Sunday's Art Journaling...Tickets to Life and His Love Pages

While flipping through this children's book to use in art journaling, I fell in love with this grasshopper! I had to use him. He looked reflective so when I found this word clipping, I had to use it. He or better for me, She looks as if she is reflecting on the tickets of life which I have defined on these art journaling pages.

 After covering both pages with clear gesso, I used water color crayons to bring out the illustrations on the pages out even more than the original illustrator had done. Also, I used several recyled elements like the red tickets which I had brought home from an event I had attended, a door prize drawing or something, and dropped them in my art journaling folder. Then I used my straps I had punched previously across the top of the tickets as a decorative element. The paper with the crowns is one of my favorite scraps...it just fit. I used chip board letters for the "to" and magazine clippings for one title and a sticker for another.

This page, I didn't do a lot to. I felt the hymn as well as the rub-on defined it all. My one true love is my faith. I couldn't live a day without it. I find strength, promise, empowerment, love and complete peace in Him. I have walked this long journey of getting healthy with His help. I have worked hard, but without his inner courage and praying that my husband and family would someday have open hearts and minds to walk with me, we wouldn't be here today.

I began on January 1st, 2011.  Life is amazing. My first Love has spread, my prayers are heard. Love is healthy, Love is strong. Love is a dance, one step, one movement at a time.

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Yes, We Can Have it All

 There is one thing, I never ever want someone to tell me...that I can't have it all! When I started Weight Watchers, I was told by their ads with Jennifer Hudson, that I could have it all. I was also told by the leader when I joined Weight Watchers that I could have it all. Guess what! I hit Lifetime just over a week ago, which means, I met my weight loss and healthy living goal of what I want my body weight to be for the rest of my life and they are right!!! I can indeed HAVE IT ALL! That is what Healthy Living is to me...

 On this art journaling page, I want to share one aspect for sure, but first, I want you to notice that I used not only various clippings of things I can't have enough of, like chocolate, but also, some of my favorite papers. I love the sewing pattern scrapbook paper that you can see in the back ground here. The "grateful 4" sticker was perfect to use on this pocket, which by the way is a covered subtraction card. That's right! Recycling-Reusing-Recreating...which you are about to see with the card inside that pocket. I also took words that were on a piece of printed cardstock and cut them up, making them into tags. I covered the backs with more paper for additional space for journaling and stuck them inside the pocket. Btw, the pocket is adhered with my ATG gun on two sides, the bottom and the right side.

 I found this to-do shopping list on the fridge at the cabin. I took a sheet and clipped it down to the blank space on the page and to fit inside the tag base. The original tag was made by Close to My Heart.

 I traced the back of the to the paper. Then cut it out inside the lines so that it would be a bit smaller than the card itself. I wanted a bit of the background to show around the paper.

I distressed the edges with inks.

The page was then adhered to the card with ATG tape.

I punched holes in the front of the tag holder and wrapped the original twine through the holes and tied it. I also, used my favorite punch to make a tab and place at the top of the card for embellishment.

I have additional space to write things that I am "grateful 4" as well as add a photo to the back if I wish. The card fits perfectly into the pocket. I really enjoyed creating these pages and adding not only pieces of smash book and art journaling but bringing some scrapbooking magic to the creativity too. How much fun I am having is just wrong!!!

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Live Life in Shape...

 This art journaling project turned into something much deeper than I imagined. I thought slapping some clippings and ink on the pages would solve some of my emotions and stash problems. However, I found myself reflecting and reminding myself why I have come so far in my ques...

On these two pages, I used many of the techniques that I have talked about over the past several days. I used more gesso and paints on them than the other pages. I added some truths in the bottom left corner that I gained from a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers when one week I couldn't come up with my own goal for that week. I leaned over and asked this woman, "What has kept you a success?" She replied with those words. I have repeated them to myself over and over. KISS comes to my mind with art journaling, life, and getting healthy, Keep It Simple Sweetie. That is the best advice when art journaling or making a smash book. Don't make it hard or complicated. Just do it. Just get started. That is the best way to do anything.

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Moment Reminisce

 Don't you love it! How the elements within the other pages of this art journal project is popping out the edges...I just get inspired by looking at it! Not saying that prideful or boastful, just knowing where I have come from to where I am today is humbling. That is what this page is about. Homes. Where we have come from physically to where we are today reflects my soul and spirit, where I have been as an artist to where I am today. Continually learning, continually growing, continually moving. Not to a bigger better dwelling, but one of better health, better shape, better mind, spirit and full of amazing soul.

