lara

Kaboom - Art Journal

2012-01-25T08:16:00.004-05:00

My first art journal page of the year - inspired by the first prompt of 2012 from Year in the Life of An Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Word - choose one word that embodies the way you want your year to be LIVED.
THE STUFF: Imagery - create the FEELING of the word you choose.
THE TECHNIQUE: PAINT/DOODLE

I found this photo of Madonna in the gym, i would guess late 80s, two weeks ago and have become OBSESSED with it. I literally have it EVERYWHERE i inhabit - three rooms at home, work cubicle and computer, iphone - it just inspires me in a weird way and really illustrates how i'm living my life right now - trying to grab it by its balls and make it my bitch.

The word Kaboom i have had a long relationship with since i first heard a lyric by the Smashing Pumpkins: "In the eyes of the jackyl i say Kaboom" - which somewhere i have a scrapbook page about.

Bono and I Frame Canvas

2012-01-13T14:36:00.005-05:00

After three months I'm calling the 18" x 22" canvas/frame thing DONE!
I wanted to make an appropriate piece to show off this much coveted photo of Bono and I from July. (If you would like to read how i presented Bono with a birthday card story go here)

The background is layers and layers and layers and layers of acrylic paint, stamp ink and candle wax - so it smells good too :) I've become somewhat obsessed with collecting empty wood frames recently - you wouldn't believe how many people throw them out! Or offer them for 50¢ at a garage sale! So, all three frames I used are covered in paint and ink - that bottom one i mixed the paint with crackle glue to give it a little more of a worn look. They're both glued on tight, but i love the look of duct tape so i still put the tape on more as decoration.

Wow, i love the texture of this, i have to admit! I've become enamoured with Golden Mediums the last year - used here is both Coarse Pumice Gel and Extra Course Pumice Gel mixed with Acrylic Paint to add the texture - since they're adhesives i could easily embed seed beeds and fun things in it.

I wanted to carry over some of the design i used on the card i actually gave to bono, hence all the buttons and beads. I used Molding Paste mixed with acrylic paint to adhere them.

Bono's Card:

Lastly, i always like to add my favorite phrase in the whole entire world, one that bono sings in many songs - Dream Out Loud. It looks so super cool hanging on my living room wall!!!

The Mountain Is Magic Canvas

2011-12-04T16:22:00.006-05:00

Created this mixed media piece for my dad's 74th birthday.
The photo is of me and my brother as kids running down a hill at a park by our house -
it was nicknamed Magic Mountain.

The photo i put in a cheap frame but without the frame - the glass and backing is duct taped together then the "frame" layered on an old book cover i ripped off the binding then put on top of screen and home made paper.

The background is created of layers of acrylic paint, gesso and dripped wax. The texture is Golden Pumice Gel mixed with paint and different beads and buttons embedded into it. Also if you notice the dice on the corners - they show the number 74 :)

A couple of weeks ago I created This Piece for my friend Ashley - obviously it's extremely similar - but this layout, the use of monotone color and materials are really turning me on right now. I'm thinking of doing an entire series of Hipstamatic photos and colors ... stay tuned!

Let us Dance in the Sun Canvas

2011-11-13T11:10:00.005-05:00

This is a mixed-media on canvas I made for my friend Ashley for her birthday.
Most significantly it's the first time i've combined a Hipstamatic photo with materials to make an art piece!!!
MAJAH! I've been wanting to do that for a year.

It's also the first time I think i've used yellow as a base color for something, and it's a very happy thing :)

I used acrylic paint - some mixed with Golden Pumice Gel for the extra texture. Also found yellow buttons and beads from my stash and can't forget my now, i think, signature use of Punchinella from Gauche Alchemy. There's also dripped Sandlewood Vanilla wax (smells lovely), scraps of ribbon and paper and screen.

Jen's Birthday Card

2011-11-11T07:27:00.004-05:00

Oh boy, I've set the bar high for birthday cards now!
(*shakes fist at Bono)

For my BFF Jen I made her a little minibook birthday card.
For the inside pages I bought a doll and had all of our coworkers take Hipstamatic photos of it around the office and then i printed them out. Then they each signed the page their photo was one. It's so cool to see different people's take using the same subject! And even cooler when used with Hipstamatic :)

The button detail i did on the last page is inspired by one of my favorite mixed-media/art journalists Ingrid Dijkers whom one day i hope i can take a class with since she's based in Michigan and Wisconsin!

The card was made with cardstock, acrylic paint and ink on stamps, Punchinella and Ouchless Cardboard from Gauche Alchemy. I did a "macrame" binding with floss and ribbon and placed the wooden flower in as accent.

Hipstamatic Angels and Stones

2011-10-10T09:40:00.003-04:00

Spent an overcast, but lovely, autumn afternoon walking around Atlanta's oldest cemetery, Oakland Cemetery, which is only a few miles from my house and i pass on my way to work every day and have always wondered what kind of old things might be lurking there.

So, I took the Hipstamatic using the Watts lens and Float Film and took photos of angels and stones.

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To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Love Canvas

2011-10-05T09:48:00.004-04:00

look who got off her ass and did a little artwork last week ... me!
this is a laaaaaate birthday present for a friend.
i really like it and look forward to pushing this idea in the near future!

The base is a 4"x6" canvas that i covered with Golden Pumice Gel Medium mixed with acrylic paint and pink glitter. The Gel really held the glitter and i'm proud to say not much of it fell off after it dried! I mixed everything VERY well before applying with a palette knife. I also embedded little pieces of punchinella and lace before the Gel dried.

After things dried a bit i mixed the same acrylic paint and glitter with Golden Light Moulding Paste and applied it in the heart shape on the canvas then covered it with the beads and buttons and stones.

After everything was dry I dripped some of my "love" feng shui candle over the top of everything and voila, a happy little canvas was born that also smells delightful!

Hipstamatic Southern California

2011-09-26T08:04:00.004-04:00

Redondo Beach:

Santa Barbara, Wine Country:

Neverland Ranch:

To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Hipstamatic Texas

2011-08-10T10:13:00.008-04:00

Went to Texas this weekend and took some Hipstamatic photos...

Flying into San Antonio:

This was taken with a new lense i'm still experimenting with called "Matty ALN" - it puts the flare effect on the photos.

The sun was setting over the cloud line - this Hipstamatic photo was taken with the Dali lense which put the effect on it...

At The Alamo in San Antonio:

Sublime heroic sacrifice.

Austin ... HOT sun, succulants and palms trees...

Trying to cool the eff off...

Stopped by Laguna Gloria which is a part of the Austin Museum of Art.
These are in the gardens - statues and wild peacocks.

Some urban street art i stumbled across...

Walking around...

To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Bono's 9th Birthday Card

2011-07-04T14:29:00.016-04:00

For the last nine years African Well Fund has held a fundraiser to build wells for bono's birthday. Each year we ask his fans to donate to AWF and then leave a birthday message which then gets compiled into a birthday card and sent to him. Being a crafty sort of person and under the impression that a handmade card is always more special than a store bought card, i've made the cards these messages get put in and send them to his management which then have graciously been given to bono.

This year i was more than honored to be able to present the card to him in person along with four other members of AWF! Below is a personal account of the presentation along with photos of the card itself. For a more official account and to learn more about AWF, please visit www.africanwellfund.org.

I built the box out of cardboard i had laying around. I used adhesive as well as good old duct tape. Then layered all sorts of acrylic paint over it. The heart is built out of ouchless cardboard from Gauche Alchemy, as well as the punchinella (sequin waste). Golden Coarse Pumice Gel mixed with red acrylic gave the heart the texture.The clasps and hinges come from Ace Hardware.

All the blue found objects were things from my personal stash of tidbits which includes many things from Gauche Alchemy's Blue Streak Mixed Media Kit. I used Molding Paste mixed with blue acrylic paint to adhere everything.

On the back you can see the sewing pattern tissue paper i glued all over the card. Mixed with Golden Gel Gloss it forms a pretty hard and sturdy surface. Also within the layering on the back you can see peaking through the tissue dictionary pages of text.

The time leading up to the meeting was not without drama. We knew Bono himself had a finite amount of time before having to perform, and as we watched the minutes tick closer and closer to 8pm the five of us got quieter and quieter and more anxious. When we were led to the room Bono was in with other groups of people we sat and watched patiently, at first, as he took photos and talked with the others. This "little" man was larger than life - the aura surrounding him giving off electricity. It was like a caricature coming to life, however he looked exactly the same in person as he does in other media.

As he made his way around the room we could overhear the two handlers moving him from group to group say to his security guard he had to go. This is the moment we started to panic. The card in my hand was feeling heavier and heavier as I became more and more anxious that we may not actually be able to give it to him. As my head started to get a little dizzy, Ally kept her sanity and went over to Bono's security, whom she knew as an acquaintance, and asked him if he could do anything to help. He was very gracious and told us to move into the hallway between the door Bono would leave from and the door he had to go through to get to the stage area. We thanked him for his help and stepped into the hallway. I can't speak for the others but i know i was trying to plan some way to just throw the card at him and make sure he knew it was from AWF. At least we could say we got it to him...

Then Bono emerged through the door.
Diane must've had similar thoughts because she just yelled at Bono "African Well Fund!" (No "we are", no "hello")
He swaggered Bono-style into our semi circle and said "I know who you are... i know exactly who you are... you're the ones who make my birthday every year!" and went over to Ally and put his arms around her as he began to tell us how much our fundraiser every year means to him and the band. How we inspire the band with what we've done and have proven that even a small group of people can enact change.

That's when i chimed in "all it takes is some passion ... some hope ... and a big mouth..." and that's when he looked at me and said "i like big mouths" and that's also when i think he noticed the card i was holding and Ally might've given him a little push in my direction.

