Evolution Of An Art Journal Spread

Hi everyone! Today I am going to share a bit of my process and a few techniques with you.

Really...I'm just going to show you how my brain works when I am creating. So when I pull out my art journal, I always cover my pages with some gesso to create a rough blank canvas.

The book I am using is from Fancy Pants Designs and it has a photo sleeve in between these two pages...in case you were wondering, and that second page in my spread actually has a folder. 

 My next step was to add some patterned paper to my pages. I pulled out the fun School Days collection from Ruby Rock-It for this part. 

 Because these serve as my background, and I like my backgrounds more subtle, I covered my papers with gesso.

 Next, I pulled out some fun treats from our swap partners at Ruby Rock-It. I used a die blank from Spellbinders (the Birds One set) and some Mayan Gold velvet dimensional paint from Art Anthology. I used the die blank as a stencil and painted around it: 

 Leaving it like this: 

 Then on the second page in the spread, I hand cut petals out of patterned paper from School Days and adhered to my page to make flowers. 

 I painted around my petals and hand wrote the word blessed: 

 I decided I wanted to tone down the black a bit, so I added stitching around the flower petals and painted more gesso over the word blessed. 

 I was much happier with that look. :) 

 Then I went back to my first page. I decided to make the third bird in that row stand out, so I used my Birds One dies and cut a bird from patterned paper and added it on top of the third bird. I added paint around the edges and wrote the words "stand out" underneath it. 

 One of my favorite things to add to my pages are ink rings. So I took some Watermelon Colorations Color Spray from Art Anthology and sprayed some ink onto a small plastic tray. I then took a random lid and dipped it into my ink to create my rings: 

 I actually think I went a tad overboard on the rings. I usually like to add 3 to a page or 5 to a spread. I did more. :) So here's the second page with the rings and I also tucked some school photos from the boys into the pocket. 

 And then I also created some 4x6 cards to slide in the photo sleeves in between the two pages. So here's what it looks like: 

 Well there you have it. :) 

 Thanks for stopping in today!!!

Ruby Rock-It Blog Hop

Hi everyone!  I'm back as part of a blog hop today!  :)  If you are just stopping in, why not join in and start the hop here?  If you came from Linda Kretz, then you are in the right place.

This month, we are featuring our fun, bright, and adorable for this time of year range:  Bella! Boutique School Days!  And after you hop along, make sure you find out the details on how you can have a chance to win this amazing PRIZE pack!

Leave comments at each blog in the hop to enter to win an awesome Ruby Rock-it prize pack

Here's what I created for today's hop:

I love to use my stickers as masks.  I often do this with paint or spray ink or even a sponge in ink.  But this time I put my ink pad directly on top of my stickers.  Gives it more of a dramatic, messy graphic look.  This is what I am talking about:

I laid out my stickers:

Then I applied my ink directly from pad to paper:

Then I removed the stickers.

Here are some close up's of my layout:

Did you see how I stitched circles around the numbers for the year?  I thought that was fun.  :)


MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A COMMENT ON EACH DESIGNER’S BLOG AND THEN ON THE RUBY ROCK-IT BLOG ONCE YOU’RE DONE HOPPING ALONG RUBY ROCK-IT  TRAIL!

RUBY ROCK-IT BLOG HOP RULES-LEAVE A COMMENT ON EACH DESIGNER’S BLOG AND THEN ON THE RUBY ROCK-IT'S BLOG TO BE ENTERED TO WIN THE Ruby Rock-it  PRIZE PACK. COMMENTS MUST BE POSTED BY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH AT 11:59PM PST TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE RANDOM DRAWING.  WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER ON OUR RUBY ROCK-IT BLOG ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH!

Ok, now your next stop on the hop is the fabulous Pattie Beltran!

Thanks for stopping in!
Have a wonderful day!!!

The Fruit of the Spirit and Worshipping With All Your He{art}

* In case you missed it...I did announce a winner for the last sketch, you can find that here.

Hi everybody!  Just wanted to share a project...well two projects that I did with you.

A while back, I was working on a group study called Worshipping With All Your He{art}.  I decided to go ahead and share that online and I posted the first chapter here.  I would love for you to check it out!

And this is a canvas I made that is part of this chapter and currently hanging over our fireplace.

I am actually really pleased with how it turned out.  And I really had fun making it.

