21 secrets {art journal} hearts....

finally had time to watch the 21 Secrets video last night and found a little window of time to go to the studio and paint myself.

i gesso'd my pages first and then, started layering my acrylic paint; working with water and stencils. i added the letters- staggering those across both pages to tie the pages together and drew the heart in on both pages. this page got a big heart and the other page- a small one. but don't let the small size diminish the meaning, in fact, the small heart has our initials....great things sometimes come in small packages.

on this page below i was able to sew- i did not want to sew on the other page as i had already painted on the back side of that page and did not want the stitching to come through. i had a great time making these pages last nights- love the colors i chose and painted with- some of my favorite.

documented life project {week 4} secret message

there is something about writing down your thoughts and seeing them on paper. this week's project was to document and then, paint over and just save a word.

i actually like doing this with my paintings- writing down and getting out whatever is rattling around in my head and then, painting over the words. 

maybe the words show through, but, usually, the words get softly lost in the layers of paint and then, only me, as the artist knows and understands the full meaning of the painting. when someone buys the painting because they love it enough to pay for it- the fact becomes, that each of us, the creator and the new owner love the painting in two different ways but equally.

i didn't exactly follow the rules on this project this time....i wanted to make sure that i could go back to this thought and documented piece. i wanted to see this note to myself again....

i wrote my thoughts on a separate piece of paper and glued that note in and just showed the edge....tempting you to see the paper go around the edge and possibly see if the note continues on the other side....

i used my gelli plate to print the background, stamped, used a popart card from Roben-Marie, and washi tape to dress up and attach my card.

21 secrets {art journal} face

i am participating in 21 secrets but, find it soooo much easier to watch the videos on wednesdays and then, work in my own art journal.

here is my face for this past week's lesson.....

i laid down paper scraps from my counter first.... layering the papers. i love the peeks of the papers sneaking out between the layers of paint and ink. i had gesso'd the papers once down to pull them together and fade the papers just a bit into the background. i sketched my outline with a blendable pencil and followed up with ink; blending some pencil lines and not others. 

in my journal not all the paper sit down glued tight to the paper and like the look and feel. i like the uncertainty of the lips and the oddly large eye and watery, black ink runs with the peeks of pink.....

priorities....

somehow when a mom has things she would like to do- those somehow can easily be pushed aside.....

let's take today for example....i would love to do nothing more than to go to my studio space and work in my art journals, especially since i am feeling a bit behind; however, our daughter will be going to prom this year.....so today, we will be going prom dress shopping instead. 

you are going to say, "wow- it is still january. really? prom dress shopping?"

because that is what i said.....but, keep in mind, this girl is 16, a junior in high school, and is already in mild panic mode because other girls have found their prom dress and all the good dresses will be gone! gone!

did i mention that all the good dresses would be gone?....ok....so, today the top priority is to go prom dress shopping. after all, i did get to play for a short bit yesterday....i will be helping with a valentine class this week, so we did a trial run.

tgif

#tgif #birthdaycard

art journal- inspiration from 21 Secrets

i am participating in the 21 Secrets this year and watched three talented women paint this past Wednesday. i was trying to figure out if i should be painting along with them, but, found it more interesting to simply watch and see how their journal pages progressed in the 90 minutes.

i found time to play this past weekend in a new journal my mom had picked up when she was in Germany visiting my brother. i believe the journal is meant for writing because the paper is relatively thin and lined- but, it worked just fine for my art journaling- i just cannot be too aggressive with it.

i used my gelli plate to print the background first- layering several colors and one of my favorite shapes- the sunburst. then, added some paper scraps and doodles.

documented life- challenge #3

i have been playing along with the documented life project and the third challenge was to create a page in our moleskin with papers that had come in the mail....envelopes, stamps, etc....

i loved the idea of making an pocket out of an envelope. i liked this one with the words- "important- do not discard"- well absolutely not! i cut the envelope down to fit into my moleskin and sewed the edges up. i loved the black and white fabric i had used on my Christmas fabric houses and had saved all the scraps; which found a home on my pocket. the circle is from another envelope that i liked the security pattern and punched into a circle and another security envelope paper along the bottom edge. add a little stamping and some color....poof! i liked the window in the pocket and had to make sure it showed my message- "an important message about...." ART.

i had found the adventure note in a vintage magazine and had been patiently waiting for the right project to add it to. yesterday, it found its' home and it was perfect!

