Dabblings

My Collections, Part 4: Mail ART!

2012-02-24T11:30:00.001-08:00

You can see the other parts of my collections series here:
Part One: Autographs
Part Two: Zines
Part Three: Trading Cards

Today I opened up my boxes of mail art from years ago.

Around 12 years ago I traded decos with people all over the world. What are they? They are decorative booklets in which each person collages and adds artwork to one page. After the artist has decorated a page, they send it on to another friend, penpal or artist who swaps them. I swapped these for years with a large number of people, mostly through the mail. There were (are) communities online in which to find other people to swap them. Whenever you send out a booklet in the mail you take the risk that it won't ever return to you. I have received probably hundreds of these books back. Thousands of other people's books passed through my hands. I would receive big envelopes full of deco booklets and then make up big envelopes to send to other people (usually including one or two new ones that I made, but mostly those from other people.)

Years later, I am still occasionally receiving full booklets home! I'm sure many of them got lost in the shuffle, or were unable to return to me because I've moved several times since then, but I've connected with a few people from facebook who swapped them.

It is amazing to look through them and see the variety of artistic styles, the countries they passed through and the little messages people wrote as they signed in.

I really loved to attach ribbons, yarn and little doodads as I bound the booklets together.

Drawings, rubberstamping, lettering, collages.... so much to see. It is a joy to flip through the books.

I would spend probably at least $50 a month on postage to swap mail art. Crazy, I know! And that was 10 years ago. That's one of the big reasons I stopped swapping. Postage kept going up and up and my disposable income kept going down. Now it just wouldn't work in my budget.

There were some of us online who got to know each other well and enclosed personal letters each time we swapped. Most have since stopped swapping. One of my penpals from the Netherlands even managed to take a couple trips to the United States and we were able to meet up with her a couple time!

While I was swapping decos, I also organized an online group to make and trade postcards. These were really fun, because then you'd get an immediate result, rather than waiting years and years for deco booklets to possibly make their way home. I have hundreds of these too. Mostly people would send their handmade postcards (usually based on a theme) to the swap host and then that person would organize and distribute them so you would get one of each person's cards back. I started punching holes in the corner of them and then attaching them to a metal ring, so that I would have them in little books I could flip through.

I have so much more I could show you. Each of the deco booklets are filled with about 5-10 pages of mini collages and art. So much fun! Another day I will take more photos for you.

I have other collections too, besides the ones I blogged about. I used to collect stamps and regular postcards too. I'll save those for another day as well.

Texture and Lettering

2012-02-23T12:43:00.001-08:00

Inspiration Avenue's challenge this week is texture. A lot of my art journal pages have layers and texture.

WOYWW: What's on my workdesk Wednesday!

2012-02-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

starting layer for a painting

What's on YOUR workdesk? Visit these other artists for more inspiration.

Project Life Scrapbook pages

Mixed media paintings in progress

Daria has been coloring up a storm lately! (she's 2 1/2 years old)

Daria gets to use my special colored pencils!

Detail shot of a mixed media painting in progress.

Peace Love and Art

2012-02-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

The preview for Featuring Magazine is up. We've been hard at work on it. Check it out!

using watersoluble crayons/pencils

2012-02-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

This is a bird painting. I used watercolor pencils for the bird and then smudged it with a damp Q-tip. The color splotches were made with watercolor pencils and water soluble crayons. There are other collage elements and marker designs added.

Just Journals!

2012-02-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

You are invited to submit your link to a recent art journal or scrapbook page! Share what you have been working on. Try to visit at least 3 other artists :)

Grab a button for your page:

New journaling/lettering pages

2012-02-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

Above: Lettering practice for the Lettering Love online workshop with Joanne Sharpe. Writing in a circular shape was a fun new way for me to practice lettering. It was a nice starting point for a composition.

Below: These were notes I made about writing out Bible verses and prayer concerns. I led devotions for our council meeting at church and I shared a couple pages from my journal where I write out prayers, phrases and verses as a form of meditation and devotion.

Below: Here is a detail shot of the lettering page from above.

