Michelle Ward's GPP Street Team Crusade # 41



Life has been crazy for me lately. I am finding it very hard to find time for art these days.  And it is a little frustrating to me. It is amazing how a persons life can change so much in less then one year.

It's not that I don't have any ideas or inspiration. It's that I can't seem to find the time to start a project, have it lay out on my table and work on it until I am done. I have been helping out with my grand children as some of you might know already. You can read here about the newest grand daughter Addison who was born in April with some health problems.

  My other grand daughter is eleven months old and starting to walk. Hailey is Addison's big sister and will be 4 in a couple of months. I didn't realize how much work being a Grammy was going to be LOL.

  So when I saw Michelle Wards GPP Team Crusade # 41 Grid Lock for the month of June I knew I had to do it.. Check out the link above to find out about this and all the other Crusades Michelle has posted.

 

Click on the image for a bigger view.


Here is the double page spread I did in a small hand bound art journal I made. The journal is 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 .

I don't use scrapbook paper in my art that much but I thought Michelle's grid challenge would be the perfect way to use scraps from the papers I have used over the past year. What you see is pretty much all of the scrapbook paper I have used except for holiday prints.

To fill in some of the blank squares of the grid I cut some "stamp" images from a sheet of K & C Company 12 x 12 Collage Embossed  Paper.

I distressed the edges of the papers with Ranger Distress Ink, added some doodles with a white paint pen and stamped the centers of some of the squares with stamps.

 I felt the words EXPLORE and ADVENTURE were appropriate for this challenge so I stamped them on.

The challenge was so simple but so satisfying to me. It was just what I needed this weekend. 

Thanks Michelle for posting these challenges! I don't get to join in each month but do read almost each one. Thank you for being so generous and sharing your wonderful techniques each month.





Comments

Art Chick said…
Love the gridded pages you did! What a neat concept from GPP. I may just have to try that myself. I can also relate to "granny duties." A month ago I could get into my studio any time I wanted. Now I'm watching my 5 month old and 6 year old grandkids most days, and it makes it VERY challenging to find studio time. Love those kiddos to death, but it can get frustrating not to be able to do what I love to do--it's like ignoring a whole part of my soul! But I'm trying to find some balance somehow. Anyway, thanks for sharing this project with us!
June 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM
Brigitte aka Scrappassie said…
You did a beautiful job, I love your pages ! I really like the soft colors.
June 13, 2010 at 3:38 PM
michelle ward said…
Arlene - what beautiful pages! I'm so happy to hear you found it satisfying, and that it was just the thing for when you found a little *you* time for creating. Thanks for sharing your work, and for coming to play. Sending prayers for Addison. And an extra prayer that Grammy is good to herself :)
June 14, 2010 at 7:07 AM
Anonymous said…
i love this! send it to me lol
June 14, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Christy said…
Excellent way to use up those scrapbook bits. Soft and sweet.
June 15, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Beautiful work! And what a wonderful way to "treat" yourself emotionally and spiritually. Sometimes we NEED that, especially in times of stress. Thinking positive thoughts to you and your family.
June 16, 2010 at 12:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Just dreamy. Soft, I could sink into it. Beautiful work.
June 16, 2010 at 2:30 PM
iHanna said…
Congratulations on being a busy grandma! :-) AND having time to join the crusade and making such pretty page - thanks for sharing it with us!
June 17, 2010 at 3:47 PM
Danielle said…
Following you from MBC. I know what you mean about finding time to be creative. I think mostly the only time I have is through creative writing on my blog. Come check it out
http://danielle-makingthemostoflife.blogspot.com
Hope to hear from you soon!!
Danielle
June 19, 2010 at 10:27 AM
goudenregen said…
So glad you found time to make a grid page! Love the colors.
June 23, 2010 at 5:28 AM
Anonymous said…
This is lovely - there is something really delicate about the colours you have used. I think the smaller size adds to its charm.
How lucky your family is to have you close and able to help. My grandkids are all many many hours drive away...
June 24, 2010 at 5:30 AM
TJ said…
Beautiful soft colors... I really like how there are central elements within most of the squares. Wishing you happy creations, tj in germany
June 24, 2010 at 5:15 PM
Sophie said…
Your pages are so soft and elegant. Beautifully done.
Cheers,
Sophie
June 25, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Regina said…
So pretty. I like the way you made it cohesive with the stamping & doodles.
June 26, 2010 at 2:08 AM
HeARTworks said…
Very pretty! You did a great job! Am tempted to try this! Patsy from
HeARTworks
June 26, 2010 at 5:21 AM
scj said…
This is beautiful and I just love all the papers you have chosen - so calming and serene. Trust you feel a little restored after this.
June 30, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Avenueswithoutlimit said…
aww i luv your grid technique so pretty for spring :)
Maggie
http://passionatelyartistic.com
March 6, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Art Journaling

Image
I have been busy with the grandchildren and I am not getting enough art time for myself but this past weekend I had a chance to work in one of my art journals. This journal is a hand bound journal I made using a old book cover and recycled scrapbook paper. The scrapbook paper is the heavy white paper you find in those older scrapbooks. I like to prepare my background pages in advance. So what I will do is gesso the pages and then paint them. I usually have about eight pages ready to go. Then when I feel creative I don't have to wait for the paint to dry on the backgrounds. Thanks for looking Arlene
Read more

Lemon Balm Dye

Image
Lemon Balm Dye Experiment Over the weekend I cut back a pot of lemon balm I have growing on my porch. My intention had been to bundle it up and hang it to dry. After two days of watching it dry in a big unruly clump on my kitchen table I decided to see what kind of dye I might be able to get from the bunch. I'm not having much luck getting a good picture. This is what happens if I don't pull my camera out and snap those pics first thing in the morning. The above picture is as close to the true colors as I could get today. Back to the dye..So I filled a medium pot about half way and threw the lemon balm leaves and stems in. I let it come to a boil and then I turned it down to simmer. My house smelled beautiful, nice and lemony. My husband complained about the smell. I have cooked down lemon grass in the past so I could use the fibers to make handmade paper and the smell was truely horrible. So even though the lemon balm just had a nice lemony smell ...
Read more

International Charm Day Give Away

Image
Sorry everyone I meant to get this posted last night but I am dealing with a sick child. I just got back from the doctors and the pharmacy. So I am extending the giveaway an extra day! I am happy to be a part of the first International Charm Day hosted by Amber Dawn. Check out the blog to find more Charming goodies International Charm Day 2009 At first I thought I would just post some pictures of charms that I have made in the past. And then I got to thinking what fun is that? So yesterday afternoon I sat down and made these charms for this giveaway. The give away is for ten vintage button charms that I made just for this give away. The charms are pictured above. ( The chain or the vase is not included in the give away ) So here are the details. My giveaway will run from Tuesday April 28th to Saturday May 2nd. There are a number of ways to get your name in the hat. 1 Leave a comment on this blog post today or the blog post tomorrow. 2 You'll get another chance added if you blog a...
Read more