Dream Big

Hi Everyone. I made another page for Eileen's Dreams/Wishes theme at Art Journal Journey. I used some of my handmade art prompt cards to get me started, as my mojo has been away on holiday ;-)

I want to say thanks to everyone for your good wishes after my last post. The gastroscope found nothing too bad, and went reasonably well thankfully, although it took three attempts to find a vein big enough for the cannula! I felt like a pin cushion!

Thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Wishing It All Away

I imagine we've all wanted to wish something away at many times in our lives. I have a gastroscopy booked for this afternoon that I'm wishing was over and done with. I'm definitely going for sedation, as fortunately my dear husband will be going with me.

So this morning I escaped from my fears for a while by creating this art journal page for Eileen's Dreams or Wishes theme at Art Journal Journey. I think it looks like a far off galaxy that I want to escape to! Or maybe this is what the doctor will see when he puts the tube down my throat!

The base layer is some tissue paper that I crinkled up and adhered with gel medium. Then I used my finger to add colour with cobalt turquoise hue, quinacridone gold and paynes grey acrylic paint, and white gesso, building up layers to create lots of depth. I finished with splashes of gold acrylic.

Big hugs,

Alison xxx

Wishing and Dreaming and Hoping

Hello Folks. I have another mixed media journal page to share for Eileen's Dreams or Wishes theme at Art Journal Journey.

A bit of gel print collage, some paint, crackle paste, scribbles and marks.

Had another visit to the consultant at the hospital today. Frustrating as he didn't have my blood test results from September, so I had to get another one! Unbelievable! Still I had a nice chat with the lady who did it. Keep smiling Alison! :-)

Hope you've had a happy day,

Alison xox

AJJ - Dreams or Wishes

Hi Everyone!

I'm getting myself back into the creative zone with another page for Eileen's Dreams or Wishes theme at Art Journal Journey.

I already had a page painted with leftover red acrylic. I wanted to break this up a bit, so I scribble journaled all over it with black ink. Then I tore one of my recent gel prints into rectangles and collaged these with 3 round teabags. I scraped some white crackle paste over the page to bring it together. Then I used my plastic stitching circle to add patterns with black acrylic, and added three circles cut from my gel print.

I used Tim Holtz word stickers to add my wording, then gave them a black outline with a Stabilo Aquarellable pencil. I used a small round paintbrush to add a red heart. Then I couldn't resist adding some splashes of watery black paint, and used a straw to blow out the larger splashes. Fun!

I hope you're all having a creative weekend too!

Alison xox

October Art Journal Calendar

Hello Everyone! Happy October!

I've been getting back to normal after returning from visiting our daughter in Germany. She is doing a 4 month placement, working for Rolls Royce in Friedrichshafen. As it is near the Swiss and Austrian borders, we went there too, and also Liechtenstein. Lots of lovely mountain hikes, beers and Wiener schitzel!

My Mum and Dad came also, and here's me with my daughter and Mum, up the mountain in Bregenz. I braved a gondola! Lots of people, so very claustrophic for me.

And now here is my October calender spread...

I used a small circular Gel Press plate, with acrylic paint and a skeleton leaf, to create the background.

I painted on the journaling leaves, and the black wording and outlines were made with my glass dip pen and Bombay India Ink. Doesn't the skeleton leaf create a beautiful leaf pattern?!

I'm linking my pages to Eileen's Dreams or Wishes theme at Art Journal Journey.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,

Alison xox

Birgit's Gel Printing Challenge - Week 4 and beyond

Hello Everyone! I back to share my remaining monoprints for Birgit Koopsen's Instagram challenge.

Day 22 - Monochromatic

Day 23 - Patterned Paper

The great thing about patterned paper, is that it sometimes gives you an image resist. Can you spot the little flower on the patterned paper, from a previous print?

Day 24 - Circles. Always a favourite...so many prints!

This print was made with multiple mops ups from previous days.

Day 25 - Wax Crayons. Draw a design with crayons onto paper, pressing hard to get a thick layer. Use acrylic paint on your gel plate to print on your design, then once the paint is dry, scrape the paint off where the wax is. Hard on the hands this one! Gave me crampy hands!

Day 26 - Recycle

Day 27 - Burlap/Hessian. The loose strands are great to use too.

Day 28 - Vaseline. Lovely and messy, but fun results!

Day 29 - Embossing Folders. I have a tonne of these that don't get much use these days, so great for my gel printing.

And finally, Day 30 - Type/Text. I did some image resist with magazine pages and newspaper, and also stamped onto the gel plate with text stamps.

Magazine page...

Newspaper...

Text stamps...

I have a wonderfully large selection of prints now, and I can't wait to use them in my art. I may just frame some of my favourites!

Thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Birgit's Gel Printing Challenge - Week Three

Hi Everyone! I'm back to share some more monoprints with you, from this past week.

Day 15 - Fall/Autumn

Day 16 - Yarn

Day 17 - Texture Plates

Day 18 - Vegetables

Day 19 - Complimentary Colours

Day 20 - Felt Tip Markers. I stamped flowers onto my gel plate with black archival ink, then coloured them with Adirondak pens, allowing the ink to dry, then pulled the print with white acrylic paint. Unfortunately it was getting a bit late in the day when I took the photo!

Day 21 - Image Resist, using magazine images. Not easy to explain, but Birgit has a great YouTube tutorial on the Gelliarts channel.

Wishing you all a wonderful week,

Alison xox