Art Journaling Group: Using a Grid

Art Journaling Group. 

It was my turn to present. 

I showed Lyn Frye's Smallies 

from her blog, A View from the Oak. Do visit!

I've mentioned her Smallies in a previous post.  

 For Lin it is an ongoing daily practice. 

I did it for one month last winter.

 I loved choosing my image or event at the end of each day. 

It was like having a special lens with me,

a way to pay closer attention.

(To see my previous post, click Here.) 

 The idea I presented this time, to our Zoom group,

 was, using a grid, to virtually invite 

one another into our homes 

by writing/drawing things that are close to us: 

literally & figuratively. 

Things we would show if we were having 

guests in our homes.

I loved the personal images & stories that emerged.

My own grid ended up fading into the background, 

but created a nice framework for little drawings. 

It was fun to teach a little something again...

Art Journaling On the Go

A new 8 X 11" page in my art journal,

created at the weekly Library Art Journaling Group.

Sharing & working together, they call it "synergy."

I call it magic.

This was my first "To Go" page in my Daily Journal. 

After watching a ton of videos

about the Midori Travel Journal system,

& about approaches to Bullet Journaling,

I modified my Rhodia A5 size dot grid book

(the best for fountain pens!)

by adding colored elastic cords under which I slid 

loose, folded sheets of blank paper. 

On the go, I can pull a sheet out, draw, write,

& then stick it back in! It worked!!

Below, I'm loving seeing the accumulation of Jan. days 

on my Mini Memory Calendar!

The squares measure 1 1/4 square inch.

The calendars are on premium color copy paper.

Nine days ago...

Today! 
One day at a time a month happens!

Happy End of January!

What I've Been Up To...

A little sketching with the Sketchers...

At a most magical shop in town, Brambles...

The owner always welcomes us! 

(I have previous posts/sketches from Brambles...)

Quick sketches when I'm out. 

Still carrying the book everywhere.

This was lunch at the Coop, a great Sketch-Op.

Enjoying my Prismacolors. Here,

they were basking in winter sunlight that streamed in

through the back door blinds.

 Prismacolors on my new "mini memory" daily calendar, 

inspired by the great sketch blog of Lin, View From the Oak
& her "Smallies". Do visit her blog! 

A great form of journaling!

Card calendars for my bulletin board.

Been playing with collage a bit.

Ongoing Daily Journal ritual. Every morning with coffee.

I'm adding more color, drawings & paste-ins

than before.

 

This was the bottom corner of a page. 

That's Washi tape as the base.

Envelope-pocket-journal-folio books, 

taught by local paper craft artist & teacher, Robinsunne. 

Current one in progress.

Elements taped with temporary cellophane tape.

 I mostly didn't send out holiday cards.
I gave a few of these to folks in my Zumba class. 
I hope you all had a fun holiday season.

 My new cork board on the mantle. 
A reminder that I want to paint more without ink line...
A challenge, & outside my comfort zone!

Above, some are mine, some are inspirations by others.

Great time of year for making art!

In and Out of Lines

My tiny holiday Zumba Girls have changed to Winter Girls.

When I'm watercoloring their fashions, I'm reminded of

my hours of coloring in childhood. 

Later coloring books were shunned by everyone I knew

as being detrimental to creativity. 

Now they are tremendously popular with adults,

& are sold as meditative activities. 

Are coloring books good or bad or neither?

My Prismacolors have replaced Crayolas.

Making this chart also felt like childhood coloring days.

I've been thinking about staying in lines, or not,

sharp edges verses soft, tight verses loose. 

Punching out colored penciled stars from my swatches creates sharp, 

manufactured edges and shapes.

Is this good for creativity, or bad, or neither?

What are your thoughts?

Mini Zumba Greetings

I failed to send Christmas cards this year. 

But I have promised myself that I will send winter cards.

I did make up some mini-cards to give to a few local folks,

some of them being fellow Zumba enthusiasts.

 

 And a card for my Zumba teacher. 

I have enormous gratitude for her. 

This dance & her exercise classes have enriched

my life & my health tremendously!!!

Batches of Mini Cards

My mom & I used to bake Batches of Christmas cookies.

A few times we made crafts. Each year during 

the darkness of the year I fall into making cards (not cookies).

This year, Batches of mini cards, 2.5"X 3". 

I call them "Reet's Paper Treats".

 Some to give away. Some to sell at The Sail Locker (click here). You can also catch the Sail Locker at the Saturday United Farmers Market of Belfast.   

 Using my bits & pieces again,

and my themes that have sat in the idea journal for awhile.

They're in cellophane packets, hence the reflections.

I forgot to photo them before wrapping.

Also a batch of 4" X 6" cards. 

Some are re-purposed pop-ons from last year's French alphabet series.

Working toward a line for summer tourist season in Maine.

So many talented artists & artisans on the coast of Maine

who are also great entrepreneurs. (Marketing is not my forté.)

"Magic for you!" says the fairy!

More Mini Accordions with Some French

Some Materials:

Quality paper 

• du papier de bonne qualité

• du papier qui est souple et flexible

Cardboard

• du carton, l'épaisseur dépende 

sur la taille de livre et sur le type de papier

• un couteau, X-acto knife

(il faut souvent changer la lame)

Glue

• de la colle, je préfere "Yes! Glue" et "UHU glue stick" 

(Bâton de colle) 

Ruler and Triangle

• Une règle de métal, un triangle

Embroidery thread

• du fil de broderie

How To:

Put "non-adhesive accordion book" into Google.

My favorite is the one by Rebecca Edwards,

"How to Make an Accordion Folded Book Without Glue"

But check out lots of others for tips on various techniques.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Il me faut pratiquer avec beaucoup de répétition.

I'm not gifted in cognitive, left brained functioning...

I have to try things and experiment. 

If faut aborder mes projets 

dans un esprit d'exploration, d'aventure, 

d'expérimentation et de découverte. 

I still mess up on new projects like this, 

having  to adjust elements. 

It all works à la fin, just takes me longer.

(But when I will teach it, I will have it down

because of the practice.)

The author of the podcast Français Authentique says: 

"N'avyez pas peur

de faire des erreurs." 

Dont' be afraid to make mistakes.

Oui, j'en essaie.

A Happy Easter Mini

 Holidays, a lovely excuse 

to make cards & decorations!

I'm grateful that this holiday tradition 

started for me in childhood.

I LOVE mini cards, 
with cutouts glued on (Yes paste) 

onto a small folded strip.