May Calendar Journal Page

Eek! I have been participating in the calendar challenge over at the Kathryn Wheel since January and thoroughly enjoying myself. However, and I don't know what to say so I'll just say it- I lost my moleskin!. Bwahhhhhhhh!!! It may still turn up, I haven't quite panicked yet as I lose so many things and many times they eventually find their way back to me. So anyway, I am using another journal that I have and it has taken me a little longer to get myself together. I used the Le Cirque papers from Graphic 45. You'll notice that there are no little squares, that's because it's already the 9th and I figured that I'll just try something different with my journaling. We'll see how it goes....

Tin Swap

Here's a tin I just finished for the lovely Betti. I had so much fun making it- I wanted it to look encrusted with the old jewelry pieces and I love how it turned out.

Calendar Journal Challenge

So, here's my completed March page and blank April. In March I had a teensy little problem with my 'waterproof' pen that wasn't. So the whole middle of the month got all splogie when I went to tweak it. (I don't know if you've noticed but I tend to putter around with the pages during the month so they end up having more color at the end of the month then they do at the beginning) Well, since I now had a whole lot of blank space in the middle of the month I just did some general journaling about what was going in my life and how I felt about it. Be sure to check out everybody's pages at The Kathryn Wheel.

Crown Embellishment Swap

I am excited to be part of an international (well Australia-United States at least) art swap. We are making elements to decorated a crown. I went back and forth about what to make, and finally decided on fabric tags. I painted the fabric with Lumiere, stamped, colored in, and then sewed them together. The ribbon is hand dyed and stamped and I made the iridescent beads out of fabric, Fantasy Film and Angelina fiber. What I love about doing swaps is that they make me get moving, and I usually try out a new technique. These beads were a first for me, and I made them mostly because I was afraid to send glass beads in the mail, and these babies are indestructible. Plus, if I have never said before, I like melting stuff.

The Stamp Man Challenge Fiasco

I finished this last night after MUCH puttering around on it and was going to post it today but I LOST MY CAMERA. Yes, that's right. If you know me well, you know that I lose everything, but this takes the cake. Anyway, I found it when I got in the car to go out to dinner. I just got home, took the pictures and am frantically typing so I can get this posted! It was originally intended for the Stamp Man Challenge but it was due by 9 and I didn't post until 9:30 (whaaaa) Ok, so I have never entered this challenge, but I have looked in to see what everybody was up to and to check out the eye candy so when I saw this 'swirls' challenge, I knew Iwanted to enter. Be sure to check out everybody's work here.

I guess I should say that this is one of my personal all time favorite projects. It all started with a totally awesome youtube technique on distressing cardboard and after that it was just a blur.

Poppy pods journal page

I wrote a few posts ago about the class I took with Diana Trout. Well, in class was the talented Kathleen Nesi whom I met at Art-is-you. She had made a piece for the auction that I just loved. Anyway, I had gotten a few new colors of Neocolor's, one in a gorgeous red, and I was just playing and the red reminded me of poppies and then I was thinking of Kathy's piece and before I knew what had happened this was on my page. Of course, my poppy pods look more like upside down balloons then pods, but hey, it was fun!

March is here! Calendar journal pages....

Well, it is finally March. Which means that spring is going to be here in the foreseeable future! Here's my finished February page- I added some ink blobs and gesso. My March page? well, I liked the way I did my journaling for January so I did something similar, that way I can have more journaling for one day and less for the next. I wanted to putter around on this page a little more before posting, but I was getting so frustrated with my 'permanent' pen that wasn't, and not only that but it was too wide (have lost many, many other finer tipped ones) and, well, I just threw it across the room. (the pen, not the journal) So I decided to just post it as is and add bits and bobs of color as the month goes on. Be sure to check out everybody's pages at the Kathryn Wheel.

Diana Trout Class and Three Muses Challenge

Here is a new page in my journal. I took an amazing class with Diana Trout (of Journal Spilling )yesterday and started several pages. The class was about conquering your inner critic. The bottom layer was made in class- we journaled, then went over that with Portfolios and gesso. Today I decided to just grab any color that I wouldn't usually use- there's lime green, bright blue and reddish orange and just started playing. The whole thing was FAST- I didn't want to overthink it! Maybe 20 minutes-10 for mooshing and 10 for details? The top layer is scratched into and then drawn on with a General's 9xxb pencil- can you believe that it wrote that well over the Portfolios? Anyway, when it was done, I remembered that I hadn't submitted anything for the Three Muses this week and since the word is 'hot' I am going to submit this page. Thank you for visiting and if you ever get a chance to take a class with Diana, run, don't walk.

An Experiment - Youtube Tutorial

Hi! I wanted to post this little piece that I made after watching a Rach0113 on Youtube. If you've never seen her videos before, run right over there and check them out because she's awesome. She has a great grungy style and a cool accent to boot. She does everything- mini books, art journaling, mixed media little assemblages..... Anyway, I made this foil art after watching her video and even though the picture doesn't do it justice, because it really rocks (IIDSSM if I do say so myself), I am posting a picture.

