Friday, February 14, 2014

Mixed Media Art Journal Girlz Blog Hop and FWF --plus blog candy! Woohoo!!



Hello, all you artsy types, and welcome to my blog! I'm participating today in an art journal blog hop! And I'm in way over my head -- as you'll soon see! You should have arrived from the beautiful and talented Rebecca's blog.
My friend, Maria, has organized several of these hops.  And they always seem like so much fun, and such a good idea.  I OWN an art journal after all, and she gives us plenty of notice, BUT>>>
Well, here's the thing.  Art journals intimidate me.  I see that big, blank piece of paper, and I have no idea what to do with it.  So, here's what I did:
I got out the gesso.  Gesso's good, right? Artists use gesso, this is an art journal.  Then, I got out some Faber Castell Gelatos, and a Unity/Christy Tomlinson stamp, a squirt bottle of water, and here's what happened...


I tried to make the Gelatos look rather like a rainbow.  The stamp is called, "Through the Changes", and I really like the message of it. I got this far on it, and thought about what else to add.  Some stenciling? Hearts? After all, it's Valentine's Day.  But, I liked it just the way it was.  Anything else seemed like it might detract from the rainbow, the moth, and the sentiment.  So, I stopped.  Art is knowing when to sign your name, right?  Here's a close up for you.


I'm a much better card maker than I am an art journalist, so I made a card to share with you today.  It's my husband's Valentines Day card.  We've had one of the coldest, snowiest winters on record, and that is what I was thinking about while designing this card:


The image and sentiment are a Unity Stamp Company Itty Bitty, "My Heart Melts {snowpeeps Frosty and Misty}". There's some Cherry Red Timeless Twine wrapped here and there on this card, too.
The papers used are Close To My Heart in Outdoor Denim for the card base, Neenah Classic Solar White to stamp the image on, and My Mind's Eye 'Tis The Season' 6x6 papers.  I colored the snow peeps with Copic markers. Spellbinders label dies were also used.

Did I mention I have blog candy?  You need a reward for sticking through all this!  I have a bunch of goodies to give away -- stamps, twine, ribbon, rub-ons, embellishments, a 6x6 paper pad.  Please follow my blog and leave a comment on this post.  I'll announce the winner early next week. 
There's one more stop on today's hop. You are in for a treat, visiting Tameko's blog.  She does the greatest art journals! Hop on and have fun!
 
I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge:
 
Stamp N Doodle -- Love/Valentine's Day

37 comments:

  1. Through the changes sentiment is fabulous..And you are right anything added to that page will deviate from the theme that you thought..

    Happy Valentine's day.. And your snowy images are awesome..When I first glanced the images I was wondering what they are but figured out immediately after seeing those tinkling eyes and big smiley...

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  2. Oh, Julie…we are our own worst critics…you are well on your way to a wonderful art journalist! This is a fabulous page as is. Wonderful colors and sentiment…I really love it. (I feel the same though, I prefer the smaller projects…big and blank intimidate!) Anyway…your card melted my heart…I felt like a snow man a few days ago with out 10" of snow….I know, I know…no sympathy from my friend buried in FEET of snow! Happy Valentine's Day lady…hope your weekend is beautiful!

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  3. Love your art journal page Julie and I think you stopped at just the right place (a problem I have). Love that you used the snow peeps for your v-day card...so cute.

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  4. Love the gelato rainbows! :) Love your card too Julie. Perfect for Valentine

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  5. I have an art journal but it's pages are still pristine white. I have ordered some stencils so maybe I'll finally put paint to paper and create something in the journal. I'm like you - I'd rather make greeting cards. I do like your journal page. We never really believe that what we've created is really top-of-the-line. You did a great job. Happy Valentine's Day to you.

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  6. Great rainbow. I really like your blog!

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  7. Love that journal page, so pretty and the card is really sweet! Have a great V-Day!

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  8. very pretty journal page. happy valentines day.

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  9. Love the true sentiment and colors in your journal. And the card is adorable. :)

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  10. Great card and journal page. Have a great Valentine's Day. TFS

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  11. Fabulous! Love that you used gelatos! I need to use mine more! And I love your card! Thanks for being a part of the hop!

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  12. Love your journal page! You are so right about knowing when to stop and your page is perfect CAS! Love that adorable card, too. Stay warm, better weather next week!

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  13. Such a color journal page! Like the different font types in the message. Lucky Hubby, such a cute Valentine's card and so appropriate for our WI winter weather this year. :-) Happy Day!!

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  14. I love your page - it's one of my favourite stamps and the rainbow of colours is wonderful. Cute card too!
    Alison x

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  15. I have learned over time that you have to know when to stop as well. Love your art journal page, it's great! Love the card as well.

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  16. Love me some Gelatos! Thanks for sharing! Great page.

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  17. Love your page and your card! The one thing I like about art journals is that there are NO WRONGS! As long as you're creating you're doing it right.

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  18. ditto JPScraps above! NO WRONGS! Love both your heart art and your card!

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  19. At least you are experimenting! If we don't try, we'll never learn. It looks pretty and your card is adorable! Happy Valentines Day!

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  20. Love the card and journal page! I am with you, it is a bit intimidating to start on a blank canvas or a journal page! So much more area to cover than a card! Great idea to use Gesso and the Gelatos.... great colors!
    I'm already a follower here... thanks for a chance to win a prize!

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  21. I so hear you about art journaling. I see so many gorgeous journal pages and I have journals of all sizes and art and mixed media materials of all types but just haven't had the courage to start. I really like what you have created and you've definitely given me some courage to start just putting something on a page.

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  22. Great projects, Julie. Love the colors of your journal page.

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  23. Great page and pretty card sometimes you have to know when to stop

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  24. Lovely work here. Great
    looking cards.
    Carla from Utah

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  25. Julie,

    Your art journal page is PERFECT! I think that art journals are a place to be free. I used feel intimidated...now I just start laying down some color, and see what happens. Your card is adorable. Nice to have you hopping with us!

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  26. Oh my goodness, that art journal page is wonderful! LOVE the big swaths of color and that great sentiment! new follower here!

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  27. Hi Julie! Sounds like you had fun with the gelatos and art journalling. I love the colour blocks and the butterfly. I haven't tried art journaling, but it looks fun. Your Valentine card is SO Gorgeous!! I love the sweet image and the heart below it. What a great, great card for your DH. Have a great time!! {hugs}

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  28. Julie---this turned out wonderful! I will also admit that art journal can intimidating! :D But you totally rocked it...I really like your page!

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  29. I liked your page! That's the things about art journaling.. or art for that matter.. YOU are the ONLY person who really needs to like it!! :) I like the page just as it is as well.. :)

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  30. Great start to your journal, I started one, too, but haven't worked on it in ages. It is really different than cardmaking. I'm following you now, maybe you could follow me!

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  31. Loving the journal page! Such pretty colors.

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  32. Love the rainbow of colors in the page.

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  33. Love how you used the gelatos.
    isoscia at aol dot com

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  34. Love the art journal page and the card!

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  35. That's a great art journal page! Lovely sentiment and what wonderful colors. :) Hope you and hubby enjoyed a fun Valentine's Day together (cute card!) - love how you used the twine!

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  36. Your sentiment and image are fantastic.

    Thank you for sharing it with us at Stamp n' Doodle, please come again for new and exciting Challenges.

    Anne-Marie x x

    P.S. Are you aware that we here at Stamp 'n' Doodle are having a DT Call, all you have to do is email me, the email address is lilybette@hotmail.co.uk

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  37. Cute V-Day card, thanks for joining SND challenge!

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