Documented Life Planner - Week 21

May Theme - Touchy Feely (Texture)

Week 21

Art Challenge: Cheesecloth

Journal Prompt: Say Cheese

 What do you think of when you say "Say Cheese" - photos of course! My little grandsons love to have their pictures taken and always say that. Now they are even starting to take selfies! I wanted to use a photo on my page this week, so when Kelly texted me this selfie of Carl on Monday I knew it was the one!

I tried to keep the page simple and light to keep the focus on his cute little face. I used some Dylusions spray inks, modeling paste, gesso and cheesecloth for the background. The large camera is a piece of fabric I had but the original was too large for the page, so I made a copy and reduced it. Because of the texture, I stamped the small cameras on tissue paper and glued them to the background rather than stamping them directly on the page. I had the two camera-related washi tapes in my stash and they were perfect for the calendar side.

I actually finished this spread early this week - it just came together very quickly. I love it - maybe because it highlights my sweet grandson?!

New Specialty Workshop - "Happy Houses"

Welcome to my neighborhood!

Join me in my “Happy Home” mixed media workshop where we will alter plain chunky wood pieces into these cute, whimsical houses. Mix up the various elements to make yours unique or match the samples. We will be using papers and goodies from the HAPPY HOME Front Porch Kit.Class will include three houses, but others will be available if you want to purchase the whole set. Sign up now for this fun class and let me help you build your own little neighborhood and learn some fun artsy techniques during the process!All supplies will be included - just bring your basics.

Tuesday, June 2nd
10am-1:30pm
6pm-9:30pm

Cost: 3 Houses for $40 or 5 Houses for $55

Here are some closer looks at all the artsy details...

Call or stop by the Little Blue House to reserve your spot for this fun Specialty Workshop. (817) 431-7930

Illustrated Faith - Bible Journaling

Here are several of my illustrated bible pages which I haven't had time to post. If you'd like to learn more about this new movement to combine worship and creativity, check out Shonna Noel's group, Illustrated Faith here. There are many resources and ideas on the website. There is also a Facebook you can join.  The Little Blue House also has occasional classes on Bible Journaling as well as a "Faith Friends" monthly meet-up and a Facebook group. You can learn more about these here.

Some of my early pages:

Psalm 46:1- God is our refuge and strength
Background of washi tape strips with stickers and handwriting

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Simple paper cutouts and stickers

Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope...
Traced quote from Stephanie Ackerman and added doodles;
colored with Wink of Stella and watercolors

1 Cor. 7:7 - Lead the life God has called you to
Distress ink and embossing folder rubbing; watercolors

Psalm 37:3-9 - Trust in the Lord and He will act
Gelatos on a stamp; card tip-in with washi tape

You can see that these pages can be as simple as writing some journaling or adding a few stickers and images or they can use more "artsy" products if that is your style. I am having fun trying out lots of art materials I have on hand - my one requirement is that they are translucent so the words can still be read. 

Documented Life Planner - Week 20

May Theme - Touchy Feely (Texture)

Week 20

Art Challenge: Modeling Paste

Journal Prompt: Rising to the Occasion

This week's spread underwent many transformations! I love using modeling paste for texture and had so many ideas I didn't know which way to go. First I used some paste and a stencil all over the background and sprayed it with Prima Color Bloom but didn't like it at all. 

Then I decided to spread modeling paste over the pages and then stamp into it and scratch marks into it. This was better, but I ran out of modeling paste and had to use up the dregs of two different kinds, one very old and somewhat dried out. (This is on the left side and is grainier.)

I sprayed inks, added gesso and went back and forth several times before I called it done. I added the checked border with paint and computer-generated the words. The images are some freebies from Traci Bautista. The corner designs are stenciled with new Graphite Texture Paste from Prima. I like how it adds a bit of sparkle.

Below are some close-ups to see the texture more clearly.

Ready for this coming week - received the prompts today.

Documented Life Project - Week 19

May Theme - Touchy Feely (Texture)

Week 18

Art Challenge: Stitching

Journal Prompt: All I''m After is a Life Full of Laughter

This is what I created for last week's challenge. I was inspired by the digital project below that I saw on Pinterest. 