Here are some close up's:

 

Well thanks for popping in!  I hope you have a fantastic day!!!!

Another New Layout

Hi everyone!  I have another layout to share with you today!  It's not from our vacation, but just a day at the park we had recently.

It uses product from Ruby Rock-It, you can view the exact product list here.

I started with a piece of embossed cardstock (love those, especially this birdcage design).  I added a bit of ink by rubbing an ink pad directly over my cardstock.  The embossed images should catch more of the ink that way.  Then I also added a bunch of blue glitter from Clearsnap.  Basically I just created a big mess and then built my layout on top of it. :)

Here are some close up's of my layout:

I just love kraft tags...so anytime I can add those to a page it makes me happy.  :)

I'm not sure this layout looks like my typical style...but that's ok...sometimes you just got to change it up a bit.

Well thanks so much for stopping in today!!  Have a fabulous day!

Some Art Journal Pages

Hi everyone!!

Well, awhile ago I mentioned that I use my Brag Books as Art Journals.  I was going to share some new pages with you in a new book and I was looking through my blog and saw that I never posted any of my other art journal.  Not sure why.  I will probably come back and post some of my older pages, but for now I'd love to share some of the new stuff I have done.

I just started a new book.  Here's the cover:

The cover is pretty simple.

It uses a Brag Book from Fancy Pants Designs, as well as their Trendsetter and Artist Edition collections (both the cover and the pages I share today all use these).  I think the Trendsetter is my favorite collection right now...I just can't stop using it even though I have other cute collections waiting to be used. :)

I pretty much do my art journal pages in the same way.

1.  I start with gesso and brush it over the page (doesn't have to cover it entirely).
2.  Add ink and paint...this is the part where you just PLAY.  :)
3.  Embellish with drawings, paper, and journaling.

Here are three pages (spreads) I have done:

This first page actually uses my current sketch, sketch 235!  :)  Which, of course, there is still time to play along with.  ;)

The thing about Art Journals is that they don't have to be perfect.  You generally don't show them off or try to sell them.  They are for YOU.  At least mine are for me.  I love that.

So just remember...I'm just playing here.  :)

Thanks for stopping in!!!
Have a FANTASTIC day!

Happy Glasses

Hi everyone!!!  Hope you are having a great December so far.  :)  We've been keeping busy, lots to do and lots on the calendar.   But I do love this time of year.  I am one of those people that LOVES Christmas!  I love the music, the movies, the spirit, the gift-buying and the reason we celebrate.  I'm still hoping to make a few more presents too.  I'll share them if I do.

But for now I have a layout to share with you.

Everything is from Fancy Pants, with a focus on the Artist Edition collection.  I really LOVE those Stencil cards.  To read more about my layout and to find out how I created the background, go here to the December Fancy Pants Newsletter.  If you are not already signed up for it...you should do that while you are there!  ;)

Here are the close up's of my layout:

I think he looks so handsome in his glasses...don't you?

Well thanks for stopping in today!

Have a fantastic day!!

It's A Happy Happy Good Life! :)

Hi everyone!  I have a layout to share with you today!  :)  Jodi posted a sketch this month on the Fancy Pants blog.  Check the sketch out and play along here.  A few of us made layouts based on this sketch. Here's mine:

It uses the super fun The Good Life collection from Fancy Pants.

Here are my close up's:

Thanks so much for stopping in!

I will be back to announce the winner of my giveaway.  ;)  

Have a fantastic day!!!

Hopscotchin'

Hello again!  :)

I wanted to pop in and share a couple layouts I made using the fabulous Hopscotch collection from Fancy Pants Designs.  I love all the fun patterned papers in this collection!  :)

Here's my first layout:

To make my sun, I actually used the sheet of die cuts that comes with this collection as a template.  I used a triangle banner piece (the negative part) with ink, then added stitching around it all.  :)

Oh and did you catch my title?  I totally ran out of e's and had to think a bit creatively.  I used c's, with small buttons on them for my e's.  ;)

Here's the close up's of my layout:

And then here is my second layout:

It was a funny moment that I captured.  Eryn was upset and Austin went to hug her.  Her words were saying she didn't want a hug.  But her body was saying she did because she reached out and hugged him back.  It was cute.  :)

Here's the close up's:

Thanks so much for stopping in today!
I hope you have a wonderful day and a fun weekend!