Painting with 3rd and 4th graders

2012-02-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

Hello blogging friends! If you don't already know this about me, I will tell you now. When I am not painting, making collages or playing with my daughter, I teach elementary school art. I wanted to share with you this awesome project that my third and fourth graders worked together on this week.

I was so excited to see this idea of Circle Painting!! I first learned about it at Barbara's Thought of the Day and then at We Heart Art. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. for this wonderful idea. We are making several collaborative canvases with this technique and they are going to be raffled off at our end of the year school FUNdraiser. The kids had a blast creating these paintings. This is the first video I have edited using Imovie! See the video below to watch the kids painting these canvases. I'm planning on making two more canvases with an older class to keep at school for display.

More Letter Practice!

2012-02-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

Project Life Page

2012-02-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

Letter Love Class

2012-02-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

Here is another quote I wrote using techniques from Joanne Sharpe's class.

Lettering Class

2012-02-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

I'm taking Joanne Sharpe's lettering class online and it just started this week. It's not too late to join in. So I've been playing around a lot with letters this week.

Project Life

2012-02-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

Well, I jumped on the Project Life bandwagon. Some people are using the system to document every day of their year, doing one week per spread. I don't have the time for that. Well, I could, but then I would have to cut out other things to make time for it, and I definitely don't want to stop playing Words with Friends or watching tv. I thought it would be a faster, easier way to scrapbook. And it is easier. But I'm finding that it takes just as much time, because I am cutting every picture and adding all kinds of doo-dads. I'm having fun digging in to use up all my leftover scraps. Maybe I will finally make a dent in all the paper I have stashed.

This is all about the protests at the capitol in Madison, WI. My hubby is a news reporter and our lives were consumed by this for several months! On the bottom right you can see a picture of him interviewing the governor.

And here's a too-cute picture I just had to share. Daria loves her blanket and carries it all over the house. She wears it like a hooded cape quite often.

Then she likes to cover herself up and hide on the floor.

Here are some detail shots from my Project Life pages.... I think I'm now going to refer to it as Project Beckett (my last name)

Just Journals Link Party!

2012-02-03T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Thanks to everyone who adds their links for each linky party. Just Journals is an every-other-week link party. Add your link to a blogpost or photo of a journal page or scrapbook page! Please include a link back to me to that other people can find our Just Journals linky. Anyone can join!

Grab a button for your page:

Sketchbook Flip

2012-01-31T17:59:00.000-08:00

I finished a flipping, folding sketchbook. I really enjoy things with movement and interaction. Here is a video to show you the pages!

Check out My Mojo Monthly for more inspiration!

Cabinet of Curious Things #2

2012-01-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

Shared with Inspiration Avenue Hodgepodge Friday Sweet Saturdays Studio JRU and Paint Party Friday

Zines in the mail!

2012-01-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

I used to collect zines voraciously and haven't bought too many recently. I decided to treat myself to some fun art zines this year. I decided to purchase zines from 2 of the artists who I regularly enjoy reading their blogs. First, I bought three by Andrea Joseph. Her drawings are just amazing! Here is her etsy shop.

Yesterday, I received two more zines in the mail from Natalie Malik of Awkward and Beautiful. I thoroughly enjoy her blog posts about art journaling.

I LOVE getting fun mail!

Coloring Page

2012-01-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

I made a coloring page! I am submitting this to the Doodlers Anonymous call for artwork for their coloring book. How cool would that be to have artwork in a coloring book? Also, I know this coloring page is a bit zany for a coloring book, but Doodlers Anonymous has a lot of really funky, edgy drawings so I'm not worried about that!

Cabinet of Curious Things #1

2012-01-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

ooh-la-la!

2012-01-21T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ooh-la-la! Thanks Denise for sharing this awesome online filtering program. I am amazed and excited. Pixlr-o-Matic is the place. You can download to your fancy phone if you have one of those or you can use it on your computer. Oh, I'm excited now. Check this out:

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Sharing with:

Here I am--- Just Journals Link Party

2012-01-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

Now it's time to show off your journal pages! Join the link party and add your journal pages below.

Grab a button for your page:

Butterflies

2012-01-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

The theme at Inspiration Avenue challenge team this week is Butterflies. I love butterflies and they make their way into many of my artworks. Just this week I was painting them and using them in my art.

