A tippy toe into art journalling

Those of you that have followed me for a while may remember I had an idea to start art journalling at some stage.  Well this week whilst blog hopping  I was delighted to find a week-long free beginner's art journalling course going on at this blog.  It doesn't matter if you missed the start, the ideas are still up there. If you are interested in starting to journal yourself do take a look, as there is lots of fabulous inspiration.  On that blog there is also a link to her youtube tutorial videos and one of them was how to make a figure stencil using magazines.  I've wanted to do these for a while as they are also done by one of my favourite inspirational blog/journalling artists, Dina Wakley.  Here was the one I've rapidly done (you can tell, as its still very wet!) tonight because I was running out of time:

To do it you find an image with a strong outline - arms must be quite clear (mine could have been better but I was in a hurry) and cut it out:

This is the tip I learned - cover the picture with contact adhesive so it makes it stronger to use again - and  then cut round the shape again.

You then place the figure onto your paper and mist all around it:

(Oops, her face!) Take away the mask and Voila!:

You can then add other elements to the page, journalling, etc. 

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The other craft I did today was simply using some free printables from this site, I made these cute bookmarks (these are 2 out of 5):

and

(The book incidently, is a charity shop purchase I got today, 'Twenties Girl' by Sophie Kinsella - haven't started this one yet but LOVED her Shopaholic series)

Please comment ocassionally as I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for stopping by,

qwiksave

Picniking with Music

I've been Picniking again! As I've got a subscription I may as well make the most of it (it would be rude not to) - so I do many times over :-) and today, my theme was MUSIC. I got a music book from a charity shop recently which has the piano music and words to 'The Gondoliers' by Gilbert & Sullivan.*

Today I scanned some of the music pieces into my computer and did some more photo magic, courtesy of Picnik. First up we have this:

and I was really pleased with the 3d effect I (accidently!) created.

Next we have this:

 ..where I have modernised the old music with bright colours

...I also used the same original image to create this:

These two I just used because the words amused me (click to enlarge):

On this one I like the graphic quality of the image, and the transparency/velum look:

This one I did for fun!:

and this one! :-)

*According to the blurb, it was first performed at the Savoy Theatre in London in 1889.

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I decided to finish off the tye dying I started yesterday and very bravely decided to OVERLAP the circles.  Here is the finished bag, front:

Close-up:

and then I did one 'circle' on the back using all the colours:

 

Just so you know, the colours do dry paler.  This is how this pattern looked when I made it: 

Thanks for looking,

See you tomorrow,

qwiksave

Sharpie Tye Dying

I was browsing my very extensive blog list yesterday and came across a great idea on this blog that I felt I just had to have a go at.

It was Sharpie Tye-Dying.  In other words making a tye-die effect using Sharpie Marker Pens.  There was a great step-by-step tutorial (see link) which I was able to follow and this is what I have done on a cotton shopping bag so far:

I actually spoiled the circles I started because I thought they were too pale so added some more colour to them - oops!  I think I will cover the bag with more circles - and this time leave well alone! (you live and learn!)  

Here were the work in progress shots:

It is very satisfying watching the colour spread out from the middle!

Thanks for looking,

See you tomorrow,

qwiksave

New Waste Bin!

Now, there's a surprising blog title! And yes, I have got a new waste bin to show you that I got for my craft room - isn't it lovely?:

Look closer! (ignore the mess in the garden if you can!) It's got a metal framework with twigs all around it like a big bird's nest and those coloured dots?  They are buttons!  How sumptious is that? 

It's got a handle on it too!

Love it! (Well, as much as anyone can love a bin! lol) and no, I didn't make it, but I did get it today in a half price sale.  It's like a work of art it is, not just somewhere to put your discarded thingamabobs and whatnots...

Moving on.... and my craft today was again inspired by something around my house.  It was a skirt.  It's not actually one I've ever worn (its a bit small) but I've intended to one day.  At the moment I've got it pinned to my noticeboard as artistic inspiration (this is a detail):

 

I love the way the letters create other shapes where they overlap.

Another detail:

So this inspired me to do my own lettering picture:

..using stencils of different sizes.

I then put the photo of it into a different free photo-editing program called paint.net (which was recommended by Webuser magazine) and added this embossing effect:

 

(The colour was changed using Picnik).  

I really like the way it has created depth. 

What have you got around your house that you could use to inspire your crafting? 

Thanks for reading,

See you tomorrow,

qwiksave

Household Creativity

It's back to my creative posts again now after my bit of fun the weekend! 

You can never tell what it will be that can give you inspiration for your art.  You can be inspired by bits and pieces you have around you at home, in the garden, right where you are sitting now.

I was inspired to make this picture by a table we have in our hallway that we keep our post on!:

The table doesn't look like this normally, I've been doing some of my Picnik (free photo editing program) jiggery pokery.

It is just a normal antiquey looking table that I inherited and it has my favourite arty motif carved into its surface.  I am talking about Swirls! :-)

This is what part of it normally looks like:

It's really lovely as it is, but it also has such creative potential!

I've had fun with changing the images I've taken of this table tonight, all with just a few clicks of the mouse!:

 

Which turned out great! (Some of these effects may be 'Subscription Only' features of Picnik) 

I did a couple without writing too

(click to enlarge):

So many different looks!  Wish I could master Photoshop, then there would be no stopping me!

Thanks for reading,

See you tomorrow,

qwiksave

Summer Holiday Special - Part 10

This is the last part of my Summer Holiday Activity Series. (If you haven't already, please check out the other Parts 1-9).  I hope you've enjoyed looking at these as much as I have making them.  Whilst doing this I have found it interesting to see just how different my children look in the 5 years that have passed since these pictures were taken.  It's very hard to imagine the next 5 years....and the next!

This was a fun creative activity, making an aeroplane and a car out of a banana, wafers, sweets and whipped cream:

Here is my son proudly picking it up so I can take a photo:

OOps! Crash Landing!

..and this is the car we also made:

No accident this time!

Towards the end of the holiday we picked some local blackberries:

Yum!

(Another activity to try, fruit picking, it's fun!)

* * * * *

I didn't get to show you everything we have done (this series would be ENORMOUS!) but we also went on day trips to various places and we had a week at the Seaside, Tenby in Wales, where I used to go as a child.

Here we all are with our beach creation

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Enjoy the rest of your Summer Holiday,

and I'll be back with regular crafting soon,

qwiksave

Summer Holiday Special - Part 9

This is the last but one in the Summer Activity series and it has an artistic element in this one - its not all kids! :-)

The theme for this is Bubbles!

Back then in 2005, I had a bath and took some ordinary looking pictures of bubbles on the surface of the bath:

Then (also back then) I adjusted the pictures I took using a photo editing program

"Bubble Bath"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

They look so different, like something from space!  Anyway, that set the theme for today's activity. No, not space, bubbles.

We made some bubble pictures using paint, washing up liquid and a straw:

..and we made bubble wrap pictures:

and then I took some more pictures and altered them too:

Hope you have enjoyed this series,

One Final Part to come soon,

qwiksave