He walked over to the card and I. Diane says "Lara makes your cards every year..." and he looked at me and said something like "really? they're great" and i asked him if he got all the cards we send and he said with confidence "yes!" which made me giggle a little bit.

I handed him the card as he actually took a minute to look over the front of it and feel it a little!

As he carefully unlatched the heart and opened it up he said "you're an artist..." which i don't think i've processed yet... my inspiration calling me a creator of art?
oh my ... definitely not processed that yet...

He also said "this reminds me of an american folk artist's work, i can't think of his name ... um ... he was a reverend ..." and then and there I KNEW who he was talking about! I put my hands on the front of his shoulders and said "i know EXACTLY who you're talking about but i can't think of his name either because I'm talking to Bono" which got a little laugh from everyone. But i also said "i'm from Georgia and he's from Georgia - like an hour from my house" and he said "ya! that's him." Of course, 10 minutes later I remembered the name - Howard Finster. And whats really kinda crazy is earlier this year i had made this little mixed media piece inspired by this quote from Finster and didn't connect it until two days after Bono said it! The card was very similar! Whoa....

Then Bono returned his attention back to the card and started pulling out the announcement page. I started telling him that this year we raised $16,000 which is going to four girls schools in Benin.

He then leaned forward excitedly and pressed his forehead against mine. (OMG) I began to stutter that we teamed up with Angelique Kidjo but i couldn't pronounce her name or really speak so Diane stepped in and finished the sentence. Bono said "I know Angelique, she's magnificent" and we all agreed.

At this point his handlers were really pushing him to leave, it was 8:15pm and he was scheduled to go on at 8:45. They called the U2 photographer over who snapped a couple of photos and then they were pulling him away. But, being the audacious soul i am, I yelled "wait! i need a photo!" and he stopped for a moment, i pressed my face against his, put my camera in front of us and pressed the button praying that we were both in the frame, focused and eyes open.

And that was it... he was gone on his way to perform an AMAZING live show in front of Nashville.

It was an amazing experience. It was so nice to know that not only was he aware of African Well Fund, but he respected the work we do and went as far as to say it was inspiring to all of U2. And then to be so engaged with the birthday card...

*sigh*

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 6

2011-06-26T20:39:00.005-04:00

Sunset, Downtown Atlanta:

Rise Up Atlanta Sculpture in Freedom Park:

A mirrored mosaic dolphin downtown atlanta at ellis and peachtree:

neon yellow pedicure:

and pink toenails:

Herschel:

From the airplane window:

Crayons:

i call this "on the other side"

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To see the first five volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five

Flickr Page

Hipstamatic Wisconsin

2011-06-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

Photos from Southeastern Wisconsin (Brooklyn for you locals):

I visited at the perfect time of year - springtime. Things were just turning green and blossoming and fields were being planted.

My friends own a farm which I always stay at when i visit. It's super peaceful and homey. I've always wanted to take photos of it trying to capture some of the beauty, i think Hipstamatic might have helped a little this trip:

Walking through the back woods area:

And images that make my friends farm so familiar and comfortable:

To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Hipstamatic House on the Rock

2011-06-06T08:08:00.007-04:00

Went to The House on the Rock in Spring Green Wisconsin over Memorial Day weekend.

It's a crazy crazy place - perfect opportunity for Hipstamatic lunatics like myself!

Some photos:

When you first enter there's a lovely Japanese-inspired garden with walkways:

DUDE! Look how amazing this flower looks - and it was taken with a little iPhone!!!! It blows my mind:

Inside the "attraction" are collection upon collection of different things - and when i say collection, dude would have like 600 dolls, 300 boats, 500 clowns etc

Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!

Things Nightmares are Made Of:

Sculptures:

I think my favorite room was the room with the world's largest carousel. And hanging from the walls and ceiling everywhere you looked were mannequins, dressed in risque dresses with the nipples painted on wearing angel wings. WHAT?!

These were carved out of Ivory:

To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Southern Roadtrip

2011-05-18T08:12:00.005-04:00

This weekend i went on a short road trip and took the "hipstamatic" with me.
But, really when is it NOT with me!
Anyways, the trip had a huge variety of experiences - an amazing juxtaposition of environment.

Started out in Pigeon Forge, TN - home to Dolly Parton and all things Smoky Mountain gaudy. I didnt get too many photos here, except for these country-centric tastes,
Ornate Dulcimers:

We then drove through the mountains to North Carolina:

Stopped at a grocery store for some provisions and had to capture the frog parade with the freshly downloaded new film pak - Big Up Film and Watts Lens (which as you'll see from here on out I'm rather obsessed with):

OK... so we were driving by Asheville deciding whether to stop or not and then saw a bunch of graffitti from the road so had to make a diversion towards finding it. And i'm so glad we did! It was delicious. And not only that it was in the River Arts District which i've heard about from my arty friends on Social Media websites and was interested in checking out anyways. So it was completely fortuitous!!!

and some of the graffiti up close. i hate not being able to list artist names, but i still find these completely inspirational and wanted to share:

There was a dilapidated old factory building by the train tracks that people had tagged in different ways. I was too apprehensive to enter (plus i was wearing sandals and there was pools of water and debris everywhere) but my friend went in and took all sorts of intriguing photos:

So, then we leave the land of humans modifying human made structures to be more beautiful and go to the land where mother nature is the artist in N. Carolina.

Table Mountain from afar:

Brown Mountain from afar:

Then we went hiking and climbing to Linville Falls. At the top over and overlook:

Some pretty mountain flowers. The pink faux tape is a product of the Big Up Film - love how it matches:

Sun rays over some rocks:

Resting at the base of the Linville Falls:

And, finally, the sunset in Morganton, NC:

To see the first six volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

To see roadtrips via the Hipstamatic viewfinder:
Hipsta Wisconsin
Hipsta House on the Rock
Hipsta Cali
Hipsta Texas
Hipsta South

Everything on flickr:
Flickr Page

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 5

2011-05-05T14:09:00.002-04:00

feel like it's about time for another Hipstamatic post...
straight outta the iPhone baby:

Pets:

Good Old Nature and a little bit of grunge:

Some inanimate objects:

Live Music:

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To see the first four volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four

Flickr Page

Memory Box - Pay It Forward Three

2011-04-13T08:38:00.003-04:00

My third Pay It Forward gift goes to my friend Jeter.
A memory box to store his letters and postcards and things he picks up along his many travels.

I really like how this turned out - photos don't really show the texture or tactileness of it. The outer cover is matte board covered with sheet music, sewing pattern, Golden Soft Gel Matte and acrylic paint drips, splatters and stamps.

I also used different Golden Mediums mixed with Black Gesso to create additional texture like Coarse Pumice Gel and Heavy Molding Paste. This made it easier to nestle little pieces of things onto the piece. The Molding Paste holds the heavy stuff like a champ!

The cover i am pretty proud of. Its alot of things from my stash of garage sale finds, trash picked up from streets, junk drawers and, of course, Gauche Alchemy Mixed Media ephemera.

One of the most awesome things i've heard in awhile came from a co-worker i was showing this box too. She asked me about the glasses on it and if they were mine. I told her i had picked them up in the parking lot of a grocery store and had been saving them for the perfect arty use. She said "you're the only person i know who sees art in trash." Somehow... someday... that should be my autobiography title!

YAY for names that start with letters i still have tiles for ...
now to find a friend who's name starts with Z or X or Q ...

The cover opens to show the actual box which is made of handmade paper i picked up at the Scrapbox Creative Recycling in Ann Arbor for $1 - that place is AMAZING - if you live in Michigan and you like to craft you MUST go!

Some traditional scrapbook epherema mixed with trash - how awesome is that?! The film strip is from the Gauche Alchemy Black Out Mixed Media Kit.

Pay It Forward - And the Whole Sky Sings

2011-04-03T14:20:00.004-04:00

My second "Pay it Forward" gifts goes to my bestest friend Sarah.

Spring is here and almost past in Georgia (I think it officially lasts 3 weeks between winter and summer), so this project is nature oriented and going to a friend who I believe will appreciate it in all its natural goodness.

It all started with this papermaking class I took with a local artist named Katy DeMent.
As the paper was being made we added a collage of things - this one has leaves and cotton and a little bit of punchinella in addition to the text I found in a book:

The matte is cardboard covered with sheet music, ink, Glimmer Mist, acrylic paint, net, a bit more punchinella and lace. The frame itself is a couple of pieces of bamboo from my backyard. That stuff grows WILD here in Georgia if you didnt know:

I finished the piece off with some cool antique buttons I've picked up along the way

It's very rare i use so much nature in my work so i'm particularly proud with how this turned out.

QPIZ Scrapbooks Post One

2011-03-22T10:44:00.004-04:00

The last four days i worked furiously to create these three scrapbooks for my friends' new animated series her studio is getting ready to sell for distribution in Milan, Italy. A project I thought would take about 10-15 hours took about 40+ - how friggin naive was I?! I'm pretty happy with the result, although obviously i wish i had more time to do things a little different but it is what it is - lesson learned.

I don't want to show the insides (yet) as I don't know if they're confidential at this point, so below are photos of the outside.

Covers:

Q up close and personal. Beads made with FIMO :)

Binding:

Closure side with Chapter Tabs:

Three scrapbooks ready for the world:

My tag :D (and stray dog hair):

High-Res copies of the images are on my flickr

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 4

2011-02-27T16:24:00.004-05:00

Havent done a Hipstamtic post in a while.
Here are some recent shots - all straight off the iphone...

