Journal 52 {slightly} Out of Order

Becoming completely stumped by one of the Journal 52 prompts, I had a tough time getting back into the challenge. Finally, after much encouragement from the group and my friend Pat, I have completed a few more pages. 

This prompt is actually from Week 8: Found Poetry, which means that I am doing them out of order but at least I am doing them ;)

This one came together in a snap. It must been because I love finding poetry! I did not prep my page with Gesso. I used watercolor paints straight onto the watercolor paper, mostly Cerulean Blue with a tad bit of Green Light for some faint highlights. 

- not sure why this photo has a greenish tint - 

I also painted over the water areas on the map page that I cut out of an old 1957 National Geographic, shaking it a bit to give it the run look. Not caring that the adhesive bubbled was fine because it adds texture and dimension to the water, as well. 

Using my fingertip, I smeared a little Gesso around the edges to give it a softer, cloudy feel. It just looked harsh without it. 

So there's my Week 8: Found Poetry.

I think I have three more weeks completed but need to edit my pictures.  I do hope you're having some fun crafting or painting or whatever creative outlet you enjoy.  

It's a gorgeous time of year to start gardening, too. Pat is giving me some strawberry plants this week, so you might end up seeing how I decide to plant them this year. Pinterest is great for getting new ideas. 

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Journal52 Week 3: You Make Me Smile

Can I just say that I am LOVING watercolors?!

I'm so enthralled with all the combinations and textures you can get mixing the colors. I've been watching some Youtube tutorials this past week and WOW...there are gazillions of them out there! 

I found one that was right up my alley. The artist's name is Samie Harding. She blogs at Journal Girl. What I liked most about her video series is that they are short, and she gets her hands messy! I mean messy!!! I loved it! And after watching, this is what I came up with for this week's prompt:

This is a closeup of the right hand corner. I'll list the colors I used but I can't remember the exact order, other than I know I started with a base layer of Prussian Blue and Crimson Red, adding Orange Yellow and Lemon Yellow with a tad bit of Yellow Ochre for some subtle 'sunny' highlights. I used some White along with the Crimson Red to get the pink tones at the top. 

BUT FIRST!!! I applied an all over coat of Gesso with a plastic card, then took another sheet of card stock and laid it on top, smoothing it with my hand. Then I carefully and slowly peeled it off to reveal those fantastic ripples!!! Leave to dry for 24 hours or use a heat gun, being careful not to burn the paper!

To make my faux flower design, I used a journal card from Making Memories and carefully outlined the shape. Tracing over it with a Prismacolor Premier marker in black really helped make it pop! I snagged that marker from my son's art supplies but don't tell him. Maybe he won't notice ;)

I drew the flower stalk and leaves (I don't draw well but it was fun trying). The paper flowers are some I had in my stash from Making Memories. I added some rhinestone bling so they would sparkle because you can never have too much sparkle. Right, ladies?

(The page really has more green tones than showing in this photo. You can see them better in the one above.)

Following along with the theme of someone who makes me smile, I immediately thought of my husband. He is the one person guaranteed to coax a smile or a laugh from just about anyone! He truly has a phenomenal sense of humor and quick wit. He is my SUNSHINE! I drew the sun on a separate piece of card stock after water coloring it with the yellows. Plus I spritzed it with some Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Frost. I glued it down with Tombow Mono (my favorite adhesive) and outlined it with the Prismacolor marker. After contemplating the emptiness of the sun, I then chose to journal some in the rays, which I think is kind of cute. I will journal more about him in the flower area that I left blank but that will be private :)

A few things I decided this week:

Use watercolor paper and not card stock. Maybe then it won't curl.

Start early. I get jittery when the end of the week gets close and I haven't even started.

Clean up my craft area while I go along, otherwise I can't find a thing.

Shop with a coupon at the craft store.

Be me and don't compare myself to others.

Thank the Lord daily for the ability to create!

So there you have it! 

I sincerely hope each of you have a blessed week in the Lord!

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Who makes you smile?!

Journal52 Week 2: Somewhere, A Simple Place

Allow yourself to feel the wonder, to drink in the beauty and to experience the special time and place where you are.

- Ralph Marston

The prompt this week was to think of some thing or some place we love whether it is home, in the kitchen, at a library, a favorite vacation spot, just a place we enjoy being.

Thinking of that place wasn't what was difficult for me. Putting it on paper was agonizing! I was ready to quit but decided I am not going to give up. I will persevere through this in the hopes that I learn some new techniques, and maybe even how to draw a little bit. 

