Pocket Full of Sunshine!

Week 31:  Add a pocket to your page - fill it with treasure from your week

The real challenge for me this week wasn't the pocket - it was what I put in the pocket.  My treasure this week was finally being OKAY with not doing perfect art!  Who defines perfect, anyway????    I just finished an online class by Mary Ann Moss called Sketchbookery.  She teaches you that it's okay to make mistakes and keep going.  It's okay for your ink or watercolor to blob.  DON'T rip the page out.  DON'T start over.  GO WITH IT!  She teaches that if you keep going, you will love the end result.  And she was right.  I love her work.  I love her personality.  And she has taught me to love my work - just the way it is.

I used my Montana Acrylic Markers and my dip pen with Liquitex Ink in Prussian Blue and created a tag for my pocket.  I love using ink and I want to practice and get much better.  Then I sewed a simple pocket using scrap wrapping paper - making a pocket "old school" scrapbooking style - folding one corner down inside.  I hinged it in my book and made a home for my tag I created - the one that freed me.  My treasure this week.  It's not perfect, but neither am I!

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Smash Style!

Week 30:  Add Receipts, Labels, Business Cards. . . Smash Style

I had fun all this week collecting and gathering items to "smash" into my planner, especially since I traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and got to meet up with and spend the day in St. Francisville with my bestie, Kim - who I don't get to see nearly enough!  If you are ever near that area, it is worth spending an afternoon antiquing and browsing in all of the adorable shops and just walking through the historic district and chatting with the friendly folks who are ready to share a smile, a story and a sweet tea!  And don't forget to stop in at the Magnolia Cafe for a lovely lunch in an adorable setting!  I am sure you will see some sights from that little town appearing in my sketchbook soon!

Kimmie-Lou and Me! (Our daughters are BFFs too!)

Magnolia Cafe, St. Francisville, Louisiana

I had so much stuff gathered by the end of the week, I knew I couldn't fit it all!  I was also in a hotel room with very limited supplies but at least I had my trusty traveling art kit!  You can see what I always carry with me HERE in this video!

I started by covering my blank page with an AT&T ad from the newspaper, which is pretty funny because by the time I was done, hardly any of it showed!  Then I started arranging and adhering bits and pieces from my week.  I didn't love all the white space, so I started adding paint, washi tape, a white Uniball Signo pen and my trusty Blackwing Pencil that I just can't live without!  Not much of this ended up showing either by the time I was done, but oh well, that's the nature of mixed-media and layering.  At least I know it's there!

I really wanted to document this one special day I got to spend with Kim, so I added a journaling card to the left side of my tip-in and I hinged it with this awesome, wide Hazel & Ruby Fat Roll tape - I happened to stuff it in my art bag at the last minute and it's amazing how well it worked with my collage!

So there's my "smashed up" page - I will always smile when I look at it and remember my fun day with Kim and how much I treasure our time together!  We have been friends for over 25 years and because we live in separate cities, we make the most of every minute we have together! I'm glad I have this page to revisit when we can't be together! {I love you Kim!}

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Up!

Week 29: Make a Wish List

This week's challenge was to make a wish list so I decided to make a list of all the places I still want to go in this world!  I'm blessed to be able to travel a lot, but there is so much more I want to see!  And since taking a hot-air balloon trip is at the top of that list, I decide to revolve all of my listmaking around the balloon !  (Incidentally, I don't want to go on just any old hot-air balloon trip, I want to take one up in the mountains of Cappadocia, Turkey - like this . . .

And this . . .

Ahhhh, one day!  Anyway, I sketched my balloon with a Micron pen and began to paint it with watercolors.

After painting, I started to write down all of the places I still wanted to go and specifically the experiences I wanted to have.  I wrote, and I wrote, and I wrote.

And I wrote some more.

I ran out of room.

So much to see, so little time . . . . . so there you have it, my "partial" wish list!

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Looking forward to seeing your wishes this week!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Art to the 5th Retreat!

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We would love for you to join the Art to the 5th Artists at our first ever Art Retreat in conjunction with She Scrapbooks in The Villages, Florida!  Here's a little teaser video to tempt you further!

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For more information and to find out how you can be a part of this incredible experience, call She Scrapbooks at (352)259-6226 or visit their website HERE.

