MOVING RIGHT ALONG

I'm moving right along in my "Teesha Style" collage journal.  I'm working on several pages at a time.  First, I prep four pages, front and back, next….I do the collage work on all eight pages and lastly, I finish each page with paint, ink and pencil.  Working this way really seems to speed up the process as I can do all of the collage work in one sitting and utilize many of the magazine clippings that I planned for use and then decided otherwise….I find a use for them somewhere while they are still fresh in my mind.

Here is my latest journal page.   I really like the way that this page turned out.  I love the colors and the wormhole pattern used for her hair and tree roots.  Also, an unexpected feature is the way that the Prismacolor pencil bled through the white pen used to write the word "When"…. giving it an ombre look.  What a happy accident!

Completed journal page

Journal page before embellishing

Well, until next time!

Hugs,
Ginny

MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY

This is my latest journal page in my "Teesha Journal."  I think that the famous artist's pictures are from an old calendar and the rest is free Artist's papers from Somerset Studio Magazine.  Everything else is by ME!

I discovered that it is a lot easier for me to use magazine clippings or art from discarded books, especially children's books, than to use collage sheets of other people's art.  I guess that when I uses other people's art the end result sort of looks like that person's art and not mine, even though I have altered it to make it my own.  I guess that the way around that is to make my own collage sheets from my own art.  Now…where to begin!!!

Here is the collage before altering with doodles, coloring and adding the quote. (Sorry, I got carried away and started altering before taking the "before picture." The white pen work and the diamonds on the elephants pants was not on the original.)

Until next time….

Hugs,
Ginny

"TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS"

Today is a perfect day for staying inside and making art.  You might think that is a funny statement coming from someone who lives in sunny Florida but "baby it's cold outside.!!!!  I know…I know…it is nothing compared to the freezing temperatures that you folks are having up North but here in Florida it is a damp cold that chills you to the bone.  Don't get me wrong...I am not complaining.  The cold weather does have it's advantages like killing off fleas and other pesky bugs. And besides….we only have a week or two of cold weather and it will soon be Spring!  I can certainly live with that!

Here is another journal page I made using Teesha Moore's collage sheets from the Artstronauts Club.

Oops!  This isn't exactly the before picture.  I guess that I didn't take one thinking that this picture is the before picture.  This picture is a picture that I took before gluing to show the placement of the pieces in case they got moved by my cats. Anyway, you all get the idea!

Well…until next time….

Hugs,
Ginny

PREPPING PAGES

I spent the evening prepping all the remaining pages for my "Teesha Journal."  I first separated the pages from the spiral binder and then painted both sides with acrylic paint.  I'm using a Strathmore 9" X 12" spiral bound, mixed medial journal.  The pages are painted by dropping globs of two or three different colors of paints, spreading them around the page with a little water and a paint brush and then rubbing and blending the paints with a paper towel to ensure a smooth finish.  Once both sides of the pages are complete with a finished collage, I will put them back into the spiral binder.

The bonus of painting the pages and rubbing with a paper towel is that you end up with colorful  tie-dyed looking paper that can be used in other mixed media projects.  I plan to use the pink and red papers to make Valentine cards that will be stitched on my sewing machine.

Until next time….

Hugs,
Ginny

ARTSTRONAUTS CLUB

If you haven't joined the Artstronauts Club…run don't walk!!!  What is the Artstronauts Club you ask?  Well….it is this fantastic club that Teesha Moore and her husband Tracy created that provides a source of inspiration to it's members in the form of on-line workshops, how-to and informational videos, interesting articles pertaining to many art forms (not just collage), printable collage sheets of Teesha's art as well as many other guest artist's (Mindy Lacefield for one) and a Facebook Group to share your ideas and art.  All for just the low price of $5.00 per month.

I also might add that the club will appeal to both men and women.  Tracy Moore demonstrates how to make a journal cover and a Christmas card using wood and a wood burning tool...Tory Brokenshire demonstrates how to make rivets in assemblage art...and Jim Flagg painted an outer space background in acrylics. Lots and lots of information to pique your creative spirit...whatever your interests may be.  Anyway, If you are interested in learning more, here is the link to Teesha's blog.

This is my latest collage using two of Teesha's collage sheets made available through the club.  I have to admit that it was more difficult to use someone else's art work as opposed to using magazine clippings.  That is…for me anyway!

I hope that you check out the Artstronauts Club.

Hugs,
Ginny

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, 

trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, 

changing yourself, changing your world. 

You're doing things you've never done before, 

and more importantly, 

you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, 

and my wish for myself.

 Make New Mistakes. 

Make glorious, amazing mistakes. 

Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. 

Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough,

 or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.” 
― Neil Gaiman

I love this quote by Neil Gaiman!!!  It really resonates with me because one of the things that I learned when making my art is that "You are going to make mistakes."  I have learned that when mistakes do happen and often I might add, that they take my art to another level.  A level that I would not have achieved if it had not been for the mistake in the first place.  A mistake…forces me to erase or paint over it and try again or perhaps to be creative by continuing to paint and make the mistake into something completely different…what many artists call "happy accidents."  Either way, it pushes my creative mind into gear and adds to my artistic experience. 

My wish for each and every one of you for the New Year and the rest of your life is to embrace your "glorious, amazing mistakes!'  Lose the fear (if you have it) that your art "isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect." Quit comparing your art to that of others and start experimenting, learning and practicing your amazing art.  And by all means….do not fear making mistakes!  Mistakes happen…make them part of your art!  

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS PERTAINING TO MY ART:

Have you made your New Year's Resolutions yet?  I usually make them and then about half-way through the year…they start to slide.  If you know what I mean. Maybe this year will be different because they are written here and I can keep referring back to them to see how I am doing. 

1.  Paint or draw every day even if it is only 5 minutes.

2.  No new supplies unless they are to replace the ones that I have.

3.  No new journals.  Complete the ones that I have.

4.  Limit buying art books.  I need to read the ones that I already have.

5.  Limit the on-line art classes.  I need to finish the ones I'm in.

6.  Spend less time on the computer and more time on making art!

7.  Try painting with a credit card or pallet knife.  Make it loose and edgy!

Whew!  I could go on and on but then they wouldn't be very realistic.  I think that these are pretty realistic except for #6.  I spend way too much time looking at all the pretty things on Pinterest which leads to discovering new art and other people's blogs.  So it's not all bad.  Is it?  Oh!  Oh! I think that I'm in trouble if I'm already trying to rationalize it.  lol!

FAMOUS ARTIST COLLAGE, "REMBRANDT."

Before I sign off I wish to include a collage that I put together last year to include in my "Teesha Journal" (doesn't it sound ancient when it was only completed last week?)  Anyway, I hope that you enjoy it. 

Have a Happy New Year!!!

Hugs,
Ginny

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

"May PEACE be your gift at Christmas and your BLESSING all year through."

I love this time of year but it seems to sneak up on me and I always feel rushed to get all my shopping, baking and card making done.  Why don't I start earlier?  I tried shopping earlier…like the super sales right after Christmas but I sometimes forget the gifts, lose them, or find something better later in the year.   I think that I could take a lot of stress off myself if I only made my cards for next year by…let's say JULY!  I always say that I am going to do that!  Oh well…I have good intentions.

Anyway, I hope that everyone finds a stress free holiday season.  One filled with love, joy and peace.

Merry Christmas !

Hugs,

Ginny