….

…

..

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YAAAYY!!

FEATURING reached its Thunderclap goal and just now the message and name was blasted out across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Oh, and I hope you have seen this review that Nathalie Kalbach wrote on her blog? WOWZAH, thank you Nat!!!

FEATURING magazine sure captured people’s attention! A major campaign starts now – read all about it HERE.

..

Now for some “odds and ends”

My online art journal workshop LET IT LOOSE starts next week!

October 28 – December 5; 2013

This workshop will loosen you up and take you a step further in creating your own, unique art journal pages. You’ll learn some basic writing techniques to improve your journaling and you will get tips and techniques to use your own handwriting (You dislike your own handwriting? You might be surprised what you can do with it!) Furthermore, you will learn art techniques like working with collages, paint, colours, gesso and gel medium.

Curious yet? The public gallery on the website shows art that former students made in this workshop and for even more info about Let it Loose (and registration) click HERE

My latest art journal spread:

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 41

… and I fooled around with the small size again for a change… it’s nice to go from creating on a two-page sized spread (12.2 x 9.6 inch) to the size of an ATC (2 x 3 inch)

Shelter & Sanctuary

I’m off to work some more on the FEATURING campaign… there will be updates on the FEATURING Website and Facebook page every day for the next few weeks… I do hope you will follow us there as we have some interesting ‘little articles’ up our sleeves…!!!

I have been busy promoting the Thunderclap page of ‘my baby’ FEATURING magazine.
Next week, FEATURING will start a promotion Campaign that will run for at least three weeks and we want to start that campaign with a “Thundering clap”… but we need a lot of support to do that – 500 supporters, to be exactly.

At the moment,  our Thunderclap promo counts 155 supporters – so we are not even close to the goal…  Have you joined yet??? No??? Help me out here then!

Please support FEATURING magazine and donate a tweet or facebook status update here:

http://thndr.it/15OjQip

Not convinced that you should give your support yet?
Then maybe this blog post by Robin Walsh can give you just that last push to support us….

I did not have much time to be creative last week, but I do keep up with the Chronicles art journal. Come on in to view some older spreads from past weeks I had not published yet…

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 37

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 38

The Chronicles of Marit – Week 39

Hope your week started fine… enjoy!
See you Wednesday!

I want to start this Wednesday post with some shameless promotion and a little bit of cheating – but I’m sure I’ll be forgiven when you see what I laid on my work desk on purpose today…

btw: I DID take a ‘non faked’ photo of my work desk too 😉 see at the end of this post.

That’s right, the new FEATURING is OUT!!!! There is an interview with Julia Dunnit, founder and hostess of the blogseries What’s On Your Work desk, Wednesday (woyww) in this issue, illustrated by (as you can see) photos of work desks from participants**.

FEATURING is an international, printed magazine that is shipped all over the world.
You can purchase your copy HERE

**I want to thank all of you who helped promoting the magazine on your own blogs.
You’re the best, gals!!!

OK – on the the usual Into the Studio post then… although it is not that usual. Something changed in the room – come on in and I’ll show you..

First, as every Wednesday, here’s a golden oldie scrapbook layout for you – lifted from one of my old scrapbook albums.

(I don’t create ‘traditional scrapbook layouts’ anymore but every Wednesday I dive into my albums and lift a ‘golden oldie.’ The layouts I pick are random, YOU – blog readers – name the number of the album and layout to show. Let me know in a comment which album you want me to open next week and what layout I should show… )

This week’s request came from Lisa Richards – from Pen and Ink… and maybe some paint…  Lisa asked me to open album 6 and show layout #11. {click on the image to enlarge}

A straight-forward old-fashioned scrap layout. You know, the way they were done back in the days: a photo – a title – a little bit of journaling – embellish…. oh wait, I never was much of an ’embellishment girl… no embellies then. Just a coloured frame and some sand. Does that count as embellishment??? Anyway, the beach-theme is pretty appropriate this time of year. Well chosen, Lisa 😉

{This layout was made with a sketch, as you can see in this old blogpost from August 2009.}

Last week, I received this comment from Michelle LaPoint Rydell

I am happy to answer and I will do so by dividing my answer in two – answering one question now
and the other one in my Friday post.

