Being challenged

I enjoy participating in a couple art challenge groups; they ensure I make art regularly (who am I kidding? I would anyway). This week’s quote is from Lao Tzu, so I ended up doing a second page with one of the quotes from the Tao te Ching that I have on the wall above my desk.

The page with the circles was done with watercolour pencils on a gesso background, acrylic paint through stencils, and detailed with a Posca pen. The challenge included using pencils, and making marks with spots and dots. Challenge accepted 😉

The other page is Distress Paints, then metallic DecoArt paints through stencils, and finally blue Golden acrylic  through a StencilGirl stencil (thanks Lynne W!).

Hiding the details

When I journal, it really is the good, the bad, and the ugly. Currently I’m using a Dina Wakley mixed media journal, which I love, to “download my head”. If you’ve been foll wing me a while, you know I’ve had weight loss surgery and as part of that journey have faced up to my food addiction, abusive first marriage, miscarriages etc.

All my feelings get poured out into my journals, and I share all my pages, but some of that I don’t want others reading – and don’t even want to re-read myself because the psychologist think that creates a ‘loop’ in your head.

How do I write down the hard stuff, then share it safely?  There’s a number of things I do:

• Cover the writing with a light coat of gesso or Tim Holtz Distress Paint
• Put it in a sealed pocket or enveloped attached to the page
• Cover it with printed tissue paper, such as the Tim Holtz range
• Use scribble writing – this is my go-to

I did the background with Tim Holtz Distress paints and StencilGirl stencils, and the tag with Andy Skinner stamps using Stampin’ Up ink and a red Tombow, then wrapped some red cotton round it. I used a thick black Pilot pen for the journaling and added some messy burgundy and red cotton under the tag with Tombow glue to ground it a bit.

technique

This page talks about some hard stuff we’re facing at the moment, and how I feel about it. It’s personal and involves other people – it’s not just my story – so I needed to think about their privacy too.

 

CMP18 catch-up

I’ve been playing catch-up for various reasons. I’m using a wee 6×6″ hardcover journal this year and am enjoying the format. Distress paints, Dylusions paints, stencils, collage materials, Pitt Big Brush markers.

cmp18 week 2

This week’s colour is blue, and the quote’s another good one. I used Distress paints, Dylusions paints, collaged papers, Graphik pens and stencils.

CMP week 43

This week’s quote is short and sweet – I used Tim Holtz Distress Paints, washi tape, scrapbooking paper.

CMP17 week 32

We’ve had a wee break because the person who runs this had some family stuff she needed to deal with. Now we’re back into it, which feels good. I used Dylusions and Distress paints, various stencils, black Fude ball pen, white gelly pen, SSS ink pad. It’s one of those pages where what was in my head and what happened on the paper are worlds apart, but that’s ok – the fun is in the doing.

 

 

CMP17 week 31

I thought this was quite fitting given my weight loss surgery journey has had some drastic and very unforeseen consequences, but has been worth every drama and detour. I used Dylusions paints, Distress Paints and inks, and a favourite StencilGirl Stencil.

LD17 week 7

This month’s theme is love and the quote was supplied. I’m using a new A3 journal Tony bought me, so this is big. I used Distress Paints, Golden fluid acrylics, 7 Gypsies papers, Pitt pen, stencils and washi tape.

CMP17 week 6

This month’s theme is love, and I loved the week’s quote, so this came together easily. I normally do a paint, stencil & pen background with no collage or photos, but wanted to include a favorite photo of Tony. This was taken at Lucy’s Gulley, on SH45, in 2012 when we were having a weekend break from caring for Mum (thanks to my sister). I’ve used Distress Paint, Dylusions paint and a couple of stencils.

CMP week 4

I love this week’s quote and was going to do something relating to the Muslim ban in the USA and other political happenings, but then realised art is my time out from all of that. So here it is, just another journal page that made me happy in the creating. Distress paint, Dylusions paint, Dylusions stamps, stencils, Fude ball and Posca pens.