Sunday, October 29, 2023

Join Me for Day 27

Hello everyone!  Thank you for joining me, I'm so happy to see you!  Life has been busy to say the least, but I'm working to share my last three pages of my Art Marks Challenge mini art journal, that was done back in September by Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.

Day 27 - Rest



I'm also entering the following challenges:

A Place to Start 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 amazing, while also being simple.  She has this chunky journal with a fabric cover and she used tape to add her challenge pages to the existing journal.  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 rest?  What does it mean to rest?  You can also be rest assured that you are doing the best that you can.  Sometimes that's not the usual path or sometimes some people are going to be completely against it, for any number of reasons.  However, self-confidence is important. 




The background is a gelli print that I just went to town on.  I added doodling with paint markers.  I added stamping.  I used a Sharpie to outline some of the stenciling.  I added some digi images from Oddball Art and Octopode Factory that I colored with Tombow markers and colored pencils.  I added digi images from Octopode Factory and Oddball Art and a sentiment from Dylusions.  I also used my a white paint marker for lots of splatter.  I pressed the tip against my work surface to get the paint to pool, then tapped the marker with the extra paint to get the splatters.  I also added a clear tag that I used a paint marker to cover the bottom design because it didn't work for me and then added a die-cut from my stash and outlined it with white paint marker.


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

Friday, October 27, 2023

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Fun in My Art Journal on Day 25

Have you ever lost track of time?  Or lost track of days on the calendar?  Yup, I have so been there!  With all that we have going on in life, between marriage, kids, work, life in general?  Sometimes it's a wonder I get anything done, know what I mean?  I try to keep track of everything.  Reminders, lists, notes.  It can certainly be a lot.  And so it was that I discovered I had I completely overlooked this page from my previous sneak peek.  Whoops!

I'm backtracking and showing off Day 25 in my mini art journal that I made for the September Art Marks Challenge from Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.  I'm in the home stretch and I think you'll really like the rest.

Day 25 - Root


I'm also entering the following challenges:

A Place to Start 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 amazing, while also being simple.  She has this chunky journal with a fabric cover and she used tape to add her challenge pages to the existing journal.  Really amazing.  It reminds me to not stick to doing things only one way.  That there are always options when it comes to art.

Root can mean a lot of things.  Putting down roots usually means one's life is becoming more stable, like buying a house or perhaps someone getting married, even having a child.  It's usually a cause for celebration in some respect.  Putting down roots is something to feel good about, if not a bit nervous.  You can also root for something.  Maybe you're cheering someone on in a new endeavor.  Or patting yourself on the back for a positive change in your life.  Everyone needs a cheerleader.  It can help calm your nerves from a big event.  Sometimes even something that is not huge in the grand scheme, but big for you or someone you know, such as a big test or a personal milestone.  I find myself rooting for myself because as I said, everyone needs a cheerleader to help accomplish goals and celebrate when those goals are accomplished.


I started this page with underpaper and pretty much kept the background as is.  Using several different colors of paint and a few stencils, including Dylusions Stars stencil, I kept the white space already existing on this page.  Now I'll be the first to say I love layers, different colors, and getting texture going.  But I do try to experiment and step outside the box every so often.  Though funny enough I also have a box on this page, compliments of a rubber and wood stamp I have from Amy Tangerine.  I don't even remember where I got it.  I believe it was a set.  The wood is a big thick block with good old-fashioned rubber attached to give the image.  In this case, the frame.


Using a digi stamp from Oddball Art, I colored it with colored pencils and pulled a die-cut from my stash.  And used my Sharpie pen and Uni Posca white paint marker for doodles.  I really like my white pant marker.  Its solid and has a fine point tip, which allows for different types of markings, both thick and thin.  It can be hard to find nice white markers, especially because the tips can end up absorbing some of the color you writing or doodling over.  This marker creates lots of possibilities for using them in your art.


A lot of my paint comes from here.  There's so many luscious varieties to choose from and allow for layering without making mud.


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







Friday, October 20, 2023

Join Me for Day 26!


Well hello!  For those who saw my sneak peek, earlier, welcome back.  If not, you're still in a for a treat!

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 26 - Replenish


I'm also entering the following challenges:

Creative Fingers Challenge #264


Crazy is Our Fame 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 amazing, while also being simple.  She has this chunky journal with a fabric cover and she used tape to add her challenge pages to the existing journal.  Really amazing.  It reminds me to not stick to doing things only one way.  That there are always options when it comes to art.


To replenish usually means to refill, in a sense.  However, sometimes, if you take a break to replenish, you actually change something.  Taking time to replenish also is a time for introspection.  Sometimes that involves change.  You realize as you're refilling the tank, that you need to make changes to refill the tank.  What do you need to replenish?  How do you do it?  Have you ever taken time away to refill your tank and realized you needed to make changes in order to do that?  Or to make your refill last longer?




