splatter-happy

this week, DLP put out the call for drips and splatters on our journal pages,
so i got busy and pulled out some "drips and splatter" supplies like
watercolor paper, a spray bottle, water-soluble inks, and a ranger craft sheet.
but if you're like me and you don't really want to make a huge splatter mess,
here's a way to "reverse" the process…..

swipe some water-soluble ink across
 your craft sheet (or other slick, non-porous surface),
and spray it well with water using a mini-mister or spray bottle.

{for this step, i used peeled paint and scattered straw distress ink pads}

now lay your watercolor paper on top of the ink
and slightly smoosh it around.

then, lift your paper off your craft sheet and hold it up
so the ink will drip down the paper.

let your paper dry, or speed things up by using a heat gun,
and then pat your paper down into the same ink on your craft sheet.
this will give your "drips and splatters" a layered effect.

you can do this process as many times as you like...
just make sure the paper is completely dry in between steps.

you can also use water-soluble markers…..
just swipe them across the craft sheet and spray well with water.
then, lay your paper into your juicy ink slurry, lift it off the sheet,
let it dry, and repeat for a layered effect.

{for this step, i used tombow markers,
and i just dabbed my paper into the ink instead of smooshing it}

once your splatters have dried, it's time to play a game of "i spy"!
look at your paper for any particular shapes that jump out at you.
then take a waterproof marker and start
outlining, drawing, and embellishing your shapes!

you can also swipe some marker onto your craft sheet or acrylic block,
then pick it up with your waterbrush……
fill in and smooth out any areas to help your shape stand out better.

when you're happy with the way your splatter-shapes look,
then, it's all about adding your favorite finishing touches….

and before you know it,
you've gone splatter-happy without all the mess!
{or at least without most of the mess! :))}

♥♥♥♥♥

i'm very honored and excited to have been invited by the
Art to the 5th team over at Documented Life Project
as this month's Spotlight Artist!!  woo hoo!!
i'm absolutely thrilled to have my artwork featured,
and i thank the Art-gals SO much!!  xox

please join me here to see my interview!

{this journal page was created for the week 39 DLP challenge.
supplies:  moleskine planner, arches 140 CP watercolor paper, 
distress ink pads, tombow markers, spray bottle, ranger craft sheet,
white sharpie paint pen, pitt pens, black permapaque marker,
graphite pencils, washi tape}

goin' green

this week, our DLP challenge is to use some of those juicy bits of paper 

that catch all of our creative messes while we're working.

so, i did a nose dive into my trash can and rescued some paper towels that 

had been used to wipe my watercolor palette clean.

then i tore a couple of pieces into circles,

and folded and pleated each one to give it a bit of character.

then i stacked the two circles on top of each other

and sewed some french knots to make sure they stayed together…..

and then i added it to a stem…..

which sits next to a little wooden sign.

and after a bit of reusing and recycling, 

i have a little garden that's goin' green and growin' happy!

:))

{supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. paper,

paper towels, yellow thread, derwent inktense pencils, 

5B graphite pencil, washi tape, pitt pens, glue dot,

stamp from my "grow happy" set at Technique Tuesday}

{click here for more information about the DLP challenge!}

garden of gladness

plant a little seed of happiness, 

and give it lots of tender loving care,

and before you know it, you'll have a gladness garden of
feel-good-from-your-head-to-your-tippy-toes-flowers everywhere!
xox


{supplies:  stillman&birn beta series journal, koi watercolor, micron pens,
derwent watercolor pencils, 6B graphite pencil}

play happy

in order to push through this "limbo thing" i've been going through, i decided that the best thing i could do for myself was to stop thinking, and just start doing.  so, i went to all of those secret-stash-spots in my studio and started pulling out things......things that i loved, in colors that i loved.  i knew that i probably wouldn't use everything, but just the act of pawing through my supplies began to inspire me......

and before i knew it, i had created this!  

i cut apart some chair tassels and whimsical brads and used them for the center of the flowers, and then just layered some of my favorite fabrics  (the yellow layer in the middle is actually a piece of card stock) and did a little distressing on the edges to give it more texture.  and then i decided with all of that wonderful dimension in the flowers, that the letters looked flat, so i used my 4B pencil to add some shading, and to my surprise, the pencil worked great on muslin!  i also discovered that pan pastels can be used on fabric (i added a bit of color around the edges of the fabric).

but the most important discovery i made for myself is this:

stop thinking.  

start playing more.

keep playing more.  

play every day. 

 and play happy.

xox

starting point

i've been going through this "thing" lately that i want to do something......i just don't know what that something is.  i don't function well when i'm in limbo.....i get impatient.  and then my impatience can lead to frustration......and i warned frustration a long time ago that it isn't allowed across the threshold of my studio door.  

so, i've decided that my limbo/impatience/hovering frustration might be my creative self's way of letting me know that maybe it's time to do a little "let go, and let grow".....maybe it's time to do something a little different.  so, today i've put away my journal, my papers, and my glue stick and i got out a piece of muslin fabric.  and you probably know me well enough to know that if i'm gonna let go, i'm gonna let-grow-happy.....and for me, happy comes in the shape of letterforms.....happy letterforms.......using a new pilot fabric pen that has japanese lettering all over it.

i'm not really sure where this piece is going yet......time to start rummaging through my growing collections of "essential supplies" and hopefully add a bit more happy to this.....

grow happy

i've discovered that one of my favorite things to do is take a simple shape (in this case, i used a small circle) and create a journal page from it. it's fun, it's easy, it's simple, and it's quick.....and i doubt that i'll be able to say that about any of the other things that are on my "to do" list today!

journal page created using micron pens and watercolor pencils