No Apologies...

....I just gave in!  I tried for two weeks to fight this cold - it won!  I have been down and out all week, finally caved and went to the Dr this morning only to confirm that it is a viral infection and I have to just let it run its' course.  So continue on my regiment and hope for the best (feeling better, just tired).  So thought I would site down and show some more of what I had been working on.

Thought I needed another project, so was on you tube and came across this hot little number!  More Doodling (something I really need help with), so found a video by Joanne Fink and this was my first attempt...

it is very relaxing and something I can do while I sit with the family at night instead of being down in my shop.  So decided I should create myself a 'doodle' book.  Pulled out my stash of washi and made myself  this fun book.

I used one of my Moleskine books that I have been hoarding.  Took two pages at a time and taped them together using various patterns and colors of washi tape (right now, I only did the long edge) and then on random pages I would fold on the diagonal to make a pocket!

The following are pictures of the front and back that I decorated up with washi as well... 

Now if I could only find the time to continue doodling!  If you have an hour or two (haha), head over to You Tube and search Joanne Fink and check out some of here work - there are some great inspirations just waiting for you to put into your own doodle journal!

Continuing on the doodling theme, I also took part in a Lettering class created by Joanne Sharpe, called Letter Love 101.  I should back track a bit, I saw her book on Amazon 'The Art of Whimsical Lettering' and of course fell in love with the colors and her style so just had to order the book thinking it would give me more inpsiration for my art journal and doodle journal.  So after going through the book, thought I needed a bit more info, so signed up for one of her ongoing classes...it definitely helps having the two to work hand in hand.  Here are a few sample of one of her lessons...

I purposely watched the video and then turn if off so I could go back and look at her samples as reference.  Must say if was pretty comical to compare my interpretation of her lettering prompts as my results were very different from hers - I'm okay with that!

I did the same thing in this journal as I did in the Moleskine, but this time I glued the pages together after I completed a page.  As I was using my zig writer and my copic, they tended to bleed through so I put a scrap piece of paper behind the page as I work on it, then glued it when both sides were completed.  At the end of the lesson, I wrote my thoughts and reasoning down on the actual lesson.  So now I have three journals on the go - Art, Doodling AND Lettering....why do I do this to myself!  Perhaps my summer will be a very creative one....here's hoping!

Thinking I may have to change the name of my blog....

...to "My Poor Neglected Blog!" I am sure however that I am not the only one neglecting their blog (well I hope so)!  I really have been keeping very busy and have a nasty head cold to prove it - I have run myself down.  Simply by just not saying no to anything or anyone and now my body is rebelling...so not to let it win, here I sit (well that is a start isn't it) updating the blog!

So since last month what have I been up to?  Basically, when I haven't been working in the shop or spending time with family...I have been totally addicted to my Art Journal!  So one day, I got to do both! Spend some quality time with my niece and play in our Art Journals at the same time!

Our first challenge was to use Kiala Givehand's prompts called Mixed Media Inspiration Deck - these are my prompts:

Here goes nothing.... Starting on a freshly gesso'd page:

So love this stencil (Crafter's Workshop Tiny Circles TCW361), the image below is the negative of the image.  I simply layed the template (modeling paste and all) on the opposite page and gave it a good press then pulled it up!

Here is some paint being added, I used Tim Holtz Distress Paint Barn Red & Weathered Wood applied using the dabber.

This is the left hand side of the book, using a stencil again (Tim Holtz Layering Stencil Burlap) and my go to Tim Holtz Distress Ink Gathered Twigs (applied using the Blending Tool).

I blended Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Forest Moss and Seedless Preserves), I then tried using my Distress Stain through another Layering Stencil Cargo, didn't really turn out as clean as I would have liked, so I ended up tracing with a black marker to 'clean' it up a bit.

I used my inked up blending tool to make a bit of 'distress' over the negative tiny circles....so love that!

added so washi tape (in this case Tim Holtz Tissue Tape), made sure it stayed down by applying a coat of Ranger Multi-Medium over top. 

Thought it was time to add some more color, put some Seedless Preserves Distress ReInker into a Mini Mister and let loose! I really think this is my new favorite color!

Here is my niece working on her journal, her prompts were different than mine - she rocked it!  Many of the prompts were so out of her comfort range, so it was a huge success for her.

Time to add some doodling to mine!

Added a stamped image...

Blended in some Seedless Preserves and then literally poured some of the Distress ReInker (Seedless Preserves) moved the book to make it run down the page.

adding to my journaling (inspired by a video I saw from Joanne Fink, check her out on You Tube)!

Here are some of the final shots... 

Will try and come back later today or tomorrow and most some more of what I have been up to!

Thanks for stopping by!