And Finally ... Week 52!

 Hello All! 

I have my final collaged index cards for 366 Somethings 2020 to show you today. I'm really going to miss doing these, but it's time for a rest.

Here are the final 9 cards...

I love my Christmas Day card, number 360, the words were so appropriate. Also 363 and 366 are favourites this week.

For now all of my cards are in two boxes. I can't decide what to do with them. Perhaps I'll put them all into a big scrapbook. It'll be interesting to look back at them, and to see how they progressed.

Thank you all for visiting and commenting on these ICADs, and on all of my posts this year. I've really appreciated your generous support dear friends.

Wishing you all a happy, creative, safe and healthy 2021!

Alison xox

Traffic Lights

 Hello All. I have another page to share for Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey. My page is about traffic lights today.

I started with a layer of teabag texture, painted on some white gesso, used bubble wrap to add turquoise paint, then scraped on some Seaglass Fresco Finish acrylic. I used a Seth Apter stamp to add some background detail. I then added 3 round teabags, the dictionary definition, then used pieces of gelli prints to add colour and pattern. I finished with black paint pen marks, and used a Stabillo All black pencil to outline the page.

Thanks for dropping by,

Alison xox

Peace, Love & Joy

 Hello dear blog friends! It's that strange time between Christmas and New Year. My husband doesn't go back to work until next week, although that only means he spends the day in his home 'office' now. There is constant noise as he likes to listen to the radio. I'm going to escape to my craft room where I can have some peace, and do what I love, and what brings me joy. Peace, love and joy has a different meaning today 😁

Here's another page for Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey. This page is the final one in my Advent art journal. It's full from cover to cover now.

Wishing you all a happy and creative day,

Alison xox

Tradition

 Hello all. I have another page for Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey. It's an abstract page, but when I was creating it, I was thinking about our Christmas traditions. We didn't manage to do many, if any, of them this year. Church services, baking with my daughter, shopping with my best friend, Boxing Day with family. I scribbled a few traditions around the circles on my page.

Thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Divided

 Happy Sunday Everyone!

Here's another page for Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

My meaning for this page was that we were divided from our children, the two lower hearts being us in the south, and the upper two hearts were them in the north. I was having a sort out in my studio, and came across the clothing label that had the word 'divided' on it. And the piece of map symbolises the distance between us. However, as I said yesterday, we video talked with the children so much over Christmas, we didn't feel too divided after all. I think this is one of my favourite pages in my Advent journal.

I hope you're having a great weekend, thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Emerge

Hello Everyone! I hope you all managed to have a wonderful Christmas Day. It was quiet here, just us two, but we had plenty of Face Time chats with our children and families, so we didn't feel too alone. I know that a lot of people are in a much worse situation than we are, so I feel very blessed. 

Here in the UK, it's Boxing Day. Shops would normally be opening with their Boxing Day sales, and people racing to get some bargains. We don't do this in normal times, as neither of us like busy shops and crowds. We're planning a Zoom chat with my family later, and we'll pop to see my mother-in-law who is in a safe bubble with us.

I have another page from my Advent art journal to share with you today, and I'm linking it to Tracey's theme at Art Journal Journey. I used the definition of Emerge, as the face I've painted is emerging from the dark into the light. This could have a lot of meanings. The artist in me emerging? People emerging into the light with the promise of vaccines? For me, it was the artist emerging and growing this year.

Wishing you all a wonderfully festive weekend,

Alison xox

Merry Christmas

 Here's another page for Tracey's theme at Art Journal Journey. I chose the word Advent for my Christmas Day page.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas.

Alison xox

Orangemen

Here's another page for Tracey's theme at Art Journal Journey. 

Happy Christmas Eve to you all.

Alison xox

366 Somethings - Week 51

Hello All. It's me again! I nearly forgot to show this week's somethings. So here are my collaged index cards for week 51 of 2020.

My favourite is 353 this week. The words fit so well with the image of Mary and Jesus on the postage stamp. Do you have a favourite?

Thanks for visiting me today,

Keep safe and well,

Alison xox

 

Abstract

 Hello everyone. I'm continuing in my advent art journal with an abstract page, trying a different colour combination, and linking to Tracey's theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for dropping by my blog today,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 14

Kasia's final prompt on her Advent Calendar Challenge was to make a resolution for the next seven days. I've decided to fill up this little Advent journal with a page a day until it's full. There are seven pages left fortunately :-)

This is Day 14's page. I let myself go. I've really enjoyed using this limited colour palette. Now I'm ready to try some different colours.

