Beginnings...

It's that time of year again...Christmas and Hanukkah time.  Forgive any mispellings since I celebrate Christmas myself.  The holidays are an interesting time.  Now whether you love this holiday season or find it challenging for any number of reasons, the season is definitely everywhere.  Music, decorations, purchasing gifts for people you care about.

I will fully admit I have a crafty wishlist.  A couple items on there that I have coveted for a long time are a We R Memory Keepers typewriter in blue and a Cricut machine.  One of the newest versions, if not the newest, is the Cricut 3.

I also wanted to share the beginnings of my newest underpaper.  It starts out white, and gradually collects marks, scribbles, paint, and everything else.  It's always really fun to see how it starts.  The spray is Dylusions Calypso Teal, a delicious color if I do say so myself.  And I do.

What does this time begin for you?  Are you interested in a new beginning?  What's on your wishlist?

One of Those Butterfly Days

Ever have one of those days?  You can't quite put your finger on it, maybe you can't put a name to it, but you just have this feeling.  Maybe it's an off day.  Maybe it's a good day where you forgot about everything for a little bit.  Maybe it's a day when something unexpected happened.  There's so many different aspects that can be covered.  And that's how life is at time.

I didn't love this ATC or the batch, and when you do batch work, that happens.  Even if you like the whole group or get a whole group done, one or two might not work out exactly how you like and you have to adjust them.  

In this case, I grabbed some kraft paper that I had used as underpaper for previous projects and ripped a section that I glued to the ATC and trimmed off the excess to give a new background.  This background has spots of paint as well as ghost images from stamps and leftover gesso from cleaning a stencil.  I don't clean my stencils when I use paint with them.  So many of my stencils are a riot of color from being used often with different shades of paint over the years.  Gesso, however, is artist's primer, and like other mediums, like clear gel or texture paste, gets cleaned off stencils right away so the stencil can continue to be used.

In this case I used a white water-based Sharpie paint marker for most of the doodling.  I also used a Uni Posca Paint Marker in Emerald Green and a Molotow One4All Shock Blue paint marker.  And for some fun, I added a piece of washi tape and a couple heart stickers made into a butterfly.

 

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenges:

Krafty Chicks Challenge

Creative Fingers Challenge

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.

 

Do you ever have one of those days?  A day you just want to head off the rails and do something fun and different?  Please feel free to let me know in the comments!

Batch Work Revisited

This time of year can get busy, and batch work is important, so I'm sharing this post again to continue sharing.  I wlil start sharing new content soon!  Happy Thanksgiving! 

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I've mentioned working in batches before.  And it bears repeating, especially with all of us being so busy.

How often have you wanted to start a project, only to freeze up because you may not know where to start?

Or started a project, changed directions, or had the project morph and wasn't what you expected?  And maybe you feel your time was wasted because you don't love what happened?

Maybe you were impatient and you think you ruined the project because of your impatience?

Ooooohhh, let me tell you, so been there and done that.  I've watched videos, and they always look so perfect, right?  And doesn't that mean that whatever project you start should end up perfect as well?  Nope, nope, nopity nope.  Not in any way.

I have been there.  My ATC with feathers?  Not how I saw the project going.  And I'm still not sure I love it, or at least parts of it.  And that's okay.  More than okay.  No matter how much time you have under your belt making art, whether you're a newbie or you've been doing it for years, it doesn't matter.  Everyone, when they play, has unexpected things happen.

That exact thing happened to me when I was doing my batch work.  I had grabbed a piece of single-sided patterned paper that I wasn't a fan of and flipped it over to the white side.  I grabbed some supplies and started playing.

This time, instead of going for my big tubes of paint, I went with my little bottles.  Apple Barrel Bright Yellow, Craft Smart Grape Taffy, and Blickrylic Violet Medium are among the colors I grabbed.  Now Grape Taffy may be hard to find, but Lavender is not.  I also used some Dylusions color sprays, including Fresh Lime and Postbox Red.

Part of working in batches, or with any project, is letting go of expectations.  It's not easy, for sure.  You want this amazing project in your mind, and sometimes it doesn't quite work out.  However, that's part of the beauty of playing.

