Friday, July 31, 2015

Handmade Pocket/Purse Sketchbook


3.5" x 5.5" Handmade Book (5 hole pamphlet stitch)
Gelli Print Cover

I keep a small sketchbook in my purse for "waiting times".  I made a new one this week.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Same Subject Different Medium


Canson XL Multimedia Journal
7 x 10"
Collage on Spritzed Background

Cleaning up my desk, I found some "spare parts" from my gelli print collages.  So, in the journal they went - a watercolor spritzed background gave them a perfect home.  The flowers (cut from book pages) needed a little more contrast, so I added some Portfolio Pastel to them.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Magenta Angels


ATC
Acrylic Ink
Stamp by Magenta

Several years ago I mixed up some acrylic ink by diluting heavy body acrylic paint in water.  I sponged it onto large sheets of water color paper and onto journal pages.  Some recent posts by Catherine Scanlon inspired me to get it out again and paint with it.



Wednesday, July 22, 2015

New Artist Trading Cards


Markers

This stamp set by Hero Arts always inspires me to try different techniques.  



Distress Ink


Markers


Archival Ink on Handmade Faux-Washi Paper


Markers

Now I need to try out another stamp in the set!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

What's Up?


Pencil Crayon
Photo by Steve MacIntyre (Paint My Photo)

Wait, that's not a duck!  How did he get in here??

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Duck Posing


Pencil Crayon

Photo by Dorrit Zaro (Paint My Photo)

I've been making a few Artist Trading Cards for the swap this weekend.  Ducks of course.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Email Gadget Added

If you'd like to receive postings to this blog by email, I've added a place for that near the top right corner of the blog.  Whenever I add a new post, you will receive it automatically by email.

Cathy Johnson Inspires


Yesterday I mentioned Cathy Johnson, author of Artist's Journal Workshop. I read this a couple of years ago and found it very inspiring, so I've been dipping into a few of her older books lately.  Mostly I still feel like a beginner, so I'm enjoying this First Step one immensely.

Check out the tips on Cathy's Website!

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Facebook Isn't All Bad


I don't spend much time on Facebook, but I found a delightful group created by Cathy Johnson, the author of Artist's Journal Workshop.  (The name of the group is also Artist's Journal Workshop).  I received a warm welcome and some lovely comments on this page, so I'm posting another.


Monday, July 13, 2015

Madness


No thinking.  Throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it.


Sunday, July 12, 2015

Turning Off the Inner Critic


It isn't easy.  Sometimes the only thing to do is to shout down the noise in writing.  That gets me started.


Saturday, July 11, 2015

Art Journaling


I have a love/hate relationship with multi-layer art journaling.  My current theory is that my difficulties stem from an inability to turn off my left brain - the side that asks "What next?  Isn't there something better?" and the side where my Inner Critic lives.  OK, lets be frank here:  the side where my Inner Critic holds loud obnoxious parties.

When heat forced me out of my attic studio/office, I put together a journaling bag and began what might be my last foray into this journaling style.  To begin, I'm finishing a few pages.  I find that I'm enjoying it as long as I can turn off that left brain.  Drugs may be required.



Stay tuned.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Another Quilt Block Card


In this heat wave, my studio time is limited - there are so many things to get done in the relative cool of the morning!  After 3:00 pm all I can do is collapse under a tree in the back yard.

Yesterday I managed to make this birthday card with a paper quilt block.  Here is the first one I made, using a different pattern.