This is a closeup of a mixed media collage I am working on. It's not totally finished yet. The butterfly I painted with watercolors and black ink.

Here's another part of that mixed media collage.

I've been reading everyone's blogs about choosing one word for the year, instead of coming up with resolutions. Many people have words such as courage, joy, etc. My word is balanced, because I need to make sure I balance all aspects of my life... family, work, art, exercise, church, etc. And it includes a butterfly! The "C" is a bit funky and after I used the rub on letters it was a bit too late unless I wanted to redo the whole word, so I just left it as it was. oh well.

Also check out The Answer is Chocolate
Artists in Blogland
Paint Party Friday

What's on my workdesk this week?

2012-01-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

What's on your workdesk this week?

Journal Pages

2012-01-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

I have been starting my pages by laying down pale pastel washes of paints. Then, building up from there.

Quotes are always making their way into my art journal pages. The above quote is from a passage in the Bible that we read at church this week.

There are some parts of quotes in the above journal page as well. Do you recognize Picasso's dove? That was from a Christmas card I got this year. The Butterfly Effect's challenge this week is to show some art with quotes in it.

Omg photo filters

2012-01-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

I really love the look of those Instagram photos.. but alas, I do not own any sort of fancy phone and probably will not splurge for one of those soon. I did some googling and found two places to do photo filtering online. The first is omg photo filters

Look what I did here: x-pro filter, and border

Picnik is another favorite of mine.. Here I used winterize and polaroid border. Picnik is awesome because it is a complete photo editing program online. There are all kinds of free things you can do to your photos, add text and borders, make collages. Then you can upgrade to Premium and get more filters and fun stuff. I have been very tempted to upgrade, but just haven't done it yet.

Do you know of any other places?

Bright Shiny Days

2012-01-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

Painting and Featuring Magazine call for artwork

2012-01-14T07:12:00.000-08:00

Featuring Magazine Call For Artwork
We extended the date and the theme for the theme gallery
of the first issue. ‘Applause’ seemed too narrow and rather
difficult for people to get inspired.
The new theme is: CHEERING, STOMPING AND APPLAUDING
The deadline for submissions is now February 29
Find all the info on the website here

Also check out It's a HodgePodge LIfe!

Finished Mixed Media Painting

2012-01-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the painting I've been working on for a few weeks. It is mostly acrylic craft paints. I realized I need to replenish my supply of better quality paints. I added details with poster paint markers and white out pens.

Do you remember the before??? Yep, it totally changed!

Detail shots:

paint palette

Palette & Paint Thursday is a super cool mash-up of paintings with the pictures of the palettes used!

Fun with Traci Bautista's workshop

2012-01-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

I've been having lots of fun with Traci Bautista's online workshop at Strathmore. Strathmore has a series of FREE online workshops with videos and pdfs. If you haven't heard about it, you should check it out! The first session was about spraying with stencils, overpainting the stenciled images and adding details with markers. Here are some of the pictures I am working on. These still need marker doodles on top, although they are quite busy as they are!

Rest your Soul

2012-01-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a small collage I made for the Inspiration Avenue challenge of the week.. using a damask image in your artwork. It also fits the monthly Artists in Blogland challenge of "Soul". I like using challenges in making art because it provides a focus or set of limitations that helps to come up with an idea. Okay, so I *think* that is a damask stencil, right? I hadn't heard of the term before but I was comparing the images provided to my stencils and I'm pretty sure that is a damask. The colored letters below are old scrapbooking letters that I hadn't used and the black letters are these fun old rub-ons I had. An penpal from several years ago sent me a HUGE package of ones she no longer wanted. They are super old and the packaging must be from the 70's, but they still work. Also check out My Mojo Monthly.

Just Journals Link Party #9

2012-01-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

What's in your art journal? What are your favorite new supplies to use? I just bought some Faber Castell Gel Sticks that I've heard so much about. I'm going to test them out this weekend and let you know what I think. I'm thinking about doing Just Journals Link Party every other weekend. Things are getting busy around here!

