gel transfers

I've got some background work done on another journal page. It was done using gel transferring. I'm learning but I kind of like the grungy kind of colour in the three corners. The other colour (which was applied over one of the yellow pages) is fluid acrylic. I like using the fluid acrylics here so that I don't have to worry about it lifting in the many subsequent layers. Lots of collaging, layering, painting, writing and touching up to do here. I wasn't going to post this but thought I should just to show I'm back in the saddle again. lol

Also been working on another Japanese gate - drawing and transferring to w/c paper.

Now, off to work, then home again and then checking out blogs to see what you've all been doing!!!

A few more journal pages

This one says a lot about what I've been going through;














The pomegranite was collaged. I used pastels to create the soft halo around it. Unfortunately, you can't see the border very well.

The city was collaged, too. The darker spot of burnt orange and yellows is actually blended fibre medium. Kind of like a little canvas on which I'm going to paint something.

Robert Tiso ...

Have you ever heard Robert Tiso play a glass harp? The man truly has magic in his hands! Beautiful! I stumbled across his videos on Youtube while searching out some classical music. (I was in a classical mood.) My jaw dropped when I heard his and it stayed 'dropped' while I listened to all his videos there. Totally amazing!

I've been listening to his work while cleaning up my painting area. It's become horribly messed up. As soon as I'm finishing, I'm going to sit down and work at a watercolour version of those water lilies I worked on a while back.

I tried to watch some art videos at CPP today but I think too many people were there. I did get to see Carl Dalio on Colour Power and picked up several hints and tips.

Hope your Christmas was beautiful and that the coming year is awesome for you.

Canajan, eh?

Some Canadian humour. I just had to post these you're-probably-Canadian-isms because so many are so true! ROTFLOL! My comments are in brackets.

Forget Rednecks...
Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Canadians:

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Canada. (they used to - now during that time, they just close at 8 pm instead of much, much later as in summer)

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Canada. (done this myself! Often.)

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada. (Just shorts and a parka? How 'bout sandals, too!)

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialled a wrong number, you may live in Canada. (LOL.)

If 'vacation' means going anywhere south of Detroit for the weekend, you may live in Canada. (doesn't apply. American-wise, I've never been south of Lake Placid and Syracuse. Is Old Forges more south than that???)

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada. (I am so guilty of this one. Ask me hour far Toronto is and I'll automatically say 4 hours.)

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada. (know many!)

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada. (done this often!)

If you can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada. (who hasn't done this??? I thought it was normal.)

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada. (Where I grew up, the locks on the doors didn't even work!)

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Canada. (Excuse me? Of course, I know how to use them!)

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada. (well, natch!)

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km -- you're going 95 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Canada. (LOL - isn't that what the 401 is all about?)

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada. (Fact of life!)

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you may live in Canada. (LOL)

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Canada. (Well, since I don't own a snowblower and we shovel by hand, this one doesn't apply. Each winter, I swear we're going to get one but somehow winter rolls around and I'm still shovelling by hand, trying to convince myself that it is a terrific workout.)

If you find -2 degrees 'a little chilly', you may live in Canada. (-2 is for those days of wearing shorts, a 'parka' and sandals if the snow's not flying. If it is, then just the 'parka' and shorts. Though, I don't know any self-respecting Canadian who refers to them as "parkas". ) (Btw, -2 is almost tropical.)

If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your friends,you definitely are Canadian and proud to be. (Does posting it to your blog count?)

And another page ......

This page is about things I like to paint with. It's hard to see the writing but just in case you're interested, here's what it says ....

Things I Love to Paint With! My studio window open, birds chirping. I like that there are no trucks around here! I like the sound of a hot summer Sunday. If I look out my studio window, there are birds at the feeders. I like the colour of the water in the pool. This aqua. I like the sound of the summer breeze gently moving the wood blinds and the bamboo wind chimes. I love to have some flowers on my painting table so they can die and be painted by me. A bottle of wine, a wineglass and a few sips. My favourite brushes. A dip in the pool when the heat gets to be too much. Then back here. Living in my swimsuit ALL day long on each day off - rain or shine. Quiet. I love how QUIET this house is. I love how this house breathes. I love how this house sighs with deep contentment. I live in this beautiful house. It speaks to me. This house speaks good things to me.

Too weird?

Still Journaling

Another journal page. This one is kind of plain so far - I'm still not sure yet what I'm going to write on it but I like the theme of French Canadian appeal - if you have to ask .... It's funny how these pages go - I don't have a theme when starting. I just keep playing around. This page is one of the narrower flaps that will fold out.

There's snow on the ground here - I hope it all melts and that we have a green Christmas and a green winter.

I spent a really relaxing weekend of not doing much. Hope your's was relaxing, too.

Journaling in a handmade journal

Well, it's been a long time. Again. I had been hoping to participate in a twenty minute challenge this past weekend but I got caught up in journaling. I stumbled (quite by accident) across Teesha Moore's videos on journaling and just had to try them. You can get an idea here of her work. If you do make some, please let me know. I'd love to see them!

Sooooo, I made two books. I still have to stitch them together but decided to start painting in one of them because I just didn't feel like going to shop for the proper 'thread' needed.

These books are soooo much fun! You make one book out of one full sheet of w/c paper. In her videos, she mentions to not use Arches. "Only use Fabriano." Her reasoning is that Arches will crack when you fold it. Bull feathers. I made one out of the last sheet of Fabriano that I had and then, because someone told me not to, I had to make one out of Arches, too. The Arches one seems just as good. (And I've always loved the way Arches reacts to paint anyways. You could say, I'm partial to Arches. To put it mildly.) And it did not crack when I folded it.

I followed her style and painted the first book in brilliant and bold colours. My next book will be painted in more earthy muted tones, I think.

At first, you just don't know what to 'journal' about. But, after cutting out some pics in old mags and catalogues to use as a few collage pieces, the ideas started flowing. And the best thing is to not plan these out. Just do it. Go with the flow.

Here's a pic of the page I've been working on and a shot of the bold colours I painted the pages in. Sorry these pics are a bit dark. I'll take better shots tomorrow during daylight and will replace these. I decided to use a pic of the drawing I did of Death Becomes You.

When it's all stitched up, there are 16 pages, 8" x 10" in each book.