Tag : TFR journal

8 posts

T Tuesday: completed journal recap edition

I am finally finished….as in completely finished with another journal. The inside pages have been done for a month or so but I had not been inspired on how to pretty up the outside until now.

As you can see this was a big improvement from the original.

The pretty paper came from a flower Mini-me received at the end of her first campus tour.

They have a cool tradition there that every Friday local florists bring single flowers for the students to purchase and place in each others mailboxes. Since it was a Friday, each of the kids on the tour got a flower. Hers was wrapped in the lovely pink floral kraft paper.

I wanted to keep the original inscription so I used washi tape to adhere the paper like a book jacket. Remember covering textbooks with grocery bags…same concept. Just prettier.

Mini-me and I are both a little obsessed with washi tape. Sometime I’ll show you our collection.

I received some happy mail from a dear friend of mine the other day. She was doing a major purge and thought of me. Yay! Thank you!!

On a recent thrifting excursion I picked up a couple goodies for my stash. The journal is really cute but a little small. Not sure if it would work for me to art journal with as my original thought was for it. I’m always on the lookout for a new book to journal since I don’t work cover to cover in a methodical manner. I tend to jump between several journals. The one I shared today was started Nov 2016 and considering there are only 8 spreads…I definitely jump around.

Mini-me and I had our first taste of Fall with a Pumpkin Iced Crafted Press. So yummy!!

Tuesday we both head back to school. I’m ready for the schedule. I almost feel more productive at home when I’m working.

T stands for Tuesday

What are you doing today?

| |

, , , , , , ,

16 Comments

AJJ: art of arts sake

Taking time to play in my art journals has been a challenge. I’ve been suffering from bouts of extremely busy schedules followed by times of extreme sloth. No, I’m serious. I’m not sure what’s up with that but I find if my schedule or to-do list isn’t packed with stuff, I have a hard time getting motivated. I justify it to myself as “I’ve just been so busy, I’ll just sit down for a bit and __(fill in the blank)__.  These options often include a screen, but of course not a useful screen such as learning something…no, just time wasters.  Netflix, Pinterest, phone apps, iPad games. WHY!!??!!

Ok…now that I got that confession off my chest I’m ready to move on since I actually have broken my slothful ways the past two days. Taking time to create. Let’s hope it continues, shall we!

This page went together as so many of my recent. I begin with what is around me. Gluing pieces down as the mood strikes.

Next comes the color. My fingers are truly my best tool….second best being the baby wipes I use to clean them off.  As I add paint with my fingers I remember the joy this brings me. I recall why I consider art my own private therapy.  I let go. Let it happen naturally.

I honestly cannot walk away from a page with adding words. They don’t have to be mine. They can be a quote, a sticker, handwritten or stamped. You may not even be able to see them. I often will “journal spill or mind dump” on a page. Sometimes its so messy that it’s illegible. Other times I cover it up with paint or papers. Just the act of writing it out helps ground me but really what it says is no ones business but my own.

These words struck me. Not in the way they were likely meant to.  For me it was more about how creating is good for me, for my soul.

And that is a beautiful thing.

Linking up today with Art Journal Journey is Art for Art’s Sake hosted by Chris of Pearshapedcrafting.

Art Journal Journey

| |

, , , , , ,

5 Comments

T Tuesday: flora and fauna edition

This Memorial day marks one year since I lost my mom. She was on my mind all day. Half way through my first cup of coffee I made the decision not to be sad but to reflect and remember the good things, The funny memories. The things that make me smile.

As I walked around the yard watering before it got too hot, I thought about her green thumb. She had flowers galore and a big garden. Houseplants too. I guess I’ve taking after her in that way. I love spending time tending to the garden. Making it beautiful and productive,

My newly sewn and strung garden bunting made me smile. Mom was no seamstress. In fact she hated sewing. She was so happy when I learned how to sew in school and gladly passed all of her supplies on to 13 yr old me.  I’ve never stopped sewing since!

After finishing the outdoor chores I headed inside to do a bit of art journaling. I was really feeling inspired by nature.

The background colors I laid down didn’t scream nature. They were the colors that spoke to me though. Sort of a hard edge along with nature.

Layers upon layers stacked. This fussy cut stamped birds nest was the perfect way to embrace nature. I used watercolor crayons to color the robin eggs then used diamond glaze over top to add dimension. The addition of the thread help sell the idea of the nest for me.

I added the skeleton leaf for balance.  As soon as I added the leaf, the words “live gently upon the earth” jumped out at me.  This page made me smile.

