Going Home

Sadly, the last traveling journal is on its way home to its owner.  Sadly for me, because I so enjoyed working in each of these journals, and the last one is finished.   Thanks to all of you for allowing me to put my two cents on to your pages. 

Hopefully we will be doing another.  I look forward to it, and to getting my own back.  I'll be proudly showing it off on my Sans Souci blog when I get it.

...........if I don't melt first from this incredible heat.  When did the sun get so close?

Thanks everyone.  xoxo 

DAZED AND CONFUSED

For some bizarre reason, the blogs that I am writing and trying to post to my personal blog keep ending up here! It's all good, but I really want them to show up on my personal blog on my website! What in the heck am I doing wrong? Anyone?

VINCENT ~ STARRY, STARRY NIGHT

 This was certainly a beautiful journal to work in. The other artists continue to blow my mind with their beautiful art contributions and incredible talent. This art journal is based on Vincent Van Gogh and the song by Don McLean, "Starry, Starry Night". So much eye candy to take in! 
This journal has traveled onto the next artist and then it will be given back to the original artist/owner (Gemma Manzo). It is currently on the art table of Tere Bingham, so I do not have any photos of her work, since she works on the journals after I do. I am eager to see what she has done. Her creations are spectacular additions.
Here are a few sneak peeks into the Vincent art journal. All done by various artists (there are six of us in this particular group). I hope you enjoy and are inspired!

Lisa DiNuzio added an ear milagro! What a wonderful surprise that was!

 This is a book marker made with an old paintbrush and old jewelry pieces. There are lots of goodies that the artists add into the books, tags, book markers and lots of little treasures.

 I am currently working on Tere's MAGIC book. Then it will return to hers. Mine will be coming back to me at the end of this month. I cannot wait to see what the ladies have done!
Here are a few photos of the MAGIC art journal:

 

Crystals on the cover!

We have all had so much pleasure working on these and sharing our art with each other that we are planning another round based on "song titles". That will begin in August and I cannot wait to get started and share them with you!

MY NINE YEAR OLD ART TREASURES

I made these when I was nine years old and they are still hanging in a metal, antique scale in my mom's home. I took these photos of them while I was visiting last week. My aunt taught me how to make them and I still remember the experience after all of these years. They are made with crumbled up newspaper and wrapped in masking tape. For color, I used glue and water (no such thing as ModPodge then) and layered color tissue paper on top.
They crack me up. Heaven only knows what I was thinking when I made the "turnip"! It looks like more of a combination of a beet and who knows what. I did the best that I could, being only 9. I was especially interested to see how my art style has not changed much after all of the years have passed. 

                                             Great memories.

In case you cannot recognize what they are supposed to be... in order, they are; a cauliflower, a turnip, a carrot, an orange, the whole group of them all together and a watermelon slice.
I still use this method when making things like birds, people, flowers, etc. Only now I use acrylic paint to decorate them with and seal them with a clear coat to protect them. The ones above are not sealed with anything and they have held up for nearly a half of a century. Pretty amazing.

->hhhhhhhhhhhhh, (Sound of huge inhale)

Yesterday I sent off Priti's journal to Love Dove.

Priti puts such wonderful LOVE in her art.

That love comes right out of the page and into the heart of the viewer.

Truth!

 

This morning I received Oceandreamers journal.

->hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh is all I can say! 

 

Can I exhale now?

Spoiler alert

 

I have been working in Tere's journal.

It is about a magical circle of friends.

~

I did caricatures of us!

FUN!

There's:

 Judie Macawhead

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka

Priti Lisa Our lady of the red robe

gemma mama and grandma

Tere Extraordinary

Tracy Love Dove

Please no one get offended if I made your butt too big

It is all in fun!

~

Mine should arrive at Priti Lisa's today!

I have received Gemmas!

This is going to be so fun!!

XO

GONE. TODAY.......in the mail.

My journal is traveling

through the U.S.P.O.

on its way to

Tracy

in Arizona! 

:)

OK, HERE'S MINE

Except for a couple of pages I am still working on,

my journal is ready to go.
It's glitzy, becuz I love glitz,
altho the glitter doesn't show much here

It's a journal of ARTISTIC FREEDOM

where you can create anything

your artsy heart desires.

It's made from the soft covers of a composition book.

There are pages of watercolor paper,

smooth Bristol,

pages of Dr. Seuss which I have lightly gessoed to accept most media,

neon cardstock,

pastel paper,

real canvas,

and a pocket chock full of STUFF to be used...anywhere.

This IS my first altered book so I am crossing my fingers

it does not fall apart because I know I didn't sew it right...

I just know I didn't....

er...I don't THINK so...

Anyway, I'll be kissing it goodbye soon and sending it on its

extraordinary journey to be filled with art and love.

:)



gemmas "Vincent" journal

Book cover for Van Gogh journal

one of the pages did not scan well

 

 

 

My journal

My brain storm for this journal is to honor Vincent Van Gogh using the words from
the Don McLean song: Starry starry night.
I will start the journal and make several pages.
Each page I make will correspond with words from the song.
At the top of each page I will write the words to the song.
When my journal gets to you you can choose the lyrics/pages you want to art up.
It doesn't have to be in chronological order. Just remember to sign your work.


Following my muse on this. I am so touched by Vincent.

My Journal

I am really excited about this pARTy and for all the deliciousness to come from all of you amazing women!

Thought I'd share the journal I made (first one I've ever made myself and I learned a few things along the way).
This was the book before (this image is from Ebay as I'd forgotten to take a before pic). I've had the book since early childhood and it was scribbled in and falling apart.....I don't know where my Mom got it but it was from 1926.  Anyway...

 

 

I took all the pages out and reinforced the spine with gaffer tape. I made 3 signatures using heavy weight file folders cut to size and Fabriano Watercolor paper. Sewing them to the spine was a learning curve, I plan to practice....but it will be fine.

 

 

The cover isn't quite finished yet.

 

I would love to see others posted here!

 

Thank you Gemma for organizing this!

 

LOVE LOVE

 

 

READY

Yep....excited to start.

Made my first altered book.

It's as whacko as I am, but it will work.

Don't send money.

Postage is simply a fact of life!

We are all stars!



Do you have your journals?

This is the eMail I sent on the 1rst.
Are we ready to start our journal pARTy?
Hopefully everyone has a journal ready to work in.
Some of you have already started. exciting!
We have the rest of January to complete the art in our books.
Near the end of the month we will send it on in a round robin fashion.
Like this:

gemma Manzo sends to
Lisa Swifka

Lisa Swifka sends to Priti Lisa

Lisa sends to Judie Macawhead

Judie send to Tracy Dove

Tracy sends to Tere Bingham

TereBingham sends to gemma

At this rate we should have our books back this summer.

XXXX