Reflecting on my Art Journaling Beginnings

Hi all!  I uploaded my first tutorial vids early today on Youtube.  You can check them out here:  My Channel  I have lots of ideas swirling in my head. I just want to share this passion I have, so art journaling can hopfully effect others as much as it has enriched my life.

This got me thinking about how I got started.  Here is my very first page, from July of last year.  My journaling has changed so much in a year, it amazes me to look back.



As I've said before, I am a scrapbooker.  It was reading Somerset's Art Journaling magazine that pushed me to research the art form.  This lead me to the WONDERFUL Samantha Kira.  Her videos on Youtube were the catalyst for my art journaling.  Watching her vids totally changed my life and helped me realize that I could do this too.  I've incorporated a lot of things she's shared into my own "style", and to this day I follow her like a lost puppy (hey, it was better than Stalker, lol).  All kidding aside, this girl ROCKS.  She has a new class up over at the Art Journaling Ning called True To You.  It's definately worth the price, and seriously people, she is super talented and super sweet.  Please check her out and show her some Love.

I look forward to another year of learning and sharing.   I am excited to see where my art will go next.  I really hope you check out my new vids, and give me some feedback.  It was really fun to do.  :)

Much LOVE

(PS, for those who have been following, I got a message a few weeks ago that my article int AJ magazine was bumped out of the July issue and will now be in January.  Just another reason why May was so hard for me.  I look forward to January!)

Some Couch Art Pages!

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  It's been one week today since I've stepped outside.  I don't plan to either until Wednesday, which is my first follow up appointment.  :)  My parents surprised me yesterday by coming over with a few gifts.  I'm now a proud owner of a Tilt-a-Table which is such a blessing!!  I can pull this table right under the couch, and create some art.  :)  My mom also bought me some yoga pants, which I'm very grateful for.  Can't wear my regular jeans with this fun cast.  :)

Here are a few new pages:



I've been working on this page awhile, and finally felt the mojo to complete it.  No Fear seemed to be the perfect title for what I'm going through.  It's hard, damn hard, but I have to face it without fear.  As you can see, I'm really having fun with the hand cut titles.  :)



I really enjoyed working on this spread.  From start to finish it just felt "right".  Mulitple layers of acrylics, ink, stamps... I really love that collage butterfly I cut out from a Somerset Mag collage sheet.  I only glued down the body, so it seems like it's flying.  This page is about how I am feeling like this cast is a cocoon, how I will emerge from this injury a stronger, more healthy person.

Seriously, have you checked out my Youtube yet??  I uploaded a video about what supplies I've brought down to use while doing my couch art.  :)  Yes, yes, what I'm using while I'm laid up.  hehehe.  Check out the vid here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwpUfi_QQDg  It's a really fun watch I promise.  ;)

Thanks again for all you wonderful support, kind words, and well wishes.  I treasure every comment.  I feel so blessed to have met such wonderful women and artists. 
MUCH LOVE xoxo

A few art journal pages to share

Hi all!

I hope everyone is well!  I'm glad the weekend is here as the Man is home from work, and can take care of me, lol.  Poor him!  He has been really great this last week since my injury.  I am a very luckly lady.

After my first bath/shower with my new chair (so tiring!!) I got to go into my art room and pick a few things to bring downstairs to do some couch art.  I was trying to do a few things earlier this week and was getting super frustrated without my gesso.  :)  I will be posting a video later tonight on my little stash I got going on here, should be interesting. 

Here are a few pages I've been able to finish:



I've been working on this page a little here and a little there, never really happy with it.  I finally let go and called it done last night.  I really love those Melody Ross cards, I put one here on the top right.  They are from GCD Studios, I have a few different types of the embellishments shown.



This is a little different from my regular style.  On the left page I used coloured pencils to make multiple circles.  I then scraped white acrylic paint over them.  I like how the colours still peek through.  I then stamped some lips a few times.  On the right page I drew a coffee cup with water soluable charcoal pencils.  I'm still not comfortable sketching or drawing, which is what the spread is about.  I like how the cup turned out though, it could be simply because I'm addicted to Starbucks.  :)



I wasn't sure where I was going with this last page.  The border strips/patterend paper are from Graphic 45 again.  I am having fun with this company's products, so vintage and fun.  These are from the On the Boardwalk collection.  I used my Red Pepper Adirondack paint dabber quite a bit.  I just love Ranger products in general.  I was inspired by the lovely Julie at Balzer Designs during one of her Prima Ustream classes to hand cut my title.  I definately need some practice, but I am happy with how it turned out.  I think I went a little bit overboard with the swirls on this page.  :)

Have a great start to your weekend everyone, and don't forget to check out my Youtube, I am having way too much fun with these vids.  :)

Much LOVE

A new Vid Posted!

Hi all!

I have no new pages to show you today.  I am finding it harder than I thought to work on pages while on the couch, mostly due to the fact all my supplies are upstairs.  I am able to get the man to bring a few things down every day... but it's frustrating.  :(   In the meantime, I have been recording some videos for YouTube which I am really enjoying!  The strange thing is, I have no problem talking to myself while recording.  hehehe

Here is the first vid on my BPG (Black Page Journal):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtM077ohgco

I've decided to post links as some of you cannot watch the vids when I embed them here.  I hope it doesn't bother anyone.  :)

I've had a rough day today.  When I woke up this morning I fell coming out of my bedroom in the hall way.  I totally did a face plant.  I layed there crying for about half an hour before pulling myself up and getting back into bed.  I don't think I damaged anything, but it hurt so bad.  Argghhhh.  I don't want to be afraid on my crutches.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my video.  :)
Much LOVE xoxo

A thank you and an update

Good evening all!

First, I want to express my gratitude to all those who have left comments, sent emails and generally showed me Love.  I cannot say how thankful I am, and how much it has helped me in this new adventure.  This has been so trying both mentally and physically.  As a Safety Manager I speak so much about Life Changing injuries, I never imagined that it would happen to me... and how the simplest things in life have become huge obstacles.  I live in a town house with multiple levels of stairs.  I have to go up 15 (steep!) stairs to go to the washroom.  One trip up and down feels like a marathon.  I conquered that obstacle the first day home, then when the Man went to work that night, I realized that I didn't know how to carry anything up the stairs with me.  I believe things happen for a reason, and over coming these little obstacles along the way are only going to make me stronger, and more appreciative for the little things in life.

Here is a picture of my new friend:



I think it's called an "Air Cast", but it feels like it weighs 100 pounds!  LOL 

Now, back to art.  These are two pages that I finished just before my accident in my Moleskine:



This first page is a little scary.  Or rather, the cat on this page is a little scary.  ;)  I am working on just sketching and not worrying what the outcome is... just trying something new.  A lot of random things on this spread.  The black and white stripes is some tissue paper.



I really like how this turned out.  I used some scrapbook paper as a background, and then tried to copy the flowers using swirls.  I used some handmade paper and a Ba sic Grey border fram from a sticker sheet.  I applied a thin layer of white acrylics over everything. I then added some purple watercolour paint right out of the tube and used my wet fingers to spread it across the page.  I finished with some Hero Arts alpha stamps for the title, with my own handwriting.

I've been trying to do a bit of art everyday so far.  It's hard because I'm limited to what I can have beside me here on the couch.  I plan on buying a table of some sort that fits under the couch so that I can work more easily.

Again, thanks so much everyone for your support and comments.  I truly appreciate all of you that have taken the time.  I will try very hard not to keep my posts so negative, please bear with me!

Much LOVE!