52 Weeks of Art Journals - Recycled Clutch Art Journal

 

Come and join me for the latest art journal in the series 52 Weeks of Art Journals. The Art Journal on show today is what I am calling a Clutch Bag Art Journal

Check out the YouTube Video and you will be able to get a good look at how it is made.

This is the third art journal that I have made using Tetra Pak -

(a recycled milk carton it has 3 layers (foil, cardboard and plastic). You can check out the other two below

Chunky Journal - https://youtu.be/4PTFBdZaKdo

Jigsaw Journal - https://youtu.be/5f7uHJmm74I

I loved creating this art journal, as it started out as an experiment and then it all just fell into place and the clutch bag was formed. Using the tetra pak milk carton as the base and it is a great way to recycle, especially for us here in Barbados as there are no processing operations that exist for this sort of packaging so it all goes to landfill.

After being cleaned I covered it with painted fabric, I have added quite a few elements such as the lace/ribbon detail, inspiring words, beads, the bead droplets and additional texture around the art journal.

The texture was created by applying gesso through sequin waste and allowing it to dry before applying metallic paint.

Beading also added a nice touch and I also used it to cover some of the spine of this journal. The pages of the journal uses recycled collaged and painted card and measures approximately 3 x 5 inches, so great for making quick pages or when you only have a limited time to create.

I am sure there are many other things that can done to make use of the packaging, I have seen it used in building materials, making bricks, and put though recycling plants. You need special machinery to separate the layers for recycling, so why not come up with a creative project that you can enjoy.

Some of the supplies used - some of which you may have already:

Fabric - recycled school uniform - or fabric you may have

Gesso - https://amzn.to/3yGjtdL

Jacquard metallic paint - https://amzn.to/3yH7XyR

Sequin waste - https://amzn.to/3qZ6l0F

Beads - https://amzn.to/3AMmcEs

Thread for stitching - https://amzn.to/3k1yfYH

White pen - https://amzn.to/3e40Mc9

I look forward in seeing what you come up with

Creating a Fabric Art Journal Page

When I am sewing I save all of the fabric scraps. No smaller than say an inch in size. There are so many things that you can do especially if you have amassed a large amount. Usually what I will do is stitch them into some small wall hangings or art pieces and they can often go to make quite larger pieces of art.

When I don't want to sew I will take them and add to an art journal - you create a fabric journal page that you can paint on in your art journal. I am sharing in this video one of the pages I sometimes create when I want to use up some of my scraps. - check out the video above.

 Art journal page

They are a mixture of jeans material and lighter Africa fabric material. They have been glued to the page using pva glue and then covered with gesso so that it will absorb the paint better.

Adding paint of choice becomes easier once you have added the gesso and you also create lovely texture as you can see from the different fabrics.

Sometimes you need to step away from the piece and as I am applying paint I can see a figure coming through but need to give it time to establish itself. Check out the video to see more. I will be doing some more work

 

I hope you enjoy playing around with a fabric art journal page and see where it takes you.

Recycling a Phone Case - Art Journal

 What do you do when you have a phone case that is too big for your phone?  Make an Art Journal!!

Phone Case waiting for the magic!

Check out the video to see what I did to transform it

Here are the finished details with a lot of pattern and mark making at the front and back

The interior has been created with water color paper cut to size and then glue bound.

It is always great to have a new art journal on the go and this one fits quite tidily in my bag.  I shall be sharing some of the pages in the coming weeks and showing a few processes using both collage material and acrylic paints, so would love you to join me.

Let me know if you have recycled and repurposed an unusual journal.  

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Gratitudes and Celebration Art Journal - Flip Trough

 

Gratitude's and Celebration Art Journal flip through. In todays video I share a flip through of my art journal which spans the course of about a year and a half.  I love creating hand made Art Journals and faces and it makes.

Check out some of the other art journals in the play list HERE

Art Journal Faces - Each one tells a Story

In this video on my YouTube channel I share some of the faces and scenes in my art journal.  When I work in my art journal the intention is not to initially draw a face, but to work on creative play on a background without judgement at how it should look, just reaching for supplies and allowing them to find the pages.

Once the page has got to a certain point I start to think about what I can see emerging from the background, often you can see shapes of images - you may have to turn it upside or on its side to see the shapes/figures that have formed without you specifically thinking about it. 

Each image has a story to be told and you have been given to task in telling it, the first step is finding them on the page and releasing them into the world - I will let their voices be heard.

Dancing to the Beat of Your Own Drum

She decided to dance to the beat of her own drum, not worry what others had to say or tried to say.  She no longer sought the approval of others and understood that she had been on a journey collecting the tools she needed to stand on her own two feet. 

 

A big learning curve had taken place and she was free to be who she wanted to be and live her life.  She could express herself in the way that tapped into her creative dreams, visions and goals - it truly blessed the world and herself

I hope you enjoy looking at some of the images on the video and look forward to seeing how you start to approach your Art Journal.

