Time for another Challenge

The Alpha Challenge at The Craft Barn is a year long creative challenge,
using a letter from the alphabet every two weeks as inspiration.

The next letter (as it is not being done in alphabetical order) is

C

& we must include the definition of our chosen word.

I have chosen the word
Challenge.

The image is from The Graphics Fairy.

The words were cut from an old book

& the definition torn from an old English Dictionary.

This ATC will have a place in my Art Journal for Week 30.

Art Journal Week 29

This is my art journal page for week 29.

I have followed the prompt on Colour Me Positive (CMP),

which was Journey.

Truth Card

Words are taken from an image by BGU.

To create the background, I first coated the page in white gesso,
then added a layer of
Americana multi-surface Neon acrylic paint by DecoArt (blue).

Once dried, I applied more white gesso through a Dylusions stencil (Honeycomb Small)
using a Tim Holtz Mini Blending Tool.

These are more BGU images,
resized as Inchies.

All paper & images shown on this page are from BGU.

2016 Index Card A Day

During June & July, I have been taking part in ICAD2016.

I used this as an opportunity to work through two art journaling books
by Dina Wakley & the idea was a great success.

In the final week, I have made another stencil,
using a doodle design from card 32.

Card 32 - Taking my Pen for a Walk

Index Card 32

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Pistachio)

Dylusions Stencil - Honeycomb

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen

Card 33 - New Beginnings

Index Card 33

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Pistachio)

Black Acrylic Paint

Distress Ink (peeled paint)

Stencil (own)

Sakura Pigma Micron Pen

Printed Text

I will be making a quick video next week of all my index cards for my YouTube channel.

Art Journal Week 28

This is my art journal page for week 28.

I have followed the prompt on Colour Me Positive (CMP),

which was smile.

This page holds my Artist Trading Card (ATC)
for The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge.
You can see more detail here.

To create the background, I first coated the page in white gesso,
then applied a thin layer of watered down acrylic paint (Pistachio),
dabbing the excess off with paper towel.

I drew my grid with two different pencils,
smudging the Stablio All lines with my waterbrush
& used some Tim Holtz tissue tape as a page divider.

I also used:-
Paper from BGU
Butterfly from Crafty Computer Paper (now Homecrafts)
Printed Text

Here are pages for week 27 & 28 together.

Art Journaling with Dina Wakley Week 7

This blog post is about the Index Card A Day creative challenge.

This year I am using the challenge to work through two Art Journal books by Dina Wakley.

I am now reading through the second art journal book, Art Journal Courage.

Card 28 - Be Extraordinary

Index Card 28

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Pistachio)
Silhouette Mask - my own
Crafty Individuals Text Stamp (CI - 017)
Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Stabilo All Black Pencil
Waterbrush
Ohto Black Fude Ball 1.5
Book Text
Distress Marker (black soot)

Index Card 29 - Listen to your heart

Index Card 29

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Pistachio)
Magazine Image
Carbon Paper
Stabilo All Black Pencil
Waterbrush
Printed Text

Index Card 30 - Find your hidden depths

The ICAD challenge is not only about being creative everyday,
it is also about pushing yourself out of your own comfort zone.

One of my comfort zones is using soft muted colours,
so say hello to bright neons.

Index Card 30

I used the following materials:-

Americana multi-surface acrylic paint Neon by DecoArt
(yellow/green/blue)
ecogreen Acrylic Paint (Black)
Golden Gesso (White)
Ohto Fude Ball 1.5 Pen (Black)
Signo Pigment Ink Pen (White)
Crafty Individuals Text Stamp (CI - 017)
Printed Text

I revisited this card & added some DecoArt Neon (pink)
& a Tim Holtz Grungeboard heart,
with a little doodling.

Card 31 - Trying to keep my cool

Today is the hottest day so far this year,

so I've gone for hot pink overload.

Index Card 31

I used the following materials:-

Americana multi-surface acrylic paint Neon by DecoArt (pink)

Golden Gesso (White)

ecogreen Acrylic Paint (Black)

Tim Holtz Stencil (Dot Fade)

Distress Inks (picked raspberry/black soot)

Printed Text

Silhouette (own)

Nourish your soul

The Alpha Challenge at The Craft Barn is a year long creative challenge,
using a letter from the alphabet every two weeks as inspiration.

The next letter (as it is not being done in alphabetical order) is

N

& we must include the definition of our chosen word.

I have chosen the word
Nourish.

The image is from a Crafty Computer Paper CD.

The words were cut from an old book

& the definition torn from an old English Dictionary.

This ATC will have a place in my Art Journal for Week 28.

Art Journal Week 27

This is my art journal page for week 27.

I have followed the prompt on Colour Me Positive (CMP),

which was Do It.

I couldn't decide what I was going to do for this week,
so I just started & this is how it ended up.

To create the background, I first coated the page in white gesso,
then applied a thin layer of watered down acrylic paint (Pistachio),
dabbing the excess off with paper towel.

This is the same paint as I used for weeks 2, 5 & 6,
so you can see the difference in pigment intensity
by applying the paint this way.