I would love to see your pages! Find a post that you recently made about an art journal page, add a link in your post back to the Just Journals blog post so others can find the meme and then add your link to inlinkz tab below! Sounds fun? play along!

Grab a button for your page:

Here is a link to the Gel Sticks I mentioned:

Journal Pages!

2012-01-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

Lots of color, collage, painting words with a paintbrush, outlining, doodling, painting background with inktense blocks mixed in gesso

Check out these links for more artwork and ideas:

The Answer is Chocolate

It's a Hodgepodge Life

Artists in Blogland

Just Journals

Sweet Saturdays

Art Journal Every Day

Studio JRU

A few highlights from Christmas.

2012-01-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

So yes, this blog is about my artmaking adventures, but I thought I'd show you a peak into my personal life as well. :) The picture above is of my cutie patootie Linus. He is a schnoodle.

This was my lovely niece Sonia with the picture I drew for her.

These are all the kids in our family-- two from my brother, two from Andrew's sister and the girl in the red dress is my daughter Daria.

This is Andrew and I posing for a picture while the kids were watching a movie.

Be Still

2012-01-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

Journal page with a LOT going on!

Stencil Tutorial

2012-01-02T12:12:00.000-08:00

I love the look of stencils, but since I have a toddler I like the process to be easy and quick to clean up. I need to be ready to switch gears at a moments notice :) I've tried using spray inks for the stencils and paints, but this way I just tried seems to be an easy and neat way to make stencil prints.

Use rubber stamp ink pads. I love this Color Box set with a rainbow of colors.

Each section can be removed.

Place your stencil on your paper. Hold with one hand tightly, or tape in place. Then dab the rubber stamp ink pad up and down on the stencil. You can twist and turn the ink pad gently as well.

Finished stencil print. The colors are vibrant and the image has good coverage.

Mini Collage and FEATURING survey

2012-01-02T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here is another one of my mini collages. I used bits of dyed paper towel, ribbon, paper scraps, doodled images, and some sewing.

I hope you are all having a wonderful new year so far. We went out and bought an exercise bike yesterday! I know, it's super cliche to buy an exercise bike on New Year's Day. However, we had been talking about it for awhile. And I do go to the gym a few times per week, so this is something supplemental to use.

We have a new, quick survey for you to fill out for the upcoming magazine Featuring, which I am a part of. It only took me a minute or two to fill out. It's about Etsy.com shops. Have you ever shopped there? Do you have an Etsy shop? We are going to write an article in Featuring magazine about Etsy shopping. So, would you pretty please fill out this survey for us?

Year in Review

2011-12-31T13:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, as I look back through all my pictures, it's been a really prolific year in art. I've made a ton of little things: journal pages, cards, lettering, a few bigger paintings. Here are some of my highlights:

To make a picture bigger, click on the links on the bottom.

1. 002, 2. 005, 3. Elemental-- from my elemental series, 4. bound journals, 5. drawings on journal pages, 6. journal page, 7. painting1, 8. JOY lettering, 9. dog and bone, 10. Hope greeting card, 11. flower doodle page, 12. Summer takes flight, 13. Think Poster, 14. 007, 15. four, 16. Farmer's Market, 17. love, 18. Rolling HIlls, 19. Summer Configuration, 20. Mixed Media Collage, 21. Red Configuration on Canvas, 22. sunflower mixed media painting, 23. ink on watercolor, 24. journal progress 3, 25. 003_picnik, 26. Art Journal Page, 27. Oh Happy Day!, 28. 016

Mini Collage

2011-12-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

2011-12-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

Top 2000 Musical Blog Party

2011-12-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

I created a few collages for Marit's Top 2000 Musical Blog Party. In the Netherlands, they play the top 2000 songs (listener selected) from Christmas to New Years Day. Marit challenged her friends to create art based on any of the songs they wished from the list. Here a my choices.

- name of the artist: 4 Non Blondes
- song title: What's Up?
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list: #323
- date of broadcasting: Dec. 30
- your name: Marcia Beckett
- link to your website/blog: http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com

- name of the artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
- song title: Under the Bridge
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list: #54
- date of broadcasting: Dec. 31

- name of the artist: A Ha
- song title: Take On Me
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list: #308
- date of broadcasting: Dec 30

Bubble Prints

2011-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Over the summer I tested out several ways to make bubble prints. I experimented and discovered they way that works best for me. I decided to do bubble printing with some students this past week, because it was the week before break and I wanted something fun and out-of-the-ordinary to do with them.