Linking up with Art Journal Journey for Flora and Fauna

Art Journal Journey
as well as T stands for Tuesday today.
T stands for Tuesday
Eight days of school left. Whoop, whoop!
What are you doing today?

 

| | | |

, , , , , , ,

13 Comments

T Tuesday: ?? edition

Welcome to my weekly blog post. This frustrates me beyond belief but right now that’s just the way it will be,

Last week I didn’t remember to post the journal page that I had created mostly because it was a twofer post with Second on the 2nd.

I did a little play on words since it was the 1st of May. Not my favorite page but at least I got my hands messy with paint, ink and glue.

I have another page sitting at this point…

Just a background or at least the start of one in a whole new journal. I’m trying to be mindful of embellishments in this one. Not too thick or at least not towards the spine.

Last Friday was my birthday so I got my free drink from Caribou coffee…they are a chain like Starbucks only 1000 times better! You can only find them in the midwest USA though…sorry.

The coffee cooler was so big and decadent that I could only drink 1/2 of it. I put the rest in the freezer for Mini-me.

The chore of cleaning out mom’s apartment is still going. We’ve decided the best thing to do is to have a garage sale. Hmmm…feels like I just did one of those a couple weeks ago. UGH!

I did get the majority of my garden planted over the last couple days.

The tomato plants were getting gigantic.

The onions were planted last fall and look great already.

The shed garden doesn’t look too exciting right now…just some row markers.

I had to leave some room for the plants J started at school in Biology class. He’ll be bringing home 7 tomato plants , a sunflower and a pumpkin plant if all survive the study and trip home.

Sorting, book keeping and cleaning are on this list…exciting stuff.

What are you doing today?

T stands for Tuesday

, , ,

11 Comments

Almost forgotten

I haven’t been abducted by aliens or went off the grid or any other highly improbable ideas…just taking some time off from computers. I’ve been diligently working at organizing my craft area, doing taxes for the family and caring for my mom. It seems there is no leftover time.

That being said…I did take time to create a journal page. I once again created an overly thick page in a very skinny journal. The poor book will soon be permanently splayed open.almost forgotten art journal page

I layered small pieces of both card stock and scrapbook paper one opposite sides of the spread as the base of my composition trying to create a sense of balance and movement through the pages. Then added torn bits of fabric and finally some thick upholstery trim again to each side.

almost forgotten art journal page

I then came in with color mists in a couple shades of brown. I dragged color along the edge of the page then lightly spritzed with water to make it run…dabbing off any excess as I went. Drying with my heat gun at various stages when I wanted something to stay exactly the way it was.

almost forgotten art journal page

Oh yes…I almost forgot. I lightly added modeling paste BEFORE the color mists making sure it was dry before the color processing. This gave some great texture.

After I was happy with the color I lightly drew around some of the papers and smudged with my finger to create a shadow.

The last piece was my found text. The phrase almost forgotten fit both the feel of the page and how I was feeling about my blog and the actual creative process lately. I’ve been putting creativity on the back burner for a little while and it’s making me crabby. Hopefully I can squeak in a bit of creative time here and there so I don’t get too snippy.

almost forgotten art journal page

| |

,

4 Comments

T Tuesday: Wednesday edition

I’ve fallen a bit behind with T stands for Tuesday in both posting and visiting. I blame it on the holidays and birthdays this time of year. Time seems to slip through my fingers like sand through an hourglass.

I did finish up an art journal page on Christmas morning while we were trying to determine if we’d have to delay our family get together due to the sheet of ice covering everything. Instead of worrying, I created. grateful heart

The words reflect what I was feeling.

grateful heart

I even included a coffee cup as each morning I start my day with that as well.

Today will be spent on laundry, sewing, maybe a bit of shopping and quality time with my girl.

What are you doing today?

T stands for Tuesday

| |

, ,

15 Comments

Long overdue journal page

I keep forgetting to post this journal page. Not sure why…just absent minded I guess.

search for your dreams

The page feels a little too scrapbooky for me now but at the moment I made it it felt right.

search for your dreams

I still like the message on this side…be brave, make it happen.

search for your dreams

This side seems as if I was an after thought now. I still like it but not in conjunction with the first.  The little dress came together so quickly. Made me think back to the Dress-up Project. Such a fun year long challenge.

overly thick journal start

After completely my page I realized that I have made a grave mistake with my new journal. It’s going to be insanely thick…no hope of ever closing.  Oh well…I’ll have to think of something to make it work. Another challenge right?!?

| |

,

3 Comments

PAGE TOP

© 2007-2024 Halle's Hobbies All Rights Reserved -- Copyright notice by Blog Copyright