Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

My love for Smash Books... This can get pretty spendy.. But I buy mine with my trusty 50% off coupons from Michaels and Joann's. They are around 7$.. Not too shabby.. 

The back cover of the first Mini Smash <3

An altered Mini Smash Book Cover.. Mod Podge and scrapbook paper :)

The first page of one of my many completed journals.. If I don't like the background, I make my own :)

This is the blue smash.. I made it into a day planner.. excuse the language.. I swear like a sailor.. Shhh.. 

Some quotes and a pic of yours truly.. 






Smashbook are a great way to save memories without the stress of making the "perfect lay out"

“Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.” 
― Oscar Wilde

Things I've Been Working On...

So I've been working hard on some new journal pages.. Learning some new techniques.. I'm officially brain dead ;)

Here are a few of my new musings..

Another page based on a favorite quote.. I used some scrapbook paper scraps.. some paper punches my daughter saved for me from a project she made... stamps and acrylics for the background.

This is an altered Alice page.. Oh how I love Alice in Wonderland..

A page based on another of my favorite quotes...
"I have a paperback heart, dog eared and creased by the world. The colors are faded, the spine is worn. But I'm glad to see it's finally in good hands.

A favorite song.. and an experiment with acrylic paint.

I've also been working on some other altered projects.. I love making something plain into something beautiful.. 

I bought this bag 10 plus years ago at LL Bean for 5$. I made some shimmer spray inks and sprayed the bag at random. I like how it turned out.. I'm going to add some stamps as soon as I decide what I'd like the theme to be.. 

I leave you with some beautiful words... 

“I am an excitable person who only understands life lyrically, musically, in whom feelings are much stronger as reason. I am so thirsty for the marvelous that only the marvelous has power over me. Anything I can not transform into something marvelous, I let go. Reality doesn't impress me. I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy, and when ordinary life shackles me, I escape, one way or another. No more walls.” 
― Anaïs Nin

A Look at my inspiration..

Everyone has a muse.. I think.. 

I have several.. 

Meet Kyleigh.. My youngest daughter.. She wakes up pretty much every day HAPPY that's it's a new day.. and it's full of people that love her. She's sweet and funny and a crazy bubbly little personality. 

Meet Anna.. The little Mommy.. A little girl that's been through so much.. A little girl that has a steal spine, where most would back down. A little girl that has more potential than she knows.. A little fighter.. When she finds out who she is the world will know it <3 

Meet Chano (Sean) my better half.. My support. My  love. My nervous breakdown.  Brilliant and kind. Handsome and quiet. 

Meet Guinness.. Our big yellow best friend.. “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” 
― Josh Billings

Meet Marshmallow.. She is a Sugar Glider.. Miss Cranky Pants.. I've never been fond of little pets.. but her personality is bigger than I am..  Never hits the floor.. Glides from bookshelves to chairs to tables.. Uber fun :) 




So there you have it... My little family.. My extended family could go on for a long time.. I won't torture you through that ;)

Point of my story.. inspiration is everywhere.. It's more than looking. It's seeing. 

Something's always going on...

Good morning sunshine... The earth says hello.. 

Hello friends.. Time flies.. when it never stops and you're so busy you want to jump up and down and yell, "Has anyone noticed I haven't sat down in 2 days?" 

So is life.. 

So I finally got my Dyan Reavely's Creative Art Journal project going..# OmgILoveit.

I want to share some of my first art journal pages.. 

Here is my Alice page.. Tons of home made spray inks, Tim Holtz stamps, Distress inks and elbow grease..

Wings.. Who doesn't wish they had those sometimes.. This background is all Distress inks.. the rest of odds and ends I printed out and distressed, gel pens, glimmer mist and a teeny bit of hope. 

CUPCAKES!!!! Spray Inks, glitter acrylic paint (39 cents @ Michaels) A stencil I found at Ben Franklin for 79 cents.. I've been on the lookout for things to use in my journal that won't break the bank (since mine is always broken) and I've discovered you don't HAVE to use those spendy supplies to make beautiful pages.