Distraction Art Journal

Distraction Journal

In this video that I shared I show you in 'real time' working through two art journals and creating two faces. It is a great idea to have a space where you can spend a short time in being creative.

You don't have to worry about things being finished in this journal, it just gets you being creative rather than doing other things which saps your time and makes you loose focus for the real work you want to do.

In this video that I shared I show you in 'real time' working through two art journals and creating two faces. It is a great idea to have a space where you can spend a short time in being creative.

The emphasis in my distractions journal is to give myself time to play creatively so that I can get on with other work. I usually start by adding color and marks to the page and then my 'go to' is to create faces. I don't restrict myself by having to finish it all at once, but I am able to dip in and out of the journals.

I love using the water soluble pastels/pencils or crayons as they dry quickly and come in a wide range of colors.

There are times where we put things off when you need to try and break through and complete your tasks. Very often we also have to look at the position that we are in (literally) and shake ourselves up. My distractions journal is a place where I can unwind and recharge my batteries

Supplies used

Neocolors, Derwent Inktense and Graphite Soluble. You can check out the supplies on Amazon HERE

I would love to hear how you use your art journals to help you stay focused, leave a comment below. Stay blessed and be a blessing

Arts and Wellness - Fabric Journals

Arts and Wellness - Working with Fabrics and Journals

Welcome to Arts and Wellness Episode 233 which you can also listen on the Podcast.  Check out the video where you will see how I use the fabric scraps in the art journal, making use of the texture and colour that comes from the material.

Taking time to create enables you to focus on you and work on areas of your life that need some thought.  It is a great stress reliever as well.  There are many ways in which you can take part in the arts from participating, watching someone create or looking at the finished art in a gallery setting.

Check out the video HERE where you get a glimpse in the studio and we work on an art journal with fabric scraps

Working with scraps in Art Journal as a background

On Wednesdays we focus on the Arts and how it can impact our health and well-being. I will be talking with artists, looking at activities that you can do to be more creative across the board and for those who are carers tips and strategies that you can use. I will also be sharing reviews, resources and other insights. I will be looking at the nuggets that the artists share and see how we can apply it in some way to our own lives, what ever your interests.

Lots of yummy colour on the baby wipes

Watch the video below and subscribe to the art channel

Listen to the podcast HERE

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Stay Blessed and be a blessing

Inspirational Shorts - Gwendolyn Brooks - Sermon on the Warpland

Gwendolyn Brooks

Welcome to the final week of poetry by Gwendolyn Brooks as part of Inspirational shorts Episode 223 on the podcast. 

The word today is Helpful - Think of a time where you helped someone or was yourself helped and how did it make you feel

Listen to the Podcast

The Sermon on the Warpland

And several strengths from drowsiness campaigned

but spoke in Single Sermon on the warpland.

And went about the warpland saying No.

“My people, black and black, revile the River.

Say that the River turns, and turn the River.

Say that our Something in doublepod contains

seeds for the coming hell and health together.

Prepare to meet

(sisters, brothers) the brash and terrible weather;

the pains;

the bruising; the collapse of bestials, idols.

But then oh then!—the stuffing of the hulls!

the seasoning of the perilously sweet!

the health! The heralding of the clear obscure!

Build now your Church, my brothers, sisters. Build

never with brick or Corten nor with granite.

Build with lithe love. With love like lion-eyes.

with love like morningrise.

with love like black, our black—

luminously indiscreet;

complete; continuous.”

 ***********************************************

The Second Sermon on the Warpland

This is the urgency: Live! and have your blooming in the noise of the whirlwind.

Salve salvage in the spin.

Endorse the splendor splashes;

stylize the flawed utility;

prop a malign or failing light–

but know the whirlwind is our commonwealth.

Not the easy man, who rides above them all,

not the jumbo brigand, not the pet bird of poets, that sweetest sonnet, shall straddle the whirlwind.

Nevertheless, live.

All about are the cold places, 

all about are the pushmen and jeopardy, theft–

all about are the stormers and scramblers, but

what must our Season be, which starts from Fear?

Live and go out.

Define and

medicate the whirlwind.

The time

cracks into furious flower. Lifts its face

all unashamed. And sways in wicked grace.

Whose half-black hands assemble oranges

is tom-tom hearted

(goes in bearing oranges and boom).

And there are bells for orphans–

and red and shriek and sheen.

A garbageman is dignified

as any diplomat.

Big Bessie’s feet hurt like nobody’s business,

but she stands–bigly–under the unruly scrutiny, stands in the wild weed.  In the wild weed

she is a citizen,  and is a moment of highest quality; admirable.

It is lonesome, yes. For we are the last of the loud.

Nevertheless, live.

