Documented Life Week 3 - Color Wheel

This week's challenge had me stumped.  I started with wanting to use an umbrella as the wheel.  I even googled color wheel for ideas.  I was all over the place.  I was even to the point of going to Michael's and buying ink.  As I was going, I opened the garage door and we had around 2 inches of snow.  I went back and decided to use what I could find.  

I have always loved to use pan pastels.  I am not sure why I didn't think of them.  It worked perfect and I didn't spend hours putting the page together.  How art journaling should be!

Documented Life Project Week 2 - Gesso

I try to post my journal page from the Documented Life Project on Saturday nights.  If you are not familiar with the site check it out http://www.arttothe5th.com.  When the prompt is given, I spend the day thinking about what I would like to do.  I was clueless what to do with the gesso.  It took me two days to come up with something creative instead of just using it as a base like I generally do.  

I used gesso on the page then used Prima's Bloom sprays in Teal to cover.  I loved the look and effect it gave to the page.  I had wrote down my ideas in a "work" meeting on what to do with the page.  I use a LiveScribe pen to document notes at work.  When it is not work related (like this one), I can favorite the page and send to Evernote.  Once I am home, I can pull the info from Evernote and create on.

Another trick I do is use the largest size newsprint paper from Michael's as a cover to protect my other page.  So when I painting, it lays under the decorated page.  When I am done, I draft the page on the large sheet to see what my idea will look like.  Many times, it gives the picture that I may change as I go.  I used Sharpie markers for this page but they don't always behave the same.  If the area has more grit, they tend not want to work as well.  

Here is here the finished page.  I liked the snowman most.  I was trying to use him in the last art journal page but it did not work out.  He is made from book paper.

Documented Life Project, Week 1 - Book Paper

I created my first entry to my Art Journal for Documented Life Project 2015.  The theme for week 1 is book paper.  I use book paper for everything. From creating ornaments, notes, backgrounds to tags, and envelopes.  It was funny.  While I was creating the page I received a call from work and I took my notes on the book paper.  So I guess I use it for memos as well.  Here are a few shots of the work to the finished project.


For the background, I used old book paper with designed scrapbook paper.  I also printed an older 50s boy from the internet.

I took my gesso and covered the page.

I then used a banner punch to punch some flags to write my top goals for the year.  I used distressed paint to paint them.

I used book paper to write my goals for each prompt.  I also pulled in a doily to accent the page.

Some close ups of the accents.

I really enjoyed the first week working on my idea.  At first I loved the background, then I started added items and thought "Oh Well".  By the end, I was liking the page again.  I think the doily brought it together for me.