January finished

Happy February!

I finished the last of January's calendar yesterday. I used acrylic paints for the background of both pages and stenciled white flowers randomly. The white numbers for the dates are VERY old rub-ons - think they might have been Making Memories and must be from my very early days of paper crafting! The black tag on the right page is one I did from a recent video of Roben-Marie Smith. The black "x's" are hand-stitched and then I machine-stitched around the perimeter of the tag. What to do with it once it was completed? Put it in my journal of course!

Life Documented - January Week 4

We were in Albuquerque over this past weekend for our grandson, Grant's second birthday. It also was our daughter, Dana's birthday the day before, so it was a party weekend! My other daughter, Kelly, came from Austin with her two boys so it was great to have all the grands there together. Got back late last night and slept in today for much-needed rest!

Birthday boy (he's obsessed with trains)

Drew and Carl playing Pie in the Face
(note, no whipped cream but they still had fun)

The lollipop kids
(only way to keep them still long enough for a photo!)

Today I worked on finishing up my calendar for last week.  I used a printout for the days of the week and used the full spread instead of just one page since I knew there would be a lot happening to fill in.

Drawing a Face

Yesterday I played in my art journal again. I can't draw faces very well and need to practice, practice, practice.

So this is my latest face. I first collaged various papers in the background and lightly swiped white and pink paint around to unify it. Then I started drawing the face. I have seen several instructions that all tell how to draw an oval and divide it into sections to get the proper proportions, but my previous attempts have not been very good. This one, however, I'm more pleased with.

I kept it very sketchy and used a bit of my new flesh-colored acrylic paints from Jane Davenport to paint in her skin. I used the "Mermaid Markers" for the wisps of hair. (By the way, these aren't really markers at all. Rather they are water brushes filled with non-permanent water colors. Gorgeous bright colors and tons of fun to play with!) The photo shows a reflection in the black of the pupils which isn't in the original.

The flowers in her hair are just "blobs" of white paint with a bit of pink swirled in while wet. Then I added gray paint for the centers and scribbled white and black pens around.

I didn't shade much - that will be my next challenge...

Art Journal Page

It's been so-o-o long since I've done a page in an art journal! And I've been under the weather this past week with a bad cough and laryngitis (haven't been able to talk for three days!). Today my voice is coming around and I decided to try to get my muse up and running again!

 I was inspired by a blogger I follow (Tiare Smith) and followed along with her video to do a page much like hers. Mine turned out a bit different as I didn't have all the same supplies, but it got me creating! Loved getting all painty and messy!

I've missed you art journaling!

Busy week

It's been a busy, productive week! I am officially up-to-date on my four grand boys' scrapbooks, having finished the last of the fifteen Christmas pages last night! But wait, there's a second birthday coming up next week so I will have more to do soon.

Above is a photo of this past week's calendar page and journal page. I have been swept up in the tide of "gotta-have-it" Jane Davenport art supplies (if interested, check out www.janedavenport.com) that just debuted in Michael's stores this month. I purchased her "Mermaid Markers" (liquid watercolors in brush form), a few stamps, and acrylic paints.  I tested out the "markers" on these pages.

For the calendar I just created washes of color for each day, separating with strips of washi tape. On the right page, I scribbled some color and stamped two faces. Then I added more color in the faces and for hair. I had fun playing with these and have discovered I need lots of practice! But it is nice to have a stamp to start off the face!

It's been awhile since I've been excited about any new supplies so I'm really enjoying this release. I've admired Jane's work for a long time and am so happy that she has her own products.

Creativation (formerly CHA - Craft and Hobby Assoc.) is being held in Phoenix this weekend where art and craft companies will be releasing all their new products. I can't wait to see what's on the horizon!

Valentine Row House Swap

It's a new year with new swaps to join in my online group.  The first one I've joined is for swapping three Valentine-themed "row houses."  I made three similar ones and sent to three people. I will receive three from others in return. 

The houses had to be created on heavy card stock, chipboard or watercolor paper and were to be between 3.5-4" wide and 6-7" tall.  They are due by the end of January, but I finished mine a few days ago and have already sent them on - so happy to be ahead of the deadline!

These are in a mixed media style with lots of paints, stenciling, stamping and collage. It's hard to see, but I added drywall tape behind the corrugated hearts for additional texture. The scallops are hand-cut book pages covered with gesso and some doodling.

Can't wait to see what I receive!

Calendar/Planner/Life Documented for 2017

I can't believe it's been ten days since my last post! Where does the time go?

We spent last weekend in Austin with our two grand boys there since we hadn't spent Christmas with them. It was a quick trip but, as always, lots of fun and hugs and kisses. They are growing up way too fast! 

The Documented Life Project (Art to the 5th) gals are not continuing the project this year so I decided to do a mix of the last three years on my own. This will be much less structured. The part I loved most about the past few years is the memory-keeping aspect of the project, so I will continue that.

