Stampscapes - Brayered Bookmarks

I taught a class about brayering the background for Stampscapes scenes. I decided to make bookmarks for the class. I showed three different brayering techniques.
For this bookmark I used a mask made from a torn post-it note to mask the ground and brayered the colour onto the sky. I also used a mask to sponge on the colour for the snow drifts. The scene was stamped in Black Archival ink. The big snowflakes were heat embossed before the sky was brayered. The smaller snowflakes were added with a white gel pen after the scene was complete.

I brayered shades of saffron on the top of this bookmark and shades of blue on the bottom. Other colours were added with stipple brushes and highlights were added with a white gel pen.

For this bookmark, I brayered the background using a multi-coloured ink pad called Kaleidacolor Baby Powder. Again I added extra colour with a stipple brush and markers after the scene was stamped.

We had a great time in this class making these bookmarks. The ladies did an awesome job! And hopefully when you give these bookmarks to someone, they will use them and keep your artwork. I'm always worried that sometimes cards are just thrown out! Yikes!

Altered History Book Art Journal - Fairies Lurk Everywhere

The background for these pages has many layers of paints and inks, drips and images, visible, yet hidden. Just like fairies! There are also words written all over the pages lurking in tiny places. The background was sprayed with a shimmery spray. The fairies were sponged with paint through a stencil. I added stickles to the flower centers. I doodled a frame around the pages with markers.

Below you can see some close-ups of some of the details. If you click on each photo, you can see a closer view and read the hidden words.

Do you believe in fairies? :D
Have a wonderful, magical day!

Altered History Book Art Journal - Explore the World

This is a two page spread that I did in my old Grade 11 History Book. After my friend Debbie D. had seen my art journals, she collected some interesting images that she had saved and gave them to me. I wanted to use some of them, so I chose a few of her images and started to play. The background is painted and stamped and stencilled in several layers.
I wanted to convey the message that we should all take more time to notice all the wonderful things in this world from the simplest to the extravagant. I loved the little troll face with the big eyes so I chose that for the saying "Open your eyes". Then I chose the open window to "Look out". On the opposite page I chose images of wonderful things to see when we "Explore the world around us".
Then I did some shadowing around the sentiments and images with pencil.
My thanks to Debbie for the images for this page. Let's all take the time to notice and enjoy this big, beautiful world around us. :D

Valentine Booklet with Accordian Binding

I made this little Valentine booklet for my hubby this year. It measures 4.25"x5". It has an accordian style binding for the spine. It has 18 pages inside full of stamped images, stickers, handwritten notes, sketching, one photo, some designer papers, a bit of bling and a poem. I saw the idea for making the accordian binding on Dawn's Stamping Thoughts blog. This was really fun to make!
Happy Valentine's Day all you Sweethearts!

Manila Sketch Journal - Zentangle Scene with Tree

This is the first page in a 4" x 5.5" journal that my friend Pat Anderson gave to me. The pages are the colour of manila file folders. I want to use this journal to do Zentangle inspired art and sketching.
This scene is my version of a sketch I found in the book "Time to Tangle with Colors" by Marie Browning and published by Design Originals. In the book Marie coloured her scene in with markers but I used coloured pencils. I used three different methods to blend my pencil colours: 1. odorless mineral spirits and a paper blending stump 2. a blending pencil for the sky 3. different shades of pencil crayons to blend the colours together.
I used different tangles to fill in the areas in most places in my scene than Marie used in hers. I really like the way Marie draws her trees and I had fun doing that.
Happy tangling! :D

Tree Art Journal - Pencil Sketch and Stamps

This is a multi-media scene I did in my tree art journal. First I sketched the large tree with a regular pencil. Then I coloured it with prismacolor pencil crayons and blended the colour with OMS (odorless mineral spirits).  Then I masked the tree with post-it notes and I stamped the background elements with stamps and ink and drew in the horizon and landscape lines. I coloured much of the background with chalks and pencil crayons.
I'm looking forward to seeing the trees with leaves on them again. Come on spring!

Big Art Journal - Valentine Love

I received this big, beautiful art journal from my friend Sharon that I met last summer at the campground where we have our camper. Sharon is a wonderful artist and we have shared our artwork and techniques. This journal measures 8.5x11 inches so it is much bigger than my other journals.

I did this page using a technique for the background that I had seen on Michelle Zindorf's blog called Freedom in Creating. She posted a card on Jan. 1, 2012 and showed a tutorial on how she did this technique. I have used inks, plastic wrap (really!), stamps, masks that I made from post-it notes, black pens, white paint marker and white gel marker. Thanks for the great tutorial Michelle!
The real page is much darker in colour but my camera just does not seem to show the true colour richness. I need to learn how to photogragh my work better.
Below is a close-up of some of the details and layers of images in the background. Again the colour in the photo is very washed out from the original.

I always enjoy trying new techniques and playing in my art journals. The big size of this journal is a fun challenge. Thanks for the gift Sharon!  :D