WDE ACEOs

Double page spread in the SMASH journal. I got the Smash journal because it had ready to go backgrounds.  I'm not liking collage (media) because of all the stuff you have to accumulate.  I've got the skills to paint little icons & sticker-sized graphics. However, you can't do watercolor or gouache or inktense directly on the page.  It just beads up.  For the acrylic, I thought about painting squares of gesso but then I can't use the other media if I feel like it.  So I cut up some ATC size blank watercolor paper.  No, I won't be trading these, they're already glued (Mod Podge) to the pages.

That's another thing, not all glue is good.  I had rubber cement, but it was over 4 years old and had reduced to a tough rubber snot-like substance.  I had stick glue.  It had dried up, too.  The SMASH glue is stick glue--it'll probably fall off in a couple years.  Mod Podge is the way to go!  Ooo, I just saw my hot glue gun hanging from my art table.  That'll be good for heavier attachments.

San Diego Fishies

Acrylic in a new (uh oh) "Smash" art journal from Michaels.  I was trying to use a 50% off coupon but since this was already discounted, it wasn't discounted more.  I've finally learned the difference between an art journal and a scrapbook.  Art journal is definately the direction I want to go but sometimes I pick up the paint brush and end up filling the page with a painting.  The fishes are inspired by a sculpture at the San Diego Botanic Garden I visited a couple years ago.

Venice

This is as close to Venice in almost 30 years.  A telephoto view from the stateroom balcony.  Acrylic paint in the crispy crunchy paper homemade sketchbook.

Just passing--couple photos taken from the bus & combined.  Acrylics, same sketchbook.

Follow the butterflies

A new cover for my (homemade) non-archival 12x12 inch crispy-crunchy-yellowed-pages sketchbook.  The flowers are store bought stick-on card stock.  I painted the butterflies & caterpillar.  That was fun.  Makes me feel creative today, plus I used up some acrylic paint.  I bought a few of these scrapbook-size stick-on things I bought cheap when I was unemployed in 2009 and looking for things to do.