Dads Birthday

Whoops, been a bad blogger again - though I did have a spell of blog block. Here is the gift I made for my Dad for his birthday on the 4th April. The picture is of him and his mates whilst on National Service in Cyprus in the 50's. Dad is the shy one on the right! I mounted it on mdf, which was painted, collaged and varnished. Here he is on his birthday, he is normally dressed but had a nasty fall the day before so was unable to walk, so we normally go out for his Birthday this year we had to fetch it all to him.



I'm still busy drawing and painting every day, every evening is spent sketching - I 'think' I am starting to improve. Also spend far too much time on the book of days facebook page, and watching all the wonderful videos available to help me with my art, I even attended the 'live stream' at weekend, which was great fun. If you are interested in mixed media and/or Art Journal, do take a look here Book of Days best thing I did, has done wonders for my confidence in art and in other area's.

I do check in with blogger each day so always keeping an eye on everyone, I might not always comment (often I think I have only to find I didnt, sorry) but I do always read.

Thats all for now, back to the sketchbook.

Lynda x

Book of Days 2012

I mentioned yesterday joining a wonderful new group for art journalling, this group is called Book of Days 2012. It started at the beginning of January so I'm a bit late but that doesn't matter you can join anytime. Also its FREE to join, though you can pay a very small amount to join a premium class to if you wish. Run by a wonderfully kind lady called 'Effy' who does a weekly video to show you lots of tips on how to do so much with mixed media and your art journal.
Not only that, but there is also a facebook group full of wonderful members giving support and encouragement to each other, and a flickr page to show off your works and look at others.

So, I set to work creating a new handmade journal just for this... taking a redundant book I no longer use and covering with brown paper, not one of my better ideas as brown paper didnt really like gesso.




Then I had a play to decorate the cover. Might have been an idea if I had waited for my introductory email from Effy who shows you how to do this much better, so for my next book I will follow her advice, but still there is no right or wrong way to do things, just have fun doing it.



Not having had the best of weekends my first page was not such a happy one, so we will leave that one out. This is my second page I did today, you see I am practicing painting my girls, and still need plenty more practice - but this is more of a fun and less stresful way to do it.



I think I did get far too stressed trying to master everything, and need to take some time out to relax a bit - so this is just right for me at this time.

So, if anyone fancies starting an art journal, this is just the best place to start, follow the link and take a look for yourself - Book of Days

Happy Birthday Julie

Its my oldest friends birthday today. See just how lucky she is to have a handmade birthday card, one of my earlier girls so not as good as they are getting, but I started a while back trying to make the card, and this was take 3. Didnt get to see Julie today as she was still in bed when I called with her card and pressie, at 11am!! alright for some, I was on the way back from walking the dogs on the beach then.

I have joined the most fabulous new group for art journalling, so hope to find time to tell you about that next. Just what I needed to share what I do and find an awful lot of help and support, and so much to do there too. Its called 'Book of Days' so yesterday I made a new art journal for it and did myh first page today, starting to feel better already so hopefully I might even get back to running my Etsy shop soon, and joining in with the Crafty Folk team.


I bought Julie some art stuff for her birthday, so am expecting great things to share with you in the future from her, no excuses now. I also forgot to buy some wrapping paper so I made that too yesterday, brown paper and decoupage, with handmade gift tag.



Glad you liked it Julie, and its great to put in the effort for someone who appreciates it, I dont know too many people who would. Look forward to seeing you later in the week mate, thats if you are adjusting to this great old age ok:)

Still trying to relax more

Bit like buses really, no blog for ages then 3 at once. I have joined an on-line mixed media group, so I take pictures and load them each day, therefore they are ready to pop on here and only takes a mo. Besides, I do like to keep you all entertained, and the more of my attempts you see the more you know you can do this too, and probably much better LOL.
So, OH tells me I am trying to hard again and need to chill out and just enjoy what I am doing without worrying about whether or not I will create the next masterpiece. Today has been just that and my creation of Freda the Fish and her dancing friends now has him quite concerned the plot is on its way down the road - I thought it was fun turning my silver slodgy circles into little dancing characters, poor Freda was not as whimsy as she should have been, my head had her more floaty I dont quite have the hang of that yet...






