ahem

NOT!

I woke up again at 10 am

so much for ‘getting back to the daily routine!

(I will give it another try tomorrow – should I set the alarm clock maybe?)

So now it’s after diner and I still have to write my Tuesday blogpost, so
I won’t write too much text and just show you some things. I will give the
text-part another try on Friday (I will tell you about my word of the year then)

I had a good time with the top 2000 blog party last week.
For the ones that missed a blogpost (or two) – you can scroll down
to former posts and look at what the participants made…
I made an overview of my pages:

(If you want to view each page on a larger scale – find the ‘top 2000 gallery’
in the menu at the top of this blog – under ‘art journal archives’)

I worked on loose pages and bound them all into this book last Sunday.

Cover

First (content) page

Last page (a plastic pocket stores the list from the top 2000)

Believe it or not – despite all the chaos in the top 2000 week, I managed
to keep up with my weekly art journal pages in the ‘chronicles’!

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – Week 51

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – Week 52

I close my book the same way I did the year before: with a self portrait
made on the last day of the year (and I forgot! So this photo was taken
on the first of January…)

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – last page

Do I plan to keep up with ‘The Chronicles’ this year too? Oh yes!
It’s a habit… a good habit I think. I already bound the blank pages
that will contain the 52 weeks of 2012!

On December 30, Rachel from A Year in the Life of an Art Journal
posted the new prompt. It is the last prompt for 2011 and my last
prompt as a guest host since I will not continue as a part of the team.

I want to thank Rachel for the fun times and all that she did this year.
Thanks to the team too, for inspiring me ánd the participants with
fun and challenging prompts! Some prompts really forced me to step
out of my comfort zone – and that’s a good thing!

The coming year, AYITLOAAJ will be offering a new set of prompts
every 15th and 30th. Rachel and her team will be going to take a different
approach, and explore some new ideas. I don’t know what they’re up to,
but I will for sure keep an eye on it and – if I find the time – play along from
time to time!

Here’s for the last prompt of 2011

THE PROMPT: Reflections
THE SONG: Live Like There’s No Tomorrow by Selena Gomez and The Scene
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Stencils

How appropriate at the end of the year: ‘reflections’.
Here’s my take

I found a page in a storybook with the title ‘on the last day’. You can see it
shimmer through the gesso at the top. I transferred a photo of my eyes on
the page and used India Ink to paint part of the lyrics (which I ‘rewrote’ a bit
to fit myself) It’s kind of a simple page, but I didn’t want to add anything more.
I like it this way!

Last but not least – I’d like to make a call

In the first issue of FEATURING we’ll be covering the topic of Etsy shops
and we’d like to hear your opinions on the subject through our Etsy survey.

We’d like a wide variety of responses.
Whether or not you run an Etsy shop of your own and whether or not
you’ve ever shopped in one, all views are equally welcome.

I would be very grateful if you would be so kind to answer our questions!
The survey should only take 5 – 10 minutes to complete.

Click here to go to the website / survey.

Here ends my first blogpost of 2012.
I will try to get into my routine fast so that I will be able to post
on a more decent time of the day next Friday. See you then dear ones!

9 DAYS FROM NOW….

Read all about the upcoming annual TOP 2000 BLOG PARTY

in this post

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up early this morning.
‘They’ said on tv yesterday evening that it could snow at night
– but nope, outside it was grey and rainy.
It still is.
That was a little bit disappointing.
Just a little bit.
It didn’t effect my mood.
Not really…

I lightened my Christmas branches.
I made myself a pot of strong coffee,
and I wrote a haiku!

Do you love haiku?
Well, you’re lucky then ’cause it’s Haiku my heart Friday
For more haiku and photos, visit Recuaerda mi Corazon
where Rebecca hosts this weekly event.

Last week, it was my mom’s birthday.
Ofcourse I made her a card!

Happy, happy birthday mom!
Hope you liked the card with the happy, happy bird!