So apparently bubbles are out of season right now. I went to Hobby Lobby however, and found this pack of 24 small party bubbles.

Pop off the top and if the bottle is really full, you will need to pour out a small bit so there is room for the dye. Then, drop in a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolor (both work). Then, add a little bit of dishwashing soap to make it more bubbly.

Then blow the bubbles with the wand like you normally would. Let the bubbles drop on the paper. The ones that turn out really well are the bubbles that land on the paper, sit there for a little while and then pop. The extra splatters look really cool too!

Just Journals

2011-12-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Just Journals Link Party will be taking a break until after the holidays! Ideas for art journaling:

Sketch your favorite ornaments
Use bits of wrapping paper and ribbons from your presents in your journal
Write lyrics from your favorite holiday songs
Create a color palette based on your favorite holiday cards
Cut up your holiday cards and make collages with the images
Take photos of your holiday trinkets and use them as collage images
Doodle snowflakes!

Images from Pinterest:

Photographs of holiday trinkets

Color palette inspiration

Use bits of your wrapping paper and ribbons

Doodle snowflakes!


Cut up some of your Christmas cards

Mini Collage

2011-12-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Something old... There are all kinds of old scraps on this mini collage.. plus a vintage postcard. :)

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue from Inspiration Avenue

In Progress Painting

2011-12-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

I've been working on this abstract painting on and off... I've enjoyed using some scraping and overpainting techniques. It's not quite finished yet, I may add some bold black or dark blues.

I've lately been using paper plates for a palette. It's totally not the way I was taught in college to arrange a palette, but since I usually paint with my toddler running around, I don't have time to do a big set up. I usually paint with one or two colors at a time and then need a quick way to clean up when she decides she wants to move on to another room.

Sharing with Artists in Blogland, Palette and Paint, It's a Hodge Podge Life and Paint Party Friday

Mini Collages

2011-12-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

I made several little collages that I am sending off to Cloth Paper Scissors collaborative sketchbook challenge. You can see all the details here. I saw some pictures with artworks on top of book pages, so I photographed my mini collages on pages of a vintage lettering book. Well, the book is vintage. Anyways, more collages will be posted soon!

Yes Day!

2011-12-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

Just Journals Recapture

2011-12-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

Every weekend I post a "Just Journals" link party. I invite readers to post their own art journal pages. Anything goes.. sketches, writing, collages, whatever! My goal is for other artists to meet each other and find inspiration from others' artwork. Here are some highlights from this past weekend.

Altered School Marm, a new blog to me

My new friend, a fellow Cheesehead from Wisconsin

DosFishes, whom I've been reading since I started blogging

Michelle's Gorgeous Pages

Frau has a step-by-step progression of her page on her blog

Check out Juana's delicate drawings

Falling Ladies' lovely cross-hatching

Lettering

2011-12-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

I have been busy making name pictures for my long time high school friend. I'm giving her these for Christmas. She asked me to make name designs for her three kids: Faith, Hope and William.

I cut up photocopies of my watercolor paintings and turned them into letters. Then, I outlined them and added doodles and embellishments.

Just Journals Link Party #8

2011-12-16T14:47:00.001-08:00

I would love to see your pages! Find a post that you recently made about an art journal page, add a link in your post back to the Just Journals blog post so others can find the meme and then add your link to inlinkz tab below! Sounds fun? play along!

Grab a button for your page:

Hope

2011-12-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is a lettering poster I made for my friend's kid who's name is Hope.. but it also is perfect for the holiday season, don't you think?

Snippets

2011-12-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

I don't have anything really finished to show you, but I have some pages in stages to show you. Would you like to see them?

new journals to work in!

Check out these other inspiring links:
It's a HodgePodge Life
Paint Party Friday

Keep Calm and Make Art

2011-12-14T07:21:00.000-08:00

Glass Fusing!

