YAPPING CAT STUDIO

More Journal Pages

Now, I'm a journal page geek today.  I've been playing with some pages off and on all day.  I think you can click on above to make it larger. 

I found that quote on Pinterest  this morning.  It reads, "The trick is on what one emphasizes.  We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong.  The amount of work is the same".  Loved that.  And since I've been a grump for about two weeks straight now, it really resonated with me.  And I decided a journal page would be good.  I ended up doing two corresponding pages, so that I could have room to write the "personal stuff".  :)

-c

Creative Buzz

The best thing about an art retreat...

..the creative buzz that lasts for several weeks after.  And while I only got to physically take one class, and even then, maybe only about 15 minutes of it, I've spent most of the day today finish that project. 

Shelly's class was awesome.  She has such a flair for these great, colorful journal pages.  I love her style.  And I think I was able to learn allot in just the short time that I was in her class.  See Geff above.  LOL. 

And I'm still playing with my other kit, hopefully I can show you that tomorrow. 

-c

PS Paper Cowgirl really was a great time and I hope to update that blog tomorrow as well.

One of my art teachers back in college had a theory, that went something like this.  If you can take one piece of art and make it do different things, than you have done a good thing.  For instance, he painted a picture of people in a dance hall for a particular customer.  That picture copy was later purchased for use on a telephone book cover.  And then copied for a restaurant menu.  One piece, three fab uses.

I am still playing with inking/stencils and various things on jouranl pages.  I created this for my funky little book.

But I liked it so much, I thought it would make a great page for my personal jouranl.  So I copied it.

After I copied it, I thought the bottom half was much more interesting than the top half and that these might make great note cards.  So I used the copies to make note cards.

One piece of art, with three different uses.  I love it.

I'm having way to much fun copying my own art.  LOL.

And the page I did last week, I used a copy to cover some comp books.

I guess my college professor was a pretty smart guy after all!  :) 

 

-c

 

PS...these are on my Etsy if you are interested.

   
Long before the movie ever came out, this was always one of my favorite quotes from Alice in Wonderful. I thought this would make a fun journal page.   To create this I started out using a stencil and a paint dabber.  Layered over with inks and more stencils.  Added some clip art, a stamp, some rub ons and then the wording.

Actually, I have done this as a journal page before.  And I thought you might get a kick out of seeing it, just to see how much my style has changed over the past few years.  This prisma pencil page was done in '06.  I've always liked funky hand-writing.  Always have been a fan of Susan Branch.

 
 
And here it is after I started jacking around with it in Picnik.  Kinda fun to copy your artwork and mess with it more digitally.  And yet, I've a feeling I'm the last one to discover that option.  LOL.  Me, always the late bloomer.  But always willing to believe the impossible.

-c

What does it take to believe?

Found this quote on Pinterest.  Here's my page if you want to looksee.  For my, its not just eye candy...its like eye crack.  Gah.  I'm hooked, bad. 

Anyway, loved this quote.  And yeah, I believe...

 

c

Polly wolly Doodle all day? Not.

One of the Through the Window class projects was to do a page with just doodling.  OK.  That's hard.  I'm not a doodler.  Seriously.  I like to do weird hand-writing, but doodling, not so much.

I know, right?  Who doesn't doodle?  Well, I guess that would be me.  Not when I'm on the phone.  Not when I'm waiting on something.  Not in church.

Not even in boring meetings when I used to work in corporate.  I just always end up drawing circles.  Wow, Freud has to have something to say about that. 

And white space...gaaaahh.  Thanks goodness we were supposed to have allot of white space, cause yeah, I just could not think of anything else to "doodle".  sheesh.  So, yep, its supposed to look like that. 

Here's the pages in their entirety (click th pic to see the whole thing).  I have a little more Prisma Pencil color to add on the right hand side, but actually its about done. This is one of my favorite Emerson quotes, "Boughs on which the wild bees settle, tints that spot the violet petal".  I have done this page before...but this one is bigger...and supposedly more doodlie. Doodler.  Doodled.

I have to know, do you Doodle? 

-c

Hey...Remember Me?

Quite funny just how quicly time flies, especially when you are having fun.  And its not been all work for me lately, I have managed to squeeze in a bit of fun.  And that fun came in the form of an on-line class. 

I just completed (note the wordl COMPLETED) , Teresa McFayden's Through the Window Journal classs. 

Was so proud of myself, for completeing and it opened up the old creative faucet...which had truly grown rusty. 

That makes me happy!

Hope you are having a happy Monday too! 

-c

PS...to see more of my art journal pages, take a peek here!

