Monthly Archives: April 2014
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 23
Day 23 – Texture
Today’s lesson was using texture under your base coat to create interest. In class, Christine used circles and squares then painted over those. I chose to use Washi Tape, which does give good texture, but is harder to color over as the little pieces come up, even over multi-medium. I did some stenciling and painting over the Washi also.
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 22
Exploring Art Journaling Day 22
Well, I’m still trying to get used to the conversion of moving from a PC to a Mac and can’t figure out IPhoto to save my soul. Here is Day 22 from Exploring Art Journaling 3 with Christine Urias of Scraptime.ca. using catalyst tools to form the flower. She recommended using gesso or heavy body acrylic paint, but I mixed a bit of modeling paste with gesso, making a firmer textured flower. Once it was dried, I finger painted acrylic paint over the flower then added Molotow Markers for doodling. The background uses Distress Stains applied against a watered background.
Nomination for the Liebster Award
Liebster Award
Good News! My new blog has been nominated for the Liebster Award by Elizabeth at Tea and Papers. Her link to the Liebster Award is here. Elizabeth enjoys photography and has some great pictures of San Francisco on her blog. Being from California and now living in New York, they were nice to see. She also journals both written and in art form, which is how she found me. Thanks for the nomination Elizabeth!
The award allows bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers the opportunity to tell a little about themselves by following a few rules:
1) Provide a link back to the person who nominated you – which I have done above.
2) Provide 11 facts about yourself
3) Provide responses to 11 questions posed by the person who nominated you.
4) Choose 11 new blog posters, ask them 11 questions, and list their site
Here we go! Here are the 11 things about me:
1) I would rather create something artistic than do just about anything else.
2) I just started my blog this Month in April and am having a blast.
3) I participate in multiple card challenge blogs.
4) I spend WAY TOO MUCH money on craft supplies and it’s all my friend Lynn’s fault.
5) I’ve been a nurse for 23 years and just completed my BSN Degree in March of 2014 – YEAH!
6) I love traveling and have been to some really fun places
7) I’m married to a wonderful man for over 20 years and have two adult boys I’m super proud of.
8) I’ve lived on both coasts and in the midwest – I prefer the midwest.
9) I eat peanut butter crackers in bed at night while I watch movies on my IPad – very bad habit….
10) I love taking classes about crafting, photoshop, card making, art journaling, or anything creative.
11) Menopause keeps messing with me and just when I think it’s past, it torments me again.
The 11 questions from Elizabeth:
1) Why do I blog?
Blogging is a way for me to show my creativity and participate in blog hops and challenges with card making and art journaling. I enjoy having a place to keep a record of my work/play.
2) What is the opinion of your family and/or friends about your blogging?
My husband keeps asking me why I am blogging and what is my end goal. He is thinking logically and wants to know that whatever I’m planning, I’ll have enough space to do it on. Really, I’m just not that worried about it – something that drives him crazy.
3) Which way do you express your creativity?
My primary creative outlet is card making, which I do for Operation Write Home an organization that sends homemade cards to enlisted service men and women who then in turn send them back to their families and friends. Having a son in the Marines I understand how important it is to hear from your loved ones when they are so far away.
4) Do you have a journal, if so, since when?
I have an art journal, well, several art journals. I also sporadically enjoy writing in a journal though am not consistent with that medium.
5) Do you have plans to write a book one day?
I do not
6) What is your favorite book?
I drive for my work so I mainly listen to audio books and podcasts. Since moving back east I haven’t really belonged to an audio club so it’s been sometime since I’ve had a book, but I’d have to say one of my favorites was The Harry Potter Series though I do like a good murder mystery too.
7) Which place would you like to visit?
I haven’t been to Alaska yet and would love to take a cruise there.
8) Have you participated in online courses? If so, which ones?
I love online courses. I always take those offered by online card classes. I also belong to NAODS, which is the National Association of Digital Scrapbookers, though really this is a great way to learn Photoshop Elements for any type of photo management. I’ve also taken some great art journaling classes from Natalie Kalbach Studios and Christine Urias of Scraptime.ca
9) What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Now that’s easy – stay home and create
10) Do you blog in your free time or is blogging a priority?
