This week finds me in Bali with a group of lovely creatives who are nothing less than awesome. 
Balian beach early morning
Thanks for checking in. More pics to come. I have been art journaling each day in addition to the classes I’m taking. It is lovely.
I am grateful
Xoxo
Sherri
So on Wednesday’s work table we have a stenciled piece. I believe the stencil is from Andrea Matus DeMeng. I plan to do flowers and gears and “stuff” all over this piece.
I generally am not a flowers and butterfly kind of artist — but Hey it’s April and the grass is turning green. I can walk without squashing and the birds are yelling their little beaks off. — I was powerless to resist.
Hope your week is going well and that you are well. Remember that creativity is whatever you choose it to be for you, your art and your situation.
Maybe you arrange the kids pbnj sandwich triangles creatively on the plate — or perhaps you sketch while eating your pbnj. Maybe baking is how you create. Maybe you paint or splatter or assemble — The options for creative living are around each of us.
Join me and Cheerfully Create some imperfect art today!!
Xoxo
Me
One of the things I love to do – is taking something and repurposing it. I truly feel happy when puzzling out what I can do with a plain Jane item to make it a holy moly item.
Truth be told – I was actually doing this BEFORE IT BECAME COOL.
Because mixed media and repurposing is so popular in the states now it is hard to feel like anything is new – but new or not — I still love it. Today I am using shoe polish and wallpaper.
This page begins with torn pieces of wallpaper and brown Shoe polish from Kiwi. (SC Johnson & Co.)
torn pieces are glued down and then using my finger I rub the shoe polish on to create depth and a waxy base that allows me to “mess” with it on the page as I create without the paper getting too mushy or muddy.
Shoe Polish tins are cheap, found in most Walmart-like stores and a fun use of a product you wouldn’t think would be on an art journal page. Wallpaper is a great usable too. Your home improvement store usually has free samples — grab a few!
I often hit up the home improvement stores for stuff I can repurpose… gears, DAP, wallpaper … … the list goes on and on. It is hit and miss but always fun!!!
So Have some fun and find some unusual way to use a very usual product in your artistic journey through art journaling.
Xoxo
Me
Today’s layout is a two page spread. One page is mostly journaling. The other page speaks to me / for me in a number of ways. But I swear as I was creating the layout I wasn’t conscious of why I was choosing certain stuff.
I am a literature major – so the book page. Lavender is my fav color and I enjoy flowers – so the flower. I wear my red Keds everywhere and they show it! Neither my shoes or my little studio on top of the antique store is perfect – lathe plaster is peeling off the walls in some places, there is no heating or air conditioning and other stuff. But I love it for the fact that I have a studio. I have a place that is dedicated just to creating. I am my happiest when in that space. I would live there 24/7 if I could but my dog and my Mr. resist this idea!!
Through your art journal pages you can do more that play with different art techniques. You can Journal your feelings, dreams, stuff your pissed about and much more. Many times I don’t realize why I grab a certain color or ephemera-I just let it organically happen. On a good day I stay out of the way of myself … and then tadah!!!
whether your “studio” is an unused bedroom, a garage, a kitchen table or a beautiful brand new building …
— create in your space.
Xoxo
Me
The page I’m working on today was started by smearing and smooshing DAP on the page with a plastic spreader.
Once dry I dipped my finger in Prima’s Rust Effect Paste in gold rust. This really makes the texture created with the DAP stand out crazily!!
after smearing some shoe polish wax on top of everything I tore and cut some accents from deco papers and tissues. I haven’t quite finish with this page out so will post completed page tomorrow too.
Here’s what it looks like now. It isn’t right yet but not sure what is wrong. Sometimes you have to walk away and look at it again in the morning.
Remember it doesn’t have to be perfect – it’s supposed to be fun son!!!
Have a great day and be creative!
Xoxo
Me
I’ve been working on this forever. 
It started out as a large abstract piece. But then I decided I didn’t like it and so I darkened it up and began this woman on it. I had a postcard from Donna Downeys studio when I was there a few months ago. I decided to imitate it (see how I didn’t call it copying)!! It is a good practice to try and imitate certain styles and designs — often what begins as an imitation morphs into a project that is unique and nothing like the original imitation.
I was so frustrated with my ugly woman. She looks like her hair is slicked down like Jerry Lewis and her stomach is huge. Oh and she has no face because I was unable to commit.
Yesterday I was messing with her when my son texted me. Aha he was captured. I texted pics and asked what he thought about certain elements. He said he thought she looked like a Geisha. .. then he sent me several pics he found in the internet and you know what —- he was right. Suddenly the ugly lady that hadn’t been working for me was meant to be prettier up and Geisha-fied.
Sometimes we need to ask opinions and suggestions of those willing to give them. He helped me get un-stuck on this piece.
here she is starting to become her Geisha self
Wish me luck!!
Remember to be willing to listen to your inner artist as much as you listen to your inner critic!!
Xoxo
Me
Art Journal Gypsy 