~ HOW MANY JOURNALS DO YOU HAVE GOING? ~

At the moment I have seven journals on my shelf that I work in on a regular base.

As you can see, they all have a different size and shape.
Some have a theme and some are, what I call, ‘miscellaneous’ – meaning I feel free to do anything I want in there…

Some of the journals are a bit neglected… I don’t work much lately in the ones that are shown on the next photo. It sometimes happens that I suddenly feel like working big (hence journals 5 and 7) but that is not the case lately…

These are the three journals that I grab these days. Number #4 is my weekly Chronicles, that you probably know about. Numbers #3 and #6 are – what you can call – ‘miscellaneous (although I did give them a title.) These are favorite at the moment.. but the most favorite size that I work on these days are index cards. The ‘Box of Longing’ is not really an art journal maybe, but it’s what I like to work on right now.

So here are some Index cards I made last week.
I submit these also to ICAD and Glue it Tuesday.

Long Shadows

DETAIL: puffy paint and machine stitching

Wild Card

Urban Explosion

I told you at the beginning of this post, something changed in the studio.
I show you the before and after photo:

My beloved cleaned and re-arranged the office last week and – lucky me – after cleaning he had a table left over. I had been complaining about the bad (yellow) light I had to work with from the moment I moved into this studio – half the time that I spend there I stood in front of the window working on the window-sill – and I was on the look-out for a good, natural light lamp. That won’t be necessary now, ’cause that small table in front of the window makes it all work!

The window-sill on the left and the small, mobile cabinet on the right provide additional surface. I still make use of the bigger work desk too of course, but when it comes to choosing the exact right colors or creating something real delicate (meaning I need good light ánd my reading glasses) – this table is perfect!

So, here it is, today’s workdesk!
(If you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say woyww, hop on over to Julia and find out)

WOYWW #212
[Julia says on her blog that it is week 213, but to my count it really has to be 212…]

Well, that was quite some blogpost, wasn’t it? Did you read all the way top to bottom? You must really love me then {*kiss*}

I love you right back, dear ones,
see you again soon.

A lot to show, a lot to tell… and a busy day ahead so let’s get going…

I skipped the golden oldie last week because of the woyww-anniversary but today I show you a scrapbook layout again – lifted from one of my old scrapbook albums.

(I don’t create ‘traditional scrapbook layouts’ anymore but every Wednesday I dive into my albums and lift a ‘golden oldie.’ The layouts I pick are random, YOU – blog readers – name the number of the album and layout to show. Let me know in a comment which album you want me to open next week and what layout I should show… )

This week’s request came from Elizabeth Harms & Yoda – from Queenartoypia – who asked me to open album 3 and show layout #6. {click on the image to enlarge}

This spread is made in 2007. Because there are all sorts of photos on this spread I did not get the colors right photographing it – but you get the ‘feel’ of this page. Yes, that’s me at different ages. The title says “You’re getting older, Marit.”

And on a NOTE: both Jenneke and Kim asked me to open album 7 and show layout 7.
I was asked to show that before… the post/layout can be find HERE girls!

Are you participating in Tammy Garcia’s Index-Card-A-Day 2013???

I was honored when Tammy asked me to co-operate and contribute a tutorial
to her event. Today, she publishes the tutorial on her blog with which I made
these examples.

When I write this post, the ICAD post is not online yet (I am ahead in time here in Europe) but later today you should find it on the Daisy Yellow blog.

Edit: the tutorial is online. You can find it HERE

WOYWW #209

Last week, at the fourth anniversary of WOYWW, I wanted to visit the complete list of participants but I didn’t manage to get to them all… sorry gals/guys, you are with soooo many 😉

I did swap my ATCs except for one… yep, I have one ATC left.

Sooo – if you have one spare and like to swap it with me, email me your address (find the email-button in the side menu) and I send it to you.

I only have received one ATC from my swap yet (thank you Alipeeps!) and am waiting for some more to come in… when they all are here I will make photos to show to you.

On to what WOYWW and for which it is intended: showing your work desk.
Mine can be found here these days

Yesssss… finally, the sun showed and being in my studio just felt like a shame. So I grabbed a bunch of Index cards and some tools and headed for the garden. Here’s my improvised desk.

