On My Art Table-Scrapbusters!

Whenever I'm feeling the urge to make something but don't know what to do or I don't want to get into anything too complex, I collage scraps.  Collaging cardstock packaging with painty papers, random scraps and spent art tissue for what I'm now calling my "Background Book", is a go-to no brainer I find completely relaxing. These will eventually get some further stenciling, stamping and/or random painting. I might use them for journal covers or possibly cut up for tags and journaling cards...who knows?

Junk Journal ephemera: I have an excessive amount of  scrapbook paper that I'm trying to find projects for. These are the cut up strip pages that are included in many pads. I mash them up, layer 3 different widths and then do a decorative stitch down the center. These can be used as belly bands and then remnants of those belly bands can be used in clusters.

Works-in-progress: Book pages pockets colored with bleeding art tissue.

"Frankenpaper" (sort of a paper crazy-quilt) made from a bunch of scraps sent to me in a swap.

I did some eco-printing a couple of weeks ago. I'm still hoarding them as I try to decide what to make with them. I love them just as they are...for now;-)

Chasing Down My Diva Groove...

Diva Challenge #367

N'zeppel

There was quite a lot of art going on last week, but not much in the way of Zentangle. I got the the N'zeppel challenge done but the Duo-Challenge was another bust. I did dust off the old DIY journal to get back into my Diva groove. There are still a good bunch of pages to be arted but I'm about to start on creating a new one.

I'm pondering what theme, if any, I want to pursue for Inktober and I've been getting my fountain pens cleaned and inked up.

Back in my DIY/Trainwreck journal

Diva Challenge #368

Straight Lines

I love this challenge. I've actually done several straight line pieces since Monday. This was the first one I finished. Soooooo very Zen.

Zendala Monday

I started this last week and only just finished it. I was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.

"Wishy Washi"

for the FB Group Anything Goes: Tangled Art for Everyone

This is an ATC I had from an old watercolor batch. The prompt was to use washi tape on your tile and I had this little piece that I'd received in a swap.
 

Painted stickers for my art journals and swaps

I spent a lot of time making bits and pieces for my next Flow-ish Journal swap for this FB group I've been quite obsessed with. Basically we swap stuff from our stash of art journaling papers and ephemera. I do a lot of handmade stuff.

Acrylic and plastic wrap on junk paper and packaging

I've been watching a lot of videos from Cat Hand. She has a series called Mixed Media Morsels where she demonstrates various techniques in a small format so you can have these little morsels of inspiration when you want to create larger art. I made a several of the plastic wrap treated bits on random pieces of junk mail and packaging that I'll turn into tags and ATC's for future journals and swaps.

Eco-Printed papers

I did another batch of Eco-printing on a wide assortment of papers and envelopes.  I'm thinking of making these into signatures for an Inktober sketchbook focusing on botanical illustration.

Diva Challenge part 2

more straight lines

I finished this one over my morning coffee today while binge watching YouTube videos at the cafe;-) I was in my happy place.


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Diva Challenge #344 and sketchbooks

Diva Challenge #344

"Use my Tangle" Monday

featuring After-glo by Carole Ohl

additionally: Aquafleur, Bunzo and Sandswirl

Eco-print tile start

I was happy to see Afterglo turn up on this weeks challenge. It's one of those patterns I thoroughly enjoyed when it first came on my radar awhile ago and then I forgot about it. It's a great fit for my Cosmic Garden series too. 

Laura noted that Vonnie, a member of the Zentangle community recently passed away. Vonnie was an active member of one of my swap groups as well as in the Diva's chat room when Laura was live streaming videos of the challenges. This is for Vonnie.

Here are a few things I did in my DIY art journal this past week;

A trip to Japan Town to Maido my favorite pen store

 and Daiso for a haul of cheap art supplies

This store is Bananas!

Butternut Squash Soup

The kitchen has been sadly inactive of late. In an attempt to get myself motivated for my annual Christmas cookie baking marathon, I spent a day cleaning, re-organizing and cooking.

Simple Pleasures Cafe

Noodling around and feeling the Zen

Aimee sunnin' herself

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me!

Diva Challenge #339

Diva Challenge #339

"Fall"
Artoo, Gordgeous, Mooka & Diva Dance

I had the unusual work week of all opening shifts so my daytime drawing time was non-existent and in the evening I seem to be addicted to YouTube drawing videos so I was very unproductive. I flaked on the daily Inktober drawings but I'm still gonna finish it. Stay tuned.

I started this tile on a piece of eco-printed watercolor paper. The little branchy bit wanted to be "Artoo"...

Anyhoo...

It begins. Holiday themed challenges. Thankfully, The Diva gave us a little leeway, factoring in her global following since many don't celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas...and though it's Fall here it's Spring in the southern hemisphere.

