Art Journal Prompts

Hello friends!

How many of you have an art journal?  I guess I have always done an art journal because I have always kept a sketch pad of random artwork, I just didn't realize it was called an ART JOURNAL.  I use it to keep artwork that goes with feelings, sometimes that is a rush drawing or quick sketch because I am just needing a creative outlet and sometimes it is a long process because I need a stress reliever.  

Last year I wanted to do an art journal that was more like a memoir, I am not going to show you too much of it, because I want my kids to be the first to read it (you know afterward).  The inspiration for this memoir book were two books called The War Bride's Scrapbook by Caroline Preston and Century Girl: 100 years in the life of Doris Eaton Travis by Lauren Redniss.  To say I love these books would be a gross understatement.  The illustrations are incredible and Lauren's book is EXACTLY what I have always dreamed of a book looking like, and how I make my scrapbooks.  Century Girl is non-fiction and  features a lot of photos from Doris's life and wraps them around illustrations. War Brides is a fiction book and features ephemera and lots of colorful artwork.  Both book are completely worth a gander (also check out all of Caroline's books).

My first illustrated book is my life from "birthish" to present day. 

Since I have gone about as far as I can go right now, I have started a second illustrated book.  This one has the theme of Michelle's Musings (that may be the title).  The "brand" is all about being random,  FBSP (fly by the seat of pants) and completely off the wall, this book will be full of that type of stuff. I have started with a "Strange Alphabet".  I call it that because each letter is an odd topic and not your typical "A stands for Apple" kind of book.  Sometimes the topic makes sense and other times you may think I am a lunatic (wait, you may already think that of me). I am more willing to share this one with the world in it's entirety where I am keeping the other one for my kids.  

If you art journal I would so love to see some of your work.  Remember there is no right way so if you don't journal, why don't you?  This is a non-judging, don't show anyone unless you want area where you can be free, creative and honest. If you are struggling with an issue, draw or paint it!  If you are excited about that promotion, draw it.  If you love that song and want to create about it, do it!!! You can use as little or a much supplies as you want.  You really only need to start with a pencil and a piece of paper...let your imagination take you from there. 

 

Trace Creek Crop

This year DiAnna and I went to the crop together.  Our ambition is always larger than our time frame.  Meaning we always plan to make things and get a bit sidetracked.  However, we have developed a philosophy.  Get done what you can, but make sure you have a fun relaxing day.  This year was no exception to that rule.  It was nice to be off work, no one bothering you for meals or fights with siblings...just relaxation, friendship, shopping, eating, and a little Jesus.

DiAnna and I decided before the crop to made matching aprons.  My apron was pretty crappy so this was brilliant idea.  We both took a denim apron and trimmed it with pink trim.  She used an eyelet trim and I used tulle (because I wanted a tutu).  

Here is a photo of my work station.  I was going to work on a Marilyn Monroe drawing that I made.  It was inspired by a pose she did in a publicity still for Niagara.  She was pretty wicked in that movie and I recommend you see it if you have not.

These steampunk inspired items were featured in the Mia's Madness booth. I simply love everything they sell.  It's junk to most by an absolute treasure to me.  I chose some items from the junk bin.  A triangle pendant, a washer, and a few other metals.  Stay tuned to see what I made from .50 of stuff. www.miasmadness.com

This is a photo from the yard sale.  This is where you sell items you no longer need/want were gifted.  I sold a bunch of stuff this year and I did not spend one dime of money shopping it. Now I did get things but everything I bought was with money I made in the yard sale. 

Check out this wagon!  It is all mine!  I have been going to TCC for many many years and never won a thing.  I was sitting with my friends in the church and telling them all that I hoped they won something.  And I listened and wait a minute I realized Jill Rogers finally called MY name.  I won one of the grand prizes. I got the third grand prize awarded the first two prizes where $50 cash. I prefer the wagon because it is something I have always wanted but I never would have bought for myself.  It is extraordinary.  I am very grateful that my name was called. 

I made a couple of sketches but this is the only thing that I finished on the TCC relaxation day.  A wood panel of the Marilyn Monroe drawing I made.  The panel was painted a few colors, I didn't like any of them and finally I got to this green and I liked it.  Next I used Barquoe Motifs to stamp some swirls using StazOn! ink.  Then I used some Aleene's tacky glue and painted it onto the board.  I let it get a bit dry then I painted it with white.  What a nice crackle finish it leaves.  I did a die cut of the Tim Holtz viewmaster thingy and place the die cut on the board.  I used wood icing to make some texture for the background.  Once this dried I used some Walnut Stain ink by Tim Holtz for some effect. I cut MM out from the paper she was drawn and painted on and used Mod Podge to put her onto my board.  I think it's fabulous!!

This is the project I made using the stuff reclaimed from the junk bin.  I did not take a before picture...boo.  The top picture is when I first put it all together. I used wire to hold the circle onto the triangle and made the elder wand with wire down the center.  I painted it with gesso to cover the mixed metals. I added glitter because I thought I would keep it black, but no I found my Krylon chrome spray paint.  I layered many layers of paint on here. I think it turned out grand. 

