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!

Day 4 ~ An Attitude of Gratitude

Day 4: Time

Starting Point: 
How do you spend your time?  Are you a get up and go person?  Or do you spend time procrastinating?

Watch the video.  What would you do with the extra 7.5 minutes?

Quote:

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?” 

William A. Ward

Bible verse:

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (CEV)

Technique Challenge:

Try stamping with an embossing folder.  
If you don’t have one then stamp using whatever you have.

That's the prompts for Day 4 at An Attitude of Gratitude. Come on and join along. 

It's never too late to start being 

T h a N k F u l   

This whole journal thing is hard for me. I'm trying to step outside of my neat and tidy box, and I am not happy with this day at all. I didn't have an embossing folder, so I used a piece of flocked scrapbook paper, inked it and stamped on the hounds tooth design with it. 

I cut and pasted the Bible verse, outlining it with yellow sharpie ( I know this will not last), it was all I had on hand. I wanted to pull in some of the yellow from the bookmark I used to describe what I do while I am procrastinating :) I then wrote that I need to spend more time reading the Word of God!  

Did you know that there are 86,400 seconds in a day?! 

Remember to use at least one of them to tell someone Thank You!

Thanks for stopping by to see what I'm up to. I hope you had a great weekend and told a Veteran 'Thank You' for their service to our great country!

Have a great day in the Lord!

An Attitude of Gratitude Challenge ~ Day 2 & 3

Day 2

Here's the prompt for Day 2. 

I didn't use all of them, just these: 

 Starting Point:  

In the stressful world we live in, where time seems to fly by at an extraordinary rate,       

 how can you make more of the moment?

How can you become more mindful of the things that are important in your life?

Which 3 things are you thankful for today?

Bible verse:

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

Technique Challenge: 

Use circles or squares on your page 

Instead of actually journaling on my page (which I don't like doing) I made a tag to hang off the side. The front tells what I need to do in order to make more of the moment. The back gives three things I am thankful for: a loving husband, my children and grandchildren, and most of all Jesus!

Day 3

Here's the prompt: Creativity

Starting Point: 
What does creativity mean to you?
This is an interesting article.
How do you express your creativity?
What  in particular are you thankful for in the creative areas of your life?

Quote:

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.     Edward de Bono

Bible verse:

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.    Exodus 35:35

Technique Challenge:

Draw freehand 

using any of the media you own - a pencil, a coloured pencil, a crayon, a paintbrush and paint.

As you can tell, freehand is NOT my forte' :) But it was fun once I got started. I saw something similar on a card one time, the tree trunk thing, so I decided to write the Bible verse as the trunk. I gently wadded up some aluminum foil to dab on the red paint. It works pretty good! On the back of the page I glued a small piece of cardstock on three sides to put my journal tag in. Eventually it will be covered with paper for another day.

You can still join in. It's always a good idea to find things to be grateful for on a daily basis :)

Are you doing anything special this year, as far as keeping a journal goes, or do you have another way of focusing on your blessings during this season? 

Have a great day in the Lord!

Art Journal Challenge ~ Day 1

I signed up to participate in the 30 day An Attitude of Gratitude Challenge. There are daily prompts that you can print out to use. Of course, I am behind already as I have just finished Day 1. I hope to be caught up soon so I don't feel so rushed but life is super duper busy all of a sudden. My oldest son has decided to try and get into college in January! I thought we had until next fall so I have been frantically filling out paperwork, providing transportation and lots of moral support. This past week has been crazy, and this upcoming one will be even more so as he prepares for exams. My down time will be making my journal pages.

The prompts can be used in a variety of ways. I love that! I just pick & choose...

DAY 1 (It was supposed to be on Nov 1st)

Starting Point: 

What everyday moments in your life give you joy?

What 3 things are you grateful for today?

What changes might you need to make to see the positives in your life rather than the negatives?

Quote: 

“I now see that cultivating a Wholehearted life is not like trying to reach a destination. It’s like walking toward a star in the sky. We never really arrive, but we certainly know that we’re heading in the right direction”. Brene Brown

Bible verse:

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving  and his courts with praise;  give thanks to him and praise his name.

Technique Challenge: 

An easy challenge today, just to ease you in.  

Use a colour you don’t like, or one you don’t use very often.

I chose papers from a paper pack that I bought but, for the life of me, I can't remember why. I don't like these colors at all! GAG!!! This whole page was a challenge for me; most of my supplies are packed away because of construction in our home. Plus, I didn't realize how difficult it would be to "create" something out of stuff I don't like. Stretching me.....

For the most part I think the page speaks for itself. I am Thankful 4 God's Word and I hand wrote the Scripture verse. Flowers bring me joy ~ always!!! The leaves are in deference to the autumn season, which is my favorite.

Personally, I think it is an ugly page but it is what it is!

It's not too late to join in the fun! Hop on over to An Attitude of Gratitude to see what others are doing.

Be kind with your comments. This is my first challenge and I am NOT an artist. I don't even like journaling because my handwriting is so bad :)