Soulistry: A Start...

Yesterday I got my Soulistry Journal ready for Book Club... 

Today I started making my mark in it.

The first set of questions was about what our intentions were: 

what do you plan to put in/what do expect to get out stuff...  how often, write or art or both... and the like. 

I answered the questions in written form in the 'tear out' journal and glued them in, opposite that I Art-ed my intentions too.  

For me, this will be a fluid as the Spirit strikes, Muse Moods etc... project.

With Book of Days, Elements, Life in the Year of an Art Journal, Traveling Art Journal, the Art Calender 366 Project on the go as well as my Design Team/Work commitments I DO NOT want this becoming 'just another 'To-Do', it's just too important.

I also expect that many of my pages will not be openly blogged but kept private, I just don't know... we'll see where this journey takes me. :O)

I lost count of the # of layers this poor page took. It started as 3 book pages glued together... this textbook being from 1956 has pretty wispy pages, lol. There are 4+ layers of paint (white base, gold then more and more sponged on) as well as paper scraps and lots of stamp images. It has some lovely texture to it now, makes you want to run your fingers across it again and again...

Less exciting...

Front Inside Cover:

Used a photo we took in the mausoleum at Beechwood Cemetery on the left and am still pondering what to do on the right. It will be a 'Table of Contents', so I can list the prompts in the order they were art-ed in since I expect we'll be jumping around a bit. Haven't white paint prepped it yet because I maaaay just glue a lined sheet in to keep it neat...

Soulistry: The Binding...

Gifts should come in a pretty wrapper, when possible...

My *gift* to myself this year is taking this course of Book Club on Book of Day Premium, working through the Soulistry book along with the my other Sisters. 

Missed out on Life is a Verb last round, it looked very fulfilling. :O(

The 1st step is a book to work in, and I wanted mine to be pretty. 

Started by digging into that HUGE box of old university textbooks my parents tossed in my direction and I collected with delight! Ended up using a 1956 book in bad, bad condition... needed some TLC. 

Last week I found a lovely book of wallpaper samples circa 1988 at the 2nd hand store (only $3.99!!!). The design line was called 'Romantica' and they are all heavy, vinyl, washable stuff... and BUSY. Pretty though they are, they would not end up on *my* walls. lol My book... that's another matter. I have the feeling this book may well get dragged around and outside to get worked in so the Teflon like coating is a great bonus.

Nothing fancy for binding: 2 sided ScorPal tape and LOTS of glue stick. 

Also have a journal with pretty lined and designed pages but a cover that was mulberry paper that got wet so now it's some kind of fugly. Plan to do my writing exercises on the pretty paper, tear them out of the fugly book and then glue them into the pretty one.

Not bad for a quick 1/2 hour cover-up. 

I'm pleased... it's all shiny, shimmery-pearl-like but friggen' tough!

Book of Days: April 2nd - 4th

As promised earlier today the berf-day days +...

April 3rd:
Full Spread

oo

April 2nd:

Berf-day Eve... saying Good-Bye to 36...

Been saving the 36 from a box of boozie chocolates (the ones that look like wee bottles) Greg got at Christmas. The number is actually clear wrap so the paintwork shows through underneath.

LOTS of shimmer and glitter!

April 3rd:

Berf-day Spread... used a napkin and streamers from the celebration.

Quote:

"Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year:  The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again."  

~Menachem Mendel Schneerson~

April 4th:

WOYWW 'cheater' day!

April 4th:

Full Spread

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 148

It's Wednesday... time for WOYWW over at:

Stamping Ground

It's messy, as usual... and some of the mess in the Studio isn't *reeeally* mine...

Yesterday was my berf-day so the 'streamer-gnomes, as they are calling themselves, raided the Studio and made a mess. 

I will be clearing up today... lol. 

 But 1st the desk:

Smattering of berf-day gifts dumped here last night... new pens, pencils and case in Skull and Roses (yummy!) and the Soulistry book for the latest Art Journaling en devour over in Book of Days  which starts today! Can't wait. :O) 

Some boozy playing cards I got 2nd hand this week... I have a 'plan' for some of my Sisters of the Book for these lil'beauts. *rubbing hands together with glee* 

Leftover berf-day knapkins... some of which I already used in my Book of Days for yesterday. Will be posting those pages later today so feel free to check back! 

...and the latest fleur: an Orchid that 2 of my fabulous friends brought to our Dinner out Saturday. Is'a prrretty, never had an Orchid before.

...and COFFEE, got a new cup yesterday too. My eldest son snarfed my other Venti cup *pout* that's ok, this one is much prettier.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

 

Scary fleur... hoping I don't kill it... eep!

