Art Journals & more...

Hello friends! I finally started the long awaited vintage-inspired travel journal for my 1994 trip to Europe. I'm using a Moleskine watercolor journal.

I attached paper with a Fleur de Lis print to the cover and stamped a Parisian image over

patterned paper. Burgundy acrylic was scrubbed on with a dry brush. Matching ribbon and charm finish the cover. The first page inside will be a "chapter" page and will be completed last.

Page one is a print of a vintage postcard from my collection. Never use your originals! You never know when you may need it again. I chose a postcard of the Notre Dame gargoyles sitting over Paris. I write a few memories on the card directly and attach it to a page painted with earthy watercolors. Gold photo corners give it the "photo album" feel.

For page two, I sketched the original boarding pass. I printed a lovely vintage image and deckled the edges. Rubber stamps were used with sepia ink and stamped above the boarding pass and on the image.
And, that's as far as I got! Lita noticed how all my journals have at least the first page done. Some have several pages and some just have one page, but none are finished. And yet I keep buying more! I wonder what that says about my personality? Any guesses?

I sketched an old door last week and filled it with watercolor. The full resolution sketch is available for download in my Etsy shop. Just print and paint! Or get out that box of 64 crayons with the built in sharpener and revisit your childhood!

I worked on my Doll Dreams art journal. A piece of how I was feeling over the loss of my 15 year old cat, Pi.

The background was journaled about one week before she passed away. I was writing about her illness and what I was trying to do to help her. After she passed I couldn't read it anymore so I did the dolly over the writing. We miss her so. :(

Two versions of a mixed media piece called Caribbean Dream:

This is the finished piece. This Caribbean Dream has a place of honor in my cabana bathroom. :)

And to end today's post how about when art and photography come together? You get Surreal Dreams:

The result of dropping some ink into my paint jar full of dirty water. I watched it swirl and move, taking on a life of it's own. I think "Groovy, man" would be an appropriate comment on this piece. :)

So, I'm off traveling again...just a hop, skip and a jump and I'll be home before I'm even missed. You all have a fabulous weekend and don't forget to sneak in some creative time! xo