Art Journal Caravan - A Journey in Discovery

This Blog Has Moved!

2011-06-08T12:38:00.001-07:00

So excited to announce we have a new home!

06/08/2011

http://tangiebaxter.com/news/

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June Only EXCLUSIVE Gift for Caravaners!

2011-06-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

For June only Caravaners will get this EXCLUSIVE pack of papers!
Never to be released again!

About this time of year many people wonder if the Caravan has left them behind and it's just too late to join in on the journey. I want to assure you it's not too late and there has never been a better time to join us on the adventure, we would love to welcome you to the campfire and help you get started on your own journey!

I'm so excited to announce that for June {I have set up a forum} where you can get a small glimpse at what the Caravan is all about! You can check out just "The Basics", explore sample Itineraries and Adventure Quests plus a whole lot more! There are even stories and samples from current Caravan members about their journey so far (some are included in this newsletter)!

I'm also pleased to announce that there will be an exclusive interview posted in our workshops forums with the pioneer of art journaling herself...Teesha Moore! Plus, for the month of June ONLY there will be a FREE GIFT in the forums! You can ONLY get this gift if you are a Caravan member by June 30th, 2011, it will never be available again.

Come join us and have lifetime access to the 2011 Caravan workshop, which as of today, includes 14 video tutorials on digital and mixed-media techniques, weekly prompts, Adventure Quests and a whole lot more.

The journey of a lifetime awaits you...I sincerely hope to see you on the trail very soon!
~Tangie

PS! If you are new to the term you might be wondering what exactly Art Journaling is? Simply put Art Journaling is a visual diary. It’s a place to record your thoughts in images, art and words. Art Journal pages tend to be “artsy”, usually contain few or no photographs, contain hidden symbolism to the creator and contain personal journaling (although not always!). The number one rule about Art Journaling is that…there are NO rules. Simply put “Art journaling creates self-awareness through creative expression”.

I know that many people fear that they need to have some sort of “altered or quirky” style for Art Journaling… that is simply not so! The style in which you journal should be your own! We welcome all styles of artists and would love to have you along.

Want to Explore The Art Jorunal Caravan before You Buy?

2011-06-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that {I have set up a forum} where you can get a GLIMPSE at what the Caravan is all about! You can check out just "The Basics", explore Itineraries and Adventure Quests and a whole lot more! Plus there are stories from current Caravan members about their journey so far!

There has never been a better time to join the Caravan either! Word on the street is that there is a special EXCLUSIVE FREEBIE for Caravaner's being posted June 8th, this freebie will be available for the month of JUNE only--so don't miss it!

Also on June 8th in the workshop forums, there is going to be an EXCLUSIVE interview with the amazing pioneer of Art Journaling herself...TEESHA MOORE! I am so excited to be able to post a bit about Teesha and her start in art journaling, thanks Teesha for the amazing interview! Teesha also runs JOURNALFEST that you have heard me rave about before as well!

(All images used with permission!)

Thanks for being a FAN of Studio Tangie! Winners Announced for 06/01/2011

2011-06-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

A few days each month at random we're going to be picking winners from Studio Tangie fans!
Check for your name and see if you won a $10 coupon to Studio Tangie!

*For your chance to win, just follow The Studio Tangie Blogs or “Like” our fan page on Facebook!

LIVE Workshop w/ Tangie this Fall! Now Registering...

2011-05-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

If you have any questions please email me! My studio is in my home, only 12 spots will be sold including to local friends and family--so it will sell out fast.
Workshop fee is non-refundable* but is transferable upon written request!
(*If for some reason the workshop has to be rescheduled because of acts of God or war, or if I have to cancel the workshop a new date will be scheduled or full refund will be given to you)

Sneak Peek Parcel #19 is on it's way!

2011-05-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Itinerary #18, Parcel #18 AND a NEW Tutorial are all up in the forums!

2011-04-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Tangie here to let you know that all the goodies for week #18 are up in the forums! This week's tutorial is on how to use all those alphas you have stashed away, and maybe a few tricks or two or three! ;) Make sure you stop by the forums for all the inspiration! If you aren't riding the Caravan yet there is still time! Join Us, we'd love to have you!

SNEAK PEEK

2011-04-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

I have to apologize for this release of Tangie's. I wanted to yell, scream and throw myself on the floor. I am a very minimalist person, and don't do well when I have so many choices. Tangie Baxter is just remarkable, and this is one of those you go, "I must have"

You see it? oh oh, are you going to be happy!! No fits!
Stay tuned tomorrow in the AJC forum!

The Best Art Journaling Music Ever...

2011-04-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

At my art journaling class in Las Vegas I had some music on in the background. A few people have asked me what music it was and where can they get it! The company is called Putumayo and you can visit their website here: http://www.putumayo.com/en/index.php
You can listen to samples of all the music before you buy it which I LOVE! You can also find these CD's in lots of little local shops and boutiques ( got my first one over 8 years ago!). I got most of my more recent ones in Port Townsend at a store called Abracadabra which I fell in love while at Journalfest in October.

The ones I specifically had that day were these:

I think next I'll get these two? Maybe? I have such a hard time choosing!

French Caribbean

Italian Cafe

SNEAK PEEK

2011-04-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for tomorrow? I love to learn, and since tomorrow is the Apprentice Art Box, here is a little sneak peek to bring that much needed anticipation:

~see you on the trail!

Absolutely Amazing!

2011-04-12T16:41:00.001-07:00

I saw this today and was totally mesmerized!

The (Portrait) Eraser from Jeremy Cowart on Vimeo.

Highlights of the Week that Was~Recap!

2011-04-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

I love this caravan! Have I said that a few hundred times? I am watching it continue to grow in new people who are just as excited as those who began in January. The comments in the gallery (almost 13,000 of them) show the support and encouragement that is beyond just a class, and the layouts! Oh the pages of your books, are full of pure discovery in both laughter, tears and all emotions in between. I think it is time to show a few highlights to see what is happening on the Art Journal Caravan 2011, what we call the trail. Please know that each page made is personal and your page and exactly what is for your own journal, these are just a few to share here on the blog to show the diverse and different, yet wonderful talent on the caravan.

Listen by JaneAgain
I just kept staring at the painting and blending in the backgrounds, then all the fun things added to make the soft title of WHISPERS just flow so lovely:

Hope by SpunMonkey
Every page of dear SpunMonkey grabs me, and makes me want to learn more about what I guess is called a zetti? I don't know the background, but what I do know is that I love the look. She takes the gorgeous complexion pictures and adds the most fun things, but still brings the emotions of her journey onto her journal. This is a technique I am wanting to try.

Nothing by svanderhaegen
If you are alive and breathing, I think this page could go in every single one of our journals! I love how simple she made the page. Her words are magical and seem almost to be breathing to me, and who doesn't love the added, but that's okay?

Hope by ms.bailey
What grabbed me other than the all the gorgeous fun colorful bits, was the font in the quote. I am loving each one of Tangie's fonts, and this one Cheshire is done up so lovely on the page, a perfect touch.

Anyone Can by Phylisd
She grabbed my heart, as one who a year ago felt the same exact way, and I am so proud of her for her decision to try. TO TRY! Gives me goosebumps in happy! I just am touched that this page will be in the beginning of her journal, and because she tried, she could and did.

~See you on the trail

SNEAK PEEK

2011-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't even seen it yet!! Egads, but I am in love with the bright colors already!! This sneak peek has my brain thinking! Thinking I can't wait to open tomorrows parcel!!

See you on the trail~

Art Journal LIVE in Las Vegas!!!

2011-04-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

On April 1st, I flew out of Sacramento to Las Vegas, to take an ART Journaling Class with Tangie Baxter! I was gonna meet my boss, friend and a woman I have admired for years! Excitement and nerves were ridiculously high! I would like to share my journey with you and hope that one day you can enjoy the experience of learning LIVE from Tangie Baxter. I arrived a few hours before the class, and since I was only there for the day, had arranged with Tangie to help set up the room for the class. The hotel was the Riveria, and sparkles and mirrors were everywhere! I have to admit, I am no longer a drinker, gambler or much of a party gal like goes on in Vegas, and it was a bit wow to me! But, it sure was pretty!

I finally found the conference center and took a picture of me in the walls, which were all mirrors! I went and got all gussied up in the bathroom and made sure I didn't have chocolate on my face or spinach between my teeth and poked my head into the room:

There is Mimi (in blue), Tangie (bending in green), Rebecca McMeen (Studio Rebecca), then Molly (DeCrow Designs), I took a big breath and said hey! Oh it was like being at a family reunion. I was in awe at all the fun things to play with on the tables, and just enjoying the banter and happiness before. I had brought a little present for Tangie, as her birthday was the previous Sunday and well, I kinda felt my fellow caravaners would want to give something to Our Tangie, so I found this cool sign and little camels, and Tangie was sweet as could be opening them.

Then dear Molly set them up by the sign in sheet and I was beaming and just so excited!

There was squealing and hugs all around as folks began to come in for the class. Pictures of everyone with each other and laughter finding out that the face behind the avatar and matching with screen names! I admit I got them all confused and will need ya'lls help to get them all straight!

Me, Tangie, and GinaMichelle1111

Rebecca of Studio Rebecca and Spun Monkey

Me and Cheryl (gonewiththewind)

HeyJude, Jackie, Sharlamb, Linda, and darn where did Debora go?
The hotel brought in the most yummy lunch! Oh it was beyond awesome! I ate enough for two...and tee hee, wrapped a sandwich for the airplane ride home! Hey you can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the girl! hee hee

Once we started eating, Tangie started teaching, I video'd only the very beginning to see how awesome and prepared she is, and it will tantalize you and beg her to have another class! SOON!

Then we got to work! We started by making an ugly page! I did good at that, but I tell you some of these ladies cheated, their ugly pages were beautiful! There were so many exercises in adding to the pages in the journals that had been handmade by Tangie and sewn by her husband.

This next shot is from the mirror on the top of the wall, you can see the different station at the top for playing with glitter mist, which is gonna make me go broke, cause that stuff is remarkable!

Most of these ladies are from Scrap Orchard and were having a blast learning Art Journaling, I do see Penny Noel from the AJC with the glasses 2nd from right, in the purple shirt. I was so impressed with these ladies pages!
(sansan (in pink), jaye (in blue), jeminnfer, tommygirl, penny noel (with glasses), samara (with apron))

Here ya go, action shot, and there is Debora! She is a wealth of info and I tell you this table was full of knowledge, I was eavesdropping and loving every moment!

Tangie is famous, she had a couple layouts in the Spring 2010 Somerset Digital Studio magazine and was a featured artist in the Spring 2011! I wanted to make sure I got her autograph!

The class went so fast, it was 4 o'clock before I knew it, and we cleaned up, hugs and they all had to check in for the wild time of Digiscrapalooza sponsored by Scrap Orchard, and I had a plane to catch to take me back to Sacramento.

There were cameras snapping all over and my little camera isn't the best, but my memories of Art Journal LIVE can never be erased, and I am amazed that I am even a part of this community!

Live From Las Vegas!

2011-04-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned next week, right here for some fun pics of Las Vegas and the Art Journal Caravan LIVE!!

