Digital Art Journaling - 3 new pages

I am truly embracing this "new for me" art form.  Art Journaling is a great way to express oneself.  The process is therapeutic and relaxing ~ and is often a pleasant diversion from my busy days.

Prompt:  Strength



Prompt: Laughter



Prompt: I am

These layouts feature supplies provided in the Digital Art Journaling class at jessicasprague.com as well as Art Journaling Kits from Nancie Rowe Janitz.  

As we roll into the weekend - enjoy time with family and friends...by the Shore.

Digital Art Journaling

Life has been pretty busy the last few months and I have not had the opportunity to do any Digital Art Journaling.   I have saved the weekly prompts that are shared in the general forum at JessicaSprague with the high hopes that one day things would slow down  - just a bit.  This morning I worked on two layouts and really enjoyed the process. I forgot just how much I love this form of art and personal expression. 

Prompt: Abandon!

Prompt: Beauty!

On these prompts I used the class supplies from the Digital Art Journaling class I took at jessicasprague as well as some new kits by Nancie Rowe Janitz - Journal Your Art Out!

I still have 4 more art journaling prompts from the past month  and will likely work on these over the next week.  

Hope you have a wonderful week.  June is here and summer is just around the corner.  I am looking forward to a relaxing (?) break from normal routines...by the Shore.

Layouts and More

I hope you were able to stop by in March and download the freebies I had for you. Keep your eyes open for more free digital goodness in the near future- both here and on facebook.

I have been having fun the past few days - working on challenges and layouts. Too much digital happiness!

Here is a layout I completed for this week's Art Journaling Prompt at jessicasprague.com The prompt was "tomorrow". I find myself using music as the focal point in these layouts. I truly enjoy the process of Art Journaling - painting, stamping, chalking, inking - digitally of course.

This layout was part of a speedscrap on Thursday night at jessicasprague.com. A new 'requirement' was posted every 10 minutes. At the end of the hour you were done - you had a little bit of time to put those finishing touches on an load your layout to the gallery. I love speed scraps as you never know what will come next. Here were the requirements for this scrap....1) choose one photo that covers entire background - grab a few extra photos 2) get messy - digitally 3) add something with stripes 4) add stars! 5) use an element 3 times 6) use an office supply item 7)use the word YES in the journaling or title....



This was one of the weekly challenges at jessicasprague.com. The basic idea was to use a series of photos with the focus on the inanimate objects and not the person (though I could not resist including this one bigger pic of my daughter)

This layout was from Photoshop Friday 3-30-12 - again at jessicasprague.com. The template was provided as part of the 'lesson'. I chose the papers for Creativy by Crystal -RainbowSherbet. I love the bright playful colors.
And finally - this is my second project of a class I recently took at reneepearson.com ~ It's Elemental - taught by Tiffany Tillman. The focus of the class was on the use of elements - specifically on clustering (yes, I am cluster challenged) I love the way this one turned out. The paper and elements are from a kit by Creashens.

I am putting the finishing touches on week 13 of Project 366! I'll share that with you tomorrow.

A beautiful day here in Colorado....weather was spectacular....hope you had a great day in your corner of the world. Till tomorrow...by the Shore.

Art Journaling - Surrender

The March 2012 Blog Train can be found HERE

Another Art Journaling Prompt at jessicasprague.com - another layout in my "to be printed" folder. The prompt this past Friday was "surrender". This is another one where an idea immediately came to mind - yet I wanted to think and reflect on it. AND....I ended back where I started.

This is one of my favorite worship songs at our Praise Service at church. (I guess this layout serves a double purpose as it meets the lyrics challenge too)

Challenges at jessicasprague.com are issued on Fridays in the general forum. Come on over and give them a try. Sometimes a little idea or prompt can get those creative juices flowing - not to mention is just plain old fun!

Have a wonderful day....by the Shore. (I know I will, Spring Break started today and my girls are home for a week.)

Art Journaling

The March 2012 Blog Train can be found HERE

Here is another Art Journaling page I created using a weekly prompt from jessicasprague.com.
Bright! So many ways I could have gone with the prompt - but this was the first thing I thought of. I mulled it over for a few days....and kept coming back to this childhood phrase.....

The prompt shared on Friday, March 16th was "surrender". Still reflecting about this one.....hope to have it done in the next few days. Any suggestions?

Oh....and it is offically Spring! I am happy dancing...by the Shore.

Art Journaling & Printing

At jessicasprague.com, LivE provided us with another weekly prompt as we continue our journey in Digital Art Journaling. This weeks prompt was "gratitude". For me, gratitude is giving thanks for all of the blessings in my life.



I have been asked what I do with my Digital Art Journaling pages - as well as my other layouts. I have all of my layouts printed out and I slide them into page protectors in family albums. My girls simply love to sit down and relive great memories. (My husband even enjoys checking out the albums.)