Stencil Girl, Part Deux

True North

The past few years have been a struggle for me as I try to navigate my life in my new found role of Empty Nester.  I am no longer needed as the nurturer, homework-checker, limo driver, lunch-packer, chicken soup-maker, laundress . . . . and the list goes on.  No pity party here, I just wasn't prepared for the day when that last one went off to school and my job became "redundant!"  Where were the piles of laundry, the stacks of groceries, the houseful of teenagers that were always on my couch and in my fridge?

I really  miss them. I knew I would adjust, I knew it would be just fine and I also knew the little chicks would fly back home from time to time.  But what do I DO with myself now?  What's my role?  What's my job? How do I fill those hours each day that are no longer eaten up with the chores of "mothering?"

Like a ship floating aimlessly around the big wide ocean, I knew I had to find direction.  I had to find my TRUE NORTH.  So I set out on a new journey . . . immersing myself in my art and travel and charting a course to destinations unknown!

Of course, True North is a metaphor for setting myself straight, making my course, finding my direction.  And any time I veer off course, I just listen to my heart and find my way back to my True North!

To celebrate the search for my True North, I created this tag for the Stencil Girl Talk Blog this week.

I started with an old piece of map and a #12 manilla tag.  I use Golden Matte Gel Medium to adhere the map to the tag and trimmed it to fit.  I then placed the Around the World Latitude stencil designed by Mary C. Nasser over top of the tag.  I lightly pounced on Golden White Gesso, allowing the colors and lines of the map to peek through.

Once the gesso was dry, I used the Compass Rose stencil designed by Julie Snidle to add the directional emblem onto the tag with a black Staz-On Ink Pad.  I also stamped my sentiment on the card and hit them both with a heat gun to set them.  I brushed in a little watercolor wash to make the compass and letters stand out.

As a final touch, I tied on some hand-dyed ribbons and string and added a little travel tag.  I love the way it turned out and now when I find myself feeling lost, I just look up at my tag hanging above my desk and am reminded that I am on a journey . . . and I just have to keep heading True North!

Thanks for joining me as I lament my empty nest!  It has been an awesome week working with Stencil Girl! Please head over to their blog HERE and give them some love - they also have some wonderful discounts and giveaways all week!  Thanks to them for their support of The Documented Life Project and Art to the 5th!

Happy Travels!

Hugs,

Lo

Stencil Girl!

I'm so excited to be a featured artist on the  Stencil Girl Talk Blog today (along with Sandi Keene)!  I am such a fan of Stencil Girl stencils and it was great fun to create these projects!  Sincere appreciation to Mary Beth Shaw and Maria McGuire for their support of Art to the 5th and The Documented Life Project and including me in this special blog hop!

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Chronicles of an Empty Nester

When I was asked to select my stencils for the Stencil Girl Blog Hop, the moment I saw these navigational designs, I knew exactly what I would use them for.  I have always been a journal keeper and a traveler and I have filled books full of sketches and writing about my experiences. I decided to make a new book to chronicle my empty nest journey in search of my True North. 

The two stencils I chose were the Around The World Latitude Stencil and the Compass Rose Stencil. 

I decide to create my journal using a Tim Holtz Chronicle Large Worn Cover by Idea-ology and some very cool old world map tissue paper.  I crinkled the tissue and used gel medium to adhere it to the book cover.

Using the Compass Rose stencil, I spread Golden molding paste on the stencil with a palette knife so it would ooze through the holes and leave a raised image.  I love the way it looks and the stencils are such great quality that every tiny little space held up well with the molding paste.

Once the molding paste was dry, I followed the basic circular shape on the original book cover and roughed in a decorative border around the compass.  Then I rubbed ink over the raised surface of the stencil image and stamped and cut out some letters for my title.

For the inside covers of the journal, I rubbed Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Rusty Hinge) on a piece of watercolor paper with a baby wipe for a base color.  Next I placed the Around The World Latitude stencil over the paper and spritzed with Adirondack Color Wash Spray Inks (Stream and Lettuce).  The stencil left a faint outline of the latitude lines which I loved!  To make those lines pop even more, I laid the stencil back over top of the original lines and sprayed the paper again, this time using Dylusions Ink Spray (White Linen).  I lifted the stencil and dabbed at it while it was still wet.  I love the effect!

I added a very cool 3-Ring Binder by Advantus through some punched holes.  Now the book looks professional and finished on the inside . . . just ready for some paper!

