Library Spread

A few weeks ago I made my first journaling video of this spread and now I'm finally getting around to posting the photos. I would love it if you guys would let me know if you get annoyed while watching a video that is fast-forwarded and if you prefer to have music playing with the video or not.

The art journal page swap I've been hosting is finally closing- and what a relief it is! It gets crazy when you sign in to find an average of 5 to 10 pms in your inbox a day, respond to them all, clear up misunderstanding and update swap statuses. Ugh, I'm not hosting again until summer.

I have been also working on my swap package for the Mexican Kitsch Swap- I can't wait to post the photos of the stuff I'm sending! My large and small (I think, maybe medium) is done, just one more to go and then I can send out early.

I love being able to say that!


Close up of the lower right hand corner:

I am going to take photos of my new art journal today to share with you. It is an all media book by Canson and I love it! I haven't been doing as much writing in my spreads this time and I think it is linked to the lack of words already on the background. When I alter books it seems as though the English major side of me says, "There's some words, you have to add your own!" then working with the blank clean pages of the all media book I feel like I "should" be doing more "art" and less writing. It's interesting. I think I'll be sticking with this specific type of book for a while- I love not having to gesso pages before sketching up ideas!

Heart Strings and online classes

My love of Frida Kahlo has been showing up more and more in my journals.

The concept of being tied to loved ones through physical strings comes from a portrait of her with her parents. These are my would-have-been step children, with the strings attached to the heart. The other is my ex fiance with the string that had snapped. It's one of my favorite spreads.

The masks used to create the title are from the Tim Holtz collection at Michaels- they're sticky so they don't move when you don't want them to =)

In other news, I am working on concepts for two online classes. They're at the roughest stages- the first class will be about art journaling techniques and combining them to create new looks. The second class is much more specific, it is going to be (I think) a 30 day art journal workshop focusing on the grieving process and working through it. I'm just brainstorming for now and getting all the ideas down. Next I'll begin filming videos and creating page examples. It's going to be an interesting ride, most of which won't be done until after this semester is over, the term papers and reading assignments are keeping me busy =[

Returning

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!

I know it's been forever since I updated. I am going to rant through an explanation for 30 seconds: between filling out FAFSA's (twice and waiting to make corrections), midterms, work, and school I got really sick and I'm in a budding romance. It's been a hell of a ride the past couple of weeks!


I still don't have wifi at home so it makes updating harder but I want to get back to posting at least 3 times a week- I was doing pretty well there for a while!


Moving on:

More knifty knitting videos to come within the next week- THANK GOD for spring break!









This is a spread of Lady Gaga's "Monster." The background is a layer of gesso using the credit card scraping technique and then drybrushed with acrylics.

Somehow I'm related to this guy, again from the photos we found at Pop's house- he looks like he was a play boy, I think the pipe sells it. I regret writing the lyrics in metallic gold because it is difficult to read

=/

For some reason my Sakura gelly roll pens haven't been liking my acrylic backgrounds lately. I'm beginning to think it's because I use the cheap Folkarts but I'm not ready to let go of them yet. I'm using the Sakura glaze most often, followed by the souffle and sharpie paint pens. Yes, the oil based ones. I don't know why everyone is hating on them- I just can't find the water based anymore!