Another TCC comes to a close.  DiAnna we will do it all again in the spring, Lord willing. 

Creating a Paper Ruffle

I have discovered something new and fun that I simply MUST share.  I have discovered, with the help of the internet how to make a ruffle from paper and it looks like cloth.  It is a beautiful addition to a card or scrapbook page.  The best part....it's EASY!!!

What you need:
a strip of paper (not card stock)
misting bottle full of water
a stylus (not required)
good quality double sided tape.


I cut my strip about 2x12. I am a poor measurer so who knows.  I laid it flat unto my craft sheet.  The paper I used was a thinnish paper that is usually .59 per sheet at Micheal's.  Spray the strip with the misting bottle, you want it wet but not too wet.  You may need to experiment.  It was wet enough to mold, but not enough to tear. Start with a couple of pumps and run your finger along the strip to spread out the water.  If the paper doesn't appear damp add more.  Each time run your finger along the strip to spread out the water.

Next pick up the strip and begin to "gather" it in your hands. I gathered between my thumb and forefinger. It's a bit hard to hold near the end but it will be worth it if you can.  I ended up gathering the 12 inch strip into about 4 inches.  I "fluffed" out the ruffles with my finger.  The internet said to use a stylus, but I like the look of your finger better.

Next set aside to dry or use a heat tool. I just sat it aside for a while.  The ruffle with harden as it dries and once it is finished you will have your paper ruffle.  You will need good quality double sided tape to stick it to your card.

I told you this was EASY!

Some bugs hanging out among the roses

On this fine day I was trying to decide what to do with the remnants of a K&Co pad that I have had for quite some time.  The pages that were left didn't thrill me so I had done nothing with them.  I decided today would be the day to change that.

I took the pages and cut out petal shapes from each page. Then I inked the back of each petal and misted each one.  While wet I wadded each petal as if each one was a piece of trash.  Then I straightened each one out.  Not perfectly! I left some of the wrinkles.

The next step was sort of messy so I did not take photos of that.  I rolled one petal up to look like the center of a rose then glued other petal around this one. You put the petals on one at a time and spin the flower around.  This looks more like a natural rose.  I would also fold over the top portion of each petal to add dimension.

The next step was to build a base for my decoration. I took an otterbox box and covered it in green paper.  Then I inked the box.  I glued a piece of Styrofoam to the middle of the box.  Then I started gluing the flowers unto the Styrofoam and box.  Once I got all the flowers where I wanted them I misted the box with Michelle's Musings Sterling Silver misting spray for a tad of sparkle.  I then to strips of tulle and folded in half.  Where the half mark was I tied a knot. I pushed a straight pin into the knot making a "tulle pick".  I then took these picks and inserted them in random spots around the flowers.

On my craft sheet I wet paper. I molded the paper into shapes that looked like bees and a butterfly body.  I molded the head and bodies of the bugs separate, this photo was taken after I had hot glued the head unto the bodies.  The next step was to attach some way to attach the bugs to the flower mound. I had some wire and decided to twist one end around a toothpick and inserted it into the foam between the flowers. I curled the wire to look a bit like a flying trail.

Once the bodies were all ready I painted them black.  After the black dried I used gesso to paint white stripes onto the bees.  Once this dried I would paint yellow over the white.

The butterfly body was made with the clear part of packaging.  I cut two just alike. On one side of the packaging I painted a design.  Once it was dried I glued the two butterfly wings together.

It took a long time for the bodies to dry. Once they did I glued the butterfly body to the wings. I wrapped a bit of wire around the bees necks and hot glued.  The butterfly body is sort of woven unto the wire and hot glued.

I used a vintage blue ribbon around the sides of the box and it's done.  Pretty cute table decoration.

Scoring Board Flowers

I got a scoring board a couple of years ago at a CKC convention.  At first, my primary use of the board was to make envelopes for my cards.  With the passing of time, and my desire to do more things with it, I have learned to make rosettes and accordion fan flowers.  Last week I shared the Mother's Day flowers that I made for my mom.  These flowers were made with the scoring board.  They are super simple and today I am going to share how I make the potted flowers.

I feel it's better to use patterned paper and not cardstock, but not the thin patterned paper.  I used quality paper. I feel it made the flowers a bit prettier.  Cardstock would probably work, I just wanted a bit more flexibility in the flowers.

First of all I must say, I did NOT measure the width of the paper that I cut.  I imagine just eyeballing that I took a 12x12 sheet of paper and cut it around 4 inches x 12 inches.  Then cut another 3 or 4 x 12-inch strip.  I am guessing here.

For the next step, I did measure.  I put a strip of the cut paper onto the scoring board.  Then I scored, using the bone folder,  the paper at every 1/2 inch across the strip.  Once you have completed that fold the paper into an accordion shape (alter the folds, mountain, and valley).  At this point, you can ink the edges or cut a 45-degree angle at the end of each side.  This put a little dimension in your flower. I like to ink some...cut some... and even scallop some.  It makes each flower unique.