So absolutely, play, and expect the unexpected.  Enjoy creating!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 I scheduled this to post today because like many of you, I hope, I'm enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with my family.  I truly hope you enjoy this holiday, whoever you're celebrating it with.  I also hope you find at least one thing to be thankful for, especially if you've been going through a tough time.  It can be hard to see in hard times, but there's always something to be thankful for, small or big, simple or complicated.  So Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy this visit to a previous post about being thankful.

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Hey everyone, I hope you're enjoying the rest of your weekend.  Weekends can be tough.  It's a terrific break from regular life, but they can also go by really quickly, right?

Simon Says Stamp has a new challenge, with is Thankful.  I do my best to be thankful, for all the things in my life.  Even the challenges are good because those are opportunities to discover new ways of thinking or come up with new ideas.  And of course, Thanksgiving is coming up, which reminds us all to be thankful for not only the good things, but the challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I made an art journal page for this theme, and it's kinda funny.  My art journal has a lot of mop up pages.  Sometimes that helps me, sometimes it can block me.  Other times it can inspire me, but I add back in detail I really like.  In this case, I was going to keep part of it, then changed my mind and covered it up, but added back in details.  I had stenciled some red stars from a Dylusions stencil, but covered it up with more paint to make my spread.  I added it back in after composing my page and I think I really like the results.

 

The numbers in the purple are leftovers from the mop up, but I covered everything else, though I hadn't planned to.  I combined Liquitex Titanium White with Liquitex Bright Aqua Green, and covered the left area with just the white.  Then I added Artist's Loft Neon Green and some Artist's Loft Orange mixed with white to add some more interest.

 

I added a strip of washi tape, spots of Heidi Swapp Number Rub-ons, and traced a Viewfinder stencil with a red Tombow marker.  The TO is Heidi Swapp Alpha Stickers with Dylusions Calypso Teal Color Spray.  I used a journaling card from my stash, swiped some orange paint on the edges, then used Archival black ink with a small stamp set from my stash for WEEK.  I used an alphabet stamp set with Distress Ink Festive Berries for SAY and the "thank you" is from an American Crafts Thickers set called Wild.  The star is from a gelli printing session complete with doodles from both a Sharpie pen and a water-based white Sharpie paint marker.

 

 

 

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.

I hope you enjoyed my art journal page as much as I did making it.  Are there any challenges you're thankful for this year?  What else are you grateful for this year?

Batch Work Peek

This picture below shows a magical tool in art.  I'll be quick tonight given tomorrow's holiday, but can you guess what it is?  I've used it before...

 

 

Gesso!  In this case, Liquitex gesso.  Also known as artist's primer.  I'll chat tomorrow a little bit, but for now, enjoy!

Meh

Sometimes you just feel like you want to step back from everything.  I know I have that feeling at times.  To just take a break and not have to care about anything.  Or sometimes you're just having an off day.  We all have them.  Could be the weather, could be stress from life, could be just not wanting to worry about anything.

So I felt "Meh" summed up quite well the feeling.

There's quite a bit of doodling on this ATC, along with gelli prints.  I used a Uni Posca Paint Marker in Emerald Green and a white water-based Sharpie paint marker for most of the doodles.  I also used a blue watercolor crayon from a set I have to used around the circles cut from gelli prints, and outlining the details with a Sharpie pen.  I also used the pen and paint markers around the edges as well.

 

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

The Crafty Addicts

 

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.

 

When do you feel not so fantastic?  Do you take time out for yourself?  Please feel free to let me know in the comments!

Find Your Fire

Welcome everyone!  I feel like I really stepped outside the box on this one and I'm so glad I did!  Have you ever pushed yourself?  Challenged yourself more than you thought you might, and it worked out really well?

 

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenges:

Creative Fingers Challenge

Crazy is Our Fame Challenge

I used a bunch of stuff from my stash for this ATC.  Washi tape, doodled up deli paper, stickers, a dried out leftover wipe (the heart shape), the phrase sticker, and the ribbon.  The background is a Dina Wakely stamp made with a tinted Embossing Ink pad and Clear Embossing powder.  Then came the paint and spray with Dylusions London Blue spray.  There's also a bit of Liquitex Gesso that I put through a punchinella stencil.  I used Alene's Tacky Glue to attach everything. 

 

I also added a bit of ribbon trim that I think works so well with this ATC.

 

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.

 

Can you find your fire?   What else would you like to see from me?  Please feel free to let me know in the comments!

