All the world is but a canvas...

I added a bit more defining to this page and a few more images.

Affiliate Link:

Heavily Layered Page + Featuring mag. giveaway

I took a magazine article... circled some words and created this phrase.

These two below are pages in progress.  I feel like I have not finished anything noteworthy recently, but I thought I would show you two art journal spreads that I have been adding things to on and off.

 The page on the left is mostly finished, but the page on the right needs more doodling and defining.

 Have you ordered a copy of the new Featuring magazine issue?  The 2nd issue has just finished printing and is being mailed out now!  I'm so excited to see the newest issue.  Here is our editor-in-chief Marit, reading the new issue and here is what she had to say about the issue.  And, Jenny DeBode, who shared her fabulous rock paintings, wrote about the magazine too.

For everyone who orders a copy before October 30, they will have a chance to win one of 5 copies of Alternative Art Journals: Explore Innovative Approaches to Collecting Your Creativity, by Margaret Peot.






We give away five copies to people who purchase issue 2 before October 30.

Everyone who purchases the magazine before that date has a chance to win, including the persons who pre-ordered already.

The second issue of FEATURING will officially be released in week 39, so now is the time to order your copy! What are you waiting for – go to the store and make sure you lay your hand on our second – again amazing – issue.


Other Links to Check Out:
I am LOVING this awesome flip book video all hand drawn.  Breathtaking!

I need to order this kolaj magazine!

I love this Lego art lesson.  My husband would love this.

Free Webinar from the Journal Fodder Junkies 

Pages in Progress

 Altered Photograph with Watercolor Lines

This page is from my current journal which I bound together with a new binding tool I got.  I bound in some random ephemera... photographs, postcards, etc.  This was an old photograph that I scratched up and inked with yellow color.  I had altered the photo a long time ago and had found it in my "stash" while looking for things to add to my journal.

A lot going on, nothing completed

That's how I feel at the moment.  There is a lot going on, but nothing is coming to completion. 

Links to Check Out:

I am LOVING this awesome flip book video all hand drawn.  Breathtaking!

I need to order this kolaj magazine!

Free Webinar from the Journal Fodder Junkies 

I am celebrating the imperfections in my art.

 

I submitted an artwork for Seth Apter's Playing Favorites and it will be on his blog Sunday.  

If you are a fan of mixed media art, you should participate in his surveys and conversations.

Paint Party Friday

Artists in Blogland

Art Journal Every Day

House collage...

A few more pages completed...  the house was printed on tracing paper and glued to the page.  Rubber stamps, washi tape, and markers....  I am drawn to using these loose and swirly circle shapes.

Oh, and I lowered almost all the prices in my Etsy shop.  I have all this stuff sitting there and it's not doing me any good sitting in our spare room.  I have these fun collage packs that have a lot of stuff in them... I think it's a good deal for the price.  Most of them are now $4.99 for a big packet.  Here are some of the items..... 

This is one snapshot of a *portion* of the collage pack.. 

Day by Day

Over at Artists in Blogland we are having a Fall Fearless and Fly challenge thanks to Jessica Sporn and Carolyn Dube.

Fall Fearless and Fly - a bi-monthly art challenge to take you into 2013: The autumn equinox marks the arrival of fall, traditionally seen as a season of changes leading to the dark of winter. The trees are shedding their leaves, flowers are dying back, and animals are preparing for hibernation. Fall is a time to reflect on shedding and releasing aspects of our lives that don't serve us, and embracing positive and uplifting perspectives as we end one year and begin the next.

Between October 1 and December 31, we will use various prompts to reflect upon the past, and ready us to enter 2013 as our best possible selves. All of the prompts are taken from portions of newspaper headlines in the past year. Each bi-monthly challenge will contain 3 parts -- one of these headlines, a color prompt, and a relevant quote.

I will be one of the guest artists in November, so keep an eye out for that.  Hop on over to Artists in Blogland to see the details.  

And.... there will be PRIZES!  oh yes!

Marcia Beckett, Jane Davies, Maria McGuire, Ronda Palazzari, Joanne Sharpe and Dina Wakely will be guest artists in this challenge.  Can't wait to see!!

Issue #2 of Featuring Magazine is heading to the printers!

The 2nd issue of Featuring Magazine is going to the printers.  It is ready for pre-order!

I am part of the editorial team at Featuring magazine and I'm so excited for the release of this issue.  In this issue, I wrote the article titled Mapping It Out, which features the art of Mary C. Nasser, Tofu and Karey Kessler. Each of these artists explores using maps in their own way to tell a story or to make a statement.  I also wrote the Featured Blogger column:  Tammy Garcy from Daisy Yellow guides her blog readers with tutorials, art journaling prompts, challenges, inspirational photographs and interesting quotes. Tammy is our featured blogger!

I love this gorgeous cover!

Here is a preview of the Mapping It Out article...

 
You can see several pages of preview at the website.  Visit this page to learn more about the 2nd issue.

Pre-order issue #2 in the store for a chance to win an inchie on the back of our next issue!

We will give away 30 inchies to readers who pre-order issue #2 before September 21.
These will appear on the back of our third issue.  On the 21st, we will draw 30 winners. Issue #2 of FEATURING will be released soon after.