See ya on the trail!

SNEAK PEEK

2011-03-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Tangie is doing the Art Journal Live in Vegas this Friday!! I am so excited to be going, and I know everyone is wondering what about the provisions for this Friday??? Well, I heard from a friend of a cousin who used to date that guy at the butcher shop sister, that you might want to look early for them and the itinerary for this week in the forum. Mucho cool-ee-o! That being said, I have a sneak peek to show you right now, so that you are pondering and thinking what in the world, how can I....and all those other nifty keen-o things that go through your head. Ready??

I'll be back after Vegas, with pictures and funny stories!
~see ya on the trail

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 12!

2011-03-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

You will hear me over and over talk about the best part of the Art Journey Caravan, is the people on the journey right along side you. Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore Miss Tangie Baxter, her energy, her creative wow and the tutorials she makes continue to astound and amaze me! There is just something so incredible to the actual journey in the forums. There are people from many countries, continents, and cultures. The age difference would astound and the financial status of all I am sure would be enough to make me fall down and giggle. The drive to just create and enjoy that process, along with seeing others enjoy trying a whole new technique or an established one a brand new way.
See the AJC2011 is not a class, but a journey with a whole group of people, and I am privileged to go through and find highlights of the past week. This has to include a few of the chunky books that appeared in the forum and gallery-
I have only posted one of each book featured, please go to the link and see the artist's gallery for more wonderful pages!
Julie Ann Shalin's

imsoto2's

and the googly eye hole chunky book from nevermore:

I even have a chunky book painted and ready for the texture and plan on taking it with me to Las Vegas, for a 4 hour class with Tangie Baxter. See? This one is mine!! It is not even close to done, it is holding the info I can not forget for this Friday!!

Having some of my companions from the AJC2011 there will just add to the fun and fantastic learning experience! I hope you all enjoyed this little highlight of the chunky books and that this might give you a little bit of oomph to give it whirl. It is fun and the most original thing to do, because it is all you!
~See you on the trail.

Sneak Peek for Friday!

2011-03-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

It is divine! Just hold on until Friday!!!

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 11!

2011-03-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

The week was started off with the gorgeous parcel with Rosey Posey, and I have to admit, that these pages were some of my favorites that were made with the actual parcel for the itineraries so far.
I start with a friend and team mate whose work is known throughout digi-land.
Fight Like a Girl by gonewiththewind:

and I have to admit I am drawn to every page this artist does, Fight by spunmonkey:

I know I usually add more layouts from the gallery, but I was going through the forums, and just giggling at some of the happening there. The forum is another perk of the Art Journal Caravan. That is where your fellow caravaners are posting questions, helps and responses, that may never be seen in the gallery. There is so much in the forums!
If you have missed the conversation in the Chunky Board Book Tutorial, I so recommend you go read, Kim and the googly eye book is a joy to behold.
This is in the gallery, but so much more is told in the forum:
Be Your Own Sunshine by angelextreme

If you have missed it, there are also some fun interviews with collaborators of each months parcels. You can find out who owns a leg lamp, who would change their name to Penelope if they could and who would take Mac Gyver if stuck on a deserted island all in the Artists Interviews.
Please forgive me, for those not a part of the AJC 2011 Expedition, these links are not available, but they can be! The Caravan is in the 3rd month of 12 and zooming right along, it is not too late too join and partake in all the fun!

See you on the trail~

Learn how to use journal lines-digitally!

2011-03-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Find yourself looking at those cool and nifty layouts in art journaling circles, that have those lines and the letters are all perfectly written inside the lines? Then some folks even take those Copic markers that color like a water color brush, but with control, and add to the letters. I mean they are just gorgeous!

Look at this example by Tangie Baxter:

She made this on her computer, not with pens and stamps, and paints but with pixels and elements all available at her store!

This week, the Art Journal Caravan is learning the hows and oh my gosh, that is so cool ways of getting your words to look more hand done and achieve some really cool effects. There is a 25 minute video tutorial, that I counted 3 extra tricks in it that will help your pages to get the end results your heart wants to put on the page.

The video is of course free with your membership to the AJC2011.

The fear of drawing lines and not getting them exactly how you want them is taken out with the tool for your Apprentice Art Box in the Provision for this Week:

As a member of the AJC2011, you also get the Parcel for 1/2 price and all the parcels all year long! This Art Journal Caravan is a deal and still available for purchase, you can be a part of this fantastic group of folks and encourage and be inspired to travel on a new adventure!

~See ya on the trail

Free Rocks and Tutorial to Put them in Your Own Bowl!

2011-03-16T23:11:00.000-07:00

After the much sought after techniques I used to make my first rock layout, I've written you a tutorial with links to the resources to get everything you need to make YOUR OWN including a ROCK FREEBIE by Tangie!

Here's the bowl of rocks we're going to be making!

After reading all the fun things in the March Adventure Quest from the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}, I was inspired to create something that was real. I just wanted to do it digitally.

[Rock My World rocks by Kim Mailhot]

I am working in CS5, and don’t know of it would work in your specific program. But give it a whirl, and play and push buttons, that is the best way to learn! So let's Get Started!

First, Find a Bowl

First I had to find a bowl, and you will need to find yours also! I can give you a place to look! Lol Try here! (do a search for bowl) You have to get it yourself, because I am not able to give it away, nor sell it, I am using mine for personal use and so should you. Find one that you love!

(Don’t worry about the cauliflower, only you and the millions that read this tutorial will know it is under my rocks!)

1. Lighting
Now pay close attention to the shadows and lighting. This is of the utmost importance. Watch the light. I turned my bowl so the light was coming from about 10:00 on the scale or 120 degrees in the angle on your shadows.
2. Extraction

I extracted my bowl by using the eraser tool and then the Elliptical Marquee Tool (the circle cutter) to get a good clean cut around the bowl.

3. Effects
Then added a nice shadow with a bit of a glow in my fx panel:

Now you need some rocks...

Tangie Baxter has made you a set of your very own rocks! You can find the link to get them

{HERE} FREE.

Wasn’t that the nicest thing? I wanted to do this tutorial, and Tangie made this completely 100% original Tangie. You will not find these rocks anywhere else! Then she gives them away! I love this woman!

1. Place all the Rocks on Your Canvas
Next I used the “BAM BAM” technique from the Art Journal Caravan to fill my canvas with rocks, but you can do it however you want to get those rocks on your canvas.The "BAM BAM" technique is not top secret, but a fun thing to learn on the AJC2011 in the forum, on one of the many FREE tutorials included with your journey.

2. Place the Rocks in Position

Now, you want to make sure you don’t spin the rocks, if the light is on them a certain way. They need to stay in that position, but you can warp, change perspective or puppet warp the fire out of them. See how the light is hitting, and turn to accent, but not make it look all funky.

Now, positioning the rocks took some time, I wanted a mixture of rocks, and shapes. This is really all in your eye and what looks right to you. I linked all the rocks and applied a shadow to them to my liking.

Ready for the Words?

The fonts are all from The Foundry by Tangie Baxter, Tweedle Dee and Mock Turtle – Mock Turtle is one of the AJC Provision Parcels and if you are part of the AJC 2011, you get it for ½ price.

1. Glass Rocks
Click on the rock of your choosing. This way the text will be in the layer right above the rock. For shiny rocks and to get the engraved look, I then applied Paula Kesselring’s FREE burning action. I had to lighten the opacity and play with the actual colors of the bevel and shadows to get the look I wanted on each rock, and again I say, play and make your eyes happy with your heart.

2. Natural Rocks
For the non-shiny rocks; use the same directions, click rock and add font layer above the rock.

This is the most important part, you need to make the text look realistic on the rock. When you put text onto something, it doesn’t have a shadow; it is ON the object, not "floating" above it. One of my favorite things with Tangie Baxter and her amazing mind is that she made this out of this world tutorial for working with blending and text (also available FREE on the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}) or you can buy the action/styles in her shop {Paperworn Art Style}. Sometimes, I duplicated the text and played with the styles to get the right effect of paint on the rock.

I didn't put words on all my rocks, but this is totally up to you

You have your own bowl of rocks and are responsible font owners and no longer allowing your fonts to float, right?!I hope you enjoyed this tutorial ( and of course you get a small glimpse at some of the perks of joining the AJC 2011-- I am telling you it is sooooooooo worth it!), I would so love to see your rocks on display and we'll see you on the Caravan trail! .

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 10!

2011-03-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

The day almost slipped away from me. I didn't forget, just need to schedule this earlier in my day! I love seeing all the new folks joining the Art Journal Caravan{Expediton 2011}! Seeing our Tangie Baxter in the Somerset Digital Studio magazine is a real boost! Page 100! I tell you I was so excited, and then reading about other pages from the Art Journal Caravan throughout the magazine was a buzz! There are so many fantastic people with outrageously wonderful pages on the Caravan, so lets take a look at a few of those from week 10. Please, please remember, this is NOT a competition, but selection of the difference and wonders found in the huge gallery of the AJC2011.

Biker Chick by susan1255
I love the road to the Eiffel Tower, and the colors that blend all through the page. The pure joy that Susan has in her love for cycling is so apparent, that I had to place it here:

Stretch by gonewiththewind
The corset and strawberry drew me in, and the words were enough to hook me to love it even more! Cheryl is one amazing woman, and I am constantly amazed at her diverse abilities to scrap anything and everything.

I belong by caubin
I really think everyone of us could do this page and have it in our journals, of those we do belong too. The names were a joy to read, and what a heritage page on top of an art journal page.

belong by ms.bailey
I know it is digital, but it looks like it is torn from a paper album, fantastic use of the tutorial and provision parcel. I love her borders and how she went and tried and did new things. I love to see techniques tried and wow excel in them.

Whew, that was fun, and I love it! I can not get over the enthusiasm and encouragement week after week. I plan on sitting down tonite and do a few pages, because I am proud to BELONG to this group of artists.
~See you on the trail!

Sneak Peek for Friday!

2011-03-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

Oh wow, is this fantastic! Be in Studio Tangie on Friday!!! Don't you love getting a little peek??

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 9!

2011-03-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

Spring is busting out here in northern California! I opened all my windows, and the sunshine is beckoning me to come outside. I shook my head and said, wait oh beautiful world, I must relook at some of the tantalizing beauty in the Art Journal Caravan first!
I think I have stalked poor twinsmomflor on her Amuse-AJC 9 page. I love the little world of amusement she has set up, using a change in perspectives on her pages and splatter graffiti in a new way that I love:

I think having the hilarity of amusement on the itinerary is just a blast to go through the gallery. You can not keep a bad mood perusing this weeks tidbits!
Now I don't know this commercial, but I love the layout by joamosatcharterdotnet called THe BiGS wERe NOt AMusED:
I got such a giggle from the babies face and the doggie. The consternation of the adults and the title work brought it all together, for a fun look at amuse!

Oh give me steampunk in double and triple helpings! Shar, you delighted me with your page and your credits! I love the whole idea of we're only passing through!

This page by skifrnzy, keeps drawing me to it. I love the colors, they are so gosh, vibrant and that tree has been through a lot and continues to thrive. I love your page!