In keeping with the old world style of the journal, I cut some vintage ledger paper I had on hand and punched holes and spritzed them with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Coffee Shop and Suede) using the Latitude stencils as a mask.  I placed them in the journal and added a travel tag.  I'm going to love writing in this book!

To finish the book off, I doodled alternating a white Uni-Ball Signo and a black Pilot Multiball pen and coated each stamped letter with Glossy Accents to make them look like tiles.  A pretty little bow of tulle and twine was tied around the spine of the book and finished off with a little travel trinket.

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I hope you enjoyed the post today!  Stop in again tomorrow where I will demonstrate another True North project using Stencil Girl products!  Be sure to visit The Stencil Girl Talk Blog and share some love and don't forget to visit their products site HERE to see what other awesome stencils they have!  They are having a fantastic giveaway and discounts this week so be sure to take advantage of it!

Hugs, Lo

It's DLP Week at Stencil Girl!

GUESS WHAT? It's DLP Week over at Stencil Girl!  The Art to the 5th Girls will be featured all week on their blog (as well as Mary Beth Shaw and Andrew Borloz) demonstrating what they have created using Stencil Girl's phenomenal stencils.  We will keep you hopping back and forth all week as we take turns creating, so be sure to visit all of the sites often this week.  Oh and did I tell you? Stencil Girl is offering DISCOUNTS and GIVEAWAYS all week so be sure to stop by and comment everywhere!  Have fun and we can't wait to share!

Just Picture It . . .

Week 28 - Add an Instagram or other tiny photo to your planner

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For this week's challenge, I used one of my favorite photos . . .

This picture speaks volumes to me and there are no words to put it down on paper.   I kept the page and background very plain with just a few collaged elements and a simple stamp to make a statement.

Wonderful memories of friends and food and sun and sand.  Oh yes, and dreams being fulfilled!

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Looking forward to seeing your tiny photos this week!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Instagram: #documentedlife #documentedlifeproject

Looking for previous challenges? click HERE

Visit our blogs: Sandi Keene, Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman and Barbara Moore on Instagram

NEW CLASSES AT SHE SCRAPBOOKS!

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I'm so excited once again to be teaching at She Scrapbooks in The Villages, Lady Lake, Florida!  I just love Stephanie and Yvonne and the lovely ladies who frequent their shop - there's always a good time to be had at She Scrapbooks!

On Saturday, July 26th, I will be teaching two Mixed-Media workshops and I would love to have you join me!  Hop on over to the She Scrapbooks Website for all the details!

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Canvas Art Journal Cover

PICTURE THIS! Instagram Album

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She Scrapbooks

918 Bichara Boulevard, The Villages, Florida

32159 352-259-6226

I hope I will see you there!

Create It•Mail It•Alter It

Announcing a Brand New Online Course from Art to the 5th!

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Paint, doodle and stamp “art with an address”. Enjoy this creative New Twist on a Mail Art class with your instructors: Rae Missigman, Roben-Marie Smith, Lorraine Bell and Sandi Keene.

We will each demonstrate our step by step process for creating layered, detailed designs in our signature styles. Watch as we trade pieces via mail to reveal the process of using mail art to construct elements for your planner or art journal.

This is TWO classes in ONE with 17 videos, over 6 hours of instruction, technique and inspiration from 4 distinct points of view. Let us inspire you with ways to create a mailbox treasure sure to delight your recipient PLUS how to turn the mail art you receive into meaningful additions to your favorite project. You supply the postage, we will cover the fun!

Join us as we Create It • Mail It • Alter It!

Hop on over to the Art to the 5th Academy Classroom to register!

Games People Play

Week 27:  Use a crossword puzzle, soduku, or word game

Guilty.  I admit it.  I am a "Words with Friends" addict.  And I'm competitive too.  Just ask my family - I'm ruthless at word games - I'm not proud of it!  For this week's challenge I decided to make myself a teeny tiny little 'Words with Friends' game board and letters.  Too, too cute!

I gridded out my game board and drew the lines with a Tombow marker and then ran a waterbrush down the lines to blur them a bit.  I made lots of "Triple and Double" letter and word spaces.  Then I stamped some tiny alpha stamps onto watercolor paper that I painted a golden yellow.  Each letter block is only 2/8" square!  I cut them out and inked the edges with black ink.

