Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Diva Challenge #363, a Duo-challenge and other artsy endeavors

"Laura's Aura's"

Who doesn't love auras?

My Monday morning cafe set up

This page in my DIY journal seemed like a good candidate for the task at hand. Instead of actually aura-ing sections, I chose some patterns built by aura. I was watching some YouTube this morning and caught this video. I love how she was drawing "Pepper" and decided this could be considered an aura pattern. That's my story and I'm sticking to it;-) Then of course, one of my mac 'n cheese patterns, Sandswirl and then Pixioze.

Then I moved on to this

The Weekly Duo-Challenge

Now and again, I'll tweak Joey's front & center placement slightly to give myself the option to carry it over to the other side later if I want..
Adele's challenge was to do a Zen Button. I've seen so many of these all over the internet and I love them but I've never made one. Adele linked to this great tutorial from Marguerite Samama. I chose not to do the white charcoal pencil highlight thinking it might throw off the balance of the two sides. I know it's the key to getting the 3-D effect and I may go back and do it later. maybe. I can see some 3D potential in the Joey side, but frankly, I'm wiped out. I've been home sick with a cold for a couple of days. It hit me quick and hard, so I've been home drinking turmeric almond milk tea for two days and arting between naps.
I'm headed off to Cheese Camp Sunday thru Tuesday and I can not be sick! I won't be able to go if I'm still sick. Even if I'm mobile and feeling ok, it's a sanitation thing because we're actually going to be touring several cheese making farms and the production rooms so I can't be coughing and hacking all over the place. The cough is what always lingers when I'm recovering from a cold. So, fingers crossed. 

In other art:
My most recent hand bound watercolor journal

I followed this SeaLemon coptic stitch bookbinding tutorial.

a page inspired by this video at CeeCee Creations

another CeeCee inspired water color page

a page of watercolored and brush pen butterflies
inspired by Maremi Small Art

I liked the idea of adding butterflies to my art journal pages and wanted to make my own. I've been working on this page for a couple of weeks. I printed a layout of butterflies from the internet and traced the silhouettes onto watercolor paper. Then using a wet on wet technique, I wet within the silhouette with clean water, picked up a bit of paint on the the tip of the brush and  dripped the pigment into the wet shape and let it spread and feather. When the paint was all dry I used a black brush pen to do all the line work, using a variety of images from the internet to inspire the different details.
I color copied them and did a couple of reductions as well. I'll cut them out and use them in my art journals and perhaps some envelope art.

Travelling Tangles I completed this past week:

My finish...

...to Heidi Whitney's gorgeous start

My finish...

...to this cool start by Angie Lorandos

another finish...

...to Angies start

My finishes...


to these gorgeous starts by Megan White
travelling from Kentucky

I'm happily overwhelmed by the generous starts I've been receiving in the mail. Some of my swap buddies are sending me 4, 5 or 6 pieces. I'm having a lot of fun with them 'cuz  now I start seeing the art journal potential with so many of them, especially those that are not traditional Zentangle.
I always work through all of the pieces in the order that I receive them rather than pick and choose what speaks to me.  It's so much more fun (the more out of my comfort zone the better) but mostly out of respect to the senders that were quick with their part of the exchange. What's that saying? "You can't wait for inspiration, you have to chase it down with a stick".

She's ready for her close up
and she looks so wise doesn't she?



Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me;-)









15 comments:

  1. I love your Peppers on the top piece. I think that's a tangle I really neglect, thinking of only those little bits of it, when it's got potential to be so much more.

    Love your watercolour floral pages too - these look like the kind of greetings cards I wish I could find to buy!

    Hope you get well enough for the cheese weekend! Maybe Aimee can use her serious stare to scare away your cough!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jem! It was just a fluke that Pepper video showed up on my feed as I was pondering this challenge. If you haven't already, you should check out some of the CeeCee videos and make your own cards😉

      Delete
  2. I agree with Jem, lovely idea to use Pepper as flowers, very cool and beautiful tile, the same for the Poppy's and that other Cee Cee inspired work. I'm fond of those backgrounds and I think I'm going to use them also a bit more.Beautiful T.T and a stunning new handbound watercoloured book and I love those cheerful butterflies but again the fave of the week is difficult to say: the duo challengetile or the picture of the wise Aimée!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks Ria! Aimee is always happy to take center stage ❤🐾😉

      Delete
  3. Hi Michele, got happy mail from you today - I'll post it on Fb later but your art journalling stuff puts me to shame. I keep telling myself - when you're ready, girl, when you're ready. are there step outs for the Megam Whire pattern? I'd love to give it a go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Margaret! I'm happy it arrived ok. There are some great Dina Wakely videos on YouTube. You just have to get past the merchandising. Someone provided a link to the pattern on my FB post of this swap but I can't seem to open it. It's called Split Peas.

      Delete
  4. Whow whow whow! Did I tell you I appreciate your page a lot! It makes me want to go to work! Your job on Diva´s challenge is outstanding! Thank´s!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my gosh. I am in awe of each of these pieces. Your flowers for the diva challenge are awesome. I will definitely have to check out the videos of crèche. And your traveling tangles - oh my gosh. I will definitely have to come back to this page and look some more. Thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You must be chasing down inspiration with a stick all the time :-)) I always love to come and visit your blog, that’s my way of finding inspiration ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. A great output of wonderful tiles this week, Michele! I do not know where to start and stop. I think my favorite is the duo challenge again. I especially like the butterflies and the traveling tiles. The others follow closely behind. Just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my gosh! There’s so much beauty here, Michele. You nearly always send me down a lucious rabbit hole. Hope you felt well enough to go to Cheese Camp.

    ReplyDelete