Progress

I have been quite busy since leaving work early yesterday.

Earth - Some paint and glitter have been added to the original after a little (but not enough) experimenting on the copies. I just have a little text to add then this part of the project will be finished. I think I may mount it on some cardboard and papier mache a frame of some sort.

Soul Journal - I have missed out the house pages from Caspiana's for the moment and have been enjoying the collage pot pourri pages. Basically Caspiana gives a list of instructions to carry out on a page and you have to do them in a different order. The results are a little random especially if you are haphazard when selecting colours.

The first of the three spreads has an unusual look for me as I used the first paint I picked up to dry brush the two pages was brown. The second colour I picked up was yellow so the wash I did didn't really do much. I then drizzled and flicked some metallic paints onto the page. The last step will be to do a silhouette of a figure.

The second spread has turned out much nicer than the first. I blobbed primary colour paints onto the page before closing the book and squidging all the paint together. Over this I used some pinky chalky inky stuff which toned it down in a subtle way and coloured the white spaces. When I wrote the numbers across the pages I got as far as 46. This number is especially significant right now as a friend of my Dad's died of a heart attack last week. He was only 46. This page began to take on the essence of living a life fully and brightly, no matter how short, like a butterfly. I forked on some black paint and then drew round my hand with a glue pen before putting on some black glittery embossing powder. I heated this up and all the little left over bits of dust to so the page is glittery and colour full with black bits as well. I then wrote on some words in silver like Be, Blossom, Flower, Grow etc. The last stage will be to sew on some flowers made from felt.

The third spread was started using a dusky pink chalky ink pad which didn't get into all the folds of the paper and so highlights the texture of the pages. I used some wool to stamp on some copper ink. I wrote the alphabet in purple. For the metal I added some eyelets (which will be under the flowers on the other side) and some metal tape. I then gesso'd out a section with pinky gesso. More steps to follow...

Jewellery - I have had to pick upmy beads again after a three month break as I have demands to fulfill. I am currently 9 inches through a daisy chain made in size 11's (11 beads to an inch) in transparent glass in clear, pink and blue.

The worst thing about the journals is that many of the steps need drying after.... This also makes it hard to scan in as whenever I start I don't think about this until I have wet pages!

Earth Part Two

This is my Earth collage for Project spectrum so far...

The brown panels at top and bottom and the flowers in the bottom right are from an envelope.

The four triangular images in each corner are microscope images of very thin sections of rock, used by geologists to examine mineral content. (These are quite plain, many contain much more vivid colours as different wavelengths of light are used to identify the minerals - to look st more try 'thin section rock' as search in google images)

The central cloud like image and the image in the very centre are both fractals, mathematically generated images.

The stone ring is Men an Tol, an ancient stone in Cornwall.

I am really pleased with the result so far but have decided to experiment with some colour photocopies before committing to the next stage of altering the original. I will experiment with colours of paint mixed with glue and amounts. I want to bring the images together more smoothly before I begin working over them... I want to add a food circle around the outside of the stone, a haiku and some glitter, maybe in a nice triple spiral....

I like the idea of bringing the four finished collages together with the Goddess Reya mentioned. I am hoping I can find out who she is!

I can tell I am going to enjoy taking part in Project Spectrum and can't wait to see what others produce!

Earth

A little while ago I decided to look at the four elements and see what they meant to me, particularly as a scientist, and also their symbolism. I have just re-read my blog written on the brainstorm I did for earth, which you can see here. Reading this has sparked images and ideas in my head.

For each subject of Project Spectrum I want to complete several different projects and I would like to include an A4 journal style collage sheet on each. This is my current idea for my earth journal sheet and I shall start collecting images etc soon.

In the centre is a picture of Men-an-Tol (a Circular Cornish stone with a hole in the middle) Around the stone is a little food cycle with the animals flowing round the stone. This is overlaid on a fractal design which has been altered to make it faint. In the corners are nature patterns, such as those from rocks. There will also be a border at the top and the bottom taken from a pretty junk mail envelope. This is liable to change somewhat but it gives me somewhere nice to start from. I would also like to include some words on the page somewhere to....