Thank You

Hey everyone, I hope you're enjoying the rest of your weekend.  Weekends can be tough.  It's a terrific break from regular life, but they can also go by really quickly, right?

Simon Says Stamp has a new challenge, with is Thankful.  I do my best to be thankful, for all the things in my life.  Even the challenges are good because those are opportunities to discover new ways of thinking or come up with new ideas.  And of course, Thanksgiving is coming up, which reminds us all to be thankful for not only the good things, but the challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I made an art journal page for this theme, and it's kinda funny.  My art journal has a lot of mop up pages.  Sometimes that helps me, sometimes it can block me.  Other times it can inspire me, but I add back in detail I really like.  In this case, I was going to keep part of it, then changed my mind and covered it up, but added back in details.  I had stenciled some red stars from a Dylusions stencil, but covered it up with more paint to make my spread.  I added it back in after composing my page and I think I really like the results.

 

The numbers in the purple are leftovers from the mop up, but I covered everything else, though I hadn't planned to.  I combined Liquitex Titanium White with Liquitex Bright Aqua Green, and covered the left area with just the white.  Then I added Artist's Loft Neon Green and some Artist's Loft Orange mixed with white to add some more interest.

 

I added a strip of washi tape, spots of Heidi Swapp Number Rub-ons, and traced a Viewfinder stencil with a red Tombow marker.  The TO is Heidi Swapp Alpha Stickers with Dylusions Calypso Teal Color Spray.  I used a journaling card from my stash, swiped some orange paint on the edges, then used Archival black ink with a small stamp set from my stash for WEEK.  I used an alphabet stamp set with Distress Ink Festive Berries for SAY and the "thank you" is from an American Crafts Thickers set called Wild.  The star is from a gelli printing session complete with doodles from both a Sharpie pen and a water-based white Sharpie paint marker.

 

 

 

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.

I hope you enjoyed my art journal page as much as I did making it.  Are there any challenges you're thankful for this year?  What else are you grateful for this year?

Batch Work as a Starting Point

I wanted to share what the paper ended up looking like after I had my play.  As I mentioned before, working in batches is good when you're short on time.  We all have lots of responsibilities that we have to deal with.  So carving out time for creating can be hard.  Maybe you craft after the kids go to bed.  Maybe you craft while watching television.  Maybe when the house is empty, you take some time to craft.  Whenever you you grab the time, making a base of pieces to pull from to spatter with paint, add some stamping, or just do some doodling.

As you can see, I did already cut up the base paper into a bunch of ATCs, and still have a strip that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with.  I also had the spare pieces across the top.  I'm also going to mention something very important.  It's okay to throw things out.  Yes, you read that right.  It's okay to throw things out.

It happens.  You're gelli printing and you end up with a print you don't love.  Maybe you're playing and what you're trying just isn't working.  I don't get rid of stuff willy nilly, but I used to be someone who kept everything.  And I mean everything.  If I cut out a piece of gelli print and has a tiny piece left, I kept it.  I finally had to just say, it's okay to get rid of a tiny piece of whatever if it's not going to get used.  Now that could mean actually tossing the little leftovers in the trash or donating items you're not going to use.  However, you do it, don't think you're being a horrible person if you toss out little leftovers that don't work for you.  If it doesn't inspire you, don't keep it.

As you can see, I did a lot.  I do enter challenges, so I wanted to add bits of different techniques to cover a few bases. 

First I added some embossed images.  I so want to grow my embossing powder collection but at this point I use clear.  Though I have to say I really like it because it takes on whatever color I'm working with.  I used a couple different Dina Wakley stamps, as well as a couple Dyusions pattern stamps with a Ranger Embossing Ink Pad and Ranger Clear Embossing Powder.  If you want to get a really thick embossed image, you can use this Ranger Ultra Thick Clear Embossing Powder.  You can also use a tinted embossing ink pad, so you can see the actual stamped image before you cover it with embossing powder.  Mine is tinted blue.  There's also this Ranger Grey Tinted Embossing Ink Pad, which will do the same thing.

Then I added some Apple Barrel Bright Yellow, Craft Smart Grape Taffy, and Blickrylic Violet Medium among other colors, and I also added some Dylusions ink spray in London Blue, Lime Green, and Postbox Red.  I also took a stencil from a Polish company that's now defunct called 3rd Eye.  The stencil is block letters in all caps, that says "Foolishness and Fuckery."  I used black gesso on the stencil, but didn't try to make a completely clear impression with the stencil.  I thought adding the black and keeping the stencil a little cloudy, so to speak, would add to the grunge factor in that area.

