Week 2

Hi guys!

For Week Two on TGF's Heart Journaling, we are to create using Sand, Sea, Beach as the theme.






I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm about forty-five minutes from the water, yet when someone mentions beach, I don't think of the nearby bay. I've never even swam in it (just waded). It is cold and gray!

Rather, I always picture the beaches of Hawaii. Butter-soft sand, clear blue-green waters.... aaahhhhhh.....

To make my page(s), I cut out some handmade papers I had from Traci's class for my elements. (I've used this paper before for an 'ocean' - you may remember the paper from my card here).

I wanted lots of dimension and textures so the painted papers made up the sky, the sun, and the waves. For the beach, I misted with Shimmerz Paints and sponged with Studio semi-gloss acrylic paint. I used Collage Pauge as the adhesive so you may see bits of sparkle.

The strips of papers with the pictures were part of an old album I made (also in Traci's class). A couple of pages were never adhered to the album so I used them here. I tucked a note in one of the pockets that said:

Hawaii--
the sand, sun, wind, and surf.
There's no place like it in the world.
And even though I've been there many times, I still always long to go.
So many beautiful sceneries. The water is so crystal clear. The sand is so buttery soft. I love Hawaii.

Did I mention that I love Hawaii?? LOL!!!

HeArt Journaling - Wings Challenge

For Week One at the TGF's HeArt Journaling project, we were to create pages with the concept of wings.



I turned to the easiest 'wings' I know -- butterflies. It would not be difficult as I already had a lot of butterfly supplies, like this American Crafts' Dear Lizzy silhouttes.



And this Martha Stewart butterfly punch.



I didn't want it too 'cutesy' though, so I opted to create lots of random textures. I used a grid stamp on a gel medium and glue with glitter in it. Then, when the gel dried, I colored it with metallic rub-on colors.

I picked an image that was a little bit solemn but not too sad. This Magnolia stamp had cherry blossoms on her dress which I thought went perfect with the butterfly theme. Colored her brightly though as the page was not meant to have a dark mood, rather an inspirational one.



And on the side, I've used this quote again:

"Butterfly -
As you danced in the light with joy,
Love lifted you.
As you brushed against the world so gently,
You lifted us."

-- by T.C. Ring

My book is huge - 11 x 17. I haven't decorated the front yet... I'll show that here once it's done. The project was supposed to have two pages but I missed that part on the instructions. Hoping it'll be ok as it is the first week. I really had fun making this page. There's just something refreshing about doing something new and challenging yourself.

Supplies:

Book- Canson Mixed Media XL
Gel Medium- Golden Soft Gel
Glitter Gel- Viva
Stamp- Magnolia (not sure what her name is)
PP, Butterlies silhoutte- American Crafts (Dear Lizzy's Enchantment)
Punch- Martha Stewart
Metallic Rub-ons- Craf-T Products
Misc- Copics sketch markers, Grid Stamp, Copic multiliner.

Hugs,

Art Journaling

Years ago, I started taking Traci Bautista's classes at my LSS. We made displays for pictures, cards, books, our own decorative papers. I learned so much from her. In her classes, there were no rules and creativity flowed.

So when I read that The Greeting Farm would be hosting a new, different, artistic journaling class, I was intrigued. And a bit scared and apprehensive. Add on to my already full plate? Buy new supplies of paint/ brushes/ other mediums?

But, then, I remembered Traci's classes and how fun it was and how it motivated me to explore my other artistic abilities. Her style is so different from a lot of my mentors/ idols in the stamping/ scrapping world. Yet I feel that her vision and lessons allow you to think so much outside of the box. Maybe, TGF's new class is just what I need.

So, I dug into my boxes (yes, the craft room is still packed up) and found old supplies of paint, embossing powder, gel mediums. I'm happy that the medium is not dried up but the decoart paints are :(. I still haven't found my old watercolor papers, which I need to bind to make the baseline book.

But I did find this journal that I bought from Traci. I remember being in love with this book -- its textures and colors and stitching and papers. I've always wanted to make one of my own!

Here's the beautiful cover of Traci's creation:



Inside the first page:




I wrote down ideas, scrapbook lay-out sketches, even notes from a 2007 photography class here...



And here's the front and back. Gorgeous, isn't it?



At first, I thought I'd use it for the class. But the pages were too thin to hold paint. And if I was going to endeavor in the whole artistic process, then I should start with blank pages. So in the end, the book will be thoroughly about me and my journaling and creativity. :)

Anyway, as soon as I find some papers/ book, I'll be contacting Marie about joining in on the TGF fun! Won't you try it as well?

Love,




P.S. I visited Traci's blog and found out she is having her own art journaling e-course. There's even a chance to win a couple of spaces! BTW, the title of her blog? "Creativity Unleashed." Perfect, isn't it?? Makes me wanna change the title of my blog into something wittier :).