I hope you all enjoy the week, and I see the gallery filling up with week 10s fun and fabulous provisions! Enjoy the time and remember to have fun and enjoy the journey!

See you on the trail!

It's Up! The Itinerary for Week #10.

2011-03-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ten Weeks!? Wow, it is moving and grooving on the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}! Tangie has a new provision for your Apprentice Art Box. We are really gonna have a tool box of wonderful doo dads to play with!
Your weekly itinerary is up also, and a video tutorial is coming soon! Yes another tutorial! I am loving learning and playing along with my fellow caravaners!

I want to encourage those pondering, should I? You should! Really, this caravan is more than a kit, it is a learning expedition in the fun and heart of art journaling. A full year, of prompts, tutorials, freebies and more! Don't miss it before it closes! Sign up today, and you will be so glad you did! Take the jump!!

~See you on the trail!!

AJC 2011 Sneak Peek for Tomorrow

2011-03-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot! Now that would be sad, for you not to get a glimpse of the goodness coming tomorrow?

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 8!

2011-02-28T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Adventure Quest is a big hit in the galleries this month, I am seeing all manners of alphabets flying by and the most peculiar adjectives! I have to admit to giggling along with Sophie this month thru the travels and travails of Lady North and the Daily Adjectives. I hope you will check this one from the middle M-R and the rest of her fantastic series, I happen to know the last bit of sponge cake was eaten yesterday, I think??

I am a total sucker for pictures of Dad's and their boys, and this of Grandpa and Grandson, oh just grabbed me, the silhouette is pure joy to me, and I love this Reinforce by Billzetti

I would be totally remiss if I did not include this next page. I challenge you to look at it and just wonder with it. I have been captivated by the journey Lor is taking this year, each page seems to be a new plateau of fantastic, and this one is no exception: W onder by Lor

I really love to point out that this journey can be started at anytime, and Shar brings that to a point with her reinforcement letter, as she begins 7 weeks into the year. I love these words, this is to remind you how enthusiastic you were, I mean when your own self is telling you to keep going, you better keep at it!!

See you on the trail~

9 Days left to sign up! The Power of Journaling Through Art with Tangie Baxter

2011-02-26T12:01:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Tangie Baxter challenged her team to make some pages with completely different kits. We were graciously given coupons to many of the designers at Scrap Orchard. There is not a big altered art following there, and there is not a lot of art journaling happening. YET!! But I know anyone who starts this wild world of Art Journaling will be addicted.
It was a wild time! I know for one, I had a blast!! Really, see you can pull from your stash of things and find tidbits for art journaling, it is in essence a great way to play with all those elements on your EHD. (I know some of you have more than one EHD full).
Next month, Scrap Orchard is hosting a Digipalooza Scrap Fun, and to open it all up on Friday is our Tangie Baxter, with The Power of Journaling Through Art.

The Power of Journaling through Art with Tangie Baxter

In this class you'll explore the concept of Art Journaling and what it means. Perhaps a more appropriate title for Art Journaling would be Visual Journaling. Through the power of imagery you'll learn how to express yourself in word and in symbols. The legacy YOU leave for your children through their scrapbooks is a priceless treasure, however how often are you in those pictures? Do your kids know how you felt when times were amazing or a bit hard? When you saw your favorite movie for the first time? The books that changed your life? The things that keep you awake at night or your inner most dreams? An art journal is an imprint of your soul and the best therapy you'll ever try!

What you'll be doing during this class:
*Exploring different styles of Art Journaling (Altered Art, Graphic, Scrapbook, Vintage Etc)
*Discovering art journal style writing, How, when, where and even why it's okay to cover it up!
*Finding the visual journaler inside of you and letting her out to play.
*Tips & Tricks on some famous "art journal styles" & how to do them digitally! You'll even use the stash you have to create journal pages from everyday scrapbook kits.

It is not too late to sign up, but you it is getting close. There are just a few openings, so CLICK here for more info and to register. This is an opportunity like no other!

Sneak Peek for Tomorrow

2011-02-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

I have to tell you, this is my favorite sneak peek ever! I am just smiling, all my teeth are showing!

See you on the trail~

Highlights of the Week that Was~ Week 7!

2011-02-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am preblogging this on Sunday evening at 10pm PST. So officially Monday, the 20th, and I open the gallery to peruse the week 6 layouts again to see if the ones I saw before are still resonating and I look and see, the Art Journal Caravan 2011 has 1089 images.

One thousand and eighty-nine images at 51 days into the caravan! I am flabbergasted at the art being created by each and every one of you! I am thinking that the world has been made more art journal friendly by your endeavors!
I begin with an artist that I could seriously put in every week, I have to restrain myself. I am always amazed and confounded with her ideas and how she brings them to these outstanding pages every time. I am sure you all agree ArmyGrl is flat out excellent, and this one she did for week 6's inspiration, using the quote, is just beyond eye catching. It is eye catching, throttle you and make you look at me!

Now, a new name, that caught me scrapper2009, if you haven't seen her work, go now! I am love how it all flows and is so deep, like you feel like you could actually put your hand behind that moon... and the title work, oh loving it something fierce:

I admit, with total chagrin, that I have not begun my adjectives, (insert Anne hanging her head in shame face)
and I saw the series that manthagirl has going, and fell in made like with the simplicity, I mean it is exactly perfect! my favorite part that little Me in the corner! Beyond and I am rather loving the fonts too!

I almost missed this layout, I had seen it, on my first pass through a few weeks ago, but I don't save them, cause I want them to shout again. It was whispering, and I am so glad I was being quiet, because it is a page that whispers, and it is so powerful in that whisper. Snowleopard55, your pause is just very poignant to me, and I am so thrilled with the light you had that soothed you also!

I close this week's highlights once again in awe of all the layouts, there are so many, that I look at and then look at again, just remarkable. I read the credits and the stories behind the layouts are sometimes just rip my heart or make me smile in the thrill and joy you have creating your pages! What a honor to be on this journey with you all!
See you on the trail~

It's Up! The Itinerary for Week #8, plus another tutorial!

2011-02-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

The new provisions and itinerary #8 are up! We are so spoiled on this Caravan of Art Journaling! For those who haven't checked into this week's provisions, here it is:

I am so excited about this font and the Foundry that has opened within Studio Tangie! I love, I mean I love fonts!! Art Journaling can be so many things, pictures without a word, but sometimes, words are needed and the normal peas and handwriten fonts are a bit too, well, just not right to write on the Art Journal pages. I love the hand drawn look. They are just wonderful on the pages being made also!

Here is just one by Spun Monkey:

You don't want to miss the tutorial this week! Our Apprentice Art Boxes (AABs) are filling up as we learn from tutorials and each other! I really love the comments and additional things learned from them on the caravan!

I want to reach out to those who think, oh I should have done that. I wish I had joined. It is not too late!! Really, it isn't!! The journey is not a do by this date and move on, some go at a more leisurely pace and others, skip and bounce around between weeks. We would love to have you join the caravan. Please for more information, click here or on the preview for the AJC2011. If you have questions, leave a comment and we will find an answer for you.

See you on the trail!

Oh, yes, it is!

2011-02-17T06:21:00.000-08:00

Highlights of the Week that Was!!

2011-02-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

If mojo was illegal, there are a whole lot of people on the Art Journal Caravan that would be arrested! I am browsing through the gallery, going did they read the same prompts? I mean I read the words, but they read the words and breathed life into them, and made pages that are alive!

I take you on a brief tour of the Week 6! The inspiration is beyond! Please, please, each one on the caravan brings so much, and I don't highlight as a prize, but more of a look, this grabbed me! I am in awe of each one on the caravan, the spirit and desire to create your journey!

The zentangle craze has hit and is just fabulous to see popping all over the gallery! I read this one by KDavison of her AJC 2011 adjectives of ME in her finished journal.

I read her words, and the time and forethought she put into each word, just makes me smile and appreciate it even more! I have to admit, I am floundering on my adjectives and the idea of doing them all on one page appeals to me~

Only your imagination can stop you as you journey through the prompts and begin creating pages for your own travelogue of adventure, I was reminded of this with Scrappy's "I Can Do Anything" page! I love her head held high complete and utter belief, that shines through on her page.

I have watched oldvwblues journey right from the start and she has held to her word of PEACE and each page is awash with her hope and desire for accomplishment of this peace. I enjoy her bright and bold colors and this page, you can't sneak by it! Week 6.

I admit it, I am drawn to nature also, I love outdoors, and this page beckons me to the spring, and I love how fresh it is! I tiptoed by Bitte is just brilliant! She is trying new things and that makes the adventure even more splendid don't you think?

oh you are gonna just love the title work, and how Pennyshillling (don't you just love her name??)~LIVE~ pulled different alphas to bring different thoughts across! I admit to being a font junkie, followed very very close by alphas, especially alphas that are funky and mixed up!

I have to be honest and let you know that this one by Pat'sFanGran, Adjective A made me kick and scream and have a all around fit. You see, she is a Facebook friend and as I was being responsible and balancing my checkbook, her mojo was on overdrive. I saw it first on Facebook, and looking again at it today, I was reminded just how I loved the B&W and complete love of creating came out on her page!!

Thank you for letting me have a moment of you time to share a few of the highlights of the week that was! I enjoy each and every one, and am reminded just how precious the lives of my fellow caravaners are in the stories and pages shared each week!

~See you on the trail!

A Closer look at Art Journal LIVE in las Vegas April 2011

2011-02-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Art Journal Caravan Live

A beginners class on how to transform an up-cycled journal into a one of a kind art journal. These hand-made journals are cut, sewn and created by me and my husband and one will be provided to each student! We'll be learning through hands on techniques and activities in this four hour class in Vegas!

If you can scribble and write you CAN art journal in the style we'll be learning!

Some of the things we'll be covering:
*How to overcome the anxiety of that first BLANK PAGE staring back at you!
*Techniques with; watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, stamps, ink sprays,stencils, markers and more
*Basic collage techniques
*Using an assortment of "found objects" to personalize your journal further
*Some "off the wall" expressive drawing exercises (aka scribble your heart out!)
*How music effects our art
*Getting excited about creative lettering
*What to journal and when & what to do when you're stuck!
*How to transform some of the ideas into digital art

This is a place of no limits, a place of finding the artist in you!
We'll get you started on your adventure in Art Journaling! 100% success guaranteed because art journaling has no rules! Come join the adventure!

For more information on Digiscrapapoolza click {here}.

AJC 2011 Sneak Peek for Tomorrow

2011-02-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

Now this is looking good!

See you on the trail!

Highlights of the Week that Was!!

2011-02-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

Monday! I scrapped and scrapped all weekend! It was lovely! I tell you going through the gallery and it just makes you want to scrap! I love to find new and different pages to highlight! I hope that you look at them and are inspired to go and play, create and journey out and explore!

Daniaj has wowed me over and over with her hybrid collages. I can just stare and stare, because she didn't do this on a computer and I am in awe:

Then beerbeer started this one by laying her hand on her tablet, and this is what the final results are- Pause -{ let's take a break ]

I don't have words for this next page, it drew me to it, then I read her details or credits, how she got lost in the compostion! Oh don't you love it when that happens? I mean you are opening folders, drawers, anything and tossing it on the canvas, rearranging, blending, erasing, adding and just lose yourself in the creating! mlpieters lost herself in this for no. 6.