2011-12-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

Here are two glass fused pieces I did at a local pottery place. Aren't they fun? Can you tell that this is Elmo? The orange glass was brighter when I put it on, but darkened after it was fused.

Rainbow!

2011-12-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

This was a journal page I'd been working on in pieces for awhile. It was kind of a practice piece for lettering, color schemes, etc. Check out the other rainbow pages at Daisy Yellow's blog.

Lettering

2011-12-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a name picture I made for my nephew Dylan.

I've been busy working on name pictures for a friend too! I will post those soon.

Building a Rainbow: Lavender

2011-12-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

"lavender, sweet lavender;
come and buy my lavender,
hide it in your trousseau, lady fair.
Let its flovely fragrance flow
Over your from head to toe,
lightening on your eyes, your cheek, your hair."

Cumberkand Clark Flower Song Book 1929

I am hosting today's color, LAVENDER, for Daisy Yellow's Building a Rainbow.

Lavender Inspiration

1. Lavender field, 2. lavender blue, 3. Lavender 3, 4. Lavender, 5. Lavender, 6. lavender, 7. Lavender Jordan Almonds, 8. lavender, 9. Avery's Journal-6 Months

Here are a couple pages I made with a lavender palette.

“When hope is fleeting, stop for a moment and visualize, in a sky of silver, the crescent of a lavender moon. Imagine it -- delicate, slim, precise, like a paper-thin slice from a cabochon jewel.

It may not be very useful, but it is beautiful.

And sometimes it is enough.”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

The other color for today is PERIWINKLE. Check out Pippa's intro to periwinkle .

Just Journals Link Party #6

2011-12-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

This is now the 6th week of the Just Journals Link Party. Every weekend I will post a linky for you to add a link to a blog post you have made about an art journal or sketchbook page.

Thanks for playing along!

Grab a button for your page:

Paint Party Friday

2011-12-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Check out Paint Party Friday... What have you been working on?

Painted butterfly on collage

Painted ladybug on collage

Painted background

Check out In the Studio!

Best of the Web

2011-12-08T14:49:00.001-08:00

Check it out! I'm featured on "Best of the Web"

Pocketchange Lifestyle Blog

Be Inspired!

2011-12-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

What's On Your Workdesk?

Peace to you!

2011-12-06T16:50:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Avenue had a Christmas ball challenge this week. Here's a little sketch I made for the occasion. Maybe I will copy them for some Christmas notes.

Building a Rainbow: Black

2011-12-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

I started late with this challenge (Building a Rainbow with Tammy), but I did black! Black is easy for me to do, because I use black in my doodling all the day. Black micron pens are awesome, as well as sharpies.

Here are snippets from a journal page I made.

Building a rainbow: Blue

2011-12-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

I missed the rest of the days, but I participated in Daisy Yellow's building a rainbow. Here is a mixture of spray ink, watercolor and ink. I was experimenting with this super tiny long hair brush, I think it's called a rigur or rigor brush.

Just Journals Link Party #6

2011-12-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

In progress pages...

2011-11-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

Linked to Paint Party Friday
and My Mojo Monthly
and Blog Feature Friday
I am loving this new pastel color palette. I've been using watercolor paints, markers, and inktense color blocks painted with a bit of watered down gesso.

I am planning to add some colorful lettering and pictures to these pages.

Art Journaling

2011-11-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

Mosaic Monday

2011-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

Mosaic Monday is a bit of inspiration for you. These are images I selected from other artists off of Flickr. enjoy! Click on the links below to see the original images larger.

1. 12-11-11-21-41, 2. NaNoJouMo, 3. Things You Gotta Love, 4. Avery's Journal-6 Months, 5. Angry Robo, 6. In The Sea, 7. trying to put a bright spin on it, 8. Arrowhead Progression (09272011), 9. happiness

Free Fonts!

2011-11-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Pinterest, I found this cool site that has tons of FREE Fonts. They are all fun and contemporary handwritten fonts.

Lettering

2011-11-26T05:54:00.000-08:00

I maybe went a little overboard with the doodling! This will be a gift for my niece. The size of this is 12x18"

Bug Sketch

2011-11-25T11:36:00.000-08:00

Found these bug sketches in my stuff that I did for a demo with kids.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I was having problems with following blogs on google reader. I was deleting blogs and then they'd keep mysteriously reappearing. We'll see if blog lovin' works better.