here is my pocket in my moleskin journal with the rest of the page i had put together. i had used my gelli plate to print the top pink edging and a couple more mail paper with the US postal service brown edge and the upper white postage paper collected this past week. i like how the pocket does stick out from my book just a bit, like a tab. easy to find to add extra items to my pocket for safe keeping.

have you been playing along with the documented life? let me know so i can stop by and visit you!

tgif

#kellyraeroberts #possibility #believe #tgif

one little word- aspire.....

our one little word for january was aspire.......i had posted my sneak peak on sunday. and truly enjoyed my whole process. i had been inspired by beginning the process with scrapbook paper. i glued that into my art journal and found some book paper i liked as well. i used gesso to push the pattern in the paper back. i then picked some of my favorite colors of acrylic paint and used them to add some additional colors.

aspire: to long, aim or seek ambitiously

once i was happy with my background, i had found papers i liked- i started my hunt for the words in my favorite book i have been using for art. i will be so sad when this book is completely used up....it has been magical. 

the other thing i knew i wanted was a bird. i found an image i liked and drew a bird and made my own stencil to use for this project.

i really like my end project. i hope you enjoy it....and you aspire to create something of your own.

if you decide you would like to play along this month- we would LOVE to see what you make of this word. come join our group and link up your project- if you do, you could be the lucky winner of a new stencil! Jessica Sporn is offering this stencil if you link up in january.....

a new homemade stencil and a sneak peek

i had a project that was due yesterday for OLW, and was struggling to come up with a plan. thank goodness for the internet and pinterest- and its' endless possibilities and inspiration. i snooped around and found myself being inspired by layers of paper and the idea that i wanted a bird.

i have bird stamps, but, certainly not a stamp of a bird the size that i wanted and needed. so, i did the next best thing.....found a bird i liked and drew it onto some scrap paper. here is my bird......

i decided to use a sheet of scrapbook paper that i liked for my background and cut it down to fit my paper. i used gesso to push the pattern back a bit and not overwhelm my project and allow me to incorporate some additional colors.....

i used my spray ink and acrylic paints- i love the look over the gesso with the texture it provides. you can just see my bird's tail there....

at the end- i was welcoming the special charm that this project had brought to me....stop back for a full view on the 15th.

here....

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grateful news

recently i received news that another of my paintings will be published! i had submitted the painting for consideration this past fall and patiently waited to hear....those magic words- "you have been selected." the book is Incite 2 Color Passions: The Best of Mixed Media! 

the link to see the full list of selected artists can be found here. 

when i opened their page and read the paragraph with the published names- the words that are used are so humbling to me- "these artists represent the best mixed media work currently being created." 

i painted this a short time ago, but, it remains one of my favorites and i have kept this particular painting in my private collection- "Three Sisters".....

 

this time being published is a little unique because my mom had also submitted a painting for consideration, unbeknownst to me, and she received good news as well, so we will be published in the same book together! how cool is that?

2014 off to a good start

january has started with a flurry of activities....and i have been thinking about what 2014 is going to bring.

and, i took a moment this morning, and i have read some of my favorite blogs this morning, 2014 i hope for me, will be about: 

• finding my word of focus, like Roben-Marie
• creating for me and only me.....like Kasia
• finding time to create daily, like Rae

i did find time yesterday to create and this is my hope for 2014....

new year, new painting

i have been working on this painting for a while....and this first pic shows a sneak peek along the way. i even really loved the colors that were emerging from this painting....but, love does not always mean that you are done with a painting...

somewhere along the way i took a left turn and managed to take down the some of the layers of paint to get to my finished painting. i now truly love the emerging layers, the worn and weathered feel of this painting.

 

here is the lower portion of the painting....you can just make out that colorful edge and what is left of it.

the documented life project- 1/1

january 1, 2014 found me in the studio with a deep breath of relief.....the holidays had been busy and i had not found much studio time. i knew that i there were several projects starting in january and i would have to find some time....you can see my "to do" list here in my planner starting with the Documented Life Project. 

the card i wrote on is one of Roben-Marie's Art Pops cards- they work great for quick journaling as several cards have the blank middle for either a pic or a note....

 the first challenge of this project was to incorporate your "front door." if you check here you can see what the organizers of this wonderful project did for their front doors.....and below is my front door into my creative journal world. welcome.....come along.