I drew my grid with two different pencils,
smudging the Stablio All lines with my waterbrush
& used some Tim Holtz tissue tape as a page divider.
.
I also used:-
Paper from BGU
Dymo tape
Printed Text

Art Journaling with Dina Wakley - Week 6

This blog post is about the Index Card A Day creative challenge.

This year I am using the challenge to work through two Art Journal books by Dina Wakley.

I am using what supplies I already have to hand,
adapting the techniques when necessary.

I am now reading through the second art journal book, Art Journal Courage.

Card 25 - Keeping it simple

Index Card 25

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Orchid)
Stabilo All Black Pencil
Acrylic Paint (Rose)
White Gesso
Distress Ink (broken china)
The Crafters Workshop Stencil (Chicken Wire)
Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Tim Holtz Stamp
Printed text

Card 26 - Imagine, Believe, Create

Index Card 26

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Orchid)
Distress Ink (broken china)
Distress Ink (picked raspberry)
Distress Marker (black soot)
Tim Holtz Stencil (Typo)
The Crafters Workshop Stencil (Chicken Wire)
Printed text


Card 27 - Me, myself & I

Index Card 27

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Pistachio)
Distress Ink (broken china)
Distress Ink (walnut stain)
Tim Holtz Stencil (Bubble)
Stencil - my own
Printed text

Progress through this book is slow, so only three cards this week.

It took me a long time to make the face stencil for card 27,
but I am thrilled with the result.

Art Journal Week 26

This is the page in my art journal for week 26.

I have followed the prompt on Colour Me Positive (CMP),

which was about celebration.

I used a spare ICAD2016 card to create an ATC.

I used
Acrylic Paint (waterfall)
White Gesso
Tim Holtz Stencil (Bubble)
Distress Ink (broken china)
Butterfly from BGU
Printed text

This page holds my ATC (Artist Trading Card) for The Craft Barn Alpha challenge.

You can read more about it here.

To create the background, I first coated the page in white gesso,
then applied a layer of acrylic paint (Waterfall).

When the paint was nearly dry,
I removed some of the paint
using a wet wipe through a Tim Holtz stencil (Typo).

I drew my grid with a white pen
& used some tape as a page divider.

Here are pages from week 25 & 26 together.

Art Journaling with Dina Wakley Week 5

This blog post is about the Index Card A Day creative challenge.

This year I am using the challenge to work through two Art Journal books by Dina Wakley.

I am using what supplies I already have to hand,

adapting the techniques when necessary.

I have nearly finished working my way through Art Journal Freedom.

Card  21 - Love the one you're with

Index Card 21

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Waterfall)
Distress Ink (dusty concord)
Distress Ink (broken china)
Tim Holtz Stencils (Flourish & Bubble)
Distress Marker (black soot)
White Gesso
Crafty Individuals Stamp (heart)
Old Dictionary Paper
Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Silhouette (own)
Printed text

Card 22 - Use your head

Index Card 22

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Waterfall)
Distress Marker (black soot)
Tim Holtz Stencil (Bubble)
Old Dictionary Paper
Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Head Image (Michelle Ward)
White Uni Posca Marker
Printed text

Card 23 is the first index card using Art Journal Courage for prompts.

I used carbon paper to trace the outline of the lady's face,
then used a Stabilo All Black pencil to re-draw the lines.

I used a waterbrush to then move the colour around.

Index Card 23

Not too happy with the outcome,
mainly because the only carbon paper I could find at my local shop was blue
but also because I am outside my comfort zone.

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Orchid)
Carbon Paper
Magazine Image
Stabilo All Black Pencil
Waterbrush
Distress Ink (broken china)
Distress Ink (walnut stain)
Tim Holtz Stencil (Bubble)
Whispers Watercolour Pen (brown)

Card 24 - Stop Hiding

I used carbon paper to trace the outline of the lady's face,
then used a Stabilo All Black pencil to re-draw the lines.

I used a waterbrush to then move the colour around.

Index Card 24

I used the following materials:-

Acrylic Paint (Orchid)
Carbon Paper
Magazine Image
Stabilo All Black Pencil
Waterbrush
Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Tim Holtz Stencil (Typo)
Printed text

Pure Wisdom

The Alpha Challenge at The Craft Barn is a year long creative challenge,
using a letter from the alphabet every two weeks as inspiration.

The next letter (as it is not being done in alphabetical order) is

W

& we must include the definition of our chosen word.

I have chosen the word
Wisdom.

The image is from a Crafty Computer Paper CD.

The words were cut from an old book

& the definition torn from an old English Dictionary.

This ATC will have a place in my Art Journal for Week 26.

Art Journal Week 25

This is the page in my art journal for week 25.

I have followed the prompt on Colour Me Positive (CMP),

which was about being enough.

To create the background, I first coated the page in white gesso,
then applied a layer of acrylic paint (Waterfall).

When the paint was nearly dry,
I removed some of the paint
using a wet wipe through a Tim Holtz stencil (Typo),
to reveal the white gesso underneath.

I drew my grid with a white pen
& used some tape as a page divider.

Tough week in the United Kingdom,
as we took a chance & voted for change ...

I also used:-
Papers & butterfly from BGU
Dymo tape
Printed Text
Fabric Tape