Issue #1 is still available too... and remember:
Save money by buying multiple magazines at once.

Within Europe:
if you order two magazines at once, you save 11.2% on shipping costs.
if you order three magazines at once, you save 40.8% on shipping costs.

People living outside Europe:
if you order two magazine at once, you save 15.8% on shipping costs.
if you order three magazines at once, you even save 43.8% on shipping costs!

Do take advantage!
Combine your order with those of your friends or order different issues at once – and save on shipping costs.

 ____________________________________________________________________
Submitting to Featuring magazine is a great way to share your art with the world. 

In the third issue

Inspiration for the THEME GALLERY:
SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE
take it literally or metaphorically
it's up to you, just be inspired

There are other categories (joint projects, creative spaces, feature articles) to submit to as well.

I have written the past two columns about a FEATURED BLOGGER.  I am open to suggestions for blogs you love, or if YOU have an artistic blog and would like to be considered for this column, let me know.   I am especially looking for unpublished talented bloggers.

_____________________________________________________________________

Take a look and see what some of the readers have said about Featuring magazine.

Quinn McDonald, author of Raw Art Journaling

Seth Apter, author of The Pulse of Mixed Media

Jill Zaheer, mixed media artist

iHanna, mixed media artist

Daisy Yellow's Interview with Featuring founder, Marit Barentsen

Wish you may

Linking to Art Journal Every Day

Just Journals Links and Random Journal Day!

Just Journals Link Party is now going to take place on the first Friday of every month.  This will coincide with Random Journal Day over at Dawn's lovely blog.  I've decided to include an optional prompt as well.  You do NOT have to use the prompt, but if you are stuck for an idea, feel free to use the prompt and then link back later.  I would like to also post some of your pages on my blog as part of the Just Journals Link Party, so if you are opposed to this, please leave a comment in this post.

September's Optional Prompt:  Cut and glue magazine images in your journal.  Draw on top of the magazine images with marker.   Extend the lines off the image onto your page.  You can see an example here.

Just Journals Link Party

It's time again to show off your fun art journal pages! Add your link to the list below.
Grab a button for your page:

<a href="http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com/search/label/Just%20Journals%20Links"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C8s9b6t92ISQc2xuXt-UYwxjRGrKJWpH0F0yliAFl28CjVJBD27CGz_ilZLJjSDUmejvrBYIDfA2kC8fmlg81mdWt589ZqaEGRR651AnxSUNpxGviLLn7Qn7icqB_j2qJPuui1tZbFvg/s1600/006.JPG" alt="BWS tips button" width="275" height="100" /></a>

Now go visit Random Journal Day as well!

ATCs in the Mail!

I have received some Artist Trading Cards from the swap that we did at Artists in Blogland.  I love them all!  Thank you to everyone who participated.

Lilian

Nora Clemens-Gallo

Jane Wetzel

What's on My Bookshelf?

Right now, I am reading...

Journal Fodder 365... Thumbs up!

 I have the first one too, and I like this one better. Both are great, but I feel this one is "meatier".. more prompts and techniques. The first one would be great for a beginner journaler and this one has a lot to look at and read. I appreciate how they did not spend a chapter going through a huge supply list, but dove right in to the good stuff.



Picture Perfect, by Jodi Picoult..  Thumbs half way up.
I am a huge huge fan of Jodi Picoult.  Love her books!  This one is good, but so far I am not as wrapped up in the story as I have been with others of her books.  It is interesting and I keep picturing Tom Cruise as the "Alex Winters" character.  If you have never read a Jodi Picoult book, read 19 Minutes or The Pact.... A-MA-ZING!  




Living Simply, by Joanne Heim.. Thumbs up.
When I first started reading this book, it was like a breath of fresh air.  I felt myself relaxing just reading the book.  Being more present..  appreciating what you have...  focusing on the family structure...  I like reading about living more simply.  Busy is not always good.  Sometimes it is ok to just relax.  You don't have to be 100% productive every minute of every day.  This book refers a lot to Biblical scriptures and Christianity. 




So, what do YOU think?  Have you read any of these books?  If so, what did you think of them?

What books are you reading right now?


P.S.  If it seems like most of my book reviews are positive it is because I don't bother with unsatisfying books.  If I start to read it, and I'm not enjoying it, I will just put it aside and not bother with it anymore.  I pick up most of my books from thrift stores, paperbackswap.com or the library, so I don't feel bad letting a book go.  Once in awhile (if it is a new book and I'm dying to check it out), like the Journal Fodder book, I will flip through it at the book store before I buy it to make sure it something I will actually really like.  Otherwise, it goes on my waiting list at the library.

5 Fabulous Things I am Loving Now

1.  Suralert's Quirky Illustrations and Collages

2.  The Honest Toddler:  What your little child is actually thinking!

3.  Tamar Cohen's Fun Collages.... a love of polka dots and comic strips.

4.  Bic Pens...  for HER!

Really?   Really?  One of the teachers at my school had a pack and gave one to me.  The kids got a big laugh out of it.   (So, I guess this isn't a "fabulous" thing, but a humorous thing!)




5.  Trader Joe's Dried Fruit Bars... yum!  low calorie, 100% dried fruit.  Love them!