Create Joy

The lesson this week for Wanderlust, Everything Art, is presented by
Art by Marlene. The theme was the stepping stones to create joy. Well, we all could use some happy thoughts right now. I love Marlene's style, but try as I might, my style never looks anything like hers. But, it does look like mine!

This is the finished two page spread followed by some close-ups.

I used some Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous,  stamps in the background stamped on green tissue paper. The flowers are from a Stampendous stamp set, stamped on to some round Distress Oxide backgrounds I had sitting in a pile. I used acrylics, watercolors, sequin waste, Stabillo black pencil, gel pens, paint pens, and some glass beads with yellow metallic acrylic paint through a stencil. This was fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Joy

Find Joy! Kasia and her husband, Jamie, both presented a lesson this week for Wanderlust, Everything Art, and encouraged us to just play and not worry about results. Just find joy in the process. Fun!

Gelli plate print.

Black Gesso through stencil.

Joy can not be forced. It comes unbidden in a burst of unexplained lightness of the heart, a surprise of a smile, a giddy lack of concern or fear. Not something that comes about easily or planned. Cherish the moments of joy!

Thank you for your visit.

Field Notes in Pencils

Kelly Hoernig presented this week's lesson of Wanderlust, Everything Art. She gave some really great lessons in shading and using acrylic paints as washes. Sometimes, lessons are wonderful motivators to go in your own direction and my pencils were calling to me. I found my nature items from my back yarn. Placed them on Kraft with a bright light coming from my right, and took a photo. Then, I printed the photo out on Kraft using only grey tones of ink and washed out. Prismacolor pencils were used followed by a stump for blending just the shadows. 

The final piece was added to my journal with more texture and color.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Hand Designed Papers for Nature Collage

Sarah Gardner presented this week's lesson of Wanderlust, Everything Art. She had us playing with paints and papers to use to cut out our own collage papers.

Often, I just have to use whatever is in front of me (a big follower of the laws of propinquity). I had a piece of Kraft on my desk, that I dabbed with white paint, a piece of purple cardstock, that I scraped with the leftover white paint. Some Kraft that I had run through an embossing folder and run over with Distress inks. Ripping and cutting produced this forest-like scene. The background was a page that had remnants of a used stencil, and the additional colors came onto the page from Pitt Artist brush pens. 

What fun! Thanks, Sarah, and thanks to anyone who visits!

A Bit of a Take on Kandinsky and Nature

Marieke Blokland presented this amazing lesson of Wanderlust, Everything Art. She suggested using an artist's rendition of nature for inspiration. As I looked for something, I was very surprised to find that Wassily Kandinsky, who I always thought of as an abstract artist, did this landscape (photo under my rendition)!

I was also surprised to find this little lady, almost visible in the original, helping that little train....I think I can, I think I can..... 

Super lesson and so much fun. The hardest part, for me, is waiting for layers to dry....well, and clean-up!

Thanks for stopping by!

Nature From My Yard

Kasia Avery presented this lesson of Wanderlust, Everything Art. Her theme was "nature" and it was fun to collect what I could find in my yard to add to this page.

I found some tiny pebbles, some seed pods, and thin branch pieces. The base is Fibatape, then modeling paste, some brushed on inks, and a final layer of clear gel. Weighs a ton, LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!

Side-View Portrait

This lesson of Wanderlust, Everything Art, was presented by Kasia Avery. Doing a side self-portrait was different for me. I wish I had taken photos along the way, because at one point I really liked it. Being too impatient to let things dry properly caused me to add way too many layers thus muddying things up.

I did finally get back to a place where it made me happy though. That's the fun of art journaling and mixed media. Never too many layers!

Thanks for stopping by.

Magic

First page for 2010, Wanderlust, Everything Art. Not first prompt, but first page as this one really called to me. It was suggested that we do a portrait based on our heritage which really got me thinking and hunting on the Internet. I am primarily Hungarian and always though of myself as an "old" soul with deep roots. In reading, I found that the term "gypsy" is considered derogatory by some. Sad, as it evokes such delightful thoughts in my mind.

I found using real fabric a delight. I had some from a tip I had made with wonderful memories of times with a good friend that I used for her "babushka" and the stream on the facing page. The coins were cut from embossed gold paper, the tarot cards were free on the Internet for personal use.

Thanks, Dana Bloede, for such a great lesson!

And, thanks for stopping by.

Magic

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 23rd is Magic!

