Stars and Stripes

Still perfecting this whole journaling concept.  Here is this month's Wanderlust 2016 challenge to use the colors in my flag and incorporate watercolors.  With Fourth of July just around the corner, I came up with this concept.

I also used one of the Wanderlust journaling prompts to "Write a lot, write fast, write everything. Fill your page with writing." 

My journal pages have been mini scrapbook pages or scenes.  I feel this page is probably my first true journal page where I just let the art flow out of me.

Materials:
white gesso
Artist's Loft liquid watercolors
Wendy Vecchi embossing paste
Finnabair white crackle texture paste
Viva Decor Mother of Pearl modellier creme
Tim Holtz rays stencil
star stencil
Fabel Castell PITT black artist pen
Uni-ball Signo white pen

I mixed red liquid watercolor with embossing paste for the "stripes", using the rays stencil.

Here is a close up of the shine on the stripes and the stars.

Entering this in:

Wanderlust 2016 June challenge

Love to Create Challenge 13: Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes

Vintage Journey: June Texture or Embossing Pastes


ARTplorations:  June Mixed Media Challenge: anything but a card and must use a stencil

Strawberry Moon

This week we had a rare treat.   The Summer Solstice 2016,  which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, coincided with June's full moon, called the Strawberry Moon.  This will not happen again until 2062.

This is my artistic interpretation of this event.

I went back to one of the earlier Wanderlust classes to watch application of liquid watercolors.  Now that I own the basic colors from the Artist's Loft, I thought I'd play with watercolor effects.  I used Canson 90 lb. watercolor paper and had available both a brush with water cup and a spray bottle of water.

During the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, I fell in love with this fairy tea cup stamp and was thrilled to be able to purchase it from blog hop super sponsor, So Suzy Stamps. I used Archival Jet Black Ink and stamped on top of the watercolor.

I'm entering this make at:

Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop HERE.  This is my third entry and it's #547.

Addicted to Stamps Challenge: Anything Summer #39 winner announced July 10 x
All Sorts Challenge  # 368 How Does Your Garden Grow #98 x

Make My Monday: Fairies #5 winner of Top 3

The Mixed Media Card Challenge #24 (only 7 challenges to enter in total) Sunset  because on this day both the moon and sun were in the sky at the same time--hence my yellow and red color combo
#10 x


Try It on Tuesday: I Believe I Can Fly #9 x

Curtain Call: Tasty Tropics #26 x

Summer Sunshine

On this first day of summer, I'm posting my second entry for the Coffee Lovers Summer Blog Hop.

This time I'm using the freebie digi Coffee Friends from Craftin Desert Divas. It was pre-colored which makes life so simple.  I added a beautiful background paper called Nantucket Summer from the Gecko Galz By the Shore digital paper pack.  The "blanket" is a digital freebie from Papercraft Inspirations called kitchen plaid.   I added my own text using PSE Comic Sans MS font.  Some shadowing and highlighting completed my totally digital composition.

Entering this composition HERE:

Summer 2016 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop  I'm #374 with this entry.

Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenges FaceBook Group: June:  Here Comes the Sun

Brentwood at the Beach

Today is the first day of the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. If you've followed me than you know I always participate in each season's blog hop.

(Note:This summer hop runs June 17 – June 24 so you will be seeing more than one post from me)  

This first entry is totally digital.  Brentwood at the Beach.

The freebie image of Brentwood was given out to blog participants by creator Jessica Lynn.  You can see her digital Originals HERE.

I combined shoreline paper and plaid digital paper, both from Gecko Galz, to create a beach scene of Brentwood sitting on a blanket enjoying his morning coffee.  Then I added the banner created by Janet Scott which is available at Pixel Scrappers.  I typed "seaside" on the banner.  All coloring and shadowing is done digitally using my PhotoShop Elements software.

Posting this digital creation at these sites:

 HERE for the Coffee Lovers hop entries. I'm #116

HERE for Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenge FaceBook Group:  June: Make It Plaid WINNER!!!

Mexico Digital Art Journal Page

Those of us who joined in Susan's Amazing Art Journal Race are continuing monthly destinations in the Monthly Art Journal FaceBook group. (I just realized I never posted my Amazing Race Art journal so I'll do that soon.)

My original journal with 5 stops is a paperbag book so I had to buy another journal for the coming year's worth of travels.  I settled on a Canson Mix Media 5.5 x 8.5" spiral bound journal.

Our first month's destination is Mexico.  To get my muse going, I did a totally digital page which I'll glue into the book.

