revamped art journal box

Doodle art

I found a watercolor pencil tutorial that was a lot of fun at Art is fun.
First you make some random shapes with masking fluid.

Then you paint a simple water color wash over the shapes with whatever colors you want.

Then you draw around the shapes with watercolor pencils.

It is a lot like Zentangles. With Zentangles, you draw strings on the paper then fill them in with patterns. With this project you make your white shapes, then make you doodle art around them. With this art, you are not restricted to patterns, you can draw what ever you want. Lots of fun!

handmade card with watercolor

This was an easy card to make. First I tore of a piece of heavy watercolor paper. I painted a sky blending blues and purples wet on wet. After gluing the watercolor on the red cardstock, I drew a simple plant that started on the cardstock and went onto the watercolor. I was going to try to draw a flower, but I chickened out and went for the simple plant. I do like how it turned out.

Summer inspired watercolor

I used watercolor and a black ink calligraphy pen for this painting. I was going to do a Zentangle, but I was having trouble deciding on patterns.  I thought if I picked a theme, than I could decide on a pattern. I went with summer garden. I looked up pictures of beetles and I found a very colorful beetle. Instead of using the pattern from the beetle like I intended to do, I just painted the beetle. Around the beetle are rocks, above the beetle is a snail and butterfly wings, beside  him, flower petals. I am happy with how the painting turned out, I think I will use a theme again.

Painted CD case with pressed flowers

This project took a lot longer than it should have, but I like how it turned out. I started with an old CD case I received in the mail.

I kept this case because it was made of wood. I started by painting the front and sides red. I painted the inside with blue and white acrylic paint.

I tried to give the front a weathered look using gesso and brown acrylic paint.

I ripped out two pieces of heavy water color paper to fit on the front and back of the case.  We had massive storm that took out the electricity for the entire town. So I took my two pieces of water color paper out on the porch to paint in the light. I painted the vase with flowers to go on the front using water color pencils.

My neighbor's daughter was fascinated by the water color pencils, so I let her paint on the other piece of paper. She mostly just drew patches of color and her name. She left the paper, I did not want to throw it away. I crumpled up the paper, then I got it soaking wet. I let it dry than ironed it flat.

I was happy with this, I could see flowers and butterflies in the patterns. So I painted a flower and butterfly on the paper.

Using tacking glue, I glued some flowers I pressed onto the painting. Now it was to fragile to go on the outside, so I decided it would go on the inside.

I had the case on the bed, so I could study it, and decide what to put on the back. My cat Gir thinks all craft supplies on the bed are there for her to make a next out of.

She jumped on the case and broke the spine. I made a new spine out of red fabric. I glued a strip to both sides, than I repainted the outside with gesso and red dots.

I painted poppies to go on the back panel after watching The Poppy Spree - Painting week 3 by StudioMargot

When gluing the painting to the back, I smeared the paint with glue. I had to paint another picture of poppies.

At last the project is finished inside

and out.

Brightly colored Zentangles

Some more Zentangles on watercolor paper with pens, watercolor, and colored pencils.  I was just having fun.

handmade cards with paper towels

After I finished a watercolor I was painting I noticed that the paper towel I used looked interesting. So I looked to see if anyone had done anything with paper towels. I found a great site. Paper Towels: Stamped, Punched then Collaged : : Tutorial
I loved what she did, but I don't have the stamps and cutouts she has, so I had to go simpler. I had not used the sewing machine in years so did a text card first. It turned out I liked my test card, but it was on yellow card stock, that I did not like. So I painted over the yellow on the front, and on the inside and back I covered it with green card stock.

I put a sheet of green resume paper on the inside and outlined it and the card with a darker green

I have no idea what I'm going to do with the card, but I like it. I think it has a steampunk look.
The next card I made to be a thank you card, so I kept it simple. Using the sewing machine again, i sewed one piece on the front on the cardstock and then using tacky glue I glued a yellow ribbon on the side.  All in all I think it's a nice thank you card.

The next card I was just goofing around. I glued the paper towel to cardstock, brushed mod podge on top of that, cut around the paper towel, glued that to blue cardstock, drew around the wrinkles with green marker and black ink, painted a white stripe with gesso, drew in some rocks and squiggles with black ink and colored them in with pastel pencils.

I don't know what I could do with this card, I just wanted to see what I could do with the paper towel. The paper towels held up through all the sewing and gluing. If you have stamps I would suggest stamping them too. Have fun!