Botanical Themed Mini Journal

First three panel journal entry, Van Gogh quote

Tombo Markers, Sharpie Pen, Bienfang Watercolor Brush Markers, Gelly Roll Metallic Pens

2nd three panel journal entry, Emerson quote

Tombo Markers, Sharpie Pen, Bienfang Watercolor Brush Markers, Gelly Roll Metallic Pens



3rd three panel journal entry, Monet quote

Tombo Markers, Sharpie Pen, Bienfang Watercolor Brush Markers, Gelly Roll Metallic Pens



4th three panel journal entry, Roethke quote

Tombo Markers, Sharpie Pen, Bienfang Watercolor Brush Markers, Gelly Roll Metallic Pens

The mini-journal was an assignment in Joanne Sharpe's ColorLove 101 class.  I don't remember
making a small art journal before and this was so fun.  Background made with craft spray and stenciled, then gessoed.  Size of the journal doesn't matter, just needs to be about 7 times longer than it is high. I used a Strathmore muti-media paper.  Fold the strip in half and then in half again and fold like an accordian.  You could make this into a story about a specific event, a travel journal, a letter or greeting card.  I made it into a quote book.

I started making quote books with illustrations in high school.  I gave my first completed one to my sister. She loaned it to a friend who was tragically killed and the book was lost.  I've continued to illustrate quotes that speak to me, in my journals. 

For this one I found quotes by artists and others who talked about flowers.  I don't know what it is but love putting words and pictures together and get as much pleasure, later, from reading the quotes and seeing the pictures again.  The beauty that these words and pictures reflect lift my heart.



New Wisp Brush, Waxed Paper Masks, Remember

Love, Serve and Remember

Stampers Anonymous stamp, home-made word stickers,
K & Co. butterflies, waxed paper mask, waxed paper
cut-outs, Yasumoto iridescent watercolor, Imagine
Craft Fireworks craft spray, stencils, Office Max Metallic
Markers, Martha Steward craft marker

On the left my new Aqualon Wisp brush, waxed paper cutout.
On right a different, just started, journal spread that gives you an example
(around edge, orange outer circle) of what the brush does.

A bunch of cool (to me, at least) discoveries contributed to the top image "Love, Serve & Remember",
the name of a Ram Dass book and a good reminder of what I am here on this planet to do.  The top
spread started out with two circle shapes drawn with a compass, I meant to do a "Lettering in the
Round" (Joanne Sharpe) spread. 

1. Waxed paper masks
   Discovery one took place when I used the waxed paper I often use behind the pages I'm
   working (on to protect other pages) to cut out a mask to protect the circles from stenciling and
   spray.  Used just a bit of double stick tape to hold the mask in place.  You can still see the
   masked circles (lavender). 
   
   I used letter and swirl stencils with Fireworks craft spray and used the ghosting technique
   (saw Dyan do this in a video) where you place the sprayed or wet stencil face down to make
   a ghost image of the one you sprayed.  I actually like the "ghost" better.
2.  Waxed paper cut-outs
   Discovery two, I used a version of this technique with the tissue paper I used to blot another
   spread previously.  When I saw what great spray patterns and colors were on the waxed paper
   I cut out flower shapes with scissor and glue down the waxed paper cut-outs with Mod Podge.
   Love how transparent the waxed paper is.  Maybe you can make out a couple of flowers on
   each of the pages (subtle in this picture).
3. Aqualon Wisp Brush
   I saw this odd brush at Hobby Lobby.  It's for watercolorist who wants to quickly put in foliage
   or hair or the like in their watercolors.  I thought: lines/texture.  The brushes are by Royal
   Langnickel and come five to a "value pack" for around 14.00.  Sheds just a bit but within the
   acceptable range.  In the "Remember" spread you can see the interest created with these brushes
   when the light spaces where left and interacted with the spray.
4. Hand-made shiny word "stickers"
   This is a technique you probably already know but doesn't hurt to remind you.  You can print
   out words from your printer, on any older paper, with any color and style of font.  Cut or punch
   them out, glue down, then use Glossy Accents (Ranger) or Liquid Embossing (Plaid) or
   Dimensional Accents (Plaid Mod Podge product).  I used Liquid Embossing here. 
   Cut my "serve" button too small but other than that I like these.  I inked the edges before
   I glued down and added the Liquid Embossing.
   
   
   Reflective/Art Therapy Angle: 
   
   I wanted to make a piece to remind me about the daily things I need to remember to have
   balance in my life.  The first thing that came to mind was the two vitamins for my soul that I have
   been forgetting about lately, Walking and Meditating for more than a couple of minutes.
   Both these activities help me dump worry stress and feel more focused.  The other essentials
   that I seek to do everyday are Create and Teach.  Finally I added "Love, Serve and Remember" which is such a great daily reminder. 
   
   The doorway shaped stamped images came before the words.  I wanted  to write something
   about answering the door when opportunity knocks.  You know how it goes though--creations
   have a life of their own that the strategic mind may have no idea about.  Think that is what
   tickles me about art. I added the butterflies because they represent radical transformation,
   and brief beauty to me.



A Good Day to Cry

A Good Day to Cry

Yasutomo Iridescent watercolors, Imagine Fireworks Crafts Spray,
Sharpie pen,  Staedtler aquarell pencils, Office Max metallic marker,
Recollections Opaque Marker.

Sometimes I have those days when tears seem to be closer to running down my cheeks. 
Same life facts as yesterday, likely the same as tomorrow, but something triggers that feeling,
and suddenly I'm crying in the car on the way to a starbuck's for an iced tea and Michael's for
craft supplies for a kid's summer program; activities that would usually put a smile on my face. 

I already had this pinkish background with blue sprayed spots so thought I would do a
"Good Day to Cry" page and also my number 8 lesson from Joanne Sharpe's "Letter Love":
Groovy Gridlines.  I got the idea of doing bumpy lines in watercolor pencil and letting
the drips drip down when I added water.   I felt satisfied with my journal entry on the
right side, especially the last sentences:
"Some days are just like this.  Great to have this page to mop it up."



Tiger Flowers Collage Pages

Cadmium Orange Watercolor with Imagine Craft Spray (Lady Bug).
On the left side sprayed while paint was wet, on the right sprayed when paint dried. 
Variation is brush strokes with the watercolor paint caused the streaks and lighter spots.

I used sticker sheet waste (stickers by Doodle Bug) as a stencil.
Found out it is hard to rise off and dry more than once.
I blotted the craft spray with yellow craft tissue paper
(I think my Art Journaling British friends call this "Mopping"). 

I used the mop-up tissue to cut out flower shapes with scissors.
  I glued down the flowers with Tacky Glue
and/or Iridescent Medium (Winsor Newton) to make the collaged background.

This is the completed background before I added the Tiger Flower drawing.
  I also used a circle stencil and a spiral stencil to add a little bit more texture and interest.
I used spray ink to stamp simple flower shapes (INKADINKADO),
gold metallic markers (Office Max) to make a few details. 

Here is the completed piece, "Tiger Flowers".
I used a sharpie pen to draw the Tiger flowers using a picture
from Garden Gate magazine (1995) as reference.
  I think I will leave these pages alone but will use acrylic paint
to paint the flowers and their leaves in the future.

I am really pleased with these pages.  This page looks to me like what the Denver Botanic Gardens looked like, to me, last weekend.  It has  rained a bit more than usual and the flower borders and beds are bursting with color.  I feel like my beauty-loving heart could burst with pleasure as well.  I am really allowing myself to really drink it all in.  Hope you can get the feeling too.