Good News!

2011-11-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

Hello! I have good news to share with you. I have been accepted to be a contributing editor for a new magazine that is starting! I am very excited about this, because I LOVE magazines and I love paper arts, so this will be very fun. Check out the website for the magazine!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

journaling in my sketchbook

painting over some unwanted areas

creating a background for an art journal page

doodles galore!

creating pages to use as collage materials

printing faces with 1st graders at school!

more painting over unwanted areas.. a la Samie Kira

journal sketchbook page in progress.. writing will be added soon

Sunday Snippets

2011-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

You can share your own Sunday Snippets here! This week I'm making a list. Goals. Do you have goals? Do you have future plans?

You can make your own list here.

Art Show

2011-11-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the art reception for a small art show that I was a part of. It is a group of art education majors from the college I went to, Illinois State. The show is taking place at a coffee shop on the north side of Chicago. My friend Anne organized the show and she lives in that area. Here are a few pictures of the night.

Here's my baby Daria enjoying sitting on the windowsill.

Here's me in front of one of my paintings.

This is the painting, titled Red Configuration on Canvas

Daria again.

A group of some of the artists.

My mom and I in front of my other painting.

Works in Progress-- a gift!

2011-11-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

I am making two presents for Christmas right now. I figure it is safe because they probably don't read my blog. My sister-in-law wanted an artwork for each of her kids with their names on it. This is the first step of my process. Cutting out letters from other painted pages. Next, I will add dark black outlines to the letters with other doodles around it. Kind of like in this picture or these.

Silly Creature

2011-11-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

in my art journal there lives a silly creature.

Oh Happy Day!

2011-11-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

"Oh Happy Day" by me. November 2011. Watercolors on Ampersand Aquaboard. 16" x 20"

Here is my finished painting!

Links: Artists in Blogland
Paint Party Friday
Creative Every Day
The Answer is Chocolate
Studio JRU
Sunday Sketches

Glass Jewelry

2011-11-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

I went to a Fire It Up pottery place where they also do glass fusing. I made these fun glass pendants!

Snippets of a Painting

2011-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

Manon's workshop

2011-11-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

I've been busy for the last couple of weeks and overwhelmed, (and it's not an excuse.. really.. my car was totaled, I work full time, we had parent-teacher conferences, church obligations, yada yada yada.) Anyways, so I had been meaning to check out Amy's free workshops and this week Manon was doing a workshop with Amy. I really love Manon's style, so I watched the video of her workshop. I really enjoyed learning how she layers markers to create the shades on her little girl drawings. And then she used gesso to blend the markers. I haven't ever used gesso in that way, so that was really cool. I'm very pleased with how my little girl turned out, but also then I have mixed feelings, because this is really a Manon girl and really her style. I don't really ever draw people that much, maybe once in awhile. I think there are some elements of the drawing style that I could transfer to things like animals and creatures. Anyways, I think the girl turned out pretty cute.

Just Journals Link Party #5

2011-11-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

Here is my art journal page I am sharing with you:

Evolution of a page....
I started by painting watercolor rectangles:

Then I made this page awhile later:

I didn't like the composition on that one, so I cut off the top half and put it on the page. Then I added doodling to the squares with black marker. Oil pastel was rubbed around the frame.

Watercolor Sketches

2011-11-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

These will be cut up and used later for other fun artworks.
Sunday Sketches and Butterfly Effect
Artists in Blogland, too, of course!

Colorful Snippets

2011-11-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Avenue-- Needlework

2011-11-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

Inspiration Avenue's theme this week is needlework, so I thought I would show you some of the things I have done that goes with this theme. I have taught some needlework projects as well with my elementary students.

Finger weaving with children

Weaving on straws with children

This was one of my 5th grade students sewn works-- based on micro organisms

Sewn picture on a journal page (mine)

Sewn Mixed Media collage (by me)

Knitted Ornament Ball by Me

Fabric Collage by 3rd grader

Knitted and felted purse by Me

Here is a little baby cardigan I made for my daughter (she's already outgrown it!)

