Bewitched . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone! It's October 1st and time for a new challenge . . .

October's Main Challenge at More Than Words opened today:

For those of you who don't know, More Than Words is a monthly art journal challenge site that contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge.

Here is October's Main Challenge:

The word inspiration for this month is STRANGE and the creative challenge is Get Inky. 

Here is my finished art journal spread:

When I think of October, I always think of Halloween!  I used pink,orange, and yellow INKS from my stash to make my background. The image of the woman and her black wings are from the ArtStacks "All Dressed Up" and "Wings and Things" stacks. I completed my page with a STRANGE and eerie quote!

I hope that you get a chance to check out the Main Challenge at More Than Words his month, as well as the new releases at ArtStacks! I know you will enjoy both! 

Also, I'm excited to let you know that More Than Words is sharing the latest issue of their new digital magazine - Artful Pages!  Head over to their blog post to get a look at their latest issue which is available to flick through online just like a real magazine.  The magazine contains more about the challenges this month, Design Team inspiration, Guest Designer interviews, studio spaces, and more!  I am excited to say that my studio space is being featured this month!  Check it out here!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  Have a wonderful October!

Mother . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone! It's March 1st and time for some new challenges . . .

The first is the March Main Challenge at  More Than Words which opened today:

Just to let you know, More Than Words is a monthly art journal challenge site that contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge.

Here is the March Main Challenge:

The word inspiration for March is POEM or QUOTE and the creative challenge is ADD A TAG or POCKET. 

Here is my finished art journal page:

When I saw the March challenge, I knew I wanted to create an art journal page using this photo of my mom and me taken at my wedding. I featured a QUOTE about a Mother's Love. My TAG is peaking out of the torn POCKET underneath the photo.

Here are some different views:

I hope that you get a chance to check out the Main Challenge at More Than Words his month. 

The second is the March theme Art Journal Journey, Monthly.

The theme this month is Spring!  It's wonderful for the month of March right?  Their host is the very talented Valerie of Bastelmania.

I am thrilled to submit my page to AJJ this month and to let you know that my page is about my wedding day, which was in March, the beginning of Spring!  The weather was absolutely perfect that day - sunny and warm. 

I can't thank you enough, Valerie, and AJJ Monthy!

And thank YOU for stopping by my blog today.  I hope you all have a wonderful March. HUGS to one and all!

Love is . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone! It's February and time for some new challenges.

The first is the February Main Challenge at  More Than Words which opened today:

Just to let you know, More Than Words is a monthly art journal challenge site that contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge.

Here is February's Main Challenge:

 

The word inspiration for February is FLORALS and the creative challenge is STENCILS. 

 

Here is my finished art journal page:

 

I truly love flowers!  I love to give and receive them at any time, not just on special occasions.  That's why the word FLORALS made me think of this John Lennon quote, which is one of my favorites!  I used different STENCILS from my stash to make my painted stamped, and fussy cut flowers, and my water-colored background.

Here are some different views:

I hope that you get a chance to check out the Main Challenge at More Than Words his month.  I must say, I have been enjoying getting out of my comfort zone and making these art journal pages for More Than Words! 

I am also linking my page to the February theme Art Journal Journey, Monthly.

This month, AJJ has 2 hosts:  Bleubeard and Elizabeth.  You can find them at Altered Book Lover.  Elizabeth explains that Bleubeard is the beautiful face and support behind their blog while she supplies the art!  This month they are asking What's Your Style?

Elizabeth said the following:  "You may have your own specific style, where you rely heavily on abstracts, architecture, travel, drips and splatters, nature, stamping, stencils, watercolor paints and pencils, words, or backgrounds.  Remember that digital art and sewing on your pages or fabric are always welcome.  However, maybe you're like me and don't have a specific style.  You might even have a different style for every day of the month.  Regardless, Bleubeard and I want you to share your own style or styles this month.  We are looking forward to seeing what you conjure up."

I don't think I have a specific style per-say.  But I do believe that it's eclectic.  Therefore, today I am sharing my eclectic art journal page about flowers stencils!!  