Now onto something really exciting concerning What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday ánd FEATURING magazine [I am the founder and editor-in–chief of the latter.]
For the ones who never heard of it:

“FEATURING is a printed publication – shipped worldwide – that showcases mixed media and more from amateurs – who make the most wonderful art pieces but don’t dare to call themselves ‘artists’ – as well as from ‘professionals’ who make a living from their passion. FEATURING offers artists from all over the world, handmade books, mixed media, scrap layouts, photos… you name it. Readers will also enjoy glimpses into studios, background stories and insightful interviews: Oh, and don’t forget inspiration. You will definitely find a lot of inspiration!”

As you know, WOYWW is hosted by Julia Dunnit, and we from FEATURING interviewed her for an article in the magazine. The magazine is heading for the printer’s office this week so we’re in the publication stage YAY!!

The article is of course illustrated by photo’s of desks – after all, that is what WOYWW is all about – and besides Julia’s desk you will see photos from WOYWW-participants Annette, Sara, Eliza, April, Maisie Moonshine and Gabriele. Awesome, isn’t it?

Wait, it gets even better!!

FEATURING & GAUCHE ALCHEMY became BFF’s

If you PRE-ORDER the newest issue, you’ll be entered for a chance
to win 1 of 5 Gauche Alchemy ACME kits!

Ooohhhh, don’t you just LOVE that company?
I DO!!! It is that I am the owner of FEATURING magazine and will get a copy for free 😉 otherwise I would order this issue immediately myself.

OK… enough for the shouting – if you wanna know more you better go to the FEATURING website or get the latest news via Facebook and Twitter.

I’m off to start the rest of my busy day… I am afraid I won’t see that improvised desk today but who knows, maybe tomorrow?
I wish you all a nice and sunny day.
Do something good with it.
Make an index card!

Good morning, good morning from my studio where today my desk is filled with a bunch of gorgeousness… I’ll show you that – and more – in this post. Come on in.

Let us start with a Golden Oldie from my albums

Brenda requested in a comment last week, that I’d open up album 6 and show layout #3.

I remember making this layout in the Summer of 2009 – I had just discovered working with spray ink and I still like how this turned out.

I looked up the old post HERE and to my surprise I also see the BCR pop up in that post… (if you know what I mean with BCR, then you must be around my age 😉 ) – is it a coincidence I just started re-reading Leslie’s biography this week?!

Do you like my ‘golden oldies’??? Then leave me a comment saying which album I should open next week and which layout you want me to show… numbers please!

In a minute, I will show you my desk but you won’t see my Chronicles spread laying half-finished among the other stuff… ’cause I finished last week’s art journal spread!

 The Chronicles – Week 10

So, what’s on my desk then?
Well, a lot of creativeness, but not mine… LOOK!

WOYWW #197

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday is hosted by Julia from the Stamping Ground. If you like to see other people’s creative spaces then pop on over to Julia’s blog to find the list of participants or, even better, join the weekly gathering and share a photo of your own work desk.

FEATURING magazine had a call for mail art and now that the deadline has finished, my desk is overflowing with all the art we received through the postal system! I gathered all mail art and information and am ready to start writing the article for the fourth issue.

Yes, that’s right: we’ve successfully published three issues of FEATURING already!

I’m still so proud of the fact that my beloved and I managed to give birth to this magazine and of my enthusiastic team that is writing interesting and marvelous articles. When readers let me know that they LOVE the magazine (and they do!) I feel truly blessed. Still, I notice that a lot of artists/crafters haven’t heard of it yet. We could use some promoting so if you love FEATURING please blog about it, tell your friends and spread the word. All issues are available in the FEATURING store.

Connect with FEATURING here:

Website:  www.featuringmagazine.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Featuringmagazine
Twitter:  @Featuring_Mag

All the mail art is spread over three stacks on my desk (it’s ‘safer’ that way 😉 ) but to show you how much we received, I made one big pile for a photo. LOOK AT THIS!

All will be photographed and some mail will end up as illustration with the article… so you see, a lot of work still has to be done.

Thanks so much if you have submitted to this project.

Well, enough with talking about this article – I better get working on it!

I hope you all have a wonderful, creative day.
(Make someone happy – send mail art!)