(Size: approximately 7,5 x 15 cm - 3 x 6 inch)
Material/techniques: acrylic paint, Template (sequin waste),
Adirondack color wash spray ink (Terra cotta), Washi tape,
magazine cut outs (penguin + text), Sharpies (white, yellow, red)

The text is a bit difficult to translate, but it says something like
‘Oh yes, it’s very much your birthday’

The year is almost over.
We’re at the second last prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

I decided not to extend my guest host ship at AYITLOAAJ, because launching
FEATURING magazine takes all of my time right now. The team is working on
all sorts of articles as we speak and you can imagine how much time it takes
from me to get – and keep – this ball rolling and try to make the magazine into
a success… it probably will keep on taking a lot of my time during the following
years but working on a dream is never boring! Anyway, I can’t commit to
challenge blogs as I cannot be there for 100%.
But the year ain’t over yet! I made something with this prompt and I hope to
squeeze in some time to make it to the last prompt (December 30) too – I like
to finish things in a proper way!

Here’s the December 15 prompt

THE PROMPT: Lighten Up
THE SONG: Raise Your Glass by Pink
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Confetti

As you now, December is ‘party month’ to me – in particular the last
week of the year when the top 2000 is on the radio. You all know that
(and if you don’t – go back to the beginning of this post and click the link!)
I’m looking forward to December 25th, when this big event starts!
The sentence ‘turn the radio up’ from the song was just perfect to use!

I might not dress up like this lady (although my legs look similar –
unfortunately I don’t have a web cam to prove it) but I sure feel this way!
Working on this prompt was like a taste to ‘what’s to come’ and I had
major fun making this page!

Only 9 days to go…. and then…. turn on the radio and paa-haa-rtyyy!!!

(Size: 21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch)

I painted the background with acrylic paint. The photo is scanned from
a magazine, scaled and edited with a filter in Photoshop. I glued that on
the page first. Making the ‘confetti’ was quite easy!
I took the punch, found me some coloured pages in a magazine (and some
designed paper scraps) and punched away… I put on a layer of mod podge
and sprinkled the confetti on. When it was dry, I doodled the edge and wrote
the title with Sharpies.

It’s still dark and grey outside…
but I hope I brightened your day with my post!
Lighten up!
Raise your glass!
It’s almost weekend!
Enjoy, enjoy,
sprinkle some confetti!

On one of the forums I visited last week was some misunderstanding
and questions about the team so I will clarify it here too: the team
working for the magazine is not a ‘usual design team’.
FEATURING will not be filled with art pieces from them (although
there might pop up some art of the members in one of the issues)
The team will brainstorm, collect ideas, deliberate about submissions
and write all kind of articles etc. – all the things that a magazine team
is supposed to do.

But you know what? There might be a chance that YOUR work gets published
in one of the issues, because we are open to receive all kinds of artwork.
We especially seek artwork for our theme gallery.

The theme gallery will be a permanent part of the magazine where artwork
from our readers will be highlighted. Each issue’s gallery will have a unique
theme. The theme is meant to be a jumping-off point. We encourage you to
interpret it in your own way. We’d like to publish artwork (lay-outs, journal
pages, photos, paintings etc.) and texts/poetry* that shows the theme from
all viewpoints.

* See that – you haiku writers???

For our first issue, the theme is: Applause

Find all the info on the website under ‘Submissions‘

I’m excited that my vision is actually coming together in reality
and that you are right there with me, showing your interest in
the magazine and encouraging me.

OK, enough shouting about FEATURING… on to the regular ‘Friday stuff’

Haiku my Heart

For more haiku and photos, visit Recuaerda mi Corazon
where Rebecca hosts the weekly ‘Haiku my heart Friday’.

It’s time for a new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal.
(The moment I write this, Rachel didn’t put up the prompt yet but
I’m sure it won’t be long now before she publishes it…)
This time, yours truly (yep, ME!) came up with the prompt.

THE PROMPT: Open Up
THE SONG: Roll away your stone by Mumford & Sons
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Texture photo

Haaa… I bet you didn’t see that coming, did you?