Being an empty nester who is now done with school, I usually have a bit of free time in the evening to do some blogging.
11) What advice would you give to a new blogger just starting out?
Honestly, I have none to offer. I am so very new at this that I’m still learning every day. Anyone have advice for me?
Here are the 11 questions for the blogs I’ve nominated:
1) How long have you had your blog and did you create it by yourself of with help?
2) Other than WordPress Tutorials and help section, do you have any other blogging resources that would help a newer blogger?
3) Complete this sentence. Blogging makes me feel………
4) Do you participate in any blog hops or challenges? If so, which are your favorite?
5) What is your favorite artistic technique?
6) Do you have any favorite u-tube video’s? If so, which ones?
7) Do you have any favorite blogs that you frequent? If so, which ones?
8) Do you have a motto or a quote in which you live by?
9) Do you shop online? If so, what are your favorite stores?
10) Where do you find your inspiration? Do you use any muses such as sketches or websites?
11) Do you use Pinterest? Which are your favorite boards?
Here are the 11 websites I am nominating:
1) http://fromvictoryroad.com/
2) http://swewi.wordpress.com/
3) http://madamewong.wordpress.com/
4) http://paperandinkimaginings.com/
5) http://mylittlecraftblog.wordpress.com/
6) http://bellaelysiumcrafts.wordpress.com/
7) http://katicrafts.wordpress.com/
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 21
Day 21
Well I’ve been out of my happy place of making art while we moved to a new place about 30 minutes north. On top of that I have converted from my Windows computer to a Mac, so be patient with me as I figure Iphoto out. This page was to be india ink applied w/pipette’s, however, those were packed so I did some Dylusions Sprays with stamping. The journaling prompt was how do you feel on rainy days. I remembered this song form the 70’s from The Carpenters and thought that would work for this simple page.
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 20
Exploring Art Journaling Day 20
Today’s technique was using FlitterGlu and Metal Flakes. As I don’t have that and my metal leafing is packed, I just did a normal page, this time trying a darker background. I also made more newsprint collage pages to get some colorful flowers. I’m loving the newsprint collage pages! I also added shading with the Faber Castell Pit Brush Pen. As long as you have multi-medium down on the page, you have a few minutes to wipe down the marker to create depth.
Flowers for Easter from Matt
Flowers for Easter from Matt 2014
Matt, my son in the Marine’s stationed in Japan, sent these lovely Easter Flowers for me. Isn’t nice when your kids think about you after they are gone and far away?
The Challenge #4
April Simon Says Stamp Card Kit
Hopefully you’ve had a chance to check out the Simon Says Stamp Monthly Card Kits! They are a surprise every month and are just enough to use up in a month and then on to the next! I painted the wood veneer with my new passion, Molotow Acrylic Markers, which provide excellent color in a pen.
Fusion Card Challenge
Fusion Card Challenge
I love this WPlus 9 stamp set called Fresh Cut Florals. I used Bazzill Taffy Cardstock. Happy Easter!
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 18 & 19
Day 19 Using Collage Newsprint
Today’s page is using a newsprint collage that was made for Day 18, then cut up and adhered to the journal page with multi-medium. The newsprint is SO MUCH easier to use than watercolor paper as it is easy to decoupage on the page and looks as if it’s part of the page, not added on. To color the image I outlined with my Faber Castell Pitt Big Brush Pen and then wiped it off to create shading. Then I doodled with Molotow Markers, my new favorite toy!
Exploring Art Journaling 3 – Day 17
Day 17 – Jewel Inspiration
Day 17 – Inspiration
Day 17 used jewelry as inspiration. Christine gave us some websites to look for costume jewelry and I really didn’t think this would motivate me as I don’t really wear jewelry, but I was pleasantly surprised. It provided a good base of inspiration of this page which identified what I am grateful for.
The Crafty Nurse 