Book of Days : using collage elements

Art lesson from Book of Days last month. I started her in September - didn't get very far!

This weekend I finally answered her call to become my Spring celebration. Effy's lesson was about using collage elements (something she doesn't usually do) and celebrating the abundance of Autumn. This was her example - shared on her blog HERE.

I share hers so you can see how I took mine in a different direction - she always encourages us to take what we've learned and make it our own. This is how I 're'-started last night.

One of my favourite techniques to use for collage is paper serviettes - using only the top layer and torn edges means they melt right into the page (see details in my tutorial here). Very fortunate to have been gifted this lovely serviette last week - perfect timing!

Worked on her face 

and then decided that her hair could do with some collaged serviette butterflies too

Here she is all finished. Click on any photo to see it larger.

Effy blogged every day in September. In her post "Revel", she talked about our BOD theme for October and provided the PDF of prompts FREE for you to have as well. The great thing is these prompts are useful for whenever you want to use them - they don't have to be October and you could even use them month to month - your answers will be different. These prompts are offered as a way in to self-inquiry. The way we use them in Book Of Days varies according to each person’s individual needs. Some of us cut and paste them into a written journal and engage them there. Some of us just let the prompt guide our writing in whatever direction it wants to take. Some of us use these prompts as a portal into our art journals.
See my Flickr album for all my art from classes with Effy HERE. Sign up to Book of Days or other classes with Effy Wild HERE. 

Stitch*Bookery : book 4

Recently I decided it was about time to make myself a book from the Stitch*Bookery online class by Mary Ann Moss. The first 3 were all gifted. One of my favourite colours is purple, so I started making a concertina book on canvas featuring purple complemented by yellow and green. You might remember these progress shots from previous posts : 

I was stuck at this point (below) before I realised that the end pages form the cover...

and I was able to finish it today ♥ It's my fourth book made from this class, so I was thrilled to find these words for my cover : 

Click on any photo to see it larger

I just LOVE how it turned out. I also like the canvas back with the exposed stitching.

These are a couple of my favourite spreads from the back

Registration is currently open for this class until 1st November! - better get in now if you've been thinking about it. 

Check out all my posts about this class HERE. 

One Little Word : October - music lyrics (Daily journaling Week 43)

I've been following the prompts of the original Documented Life 2014 and the blog for Life Documented 2017 HERE : 

Theme: A look at life through pictures
Technique: collage photos, drawn pictures, and include yourself

I want to finish this Life Documented project (only 9 weeks/prompts to go!), but in my own way. Create something because you love it, not because you 'should' ♥ This week I'm using my Daily journal to focus on my One Little Word prompt for October to connect with SHINE through music lyrics. I ♥ music - it plays in my car, it plays when I'm in my studio and in my kitchen....There are a couple of songs that have been showing up through the year that really make me feel connected with my word - they are Katy Perry's "Firework" 

and Sheryl Crow's "Soak up the sun". 

 

I decided to print out the lyrics from both songs to start my spread 

I highlighted a couple of favourite phrases I don't want to lose as I go on, and painted them with gel medium so if I get wet paint in the wrong place later I should be able to clean it off with a wet wipe. I thought I'd include a photo of myself (inspired by the Life Documented prompt). This is a favourite from January this year - the beach is one of my favourite places and nicely fits with Sheryl's song, plus love the glittery sea

I decided to use bits of it as photo collage elements - even the sand gives a glitter effect.

I used some stencils and have these lovely vellum bits which include music notes that I could include

Had to include the word shine, and I flicked some gold paint around and outlined my hearts with gold gel pen. Here are the highlighted lyrics

I am very happy with the completed spread.

I managed to satisfy some of the daily journaling prompts while also completing my OLW prompt. See all my posts about OLW 2017 HERE, and my Flickr album which includes any art featuring my word as well as the class prompts HERE.
You can see all my posts about the Life Documented project HERE and my Flickr album HERE.

Daily Journaling Week 42

I'm following the prompts of the original Documented Life 2014. Week 42 : Stars
And from the blog for Life Documented 2017 HERE : 

Theme: A Look At Life Through Pictures (drawn or photos)
Prompt: Use a Tag Some Way
Technique: Stitching a Photo on an Altered Art Tag

I began by using the star prompt for my easy background by spraying through (and printing with) some star-ish shaped stencils

I am very comfortable using stitch with paper/photos and enjoyed using a tag again this week. Should have stitched on my tag last week too - great to have these prompts as reminders. My photo is of my Grandmother - she has been gone a few years now, but her life still inspires me. To my watercolour tag I added some of the sponged stencil, lace, found words, wool fibre tassel, and machine stitching

I added some words appropriate to the changing weather this week (sometimes in a day!), and decided to use a cute star stamp next to a gessoed space for my documentations.

As I journaled, I was thinking the tag didn't really tie into the rest of the page, but then I recalled a conversation with my son yesterday about how different the world is today and has changed in the 100 years since my grandmother was born and I added the words - "This is a different life than my Grandmother knew" 

- I always remember how she loved to see all the good ways my life was different than hers because of 'modern' ideas ♥
Here's my completed spread with the tag open (including my life through photos)

Lots of free creative inspiration this week - almost too much! Laly Mille has had a free class this week called "Into the light" which you might still be able to see if you're quick HERE. Information about Brave Girls' Soul Book experience is HERE, but I'm sorry to say Tam's free class was a coupon code only available to her newsletter subscribers.
Here's my spread with tag closed

You can see all my posts about this project HERE and my Flickr album HERE.

Birthday gift

It's my brother's birthday this month and when I got given a box of my Great Grandmother's lace earlier in the year, he mentioned it would be really cool to have a piece framed.....I painted some watercolour paper, tore it to size and hand stitched some pieces to it.

Found a lovely deep frame so the lace isn't squashed - there's a spacer to the glass

I am so happy with the way they look. Size inside frame is 15 1/4" square

I might have to make one for me as well!

Daily Journaling Week 41

I'm following the prompts of the original Documented Life 2014. Week 41 : Polka Dots
And from the blog for Life Documented 2017 HERE : 
Theme: A look at life through pictures (drawn or photos)
Prompt: Use a tag some way on your page
Technique: Finger paint
I began by looking through my stash for possible tags and found this from some jeans which had colours I love and circles to start

Inspired with the Polka Dot theme I used bubble wrap on my gelli plate to create the initial background, and then added some more gelli plate printing with my small circle plate 

The other smaller tag had red on it, and I decided to add it as a collage element to my spread below. Grunging it up with some stamping and mark making with black and white, a cork, and fingers

I like the energy of this look, so rather than add a whole lot more (as is my tendency!) I decided to let this fairly simple spread stand pretty much like this. Just needed to attach the large tag as a flap, a little more finger painting with bright blue 

and added some found words 

Done ♥

Last day of our school holidays - back to work tomorrow. The weather has been disappointing to say the least (very very wet) but promised better yesterday so we were off on a road trip. We went to Wellington and visited the Zoo. It was a fun day and when I look at these photos in the future I'll immediately remember the new car, the lovely blue sky, and the happy family outing we shared.
You can see all my posts about this project HERE and my Flickr album HERE.