A small list of my supplies:

Distress inks.. these can be spendy. Joann Fabric online has them for less than 3$ when on sale.

Spray inks..  Here is the link to make your own from acrylic paint. Spray bottle (Walmart beauty section..79 cents) DIY SPRAY INKS!!!
Acrylic paints.. cheaper the better.. I got a set of little tubes for 5$ at Ben Franklin. Of course Michaels has the little bottles for 50 cents. They even come in chalkboard paint, glitter, metallic, and a bunch more. 

Must have: Printer and card stock.. I have terrible handwriting so I print my quotes and words... MUCH cheaper than buying the ephemera.. Just make your own. 

Of course my journal.. I went for gold on this.. LOVE IT. I also have a smaller one I purchased at Walmart for 5.47..

Gesso: I got the Liquitex brand.. This is my first time using Gesso. So far so good. 4$ for a huge bottle that will outlive me I'm sure. 

Gel pens.. I pick these up here and there at craft stores with 50% off coupons.. 

The other thing I spent more than I would normally is my art junk storage on the run bring it all with you bag.. 
Martin Stow It All Ultimate Art Bag
This thing has pockets inside the pockets.. Tons of room to store whatever you can't live without when traveling with your art.. They range from 125$ to the 45$ with free shipping that I paid.. SHOP AROUND!!!

Stamps: Stamps can be cheap and not so cheap.. Keep your mind open when you run across them.. they can be used for so many things.. spendy is not always better.. and dammit use your coupons.. You DON'T need 378384765 stamps.. Many stores have 99 cent stamps.. check them out.. 

Scissors.. I know.. duh.. Get some good scissors.. Again.. COUPONS..

Exacto Knife.. they go from cheap to spendy.. I use one with a large grip (my hands don't work the way I'd like them to) 

Permanent Glue sticks.. Coupons

Watercolor pencils.. So cool.. My daughter showed these to me.. she used them in art class.. MUCH easier to use than traditional water colors.. I got a set online for 6$.. they can run to 60$ a set. Yikes. No need to starve the children for art.. 

Waterbrush.. Again.. They can be spendy.. Tim Holtz brushes are upwards of 10$. 
Here is the link to the set I bought for half that. WaterBrushes

I just want to add that this is the list of things I use.. Your list will differ greatly once you figure out what style suites you. 

Stencils.. Once again.. Stencils can be spendy as well.. Crafters Workshop has some cool ones I found for 5$.. all craft stores carry them for all kinds of things (Home decor, fabric ect.) So look around in different depts to find them. I got some in the stamp section of Ben Franklin for 39 cents.. Some cool squares and hearts and such.. 

Chalk pastels.. 5$ for a huge set at Ben's. They're neat.. I found great tutorials on youtube on how to use them.

Ok.. So now we have some basic supplies.. What the H do you do next? LEARN!! I have a board full of inspiration and how to and what not on Pinterest.. Check it out and follow me.. we can learn together.. 

Don't get overwhelmed when you start watching these videos.. YOU DON'T NEED ALL THOSE CRAZY SUPPLIES TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL PAGES! My art supply set it 2 years plus in the making.. I pick things up here and there.. Just keep an open mind when you watch the how to and use your own supplies.. 

Start small.. I started out with Smash Books. So much fun! I have learned a ton since I started.. I like the plain white piece of paper now.. But I'll never stop making my own versions of Smash Journals.. 

Something to keep in mind.. You're art is YOURS.. It's NEVER wrong. It's ALWAYS good enough. 

I love bright colors.. quotes.. random clip art... Anything you can think of can go into your pages.. Art Journals are therapy in a book for me. I've gotten more peace and healing from making art than I can say.. Give it a shot.. 

Ok friends.. It's 9:30am..  #Iworknights..gah!
I must do the laundry and run errands.. try to sleep and make something lovely before I venture off into the night to heal the sick..