Okay, look at this next one, by LazyKitty whose pages one after another are setting me to just go ga ga, and wonder how is her mind moving so creatively and so wonderfully, then I remember we are on this journey together and rejoice for her, cause she is marvelous! Going with the flow, is beyond art to me, it is paper that has sounds and movement if you look at it with the right spirit!

Now, ladynorth and her dear Sophie are an encouragement to all on the caravan, I saw this page and gasped out loud. I am a huge fan of R.C. Gorman, a Navajo artist, and I saw her Allongement - Stretch Your Heart and was in total awe of it, and it was like seeing a bit of Mr. Gorman's work, but with the AJC flavour! I loved it!!!

Oh there are so many more I want to highlight, so many! I hope you go through the gallery of the Art Journal Caravan and just go slow, touch and stare, it's okay!

I'll see you on the trail!

It's Up! The Itinerary for Week #6.

2011-02-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

Fridays are a leisurely day, just waiting for the new provisions and the fun prompts of the week! What a pleasant surprise to see that our Tangie had posted it last night! Woot to the nth degree!
The new provisions are just pure fun, and this week we are adding to our Apprentice Art Boxes! What an addition to add:

It contains 34 hand cut dictionary entries for adjectives, to help you build your art journal stash! Plus there are 4 bonus pieces of tape to be used in the BONUS video for Caravaners. Have you seen that video? What fun each and every video is and learning new things to make our journals more realistic!
Now don't despair if you can't get to the video, the Art Journal Caravan is still available! It's not too late to climb on board!!

See you on the trail!

Sneak Peek for Tomorrow

2011-02-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Fellow Caravaners, lend me your eyes, and feast upon the sight of a sneak peek for tomorrow!

The excitement of each Friday is building!

See you on the trail~

Highlights of the Week that Was!!

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

I keep confusing myself, but I am one week behind on highlights, I am looking at the dates of January 14th through the 20th. I like to give a full week for the pages to steep in my mind! Sometimes, the pages come to the forefront of my thinking and I go, yep, I have to show that one!!
The Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011} is a growing organism. Not all are at the same pace, yet it clicks together like cogs on a well oiled machine. You can find yourself on week 3, and finally have the inspiration to complete part of the itinerary of week 1. This is acceptable and encouraged! I saw that in Ina's Process:
I loved the hope and expectations in her page!

Perhaps seeing Ina's complete rapture in holding her son, and the hopes that a mother has for her child caused my heart to soar at nancyr's 2011 AJ Thrive. The wonder if we are doing the right thing for our children weighs on every parent, and this page reflects that and relief, that they did good!

I love this next woman, I mean she is a dear and precious friend, and although I could fill this blog with everyone of her pages (btw, she is on overdrive creativity), so, this one has so much to see, so much to read and the heart in it, I know you will all agree is beyond worthy to be highlighted! Look at the houses, on the left, the bird house, to a shack, to the grandeur of palace behind that. I adore this page almost as much as I do Kate2!

Now, I wanted to pull a page that is completely different, so that you see, that it isn't all collages, borders, the thing with art journaling is it is YOURs, and Fhung has completely and totally claimed her corner of wonderful with her pages, here is one called Balance! Just stare at this piece of art and the shadows alone cause me to gape in wow!!

Again I go to the thoughts that the Art Journal Caravan has no deadlines, or must dos. GirlBoheme aka Aimee has been tearing up the gallery with her work, pages to remember quotes and this is her dedication to her word from the first weeks itinerary! Dedication Page.

One of the coveted parts of the AJC that is not advertised, it just happened, is Nevermore aka Kim's process with hands on canvas'. Kim has a way with words that cause the reader to be totally enchanted and gasp, or giggle at the complexities that happen in her world. The emotions run a gamut. Then on top of it, we are treated to her art with the digital brush. My heart dipped and hung on the edge at this page, Travel. Her words and the haunting feel of being lost, totally covered me.

My hopes is this has encouraged you as your fellow companions are highlighted to give a taste of what is in the AJC 2011. Each week, the emotions and determination of this class of 2011 goes thru the education of Art Journaling Tangie led! I love it, and am enchanted by each and every page. If you are not in the the AJC, go look at the Gallery. It is the first month and already there are 657 images. Each page is viewed and loved by many of our compatriots! It is inspiration in a minute, determination of lifetimes and joy that is beyond!

See you on the trail!

Pausing for Number 5, It's Up!

2011-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

The Itinerary and the New Provisions are up and ready for my fellow caravaners!

This brings the first month to an end. I don't know about ya'll, but I am blown away at all that Tangie has added this year to the Expedition. There is so much to take in, that it is like having an art journaling conference all year long.

If you are not a part of the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}, it is not too late! It really is made to start any time, but it is so much fun. Why wait? Click here for more information!

See ya' on the trail!

Maybe it's up?? Week 5!!!???? Just maybe??

2011-01-27T16:07:00.000-08:00

Naw....but it is closer!!

Our Tangie has been moving and grooving this week!

Her creativity is amazing on normal speed, but she has been on HYPER speed movement all week!

Here is a SNEAK PEEK for tomorrow!!

See you on the trail!

Digiscrapapoolza! Join me in Vegas for a hands on journlaling class! PLUS 5 other classes!

2011-01-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

The organizers of Digiscrapapalooza have let me know that this is the ONE and ONLY chance for this event! They will not be hosting this on a yearly basis! So this is our chance to do Vegas digital art style! (For those of you who don't particularly like the night life and the typical Vegas scene I'm RIGHT THERE WITH YA, we'll be keeping ourselves busy with our ART and staying in. Like to dance and party? There will be another group of ladies going out! Your choice!}

Check out this MUST SEE digital, interactive brochure! http://digiscrapapalooza.com/brochure/
it has all the details you need!

I'll be teaching a 4 hour Art Journaling class before Digiscrapoolza starts on Friday (we're going to make a hands on journal and I'll share some tips on how to art journal digitally as well!)! I'll also be teaching a class as the Guest Speaker on Saturday during the conference.
This is going to be an event you won't want to miss!

Some important things you need to know before registering:

1. This class size is extremely limited.

2. The registration fee is non-refundable as we anticipate a sell out, and we'll be holding a spot for you. Also, you will receive your $25 gift card within 24 hours of registering for the class.

3. A separate registration fee, and reservations at the Riveria hotel in Las Vegas are required. Digisiscrapapalooza is being hosted by ScrapOrchard.com you can find all the information {here}. (I'll also post the information at the end of this post). *UPDATE* YOU CAN GET $20 OFF THE REGISTRATION FEE OF DIGISCRAPAPOOLZA BY USING COUPON CODE TanB_20OFF

4. We will be able to do a lot of things together at the conference, including Friday night opening, eating lunches together etc....

5. Please contact me with any questions you may have {tangie at scrapbookgraphics dot com}.

6. I will communicate with you through your PayPal address, PLEASE check your email within 24 hours of registering for important registration information. Also, make sure you let me know if your email address changes or you will not receive important updates about the class in the future!

7. On a final personal note, I want you to know that I made every effort to keep the class fee as low as possible, this fee simply covers my costs for the catered lunch/room, supplies for the journals, shipping, etc. I hope that with the advance notice many of you will be able to come!

Ready to Register for the Workshop?

Check out using paypal or any major credit card.

More Information on Digiscrap*apalooza hosted by ScrapOrchard.com

Registration is $155 with the coupon code: TanB_20OFF

HOTEL INFORMATION
To book your room at the Riviera Hotel & Casino you can use this webform which will automatically reserve your room at that conference rate -or- you can call the Room Reservation Line and request the convention group rate for SCRAP ORCHARD. The numbers to call are 1-800-634-6753 in the Continental U.S. or Direct at 702-794-9412.

The deadline to book a room at the discounted convention rate is March 10, 2011. After that date, the rooms will be booked at the regular room rates and are subject to availability.

MONACO is an elegant tower with twenty-three floors featuring our “Signature series” nine hundred and seventy-three rooms and six suites. Created with the business traveler in mind these rooms are located in close proximity to the Riviera Convention Center.

The Riviera Hotel & Casino is offering our convention attendees a Signature Room at the rate of $69/night (plus tax) based on single or double occupancy. The Resort Amenity Fee has been waived for our convention attendees and includes:

Free access to the Achilles Fitness Center
Free incoming faxes
Free local and 800 calls from your room
Free nightly entertainment in the Le Bistro Lounge
Half off 1^st beverage at the Le Bistro Bar
Half off ticket price at the Riviera Comedy club
and more...

The week that was all up in lights!!

2011-01-24T04:23:00.000-08:00

Going through the gallery of the Art Journal Caravan is not like other galleries. This is a special and reverent place. We are all on a journey together, and although some are in a break neck speed, others plod along. There are caravaners that know all the correct art verbiage and others that only know what is sold in the stationary aisle. That is okay, because there it is not just a gallery. This AJC 2011 Expedition is a support group, a friends night out, an escape, and a place of learning.

As I go through and post the highlights, I want to include a few of the comments that make the AJC gallery so remarkable!

I learned about Teesha Moore last year on the 2010 Caravan, and when I saw Spun Monkey's page I CAN, I was smitten! She has a bit of Teesha Moore's style, but with a break out of her very own wowness!

The comments will make you smile just as much:

from kayoft:

4" heels !!! those shoes would make all of us tall. LOL Not sure I could walk in them, but stand tall and proud ... yes! Love your white/black journaling. Keep at it - it get easier to fill the page as you go. So many fun elements - puts a smile on my face.

Annelies took the prompt for the week and her page Thrive brought us all running! Some lifted immediately and others tucked it away for later inspiration! I was just grinning looking at the beauty! So many statements of strength and affirmation to remember!

Ramona stated:

Love all these words plastered (in harmony) all over the page!!! Great composition - head with brains and wheels churning away. love it!

Now this next page, is by joannknnrd, who I seriously love EVERYTHING she does! I think I told her once she is ART to me, or I may have been talking about her AGAIN! Her pages always seem to be so alive, this one, the cover of her journal; If Camels Could Fly is one that will make you go, wow, what a imagination:

the comments were so fun to read, but dear fifi summed it up the best:

Let's change your avatar to "Sh!!! She's creating..." I haven't even done a camel yet! But back to this camel/cover/promise, I always love what comes out of your mind, it is fun, it is beautiful, and there's no one youer than you!

The private forums of the AJC 2011, are part of the whole picture that gives the gallery such life and vibrance, many post the joy, angst or processes of their page in the credits of the gallery, but others have it in the weekly itineraries. This one although it is in the gallery, I first saw it in the forums and learned about the actual page:

Caubin caught my eye with THRIVE because it was so colorful. The story? She started with the word Thrive on her tablet, and this is what came out! Just starting and moving through the creation steps:

From Serenity (aka Sabina)

love LOVE how you created the word 'thrive' and filled it in. Love the artistic display and design,
it's fabulous, Christina and omg, all those mouthfuls of goals, GOOD LUCK! I shall be here to cheer you on
and hope you will come close to anything you want.

Again I emphasis the gallery in the Art Journal Caravan is just a part of the Journey. These highlighted are not to judge, or to say this is right, or any better than anyone else's. This is just a sampling of the magnificent pages made and posted each week. I just pick out ones that grab me, while trying to find different pages to encase the week that was!

See you on the trail!

It's Up!!!!!!!!!! Week #4!

2011-01-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

Learning to play with fonts {art journaling style}

and the Itinerary will really

ssssstrrreeeeeeeeeeetttcccccccccchhh

you this week!

SeE y0u on the trail !!

SNEAK PEEK

2011-01-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

It is Thursday, and Friday is coming!

Anticipation builds!

Wondering what will come tomorrow?

Here is a tiny sneak peek to tantalize your mojo!

See you on the trail!

Highlights of the Week that Was!!

2011-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and a big wave to the beginning of another week! The AJC Caravan Gallery is filled with so much goodness! I am sitting her just wondering, hmmm can I just link you to the gallery and you can nod your head up and down, and say..."oh that is another good one" and "oh why didn't I think that??" or perhaps just be so encouraged by another's journaling that you sit down and begin your page for the week! That would indeed make for an easy post, and take away the fun of picking a few layouts each week to highlight.

Now that being said I have a little blurb you must read and take to heart, please:

♥note: this is NOT a contest or what so ever, ♥

nobody is judging your art journal pages.

♥♥It is from YOUR heart, they are YOUR feelings,♥♥

so something like that can NEVER be wrong.

♥♥♥This is just a way of highlighting some of the many pages posted.♥♥♥

Off I went to the gallery, beginning from the beginning, always a good place to begin. January 1st to January 7th! Watching the process of the pages materialize and the words that came forth were beyond astounding to me.

ArmyGrl, who is beyond remarkable in her comments alone in the gallery, both in and out of the AJC, posted this page, that made me want to fly too!!! The brightness that makes you blink and blink and push your self off the chair to maybe, JUST MAYBE get airborne!?!??!?!

Okay, I know I looked at that page for a long time, cause now I am wondering and seeing more! Please make sure you stare at it for a bit!!

Your eyes have just been filled with the amazing colors above.

Shut your eyes and count to ten. You didn't do it? Come on, it will make it fun if you do. Thank you!

Molly, took a blank slate and made it so so SO SO much MORE!!

Don't you just want to lean out and see what is out there??? I tell you I love it, the shadows on the steps, the whole feel to the starkness! Just wowed me!!

It is no secret that I am in awe of Lorilei as a designer, as a mom and as a scrapper! She exudes talent and class to me ALL the time!! Seeing her take her talent with art supplies and as she said, "some digital tweaking" to come up with the page that seems almost alive:

Next is a page by Kaloft. She teased me unmercifully in the gallery! First one side, the left was posted. I fell in love with the carefree way the lady was going down the pier and loved the movement on the page, then another page appeared with journaling that added to the page in such a dramatic addition!

I am including the 2 page spread to highlight, but please go and see each side alone in the gallery also!!

This next one, struck my funny bone, and as most of you know, laughing is my most favorite thing to do. I didn't stick it in my favorites, so I had to search to find it! I should have known it was JaneAgain, because she puts a smile on my face often in the gallery. This one"Ready to Go" for some reason (you hopefully see when you read it) just made me laugh, and I mean I laughed that guffaw out loud laugh:

What a fun time, going back a few weeks to begin this highlight post! I saw things I hadn' t noticed before and I have to say, the comments of my fellow caravaners are the tops of all! You travelers emote kindness and encouragement like no other! Thank you for that! I understand that we do our pages for ourselves, but it is so kind to see someone look at your work and leave a heart felt comment. It puts a song in my heart and a gives that extra zim when I open the next canvas!

I so enjoyed this time, I hope you will look forward to seeing who is highlighted next week, and go and leave some love for those here today! You may be next!

See you on the trail....I need some of Nevermore's coffee!

Finding an UnDo Button in Life on the AJC {2011}

2011-01-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

The Adventure Quest in the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011} are to me the most wondrous thing to happen on this years voyage! I love all the tips and tutorials that help complete the quests. I was totally awed by the one word canvas!

For the record, I am not a painter. I have played with those paintboxes that have 8 colors and you use the brush with ten hairs in it. It frustrates me.Tangie used acrylics, I had tempera paint! I began:

I have to admit publicly, I was having fun! This paint was thick, I had to use a lot of water. A lot of water.

I am liking it kinda so far, I wanted a more muted green, and I couldn't get that, but I would be okay with this! Because I used so much water, it was rather moist. I let it dry for about 4 hours. It was very dry. I placed my letters and then picked it up to get a better balance and this noise...a very soft, but obviously not a noise you want to hear.......of the paint coming off the canvas!! a large chunk stuck to the back of my letter. I figured I will fix it with water and glue? Press on. OH dear, the glue is pulling more of the paint up now! This is getting worse fast! Eager to finish so I can now go to bed, I add a bit of paint to it , to see if I can blend up some patch work.

It got hit with ugly har, fast and furious. The paint didn't want to cover now over the glue. I took the picture, then went to bed hoping perhaps time would heal all troubles.

I got up the next morning and rushed out hoping Tangie elves had invaded my dining room table and transformed my word canvas.It was no better.

Where, oh where was the undo button? I found it!! I did.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**

THIS MAY NOT WORK FOR ALL-I DID IT OUT OF DESPERATION!

Hot water and a scrub brush! It was my undo button!! The canvas in a short amount of time was almost back to the beginning!

I am not defeated! I am empowered! I am going to buy acrylics!
Now, please don't think this was a hard quest to accomplish, I just learned, that tempera paints are not the right thing to use. But I had a blast in the process! Others around me on the caravan, were able to come up with the most amazing canvas's!
Mandy, aka WyldCat did a smaller version and you can see her fun swirls:

then oh my goodness, Inger (imsoto2)and her son Ben played:

Fiona (anubis 1) totally rocked the canvas with the word vision:

These women are my companions on a journey that can not be explained. It has to be experienced. The continual support from the forums and the gallery are beyond all comprehension. It is the ART JOURNAL CARAVAN {Expedition 2011}, and there is room for you!

See you on the trail!

Itinerary UP! Please move forward in a orderly fashion.......NOT!!!

2011-01-14T08:41:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for to keep moving on this journey??

I wonder????

I hope your bags are packed and you are ready to go??

The Itinerary #3 is UP!

I know time seems to drag by waiting for the new prompts created by Tangie Baxter!

I wonder!?!

Do You Wonder??

The Provisions are also available:

Already the creative team has been out exploring and traveling and here are a few pages:

First joannknnrd, who is packed and ready to move here on her layout:

and the ever ready oldvwblues extends the peace needed for traveling on her page:

Don't despair if you have not joined the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}, it is still available!!

You can also join us for 2011! Still booking passengers for
The Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}
it includes a year's worth of forum & gallery support, videos, freebies and more! Click for more details.

See you on the trail!!

A little bit of tantalizing anticipation for tomorrow???

2011-01-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

Be ready!! Tomorrow! Great things in store for you and the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}!!

The times on the trail are just beyond terrific!

2011-01-10T17:11:00.000-08:00

The AJC {Expedition 2011} has exploded! Not only in people, but in the new and fun things happening in the forums!! I am constantly amazed at how the people within the community support and encourage each other to push themselves and to find a kind comment on their page that can make a difference for them!!

Receiving our camels special delivery happened before the New Year's arrived! I have to catch up all up on a few of the dear camels that found their homes across the globe:

The one and only (at least in public) male caravaner; Billzetti brought giggles with his proper attire layout with his camel:

Then Violetta was shown the gorgeous back garden in Perth Hills, I believe that is in Australia...please forgive me Ramona? Ramona set Violetta in a beautiful pen!

Now no caravan is complete without a Geraldine, and especially one that carries the map!! I love seeing evansgram and her lovely Geraldine:

Only your own imagination can limit one on this caravan...and if you try to hold back, others are there to encourage you with their original and fun ideas. Ericksoc camel has special powers, yes oh yes here is Camelfly:

I could go on and on, introduce you tomany more; Dot, to Sophie (there are twins) and even one Elephant named Jellie! This journey is for this gal just a daily joy! I invite you to come join us!

One week in to the Caravan-so much happening!!!!

2011-01-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

Whew, I am finally able to do a post to tell you about the wild and tremendous first week of the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}! The whole week started strong with the very first provision, a hearty collab between Rebecca McMeen and Tangie! That alone was worth the whole year to me! The pages that have been created are just fabulous, stay tuned Sunday for a few highlights of the week!
Then today! Oh if you have not been into the forums today, you better sit down and prepare yourself! Tutorials, and videos to tantalize the taste-buds of each artist! One tutorial had me in the check out of our craft store, buying canvases. Yes, me, a very non-hybrid kind of girl! Remarkable and sooooooooooo doable!!
The newest provisions are up in the store also for your Apprentice Art Box! This is for you to add to your box of tools to become a master in your craft! There is also another video on how to use them in the AJC 2011 Forum!

Now if you are reading this and clicked to go find the forum and can't get in, it is part of the fun of being on the Art Journal Caravan; a private forum. There are so many helpful folks there to encourage each other and just ride along with you! The other perk is the parcels for the AJC are 1/2 price! This journey is not just a prompt and go seminar, this is a hands on, heart invested and smile producing year long event!
It is not to late to join. Sign up today and enjoy the trail with us!

See you on the caravan!!

And So It Begins!!! The Adventure of 2011!!

2011-01-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Expedition of the Art Journal Caravan has started!! The sound of camels can be heard in the private forum as both experienced and novice caravaners begin.

If you haven't joined yet, we are missing you!! Already, many have named their camels, fitted them with equipment they need for the journey! Today was the first provision parcel given, and the creativeness is brimming throughout the caravaners.
Rebecca McMeen has joined up this month with Tangie Baxter as the first of 12 guest designers for the year, and oh my goodness, take a gander at the parcel they created together:

This being the first parcel for the 2011 Art Journal Caravan has extra supplies! I mean wow, it is full already and has more!? As a member of the 2011 AJC, you also receive a coupon to buy it at 1/2 price along with the other provisions through the year!!
It's not to late to join!

See you on the trail!

Your chance to get the sold out 2010 Workshop

2010-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2010}

It sold out, you missed it, but you want it!

It is available now!

Your chance to get the

SOLD OUT workshop of 2010!

Your Year in Review "Travel Package" Includes:
*Exclusive Original version of the "Navigation Guide 2010" to Art Journaling in .PDF format
*Exclusive Digital, Colossal Starter Kit "Steamer Trunk"
*Three Exclusive Printable Collage Sheets
*Travel Ticket Voucher for 50% OFF all (or some) of the 52 Art Journal Caravan Kits

*NEW! 100+ page PDF Book of ALL the 2010 weekly Itinerary, 52 weeks of inspiration!
*BONUS! 52 "Verb of the Week" flashcards!

(please note that the SOLD OUT workshop of 2010 no longer has any forum access or support for new students, this package simply includes workshop materials to go at your own pace).

Don't miss out this year!

Join us for 2011! Now booking passengers for
The Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}
This includes a year's worth of

forum & gallery support,

videos, freebies and more!