Most of you probably thought I’d come up with an ‘old’ song
because you all know I’m a child of the sixties! However, for
this prompt I choose a ‘modern’ band – although the music still
has that sixties feel – Ha, I’m an old hippie all the way 😉
Luckily I have a son of 19, who brings home awesome music.
That way, he also keeps his mom ‘hip’ (that – too – is a sixties word
I’m afraid)

Anyway, I choose one of those modern bands for this prompt
to make me look less antique! (Did that work?)
Here’s what I made using the inspiration.

(Size: 21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch)

I saw later that my ‘stickman’ is rolling the stones the wrong way…
Instead of rolling them away, he’s pushing them right in front of my face.
Do you think that’s Freudian maybe?

Oh, one last thing… did you realise it is DECEMBER?
Do you know what that means?

Oh yes… busy times ánd… celebrating the top 2000!
It’s coming, it’s coming…  only 3 weeks to go!
(The party starts on Christmas day)

I will go on waffle about it until that day, you are warned!

I wish you all a nice weekend dear ones!
Bring in the music!

This one’s for you Joe – may friendship and healing surround you!

For more haiku and photos, visit Recuaerda mi Corazon
where Rebecca hosts the weekly ‘Haiku my heart Friday’.

I stay at the beach with this next page… it’s the first page in the book
I made in Zeeland last weekend.

(Size of the pages: 13 x 17 cm - 5.12 x 6.7 inch)

The scrapbooking paper with seahorses has been in my stash forever!
I finally used it to cover up the inside of the cover. The photo was taken
by Elvy (put on a particular position her camera takes pics that look like
watercolour paintings. Awesome, isn’t it?)  That pose is typical for me
and I love how she captured that with her camera!

I started next page last weekend too.
Margot had  brought some little templates with her (6×6 inch) and I fell
in love with this one. I also glued the image on to the page but I got stuck
after that… I finished the page yesterday.

Size: 29,7 x 21 cm - 16.9 x 8.3 inch.

(For the Dutchies:  ‘Puffin’ is the translation of ‘papagaaiduiker’ –
the name of the bird)

For you who need inspiration to art journal: how about making a page
using the new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal ?

THE PROMPT: Pretty
THE SONG: Fuckin’ Perfect by Pink
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Pink Paint Dripped like Blood

The design team created some awesome examples to inspire you, so
hop on over, take a look and play along! You can take all or parts of
the prompt, and MAKE THEM YOURS!! You don’t have to use the swear
words or you can use them all you want. Just make this prompt into
your art! Then go to the AYITLOAAJ-site and share a link to where
you’ve posted your page on line. Easy, isn’t it?

I started this page with a lot of enthusiasm. Painted the background green
and transferred a funny photo of myself. I also dripped some pink paint
from top to bottom. Next day I looked and… bleeehh… didn’t like it at all!

I threw in some pink spray ink – which turned out to be purple.
I stamped pink paint with a toilet roll. I put washi tape at the borders.
It became one, chaotic page and I got mad.

I wrote the text.
I didn’t like that either.
I got more mad.

I colored the circles (pink water soluble crayons) and outlined the text.

After that, the page was full. I didn’t like it but there was no room left to
add anything else. I considered to cover the page with gesso and start over,
but then it hit me: this f**ing page is f**ing perfect for this prompt –
and I’m not 😉

(Size: 21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch)

Thanks for being around today!
I hope you liked this ‘glimpse into my silly life’
It’s healthy to act silly every now and then –
now go and have a wonderful weekend.
(Throw in some silliness!)

I bought this olive green
paint last week and since
then all my pages come
out green!

I used to be a yellow –
orange – red kinda person!

I don’t know what
happened but all of
a sudden I love this
colour so much.

Why analyse anyway…
I let go and make green pages!

A lot!
You are warned! 😉

This page isn’t green yet… I made it before I bought the paint!
It’s made for the new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Peace
THE SONG: I Believe in Music – Mac Davis
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Leather

Peace and leather led to the big peace sign!

