Elephants Never Forget...

Hi friends! I'm blogging about my May project over at Nat's blog today! This month's theme is "Elephants Never Forget," which features Nat's Elephant Stamp and Stencil set.

Here's a sneak peek of my project...

Come on over to the blog and see the whole spread, and the process behind it!  And while you're there, I'd love it if you leave a comment for me!

Thanks so much!

May Featured Member - Documented Life Project!

Hi friends! I'm super excited to be the featured member for May over at the Documented Life Project, and get to share this week's DLP challenge with you!

Documented Life Project

May 21 - Pocket Art Challenge: Use a Homemade or DLP Circle Sticker

What a fun, open-ended challenge this was!  So many possibilities!  I thought right away of using the circle as the middle of a mandala.  Then I thought of using it as part of a word.  Then I thought - why not do both?!  I used a circle sticker that came with my Documented Life kit.  Here's how it turned out...

I forgot to take process photos, so, I made another tag using the same technique; to show you the step-by-step:


Here's what the sticker sheet looked like...

1. Lightly pencil out the chosen word on a separate tag, in order to see approximately where the sticker should be placed.  In my case the sticker would form the "a" in the word "peace..."

2. Using a white Uniball Signo Gel Pen, draw a mandala around the circle sticker...

3. Lightly pencil in the word for placement, then use a paint marker to draw in the word.  Thicken the letters in random places, for creative effect.

4. Color in the mandala with a gel pen.  I used neon pink and orange moonlight pens from Sakura...

5. outline the word with white pen, and add decoration to the tag's hole reinforcer, and you are done!

I hope you enjoyed the step by step. Thanks so much for visiting!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday...

Hi friends!  Just dropping in with a quick WOYWW post.  I'm going to try to remember to do these more often, cuz I love seeing what's on other people's work desks!

Here's how it looks right now.  Links to products in the photo are included below...

My Inkwell Press Academic Planner doesn't actually start til July, but I was so excited to use it, that I repurposed next year's May pages by changing the dates to line up for this year.  HA!

Inkwell Press Flex Academic Planner
Moon stickers by Karen Faith
Reset Girl LGL Kit "Now and Then"
Faber Castell Pitt Pens
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens
Moonlight Gelly Roll Pens
Inkwell Press Weekly Kickstart pad

I hope you are doing well!  Thanks so much for visiting and I will see you again soon!

A Variety of Art Journal Pages...

Hey friends!  I've got a little 100 Day Project catch-up post for you today.  Pages 18 - 21...

Page 18/100:

"Things That Are Magic"

This was for two Get Messy Art Journaling prompts: 1. "Things that are magic..." and 2. Write your list on a photo.  The photo is actually a page from a thrifted book.


Page 19/100:

May 9 - 12, 2016 in my bullet journal...

This is actually a mockup of the Inkwell Press Flex Planner layout.  I bought one of their new academic planners, but it doesn't start til July.  I figure I can play around with the layout in my bullet journal between now and then, to figure out how I want to use the different sections.


Page 20/100:

"Currently Watching"

This is another Get Messy prompt.  :)


Page 21/100:

My May monthly view in my art journal...

 I usually make a two-page spread for my monthly calendars.  I thought it would be fun to try something different this month and make it smaller.  I learned that it takes the same amount of time to fill it in - ha!

Here's a detail shot...

The squares are a combination of doodles, stamps, stickers and patterned paper.

Thank you so much for the kind comments you've been leaving!  It means a lot to me to hear from you!  If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. I wish you a marvelous Monday!

Journal 52 in my Artful Attache- Celebrating Friends...

For page 17 of the 100 Day Project, I played with this week's  Journal 52 Prompt: "Celebrate the Friendships in Your Life - bonus points for garden imagery."

The timing was perfect for this prompt for two reasons:  1.  I just went to a craft fair with two of my BFFs, and 2. The next page in my journal was already painted with some garden imagery!  How great is that?

I put together the base for this page in Roben-Marie's AWESOME "Artful Attache" workshop. At the time, I had no idea what I would use it for, but that's half the fun!  Here's how it looked then...

 and here's how it turned out all finished...

