T Tuesday -- Art Journal Pages

I received a Mini Smash Book

for Christmas! The pages measure

5" x 7" and have fun background

designs on each page, as in the 

regular Smash Books. It can be used

for scrapbooking, but I choose to 

use it as an art journal. Above

represents the date I received it-

12/27/13.  Collage includes scrapbook

paper, my watercolor illustrations,

fabric, and pen & ink doodles.

I doodled on the inside cover too...

I often repeat motifs that appear 

elsewhere on the pages.

Above, a delightful letter style

spotted on Pinterest, pinned from

Flickr.  The letters are as wide as

they are tall, with curlicue accents.

Not difficult to draw, and a way to

change up art journal pages.

Sometimes the days after Christmas and New Year

leave me feeling sad.  The festivities are over,

the company has gone home, and it's time to take

down the decorations.  The cold weather and

lack of sunshine further deplete my energy.

So, a page full of color and positive thoughts

is something that helps me feel better.  Above,

scrapbook paper, images from a collage sheet,

and images on the Smash Book backgground

with some doodles added.

Revisiting a collage from the Scrappy Green Journal

for my beverage reference today.  

Elizabeth at Altered Book Lover 

gifted me with a gorgeous

scrappy journal, (several years ago)

and I got to fill the pages with art.

She included the Ice Cafe packaging

 on the page background. I am not sure

if she knew at that point how fond I am

of coffee and chocolate together, but it

was a fun embellishment for the page,

and very appropriate for me!

♥ ♥ ♥

 Linking up with Elizabeth

for T Tuesday today.  Please visit her!

Mail Art

Chinese New Year

is celebrated in late January or early February,

based on a lunar calendar. I confess, I don't

comprehend the calculations, and I found

conflicting information on the internet as to

what date this year's celebration begins.

According to Wikipedia, it is January 31 this year.

2014 is the Year of the Horse.

Above, a post card created for mail art.

Gesso over scrap cardboard- 4" x 6".

  I drew on the dry gesso, then 

inked with Sharpie marker. Watercolor was

applied, then highlighter in pink and orange

(in the flower petals) along with colored pencil

and gold marker.  Red and gold are the colors

considered to be good luck...

Scrapbook on T Tuesday

Now that the gifts have been opened, I am able

to share a few pages of the Fall scapbook that I made

from our October 2013 trip to Tennessee.

Dunbar Cave Natural Area was really lovely when we

were there.  The cave is not actually
open to visitors right now, as there seems
 to be a problem with bat droppings.

But the lake and trees were lovely...

I enjoyed the hike through the trees...

Turtles sunning themselves on logs...click on the photo for 

a better look.  It's easy to miss the turtles. They look like

a part of the log from a distance!

Unlike much of my collage work, I tend to keep my

scrapbooks simple so that the photos are the main attraction.

Posting a bit early

for T Tuesday...

Wishing everyone a 

Happy and Prosperous New Year!

♥ ♥ ♥

Envelope Book

Envelope Book made from small manila envelopes.

  

Cut open the bottom of the envelopes. 

Also remove envelope flaps if desired. (I did)
Stack several envelopes together. Fold the
stack of envelopes in half and sew a pamphlet stitch

binding down the center. (on the fold)  Now you

have a pocket in each page.

Add tags or smaller pages inside the pockets.

I punched out circles and adhered them to some of 

the tags inside the pockets.  I punched half circles at

the edge of each pocket, making it easier to pull out

whatever is inside.

Collages created for Elizabeth...

knowing her fondness for rust.

Sharpie marker, watercolor, assorted papers,

fabric and stitching were used for page 

embellishments and images.

Hope you had a holiday full of

family, friends, and lots of fun!

Wishing you a wonderful and

prosperous New Year!

Tradition of the Madonna- for T Tuesday

Celebrating the tradition of the Madonna

for December 2013...from 2005,

the collaged cover of my first altered book, above.

Materials: vintage Madonna card, fabric, 

sewn on beads, watercolor and pen, 

vintage crochet, acrylic, and scrapbook paper.

