documented life...

As I follow Documented Life Project 2016 (DLP 2016), I have tweaked my planner according to my own "system." I thought I would share my "decorated" April and May calendars (the backs of the calendars are what I art journal on.)

Above is my April page...I have been playing around with cutting words from scrapbook paper or paper that I decorated/painted myself...too much fun!

And this is my May page...the center circle contains a blind contour drawing of the perfume that I got for Mother's Day.   I just L-O-V-E doing blind contours...I have absolutely NO expectations with them (after all, how "good"  :) could they turn out when you can't even look at your paper?!?!?)...plus they almost always have a fun, wonky look to them.  I did this with my Stabilo ALL pencil and then activated and sealed it with matte medium.  This is a great warm-up exercise...try it!  :)

Adding art journaling to my planner keeps this art and journaling practice in front of me daily...and it is so much fun to USE my planner when it is decorated and so much a part of me!

Now on to June!!!

happy new year!

I just love the new year...the possibilities and promise of a new, blank calendar hold so much hope...
One morning as I was waiting for my french press to finish steeping...setting out my cup...with great anticipation, I might add...  :)  I realized my cup shared the year (kinda)...twenty-sixteen...16 ounces...I love little connections like this...so I snapped this pic (like you do...wink)...

Then one thing led to another and I was inspired to do this...

In case you can't tell...wink...this is a blind contour drawing of my cup...(blind as in NOT looking at the paper while you draw...I ONLY looked at the object, in this case the cup)...what I like about doing this drawing exercise is that there is absolutely NO PRESSURE...afterall, how good can it be if you aren't even looking? Right!!! :)  PLUS, I feel like these little sketches have a wonky charm all their own...embrace your inner wonky!  :)  Oh, and I DID look when I did the star and lettering...just so you know.

Then following the prompt from DLP (Documented Life Project 2016), I created an ATC
(or PAC-Pocket Art Card)...

A little pen play...watercolor with my Tombow Dual-tip markers and water brush...a touch of foil and very quickly this little project came together...super fun!!!

I do hope that you make time nurture your creative self this year...

Happy New Year!!!

the gaze of the soul

Another art journal page prompted by the Documented Life Project. (The challenge was to include fabric on this page.)  Here is how it came together...

The yellow circle is a piece of fabric that I adhered to the page with gel medium.  This photo is a favorite of my sister and I...part of my story...and I am currently reading a book by A.W.Tozer and that is what I journaled...I love to include on my journal pages notes from my reading that are significant to me...it is all part of the processing.  And it seemed to suit the photo.
Hope you are adding a little art to your summer days!  :)

borders

When was the last time you got out your crayons and just played?
I decided that I wanted to do a watercolor wash over crayon...I just love the resist effect.

Love!!!

Then, inspired by the Documented Life Project prompt of "Borders," I cut strips of clip art from Teesha Moore and bordered the page. (It was at The Original Rubber Stamp Convention in Carson, CA many years ago that I heard Tracy and Teesha Moore speak about art journaling, and so began my art journaling journey.) Next I cut my memorial stones and "stacked them in the center...added some pen work and journaling ...done...(at least for now. I'm trying to decide if I want to add a bird sitting on the top stone...)

Simple! Basic supplies and a simple lay-out and you are set! (And when you open that box of crayons...it HAS to be Crayola...take a deep whiff...it will take you back to your most creative years...kindergarten...truly!  I just love how they smell!)
Have fun!!!

mark making

The theme for March for Documented Life Project was mark making...this is where I started...

I "sat" with this for a while...wasn't inspired to add any more "marks" soooo...

...my default is usually dictionary page pieces...  :)

A little acrylic paint-colors of spring-swiped on with an old credit card...this is where I am...I'm liking it this way, although I know that I will add to it...what would you add to this page?

five

Documented Life Project prompt from a few weeks ago was "five layers"...this is my interpretation on my art journal page...
The collage element was "one" layer :) which we created in my Creekside Studio Sew Fun Art Journaling class last week (stitching-both with a sewing machine and by hand-is super fun!  Try it!)

First, distress inks were applied directly to the paper, and also sponged through a hand-cut stencil.  Second, I spritzed black marker ink through the Tim Holtz spritzer.  Third, the journaling came next, in the "white" space created by the stencil...prompted by the word 'thrive' on the dictionary page and by Frida, my focal image...along with the doodling.  Fourth, I glued down my collage layer.  Finally, five!, I added a little acrylic paint grid for texture.  Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy!  :)

friends

hey friends!  :)

Hope you are having a colorful week-end!

beneath the surface

A little collage happening for the Documented Life Project...

 

 

The prompt for week 5 was "beneath the surface," using the "under-paper" (the paper that you work on top of to protect your desk)...I just love using layers and layers of "stuff"...spray inks, dictionary pages, paint, stencils, scrapbooking paper, stamped tissue...and as I "throw" these pieces together, I think about the layers of our selves, of our lives...how they can be messy (or not), but they work together to make us who we are...that's it...that's just a bit of the "processing" that goes on while I'm "playing" on my pages...nothing heavy...just interesting...

color and shapes

This art journal page is my interpretation of the Documented Life Poject's prompt (week 3):  the color wheel...and the Georgia O'Keefe quote...

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way."