it’s AJ monday!

Hiya sistahs!

How was da WEEKEND?  We had lots of running around to do and  entertained 16 people on Saturday night… but I still managed to get in some creative time for me!  Honestly, I don’t think I could survive if I didn’t..  weird ay?

So how are you enjoying the release?  I am honestly so proud of it and can’t wait to play with them.. actually I am working on a little teeny tiny canvas using one of them.. will show you tomorrow 🙂

I signed up last week for TIM HOLTZ’s CREATIVE CHEMISTRY CLASS and I don’t think I’ve been the same since starting to watch them LOL.  I LOVE to learn sistahs.. you know that about me right?  I LOVE to see and understand how things work.. and see how something may be unique in it’s own right.  Taking this class has taught me the amazing properties and uses of RANGER product.  I never realized how brilliant Tim Holtz was… until watching these videos.  It is a $35 class.. has 10 days of pure technique and product knowledge and is worth every penny and then some.  I was never so “keen” on all things distress (although I must admit I do own it all..LOL)… but guess what?  after watching this series (only on day 6 and open for subscribers forever).. I am going to start USING the product.. ALL OF IT.

Having said that, our theme for next week’s AJ monday will be to use something from the DISTRESS line.  Learn about it.. experiment with it.. spray it, heat it, dribble it.. PLAY and LEARN… you will not regret it.

Ok, so we have a very mini AJ monday this week :(.. but I don’t care.. I love the people who are actually sending projects in and I do know there are many of you following personally.  I’m ok with DAT.

Our theme this week was to create a VIRTUAL pinboard of all the things that inspired you this week.  and I honestly thing that it should be our theme every week.. then you will create a huge inspirational journal.. fun no?

Here's my page

Here's PINKY's page

Here's Violet's page

I thank you all for going on this journey with me.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

So our GIFTIES with purchase for the release lasts until Wednesday MIDNIGHT.. so get all that shoppin’ in!

Also, if you haven’t placed a comment to win VICKI’S new book CREATIVE FOUNDATIONS, don’t forget to leave a comment on the link mentioned above!

Mwah to da sistahs who will get INKY!

Em

 

it’s AJ MONDAY!

Hiya sistahs!

Well I am finally coming up for air!  Paulabella has been here since Saturday and we have been in a MIXED MEDIA MAYHEM since! LOL.. We have been creating.. shopping, creating etc.. it is such a treat for me when Paula comes cuz then I have an excuse to hibernate and “escape” LOL.. doesn’t happen often but I appreciate every moment!   So Paulabella and I worked on our security envelope entry and had so much fun and so did you!  I have gotten numerous emails from people who were so excited about this patterned paper SO EASY to find and so much fun to collect!  Pinky (see her entry below) used 6 DIFFERENT DESIGNS!  i told her that we should do an envelope swap cuz now I am JEALOUS..LOL

Ok so here we go!

Here is my canvas board.. you will see at the top of the image and on the mountain are my envelopes 🙂

here's Pinky's with her 6 COUNT 'EM 6 different patterns!

Paulabella's page! love the BINGO under the window of the envelope!

Here's Violet's gorgeous page! her leaves are cut out of the security envelopes!

*sigh* I love AJ mondayyyyyy…

Next week’s theme is  Design a virtual clipboard on your page (a frame) and tape or “pin” or paint all of your inspirations for the week..a magazine article, a color, a menu a doodle.  Anything that has inspired you.. you can also paint the whole frame in and just collage other stuff in it..  have fun with this!

oh.. and I may show some more sneaky peekies… stay tooned!

ALSO… If anyone reading my blog is LOCAL , we would love to have you join us for a STELLA and DOT jewellery party in Bellaland on Wednesday March 21st from 1-3pm… I love supporting women based companies.. and I love jewellery.. funky and AFFORDABLE jewellery that is.. and this just fit the bill!  So come will ya?  Would love to see you!

Mwah!

Em

it’s aj monday and MARCHHHH BREAKKKKKKK!

I don’t know if I’m happier or if the kids are happier that they are off school.. I don’t have to wake up sooo early to get ready and pack lunches etc…  I don’t have to have an interrupted day of work to go and park myself like a MULE in front of the school for 40 minutes waiting.. LOL..

