Mixed Media Mayhem - DLP - Life with a HIstory

Documented Life Project

July Theme - Ephemera , July 4 

Art Challenge: Using Old Maps, Letters, Tickets & More

Journal Prompt:  Life...with a history

I had all my travel ephemera out for last month's challenge.  As I sorted sundry pieces into categories, I became distracted by all the stories they told.  To continue engagement with all these goodies, I decided to use them to meet the ephemera challenge.

Baggage tags, tickets, dinner receipts, key cards, labels, dried flower, and lots of translucent receipts from shopping provided materials for a background.  After I arranged and glued everything, I added some chop stamps, and a silkscreen I made from a vintage Chinese book.

This collection of ephemera goes back at least twenty years, and it reflects many of my foreign adventures that define me, hence the title, "Life with a History."

Mixed Media Mayhem - Time - Seize the Day

Working in my colour journal using Somerset Studio's, With One Palette, I was inspired by the challenge on http://art-journal-journey.blogspot.co.at/ , TIME.  I used paint, sequin waste as a stencil, magazine pages, scrapbook paper, dylusion inks, and an ad from National Geographic.

Thanks again, Susi, for hosting this challenge site. http://froebelsternchen.blogspot.co.at/2015/08/time-zeit-art-journal-journey-challenge.html

Mixed Media Mayhem - Hometown Inspiration

Documented Life Project - Travel Journaling

June 20 Art Challenge: Hometown Inspiration

Journal Prompt:  There is no place like home

An opportunity to use my fruit labels and woodblock print.

Mixed Media Mayhem - DLP- A Traveler's Tale

Travel Journaling - A Traveler's Tale

June 27 Art Challenge: Photos and Words

Journal Prompt:  A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Yesterday I booked a winter trip to Spain and Portugal.  I have been thinking about this destination for a long time, but I was apprehensive because of my past experiences. In August, 2000, I stopped in Madrid for a few days on my way to Gwen Gibson's workshop in the South of France.  Off to a bad start with Iberia misplacing my luggage, I was determined to enjoy my first visit to Spain.  I took a walk to Puerta del Sol and the surrounds to gather my thoughts.

I strolled past a fire station and turned into a brightly lit square.  With foot steps behind me and two figures in front of me, I knew I was in trouble.  Swiftly I was thrown to the ground, hitting my head, breaking my glasses, and banging my nose.  One attacker used his knife to cut off my neck pouch, catching my neck with his stroke.  A resident ran out to my aid and took me to the hospital and to the police station.  No passport, money, travelers checks, credit cards, id, glasses, or lipstick, I had my work cut out for me to put myself back together.  Iberia found my luggage, my daughter sent me money, Citibank sent me a new credit card, and I shopped for lipstick. I completed my trip, and I had a brilliant time with Gwen and other artists even though I could not see what I was doing.

To make this journal entry, I pulled out all the documents I had related to this experience (remember me, the ephemera hoarder) -

my journal pages,

police report, Robo con violencia,

maps, passport, ticket stubs,

and receipts.  By physically handling all these documents, I soothed my anxiety over returning to the "scene of the crime."

Making this journal page was about the documents.  Cutting, arranging, pasting these original materials to the page really proved the benefit of journaling.  Talking therapy, but to myself.  My final page is as chaotic as the experience.  Flaps open to hold more documentation, different passport pics show contrasts, messiness reveal my thinking.

Mixed Media Mayhem - What you can do with a kraft coloured paper bag?

Browsing through my Google posts, I visited the blog, http://froebelsternchen.blogspot.com/, to see all that she has been up to recently. She is a prolific artist who posts to many challenge blogs.  I was interested to see her link to http://letsgetshabby.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/challenge-66.html, where the challenge this month is to "do what you can with a kraft coloured paper bag."

This challenge gave me the inspiration I need to finishing a page in my colour journal where I am focusing on the color families featured in Somerset Studio's "With One Palette."  For the cherry red, blue, and kraft I created a collage on a background prepared from the paper bag.  I love the look and feel of the kraft paper when it is saturated with matte medium.

Thank you, Susi.