In Progress Painting

2011-11-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Here is an in-progress painting I am working on... the right hand side is mostly finished... I will add more doodles and details like those in the lower right corner.

Just Journals Link Party #4 Sketchbook Flip

2011-11-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Check out these other great artists at
Paint Party Friday
My Mojo Monthly
Artists in Blogland
Creative Every Day
In the Studio
Sweet Saturdays

What have you been working on in your journal? Link here for Just Journals.

Grab a button for your page:

Lots of Shapes and Colors

2011-11-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Art Journal Page

2011-11-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Halloween Party Time!

2011-10-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures to celebrate the Halloween season:

Decorating pumpkins with my daughter

Elmo pumpkin, of course!

Skull sketch

My costume

Artwork by kindergartner that I teach

Making felt monsters after school with a class

A Halloween wreath made by a child in my after school art class.

Sunday Snippets

2011-10-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

My Cat in the Hat costume... simple: long sleeve black t-shirt, black pants, cut out a white oval from felt and sew on, safety pin a red ribbon on the collar, Cat in the Hat hat (from Halloween store), black tail

We were lucky to be able to borrow the kindergarten train/car set. It is enormous!! The teacher did not want to store it when it was not in use, so we are borrowing it until the teacher needs it again.

watercolor paint, paint markers, magazine images, journal page

Watercolor bird in a journal page

another journal page

Check out other Sunday Snippets!

Just Journals Link Party #3

2011-10-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

What's in YOUR art journal or sketchbook? Now add your link!

Grab a button for your page:

Also check out Artists in Blogland and In the Studio

Paint Party Friday

2011-10-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this painting of watercolor doodles. This is about half of the painting. The other half I haven't done too much on...

Paint Party Friday!

It's all good!

2011-10-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

What's on my desk

2011-10-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Check out what is on other people's workdesks.

Artist Inspiration

2011-10-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

I love these artworks by Gretchen Ebersol!

Mizue Hirano is another fave.

Also these by Janice Lowry.

Meri Cherry has awesome kid's art

Love Maya Huyak's art!

Victoria Huckins

Yuko Adachi= yum!

Tilleke Schwarz= awesome.

Today was a not-so good day. I got rear-ended and my car is smashed.

The Answer is Chocolate

2011-10-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hey, cool! I'm featured on The Answer is Chocolate! Check out some of my pictures there. These two pictures above are from the pumpkin patch we went to last weekend. We also decorated them with stickers. She's too young to carve them, but she loves stickers!

Just Journals Link Party #2

2011-10-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Last week I started a "Just Journals" Link Party, where YOU can show everyone what you have been working on in your art journal or sketchbook. Lots of inspiring pages were made!! I would love to see your pages! Find a post that you recently made about an art journal page, add a link in your post back to the Just Journals blog post so others can find the meme and then add your link to inlinkz tab below! Sounds fun? play along!

Here is one of my recent pages. I was teaching about Day of the Dead in my classroom and thought it would be fun to draw my own skull. Lots of painted doodles around it! Linked to Paint Party Friday, Sunday Sketches and Artists in Blogland!

What's in YOUR art journal or sketchbook? Now add your link!

Grab a button for your page:

What inspires you?

2011-10-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

Inspiration Avenue is having a blog party for reaching 500 members. They have weekly challenges with themes. This week they are asking what inspires you. Also, check out My Mojo Monthly, which is all about inspiration as well. So, I will show you some of what inspires me:

Insects and Plants

Flowers and Fruits

Organic Shapes

Letters and Numbers

Cute things

BRIGHT Colors

WOYWW

2011-10-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

What's on your workdesk?

New LINK Party!! "Just Journals"

2011-10-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a Saturday meme... every Saturday I will post a "Just Journals" link party, where you can link up YOUR art journal pages. Find a post that you recently made about an art journal page, add a link in your post back to the Just Journals blog post so others can find the meme and then add your link to inlinkz tab below! Sounds fun? play along!

Here's my page for this week:

My obsessively bright doodles!

What's in YOUR art journal or sketchbook? Now add your link!

Grab a button for your page: