Monday Musings

Hello everyone!  

 After almost a month of being laid up with health crappola (that's a technical term, don't ya know), I'm full of new found determination and ready to push forward with life, art and daily adventures in finding my bliss.  First and foremost, I'm ready to launch my first set of online classes, Personal & Potent-Art Journaling From the Heart, To Feed the Soul. 

This week I'll be choosing my hosting site. I want the virtual classroom to be easily accessible, password protected so students feel comfortable sharing their work, have some type of forum for community chit chat and easy to upload content to.  A tall request I know, but it is a must! As soon as my choice is made, I'll post all the sign up deets here!

Those of you who receive the newsletter know I included a journal prompt in it. The prompt was: Describe one time when you were brave.

If you used the prompt in any way, feel free to post a link to it in the comments section!  I'd love to see what your Muse inspired you to do! 

Almost finished painting of one of my 'Glam Girls' 

I started with a quick pencil sketch, then added color with Copic Marker.

 The face was painted with acrylics mixed with a little medium.

The background is Tombow marker spread with water to create a wash.

Journal page from May 13. 

The tape along the left side is handmade Washi. 

I used wide masking tape, acrylic paints and a stencil to make a bunch. 

Why buy tape when it's so easy to create your own?

I've been practicing my lettering skills, 

learned in Letter Love 101 with Joanne Sharpe. 

This banner, on heavy watercolor paper, hangs in my studio window now.

A wonderful reminder for me!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful, creative week!
Until next time, May The Muse Be With You!
-Kristin

Journal Pages

  As usual it's been too long since I blogged. Not going into the boring, medical details of what's been keeping me from doing so. Who wants to hear that? Certainly not me!

  I'd uploaded these journal page photos back in August, with every intention of posting them right away. But, it didn't work out the way I'd planned!  

  All these pages are from the journal made out of old file folders, scrap paper and heavyweight paper. The pages are staggered, with varying sizes,  lots of folds, creases and pockets. It makes for a much more interesting journal, both to work in and visually!

  Most of the border images on these pages are created from copies of previous pages I've done. I print them on the laser printer and cut into strips. I think it makes my pages unique and clearly reflects my style!

 The spread above contains transfers. On the left I did a gesso transfer. On the right a gel medium transfer. Both backgrounds are painted using gouache and watercolor. I typically use acrylic paint on my pages, but decided to try something different this time. 

The page below was painted with gouache also.I love the vibrant colors with a hint of softness.

Here you can see how the various page sizes offer a peek into what came before and after. I think it makes the journal more interesting and visually striking. It also makes you want to peek just around the corner to find what comes next!

A close up of one small page, which is actually a flap. 

This one has a fold in it and has been stapled into the journal with decorative metal staples. When folded you can only see the imagery, not the writing.

Another section where you can see how the different size pages reveal bits and pieces of what's contained within. Again, I love the vibrant colors of the gouache, especially the greens! The file folder edge is covered in decorative tape. It looks great and adds stability.

A combo of watercolor and gouache was used for this page. I like the goofy image at the top coupled with the vintage advertising image. The right hand side border is a portion of an older page I photocopied.

Today's journal pages.

And a peek at a page or two further in the journal!

Journal page in memory of my dear friend Scott Ricciuti.

Another March 29 Journal Page

It's so easy to tell where my mind and heart are focused these days.....

March 29 Journal Page

I love the colors and varied patterns on this page.

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Journal Pages

Havent't picked up my journal in a few days for some reason. Now I'll be filling page after page to get all the gunk out of my brain!

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Recent Journal Pages

Two journal pages. The one on the left is from Feb 9. On the right Feb 15

A couple of journal pages

Journal Page 11/16/11

 This page is wider than the others in my Personal & Potent journal thanks to a fold-out. I love mixing up the size of my pages as much as I love mixing up the size of my journals!

The right portion of this page is a fold-out.

This is the fold-out the way it appears when folded down. The other side of the page peeks out enticingly from behind. I haven't journaled that part yet, so this glimpse is all you get to see for now!

Journal Pages 11/15/11

 I was in writing mode on the 15th, as you can see by these pages! I love it when I get in the groove and just keep going.

Journal Pages 11/7/11

 I was finally able to get some journal pages scanned, thanks to my hand healing enough to work with it easily!  These are the three I did on 11/7/11. I am really liking having and entire journal painted and collaged so I can just pick it up and do pen work and journal writing any time I feel like it!

This one is actually in a different journal.  I was upstairs and the skinny journal was down . I like having multiple journals in progress. That way, no matter what room I'm in I have something to work in once the mood hits!

I like how you can see the banana paper on the inside cover peeking out from behind this page. 

I never know what I'm going to write until I start. For whatever reason the watch image on this page made me think of the snobby, society types who expect perfect behavior. Definitely not me at all!

Journal Pages & Musings

  Since the storm Saturday I've had internet access issues. To be honest, it's bugging me for one reason only: My inability to blog easily. Anyone that's been following me for a while will know that consistencey has always been a challenge. Now that I've found a way to blog consistently, something I wanted to do for myself more than anything, not being able to irks me. Isn't it amazing how something we tried so hard to make routine becomes something we don't want to live without? In my case, posting here on certain days has become part of my weekly rituals. Without being able to maintain that ritual throws off my groove! Does this mean I've finally been able to maintain scheduling in one area of life instead of running amok , completely schedule free, as is my norm?