Click for more details.

See ya' on the trail!

Highlights of the Week #51

2010-12-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

Can you believe there will only be one more edition of Highlights of the Week for 2010? This year has gone by SO fast. But... just on the horizon is Art journal Caravan 2011. I'm so excited that Tangie has decided to continue with our journey. Will you be joining us in 2011?

As the year is winding down the gallery is shining with lots of gorgeous pages. This is just a sample of the inspiration to be found in the Art Journal Caravan Gallery.

Insp.#51 by seniorgal

Aspire by php57

Fabu! AJC wk 51 by joannknnrd

Aspire - week 51 AJC by CarolW

i (don't) write by JaneAgain

oh woo hoo the blinkies are here!! The blinkies are here!!

2010-12-21T22:13:00.000-08:00

I am so excited!! I love the zip and colorful wow of the blinkies and blog buttons!! I had to go throughout digi-land and change my signatures! Next I think I may have to redo my whole blog to match!! That camel has so much energy!! Is it 2011 yet???????

For forums(and signatures)

For blog sidebars

For blog headers or footers

Now if you haven't joined yet, don't worry,

the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011}

is still available!!!

The AJC 2011 forum is up and already hopping with excitement!!

Hope to see you there soon!!

Highlights of the Week #50

2010-12-19T12:07:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we only have 2 weeks left of the Art Journal Caravan 2010? But not to fear, AJC 2011 is taking reservations! Now is the time to re-commit to YOU, because you do deserve it. If you're already on board for 2011 and ready to be inspired, or you're not sure if AJC is for you and you want to see what everyone else is up to stop by the AJC Gallery and have a look. Below are just a few of the highlights.

To Those I Love - wk 50 AJC by CarolW

Week 49/50 - Angels Nurture Me by Manoagirl

Color outside the lines by svanderhaegen

Aspire by oldvwblues

Aspire, a Labyrinth and a Pun by ladynorth

Itinerary UP!

2010-12-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

I did a bit of artistic license on the number today!! I needed to feel the illusion of warmth. I see the snow and freezing temperatures hitting parts of the world, and here in northern California, we are socked in with drizzling non-stop rain for the next 10 days! I have the coldest feet in this hemisphere, and just looking at this fabulous provision package has me feeling a bit cozier:

As my fellow caravaners know, you don't need to have the provision for the itinerary. The prompts this week will help you "aspire" and share those aspirations! We have just one more week, finishing this long and satisfying journey of art journaling!
My apologies to those not on the journey, the link is not available to you, but I would like to invite you to join us all for Expedition 2011.

Expedition 2011 forums are up!! Come on in!!

2010-12-15T22:49:00.000-08:00

The forums are now up and running for Expedition 2011! Please drop by to say hi and introduce yourself. You can also get started on your covers and first assignment if you would like! Those of us trying to finish up Expedition 2010 may be a little slow moving over but rest assured we're on our way!

The 2011 workshop forums can be found {here}.

You have to be a part of the Art Journal Caravan {Expedition 2011} to see the forums, but don't despair, it is available now!!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Campfire Gathering Show and Tell #4 in the forum

2010-12-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

During this season of giving, I wanted to ask my fellow caravaners to take a moment and share your favorite pages, tell us why and how it touched you! This is such an encouragement to each other!! Plus..........Tangie will draw a winner and both you and the nominee will win a Gift Certificate!! That is so cool!

Please share with us one or two of your very favorite pages FROM SOMEONE ELSE and why you love it, what you learned from it or how it's helped you.
You could both win one of several $5 coupons to my Studio!

Please make sure you link us to the page IN THE AJC 2010 FORUM so that if we have not been able to leave some love on it before we'll have a chance now.

The thread in the AJC 2010 forum will be open until Wednesday, December 15th @ midnight EST

**you must be a part of the AJC 2010 Caravan to see the private forum**

Highlights of the Week #49

2010-12-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

What a crazy week it's been. Has your week been extremely busy? I know mine has. I hope you'll take a little time out to enjoy the inspiration posted in the Art Journal Caravan gallery this week. There have been some really outstanding pages this week. Here are just a few to whet your whistle...

whispers become loud by anneofalamo

AJC- Salvage by cherebus

Introducing Sophie... by ladynorth

Write by Scrappie Irene

Plans for 2011 by oldvwblues

How'd They Do That? 13th Edition

2010-12-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Wednesday and that means another edition of "How'd They Do That" where you get to learn how fellow members of the Art Journal Caravan made pages for their own journals. Today we're learning how Susan (aka suslyn at the SBG forums) made this wonderful page:

First, I have a little interview to share with you.

ME: How long have you been art journaling?
SUSAN: I suppose that depends on one's definition of 'art journaling.' In a way since I began scrapping (June 2009), but formally my first page was January this year with the AJC

ME: What inspired you to create this page?
SUSAN: The DH and I are in counseling. While I've been journaling about *my* feelings for myself for a while, our counselor assigned me to scrap my feelings to communicate them to him. The journaling tells the story of my feelings while the bird and cat illustrate it.

ME: Who do you go to for inspiration?
SUSAN: I guess you mean visually -- in general, I don't. I may see an element in a kit, more often a paper which gets me started. Often verses from the Bible come to mind and are woven in even if not textually whether from themes of comfort, correction, hope or whatever.

ME: When do you feel most creative?
SUSAN: I feel creative most of the time. I dislike it most when it wakes me up! I'm jazzed over Christmas kits 365 days a year. I don't have a lot of pics of my own, but my FB friends' pics make me wanna scrap -- that happens almost daily (the desire, less often a LO).

ME: Why do you journal?
SUSAN: For years I've needed and sought a creative outlet which I can do. I'm really bad at most things artsy. I have a degree in music, but if you heard me play you'd never guess I gave a recital. My art teacher told me I was the only person he'd ever known who couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler. And the list goes on. I've yearned for and needed an outlet for personal expression. I'm thrilled I found one which works for me. The short answer would be: because I have to!

ME: Do you have a blog you'd like to share with us?

SUSAN: My somewhat neglected blog can be found here: http://suslyngloscraps.blogspot.com/

ME: Would you mind sharing how you made this page?

SUSAN: This was actually a pretty easy LO for me, pretty quick too. Helps when you've got great raw materials and a Bamboo!

I work in PS CS3. I started with the background freebie ArtJournal mini by Christine Honsinger aka Fiddlette Designs @ CatScraps.

Most of the work was done for me. I flipped it, duplicated it and extracted the circles. The extraction was very rough -- I think I even used the extraction filter in PS and didn't do anything else to it. Didn't worry about it as they were exactly in the same place as the circles in the paper which also have the white outline... hassle free. Then I used the color dodge blending mode on that layer so the 'city' which is behind it would show through the circles. I also added a drop shadow.

The rest of the elements are also from CatScraps, but from Ida's Urban Element kit. I did absolutely nothing (except, possibly, resizing) to the city or road -- no shadows, nothing. Just plopped them on.

On the other elements I have varied shadow types, but they're all a darker shade of the brown of the cat. For the flowers & window with bricks its 69 distance, 57 size. Everything else is default PS settings. The cat and bird are 9 distance, 10 size.

I created new layers for the writing, one each for the bricks and one for the text on the bird. The text on the bricks is just black, no shadows, no effects, written by hand on the bricks. For the text on the bird, I believe I picked up the grey in the flower. Again I wrote directly on the new layer over the bird.

The cat. The black was already there on the element All the colors besides the black and brown I drew on, again with the bamboo. Each color has it's own layer and to each layer I've added a glitter style (I'm addicted to glitter). I usually adjust these styles, but this time I didn't. They're just as they came (Miki Ferkel's Holiday Glitter Pro).

There is one more text, with a font at the top of the city, I used the bulge warp text tool and did nothing to change it. The font color I picked up somewhere on the background.

I think that about wraps it up. Thx for your interest -- how very flattering Hope you're all having a wonderful and magical December.

A HUGE thanks to Susan for sharing her techniques with us and taking the time to participate in my interview. It was absolutely wonderful getting to know you Susan.

I hope you, dear readers, found inspiration in this page, I know I did.

Highlights of the Week #48

2010-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Wow!! It's been a rather slow week this week. Not a lot of activity in the gallery as the holidays approach. Please don't forget, the best gift you can give is the gift of knowledge and your Art Journal is a great way to get to know yourself, or for future generations to know you. You are so very important, please don't allow you to slip away.

Here are a few of the pages I found inspiring in the gallery this week. Please remember, these are just a few of the pages that were posted. Make sure to stop by the Art Journal Caravan Gallery and see all of the wonderful pages that were submitted for week 48 and remember, everyone appreciates a little love.

Blue Moon by php57

Dreams Can Come True by oldvwblues

Star Gazing Art Journal Page by craftyamanda

freedom by svanderhaegen

2010 AJ nurture by nancyr

Nurture by Fifi

Thanks for joining me for the week 48 highlights. I hope you have a creative week.

49

2010-12-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

49 (forty-nine) is the natural number following 48 and preceding 50.

Forty-nine is the square of seven and is therefore the fourth squared prime number.

49 is the first square where the digits are squares. In this case 4 and 9 are squares.

With all those special things for #49, I had to dress it up a bit!

The itinerary for this week is up and ready to inspire and rejuvinate you! Perhaps a bit of nurturing is in order.

Please check out the AJC Caravan for a special announcement!

Also!! OH I almost forgot:

We'll be having our final Campfire Gathering of 2010 on December 10th!

9 AM and 9 PM EST

In the SBG chat room!

Alumni Version of Expedition 2011 Now Availble!

2010-12-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

If you are an Alumni of Expedition 2010 you are going to want to {check into the forum} this morning for a very special announcement & link!

(You will only be able to see the link if you are registered member of 2010)

If you are not an Alumni and awaiting registration for 2011 it will be available {in my Studio} this afternoon!

Highlights of the Week #47

2010-11-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

Good day fellow Caravaners!! It's a brisk sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Calm, quiet and a beautiful day to get out in. Today I bring you a new assortment of layouts found in the Art Journal Caravan Gallery. I have to tell you, as the year is coming to a close the creativity is really stirring. I think that a lot of you have learned a whole new set of skills and you're putting them to work for you and it's really showing. Take a look for yourself:

AJC#47 Calling Me by Serenoa

Just Paint! by jonee

Sichitiu-1 by suslyn

rule #1 by svanderhaegen

Gazed and wondered by chengie

Reach by ericksoc

Gaze upon the fact we are in week 48!!

2010-11-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

Fourty-eight???

I am thinking week 48 of 52?

I am supposed to be setting up Christmas trees, and shopping, and accomplishing things,

but all I want to do is sit and gaze upon my computer screen and create?

Is that a bad thing?

I hope you will pop over to the Art Journal Caravan thread and see this week's itinerary!

I think you will find the theme fun and delightful!

How'd They Do That? 12th Edition

2010-11-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

First of all, I must apologize, the day has just slipped away before today's post was published. I am SO sorry, I hope you can find it in your kind hearts to forgive me. I believe my head has been too full of thoughts of turkey and stuffing to focus much, however I was able to snag an interview with an extremely talented artist and fellow Caravaner- JaneAgain. Her page, Seek, was featured in the Highlights of the Week # 46 post, and now, you get to learn a few of her secrets involved in making this page:

First, let's get to know the artist...