 I found a shopping list that apparently was given away at a pet store because their advertisement was all over it and the first thing listed on the shopping list was pet food. lol. So, I clipped the page down to just the blank shopping list, then listed all the addresses we have physically lived. I distressed it by rolling it up, even stepped on it, then rubbed it with different inks. It was funny trying to remember our different addresses over the years. We weren't sure we got them correct either. Also, I added stickers and spackle over the edges of the sticker and onto the page. I love the texture it creates on the surface of the page.

 I wrote yesterday about this tag and how I made it. 

Recycle-Reuse-Recreate...loving it...

Behind this embellishment, I can add a photo or journaling spot...

Perfect...

Home is where the heart is, wherever that home might be physically, spiritually or emotionally. What about you? What do you have hope in coming true?

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Tag Ideas

 In this Sunday's Art Journaling project that I am featuring bits and pieces of, I used a couple of recycling ideas I wanted to share with you. I made two tags, one recycling elements and the other, like with this one, by reinventing an item. I took a tag sticker and made a stand alone tag with it.

 I placed the tag sticker to a piece of printed scrapbook paper scrap and cut along the edges of the tag shape.

 Then I removed the butterfly shaped bling from the packaging and cut it in half. I didn't throw away the unused portion because I have plans for it. Then I stuck half the butterfly completely on the tag. You will see this tag within the book later.

 For the second tag, I used the packaging from the butterfly shaped bling and adhered it to scrapbook paper using my ATG gun.

 I added more patterned scrapbook paper to the other side of the packaging, creating a completely covered tag. I ink distressed the tag.

 With the leftover bling, I adhered the tip edge of the plastic packaging it was stuck on to the tag with my ATG gun leaving the outer portion open should I want to place a photo or journaling spot on the tag. I then adhered a button with Glossy Accents on top of the bling.

 The tab for the tag is another way of recycling my scraps. I love this punch and use it often on my scraps to use them on my writing journals, art journals, smash books, files, scrapbooking, photo spots, jouranling spots...there are so many possibilities. I have seen on Pinterest where they have made apples from this punch for cards and even animal characters. So creative. The punch is from Stampin' Up.

Tags. Such a great creative usage for scraps and left over packaging. Tags. They are more property within a project to add photos, journaling or...bling. =) Tags are fun to make, easy and you can add as much creativity as you want to them. Wait to you see the others I made for this book...I even recycled something else I found at the cabin...

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Creative Recycling lol

See the sweet title? See the arrow pop up sticker?

Well...I needed pop-up dots...didn't have any with me...

You know how it is...get somewhere and...you left them at home...

So...I looked around the cabin where I was staying for the weekend and...

Found these jewels...treasures to me!!!

I flipped the sticker over...

Used Glossy Accents, a great item to have in your bag,

which I get at Hobby Lobby or any art store...

Placed these snaps, meant for pants, on the back of the sticker.

Then put it on the front of my art journal...

Allowed it to dry and...Perfect...

Never think twice about recycling something...

Nobody will ever know...well, until now lol...

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Nature

 Art Journaling is a great form of creativity because there is no rules to make or break. You begin, continue and end any way you want. The same thing happens with smash books. I took both and applied them in this project one might say. Something I didn't bring out in yesterday's post about the previous page, is how I extended my creativity and art past the actual page. The runner from the previous page is hanging over, peeking over the top. I added strong cardstock to the back of her head so that it would support the flimsy magazine paper. You will see this again on this page too.

 On this page, I used clear gesso so that the original art work illustration would be seen through and with that I used water color crayons to bring the image out even more.

 Behind the magazine clipping, I took a 1" punch and hit my scraps. I randomly placed the squares and Modge Podged them down on the page. Then I added the image, but cut the image so the hand holding the cup of coffee was visible. Love my coffee. I also distressed the edges with ink throughout these pages.

 No, don't get excited...not showing off her bottom here...lol...showing that once again, I let the clipping flow off the page. I didn't want to chop off the skirt and I loved how the flow fit perfectly off the edge of the page. Lovely...Again, I supported it with colorful cardstock scrapbook paper.

 I save the stickers from vegetables. I admit it. I am a sad sticker, label, can top saver. I stick them to my fridge grocery list paper and then drop the sheet when it's full into my plastic folder just for art journaling. Here I used several of them on the page. Fun!!! I left the "bean" jumping on the page...fit perfectly with the coffee cup, don't you think...

 I used inks, water color crayons, clear gesso and just had fun with these pages. They flow together with the theme of nature. I thought about how natural things are for me. I let my spirit flow and just enjoy being especially on Sundays, my day devoted to respite.

