Playing in my art journal again

And it feels wonderful

Playing with my watercolors. 

I have been inspired (again) by Geninne's amazing watercolors.

There is so much to learn.

How does she make the colors swirl so gorgeously?

I also joined in on Michelle Ward's 44th Crusade.

I have painted by scraping with a card or palette knife

many times, but it was the perfect prompt

to get me back in my art journal.

What I started with:

pre-painted page and my scraping devices.

Many layers later, I ended up with this:

I scraped on paint,

sprayed water and dabbed off.

Scraped on more paint, dabbed water...

repeat.

At the end I added in some birdie masks

with some spray ink.

Now this page is just waiting for some journaling!

Next up was an art project with the kids I babysit for.

I love these kids, so last night I made them little

books out of recycled cereal boxes and extra moleskine paper

from my Sketchbook Project rebinding.

I decided it would be fun to have them design their own stamps,

and I would cut them out. 

Max, who's 6, wrote out the "I love you Mama and Mommi"

How cute is that?!

It is such an EASY thing to do if you have kids.

I also think how it is a permanent reminder

of them stuck in time.

All I did was have them draw in pencil 

whatever they wanted on tracing paper.

We then flipped over the paper onto the rubber,

gently rubbed the back of the paper to transfer the graphite,

and then drew over the design in Sharpie.

I cut out the stamps while they painted their book covers.

I love it. 

Michelle Ward: Strip Ease

In the midst of my room redo,

I came up with a fun idea to try

out Michelle Ward's new Crusade.

Another simple, yet fun plan.

Tear your favorite papers,

and put them in a journal.

My little storage bins I bought looked like

it could use some decoration.

Starting out....it is cathartic to 

get my hands messy and gluey and 

just lay papers down.

All done!

Hope you enjoyed.

Michelle Ward's Crusade and another mandala!

Hey folks!

I'm glad to be back on with electricity.

Yesterday afternoon a insane thunder storm

came whipping through town,

knocking 45,000 people out of power.

It has been in the mid 90s (before the heat index),

so the lack of Air-Conditioning wasn't fun.

But the power came back on today and I am back

to basking in light and internet and AC.

I have been working steadily over the past

few days on a new BIGGER mandala.

I have been trying them out in my tiny moleskine,

but decided to try it out in my big journal.

The first one was a disaster,

so for the second one I decided to bust out 

my compass and ruler.

I am a fan of symmetry.

I punched it up with some watercolor.

There really is something so soothing in the repetitive

drawing of simple shapes, and so far I really love the outcome!

Its one of those things that looks harder than it is.

Seriously, I can't draw AT ALL.

On a different note, I decided to jump back into 

Michelle's Crusades. I love her ideas and techniques,

and I'm glad to have the inspiration back.

Her challenge this month was simple: Gridlock

Make a grid in your art journal.

This goes along with my analytical/linear mind.

I love grids and tiny details.

For this challenge, I cut up some of my

spray-painted papers that I have been hoarding.

Why is it that when you cut up papers to smaller sizes

they seem more fascinating and awesome?

I like the end result, but it sat for a few days.

It needs something else, but that something else

never came to me.

Maybe one day! 

More Mandala Happiness

I am in Mandala-creating mode lately!

I like parts of this mandala...and parts I am "meh" about.

It is all part of the learning process, right?

I really like this one.

I used a compass to make it more symmetrical

and really like the result.

I am also working on Michelle Ward's Crusade #40:

Gridlocked. I feel like I am starting to 

jump back in the world of art making,

and boy it does feel nice.

It is also fun to see inspiration everywhere!

Stay tuned for my next post on Michelle's Crusade!

Michelle Ward: Grab A Tissue

Its that time of the month again!

Oh, its nice to say that and NOT mean our "friend" is here.

Time for Michelle Ward's monthly crusade. I do love doing these.

This month, she had us painting tissue paper and

adding it to our art work! 

Fun, easy....and fun.

If you haven't joined in, there is no time like the present.

Love Letters

Another month, another crusade!! 

Michelle Ward's crusade for the month of February was "Love Letters." She loves Xs and Os and challenged everyone to make a spread with them in honor of Valentines Day.

I was resistant to this spread..obviously, since its March 1 and I FINALLY am finished with it!
I made myself sit down a few days ago and start the page, and forced myself to finish it
tonight even though I didn't love it. I still don't, but thats ok.

Here it is, hope you enjoy! And if you haven't, join in Michelle's next crusade next month.

Brave the Elements

Its back!!! Michelle's Crusades have returned for the new year. YAY! I have been waiting anxiously for them. I loveeeeee her posts and ideas about each crusade to come up with. It gives me a project to do. I learn something new. I did have to google how to cut out a snowflake though! lol. I don't think I've done one since I was a kid. This month it is "Brave the Elements." We had to make our own shape (she suggested snowflakes..and that is about right since we haven't seen this much snow since 96!), and use it to make stencils/masks out of.

This is my version.
#1. I suck at making paper snowflakes
#2. I need to learn patience. I got a little paint happy and didn't wait for paint to dry, so its a little muddy.
#3. Boy do I LOVE getting my hands dirty
#4. This isn't completely finished. I'll probably journal on top of it or doodle or something.

(Click to enlarge)
(Anybody know how to fix the picture so that when you put it on "XLarge, it doesn't cut off the right side of the photo?)

Also a spread in progress...

Michelle Ward: What's Your Sign?

In Michelle Ward's monthly crusade for November, she challenged us to find our "Sign."
 Something that reminded you of a loved one, your childhood...a symbol you related to. Me? I found nothing. So, here's my sign:

A question mark. Kind of fitting, because my life right now is a giant question mark.

I hope one day to find something more substantial, meaningful...but this will have to do for now.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving...Jack says it too

Yep. He's wearing a green HOODIE with a peppermint on it that says "Sweet." HAHA. I laughed for about 10 minutes when I came home to my roommate going "I bought Jack his Christmas present."

Michelle Ward's Crusade

I have been reading Michelle Ward's blog for some time now. She is a wealth of creativity and inspiration. Each month she offers up a challenge to anybody and everybody. This month, I decided to join in. It seemed simple enough, start a page with a black background. I can do that!

Ok, a few hours later, and my journal entry is done. It NEVER has even remotely ever turned out how I  imagined. I hope one day my skills will improve and I will be able to get from mind to paper. Nonetheless, I  very much like what came out.