When I woke up last Wednesday morning – it was still early – I decided
to give myself a “day off.” Oooh, it felt so good!
I did the grocery shopping early in the morning, and I even let a man
with his one gallon of milk precede at the pay desk when he asked me to…
well, “asked” is not the right word ’cause he was deaf and spoke with that
strange voice deaf people do… he didn’t even speak really – he just tapped
me on the shoulder, pointed at his milk and roared “Me, now?”
I usually dislike people who use their handicap to get things done from others
but I was in such a good mood…
Even the snow couldn’t spoil my day!
I put on my big boots (2 Lbs each!) a thick winter coat, my gloves and a shawl
and took the bus into town. I almost danced (almost… I didn’t very well with
boots that heavy) to my favourite store… the “artists store”.
Because the “Design Academy” houses in Eindhoven, this city has a big store
for artists and it sells just about anything your heart desires!
Paper, paint and lots and lots of other stuff you better not lay your eyes
on or you’ll come home with a bag full of materials and an empty purse.
I bought me the most wonderful aquarelle paper and some chipboard to make
a new art journal to start the “Artful Amblings” in. (I participate in
A Year in the Life of an Art Journal) And of course – I couldn’t help myself –
I bought two amazing journaling pens. One black pen (“Stylo refill”) contains
really black ink and I’m totally in love with the way it writes. (it’s not a
permanent marker though, it’s not fit to use on painted backgrounds)
When I asked the store employee about white markers, she got all enthusiastic
about one particular brand (the people working in that store are all artists
themselves) so I had to buy that one too – she was very persuading 😉
It’s a “Marabu – brilliant painter” and it’s not ink but paint in there… you have
to shake and pump to get the paint running, but the effect is amazing!
I went home at the end of the afternoon.
Coming out of the store, I zipped my coat too high and injured my lip
(yes, it was that cold and the zipper goes that high!) There was blood, but
the nice lady in the store had packed my precious paper in plastic so no
damage was done there. I dapped my lip with a paper towel and the freezing
cold made the bleeding stop. The bus was over crowded because of the bad
weather (it had started to snow again) and the bus driver was cantankerous.
He drove too fast and hit the breaks too heavy which made the people in the
bus swing and fall on each others lap… but you know what?
I still was in a good mood!
When I came home, my beloved poured me a glass of wine and then gave me
the big box that arrived in the mail when I was away… OH MY GOSH!!!
It was the prize I won over at Scrap {a} Tale
Kimberly filled the
box from top ’till
bottom…
look at this!!!
Different patterned
papers, embellies,
journaling tags,
rubons, alpha’s,
chipboard…
I couldn’t believe
my eyes! Thank
you so much
Kimberly!
I started making my art journal the next morning.
I cut the aquarelle sheets in 12 pieces and folded those in half, which left me
with 24 pages of 9 x 10 inch (23 x 25 cm) for the 24 prompts to come.
I tore some pages
(about art) out of
an old encyclopedia
to cover the
chipboard.
The title is sprayed
using my Tim Holtz
alphabet mask.
I took my favourite
alpha stamps to
stamp the subtitle,
and coloured the
letters with markers.
The back of the
journal looks
similar: a bit of
spraying and my
name stamped.
I used chipboard
numbers that
came in Kimberly’s
parcel to add 2010.
This journal will last
the whole year!
I bound it all
together using
the coptic book
binding technique.
Detail
This technique
leaves such a
lovely side view!
Today, the first prompt will be up at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal
and I’m ready to rock!!!
Have a rockin’ weekend too, y’ all!!
Je t’embrasse!