art journal

Just finished another art journal page tonight with the class using Farm House Papers.   They are from their new line 302 and I thought that I would share.  I can't remember the name of the papers individually but it was fun cutting, tearing and pasting them on a black gesso page...I know!  Another black gesso page.  Well, I think I am getting over the fear of using black gesso!

 I need to figure out how to gesso between the binder rings without getting it oozed down on the pages before and after.   After priming the page with the black gesso I used a punch and punched out the circles so I could use them as a stencil on this layout.  I then used coarse grit modeling paste and made the polka dots on the page.  Love the different cards, bookmarks, bits and pieces of memorabilia this line has!   Chipboard bits finished it up and I think I like it.  Farm House is an Oklahoma owned company out of Tahlequah, Oklahoma and they create awesome vintage papers.  Don't you just love the blue telephone...princess phone I believe they were called.  In my first apartment I had a phone just like that! 

I think I have something going here...

After I had a chance to get used to the French Country Market journal pages I decided I liked it and I thought I would try to do it again but a little different this time.  Here's what happened!

Steampunk Spells Graphic 45

Viola!!  Black gesso, Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells, and a few stencils gave me an evening of a lot of fun.  I have decided I really do like fussy cutting and collages and it gives me a feeling of accomplishment to turn out something like this.  I have also decided I am going to offer the two journal layouts in classes for my students at the shop because they are fairly easy peasy and maybe it will interest them in journaling!

How was it made?  Black gesso went on first then using some stencils I used white paint and had fun with various stencils.  I let the background dry and then did some therapeutic tearing of some of the larger pieces and glued them down with Glue and Seal (maybe use Mod Podge? certainly a lot cheaper).  Next I fussy cut all the other bits and glued them down.  I added a few embellishments and couldn't find anything else I wanted to add.

I think this will make a great class in September or October for Halloween!  What do you think?

What do you get when...

What do you get when you use black gesso in your art journal?  Well.....I realized I didn't know what I was up to after I painted the page with gesso so I decided I would try this....

I first used a stencil and white paint and made a white on black cursive writing that you  can see behind the various bits.  Unfortunately after the cat jumped up and walked across it parts were smeared so I had to come up with something to cover the most smeared parts!  Yes they are going to have to learn new habits if they are going to be allowed in the room while I am crafting.   
Next I used coarse modeling paste and mixed brown paint in and used a harlequin stencil and made the stencil pattern on the top of the pages.  I decided I needed something other and darker then the harlequin on the bottom so I did the bricks on the lower right I took a break and when I came back I didn't like the black and brick but it was already dry and decided to try something different on the left.  I frosted a layer of the modeling paste on the page let it dry a minute then laid the stencil over the top and put a layer of the lighter modeling paste on top...I like that better!  I don't know how you do it but I always work right page first then move on to the left and it sometimes looks like there is a gigantic learning curve going on between the two!  After all was dry I did some fussy cutting of a couple sheets of Graphic 45 French Country Market paper and glued them down with Glue and Seal (suppose you could use Mod Podge) then added a few embellies and called it done.

I haven't been feeling well or in a really creative mood of late so haven't been doing a lot of anything but I have decided I am going to do something artsy fartsy every day and this is my lot for today.  Hope you like it!

TGIF!

I am finally starting to feel better but tend to tire really easily!  I taught a class at Scrap that on Thursday making recipe cards for our recipe book and it was all I could do to go to dinner afterwards!  My daughter and friend was actually concerned I was too tired to drive myself home.  I got home and immediately took a nap on the sofa!

The recipe cards turned out really well...unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of them...I will rectify that tomorrow! 

Tonight I went back to the store and had a fun time cropping with some friends.  I worked on the art journal pages for a class on the 28 March.

This class we will be learning some more about using a texture paste and stencil to get and interesting look, more on fussy cutting, collage and stamping.  I had fun making it and I hope my students will too...  None of us had any journaling...or much journaling before we started a couple months ago and we are all learning a lot. 

I am trying to teach basic techniques before going into some more difficult stuff and would appreciate any input regarding what you do and what would be fun to learn!  Any ideas?

Life is a game

I made these art journal pages for a class with Lifebook 2013 and then turned around and taught a class using the same idea.  Life is a game...enjoy the journey!

 

This was a lot of fun to create but I have issues with the way the paper is 'puffing up!'

This is a multimedia paper book but  I think the paper is too thin for what I want to do with it but I am too cheap to throw it out...besides the folks in my class have already bought a similar book to use.  I tried inking and making the pages then gluing them in the book that's this example...  Before that I had inked and made the pages then glued the next blank page to the back so they are doubled up...this example.

 I like the full page coverage of the ink and it seems to be less wrinkled so I think I will go back to this way of doing it.  Any suggestions, tips?

Art Journal Class

UPDATE:  For some reason this post didn't post and I don't know why!  I have two that were just sitting here in limbo waiting for me to come find them.  


My art journal class starts this next Thursday, 1/24,  and will be running on a monthly basis starting next month.  The class will be on the 4th Thursday of each month unless it is a holiday or some other life issue intervenes and then the change will be announced ahead of time.  The initial class is $30 (because everyone needs a journal to create their art in) then it will be $20 a month there after.  Art journaling can be a lot of fun and a healthy catharsis.  YOU don't have to be an artist (I'm not!) to do my class and all you have to have is the journal and a healthy desire to create something!  We will provide the know how and the products you will need to do the class. 

Here are the pages for the first class this coming up Thursday!  This is a page I created earlier this year and thought it would work for this class because I will be teaching how to use spray inks, both mixed yourself, Ranger, and Dylusions sprays.  Everyone needs to know how to use stamps, how to dry emboss, deboss, use embossing powders etc and we will cover that in this first class. 

I decided to start my art journaling using spray inks and stamps cause I don't think I can draw worth a hoot but as I journey on I am being nicer to myself and seeing that maybe I have possibilites. 

 I used Dylusions sprays to get the vibrant colors  on these pages and then went back and sprayed, inked and did whatever to create multiple layers of color ending the layering with a lot of stamping with Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous stamps.  The embellishments were from ideology and stuff out of my stash!