con-tain-it

Happy Halloween!

Fall has finally "bloomed" here in Charlotte, NC....this is the lovely view that I have from my studio windows...just love it when the sun is shinning.   Hope you all find lots of "Treats" and a few "Tricks" tonight  :}
  

Wednesday's Workbook: "Inspiring" Magazine Storage

Well I'm back...had a short blogging break due to my niece's wedding and all the out-of-town guests that were here for it and all the family events we managed to coordinate while everyone was together...it literally takes an "act of congress" to get everyone together anymore...but it was so worth it!   So I'm posting a day late...but I wanted to get this "Workbook" post done in October because it relates to my recent art journal that I completed while taking Rhonna Farrer's "The {21} Challenge.

So many friends and bloggers ask me "how do you keep all of your ideas handy?"  So while I was working on the challenge I took the time to take photos of my "inspiration" files and promised myself that I would blog about it as soon as the challenge was over...didn't want any additional interruptions!   Even though I love the virtual computer world and all the access we now have to so many fantastic, creative people...I still love the "tactile" part of buying a magazine and "feeling" and "finding" inspiration between the pages...even though I'm struggling lately with being "green" and not wasting paper with all the printing of magazines, etc.  I've always justified some of this"green guilt"(hey...that sounds like a new blogging category...hahaha) with the fact that I rarely throw anything away...something my DH can attest to because he has had to move my mountains of paper enough times during our marriage...and now my grown sons, nephews and friends...refuse to move me because of my paper issues...lol

Previously, I have posted about my clip art storage for when I am making collage/mixed media pages, and now I want to cover my magazine storage.  My system is broken down into two main processes with the first being:

You're Invited...to a Family Gathering

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Party Preparations: Cutlery Bags

This weekend my only niece, Cortney, is getting married and I've been very busy trying to help her get ready because I am her Maid of Honor :}  This is going to be a very small, private family affair because everyone is spread out all over the United States and trying to get everyone together is like an "Act of Congress".   So in lieu of a formal "Rehearsal Dinner" I am hosting a party here at our apartment complex's Community Room the evening before the wedding so that all of the in-laws and out-laws can meet one another before the actual wedding day. 

 

Found these wonderful fashion shots that featured fashion designers that were inspired by Tim Burton movies...and Cortney and Carl just love his movies...so of course I had to use them for the invitations.  I believe this was a fashion shoot for "Vogue" or some other fashion magazine and now I cannot find the link so please accept my apologies and if you read this and have the link, please notify me so I can update this blog post...thanks:}

So the invitations have gone out and I have been busy creating all the special "effects" and "treats" for the party.  I wanted to take the time to show you the cute "cutlery" bags that I made for the family party.  Since it is not being held in my actual home, we are using plastic silverware and paper plates because it will be so much easier for cleaning up, etc.  Also, I'll be carting over enough glass and service ware so I'm trying to "lighten" my load.

My inspiration came from the newest Somerset Life magazine:

 
OMG...aren't these just the sweetest thing...so it was a no brainer for me!  I had a bunch of lunch bags on hand so I quickly stitched up 30 bags...with my cute little machine (so glad I bought this thang).

Next...I was trying to figure out how to "decorate" them...I didn't want to just put a rubber stamped image on them because I was using black paper napkins and black silverware...so I needed some color.  Then I remembered that I bought these fun 12x12 decorative page die-cuts from K&Co. for Halloween and I bought them to use as masks with my spray inks/mists and this would be the perfect application.

 
Truth be told...I haven't been doing any "traditional" scrap-booking lately...just working in my art journals.  So this came with six "mats" so I was able to lay out the thirty bags and get them all done, front and backs, in less than two hours (including drying time).  

So...I simply layed the "masks" on top of two bags at a time:  be sure to cover your surfaces with lotsa newspaper to protect your surfaces...cause this is messy...but oh so simple and instantly rewarding!  But if like me...you just can't wait for them all to dry...then you can break out your heat tool and speed things up a bit...just be careful because this tool is very hot and you can burn these bags very easy :}

Here...you can see the difference between the plain bag versus the inked bags...cool beans :}

 
I also decided to add a little "stamped" image of "cutlery" to the bag as a final embellishment...but you don't have to if you don't want to...I just thought it was neat for after the plastic silverware is used then people have a "visual" reminder of how the bags were used...I know I'm weird...but very happy...

