catch up

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I last posted...and I suppose that this upcoming month will be even crazier with the holidays...sigh...oh well...it is what it is...and I DO so love the holidays!!!  :)

I just thought I would catch up with just a few of the things I have been working on, playing with lately...in/for/around teaching classes...all very fun...

Finished up Ink-tober....

Lettering as background...

Oh...and then a little of this...not "play on the page" but fun anyway...and just look at colors...yum!!!

 And now this...

So much to be thankful for!

Blessings!

a fun opportunity

I have mentioned before that I teach a variety of art classes (to anyone who will sit still long enough to listen). ;)  Seriously, I just love it. And last week I had a wonderful opportunity to teach a mixed media lesson to an awesome group of young adults at Phoenix High School in Lincoln.  Here they are with their mixed media pieces (that will be used later as part of a different project).

Our project was creating a "master board," following step by step instructions with an emphasis on incorporating "found objects" (credit cards, paper towel tubes, sequin waste, dictionary pages, etc) as art tools...I am always super inspired by my students work when I teach because it is so fun to the same supplies, the same instructions "interpreted" so differently from individual to individual.  And young people create so freely...I think that they aren't worried about what is right or wrong or what people think...they just jump in and PLAY...did I say I LOVE it!?!  I am so thankful for this opportunity!

Follow their example and play at something creative today!  :)

cheer up!

In the class I taught today we looked at the art of Teesha Moore, the amazing artist who introduced me to art journaling over 20 years ago.  We talked about what we observed in her style and these are the notes that I made, highlighting the things I want to remember...

It is not a great photo but you get the idea...I used a craft tag...created little journal boxes for the different points that I wanted to note...used a variety of "fonts" to letter in my notes.  (I used my trusty Sharpie Pen for this.) Then I added a bit of embellishments with my Prismacolor colored pencils. Finally,  I added little pops of color with the Sakura Gelly Roll gel pens in fun neons.

Then this is one of the pages that I created Teesha-style...
(watercolored background...plain and simple since I knew I would be adding lots more to this page...)

Then came the collaged borders...and the girl (I couldn't resist her cranky little face!)...and her autumn dress...doodling...shading...and journaling...

So, so much fun!!!  It is so good to look at other artists and their work...really study them...find out what resonates with you, and then experiment, play, and learn new things!

Thank you Teesha Moore...for sharing your authentic style and for so much inspiration.

joys of teaching

I have shared before how much I love teaching...sharing this art journaling adventure...art plus journaling...woohoo!  The new class schedule for Sierra College Community for fall just came out and look what I found...

What a fun surprise...what a blessing!

Thank you to everyone who takes classes with me...love, love, love!

summer bucket list

August!?!  Already?  Can you believe that summer is winding down already?  Didn't it just start?

One of the things that we have done in a couple of my art journaling classes is create an art journal  page documenting...declaring? our summer bucket lists...you know, those things that sing of summer to you...the things that would make your heart happy to do this summer...

Here is what my page looks like...

I share this with you to encourage you to enjoy these summer days and do something "summer-y" that makes your heart happy.  :)

Enjoy!

time flies!

Whew!  The days certainly fly by quickly!  I can't believe it has been so long since my last post...it has been very busy these past weeks...I have been blessed with lots of fun teaching opportunities, meeting so many new creative friends, playing on the pages of our journals together...Here is a peek at a page or two...

The above two pages are still in process since I will still add my journaling, and maybe a little "pen work"... always lots of mixed media fun!

Hope you can add a bit of creativity to these last days of spring...as we move into summer.!!!

class fun

One of the things that I L-O-V-E to do is to share art journaling with others.  I have been very blessed to do this by teaching classes.  This past week-end I taught two classes at Quiet Oaks Ministries in Oakdale,CA. This was part one of a series of four that will take place each quarter this year.  We learned the basics of creating an "altered book."  The "girls" did an amazing job...I love teaching techniques and then seeing how differently everyone's pages look...so much fun.  Here are a few pictures of the event...

Set up and ready to go...

Play time...

It is fun to journal at home, but there is so much value in a class environment..."playing" together at art and on the pages of your art journal is an enriching experience...so very "good for you!" :)

Try it!