Documented life project and Lettering classes...

Over the last year I've learned more and more, making me more comfortable with my art journaling and lettering. Something I've been meaning to do for a while now is go back and retake each online art journaling or lettering class I've taken in the past year. I want to fill up one journal with all my classes, back to back. Redoing all projects, whether I loved them or not. Partly for additional practice, partly for a beautifully documented journal at the end of it all. Speaking of 'documented', I'm also part of the Documented Life Project put on by Art to the 5th. Five amazing artists, part journal, part planner, weekly challenges, you name it, this project is fantastic. You're supposed to use some type of agenda or planner for the project. I found myself too stingy to pay upwards of $20 for an agenda so for the first 15 weeks I just used a regular journal. Last week I found a discounted agenda and decided I should move my work into it and continue on with the year in it. Well, low and behold, I wasn't loving the small size of the agenda I bought. Today I came across an 11"x8.5" agenda/planner at the dollar store for a whopping $2!!! After juggling through a typical Sunday with my girls and then not so typically getting to take them to my mom's for a sleepover tonight, I got a few hours to get this new journal/planner ready for the year. It's going to take some catch up now (17 weeks worth - 17 art journal challenges - 17 weeks of empty calendar/agenda pages) but in the end of it all, I think it's going to work out very nicely. Here's how beautiful it looks before even starting!! All this is is a mini workshop through Art to the 5th on how to prep your planner for the process. It's so chunky and delicious already!!! I'm excited. Isn't that so yummy?!?!

Some other projects I've been working on this week are for my National Letter Writing Month group. Here's an envelope I made out of a piece of wallpaper from a wallpaper sample book my sister scored for me. How awesome!!

The full journal of classes I've taken over the year will be inside a new journal that I decorated like this:

I figured since 95% of the classes I took are Joanne Sharpe's classes, there's a good chance I may even fill the journal with just her classes anyway. So it seemed like a good choice of cover.

On a side note, I walked past this picture at the mall last week. I love it and I need it. So I checked the price... $1400. Yup. Not happening. I wish I could have captured a better picture of it but I wasn't sure if I was allowed to take pictures in there so I snapped this quick one with my phone and bolted.

creative evening with a friend...

My loving husband allowed me the 'night off' from the kids and some 'me' time. First thing I did? Called a fellow crafty friend and we spent the evening in my craft cave.

Inky fingers... I love it. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of our work because I was too focused on just that, our creative work!! I will say though, this is something I would ADORE to do on a weekly basis. (Heck, if I didn't have kids, I could do this on a daily basis!!) Christina, thank you so much for our evening last night. I really needed it!

a little catch up...

I was able to spend a little time in my art room this weekend. It was nice to actually have a couple of hours for once... although my laundry pile is laughing at my defeat but right now I don't care...

Had some fun with my sewing machine... the dragonfly dotted lines around the outer edge are stitched...

I played with my new Faber Castell water colour pencils. Wow, I am in love...

Had a little fun with some homemade modeling paste (gesso, glue, and baking powder)

This one's from Thursday when I spent the day with my five year old while she was sick...

The backside of the stitched 'Just Be'

And played with some sprays and acrylics...

Finally, I had some fun with my cricut and some gelly pens and embossing powders...

updated craft room...

I decided it was time to get rid of the two drab walls in my art room... the other two are a gorgeous burgundy but these two were just... blah tan.

I actually enjoy painting walls, I just don't particularly enjoy the tediousness of the cutting in and not making a mess ... haha... but Addison had some fun with me too!! She was so proud...

Sadly, I had to go over what she did but she and I will always know her work is there! Here's a look at the ...almost... finished product. (I still have to put the baseboard back on and I'd like to do something as a border around the chalkboard square I added today)

I like it a lot better. It still needs some minor touches but all in all, I'm impressed with how much I pulled off in two days!

buttons, glue gun, and mommy/daughter time...

Do you remember seeing this picture I posted earlier?

 My girls and I spent last night finishing it together. It was a full couple of hours of great mom/daughter time. We had a lot of fun and I love the outcome!! I think we'll hang it in our front porch area.

Surgery

I had my carpal tunnel surgery yesterday. I'm now at home, healing and resting. I'm going to go through some of the online classes that I've taken and play with colours as much as I can. I'm in a lot of pain so it will be in short bursts for now.

fish settled, art room cleaned

Well, the fish are settled, the girls love them. I also took a minute to rearrange my desk in my art room a bit.