Early Spring Sunday:

Frog Alley in Glendale, CA:

Valentines Day Card:

and

Tin Lizzy's Patio at Sunset:

and

Street Graffiti:

Sunday Morning, 9am:

Mi Amores:

and

Mannequins:

and

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To see the first three volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three

Flickr Page

Pay it Forward 2011 - Love Bouquet

2011-02-08T20:06:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted to my facebook page for the first five people to respond I would make them something hand-made in 2011 - someone else had called it "pay it forward." Eight people responded (i didnt know i had eight friends who cared - seriously.)

Well, unlike past years where I've made sweeping promises such as this, this year I intend on pushing myself to keep it. Damnit. This year is a reemergence of many things. Again... damnit.

The first Pay It Forward gift goes to Ashley and Zeleika - two new friends from the 'hood. And they just celebrated their 8 year anniversary, so i created this "love bouquet" for them.

The vase itself is about 5 inches tall and comes from the Target $1 section - a scary scary place for a crafter. I grunged it up a bit with acrylic paint.

The flowers are a collage of paper and paint i cut up and put back together again (yes, my go to favorite thing). I then had to retrain myself how to cut a flower shape! How weird was that?! The flowers are pulled together by some electrical wire I found at Ace Hardware in their $1 bin and capped off with buttons.

one gift down ... seven more to do ...

Completed Year in the life Art Journal!

2011-02-04T15:30:00.002-05:00

Nom Nom Nom

i present my 2009 and 2010 Year in the Life of an Art Journals!

I just looked through the 2009 one for the first time in probably a year and it was AMAZING and AWESOME to see that history of my emotional life. I'm SO HAPPY I started keeping the art journal when i did and so thankful for Rachels Prompt Blog!!!

2010 Prompts.
Completed.

Art Journal - Allegro

2011-01-30T13:36:00.002-05:00

THE PROMPT: Time
THE SONG: Butterflies & Hurricanes by Muse
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Numbers

I am the Guest Host for the Art Journal Prompt blog A Year in the Life of an Art Journal and I've chosen the topic of "Time".

Time can be a friend or an enemy.
A source of consolation or anxiety.

Recently I've been just listening to classical music - whether it be an influence of Muse (one of the reasons why their song is on this prompt) or because of the drama and comfort I'm discovering from the great composers, I've been thinking my life can be compared to a symphony of several movements.

I've built this page from sheet music i journaled some ill-feelings on then cut up and glued the parts back together. I covered it with a bit of white Gesso mixed with my new favorite media obsession - Golden Fluid Acrylic then sprayed and dripped some Fluid Acrylic over that. I also mixed in some Golden Course Pumice Gel and Punchinella for more texture. That Punchinella was also used for stamping stencil.

I love grunge. And i feel like my life is starting to really define the beauty of what grunge is... and crescendo ... :)

Pieces Wall Piece

2011-01-17T07:56:00.004-05:00

Another wall piece! I'm still scared to do these for some reason. But am working my way through that fear :)

Anyways, the center quote is from Howard Finster - it's part of an exhibit at the Atlanta High Museum of Art, and even though most of his work is a little too religious for me, this quote obviously really spoke to me.

I took a 5"x7" piece of thick chipboard for the base. Spray painted most of the elements blue and used Golden Thick Molding Gel Medium mixed with blue acrylic paint as the adhesive. The bits and pieces are things i've collected over the years or are directly from Gauche Alchemy Mixed Media Kits.

New Art Journal - 2011!

2011-01-16T13:41:00.005-05:00

January brings a new year of a Year in the Life of an Art Journal! This is the 3rd year i will participate, and like the last two i have custom made my own art journal.

This year I've switched it up a little and tried to perfect what i've learned works for me in an art journal by using different sorts of papers at different sizes. All papers are heavyweight with different textures and size. I've also elected to use holes to bind so if i need to take them out to work on them easier OR if a paper isnt doing it for me and i want to replace the page with a different type of paper i can.

The thing I think i've decided i like best about art journals are the bits that hang over the edges and make you want to explore. Therefore the pages are different sizes and orientations to exaggerate this!

I've completed the front cover with many things from Gauche Alchemy kits like sheet music and punchinella. The background are paint strips cut up and interwoven.

I am looking forward to working in it in the upcoming year!!!!

Art Journal - Slow

2011-01-14T08:18:00.001-05:00

Prompt is "Slow" from A Year in the Life of an Art Journal 2010.

Only one more entry to go, and I'll be done with all 24 prompts from 2010 ready to start 2011!

PAINT

2011-01-13T08:57:00.001-05:00

cleaning my table, thought I'd take a quick photo of my favorite painty tools!

Emerge Wall Piece - One Little Word

2011-01-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

emerge.
this is my word for 2011.
My One Little Word if you will.

i tried living by one little word 3 years ago but life derailed me.
for.
three.
years.

this year i want to emerge from that wreckage - caused by trial and error, mega-bad choices, death, depression.
this year my intentions are to emerge from the paralyzation charo's death caused.
emerge from the anxiety that runs my life since making the choice to leave my ex-husband 3 years ago.
emerge from the fear that at any moment something will happen to change my life sending me into a tailspin ending in despair and hoplessness.

i want to be that person again that thought she could do something extraordinary.
not thought...
believed.

i want to be that person that didn't have to fight every day to feel happy, creative, vibrant.
that didnt fear what was behind the corner, but welcomed it with exhilaration and enthusiasm.

e·merge
–verb (used without object), e·merged, e·merg·ing.
1. to come forth into view or notice, as from concealment or obscurity
2 come up or arise, as a question or difficulty.
3. to come into existence; develop.
4. to rise, as from an inferior or unfortunate state or condition.

I am committed to becoming extraordinary again - to emerging from my perceived obscurity.
I've also put on my calendar to revisit this word the 10th of every month and create something (maybe not as extensive as this wall piece!) to meditate about my intention.

What's your One Little Word?

End of the Year Art Journal

2011-01-04T10:17:00.002-05:00

Over the new year weekend i got a little caught up on my 2010 Year in the Life of an Art Journal following along with the prompts at Year in the Life of an Art Journal.
Super image heavy post!

Now its time to start the 2011 one!

2010 Favorite Arty Projects

2010-12-30T15:00:00.005-05:00

1. Running to Stand Still

2. My Art Journal

3. Evolve

4. Hope

5. Elizabeth's Art Journal

6. Tangled

7. London

8. Stop

9. Exhausted

10. Don't Want To Cry No More

Year Past:
2009

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 3

2010-12-27T12:22:00.004-05:00

And some more Hipstamatic shots....
To see the first two volumes:
Volume One
Volume Two

Flickr Page

Some shots using the Limited Edition Salvador Dali 84 Lens:

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Other lenses and Films:

Wooden Angel:

North Georgia Mountains:

Rose in the Moonlight:

A Macro Shot of a Mixed-Media Installation at High Museum of Art in Atlanta:

It snowed on Xmas in Atlanta for the first time in like 150 years. Here's a remembrance:

Another Customized Art Journal Made!

2010-12-23T10:23:00.005-05:00

Last month African Well Fund held an auction to raise money for water projects and I offered up one of my handmade art journals and THANK GOD one person bid on it and even nicer was she's a good friend!

Here are some photos of what she is now the owner of:

I tried a new technique i've been stalking for months and months that i see the brilliant Ingrid Dijkers use - using the edges of pages for embellishments like buttons, beads, wires, ribbon etc. I hate sewing and this truly was a labor of love as i had to keep convincing myself to finish the edge i had started, but i think it does look pretty cool! I'll do it again...

A favorite quote of my friend with some punchinella, acrylic paint and spray paint:

Inside I used envelopes and "found" paper throughout - the whole journal can be considered "upcycled" I guess. Also a very generous amount of supplies from the Gauche Alchemy store like the punchinella, color kit bits, paper ephemera etc

I also finally learned how to strengthen the old pattern envelopes to make them reusable with the help of Soft Gel.

A couple more inside envelopes:

Hope she loves it and uses it! I'm finally starting to think i might have something i can sell...??????

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 2

2010-12-05T15:48:00.004-05:00

More Hipstamatic Photos :)
Direct from my iPhone with no post-processing.

Flickr Page

This may just about be my favorite photo yet! Its from lunchtime at the Atlanta Olympic Centennial Park water fountain!

Also from Atlanta Olympic Centennial Park - the giant Xmas tree:

Sunrise Photos:

Autumn Leaves:

From the High Museum of Art:

Another "driving to work" view of the city:

Dream - Art Journal Prompt

2010-11-23T07:31:00.003-05:00

new art journal page for "Dream" prompt from http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com.

Since i've been so devoid of any sort of creative mojo for months i just decided to layer on paint to see if anything would come back to me ... it didnt really, but here's the result anyway.

Warning - a Couple of Months of 365 Photos

2010-11-20T19:13:00.002-05:00

you have been warned...

Hipstamatic Photos Volume 1

2010-11-17T12:32:00.003-05:00

I got Hipstamtic for my iPhone a couple of months ago and am OBSESSED with it.
I love the unpredictability of it. There are so many way to control image output these days and, like mixed media, its refreshing to use something that i need to surrender control to and then be extra dazzled by the results!

Here are some photos i really like from the last couple of months. For original size photo or information on what kind of Hipstamtic settings I used go to my Flickr Page:

These two were taken at The Tabernacle during the Interpol show I saw there recently. It's a statue they have in the upstairs bar lounge:

These are all various shots around Downtown Atlanta:

Pumpkin season... :

My parents cat, Fred:

and a couple of self portraits for my 365 Photo a Day Project:

Another Pre-Art Journal Art Journal

2010-10-01T08:58:00.001-04:00

Posted about at Gauche Alchemy.

Light. Art Journal Page

2010-09-30T13:47:00.001-04:00

This month I am the featured art journaller at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal!

