2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 209

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 209: Power Lines

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 208

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 208: A Prayer Utters Itself

Manipulating Photos: Blending

MizAdventures Altered Book: Rose Explosion

I have been experimenting today with a second technique from the course Manipulating Photos By Hand -- blending to integrate the cut edge of the photos. L.K. Ludwig showed us one way by running pencils around the edges; if you use Stabilo pencils, chalk pencils, or china markers you can then smear the color into interesting lines (if using other media -- oil and chalk pastels, neocolors, etc. -- use colors that mix in with your journal page background). Here I used two photos of roses in my garden. I cut them out of the original photos. I used some acrylic paint on the edges, then iridescent chalk, then oil pastels on top and smeared the heck out of them. Fun baby. This is an incomplete spread in my MizAdventures altered book.

Manipulating Photos: Vignetting

Altered Book Spread: Forms Real and Unreal

I am taking an online course with L.K. Ludwig -- Techniques for Manipulating Photos by Hand. This very cool lady has several books out on art journaling, and some very good online courses on journaling and working with photos for use in art journals. She's very thorough and inspiring. Just began the course and so far it's exactly what I was looking for...help in integrating my photos into my art journals and altered books.

This is a spread I created in an old altered book called Paranormal Dating (haha) using the vignetting technique. You create a type of tunnel vision around your photo to draw the eye in. This photo I took in Mexico in one of those beautiful Mexican graveyards. By accident I took it in black and white, and I love the perspective and the shadows. It seems to be very appropriate for my pale, dark lady. Who is she waiting for? Is she looking at her watch? She seems a bit impatient, yet very much grounded in her environment. Check L.K. and her blog out --The Poetic Eye.

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 207

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 207: Grow Luscious

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 206

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 206: Swim, Johnny, Swim

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 205

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 205: Incomplete, But Moving in the Right Direction

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 204

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 204: Create Drama with Colorful Foliage

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 203

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge Day 203: Imagine Wanting More and Getting It

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 202

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 202: Determined

Express Yourself Altered Book Workshop at Once Around

My Express Yourself! Artists: Bonnie, Ingrid, and Pat

On a rainy, blustery, Saturday afternoon, a small group of women ventured out into the stormy weather and gathered to take my Express Yourself! Altered Book and Collage Workshop at at Once Around -- a beautiful craft and art store in Mill Valley, CA. Photos of their work and participation can be seen here. What did they have in common? A Master Pilates instructor, a CFO, and a quilter? -- All had the desire to be creative and were curious about how altering a book could ignite their creativity and express them. Bonnie's Color Spread

One of the women had taken a previous class with me, and after having a minor breakdown when I asked her to rip some pages out of her first book -- her creativity has spread like wildfire.

Ingrid's Window

Ingrid's Window Spread Interior

This seems to happen, some people just need that first spark to ignite a passion that is already there. Others go more slowly, are more cautious. I was like that. Although I was altering journals in high school, it took me many years (decades!) to actually bring creativity into my life on a daily basis, and there still are many days when I look at a page or look at my jewelry making supplies and wonder where my inspiration went off to. What I know now is that it always returns. Sometimes you just got to step over yourself to get there. Sometimes you have to wait it out. But it always returns.

I digress. The workshop was fun, it was filled with laughter, it was a joyful thing to see what people came up with...when not sure if anything would happen. It always does!

Pat's Color Spread
For more photos of the workshop and their work go here.

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 201

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 201: My Dream

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 200

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 200: Wouldn't Know

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 199

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 199: Is Blossoming Soon

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 198

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 198: Took 'Em Long Enough

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 197

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 197: What Are You Made Of?

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 196

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 196: Fun and Discovery Redefined

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 195

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 195: The Critic -- Beware of the Expert Mind

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 194

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 194: Declare Your Place in the World

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 193

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 193: Keeping Our Perspective

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 192

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 192: Reasons

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 191

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 191: A Barn Owl Came for a Visit

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 190

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 190: Do They Feel What We Feel?

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 189

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 189: Her Look

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 188

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 188: Behind the Scenes

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 187

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 187: Great Design

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 186

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 186: There's Life and Then There's Living

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 185

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 185: The Strategic Plan

Year and a Half Mark of Creating a Journal Page a Day

With my Journal Page Day 182, I am now 1/2 through my second year of creating one journal page a day! Hard to believe that I would stick with something this long. Go here to read my first journal entry on March 26, 2009. You can scroll back through my blog to see the individual pages, or you can go to my Flickr account to see a slide show of 2009 and the current slide show of 2010. Has keeping these journals bolstered my creativity? Absolutely. Definitely. Without question. Just graze through my blog to see the evidence. I am sure that the discipline of creating art everyday begets more art!

This year has been a little tougher for me to keep on schedule -- I'm bending my own rules a little more often -- but I always manage to get caught up with my pages. I also think it would be beneficial for me to experiment a bit more with materials and style. I have here and there, but I have this judgment that I should be more aggressive about experimenting. However, I know that judgment interferes with creation, so I am just gonna wait for desire to move me. One of the other pluses of this personal art challenge is that it is extremely satisfying to see my journals slowly stack up! I found the perfect vintage cedar box to hold all of last year's journals and a few from this year (22 completed journals in all). One of these days I'm going to scan all of the covers and post about that!

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 184

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 184: For the Freedom

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 183

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 183: Profoundly Aware of Mood, Outlook,
and Happiness

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 182

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 182: Who Inspires You

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 181

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 181: She Can't Dream About You

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 180

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 180: Une Palette Mysterieuse

(A Mysterious Palette)

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 179

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 179: You Don't Have to Resign Yourself

Express Yourself! Workshop October 23rd

Once Around Craft Store

I am excited to announce that I will be holding my Express Yourself! collage and altered book workshop at Once Around in Mill Valley (CA). A friend told me to check out this new craft store, which I did (always looking for new supplies) -- and I was delighted with its colorful interior and the substance and quality of the art and craft supplies it offers. Moreover, the owner was looking for instructors and jumped on the idea of a collage and altered book workshop. So I will be teaching my beginner's level Express Yourself! workshop on Saturday, October 23rd, 12:30-2:30pm!

Class Description:
“If you've been itching to create something beautiful, or looking for the magic to achieve that, here's the perfect opportunity to explore your creative self. Through the magical medium of altered books and journals, you will learn how through collage and simple art techniques (I mean simple: cut, tear, paste, color!) to transform a used book into your own work of art. Prepare to be surprised at what will emerge! Materials fee covers your own book to alter, and all art materials. If you would like to make your book even more personal, bring any personal ephemera may have lying around your home (you know, the paper stuff we collect everyday -- mementos, old photos, greeting cards, magazine images). Artist, dancer, teacher Virginia Simpson-Magruder will guide us through the creative process with her own special brand of magic. $30 plus $5 materials fee.

Once Around's Classroom

The Collage Cafe October 17th Workshop

My next Collage Cafe workshop will be held Sunday, October 17th, 11:00am-1:00pm at Stage Dor in Sausalito (CA). Come explore your creativity through the medium of collage and altered books -- you'll be surprised at what comes out of you! If you are a "newbie", just bring any personal paper ephemera you have lying around the house. If you've been to one of my workshops, bring the altered book you are working on. Otherwise everything else will be supplied.

Oh, wine (mimosas?) and snacks will be served! $35.

Photos from the September Collage Cafe can be seen here.

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 178

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 178: Flutters Wings

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 177

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 177: These Are the Years

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 176

2010 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 176: Any Minute