Coloring Fun

This week I had a play date with my BFF, and I played with my Zig Clean Color markers, Gelatos, and Copic markers.  (Actually, I played with the Copics last night.)  Here are the results:

Zig Clean Color Markers

Gelatos

Copics

I haven't added any "bling" to the images yet, but I really like the way they turned out.  

Thanks for looking!

Altered Scraps Art Journaling Page

Hi all!  Here is my latest AJ page, based on a challenge from Art to the Fifth.  The challenge was from a few weeks ago, but I'm not following them in strict order.We were supposed to use our "under paper" or scraps.  I pulled out some scraps, laid down a coat of black gesso, and then went to work.

First I scribbled some Gelatos on the scraps of paper, and then I dipped my finger into a cup of water and blended the colors.  After that, I drew circles in various sizes and cut them out by hand.  Then I glued them to the page with Collage Pauge.  Next I added random dots with my Moonlight pens, doodled on the papers with my Glaze Pens, and finished the background with little dots of glitter.

To make the glitter dots, I drew tiny dots with my Glue Pen, dipped my finger in clear iridescent glitter, and rubbed my fingers over the dried glue.  (The glue remains tacky after it dries.)  Any excess glitter just added to the overall sparkle of the page.  I hand-wrote the phrases using a white Souffle gel pen.

As you can see, when it comes to my art journaling, I like to be free-form with my designs.  I usually hand-draw or stamp imperfectly, and I hand-cut and hand-letter.

Thanks for stopping by!  If you'd like to get your hands on the supplies I used, I've listed them below, along with a link to Amazon.  If you liked this blog entry, please use my affiliate link to purchase these products.  Thanks so much!  Happy Creating!

Gelatos 10 Color And Accessories Gift Set - Faber-Castell

(You can search for other products that I mentioned as well once you're at Amazon.)

Being a "Special" Mom

I've decided to keep an art journal.  That's where all the "stuff" that I don't want to include in my regular scrapbooks will be kept.  You know, the raw emotions and feelings that I don't necessarily care to share with everyone.  My first page is about being the mother of a special needs child:  our son, David.  This is what the journaling says:

What is it like to be the mother of a special needs child?  Well, for one thing, it's never boring.  It's unpredictable, to say the least.

When I wake up in the morning, I really don't know what to expect.  Will he have a tantrum today?  Or will it be a total meltdown?  Will he throw something, break something, scream and curse at me?  Will I get to the point where I just want to run away and never come back?

This might make me sound like a terrible mother, but there are days when I just don't want to be a Mom.  I just want to be Jeanette.  I want to do what I want to do, go where I want to go, be what I want to be.  Does that really make me a bad mother?  I don't know, but it's the best I can do some days.  Besides, I'm still here, right?  I can't be that bad.

There are other days, though.  Days when he remembers things that I had long forgotten, times we've spent together that were true happiness.  Or he tells a joke that has me shaking and crying with laughter instead of anger.  There are days when a simple "I love you, Mom" is all I need to make my day.

So, I'll tell you what it's like to be the mother of a special needs child.  It's like being on a roller coaster ride.  Sometimes you're speeding uphill, sometimes you're speeding downhill, and sometimes you're coasting along on level tracks.

I hope you decide to give art journaling a try.  It's very freeing and quite therapeutic.  And let's not forget how much fun it is to play with art supplies.