21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch

Used materials/techniques: acrylic paint, leather, sewing machine,
sharpies, pearl pen (dimensional dots and border)

I have a lot of small pieces of leather in a box, and I stitched some of them
together. Just fooling around with the title and leather.

Here’s a close-up:

There’s a Dutch poem about peace (Leo Vroman – ‘Vrede’) and I used a line
from it (well, that’s not completely true: in the poem, the swearing is even
more harsh). I found it fitting to balance all the ‘cuteness’ on the page…

What are your thoughts about peace?
Do you think of the ‘sixties’ and flower power, like I did?
Are you tired of the world as it is today, with all the violence going on?
Throw it all out on an art journal page and leave a link to your work at
A Year in the Life of an Art Journal!

OK, here we go… here’s where the green comes in!

The recipe book I made for my son!
(‘Lekker’  means something like ‘delicious’ or ‘Yummie’)

Here’s a pic of the side.

I love all the happy coloured papers that show in the spine!

I used old recipe cards as pages.

I sewed patterned paper on one side to punch the holes in.
(The black, canvas embellies/stickers are from 7 Gypsies.
The fabric protects the holes from tearing)

Next is a page in my big art journal.
(Again, I used the olive green paint but it turned out rather yellow looking.
I discovered differences can be made by using thicker or more layers.
This page was painted with a paint roller and coloured only once – that’s why
it’s light/yellowish)

(Miscellaneous big art journal: 25 x 35 cm - 9.8 x 13.8 inch)

Used materials: Acrylic paint, Adirondack colorwash spray ink,
Caran d'Ache Neocolor watersoluble crayons, Stazon ink,
handcarved stamps, cut out image/text, Washi tape, sharpies,
template (the head and 'signs)

This page grew from experimenting with my new template and Washi tape.
The journaling is ‘bladibla’ – about the green paint I bought; nothing deep
or fancy.

Last but not least… my weekly page

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 43

(23 x 31 cm - 9.1 x 12.2 inch)

(Yep... olive green acrylic paint! The 'head' is made with my new
template and Adirondack spray ink, Stamps & Stazon ink for the dates,
cut out images (door and hummingbird), Washi tape, Copic markers,
sharpies, black marker.)

I have more olive green pages and work to show but I think you’ve had
enough for now! Come back Friday and who knows; I might even trow in
an orange or red page?!

Even housekeeping tasks has been put on a back burner let alone the ‘blog
visit round’ I used to make every week. I do follow your blogs ‘from a distance’
though… I ‘scan’ your new posts, but I don’t take time to comment.
You might say I’m a lurker these last weeks – forgive me!

In the (rare) spare hours, I rather get my art journal out and make a page
than surf the Internet. That’s why I can show you these pages today…

First page is for the new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

THE PROMPT: Scars

THE SONG: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: rips and tearing

When you follow my blog, you already know the story: On August 26th
my man and son went to a blues concert. On their way home my beloved
stumbled and fell in an unfortunate way… with his head right on the edge
of the sidewalk (the English dictionary calls it ‘curb’?) When my son saw
all the blood coming from his head, he called the ambulance right away
(and phoned me right after that) I took a cab to the hospital and my son
and I sat there waiting until 2 am… In that time, they scanned my beloved’s
brain to see how bad the damage was (nothing wrong with that, pfew!) and
stitched him up with approximately 20 stitches…

In the days that followed, his face and eyes turned from blue to purple
to black to green to yellow and I made photo’s of the process.
It was weeks ago, and the only thing left is a big scar!

When I saw this prompt, I just HAD to use one of the photos!

21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch
Used materials/techniques: old book pages as a background, gel medium
photo transfer, adirondack spray ink, acrylic paint (title)

And here’s my ‘weekly page’

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – Week 41

(23 x 31 cm - 9.1 x 12.2 inch)

Used materials/techniques: adirondack spray ink & distress ink
(background), alphabeth stamps, acrylic paint, date and 'lines'
stamps, stazon ink, black marker, images cut out from different
magazines.