Read Here about how this page came about :)

Self - Art Journal

2010-09-28T10:41:00.002-04:00

An art journal page inspired by this prompt from "A year in the Life of An Art Journal"

I wrote three layers of journalling then slightly obscured it with gesso. I've been walking around with this fortune slip for awhile and finally found the perfect use for it!

Bono's 2010 African Well Fund Birthday Card

2010-09-19T17:59:00.007-04:00

For eight years now African Well Fund has held fundraisers for Bono's Birthday May 19. And almost every year I've made a birthday card for him that we''ve sent to his management. I know it's quite late, but this hill became my mountain which i finally was able to climb!

Here is this years card inspired by the lyric "Vision over Visibility" from the song "Moment of Surrender." I used all of the birthday wishes we collected for Bono online to create a collage paper used on both the envelope and cover of the card. Together, while no one wish is truly visible (and all names were deleted), all together they, I think, create a vision of hope for change.

Back of envelope:

The back of the envelope is simple - the glass heart bead I picked up on Portobello Street in London, the lace, screen and "punchinella" is from Gauche Alchemy.

When it is opened the card comes to view:

The cover of the card is spraypainted and the pages are bound into that with floss and beads also from Gauche Alchemy.

The front of the envelope that holds the card is printed with the certificate we usually give to Bono stating the amount raised and how it will be used:

Here are the envlope and card together:

On a separate note, i went through many variations of the card cover and took a photo of them all :D

Past Cards:

2009 Card

2008 Card

Two Art Journal Pages

2010-08-16T10:46:00.002-04:00

Two art journal pages:

This first is for Gauche Alchemy - we're having a challenge over there to use packing tape for image transfer (one of my favorite things).

I took a photo of me walking in London and used spraypaint in a couple of different layers to create this. I think it feels like Brick Lane in London pretty nicely!

This page was a quick little page. The background is paint pallette which i slapped the last photo of me and charo ever taken on and quickly journalled about the pain i still can't get rid of.

365 Photo a Day Project - June 18 - July 15

2010-08-13T13:49:00.002-04:00

I've just downloaded about 400 photos for my 365 Photo-a-Day project to catch up!
Here is June 18 - July 15.

Art Journal - Stop

2010-07-23T09:32:00.001-04:00

For the latest prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal as my inspiration in addition to the "misting" prompt at Gauche Alchemy.

However, for my misting technique I chose spraypaint as lately I've been super inspired by graffiti and I like the opaqueness spray paint creates. There's five layers of paint on this page (I know i have a problem) - the first layer is my "palette" layer - paints i've used on other projects throughout the last couple of months. Over that to make it more cohesive I used acrylic paint with some moulding paste and Punchinella to stencil it. I then slathered my hands in paint to do the imprint. Then I cut out outlines of my hands, used them as masks while I also took some lovely plastic canvas from the Wholey Sheet Kit and lightly spraypainted over the entire page. I then sprayed some "Merlot"Glimmer Mist for a soft drippy effect and then dripped more acylic paint at the top. Finally I put some alpha stickers on that say "Stop - Are You Happy." I wanted to journal more but then decided that one sentence says it all. And my art journalling these days has concentrated more on visual evocation than literal. But that one sentence produces an answer that then produces so many more questions....

Art Journal Pages

2010-07-19T13:01:00.001-04:00

A couple of art journal pages:

I made this awhile ago but never got around to scanning it. It's inspired by Peter Gabriel's cover of "My Body is a Cage" on his latest album.

Art Journal Page inspired by the prompt at gauchealchemy.wordpress.com/ "Free as a Bird"

Scrap Your Crap - Five

2010-07-18T13:48:00.002-04:00

This is for a blog trade with Gutter Girlz and Scrap Your Crap - to design a page using things in increments of five.

There's five photos (from my 365 Photo Project), Five buttons, Five washers, Five types of patterned paper and Five Flower Embellishments.

Close up of the texture created by acrylic paint, Heavy Gel and spray paint:

Art Journal - Tangled

2010-06-28T07:47:00.002-04:00

For the Tangled prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal:

I dont *think* i need an acrylic paint intervention yet ... this was done with alot of that and Liquitex Pouring Medium and Gesso.

art journal: cry.

2010-06-26T20:10:00.003-04:00

for my art journal, prompt from oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com. The actual prompt is "tears" but i took it to "cry" after i finished the page and stared at it. It's my first page really experimenting with all my new acrylic paint mediums...

Mediums/Gels used are from Golden: Pumice Gel, Clear Tar Gel, Heavy Molding Paste

Be with Ouchless Cardboard!

2010-06-25T08:36:00.002-04:00

Once a month, Gauche Alchemy has a theme day where the design team plays with the same theme or supplies to show all the various ways they can be used. This month we played with Ouchless Cardboard, one of my favorite materials to make all sorts of textural things with.

But, of course, me being me, I went with cutting it up and putting it back together all funky to make a canvas - something i've been wanting to do for months now but never really had the motivation until now. And I've been obsessively painting these days since i splurged and bought a wide variety of different painting mediums and gels. I decided to experiment with the two together - to see what kind of texture the paint and the corrugation could create. Hence my "Be" wall piece:

The alpha letters are also corrugated cardboard from Joann's. There's also screen from the hardware store i put paint on.

The acrylic paint is mixed with Liquitex String Gel which gives it a bit of a honey-like consistancy and makes it super glossy.

Check out Gauche Alchemy for more AWESOME and awe-inspiring ideas!

365 Photo a Day Project - May 21 - June 17 + Birthday Card

2010-06-24T07:51:00.002-04:00

A months worth of photos for the 365 Project - WOW! I made it half a year!!! Thank goodness for my iPhone - dont think i would have without the convenience of the camera on it. And the new 4g's have flash built in!!! (Although i won't be getting one for some time I'm sure)

Another project I just did is a card for my Mom's birthday. I'm so geeking out on Acrylic Paint mediums these days - its all over this. Might look a little messy as i was having some inspiration problems, but the heart texture is super cool. I used a combination of "Pouring Gel" to make the outline and "Light Molding Paste" with Punchinella for the inside.

DisCo Paper

2010-06-17T10:17:00.000-04:00

I have joined the DisCo project - Read about it here!!!

Milan Photos Part One

2010-06-15T07:44:00.002-04:00

Now for some Milan photos ... just the beginning :)

The thing that struck me most straight out of the box is how much graffiti there is EVERYWHERE. I've never seen anything like it and i live in downtown Atlanta! Alot of the graffitti are just "tags" - not really arty, just names and labels. Anyways, here are some shots from all over the city:

This is by the canals. I am soooooooooo inspired by graffiti like this!!!!!

Just a street corner.

Another street corner. Love the juxtaposition of the tenet making their balcony all pretty and naturesque with the gritty city graffiti!

Now, onto a little bit of architecture. Being from a country that wasnt built but within the last three centuries, it's crazy to think I was walking by and under structures built 8+ centuries (if not more) ago!

Finally, like any good tourist, we visited the Duomo in Milan - the fourth oldest Catholic Church in the world. Legend has it, it took 500 years to be built, was completed in the 17th century. Everywhere you look there is a scultpure or stainglass that all pertain to bible stories. However, since i've never cracked open a bible I couldnt tell you what anything is - and i hope none of the photos i took offends anyone in a religious way! I just thought they were pretty and fascinating to look at!

Just a couple of miscellaneous things:

CHEESE!!!!!

and a manhole:

Photos from London Part One

2010-06-12T20:01:00.003-04:00

the first of the photos from London.
I took about 2,000 photos and am in the process of trying to figure out what to do with them now! But here's a start of some of my favorites...

This is one of my favorites! It's from a gate at Hyde Park. These others are also from Hyde Park:

(someone recently got a nosejob :D)

These next photos are from our afternoon on Brick Lane in London - a funky/arty neighborhood:

(no, i dont know who these chickies are - they were taking photos in front of the graffiti so i snapped a shot as well)

Going on London Bridge :)

Painted wall in a tunnel in London.

Last but not least in this set, the Swiss Alps and clouds seen from the airplane from London to Milan...

More to come...

Travel Art Journal

2010-06-10T17:26:00.005-04:00

Two years ago I made this Pre-art Journal Art Journal for a friend, and I always meant to make more as people seemed quite enthusiastic about it, but, well you know, life gets in the way.

Last week I took an eight day vacation to London and Milan and spurred by a new comment someone left on my LiveJournal out of the blue, I decided to make one to use as a prototype of sort. I think maybe now may be the time I can get my shit together and make these to sell!

Here are "before" photos I took - after photos will come shortly after I get some embellishments on I collected on the way.

I used a bunch of different envelopes that were perfect for stuffing things into and i also added some sheets of paper here and there and in envelopes that i could use to journal on. I used Punchinella to use as stencil with spray paint (which i now know not to use if i don't want the envelopes sticking together) and then I also used acrylic paint and white stamp ink.

I learned from Sarah's Journal that ribbons for binding weren't the way to go. I grommeted everything and put the binding rings through. Then i tied them with ribbon to the envelope to keep it all together.

So, if you read this, you know I'm thinking about selling these but i need a couple more testers who can also offer me opinions and constructive criticism about how to make it better. If there are two readers out there (living in the USA - sorry), email me (1lara1 at gmail dot com) and I will send you one to test.

Serenity - Dirty Scraps!

2010-05-25T07:35:00.005-04:00

This is my Serenity layout for the new prompt at Dirty Scraps. Gauche Alchemy is also having a Product Spotlight for Punchinella so I had that in the back of my head to use. However, when DON'T i use it these days?!!!!!!

Really the only time I feel truly at peace is when i'm making art - especially now that I've found acrylic paints and have really started experimenting with all the different mediums and gels! On this layout I first did the painty techinique I posted about on GA. Then I cut up the paper and retaped back together. Then I took some plastic canvas and spraypainted through it. After all that I took a couple of different types of punchinella and stenciled with ink and paint and also some molding paste.