 The title. for this page is a clipping from a brochure I think. I will save a whole sheet or a part of menu, brochure, magazine clipping to use on an idea I might have.

 It pays to not think, "How will I use this scrap?" Just put it in a box or folder designated for scraps. Then I go through the box when it's full, armed with my punches, and just wack away...I used just such punches here...it made the magazine clipping standout...

I just fell in love with these pages. There are multiple techniques that I used, very simple and sweet. Easy to adapt. Just always remember, creating an art journal or a smash book begins with you. Then get a book from a thrift store, library recycle store, or yard sale. Find clippings or some of your favorite things or photographs. Just start sticking them inside the book. Get an ink pen and begin writing. Once you start, you won't turn back. Gesso is a product carried at Hobby Lobby or most art stores. You can brush it on the pages to prep it for painting or anything you wish to do to the page. Water color crayons are excellent to use as well as school water based paints. A set of brushes and sponge brushes are staples. Bic ink pens are great for writing and cost less than $1 for a 10 pack especially at the beginning of the school year. Not an expensive hobby at all. Give it a try. You will fall in love with this form of art and, like me, respite.

Hugs, Rita

Sunday's Art Journaling...Shape Your Life

 There are so many words for these two pages of art journaling and then there are no words needed. Shaping my life and empowering it both with mind and spirit toward healthy lifestyle has been a total life changing experience and adventure. The image of a runner was the beginning of the physical side of shaping up my life so when I found it in my clippings, it was perfect.

 The "Power to Shape Your Life" especially in your mind and spirit isn't as easy as one would think. My road to a healthier lifestyle has been, let's see...28 months now and counting. The power of the mind is stronger than anything I had ever known! Self-talk controls that because my body can do more than my mind thinks it can.  I clip words, phrases, photographs from magazines, ads, newspapers (which I rarely read, just flip through) and stick them in a 12x12 plastic folder just for art journaling. Then when I am working on projects like this, I pull them out...and use them on pages...

 ...like here... These words empowered me! They were a list on an ad for something. I felt they were all great and could be used in such a way as this. I cut them down as i was working on this page. I had these "peace" signs from paper in my scraps. I thought empowering + peace = shaping my life. I also, took water crayons and marked around each word to give them pop and then brushed around them.

 The runner had some great color within the ad that I adapted to the page. It was the same inks I was using to distress the page, water color based by the way. The gesso allows me to use more water on the page and it keeps it from soaking through the page below.

One of my all time favorite things is to crunch up sewing dress pattern tissue and gesso it down onto a page. It gives great texture to the page. That is what I did here and throughout the book. 

 Another technique I love to use on art journaling pages as well on the edge of ATCs is spackle. I have on hand white and beige. That is what you see on this page. It leaves a great texture on the page and it came cheap for me...I took it from my husband's shop LOL! =O You never know what you might find in HIS stash to use in art journaling...just saying...then you can move that technique over to scrapbooking or other areas of art...one never knows the possibilities of shaping up your life and where you might begin living strong and healthy.

 When I think of distressing, inking always comes to mind. But markers, pens, tools roughing up the edges, and even more ways pop into thinking as I type. Here I used water crayons and ink pads. The area under the runner's arm is actually part of the photograph from the magazine. I thought it blended perfectly with the page. I love the water color crayons and how well they work. I use two sets, one I got from Stampin' Up and another set I got from Hobby Lobby.

 In this corner, I used more of the spackle and left a portion of the hymn showing that I mentioned in my notes yesterday. I also used water crayons in the circle with the Bic ink for the circle outlines. It is such fun to play with different ideas on a page. I wonder if art journaling was started as a way to play with various techniques before taking them to the canvas...

Around the arms and hand, I used a darker water crayon to shad these areas to look as if the runner was moving on the page. I wanted a swish marking as if she were passing along the way on her way to shaping her life...

A closer view of the crinkled sewing dress maker pattern tissue, water color crayons outlining the word clippings and the distressing inks.

One thing I do find helpful, is using wax paper. I gesso several pages ahead, so I use wax paper to separate the pages to keep them from sticking. While working on this book, I was at the family fishing/hunting cabin. I forgot to take my heat gun to dry as I went along. Therefore, I thought I would just use the wax paper. It will be a staple in my supplies now. If it happens to stick, which it did on one page, so what...texture. Perfect...

New roads and new ways of shaping us happen. Art journaling these travels is a great way to bring respite and understanding to what we want to learn along the way both in our souls and on paper.

Hugs, Rita