New ABC of my Favorite Things Journal - WOYWW #291

Hello Desk Hoppers :)

For those of you who don't desk hop you should! It is fun and addicting. Check out Stamping Ground who hosts it every Wednesday here :)

What is on my desk today? Well, I decided another way to help myself further my goal of  'art everyday'...would be to give myself the gift of another art journal to work in. (50% off coupon at Michael's) Some days..I just can't figure out what to make on a page. I know..to get better at drawing I need to draw and to get better at painting I need to paint. But WHAT to draw and paint. So, I am starting a ABC of my favorite things journal. The idea....each page will be inspired be a letter, starting with A and ending with Z..and then repeating. I really love nature and so I am using one flower and one animal that starts with the corresponding letter. Then, because I NEED to be more positive...I am throwing in a positive word as well. So, here is my first page. 'A' of course :)


To start out the page...I needed inspiration. I searched the Internet for positive words and a list of flowers and animals in alphabetical order. Then I printed out a 'inspiration page' of what I picked. Here is also a photo of the journal I got at myself at Michael's with my coupon :)


I wanted to try out making a background with my new Faber Castell Gelatos I received as a gift for Christmas. (Thanks Mom!) Because my inspiration page was full of yellows, oranges and rusts, I chose those colors and scribbled them on my page. I blended the colors up with a wet brush. Then I used the butterscotch and chocolate sticks directly on stamps that had been misted with water and stamped those on the page.


Next, I added some words I had printed off the computer about my chosen page topics. I stuck those down with matte liquid medium. I blended them in with the same colors of Gelatos.Then, I drew the squirrel on a separate page. I knew there would be A LOT of erasing. I cut him out and stuck him on the page as well and drew him a log to stand on. I also drew in pencil some daisies directly on the page (not in the photo)


I colored in all my images using tube acrylics using either a brush or just my wet fingers. Once it was dry I added some shading with a black watercolor pencil blended with a brush around the flowers. I also went in with my white gel pen and added some highlights as well. 


I hope you enjoyed my project my first ever ABC journal page project :)


<3 Shel



Comments

  1. What a lovely squirrel, I love the background as well!

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    1. Thank you Ruth. I took to just smooshing my fingers in paint to color it...you should have seen my hands after lol.

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  2. Great idea with the ABC journal, Shel! This will keep you occupied for a while! Your drawing skills are amazing indeed! Love the breakdown of your technique! Looking forward to seeing your LifeBook projects soon!

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    1. Thanks for visiting on WOYWW day Zsuzsa :) Yes, I think the ABC journal.. plus the lifebook journal..plus the regular journal and the gell jumpstart journal..MIGHT cover my whole year LOL

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  3. What a great idea the ABC Journal is and I love your first page. I had to smile when you drew the squirrel separately though becuse of the erasing....that's just the thing I'd have to think about too, lol!! The overall effect is really uplifting, well done you.
    Wishing you a very Happy New Year - hope it's a good one!
    Hugs, LLJ 14 xx

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    1. Thanks so much Jan :) Yes, I know drawing for me..takes more erasing then the drawing lol

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  4. WOW! Your page is stunning. You are one talented lady. Have a Happy New Year. #37

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  5. Very nice journal page!
    I wish you and your family a very happy and successful New Year!
    Hugs
    Gabriele 25

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  6. Gorgeous page! Love your theme, too! Thanks for stopping by and I did finish my snowman... will post next Wed. Hope you have a blessed and healthy 2015!
    Carol N #34

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  7. A super page. Happy New Year. Anne x #28

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  8. Your idea is brilliant! I love how your amazing page turned out. You are truly inspiring. Have a wonderful new year and thanks for your sweet visit. Sandy Leigh #27

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    1. Hi Shel and may today be the start of a wonderful year. wow what a brilliant page, love that your talked us through the process and you may have inspired me to do an ABC one as journals are out of my comfort zone. Cheers and have fun RobynO#35

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    2. Thank you Sandy :) And Robyn I hope you do start a journal..it is a great way to play and experiment without worrying about 'making art' :)

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  9. Beautiful creativity!!! All from a letter of the alphabet too! Happy New Year to you and yours! BTW the Brussels Sprouts are chocolate ones covered in a very real Brussels Sprouts metallic paper and sold in nets like real Brussels Sprouts, shame I didn't take a photo beforehand. I'll ask if any of the nurses have any left to take a photo of. Happy New Year to you and yours! Love Karen xx

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    1. Thanks Karen for explaining that mystery..lol I love chocolate! Not so much those nasty green brussel sprouts.

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  10. Love the journal page. Hope you have a great new year and thanks for the visit. I had better do something good with the Tyvek, so many people seem interested.
    Big new year hugs, Angela x 23

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  11. Your page looks great! And you used some of your new stuff. Yay. The flowers are very cheerful. And what a cute squirrel. :-) Happy New Year April #48

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    1. Thank you April :) It is so fun and inspiring to get some new stuff to play with lol

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  12. Great idea to do an A to Z journal at least you have a plan. I just paint what is lying around! Have a wonderful new year.
    sandra de @31

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    1. Thanks Sandra De :) I wanted to plan just to make sure I actually DO IT this year lol

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  13. Interesting...I did not know we had a red bush squirrel...The ones in my garden are grey and they are not indigenous to the Cape... They came on the ships a hundred years ago...Love the colours you have used. Happy New year to you and thanks for your visit already. #19

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    1. Thanks for visiting Belinda :) I just believed the internet on the squirrel. Perhaps he is like one of those mystery animals no one sees, but believes they are there. Like Bigfoot or the Chupacabra!

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  14. Your journal page came together really nicely. Love the drawings!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the nice comments.

    Happy New Year and Happy Woyww!

    Sandy #21

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  15. What a great idea! I might just copy that idea. My New year's resolution is to start an art journal. I've never done it but I've bought some materials and a water color book. I've looked at some tutorials, but the next step really is to get started and just experiment. This ABC gives me some inspiration. Thank you.
    Happy New Year to you and yours,
    Lisca#45

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    1. Give it a try Lisca! It is great fun and a good way to strech your creative wings :)

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  16. Art everyday, wow that is a commitment and a great idea.
    Thanks for visiting my desk already
    Kyla #5

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    1. Thank you Kyla :) Yes...it is going to be alot but art makes me happy.

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  17. Come over from CJS ... Love what you have done with your art journal page!!

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  18. wonderful work there Shel this is so-oo cute .. thanks for popping over and every blessing of the LORD for you in 2015..
    Shaz in Oz.x #15

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  19. Great page! Thanks for visiting my blog earlier in the week : ) #41

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  20. Wish I had your determination - what a wonderful idea and I do hope you manage to keep it up. I love the pages you have done up to now - the lovely sunny yellows make me feel very happy.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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