Attitude of Gratitude Journal - Encouragement

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here is Day 7:

Today's topic is Encouragement and who has and does encourage me. I chose to use a scripture different than the one in this prompt.

The technique challenge was to create and use your own stencil. In June, I had made a stencil from a design on a scrapbook page. (I don't "scrapbook" but I absolutely love many of the papers and packs available, so have a stash!)

Attitude of Gratitude Journal - Social Media and Technology

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here are Days 5 and 6:

Social Media and Technology are related topics for me so I combined the two themes. Once I read the themes, I knew I wanted to incorporate some of the ephemera related to technology that I have. The technology illustrated in these book pages and postage stamps are antiques to us today. At one time it was the latest technology. It makes me wonder what unknown technology will exist in another 50 to 100 years.

The techniques involved using specific products which I do not own. They are essentially water removable inks in a spray bottle and a water brush. I tried the technique using diluted watercolor paints. Once dry, the paint did not want to lift off the paper. I used the left over paint to dye tissue papers. When these are dry, I will use them on a future journal page.

The book pages, if glued directly to the journal pages, would not have left much room to write. I glued them on to double sided scrapbook paper and then adhered these into the journal as separate pages.

An Attitude of Gratitude Journal Day 4 - Time

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here is Day 4:

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season. Ecclesiastes 3:1

The prompt was about how we spend our time. The technique challenge was to use a stamp. I used a dried oak leaf.

 Fast or slow, thank you Lord, for allowing me to learn and grow at my own pace.

 

An Attitude of Gratitude Journal - Creativity

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here is Day 3:

Today's challenge was to draw freehand with the media of choice. I had some Honesty seedpods on the table, so drew them.

Lunaria annua seedpods

An Attitude of Gratitude Journal - Today

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here is Day 2:

Today's challenge was to use either circles or squares in the design. I love these shapes, so this technique challenge was easy. The daily scripture was more challenging, whoever. Usually one of my favorites:

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

 Why challenging? Because of the aftermath of  Hurricane Sandy. I was thankful to have our electricity restored after being without it for only 2 days and having minimum damage done to our home. But once I watched the tv reports about what happened in the area, my heart sank. How can I rejoice when there is so much devastation? That was the challenge I needed to work out. Having a week to process the reality of this and seeing how well people are coping and how others are volunteering, really encouraged me. I am planning to help out on Sunday and my church is providing needed supplies. So, these are things to rejoice about!

 

An Attitude of Gratitude Journal - Day 1 - Wholeheartedness

Continuing along with the month long Attitude of Gratitude Journal challenge, here is Day 1:

This challenge called for using a color that you don't like. I don't like pink when it is shouting out loud! I do like it in flowers and in a sunset. To tone it down, I added a bit of green with a stencil design and added some hydrangea flowers in the corner. 

An Attitude of Gratitude Journal

On November 1st, I read a post on one of the blogs I follow that Bernice Hopper started An Attitude of Gratitude journal for the month of November. She is blogging about it and has invited others to participate and share their pages as well. I thought this was a great idea! I have planned to get back to working on my visual journals (I have five or so in various stages) and thought participating in this would be a good way to ease back in. Bernice provides the daily prompts, scriptures and quotes, along with a technique video. Those participating interpret the prompts however they like and post the results on their blogs. A Facebook group has also been set up for those participating. I'm not going to get this done in one month's time, but will see it through to completion!

Title Page

I chose to use the birds silhouette for their symbolism. Most recently, I sold three pieces of art which featured this print. For that I am very thankful. 

Autumn's Bounty - Milkweed Seedpods

Week 3 of Fundamentals of Natural Science Illustration: Autumn's Bounty focused on seedpods. I was attracted to one particular branch of milkweed seedpods because the inside of the pod was tinted pink.  I have collected many milkweed seedpods for papermaking and have never seen one tinted like this one was. I thought it was stunning! Here is my rendition of it.

Asclepias incarnata seedpods

The assignment was to complete one part in graphite and the rest in a combination of micron pen, walnut ink and colored pencil.