I loved the colors, layers and stitching, but I don't do digital.

So I tried to recreate it with watercolor crayons, paints, and scraps of painted papers, vellum and book pages. I did all the stitching on the pieces first, then glued them to the page. I messily wrote the title in the upper left so it would look more like a design element rather than something to be easily read. The dividers between the days of the week are stamps and I used old Thickers letters for "laugh."

Documented Life Project - Week 18

May Theme - Touchy Feely (Texture)

Week 18

Art Challenge: Fabric

Journal Prompt: The Fabric of Your Life

The new theme for May is texture, which I love to use in my projects!  This week's challenge was to use fabric. I ended up almost totally covering the pages with fabrics and laces of different textures. 

I stuck to a neutral color scheme and first glued on various neutral paper scraps, then colored the base pages with Walnut Stain and Antique Linen Distress Stains. This ended up being too dark so I also added some tan paint.

Then I started gluing on fabrics in different sizes: cheesecloth, burlap, printed cotton, upholstery fabric, wide printed Osnaburg ribbon, script-printed cotton, an open-weave fabric, several vintage and new laces and even some unravelled threads.  I wrote the title - Relationships weave the fabric of our lives - on canvas, sewed around the edges and fringed the fabric. This was mounted over the heavy upholstery fabric.

After all the colorful pages in this journal, this neutral palette was very soothing to work on!

One more spread to finish and then I will be able to start working on this week's pages.

Documented Life Project - Week 17 - and the process

April Theme - Color Safari (Exploring Inks and Paints)

April 25

Art Challenge: Inks

Journal Prompt: Before the Ink Dries

This is my page using inks and my new Rae Missigman stencils.  I thought it would be fun to take photos of the steps along the way and show the progression of the spread.

Let's start:

I started by decoupaging various torn book pages, music paper and "under papers" (the scrap paper that catches the drips and messes from working on projects).

I sprayed Dylusions Ink (Bubblegum Pink) through a scallop stencil and then flipped the stencil and "stamped" the excess ink in the middle of the page.

Outlined scallop borders with white paint.

Dina Wakley "Night" acrylic paint through flower stencils, more spray ink (Lemon Zest) and white paint through a scallop stencil.

Inks (Squeezed Orange and Bubblegum Pink) over leaf stencils.

Turquoise acrylic paint in patches and also outlining white scallops.

Light wash of white acrylic paint over all to tone down.

Triangle stencil with "Night" paint and pink ink.

More turquoise paint on scallop borders and white paint through set-of-squares stencil.

Tried writing the title with a dip pen ("Before the ink dries, play with more ink!") but didn't like it and later did over. Outlined triangles with white pen and scribbled in centers of flowers.

Added days of week in pen and dates (circle punched book pages, handwritten letters and colored with turquoise ink).

And here again is the finished spread - you can see that I went back and wrote over the scribbly dip pen letters with a thicker marker.

I'm Back!

It's been three weeks (!) since my last post here, but maybe you will forgive me when I tell you what I've been up to.

First, my husband and I left for Los Algodones, Mexico, on April 26th for some more dental work. I had an appointment for Monday the 27th and thought they would be replacing a bridge where I was experiencing some pain and sensitivity. After a few consultations, it was determined that replacement was not necessary and they filed down the crowns.  As it was, that took three days - Mexico is truly the land of mañana! 

We returned late Wednesday night and I worked Thursday evening teaching class at the LBH.

Friday morning we received a call from our daughter, Kelly, which we thought was informing us about her weekly doctor appointment. However, she told us she was being admitted to the hospital and baby Mitchell was on his way - 2 1/2 weeks early! 

We hurriedly packed and drove to Austin, arriving just 4 minutes after his birth! It was an easy and quick delivery and baby and mom are doing well! Big brother, Carl, came to the hospital after daycare and met his new baby within the hour. It was love at first sight.

Welcome Mitchell Gregg Motz, born May 1, 2015, at 4:24 pm - 7 lbs. 7 oz. and 19" long!

I just got home from helping out on Monday night and have been trying to catch up. I have several weeks' of Documented Life caught up and am working on some art swaps that I need to finish. I will be sharing these this week.  It's good to be home, but how I miss these little guys!