Conduct your blooming in the noise and whip of the whirlwind.

Find her books on Amazon

You can check out more about Gwendolyn Brooks, her life and other poetry on the Poetry Foundation Website - HERE

Join me each week on the podcast - HERE

Thank you for joining me, stay blessed and be a blessing!

Arts and Wellness Wednesday - Slow Stitching and Art Journalling

Welcome, in today's video I share we look at the importance of taking time for your self to make sure that you nurture and spend as much creative time as you can.

We can very often forget to even think about what we want, how we are or where we are going.  In times especially like these where we can be surrounded by stressful situation taking time just to ask yourself the question 'How am I' and then thinking of a creative activity that you can take part in can go a long way.

I also share about some creative stitching projects that I have been doing - these are my stitched meditations that I dip into every now and then and have created quite a few art panels.

 

Stitched Meditations - Amanda Trought

Mixed Media Art - Amanda Trought

Loom and Stitching

Shades of Green

I will be giving you a closer look of each of them over the coming weeks.

I was inspired by an artist  Arthur Ange on Facebook who creates fabric masks you can see some of his other work HERE  You can also take a look at artist Bisa Butler and her amazing fabric portraits.

I was so inspired to create a fabric portrait that I put together this piece, I want to do more so need to move some tasks I have to do around a bit.  You can also create stitched projects to go in your journal, which adds interesting details and textures.

Stitched Faces - Stories await

I am looking forward to creating some on a larger scale.  It is more like a wall hanging than a mask at the moment.

I hope you enjoy the video, let me know what you are working on at the moment and connect with me.  You can also listen to this post on my Podcast HERE

Stay Blessed and be a Blessing - Amanda!

Art Journal Process - Working in multiple Art Journals

Art Journal Play

Check out some of the other videos below - sharing your creative voice and art journals

Creative Encourager - If you want to talk about creativity and the direction you are going and need a listening ear, sign up for a FREE 30 minute call http://bit.ly/Encoura

Need Art Supplies - check out some of my Amazon Recommended HERE

Focused Attention - Podcast Episode

Welcome to today' Creating in Faith podcast episode  210.  In today's episode I talk about being Focused.  What does it mean to you, how are you focusing on things that you would like to do, need to do in the midst of everything that is going on.

Are you creative, do you have a regular routine, are there things that you are working on at the moment.  I would love to hear from you, how you blend a creative activity into your day to day living.

Art Journal - Spirited

Also today you will find an art journal that I made, working spontaneously creating a mini journal to put additional thoughts within.

Art Journals can be made from a variety of supplies, in the video I make a small one from a variety of card and patterned papers.  Check what type of supplies that you may have around and utilize these 

You can also use a variety of hand painted papers as well that you may have in your stash

Let me how you get on with the art journal, join me on the YouTube Art Channel and subscribed to hear about more videos.  Stay blessed and be a blessing.  

Join me on Patreon

Check it out HERE

Creating in Faith - Compassionate

The word for today is Compassionate, think about what the word means to you in relation to you.  How would you express an example of it to someone else, and what does it look like when you show it to yourself, how does it make you feel?

Listen to the podcast episode below and check out the Art Journal page and examples of how you can work on your page.

Here is the video of my page creation, have a look

I hope it has given you ways in which you can work on your art journal page, but more importantly treat yourself with compassion.

Here are some of the other links that you can connect with on social media.

Creating In Faith Encouraging Recordings are to bless and inspire you to be the best of yourself. It can be really great to pull out your art journal/Journal and express what comes up for you either with images and colour, with words or with both. Check out the weekly and monthly videos to help you spend more time in your art journal.

If you would like to see some behind the scenes, images and additional tips HERE

You will find the  art journal videos available to consume at your leisure - the Making of the art journal for the month and an art journal page process - Check these out HERE

_____________________

There are so many FREE ways in which you can support the podcast and the work that I do on some of the other channels and it is always a blessing when you connect -

• listening each week and leave a comment,
• Subscribe to any or all of my channels, visit the
• YouTube channel (remember to hit the notification bell)
• Let me know how the content impacted you and if you were inspired to make changes/additions to your work or life.

Patreon Blog - http://www.patreon.com/realityarts

Instagram www.instagram.com/realityarts/

Facebook www.facebook.com/realityartss/

Check out some encouraging boards on Pinterest 

Artwork available from the title image HERE

I also have an Arts and Health NHS Network for information on activities and organisations working in the field. You are welcome to join, it is a FREE resource and if you have any activities or want to talk about your work you are welcome to send me the information and I will see that it gets uploaded. You can create your own profile on the network and connect with others who are passionate about the arts in health too.

Creative Encourager - If you want to talk about creativity and the direction you are going and need a listening ear, sign up for a FREE 30 minute call http://bit.ly/Encoura

Stay blessed and be a blessing.