The letters are alpha chipboard I gesso'd then used String Gel Medium with Acrylic paint to build them up and add color. Added a Fortune Cookie fortune I've been saving for such an occasion, put on the punchinella I had used for stenciling and VOILA.

365 Photo a Day Project - May 7 - 20

2010-05-21T10:16:00.000-04:00

painty tutorial

2010-05-19T14:15:00.002-04:00

if you want to learn how i did this - go here :D

that is all.

Art Journal - Move

2010-05-19T10:55:00.002-04:00

prompt "Move" from oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/. I used
punchinella and plastic canvas and a heart i cut out of a box as stencil and spraypainted with burgundy and silver spray paint. Then i mixed some silver paint with Tar Gel medium and dripped it. I really love this :)

Scoutmob (I don't know if this is an Atlanta thing or national) had a 50% off coupon for a local art store so i bought a bunch of different gel mediums to experiment with! Very exciting :D

Oh My Goodness - How Gauche!

2010-05-17T16:14:00.002-04:00

This was actually a super fun layout to make!

For the new challenge at Gauche Alchemy!

I trashpicked these lovely early 70's Betty Crocker recipe cards and collaged them together to make the background. I then used Punchinella and Plastic Canvas from the ACME Lot #3 Kit as stencil and spray painted silver and white spray paint onto the background. The photos and ribbon I got from various ACME Kits.

And voila!

Not It - Gutter Girlz

2010-05-16T12:45:00.002-04:00

Layout prompted by the new challenge at guttergirlz.blogspot.com - "Not It" using Stitching.

This is an art journal page, I used more photos from my 365 Photo Challenge and layered them on the background along with sewing patterns from Gauche Alchemy (that's my idea of stitching :D ) and dripped some gesso and put some screen on to finish off the collage.

Facts of Life - Dirty Scraps

2010-05-13T07:54:00.003-04:00

I compiled all the 365 photos into one document which looks like this:

That's Jan 1, 2010 in the upper lefthand corner and April 30, 2010 in the bottom righthand corner - and believe me the math to make all that line up nearly split my brain in two....

OK, so the prompt right now at Dirty Scraps is "Facts of Life" and if nothing the last 4 months has taught me is that life, especially this adult life where you're completely responsible for yourself and wellbeing is full of ups and downs and all arounds. Granted, i think i've had a couple of extreme downs, but still....

I wanted to find a way to incorporate all of these photos with the journalling so i came up with this 12x12 layout which uses a hidden panel, if you will, to hide the journalling (and the metrics of this also almost broke my brain!)

The background is cardstock that i first put some sewing patterns on then glued wax paper i'd been using to protect my table from paint. Then I cut the photos into squares and made different levels

Then i used a brad to adhere the panel i was going to use to hide the journalling so it would swing back and forth - on the opposite corner there's a little pin that also holds it in place

And finally the journalling:

6 weeks in Photos

2010-04-30T15:03:00.002-04:00

Haven't posted 365 Photo a Day photos in awhile - here is, omg, 6 weeks worth! That really is awhile!!!!! I'm cooking up a project to do with the first 120 days of the year... hopefully i won't lose steam halfway through :)

Compassion - Dirty Scraps

2010-04-25T20:28:00.004-04:00

Layout prompted by the new challenge #8 at Dirty Scraps - Compassion.

To create this I took 4 sheets of patterned 6"x6" paper and journalled about my compassion, or lack of, for myself and all the shit I've been through over the last two years. Felt good to get it out of my head and onto paper. Felt better to then cut those sheets up into smaller rectangles then tape back together to create the 12"x12" paper canvas.

I then sprayed Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist over it and stamped and stenciled the paper before adding on the packing tape image transfer photo, dictionary page and other embellishments.

Gauche Postcard

2010-04-20T08:28:00.005-04:00

For the new Gauche Alchemy Challenge - to use this vintage ad as inspiration:

The image is from an Adobe Photo Library I found at work. The background is some old Basic Grey papers i cut and put back together. I used that Punchinella which is behind the girl also for the stencil of the dots. The text at the bottom is from some super old old old book i got at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago.
The paper lace I misted with my new Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist to match the paper better.

i gave it to a friend who needed some cheering up - one of her favorite quotes is "have you heard? the bird is the word" - so that's where that comes from :)
Check out the GA blog to see how others interpreted the ad - it's so interesting and fun!

It's No Secret - Gutter Girlz

2010-04-15T21:07:00.002-04:00

"Not a Secret" layout inspired by the latest prompt at guttergirlz.blogspot.com.
Lyrics from "The Fly" by U2.

The background is scrapbook paper i never thought I'd use because they were "too pretty" but i've discovered doing this layout that pretty can also become pretty grungy - which i find delicious! Soooooooo .... i cut and re-pieced together two sheets of paper and some sheet music, sprayed on some glimmer mist and stamped and dripped gesso AND white ink.

I like how the back of the duck tape that I used to re-piece the paper shows through - that was a pleasant surprise :)

The photo is heavily processed in Photoshop - darn that Rachel at One Year in the Life of an Art Journal that recently issued a prompt involving photo effects :-p Now I can't stop!!!

Framing the photo I used two Pantone swatches. These are used in printing to specify ink colors. When both me and my friend April worked as graphic designers we would occassionally email each other and be like "today is a PMS (Pantone Matching System) 201 day" or "i'm feeling really PMS 2747 today" and we soooooooo knew what each other was talking about!!! hahahahahaha

Lastly I made this little flower with some ribbon scraps and a brad - I put some wire between the layers (cleverly hidden) to make the flower poofy!

I Don't Wanna Cry No More - Dirty Scraps

2010-04-10T13:54:00.004-04:00

For Challenge #7 at dirtyscraps.blogspot.com.
The prompt is: No More Drama - it immediately made me think of one of my favorite all time songs from Mary J Blige, No More Drama, and the line "I don't wanna cry no more" just encompasses my entire life at this moment in time.

Kind of a hybrid piece - the photo I made in Photoshop using two lovely texture backgrounds from webtreats

The background is paper i started to do stamping and stenciling and dripping on and then thought it look kind of boring so i cut it all up into small pieces and taped it back together. The Plastic canvas and punchinella are from gauchealchemy.wordpress.com. To finish it off i sewed buttons on.

Gauche Hop RAK Winner!!!

2010-04-06T09:21:00.002-04:00

Valencia! You are the winner of my Gauche Alchemy Blog Hop RAK!!!!!!!!
Email me your snail mail so I can get some goodies out to you :)

1lara1 at gmail dot com

YAY!!!!!!!
Thanks everyone for the amazing comments you left - you all brightened my day, week, month! For real!!!! xoxo

Art Journal - Unravelled

2010-04-05T13:21:00.003-04:00

art journal page for Year in the Life of An Art Journal.

The prompt is the word "Un" and the
technique is using digital layers and textures on photos.

Since I use Photoshop for my day job I try to separate the "paper and glue" art I generally do from the digital art, but I have to admit it was cathartic to work on this photo (or photos). The filters and textures came from the stock site Deviant Art and the photos are courtesy of the 365 Photo a Day Challenge I am doing. They were taken on my iphone one night.

The background is acrylic paint with duct tape and newspaper for texture and then I used punchinella (from Gauche Alchemy) as stencil for the dots and some new stamps i got for the circles. The letters are also from some old stamps I took out of storage.

Art Journal #2 Complete

2010-04-03T19:53:00.002-04:00

My 2nd complete art journal is done! I guess, really it's my third counting the "year in the life" journal from last year, however it has been in progress for like 8 months.

The three that are complete in their full glory:

And just a gratuitious painty macro shot of the cover :)

The Gauche Girls Open Up!

2010-04-01T01:59:00.001-04:00

Extra, extra, read all about it!! The Gauche Girls Open Up!...

If you've stopped by the Gauche Alchemy blog today, you'll see that a brand-spanking new team has been announced, and in honor of that, all the Gauche Girls are Opening Up. How easy are we...to figure out that is! If you haven't started at the beginning of our hop, hop on back to the Gauche Blog and start in the fun there. There are RAKs up for grabs along the hop, so make sure you comment on each Gauche Girls blog for a chance to win some serious yumminess.

Now for the fun part: Each of us Gauche Girls have chosen a word that best describes why we're so Gauche! Honey, this is where you need to work it a little! Here's what you do: Find all the words and which hoppin' hunny they belong to, head back to the GA Blog & post a comment with your answers - if you get it right, you get a shot at a kick-ass prize pack from The Head Honchettes themselves! See, it's EASY. If you have already started on the hop you should have come from Nicole's Bloggity Blog.

I love the sauce ... but some would say I'm also a bit saucy ...moi? (pssst saucy is the secret word, yo....)

I used a file folder as the background, painted the front with acrylic, threw on a coffee filter and screen from the Wholey Sheets kit and used some Punchinella as stencil all from the ArtFire Store. Put on some lovely Muse lyrics and a photo from a Steampunk "Mechanical Masquerade" party ... and there you have it!

Leave a comment on my blog and I'll pick a winner by random and send you a little mixed media kit of some of my favorite things :)

Now shake your tail feathers all the way to Amy's Blog and stare at some more Gauchy Goodness and get to know the rest of the team, since I've OPENED UP to you already *wink*

Dirty Scraps Challenge #6

2010-03-25T09:28:00.003-04:00

For the challenge #6 at dirtyscraps.blogspot.com/:

Challenge #6
I know we all have those moments when we say
"Man I was totally wrong what was I thinking??" or "Where was my head??"
It is always a good thing to look back...reflect on a mistake or lesson learned and remember how we got here in life and how that mistake or lesson helped us move along.
After all what good are mistakes if we do not learn from them?
So this week's challenge is to scrap one of those DOH! moments!
It does not have to be negative, it can be a positive outcome, or great lesson learned...