Yesterday I also bought a pack of air drying clay and I expect to do something with this. I also like the idea of getting out my bead loom and doing something in earth colours. We shall see what else I get up to....

Soul Journal Update

I am still following this course but progress is variable! Although some parts take only a few minutes, drying can take a lot longer... This means that with the many layers in some pages, I get a little frustrated with the pace.

Today I prepped the next spread with white acrylic and pva. I also mixed in a little blue ink and discovered that ink makes the glue go stringy. It was useable but I wouldn't do this again. I also prepped a second spread with pinky coloured lottery slips. This afternoon I gesso'd the lottery pages and prepped another two, one with diary pages with a turquoise header block and the other with yellow bordered puzzle pages.

So nothing exciting to show right now...

Postcards Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen

Postcard 11 - Silver and gold pen. An town and road type pattern based on Aborigine patterns.



Postcard 12 - Card and glue. In honour of Ben Nicholson. I may not much have liked his displayed work at the Tate that i saw last week but I can appreciate some of his techniques. This was inspired by his relieves.


Postcard 13 - Watercolour pencils used by dipping in water first. Drawn for Word Wednesday - Fish. I love these pencils but I don't much like this drawing!

Postcards Nine and Ten

The effect of the postcards is growing and spreading across my wall....

Postcard Nine - A continuation of the doodle I started (which turned out to be a sort of maze) This time I doodled within a word.


Postcard Ten - this postcard was covered with foil insulation tape, words is made up of black foam letters and the butterflies were made using a punch and some magazines. I like the simple meaning behind this postcard. That words are a mirror and they are also fleeting like butterflies... It fits nicely with the theme for Creative Every Day this month which is words...

Soul Journal

I scanned in my last two pages and realised that scanning was much better so here is my whole journal from the beginning...

Page 1 - stamps and various pens



Page 2 - images outlines copied on to plain paper using fine line pen. Colour added using pens, inks and eyeshadow mixed with pva.


Page 3 - Violet and black inks sponged on. Images glues on with pva and then watered sown blue acrylic paint added. Some further detail added in copper pen which is not very clear.


Page 4 - Prompt - I forget covered in tape and quote made out of foam letters

Journalling Day

Today I have been journaling.

Pages 3 and 4 are complete. Over the pink and black ink I pasted 24 images that were selected according to the list in Caspiana's blog for the scavenger hunt for this page. I then used watered down blue acrylic to paint mostly between the images. I then used a copper pen to decorate and add words. The copper doesn't show up to much and is pretty subtle but looks pretty.

Pages 5 and 6 are probably finished. I spent some time writing on the prompt 'I forgot'. I actually found this a little upsetting as I listed many good things that I had forgotten to do. I then taped over most of the words I had written. I used sellotape, book covering plastic, holographic tapes, masking tape, double sided tape, florsists tape (with double sided tape), white labels, yellow post it tape and adhesive velcro pads. I then looked for forget quotes and found this 'remember your humanity and forget the rest'. It felt perfect for this page as it is all about letting go of the things you regret and forgot and moving on... I used sticky letters to put this on the page.

I know this ended up a little different to Caspiana's prompts but hey... I haven't sanded or gesso'd this page and I am as yet undecided about...

One thing is for sure - I can't use the foam letters again in this book as it really won't shut if I do!

The Four Elements (Project Spectrum)

I have decided to join in with this project, called Project Spectrum! This year it will focus on the four elements or the four compass directions each of which has been associated with a material and a colour. Each element will be explored over the course of two months giving plenty of time to produce something and fit in with Creative Every Day.

At the beginning of the year I focused on the four elements a little and brainstormed on what they meant to me before writing about them. This project feels like a nice extension on this work.

Unforgiving...

I have decided to alter my plan for this blog. Reading about how I did something yesterday but haven't copied it for uploading yet is a bit dull. Life happens and I shouldn't feel guilty about it. From now on I will only post the art and bits about the art. I will post no apologies or anything else. If I have no art, I shall not post.... I am human and I work and sometimes I have other things to do... *laugh*

Happenings

Not much going on today. Absolutely dog tired.