In my bags I folded my large "dinner" napkin in half and actually tucked it inside the larger, back pocket...the sample in "Somerset Life" shows a smaller, colorful napkin folded into the outside pocket...but it must be a "cocktail" size napkin because mine was too big for this type of fold.  But that was fine with me...I kinda like the black napkin "peeking" out of the notch in the top of the bags.  For the front pocket I inserted a "wet/moist" wipe for easy clean up after dinner...along with the black plastic silverware and a "treat" of a sweat tart lolly.  So for the grand finale...I placed all thirty of the "stuffed" sacks inside of a black basket with a coordinating bow...of course:

Well you know we can't have these bags falling all over the place on the buffet table...I just need to take this basket out and touch up the spray paint...remember this post...love black spray paint!

In case you are all wondering about my spooky "Halloween" theme...well Cortney and Carl love this time of year and he has been in art school for the last 18 months in Pittsburgh, PA getting his degree in "Special Effects".  Both of them have always enjoyed Halloween and attend costume parties and fairs and celebrate the "anniversary"' of their first date during this time, so of course they wanted to get married in the fall.  Their wedding date is October 25th and that was my Father's birthday so it is special to everyone in Cortney's immediate family.  Also my mother, her Nana, has her birthday on October 31st...so we are all just a bunch of "witches"...hehehehe...now I'm off to find my broom...enjoy!

Day 21: The {21} Challenge

Well...I did it...woo hoo...as Rhonna says...I am VICTORIOUS...and the word quote that Rhonna provided is so appropriate for describing how this entire challenge has been for me:

"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride and never quit, you'll be a winner.  The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards."  --Paul Bryant 

For the final page in my journal I was inspired by an artist that I saw on-line, but I'm sorry to say, I cannot find the details for the artist and I hate not being able to give credit where it's due...so if anyone knows, please let me know and I'll update my post accordingly. 

UPDATE February 20, 2012: Please be advised that the original artist who inspired me is non other than: Richard Curtner and you can see all of his WONDERFUL pieces here at his site, cutnerart.com.  Richard informs me that he has several shows a year and he has been completing these word art mediums for over 15 years and all of his work is registered and copyrighted.  Please be sure to mention that you found his link via this post should you hop on over and view all of his beautiful pieces. 

Anyhow, this collage artist uses text and quotes from magazines to make abstract sketches of individuals...and this one of a girl sitting at a desk with a journal was just too cool...made the hairs stand up when I first saw it...

So I traced the outline of the original picture onto my card-stock so that I'd have a basic sketch to follow.  Next I dug out all my collage art clippings and started trimming them down to size:

As I found the text and quotes, in the appropriate colorways and sizes, I trimmed and glued them down as I went along...very messy...

It took some time...but the process was not difficult...other than my "sticky' fingers, I found it very relaxing finishing the entire word collage:

Once I finished the word collage, I trimmed it down and adhered it onto my last journal page...yeah!  I finished it up with a few details, like the dymo day label, added final sketch lines with a find-tip permanent black marker and finally, some shading with a charcoal pencil.

Really had fun finding the "orange" accents for the tank top and the "leopard" print hair...and most of the text and quotes reflected things that I used throughout the entire journal and that was what made this collage personal and fun to do as a FINAL page for my challenge. 

Here is a photo of my journal with all the lovely pages "peaking out"...just begging for attention... 

Look how "thick" and "yummy" my journal is now...unbelievable when I look at it this way...

 
Oh Yeah Baby...I'm doing the happy dance right now...for a while I was sorry that I choose such a large journal with "double-page" spreads...but now that I've finished it and can see how different each and every page is...I simply "thrilled" with the end result...feeling VERY VICTORIOUS...indeed!

Day 20: The {21} Challenge

Day 20 and how appropriate that Rhonna chooses "FAITH" as the word-art for the day...because I know you all are keeping your faith in me that I'm going to finish the challenge:}  That is because anyone who knows me...knows that I always finish whatever I start...no matter how long it takes!  THANK YOU!