The prompt kind of lead my head through all the horrible decisions I've made over the last two years and how their outcome has completely broken me down and i have surrendered to the universe. I'm exhausted and tired of fighting for sanity and happiness and just in a fetal position mode these days. C'est la vie.

It's actually a pretty simple but stunning layout in person - I used a sheet of paper I've been using as a acrylic paint palette on and off for about three years - cut it up and put it back together with a piece of upholstery fabric.

Muse Odyssey - Gutter Girlz

2010-03-15T10:36:00.005-04:00

For the new prompt at guttergirlz.blogspot.com

THE PROMPT: Road Trip
THE SONG: The Climb by Miley Cyrus
THE PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: A Map

I saw Muse a couple of weeks ago and all of these memories of the trip I call "Muse Odyssey" came flooding back. (for a looooonggggg memory of that, i posted this several years ago at my blog Muse Recap)

The layout background is 2 maps cut up and pieced back together to form a 12x12 paper.
There's a couple of layers because i kept trying stuff i didn't like and then pasting more map pieces over what i didn't like :) Kind of like a Clt-Z key :)

In the lefthand corner are lyrics from a favorite Muse song, Invincible, that are a tape transfer.

The faux frame is made up of scraps from the Gauche Alchemy kits - Wholey Sheets and Punchinella

Also used the Punchinella with ink as a stencil for the circles and stars :)

Two Art Journal Pages

2010-03-10T08:02:00.003-05:00

For the second prompt at http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/ - the word "unknown"

I am SO SICK of living with an unknown future.
So exhausting.
This page doesn't really feel good to me, but it's what came out when i tried, so i won't throw it away. But, i think i may need to pursue more pages on this topic.

***************************************************

For the 5th challenge at http://dirtyscraps.blogspot.com:

Charo - Dirty Scraps

2010-03-02T09:15:00.003-05:00

I made this layout inspired by the prompt #4 at Dirty Scraps - "In Your Eyes".

After Charo passed Feb 5 I couldn't do anything creative. I really wanted to create a "grief journal" but couldn't even force myself to grab a pen and write. I took out dozens of photos of her to make a little mini-book but couldn't figure out how to put them in. But, I knew for me personally, creative therapy is really the best therapy and when i saw this prompt I knew what I wanted to do for it.

The photo I used I have all around me - on my phone, desktop, wall... it really captures Charo perfectly and i constantly find myself looking into the eyes of the photo because that's what I used to do with Charo all the time. Many dogs (and some humans :-p) don't have much going on behind their eyes, but she did - a deepness and connection.

Anyways....
I created this layout using my newfound technique of creating texture with acrylic paint and gesso. Then i also grabbed some supplies from my new favorite kit from Gauche Alchemy - Wholey Sheets Mixed Media Kit.

I am so in love with plastic canvas - the options are limitless!!! Here I used it as a frame with no backing so you can see through it!!!!! And I also used some of the screen from the kit, spray painting it a little to give it a red hue.

Journalling:

in your eyes
i never felt alone
you touched a part of me, that no one,
human or animal has touched before -
made it all warm and gooey and full of love
in your eyes
i saw the purest of unconditional love,
no matter what i did,
no matter how shitty the choices i made were,
no matter how depressed or anxious i was,
you looked at me with nothing but love,
in your eyes
i saw the reflection of who i wanted to be,
strong, sassy, passionate, independent, silly...
more than once you gave me a purpose
to keep on trudging through life,
so i could look into your eyes
i never took a minute for granted with you
always kissed you good morning
and snuggled you good night.
my greatest fear was
not having enough time with you,
and we didn't.
rest in peace my baby girl...
i will never forget the way you looked at me,
the way you fed my soul.
you will forever be in my eyes.

Silence Art Journal Page

2010-03-01T15:40:00.003-05:00

i'm the guest host this month at "One Year in the Life of an Art Journal" and I chose Silence as the prompt and decided to use Inchies to create the page.

*** Read more at the blog here! ***

Gauche Alchemy Springtime Mini Book

2010-02-24T11:28:00.003-05:00

Still Sugar & Spice - Gutter Girlz

2010-02-22T07:52:00.004-05:00

For the #34 Prompt at Gutter Girlz

THE PROMPT: I'm Still Sugar and Spice
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Ribbon/Bows AND Dirty Socks

I used photos from my 365 Photo Project that I thought highlighted my January 2010 as well as the theme of this prompt. Love this project and am so glad I am doing it!

Indeed these are my socks i was wearing that day that I cut up :)
They're woven through the paper then stapled down to frame the page.

Hope Art Journal Page

2010-02-18T13:58:00.003-05:00

Here is art journal page for the word Hope as prompted from Year in the Life of an Art Journal blog.

I discovered this pretty cool effect completely by accident!
I was just trying to do a Rorschach type thing with acrylic paint - smooshing dollaps between the two pages to stimulate my creative juices which have been stagnant.

I then used a paper towel and lightly brushed over black gesso i just bought for the first time so it highlighted the wrinkles from the smooshed paint!

The Hope word is a stencil i made from my cricut spray painted with plain cheapy white spray paint i still can smell.

Week 3 of 2010 in the 365 Photo Project

2010-02-12T10:51:00.005-05:00

Man - 3rd week of 2010 is done and gone?
Here's the two week recap of my life - i am actually really really thankful i started this - it's pretty powerful to see your life in photos.

Obviously, it was a tumultuous week - i know some of the photos might be a little, um, graphic.

P.S. the feb 2 photo of my titties was after a mammogram - i wasn't trying to be all Playboy on ya. It's soooo convenient having an iphone camera! More than half of the photos i've now taken have been from that. Not too shabby.

Dogs etc

2010-02-11T12:31:00.000-05:00

Not to be more morose, but i found these two photos on my camera today as I started to go through my 2 weeks worth of 365 Photos. It makes me so happy yet so sad that these were the two last photos I ever took of Charo

I miss her smell. Every morning i would smell her forehead and kiss her goodbye and every night we would cuddle on the couch and i would just smell her forehead and listen to her breathe.

Tuesday was a horrible horrible day last week. Just horrible. This last photo I took for 365 to represent how my lil mamacita was such a comfort when everything else was, well, horrible.

**************************************************************

However, time to move on and not dwell. Me and Sophia Rose found each other at Atlanta Pet Rescue on Tuesday - she has bad kennel cough but appears to be starting to fit in with Herschel and I:

Herschel still looks sad, doesn't he. Poor kid... hopefully once they become more comfortable with each other they'll become real buddies.

charo.

2010-02-06T18:19:00.001-05:00

i know this isn't craft related, which is what i try to keep this blog soley about but:

Rest In Peace my sweet baby girl.
I don't know why god took her, she was only five years old.

I came home from work yesterday to find her lifeless on the floor. All stretched out, maybe it was a seizure? There was no other sign of anything around her, no blood, no vomit, no feces. She was just laying there.

My friend Brian buried her for me in my backyard.
I couldn't say good-bye.
My last memory I want to be kissing her sweet warm forhead before I left for work.
I loved her so much i never took my time with her for granted.
There was not one day i didn't kiss her goodnight or kiss her goodbye in the morning.
I made sure every night we laid together on the couch and watched TV.
She loved laying on my chest and putting her chin next to my neck.
That was the best feeling on earth - no matter how depressed or anxious i was, listening to her breathing and sighing and feeling that slightly damp warm breath on my shoulder and neck comforted me.

In the morning she would stretch out on the bed next to me and roll over and i would kiss her tummy up and down and it was so soft and smooth and warm and smelled just like her.

It might be weird to other people, but i just loved smelling her. Every day I would just pick her up and smell the top of her forhead. I was the only person she let do that.

I dont understand why she died.
She wasn't acting sick.
She wasn't being listless or not eating.

god i will miss her.
my heart aches like it never has.
she was my life.

Art Journal Page

2010-02-02T09:33:00.004-05:00

an art journal page i did this weekend - i've had ZERO creativity lately and i really had to force this one out which sucks ass, let me tell you. I think it looks forced and overworked, but it's something.

The eye graphic is from Gauche Alchemy. The text is package tape transfer (who recognizes the lyrics :) ), there's wax paper and acrylic paint all thrown in there too.

The subject of the page came out of the realization when i was staring at a painty piece of wax paper over the eye, the only thing that has really been a constant in my tumultuous life the last two years has been art and the need to create. I mean, sure my good friends and family are always a constant, but the thing directly around me in my minute to minute world, even when my mental state was completely broken or xanaxed out, or i literally would not be to identify myself, the stranger, in a mirror, i always was thinking about ways to get that energy and emotion out of me through creative expression. You wouldn't believe how many pages of just black and blue paint i have tucked away.

Pieces Layout

2010-01-26T09:37:00.003-05:00

This was a very fulfilling layout i did this weekend.
I used pretty much all Gauche Alchemy products!

Lately, I've been really into making my own backgrounds by tearing apart other papers or layouts - so this background is pieces of newspaper from Acme Kit #2 that i wove together to form an approximately 12x12 sheet.

The screen, plastic canvas and punchinella, one of the puzzle pieces and Clue card are also from various GA kits (and kits about to be released!) The other puzzle piece i found in the dirt in a parking lot! :)

The paint swatch with my jounralling is one of the colors i'm thinking about painting my bedroom - i think that could be cool, yeah? A dark lovely warm purple?

So Much - Dirty Scraps Challenge #2

2010-01-25T11:40:00.000-05:00

Layout for Challenge #2 at Dirty Scraps (the first being on the design team).