 

After I cut it into ATC size, I added some stamped images from Badass Art, also a Polish company.   I absolutely adore my Fude Ball pen.  It writes on just about any surface.  I also added some dot stickers from Fancy Pants and some paint spatters using the same white Sharpie paint marker.

I have included affiliate links to many of the products I used to make this card.  If you use the link and make a purchase, I make a small commission, with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support and thank you for taking a look. 

Batch Work

I've mentioned working in batches before.  And it bears repeating, especially with all of us being so busy.

How often have you wanted to start a project, only to freeze up because you may not know where to start?

Or started a project, changed directions, or had the project morph and wasn't what you expected?  And maybe you feel your time was wasted because you don't love what happened?

Maybe you were impatient and you think you ruined the project because of your impatience?

Ooooohhh, let me tell you, so been there and done that.  I've watched videos, and they always look so perfect, right?  And doesn't that mean that whatever project you start should end up perfect as well?  Nope, nope, nopity nope.  Not in any way.

I have been there.  My ATC with feathers?  Not how I saw the project going.  And I'm still not sure I love it, or at least parts of it.  And that's okay.  More than okay.  No matter how much time you have under your belt making art, whether you're a newbie or you've been doing it for years, it doesn't matter.  Everyone, when they play, has unexpected things happen.

That exact thing happened to me when I was doing my batch work.  I had grabbed a piece of single-sided patterned paper that I wasn't a fan of and flipped it over to the white side.  I grabbed some supplies and started playing.

This time, instead of going for my big tubes of paint, I went with my little bottles.  Apple Barrel Bright Yellow, Craft Smart Grape Taffy, and Blickrylic Violet Medium are among the colors I grabbed.  Now Grape Taffy may be hard to find, but Lavender is not.  I also used some Dylusions color sprays, including Fresh Lime and Postbox Red.

Part of working in batches, or with any project, is letting go of expectations.  It's not easy, for sure.  You want this amazing project in your mind, and sometimes it doesn't quite work out.  However, that's part of the beauty of playing.

So absolutely, play, and expect the unexpected.  Enjoy creating!

A look at a work surface

 

 

Ever wonder where some artists and creatives get the weird looking paper with odd patterns and marks?  I know I did, and it's called underpaper.

I will share more tomorrow, but underpaper is any kind of paper that you put on your work surface that catches the drips, dabs, and splotches when you are working.  And it can e beauty in its own right.

Above if a peek at some of my underpaper.  And it includes leftover marks from TCW's Punchinella stencil and Liquitex gesso.

I've included some affiliate links for products I've used.  If you use the links and make a purchase, I get a small commission, with no price increase for you.

I really hope you enjoyed this peek and please join me again for more!  Have fun creating!

 

 

Working in batches

Do you ever work in batches?  Trying to do a bunch of work at once?  I find it's helpful when wanting to have several pieces ready to complete, or when you blocked when you have a blank slate to work on instead of some splashes of color or doodles ready to work on, especially given how busy our lives can get.  We can get pulled in many different directions: spouses/partners, kids, work, household, family and friends, and me time.  Everyone needs a little me time.  And sometimes the me time ends up being that working in batches time.  Because let's face it, making art is supposed to be fun and relaxing.  Now it can certainly be with people.  Lots of us have those craft friends that we get together with and have a craft, regardless of the crafting taking place.

 

So working in batches can fill both needs.  You get to be crafty and get a start on a bunch of projects while also making the most of the time you have to create.  Above is a peek at some batch work I was playing with awhile ago.  Now I don't clean my stencils after I use paint on them.  I do, however, always clean after using some kind of medium.  It could be gesso, matte medium; if it's not paint, I grab some baby wipes and clean off the stencil.  One detail I really like is the one that looks like chicken wire.  I grabbed TCW's Punchinella stencil and Liquitex gesso and added spots of all over my 12 x 12 page.  I didn't clean it in between, so the leftover gesso made a chicken wire look in spots as well.  I love when that happens.

I've included some affiliate links for products I've used.  If you use the links and make a purchase, I get a small commission, with no price increase for you.

I really hope you enjoyed this peek and it shows how you can combine all kinds of media to create amazing art.  Have fun creating!

