Summer at the beach

 

Today you'll find me at Art Journal Journey joining my friend, the talented Halle of Halle's Hobbies.  By now you probably know her theme for the month of July is Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my!  Below is my possibly/probably penultimate entry.

And because I have multiple media, I'm also joining Creative Artiste's 128th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Goes.

It's obvious I named this Summer at the beach.  It is a mixed media entry.  Details are below.

 

I began by adhering a napkin from my stash to 5 X 8 in (12.7 X 20.32 cm) 110 lb cardstock using a glue stick.  I then sewed a piece of fabric torn from a fat quarter to the background using blue variegated thread.  Next I sewed the gifted ribbon in place, after which I sewed the computer generated words to the assembly.  Finally, I adhered the star button found in my stash using E6000.  

 

Thanks ever so much for dropping by today.  It means the world to me. I hope to see you and your interpretation of Fabric, lace, and trims…oh my! inspired art at Art Journal Journey and Creative Artiste's Anything Goes. There's still ample time to join in both challenges. 

  

 

A bird collage

 

Today I am joining my dear friend and host this month at Art Journal Journey, Mia from Craftartista. Mia's theme for May is Birds.  And because I have multiple media, I am also joining Creative Artiste's #126th Challenge where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I have created a bird collage.  Details are below.

 

This started out as the inside of a Christmas card.  The outside only showed the male cardinal, so I opted for the interior.

 

I have two different types of birds on a wire washi tapes, so I was glad the color scheme wasn't offensive.

 

 

For once I used a gifted purchased tag, not one I made myself.  I colored the large tag blue and green using water soluble crayons.  Once dry, I adhered the bird which was a see-through sticker.

 

Perhaps the most difficult thing I did was wind the small tag through the large tag's hole and loop it in place.  You can see I wrote the word "bird" on the small tag using a black Micron pen.

 

Finally, I added three bird postage stamps from my stash.

 

For this entry, I used one side of a large card (6 X 9 in; 15.24 X 22.86 cm), two washi tapes, two tags, two water soluble crayons, one micron pen, one sticker, and three U.S. postage stamps.

 

Bleubeard and I would be thrilled if you would join us today at both Art Journal Journey and Creative Artiste.   

 

Important holiday and dates today

  

You surely know by now that Bleubeard and I are hosting Art Journal Journey (AJJ) this month.  Our theme for the entire month is Anywhere, Anytime, Any Place, with Anyone.

Be aware please, even though I read each post you link through AJJ, I can't leave comments on any blog, including my own.  I believe it's a blogger problem.

And because I have a ton of media, I'm also joining Creative Artiste and their 123rd Challenge (their theme is always Anything mixed media goes), even though I can't leave any comments to my visitors from their blog, either.

This is an important day, culturally.  Both Mardi Gras and Chinese New Year (CNY) land on this date in 2026.  Details are below.

 

I began by adhering Joss papers to the 8.5 X 11 inch (21.59 X 27.94 centimeter) 110 lb. cardstock.  I adhered the NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) court house and statue to the page.  I glued the Mardi Gras masks in place.  I then adhered the lanterns, which are German scrap.  Next, I added the sentiments and the date.  

 

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the day before Lent begins, traditionally celebrated by eating pancakes to use up rich ingredients like eggs and milk before the fasting period. There is a famous celebration in Olney, Buckinghamshire, England and Liberal, Kansas (USA).  The friendly competition between Liberal and Olney, with women running 415 yards down the streets of each town flipping pancakes, has been going on for 73 years.  It is still the only race of its kind on the planet.  As of Pancake Day, 2025, there have been 42 wins for Liberal and 31 for Olney.

 

For the bottom half, I adhered the 60 symbols Joss paper which doesn't contain any gold or silver.  As an aside, Joss paper is also known as incense paper.  It is meant to be folded and burned.  Joss paper is traditionally made from coarse bamboo paper, which feels handmade, although rice paper might also be used.  Traditional Joss paper is cut into individual squares or rectangles.  Never burn these papers, even though they were meant to be burned.  Joss paper emits toxic components from the gold or silver.  This causes health risks because there is a significant amount of heavy metals in the dust, fumes, and ashes.

 

For the center of the Joss paper, I included a Chinese coin to which I added a piece of wood which I wrapped in fabric.  I then added the red envelope, which is traditionally given to children on CNY.  To the envelope I adhered a Chinese yen coin.  Finally, I added the sentiments.  This is the year of the male (yang) red Fire Horse.  Today is also the start of year 4723.

 

Bleubeard and I are incredibly delighted you stopped by on this holiday, and hope to also see you at Art Journal Journey and Creative Artiste (even if we can't leave you a comment) with your own interpretation of Anywhere, Anytime, Any Place, with Anyone or Anything mixed media goes. 

 

 

Bee Feed Flower Mix

 

Today I have an offering for Halle of Halle's Hobbies at Art Journal Journey.  Halle is challenging us to think about Botanicals, which is her theme for July.  Because I have multiple media, I am also joining Creative Artiste's 117th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.   Additionally, Try it on Tuesday's theme this fortnight is Summer Blooms, so I will join them, too.  After all, summer is when these bee feed flowers bloom.

I think you see where I got the title of this latest post.  Details are below.

This entry began when I found the unopened flower mix in my stash.  I decided to color a partial page the same colors as the mix using water soluble crayons.  I wish I had thought to color the bottom of the page, too, but didn't think of it until after the page had been assembled.