However two days ago I started the next stages of journal pages 4 and 5. I dabbed the pages using the violet ink in my new set with a piece of sponge. I expected the ink to be darker but over the white gesso substitute it was a violent magenta. I decided to tone it down a little bit by using the other side of the sponge piece (a kitchen scouring sponge I cut up). This was coarser and the black ink i used contrasts well, if a little dramatically.

I have started collecting pictures to stick onto this page as per Caspiana's scavenger hunt but am no where near finished. I have many beautiful magazines with lovely pictures but like Mel, I can not bare to cut up my beloved national Geographics... So I used one of the many catalogues that get sent to us in error. The pictures may well feature a lot of clothing...

Sometimes it just doesn't happen...

Today there is no creativity. Sometimes real life takes over a little and there is not time until it is too late and you just don't feel like it... Or anything else either...

Numbers Six, Seven and Eight

Number Six - Heart in oil pastels



Number seven - Doodle Wave with house on top (no idea why) in black fine line pen and watercolour pencils.



Number Eight - Doodle in fine line pen and watercolour pencils. My favourite and something I will experiment with again!

More Postcards

Just a quickie cos my bed is calling...

I completed two more postcards yesterday and having been working on another this evening.

Postcard Six is an oil pastel valentine themed card. A red heart surrounded by blue... Fun and easy. I like oil pastels but I am sure more expensive ones would smudge more evenly...

Postcard Seven was a doodle of a wave coloured with watercolour pencils. When water was applied the black smudged so it is a rather grey picture....

Postcard Eight was inspired by part of the doddle from the previous card. I have been working on it this evening but still have much colouring to finish. I like it very much and I expect I shall revisit this technique...

I shall post piccies tomorrow... honest!

Soul Journal: Soul Armor

Today I have been working on pages two and three of my journal. Soul Armor! This is the types of things you need to protect yourself and your creativity.

I didn't want a big armored chap, it feels wrong somehow for me. Woman can protect themselves in their own ways and well, it is about ME protecting MYSELF. I do however have companions. I have a magical stead to carry me safely and two hounds (Rhodesian Ridgebacks) from my dreams to protect me and keep me going. These companions are most importantly friends as well...

I found images on the net and printed them off. I held them against the window and put a blank sheet over the top onto which I coped the features I wanted. I then cut them out and glued them onto my page. I added some colour by painting with my new inks. I then mixed some very sparkly eyeshadows with glue to create a lovely paint. This does not show it's full lustre in the picture.

I started adding text and I have finished for the day. I suspect other things will be added to this picture over time but it is fine for now... I have to say, I find this quite challenging and tiring!

I Tried...

Yesterday I did try to be creative... honest...

Nothing quite worked really.

I tried to make a card and the glue wouldn't stick the elements down...

I wanted to take photos on our walk but F and I were sharing the camera...

I bought some scented petals and love heart candles to update the fire place but didn't put them out...

I bought some lovely inks, watercolour pencils, oil pastels and some beads but I didn't get round to using them...

By the time we finally got back in, I was cold and the coffee I had drunk was sitting funnily. So I had a bath and that was about it. I wrote my other blog and added some of F's photos... *grin*

Soul Journal Photos One (Day One and Two)

Pages Four and Five showing first two stages - Newspaper scraps stuck on and then written over with sharpie pens.

Pages two and three after third stage - covering with glue and white acrylic mix.

Page One showing the greaseproof paper that I had to peal off. I like the pattern it made.