This was a hard but good layout to do and I'm so happy there's a new challenge blog making prompts that can really help you dig under the surface.

I did the photos using packing tape transfers - it was a wondrous thing accomplishing in real life the same thing photoshop does! It got my brain juices going about other ways to use opacity and transparency in real life...

And, oh yeah, i did a tutorial on how to do these a couple of months ago at gauche alchemy which is
here.

Create. Type. Yellow.

2010-01-23T11:02:00.000-05:00

The other project i did for The Creative Type "neutral" challenge is this feng shui piece.
It's the second of nine for the feng shui project i am doing. The first was for my Prosperity Corner.

This one is for the Creativity/Children gua of my house - which is the back wall of my living room.

My brief summary of what Feng Sui is: you divide your living space up into 9 areas that are called "guas" and each gua represents an aspect of life. it is believed that each gua has an energy that can affect the area of life it corresponds to in a positive or negative way. One way to control the energy and make it positive is using material items.

One website described the Creativity/Children area like this:

The Feng Shui Gua Creativity & Children represents your own creativity. This Gua reminds you to be aware of what stimulates your enthusiasm and playful nature. Focusing on what brings you joy and happiness can restore the delights of childhood. Activate The Feng Shui Gua Creativity & Children with items that will make you aware of your true, child-like nature.

Common "cures" for this area include:
* whimsical wind chimes, mobiles, and whirly-gigs
* arts and crafts supplies and projects
* paint the walls in pastel colors
* create an area where colors, lights, artwork, and music are exciting and uplifting
* round objects
* yellow and white are the strong colors in this area

So now does it make sense?

Now that we have the background - i think that was the longest introduction to a piece i've ever typed - i'll let you know how i made it :)

The type, which is one of the most important parts since it was inspired by The Creative Type challenge i cut from my new Cricut! Of course i don't remember the font now :( But i decided to use "create ________________." because there are soooooooo many ways to end that sentence! "create art", "create happiness", "create music", "create life" ... everyone has their own ways to fill in the blank, i'm sure!

I got the embroidery hoop off of freecycle - and if you don't know what freecycle is i URGE you to visit their site! It's an international non-profit that encourages people to offer things they no longer want/need to other people in their local area instead of putting them into a landfill. And boy howdy have i gotten some pretty nice crafting things from people getting rid of things they wouldn't think of crafty but you and i would! I've also returned the vibe and got rid of three large totes worth of scrapbook stuff last year! As well as half my basement...but i digress (again)

I cut the plastic canvas (soon to be available in a wide array of colors at Gauche Alchemy) to fit in the hoop then tied it in with various ribbon. Then i SEWED, yes SEWED (!!!) buttons on, many of which came out of the White Wedding Mixed Media Kit and the Banana Hammock Mixed Media Kit.

Voila... now, it's hung, and just needs to work it's magic so i can work mine!

(pssst ... P.S. check out my posting of this at Gauche Alchemy for a little challenge from me to you with prizes!)

Art Journal Pages

2010-01-21T07:30:00.003-05:00

A couple of art journal pages.

This is for Year in the Life of an Art Journal prompt which is the word "what". I've been saving this image forever - i did NOT draw it - it's from a magazine, although at this point i couldn't tell you which. This was a pretty therapeutic page for me.

As was this:

This is in my general art journal. I call it "In the Eyes of the Jackyl I Say Kaboom" which is a Smashing Pumpkins lyric that has resonated with me since the mid-90s. this really feels like my first true "visual journal" page as there's no journalling but when i look at it i know EXACTLY what i'm feeling and trying to say.

On this page I learned that ink does not dry well on wax paper :)

Create, Type and Pink Parts

2010-01-20T07:35:00.003-05:00

I was asked to do a Guest Spot on The Creative Type for their latest prompt using Gauche Alchemy color mixed media kits. I made two things, here's the first!

In a bold move maybe only I am capable of, I TOTALLY misunderstood the prompt they wanted me to do, but being the lovely ladies that they are, they worked it into their posting. The prompt was to create a "neutral" piece, somehow i translated that as monotone, or one-color.

I chose PINK. After all my favorite movie of all time, and one that really shaped the person i am today, is "Pretty in Pink" - I mean when Andie makes that prom dress out of Iona's old vintage dress and the monstrosity her dad bought her, it's pure inspiration! (Even though i never quite understood why the dress turned out kind of lame, even for mid-80s fashion standards).

oh, ooops, i digressed...

What i made.... is a wall hanging - in fact it's hanging in my kitchen right now and makes me smile everytime i see it!
The base is Ouchless Cardboard from the GA Artfire store. I put down white tape to give more texture, then used pink and white acrylic paint to create the background:

I then grabbed this piece of vellum and put down the chipboard letters and sprayed "Merlot" Glimmer Mist over the top creating the masking effect. I love that when it is hanging I can just barely see through the letters to the back of the piece. But, the main thing to remember with The Creative Type challenges, is it's all about the type - so i really wanted it to be the centerpiece.

To pull the "half box" together I punched holes in the top and bottom and used that pretty ribbon to hold it together - and i punched two holes and grommeted the "create" vellum to hang it from the top.

And then the fun came in decorating it with all the little tidbits that come in the Pink Parts mixed media color kit!

I can't say enough about how awesome these kits are - AND affordable! And no two are the same! I WANT THEM ALL!!!!!

(That clear button of the nude woman is actually from my own collection - I have NO idea where i got it, but i have a couple of them, i just thought she looked cool there :))

(pssst ... P.S. check out my posting of this at Gauche Alchemy for a little challenge from me to you with prizes!)

Use Yo' Type!

2010-01-19T13:16:00.003-05:00

TOOT AGAIN!!!!!

The Creative Type Guest Designer rocking the Gauche Alchemy Products!!!!!!!

More specific project info to follow.....

Gettin' Dirty #1

2010-01-19T07:23:00.004-05:00

For Challenge #1 at Dirty Scraps:
scrap a PEEVE, annoyance or a downright angry moment...
but here is the twist...
on the same page find something positive in that aggravation and put some perspective on it.

The photos are from the first two weeks of January and the results of the 365 Photo Project I am doing (again) this year. But it's been a struggle in more ways that just remembering to take a photo every day! So, i decided to scrap about that.

I literally swathed my sheet with Modge Podge then threw down all 14 photos in a pile - no rhyme or reason. Then to grunge it up (maybe a little too much in retrospect but i haven't used Glimmer Mist in soooooo long) I Glimmer Misted them.

I'm doing a photo mosaic every two weeks of the photos, don't really have plans to always do a scrap page or art journal with them, but they're there if i need them - here's the first:

Oh ... and by the way ... you'll be seeing a lot more dirty scrapping as I have been asked to join their design team!!!!!!! WOOT! I am so excited about this - the challenges are going to be awesome awesome ways to focus on growth and exploration!

Kiss MY Ass - Gutter Girlz

2010-01-15T11:39:00.000-05:00

THE PROMPT: Kiss My ASS
THE SONG: Bad Reputation by Joan Jett
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Chain

it's the new gutter girlz prompt!
oh how much i love to say "kiss my ass"
not quite as much as "kiss my grits", but almost as much.

For some reason lately i've really been into deconstructing and reconstructing things like paper.
The background for this is paper i've had for years but thought was too pretty and dominant to do anything with - so i just cut small strips out of it and used it all.

The lips i have NO IDEA where i got them from (and they're actually an iron-on!).
i know i've had them for awhile but never knew how to use them.
i LOVE when i can finally find uses for items i was "saving"!

The chain is from Ace Hardware - it was silver that i ran across my black ink pad to grunge up a little. The electrical tape i journalled on is ALSO from Ace Hardware - imagine that?!

speaking of "kiss my grits" i have so EXCITING news i can't share until tomorrow but start humming "there's a new girl in town..."

(Re)Construct Art Journal Page

2010-01-09T11:47:00.001-05:00

art journal page - another image courtesy of a french paper company paper sample book using one of my words for 2010 as inspiration - evolve.

screen and sticker letters from gauche alchemy. hardware from Ace Hardware :)

Year in the Life of an Art Journal Deux

2010-01-08T11:56:00.001-05:00

:D :D :D

http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/2010/01/2010-guest-host-lara.html

Join us!

Evolve Layout

2010-01-07T08:06:00.001-05:00

did a "comfort" layout last night that didn't involve alot of thinking, but still was just doing something. i have the "staring at the blank canvas" syndrome these days.

I tore a bunch of paper samples up from "French Paper Company" which has the most delicious paper sample books EVER that I've been hoarding for over two years now (and luckily since i'm in the printing business get for free every now and then), and then did some of my favorite bottle cap stamping.

Looking at it and all the circles that coincidentally were on the page the first word that came to my head was "evolve" for some reason...
Since "evolve" isn't really a circular word...
So, i slapped on some puffy stickers i've had FOREVER and never thought I'd ever use (which also coincidentally had circles on them), then grabbed the ballerina card and punchinella out of one of my Gauche Alchemy kits which made it feel more like something was "evolving" from whatever the circles represent which to me is kinda of being stuck in the same place.

Voila, short, simple but sweet.
I think i've decided my word for 2010 should be "simple". At first i liked the idea of "evolve" but now simple seems to be the key to day to day happiness.

Running to Stand Still Layout

2010-01-04T12:33:00.000-05:00

Another layout i got done this long weekend is one that has been about a year in the making :)
And it's actually more traditional scrapbookee too.

Apparently i was using this sheet of paper as a paint palette around Dec 2008, as there's a stamped date on it. The paper was from a layout i was doing that i remember wanting to tear apart because i hated what was happening, but instead i just took off the things i could, and left things that were more glued down (like the felt lace and blingies and tape) and then used it as a paint palette for awhile.