I attached a little glassine envelope to the bottom of the page to hold all of my game pieces.  Aren't they adorable?

Now I have a sweet little game in my planner.  Originally, I thought I might make it functional, but in the end I decided to go more artistic so I glued down "Life" and "Document."  I love the way it turned out!

I'm super excited to see how you use a puzzle or word game in your planner this week. 

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Looking for previous challenges? click HERE

Visit our blogs: Sandi Keene, Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman and Barbara Moore on Instagram

 

I'm Teaching At . . .

She Scrapbooks

I will be teaching two fun courses on July 26th at

She Scrapbooks, The Villages, Florida!

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Check out their website for all the details!

Comfort

Week 26 - Add a Bible Verse that Inspires You

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It was a hard week.

It's funny, sometimes when you are looking for that perfect inspiration, IT finds you.

Next week will be better, I know.

Just a quick sketch tonight.

To remind me.

Next week will be better.

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." Revelation 12:1

Hope your week is amazing!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Visit our blogs: Sandi Keene, Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman and Barbara Moore on Instagram

 

he{ART}s

Welcome to Week 25 of The Documented Life Project! 

This week, the challenge is to cover your pages with hearts!

I was digging through my studio, looking for inspiration for this week's challenge and I came across some cupcake holders with cute little hearts!  I used to make paper dolls for my daughter when she was little so I decided to sketch a little doll and dress her up for my planner!

I colored her in with pencils and cut her out.  Oh my, her hips are certainly wide - good thing she is going to have a nice skirt to cover them up!

I covered my planner tip-in page in scribbled journaling to create a contrasting background.

Next I took three cupcake papers and folded them in quarters to make the skirt.

She's starting to look pretty cute - a few little accessories like a belt and a hat and she's all set!

And here she is - looking sweet and flirty in her new dress!  I can't wait to see all of the beautiful hearts you create in your planner pages this week!  Thanks for playing along!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Looking for previous challenges? click HERE

Visit our blogs: Sandi Keene, Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman and Barbara Moore on Instagram

Retreat Time!

Have you heard?  The Art to the 5th Artists are partnering with She Scrapbooks for an amazing weekend long retreat in September!  We would love to see you there!

Celebrate with the Artists of Art to the 5th™ as they pack up their personal retreat and take it on the road - LIVE! Experience this dynamic art collaborative's favorite activities, projects and surprises selected from five years of their semi-annual multi-day get-together. Escape the everyday to create, relax and be inspired while getting an all access back stage pass to their secret  for refilling, refreshing and reconnecting with the artists within. 

With Lorraine Bell, Sandi Keene, Rae Missigman, Barbara Moore and Roben-Marie Smith, you can expect a weekend of instruction, laughter and artfully inky fingers.

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FIND OUT MORE!

European Grand Tour 2014

Budapest, Hungary - Days 1, 2 & 3

Chronicles from the Empty Nest

Many of you know that I love to travel and just got back from a River Boat cruise through Eastern Europe.  I fully planned to blog every night on my trip and share with you my experiences from the road and my traveling art journal!  Unfortunately, I had little or no internet the entire trip (which was probably a blessing) so I will try to share a little here on the blog in the next few weeks.

Our trip was a 15 day cruise from Budapest, Hungary to Amsterdam, Netherlands aboard a Viking Longboat. It was my first river cruise and I was a little unsure of whether I would like it or not.

What convinced me to take this cruise was the opportunity to see a part of the world I haven't been to and the ability to cover 5 countries in 15 days.  The hubby and I never thought we would be "cruisers," but I have to admit it is really nice to leave the luggage in one place and wake up in a new city everyday.  This way, we can spend a little time in each place, then decide where we want to come back to one day to explore at length!

We arrived in Budapest a few days before the cruise so we would have time to tour this beautiful city - I'm so glad we did.  When I stepped out onto the balcony of my hotel room and got my first, breathtaking view of the Danube- I was captivated!  We overlooked the beautiful river, Chain Bridge (the oldest bridge in Budapest) and the Castle Hill District and Buda Castle. We slept with our balcony doors open at night to take in the fresh air and city lights!

We spent the first day roaming the city and getting our bearings - we typically walk the streets and try to get away from the touristy spots and find where the locals hang out - like the marketplace - everything was walking distance - my kind of town!

