The Palm Springs Classic Car Show

My friend Janice has posted her pictures from the Classic Car show in Palm Springs.  I love old cars, so I've begun a car series.

Getting Ready for International Fake Journal Month

April is International Fake Journal Month, and I've prepared backgrounds in a new journal.  My character is starting to come alive - in my brain, at least.  Preparing backgrounds in advance is not normally how I approach a journal, but this isn't my journal, is it?

What is IFJM, you ask?  According to Roz Stendahl,  "Basically it’s a free pass to put anything in a journal that you might not otherwise put in. At least that’s one way to see it. From April first to April 30, you are encouraged to keep a fake journal different from and outside of your regular visual journal."  

You can read more about IFJM here.

Why am I participating in IFJM?  I've been thinking more lately about how and why I journal.  I've been journalling in various forms since 2001, when I began by gluing an image from a clothing catalogue into a 9 x 12 coil-bound sketchbook.  Over the years I've used many sizes and shapes of purchased books, with different kinds of paper.   I've glued, drawn, and painted my way through the years, sometimes adding a little or a lot of writing.  I've bound my own journals as well as using store-bought books.

At some point over the years my single, one at a time journal morphed into many.   (You can read more about that here, if you're interested.)  I continue to be bothered by the lack of chronological continuity in my journals for various reasons,  and following Roz Stendahl's journalling practice has got me thinking more about this.  IFJM will give me an opportunity to work in a single journal for one whole month so that I can evaluate that experience again. 

My Fake Journal is a lined composition book.  I chose this because I also plan to do more writing about my character's life than I currently do in my visual journal.  I glued every second page together and had a happy afternoon gelli printing directly into the book.  The addition of the paint to the pages has already made the book "yawn" at the fore edge, so I'll have to cut a few pages out before I begin.

Another Oldie

3" Square

Stamp by Judi-Kins

A Stamp by Maryse Carrier

My new small journal begs me to get out those little stamps.

#Homwork

I found a new lettering challenge - when you post on Instagram you use the #homwork.  You can find details here.

It Is What It Is...

...which kind of means that I don't know what it is.

Mandala With Stamps

How Small is Too Small?

My latest journal is just 3" square, a perfect size for a small slop of paint or a stamp.  It's is a single signature made from watercolor paper scraps.

Still Feelin' the Love

It's Valentines Day every day around here!

It's All About the Proportions

Paris is my favorite city, and I've always wanted to draw the Eiffel Tower.  It seems intimidating, but I found a free tutorial recently and it is quite easy once you get the proportions marked out.  For a day or two I was drawing them everywhere! LOL

A Circle or a Flower?

I set out to carve a circle for mark making, but I think this would also make a beautiful ranunculus flower, stamped with a water soluble ink and wet with a paint brush.

Everyone Needs a Dot Stamp

This will be useful for journal pages, masterboards and backgrounds of all types.

Mark-Making Stamp

One of the advantages of carving your own stamps is that you can carve exactly what you need for a specific project.  I'll be using this on a masterboard.  It was inspired by a set of Paper Artsy stamps designed by Ellen Vargo.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Adding a Layer of Stamping

Stamps by Hero Arts, Magenta, inque boutique and me

I've added some layers of stamping to one of my masterboards.  Because the brayered acrylic is a bit rough, I used paint rather than ink to do the stamping.

Stamping with paint gives a lovely, bright effect, but it is a bit more time consuming.  I brayered out the layers of paint on a paper palette using the same colors as the brayered layer, and then used it as a stamp pad.  A mixture of bold and more delicate stamps makes it more interesting.  Messy but fun!

You Need Cups for a Tea Party, Right?

Hand-Carved Stamp

If you have a tea kettle, you must have cups, right?

And Then There Were Two

I find myself drawn to square format journals and sketchbooks lately.  I've got one 6" x 6" spiral-bound journal made from scrapbook paper, but I want some larger sizes with varying kinds of paper.  It's a good way to try out my Fauxdori idea, so I made a square one that will hold up to 8" square signatures.

Painty Fun

The bad news is I'm stuck home with a cold.  The good news is I have time to update my blog! LOL

Here's a bit of painty fun for you.  I guess I wasn't paying attention when these videos were first released, but Paper Artsy linked to one of them recently as part of their new paint color promotion, so if you like this look as much as I do you can find one of them here.

These painted papers are called Masterboards, an idea I've always loved, and eventually my paint will have stamping added to it.  Then the sheets are ready to cut into whatever sizes you want for your card or other projects.  (You can also make Masterboards with a first layer of collage rather than paint.)

Tea Anyone?

Hand-carved stamp

A Sketch Becomes a Carved Stamp

My favorite book on stamp carving is still the first one I read:  Rubber Stamp Carving by Luann Udell.  I decided it was worth a re-read and it is still inspiring fifteen years later.

Working Up To It

6" x 6" drawing on collaged background

This is a drawing done in my journal of scrapbook paper.  I was a bit hesitant in my approach, beginning in pencil and then a fine Platinum Carbon Ink fountain pen.  Then I thought "oh what the heck, it's only paper", and added the Pentel brush pen shadows.  I like the way it turned out!