Art Journal Page "Remember the Past"

Hi, Everyone,

I have acquired lots of vintage books over the years at second hand and antique stores.  The good ones will be displayed proudly in my living room bookshelves once I actually get a living room.  The not so good ones I purchased to create Art Journals with.

Below is a very thick vintage Anna Karenina book with a red leather cover.  The inside pages are a beautiful sepia colour.  The challenge for me is to create without dimensional embellishments.  This is extremely difficult for me.  I've torn out 4 pages before and 4 pages after this layout to allow for the thickness of the collage.  Every time you add more paper layers to the book, the thicker it gets, so remember to tear out pages as you go.

I used white gesso to slightly obscure the writing, but I do want to see it in the background.  Then I selected various pieces of ephemera from my large stash of paper.  It is so hard not to choose metal or 3D embellishments.  This book will contain art journal pages of collage using papers and washi tape, or anything flat I can find.

Have a look below.

I love using a Sharpie Fine Pen Marker to create stitching on the layout.  The washi tape also adds interest.

Have fun creating and start using those scraps!

G45 "Steampunk Spells" Collage P.1

Hi, Everyone,

It's been quite a while since I created a collage.  I create collages for the pure joy of displaying the paper and embellishments, to go back and lookout at them in pure admiration.

I have paper, lots and lots of paper.  Because I like creating books, I am going to showcase the Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells in this wooden binder with leather accents that I found at a consignment store.  What a find! It appears to have never been used.  The pages are heavy black cardstock trimmed in leather with metal corners! Yes, it Was a find!  I have added Tim Holtz and 7 Gypsies papers and embellishments to the collage as well.  Oh, do you see the G45 packaging?

I absolutely love how Page 1 turned out.  Have a look!

This collage took me about one hour to dream up and create at a leisure pace.  I hope you enjoy it.

Have fun creating!

"Stitch Sampler" Fabric Journal (Running Stitch & Alphabet)

Hi, Everyone,

Hand stitching is a beautiful art form.  It will go by the wayside if we don't practice it.

Since I love fabric journals, I decided to create a "Stitch Sampler" showcasing one stitch per page.  I created my own designs for the "Running Stitch" and "Alphabet" pages below.  Since variegated embroidery threads are my favourite, I am using them to create this artful keepsake on aida cloth.  Below are the finished first and last page of my Stitch Sampler.

Creating even a tiny bit each and every day gives me happiness.  I love seeing how the piece evolves over time.  This Stitch Sampler Fabric Journal will bring me joy for years to come.

Have fun creating!

Art Journal Page "Gypsy Soul"

Hi, Everyone,

A Gypsy Soul . . . is someone who is always in need of change or adventure . . . someone seeking the best in any situation . . . who is very passionate and inspired by everything around them . . . is not defined by others . . . always changing and adapting.

The same can be said about Art Journalling.  Creating a page just because you like the texture (adhesive drywall tape and gesso) and adding pleasing colours to the background (teal and paynes gray) makes me happy.  Circles are ever moving.  I cut out 2 different sized circles: 1 from old sheet music and the other from an old book, then glued them on top of each other to create a flower.  Pink Gaffer Tape and Black Washi tape add lines of colour flowing across the page linking a VW Bus.  Add black honeycomb die-cuts and Gaffer Tape numbers, then tie everything together by writing and drawing circles with a FineLine Applicator.

I like the way it turned out.  Always remember to leave a little "white space" so your eye can travel across the pages.

There is beautiful writing on the back of the small flip page.  It is 7 Gypsy packaging.

Look before you toss.  You never know what great embellishments your packaging can make.

Have fun creating!

Art Journal Page - Joyful

Hi, Everyone,

Yesterday was a painting day.  I created an Art Journal Page called "Joyful".
Have a look!

Below is the handmade book I created a few months ago to paint in.  This "Joyful" page is the first completed page in the book.  I absolutely Love how the signatures lay flat when creating in it.

As you know, one of my favourite textures is adhesive Drywall Tape which I buy at Home Depot.

It has a slight stick, is repositionable, and provides fantastic texture.  As always, I paint white Gesso over the Drywall Tape so my paint absorbs equally on the tape and the page.

For the background colour I layered the following paints from bottom to top:

"Light Magenta" Golden heavy body paint

"Magenta" Dina Wakley heavy body paint then

"Quinacridone Magenta" Golden fluid acrylic paint.

I wet my brush with water to blend the colours so there are no harsh lines.

This is a closeup of the painted Burlap circles on the page.

I Love how the texture of the Burlap mirrors the texture of the Drywall Tape.

They really work well together.

I cut out various sizes of Burlap circles and glued them to the page with Heavy Gel Medium (I like to use Heavy Gel Medium because there is less moisture on the page).

To paint the circles I layered the following paints from the outside inward:

"Teal" Golden fluid acrylic paint

"Paynes Gray" Golden fluid acrylic paint then

"Black" Bombay India Ink from a dropper.

I Love how banging your book on the table gives you drippage.

Then to finish off the page with script writing I used my Fineline Applicator filled with Black Bolden fluid acrylic paint and Fluid Medium.

I'm very happy with how the page turned out.

It is entitled "Joyful" because I like the quote from Jonathan Lockwood Hule:

"You don't have the power to make like fair, 

but you do have the power to make life joyful."

Remember . . .

do what you love, love what you do, and make the time to actually do it . . . or life will pass you by.

Have fun creating!

Pages 1 & 2 from "An Embroiderers Ledger"

Hi, Everyone,

It's no secret that I love embroidery and with that, combining paper and embroidery makes me even happier.

Recently I discovered Karen Ruane's blog and stumbled upon a 2012 on-line class of hers entitled "An Embroiderers Ledger" and purchased it.  Thank God I did because now for the life of me I cannot relocate that class.  I have e-mailed her asking for the link so I can share it with you.

Below is a double page spread, with two flip up pages.  This is the beginning of my Embroiderers Ledger.  I am using a large sketchbook so the pages are quite thin unfortunately.  I have to be quite gentle with the stitching and will be gluing the back to back pages together to hide the stitching on the back of the pages.  I love how it turned out.  Have a look!

These pages use the Spiderweb stitch, Seed stitch, Running stitch, and French Knot.

The paints I've used are Golden Brand shades of gold, pinks and greys; and Dina Wakley's magenta.

Karen Ruane's class teaches you how to take a patterned paper/fabric, pull out colours and shapes, and create a working ledger of ideas for future projects.

Like so many other artists, I have many Journals on the go; each one of them having it's own theme.

Do what you love, love what you, and Make Time to actually do it.

That is how I make my own happiness.

Have fun creating!

Art Journal Page - Nourish

Hi, Everyone,

Today I was getting Art Journaling withdrawal.  That had to be rectified immediately, so I decided to continue with my Donna Downey 2015 Inspiration Wednesday classes.  Below is my creation from the March 18, 2015 class.  I like the way it turned out.

Golden Fluid Acrylic Paints are my absolute favourite because they are translucent.  Look at how the Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (the orangish colour) fades from intense to subtle, giving the illusion of many blended colours, when it is only one colour. Amazing!

I highly recommend taking Donna Downey's Inspiration Wednesday Classes on-line.  For the $35 some odd dollars you pay (plus the ridiculous US Dollar conversion rate) it is well worth the money.  You get 25 videos, 25supply lists, and many photos of each page for 25 awesome journal pages.  You need to purchase all the supplies yourself, and I found Delta Arts have the best prices in town.  You get what you pay for, and Golden products by far will give you stunning results.

Do what you love, love what you do, and above all . . . make the time to do it.  You will be a happier person for it.

Have fun creating!