Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Diva Challenge #156 Curvy Gridlock

Ok I am not sure if I did this challenge justice; curvy gridlock. The idea is not to follow the 90 degree rule.

For this I used grid tangles which I had never used before. There is Tink, Luv-a, Da'deal, Moving day, and Bales. Of course I needed to break it up a bit with something organic.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Documented Life Project - Week 9 - Collage Something Recycled

The prompt for the Documented Life Project this week is to "collage something recycled."
That wasn't very difficult as someone like me, a pack rat, finds it hard the throw anything out especially if its paper.

For my collage, I used an illustration of a horse from Where magazine; a tourist magazine from Hong Kong. The horse was used to depict 2014 as the Chinese New Year of the Horse.

I colored the background and added some stamps. Isn't the horse lovely?

A Galloping Start


 Since the tip-in became a double page spread, the back of the page was adorned with stickers and Chinese lanterns, as well as the Kanji symbol for horse.
While I was at it I went on to find out that according to the Chinese Zodiac, I am a Rat. A very un-glamorous animal indeed, but I will admit a rats' description is just like me.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Documented Life Project - Week 8 - Add a Flap To The Flap

Add A Flap To The Flap?

Inspired by our kind hosts, I eventually got to creating.

This week I have kept it super simple (as usual). I just used scrapbppk paper and markers and glue.

SCRAPBOOK PAPER

Instead of one flap I managed to get 5 in. Somehow could not control myself. But hey for good reason. 

3 FLAPS

 There is a bit of Bruno Mars going on here. You know that song? "'cause you're amazing just the way you are....". 

"'CAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE"

All of my flaps are attached with washi tape. Perfect!

2 MORE FLAPS
 
Here is the back side of the flap with 2 more flaps. I just used some scrap paper that I was testing the markers on, and stuck with washi tape again.

My new favorite song is "DEMONS" by IMAGINE DRAGONS. And while I was working on the pages, I had the song on repeat.

There's lots of space for some journaling or even for writing the lryics for the song.

But here is a note to all those who think that they are not creative enough and not artsy enough to make special pages. I am seeing this a lot in the comments in the group. Although they are nice to have, the lovely paints and tapes and pens and "things" are great. But keeping it simple is just as special. It's the process that really matters. Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and create, open them again and see what happened.

Toodles for now.


 
 



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Diva Challenge #154 - Ventangle

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY in advance to one and all.

My interpretation for this weeks challenge is very simple and to the point. A HEART or maybe four.


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Documented Life Project - Week 7

Today is Qatar's National Sports Day. Yep one whole day dedicated to sports. It's also a public holiday.  Everyone is up early this morning visiting the parks, beaches, and sports stadiums doing something sports related. Activities began at 7am and will continue until 10pm. A long sporting day.  I'm not sure if my family and I will take part in any of the activities. A public holiday in Qatar to me, means confusion, crazy inconsiderate drivers, no parking at chosen destination, etc. So today just might be my day to be couch potato. However, there is some plan to go out with friends to an Italian restaurant and exercise our mouths by chewing good food.

Now on to a more colorful note. The week 7 prompt is to draw a shape and repeat. How cool is that?



The shape I chose was a flower, then repeated it several times.......

Added color, a little shadow and highlights.......

......then one of my favorite verses.

Some people have been asking what others do at the back of the tip in. I usually add quotes, or continue the artwork, or glue in used tickets or other scraps of paper of things I might like to remember. Here is something I just started, and I added it onto the back of this page.

I saw it somewhere on pinterest. Make a list of things that I am currently doing. So for this list, I have: currently....reading, wearing, feeling, needing, thinking, weather. This is not quite the list I saw but its close.
I won't do this every week but just at random times when I can't think of any thing to put at the back of the prompt page. Perhaps once every one or two months.

I don't know about any of you, but I find myself opening the journal/planner after completing the prompt, wishing I had more things to write or more things to doodle so that blank space is reserved for random stuff. Well that's it for now.

Thanks for checking in.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The Documented Life - Week 6 - Inspired By


For week 6 we were asked to search our Pinterest Boards or other blogs for inspiration. There are so many wonderful artists out there who I admire. One of them is Valerie Sjodin. Her blog,
Visual Blessings.
I took a class with her once called "embellishing edges". I totally enjoyed the class. And totally recommend it to anyone who wants to add some flare to their art journaling pages. Her pieces are fun and whimsical and colorful. Not only is her art inspiring, but so are her journaling thoughts.

While researching her blog to write this post, I noticed that she recently joined the Documented Life Project. I'm so happy that she did.
visual blessings Doodling through the storm
photo and art credit to Valerie Sjodin
Above is one of her lovely Journal pieces. And this is where I got the inspiration to do my own. As a matter of a fact both were inspired by her work.

 For both pages, I used a white signio pen, and pastel pens from sakura, as well as a white prisma color.
This second page is inspired by her as well but some how cannot find the original picture again. Will have to keep looking.

Have a great week. Thanks for checking in.