The woman in the photo – holding a camera – is the famous American
photographer Imogen Cunningham

Hope you enjoyed my Tuesday post. Thanks so much for visiting!
I don’t say this often enough, but I want you to know that I do appreciate
your visits and cherish every comment!

Some of you were a little confused by the news and asked me if I had
my work published or if I was going to work for this magazine…

Sweeties… it’s even better. The magazine is my baby!
I’m the owner, editor, chief director… whatever you may call it.
So yes, I work for it!  Haaaa!!!

To celebrate the ‘pregnancy’ (it’s not a birth yet, ofcourse… it’s more like
the ultrasound photo of the baby aka magazine that will be born in Spring)
and to thank you for all your support and cheers, I have a give-away today.

No, wrong.

I have TWO give-aways!

(oh, and an art journal page to show…)

Read on!

..

There’s a new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal, and this time
the prompt is chosen by…. ME! Yes, that’s right! I chose the prompt, the
song and the product/technique this time to get your creative juices flowing!

THE PROMPT: Eye opener
THE SONG: Why are we sleeping – Soft Machine/Kevin Ayers
(It’s kind of an obscure song and not easy to find on youtube, but on the
AYITLOAAJ blog you can hear it play and find a video!)
WRITTEN LYRICS: HERE
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Eyes (photo’s, stamps, drawing… whatever)

If you know the band Soft Machine, I bet you never thought I would like
that kind of music. Well, you’re right. I’m not much of a fan but my beloved is!
Although I don’t like the music – this band has great song lyrics and when I
had to make up a prompt I thought of this song right away.

The lyrics from this song can lead to a fun art journal page but can also
take you into deeper thoughts about life and the world we live in.
The prompt ‘eye opener’ and the technique gives you enough freedom to
play with it any way you like!

Here’s my take.

I choose to make a ‘fun page’ but I think I might make a ‘raw journaling’
page as well as soon as I have more time (when will that be?)
There are so many dimensions and directions to take this prompt…
so why not play along this time? Show us where the prompt leads YOU!!

OK, then we arrive at the part you were waiting for, weren’t you?

GIVEAWAYS!!!

I put together two packages full of fun stuff.
The goodies in the SCRAP package appeals to scrapbookers and the
AJ package contains goodies that art journalers will love – but it’s up
to you to tell me which one you prefer.

It’s real easy to enter this giveaway.
No flaming hoops to jump through or belly dances to perform.
Just leave a comment on this posts and tell me which one of the packages
you’d like to have. That’s it!

The winner will be announced on Friday, October 14th.

SCRAP PACKAGE

(Includes 8x8 design paper, Prima Marketing flowers, Epoxy stickers,
Sassafrass felties, ribbon and more)

AJ PACKAGE

(AJ package includes a 'flower guide map', several old book pages,
canvas stickers, labels and a lot of small items to use in your journal)

Leave me a comment telling me which one you prefer!

I have a busy week ahead and I don’t know if I can find some spare time
to create, but I will definitely be here with a new blogpost on Friday with
a photo and a haiku! See you then!

(Some of you may notice there’s no ‘Chronicles’ page this week. That’s right.
I jotted the journaling onto the pages but didn’t do anything else. just plain
black text on white paper. Nothing to show really, so I skip week #39.)

I like the early morning mist that holds a promise of a beautiful day.
I mean that kind of mist where you can almost feel the sun shine behind.
Mist that dissolves when the sun climbs the sky… and yes, bright light
shines through my window right now.

So let’s make this a beautiful day, starting with a beautiful photo and haiku
about mist…

..

Haiku My Heart is a wonderful place where people from all over the world
post beautiful photos and and write amazing Haiku. It  is hosted by Rebecca
and you can find the list of participants on her blog recuerda mi corazon.