Sometimes I get intimidated by a blank page, and sometimes I get intimidated by a page filled with color and marks.  The background for this page is a small section of underpaper.  I really liked what was on the paper, but I still struggled.  I wanted to keep certain parts but I wasn't sure how.  So I decided to cover it up a bit and then add to it.  I first used a scribble stencil with some black paint.  And I thought about how while replenishing my energy, I've realized I've had to make changes.  I grabbed a couple die-cuts that were in that vein, and then used some card packing I had saved with the graph paper design and cut a scalloped border to go along the bottom, outlining it with my orange Uni Posca paint marker.





The fairy and the heart are digi stamps, from Oddball Art and Octopode Factory respectively, and colored with Tombow markers and colored pencils.  Then I used my Sakura Solid white paint marker and emerald green Uni Posca paint marker to make my top scalloped border.  I use paint markers a lot, and while I could use regular paint and a think paintbrush, a paint marker with a fine point works much better, especially if you're in a situation where you can't have the extra supplies.  It also helps with doodles.  It's much easier to doodle with a paint marker because it's like a pen.  So I have several paint markers from a few different brands.  Although not all paint markers are the same.  Some paint markers have different tips, so it is important to consider what you want to do with the paint markers.



In general, getting my paint from here works out very well for me.  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 opaque 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.


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






Thursday, October 19, 2023

Sneak Peek Time

 Please enjoy this sneak peek and tune in later to see more!  Enjoy and see you soon!

 

 


Thanks for visiting!  You're not going to want to miss this.  Bye for now!

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Join Me for Mini Art Journal Day 24

Hello there my crafty friends!  Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the next page of my Art Marks Challenge art journal.  The Art Marks Challenge from Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene is technically over, but I was delayed, so I'm sharing my journal pages a bit after the fact.

Day 24 - Build

 

I'm also entering my page into the following challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge

The Crafty Addicts Challenge


For some Art Marks Challenge history, you can click here.  And Rae's Instagram account here shows what she made for each prompt.  For those who haven't seen my previous posts yet, I'm working in a mini art journal I made out of envelopes, but you can use different whatever materials you have on hand, including scrap or underpaper.  That can result in some pages already having stuff on them.  A hole punch and some baker's twine later and a mini art journal for the challenge ready for art!

Different challenges cause a person to think and possible create art, a certain way.  What I love about art journaling is it allows for whatever level of art.  Depending on why you keep an art journal, your deepest thoughts can make it onto a page.  Sometimes a good brain dump on your art journal page is just what you need.  Whether it's actual writing that you incorporate, writing and your art covers it up, or the art itself represents the brain dump.

For this one, Build was a tough one.  Questons like what do I want to build?  Can I build on something that already existing?  In general, I'd rather build something up then tear something down.


My background is a part of a gelli print.  I used several stencils, including Tim Holtz Patchwork Circle.  I then used a large arrow stencil with Ranger Archival black ink

 


I added a few die-cuts from my stash and doodles with my Sharpie pen and my Uni Posca water-based white paint marker.  I also added one of my favorite things in art, ink drips.  These were made with Liquitex Liquid Ink in Yellow Medium Azo.  To do the drips, I put the tip right along the edge of the paper and tap the paper to get the ink to roll down.  Then came the hardest part: waiting for things to dry.

But waiting is worth it.  It allowed me to build up the page without sacrificing what I wanted to do.  And in general art journaling and mixed media is all about communication.

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out my art journal page.  Bye for now!



Monday, October 16, 2023

Join Me for Day 23

I'm so glad you're back!  I'm sharing Day 23 of my mini art journal for the Art Marks Challenge that was hosted by Rae Missigman and Sandi Keene.  The challenge already ended, but I'm still catching up.  So today I'm sharing my page for the prompt Invent.

Day 23 - Invent

 


I'm also entering Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge.

For some Art Marks Challenge history, you can click here.  And Rae's Instagram account here shows Rae's interpretation of the prompts.  Rae made tiny cards and put them into this gorgeous little pocket journal, which is super thick.  I think it has fabric covers as well.  Swoon!  I love chunky journals and textures

 So for the prompt Invent, I remembered when I had been playing with gelli prints, I had used a small stencil from Balzer Designs that's a light bulb.  It's blurry, but I like how it turned out.  And I knew it was perfect for this prompt.  I was also thinking about the process of inventing.  When you're inventing,you're usually writing and drawing.  So I used some patterned paper with words all over it and ran it through my Cuttlebug using Altenew's Flat and Fold Alphabet Dies.  I did some of the letters backwards, whoops!  Then I thought, when you're inventing, things happen.  So I kept the backwards letters.

 

I added a few die-cuts from my stash. I also used two paint markers, both Uni Posca, in white and emerald green.  Then I used my Liquitex Liquid Ink in Naphthol Crimson to make some lovely, funky drips!

 
 

 Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out my art journal page.  Bye for now!



Busy, busy, busy...

I am so sorry I have been absent without a word.  Life can definitely get busy and sometimes unexpected events lead to adjustments. I will b...