A publisher’s worst nightmares happened: when FEATURING was
delivered from the printing office, it turned out that one of the pages
in the issue showed a huge printing fault. Therefore, we decided we could
not send it off to the customers. FEATURING stands for a high quality
magazine, not only in content but also in how it looks – the finishing.
We refuse to send our customers a magazine that shows an artwork that
is mutilated because of wrong printing. So we demanded the printing office
to start over and print the magazine again. That means that there will be
a delay and, because of the holidays, it will take almost a Month before
issue 3 will (again) come out.

I’m sure you all will understand why I did not write a blogpost last Friday.
Beside the emotions I had to deal with, there were all kinds of things that
had to be taken care off… after the dust settled down a bit, I went to visit
my parents (it was my mom’s birthday) and it did me good.

breath in, breath out…

So now all customers are notified of what happened.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to all of you who send an email
with nice words and support. It is highly appreciated by me
and my beloved-partner-in-crime! We could use the support
and it strengthened us in the idea that we made the right decision!

I was not very creative either last week, but I can show you
the spread from the week before…

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 49

Last Sunday, the day when I usually start working on the Chronicles spread,
I used the journal to vent and put all my frustration on the page. Week 50 was
a week I hope not to experience ever again in my life!

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 50

I blurred a complete strip of angry words ’cause believe me, you don’t want
to read the words I jotted down there. I don’t want to disturb the image you
have of me being a nice and polite lady  😉

OK… now let’s put week 50 behind us… what’s new?

Well, there is the top 2000 blogparty starting a week from now!
Some of you are really on top of it and already submitted art pieces.
I finished the first piece myself too. I’m working on the next page/
song right now and as you know: this year I choose songs that
evoke fun memories. There will be stories to tell with my pages
but I will not do that during the top 2000 week. I plan to tell you
the ‘background story’ that goes with each piece in the first week
of January.

After we all have settled nicely into the New Year, the online
workshop Mixed Emotions will start in February.
There’s already a group of registered participants but since this
is an online workshop, there’s always room for YOU too! Click
the link to find out more about the workshop.

I have been thinking about a new ‘One Little Word’ for 2013
and I will reflect on the past year’s word and talk about the new one
in my next blogpost. That will also be the last ‘regular’ post of the
year, as on Christmasday the top 2000 party will start.

Hope to see you all on Friday ánd at the top 2000 party.
Have a nice week, go find a song on the list to create with!

Well… they are not revolting yet so I guess they were OK with it
and we are all so proud of this issue! Take alone the cover:

Yeah, right – and now you want to know what’s inside I guess…
well, here you go:

Read a brief summary of the content HERE
A Glimpse inside this issue can be seen in the PREVIEW

And, last but not least, FEATURING has a surprise for all readers
who live outside Europe. The magazine managed to lower the shipping
costs for customers who purchase from outside Europe. Now that is
an extra reason to want to order an issue right away, isn’t it?
Well, go ahead, PRE-ORDER/BUY your issue now (I will wait…)

Done? YAY! Thanks!
On to the haiku then.
I searched for a ‘book title haiku’ that would celebrate the release
of issue 3 and – oh miracle – I found one too!

As always, I submit this haiku to Haiku my Heart Friday

Last Tuesday I announced my annual “Top 2000 Creative and Musical
Blog Party” – (hm, that’s what you get when you try to fit it all into the title)
– you can find the post here  on my blog. There was no room left
to show you any pages I made, so I do it now…

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 48

Last but not least – I want to share the view from my office window
today. This is what I see when I look up from the computer: the first
snow of the year!

I’m almost getting into the Christmas spirit when I see this (I said ‘almost’…)

I wish you all a very nice weekend. Stay warm and safe and may your days
be filled with laughter and joy! (Oops, that sounds Christmassy…
Hmm, my mind must indeed be in a Christmas mode.)

Yes, that’s right – you heard well:
READY.TO.GO.TO.THE.PRINTING.OFFICE

Because the second issue was later then we originally scheduled,
we worked our *** off to catch up so that we can bring out this third
issue before Christmas. I’m so proud of my team, my beloved designer
and all the contributors who pulled up their socks to make it happen.
And you know what? There’s just some finishing touches to take care of
and then we have a go!

I recommend you keep an eye on the FEATURING site or follow us
on facebook, so you won’t miss the release.