I can't thank you enough, Bleubeard and Elizabeth, and AJJ Monthy!

And thank YOU for stopping by my blog today.  I hope you all have a wonderful February. HUGS to one and all!

Pause for a Moment . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone! Happy New Year.  Welcome 2022!!!  

It's time for the More Than Words January Main Challenge!

Just to let you know, More Than Words is a monthly art journal challenge site that contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge. Both need to be incorporated into your art journal page. 

Here is January's Main Challenge:

As you can see, the word inspiration for January is REFLECT and the Creative Challenge is DOODLING.

I am new to doodling, so I looked for inspiration on the internet.  Here is my finished art journal spread:

  

Every time we move into a new year, I always look back and REFLECT on the previous one. We’ve had some adversity this past year, but I am ready to look to the future with a hopeful heart. For my project, I DOODLED and water-colored the barn on the hill that my husband and I pass every day when we walk our dog!

Here is a different view:

I hope that you get a chance to check out the More Than Words Main Challenge this month.  I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. I am really getting out of my comfort zone making these art journal pages.  Doodling is something new to me!!

I am also linking my project up to Art Journal Journey, Monthly.

 This month's theme is hosted by Erika at BioArtGal and is entitled Lets Face It.  

Erika said the following:  "This month you should use a face on your journal page. It could be a human face, an animal face, or a face on something that doesn't usually have one like smiling flowers or a mustached mushroom. It might not even be a living thing that has a face. Or perhaps instead of an actual face you have another interpretation of this topic. You can stamp a face, draw a face, use a digital face or cut out a face from something printed. You could also paint a face or stencil a face. And if you're going for a symbolic interpretation of the challenge phrase, then just tell us how it relates to faces."

I went for the symbolic interpretation here.  I can see my husband's and my faces looking towards the hill and barn each day as we take our walk.  (I hope this interpretation is OK for the theme!!!)  Thanks so much, Erika and AJJ Monthy!!!

And thank you for stopping by my blog today.  HUGS!  Have a wonderful and healthy 2022, everyone!!

Hopes, Wants, and Wishes . . . for More Than Words and AJJ Monthly!

Hi everyone! Wow! I can't believe that it's December 1st already and time for the More Than Words December Main Challenge!

Just to let you know, More Than Words is a monthly art journal challenge site that contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge. Both need to be incorporated into your art journal page. 

Here is this month's Main Challenge:

The word inspiration for December is WISHES and the Creative Challenge is using TREES.

Here is my art journal spread:

To me, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing TREES lit up against a December, star filled sky. And what makes it even better is falling snow! I remember making many WISHES while looking outside my front door, gazing into a star filled sky while growing up. I wish everyone a very happy holiday season this year! 

*I used the ArtStacks Trees and Leaves Corestack to help depict that December sky!!! I also used a Jay Long quote here.

Here are some different views:

And don't forget . . . if you participate there are amazing prizes to be won!

I hope that you get a chance to check out the More Than Words Main Challenge this month!  I know you will enjoy it as much as I did. I am really getting out of my comfort zone making these art journal pages!

I am also linking my project up to Art Journal Journey, Monthly.

This month's theme is hosted by Valerie Jael and is as follows: When One Door Closes Another Door Opens.  Valerie said the following:  "Doors are often something which we take for granted. We go in and out and rarely think about them. Doors protect us, doors lead us to new places, they are sometimes beautiful, and sometimes old and shabby. It's always exciting to go through a door, or portal into a new place we haven't visited. At this time of year many of us open a door every day in an advent calendar. We visit friends, and go through the door and see  what's waiting for us inside. And figuratively,  we close one door and open another at the end of the year on New Year's Eve. For this challenge, anything with doors is welcome. You can make a scene of whatever is inside or outside the door. Show us anything to do with doors, nice or shabby ones you may have seen, doors decorated for Christmas or your advent calendar, there are so many possibilities. So open the door to your creativity and have fun!"

