Sunny Sundays make me happy!

There's nothing better than sleeping in on a lazy Sunday, waking to a glorious day, bright sunshine with no clouds in sight, the smell of coffee wafting up from the kitchen, and your art journal waiting for you to bring your feelings to life on a clean page.

 Close up of the textures.

It's the first time that I've used my India ink on finished page, and the first time I've randomly stamped over collaged, gessoed and pasted elements. Love the effect!

Enjoy your weekend!

Let love rule the day

Yesterday wasn't your typical Friday. You know, the kind where you just can't wait to get out and head home. You wish you could just get up and leave and head home for the weekend. Get it started early. Only yesterday, we didn't want to leave early. In fact, it was probably safer to stay in the building. We had a false alarm at work, a suspicious package. And while some were disappointed that they didn't get sent home early, I thought the contrary. Staying at work meant that no one got hurt, and no one was in danger.

So all afternoon I thought about what I would have done if I had been. Had I told my husband that I love him when I left that morning? Could I call him at work in case of an emergency? Did I even have his work's number programmed in my phone? When was the last time that I spoke to my mom, my brother, my niece and nephews? It all comes to the front of your mind when you are thrown into a situation like Friday's. So this weekend's art is dedicated to letting love rule the day instead of fear.

I might make this a digital card for prints.

A closeup of the inked fabric rosette I made.

Enjoy your weekend!

Art Journal updates

Sometimes you just have to record the little things that make you happy.

Have a great week!

Are you ready to tumble?!

Are you ready to tumble?! Then let's get arting!

I adore these SEI Tumble Dyes! Awesome stuff for art journaling, especially when you work with lots of layers! They don't reactivate like some inks and dyes. They are permanent when dry, or better yet, heat set them. 

I don't think I could art without them now. For those of you looking for a place to get them online, check out Roben-Marie's store Paperbag Studios! I've had nothing but great service and selection from Roben-Marie, and even if I could find them cheaper elsewhere (which I haven't), I would still get them from her as a show of support for the art community.

So, a little arting tonight with a side of chocolate? Why, yes, thank you I think I will!

Some weekend fun

There's something satisfying about sitting down to your art desk or craft table, and pulling out some materials and just getting your hands busy without worry about the outcome, but loving the outcome all the same.

I love just playing with different textures with pretty colours.

And playing with different styles. After just completing an online course that has its basis in doodling, I thought I hated it. I tried to work with it, just to try. And weeks later, when I sat down to the desk, doodling came out with a whole different feel.

Make sure to take time for yourself, to care for yourself first. Say to yourself every day, "Love Me" so that you can love others better.

Polar Opposites

Every notice how sometimes depending on your mood, using the same products you can get totally different end results?

That was my weekend.

This is a canvas I did, using KCB digital scrapbook papers, after I was inspired by this pin in Pinterest.

And here's what I did with the leftover hearts I had cut out from the papers.

I guess my art this weekend would be what you could think of as polar opposites in style. And that works for me.

A new canvas - a new love

I found a new love this weekend. A love of making an unexpected canvas using mixed media techniques in a whole new way. I kinda love this one.

This piece was made using inked up papers, tag, scrapbook paper, texture paste, neocolour II crayons, Portfolio oil pastels, paper towel, cardboard, fabric and a Prima flower on an 8X10 inch canvas. 

 I may make postcards from this.

 Details of the petals made with texture paste.

I love inky paper, fabric, lace and cardboard together.

Want to see how I did this? Check out my video recording of the live broadcast I did earlier today.


Give this style a try. It's guaranteed fun if you decide to use what's on your desk, like scraps, gesso and paint, or pastels.

Check in again later this weekend for more. I'm definitely not done yet!

Last but not least for this long weekend...

I think I've fallen in love with this style. So much fun and so much to gaze on.

Here are some close ups of the textures and layers.

The weekend's not over yet

I had lots more fun with trying out a new style. Here's a page or two that have kind of inverted layers; that is, the gesso, texture paste and paint are on top of the elements, especially on the first page.

And this is my first ever tag. I can't believe it took me this long to do one. Had fun with it, and now it will go up on my dream board/inspiration board.

Morning's play time

A couple of pages from my altered book. I really enjoy play time in the morning.

Enjoy your weekend!

Winner!

Thanks for all the comments I've received on my art journals. DH chose a random number from 1 - 9 and the winner is #7:

Kathleen, I'll post a comment on your blog with my email address so that you can get back to me with your address.

For those of you that didn't win, thanks for playing along. Be sure to visit my store if you'd like your own art journal.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Fun doodling a challenge this weekend

Just a fun page I did for a recent colour challenge. So glad that I got to use my Dina stamp!

Using inks, crayola slicker crayons, neocolour II crayon, dina wakley stamp, punchinella, 

inked up paper towel, sharpie pen, white-out pen, stencils by CW.

And here are some close ups:

Enjoy your weekend!

Experimentation is a good thing!

You never know how things are going to go for you from one day to the next. It's what makes life exciting at times, and tragic at others. And sometimes things just seem to fall into place and leave you wondering how it happened. Patterns emerge, leaving people with beliefs of déja vu and kismet.

Today I had one of those moments. I worked on a journal page last night and just sprayed some inks that I thought I liked together, and left it to sit until today's live stream. I decided that the whole page was an experiment. Try things, like it or not, and accept them or work through them. I like how it turned out.

I really liked the colour scheme and wanted to create contrast, both in texture and in colour.

And I decided to experiment again with my modeling paste and just distress the tops with two accent colours. Liked it a lot. Finished the page I think.

Then I got home from the post office and opened my package from Blue Moon Scrapbooking. And then I had one of those moments. A pattern emerged and I thought, well, it's kismet. I ordered two magazines from them some time back. Check the colour schemes of not just one but both magazines:

Is it possible that way back in my creative memory I saw these colours and decided to use them, even including the small dusting of pink on my page? Maybe so. Karma, kismet, déja vu... I just call it one of my favourite pages yet.