You may not believe it, but I managed to get some art journaling done
in between. Just a few minutes here and there… but the result is that
I can show you two pages in my ‘weird journal.’

Two Lost Souls

This background with silhouettes was laying around, waiting to get finished
for weeks now. Finally, I journaled some text, gave it some splashes and
called it finished. I still don’t know what to think of it. “Weird” maybe?

24 or 6 to 9

I know… I know… the song by Chicago is called “25 or 6 to 4”
That is the joke! (This is a spread in my “weird journal,” remember?)

I painted the face over a photo and it is kinda all right, but I found it a bit easy
to do it this way (use a photo as a basis I mean) so I challenged myself to paint
a similar face without the help of a photo. That painting is on my Chronicles
page – but I cannot show it to you as the journaling on that spread is not done
yet. I will definitely post it next Friday!

On another note I want to remind you about my upcoming Art Journaling workshop with Michelle LaPoint Rydell. It runs from February 4th through March 14th, 2013. It’s called MIXED EMOTIONS, and it’s all about expressing your emotions through art journaling. We are going to have tons of fun!!! Here’s what you get…

• 12 lessons with assignments in pdf format. Each lesson will focus on a specific emotion and an art technique that goes with it. Techniques will be clearly shown through photos or demonstrated on video. Both beginners and advanced art journalers will find pleasure in working with the lessons.Access to inspirational videos to inspire you and help your creative juices flow.

• Extra printable collage sheets with photos, illustrations and quotes to use in your work.

• Access to a private group discussion forum where you may share, ask questions and interact with the teachers and other class participants.(Access will be activated a few days before the workshop starts or within 24 hours of payment.)

• Access to group albums for posting your completed assignments and seeing what others have done. (Access will be activated a few days before the workshop starts or within 24 hours of payment.)

Click here, to find out more details and/or to register! I hope you will join us!!!

It’s evening in The Netherlands and there’s an action movie on TV
in 15 minutes. Just what I need after a day’s work… so I’m off to relax
and watch – what’s his name again – oh yes, Bruce Willis.
Thanks for stopping by dear ones, I see you at the end of the week!

Visiting such a big supply fair means that it is impractible to keep
your money in your pocket. I did not really need supplies so I’m
proud to say that I managed to keep my findings to a minimum –
but still there can be done a lot with those ‘minimums’ – take a look.

These cards arose from experimenting with my new material:
4 bottles of Dylusian spray ink, 4 templates and a few new washi tapes.

I had fun trying the ghosting technique using the templates and ink.
I worked on a large sheet of paper and used every ink colour and template.
Later, I cut the sheet to make cards. I added some pieces of washi tape to each
card and stamped white acrylic paint – using bubble wrap plastic – for texture
and contrast. The circles are stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with
black embossing powder. The black has a shine to it and I love the result!

I also used my new ‘toys’ for my weekly art journal spread.

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 44

This spread has that typical ‘Julie Balzer-look’ to it. That will not come
as a surprise when you know two of the templates I bought are designed
by Julie. To ‘get to know the stuff’ I experimented with the usual
techniques that are used with templates and ink.
The figure with the circles is inspired by a Dina Wakely stamp
I sketched the figure onto dictionary paper and cut the silhouette.
The circles are stamped and embossed like on the cards.

So, this is not a real ‘Marit Page’, but I had fun making it and getting the
feel of what is possible with this ink and templates. I hope to use the ink
in a more ‘me-way’ eventually.

Before I leave you to your own business, there’s one more thing I want
to point out to you.

As you all know, one week ago hurricane Sandy battered New York City.
Seth Apter – a friend and artist living in New York – decided to auction off
a copy of his book (signed by 30 of the artists in it) along with original art
to benefit the victims of Sandy.

100% of the proceeds will benefit The Mayors Fund to Advance
New York City. Visit The Altered Page to learn more about the auction.

..

The upcoming weeks are going to be busy so I don’t know if I will have
much time to play in my journals. The team and I are working real hard
on the next issue of FEATURING (#1 and #2 can still be purchased here)
and I can hardly keep my mouth shut about some things that will be
in there… I better go now before I spoil the surprise!
I wish you all a beautiful week.
Go spray some ink and love around!