Feed Your Soul

Here is the first completed set of pages for my brand new art journal!

Totally channeling Anna Debrowska for this...

...I had to use the new techniques I learned from her this past weekend along with a few of my favorite old ones including some certain supplies used.

The pages started out as cut pieces of paper from the longitude and latitude portion of a giant hard bound atlas. I used TONS of bits n bobs, some cast and some original pieces to form my wave of Magic. There are also some Prima flowers, Ideology gears and game spinner, Making Memories frame, and a clothespin spring. I used black soot distress stain to distress the edges as well as paint through the Gauche Alchemy star punchinella mask. 

I misted over the goodies with Charcoal Chalkboard glimmer mist by Tattered Angels, and dry brushes gesso over the top. The Umbrella man is Tim Holtz's sizzix die cut out of black cardstock and highlighted with gesso. 

I used Amazing Mold Putty to cast some of my favorite resin pieces.. a giant button, lots of smaller buttons, a cameo.. etc. They can easily be seen here:

Of course I used VLVS! Stamps... "Art is the last form of magic that exists"

and "feed your soul" both stamped in ranger archival jet black

well??

Mixed Media LOVE

I can't believe how much I love mixed media and the different styles associated with paints, mists, collages, found objects and anything and everything else that goes into it!!

This weekend I had the utmost pleasure of meeting one miss Anna Debrowska aka Finnabair, who taught a mixed media journal class at Treasured Memories in California. 

here we are together:

It was all I could do to not be a screaming little fan girl.. not talk her head off.. not stalk her and not just pack her up and take her home with me. I must say I was very well behaved! 

Here is the journal we made:

And here is the background for a set of pages for the inside! I've always used vintage photo distress stain for my "tea stained" look.. but anna says go straight for the tea! it's the only thing that actually LOOKS like tea. and I must say.. it was fun splattering a big bowl of tea! 

And she had the most ingenius idea of adding a pocket to the end of your journal for ephemera, bits n bobs, inspiration pieces and mementos from trips as journal page starters! In mine I've got a bit of prima paper from our kit, our beach parking stub and two embossed pennies from the trip. 

It was truly magical watching Anna work.. basking in her creative process was astounding and I'm so thoroughly happy to have been able to do it! I'm excited to gather a few more supplies from the class and get started on some of my own pieces of work!

And of course I couldn't NOT represent VLVS! --- I used the chicken wire background and the birds on a wire stamp :) They're both in Archival black.. without a block though, so that they're grungy sort of "misstamped" on purpose! 

Family - Journal Page #2 - a little history

(It's totally worth it getting through this post to the journal page!!!)

First of all.. I love Tim Holtz as much as the rest of the world (I think..) but I've found much more inspiration in other crafters (Sorry, Tim!!) ... two of them seriously astound me with each and every piece of work they produce. 

I've always been involved in the fine arts... then I went to school for Industrial Design.. trying to make sure I'd never be the "starving" artist my parents warned me about.. I messed around for a few months after college and then went home to mommy and daddy. Best decision ever.. a friend in college had introduced me to crafting with paper goods and adhesive.. while I learned about metals, woods, plastics, and other various materials and manufacturing processes from professors and industry professionals. 

So now under my belt I've got painting, drawing, ceramics and some graphic design from high school, a little bit of dabbling in paper goods from a very close friend whom I still hold dearly in my heart, and industrial knowledge from college. 

I arrived at home and promptly got a full time job at a local craft store.. got introduced to my father's secretary who is the DEFINITION of Crafter and then the red carpet of crafty goodness unrolled. Then crafting became a way of life for me. 

So now I've got all these experiences, wants, have to dos and haves and just IDEAS rolling around in my head. I've been collecting bits n pieces, spare parts, pop tabs, packaging, papers, embellishments, foreign coins.. you name it I've probably got a collection for it! But I couldn't necessarily make it work together FOR ME. 

Insert Finnabair (Anna Debrowska) and Louise Nelson. 

these two ladies (whether they know it or not) have helped me put all the jumbled mess in my head into a neat and organized pile. That's the best way for me to explain it. Whether it was.. being unsure of myself, or hesitant to try something new.. I can't put words to it exactly.. but whatever it was. It's over. and I'm so happy! I've yet to meet Anna or Louise, but I'll be seeing Anna in California at the end of July. and I cannot wait to say THANK YOU in person. Louise -- girl -- you're next! The two of you just taking the time to share your work and be so supportive of others.. sharing your ideas and being so giving of your knowledge - it's just AMAZING. 

and here... after the last few years of crafting and being proud of my work but always slightly unsure and not really "me" is a page... that is at its fundamental core.. "ME" 

products used include: A Clairefontaine art journal, Inchworm and Charcoal tattered angels glimmer mist, tim holtz ideology clock face and game spinner, Imaginarium Designs chipboard, Gel medium, memento ink in tuxedo black, Viva Las Vegastamps! Feather stamp and Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder, TH distress tool, diamond glaze, basic gray brad. 

I'm also really loving the no title necessary feel of these pages. =)

I'll link this bad boy up to Simon Says Stamp and Show for "distressed" - it may be minute distressing.. but it plays a huge roll in this piece. 

The 5th already?

Jeez.. time is flyin' by me like no other..

here is the project that I posted on the Basically Bare blog yesterday.. My rainbow road :)