 

Grunge it Up!

I've gone through phases in my crafting.  I've played with vintage, color, industrial, mixed media, feels like a lot more.  I don't know if I can say grunge was ever a technique I loves, but I don't mind it in small doses or if it has some good color along with the grunge.  I also will say I have a sailor's mouth, so I don't shy away from cursing, including in my art supplies.

The 12 x 12 patterned paper that I flipped over and just went to town with mixed media I then cut into a bunch of ATCs to continue playing with.  I took one for a new challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

I did a lot with this ATC, before it was actually an ATC.  I had stamped a pattern stamp from Dylusions with my tinted Ranger Embossing ink pad and Ranger Clear Embossing powder.  Then I added some paint and some Dylusions ink spray in London Blue, Lime Green, and Postbox Red.  I also took a stencil from a Polish company that's now defunct called 3rd Eye.  The stencil is block letters in all caps, that says "Foolishness and Fuckery."  I used black gesso on the stencil, but didn't try to make a completely clear impression with the stencil.  I thought adding the black and keeping the stencil a little cloudy, so to speak, would add to the grunge factor in that area.

 

After I cut it into ATC size, I added some stamped images from Badass Art, also a Polish company.  The "Blah, Blah, Blah" was stamped onto a ghost gelli print and cut out.  The "wtf" is a digi image that I added a little color to with my Tombow markers.  I used an orange paint marker from Uni Posca to fill in some of the stars I stamped, some doodle markings with both my water-based white Sharpie paint marker and my Fude Ball pen.  I absolutely adore my Fude Ball pen.  It writes on just about any surface.  I also added some dot stickers from Fancy Pants and some paint spatters using the same white Sharpie paint marker.

I really hope you enjoyed my attempt at grunge with my ATC.  I think it came out really well and I think I managed to keep the color vibe while going grunge.

You can find the challenge link below and see what everyone else has to offer as well.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I have included affiliate links to many of the products I used to make this card.  If you use the link and make a purchase, I make a small commission, with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support and thank you for taking a look. 

A Feather in Your Cap

How is it the weekend already?  Sometime the week goes by in a flash, and sometimes it drags, but the weekend always seems to go fast.  I hope you're enjoying your weekend and doing something fun.  A big part of life is filling your tank.  I don't mean gas for your car, but kinda.  I'm talking your emotional tank.  Doing something fun, being with people you care about and who care about you, and maybe enjoying some outdoors.  Breathing fresh air, there's just nothing like it.

Now I don't know about you, but I like to play.  Paint, stamps, stencils, there's no end to the glory of art supplies.  They're all so awesome!  But sometimes I get stuck.  I want to just put everything together, but I don't always have the patience.  Sometimes I freeze up because it's not going the way I thought it should.  And I have to remember there's no should.  It's something I'm always practicing, because there's really no end to playing.

Case in point, this ATC.  It did not go as planned, but I was inspired by a video I saw on YouTube, only in the video it was a tag.  And while I didn't have everything in the video, I used what I had, including a stamp from a stamp set I had never used before this.

I have a bunch of ATCs and tags that have bits of paint and gesso and all kind of media on them.  This ATC is one of them.  I had put Liquitex Gesso through a TCW's Ledger stencil and it had some Liquitex Bright Aqua Green, neon yellow and neon orange paint.  I added more paint in a couple other colors, then used a Sharpie to trace ABC down the side.  After that I used Reeves Watercolor Crayons to add some color in the letters and used a waterbrush to spread the color around, going outside the outline on purpose.  It's not all about coloring inside the lines.  I have a few waterbrushes, all the same tip style.  You can get all the same or assorted tips.  Here's a set with different styles of tips, to allow for different effects.  If you want to dip your toe in, here's a single, fine tip waterbrush to play with.  I'm not sure if you can find Reeves crayons, but there are several other options, such as this set from Staedtler, a Faber-Castell set, and this set from Prang. 

 

There's a couple different stamp sets at play here.  I have a bunch of small ones in my stash, and I'll have to start using them, I guess, right?  Most I used my Archival black ink, but the "NO LIMITS" was stamped in Distress Ink Peacock Feathers.  I also used a dark purple marker to add dot doodles in a few spots, and a Uni Posca white paint marker to trace the triangles.  The sentiments are from my stash.  The feather I stamped on white cardstock with the same black ink pad as before.  Then I used the Reeves watercolor crayons and waterbrush to spread the color, and added some bits of darker color with markers.  I cut them out with Tonic scissors and used Alene's Tacky Glue to attach the feathers and thread that I bunched up for a little extra texture.

