more 4×4’s…

AUTUMN HUMOR:

Autumn is a season for big decisions — like whether or not it’s too late to start spring cleaning.

Autumn — time to drag out your winter clothes and see what kind of summer fun the moths had.

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I need some new potholders and I’ve been thinking of making some for myself and maybe some for Christmas gifts. The Stitching Scientist has these.  Who knew there are so many tutorials and videos about how to make potholders.  The Ribbon Retreat blog offers this tutorial.

And then, I was looking at some other craft projects and found this great idea for recycling those wooden leaf and bowls that you can easily find at most flea markets.  Jennifer calls them Boho Chic Jewelry Trays. I’m sure they could be used for other items, as well.

On to this weeks 4×4’s.  This first set started with a magazine cover.  I put gesso on both sides.  I used acrylic paints, markers, and oil pastels.  These number 129-132:

I used watercolors, acrylic paints, and black acrylic ink and a dip pen on Bristol paper.  Before drawing the black lines…I brushed Liquitex Gold Interference paint over the entire surface.  This set numbers 133-136:

until next week…going to go hold my dog’s paw…he’s freaking out because of a thunder storm…

Create…

“if you do what you always did, you will get what you always got”   ~attributed to Albert Einstein~

This is a collage I made a few weeks ago.  It’s a page from a book about the sea and as the chapter title denotes, it tells what to do if your boat springs a leak.  I have no qualms about tearing pages out of the book because the information in it is most likely out of date now.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  🙂

I completed some more 4x4s yesterday.  This first set is all collage.  I took of photo of the piece before cutting it down into 4x4s:

The written French notes were in an old French text book I found at a local flea market.  Most of the other collage pieces are from a fashion magazine.  This set numbers 121-124:

This set includes oil pastels, acrylic paints, homemade stamps, Distress Inks and spray inks.  This set numbers 125-128:

Enjoy your day and have a great weekend!….until next time…

no pressure…

 

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”  ~Salvador Dali~

My husband is always saying to me, “perfection is an illusion.”  I tend to be a perfectionist about some things.  Some…

I have been making books based on Teesha Moore’s Amazing 16 page Journal.  Her ” how to”  videos are available on You Tube.  The journal is made from one sheet of  22 x 30 inch paper.  I used Stonehenge print making sheets for mine.  I painted the big sheet first before tearing it down into pages.  I used Dick Blick Matte Acrylic Paint.  It’s my new favorite craft paint and comes in so many colors.  The torn edges are kind of rough from tearing the paper using a big metal ruler.  I can leave them as they are or use a stamp pad along the edge.  I found that I can also blend  an oil pastel along the edge of the page as well.

This is the first book I made.  It was my practice book.  The finished books measure 8 x 10 inches.  I plan to do a lot of collage:

…one inside spread:

I added some Washi tape along the spine of this book:

…one inside spread:

The third book is best, I think:

one inside spread:

I also finished my next set in my 4×4 series.  These number 49-52:

sketchbook snippets….I didn’t make the first picture…It was my inspiration for the ink and brush drawing:

I wish I knew the secret for drawing hair 🙂

Have a good weekend!

…and think high

“Think left and think right and think low and think high.  Oh, the thinks you can think up if you only try.” ~Dr. Seuss~

The snow and ice that fell earlier in the week is still on the ground.  I venture out to feed the birds and have to be very careful…the backyard is very icy and slick.  It’s warming up today, it’s already 20 degrees.  I know there are others up north of us who are experiencing -20 temperatures, so, I try and limit my complaints about the weather 🙂

I have been making little mini sketches in a little book filled with numbers.  I picked it up at a yard sale.  It’s some kind of chart to figure out the amount of a mortgage payment.  It’s an old book and I’m very sure the numbers no longer apply today.  I picked out the sketches I think are best:

Here are this week’s 4x4s.  I used acrylic paint, gesso, oil pastels and soft pastels:

ICADs for July 19-25

Only six more days remaining for the Index Card a Day project.  Someone was being facetious on their blog how everyone must be getting sick of seeing ICADs everywhere 🙂  I have thoroughly enjoyed making them and have managed to keep up for the almost two month period.

Click here to see more participants in ICAD

The round robin journal group I was participating in has ended.  A big thank you to Danielle for coordinating our little group.  Also, thank you Janet and Andria, the other two participants in our round robin group, who, along with Danielle have been a great source of inspiration.

ICADs for July 19-25

ICAD 49 is a collage from pieces found in a fashion magazine:

ICAD 50 is some mini drawings of plants inspired by a new pattern motifs book(more about that later):

ICAD 51 is mostly vintage papers collage:

ICAD 52 collage with oil pastels and marker embellishments:

ICAD 53 is a magazine collage embellished with oil pastels and gel pens:

ICAD 54 started with a tea bag packet:

ICAD 55  began with a scrap on my desk.  It needs a sea gull to complete it:

Everyone have a great weekend!  I appreciate each and every comment.  Thank you!

experiments,etc…

“The most beautiful thing

we can experience is the mysterious.

