Page Layering for Journal

Learning.  I want to learn more.  For me, classes seem to be the way to go.  I'm not really an explore on my own kinda girl.  A class that I can take in my pi's, with a cat underfoot and coffee in hand, sounds perfect.  On-line classes are the way to go.  One of the classes that I signed up for ages ago, but am just now doing, is Teresa Mcfayden's, "Journal of Interest".  

Vintage ledger, sewing pattern, and book page glued to card stock.

Layering is something I want to get better at, not only in my journals, but in other aspects of creativity as well.  I have a tendency to want to make every element of the page important.  And that does not make for good art.  So, I want to learn how NOT to do that.  LOL.  My first page started out (above), layered vintage pieces of paper elements, glued to card stock.

Ranger Inks added some details at top and bottom page, as well as random color overall.

Teresa used watercolor, but I was too lazy to drag any out, inks were on the desk, and that seemed like a great sub.  Here I just began to smear inks (shutter, sugar and straw) in a random fashion.

More collage elements were added, ticket, butterfly, paper scraps, label, wash tape.

Once dry, I began to collage on some paper elements, vintage and new.  A label and a little washi tape.  I also lightly stenciled some clock faces and numbers as well.  And then I began doodling.

Doodling, swirls, hand-writing elements were added.

I doodled around elements, boxes, onto some of the collaged elements and filled in my box that would become my book page.  I also added the cool ex libris I cut out of an old reader's digest.

White highlights and Prisma Pencil added a little more interest.

I wanted a little more color, so I began to add some Prisma pencil.  Dots at the bottom of the page, scribbles under the roses, etc.  I also added some highlights with some Copics.

Stitching for texture.

I stitched around the page, just to finish it off. I also took some of the ink pads and just built up some inks in some textured areas (mainly on the sewing pattern).

Stencils on the left added a little more depth and finished the page.  

White dots added some highlights.  And I added some damask stenciling on the left hand side to add a bit more depth.  At this point, it felt finished.   Thats one of the hard calls for me to make sometimes.  When is it done?

Writing detail

With so many great classes to choose from, easy to find something to work on.  

Page two is done in copies and inks only.  

This is the second page.  Done with inks and Copics.  Stencils and doodles and stamped wording.  I think my journal is going to focus on the theme of "happiness".   My favorite part of this page is the light word "happy" stenciled on the right.  All of the info on the page above came from The Dennis Prager show.  


I look forward to creating this journal, and hope to learn as I go along.  

Journal/Scrapbook for Sam

On occasion, I get a chance to work on a commissioned work for a customer.  That was the case for a project that I finished this week.  

I am so proud of the way that this book turned out.  Sam, being a creative person himself, inspired me to be a little more creative on some to the pages.  

I incorporated my hand-writing where I could.  Used lots of Dyan's sprays and Ranger inks and stencils (so fun) and added bits of vintage here and there.  And sewed.  I think I sewed on every piece of paper in the book.

The first page is always the hardest, its only when I'm four or five pages in that I begin to really feel comfortable on the project.  But what I did love about this page was the vintage picture of the men's feet.  I just seemed the perfect thing to use from someone starting out on their own journey of life.

This seemed a perfect quote to tie into that first page.

But this was my favorite page.  Since Sam is also into art, I wanted to do a page that he could put his own art on.  And even finish coloring the page if he wanted to.  The piece with the quote on it is a pocket, so that a photo or art work can be slipped under.  I wanted to keep it clean and simple, and I loved the quote.


Thanks Sue for giving me the chance to work on such a lovely project and to get to know Sam a little better.  This was a fun book to create, and I hope Sam will make it his own.  

spring journal page

Deciding.  Deciding whether or not I'm really happy with this page.  I'm sitting on the fence about it.  I keep adding things, in an effort to get it to "take my breath away".  Honestly, its just not happening.

Here's how it started out.  A page done with Dyan's spray inks.

But, the page was to bright.  I wanted to mute the colors down, so I tried laying down just some plain white chalk, over the dried inks.  I wiped the color into the page with a paper towel.

After choosing some of the elements that I wanted on the page, it still felt too bright.  So I grabbed my gesso.

I watered down the gesso.  Allot.  Sheesh.  Then it felt to white, so I warmed it back up with a little Distress Ink.

I layer out the elements and began to glue things down.

Dropped in some journaling at the bottom.  LOVED the quote that I found by Truman Capote.  It reads, "Aprils never ever meant much to me, autumn seems that season of beginning, spring".  It's from the movie 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.  And since I am more more of an Autumn, rather than Spring kinda girl, and with so much brown on the page, it just seemed fitting quote to use.

But then, I move the little bird and tag elements over.  And decide to do a large hand-written word at the top.  It does not work.  Too cutesie for what feels like a more serious page.  So, I lope the entire top off.  Which changes the feel too.  I like allot of "white space" and now that's been taken away.

Some stitching, crayon scribbles, and smaller letters at the top, just feel a little better.  But do I like it?  Dunno.

A few paint splatters, some inked dots and I think I like it a little better.  Maybe.  All of the elements are vintage, except for the little bee circle.  Still sitting on the fence.  But it is funny to see how bright it started and how it ended up.

And good grief, I need to take a photo taking class.  For the love of Pete, all my pictures suck.  LOL.

smashing

my version of the smash book


Long before there were "smash" books, I started a journal that was just a catch all for pages that had a more "scrapbook" feel.  Pages that usually ended up with a dimensional element or two.  More quirky

than my art/diary journal, a little bit of everything ends up in this book (above).  

Soul Journal page detail

This is one of my favorite pages in the whole book.  For a long time I wondered what my style was, and this page pretty much defines it.  Here, I used an old watch face. I loved the way that it added just a bit of texture, to the overall page. And brought the focus in on the image underneath.

Soul journal page details

This week, I've tried to carve out a little Studio time each morning.  For me, working on a journal page is not only a nice way to "warm up" for other projects, but allows me to continue to find and define my style.  Just like practicing a piano, working on a quick project every day, makes me a better artist.

Dylusions Love

Finally felt like playing with my new "toys" this morning.  Picked up the new Dylusions inks and stencils at The Crafty Scrapper while all the Cowgirls were here (more on that later).

Fun stuff.  After watching a few of Dyan's how-to video's I just began to spray and play.  No wrong way to create here.

Easy peasy to lay down a wonderful ink base and layer/or remove with water.  Once dry, I found the page took to Prisma Pencils, Pitt pens, crayons, inks and more.  

My finished page is now ready for my journaling thoughts on getting into the garden.  Was quite happy with this page.  The flowers on the bottom right hand side began to take on a personality of their own, very Alice in Wonderland.  And the quote is one of my faces, "Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are" - Miguel de Cervantes.  I almost did a grid, but once my journaling is filled in, it will pull all the spaces together.  

I

I'll save the other pages for when more inspiration strikes!

And, speaking of the garden.  Wish I had more flowers planted, as Spring has Sprung.  My Snaps were happy and bright, but the heavy rains kinda flattened em out a bit.  I hope that spring back.  

Life moves pretty fast.

Journal Page
Much to do before next Wednesday. Trying to get just a few more journal pages into my book before my class. Wax happy with the colors on this one. But still much to learn.

I still struggle with composition and balance. Dug out an old collage book on comp. Hoping it will help. And as with anything, I think practice, practice, and more practice is the key.

 Still playing around with the sewing machine.  This little piece is on card stock, with old ledger paper that has been stenciled and then wrapped with brown wax paper.  I stitched the lady on top, and added vintage millinery and vintage lace to the bottom.

 Love, love, love sewing on paper...something about it just makes me happy!  And I'm all for being happy!