Journal Elements

I like to have a supply of flaps, pockets or tags ready ahead,
to add to my journal.

It’s also fun to have some bases ready when I want to improvise
and play.

When time is short, I make these in advance. I cut out random rectangles smaller than the journal page or tag pocket.

I use manila tag paper like this, because I use a lot but file folders are the same paper.

I also use heavy kraft mailing paper, or scrap brown packing paper.

These are painted with matte black acrylic paint leaving a tiny border.
The corners are rounded and inked

When they dry they will curl and if the paint is thick enough, they will dry flat.

 

Painting them on the back helps them to lie flat when they dry.

  I take a colored pencil and doodle lines across the tags. The tags look better if the lines are night ruler straight. In your natural writing. As you practice they will get to be more even.

 

Here are some journal page sames of some tags in use. The one below has scrap papers and a colored pencil drawing on a kraft paper scrap.

From the same journal,flips on top of flips.

Drawn on like a chalk board with colored pencil

A tag inserted into a book pocket.

 

junk journals

 

 

Paper bag junk journal 

this journal is made from brown paper that stuffs

and pads boxes for mailing. It s my favorite junk journal making material.

 

 

 

 This journal is my composition junk journal. The embellishments

in this journal are leftovers and elements from abandoned projects.

I'll post more pages, and eventually a video.

These are shapes I explored in a class by Julie Hamilton.

I used a thick sharpie marker, and colored them digitally in Inkscape.

 

 

I printed them on tea dyed paper. I cut them on a scan n cut. 

In another post i'll show you my cutting challenged method.

 

Catch up post

loving-kindness

  What I have been working on

https://issuu.com/birdandflower/docs/studio_work

no ordinary hands

Of all the things I love and appreciate, it is my hands.


I care for my hands by:
keeping them warm
improve circulation by:
warm-up and range-of-motion exercises
rest days from the computer
hanging my arm off the side of the bed for pain and circulation
 ergonomic brushes or thick brushes

My range of motion exercises is gentile. I find it more fun and helpful if I have a few go-to exercises. What works the best for me finger touches with my thumb.

I have been doing this for years and have found flexibility and less pain and swelling in my weaker hand and lots of improvement in my most distorted hand.

Hanging my hand over the side of the bed increases blood flow and lowers pain before I go to sleep.

carrying weights when I walk, much like the farmers walks only not exactly, but using the same principle with weights that I can carry while walking. This has improved my hand strength amazingly, much better than hand grips or fist exercises which I can't do because the repetition causes strain.

supplements
relaxation
heating pad
self-massage

hard tipped pens

• Black pilot gel pens
• Pigma Graphic 1

Using these types of pens and finding the best hardness pen type and paper helps my drawing. I practice faux calligraphy for range of motion.

Coloring page in Etsy shop

paper doll color page

in my Etsy shop.

working on computer skills with gimp

Future collage and sticker elements.

The graphic of polaroids taped to a wall is from Creative Market.

Once I found my way around the PSD smart layer files, I was able to add my own artwork and embellish this graphic.

So what this means is, I downloaded the zip file. I extracted the PSD files.
I chose the graphic I wanted to work with

I have merged most of the layers as I was working, but as you can see the PSD file opens easily and your own graphics can be inserted.

working with colors

Working with least favorite colors.

TBH I love colors. ALL colors. 

My color resistance stems from not wanting to take the time to mix colors.

Taking a free class: Infinite pool

I am going to continue with the Art Mythos that follows it.

Yes, I'm going to do it again. 

healing hands

 With love and appreciation for my hands.

This year my hands have had many challenges. Swelling, arthritic

changes, and pain to name a few.

They have served every  request and I am so grateful.

Things I have been learning

I am learning Inkscape and Gimp, and hope to be
more proficient in both next year. 

The banner classes are fun. I really like applying 

what I have learned from other classes.

Sticker class

Inkscape fabric repeat class 1st lesson

Sketch notes / journal

One of my favorite artist's dates is taking classes. 

I put aside a little time to acquire new skills 

and to improve the ones I have.

My favorite platform for this is Skillshare

type in banners and see the classes that pop up. 

Using this link will earn points or classes 

for me, but you can just type in .com if that is better for you.

      I embellished the banners and created sheets to 

journal on. I like to write with I Ching prompts, 

dream journal entries, or goal brainstorming.

I am going to start my 100-day challenge over, using ideas I learned from this class: The-Perfect-100-Day-Project

Best artist date ever!

my mood

I am in the mood for flowers.
My zinnias have been inspiring me to see how many ways I can draw them.

I'm thinking of many projects these would be good for.

I would love to have them as stickers or affirmation cards