 

 

 

 

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge 

 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

 

I've included affiliate links to many of the products I've used or similar products, which means if you use the links to make a purchase, I make a small commission with no price increase for you.  I really appreciate your support.  I hope you enjoyed your visit and enjoy the rest of your weekend

Peek at a WIP

Something I like to is prep a lot of work at one time.  A quick post today to show you a little in progress work.  Hopefully it will help you with whatever art you want to play with.

This is a piece of 12 x 12 patterned paper that I didn't like, so I flipped it and started playing.

I used a lot of different products, and I'll list them as best I can a little later, but I wanted to give you a taste at least.

I used Dylusions Fresh Lime spray ink, as well as a Dina Wakley stamp with a Ranger Embossing Ink Pad and Ranger Clear Embossing Powder.  If you want to get a really thick embossed image, you can use this Ranger Ultra Thick Clear Embossing Powder.  You can also use a tinted embossing ink pad, so you can see the actual stamped image before you cover it with embossing powder.  Mine is tinted blue.  There's also this Ranger Grey Tinted Embossing Ink Pad, which will do the same thing.

I hope you enjoy and I'll share some more later!  Enjoy!

A new page turns...

Welcome, welcome!  This seems too surreal, huh?  I'm really glad you're joining me. and I hope we have lots of fun together.  This is amazing...I'm really excited to do this, but a little nervous.  Can you tell?  You know those jitters you get?  The butterflies in your stomach, hoping you do a god job?  Yeah, right there with you.

 

I wanted to give you a little taste of what I can do, and hope you love it as much as I had making it.  I really hope you it helps brighten your day.

Please enjoy and I'll share the full project with you in the future.  I'm so excited for new things happening!  See you soon, crafty friends!

Join Me for Day 30!

Well hello!  It's time for the last page of my little Art Marks Challenge journal!  I also have some news, but we'll get to that later.  For now, I hope you enjoy this last page of my journal.  I feels like forever, but I'm glad.  Even art projects shouldn't go on forever.  You can make a few layers, leave it, come back, all that kinda stuff.  But it's good for projects to come to an end to move in to something new and exciting.

Today I'm sharing the next page in my mini art journal for the September Art Marks Challenge from Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.

Day 30 -Joy

I'm also entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

For some Art Marks Challenge history, you can click here.  It was hosted by Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.  Rae's Instagram account here shows what she made for each prompt.  My art journal was made from envelopes and baker's twine.  Art journals can be simple or elaborate.  Rae's journal, which she taped her pages into, is small and chunky and has a fabric cover.  It looks so gorgeous!

Joy is something really wonderful.  Everyone needs joy in their lives.  Without it, you're going through the motions.  Everyone find joy in different ways.  Some in a quiet night reading, some spending time with friends and/or family.  Some like going out.  And some would love all of those.  It can be hard to find joy, especially every day.  Sometimes you have to work at it.  It can be a struggle for sure, but so worth it in the end. 

I used a gelli print for my background, but definitely added to it.  I mixed some purple paint, and a touch of blue with gesso to lighten the paint color before putting it through a stencil by Traci Bautista.  Then I pounced black paint through two different stencils, both the words and half a heart from a Dina Wakley stencil.  I also added details using a Sharpie pen and a paint marker.  I grabbed a tag from my stash, used my palette knife to add some leftover paint to the tag, then added a word sticker and some punchinella.   finally added some phrase stamping.

Some people can be very particular about where they get certain supplies.  I try to keep my options open, and one option that works well for me is here, from Dick Blick.  Even the store brand is good quality.  Sometime you have to do a couple layers to get a good coat, but it all depends on how solid you want the paint layer.  I find that sometimes I like the thinner layer so the underneath layers peek through.  That gives my art texture and dimension, which I love.