I decided to use a Traveler's Notebook (Midori-style) which I created out of plain papers with a kraft cover. I think I will be able to get half of the year in one.  I printed out monthly calendars to put in the beginning of each month for a monthly view and punched and stamped divider tabs for each month. I will use one half of each open spread as the weekly calendar and the other half as an art journal/memory-keeper. Some uneventful weeks will just have some art; other eventful weeks will be more "scrapped." I've also added various washi tapes along the edges of all the pages which looks so yummy.

Week 1

Week 2

So far, I'm loving this format and am enjoying the process. it's not as involved as last year and I'm hoping I will spend less time on the planner and more time working on other art.   Stay tuned...

Documented Life unPlanner 2016 - Finished!

I spent the last few days of 2016 finishing up the last few weeks' of December in my Documented Life unPlanner. Whew! I did it! All 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days of 2016 in three (yes 3!) stuffed, lovely binders. I got behind sometimes, due mainly to our travel schedules, but I did keep going... This will be wonderful to look back on in a few years and relive all the memories.

So here are the last few weeks.

Week 2 - Dare 2B card

I used a tag that I had gotten at a demo at a scrapbook convention ("be a blessing today" was stamped on it already). I added washi tapes and inked the background. "Dare" and "2" are stamped.

I added the List Ten for Week 3 on the back of the tag.

Week 3

The background is acrylic paint. Lots of washi tape and stickers. We had the boys this week so I had several activities to add.

The PAC challenge for this week was to add crayon. I used Distress Crayons for the background over collaged book text and also colored over the stamped trees with them. I doodled with white pen.

Week 4

This was Christmas week as well as leaving for Mexico. I stamped with red paint and a chevron roller stamp (love that stamp!) for the background. I used labels for journaling and also wrote inside the white stripes. The "believe" card for Christmas Day is attached with a washi tape hinge and opens to reveal some journaling and photos.

The art challenge for this week's PAC was to use colored pencils.  I was inspired by the colors and metal work of Mexico. I bought a small silver heart ornament there and drew it on my card. Both the heart and background are done with colored pencils.

Week 5

This background is watered down acrylic paint, stamped with white flourishes (barely visible).

I couldn't leave the back of this page plain, so I added some artist paper and then journaled about the year and the experience.

The PAC challenge was to use gold paint or ink. I used a "mop-up" page for the background and added a few artsy stickers. Then I stenciled the leaf with gold paint and edged the card with the paint. I "stole" Rae Missigman's idea that she used on her card - adding 365 tiny marks to symbolize the 365 days of 2016.

 I added the five PAC cards to a cut down page protector and embellished the edge with circle stickers cut in half.

Monthly Pocket Picks

I had lots to include for this month. I picked up a postcard in San Miguel of all the pretty, unique doors. I used that for the first "page" of my monthly pocket picks and collaged photos from a brochure on the back.

Then I used a page protector for the other items, mostly photos, for the rest of the month.  I added photos from babysitting Carl and Mitchell on the front and photos from our trip on the back of a large black tag. Then I fused smaller pockets on the right edge to hold other miscellaneous photos from the month. One pocket is filled with gold sequins for New Year's Eve.

Front

Back

Here is the third binder holding the last four months' of the year.

And this is what a full year of my life looks like! It spreads out to about 12 inches when not contained with a book band!

Can't believe it's done! Now I need to decide what to do for 2017. I'm thinking of using another Traveler's Notebook for a planner/art journal. I guess I'd better hurry up and start, as we are already a few days into January.

My December Daily 2016 - Finished!

Happy New Year everyone!
I wish you a very happy, healthy and creative 2017!

This past year was the first time I've done a December Daily and I've enjoyed it so very much! It has been so much fun documenting the "big" events, such as our trip to Mexico, but also just the everyday moments that I don't want to forget.

Here, again, is the front cover. I used a Traveler's Notebook that I made which is about 4.5" wide by 8.5" tall.  Today, after all was finished, I had to attach twine to close it! It is so full and filled with yumminess!

The last day's page I posted was Dec. 19, so here, in order, are the remaining pages for the month.

Dec. 20 and 21

Dec. 22 and 23

The Dec. 23 journal card is attached with washi tape
and flips to reveal a photo and journaling.

Dec. 24 and 25

For the 24th the kraft pocket is part of a little gift bag I received from a friend
and it holds two journal cards with journaling and photos.
The flap with journaling on the 25th opens to reveal more photos.

Dec. 26 and 27

Dec. 28 and 29

Again, for these days, not much was going on - we had just returned from Mexico
and I rested! On the 29th I journaled about the Starbucks red cups.

Dec. 30 and 31 (NYE)

Not much going on for the 30th so I made a list of favorite Christmas movies.
For New Years Eve I used gold number and letter stickers and gold washi on black and
white paper and added gold sequins all over the page (hard to see in photo).

Back page and inside back cover

Since I had one page left, I added some 2017 goals. The back cover has a list of prompts for Dec. Daily for ideas.

WHEW! Finished! I love it! I most definitely will be doing it again next year!