Thursday, December 30, 2010

Journal Spilling pages and learning lessons

Sometimes you look back and have to acknowledge you knew full well what you were getting yourself into and it is no ones fault but you own. And that's what journals are made for.

This page is a series of acrylic and watercolor crayon layers which was then scratched into with an awl. "Mistakes"

Earlier this month I watched Jacqueline for a week while her mother was away on business. Jack's full schedule kept me busy and away from journaling so this page is a cumulation of days. I got the page layout idea from Journal Spilling- great book!


More Journal Spilling inspiration, worrying over my major and the paths ahead of me.


Worrying over money. Don't we all?


In two days my etsy shop will open, and none too soon! I was informed yesterday that my tuition is not due in March as I was originally told and thus budgeted for, but January 4th. My loan information will not be processed until January 3rd. Ah, the joys of higher education. So I'll keep hustling.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Drawing Lab prompts and making art with kids

Another prompt from Drawing Lab involves drawing insects and playing with line widths- I had a lot of fun with these.


This spread began at work; the kids are fascinated by the idea that journals aren't just for writing, though I think the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books with the added doodles helps alot. I was teaching the kids how to splatter their paint by tapping their paint brushes with pencils and then showed them how they could combine the technique with masks and stencils. When I got home I filled in the writing. I highly suggest making art with kids, they are so uninhibited and love to try out new things!


Monday, December 27, 2010

Drawing lab experiments

As I mentioned before, I've been working on my fine art skills with Drawing Lab. This assignment was to document your pet in motion; I wasn't planning on doing this one yet but she hopped up on the table in plain view. It was difficult to draw her as she kept moving her head to watch the leaves swirling about.



Cat sleeping on top of couch, turned away- charcoal.


This assignment requires random squiggles to be made on paper and then interpret them into a picture. Below is an elephant- watercolor


Sea turtle- watercolor with collage.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Drawing Lab and Autumn Journal

This has been one of the weirdest journaling seasons yet. I had made this journal a few months ago and began using it as my fall journal; shortly after I made a travel journal for my Tennessee trip, and then in November I joined a journal for a month swap. After a flubbed "Christmas Count Down" mini journal, this book is finally getting my attention again. (Vlog to come about journaling styles and the mini journal fiasco.)

The awesome book Journal Junkies gave me the idea to use plastic canvas (that weird plastic grid stuff for yarn crafts) as a stencil = great texture.

Cover art from the Harvest for Hope CD. Good punk/indie music. I added a couple of stalks from the scrapbooking section.

Over the past two months I've been playing with exercises from Drawing Lab, here are some blind contour drawings.

Tons of cats inspired by my pets. It was a lot of fun playing with different expressions/shapes. I've got a few new favorites I plan to use in future crafting adventures.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

2011 Announcements

Recently I've been juggling signing up for graduate classes, applying for an assistantship, nannying, and working. Among all of the craziness I have been zipping around getting ready for the January 1st opening of my etsy shop Rouge Raven Designs. The shop will feature a variety of crafts but the main focus will be journals, paper goods, and workshops that I am currently working on. I am very excited to open! I've had some of the items made for a while but I want to premiere the shop with a full, bursting inventory.

Other exciting stuff...

I have posted a new youtube video on how to complete a hat on the knifty knitter loom:




I have also signed up for Craftster's 50 Projects in 2011 Craftalong.

My list so far:

1. Teesha Moore fabric journal cover
2. Zine
3. Journals for etsy
4. Stamps
5. Plastic bag fabric into a tote
6. Complete a project from each of my craft books
7. Polymer clay doll/figure
8. "Care Free" quilt (don't stress wobbly binding or lopsided squares)
9. Handmade paper
10. Paint a vase for myself
11. Paperdoll Fridas with positional joints
12. Send out more Mail Art
13. Frida inchie book
14. Roll up field journal
15. Wooden peg gnomes and fairies for the kids
16. Foam animal targets for the kids' new bows and arrows
17. Make something with my Sublime Stitching patterns
18. Finish Kelly Kilmers A Prompt a Day Workshop from winter 09!
19. Finish Samantha Kira's Wish Journal Workshop
20. Make collage sheets for etsy
21. Doodle on photos with sharpie
22. Add grids to my art journal
23. Design a jewelry box
24. Make a white quilt with black embroidered birds on it
25. Sugar skull punchneedle pillow
26. Collaborate on a doll house with Jacqueline (the girl I nanny)

I'm constantly looking for more ideas so let me know if you have any suggestions!