Therefore I used a tiny little door that leads into and out of the home pictured on my page:  

 

I want to thank you, so much, Valerie, for helping to inspire me to make my spread!!

And as always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog today.  HUGS!  Have a wonderful December everyone!!

Carpe Diem . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone!  It's the 12th of the month and time for March's More Than Words Main Challenge second design team reveal.  (That includes me!  The first design team reveal is posted on the 1st of the month) 

For those of you who don't know, More Than Words is a challenge site that has a Main Challenge and a Mini Challenge every month.

The Main Challenge runs the entire month and contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge. Both need to be incorporated into your project.  The Main Challenge is open to projects like layouts, canvases, art journal pages or OTPs.  

The Mini Challenge always runs the last 2 weeks of each month and contains one word inspiration and must appear on your project.  The Mini Challenge is open to cards, tags, postcards, and ATCs only.

This month's Main Challenge:

As you can see, the Word Inspiration for March is Carpe Diem and the Creative Challenge is Markmaking!

Here is my page:

Our youngest daughter, Anne, has shown us from day one that she is able to overcome many obstacles to obtain her dreams. I took this photo during the fall of her high school senior year, & to me, it definitely illustrates how she loves to seize the day, aka CARPE DIEM! For the creative challenge, MARKMAKING, I marked my border with hand-drawn squares to draw your eye in to the photo. And to accentuate it more, I drew scallops around Anne's photo.

Here are some close-ups:

And don't forget . . . there are amazing prizes to be won at More Than Words! Just to review, this year, MTW has changed to a "Regional Prize Structure," whereby there will be multiple Main Challenge Winners, one or more for each Region as follows: "Aussies and New Zealanders," "Europe," "USA," and "The Rest of the World."

I hope that you get a chance to check out the More Than Words Main Challenge I know you will enjoy it!

And thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  HUGS!

Happy Moments . . . for More Than Words!

Hi everyone!  It's the 12th of the month and time for the second More Than Words Main Challenge design team reveal.  (That's me!!) 

For those of you who don't know, More Than Words is a challenge site that has a Main Challenge and a Mini Challenge every month.

The Main Challenge runs the entire month and contains a word inspiration and a creative challenge that both need to be incorporated into your project.  The Main Challenge is open to any type of project like layouts, canvases, art journal pages or OTPs.  

The Mini Challenge always runs the last 2 weeks of each month and contains one word inspiration and must appear on your project. 
The Mini Challenge is open to cards, tags, postcards, and ATCs only.

The More Than Words rules page can answer all of your questions!

This month's Main Challenge:

As you can see, the Word Inspiration is Romance and the Creative Challenge is Rose!

I am also linking my page up to Art Journal Journey Monthly's February challenge:

 

The host for February is Valerie  and she chose "Heavy Metal for her theme."  I placed a Prima a metal rose right next to the shutters, some metallic bling on the photo, and also placed metallic silver pearls in varying sizes on my layout in different areas.  Thank you, Valerie, for the awesome theme for February!  I love it!!

Here is my page:

I used to spend hours looking through my mom's scrapbooks and photo albums. To me, my mom and dad's love story was the epitome of ROMANCE. I loved to hear how my dad came home from Germany (he served in the army) to see my older sister's birth. This photo of my mom holding my sister, with my dad's arm around her from 1950,  is one of my favorites! In addition, my mom loved roses, so using ROSES on my page just felt natural to me. I fussy cut roses, used "Winter Rose" patterned paper, a prima metal rose, and paper roses throughout my layout. I hope you get some inspiration to make a romantic page with roses, too!

Here are some different views:

And now the fun part . . . there are wonderful prizes to be won at More Than Words! This year, MTW has changed to a Regional Prize structure, whereby there will be multiple Main Challenge Winners, one or more for each Region as follows: "Aussies and New Zealanders," "Europe," "USA," and "The Rest of the World." There are now prizes specifically for these 4 different regions.

I hope that you get a chance to check out the More Than Words Main Challenge and Art Journal Journey's February theme this month.  I know you will enjoy it!! 

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  HUGS!