Then it was put away and not seen again until this weekend when I was reorganizing everything and found it.

The U2 song, Running to Stand Still, has always been one of my favorite. It's really about heroin addiction, i've read, but lately the lyrics speak to me so boldly. This weekend as I was cleaning I put on all of my U2 DVDs - Rattle & Hum, ZooTV, Popmart, Vertigo, Elevation ... and during the ZooTV performance of this song i just sat mesmerized and realized it's just about someone stuck in their own circumstance and trying so hard to get out of it, but not really getting anywhere. Um ... ME.

SO, i took this little photo of me i also found in my cleaning that i had printed out a looooong time ago for the 2008 365 Challenge and it seemed to fit perfectly in the blob of white paint! Like the angel hugging me. Not to much else had to be done to make this a beautiful layout!

365 Photo Project Art Journal

2010-01-04T09:32:00.000-05:00

Another project I started January 1st is doing the 365 Photo Challenge again.
I did it two years ago, made it through to mid-August before my life BLEW up and the last thing on my mind was taking photos. Recently I found the journal i was keeping with the photos from Jan 1 mid August and although I couldn't actually look at it, it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy too painful in a really really painful way, i'm glad i have it. So in 5-10 years when the sores are not so raw i can see the year that changed the course of my life through photos.

Anyways, long story short, 2010 will be my year of renewal and i am doing this project again. And to go along with it, this time i made a art journal to use for the entire year. It's alot like the one i made for my friend Sarah, so this will also put it through some testing because ultimately i think i could sell these.

So, the journal is comprised of 4 envelopes of varying sizes, 2 page dividers and 12 sheets of paper. The cover is a Scrabble Board I got in the latest Gauche Alchemy kit to be released very very shortly. The wire flower I came across as i was unpacking/organizing this last week - my friend Matthew made it for me back in college, possibly about 1991. It was a necklace but i took it off the string and hung it on the book. It's a reminder of evolution, creativity and friends.

Behind the cover is a "Privacy Please" door hanger from my Spain vacation a couple of years ago. And then there are a couple of different size envelopes for me to stuff full of different ephemera i pick up along the year.

There are 12 sheets of paper in the binder - one for every month, and every day i'll make a little note about the day or the photo i took that day. The big Office Envelope in the back is folded to be about 8.5x11 - at the end of each month I'll print all 30-31 photos out on a sheet of paper mosaic style and put in the envelope.

This is a huge project for me. For one, I am uber-ashamed and sensitive about my appearance these days so to force myself to look at myself will hopefully also force myself to start living healthy again. And hopefully as i look back along the year I can see a change from the washed out, bloated, zombie i am now to something not quite as distasteful in the future.

Thanks Margarethe, Sarah and April for the inspiration to revisit this project - i look forward to sharing notes with you along the way!!!!

Crafty Room Good to Go

2010-01-03T20:32:00.001-05:00

Before:

AFTER

I actually achieved cleaning and organizing my craftroom this long weekend!
It's been an ongoing project for about 3 weeks now.
I really didn't think i would ever get it done to my satisfaction, and truth be told it's not truly organized well, but it's a start! Things are labeled and put into loose categories.

It's in the 2nd bedroom of my house - also a guest bedroom for those rare times i have a guest who wants to stay the night. That's a futon in the corner.

OK, this is the main table - everything i use on a regular basis is on it plus little odd pieces of ephemera and tiny scraps. I don't like the tape box, but it'll do until i get some sort of rod or something to put them on. Haven't got a chair yet, except for my kitchen chair which is a little too tall (it's like a bar stool height). I generally have always stood while i work because i like to dance around, but i have noticed this last year my back and feet starting to hurt alot more when i stand for hours, so sitting won't be too much of a compromise. And if i want to dance, i can always butt dance! Or just get up.

The secondary table - i bought these three plastic drawer thingies over a 2 week period and was SHOCKED to find that they fit PERFECTLY under the table. I mean - vertically and horizontally with hardly an inch to spare! I like that the drawers come out and go in so easily - i have them semi-organized so if i'm looking for a piece of paper i can pull the whole drawer out and put it on my workspace. Some of the drawers i just filled with all sorts of odd scraps so it's kinda inspirational sorting through the whole drawer and i've already had the experience of looking for one thing but then finding something even better!

Now that i have things as organized as someone like me could (it's a hereditary thing, my family SUCKS at both organization and hoarding), i need to personalize the room on a whole now that i know I am living in this house for awhile. I definitely want to put up an inspiration board, get some better lighting and art on the walls. but all in good time ... all in good time.

Hopefully this room will provide a comfortable place for inspiration and motivation for the upcoming year/s!

(i still can't believe i got this done!)

Art Journals make me mushy-gushy

2010-01-03T18:37:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of photos of the two art journals i completed in 2009.
They look so delicious together :)

Art Journal #1 is a general art journal i kept.
The other journal is from Year in the Life of an Art Journal project. I look forward to taking a photo 12 months from now with this years "Year in the Life and last years!

2009 Favorite Arty projects

2009-12-27T16:26:00.002-05:00

Ah lists....
Here's my list of my top 10 favorite projects of the year.
This was the list from 2008
and from 2007

and here's 2009:

1.

The pre-art journal art journal! This is hands down the most favortist thing i've EVER made. I am hoping to think of it as a prototype and make more, possibly to help obtain one of my goals for the new year - selling some of my art.

2.

Bono's 49th Birthday Card for African Well Fund's "Build a well for Bono" fundraiser. This is when i was deep into experimenting with spray paint. I made, tore apart, and remade this card three times - and i actually came up with something i was pretty proud of! Also really enjoyed using envelopes this year ... will continue on that theme for sure!

3.

I finished all 24 spreads for the year in the life journal. i used this "challenge" as a journal as well as a place to practice and develop techniques. There were some pages I really really liked, though:

4.

The "F" spread from "A Year in the Life" art journal.
This was really the first time i tried image transfer using matte medium directly onto the page.

5.

The "H" spread for "Year in the life"
couldn't decide what font to use, so i used a couple -i like the repetition. This was also one of the first layouts of 2009 i actually felt positivity.

the full set of pages are here at flickr

6.

This was also the year i completed my first art journal EVER!
All pages can be seen here at flickr

7.

The first of Nine Feng Shui squares. This really looks nicer in person on my wall. I love the colors - let's hope it works! It's for "Abundance and Prosperity" :)

8.

For the October prompt of Gutter Girlz. I'd been wanting to try this for awhile, and love how it came out.

9.

For Soul Journal I started and should probably start working on again :)
Inchies! Loved doing this and actually constantly daydream about doing another lighter one.

10.
Tshirt design for AWF:

I know this isn't paper and glue art, but it's something i designed for the U2 USA Leg 1 of the tour. I am really proud of how it turned out and it looks great on flyers and t-shirts.

Final Photos of AYITLOAAJ

2009-12-26T19:17:00.002-05:00

the finished year in the life of my art journal!

The front:

Back:

YUMMMM:

and yummmmmmmmmm:

Feng Shui Squares

2009-12-25T17:30:00.001-05:00

my new project is making nine feng shui squares.
feng shui is kind of like karma to me, not sure i believe in it, but hey, it can't hurt.
so, with the aid of a book a friend gave me years ago and a desire to transform the space i've been living in for 3 years hoping it will help turn my life around, i'm studying up on the practice.

a little background on feng shui - you divide your living space up into 9 areas that are called "guas" and each gua represents an aspect of life. it is believed that each gua has an energy that can affect the area of life it corresponds to in a positive or negative way. One way to control the energy and make it positive is using material items.

What i like about this book my friend gave me is it's not only kind of written for "dummies" but for people who don't have a lot of patience and maybe a hint of attention deficit, like myself.

The first piece I've made is for the prosperity corner of my house - which is the farthest left and back corner from my front door - my bedroom, actually. I've been having so many money issues, as well as the feeling of not having the abundance of anything, i thought this might be a good place to start.

So, the things that are said to cause positive energy in this corner are the colors purple, green, red and gold. also things that remind me of abundance, moving water, moving objects and round leaved plants. Also the #8 is somehow associated with this corner.

Here's the piece I came up with encompassing these things and that i have placed in this corner:

The canvas is a wood block - i trash picked, erm, repurposed, 9 square pieces of wood awhile ago - i thought it might be a bit fortuitous that i took exactly 9 pieces (even though there was a mound of a whole lot more) not knowing what i would do with them.

I put down some purple duck tape and painted over that with purple acrylic paint as the background then collaged bits of paper (8 pieces of two different patterns) and even a piece of monopoly money :)

The "frame" material comes from gauche alchemy - the red matte is from a new kit being released shortly and the gold is punch waste. I adhered them with nails which adds a nice little 3D effect :) There are 4 strips of each, making the frame out of 8 pieces total (get it?).

The sun is a pin i suspended on the ribbon so it can move around if i want it to.

XYZ Art Journal

2009-12-23T12:53:00.001-05:00

the last entry of the Year in the life of an art journal is DONE! The whole journal is so wonderous to hold. And look at. Whoa, have i been up and down and all around this year! I want to put all 24 entries together in a slideshow for myself at some point, but here are the last page - XYZ and the cover page.

P.S. we will be doing this again in 2010!!!!! But a little different, but pretty much the same. I'll, of course, post more info when it's out there.

Holiday Card - Prototype

2009-12-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

i made this card for my friends birthday.
Tried some new things and decided i LOVE this new way of doing image transfers with Omni Gel.
And i love using sheet music as a base.
In fact, this card became the prototype for the other 20 or so holiday cards i've made.

Inside:

Wax paper over the sheet music gives it nice texture and obscurity and makes the paper much more sturdy! Win-Win!