It is the source of all true art and science.”

Albert Einstein

 

I have been experimenting in my altered book journal.   The first photo shows a page where I only used oil pastels on the background.  The face on the left is a magazine face that I painted over, while the face on the right is a quick face I painted with a brush and black acrylic paint.  The one on the right is painted on deli paper which allows the background color to show through the drawing.

 

On this next one, I covered the page with mostly text paper pieces.  Some of the pieces had doodles or paint on them and I incorporated them into the final page. I used my Sharpie Pen to doodle over some areas.

  

This page started with black acrylic paint in swirls and squares over the original text of the book.  Then I used a wooden skewer to apply the paint by rolling it in some areas and pouncing the tip over other areas.  I’ve been using Jacquard luminaire acrylic paint in burnt orange a lot lately.  It shows up as mostly brownish in color.  It also makes a great skin color when mixed with Titanium White paint. 

 

Friday Links and more…

Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealously, and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.”

Og Mandino quote (American Essayist and Psychologist, 1923–1996)

It’s been a busy week.  It’s raining again….very cool weather for this spring.  Grandson’s graduation was last night and Awards night on Tuesday.

This page is from my altered book journal.  I started with ink dribbles.  There’s no acrylic paint on this page…I used Caran d’ache crayons and some oil pastels.  I used a dip pen in acrylic ink for the black lines.

close up:

and another close up:

LINK LOVE FRIDAY:

hosted by Daisy Yellow

Link#1 – This a website that hasn’t been updated recently but is well worth a look.  If you interested in seeing other artist’s sketchbooks…check this link out. Book by Its Cover by Julia Rothman.

Link#2 – New design magazine…there’s three issues to see here:  Do What You Love for Life 

Link#3 – I love Joana Carvalho’s color sense and style.

Link#4 – Truth seeker and artist Cynthia Lee at  Spirit Uncaged

Link#5 – Terri over at Artful Affirmations has some free video tutorials. I liked her video on making your own fairy house.

Friday art and link love…

I planned to post earlier in the week but our internet was down for two days.  Our phone company sent us a new modem…it’s better and faster now 🙂

Today was our local library’s book sale.  I picked up some great books for altering or junk journal fodder.  Maybe I’ll take some photos of some of my loot for a later post.

I have a spread in my altered book journal to post  and a sketchbook page of a quick doodle sketch I drew with my non dominant hand.

This week’s Link Love hosted by Daisy Yellow

Link #1 – My friend Janet does wonderful Random Acts of Art, check out her Pixie girls and other art.

Link #2 – Another blog friend is Lee over at Defining Me.

Link #3 – After receiving a postcard this week from a swap, I found a new blog: Be Currie

Link #4 – Monica Zuniga is a talented artist from Mexico City. Her blog is:  Hands and Heart

Link #5 –  I don’t remember how I found this one (love the blog name): The Tin Goat

bits and pieces……….

I have another book recommendation. It’s Wool by Hugh Howey. My hubby and I both read it.   It was first available as  a short story on Amazon via Kindle. It was so popular that readers begged the author for more and he wrote four more followup additions to the first Wool story.  If you haven’t read it yet and you have a Kindle, go to the Amazon bookstore and get the first Wool story….it’s free.  But, I’m fairly certain, you’ll want to read more.  After we read the short story, I bought Wool Omnibus Edition for $5.99.  It’s an awesome read!!!   Check out all the reviews for Wool on Amazon.   A year ago, the author, Hugh Howey was working as a clerk in a bookstore and writing in his spare time.  I love a good overnight success story 😀  He has signed a book deal with Simon & Schuster and hard copies will be available by March of next year for those of you who still like to have the actual book in your hands. 

I have been semi-busy making backgrounds in two different art journals.  Here is a little page that I did with with oil pastels, paint, and gesso:

Here are a few pages from an altered book that I was working in about  two years ago.  I wouldn’t post any of the pictures because the class was still an open class.   I didn’t feel right about posting  pictures showing any of her folding techniques she taught in the class.  The class has recently been discontinued.

The book that I altered was a Cokesbury book on how to give various showers or parties.  I cut the profile from a vintage magazine:

“Avoid inviting people who are not congenial,” the first line on this page says:

Girl from a fashion magazine with flower collage added:

“All Ashore”

Journal Page

I’ve been looking at Pinterest this morning….I want to join but it seems you must join through FaceBook or Twitter.  I don’t have either of those but I’m thinking about getting a Twitter account just so I can join Pinterest  🙂   Does anyone know? Is that how you sign up for Pinterest or are there other ways?

I did this journal page yesterday….I brought out my oil pastels again…it’s been a long time since I’ve used them.  It was a a fun page…the giraffe’s ear is leaning over because there was a collage piece in that spot that was shaped like an ear.

I have received two postcards  from iHanna’s postcard swap.  If you want to check that out click on the link two posts below this one.  I’ll be scanning those and sharing those in the next post and maybe by then I will have received more postcards. 🙂