I really liked making this page, and I hope you enjoyed me sharing it with you.  And now onto the news.  I'm not new to crafting, but I am new to this blogging thing.  I also have other respnsbilities, hubby, kids, regular 9-5, and my short foray into blogging has shown that while I really love the craft, keeping up the blogging as well is becoming more difficult than I anticipated.  But have no fear!  The blog will continue, just under new management.  A wonderful crafty friend of mine, Tracy, has graciously agreed to take things over.  Our styles are quite similar, we've been arting it up together for years.  We even have a lot of the same supplies because we loved them so much.  I'm also getting her into the affiliate side of things, so she can share with you all of her amazing talent and you can enjoy making art along with her!  I will say she can be a bit snarkier than me, but I love that about her.  And I know she'll take great care of this blog.  And who knows, I may make a guest appearance sometimes.

Please know I hate to give this up, but I also want you to have the best experience possible, and I cannot give that at this point.  So instead of ending this, I want it to continue.  I do want to say thank you for joining me on my short journey, and I so appreciate you coming along for the journey.  I really hope you continue to visit, and I know Tracy will do an amazing job, and create some seriously awesome art.

Thank you, Georgie, for that fantastic introduction, and I'm going to do my level best to live up to that high praise!  As she said, our style are quite similar, and yes, I think we can be accused of loving the same supplies so much that we both got one of different stencils, stamps, stickers...the sky was the limit! :)  Great minds think alike, right?  I do a lot of art journaling, mixed media, tags, ATCs, and I do like to experiment.  Gelli printing, embossing, die-cutting, oh yeah, I like to play.  I love texture!  And layers, and color.  I will be the first to admit I'm not a huge fan of brown, however, I have been known to art up some kraft paper like crazy.  I hope you enjoy the art as much as I love making it.  Thank you, truly, for coming along on this journey.  I can wait to play and show you what I make

Join me for Day 29!

Hello and welcome!  I'm so glad you decided to join me!  Today I'm sharing the next page in my mini art journal for the Art Marks Challenge by Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.

 

Day 29 - Uplift

I'm also entering the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps Challenge

For some Art Marks Challenge history, you can click here.  And Rae's Instagram account here shows what she made for each prompt. I made a little art journal out of envelopes and baker's twine; simple but effective.  Though what Rae did with her pages was simple but very interesting.  She just used tape to add her pages to this chunky journal with a fabric cover.  Really amazing.  It reminds me to not stick to doing things only one way.  That there are always options when it comes to art.

How do you uplift yourself?  Or someone else?  Do you give a kind word, a hug, or are you the kind to bake cookies?  What does it mean to uplift someone?  And can you uplift yourself or just someone else?  And what does it even mean to uplift someone?  At the very least it means to lift someone up that would otherwise have stayed down.

The background is a gelli print that I actually didn't do a lot with.  I added some more color and some details with a Sharpie pen.   Then I stamped and colored an image with Tombow markers and added some die-cuts and sticker words.

Thank you so much for coming by and I hope you enjoyed this art journal page.  Bye for now

Time for Day 28!

Greetings everybody!  Welcome back and thank you so much for visiting.  I'm sharing the next page in my mini art journal for the Art Marks Challenge by Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.

Day 28 - Believe

I'm also entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

For some Art Marks Challenge history, you can click here.  And Rae's Instagram account here shows what she made for each prompt. My journal is very simple.  A bunch of envelopes held together with some baker's twine.  Rae actually taped her pages into an already existing super chunky journal, which I think it an awesome idea.  It helps me to remember to think outside the box.  And to remember that there are always options when it comes to art.

For Day 28, the prompt is believe.  Beliving in yourself is a powerful thing.  It's not always easy, and I don't know about you, but I struggle with it on a daily basis.  Belief in general is a powerful emotion.  It's capable of allowing you to do amazing things.  I'm not talking arrogance, but knowing you can do something.  Not exactly hope, but belief is also very powerful.  Belief can also be snarky, which is why I used a Dylusions stamp set for my sentiment on this page.

I started with a gelli print and used a white paint marker to outline a bunch of details.  I also smeared the page with a Sakura solid paint marker in fluorescent orange and used the end of a paintbrush to do some scribbles in the paint.  I used my Cuttlebug and a die-cut set to cut some flags from some scraps of patterned paper and grabbed the leftover scrap from a heart I had cut freehand.  I also added a skull digi stamp from Oddball Art that I colored with colored pencils and  Tombow markers and colored pencils.   I also added doodles with a sharpie pen and some lovely drips with some Liquitex Ink in carbon black.

Thank you so much for coming by and I hope you enjoyed this art journal page.  Bye for now!