I stick to ‘roads’ for a while if you don’t mind, ’cause the new prompt
at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal (where I am part of the team)
was called ‘Memory Lane’…

THE PROMPT: Memory Lane
THE SONG: You’re Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: photo of a road

For this prompt, I used a photo of the road in the village I grew up in.
Our house was on this road. My dad took the photo (as well as the former
photo with the haiku, yep – ‘Henk’ is my dad)

This time, the photo shows almost the view I had from my teenage room.
I guess dad stood a little higher when he took it, on the roof maybe?
My parents still live in the same house, but the view has changed a lot
(houses arose on the field opposite the street…) I journaled about the
changes and all the (childhood)memories I have when I see this photo.

21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch
Used materials/techniques: journaling with orange ink and a dip pen.

Last Friday I wrote about the ‘block’ I feel when I paint, and how I try to
get over that. I kept on sketching and painting last week and it feels like
it (and I!) is getting looser, yeay!

I painted a portrait after a photo of the Dutch writer Etty Hillesum.
It doesn’t look very much like her though, but I’m still pretty satisfied
with the outcome.

(Miscellaneous big art journal: 25 x 35 cm - 9.8 x 13.8 inch)

Used materials: gesso, acrylic paint, text stamp, Stazon ink,
sequin waste, Adirondack color wash spray ink, Caran d'Ache
Neocolor watersoluble crayons, Indian ink, bamboo dip pen,
toilet roll (stamped circles)

The journaling is in Dutch, and part of this (longer) text from her diary:

“If there is ever to be peace, it won’t be authentic until each individual
achieves peace within him/herself, expels all feelings of hatred and change
it into something else, maybe even into love — or is that asking too much?
It is the only solution.” ~ Etty Hillesum ~

Maybe it IS asking too much, but let’s try to do that!

I send you all a big hug to start with and I’ll be back on Monday
(Yes, MONDAY – for a reason I will tell you then…)

Enjoy your weekend dear ones!

I didn’t want to skip this post though, ’cause I have some things to show you –
but I won’t make it a long post. Well, not too long anyway. Promise.

It’s the thirtieth today and you know what that means right?
Another prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal!

As a guest host at AYITLOAAJ, I make a page with each prompt to
inspire you and try to seduce you to play along!
Each prompt has three parts and it’s up to you how (and if) you use it.
Use the idea as a jumping off point, use the song lyrics and/or the technique
–  or not. Just let the prompt inspire you to make something!

THE PROMPT: Dive in
THE SONG: Edge of Glory – Lady GaGa
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: Shape layering

With this prompt, the overall title got to me. As you can see, I didn’t
use the song lyrics and the technique. Marilyn Monroe on a diving board
got me all philosophic! So I journaled about how it feels when you are
young ánd how the feeling changes when you grow older.

(21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch)

Journaling (in Dutch):
“It’s obviously quite a good feeling, to be young and beautiful. You can sit
high on a diving board, strike a graceful pose. You get all the attention without
doing more then just that. No one can see your uncertainty – you are too high
for that. But the moment passes. You get older you know. One day, you will
have to jump. Into life. Into the deep. And yes, your hair gets wet then.
And everyone can see your protruding ears, but OH, does it feel good!”

On to the hectic weekend then…

When you look at my weekly art journal page, you might get a clue where
the ‘hectic’ came from… yep, that’s my beloved up there looking like one
of those zombies from Michael Jacksons’ clip ‘Thriller’ (if you’re old enough
to remember that one…!)

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – Week 34

(30 x 21 cm - 11.8 x 8.3 inch)

My beloved fell in a very unfortunate way – with his head right on
the edge of the sidewalk (in Dutch: ‘stoeprand’ – the English dictionary
calls it ‘curb’… I never heard of this word but I presume you know it?!)

Anyway – to make a long story short – there was an ambulance involved,
a lot of blood, hours of waiting, a MRI* scan and approximately 20 stitches…

He’s doing OK now (both his eyes turned from blue to purple to black to
green to yellow in just three days!) but you will not be surprised when I tell
you that this accident scared the sh*t out of me!

I have one last thing for the Dutchies before I go –
so to all my foreign friends I say goodnight and see you soon!
Take care, don’t fall on the curb!