Wikipedia provided me with a traditional mariachi and ranchera song written by Chucho Monge. The English translation of the lyrics:
Lovely beloved Mexico
If I die far from  you
May they say that I'm asleep
and may they bring me back here.

Digital credits from on-line sites:
Stripe background created by Merisa Lerin and found at Pixel Scrapper
Fiesta Fun trim at the top by Lindsay's Stuff found at My Grafico
Mexican doll found at the Graphics Fairy

Using PSE software, I made the trim 3-D, added shadowing behind the doll, and cut and pasted the text.

Julie Nutting Dolls Are Everywhere

I've loved paper dolls since the age of 7 when I'd cut out the one in the Sunday comic strips, color her outfits, and play..... As an adult, I've fallen in love with the Julie Nutting dolls that she creates for Prima.

I just joined 2 FaceBook groups that share these doll creations. I'm posting this to the FaceBook group Julie Nutting Paper Dolls and Other Fun Stuff here.

I also have my doll creations, along with a whole lot of inspiration from others, on my Pinterest Board here

Julie has started a challenge, (link to her blog post) Dolls Are Everywhere.

Here is my post.  My doll is in the Land of Lincoln (Illinois), posing like the Abe statue.  (FYI, the sculptor says Lincoln just got out of the stagecoach and is stretching his back.)

VLS Swap Received

From the Are Your a Cat or a Dog Person swap sponsored by the Vera Lane Studio Digi Stamps FaceBook group, using Vera Lane Studio digi images:

I ended up swapping one on one with Barb Poole.  Here is my measly ATC which I sent her way:

This is what she sent me in return--a plethora of art:

Feeling rather sheepish--although that is neither cat nor dog--that I kept mine to just one. I guess we know who got the better end of that swap!   Her art is amazing.  The eyes and dog noses are glossy--plus other great dimension.  So fun.  Delightful compositions!  And very treasured!

If you'd like to see more of Barb's amazing art, please visit her blog My Stamping Addiction HERE.

Alice ATCs from Swap Received

It's been a happy mail week here.  This is just one of three parcels that arrived.

ATCs arrived from the All Things Alice ATC swap.  This was hosted by Marion at her blog HERE.

The three I made and sent to her:

The three I got from her in return:

A big shout out of thanks to  (from left to right) Alice from yellowhousestudio.blogspot.com, Sabine from stempeltanz.blogspot.com, and Nanette from deepintothedarknesspeering.blogspot.com, and to our host Marion from bockel24.blogspot.com/ .   Each ATC  has wonderful details.  I have thanked each of them on their blogs.

I have an affinity for all things Alice, and will keep these little treasures in my Alice collection.

If you'd like to see all the ATCs made for this swap and are on Pinterest, here is a link to the swap board: 2016 Swap

Coffee Coaster

This is a 4x4" coaster for my coffee/wine projects.  I keep collecting items for a junque album.

This is another totally digital composition.  I loved putting this together.  The quote is soooo me--except for the quad shot part.  But I certainly drink my share of coffee each day!  It took me awhile to make up the quote as I usually just nod my head when the barrista asks me questions when I order.

Digital elements:
Gecko Galz Kitchen Sink for couple and coffee pot
Gecko Galz Oh Cupid paper pack for background
PSE for floor
Pixel Scrapper freebie from Janet Scott for cloud -- I added my own text
Pixel Scrapper freebie from Brooke Gazarek for the cup
Crafty Secrets for "coffee-zilla" work

Entering these challenges:

Gecko Galz Papercrafters FaceBook Page: April 2016 challenge 4x4 WINNER!!!!

The Color Throwdown Challenge #387 closes in 5 days I'm #4 oops! no digi


Try It On Tuesday Challenge: Add a Quote closes in 5 days X

Spring Baseball Fever

Happy April!  This is my birthday month so I've changed my blog background and header to the birthday theme from Vintage Made For You.

At Imagine That! the new challenge is Spring.  The FaceBook challenge is Anything Goes using Imagine That! images.

In addition to spring signifying my birthday, Easter (I was born on an Easter Sunday), and blooming flowers, it means BASEBALL!!!!  I was just bemoaning the fact that my son's baseball days were behind him. Today was opening season for professional baseball.  However, it was not a good start for my team.

I made this 4x4 journal card for my grandkids' daily flash album.  I used Kris' Baseball set. This is totally digital. I placed a 2nd baseball on top of the collage and rotated it in order to add the sentiment.  Then I decided to rearrange the placement of everything and put the sentiment on the bat.

Check out my new watermark, complements of Kris.

Entering this digital composition here:

Imagine That! Playground:  Challenge 3 Spring until May 6



Imagine That! FBC2 Anything Goes until April 30