So now here I am reveling in my pajamas.. ignoring children asking me questions telling them to pretend I am at work..LOL.  We ARE going to see the LORAX this afternoon.. I think I am more excited than they are!

OK so let’s discuss AJ monday.  First I have to thank everyone who participates publicly with us by submitting and privately (following along at home 🙂 )… I would love more contributors but I can’t force ya can I?

This week’s theme was SPRING!!!   Let’s see what da sistahood came up with

Beth's page

Cindy's page

here's my page

Lindabella's page

Pinky's page

Here's Violet's page

Have I mentioned that I love AJ mondays?  hmmmm?

Ok for next week.. now DONT YOU LAUGH AT ME.. I am gonna have you start collecting something… LOL…  my friends all laugh at me cuz I make them collect for me too

ready?

here it is

Security envelopes..  pay attention to your envelopes next time..LOL..you will see some amazing designs and patternd and textures.. I LOVE them

Next week is to build a collage using the inside of a security envelope.. I have them in almost every one of my pieces.. and guess what?  I realized I am not the only IDDY who loves these envies.. LOL.. there are people on flickr who collect from all around the world.. so simple.. so little.. *LOVE*

Mwah to da sistahs who love da envie liners

Em

it’s AJ MONDAY!!

OMG I CANNOT BELIEVE I DIDN’T POST THIS ON MONDAY!! it was all ready and here I am thinking nobody loves me and not commenting… hmph.  Thank you PAULABELLA for the heads up!! and I am soooo sorry that I didn’t click PUBLISH.. I am such an “iddy”.. (an allowed swear word in our house..LOL)

Please forgive me all contributors.. I would have never known if Paulabella didn’t text me telling me I was LAZY..LOL

here ya go! Enjoy!

 

hiya sistahs!! how was da WEEKEND?
We went to Niagara falls and buffalo with da kidlets and two other couples.. it was sooo much fun.. the guys took the kids to the indoor waterpark whilst the LADIESSSS went to da casino and shopped.. is that not DA life? LOL

a very blurry picture but you can see how happy Jayden was all the way on the right..LOL.. she did NOT wanna take that picture..

Apparently Ryan and Jayden are somewhere in this picture.. wanna play where's waldo? LOL this is a quarter of the waterpark.. crazy ay?

OK let’s discussssssssss aj monday!  The theme was ARROWS.. Im telling ya.. I was thinking about what I was gonna doo the WHOLE way home from Niagara… I didn’t have an easy time I tell ya!

Christy S 's page!

Cindy R's page

here's mine.. I decided to use words to create the arrow :).. a little bit of washi tape (going online shortly) and some bits of Sassafras paper.. oh and some acrylic ink!

Laura's page

Pinky's page!

Violet's page!

How amazing are these???  I just love AJ MONDAY!

Next week’s theme is: SPRING!  I need this COLDNESS to go AWAY.. so maybe we can wish it away with our art journals!

Mwah to da sistahs who participate and who WILL participate!

Em

It’s AJ MONDAY!!!

Hiya sistahs!

did you have a great weekend?  We kinda chilled at home.. Ryan ran around with Tyler for hockey playoff games and practices and Jayden and I just hung out.. did some art, watched movies  etc…  When we do our art is when she decides to recap her whole week to me.. what happened.. who said what.. what said where.. she said this… can you believe I said that… AND she told me that her friend is scared of me.. So I stopped and said, why on earth would she be scared of me???  So she says to me “because you have crazy curly hair and wear glasses”…. LOL.. So jayden says to her friend (instead of really defending me).. “doesn’t matter.. she’s the COOLEST MOM EVAH”…LOL.. so basically does that mean she agreed with her friend? LOL

Then we spent Sunday shopping for clothes.. Jayden has a VERY unique style shall we say.  Friday was the straw that broke the camel’s back where I INSISTED we go shopping.  She emerged from her bedroom wearing a pink pair of printed leggings (which were now CAPRI LENGTH).. actually MAUVE… with a RED shirt and a TURQUOISE sweatshirt and pink socks.  She walked around quite confidently I might add WHILST Tyler and I looked at each other with mouths agape.  She looks at us and says “WHAT”.. I said to her kindly to please point out WHAT in her outfit matches.  She told me point blank that there is WHITE in everything and I TOLD HER that white matches everything.  HMPH.  what could I say to that?  I did tell her to march herself upstairs and put something on that matches..LOL.  I guess in hindsight I shoulda let her embrace her individuality.. which I usually do.