ME: How long have you been art journaling?

JANEAGAIN: I started art journalling in June of this year, when I started the AJC. I'd never actually heard of art journalling before, but the steamer trunk was too good to resist.

ME: What/Who inspires you to create?

JANEAGAIN: At this point, it's primarily Tangie and the AJC prompts. I'm recovering from a long illness, and am using this as a way to figure out what's really going on with me. There's so much inspiration there, I don't need to look for anything else!

ME: Do you create strictly digital or do you play with paint and glue also?

JANEAGAIN: I do all digital right now. I used to paint, and I'm hoping to take that up again soon. I'm not good with glue, though. Never have been.

ME: How often do you journal?

JANEAGAIN: Not nearly as often as I'd like! I was doing well for awhile, then I stalled as I started to get better and my energies were taken up with physical stuff again.

ME: Do you have a blog you'd like to share with us?

JANEAGAIN: mylongstrangetrip.wordpress.com

ME: And finally, how did you create this page?
JANEAGAIN:
This was such a fun one! I started off with two papers from Alt Inspired by Phuong Ton (retired). I used one of them as the background. The other I clipped to a very large text layer (roughly 1000 pt). I chose SEEK as my word because I'm seeking myself out with this project, but I didn't want it to be too clear, because I'm still looking for answers, so I didn't use any shadowing on the text layer so that it would blend in more with the background. Then I took a bunch of flower sketches and drawings from Tangie's Field Notes kit, and used the Soft Light blending mode on them all, so that they obscured the word, but not too much. I put those over top of both the background paper and the word SEEK. No shadowing on those, either. Then I added a few 3D elements on top of the paper I'd created, for depth. Enough to create some visual depth (I hope!), but not so many that they became the focus of the page. And then it was done!

Thank you so much JaneAgain. You've been great and I'm sure the readers will learn some fun new stuff from your tutorial, I know you've inspired me and I hope to try out some of your techniques soon.

If you're in the USA, I hope you have a very happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. And to all of our other readers, I wish you an enjoyable remainder of the week.

Highlights of the Week #46

2010-11-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday friends. It's a brisk beautiful Sunday here in the Pacific Northwest. I hope you're all staying warm in your own corner of the world (or cool if it's your summer *grins*). Today I have some very inspiring pages to share with you. It was another very active week at the Art Journal Caravan Gallery so please be sure to stop by and see all the pages that were posted there and leave a little love and encouragement for those who are traveling this path of self exploration.

Journey by Nevermore

{week #18} Expect by Tangie Baxter

Write It On Your Heart by anniesmom

And You Will Find by JaneAgain

Indulge by skyezak

Did I just get permission???

2010-11-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

Now, I turn 47 next week, and the week is our 47 itinerary? Indulge? Indulge? Did someone say indulge? Oh my, that is all I needed was permission. You did say it was okay? Come on, lets find out more! The new itinerary is up along with the provisions!

Highlights of the week #45

2010-11-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

As week 45 comes to a close I'm excited to share what I've found in the Art Journal Caravan Gallery. If you're looking for inspiration, be sure to stop by and see what's going on. This week the gallery was hopping and there is SO much talent and creativity, you'll have to go see for yourself... remember, this is just a highlight : )

Reversal of Fortune by Nevermore

Week 45 by Mim

Kathmandu by CarolW

Key to the Kingdom by noirin58

Love on the Shelf by jenn33199

Write by php57

Right on! I mean WRITE on!

2010-11-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't a few minutes, just for ourselves be wonderful? Imagine no distractions, no interruptions, just pure create time. Just 20 minutes, and just write without our inner editor nagging "you forgot a comma" or "that is spelled wrong!" It is possible, come enjoy this week's itinerary and write!

How'd They Do That? 11th Edition

2010-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's Wednesday!! And (since we didn't do it last week) that must mean it's time for another edition of "How'd They Do That?" I just love this article because it's so fun reading how other people do things AND getting to know a fellow Caravaner all at once. This week we're going to be taking a look at joannknnrd (aka) JoAnn's page "Balance Week26" I was completely SHOCKED when I learned how she made this. Read on and you can find out also. It's not nearly as difficult as it looks : )

First of all, I asked JoAnn a few questions to get to know her. Here is what she had to say:

ME: How long have you been art journaling?
JoAnn: I've been doing some form of journaling since my teens but it's been the
last few years that I've been doing it digitally!

ME: How did you get started?
JoAnn: Sometimes it easier for me to get my thoughts and feelings out
visually as opposed to words!

ME: How often do you journal?
JoAnn: I try to do it daily, but have often let it go for months at a time.

ME: What pushes you to journal?
JoAnn: It's my form of expression. It's also rewarding to look back and see how far I've come!

ME: Do you have a blog you'd like to share with us?

JoAnn: http://scrapmental.blogspot.com/

And now... how she did it:

JoAnn: This was actually a pretty easy layout to make. The hardest part was visualizing the prompt of 'Balance"
Tangie's paper already had a waterline, but I wanted to emphasize breaking the water, so I manipulated Jofia's water splash to blend in with Tangie's existing line. I added a hand with a slight blur and blended a face into the water for some reflection.

JoAnn, thank you so much for sharing. I hope you've all enjoyed this installment and look forward to seeing you again in 2 weeks for another.

Highlights of the Week #44

2010-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Whew. Week 44 is over. Ever have one of those weeks that you just want to end? Sweep it under the rug and forget it happened? Yeah, it's been one of those weeks. Even in the craziness I've managed to find inspiration and encouragement. It's everywhere, if you just look for it. In fact, this has been one of my favorite weeks over in the AJC Gallery, there were so many pretty things to look at. Here are just a few:

Balance Week26 by joannknnrd

AJC # 44 Overcome Limitations by Serenoa

Sometimes if I just close my eyes by rebecca_lovell

Forbidden Direction by Mejji

never regret by svanderhaegen

Itinerary #44- Book Title - The Fish Who Learned to Swim by Meisie

Be sure to stop by the Art Journal Caravan Gallery to see all of the beautiful pages on display. There is so much wonder and inspiration you're sure to get the itch to get creative.

PS-
Don't forget Daylight Savings Time ended at 2AM. Time to set your clocks back an hour.

Practice-Practice-Practice It does pay off!!!

2010-11-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

It may not be perfect in our eyes, but practice brings us as a whole lot closer than doing nothing!! As we go into week 45, I invite you to think about an area you have practiced on and well, hey YOU Got Skills!! I wanna see!!
Pop over to the Itinerary for the week (#45) and see what comes to mind. How will you interpret the Verb, or perhaps the quote will spark that "oh that is it" feeling??
The #45 parcel is also in the store, and coupon can be found here.

Highlights of the Week #43

2010-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings fellow Art Journalers. Thank you for stopping by. Are you seeking inspiration? Want to see the delights of the last week? It is with great pleasure that I present you with the 43rd week of highlights. Please enjoy.

I am an original by ginamichelle1111

All bottled up by php57

my new word by suslyn

Forbid by skyezak

Fear of Failure by Nevermore

If you'd like to see the full show, be sure to stop by the Art Journal Caravan Gallery and peruse all the great wares. And to all of you in the US and those who celebrate- Have a SPOOKY Halloween.

Forbid the 44??? Official Rest Stop Week!

2010-10-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

“Forbid us something, and that thing we desire” Oh I know that is true!! What is it that you were forbidden that became a desire??? This is the week to reach in and lay out!! Your itinerary for Week #44 is up for perusing and the provisions are tantalizing!! Forbid? Bha ha ha ha

How'd They Do That? 10th Edition

2010-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday my lovely friends. It's time for a new edition of "How'd They Do That?" This will be our tenth edition, that means this is the tenth muse you have to look to for inspiration. I hope you enjoy learning how Barbara (Serenoa) made this fabulous page:

And now... a few words from Barbara:

Hi everyone, I’m Barbara (aka Serenoa). I live on a coastal marsh in Georgia with my husband Gordon. We are both retired airline employees, my career being in mainframe computer programming and later in PC network support. I have one grown son who lives in Wisconsin.

Carolyn has asked me to answer a few interview questions about how I started art journaling and my inspiration, techniques and procedures.

My consuming passion for the past 10 years has been genealogy research and family history documentation. I am the designated family historian and embrace the task of preserving my family stories and memories. I have been doing digital scraping for a little more than a year now.

After my mother passed away last year, I spent about 6 months putting together a book which told the story of my mother and father’s lives, with all the photos, documents, and details that I had accumulated. When I started the project, I was unaware of online digital scrapbooking and utilized a book service which provided an online software program and supplied backgrounds, frames, etc. While trying to find additional elements on the internet to use on my book pages, I discovered the world of digital scrapbooking and have been obsessed with it ever since.

I found the ScrapBookGraphics web site about 5 months ago along with Tangie’s Art Journal Caravan. The wonderful layouts of others on the Caravan and SBG’s monthly challenges have inspired me to take my layouts beyond traditional scrapbook pages and into the fascinating realm of digital art graphics. I feel like I have finally found my medium for artistic expression and also a very fun way to use a PC after all my years of technical computer work.

I have never paper scrapped or kept a real paper journal. The computer is just such a familiar tool for me that all my work is digital. I use a PC with 2 large monitors (my eyesight isn‘t that great), Photoshop Elements8 and Picassa software, a Wacom tablet, and digital camera. I never go anywhere without the camera and take photos of everything. You never know when you might need a rusty element or a patch of stained concrete to finish a layout.

I don’t have a personal blog yet, although I have considered starting one. I just worry that I already spend way too many hours sitting in front of my computer.

Carolyn also asked me to explain how I created the layout titled “Best Friends” -

I’ll preface by saying that I usually try out numerous background papers, elements and blending modes until I achieve an effect I like. I rarely use papers and elements in their original size, color, hue, or appearance.

I began the layout with an old photo which was in rather poor shape and roughly extracted my mother and her friend from the background. I did not clean up the photo or the edges of the extraction, as I liked the effect it created.

The bottom layer is a pale grungy paper from Brigit Kerr and over that is a masked paper from Amanda Sexton Parcel2. Both had lowered opacities. I then added a lace piece to the top and another to the bottom, also with lower opacities. A filigree element from Tangie’s Parcel 35 was greatly enlarged and added with a 40% opacity. The left side strip from Parcel 32 was then layered with a blending mode of Luminosity and 35% opacity. The book and wings are from Parcel2 (90% opacity). I split the wings by duplicating the layer and erasing the alternating halves so I could position them where I desired.

The extracted photo was added to the top with a large drop shadow (size 127, distance 160, opacity 74), a brown outline stroke (size 7, opacity 23), and an outer pale yellow glow of 146px and 85% opacity. Drop shadows of varying opacities were added to most of the other elements.

The font used on the journal strips was “Love Ya Like a Sister and the font for the top quote was LainieDay.