I'm linking up to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks so much for visiting me today,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 13 - My Passions

Today's prompt is all about the positive feelings and experiences this daily art practice has brought so far. 

We had some inspiration from this quote too. 'Maybe my passion is nothing special, but at least it's mine' - Tove Jansson.

I enjoyed the experience of creating my page, using some teabags, my favourite mediums, some words, and lots of marks and paint splashes.

I'm linking this page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar Day 12 - Small Success

 Today's prompt is all about celebrating our achievements, no matter how big or small they are. I called my sister for the first time in a while, and it was so good to catch up with her.

I'm linking this page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for visiting me today,

Keep safe and well,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 11 - One Line A Day

 Hello Everyone. For Day 11, we were invited to write one line a day on a dedicated art journal page. I misunderstood the meaning of this, and wrote a few lines on my page.

This page really shows how far I've come since I first started to art journal. Back in the beginning, I really didn't like my handwriting, and I struggled to think of things to write. Then I discovered scribble writing through watching Dina Wakley, and I haven't looked back since.

I'm linking this page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Wishing you all a very happy and creative weekend,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar Day 10 - Light & Shadows

 Hello all. For day 10's Light & Shadows theme, I decided to create a face. I mixed some different shades of my violet colour, using some warm white for lighter shades, and black for a darker shade. I included some oxide yellow and gold on the portrait for contrast.

I'm linking my page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Wishing you all a happy and safe weekend.

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 9, and some Happy Mail.

For Day 9's page we were focussing on Connection. What does it mean to us? How do we define it? In 2020, connection has taken on new meaning for us. We see so few people, that even if we just say good morning to someone that we pass on our morning walk, we have made a connection that day. 

I'm linking my page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

And here is the wonderful happy mail I received from dear Mia of Craftartista today. This is her birthday blog candy that I was so fortunate to win. A beautifully sewn glasses case, and Mia included a gorgeous tag with a note written on the reverse. My sunglasses fit into the case perfectly. Thank you Mia! xx

Keep safe everyone, and thanks for visiting.

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar Day 8

 The prompt for Day 8 was 'Bring Some Colour'. We were asked to create some colour schemes, using one constant colour. My chosen colour was oxide yellow. There are a few colours I wouldn't usually go to, and I'm going to try these combinations out. I probably should have written their names down. Lol!

I'm linking up to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for visiting,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 7, and some Somethings

 Day 7's prompt is Create Your Comfort Zone. We were asked to make ourselves comfortable with lighting a candle, our favourite drink, and some soothing music, then spend 2 minutes writing down our thoughts, and then cover it with painting and stamping etc. 

Here's another entry for Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

And now here are my collaged index cards for this past week (50/52)...

I think I'll go with 349 as my favourite this week. Do you have a favourite?

Thanks for visiting today,

Keep safe and well,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar Challenge - Day 6

 The prompt for Day 6 of Kasia's Advent Calendar challenge was 'Don't Complain'. We had to try not to complain about anything for a day. It's very hard! I tried to be more aware of any negative feelings I had. I wrote down a few things I am grateful for instead.

I used a Stabilo All Aquarellable pencil to write on my page, then activated it with water. On the left side of my page, I've glued down some Queen Anne's Lace that I pressed a few months ago. We saw a lot of this on our walks, it's so pretty and delicate.

I'm linking my page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Wishing you all a wonderful new week,

Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 5

 Hello All. Today I'm sharing my art journal page for Kasia's Day 5 prompt, which is 'Fill Your Cup'. We were asked to list activities or experiences that bring us joy, and make us smile.

I'm linking my page to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for visiting my blog today,

Big hugs, Alison xox

Kasia's Advent Calendar - Day 4

 Hello All! Tonight I'm sharing my day 4 page for Kasia's Advent Calendar Challenge. The theme was Freedom in Art, and we were asked to take inspiration from another artist. I wanted to paint an angel, and found some inspiration on Pinterest. I had to add the word 'joy', because that was the feeling I got creating this.

I'm linking up to Tracey's The Meaning Of theme at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks so much for visiting,

Alison xox