The next step may work for you, but not for me.  You should staple the middle of the accordion.  I could not get my stapler to hold the paper so I tied a ribbon around the middle.  Then you can either take hot glue or Aleene's Tacky Glue.  (I prefer Aleene's) You meet the ends together to form a circle flower shape and glue. I attach a binder clip until the glue dries.

Once the glue is dried you can attach at skewer to the back.  I run the skewer down through one of the accordion folds and hot glue into place.


You now decorate the middle.  I like to attach a rosette or some bling.











To make a rosette:

Cut another strip of paper.  If you want to ink or stamp the paper this is the time.  Given the number of score lines, it is difficult after you score.  This rosette if very pretty with a small stamp stamped all over the strip.

 This time you will score every 1/4 inch all the way across the paper.  Alter the folds just as you did above.  This time you will connect the strip end to end.  I like Aleene's glue here just to keep the bulk down.  Warm up the glue gun, you will need it next.

This part is a tad tricky, but with practice, you will get faster at it and be able to have no issues.  I practice first.  Take the rosette that looks like this:

If it does you are ready.

I take a dab of hot glue and put on a piece of scrap paper.  Quickly push your rosette into the glue.   Hold until it sets up.   Bam! you did it!  Decorate as you desire.

Happy Mother's Day

Here are my gifts for the moms in my life.

The Flowers were made by scoring card stock on the Martha Stewart scoring board.  Most of the flowers are scored on the 1/2 inch line.  A few use the 1/4 inch marking.  I made fan type shapes like we made when I was a child.  I took the fan shape and tightly tied a ribbon around the middle.  Then I took the fan ends and glued them together so they made a circle shape.  I used Alene's tacky glue and used black binder clips to secure until glue dried.  

Then I adored the middle of each flower....some feature rosettes, some crocheted flowers, some pebbles, even plain ribbon.  I then turned over the flower and put a skewer (that I had painted green), down through one of the pleats and used hot glue to secure.  The pleat sort of hides the stick.  

The dragon fly is a piece of chipboard that I inked with Distress inks and put on a wire that I had made look like a dragonfly flight pattern.

The pot is filled with plastic bags.  I pierced the skewers into the bags and arranged the flowers as I liked them.  I then took strips of green paper and cut fringe on each strip.  I rolled sections of the strips up and messed up the fringes.  I glued on top of the plastic bags and also used to support the flowers.  

The wreath was made from a piece of chipboard that I had around the house.  The flowers were made with the Martha Stewart scoring board as described above. 

Newspaper roses

I had read somewhere, probably Pinterest, about a girl that made roses from newspapers. I don't recall ever reading how to make them, but decided that I wanted to make some for this utility room makeover thing I am doing. Actually I am planning on framing them.....after I make the frame that is.

Since I didn't read to tutorial I had to make up my own. I took a newspaper that was still rolled up from the driveway and cut the roll into pieces. Quite like you
would if you were slicing bread. My slices were about 1-1.5 inches thick. After I complete the slices, I unrolled the slices and glued them end to end....making a long strip. It did sort of roll up on itself, but I thought that would be easier to make into a rose. I actually used a glue stick to glue my strips together. Then I started rolling. I would roll a bit and then twist the newspaper to make what would appear to be a petal. I just kept repeating the process. When the flower was as large as I desired I cut the strip and glued it under my flower. Then I started rolling the next flower. I got 5 flowers from one a newspaper.


Once I finished with the last flower I started painting the flowers. I used a pink and a red. I poured both into my palette next to each other. I used mostly pink to paint the flower, then I dipped my brush without cleaning in the red. I brushed it too the flower in other parts. Then I loaded my brush with pink and red and went over it again.

I repeated the process with two shades of blue and the same brush. Therefore I got a tad of purple on these flowers.

I liked the effect hope you do too.

First week of school

Here we are after the first two days of school.  It has been an extremely busy week, but I have found time to do some of the things I love....such as shop at Michael's, Kohls and Hobby Lobby.  I ate a meal at Chili's.  Went to the Goodwill store.  And watched some of the Olympics!!!!

Today I spent a little time helping Trevor make some notebooks for school and while his glue was drying I wiped up these cards.

For the flower card I drew a spiral onto a sheet of cardstock.  I cut little petal shapes around the edges as I was cutting.  I then inked the shape with distress inks (Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint and Chipped Sapphire).  I wet the flowers thoroughly and did some shaping. I bended them, folded them, curled them...whatever suited me and dried with a heat gun.  Then I hot glued them together. I used all scraps on this project.  The edge was cut using a Tim Holtz Alterations Die.  The Happy Bday stamp is by Fiskars.

This card was somewhat of a departure for me.  I have never made a halloween card.  I decided to "write" boo with wire and adhere it with wire to the card.  I then fashioned a spider from velco leftovers and I wove ribbon onto wire for the legs.  All paper is scrap paper and the edges are cut from the same Tim Holtz Alterations Die, I just used the other side of the die.  I used Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire only on this card.  This was a fun card!!!