July Art Swap

Hello all,

I just received my art swap for this month from Fran in Essex. we had to make three tags, one bright, one pastel and one tonal. I always really enjoys making tags so this was right up my street! Speaking to Fran I knew she was not a fan of pastels and didn't like pink but liked steampunk and rust colours. She also told her favorite colour is blue so I tried to make tags that I thought she would like and get use out of. Here is what I made her.

Pastel Tag

Bright Tag

Tonal Tag

Fran emailed to say she received them and really liked them. I have made a video of me making the bright tag but it still needs a bit of work so I will hopefully post it up soon.

Now here is what I received from Fran:

I really like them, the colours are great and there is loads of texture on them too! It was a pleasure swapping with Fran! Can't wait for August's swap!

I am in Wales all next week but taking some art stuff with me, so I hope to get some journaling done!

Bye for now x x x

Workshop Session 25th July 2015

Hello All,

On Saturday I delivered the last of four workshops at Sharrow Vale School of Art in Sheffield. The theme for this session was 'Horizon' and I demonstrated a scratch technique with oil pastels and black acrylic paint. Here is my sample page.

We painted a layer of gesso then split the page with masking tape and painted a sky in the top half. The bottom half we drew block shapes in oil pastels, using many colours and then painted over the top with black acrylic. Once dry we scratched into the black to reveal the colour underneath.

Here are some photos from the workshop.

The session went really well. I will be arranging some more workshops in the Autumn.

Bye for now xx

Inside Journal

Hello All,

Just a very quick post as I have had a few people asking to see inside the new journal I made and posted up the other day. Here are a few shots

I am really pleased with this one! Can't wait to start filling it!

Bye for now! xx

Tags

Hello All,

I have been busy the last few days working on my July art swap. This month I have to create three tags, one in pastels, one in bright colours and one tonal. I have really enjoyed working on this, but I won't post piccies up until I have confirmation that my partner has received them. But piccies and a new video coming soon!

Whilst making the tags I decided that I am going to make sets of three tags to sell at my Dovefest craft stall in August to go alongside all the journals I have been making for it. I had a practice run for these and this is what I made:

I gelli printed the background and added the butterflies on top. I am going to do these in all colours and all different but going to try and keep them all quite simple.

In other news I have my last of four workshops this Saturday so looking forward to that and really enjoying working in my altered book but will post piccies of this when I have done a bit more. Once my workshops have finished my summer project is to get started on my portrait commissions!

Bye for now! x x

Housewarming Gift

Hello All,

Just a quick post today, I just wanted to share a little piece I made for my friend who recently moved house.

Really enjoyed making this one, I played about with my new stencils and Lindy stamp gang sprays which I really like, especially the glimmery shine the sprays produce. I'm pleased to say she liked it too :)

Bye for now x

Altered Book

Hello All,

For a while I have been on the lookout for the perfect book to make an altered book art journal. I knew exactly what I was looking for, I love the 40s and 50s and wanted something from that era with a mix of text and illustration. I was in a charity shop this week when I came across a stash of 50s girls annuals which are perfect. I bought two and as soon as I got home I set about removing half the signatures from one of them. This is to make room for the art work.

The text inside is a mix of articles, stories and comic strips. I love the vintage pictures and language. I even came across an old doilies advert that had been used as a bookmark. The inside front cover says 'Curtain up' With a picture of a stage and the back cover says 'Curtain' which makes a perfect start and end to my journal.

I couldn't wait to get started so I made a start on the first page, I will post up pictures of the finished page soon!

I also made a little index card this week which I was really pleased with.

Bye for now x

Journals!

Hello All,

Whilst busying myself making journals for my craft stall in August I decided to make another for myself using the woven paper background I used in my last workshop for the cover.

The cover is made from a cereal box and the signatures are make up of plain and coloured paper, graph paper, old book pages and some pages prepared with some colour. I have also sewn some pages toger to both strengthen them and add texture. It is just a tad smaller than A4. I love it, it is really tactile, can't wait to start using it! I am now working on a blue one the same to add to the stall stock.

I also yesterday joined July's art swap on Journalworkshops.ning.com. This month the challenge is to create three tags, one with bright colours, one in pastels and one tonal. Not yet got my swap partner but can't wait to get started!

Bye for now!

Art Journaling Workshop 11th July 2015

Hello All,

On Saturday I delivered the 3rd of 4 workshops. This one was titled 'A Word About Me' I demonstrated a woven paper background and we also created a textile and wax paper pocket containing a word about me and some little bead embellishments. Here is my sample page:

Here are some photos from the session.

 

Anna's

Becky's

Susan's

Jill's

Jill decided to turn hers into a book cover which I love, It inspired me to use the technique on some of my journal covers. It is a little fiddly to do but looks great once its painted. It is quite a simple layout for me but I liked the background and wanted to showcase that.

One more workshop to go for this season, really enjoying it!

June Art Swap

Hello All,

Today I received my swap from Kim in Virginia and so thought I would share what she sent and what I sent to her.

It is an absolute pleasure taking part in the art swap group, sending your work out into to the world, getting to know new people and the best part receiving parcels and not knowing what you are going to get! I love it!

The challenge for this month was to create an 8 x 6 journal page with something in it using the first letter of your name. I chose 'Laugh' as my word. Here is what I sent to Kim.

And here is what she sent me.

Can't wait to see what July's theme will be and who I will be partnered with!

Bye for now xx

Monthly Challenge

Hello all!

Off sick still, well I went in to work but they sent me home again. I decided to do my monthly challenge since I am stuck at home and have the time. The monthly challenge this month is 'Tonal pages'  Creating a tonal page using a colour that you wouldn't normally use and using as many mediums in that colour as possible.

I generally steer clear of monotone, I like using a lot of colour in my work, so I decided to give it a try and here is the result:

I used stencils, stickers, sprays, washi tape, collage. gesso, stamps, oil and soft pastel, wax paper and black and white pens. I am really chuffed how it came out actually! I may be using monotone again!

See you soon xx

Workshop Session 4th July 2015

Hello All!,

This session was titled 'Time Capsule' and the idea was to create time capsule letters. An idea inspired by the artist Jenn Garmen. The group wrote letters to their future selves and decorated an envelope to contain this using whatever mixed media their chose.

For the background I demonstrated a wax resist using wax paper and ink sprays and we also rubbed ink pads over the used wax paper and added this to create layers. Here is a little video I made demonstrating these techniques.

The group finished their pages by adding titles, further collage, paint etc and stuck in their time capsule letters with a date on which to open them in the future. Here a few pictures of their work.

Anna's page

Helen's first ever page!

Maxine's page

Self Portrait

Hello All,

Over the last few days I have been a bit poorly and stuck at home. I hate feeling ill and in the UK we are having a bit of a heatwave which just made me feel even more hot and bothered and unable to enjoy what let's face it is a rarity!

The only up side has been lots of time to get some things arty stuff done! I have been binding journals and planning my workshops but the made thing I worked on was this:

My parcel containing my spray inks and brushos arrived and of course I have been experimenting! This is a self portrait and I am really pleased with how it turned out! I started the background with a handmade Moroccan lattice stencil and by adding colour with the inks, brushos and acrylics. The portrait is done in acrylics!

Anyway thought I would share it with you all. I have lots on the go, more journals to make and a new monthly challenge which is to create a 'tonal page' plus more workshops! I will post about my latest workshop (which was yesterday in a bit)

Hopefully be feeling better soon! Bye for now x