I entitled the altered book

'Woman Perceived.'  Above, one

page in the altered book, created using

acrylics, cut paper ephemera, and fabric.

Above and below,

Collage and drawings from 2013.

"All the darkness in the world
cannot extinguish the light of
a single candle."
-St. Francis of Assisi

Sometimes color isn't necessary...

2000 drawing 'after Raphael's Madonna.'

Above, an art journal page from 2005,

Inspired by The Book of Kells, an illuminated 

manuscript that is extravagant and complex for its time,

full of symbolism and a wealth of ornamentation.

It was created by monks, so perhaps that is why 

Mary looks a bit like a man...no women in the monastery!

Joining Elizabeth for T on Tuesday

at Altered Book Lover. 

Enjoy some coffee or tea and visit a few

blogs while you enjoy your holidays~

may they be merry and bright!

Medieval 'Girls Night Out'

Art journal pages that are not

holiday themed have been happening

'behind the scenes'...

Above,  top portion of the page

 is an illustration from a book about

Medieval times...it just looks to me like

"girls night out."  I don't remember what it

really portrays...but they have interesting
'attitude!'

Artist quotes make me happy...

Linking up, very belatedly,

with Art Journal Every Day over

at Balzer Designs.

♥ ♥ ♥

TIDINGS ~ On T Tuesday

Tidings of great joy~

 Sharing Madonnas and angels

on Art Journal Pages.  Above, pen and watercolor, 

scrapbook and assorted papers,

fabric and painted fabric collage.

© 2013 - Dianne Bishop Carey

This Mary was inspired by a Russian icon.

Angels brought the good tidings of the

birth of the Christ child...
Above, watercolor and collage,
below, Sharpie ink pen drawing
of an angel sculpture.

The depiction of Mary and angels has been

a tradition through the centuries, bringing

the Tidings to the people. In earliest times,

most common people could not read, but they

could interpret the beauty of an artist's rendering.

The red Panda Mug, below

painted in my art journal with

watercolors.  It was a gift from

an Aunt and Uncle, who for several years

always gave us Christmas gifts that were

RED!

There is only one mug left, but I love the

little panda.  The cheerful red seems to

make my morning mocha coffee taste better...
Posting a couple of days early
for T Tuesday over at Altered Book Lover.

Tradition of the Madonna- on T Tuesday

My Black Madonna, watercolor- 2009,
above.

Black Madonna of Częstochowa

from Wikipedia, my model.

Virgin of Guadalupe,
Art journal page, watercolor & acrylic.

Mother of God in the Garden of Paradise, 
Sharpie marker in my art journal.

Art journal page from 9/4/13-Collage & watercolor...
"Painting is just another way of
keeping a diary."  -  Picasso

If only the calm serenity of the Madonna's

aspect could be transferred to us

during the hectic holiday season!

♥

Enjoy your tea, or coffee today...

Linking to Elizabeth's T Tuesday party.

Whatever your December activities,

I hope you will shine bright and steady

and enjoy your days!

  ♦ ♦ ♦

Tradition of the Madonna -- on T Tuesday

Madonna:

1.  A form of respectful address

2.  An Italian lady

3.  The Virgin Mary

(Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1977)

I find various styles of the portrayal of the Madonna to be an 

endlessly fascinating resource for my art journals, from Medieval

and folk art, to high Renaissance paintings.  It is a variation of

 using master art works for visual journal inspiration.

For December 2013, I will be revisiting some of my drawings

of the Madonna, and some angels too...

The word Madonna is from the old Italian

'ma donna', meaning my lady, according to 

Wikipedia. 

Art that has gone before is an endless

source of inspiration and learning...

Linking up with Bluebeard and Elizabeth

at Altered Book Lover for 

T Tuesday...

Using my red panda mug --
trying to talk about T Things on Tuesday,

and drinking coffee instead of tea!

Stop by again next week to see more

Traditions of the Madonna..

(NOT the pop singer!)