Highlights of the Week

2010-10-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

Good morning fellow scrappers. (or evening or afternoon, which ever the case may be) I hope you all have had an inspired week and enjoyed the 42nd week of our Art Journal journey. The forum was a little quiet this week, so I'm thinking that everyone is starting to feel the pinch of the holidays nearing. Please remember, my friends, taking a little time out to journal and tend to you is SO important. Even if it's only a few minutes a day, you'll see such an amazing improvement in your life.

I picked a few pages from the Art Journal Caravan gallery to show you today. Take a look, be inspired, create.

Bloom by anniesmom

Decisions by suslyn

Fear1 by jonee

Home is where the heart is by rebecca lovell

Haunting Me by mollyscraps

AJC #34 Best Friends by Serenoa

Experiment? What a fun idea!!!

2010-10-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

An experiment, oh life itself is one big experiment! This is the week to journal about those failed or successful attempts at different things or stages of your life! The newest itinerary is up and the prompts are just perfect for those who are wanting to jump back on the trail and create!

I am off to see what shows up under that microscope!!

See ya in the laboratory!!!

Highlights of the Week

2010-10-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Howdy fellow Caravaners. I hope you've all had a fabulous week. I sure know that I have and I'm really looking forward to the week to come. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times... the gallery has been amazing this past week. WOW. You're all really getting into it.

This is my favorite time of the year, so it's been VERY difficult for me to select just a hand full of pages to feature this week. I spent a lot of time looking and ohhhhing and ahhhing at all the beautiful Fall colors and the bright celebratory colors honoring the Day of the Dead. It's amazing the pages you all come up with!!

And now, behold- this week's highlights...

AJC #42 Haunted by Serenoa

Waiting for Sunshine by jenn33199

Definition Create by GinaMichelle1111

Haunted Art Journal Page by craftyamanda

Pacific Dream by Mejji

Very Happy by svanderhaegen

Be sure to stop by the Art Journal Caravan gallery to see all of the other breathtaking pages posted this week.

Haunt?? So Much You Can Do!! With Week 42!

2010-10-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Your week 42 Caravan adventures is posted! Challenges, prompts, quotes and surprises for your weekly art journal page are waiting right now!!! Here is a sneaky peaky of the provisions that are made just perfect for the verb and challenge of the week:

Definition of HAUNT

(courtesy http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haunt )

1 a : to visit often : frequent

b : to continually seek the company of

2 a : to have a disquieting or harmful effect on : trouble <problems we ignore now will come back to haunt us>

b : to recur constantly and spontaneously to <the tune haunted her>

c : to reappear continually in <a sense of tension that haunts his writing>

3 : to visit or inhabit as a ghost

All I know is this weeks itinerary is one that will haunt you to dig in and put pen with ink or mouse to manipulate pixels upon a canvas to ponder out a page.

See you on the trail.

How'd They Do That? 9th Edition

2010-10-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday. What a wonderful week it's been already. I hope you're ready to learn some new tips, because today we're visiting Mejji and learning how she made this page:

ME: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Mejji: What to tell you! I am deeply in love with my husband of 43 years and adore my two daughters who are compassionate about helping others. I am also very passionate about all types and genres of art and literature. Now, that I am no longer teaching after 28 years, I am so lucky to have most of the day to involve myself with either reading or dabbling in digital art (and a few computer games). For awhile I created art dolls (I have sewn since I was three) and different types of altered art, but I have no space for a studio. I love the quirkiness of altered art, but I don't need a studio for a computer.

ME: What inspires you to journal?
Mejji: I used to write stories and poetry, but now the majority of my journaling is about what I create and why. The act of creating a picture is so fulling, I have to get why I made the picture or the ideas behind the picture down. I think a lot of this is for my daughters so that they'll know there was another side of me.

ME: How long have you been journaling?
Mejji: As an English teacher, I taught writing for twenty years. When you are trying to get kids to write, you tell them to write about what they know, and what they know best is themselves. This becomes the perfect venue for writing lessons. I learned to model for my students and would share my writing with them. As my grade levels became older, I only wrote about them when creating lessons, quizzes, and tests. The students liked it, but it wasn't much of an outlet for me.

ME: Is there someone who inspires your pages?
Mejji: Every time I view the Gallery at SBG, I find someone who has created a page that gives me a jolt, but I must say that Serenity's ability to tell her story has deeply moved me. I don't think I could ever journal and create such beautiful and meaningful pages to go along with her story as well as she has. I also have to say that a lot of the visual in my work comes from my father's childhood books (turn of the century). The artwork was exquisite, sometimes scary, and yet always delightful.

ME: Do you create strictly digital pages?
Mejji: Yes, now I work strictly with the computer, but I have a closet full of altered art supplies I must do something with.

ME: Would you mind teaching us how you made this page?
Mejji: "She Was Tired of Building Castles in the Air" comes from a Don McClean song. As soon as I saw Tangie's prompt, I thought of this song. I found a castle on the internet and extracted it. My first background, as with all the rest, came from Lisette's Scrap Imagina. I added the castle and the floating island. Then I added another background to frame the picture and lowered the opacity. This background had waterfalls on the sides so I use a dark blending mode to darken the sides. I used Romy 91's Commedia dell Arte brushes to create the "chasing husband" in the background and the "escaping wife" in the foreground. To give the wife more depth, I duplicated her layer, took the bottom layer, changed the threshold, inverted it, and used Gaussian blur. Then I duplicated the top layer one more time for more depth. This is a story of a woman who is tired of a shallow life of just promises and no results.

A big thank you to Mejji for participating in this week's feature and I hope that you, dear readers, have enjoyed this post and learned some new tips for your pages.

Forty-one! Create despite Resistance!!!

2010-10-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it is indeed the day!! The itinerary is waiting!!! Anticipation. Read each bit for inspiration and start your weekend with a creative flow! As a matter of fact, that is your verb for the week!!

Create!!

Still feeling that resistance? Oh, you have to read the Pick, Poke & Prod and laugh about Resistance and Change...that alone will make you giggle!

I'll see you on the trail!!

Show and Tell #3

2010-10-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Remember those days of bringing something to school

to share with your classmates that you were proud of,

or loved dearly?

I so enjoyed seeing what the other students brought.

The Art Journal Caravan has gone 3/4 of the way,

so lets

show and tell

about SOMEONE ELSE'S page!

Please

show the page and tell

everyone why you loved it, what you learned from it or how it helped you!!

That artist on the caravan you

show and tell

about will be put in for a chance to win

a $5 coupon to Studio Tangie!!

Can you imagine how fun it would be to get a message,

someone loved your page and it touched them, here is $5 to Studio Tangie??

Oh I would be so happy!

So, give your fellow caravaners a bit of encouragement!

Post HERE your "Show and Tell" pages!!

Creative Wild Fire Give AWAY!!! Don't Miss It!!

2010-10-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Tangie is giving away a book to a grand prize winner!

"What lights your CREATIVE fire?"

1. Create an AJ page about your creative FIRE

2. Post your journal page in the designated AJC Campfire Challenge gallery, located here.

3. Link us up to your entry in the AJC forum here.

TWO winners will be drawn at random to win a $10 Gift Certificate to Studio Tangie.

Grand Prize winner will get the book Creative Wildfire!!

The book will be personally signed by Tangie Baxter and

it will come with a one of kind ATC!!

Tangie has done a fantastic job in a review of the book here!

Provision #40 is up in the Caravan! It is a beauty!!

2010-10-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

It is there! In the caravan!! Tangie posted this morning and it is fan TAB u lous!! Here is a little peek!

I am a huge fan of the man whose quote is used in this week's provision! He is the author of one of the best selling self-help books ever published! The book was written in 1937 and has sold over 15 million copies! His words are timeless! Find out more here about this weeks theme and quote, how they are tied together!!

Feel daring? Good, because that is this week's verb! Dare as an action? OH this has got to be good! I'll meet you there!!

Highlights of the Week #38 and previews of #39

2010-09-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am feeling the momentum building!! Are you all preparing your journey so that we can gather around the campfire this Thursday???? There are two chats scheduled so hoping to see folks from all over the world gather for some inspiration, laughter and oomph to push through to the end of the year!!!
If you haven't been to the chats, check now and see if you have the JAVA platform needed, just click on CHAT at the top of the forums. You don't need a password, just your name and come in and play!

I loved the colors and whole itinerary of week 38, here is the weeks provision package:

Once again, Tangie has added a fun and coordinating splatter graffiti (called Conviction) available separately in her Studio!

Upon looking in the gallery, I loved so many things, the different versions of seasons, but this one just grabbed me immediately.

by armygrl

I really love the colors and brightness to this next layout, and hope it encourages those that feel behind...this was done last week but is for the Itinery from week #26! You are never behind, but creating and enjoying the scenery through the journey!!

by SuzieR

If you have not read the journaling on this page, I beseech you, go now and read it and ponder the power of words.

by nevermore

Okay, I know she is Tangie Baxter, but golly, taking a whole different perspective to the changing seasons, this layout really was a great display of this week also.

by Tangie Baxter

I have seen the phrase swoon a few times in the gallery, and this one fulfills that. The blending and wowness, especially the little silhouettes on the bottom!

by mejji

What a joy it is to go through the gallery, I hope to see more and perhaps even your layout. If you have felt like you just are completely side tracked from your journey. Take a deep breath, look over any of the itineraries and play! If you need more mojo, take a gander at week 38 provisions:

Hope to chat with you on Thursday!!

Highlights of the Week #37

2010-09-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

I loved seeing the activity as Spring begins upon our Australian friends, and fall is nestling in here in the United States! The forums are popping and the gallery is growing daily! This is a perfect time to announce the Campfire Gathering #3:

The provisions for week #37 were such a fun and bright package:

Oh my fellow caravaners, your stories this week, have made my heart ache, zing and rejoice! I kept going thru the gallery, reading and then rereading your words. This was a week of rebuilding and I enjoyed every single layout! Here are a few that give an essence of the week:

by Mim

by maghenrey

by amson

by Scrappie Irene

I hope you are all awed also by the words and pages shown here, but please go through the gallery and see the rest, inspiration to all! I close with the newest provision:

Art Journal Caravan Provisions {Parcel 38}

Hey !! Catch up!! The Caravan is Going Strong!!

2010-09-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

Our Carolyn, is taking a bit of a sabbatical, and I am honored to try and fill her shoes on the Art Journal Caravan blog!! I am Anne. You might remember me from yesterday! HA HA HA! Yesterday, Carolyn was interviewing me for How Did They Do That?, and today, I am writing the blog! Scary!! YOU could be next!!
Before I have my fellow camel riding, coffee swilling fellow caravaners too nervous, let me show you last weeks fun provisions!

Art Journal Caravan Provisions {Parcel 36}

We are indeed spoiled by Tangie Baxter, with the fun splatters she has been making for our provisions! This week is no exception:

Splatter Graffiti [Borders] Comfort Food

The layouts that came out of this weeks provisions and itinerary were indeed delightful!! I went thru and found a few that really were just highlights of the week!

by nancyr

by quartermore

by NikkiFB

I love seeing everyone's take on the itinerary displayed as they continue the journey! The provision for week #37 is here:

Please drop in Monday morning for the highlights for week #37 and a peek of the next provision packet!!! I know I will be waiting for the provisions for the week to arrive tomorrow! See you on the trail!