I came across this quote by Marit  "This is what I learned on my creative journey and this is what you should keep in mind: Call it "scrapbook every day." Call it "art journal every day." Call it "create every day." Call it "write something every day"...call it as you like, but create the way YOU like best. Mix and match and don’t bother how it’s called. Don’t be afraid of the word "Art." Just be free and have fun!".

It expresses the way I feel about art.   I have had a fear of calling myself an artist.  I am afraid that other people will not think my work worthy of that title.  But I have taken possession of the title and decided that as the quote says, I won't be afraid of the word "ART".  I am just doing what makes me happy and scratching that creative itch.

Be Fearless

   I had many comments on this art journal page but the one that meant the most to me was from Kristin who said "That is beautiful. Did you do this yourself? I need a copy,to frame, it is very very touching, just what i needed to see this evening. Very powerful.".

Flowers for my Garden

Flower fun.  Acrylic and pen.  Button center.

As artists we are explorers. We explore how we can make the world prettier, funnier, nicer, more interesting and more colorful.  Color can be a significient part of the creative process.  Sometimes, I struggle with color but I find that if I am observant of the world around me, color unfolds naturally.

Flowers for my Garden

Water color flowers

Bird Song

Add caption

I was playing with a new technique in this one.  Stamp images with paint, then use the TH distress inks to create the background and rub over the stamped image with a cloth.  This allows the stamped image to create a resist.  The blue crown in the lower right corner doesn't show as well in the photo as IRL, probably should have used a darker blue.  The swirls are painted chipboard, vintage stamps, and has some collage and other stamped elements.  The key is chipboard that was distressed to have the look and feel of rust.  Everything in this collage is created in layers.

Messy workspace

This is my messy workspace this week as I have been working on my art journals.  I posted this one earlier in the week as "Eye on You".  As you can see, I have plenty of mixed media out on my space.  You just can't see the pile of other supplies not pictured.  I've had inky fingers and hands splattered with paint. It's been a fun and productive week but now I'm going to take a break and have some time in the sunshine.  Hard to believe that yesterday morning we had snow and tomorrow it is going to be in the 60's maybe if we are lucky in the 70's.

Pretty in Pink

I just love this one.  It was fun to create and makes me smile every time I look at it.  Done in acrylic and collage.

Still life

Journal challenge

Another challenge for my art journal.  Create a grid of 1" squares and paint with watercolor, then collage and use the quote.  The challenge is fun because it gives you a jumping off point from which to begin.

ATC

Started these ATC's by spending time just making collaged backgrounds.  I knew when I began that I wanted a vintage background.  After the backgrounds were done, all I had to do was layer the vintage images.  I think working in the two stages made everything go faster and flow better.

The Dance

Snowy Day

We woke up this morning to a light ground covering of snow.  I watched out my window as the huge black birds scrounged for food.  I tried to capture them in film but the slightest movement make them scatter in all directions. The wintry scene makes everything look so clean and fresh.  It reminds me of a clean slate and the anticipation of what today will hold.  I am waiting for the new art journal challenge to be posted and excited to see what challenge awaits my paints and inks.  The challenge was to freehand doodle circle flowers with pen.  Option to create a journal page using the saying "Bloom where you are planted".  I used my new water soluble wax pastels,  I really like the effect whether used wet or dry.

Paris Dreams

Here's another fun one. Created with mixed media. Has watercolor, stamping, vintage photos, lace, buttons, stamps, etc. I really love the way this turned out. Gives me the feeling of Paris.

Update from several days later.  I posted this one on FB and my granddaughter saw it.  She is into the Paris thing right now and wants me to create this for her bedroom.  Think I will purchase a framed canvas and make one for her on the canvas.

Eye on You

Ok, I'm on a roll. Finally got the software downloaded so I could post some pictures of the art I've been working on lately. I am working on several art journals at one time so I can work on something while another one may be drying or perking. Here is one titled "Eye on You" that was done in watercolors. It is so much fun to begin drawing again. Hope you like it, I do 'cause it makes me smile.

Altered Photo

One of the ladies on PAO posted an altered photo challenge for our art journals. Played around with this and had so much fun. Don't think I'll go long and red anytime soon. Take a photo, scratch with wet sandpaper, scratch with a pin and then alter with watercolor crayons. You can give yourself any look you wish. It's a lot of fun, give it a try.

My goal for this blog is to update it more often. When I woke up this morning, I had no real artistic goal for today. But you never know where you'll find inspiration. Sometimes it is just a thought, or an image. It just takes a flicker to get the creative juices flowing, to make my mind reel. Sometimes this gets the ideas flowing at the speed of light. Then again, not so much. So on the times it does, I just try to go with it.

I am enjoying the lessons I am learning from working in my art journals. I haven't posted anything lately but it doesn't mean I have created anything lately. I have been working in my journals for a couple of weeks now and am having a blast. It is like creative therapy. I am growing, and developing as an artist. I am learning to be more spontaneous and to just go with the flow. I'll post some of the work I've been doing lately as soon as I get the chance. Right now, I'm just enjoying getting all of this inspiration down on paper.

This is a page I created for an art journal swap. I used Tim Holtz mask and distress inks. Final step was a spritz with Tattered Angel ink.

At our PAO spring retreat, we created altered houses. We were given a blank chipboard house and a baggie of items supplied by another person. You could use as many items as you wanted and include others from your stash. I'd done this before by mail. It was fun to swap houses.

I am participating in a journal swap. This is one of the journal pages that I did for that swap.

Just getting started setting up my blogspot. Check in later for more posts.