Flying High

 

I want to begin by sharing some thoughts about the review I gave last Saturday. The person who chose "To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision" had two copies because one copy belonged to her and one to her father who had served with, and was a friend of, Admiral Stavridis, the author.  Everyone read the book and most of us enjoyed it, or at least part of it.  Seems we took our responsibility seriously and we had a lively discussion about all the chapters.  Some chapters were more "lively" than others.

Our current president told us we should NOT feel obligated to buy a book we reviewed unless we were in love with it and wanted it in our own library.  She also said when it's our turn, we must provide at least two, or possibly three copies of the book we are to review.  She suggested making sure if the book didn't come from our own library, like the Stavridis book which came from the owners of the books, we should pick a book from our library system and put a hold on as many as possible.  No e-books or kindle books were allowed since several of the group didn't use those.  

Elizabeth Vardan suggested I choose one of her mysteries when it's my turn, but I would need to buy at least two books, which is not something I can afford and my library doesn't own either of hers (I checked).   Having said that, I know the one I'm going to choose when it's my turn.  Now for some visual art!

This will be my final entry at Art Journal Journey this month. Alison from Craftytrog's Arty Adventures has chosen Come Fly With Me as her theme.  I'm also joining Creative Artiste's 95th Challenge.  Their theme is always anything goes as long as you have multiple media (meaning a minimum of three mediums).

For obvious reasons,

 

this is called Flying High.

 

 

It is echoed in the tag

and the die cut.

I started by spritzing several of my handmade shimmering mists on book pages I intended to use for backgrounds.  Once I had completed coloring the pages, I was surprised and pleased how nicely the 110 lb cardstock looked.  I decided to fill in the spots that didn't have any mist on it, and this fun background was born.  I used one of the mists to color the die cut hot air balloon, but I was unable to remove several of the cut outs.

 

When my friend Sharon and I had our first play date, she brought her stamps and die that I used on the above journal page.  I provided the tag.  I cut a piece of the book page I had misted and wrote the words Flying High using my white Posca pen which decided to leak when I wrote the word "High."  In order to connect the two sides of the page, I adhered a strip of cheese cloth I dyed with coffee.  My only regret is the tag is ultra white and I wish I had been able to find a way to color it after it had been stamped with dye ink.

Creative Artiste requires multiple media.  Mine are my spray misted background, gold paint as part of the background, part of a misted book page, my white Posca pen, coffee dyed cheese cloth, a colored die cut, and a die cut tag I stamped using two different hot air balloon rubber stamps.

Thanks for joining me today.  I only wish I had another week or so to join Alison's theme.  Please join me over at Creative Artiste and Art Journal Journey as we wind this month down.