Beautiful Hungarian hand made cut work, embroidery and crochet.  The women sometimes take as much as two years to complete just one table runner!  Yes, I am the proud owner of one of these!

We crossed the bridge to the Buda side of the city (still on foot) and climbed the hill of the castle district for breathtaking views of Pest (pronounced PESHT).  The magnificent building across the river is the Parliament, easily the most beautiful building in all of Hungary.

Atop Gellert Hill, The views were captivating.  This hill and memorial commemorates Hungarian's liberation from Nazi rule.  It is a city rich in historical significance and full of spectacular sights everywhere you turn!

A little further up the hill we walked around the Fisherman's Bastion which looks like a giant sandcastle to me.  We toured St. Mattias church and saw the changing of the guard in front of the Presidential Palace.

The colorful tile roof was incredible!

No, that is NOT ME in the far right!

Our final day in Budapest, we drove an hour outside the city to the picturesque town of Gödöllô to the Lazar Equestrian Park to see a performance by the famous Hungarian Horseman.  The Lazar brothers are champion horse and buggy riders and have a beautiful farm where they perform with their magnificent horses riding bareback and cracking their leather whips in the air.  It was an enjoyable afternoon and fun to see this age old technique of riding.  We had to start the experience with "Pogaesa" - a salty, doughy bread and a shot of "Palinka" which is nothing more than Hungarian moonshine!  All in all, it was a fun afternoon and lovely to see the countryside!

A few quick sketches from my art journal . . . ideally I would love to sketch and paint in place, but most of the time I have to sketch quickly, then paint later!  I journal on my sketches as they are a diary for me and our family and the work is quick, loose and imperfect!

And so we leave Budapest, board our longboat and ease on down the river . . . more Chronicles from the Empty Nest next week . . .

Art In Motion

I hope you will enjoy a peek into my creative process as I launch my new free series, "Art In Motion - Watch The Process."  I'lI take you through the evolution of an art journal page in this first video entitled "Agape."

I had the pleasure of working with Dina Wakely's new line of Mixed Media paints and brushes by Ranger Industries and Dyan Revealey's Dylusions Creative Journal.  I hope you have as much fun watching as I did creating!

Look for future videos coming soon!

{TEXT}ing

Week 24 - Use Book Paper or Text

This week, we are using old book paper or text for our challenge.  I decided to rip a page out of an old book and simply sketch a picture and paint!  Having just visited Amsterdam and spending an afternoon in the Van Gogh museum, I was inspired by the colors, lines and painterly style of Vincent.  Please know, that I would never attempt to compare my own work to Van Gogh!  I just felt moved to use my paintbrush and paints in a looser fashion and work on a painterly style.  The result is a little pathway strewn with weeds and wildflowers that pass by some old, quaint houses.

I can't wait to see how you use your paper and text!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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So Very Grateful . . .

Week 23:  Practice Gratitude

As I write this blog post, it is actually 3 weeks earlier and I am about to head to Europe for a wonderful 3-week vacation with my husband!  We will start in Budapest and travel the Rhine and Danube, through 5 countries, and end up in Amsterdam.  When this blog post is published, I will be nearing the end of my trip and will be able to fill my planner pages with so many beautiful experiences - so much to be grateful for!

I made this page ahead of time and purposely made it plain so that I could document all of the things I am grateful for along the way!

I found a lovely quote about gratitude, then deconstructed it and glued it to a piece of paper from a vintage notebook.  I will be able to count my blessings from the trip on the back of the page!

I know I will be inspired by your pages about gratitude you share this week in our group!  I know that I am GRATEFUL for ALL OF YOU!  For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Looking for previous challenges? click HERE

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Villa Villekulla

Week 22:  Draw a House

I was so very excited with this challenge and knew EXACTLY what house I wanted to draw!  When I was young, I dreamed I would live with Pippi Longstocking at Villa Villekula!  We would be best friends and adventure together and live in this beautiful house with NO PARENTS!  This is exactly how I envisioned Villa Villekula in my mind!  I sketched right into my planner with a Pitt Pen, then painted with my beautiful, vibrant watercolors!

Ahhh, this brings back such happy childhood memories!  I can't wait to see what your houses look like this week!

For more inspiration, you can find us:

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Instagram: #documentedlife #documentedlifeproject

Looking for previous challenges? click HERE

Visit our blogs: Sandi Keene, Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman and Barbara Moore on Instagram