A Beautiful Life Art Journal ~ Done!

I am so excited to do this post. It's taken, well, let's see, Heather, Pretty Petals, posted the workshop in September of last year? (gasp!) As they say, better late, than never. And, OH AM I GLAD I FINISHED THIS! This "labor of love" was frustrating, at times, but taught me so much about collaging, and layering, and stretching your mind/imagination. I highly recommend it to those of you who were a bit intimidated. It also taught me to part with "my pretties" for a bigger purpose! You know, they are not all piled up or stored away in boxes. We all have a bit of the "hoarding instinct" when it comes to pretties. :) :) :)  The very best part for those of you who missed it back in September, Heather has decided to offer this on-line class, once again.  So all you, who missed it, come join the fun.

I messed up my page order, from the beginning :) :), but, alas, it is MY journal, so I guess that is just fine. Freedom of expression, as they say. The picture above is the cover, and I used all of my best laces for this, girls, as well as gorgeous millinery flowers. I wanted something to treasure, and using really "good stuff" makes your heart pitter-patter!

Below is a picture of the thickness of the book, after binding! Scrumptious, isn't it? For those of you who have completed the class, you know what I'm talking about! (~sigh~)

Now here is where "I messed up". For some crazy reason, I put one of the "Beautiful Ladies" on the back cover, which left the first page open. I decided to do somewhat of an index page. It lists the categories found in the journal, topped off with ribbon roses. A vintage lace sleeve is stretched over the vintage wallpaper to create a pocket. Inside the pocket, I have a copy of my favorite postcard,"Love's Messenger", and a little author paper (Me!). This pocket will allow me to store future "treasures", as I find them. Of course, old millinery glittered up with old German glass glitter tops off the page.

Now here is the first of the "Beautiful Ladies". She is the "Corset Girl", and I had fun glittering her up! I used a bit of ribbon I purchased from Andrea at Everyday Beauty and old millinery. In the bottom right corner, I added two little cherubs and corsets that were copied from an old advertising card. I thought it was just the right "surprise" for this page. (Please excuse the shadows, I tried to photograph on a sunny day.)  Underlying papers are vintage wallpaper and pages from an old victorian magazine.

Here is the second "Beautiful Lady". She has the most beautiful smile, and her face just glows with excitement! It gives you such a warm feeling to look at her.  She's topped off with (what else?) more millinery.  Layers of pages, journal, wallpaper, etc., lie underneath.  Gorgeous old lace edges the page.

The next 2 pages are "Oh How I Love".  These are the pages you put "your pretties" on.  It was hard deciding, not only what to put on them, but placement of the items.  This is where the task of collaging comes in.  How do you place them and make it all look like it works together?  I started with vintage wallpaper.  The silhouettes I received from Lili at LiliM in a swap.  Heather made me the "You are Treasured" that I used on the corner of the picture, quite awhile ago.  Old buttons,  jewelry, and velvet strawberries add to the page.  One of my Inspiration pins (in green) happily joins the grouping.

Page 2 is the other side of the page above that had the victorian lace sleeve stretched over it.  This, once again, allowed me to use it as "a pocket".  I have a letter that Heather wrote me as a little girl, in the pocket.  I also added to the pocket a page from "The Secret Garden" (one of my very favorite children's stories).  I received this in a swap from my dear friend, Madai of Wren Cottage. 

The next 2 pages are "Sweet Friendshp".  Heather gave us all of the images and copies of sheet music and wallpaper.  Everything you need to finish this beautiful journal.  I adore this sheet music used here.  Layered, once again, wallpaper, sheet music, and a title page from "Let Us Be Friends".  How appropriate is that? 

I didn't stray very far from her instructions on these pages.  Adding just the right amount of ribbon, millinery, and lace does the trick.  The image of these 2 girls is just beautiful and says it all.  Friendship is such a valuable commodity in today's world.  I treasure all of you, my dear friends.  It's been wonderful getting to  know you in the last few years.  What commonalities we have, in spite of our backgrounds, distance, careers, families.  I treasure you all.

"Blessed Family".  Two small words with such a big big meaning.  A page from an old Victorian magazine entitled "The Happy Home" starts it off right, don't you think?  The beautiful poem about standing together.  Yes, that is how I feel about my dear family.

And antoher gorgeous image of a mother pushing a baby carriage, with her two little ones playing happily.  I glittered up the page a bit and added a few millinery flowers.  Added the sweet calling card that Heather supplied in her images.   Wa-la!  A gorgeous page.  Simplicity at its best.

So, now, here was the test.  A page of my very own.  No instructions, no images to use.  Just my own mind and creativity.  Birds are one of God's creatures that I am in total amazement of.  These sweet little bundles bring such joy by not only their song, but just of their sweet appearance.  You'll remember this postcard from my first page.  It is entitled "Love's Messenger".  The background page is an image from Karen at The Graphics Fairy.  I immediately loved it when I saw it and knew I would be using it for something very soon.  It is actually an album cover. A few feathers, a jewelry dangle with a heart, and some nice old buttons.  That did the trick for me.