Not that it hasn't been hard these past two weeks with wedding plans and "rain" ... I'm telling you I am so tired of all the rain that we have been having around here...it seems like ever since we got back from our end of the summer vacation in August...we have had nothing but rain...ENOUGH...

So this is where my inspiration came from for today's challenge...photos of our vacation at Middleton Place in South Carolina...even a day of rain there is NOT a BAD day....sweet memories!

I didn't feel like working on another surface...but forgot just how darn thin this paper in this journal was...I can not imagine even trying to put photos on this paper...talk about sagging...lol 

So I applied my super, duper gesso to the pages and then I lightly sketched my designs onto the pages, taking inspiration from my photos.  Then I applied a light wash of acrylic paints over the sketches...but I still wasn't happy with the "flatness" of the pages so I got the "bright" idea to use "masking tape"...here's a close-up of the tree trunk...very therapeutic tearing the masking tape into little strips and then burnishing them down as you go...I can hear the rain on my windows...

Once I was done putting the tape down on both of my pages...I dug through my supplies and found some old ceramic "tinting gels"...lots of fun.  These go on like butter and I just rubbed them into the tape and on top of my acrylic paints...they work really well for going into the cracks and crevices and adding even more depth to the pages.

For the "water" on my river-view page I wanted more texture so I used some Ranger Crackle Paint and then rubbed more of my gel tints over the top of the cracks...this really helped the crackle paint effect.

The whole time I was working I kept this piece of masking tape with the words, "This is my happy place"...so that I wouldn't let the rain get on my nerves.  I can only take so much...I would NEVER survive in Seattle or anywhere in Alaska...I'd have to be heavily medicated...lol

So for the finishing details...I decided to tear up my photos and actually put them onto the pages as a collage element.  I just wasn't feeling the whole masking tape thing by itself.  Once I added the photos I added charcoal pencil to blend the elements all together...of course:}  Then I made a transparency out  of Rhonna's  "faith" word-art and placed it over the "center isle" of tape...just was not feelin' it!  Then I added a few more rub-ons and ink elements and some final journaling and I was happy again:

Here's a close-up of the left side with me in my happy place...swingin' in a hammock"

Awww....what I wouldn't give to be there now!  And here is a close-up of the right side with me in the foreground with an umbrella sitting in the rain watching the sunset over the river...what a view...even in the rain!

This really shows a good view of the crackle paint...now if I could just find a "white pen" that didn't bleed when you tried to write with it...oh well...BETTER DONE THAN PERFECT...and I really am happy with the end result of both of these pages.  Again...once I let go of the expectation of what I thought the "end result" was...then I was able to enjoy the process again.  Hope you all enjoy it as well...I'll be back tomorrow with a final post for this challenge and a slide-show of the final completed album...yes!  

Day 19: The {21} Challenge

Day 19...woo hoo...I'm almost done...bet you all are glad to hear it as well...lol  Today, Rhonna provided word art for today's challenge inspiration...MIGHTY...and the quote word art was:

One must not lose desires. They are MIGHTY stimulants to creativeness, to love and to long life.

--Alexander A. Bogomoletz

Well I didn't actual use the quote or word art in my finished journal pages today but I was inspired by my desire to learn more about the Ayurveda way of life.  Every month I received a newsletter from "The Chopra Center" and this month's had a link to Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.  So I had a brain blast...aka F _ _ T...for designing todays journal pages.   

So...I made a "panty" template and decided to make it "wash day" and to hang my "days of the week" panties...remember those..."whatever Martha"...I know what you are thinking...lol

 
Next, I sketched out my "panty laundry line" and a "nude lady" because...TGIF...it's Friday and it's wash day. so it's okay for her to feel "free" to express herself...more to follow...lol  Once I sketched out the two pages onto watercolor paper...I outlined the sketches with a waterproof black marker and filled in the "panties" with gesso.  Next, I applied a "wash" of watercolors to the background, the panties and the lady.

Once the water colors were dry I went back over the sketches with the black, fine line marker and for the clothesline I used a thicker marker.  Next, I added some depth to the pages with my favorite "charcoal" pencil...so easy...

