It seems (on a quick search through my posts and pics) that I have been remiss and have failed to share a project I designed, completed and taught last year. I’ve created another version this month – hence this post. May I introduce my Christmas and Easter pebble painting…
Welcome to the first art journaling post of the new year! February’s session was based on a technique I picked up from somewhere years ago that I remembered using when I was on the WOW! Embossing Powders design team. I found my original post here, from 2012! It uses Brasso metal polish wadding and heat embossing to create an effect that is hard to replicate any other way. I remembered to take step-by-step photos as I created the layout, so another tutorial follows…
Well, here’s a thing. I’m no longer on the AAA Cards design team but I thought I’d join in their challenges now and then when I wanted something creative to do that wasn’t ‘work’. January’s sketch design is the first for the year – a prompt for your card layout. Here’s my entry:
Scrolling through my photos on my phone, I came across some I’d taken of the cards I made for Christmas (now last year). As they’ve all been sent, received and recycled, I can share them here. Featuring a ‘stained glass’ design, the tag is removable and designed to be kept and used year-to-year. Making notes follow…
For more information on my new workshops for small groups, click pics or here.
You may have heard of a way-side pulpit – the posters with a meaningful, or sometimes witty, quote or remark designed to catch the eye and prompt thought as you walk or drive past. Well, at my church this has been taken to another level… a pee-side pulpit. Taking note of the eye level advertising that seems to be in public conveniences, similar frames are strategically placed in the building’s toilets. I’ve been asked to contribute toward the ‘verse of the month’ designs and for January came up with this:
I’ve been planning this quilt since August 2021 – at least, that is the creation date of my design file. I’ve created this one from scratch, designing the pattern, working out the fabric requirements, editing it for different dimensions and then choosing the fabric. The quilt was finally commissioned as a sofa cover back in March 2023 and I completed it last week having worked on it on and off since the summer.
For the first Bible Journaling Session of 2024, we’re having a colour challenge. All of us have our favourite colours that we reach for… Sometimes we can get stuck choosing new palettes and our work becomes a little samey. During our session, we will use different colour palettes to try and break out of our tonal rut. Here are my samples – carry on reading to see the colour palettes I used.
The last theme of the year has been set out over at AAA Cards’ clean and simple card challenge blog. It has a wintery feel with ‘sketch and cold’ being the design features to include. If you need a reminder, the sketch is there as inspiration and doesn’t need to be literally followed (though a couple of the DT cards have done so). The colour palette does need to be from the cold side though.
Sadly, this card will also be my last design team card for AAA Cards. I’ve made a card every fortnight for them over the last two years and it’s time to move on to do something new/different. There are plans to take the challenges into next year, so do keep joining in the fun 🙂
Here’s my take on the challenge:
The last Art Journal Session of the year is on Monday, 4th December at The Studio in Leicester. Inspired by all things sparkly and shiny around this time of the year, I’ve come up with this shiny Christmas double-spread:
If you’d like to come to the session, please let me know. I remembered to take step-by-step photos this time, so instructions follow…
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