I use Persnickety Prints for printing all of my layouts. On Monday the 20th, I uploaded 59 files for printing. A good variety of sizes - 8.5x11, 8x8, 12,x12 and even an 11x17. On Tuesday, I received an email letting me know that my order had been shipped. Really - less than 24 hours! On Thursday, my order was sitting safely in my mailbox. I am always impressed with the speed of processing and delivery. The few times I have had to contact customer service, I walked away with a smile on my face. And the quality of printing is absolutelt exceptional! I just love Persnickety Prints!


Hope you are enjoying your weekend - give an extra hug or two to the people you love. Count your blessings....by the Shore.

Digital Art Journaling

Earlier this year I completed a fabulous Digital Art Journaling class. The class took me outside of my comfort zone and introduced me to a new way to express myself artistically. While the class is done, I am excited that we are being provided with a weekly prompt in the general forum at jessicasprague.com.

Here are the layouts I completed during the last few weeks. I continue to include the same three basic elements in each of my layouts (heart, sheet music and bubblewrap) and am currently using the same background papers as a starting point. I may venture out and change this as I continue, but I do like the idea of having continuity in my album.

This prompt was serendipity and I was not quite sure where I was going to go with it. Over that weekend, I vacationed in Chicago. In an effort to get out of the bitter cold in the downtown area, I slipped into the Art Institute. I was literally brought to tears when I discovered paintings from my all time favorite artists -an unexpected and pleasant surprise is an understatement. Wish I lived there - this could sooo be my happy place

This past weeks prompt was meander.....I immediately thought of my girls following in my footsteps and the love of wandering along the shorelines at the beach - aimlessly going nowhere and enjoying the peace and quiet of the morning.

If you have not attempted art journaling, I encourage you to check it out. There are many great resources on the internet and the inspiration is never ending. Whether you try this digitally or using mixed media from your craft studio - it is a wonderful way to express yourself.

till next time...enjoy your day....by the shore....

Digital Art Journaling ~ End of Class

Sunday was the final day of class for Digital Art Journaling at jessicasprague.com. It is always bittersweet to reach the end of the class - I am excited to have completed all lessons, assignments and layouts. Yet, I will miss the daily inspiration and classes.

Saturday our prompt was Listen!


On Sunday, our final day ~ we reviewed actions. While I have used them before, I tend to forget they are available. I used actions on the following layout to give the picture a vintage feel. This prompt was Escape.


And our final prompt for the class was Strength. It is sometimes difficult to identify one of our own strengths as we often see what we are weak at...I finally chose to focus on a positive attitude.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Digital Art Journaling is a wonderful form of personal expressions - and I look forward to adding to my album throughout the year (just not on a daily basis) My next class at jessicasprague.com will begin in a few weeks ~ the Art of Poster Design. This is sure to be another opportunity to move out of my comfort zone and try something new. I cannot wait!

Happy Day! Smile ~ it can be contagious!

Digital Art Jounrnaling - Five More

If you are looking for the January 2012 Blog Train Post and freebie - it is here

We are in our final week of Digital Art Journaling at jessicasprague.com ~ and I have five more layouts ready to be printed. There have been a few new techniques I have not seen before as well as refreshers on techniques I have not used in a bit. I love looking in the gallery at all of the beautiful layouts - each one shares a bit about the artist and their life. We all start with the same prompt and are introduced to the techniques - but where we go from there is up to us. Some of the participants have talked about how therapeutic and relaxing this form of art can be. Sometimes there are hidden symbols within a layout which the artist places there as a form of self-expression. I have a few items I carry from layout to layout (can you figure out what they are - there are three)

Mondays prompt was Time - the Jim Croce song - Time in a Bottle - kept playing through my head - this one was created with my husband in mind.

Tuesdays prompt was halcyon (yes, I'll wait while you pull out your dictionary - I know I had to look it up)

Wednesday's prompt was "inherited" or "legacy"

Thursday's prompt was FOUND ....

And Friday's prompt was Music.....

We have two more lessons/prompts and then we reach the end of our class. I hope to continue this form of artistic expression - perhaps not daily but periodically as I do find the overall journey an enjoyable one.

Wishing you a great day...by the Shore.

Digital Art Journaling - the journey continues

Comfort Zone ~ who me? I am loving this class - it is stretching me outside of my own comfort zone and enabling me to try new techniques. A new style is emerging and I like it.

Friday's prompt was FAVORITE!

Saturday's prompt was FEAR (and I immediately though about this class and my new journey in Digital Art Journaling)

We are moving into our final week of the class and I cannot wait to see what Jessica has in store for us. When the class is offered again (and I am sure it will be) I encourage you to consider this investment in yourself!

Until next time...have a great day...by the Shore.

Days Two and Three ~ Digital Art Journaling

Comfort Zone? Not me? At least it is not as small as I thought it was. I have completed two more days of my Digital Art Journaling class at jessicasprague.com and I am totally loving it.

Wednesdays assignment included a prompt of "home"... I used a few photoshop techniques I had not explored in a while (inking edges of my page, extracting text from a scanned page and a few more).

Thursday's prompt was "I SEE"....
If you have not explored Art Journaling, I encourage you to do so. I could get lost in this art form and spend hours creating- a great way to express yourself!

Happy Thursday! Enjoy the day....by the Shore.