An Art Journal

This is my story of An Art Journal.

Of how and why I started making one.

I love seeing the art journals of artists.  And I always wanted to make one.  BUT first, I never considered myself an artist.  Second, I kept thinking why would I want one?  What would I do with it?  Just leave it on a shelf with no purpose?  No, art journals are not for me.  And that’s how I’ve left it for many years.

However, now that I’ve been being brave and trying different products, supplies and techniques that have always frightened me, I found myself rethinking the art journal thing.  I could use it as a way to first “test” my ability with these foreign products and supplies.  AND a way to finish up using leftover paint because I squeezed out more than I actually needed.  (Hate just tossing it out!)

I bought this book.  8.5” length X 6” width.

I bravely began testing.  Knowing I could always rip out the page and make it disappear within seconds.

I always hate it when those tests come out looking better than the real piece.  (Not necessarily in this case that you see here).  This truly was a testing ground.   

Then after I was finished testing, I have kind of challenged myself to create an art journal page with what ended up on that test page.  I did struggle towards the end of this page to make it into a keeper rather than rip the page out and tear it up.

This kind of art stuff (anything that has to do with painting) does NOT come easily to me.  I really have to work at it and in the end I either get lucky or I rip it up for the trash bin.

And I mean it about getting lucky.  Nothing with paper ever turns out how it looks in my mind.  In my mind I’m a wonderful artist.  Everything turns out just as I imagine it will.  LOL. In real life, if it’s a keeper, I got lucky.  (Sheila, is that what you mean by the supplies did all the work?) (Renee, Gesso and I are still not friends.  But I’m determined to figure out how to become friends!)

But now I’ve gone back to thinking, what do I do with it?  I feel like art needs to be seen or shared.  Closing the book and leaving it on a shelf just doesn’t work for me.

I’ve come to the conclusion that at some point when I’m ready to let go of a page, I can cut it into a postcard or greeting card and send it out into the world of mail art.  Now it has a purpose!  Now I can sit it on a shelf knowing I can chop it up whenever I want to.  See how I worked that out for myself?  LOL 

That’s my Art Journal story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Experiment Mail Art

Yes, I’m still experimenting with inks and acrylic paints and now modeling paste.  Then rubber stamping on top of those mediums.  

Isn’t that an awesome postage stamp from Finland?!  I love it and it needed to be in a piece of mail art.  

There is a new supply of skinny Washi Tapes in my supplies.

Beacause I didn’t already have enough?

Washi Tape is a weakness for me!  A very happy weakness. *snicker*

Birthday Mail Art

Another very special birthday has come around that fast moving calendar.  For this mixed media card I dug into my selvage and trim stashes.  Did a bit of sewing them onto scrapbook paper.  Then added a Tim Holtz paper doll and typed and stamped the sentiment.

Then an artsy envelope was required.  I have not altered an envelope in quite some time.  So that was fun.

I especially have not altered an envelope back in an even longer time.  I’m fairly certain I went back later to add an edge to the “Letter” letters so that they stood out better.  But failed to update with a photo.  Not important, don’t sweat the small stuff...right?

Since I indicated on the envelope outside that there was a letter inside (not just a card), I did actually write a letter.  That also felt wonderful to do.  It was a nonsense letter as we email often.  That doesn’t leave a lot to say in a letter.  One must be a bit creative when writing a nonsense letter.  I’ll be working more on that idea.

A very Happy Birthday wish to you Sheila!

Hearts Mail Art

I love heart art any time of the year.  But February is the best.  This card has a full boat of mixed media and was inspired by Pinterest (as usual).

It has Color Burst, watercolors, acrylic paint, Washi tapes, stitching, embossing, rubber stamping and stenciling.  Posca Pen and Zig Writer for my fake splatters.

The inside needs to be fun too.  I wasn’t real thrilled with how that sentiment worked with the specialty embossing powder, so I jazzed it up with more Washi Tapes.  Finally I have new uses for Washi Tapes.  They collect so fast.  

I made this postcard at the same time with the same techniques and supplies.

A successful experiment for me.

And then there came this postcard.

Again, many of the same techniques with the addition of texture paste and shading with a graphite pencil.  

This paper art stuff is hard.  It does not come naturally or easy to me.  Many of these techniques are out of my comfort zone.  I’m trying to be more brave these days.  Some experiments are filling the trash bin.  So when I have a success, I celebrate with a very happy party feeling inside me.

Happy Valentines Day!

Play Time!

Finally some time to play!  This is about how much sewing I feel like doing.  And that’s only because Antoinette likes it when I sew for her.  It’s been a while since I baked a fabric birthday cake.

This mixed media cake has fabric, thread, a bead string, rubber stamped candles, gem stones and Washi tapes, all on card stock.

From there I went to Pinterest for some inspiration to play some more.  I was inspired enough to try new techniques and supplies that have always seemed scary to me.  

I love the Tim Holtz paper dolls, but now I have them I don’t know what to do with them.  That baby is an odd shape.  I thought I was being pretty clever putting her on the man’s shoulders.

This is all watercolors and the dreaded Gesso.  I’ve set my mind to get along with Gesso.  We have not been friends.  I used texture paste over an alphabet stencil.  I tinted the texture paste too dark.  Painted over it with Gesso.  Then it was too light!  So, more watercolor then some shading, added lines behind the family with rubber stamping and finally some “fake” splatters in white and black.  

This was all experiement and not comepletely unfortunate.  So out into the world of mail art it went.

That was encouraging, so off I go to try more!

January 2018 Calendar Journal

January 2018 is now history.  I mentioned that I wish I hadn’t done a little extra embellishing.  That would be the circles.  Well, that wish is history too.

It was a much more fun month with not having to work quite so much.

My dragonfly got lost in the writing, just as I knew he would.  All learning lessons.

Moving on to February with no regrets.  Every month is a new opportunity to begin again.

Definitely another learning experience here.  But fun too.

Happy February!

Hearts Runner and Potholders

I have not been sewing much lately.  This is a table runner and potholders I made a lot of years ago.
Before my days of blogging.

I dug these out of their long sleep in storage.  After all, it’s the month of hearts now.

Things that have been in storage a long time are like new again.