Catching up with some creative time...

Finally catching up a bit.  Last month I took a Visual Journaling class with Mary Freeman and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was so helpful with trying to get back into the creative swing and fun to try some new techniques.

The first couple of classes I just played on paper but finally went to Hobby Lobby and to this great handmade paper journal.  I'll be decorating the outside later.

This is my cover page with layers of color and a final layer using reverse stenciling.  New technique where you use a stencil to wipe away the top layer while it is still a bit wet.

Another reverse stencil page.  I tried it out an a sheet of paper and liked it so much had to do it again.  I have found that besides stamps you also cannot have enough stencils.  My brother and I's motto is "if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing."

This page started out as reverse stenciling and I didn't really like it so the top layer was gesso and then I started playing with the Adirondack Color Wash.  Another thing you cannot have enough of, including Glimmer Mist.  I also added a little paper bag mini page that I had created at Donna Downey's Inspired conference last year.

This one needs some journaling and was just playing with layers, stencils and a Starbucks cardboard coffee cozy (makes an awesome lines stamp).

This one needs journaling too but was playing with the color washes again and some rub-ons.

One thing I noticed with the previous page was the edges where there wasn't any gesso so I used a mask with it and then sprayed to get a stronger color in sections.

This one is a la a Robin Marie tutorial and needs some more tweaking.  I don't know if I can stand not adding at least one more color to it in a cool tone.

This page was from one of the lessons where I wrote down my thoughts going in both directions and then obscuring enough of it so you can't read it.  For me it was a whine session (without the benefit of wine) and covered it with some key words to remind myself to be thankful for the blessings in my life.

This one was another one with gesso over the stencil and then color wash sprays.  I need to figure out how I want to use this technique in a full collage piece.

Here I tried to remember how Mary had painted one of hers and wasn't happy with how it was going so went in a different direction a bit.  I really wish these pictures were better but I have terrible lighting at home.  My mom got me one of those light boxes for Christmas one year but the lights don't seem strong enough.  May just have to make my own and hit Home Depot for some mac daddy lights.

This page is the result of a pair of collages I started where I covered the pages first with old papers from books and newspapers.  See the last couple of pictures for better details.

This canvas was from another lesson in the journaling class where we utilized pictures and/or words from magazines or photos.  It is a conglomeration of a couple of art pieces that inspired me.  One was with the sunburst pattern and the other utilized the rolls of paper.  I started with words or phrases that spoke to me and found it was a bit garish so toned it down with gesso (can you tell I use it a lot?), added my paper rolls from magazine text pages and splattered black gesso on it and used an old credit card for additional black lines.

These two canvases are collages that started with old papers and book pages and then I used the color washes with stencils and as drips.  Also used some black gesso for the lines.  I really like these but I'm trying to decide if they need a focal point and what the heck that should be.  I may get some bigger number stencils and do the same as I did on the journal pages but still undecided.  Any thoughts?  Do I need to tweak them some more before trying to sell them on Etsy?

Well, I think that will have to be enough catching up for now.  ;-) 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I know I did with my wonderful family and extended family and managed to not make myself miserable with eating too much.

Thanks for stopping by.