  

The work of the 'streamer-gnomes' all.over.the.Studio... 

*le sigh* what a mess! ;O)

 

Birthday pretties... 

We each get 1 Mylar Balloon for our birthday (due to several family members latex allergies) it's tradition! Hubby got me LOTS more fleurs... too big for the Studio so they're staying downstairs.

 

Streamer-gnomes at work in the livingroom too... 

messy lil'guys!

 

Scrap Our Stash Design Team Page: April SPRING FLING Challenge

My poor work table is a mess after this month's Topic, but a pretty mess. 

I decided to make Spring Fling about flinging Spring colored Paint... all over my page. 

When I started I envisioned a magazine/catalog style layout, clean (um, despite the splattered paint, lol) simple and letting the pictures tell the story. 

 Also a good excuse to get last year's Easter Egg pictures scrapped before this year's pictures are waiting in my laptop too. Really glad I did too! Within minutes of finishing 3 of my 4 boyz came into the Studio, started ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the page and looking for their eggs in the big picture. 

Nice reminder that *this* is why we scrapbook.  

I started with a plain white page, wow... I *never* use these so, of course, I had lots in my stash gathering dust. Then I chose 4 DecoArt Acrylic paints to fling: Violet Pearl (shiny!), Tutti Fruitti (doncha' just love the name of this pink?!), Daffodil Yellow (more spring!) and Tropical Green.

Dribbled a bit right onto the paper from each bottle as well as adding a few drops of water in a metal $1 store sauce cup (use these a lot) to make it a little thinner for easier splattering. 

Then I started flinging! 

Should have waited a few hours for it all to dry, but I didn't... so there's a smear here and there. ooops. 

The picture 'strip' was printed out in 2 parts then overlapped on some light blue textured cardstock (bazzill?) the main picture was matted with the same paper, inked around all the edges. Behind the picture strip is a scrap of packaging from some 12X12 papers, the company was nice enough to pattern the inside of their packaging and I'm just cheap enough to have saved it. ;O) 

The rest of the colored strips are Stampin'Up! stickers from the Sell-a-bration freebie kit from, uh 2 years ago?... I think. More stash stuff that needed using up.

The title is computer printed (Japan font) and then I traced over areas I wanted more defined with a back Gel-Roll Pen. Final touch was the bright pink Pearl Gems from the $ store.

 

So clean and white... not for long...

Fling!

Fling!

Fling!

...aaaaand the final color FLING!

Now it's your turn to take the April SPRING FLING Challenge. The April Challenge is anything to do with SPRING FLING. The possibilities are endless. Anything goes! So think SPRING FLING and take the challenge. To participate in the April SPRING FLING Challenge - just email a picture of your project along with a description to Scrappinpsycho@live.com

All submissions will be posted to The Scrap Our Stash blog and on April 30th a winner will be chosen, and given the opportunity to be a Guest Design Team Member for the month of May. This challenge ends at midnight central time on April 30th.

Book of Days: March 31st - April 1st

2 for you so far today, more to follow...

Biggies spread so they get der'own post. 

April 1st:

9th FULL SPREAD Done!

 

March 31st:

Sugar Bush and then Birthday Dinner out...

Used the packaging from the hand wipes at the restaurant for a tag pouch (again... lol). 

The Tag is a slice off a Recipe Card and then the wipe bag remnant is stapled on for a pull-y bit.

March 31st:

Full Spread

April 1st:

April Fool's Day... got the boyz GOOD. 

 April 1st:

Full Spread 9th DONE

Closed

Try it on Tuesday: Designer Spotlight

I'm in the Guest Showcase today over Try it on Tuesday:

 http://tuesdaytaggers.blogspot.ca/2012/04/new-guest-showcase.html

Check it out!

 

The theme is anything goes-your favorite things.

A lot of my favorite things are wrapped up in 'Steampunk', so that's the theme I went with. Started with a frame I pick-ed up free during a FreeCycle Give-Away Weekend. It was already painted silver, worn and battered: good start!
Used several rub-ons (balloon, typewriter and clock) and a few stamps (goggles, bee, #'s and STEAMPUNK). Then layered on the stuff...
Victorian boots, key and keyhole, flowers, gears, stamps and bling...
These are a few of my favorite things! (sing it with me...)
Stamps from Stampin' Up and Rubber Cafe.
Ink is StazOn.
Key from 7 Gypsies.
Key hole and stamp stickers from KeepSake Craft.
Bling and Flowers from Prima.
Die cuts from BoBunny and Graphic 45.
Rubs on from Studio Calico and Reflections.
Boot sticker from Heartwarming Vintage.
Gear Punch from Stampin' Up!