I'm just a holiday theme curmudgeon and this is the time of year I'm constantly battling my peevishness with the short days and all of the holiday fueled sales pitches tossed at me every where I go  <<end rant>>.
I do love seasonal colors. Fall is my favorite. 

Though it wasn't required, I decided to give "Gourdgeous" a go as well. It's not a fave but I've seen it done so beautifully by others that it's one that I want to improve.

My artistic interpretation of Aimee 

I call this...

"I Naps"

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me!

Diva Challenge #326, Made by Joey Challenge #175 etc.....

Diva Challenge #326

Guest blogger Elisa Murphy

"Nzeppel Monotangle"

I was done...

then decided I wasn't...
I shouldn't have done that

"Nzeppel" is one of my Top 20 faves so I was anxious to jump right into this one as the perfect motivator to monotangle the crap out of it. I grabbed one of the extra rope string tiles I'd started for the Joey Challenge I guest hosted a couple of weeks ago and got going. Somewhere midway I was not gelling with the tile at all. The sections were too similar and I wasn't getting the contrast I wanted. I sat it aside after I got all the line work down and thought I could fix it in the shading and mucked it up even more. But, that's ok. It's all part of the journey.

I started again.

"Nzeppel" Monotangle

take 2

Made by Joey Challenge #175

Guest blogger Stephanie Jennifer
"Naida"

I've been following Joey's challenges for a couple of years. Very early on in this pursuit I decided to make ATC's my format for these challenges and I've been known to tweak the prompt to fit.

Here's the latest in my Eco-print Series:

I got a little behind with my "92 Days" prompts last week:

I had a little more play with "Peanuckle" after last weeks Diva Challenge. 

It's growing on me;-)

One of the challenges with this project is dealing with the bleed through from some of the various mediums that I use. I learned a long time ago not to be fussy or precious with my art. So instead of limiting my tools to avoid the bleed, I try to embrace it. It's not easy sometimes.

...and on the Travelling Tangles Project front:

I sent this ATC to Sue Bailey in Australia...

...Sue's gorgeous finish

I need to amp up my Betweed game

this is lovely

me: "Aimee! You better not be on Chewy.com again!!!" 🐾💞

Aimee: "What. Ever."

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me 😉

Diva Challenge #325, Made by Joey #174 ETC....

Diva Challenge #325

Guest Blogger: Jessica Davies

"Peanuckle"
colored fineliner and Prismacolor pencil
on art tissue colored paper

Whilst visiting my sister in the burbs last week, I wandered into Target and was excited to find this set of Staedtler Triplus fineliners in a color palette that was sooooo me... $6!!!! It was the last one. Serendipity!

Now, those of you who are familiar with my work see a lot a fun with color when it comes to my backgrounds but, for line work I'm all about black. Sometimes I venture into brown and blue so this colored pen thing is new to me. I tried them out on the eco-print piece below first and then on this Diva piece.

Jessica Davies is back this week with a challenge to use "Peanuckle". It's another one of those patterns I like the look of but have had a hard time executing, thus, I never use it. So after my whiney groan, I took a deep breath and thought "Great! Let's do this!"

Made by Joey #174

Guest Blogger: Susie Ng

Finish My Tile 
"Asian Fans" 
art tissue coloring on an ATC

This week's guest blogger at Made by Joey's Weekly Challenge is Susie Ng from Fleeting Time. Susie's artwork is unique in its remarkable contrast of bold graphics and elegant finesse that results in the most outside-the-box creations in the best way possible. I've never seen anything like it.

Susie provided us with a simple string and a gorgeous start of  "Asian Fans". I loved it. It scared me;-)

My latest on Eco-printed paper:

4"x 6" Zia

Staedler fineliners and Prismacolor pencils

Here are some of the Travelling Tangles I've recently finished:

My finish...

...to this inspiring start by Elena Greer

My finish...

...to this fun beginning by Betsy Kent

My finish...

...to this lovely start by Sue Clark

It was back to basics black on white this last round. I love that so much...especially since I've been so pre-occupied with color lately;-)

Sue generously sent me a black pre-strung Zendala, a pre-strung 3Z and a Renaissance 3Z to have some fun with. What a treat it was when this lovely envelope arrived. I don't have the budget or bandwidth to acquire official Zentangle products, so it's always a joy to work with them when my amazing tangle peeps send me the "real thing". Many thanks Sue! I can't wait to get my mitts on these and to Elena and Betsy for all of the drawing pleasure I got from your lovely beginnings

Aimee pic of the week

This cracked me up

At first I thought she was just stretching

she slept like this for a long time

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me.