Home again!

We returned from Albuquerque this morning. We drove up to Angel Fire for the weekend with Dana and John for a 24-hour relay race they had entered.  They camped out in the runners' area but we stayed in the resort hotel and kept the kiddos. It was wonderful to get out of the Texas heat for a few days and the mountains are always beautiful. Of course, we never miss any opportunity to see the littles!

Grams with her hands full now they're getting bigger

Grant always looks surprised

Drew loved playing in the mud

The runners (plus Drew and Grant)

Grant sat up by himself for first time

Bill always said he wouldn't be caught dead wearing one
 of these, but how could he resist that little guy!

Documented Life Project - Week 32

August Theme - Faces, The Human Form and Characters

August 15 - Week 32

Art Challenge: Characters

Journal Prompt: "If You're Going to be Weird, Be Confident About It"

Is it just me or are the challenges getting harder? Or maybe this is just not my comfort zone! This is what I ended up with for Week 32 and, yes, it's kinda weird.

For the background I used some under paper that I liked (this is the paper I keep on my table to catch all the drips and wipe-offs when I'm working on a project - often they turn out really cool!) I didn't do anything to the background other than washing it with a light coat of gesso. The paper did not cover the full spread so I painted the left side and glued on a border strip and labels for the days of the week. The numbers are Tim Holtz Alpha Parts.

underpaper

I decided to collage a crazy character using the body

I decided to collage a crazy character using the body of an owl (image from the Internet), adding eyes from a woman's face in a magazine ad and red glasses and pink Doc Martens from the web.  For the legs I stamped Dyan Reaveley's funky tendrils stamp (lower left below), cut two of them out and colored with permanent pens.

I drew the hat and painted the stripes and polka dots. The title is also a Dyan Reaveley stamp which I cut apart and glued in place.  This is not my favorite page, but he is a character!

I will be back in a few days after we travel to Albuquerque to see two of the grands.

September LBH Art Journaling Workshop

Here's the information for my September Art Journaling Work-
shop at the LBH. I hope many of you locals will join me!

September Art Journaling Workshop

“Creative Mediums and Studio Glaze” with Susan Tidwell 

September 2, 2015 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

$15.00

This month we will be focusing on and playing with some new artsy mediums 

from Imagine Crafts and Tsukineko. You will create a double spread in your journal 

using stencils, Distress stains and sprays, metallic and iridescent mediums, napkins and glaze.

Try products before you buy! I will explain their properties as well as fun techniques

and ways to use them on your projects. And, as a bonus, I will be demoing the new

Ken Oliver Color Bursts!

Please join us even if you are a “newbie” - there are no rules or “have tos” 

in this class - just lots of fun ARTSY PLAY!

Closeup

Supply List

art journal or mixed media paper
(you can find at LBH) 

heat tool and palette knife (if you have)

one or two small napkins with images you like (if you have - I will have 
some to share)

chipboard letters for a title

Call the LBH at 817-431-7930 or Come by the store and Sign Up for this 
upcoming Art Journaling Workshop 

MIA and Documented Life Planner Week 31

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I stopped by here! Yes, I've been busy!

I have spent the last month or so trying to catch up on my oldest two grand boys' scrapbooks. I was going to do their first year, but the project took on a life of its own and has morphed into documenting their first two-plus years!

We went to Austin to visit Carl and Mitchell for our birthdays (mine, my husband's and my oldest daughter's are within 4 days of each other in August) and that was my deadline so I could give the scrapbook to Carl then. I think at last count I scrapped about 70 pages for him! Needless to say, the one album is now two! I've also almost finished Drew's to take to him when we go to Albuquerque next weekend - his is almost as big!

Back to Documented Life - with August came a new theme: Faces, The Human Form and Characters. Yikes! I've never drawn a face or body except stick figures! I was terrified and procrastinated big time.

Aug. 1
Art Challenge: Expressive Faces
Journal Prompt: "What I See Clearly Now"

So this was my face. I followed Dina Wakley's drawing instructions in her new book Art Courage.  I now wish I had stopped with the drawing instead of moving on to painting it! I'm not that happy with it but it is my first attempt so, hopefully, I'll get better! For the journal prompt, I wrote around her head saying that I can clearly see that I need lots of practice!

Since I wanted to focus on the drawing, I did a minimal background using a few spray inks and stencils. I used the entire left page for the calendar information because I didn't want to spread the face over two pages.

I am still two weeks behind, not including the current week, so I'd better get moving! The next challenge is Characters so hopefully that will be easier.(?)

Art Journaling Workshop at The Little Blue House

Art Journaling Workshop

"Introduction and Using Photographs"

August 11, 2015

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

$15.00 (new reduced price)

(Page sample only - yours will be totally unique!)

The new school year is about to start so do something for yourself! Join me for a fun and informative art journaling session on Tuesday Aug. 11, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Don’t know anything about art journaling or where to begin? No worries! I will start with all the basics and teach you techniques and tricks that anyone can do. This will also be a good refresher for those of you who’ve done this before. We will create a journal spread from the very beginning using collage, gesso, paints, stenciling, spray ink, texture paste, stamps and more. I will also show you two fun ways to use photographs in your artwork.

Supplies to bring:

Art journal (or loose mixed media paper)

Usual basic supplies

Heat tool, if you have one

(2)  4x6” photographs - one colored photo of an object (this will be altered) or landscape and one headshot of yourself or a favorite person (this one will not be harmed)

Call The Little Blue House at 817-431-7930 or stop by for further information and to sign up.

Hope to see you then!

Documented Life - Week 30

July Theme - Ephemera

July 25 - Week 30

Art Challenge - Real Life

Journal Prompt - At This Moment

This week was the last week of the July theme ephemera.  The challenges were "real life" and "at this moment."  On Monday at The Little Blue House we had the product release of all the new Illustrated Faith/Bella Blvd. products. Of course, I bought lots of these to use in my Bible journaling, so I thought it was appropriate to use some of the packaging as my ephemera this week. And, because I am currently enjoying creating in my Bible, I thought that theme would work for the journal prompt.

This is how my page spread started out. I cut off parts of the washi tape packages as well as the information that was printed on the back of the package for the "messy mat." I glued these to the left side and then filled in with some VERY old floral stickers. It was fun to use those up!

Then I applied a light coat of gesso and some pink and yellow Distress Paints. It was too pastel at that point, so I sprayed Picked Raspberry and Spiced Marmalade Distress Spray Stains in places. I did not want to totally cover the page.

I stenciled the leaves with white paint and painted the scallops on the right side for the days of the week.

I printed out one of the freebie Illustrated Faith printable and added some of the new washi tapes in several places. I outlined areas with a china marker, added my "title" and am calling it done. Not my favorite page but I stuck to the challenge and I'm ready for the next week!