Friday, June 11, 2010

Journal of Dreams, Journal of Anything, and an Altered Book Update

I recently received Lori's book from our Journal Of Dreams (let's just call it JOD) collaborative journal project.  Maybe it's the title, but in this group I just can't help getting into my head (oh what a scary place that can be at times) and my pages for these journals are just very different than those I do for the other groups.
Another influence this week:  I was visiting my friend Teri, and met her friend (now mine too!) Rita, who brought along for the show and tell portion of our visit, a book she made in a Lynne Perrella workshop.  Her pages were full of little doors that opened and I knew my next journal pages would use that technique.
My page for Lori with the doors closed:
And opened (just a little -- what's behind them is Lori's surprise).
The background....various papers and some of Tim's wonderful tissue tape....lightly covered with gesso.....textured with cardboard and bubble wrap......colored mostly with Portfolio water soluble oil pastels......more gesso, more pastels.....and the journaling done with Sharpie poster paint markers.  The little houses are all Invoke stamps, inked with black Ranger Archival ink, colored with the Portfolios and further embellished with glaze pens.
For this journal we decided on one page rather than our usual two page spread, but we do some sort of art on the reverse side.  Here's my second side:
The background started out as a leftover page from my altered book project, one that had been sprayed with colorwash.  On to that I glued some pictures from a new PID sheet called photobooth.  Then I dabbed some gesso around and even over the photos and tinted it with some vintage photo distress ink when it dried.  I was trying to make the photos look a bit more organic....less like they were just plopped down on the background....which of course they were....so softened some of the edges with some gel medium.  I really wanted to use some modeling paste but couldn't find it so settled on the gel...which produced a shinier look than I would have liked, but it's OK.  When that finally dried I went over the gelled parts with some coffee Archival ink, then added the journaling around the photos.

When I was at Teri's we decorated journal covers with a collage technique she wanted to share with us.  When I got home I added the focal image, and here is the finished journal cover:
For the background, we covered the book with various papers, collage-style, added some color with Shiva Paintstiks (very cool product), then we used a palette knife to add some texture with gesso (I think it was gesso...all those Golden jars look alike).  When that was dry we brayered some deeper color (paint) over the raised textured areas, then kept brayering until we'd spread what was left of the paint all over.  I love how it turned out.
I added the Tim bird and cage on a chipboard plaque, some Sizzix SU butterflies highlighted with a perfect pearls spray, and a little blue rhinestone bling.


For those following along with my altered book journey, that blog was updated today with some folding techniques.  Here's a little peek:
Oh, and one other thing:   Happy Friday everyone!  This weekend, see some friends, make some art, and have some great food.  Cheers!

14 comments:

Angie Hall Haviland said...

OH WOW....BEAUTIFUL new ARTs :)

Dorothy said...

Awesome!!!

Tammy D said...

Very cool.

Tami Putvin said...

Love the new art...

jrmathers said...

This is awesome

Diann said...

What fun you have had with your journals...love the ART you created! I'm working in my AB this morning and having fun! Diann

Anonymous said...

Love the creations you've shared today Eileen!!! You do collage SO well!!!

Linda said...

Love everything you shared today! Thank you for sharing and inspiration! Have a fabulous weekend!

Kerry said...

Love the techniques you shared today. I'll definitely give that a try. Love the cover of your journal - the colors are beautiful Thanks for sharing. Kerry P.

Lori said...

I just love looking at your journal pages, I really think that is your niche, so to speak. Just wonderful work. The colors are fabulous, as are all the techniques you use. Love the folded pages, off to check "the other blog".....

Nancy Lynn said...

I love the page for Lori's journal......I love little houses and they look so great on that page.... And things to discover behind the doors........how cool.

teri said...

I love what you did with those doors!! Leave it to you to put your own spin on that concept and take it to a whole new level. And that birdcage on the cover is such a sweet focal point! I had so much fun with you both the other day. xoxo

Kerry said...

I'm posting another comment - I just love what you've done, the pages, the colors, the textures its gorgeous. Thank you. Kerry P.

Patzee said...

What a super journal! Great techniques. Just checked out your other blog and found the tutorial thorough and inspiring. Love the folds!