Art Journal Page Creative Process

Several people have asked what my creative process is when I'm coming up with ideas for projects.  I guess in my case it depends on what the project is for and if I have restrictions as to the products that can be used.  Usually when I  am designing a Calendar Art Journal page for a class it takes me several days to come up with something I really like.  My process starts out on a post card size (4" by 6") piece of watercolor paper coated lightly with gesso.  When that is dry I start playing until I come up with a page that works for me.  Right now I'm working on my June Calendar two page spread that eventually I will do in the Dyan Reaveley journal for the store, Ink About It, and later teach to a group of very talented ladies.  By the time I'm done I have executed it three times.  Once in my "junk" journal, once in my real journal and once in the store's journal.  Whew! 

Here is the first post card design I came up with using StazOn inks and my new Stampotique girl stamp.  I'm trying to get a feel for the colors and images I want to use.

A second design soon followed.

I liked the background on this second one so much I did the first two page "sample" in a journal.

I tried the little Stampotique girl but she just didn't seem to fit it so I was looking around for something else to go on the page.  Then I remembered.....guess who just got some of Dina Wakley's new silhouettes made by TCW?  The stencil is called "Mini Casey and Penelope", it is so 60's.  So I thought I'd give them a whirl.
I actually made two other calendar pages that I'll share with you another time.  They have a very vintage 1920's feel to them.  The background that I finally chose will be changed and tweaked until the days of the week and the month fit into the whole thing.  The banners are made out of gesso scraped through an old stencil.  The circles are made with a stencil from Dyan Reaveley.

What is your creative process?  Have you ever tried to put it into words?  I'd love to hear what it is, leave a comment if you have time.  Thanks for stopping by, it has been snowing here again for hours.  Brrrrrrr!
Talk to you soon!

Blizzard Day::Great for Crafting

Snow days are perfect for crafting as long as you have power!  So far, so good.  It started snowing here around 10am this morning  and so far we have about an inch and a half of accumulation.    I'll take pics tomorrow when my husband starts clearing the driveway.

I'm working on some projects for new classes that I will be teaching this Spring at Ink About It, my LSS in Westford, MA.  I thought a little crayon art would be fun.  I actually spotted this trend on Pinterest a couple of months ago and tried it.   Wow!!  So much fun.  It looks like it is for kids but not really, it requires close adult supervision.  There is always a chance of younger kids getting burned.  First the hot glue is, well, HOT.  Then the melted crayons are also very hot.  If you get too close to the crayons with your heat gun or hold your heat gun on one spot for too long the paper wrappings could catch fire.  (I bet you're wondering how I know that. :-))  But besides all the precautionary comments, the project turns out so stinkin' cute!

This is made using a Rick St. Dennis digital image called "Euro Clowns".  The  images are colored in with Copic markers.

This stamp is by Zettiology.  I colored her in with Copic markers.

Today I will be revamping these projects with stamped images that have a circus theme.  They should be really cute!

 What do you do when you're snowed in?  I would love to hear what you do during times like this.  I'm just praying we don't lose power.  Then we start camping out, literally, we bring all the camping equipment up from the basement, build a big fire (in the fireplace) and hunker down.  Yes, it is really attractive, not to mention romantic.....not.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit.  Keep warm and dry!  Be safe and I'll talk to you soon.