Mixed Media Mayhem - Beach Life

Recently I was clearing out magazines...a difficult task because I reread them and hoard...deciding which to save, which to toss.   As I peeled off the address labels of magazines going to book recycle center, I decided that they would make a great tiled background in my journal.  After adhering them with medium, I added a wash of gesso to blur references to my name and address and to unify the two pages and blocked in alphabet stencils.  An illustrated Ralph's grocery bag laying nearby on the floor gave inspiration for the surf boards. Using one of my favorite products, Gelatos, I drew in the features of the beach scene and used stamps, pencils, and micron pens to add detail.  To find captions, I turned to several local publications which tout the year long beach life of our treasure coast.

Someone recently asked me if I plan ahead...no...the labels and the sequence were pure serendipity.


I revised the pages after I found 3d pieces to mix in.

Mixed Media Mayhem - Forgive #WOIW

Meandering through the process of art journaling, I just enjoy the journey and do not think about the destination.  This process works to a point, then I need direction.  For this journal spread I was guided by the #WOIW, Word of Inspiration Wednesday group's challenge, Forgive.

The finished spread is bright and shiny, but began as a very bland stenciling with Dylusions and a TCW stencil.

                                   

Hmmmm.  To elaborate the floral theme I looked through my wallpaper books for some images and used a pattern to make a set of stamps.

A big fan of bling, in art but not in dress, I had to go further, adding gold embossing powder and black highlighter. 

Needing some focal elements I added the bird...remembered I had some black embossing powder so I could make him patent leather shiny and balanced him with some black embossed flowers on the opposing page.  To amp the colors I experimented with drippage (a new French word for letting ink run down the page, pronounced drip - pauge).

Looking through my Google+ posts, I discovered the new #WOIW, Forgive, which I interpreted to be about self-forgiveness and positive outlook.  My little black bird seemed to be looking for a positive message and found several that suited my intended message.

The finished page reminded me to keep in front of me that art journaling is for discovery not for product.  I enjoyed finding all the quotations and then cutting them out word by word to embed them.

Mixed Media Mayhem - Gift of Language

I was inspired to make this journal page by the #WOIW, "Gift", Word of Inspiration Wednesday forum hosted by Heather Kraafter.  As usual when I work from a concept I easily go off the rails.  I began this page with pasted strips of paper and gesso.

Blah...so I used a credit card to spread on some blues and orange/pink paints.  Still blah.  I added some punch outs of alphabet letters that I got in a scrapbook packet on sale at TJ Maxx and recolored them with gelatoes.  It then occurred to me that the gift I wanted to talk about was "language".  I searched through my collage stash of language books, dictionaries, and French and German novels, Chinese newspapers gathered in Xian, and translations of my new Medicare policy.

To illuminate the theme I found quotations on language on the internet reprinted with script fonts. The spread is still blah, but it communicates my message.

Maybe I should add some three dimensional objects.

Mixed Media Mayhem - The Taj Mahal - Three Views/Three Viewpoints

When I need a journal fix, and I have no plan, I like to gesso the pages and smoosh them together for a ridged texture.  That's how this spread began.  I sprayed with Dylusions and scribbled on some Gelatos.  And, since pink is the basic black of India, I began thinking of images and papers in my stash from my trip to Rajasthan.  I chose one of my zillion photos I took of the Taj Mahal and printed it in several versions.

I used one of the images to draw, cut, and emboss kid foam to make a stamp and impressed it onto the page.

I printed the image several times in different versions to place around the page.  I found some swirly pink and gold paper in my scrapbook file and a cute elephant from a World Market purchase.

Now that I had three vesions of the Taj I looked for quotations that would suit the page...Voila...three views...from romantic to cynical...

Mixed Media Mayhem - Time: A Continuum or Cycle

I have had this beautiful cover from Smithsonian Magazine forever thinking some day I could use it. I had a journaling week during which I wanted to use up what I have hanging around...this cover, scrapbook paper with clocks, a Crafters' Workshop stencil, clip art of clocks, magazine cuts.  As I began building the layers the question, time - continuum or cycle?, popped up.  As I searched different dictionaries for text I found different answers to this question, time a circle or a line.  This final journal page presents this question for you to ponder.

Mixed Media Mayhem - She Walks in Beauty

I was so excited to see the sparkly iridescent effects from Pebeo acrylics...had to order them right away on Amazon Prime for instant gratification.  Used them to print a background then the decision- what next?  I had been cutting out profiles and making foam stamps from images in People Magazine.  I embellished the stamps with marks to give texture and delineation and used a stencil and Gelli plate to add the features and scrolls.  When I was finished I saw night and beauty and recalled the poem I had recited in 10th grade poetry reading-- by Lord Byron

"SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

   I don't really love this journal spread, but I wanted to share these paints.  They are delightful on the Gelli plate.

Mixed Media Mayhem - Don't Worry, Be Happy

A journal entry to remind myself of an important message.  I started with gesso and gelatos and added images with stencil from Crafters' Workshop.  I used Faber Castell markers to add and enhance color.