Scrapbook Page- Three Muses

Hi there. I was trying to think of what to do for the Three Muses challenge this week. The theme is black and white. Soooooo, I had this layout that I worked on a couple of weeks ago but, I didn't love it. So I pulled up some stuff, added other stuff and then reassembled it all back together. The only thing that was is same is the photo, which I adore. I was trying to get a clear shot of Sloane's single long hair. The paper is Mama-Razzi by& Bo-Bunny and the word brads are well, OLD. I believe that I bought them on clearance and they are K&Company for Basicgrey.

Calendar Journal Challenge- February

Sooooo...... I finished the calendar challenge for January and it was pretty awesome. I waited just a wee bit too long to start on February's page and then had approximately 5 hours of toddler whining today (I know you think I'm exxagerating on this point, but I'm not) and was a tad stressed over it, BUT I got it done. The image transfer came out a little fuzzy, but I still like it overall, and, did I mention it's DONE. And it's still the 1st. Yippee. I made it as bright as I possibly could because I have no love for February. Cold, dark and fortunately short. So I thought I would cheer myownself up a little every time I opened it. I you want to see where I got this awesome idea, check out The Kathryn Wheel- so inspiring!

Fashion- Three Muses Challenges

The challenge this week over at Three Muses is 'fashion'. So I came up with this punk slash Marie Antoinette kind of character- you know how they would have those elaborate hairdos where they would stick everything in them and call it a day? Well, this is my interpretation of that idea. The drawing I did wayyyyyyy back in 1987. I drew most of it while 'working' at the movie theater. (What a great job- only two screens so lots of free time in between selling/eating popcorn) Anyway, I shrank it down to fit on my journal page and then added some texture paint for hair and stuck in everything but the kitchen sink. The quote is from the classic David Bowie tune 'Fashion', which, by the way, absolutely refuses to get out of my head. ALL day. Ughhhhh. But at least I was chortling to myself while creating the 'hair'.

Altered Mona Postcard

Hey there. I am loving these blog challenges recently and I found this one here. It's called Sunday Postcard Art. I knew I had to participate when I saw the theme- altered Mona. Yet another stamp from Lost Coast. I used everything in my reach for the back ground - Neocolor II's, gesso, ink refills, Cray pas and some black Sakura gel pens.

Three Muses Nature's Creatures

The challenge this week at Three Muses is nature's creatures. I just love this little dog with the hat- another great image from Lost Coast. Anyway, I made this journal page- well, I don't know if it qualifies as a journal page- it's what I am calling a quote page because it's someone else's words, not mine, but words that I find inspirational none the less.

One Powerful Hour - Temptress of Time

Here's a piece I made today in about an hour for a new challenge. Well, new to me anyway. The concept is that you make something in any medium of your choosing in about an hour. Well, the theme for this week is 'Clock' and I knew that I had to participate. Here's the thing- I bought this stamp about 7 years ago. Well, that's an understatement- I saw it used in somebody's artwork in a magazine and HAD to have it.It's called the Temptress and it's designed by Lynne Perrella (whose work I adore) However, it was no longer being manufactured. I searched high and low and found a site that sold Acey Deucy stamps- Stamp Diva, and inquired about it. There were none to be had, it was out of production. However, the owner of the company had one and she mailed it to me at no charge because there is a small imperfection. Great, right? Yes, except that once I had it in my hands, I hardly ever used it. There it sat, unloved and ignored. So, of course I had to use it today. I painted and inked stampboard, added some clock images and clock parts and covered the whole shebang in UTEE, and then stamped into that. Love it, it's one of the favorite things I have ever made, and if it wasn't for this challenge, I would never had sat down and used it. P.S. The stamp is now being manufactured again, just in case you love the image as much as I do and just HAVE to have it in your collection.

Art Journal Page

Here is just a little page I finished today- the quote is one of my favorites. I've been struggling with feelings of guilt since I've been devoting more time to 'making stuff' - you know, I should be doing the laundry, etc. I finished this at Panera while Sloane ate her cookie and drew with her new markers. OOh, I almost forgot, he stamp is from Stampers Anonymous- it's one of my all time favorites- it's called The Scorekeeper.

Three Muses Challenge- Wonderland Journal

I have been working in my Wonderland Journal (class taught by the wonderful Pamela Huntington) and wanted to post a picture of the cover for this weeks Three Muses Challenge. The challenge is book- what I love about these challenges is the wide range of artwork created using the same challenge word or image, everything from digital (which I am dying to wrap my technique-greedy mind around), to fabric, etc. Check out everybody's work - it's fantastic.

Calendar Challenge

While surfing art blogs yesterday, I found this awesome challenge here, at The Kathryn Wheel. I just love her artwork and cannot believe that I have only just stumbled upon her blog. Anyway, here is my calendar page. It came out a little cutsier than I wanted- I was hoping for more whimsical, but I am keeping it the way it is and already have an idea for February's page. I'm hoping to keep up with this challenge and to give me incentive, I have roped in an innocent bystander to come and play along with me.