Have a Grateful Day <3

Wait! One more thing! We'll explore this website more next time.. But this is the Brave Girls Club.. Run over there and give them a shout.. you will be glad you did :) Lovely art.. strong shoulders.. Kind hearts and words we all need to hear. 
Brave Girls Club

Toodles xo

Have I Gone Mad? Completely Bonkers.. But I'll Tell You A Secret.. All The Best People Are.

This is my life. An Elegant tapestry of quotations,musings,aphorisms and madness (tucked into these posts)

All crafters should have a space.. A place of their own. A place to dream up their newest projects, read a new book, hide from their children..  with a window seat.. Lots of natural sunlight.. a breeze floating in from the lake..  Oh! Excuse me... My mind wanders from time to time.. That was the room I designed for my big lottery win. However.. Lack of lottery winnings should never put a stop to you having a space of your own. 

This is my bliss.. A small corner of my living room.. Watch for me on Hoarders Buried Alive..  I made shelving out of 2 sets of baskets I found at Lowe's on clearance.. I was inspired by a post I saw on Pinterest. I have some Recollections storage cubes from Michael's.. 50% off coupons make me smile. I made a "paper clothesline" from twine and clothes pins Mod Podged with glitter.. I hang things I printed.. half finished projects etc. Did I mention I love Mod Podge? In the next few weeks I'll be posting some decoupage tutorials for anyone that stumbles in. Ok, back to the corner.. I have my bistro table turned desk.. my faithful tablet.. an old microwave stand and a side table I picked up free at a yard sale. Meager as it is I love this spot as much as I would my lake house office with the window seat. 

My friends say this little corner screams "OmgthisissoEmily!".. I think it screams, "Organize me!" 

I'd love to see some photos of everyone else's "bliss" email them on over.. I'll post them as I get them.. All craft corners deserve recognition. 

Forward March! Er.. April!

I LOVE journal cards.. I have an unnatural obsession with the little buggers.. I want to share some links to some GREAT blogs with tons of free journal printables..

Beautiful Ephemera Journal spots and other printables
Kim Kali makes the cutest things for project life..
Scrappy Sticky Inky Mess!
Grace is Overrated.. awesome printable journal pages..

I have links to a plethora of other sites and blogs dedicated to helping those of us who need some extra inspiration from our printers. 

An old playing card I altered with some Mod Podge, scrapbook paper scraps I had laying around, and a great quote from, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I distressed the words with Tim Holtz distress inks (sw00n)

An art journal page I made with grungy journal cards and  washi tape!

Bless you all for making it through another rambling post.. I'll get the swing of this blogging stuff soon enough.. 

  

My Inspiration Station..

Follow me on Pinterest :)

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

My Name is Emily.. I'm 33.. I work night shift at a rehab hospital.. and I'm broke.. welcome to life as I know it.. 

 I have only recently found the "art gene". My family is full to bursting with amazing talent.. We boast art professors, high school art teachers, wood carvers, painters etc... I have never been known as the family artist.. Black sheep, out spoken, smarty pants, middle child, pain in the ass? YES.. Artist? Me? Never.. 

Here is a short list of things I love:

My family: Sean (my love) Kyleigh (Mini-Me) Anna (my princess)

My dog (Guinness) 

My Sugar Glider (Marshmallow)

Art Journaling

Smash Books

Reading (swoon)

I live in a small apartment in a small neighborhood.. I create in a corner of our living room.. my desk is an outdoor bistro table my sister gave me (haha) I truly am a broke artist ;) 

As far as art goes I like a little bit of everything.. My favorite thing to work with is paper.. I've loved all things paper since I was a kid.. No one loved school supply shopping more than this girl.. Notebooks? Folders? Book Covers to make? Wahoo!! Smash journals are my secret passion.. Whether I make my own or use a Smash Book... My next venture will be art journals.. I bought a Dylusions Creative Journal to use... I read nothing but great things about them, and I can use all the help I can get :)

So there is a little about me.. I'll be adding pics of my newest creations.. perhaps a tutorial or 3.. And probably more than a few rants here and there.. 

Until next time....