Art Journaling

I have three art journal pages to show you today.  I've been working off and on with these for weeks!!

The first one (on the left) is part of the Wanderlust 2017 year-long course at Everything Art. This particular page is a Courage to Continue lesson from Dyan Reavely.  I've used her Dylusions ink sprays, acrylic paints and paint markers and one of her stencils.She used a Winston Churchill quote.

The second one (on the right) is also part of her lesson, but I used a Stencil Girl stencil and found my own quote (by Fred Astaire) to fit the dance theme.  This page I'm sharing with Art Journal Journey where the August theme is Poetry in Motion (use a quote).  

This third page was prompted by Marjie Kemper's FaceBook group, Mixed Media Art Book Group. The group offers a three month commitment, each month using a different art book.  We are reading Dina Wakley's Art Journal Freedom for the month of August.  

This is my first page to post there. I've read the entire book and came up with this composition as a direct result of working with product while making my pages for the Courage to Continue lesson.

I had to "mop up" ink spray and wipe off acrylic paint--which I did onto third and fourth pages. I realized I had the perfect background for "white space" and continued to develop the page. 

I used the following challenges and techniques from Dina's book:  
Symmetry--a center weighted composition ( I had lots of left-over pink paint)
White space; Dominance; Color schemes; Stamping on tissue paper (Paper Artsy stamp for Wanderlust).

Sentiment: Rubber Dance Stamps--I'm sarcastic-what's your super power?

Soft Drink Digital Composition

A 100% digital creation:

I was prompted by Digital Whisper Dreamer  July 30: Your Favorite Soft drink where I will share it.

I'll also share it on FaceBook at

#Half An Hour of Art

I used the following digital elements:

Gecko Galz:  Cola Wars collage sheet, Wild Roses paper pack, Secret Garden banner

Imagine That!: Tweet on You pink element and washi tape

I'm entering it in the following challenges:

Digitally Made:  July Challenge #3 Summer Fun or Patriotic Due August 6

Gecko Galz FaceBook Papercrafting Group: August Challenge:  Picnic or BBQs

OUTLAWZ Twisted Thursdays Anything Goes due today August 2

First Card for Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

It's time for the summer Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop.  I've visited most the the sponsor sites and snagged some of their generous freebies.  I'm short on time so these digis were perfect for cards I need to make quickly.

Here's the first one--a pre-colored Coffee and Sunshine digi from super sponsor Kadoodle Bug Designs.  I added background paper from Imagine That! digistamp and typed some text before printing it out.  After placing my digi composition on card stock, I added some Stampin' Up die butterflies. I got this card just in time for the retirement party.

Entering:

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop:  I'm #211

OUTLAWZ June #135 and Monday Greetings Challenge--Summer Relaxation and Twisted Thursdays--Fun in the Sun

Mini Accordian Art Journal

Gill has chosen Elegance and Grunge for our May Art Journal Journey. (#10)

I decided to complete an accordian journal.  Each page of the accordian fold is 4.5x4.5 inches.  Please click on the photo to see it enlarged.

I made the covers last year as part of the Wanderlust on-line class but never did anything with the inside.  

This year's Wanderlust on-line class just had a lesson from Kasia which encouraged us to "think small" and create small pages as part of a mini journal. She inspired me to finaly create pages for my journal--which included gluing them onto the inside of the covers.  I painted the blank pages with liquid watercolors and then added lots of items from my stash. My theme was artful, to go with the stenciled word on my cover.

As I continue to struggle with my art style, I need to remember to be present not perfect. I completed these journal pages in total abandon of any preconceived notions of style, technique, or rules. I trusted my inner artist. This is an authentic expression of me.  

Materials
long stamp on left from a workshop I took years ago--repurposed
girl on bike digi  from Sharon Dewi Stolpe at Pixel Scrappers
Tall Town digis from Vera Lane Studio
Artisan One collage sheet from Red Lead Paperworks
cloth ribbon and balloon from Websters Pages
butterfly from Prima Garden Fable
Christy Tomlinson She Art Paper Dolls Bits and Pieces from Pink Paislee--girl on right actually from the packaging
Artist's Loft Liquid Watercolors- blue and green (and black for shading)
Wherever you go, go with all your heart STAMPlorations Shery Russ Designs Born to Roam clear stamp set
See the artist within rubber stamp from Red Lead Paperworks

Entering:

Love to Create Challenge #9:  Anything Creative Mixed Media Goes #18x

Path of Positivity Challenge #49 Present Not Perfect #2

Mixed Media World Challenge #24:  Anything Goes with a Twist: Use Watercolors #48 closes May 12 x

A Inky Mess Challenge #10 Anything Goes #8 winner!

Digital Layout

Regretfully, I completed my design team term at the end of April for Imagine That! digistamp.  I love Kris' digi files and will continue to use them. To prove that point, here I am already using her brand new May releases, Girls Night In, Slumber Party, and Bedtime Monique.  I made a digital two page scrapbook spread, adding in papers and trims from other Imagine That! files in my stash.  I'm really only saying good-bye to the DT requirements. It's been a great ten months, 3 as GDT, 7 as DT.

Entering this here:

Digitally Made:  Challenge #1 Anything Goes I'm #3