AEDM Weeks 3 & 4 and 21 Secrets-A Hodge Podge of Creativity

I didn't have as much time the last two weeks to create as I did the first two of AEDM and today is the last day, so this post counts as one of my creative things for today. I only created for a few minutes each day, so all of what I'm sharing are works in progress, except maybe the first one. There is also a daily list of creativity about half way down if you're interested.

When I worked, I worked on the same painting, adding layers every day and using the leftover paint on the journal pages in my Doodlicious Day Book, created in the 21 Secrets workshops (registration closes tomorrow, Dec 1). I've had fun arting every day, whether I have a finished piece to show you or not. Here's what I played with...

These two pages were made for the 21 Secrets workshop, Doors and Windows to Your Soul with Paula Phillips. The left page of a two page spread, using leftover paints, stamps and ink, and zebra duct tape (LOVE the zebra tape!). The big letters are sponge stamp alphabet letters randomly stamped around the page. The star shape is a cookie cutter. The cat is stamped on a piece of card stock, held down with zebra tape and a red sticker.

The words stamped down the right side also trail up the left side, across the top, and onto the door on the second page, and they say, "You Never Know Where A Puddy Cat Might Be Hiding."

The right side page of the spread (left page above) with the door closed. I made photos of the whole spread together, but they didn't turn out well at all, and the scanner won't scan both pages together. Anyway, the closed door is cut out of painted cardstock and is held on with a zebra duct tape hinge, inside and out. The G and stars trail down the door and end with an X under the copper wire door handle.

There he is! The right page again, door opened. There will be writing on the lined paper on the back of the door as soon as I figure out what I want to say. The other piece is some writing that I tore up and collaged on with pinkish/greenish cellophane on top. The cat is stamped on top of the cellophane...hiding. :) I may or may not add some more to these pages. I really kind of like them the way they are...

A random page from my Doodlicious Day Book, with the doodling still visible on the white background. I had some black paint left over, and I had been using the sponge stamp alphabet on a large painting, so I used up the paint with random letters on the page. There will be other elements added eventually.

You may remember the marbled book page from another post where I was learning the shaving cream/marbling technique. The journal page that it is on is actually pink marbled card stock, and they look much better together in reality than they do on here. The page is from the book "The Dancer" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer (I think that's her name). I was going to cut it off even with the journal page, but I kind of like it hanging over the top and bottom. I will put my own thoughts down on the left side.

Just a piece of cream colored card stock that I took a cookie cutter and used up some left over burnt umber paint on. This could be used as a journal background, or I could cut out the stars and paste them down on another project. Incidentally, I do have othe cookie cutters, but I like the star, and it's usually laying handy. Acrylic paint dries fast, you know. :)

These are my daily lists up til today, and I see that I scanned them out of order. Oh, well! I AM perfectly imperfect!

OK, This is the first draft of the 20x24" stretched canvas I've been working on for two weeks. It was another project for the Get It Out Get It Down workshop with Connie Hozvicka in 21 Secrets. I really like the idea and the design, painted better of course. I can't get it to post right side up, so you will have to tilt your head to the right. Sorry! Anyway, the base design and colors...see next photo:



Sorry, you'll have to tilt right again! This is the same painting after several days and multiple layers of writing, glazing, stamping, squiggling, and the light glaring on the top, since I couldn't scan it. Love the message. It's what the preacher preached at my aunt's funeral, and it has stuck with me. But the painting is too much like party confetti or something to me. Incidentally, the two doves are also done with a cookie cutter, a thinner one than the stars. Didn't like it at all, so...see next photo

 

Same painting yesterday after I added a burnt umber glaze then a burnt sienna glaze over that to tone it down. Hated that, so I then added a layer of gesso mixed with gel medium and smooshed it around with a sponge in a very thin layer. Over that I added a layer of red oil pastel and rubbed it on with a rag, which is what you see here. BUT I hated that too, so I took a bit of turpentine on a rag and took the oil pastel off, washed it off with water to get the oil residue off, and it now has another thin layer of gesso swirled around on it. So, basically, I'm now back to the beginning, only I already have a background of elements showing through the gesso. Where it goes from here, I don't know yet, but I'll show you when I quit on it. :)

