I was completely inspired by Dyan Reavely at the recent winter buying show. She uses her bright sprays and great stamps and stencils to do her art journals and altered books. I am going to get us started (or I should say, re-started, as we have done this before , but not for a while.) on this great activity. I have put together a small gate-fold album with different types of paper. We will have a class where we will make the album, and do some experimenting on a few of the pages.
It is a two-ring binder book, so each page can come out for playtime, and then go back into the book. In subsequent classes, we will work on more of the pages. All of the work we learn to do for the art journals can also be used in the whole world of altered books.

Art journals can be anything you want them to be. Some people feel that it isn't their style as they don't really want to be writing a whole bunch of stuff--no worries. You can have an art journal filled completely with techniques...add notes or don't...it's up to you. It can become a resource for you to keep at home, or to take on your travels. This first journal we are making is a small size, with an opening in the middle of the front. Here is a photo of the journal I am starting with.

We will be adding all sorts of "stuff" to the cover, as well as starting on a few pages in the first class. The journal measures 5"high, and about 6-7 inches wide.
In the course of time, as we fill our books, we will try out all sorts of mediums: gesso, inks, stains, paints, gels and molding pastes, panpastels, alcohol inks, watercolor crayons, pencils, Peerless watercolor papers, sprays, mists, Perfect Pearls, pearl pens, Twinkling H2Os, embossing powders--this list is endless...

And we will use all sorts of surfaces: watercolor paper, cardstock, manila papers, handmade papers, adhesive foils, sticky-backed canvas, stampbord, metals, clear acrylic...and on. I will teach specific techniques related to all these supplies, but you are free to go off on any tangent you want to.As you might tell by now, the sky's the limit.

This is the beginning of a very artful journey, and you are all invited. Your journal is your own, for your own purpose. I will be here for guidance and encouragement, but as the artist, you are the final judge of what goes into the journal.When the journal pieces arrive, I will announce the dates for the classes. I will offer the classes twice each, once on a Saturday, and once on a Sunday--probably not on the same weekend, though.

I have no idea how many classes there will be. Let's just see where this takes us. I am anticipating that we will go for at least a year, experimenting every 3-4 weeks with a new class. I am going to post this article here on the blo so that anyone can leave a comment here, telling me if you are interested, or with suggestions. I would be delighted to receive your thoughts. This endeavor will accomodate all levels. You can be a pure beginner, or an experienced art journaller. We will all get tons of ideas from this experience!

Tim Holtz Teaching at the Store

This is the official announcement for the "Save the Date" info. Tim will be teaching here at AbsolutelyEveything over the weekend of May 19-20, 2012. Make those air and hotel plans if necessary, or get the babysitters lined up. This is the weekend after Mother's Day, so this is a perfect gift idea for the family to give you. The final plans for the classes will not be determined until the begining of April, and we will announce and open registration at that time. As many of you know, we have a large classroom, and we did not fill up on the first day of registration at the last visit. So, do not panic, just pay attention to the registration date, and you should all be fine.

We are very excited to be hosting Tim, and his sidekick, Mario. I am sure we will get to learn all about the new Distres markers, water brushes, and assorted other new ideas that Tim will come up with. The classes are always super, and I highly recommend saving room in your schedule for this event. Mr. Froggy is exercising his vocal chords.

CHA Quick Update

A few notes from the show...
I spent a day at Sizzix before the show getting a private lesson in using the Eclips, including Tim Holtz' new cartridges, so we are rarin' to go with this great machine...our price is $229.99. If you purchase the machine from us, cartridges will always be 15% off.

We had mentioned that Dyan Reaveley was coming to the store..as it turns out, she could only do a mid-week visit, and I thought that many of you would rather have a weekend...so we are having her here in July, looks like it will be the 14th and 15th...so save those dates..she is a great teacher, with super techniques.

We just received our shipment from Memory Box with the newest release of dies and stamps...pics will be in the newsletter, but we are getting it into the computer now and it will be out by this afternoon...I am already drooling...don't worry, I am wearing a bib.

More later as I remember it...