Journaling Outside the Book

The Letter "I"

Here's the 2nd installment of "Journaling Outside the Book".  I was having a wonderfully, leisurely stroll through my local craft store where I came across a basket of paper mache, letter "I"s for $.50 each.  I had NO idea what I would do with such an item, but it called to me and it was only $.50, so what did I have to loose?  Although not on sale, I also purchased this "book" box.  Hmmmmmm....perhaps it will house a handmade or junk journal?

I base coated my letter "I" (and the book) with white craft acrylic and then I gave the letter a second coat of acrylic using turquoise and yellow.  I smudged a darker blue with my fingers on all the edges for added depth.  I didn't have a planned theme, so I took a black fine point Sharpie and began writing and drawing whatever came to mind.

After I completed drawing and printing, I filled everything in with white craft acrylic.  I then began to add color with craft acrylic, and completed it by adding a coat of water based polyurethane.  This was a fun project that could be completed in an afternoon even though I did mine over several days.  It would be quite easy to add paper elements, stickers, and other ephemera to this project.

There was a clear, plastic tag used for hanging in a display attached to the back of the letter "I", and I left it on for easy hanging in my studio.  There's only one question in my mind:  What was I thinking when I only bought one?  Until next time, Big Hugs and Happy Creating!

Activities and Inspiration

How are your creative genes flowing? Are you finding inspiration in the daily prompts or in the gorgeous weather we've been having? Have you visited some of the wonderful artists in the Blog Hops?  I'm in inspiration overload! I have lots of new projects in the works that I can't wait to share with you, and some old projects and spreads that I also want to share. I have really enjoyed playing with my water soluble crayons and know that I'll discover even more, exciting ways to use them! 

As you've seen, I've also been experimenting with making art videos.  I'm in the process of working on a 5th video featuring the music of my friend, Scott's band, Drunkdude 69.  It's a really fun, uplifting song so it will be a little different than the four I've previously posted! LOL

I'm behind on posting my next "Journaling Outside the Book"!  Thanks for waiting patiently.  I'll get that posted tomorrow.  It's the letter, "I". 

I hope you're having a wonderful summer, enjoying yummy grilled foods and the company of good friends and family.  I hope you're taking time to look up at the sky and watch the "cloud parade" go by, and I hope you're sitting outdoors in the evening and listening to the gentle breezes through the leaves.  Most of all, I hope you're finding inspiration in all of these things.  Until tomorrow - Hugs and Happy Creating!

RAGE

Where Angelia, Art & Digital Media Collide!
Be sure to read the description.  The jury is still out on completing the hanger order.


I'm having a lot of fun with these videos.  I have many more journaling projects in the works that I can't wait to share with you all!  Please check out my channel on you tube and leave comments - I love hearing from you.  Angelia's YouTube Channel

Vacation Journals

Thursday  June, 17, 2010

I had a conversation with my cousin, Khogie, the other night that reminded me of a vacation journal I'd taken with me on a trip to Florida.  This was our 4th trip to the Sanibel/Ft Meyers area, but there were a lot of  "firsts" for this trip.  I had NEVER flown before and this was going to be my first flight. (That's another blog post entirely!)  We were also taking our best friends with us, and we were going to the airport via limousine.  These were all things that I'd never done before and I really wanted to document these "firsts". 

I'm a huge procrastinator (although there's been some improvement since this vacation in 2004), so I knew I had to make some better preparations.  I decided to prepare a journal for ticket stubs, photos, receipts and other items I collected while on our trip. (At that time, we didn't have a digital camera and had to develop film!)  I had a nice, spiral bound, hardcover notebook that was perfect for the assignment because it wasn't too big or bulky to put in my carry-on.  I prepared the pages ahead of time by gluing in pre-painted and stamped watercolor paper. 

These are my journal spreads from the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL.  We had NO idea it was the Dali Centennial when we went.  Keith took the amazing boat photo.  Needless to say, it was one of my favorite days of the trip! Click photos to enlarge.

I worked on my journal a little bit every day on our vacation and I'm glad I did.  It's so much fun to pull it out now and revisit the awesome time we had with our family and friends.  I hope that you'll prepare a journal to take on your next vacation, and remember, it's not too late to pull out those old vacation photos and mementos and create a journal of vacation memories.  Happy Creating!

New Techniques & The Intergalactic Art Federation

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I had a dream at least 6 months ago, but I can't stop thinking about it.  I dreamed there was a typical, saucer shaped UFO hoovering about 20 feet above my driveway at the back of the house.  In my dream, I was outdoors and came from behind our garage to see the craft hoovering.  Well, I wasn't scared, but I was a little anxious and made my way quickly to the back door and inside.  I didn't really see anything so I walked through my house towards the front door.  I reached the front just in time to look out the porch windows and see a VERY tall (7-8 ft) alien female gliding back toward the ship.  I walked unto the porch and found a pamphlet on the floor.  It was an invitation to join "The Intergalactic Art Federation"!  This is why I can't get a good night's sleep.  My imagination never stops!