Page 17 of 100:

Journal 52 - Celebrating Friendship

 I tucked the flyer for the craft fair into the pocket, along with the tag, which has the photo from the day stitched on to it.

 Here's the whole tag...

 I'm lucky to have such good friends in my life!

Thanks so much for visiting!  I'll be back soon with another update!

For more info on the Artful Attache workshop - click here. 

For more info on the Journal 52 challenges - click here.

Fun With Faces...

Hey there friends!  Just a quick share tonight of Page 16 for the 100 Day Project.

This page was inspired by Dawn Devries Sokol's Art Journaling class over at Creative Bug.  I had a lot of fun just practicing different faces.  Which one is your favorite?

Thanks so much for visiting!  See you again soon!

Things I should accomplish, and thoughts on Spring... (pages 14 and 15 of 100)

I got some happy mail this week that was so fun!  It's the "Now and Then" kit from The Reset Girl Shop.  If you're not familiar with the Reset Girl, you should really check her out!  She's got tons of cute stickers to use in your planner, in lots of different styles.  She also has kits that are created to use in her "Listers Gotta List" monthly challenges.  Anyhoo, here's a pic of the kit I bought...

Now and Then kit from the Reset Girl's Shop

I fell in love with the colors and all of the cute diecuts and stickers and I just had to have it; and when it arrived it was even cuter than I expected!  I just had to dive in and start playing!

So, today's journal spread started out with the first Lister's challenge; and ending up turning into a bunch of challenges all rolled into one!  Here's how it turned out...

Pages 14 and 15 of 100:

Lister's Gotta List, Documented Life and Get Messy Lists...

 The "1" sticker, green ticket, journaling card and teal and white label on the left side of the page, are all from the kit.  The prompt was "Things I should accomplish this month."

The clear cellophane bag on the right contains page 15 of 100.  It's a combination of a Documented Life prompt and a Get Messy prompt...

The two prompts were: 1. Use a color you don't normally use (mint); and "This season makes me..."  Here's a closeup...

The word spring is cut from some scrapbook paper, and the descriptive words are drawn in with Sharpie Poster paint markers.  The background is done with Neocolor II crayons, tombow markers and Dylusions spray ink.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I wish you an awesome Monday!

Create Your Reality - Page 13 of 100...

Hi friends!  Just stopping by to share my 13th page for the 100 Day Project!  I am a full week behind now - ack!  Life has just been so hectic ever since the project started!  Now things are calming down and I hope to get back into my creative rhythm, and do some catching up big time.

Page 13 is an introduction page for May in my art journal...

Create Your Reality

It's a fairly simple collaged page, but you would not believe how long it took me to complete.  When I get out of my groove it is like every little step in the process is like pulling teeth.  It makes me tired when I get like that.  I just want to nap all the time.  Ha.   I finally was able to finish it when I saw the picture of the field of flowers.  Somehow, it spoke to me.  It looks like a magical place to me; and I thought - Michelle, you can create that magical place for yourself.  You don't have to remain stuck. And there - I had a purpose to my page.

Do you ever get these types of feelings when you are creating?  If so, how do you pull yourself out of it?  I would love to hear about it in the comments!

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I wish you a wonderful day!

Pages 11 and 12 of 100...

Hi friends!  Just a quick post to share pages 11 and 12 for the 100 Day Project.


Page 11/100: May 2 - 4, 2016 in my Bullet Journal/Notebook...

Page 12/100: April's monthly view in my Art Journal...

I hope your week is going well!  I will be back with another update soon!  Thanks so much for visiting!

Catching up: Artfully Inspired and Documented Life - Pages 8, 9 & 10 of 100...

Hey friends! I'm working on catching up with the 100 Day Project, and I'm excited to share pages 8, 9 and 10 with you today! (remember you can always click on images to make them larger)

Page 8...

April Alphabet from Artfully Inspired Life Workshop

 (done with Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils and Pitt Pens)

Page 9...

April 22 - 24, 2016 of the Documented Life Project

and Page 10...

April 22 - 30 of the Documented Life Project

I'm trying to keep my posts short, so I can focus on getting caught up on my creating, but if you have any questions about my process or products used, just let me know in the contents and I will address it in my next post, okay?

I wish you a wonderfully inspired day!