* I’ve been informed it was a CT scan… sorry ’bout the mistake

En dan even over in het Nederlands:
Sind juli is er een Nederlandstalig forum in de lucht wat geheel gewijd is aan
art journaling en mixed media. De meeste art journalers zitten links en
rechts natuurlijk al op Engelse sites en forums, maar ik kan je vertellen dat het
een verademing is om ook eens ‘in je moers taal’ over deze creatieve tak
te kunnen ‘kleppen’. Het forum is opgericht door Anneke Wijers en er zijn al
heel wat dames actief op het forum. Ben je geïnteresseerd: ga dan vooral
een kijkje nemen bij Art Journaling en Mixed Media

Suddenly I was wide awake!
I blinked with my eyes – yep, still there…
I wondered what this could be…
and then it hit me – it was a vibe!
Someone had sent me a vibe!

Now I was really curious!
What kind of vibe would it be?
In any event a fun, positive vibe for its color was so bright!
I jumped out of bed, took a leap and then I caught him.

My oh my… it was a cleaning vibe! YAY!
I don’t know who send it to me, but THANK YOU!!!
It was just the one I needed!

I used it well during the day, and it shrank to just an eeny meeny little vibe.
I layed it beside the computer so it could rest. I have the feeling it will be
strong enough tonight to take off again, and I’ll send it to someone else
who needs it. (Jenneke perhaps? Keep your eyes open tomorrow girl!)

Do you expect photo’s of a clean house now?
I didn’t take one… but I have some artwork from last weekend to show you!

(Remember: you can click on each image to enlarge for a better view!)

The new prompt at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal is up!

As always, the prompts are designed for you to take all or parts of the
three part prompt and use the idea as a jumping off point for YOUR art!!
Use the songs as inspiration, create your piece as the prompt applies to you
and use the off the wall product/techniques to stretch yourself a bit!

THE PROMPT: Promises
THE SONG: Run Devil Run by Kesha
PRODUCT/TECHNIQUE: The poison symbol

As you know, I’m a guest host at AYITLOAAJ and I make a page with
each prompt to inspire the participants. There’s something strange
going on with my pages though… at the beginning of the year I made
a square book especially for these prompts and the pages all seem to
turn out a bit like record album covers.
They don’t look like my ‘normal’ art journal pages at all…
well, never mind what they look like, here’s my contribution for this prompt.

Run devil run

(21 x 19,5 cm - 8.3 x 7.7 inch)

I had the image of the cartoon (I think she’s called ‘Electra’?)
and I found it very fitting and complementary for the song lyrics.
The background is painted black, white watersoluble crayons for the ‘light’
behind the figure, the title is written with sharpie markers and the border
is made with puffy paint.

Birthday card for my uncle

(approximately 15 x 15 cm - 6 x 6 inch)

See those ‘waves’??? I carved my own ‘wave stamp’ and used clear embossing
powder. After spraying the dark blue mist over it, I wiped it away from the
waves and it left me with this image! The powder wasn’t really neat on the ink,
but I love the effect it gives with the blue ink over it… like foam bubbles!

Last but not least…

The Chronicles of Marit 2011 – week 32

(30 x 21 cm - 11.8 x 8.3 inch)

My son came home from vacation (Portugal & Spain)  last week and gave
me a set of postcards. They all contain images of the mosaic tiles from the
‘Mudéjar Palace’ in Sevilla and they are sooooo beautiful!
I didn’t want to cut them, so I scanned some of the patterns to print.
I used the pieces as a border. He also bought me a Spanish teaspoon –
it’s kind of a gimmick between him and me. Whenever he is on vacation,
he buys me a teaspoon! (My wicked collection ‘teaspoons Nout bought
me as a souvenir’ is up to ten now!) The spoon came in the little pocket
which is glued to the right. Ofcourse I used my hand-carved alphabet
and number stamps (see former post) for the dates.

I will be back with more (I hope) later this week!
Oh, and Dutch girls: enjoy the sunshine!