 

Art a Day...

...keeps the doctor away?  Well, one can only hope.  But if that is the case, I'm sheer outta luck today.

Today was frustrating in that I really, really wanted to go to the Studio and play.  But domesticity calls.   And so, like the good girl that I am, I cleaned out my fridge. 

And made room for fresh fruit, and took my roast outta the crock pot (yum! can't wait for dinner) and focused on house hold duties and Paper Cowgirl details. 

I was hoping to get to paint a little more.  I got a bunch of clothes pins painted last week.

I was hoping to journal as I am way behind (what's new *eye roll*) in Hope's on-line class, as well as being behind in Trudy's artistic mom class.  I've been playing with backgrounds, but nothing looks worth showing.  So, no peekie for you. 

I've not even had time to play with this!  Grrrr.  Frustration.  And toddler head that I am, I'm finding it hard to go and play for 15 minutes and then break away to do other things.  At 15 minutes I'm just getting warmed up.  But I will keep trying to squeeze it into my day here and there.  I'm trying to re-train my brain to break that  "all or nothing" mindset.

Hey!  I saw on someone's blog the other day, this great saying, about creativity being in not just sitting down and creating something tangible, or art per say, but in how you create each moment in the day.  And I thought that was wonderful.  I wish I could find it, but I've searched and searched to no avail.  Did anyone else see it?

And speaking of sayings, how sad is it that my grocery sack has ambition?  LOL.

I thought that was too cute! 

Well, I'm off to see if I can get a toilet scrubbed before Sweet Hub gets home.  I'll have to focus really hard to find the creativity in that little task!  :D

Oh, before I forget...go check out my fren, Shelly, she's having a giveaway on her blog! 

Its Wednesday, but it feels like Tuesday.

-c

Journal Joy

Seems like everyone is following Teesha's you-tube tut's on how she does her fantastic art journal pages.  Linda has been doing some cool stuff, and I know I've seen other blogs as well, branching out into this ultra hip look. 

And while I have not gotten as brave and bold as those gurls, I'm dipping my toe in the water, just a peep.

But I've been playing with colored pencils rather than paints.  This page has some work to go yet. 

My friend, JuJu gave me the coolest PaPaYa set of stickers for Christmas and I used a few on the page above.

And on this tag as well. 

I'm saving my pennies for the new Art Journal issue.  I've already seen it at The Barnes.  Looks inspiring.

I can't seem to make myself clean the Studio.  Ugh.  Would be so much nicer if I got all the Christmas out and started fresh.  It might just make my brain more creative.  LOL.

Oh well, as Scarlett said...tomorrow is another day.

Vintage Velvet Violet Petals....gone

Thank you all for the answers to "keep or not to keep".  Yeah.  You're right!  And while I can't keep everything, this one is a keeper indeed.

Speaking of vintage finds, not much to be had at Canton yesterday.  What a disappointment.  Lots of vendors there, just no "good stuff".  Well.  What I consider "good stuff" anyway.  Found a few things, I'll try and post those tomorrow.

And NO where could I find these guys.  That was another disappointment.  Boo.

But, all in all, a day spent with my Dad is always a good day.  And we did have a nice day, jabbing each others "taste" in goods.  Yes, according to him, I have NONE.  LOL.  But the day also had much yakking, laughing, walking, being outside and enjoying a good burger.  So, it was not all bad. 

And speaking of vintage things I hate to let go.  The last of the velvet violets are being shipped out.  *sigh*  I really hated to let those go.  But as I said, I can't keep everything.  As much as I would like to. 

And speaking of violets.  I had started this journal page several days ago and never got back around to it.  Imagine my delight when Pam posted on journal pages the other day.  It reminded me, that I had one (page) sitting near the desk, asking to be finished.  Begging.  But no time for you right now.
 
Love this Emerson quote.  Makes me think of an enchanted place, dappled colors, and the smell of honeysuckle maybe?  Magical.  But I digress. 

Since I'm currently getting ready for my own journal class at Paper Cowgirl,  I'm soaking up anything and everything "journal".  Have not made the leap to Copic Markers but may have to pick some up and "play" with them this weekend.  I think my LSS is boasting of a pretty good selection right now.  Cause muh page needs color.  In a big way. 
 
And speaking of my journal class, those who are taking are in for a treat!  Sister has generously offered to let us dig through the stash left over from Sharon's Junk Journal class.  What fun you gals will have wading through that treasure trove of oldies and goodies.  Happy, Happy indeed.

And speaking of Happy....

Happy Friday.  Hope yours is a good un.

And speaking of....OK...I'll stop now!  :D