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
You know how at this time of year we get loads and loads of magazines — well I decided to see what text I could tear out and use from them to create an art journal spread.
It is a simple and easy way to cut and paste your way to a layout. It works great when creating an inspiration board as well.
I often do this cut or tear routine when creating one of my small travel journals. There are always those pamphlets that tell about the attractions in the area – I cut and tear interesting colors and text from them to add to my journal layouts while Mr. sleeps. (What is it about vacay that sedates the Mr. and hypes the Mrs.)???
It is surprising what you can do with a magazine or pamphlet, a glue stick and some pens (besides create a ransom note) !!
Oh— i have decided to do my version of a vlog-mas that you-tubers do. I watch several you vlog every day til Xmas.
So I will be cheerfully creating imperfect art journal stuff and sharing daily til Xmas. I think I will call it ………
No idea what to call it ……….
Got any ideas??
Remember the best thing about Monday is the opportunity to start a new week and a new list. Don’t forget to put “create” on your new list this week.
Xoxo
Me
December is gonna be fun for a bunch of reasons.
It’s probably gonna be messy and unexpected and then fun again. Kind of like my art journaling.
Sometimes I start a two page spread I am sure is gonna be amazeballs —— then—– the ” oh no what happened here. I am not sure where it went wrong but wrong it went” –moment. When that happens I cover it / adjust it / alter it or leave it. …. if none of that works,
I HIDE MY MESS and begin on a new page.
Here’s a pic of a two page spread that didn’t work and so is now the base layer of a new spread.
I covered the pages with a heavy body gesso. Textured it with an old comb and a water glass. Then used an acrylic glaze to color it. A magazine text cut out completed my vanishing trick.
Don’t despair …. repair.
Xoxo
Me
Todays confession — I give my Arlo whip cream. Today’s question – Does spraying whip cream in Arlo’s mouth make me a bad person?
I wonder about things. I always have. I care too much what others think. I always have. I was spraying Redi-Whip in Arlo’s mouth today and found myself caring what someone would think about that.
The sick part about people like me who give a dang what others think about their behavior and activities, is that we also care what our own inner art critic thinks. Not the inner loving self – we seldom listen to her as much – but the inner critic who criticizes and intimidates.
I wonder why that is? I’d like to blame it on my childhood or the Diet Coke I drink non stop or religion or the purple streaks in my hair but NOPE! I give voice to that inner critic and I give it power. Identifying when it is present and needing to stop it is part of art journaling and “arting” in general.
If you, like me, art journal and find yourself listening as the inner critic says that it looks ugly or muddy — or crapped not collaged– we need to tell our inner critic to take a seat while we make this art journal page.
Creative criticism is good and healthy. But our inner critic is often something that stops creativity and taste sour.
Here’s to us creating something that brings us pleasure this weekend and actually allowing it to do just that.
Let’s try to be as happy as Arlo with whip cream all over his mouth.
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
This piece definitely has a theme. It is just barely started but I am not mad at it at all.
The lock is about what we lock away or lock out of our Heads. Gears are about the inner workings. The netting is about what we fish for and catch in our emotional nets. I love the faucet handle in the mouth!!! I definitely suffer from “faucet mouth” sometimes.
Creating themed pieces is one of my favorite things. My art journal pages often have a theme as well such as love or hate or joy etc. what would your theme be if you created a piece of art today??
Remember it doesn’t have to be perfect to be worth it!! …. No matter what the “it” is.
Xoxo
Art Journal Gypsy 