Now although Teddy is not the best he did teach my how to free draw with charcoal on layers today, was a bit scary but improvement on the outlines than ink I think so might be having another go at this, I had quite a time playing with charcoal today basically just making marks to try get some control.



Lasty is today's Art Journal entry, I have joined a few groups on this too so sorry you may well be subjected to viewing some waffle in the journal from time to time, Art Journals are great for daily practice. Tomorrows pages are currently gesso coated in readiness for then, not that I have a clue what I am doing yet if anything.. as spending most of the morning having to split up all the dog walking with having no car then the afternoon awaiting the fix-it man, not ideal to start any painting so hoping there will be some time left afterwards.



We were lucky enough not to get any snow here over the weekend, though it was very chilly earlier with freezing fog and ice, the pavements were deadly - good job I just walk my oldest dog first thing, although I was slower than her today and the penguin style walking is not kind to the legs. The local park walk with them all later on was ok, still icy and both Alfie and Jaja managed to fall over on the ice, the old lady Tess had more sense though and avoided the slippery parts.

Hoping we get a few warmer days in, I'm told the freeze is back for next weekend though, bbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrr.

~SimJaTa~

Oh dear, well I tried

As I said yesterday I had this great idea to make some bookmarks, so last night they were all cut out and gesso added ready to begin today. Still on the mixed media, aka make a big mess and try turn it into something nice? well... I made the mess! Not quite turned out as I had hoped and still not finished, but I will continue anyway to be sure my idea works even though the design clearly does not, YET.





The OH has informed me I have gone back to trying to hard, I must just enjoy and stop trying... not quite so easy as catastrophe struck last night on his return with his car on the back of the flatbed AA truck. As if that wasn't bad enough he went out to move my car to clear space and my back rear window exploded! so we currently have both vehicles off the road with hefty repair bills each. Of course on the bright side, thank heavens it happened last night and not today when the dogs were in the car, doesnt bare thinking about.

But, doesnt help my 'trying to hard' thing as these darn cars need paying for and unless I start shaping myself in some way I will be out of funds for my next tub of gesso! not to mention (get this) after reading Zoe's blog, seems I also need some 'Modge Podge' (bet that blew your mind Mick)..

Before I started on the Greyhounds today I first tried in my Art Journal, you see I have the 'theory' just cant quite get the effect I wish onto the paper. As my illustrator friend says 'PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE' better go do some more, just some light sketching tonight see if I can improve that.



No snow here as yet, but an awful lot of rain - just right for nice loooong dog walks now I have no car for a few days, and there I was worried about driving in it not a problem now. Every cloud and all that..

Thats all for now, lets see what tomorrow brings.

~SimJaTa~

Mixed Media and Collage

My Goodness, its 9 days since I last blogged - were on earth did they go? During that time I have been learning all about mixed media and art journals, what fun it is too. Having started following a few of the experts on their blogs I have finally worked out what its all about, that is lots of layers and even collage (remember that?) some more books and products later and here are the first things I have come up with. I am quite fond of my penguins, here is a closer look at them.



I am trying to design a birthday card for a friend (and one day maybe even for sale) not quite got there yet, but more fun had trying.



This one had my most layers, collage and stamps ever - I realise I do still have more to go, and of course more practice at faces and fleshtone, it would also have helped if my ink hadnt decided to blotch on me.. cant tell you just how much fun this is to do, I'm told more practice is what helps you get there...so plenty of that going on..



I really must go clean up though, had so much fun this week the OH was away on a course so I had more time and space as totally demolishing the kitchen work tops with paint, glue and my latest discovery 'gesso' was fantastic and he will be back in a few hours, eeeeeeeeek. That and much less PC time, as I the neck and shoulder pain is worse when I am on here, so OH has promised to sort that out this weekend, something to do with chair and space he thinks.