So, that is the end of the journal post.  I still have the "Keepsake Box" to make to store it in.  That is a post for another day, as I have yet to begin making it! LOL! 

I derived much satisfaction from making this journal.  So you ladies that are holding back, go for it.  You'll be so happy you created your very own "A Beautiful Life" Art Journal....

Blessings,
Kitty

"Just As The Bird Sings or The Butterfly Soars, Because It Is His Natural Characteristic, So The Artist Works...

I've noticed in recent weeks, there seems to be a lingering of frustration, restlessness, maybe. One might say a feeling of "being held down", if you will. I've noticed this a great deal since the earthquake in Haiti, and the feeling of frustration over what the average person is able to do to help beyond monetary donations. This is not to say that money is not significant. It absolutely is; and without it, work cannot be done or rebuilding accomplished.

This "feeling" I am speaking of, seems to be cast over bloggers that I frequent, and even family. Maybe it is the "winter doldrums", or just a lack of inspiration. Lack of enough sunlight, maybe, you know Vitamin D?

I have had the pleasure of seeing deer in my yard (or should I say woods, as I live in the country). These sweet masterpieces of nature just amaze me at their beauty and their resilience. A little nibble of some fallen corn, a few nips of hemlock, a lick or two of green moss. Their quest is to get enough food, enough sustenance, to get them through the day and the long night. It is their "natural characteristic".

Are we content with just the right amount of sustenance or inspiration? Do we have to have the big rush of adrenaline, that huge influx of food for our souls? Is this in our nature as artists, creators, crafters, or whatever name one might be called? Can we not be happy with a "little inspiration"? What level is "Natural"?

These are the questions that have come up in my mind recently. Trying so hard to see the glass as half full, so to speak.

Are we like caged birds this time of year? Do we feel our creative wings are clipped? Do we have no purpose for creating, experiencing that rush, that joy, that "making one's heart beat faster" feeling? What makes us lose inspiration?

I feel, as I get older, that time is flying. I know alot of you probably feel the same. But I am determined to find inspiration in every day life. I am trying to be "content", "sustained" with what I find in my path.

I love my life. Am I rich ~ no, not monetarily. Do I have fame ~ no, only to those that love me. But I find richness all around me. A God who takes care of my needs, the love of my family, a job, a home; what else do I need?

As for inspiration? Just look around. Yes, even in the "winter doldrums", we can find inspiration. Beauty does abound ~ and so, the artist must work.

Blessings to all,

Kitty

Title Quote by Alma Gluck.

Images from The Graphics Fairy

"It's All About Me" Challenge

The lovely Natasha Burns from Artistic Creations by Natasha Burns is hosting an "It's All About Me" Challenge. It was a challenge to complete a project that we have been wanting to do for some time. So, here it is, an inspiration board that I have been wanting to make from a frame I bought at a yard sale 2 years ago! Yes, I know, time does fly. But, Natasha put us up to the challenge and this is my result. I've added a little tutorial below so you all can see just how easy this is. Jut a little time and a little patience.

Get your favorite frame and buy a bulletin board that you can cut to size. The cork tiles didn't seem thick enough, so I opted for the board.

Measure the opening on the frame (notice mine has an inset). Since I am wrapping the cork in fabric, I cut it just a "smidge" smaller (and yes, that is a very technical term - LOL!).

Check it in the frame and trim it as necessary with a razor knife.

Pop it in the frame to make sure it fits. Take your favorite fabric (this is an old curtain panel that reminds me of bark cloth), center on the front, flip it over and hot glue away! Since this was the back (below), I used a small piece of already cut fabric to put in the middle of the back. I didn't want to cut any more of this fabric than was necessary. Hopefully, I can use what is left for another project.

Hot glue it in the frame inset and flip it over. Isn't it gorgeous?!

A while back, I bought this brown ribbon from Andrea of Velvet Strawberries. It was just the right shade of brown to trim the frame. Don't ya just love the ruffles on the edges of this ribbon? So sweet.

So, here it is after the ribbon trim is applied. Again, just hot glued on the edge of the frame. So simple.

So, now, what to put up my "inspirations" with? I was on a "bead kick" not long ago. I bought the pearl top pins very reasonably at a local craft store and put some pretty pins together. My thought is to sell them, but I think these might do the trick for a pretty way to tack things on the board.

Once I was totally done, my mind went to, what will be the very first thing I tack to my board for inspiration. Well, that was a "no brainer" for me. Years ago, my first grandson, Braden, (who is now 15) gave me this sweet little rose pin for Christmas. I've kept it on the edge of my mirror all these years. This is, without a doubt, the first thing I wanted on my board.

So, here it is, the finished product. Love it. I just have to put a wire on the back to hang and tack away.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad I finished this. Thanks to Natasha for the "inspiration" to get this done! Make sure you stop over to her web site to see all the ladies that have joined in the fun....

Blessings to all of you,

Kitty

xox