Week 5 of the DLP

Week 5 of the DLP is now done! It took me a while...The prompt from Art to the 5th was this: 

Art Challenge:  Under Paper (paper on your work table that gets all inky while you work)
Journal Prompt:  What Lies Beneath?

I thought this would be super easy, but then realized that I am not really that messy nor do I really use any kind of under paper. I decided to use some paper towels I use to blot my ink sprays with as well as the parchment paper that I put under the pages to keep from spreading to others. Here is what I started with (along with acrylic paint and gesso in the middle of the pages:

And then...nothing! I did not know what I wanted to do. So I walked away from it (for 2 weeks, might I add). When I finally came back to it this week, I started with a layer of gesso mixed with Primary Elements powder to give it a green hue:

I liked that the papers underneath gave it texture. Then I decided that I was just going to play with textures and focus only on the days of the week. Here is a mix of modeling paste, modeling cream, stucco, acrylic paints, gesso (black and white) and marker. I also stamped the dates:

I wasn't completely happy with it because it seemed to feel "weak" to me. Then I realized that I needed a border to help balance out the larger circles. I also randomly picked some of the stamped circles to thicken with marker (the "stamping" was done using caps to my paints dipped in black gesso):

Now this is more me - a bit bolder. I didn't want to use any quotes or specific focus. I just wanted to play and this is what it got me and I am fine with it! Here are some shots that show a bit of the texture:

Until next time!

Week 4 of DLP 2015

I was lucky enough to have a day of crafting with friends yesterday and decided it was time to attack the Week 4 prompt from Art to the 5th Academy for the Documented Life Project 2015. The art challenge: Writing. The journal prompt: Words with Friends. I had an idea straight away - I have 3 friends that I have met through crafting (and one of them also from singing) and they are my nearest and dearest because they are the ones I go to when things happen (good and bad) and I wanted the page to focus on them.

I started with Dylusions sprays and gesso:

Once I was happy with how the colors looked, I cut out an image that I found online that was perfect for this page. The 4 clasped hands was perfect because of this close-knit foursome of friends: 

Did you see the quote at the center? "The only way to have friends is to be one" - Ralph Waldo Emerson. I thought that was totally appropriate for us!

Then I decided that because the picture was a bit stark against the colors, that it needed a strong border. So I went to my stash of Washi tape and found a fun one to outline everything:

Now for the part that really personalized it - I went onto Facebook and found images of me and my friends (Karin, Carla and Linda) and printed them out in black and white. I used heavy gloss gel to glue them to some plastic packaging I had, cut them into shapes and then matted them with patterned scrapbook paper (I was channeling Carla a bit because of the choice of purple). I then outlined the pictures in black marker and dotted the matte with white gesso. I free-handed all the "heartbeat" lines for the title ("My friends are my lifeline") as well as the break-up of the days of the week. I then outlined everything that was black in white using a Signo uni-ball pen and here is the pièce de résistance (the goofy one at the top left is me - lol):

So this is my homage to the friends who have gone through a lot of craziness with me over the past few years and I would not trade them for the world! 

Karin, Carla and Linda - I could not have a more supportive group to have my back and I love you all dearly...you crazy, nutty group of gals! LOL