Last thing I did today was make a start on some bookmarks, I have cut out 8, coated them with gesso last night front and back, and I have done some paint layers, sketches and stamps on them so far (well 5 of them). The idea came about as I have lots of books on Journalling etc and keep loosing my place so need some bookmarks, but again its a possible selling idea for the future, so see how it goes - really do need to do something with my shop soon, my supplies bill is getting rather high.. I do have some more bags to list but need to sort out my chair etc to do the photographs (yes, more excuses..).

Ok, waffled enough now - hope everyone is keeping warm for the big freeze forcast in the UK, if the forcast stays true its just for a few days so not too bad.

Have a great weekend.

~SimJaTa~

A Day off, to take away pressure

I followed some fabulous advice from a blog link on Zoe's blog, basically stop trying so hard. I was spending all my time desperatly trying to create something fabulous, too much pressure. So yesterday was a day off to just play with paint, pencils and inks. I did the above painting in my journal for fun and straight from my head (how worrying is that?) obviously my poor little people need some work, but the rest of it wasnt too bad, and I enjoyed it, used inks, watercolours and coloured pencils.



My mermaid was my very first attempt at drawing with indian ink and a dip pen, then painted her in watercolour and added inks to the background sea (yes, its meant to be sea) but again, relaxed and just had fun.



Not sure if you can read this, found out later the blue ink is rubbish and not water proof, but this was my free art journal time, after being very lucky enough to win a super book "Journal Bliss by Violette" on Darlenes blog "Freenie Belle - Living the Creative Life", everyone should have this book, as Violette says 'cheaper than a therapist'.. Now I am lucky enough not to sufer from depression (but I have done many years ago) but to anyone who does, this book is made for them, such a positive book with suggestions on how to 'let it all out' in your journal.
For me, the Art Journal is to create and have fun (well it is now I read the book) also the more practice done the greater the improvement. So I am going to (at least try hard too) stop trying and relax and enjoy.

Also need to sort out a chair, to try stop the neck ache that is causing some grief, must be a way, so going to try an adjustable chair from the other room, and perhaps look out for a more suitable stool or something to put myself at a better height, so frustrating not being able to do as much as I would like, though I do keep loosing hours worth of time.

Wont get much done today, got to go out soon and its dog class tonight - but hope to find an hour later at least to pick up a pencil for a while.

Todays lesson to anyone feeling the pressure - take some time out, it helps.

~SimJaTa~

Birthday Cards

Whoops, seems I have been neglecting the blog again! When I started my art journey last year it slipped my mind my original intention was to try designing some cards. I was reminded this week when first I had to hurry out and buy one, then realised I had another two birthday's this week. So, the above is for my uncle who is a Laurel and Hardy fan, I think he is 71 this time. Hope he likes it, it was quite fun to do. The next one, was another valuable lesson learnt, first this would not be a good idea to sell one like this, as I started it on Friday and finished today, so at an hourly rate cant see it selling somehow LOL. Secondly I learnt NOT to do zen doodle ontop of a printed book were the print can then come off on the back of the card! Luckily Mum helped me sort it out by suggesting another column of pattern design on the back to cover most of it, but of course this took another two hours to do.




I have been busy with my new journal too, this has helped me a lot as instead of filling my head with things I must remember I want to do, I have been able to list them at the back, along with a few tips I pick up thus emptying some space in my head and helping sleep. Still not finished playing with my first page either, but second page was used for some people sketching to help with proportion etc.

I was very excited on Thursday night as I won a blog prize in Darlene's blog of an Art Journal Doodle book, I cant wait for it to arrive - the very same book was on my wish list on Amazon. Also yesterday I was given a whole stack of paints, paper and brushes that used to belong to my late friend Jess, from her son Paul - so kind of him and I am very grateful.

Well, back to the sketch book, to work my way through this list of things I want to do. Hope everyone has had a great weekend, weather has been glorious very cold but lovely and bright and sunny, giving us some spectacular sunrises to look at.

~SimJaTa~