Wanderlust Mixed Media Art Journal Lesson

The Wanderlust class a few weeks ago

was with Marta Lapkowska.

We created a mixed media art journal page.
Marta used an old book for her lesson,

but I used a booklet that was recently put through my letterbox.

I tried to follow along with Marta,
being brave & copying her style.

It felt uncomfortable.

Not my normal style or method of working.

There is a long list of materials,
so I hope I have remembered everything.

Liquitex Clear Gesso

Golden White Gesso

Ranger Texture Paste
Dina Wakley Media Stencil (Cellular)

Matte Mod Podge

Tim Holtz Distress Inks

aged mahogany

antique linen

black soot

brushed corduroy

mustard seed

walnut stain

Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist (Buccaneer Bronze)

Old pieces of lace, fabric & organza ribbon

wooden butterfly shapes
a white paper flower

white cotton thread
abaca ribbon
& white string

Ranger Liquid Pearls (White Opal)
Tim Holtz Distress Crayons

The butterfly image (from a collage sheet by Everything Art)
is one I had already printed off.
It is covered with Ranger's Glossy Accents.

I am not that happy with the final result,
but I enjoyed the process
& watching Marta's video lesson.

The One Day Project: A Blackbird's Song

Today I would like to share another page in my vintage collage journal.

The journal is made from altered 3½ inch square drinks coasters.

Just using scraps of paper & a gluestick.

Scissors & a sanding block.

Blending colours,
following the movement of the images
& enjoying the pure essence of creativity.

You can read the story behind this project here.

SoulBook - Part Two

Following on from yesterday's blog post,

below are a few more photographs

showing the progress as I continue to create my SoulBook,

as part of the SoulBook Gathering event organised

by Brave Living.

First up is the front cover.

I wanted to honour the origin of the structure of my book,

which was made from cardboard postage boxes

from the Brave Girls Club.

I used a piece of silk screen printed vellum,

so that I could still see the original artwork through it.

I left a free edge so that I can lift the vellum to see the artwork underneath.

I have also begun work on the introduction page,

with a few more elements cut from the boxes.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my creative process.

I'll write another post once I have completed the whole book.

Meanwhile, if you want to join in, it's not too late,

just pop over to their website for all the details

or their Facebook Group.

SoulBook - Part One

In my previous blog post I mentioned the SoulBook event
organised by Brave Living,
the new name for Brave Girls Club.

I've watched Melody's how-to videos & started to plan my book. 

I need to restock my Mod Podge supply

before I can start to collage the backgrounds etc,

but I have constructed the basic structure of the book.

I have used old Soul School Brave Boxes,

each cardboard page measuring 4" by 6" (approx 10 cm by 15cm).

Ten pages in total, the two covers & eight pages inside.

The edges of the inside pages are protected with adhesive backed fabric tape
& the fabric on the spine is by British designer Vanessa Arbuthnott (I'm a big fan).

I am now spending time,
quiet moments,
reflecting on which words to include inside,
& gathering papers, embellishments etc
to decorate the cover & pages.

Soul to Soul

In case you haven't heard the news
Brave Living
(formerly Brave Girls Club)

is launching a worldwide event on 28th October 2017.

The idea is based on one of their online classes, SoulBook
but this time, the idea is to create your own individual book
together in groups, with friends, family
or with future friends.

Even if you have made this book in the past,

if feels the right time to revisit this BGU lesson

& examine what we need right here, right now.

I will be working through the lesson on my own again

& share what I can here on my blog.

Click the image below for the full details.

It's free to join in
& you can use whatever supplies you have to hand.

You don't need anything fancy,
you can make your own book using cardboard for the pages
& your choice of embellishments, papers, paints, colours etc.

Just print off the free PDF & you are ready to start.

There is also a Facebook Group you can join.

The aim is to refocus on what is important to you,
right now.

The One Day Project:Gentlemen & Goldfinch

Today I would like to share another page in my vintage collage journal.

The journal is made from altered 3½ inch square drinks coasters.

Just using scraps of paper & a gluestick.

Scissors & a sanding block.

Blending colours,
following the movement of the images
& enjoying the pure essence of creativity.

You can read the story behind this project here.

Looking for Inspiration

This is my One Word card for October.

My word is
Inspire.

It is important to continually look for inspiration,
to see the possible from the ordinary,
the beauty in the unusual
& translate this into our own creativity.

The One Word project was an idea by Kasia Avery,
during Week 33 of her Wanderlust 2017 online class.

Each month we choose our word for that month

& make a small card which goes into our One Word box,
which last month had a slight make-over.

The project is mainly about using up old scraps of paper

or recycling junk mail,
things that other people would consider to be trash.

I went for using up all those small scraps of paper
 that I have been hoarding over the years,
some pieces so small that most people
would have already discarded them.

I enjoy the process of paper collage,
combining different patterns & images together
to create a cohesive piece of art.

My previous One Word cards

Begin - August 2017
Change - September 2017