Sketching Charlie Boy

I wanted to capture my Little Man just as he was the other day sitting and looking at me. So, I sat down with my pencil and after snapping a pic (remember dogs aren't still like flowers) began to sketch his image and then watercolor it. What do you think?



Does it look like him?



I thought it came pretty close.



Our little man! He's almost 9 months old now! Time sure does fly.

trust journal pages

Just wanted to share some of my recent journaling pages...

paint + stitching + composition books = grungy journals

So, at "back to school" time I found these composition notebooks. You know...the black and white ones that we used to use in school? I guess they do still use them, but now you can find them in all sorts of colors and styles. But, I went for the cheap ones. Yes, the 40 cent/each ones!

I wanted to jazz them up so I coated the front and back covers in gesso, then put many layers of acrylic, and topped it off with some wild free-motion stitching and vintage lace! Here they are!

















I think I may have these for sale at the craft show I'm preparing for in November! I think they're fun and turn a plain notebook into prettiness! More details on the craft show soon!

I'm back...

I promise I didn't drop off the face of the earth! I was super busy at work setting up for our County Fair. I am very pleased with the display we came up with this year and will share that with you in the next day or so. Until then, here's a journal page I finished a while ago for September!



Happy Monday!

Some artwork...

Before the storm kicked in I had some time to finish up a journal and card for a friend whose birthday was yesterday.



I think it turned out nice!



Her name starts with a "C" so that's why I used that Scrabble letter. I wanted it to close so it served as the clasp.

Here's a view from the back...



Sorry that the photos aren't the usual. I had to take them outside since the power was out.

Here's her card...





Hope you have a great weekend!

My Purple Journal

I hope you like my latest journal pages!







Happy Tuesday!!!

book binding 101

I decided to teach myself to make my own journals using old board games and children's books. This technique of binding is called coptic binding.

It was a little challenging, but I'm really getting it down. The spine consists of what looks like braids...

The best part is that when you open up journals bound using this method, they lay completely flat. They are perfect for art journaling. There's nothing worse than trying to get the pages to lay down so you can work, but with this type you don't have to worry about it.

Here are a couple more I did recently...

The first is from an old card game. The second was made using a Christmas Golden book.

You may find these in my ETSY shop soon!! Happy Tuesday!



a little comfort and peace

About 3 years ago, my boss gave me this little black moleskin book. She told me that she liked to carry one around to write down things that she came across that she wanted to remember.

Well, I did just that, but it seemed like I wanted the book to be a little more. So, I decided to alter it a little. I collaged the front of the book and added a title to the spine.

I had been writing things in my book...mostly quotes from sermons that really made an impact. I also noticed that there were many Bible verses. So, when I titled my book I thought it best to call it what it was, "Comfort and Peace." When I open it, I can turn the pages and read the words and somehow I feel better.

I wanted to take the remainder of the blank pages and make them beautiful and more like an art journal. I am also quite the collector of old mini pamphlets. I had found some really neat ones at a yard sale that were focused on prayer related to worry and being of good cheer. So, it seemed fitting to insert these into the book somehow too!

So, here are some of the pages.

I may go back and add more to the pages, but I like the start so far. Hopefully you have a place where you write down the words that are important to you.

One Sunday Afternoon

I just loved these three photos of my Dynamo. I wanted to try to preserve them in a special way. I thought they reminded me of a filmstrip/sequential shoot! I wanted them to all be on the same page. So, here was the result...

No, he wasn't posing. I don't think he even knew I took the top and bottom photos. Those are often the best ones...when no one knows you're taking them...

I did add journaling...just a little...to the page. I struggle with my handwriting. I just don't like it very much. Anyone else have that problem?

"Sunday" is from a set of old flashcards. The tree on the background paper was a page from an old children's book. I really do love old stuff!

I used a lego that my co-worker gave me (she snuck it from her son when he wasn't looking) to make the white and yellow dots on the page.