Once the page was dry, I began the assembly.  I first layered pages of various foreign texts in place depending on size, beginning with the crumbling vintage sheet music.  Once each had been glued in place, I added three labels from my stash.  I tried to get two pages captured under each label.  Finally, I added a row of what I have always been told is called German scrap to the bottom of one of the pages.

 

Thank you so very much for your visit. I hope you will join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey, Creative Artiste, and Try it on Tuesday. 

 

 

The Garden Map

 

Today I'm joining Halle of Halle's Hobbies at Art Journal Journey.  Halle is challenging us to think about Botanicals, which is her theme for July.  Because I have multiple media, I am also joining Creative Artiste's 117th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I wasn't sure this would scan because the leaves stuck high above the base/substrate.  To get the leaves flat, I practically stood on the scanner cover.  Detail shots are below.

The background (or substrate if you prefer) is a page of a free image from a 2009 Somerset Studio magazine I found in my stash.  To that I added two images from my stash, clear washi tape, and the leaves from a gifted floral bouquet.  

 

I first removed part of the stem.  I then adhered the leaves using Crafter's Pick glue to the stem and a couple of the leaves.  Once they were secured, I added the extra image from my stash and the sign language which covered the stem.  I held the sign language in place using clear washi tape.

Materials used included the free background, floral leaves, a triangle from my stash, sign language from my stash, and washi tape.

Thank you for your visit. I hope you will join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey and Creative Artiste. 

Quirky

 

This will be my final entry for Matilde from Craftowanie, our host this month at Art Journal Journey.  Her theme, in case you didn't know, is People.  I am also joining Creative Artiste's 116th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.  I'm getting in just under the wire for their challenge this month. And because my entry has text in it, I'm also joining Try it on Tuesday's latest theme, which is to add some text.

This is the front of the entry.  I'm not sure you can tell, but the front is about an 1/8th inch wider and about 2 inches shorter  than the inside.  The entire entry was created using see-through plastic and held together using washi tape. For the front, I first painted part of the front of the plastic with yellow and turquoise green fluid acrylic paints.  I then stamped the images, both by Lynne Perrella.  The heart with text, I stamped twice.

I couldn't fit the entire inside on the scanner, but I got most of the left and all the right side.  Detail images are below.

 

Inside left

Inside right

I used the same paint on the inside as I used on the front.  On the left, I added two types of lace, over which I laid a lady cut from a steampunk inspired book.  Note the text behind her bike.  Above and around her I placed several pieces of thread, then the letter H.  The focal figure from the front came through because I didn't use any paint in that area.

On the right, I added different lace and two TH paper dolls.  I adhered them with clear packing tape.  Look closely and you'll see one of the girl's face is caught in half under the tape.  Finally, I added the word "Quirky" to the right side.

Materials used included clear plastic, fluid acrylic paint (yellow and turquoise green), red rubber UM stamps, three types of lace, cut female image, two TH paper dolls, packing tape, computer generated word, and washi tape.  

Thank you for your visit. I hope you will join Bleubeard and me on this final entry for June at Art Journal Journey, Creative Artiste, and Try it on Tuesday.

 

Her ticket to love and happy belated Juneteenth

 

Happy belated Juneteenth!  I had planned to write about this U.S. Federal holiday but I was offline due to the storms and my computer malfunctioning, so it wasn't possible to create a post in time.  Instead, I give you the post originally planned for Wednesday.

It's once again time to join Matilde from Craftowanie, our host this month at Art Journal Journey.  Her theme, in case you didn't know, is People.  Because there are multiple media, I am also joining Creative Artiste's 116th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.

For lack of a better title, I named this Her Ticket To Love.  Detail shots are below.

The background is cardstock I cut to 5.5 X 8.5 in. (13.97 X 21.59 cm).  I colored the background using a yellow water soluble crayon.  I first laid down the girl to see where to position her.  Once I knew where to place her, I removed her and adhered the three tickets.  Next I adhered the brown paper doily, but only glued it the length of the center because these flimsy doilies have a tendency to buckle when glued.  

 

Earlier I sprayed several of my handmade shimmering mists onto a used file folder.  I then cut the heart freehand.  Unfortunately the scanner doesn't show the shimmer.

I bought two packages of TH paper dolls at different times.  I was surprised I got this woman in both packages.  Both packs had three sizes of the same lady.  I believe this is the last one of her.  

 

I adhered the paper doll to the page.  When she was in place, I added the two rows of washi tape to the bottom of the page so she would have something on which to stand.  I then glued her legs in place using a glue stick.  

Media used include a water soluble crayon, three tickets, doily, various shimmering mists, used file folder, paper doll, and washi tape.

Thank you beyond belief for stopping by.  Bleubeard and I would love to see you today at both Creative Artiste and Art Journal Journey.

 

 

Mother and child

 

It's time to join Matilde from Craftowanie, our host this month at Art Journal Journey.  Her theme is People.

It's obvious, I named this Mother and child.  Detail shots are below.

I began by spraying two colors of spray mists through a purchased stencil onto 110 lb. cardstock.  When dry, I layered the icon I found in one of my books (which I copied and printed) under the cropped mother and child which started life as a card.  I added the postage stamp and finally the computer generated words.  Because there are multiple media, I am also joining Creative Artiste's 116th challenge, where the theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes.

 

Bleubeard and I would love to see you today at both Creative Artiste and Art Journal Journey.