Remembering a road trip up north to see the snow. Fresh snow was clinging in huge piles upon the branches. I grew up in snow country and have never seen anything like this. It was truly MAGIC!

I used a bit of sparkly Stickles and some puff fabric paint for the snow. 

Thanks to all who visit along this fun journey, with Kasia's Advent Calendar.
I will be back in January as I will be participating in Wanderlust for all of 2010. Check out all her classes here.

Follow Your Intuition

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 22nd is Follow your Intuition!

Well, I did just that. I started with a really pretty page with lovely origami papers and pastel paints. Then, I added some very pretty pink and blue flowers. I wish I had taken a photo at this point as it was really lovely. Then, I saw individual flowers and circled them in black. I noticed that they looked like eye glasses, so I went from there. The sentiment was added and I kept working on the page and it got unglier and uglier until I was ready to walk away. (Should have taken a picture of that too!) So, I grabbed some Gesso and thought I'd add just a touch when everything kind of melted away. So, I grabbed a baby wipe and found that the words had remained. And, that made me find the page I love.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gift

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 21st is Gift!

The storms of life have been dumping on me, but I do have the gift of an umbrella. As long as I don't let it flip inside out, I can weather all storms.

Thanks for your visit.

Sounds to Remember

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 18th is Sounds!

When my oldest was a child, I used to make him close his eyes and memorize all the sounds, smells, for future memories. I had read that prisoners of war that had these memories to hold on to survived where others could not. A place to escape. I've learned that one does not have to be a prisoner of war to need to escape to better times and better places.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tying Up Loose Ends

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 17th is Tying up Loose Ends!

Played with stencils and Distress Oxide sprays. Pulled out some pens and worked on the idea that came from the heavy string that I had glued down. Start from the beginning, follow the path that is laid out for you, deal with the bumps of life, and skid into a peaceful and satisfied end.

Enjoy your own journey as I have mine!

No One Is Watching - Or Listening

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 16th is What would you do if no one was watching?

I used to play the guitar for hours on end. I got a degree in in. I gave lessons. Then, my life exploded and it was gone. I couldn't bare to even look at it. If I could, I would love to recapture the joy and love I had for the way it made me feel. And, I would sing out all of my feelings like I used to. But only if no one was watching....or listening.

Thanks for your visit!

Where Are You

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 15th is Where Are You.

I'm where I always am...in front of my computer with piles of things to do on the screen, in my planner, on sticky notes and such. Since I can't seem to remember anything without prompts, I just have to live this way. And, since I just take on way too much, I really have to live this way!

Maybe I should just stop doing all these groups, classes, blog commitments, and such and just relax? No, never, unless I have given up.

At least I have my coffee :) 

Thanks for the visit. (I realize I can write whatever I want here since no one really ever visits, LOL!)

Light

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 15th is Light.

This prompt reminded me of a time when I asked my then 4 year old what he wanted to be when he grew up. He told me he wanted to be a light! When, confused I showed him the outdoor light and asked if that's what he meant, he told me that's exactly what he meant, LOL! But, he grew up to be a very creative and talented glass blower, so maybe he saw those glowing flames in his future.

Thanks for your visit!

Found Words

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 14th is Found Words.

I have done this before and quite forgotten about it. It is a super way to allow your inner thoughts to emerge. I went to Amazon books and picked one out quite randomly, The Seasons of the Storm by Sapkowski and French as the title appealed to me. I then opened up a page, again at random, and printed. It really says something I am feeling right now, dealing with some bad juju.

Thanks for the visit!

Just say "Yes"!

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 13th is Say Yes.

I really couldn't find anything to say yes to. I'm confident enough to say yes, but still reluctant to say no. So, I am going to say yes to saying no more often! I'm trying to back off of so many commitments. It just has gotten out of hand and I run out of time to do anything "fun"! So, no to all the requests of my time and efforts. No to all the "must do's". ......Well, maybe some :) 
Paints, stamps. Peel off letters, gel pen. Got a bit carried away with my Nuvo drops :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Moon Pull

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 13th is Full Moon.

I have a relationship with the moon. Sometimes I actually feel frightened by its hold on me. Interesting prompt to deal with.

The background is black gesso with Distress Oxides and white paint spatters. The self-portrait and journaling were done with a white gel pen, then gone over with grey Distress Oxides. The moon is bead gel.

Thanks for your visit!

The Smells of Christmas

Everything Art for Kasia's Advent Calendar for December 12th is The Smells of Christmas.