This little fellow I just decided to throw into the mix. He's on the bottom corner of my apron. When I was learning the shaving cream/marbling technique I had a lump of shaving cream/paint left on my plate and without thinking I wiped it on my apron, which is why I don't wear good clothes when I paint. After it dried it kept reminding me of a bird. Of course, I was looking at it upside down. Anyway, the other day I had some black paint on a brush, so I painted him a head while I had the apron on. I like him! :)

A page that I've just started. It's on yellow cardstock. The acrylic paint is swiped on with an old credit card. The other day I was gluing this page to the back of another page, and I noticed these star shaped cut outs, cut out of textured scrapbook paper laying on the table, so I just stuck them on the page and outlined them with a black marker. There will be more elements and writing added as they come to me. :)

The left side of a double page spread. Below is the right side. OK, I worked all morning one morning picking up papers and cut out shapes off my table and gluing them to these pages with gel medium. Both pages are pretty much covered, giving it a lot of texture. A few days later I had quite a bit of paint left over in different colors and these pages were laying open just begging for some color, so color they got. Fluid acrylics were smooshed around with a brush. I layed a paper towel on top and pressed and pulled it up to leave the little dotted texture (love dots!). Then I took a brush and slung yellow paint on them. What fun! You can see a little bit of the underlying cutouts if you look closely. I love it! :)

Right page of spread. I don't know what possessed me to put that bright green star in the corner, except that I had green paint left over and the cookie cutter was handy. LOL That may not stay, and, of course there will be writing on it when the words come to me.

Left side of a two page spread. You can see some of my original Doodlicious doodling under the layer of paint, left over, of course. See, I told you I had other cookie cutters besides the star! I love this fish one almost as much as the star. I wonder what my nieces would say if they knew I was using the cookie cutters they give me for Christmas to journal with instead of to bake with. Tee Hee!

Right Page of spread. I kind of like these pages as they are, plain and simple. Right now I'm thinking some writing will be all I'll add, but that could change...

Are you worn out yet? :) Almost done! This page is textured scrapbook paper with a pocket of red and gold metallic smooth scrapbook paper glued to it with a note sticking out the top. Lots of space to the left for me to chatter on, and of course there'll be a secret on the pocket note. ;) 

The right side of a two page spread, and it's a manilla envelope, which is smooth and yellow looking with left over paints smeared and drizzled over it. I free hand cut the angel from a paper towel, seperated it into two one-ply angels and used gel medium to glue them down. The flying hearts are the cutouts from the center of her dress skirt. They tried to disappear on me when the gel medium was absorbed into them. The envelope can hold extra papers, cutouts, secrets...

Left page of the spread. It's on a textured piece of scrapbook paper that had alphabet letters in shades of gray, which accounts for the difference in texture and color. I like the ghostly appearance of the paper towel angels. There will be more added to these pages as I go along.

Last picture is of yours truly in heaven. Mp3 player plugged into my ears, styrofoam plate/palette in one hand and a paint brush in the other! Happy times! :)

Everybody asks, so, no, I didn't paint the little girl in the picture. Wish I had, but it's a Renoir print. The eyes on top of my head belong to my little dog angel, Kibbles, in an oil painting, which I almost have finished.

Ok, I'm tired and I know you are, so I'm off now to check my email and see how else I can torture that painting that I shared above. I may not get it finished today, but that's my creative project planned for this the last day of AEDM.

It's been a lot of fun for me, and even though I've shared a lot of works in progress with you, I hope at least one thing made you smile. :)

PS-Apologys for the form of this post. My laptop is trying to quit on me and I think Blogger was too. :/