Challenging Journal Pages

Hello creative friends.  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  My granddaughter came for a visit this last weekend and we had lots of fun creating journal pages. I thought it would be fun to challenge ourselves this time. I have been following Jennibellie's Journal Workshop and one of the challenges was to write on several pieces of paper the supplies you have, for example paint, markers, stencils, ephemera, etc.  Then you put the folded pieces of paper in a bag or cup and pull them out one at a time and use the item that is listed in the order that you pull them out.  So we both took several pieces of paper and wrote our supplies on them and began pulling them out one at a time and using the product that was listed to create a journal page.  And of course I pulled the products out in a totally opposite order than what I would normally use them - markers, ephemera, stencils, paint and stamps.  So my journal page came out nothing like what I would usually create.  It definitely challenged me to think outside the box.  But that is the point and what made it so much fun to do.  Here is the journal page I created.



My granddaughter of course pull out the products in the order you would normally use them - paint, stencil, stamps, makers and ephemera.  Here is the journal page she created.

We kept our pieces of paper and plan to do this again soon.  Then we both started another journal page.  However, we only got as far as creating the background, but it provides a good start for when she comes to visit next time.  Here is the background journal page I created.

 

And here is the background journal page she created.

 

We painted different color acrylic paints on our page and then used Ranger sprayed inks to spray through stencils to get some variation in colors and patterns on the page.  Not sure what we are going to do next on these pages, but we will figure something out.  I think with all of the colors and patterns on these pages it is going to make it more challenging to figure out where to go from here.  So how do you challenge yourself in your art?  I would love to hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating. 

Little Houses

Hello creative friends.  I hope everyone had a very good New Years.  Unfortunately I was very sick the whole time and missed all of the festivities.  I am recovering, but not quite back to 100% yet, so I've not been very motivated to do anything creative.  However, this weekend I did spend a little time in the craft room and painted these little houses.

I cut them from balsa wood during the Christmas holiday and painted them with gesso.  Then this weekend I used paint pens to finish them.  Not sure what I am going to do with them yet, maybe use them on a journal page or a canvas.  It felt good to do something creative again, even if it was something small.  Hopefully, I will get my mojo back and start getting motivated again to create.  Have you ever lost your mojo and motivation to create?  If so how did you get it back?  I would love to hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating.

Inspirational Paintings

Hello creative friends and Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it.  My granddaughter came to stay for the Christmas holiday and between all of the Christmas festivities, we managed to find time to do some art.  We painted an inspirational picture.  Here is the painting I created, I chose the word Create:

 

The tree is turquoise, but it looks more blue in this picture.  And here is the painting my granddaughter created, she chose the word Inspire:

 

 

We had a lot of fun creating these inspirational paintings.  My granddaughter also created a journal page.  Here is the journal page she created:

 





It's funny she painted a pink page, because pink is not one of her favorite colors.  But it turned out really cute.  I was really looking forward to having time to do some art journaling, but then was not feeling very inspired to create one.  Are there time's when you don't feel inspired to create?  If so how do you get past it?  I would love to hear about it.  We did have a lot of fun doing the paintings, I just wish I was inspired to do more.  Well until next time, happy creating and I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year.

Christmas Painting and Tribute Journal Page

Hello creative friends and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it.  Hope all is well in your world.  Mine has been very busy and not as much time for art as I would like.  Lately I have been working on a painting of my daughter and her fiancé as a Christmas present for them.  The picture I used was from a cruise they took during the summer.  Let me say first, I have never painted a picture of people like this before and am semi-happy with the outcome.  The painting has some resemblance to them, but not as close as I would like.  Here is the painting:

 

I painted it in acrylics.  I plan to practice more portrait paintings so that hopefully with more practice I will get better.  I guess the important thing is my daughter liked the painting.

 

I also completed a journal page.  This is one I had been wanting to do for some time now.  It is a journal page that is a tribute to my grandmother.  Here is the journal page:

 

 

My grandmother liked to sew, so I used a journal page that I had covered in dress patterns and used Ranger distressing inks to color the page.  I did a little stamping on the page as well. I added elements to the page that had to do with sewing and other things she like, such as hydrangea's and gardening.  I included two pictures of my grandmother, one when she was younger and one when she was older.  My grandmother was also very religious, so I included a picture of Jesus, and she was deaf, so I included a card that has sign language on it.  I added words that describe my feelings for my grandmother, such as special and a blessing and I feel she is my guardian angel and that she has beat the odds.  Even though she was deaf, she never let that get in her way or hold her back.  She worked a full time job, supported herself and two kids, my mom and uncle, and raised them as a single parent and managed to buy her own home.  She was a very strong woman and an inspiration to my life.  Have you completed any journal pages that is a tribute to loved one's or someone you find inspirational?  I would love to hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating and hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.  



ICADs

Hello creative friends.  I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving weekend.  My weekend was very relaxing.  This weekend I played with my supplies on index cards and made a couple of ICADs.  I really liked the fluorescent ATCs that I made a couple of weeks ago for an ATC swap, so in the same spirit I created these two ICADs.  I used fluorescent paint pens that my husband bought me to create these.

 

Then I created two more ICADs.  I used Ranger distress inks for both of these backgrounds. 

 

 

ICADs are quick, each and fun to make.  Have you made ICADs before?  If so, I would love to hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating.



Lighthouse Painting

Hello creative friends.  This past weekend I painted a picture of a lighthouse to donate to a charity auction/drawing at work.  I painted it in acrylics and really like the way it turned out.  This is the painting I did.

This lighthouse is in St. Augustine and I have been wanting to do a painting of it for several year now, since the first time I saw it.  I had a lot of fun painting this and I want to do another painting like this for myself some day.  I drew and painted this same lighthouse on an art journal page I did after a trip to St. Augustine me and my husband took several yeas ago and posted.  Here it is again.

I really like this lighthouse and enjoy painting it.  So what have you been working on lately?  Have you ever donated your work for charity before?  I would love to hear about it.  I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving weekend.  Until next time, happy creating.

ATC Swap

Hello creative friends.  This past weekend I worked on creating two new ATC cards for an ATC card swap that I signed up for on Willowing's website.  The theme for this month is Fluorescent and I recently bought some fluorescent paint and my husband bought me some fluorescent paint pens that I was itching to use.  Here are the two ATC cards I created. 

 

The first one was created with the fluorescent pens that my dear husband recently bought for me.  The second card was made using fluorescent paints that I bought some time ago but hadn't had a chance to play with yet.  I finished them off with a quote from my stash and an embellishment.  I really enjoy participating in these ATC swaps.  It is sometimes hard to mail the cards off after creating them, but it is fun to receive and collect creative cards from other artist.  Another artist once suggested that I make duplicate cards so that I could keep one set for myself and mail the other set off, but so far I haven't bothered, oh well.  So what have you been up to lately?  Have you participated in an ATC swap before?  I would love to hear about it.  Until next time, happy creating.