Background journal pages

It's been 100% crazy around these parts- not enough hours in the day, not enough days in the week, not enough weeks in the month to get done all I need to. It seems that after a 18 day visit from the little, the house and studio are wrecked, the paperwork drudgery (like insurance & bills- I hate reading that stuff!) has piled up, my mojo is shot, and I'm having trouble finding my usual stride of getting things accomplished.
I'm busy developing new classes to propose, and getting together supplies for upcoming classes. I'm also trying to get a few outstanding swaps completed and in the mail.

These are some of the background pages I created for a journaling group I am in. I hope you enjoy them- they were a combination of pages I stamped and painted, then imported into photoshop to give them lighter centers to make it easier for my friends to journal on. I love finding new ways to re-use my own work. I hope you are all enjoying your summers too!

Background Techniques

Many have been asking for an explaination of how I did the background techniques in my journal, so here goes:

These were sort of experiments for me. I started with a blank minisketch book, and gessoed all the pages. I didn't worry about smooth gesso, I sort of splotched it on thin in some areas thick in others. I then tore up an old map, an old romance novel, and some old black and white pattern scrapbook papers and gel medium-ed them down. I outlined the scraps with pencil. Then I put a thin coat of gesso on that layer.

Next, I took the cheapest of cheap squirt craft paint and smooshed it on with my fingers and an old paint-caked stiff brush. (sometimes I wiped back a bit with a baby wipe.) Sometimes I added a 2nd color. (I tried to apply paint from the edges in, leaving the centers sort of lighter.) That's it! EasyPeasy! I am currently developing a "class" on this using only junk mail. So far my 3 test classes loved it. Especially when I told them all they had to bring was 1 week's worth of junk mail. Oh- and I used paper grocery bags as the base paper (covered with gesso of course.)

Gratitude Journal Day 4

Inspiration, and all the forms it comes to me in. I am so grateful for the people, things, places, and times that inspire me.

Times and eras, complete with their own costumes, backgrounds, props and attitudes- Renaissance, the 50’s, the 20’s, Elizabethan, The Ming Dynasty, The Romantic Era. Art Retreats … they all bring an immediate abundance of visual stimulation to mind.

Places that cause me to be so inspired that I HAVE to create. The Pacific and Caribbean, The Ohio Theatre, Rome, Franklin Park, the markets in Mexico, The Louvre, The Smokies, and many more all stimulate me when I feel blocked creatively. Here I feel creatively full to the point of bursting.

Things like a favorite paintbrush, gesso and gel medium, antique books, old rusty bits, handmade laces, beads, shells, buttons, pearl necklaces, velvet, paper pulp…who could resist their siren’s call?

The People. Too numerous to mention. Too many types of inspiration. Inspirational leadership. Inspirational guidance. Inspirational principles. Inspirational drive. Inspirational talent. I’m so grateful for what they have taught me over the years.

One of the people I have had an eye on for the last couple of years is my friend Angela. A busy working artist and designer, mother of 6, belly dancing beauty, has been a weekly inspiration to me. Pop over and visit her at http://geminiangelsart.blogspot.com/ I’m sure she’ll intrigue you too. She’s also bravely taken on this challenge with us.

Not staring at a blank page is very inspiring to me, so I've added a few shots of the backgrounds I've prepared, all ready to jot down the numerous things I have to be Thankful for.