2016 Word of the Year

I like the idea of picking a word instead of a New Years resolution. The word I have chosen for this year is PROGRESS. There are so many things you can do with your word of the year. I have bought an inexpensive journal from Hobby Lobby and plan on spending time writing in it daily about my daily progression. There are many aspects of my life that I would like to Progress on from my spiritual self, physical self and emotional self. That is why I chose the word there are soooo many things this word entails. Not sure how often I’ll post about it but I’ll try to everyonce in awhile. In the meantime choose your  word of the year and let me know what it is and your progress. I would love to hear your words.

I’ll add some drawings with colored pens and markers too these are just today’s beginnings.

The craziness of summer

Seems like this summer has been much more crazy than most. Our summer’s are always busy here at the fairgrounds and rightfully so we wouldn’t ask for anything different. We are trying to get our old house sold also in a different state and that has proven to be rough going back and forth. I think we are seeing a light at the end of that tunnel so I’m feeling hopeful.
The problem for me about busyness is I don’t like not being able to take me time. I know that sounds selfish but I really and truly believe it to be more about self preservation. There is definitely a point where me time can become selfish but all I ask is for a little creative space. You mom’s and dad’s know what I mean. When you have a project that keeps eating at you and eating at you and you think about it everyday but never have time to start.
Today during my lunch break I took a little me time. I haven’t worked on my art journal for awhile I decided to crack it open and see what I could do. I gesso’d some pages awhile back and used an acrylic stamp to imprint some images. Then I used my watercolor pencils to fill it in. I really love the look. This is just in background stage not sure what the pages will be used for but they are pretty to look at.

Here is an up close of one of the stamped images.

ICAD has started!

What is ICAD? It stands for Index Card A Day and is a 61 day challenge. There will be different prompts everyday that you can choose to use or not. I like the prompts. Here is the link if you are interested. http://daisyyellowart.com/vividlife/2015-icad-prompts-week-1

My daughter and I started yesterday (which was the first day of the challenge)

This one is my daughters. She does it all by herself and always thinks of really sweet quotes.

This one is mine. The prompt was Chevron and this weeks materials to use are pens, markers and doodling. This was all about being a kid again just scribbled with a sharpie and went over the top with black.

What’s your sign?

Lately I have been studying my zodiac sign/horoscope. I have really enjoyed it too. It is unreal how for the most part it really does nail people’s personalities. I could go on and on about what I have been reading but I will just show you my art journal page instead. I did not draw the scorpion I found it on the internet. I will source it as soon as I can.

This was a fun page. I challenge you to make a journal page of your sign but I want to see it!

Let the restoration begin.

In July of 2014 I bought a 1974 Roadrunner camp trailer. I haven’t been able to find the time to do much other than look at her (I have nicknamed her arrow). I think about fixing her up all the time. So today I made time! I am stripping her to the bare bones on the inside. She has a lot of water damage. I can’t wait to have make her perfect for me.

Map Journaling from Big Piney, WY to Las Vegas, NV

We are heading back home from spring break. We really enjoyed staying at our favorite casino South Point. It was around 90 degrees the whole time we were there. It will be half that when we get back home :(.

My previous post has me starting my map in my art journal of our trip. I think I have finished it! I hope you like it. I hope you try it out and show me your results. It was so much fun to do! My materials used were a composition book with gessoed pages, koi watercolors, stabilo pens and Tim Holtz black distress marker.

Map journaling

Our newly retired librarian spoils me and gets me books she knows I will like. She surprised me with a book on map making. I will edit this post when I get back home with the name of the book.

We are heading out on a trip for Spring break and I thought it would be so fun and possibly keep  the kids busy to make a map of our trip. I drew a game board style map in their art journals. It is so fun and easy! It requires us all to pay attention to everything around us. Here is just the beginning of mine. I will be adding paint and colors to it as I go or when I get back.

Winds of change

Not sure if this one is done yet. It was inspired by another Dina Wakely lesson.

The wings of change bring treasure’s… Embrace change. I used gelatos, stamp brushes and close to my heart acrylic stamps.

Napkin Scribbles

I stole this cute girl from my friends daughter. Well I actually asked her if I could have it to use in my at journal. She drew it with a sharpie on a napkin. I added it to a background I have been working on and it fit perfectly. I painted her with my koi watercolors. I just really love it!

Art Journal Sundays

I love to art journal on Sundays. Inspiration comes so easy as you sit and listen to the lesson. This page is from my Sunday school class it is Matthew 13:19-23 (King James version) the parable of tares of the field.

The journal page is describing the seeds received by the way side, received the seed in stony places were it can’t take root, the seed received among the thorns being choked by worldly cares and riches and last the seed received into good soil to grow and bring forth fruit.

I’m not finished yet with the journaling but just wanted to share I’ll add the final page once it is all done.

My pages are crinkly because all this journal is is an old composition book that I have painted with gesso but I love the texture in real life pictures don’t seem to do it justice.