to paint the inside of the colorful ribbon journal. I think it's going to be a spring themed. I am SO ready for spring. :)

Oh! And I'm going to use the cool new Whimsical Lettering I learned from Christy Schroeder yesterday in my journals. She's an amazing calligrapher who has been teaching for several years. Here's my "take home" from class. It is SO much fun! 

You can see I need improvement... but I am practicing. And I will include this cool lettering in these journals!

Visual Journal Class

I'm taking the visual journal class by Strathmore, and in Workshop 1 we're creating a page in "lessons". Here is from the first lesson, using images from journal pages I'd done before and some scrap paper. 

The second lesson we added color, gesso washed and added more color. I used water soluble oil pastels since I don't have plain oil pastels, and they didn't resist. The gesso wash took out the featured from the lady, and I'm disappointed in how it's working out. bleh!

Perhaps the third lesson will save this mess. I plan to create a couple more pages using these techniques, so perhaps I'll end up with one I actually like how it's going. :)
These are also part of Project 365.