 
For FUN...I made transparencies out of the  "Seven Spiritual Laws"...one for each day of the week...btw...I did not make up one for each day of the week...it was listed this way on Deepak's site...cool beans.  So I attached the transparencies on top of the pretty panties...

Aren't they so sweet...lovely pastels :}  Here's a close-up of the completed left side:

Along with the transparencies...I added a bit of journaling...I had to control myself!  Here's a close-up of "Friday's" panties..."The Law of Detachment"...

Final photo...here is a close-up of the right hand side...no frills panties here...no lace, etc...these are serious panties...but they are still pretty and feminine:

 
These pages were so much fun and I got to practice my "sketching" for my Gut Art class as well.  Man...I sooooo wanted to say something crude and rude...ya know...like..."wedgie free"...or "guaranteed not to get your panties in a wad"...lol  BUT I controlled myself...for once...yeah..."whatever Martha"...hope you all enjoy my "panty raid"!  

Day 18: The {21} Challenge

Today's challenge word art provided by Rhonna was "conquer"...and boy did this journal entry almost did conquer me!  But then I went back to Rhonna post and re-read the quote:

"Energy and persistence, conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

  

...and anyone wo knows me...knows that I do not give up very easily...more on that later.  So my inspiration for this journal entry was this "abstract" picture of a  painting that I found in a magazine and more importantly the color combinations.  So I pulled out my greens, whites, oranges and purple acrylic paints and made puddles on my pallet paper.

Next...I attempted to paint my backgrounds by applying my acrylic craft paints in an "abstract" way.   Right...well first of all...acrylic craft paints are full of water and dry very fast...hence the first application here.  It got worse...so I added some gesso to try to extend the "blending" capabilities...all's I ended up with was a pile of "muddy" acrylics.  So I walked away...yep...got so frustrated that I knew I needed to re-group.  I also knew that I needed my base to dry because when you keep adding wet acrylic paints on top of wet acrylic paint...you get mud...simple as that! 

I also needed to "let go" of my expected outcome and my "inspiration" picture was actually becoming my nemesis.  So the next day I came back and painted over my mud...but I have to tell you...it was really nice "sculpted" mud...had lots of texture to it and that was working for me.  so

So I just started picking up the paint with a spatula and swiping it across my pages.  I then added some acrylic medium to "extend" the drying time and to help the "blending" of the still well acrylics so that I would not end up with mud again.  Once I was happy with my new "abstract" backgrounds...I walked away once again...so that I would not over-work it and let my paints dry.  While I  was waiting, I practiced sketching shapes per my new "Gut Art" class with Mystele.  This whole process of finding "shapes" in things was really helpful and so when I came back to my backgrounds...I was able to "pull" some "characters" out of my backgrounds...cool beans...

So I was able to "see" a woman with a colorful scarf or turban on her head on one page and for the other I saw a little girl with a winter scarf and hat wrapped around her and a big coat and mittens.  First, I sketched the basic shapes with pencil and because my surface was so "textured" I grabbed a black marker and just "let go" and continued to sketch out the shapes I was seeing.  I didn't want to "finish" the sketches and make "formal" portraits...I like the striking background colors and knew that I was going to journal in black marker over the open areas...so I kept it simple and "abstract".  Here's a photo of the two finished pages with the journaling:

To finish up the pages I added charcoal pencil and rubbed to blend in the edges and shadows around the characters.  I used Rhonna's word art and made transfers and added them to the pages along with the Dymo label for "Day 18".  Here's a close-up of the left hand side:

I just love the colors and how the pop off the page as well as high-light my characters...my shapes are not perfect...but I don't care...they are so much FUN!

Just love this little girl and her warm and colorful winter accessories...makes me almost want the opportunity to wear cold weather gear...NOT...lol  I'll just sit here and appreciate my little girl!   

Day 17: The {21} Challenge

Wow...Day 17 already and Rhonna has asked us all to stay "strong" and "stay the course"...reminds me of the movie, The Patriot with Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger...one of my all time favorites. 

Since I was a young girl I have always admired women who were strong emotionally...probably why I love historical novels about women in adverse times and situations.  The first book that I can remember that really made an impact on me regarding women and their "inner" strength was, Island of the Blue Dolphins written by Scott O'Dell...not by a woman...hmmmm  Anyhow, it is a story about a young Indian girl who is left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California...for eighteen years!  What holds your attention is that she survives because she is courageous and independent but that she also finds a way to be happy regardless of her situation...a lesson for all of us!

