Word Challenge and Soul Journal

On our Big Art Adventure blog Rosie challenged us to think of a defining word for 2009. I chose ........

Smile (remember my rock?)

The colours on these photos are not good, sorry. The light has been so bad over the past few days I've had problems photographing this. The girl in the middle?........Thats a school photo of me. The photographer was probably saying smile.

SOUL JOURNAL
For the Soul Journal prompt (no:16) Kathryn asked us to find our defining words, stick them onto a journal page and doodle around them. "Pull out those magazines and quickly flip through. Don't look at the images, focus rather on the words. Don't think about what you are picking out just tear or cut out words that resonate with you".
I've decided I need to let go of certain things this year so I'm also choosing the word release .
And my shoulders will be a good place to start - they've kept my ears warm for too long!!

Anyway, here's my journal page ......... thank you Kathryn for the inspiration.

I decided to do zentangle-style doodling, mainly using a black PITT artist pen.

Journal Cover

At the end of last year I subscribed to Sarah Whitmire's online Joggles class to do a journal cover. I downloaded the pdfs and decided to have a go today.
The first step was to tear pictures and papers and glue them onto the cover with a central focus. I chose the gorgeous pomegranate napkin (another gift from Jacky!), some scrapbooking paper, plus some script tissue paper which my daughter gave me (I think it was wrapped around her All Saints purchases). Next, I scraped gesso through a plastic flourish stencil from http://craftynotions.com/ and some sequin waste. This had to dry overnight.

I then applied lots of layers of paints and messed around wiping it on and off and adding LuminArte powders until I was reasonably happy with the effect.

Lastly I added some words and a metal corner decoration.

Now I'm ready to start journalling again.

And More Stuff!

I went along to another craft session at the Beetroot Tree Gallery this morning. We made 'papers' using silk and bamboo fibres, linen threads, angelina fibres, hemp and other bits and pieces. It was an interesting technique using J-cloths, water, decorators varnish or PVA watered down and a metal spoon to burnish. My pieces are still wet and look like this.... .....

tomorrow when they are dry I'll peel them off the cloths. They should look a lot better!!

The next step is to add little pieces of metal (bonded on with fuseFX) and some hand or machine embroidery. (You're probably thinking what a mess and who can blame you, lol !!!! Hopefully tomorrow they will be transformed!)

If you like working with metal here's a tip I got today........angelina fibres can be bonded onto metal if you use bondaweb in between. It looks very effective. I took a small piece to show you, unfortunately the photo doesn't show the irridescent effect very well.

Can't wait to have a go at this myself.

I started a new painting on wood yesterday - I'm being brave and showing the first sketch. I'm trying to put a bit of movement into my work. I must try a different colour scheme as well for this one...maybe pink?

This is my latest Soul Journal page. I used pictures and letters cut out from magazines. They are pages I started in Sarah's workshop - you can just about see the silhouette of a face on each page (we cut out images from a magazine and stencilled around the edge).

And finally........I got caught up in Rosie's enthusiasm for a Distress Inks technique that Dan demonstrated on his blog - so I thought I'd have a go and make a tag. Its all about blending the inks and then splattering with water to create the mottled effect. All good fun!

Soul Journal and Marina

These are my latest Soul Journal pages, created as a result of 5 days of prompts from Kathryn.

I scanned press studs to form part of the background, then added incidental items I found around me during the 2 days it took to complete the pages .

Then we were asked to consider what we have recently lost and found.

On the leaf we were asked to write 'I am...' statements about ourselves. This was so difficult!! But I really like these pages; they are very personal to me and I enjoyed doing them.

Here are the first stages of my latest Suzi Blu workshop painting. I think I'll call her Marina - unless I can think of something better (can you?)

Since I took the second photo I've painted the background blue - but I'll show you that tomorrow. Please note...I have actually painted arms!!!!!!!

(PS The colour of the dress should be the same in both - just shows you what a difference lighting makes!)

I've had a busy weekend; we had a big family wedding yesterday at a beautiful country house. I can't show any pictures without asking the bride's permision first so instead I'll show one of my gorgeous DD and DH (and you may spot me in the mirror taking the picture!)

Before I go I just want to thank everyone for the amazing response Rosie and I have had to the new challenge blog.

It means such a lot receive all your comments ....... can't wait to see your shrines!!

Soul Journal Permission Slip

I made this page in response to Kathryn's prompts which you can see here. She described how to create the the background, make an envelope, then write a permission slip for ourselves.
It's amazing how it works - I've been playing all morning and eaten half a bar of Galaxy hazelnut choc!!




I was supposed to have visited Rosie for a few days, but unfortunately had to cancel. I have a ghastly cold and no-one wants to come near me. You've had a lucky escape Rosie!

Soul Journal Continues

I joined the Soul Journal Yahoo Group yesterday. Kathryn Antyr is now providing prompts for those who want to continue the journey. This page is a result of her first exercise called 'Instant Gratification'!
It was great fun to do..... choose a picture from a magazine that has some meaning for you, choose a title word, draw contour lines and write in them. I splashed on some watercolour (in two colours I would NEVER normally use) and added a few embellishments.
It really was very quick - but satisfying!

Soul Journal Bookmarks

Our last task from Sarah was to make bookmarks for a swap with the other Soul Journallers.

I made three; one for me, one for Sarah and one to swap. We photocopied parts of our journals and used the images to create collages.

Here are a few details below.

Making the Soul Journal has been a great experience; I've made new friends, learned new techniques plus I have a book which I shall continue to use and add to. Thank you Sarah.

Soul Journal - doodle page

Sarah told us to doodle a random shape without thinking then look at the lines until we could see a character coming through. Then, go over the lines and develop the character. Its supposed to represent our 'misfit character'........ well, mine ended up way too glamorous! Then I thought, when I look in the mirror I'd like to see someone glamorous looking back (a bit like the wicked queen I suppose, lol!)

Well, we can but dream.......

Have a look at Sarah's here so you know what I'm rambling on about. (You'll have to scroll down, there are two posts relating to this).

Soul Journal pages 15 and 16

Our instructions were to photocopy some of our previous pages and then rip them up and re-position them on the next 2 pages of our journal.

Next step was to paint around them and add words.

I forgot to photograph these pages before I painted them - but you can imagine what they looked like. I used the quote ....... to live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong. That is so relevant for me!

I may add more to these later.......

SOUL JOURNAL - collage pages 3 and 4

These are pages 3 and 4 of the six collage pages we have done (the 'finger pages'). I really must leave them alone now because they have driven me a bit crazy. I have gessoed over them so many times and re:done parts of them that I discovered lots of interesting layers when I scratched through the nails!!

I'm happy that I've played around them though - I've learnt a lot about techniques. and other stuff .....ie who am I trying to please with these pages?
The answer is me. (I just struggle with that a bit, but I'm getting there.....)

Journals

I've been so engrossed with my journalling experience in recent weeks, thinking what a wonderful new experience it is for me....but actually it isn't quite new.

Many years ago we used to tow a caravan to France, or go camping with friends and I'd forgotten that I used to write journals every holiday for about 10 years. It was so easy then.... I just had a book, glue stick, a small watercolour palette, a couple of brushes and a pen. I would sit outside every evening and write down the events of the day, paint a few pictures and stick things in. Anyway, I've just been rummaging around in cupboards and I've found them all. It was lovely to read them again - so many things I'd forgotten about.

The backgrounds look horribly white to me now...but here are a few samples from my journal pages. I'm being brave here...... they are quite a contrast to what I'm doing now!

I'm going to Soller in Majorca soon - maybe I'll take a journal and some paints with me! But this time I'll pre-paint the backgrounds!