I started making a new journal during the power outage. It's going to be spiral bound so I am painting and collaging all the pages ahead of time.
The banana paper is part of the inside front cover.

A few more pages in the new journal.These are skinny pages, something I find challenging to work on, but like the size because it makes the journal so portable.

I actually have two new journals in progress. The top page here is from the larger of the two. You can see a skinny page below it so you have an idea of the size difference. I like working in all different size journals.
 It keeps me from getting bored!

Journal Pages 10/18/11

  I'm counting the days until my new great-nephew arrives. He's due to make his first appearance in the world on November 10, but babies arriving on a specific date is like herding cats. There are no guarantees they'll do what you expect them to. 

  I'm still in cleansing and purging mode. The back of the truck is getting full of clothes, shoes, household goods and books to donate. Tomorrow I'll probably make the drive to the Salvation Army and drop off. I'll try to resist going in to see what vintage coats need rescuing, but as with babies and herding cats, there are no guarantees!

Done while sitting at Vincent's listening to the music.
Collage, Sparkling H2O's, Gellyroll pen, ink jet transfer

Done at Vincent's.
Collage and Gellyroll pen

Journal Pages

  Today is going to be a babbling day. If you prefer to skip the babbling and go straight to the art, go right ahead. I'll never know....  
    It's been a busy week for me. For whatever reason, late autumn is the time I feel most compelled to clean and clear. For three days now I've been going through closets, drawers and cabinets cleaning them out and amassing piles of things to donate. Clothes and shoes mostly. Or rather boots. The women in my family seem to have a hoarding issue when it comes to boots. Especially black boots. I'm not sure what it is about boots, black boots in particular, that we love so much. This love, and hoarding issue, carries over to coats too. I in particular have a weakness for vintage wool coats that I find at the Salvation Army. Something in me cannot possibly leave a vintage 1950's red wool coat with black cuffs and collar or a 1947 full length black wool pea coat to languish, unappreciated, at the thrift store. So I, of course, buy them, usually for less than $10.00, give them a good cleaning and wear them with pride. And love. Lots and lots of love. But I digress...
    What is it about late autumn that makes me want to get every nook and cranny of the house in order? I believe it's an instinctual knowing from deep inside. I know that the cold, dark days and nights are upon us and my time will focus on indoors. Somewhere inside I know indoors needs to be tidied up, swept free of summer's energy and made cozy for the long months ahead. For me, all this must be done before Samhain, October 31. As a pagan, Samhain is one of my most sacred and important seasonal celebrations. It's the time we say good bye to the harvest, give thanks for the abundance of summer, welcome back our ancestors and focus our hearts, minds and spirits on the darkness ahead. It's really a time of renewal and reflection for me and others who dance the spiral of nature based beliefs. Which completely explains why every year I am compelled to cleanse, purge and release that which is no longer needed.

Tiny journal pages, 4.5" x 7".
The one on the left was created using Neocolor II crayons on 9/30/11
The one on the right was created with collage and Gellyroll pens on 4/29/11

Another tiny journal page created with collage and Gellyroll pen on 10/9/11

Page created with collage, ink jet transfer, Sparkling H2O's, and Gellyroll pen
on 10/10/11

Journal Pages

  A couple of recent pages from the same journal I've been uploading photos from the past few weeks. This is getting to be one heavy, chunky, memory filled book! 

The mini file folder stapled into the journal adds interesting shaped pages. 

I love how you can see the tops of the other folder tabs peeking over

I'd left this un-journaled for a long time. 

I don't tend to do 2-page spreads, 

but this one just had to be done together.

Tuesday Night Journal & Music Fest

  I'm at my favorite Tuesday night journal spot, at My table, listening to the great acoustic music, soaking up the vibes and enjoying the atmosphere. Thought it would be cool to show a photo of the musicians I mention here so often, so here you go! Both guys are in many different bands and do a wide range of music. I like their originals the best. Missing tonight is Michael Thibodeau.

  Can you see some of the cool photos on the wall? There are tons of them, all from ages past and of local folks. There's a reason I love this place. totally inspiring atmosphere.

This is Scott Riccuti, one of the best songwriters, singers and acoustic guitarists around.
Scott has played with Jim Caroll, Shana Morrison and many others

This is John Donovan. Another great musician.

Journal Pages

  A few recent and not so recent pages. I love making journals that have staggered pages, pockets, fold outs and envelopes for stashing mementos in. This journal has all of those.

  I love this vellum envelope for storing ephemera tidbits. 

Can you see the Bin Laden face? It's from a firecracker we had this summer!

There's also a bit of text from an egg roll package in the envelope. Had to keep it as what it said cracked me up: 

P.S. In case of of emergency defrost 10 minutes and separate into individual pieces.  An egg roll emergency? Goddess forbid!

The journal page beneath the vellum envelope.
You can see one of my skull lino prints peeking though.

I was having a bad pain day and feeling left behind once again.
Best way to get over it is to journal it out!

Journal Pages

A few journal pages I hadn't shown off yet. Even though the pages were journaled individually, when you open the mini folder it creates a cool two page spread. 

I used my Fastenator to staple the mini folder into my journal,
adding a nice, fold out section and some extra pages.

Journal Pages

  A small dose of journal pages for you to enjoy! There's a whole lot more where these came from. Yesterday alone I journaled at least six pages. I was in a writing mood & lucky for me had plenty of painted and collaged pages to work on.