My first step was covering the page with Gesso by using a plastic card and hoping I was actually giving it some texture. My sister gave me some advice on how to use watercolors I bought at Walmart. After I borrowed some brushes from my son (who is a real artist), I swished those on,  stamped a floral design all over, then painted around the border with some acrylic paint, and applied a cardstock embellishment for a frame. I searched across the internet for whimsical line art and found some of teapots, cups and books. I sat with my watercolor sketch pad and, using the clipart as a guide, sketched out my own pieces. Next, I applied watercolors then sketched back over the outlines using a black pen. After cutting them out, I adhered them with Tombow Mono (it rocks!). I also used some rub-ons I had in my scrapbooking stock that incidentally matched my whimsy theme pretty good. The flowers are gel-like in substance and I outlined them with a black sharpie so they would stand out.

Obviously, a simple place to me is anywhere that I can have a cup of tea and read one of my favorite Regency Era books, which I wrote on the covers and tried to decorate. Not being very good at doodling, I made some weird doodles and that's the one thing I hope to really learn how to do this year. I ordered a Zentangling book for beginner's so I'm looking forward to trying my hand at that. *pun intended ;) 

Our Journal52 group gained some new members this week, so it's not too late to join in the fun!

So tell me.. 

Where is your 'Simple' place?

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Journal52 ~ Week 1: Up Up & Away

I have to admit that I struggled at the beginning of the week with this prompt. The first thought seemed to be balloons or birds of some kind. After several attempts that ended up in the trash, I finally settled on using a photo I took of a Willow Tree Angel given to my family when our Amy passed away a year and a half ago. 

I love the song You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban (I know he didn't intend it as a 'spiritual' song but it works well in this instance). With a slight alteration, I stamped You Raised Me Up Up & Away then cut out a pocket watch from the paper that says 'Perfection' because Amy is now perfect.

Taking it a step further, I printed out this Scripture verse from Psalm 45 onto a piece of parchment paper, then tore and inked it for a vintage look. The verse has special meaning for our family, as our nephew posted it on my FB wall after Amy's death. We knew we wanted to use it during her memorial service, and my BIL, who preached the service for us, read it aloud. 

Here's the completed page in the journal. So far, I've used the Rosewood paper pack from Colorbok. I think I'll try and find some more papers that coordinate so I can change it up a little as I go along. I'm sure each weeks prompt won't be conducive to these particular papers. 

I always have a hard time writing on the pages so I journaled on the back. What I should have done was make a pocket area behind the photo to slip a journal card in. Next time, I will remember this :)

It's not too late to join the group and start your art journal! The more the merrier. There are some fantastic artists in this group and I know I will be learning some great techniques this year. Also, the workshop is FREE so hop on over and check it out at Journal52.com.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

52 Weeks of Journaling

I'm so excited! I joined Journal52, an online Art Journaling group. One prompt, every Monday, for 52 weeks. I wanted to get back into my scrapbooking and also learn some new techniques using paints. I think this might be the right place! So at least one blog post a week will be my current page.

We were challenged to make our journal covers over the weekend. I chose an 8 x 11 1/2 chipboard cover and went through my materials. I ended up using some of the supplies I bought to make a memory book about my daughter, Amy, who passed away in 2012. I really like the colors and patterns, plus I lean toward vintage in all my creative endeavors.

I went ahead and got my feet wet with a new technique and medium. Using Gesso, which I purchased at Michael's using a 50% off coupon, I papered the chipboard and swiped the Gesso mixed with some acrylic paint over it with a plastic store card (advice from my sister @ Sunshine & Lollipops), then went back and used the plain Gesso to get a two-tone effect. Stamping imagine in the lower right corner and outlining it with a dark brown marker really made it stand out. Adding the butterfly trail (which I have never done) up to the Butterfly embellishment was very whimsical for me but I like it! I found some Sparkle Spritz in my stash and decided to give it a go. It was fun to try something new, and since this is the back of the journal, I am okay with it. I like the glittery look. So, of course I had to go back and add some to the cover...

It's just a little glitz but it really looks pretty in person!

As the weeks go along, I want to incorporate my faith into the journal. I might even make some additions to the cover and back. Any project of mine is always a work-in-progress, right up until I put it in a box and call it done :)

It's not too late to join in, if you are so inclined. Just hop on over to Journal52 and you can get signed right up.  Really. Come on and give it a shot. 

Are you working on any special projects this year?

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Sharing with

Clever Chicks Blog Hop