The strange green squiggle is me covering up my surname afterwards. One thing doing this made me realise, is just how many names I have used! I have a name that lets me do that... As to Evil Aunty Rolo... That was my pet name that my niece and nephew used to use for me. This all came to an end one day though... Obviously I was an evil aunty in a gooood way... *laugh*

Her playgroup only allowed two people to register to pick her up and my Mum and my Sister were they. One day my nephew had chicken pox and my Mum being a nurse was the nominated person to look after him. My sister had to work. So the playgroup had been informed I would be there. When I turned up the lady gave me a little smirk as I collected my niece. It later turned out that in her excitement she had been telling the staff all morning that her Evil Aunty Rolo would be picking her up... *sigh*

Yesterday's Postcard (5)

Having admired some of Sue's Doodles, I would like to bring some doodle power into my postcards. Not sure this one quite does it. I used various pens and pencils and crayons...

Today...

I have continued on my journal and have a nice new first page with my name all over it. I am undecided whether to photo this and post it given it has my full, real name all over it. Not sure how I feel about that! Also did a green postcard which again is a little naff.... but hey! I do love the first page of my journal though. The layering detracts from any naffness there may be! *laugh*

Photo catch up tomorrow, I promise... *yawns*

Small Beginnings...

I would love to post a piccie of today's efforts but I have no idea where F has put the camera. I have had fun pasting newspaper randomly into the first three spreads of my journal. I have then written about my feeling son top. I made some gesso-ish stuff from pva and white paint. When I went to paint the second page with it I discovered that greaseproof paper is not the same as waxed paper as my first page stuck to it... I peeled it off and it created an interesting effect - both on my page and the greaseproof....

Photos tomorrow.. maybe... or a big catchup at some point anyway...

New Ideas (at least to me they are)

While looking on the blogs of fellow CEDers I found this blog by Susan. This led me to this blog by Sarah Whitmire. In this post, Sarah begins a tutorial on Soul Journalling. Looking at Sarah and Susan's pictures I am determined to have a go!

I have been reading Sarah's instructions. It seems I will need to buy gesso which will require a trip to Truro although I think you can make something similar with PVA and white paint? She also recommends cheap acrylic paint as these have much less pigment and so are better for layering and giving a wash effect. Today I stopped off on my way hope and bought some cheap kids paints. Bigger bottles of blue, green, red and yellow. Smaller bottles of metallic purple, pink and green. Little pots like the ones you get with painting by numbers and some tubes of more expensive white and black. Sarah also recommends Sharpie pens as they will not run when you paint over them, so a pack of these went in too.

I also bought a cheap A5 hard back book but I am as yet unsure whether I wish to journal in this or not. I could make a book... Or I could wait till I get into Truro....

Word Wednesday - Wood (Postcards Three and Four)

I promised myself I wouldn't write much on this blog, but I can't help myself. These pictures are attempts at reproducing wood grain. I used sharpie pens with some crayons inbetween the lines. I painted over with cheap acrylic paints. The pink and purple paints are metallic and have a gentle sheen to them.

I have placed them on my wall so I can reflect on them. I am placing them on here because I want to own all my attempts and experimentations. If I start trying to only post perfect things, I imagine I will always find some fault and never post anything. I also am hoping that next year, looking back I will have a fresh perspective and be able to see progress... This doesn't help me like them. I think I am judging them harder than I should, given the time they took...

Postcards One and Two

These two postcards were created using a small set of hard and chalky pastels. The circles were drawn with compasses and then outlined in fineline pens. I found that using my finger to make the pastel even was not very effective and left blurred colours so I used a small paint brush which helped a lot. It is also a lot easier to blend colours if you do not press too hard. I was disappointed that my red and pinky-red pastels looked so similar.

Why?

I have set up this new blog as I feel my creativity and spirituality are things I wish to write about separately. Of course there will be a cross over but hey... I didn't want a daily post on my creative progress on my main blog as I felt my other things would get lost. This blog will be low on writing and waffle and is dedicated to following Creative Every Day 2009.

My return to creativity started with making beaded jewellery but I had such a glut of making it that I haven't made any in two months. I have had a bit of a go at papier mache, modelling and silk painting. I have decided to focus a bit on a blank postcard project. Plain postcards are a nice small undaunting size. I can draw and try out materials on these without being terrified! They are also small enough that I stand a chance of finishing one a days when I have to go and work.