Still "Documenting My Life" and enjoying every minute......

I'll start with the pages I have finished for Documented Life Project (DLP).  This great project involves weekly journaling prompts.....week #4 was using envelopes.  Here is my interpretation of that......I used a CD envelope and made a small book to keep inside of it. 

  







Book covers are a great way to use up scrapes of Gelli printed paper.

For an envelope I used a CD holder and doodled around the edge.

Stand alone book, out side of its envelope cozy.  I think I'm going to use this booklet to keep track of the classes I take this year.  If they are on-line classes, I should keep notes on where I've saved them to the computer (sad laugh here)!

This week is week #5 and the  DLP prompt is a border.......so I doodled a border and wrote a favorite quote.

These are fun prompts and keep you inspired.  If, you want to learn more about DLP go to www.arttothe5th.com.

I'm also teaching a class where we are encouraging the group to follow along with these prompts.  Here is a very, very brief lettering lesson I e-mailed the class.  If, you have never lettered or even thought about lettering this is a really easy way to start.

Just print the letters and go back in and add some bulk especially to the beginning and ending of each letter.















These are the pens I use, they are readily available in most box stores that sell pens.













Here's a place I used this style of lettering in an exaggerated form...........

Hope you are keeping warm and safe......spring, surely, will arrive some day!!!  Take advantage of your "down time" and create something......anything!



 

What did I do this week?

That's why I journal....so, I have something to refer back to, just kidding.....maybe!

Aside from having a very expensive porcelain crown put in my mouth, to replace the one that broke on New Year's Day, pruning roses and taking the doggie to have his hair and nails done...I prepped for our class on Thursday....and helped teach it! 

I mentioned last week that we are encouraging our students to follow along with the "Document Your Life Project" so we are using their prompts for inspiration....this week it was selfies (we are a couple weeks behind).  This is my selfie example for the class........done on a tip-in, that when folded back reveals........

The back of the selfie with my featured word "bloom" and under that the page with the orange circle is yet, another tip-in.

This tip-in features my beloved, spray painted, turquoise chandelier!  On the facing page (not quite finished), are my Julia Cameron's Vein of Gold writing exercises called "secret selves".  Secret, hidden under my tip-in.....get it?

So, class time was used to make their selfies and playing with Gelli printing.  I think the printing was a hit!

Next class, we are going to try a little book binding so I used my 15 year old granddaughter for my practice student.  She did very well....those kids, they catch on so fast.  I like her book and she really made the whole thing.....I just would demo and she would do!

Cool cover, huh?  We did cut a box apart and glued a piece of card stock on the other side to give it a little more weight.

Busy stitching...................!

All done..........and very CUTE......both girl and book.  Looking forward to another busy week and another great class on Thursday.

Teaching........

Thursday was the first day of our Artful Journaling class at the local art center.

We had nine eager to learn students from a variety of backgrounds.....and it was fun!  I teach with another woman, who's name happens to be Jan, too.  We refer to ourselves and the Jan and Jan show!
Jan P. is great at creative writing and getting our class members into thinking retrospectively.  They seem to like that.

 We are linking our students to The Document Your Life Project, which you can learn more about at www.arttothe5th.com. 

Our class is only four weeks but the Document Project will go on all year by giving members weekly journaling prompts and ideas on how to create art with those prompts.

This has been a very popular concept, they have 3800 member, or more, already signed up.  It is free, informative and very inspiring.

So, first lesson in the art part of the class agenda was making the calendar pages for our planners.

Dividing pages into eight equal parts required some math skills and concentration....that was the hard part!  Then came the creative stuff!





Our class is only two and a half hours long and we have a lot to cover.  I decided it would move things along if I were to make a Gelli printed mono print for each person.  We are following the DLP prompts and their first one was "doors" and we went with that.

Students may use my prints, as they are, or make their own creative pages.  These are the class samples that I made.

I am so anxious to see the nine interpretations of "doors" that our group comes up with, I can't wait for Thursday.

Gone but not forgotten......

I'd tell you I'd been traveling........but you'd never believe me.

Christmas has come and gone, New Year's has come and gone and I've been no where in site, as far as, this blog was concerned.  So, by golly it is time to get caught up.

I've been getting a BUNCH of cool inspiration since the first of the year.  I've joined in on the Document Your Life Project which you can access here http://www.arttothe5th.com/.  The "life" project is FREE, if go to the blog site you will find out how you can join me, and 3500 of my closest friends, in journaling fun and inspiration!

I did buy a Moleskine Planner, as suggested, won't buy another one for this purpose.  I'm a pretty casual journaler but I really did not like the weight of the paper in this book.  But, it's O.K., I've always wanted a Moleskine journal....now, I have one and a better idea how to use it. 

Of course, I'm doing everything my way but it has been delightful to see the various interpretations of the suggested prompt each week and the inspiration is truly endless.

The first week, the prompt was doors........here's my version.

Second week......selfie!

The tip-in is the back of the doors piece above!  My "selfie" celebrates buying new jeans!  I really, really hate buying jeans.  I have short legs and too much middle and no butt......do you have any idea what it takes to cover that up!  I found some stretchy Levi's that I, actually, love.

As, if this wasn't enough excitement......I'm taking Joanne Sharpe's newest class, Draw Your Awesome Year.Click here to visit her blog and learn more. This class is not free but it is well worth the money, Joanne is a very good teacher.  More great journaling ideas.....like this.

I'm finding I love Tombow pens and lettering almost as much as my new Levi's!

Stepped out on my own on these two journal pages......I may be drummed out of the club, we'll see.  "Renaissance" was inspired by a piece of art I had in my stash and a book I'm reading on the Italian Renaissance.  "Hello" is just doodling on a Gelli print!

 BTW how I've overcome the too light paper in the planner is, of course, by gluing in a piece of watercolor or drawing paper for back up!

I like having more space on the calendar page to write entries into each day, so that is a plus for this planner, and I will add tip in's as I go along and feel the need. 

It's good to be back.  Hope you are all well and digging out from under whatever Mother Nature has thrown your way!