Art Journal Every Day

Quote of the day today is 'Fortune favours the bold' from Virgil - which is rather apt in my case as I am about to embark on 365 days of art journalling - joining in the challenge of 'Art journal every day' you can join in too - there's a link in my side bar!

Now you don't have to do a journal page every single day - oh no - I would fall by the wayside on the first day if you did! The idea is that you add a little something every day - why not hop over and read up about it - it sounds great fun.

I am number 150 on the list of those joining in from all over the world - and the list is growing fast!

On Julie's blog today, she has uploaded examples of work from different blogs and it's brilliant to kick start you into action. 

So after an hour and a half's walk in fog around the village, on a cold miserable day, it was just what I needed to get going.

When I took a look today I was inspired to have a go at using bright colours after seeing Reine's fabulous journal page.

So here is my 10 minute 'start' today.

Using Pentel Aquash water colour crayons on the left hand side page, I just scribbled some random colours.  Then decided to repeat the colours on the right hand side page using Necolours.

Look what happens when you wash over them with a water brush - magic!

I had just started to flick water onto the right hand side when my time was up!

Watch this space!

Finished the cheese now altered the box!

Here are a few photos of a cheese box I altered.  

Firstly I painted the box with children's copper coloured acrylic paint 

Then using a stencil, I dabbed all over with blue metallic paint

Then I repeated the process for the lid

Job done!

Tucked inside is a surprise - best not mention what it is as it's a birthday present.

It's a cracker

I hardly have time to sit down at the moment - like most mums and grannies - lots of baking and wrapping of presents, etc.

I did make some time a week ago to create this

It smells wonderful when you walk into the little room.  The combination of eucalyptus, pine, and rosemary is so refreshing.  It looks much redder and Christmassey in daylight.

I also bought a real Christmas tree as always from a farm - and braved driving down a narrow country lane, covered in snow, with only one track of tyre marks - that was last week.

I spent a couple of afternoons decorating it.  It takes so long, as every bauble and bit of tinsel brings  back memories of Christmas past.

Are you the same when you decorate your tree or home?

Have a good Christmas one and all, and may 2011 bring good health and happiness.

Fabric postcard - with vintage c1920's material

Recently I made a fabric postcard for a swap, my very first, and now that it has arrived at it's destination I can post it on here.

I made it from a sample of vintage French material circa 1920's

which found it's way years ago to a shop in Norway, and was bought by Ati

I couldn't bear to part with the original label - rusty staples and all - so this is a photo copy which I made on old paper - it's hard to tell that it is not the original

It looks like silk brocade with gold embroidery, and I have made it 'shabby chic' style, sewing it on to the back of a scrap of vintage hessian, which I had stamped with vintage script

Then I built up the layers.

Another piece of the vintage blue and gold material

More torn hessian stamped to match the base layer

Then I did an image transfer of this gorgeous girl which really suited the period of the material.

I dyed the scrap of lace to tone in with the colours in the image, and added the tiny circle of from a piece of vintage crocheted doilly.

(I have kept enough of the sample to make myself a similar postcard or wall hanging, or maybe I will make a journal of little works of art using the samples in 2011, the material is just so beautiful)

I received my first ever fabric postcard swap back - from Jean - the start of a lovely collection I hope.

I can see how addictive these little works of fabric art can be!

Upcycling 'rubbish'

Have you got any of these lying around?   Well don't throw them out will you.

Take out the pattern

Add some stitching.

Slap on some gesso - as much or as little as you like.

Then you can cut it and sew it up as it is or.....

I decided to cover mine

Added some scraps of webbing

Added some handles

Hey presto - a bag.

It's surprisingly strong!

This one holds an A5 journal set with coloured pencils,

and sets of brushes.

If you would like to have a go at making some lovely bags out of paper - visit Roben-Marie's blog here - for lots of inspiration and a free mini workshop with all the instructions here

Mine is rubbish in comparison with her samples - but after visiting her blog late at night on Saturday, I just had to go into my craft room right away and have a go at one!

So in essence this was just a practice piece to see if I could make one - my head is now buzzing with lots of ideas on adapting the process to make all sorts of packages.

Another week - another 'cake'

I made a square arrangement for a friend.

Another cake design

I hadn't seen this friend for over 20 years

She thinks it is about 23 years

 

What a joyous weekend we had - and we won't lose touch again

I was able to use lots of foliage from my garden, and moss just a couple of days before the snow wrecked most things

I chose flowers that should last a long time

I love Christmas - it's such a great time to flower arrange

I am working on a Christmas cracker

 

I'll finish it over the weekend - it's very Christmassy