So I wanted to reflect this on my journal pages today and I found this message in one of the books that I'm currently reading, The Vortex by Abraham, Hicks.  In this book, the process of "Deliberate Intention" is described as making yourself feel good no matter what your conditions are.

So I began preparing my pages my collaging all sorts of scrap papers and some dictionary text with the word "strong" onto my pages...see the two photos following:

I also added some pieces of chipboard and an old photo of me from my high school graduation.

It didn't really matter what I used for papers or how I placed them...I just wanted the texture to come through in the end.  Next I added some paint on top of the pages...inspired my this lovely artist, Mystele of "Little Glimpses Studio" who is offering a lovely class right now called "Gut Art".

 
I know...you can not even tell what the collaged papers looked like...but that is okay...it's about being free and playing...right Mystele?  I had to remind myself of that because at one point my colors were getting all "muddy" and I had to walk away...lol

When I came back...and the paint had dried...I really liked the end result...yeah!  So I added a few more elements like the stenciled circles and swirls.  Once I was happy with it...I used my white chalk ink pad and rubbed it all over the surfaces and it "blended" all the paints together and softened it.  Next up was the "journaling" and the details like the Dymo Date Label and stamped words.  Here's a photo of the two pages all completed...the colors and textures really make me happy ;}

Now a close-up of the left side with Rhonna's "word-art" transfer I made...so love doing this!  Also shows the journaling of the "deliberate intention" process and the dictionary text peaking through:

For the final photo you can view a close-up of the right hand side which shows the journaling for understanding the process as described in the book and the photo of me as a young woman who, even then, had a "strong" sense of self.

Day 16: The {21} Challenge

Today's challenge word-art provided by Rhonna is "attitude"...so I found my inspiration in some beautiful "fantasy" photographs of women throughout the ages, titled "The Regal Twelve" by Alexia Sinclair who is an Australian Fine Art Photographer and Digital Artist.  I was especially inspired by this photo of "Elizabeth Bathory" because she has the appearance of being a vampire and runs with a wolf...how is that for "attitude"...

 
The sexy red corset, the bright moonlight and the night sky...were the color inspiration for my pages.  Also, for this challenge, I went out and bought some "Golden" gesso with my Michael's coupon to check out the difference between brands...BIG DIFFERENCE.  So I spread it out all over my two pages and carved some texture into the page.  Next, I tore up some black and white script papers and set these pieces in each corner of my two pages. 

Next, I applied acrylic paints in blue, red and black, randomly all over the two pages...on top of the gesso and the script paper.  After I was happy with the blending of the colors I dry-brushed white paint  over the top of the texture created by the gesso (above photo).

 
Next, I traced the body of the woman and the wolf and painted in their "shadows" with black and red paints on top of my background (above photo).

 
When I saw the original photo it made me think of the "Whitesnake" song Still of the Night...

In the Still of the Night

I hear the wolf howl, honey

Sniffing around your door

In the Still of the Night

I feel my heart beating heavy

Telling me I gotta have more..

So I found the lyrics on-line and printed them onto some card-stock that I sprayed with inks and then tore out the verses and inked the edges before gluing them down.  For the lady "vampire" and "wolf" I cut them out of the original photo that I printed and also layed them down near their "shadows" on the pages.  Then I added the printed text and stamped some words that I felt described the pages.

Then I added some final paint touches of scribbles and circles to the pages...above, is a close-up of the left side page with the wolf.   And following is a close-up of the right side with the lady "vampire".

And finally...here is a photo of the two pages together...

 
This challenge, again, was alot of fun and I liked mixing the fantasy photo with the textured background and making it feel like it was integrated into the page.  I also enjoyed revisiting my 80's rocker days and mixing it with this lovely, strong lady and her sexy attitude. 

Speaking of vampires...I am not a fan of the current, popular Stephenie Meyer and the "Twilight" series because it is just not "sexy" enough for my tastes...I prefer Anne Rice and "The Vampire Chronicles"  with the hunky, male vampires...no wimpy school boys for this woman!  BITE ME...