Anyway, my new favorite creative tool are these Reeves Water Soluble Wax Pastels.  I picked them up at our local craft store for about $6.  They offer a lot of bang for the buck and they're forcing me to step out of my usual methods.  You can use them just like crayons and scratch into them to see the paint beneath (sgrafitto) or wet them and move them around on the paper like watercolors.  You can also dip the pastel directly into water and then use it on your page.  I've been applying an acrylic background, applying the pastel randomly and then blending with not water, but white craft acrylic.  I LOVE the results.  It locks in the wax feel, and although I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure I can then write over the pastel with a marker quite easily.  This page is a result of using this technique.  Although the creature on this page looks nothing like the alien female in my dream, I can't help but think of  "the Federation" when I look at it.

 

So, the next time you're looking for something new to spark your creativity, give these wax pastels a try, I think you'll like them, and maybe the Intergalactic Art Federation will stop by your house with an invitation!

"Traces of Love"

A bit of nostalgia prompted by the rose patterned paper.

"The Coming"

This is my first art journaling video.  It was a lot of fun but also a lot of work.  I have a new found respect for everything that goes into film making.  Special thanks go to to my son, Mike, who introduced me to Windows Movie Maker and guided me down the paint of video making.  Until a couple weeks ago, I had no idea I even had a "movie maker" on the computer! 




I hope you enjoyed watching "The Coming".  My intent was to create a satirical spread based on "The Planet of the Apes", but as I watched the scenario in the Gulf unfold, my work took on a darker tone.  I look at the enormity of the oil spill and in my mind I hear the immortal words of Charlton Heston as he looked upon a fallen Statue of Liberty: "Damn you all to hell".

Dine & Dash

I love this time of year and often enjoy creating from our back deck where I can keep an eye on the orioles and other "Geographic moments" that happen to unfold.  I'm often gifted with surprises (and horrors!) from mother nature among as assorted creatures stop in for a visit. (I count praying mantis larger than hummingbird among the horror!)

Friday was a lovely day perfect for creating on the deck, so I gathered my supplies and several projects and headed outside.  I've been working on another "Outside the Book" journal project, "I", and finished that to near completion. ( I know you can't wait - I'll be posting that later on in the week!) I then turned to my journal. 

I really had nothing in mind when I started.  I only knew that I really felt like writing about some of the things I had been thinking about as I worked on my "I" project, so I used a marker and began to write.  When I finished writing, I covered my writing with a thin layer of  yellow, white and orange colored craft acrylics.  I like the look it creates.  What I wrote wasn't important to my finished spread, but it added great texture and I got my thoughts out on the page.

I still wasn't certain of where my spread was headed, but I knew I wanted more paint dripping, oozing and splattered.  I wet the left vertical edge of my spread and dropped in blobs of turquoise and purple and let them run in horizontal streaks across the entire spread.  While I was waiting for it to dry, I watched the orioles come in to feed.  They had been amusing me all afternoon as they swoop in, chatter at me, and indulge heavily at the feeder all in a matter of about 40 seconds.  That's when the idea of "dash and dine" came to me, and all the turquoise and pumpkin colors in my background were a perfect background for a jar of grape jelly and the bright orange feeder and orioles.

I began by adding "Dine & Dash with white acrylic.  I then lightened an area for the sun and sketched it in lightly along with the feeder using a marker.  Next, I added a rough sketch of my generic grape jelly jar.  After those items were completely painted, I added the birds.  Lastly, I added the white highlights in the lattice and around the bird on the feeder.  

I included 2 other regular feeders and lovers of grape jelly; the house finch and the cat bird. The orioles have begun to take chunks of jelly with them as they fly off - I think the babies are here!  The finch are very fleeting and don't like their photos taken, and the cat birds are comical and brazen and have no fear of me.  I love their little "mohawk" hairstyle.  They all get along very peaceably at the feeder with the exception of  the occasional squabble.  I think there might be a lesson in that for all of us.  Happy creating from my fowl friends and me!

Photo:  Nick Thompson

Journaling Outside the Book!

If you can "think outside the box", then you can "journal outside the book"!  I purchased this paper maché hand at a local craft store for a couple dollars.  I had no clue what I was going to do with it, but it was one of those things I just HAD to have.  It was sitting on my desk and I picked it up mindlessly, mulling over my meltdown from the day before.  That's when my creative muse gifted me with the vision of my journaled hand.

I loaded up assorted craft paints, paper towel, my favorite plate "palette" and permanent marker and headed outside to the deck where I could paint amid my flowers and the warm, southerly breeze.  It was a gorgeous day under clear, blue skies and a perfect environment for getting centered and working with my creative muse.

The first step in preparing my hand for journaling was to give it a base coat of white acrylic craft paint.  After that, I selected a few different colors to rub onto the hand with my fingers.  I really love getting into a project that way.  Why use a paint brush if fingers work!

The finished project (Click on images to enlarge)

And here I am enjoying my new hand with lots of symbolism and words of wisdom to remind me of the joy of creating, sharing and keeping faith.  I may even have to use it to slap myself when I'm out of control!  In the meantime, climb out of your box and see where YOUR creative muse suggests you journal.  Happy Creating!