Soooo Sunday comes and we go to this store called JUSTICE.. my friends have been talking about it but I have never been in there.. everything was 40% off and if you go to the “BACK WALL” you get 50% and an additional 40% so I guess they paid us to take the stuff away.  So at the beginning of 2012, I forecasted that NEON would be in style.. and sure enough I walked into the store and it was like 1984 WHAM!  Wake me up before you gogo.. remember that era?    EVERYTHING was neon.. so we got Jayden some goodies.. and some SILVER blingy ugg type boots which I think she slept with.. and some other stuff..   I am so happy that she has stuff that matches and pants that are long enough..LOL  .  Tyler got some goodies too.  It’s so funny.. Tyler since the age of 2 would pick out his clothes and has a great eye.. his sister?  the ONE TOOTH WONDER.. not so much..LOL (shh.. she’s like her father).

Anyway, enough personal boring stuff  Let’s discuss AJ monday shall we?  The theme this week was to use pencils.. coloured pencils, HB pencils..   Let’s see what our sistahood did shall we?

Cindy Redding's page

Lindabella's Page

Lori (PINKY DINKY DOOO) card inspired by the oscars 🙂

Violet's page

Here is my page.. whenever I am in front of the TV, I ALWAYS have to do something with my hands.. and since I am staying away from RUBBAH (discovered an allergy).. I practice zentangling etc.. so I came up with this BIG flower and then decided to stamp my ARTSY HOUSE stamp and our THINKING BIRDS stamp.. I love the "villagey "feel of the different sized houses.. I just love that stamp 🙂 The flower was coloured in AFTER I visited JUSTICE with alllll The new NEON colors included in our NEW COLOR PRISMACOLOR KIT

Here's a closeup of our village 🙂

Here is Beth's page.. a different theme but I love it!

So that’s it for AJ monday today … Thank you for posting some suggestions for our themes.. I’m gonna use them all!  So NEXT WEEK’S THEME IS ARROWS (thanks PINKY!)… you can use them as a background.. as your focal point.. pointing to your focal point.. Get creative!  Can’t wait to see!!!   Since AJ monday is supposed to be FREEING, I just suggest themes.. you don’t have to follow them.. you can just send in anything you worked on that we can drool over 🙂

Mwah to da sistahs who participate and who match 😉

Em

THIS WEEK’S BELLARIFIC FRIDAY THEME is POLKADOTS!  hope to see your creations!  And Bellarific Friday doesn’t have to be a card.. if you would like to use our stamps in a 3D project, mixed media project etc.. do NOT hesitate!  just follow the theme and use a bella stamp and you’re good to go

 

It’s AJ monday.. and all is VEWY QUIET

Hiya sistahs.. I am down in my basement/craftroom and boy did I get stuff done this weekend!

As I mentioned on SPLITCOAST STAMPERS,  my BFF’s sister had a little baby Ivy (LOOOVE that name).. Ivy Hunter to be exact and she is just deelish. Now I didn’t have a chance to buy a gift (she came rather quickly) so last night I was SO inspired.. ready to PAINT THE WORLD… and I sat down at my table and decided to make a painting for Ivy.  Now, I am not an artist..  or maybe I am?  I don’t follow ANY rules at all..  I don’t know the rules… don’t WANNA know the rules.. I just want to paint.  Actually I have wanted to paint all my life and never “could”.. I always wanted to draw… but “never could”… now I just don’t care… and I just “do”..LOL.. and I feel SO much better after it is out..LOL.  My friend Melissa (BFF mentioned above) was over today and she saw my workspace and she just looked at me and said “this is so good for you isn’t it”.. and I said YES.  She is one of my biggest fans and she encourages me to just DO all the time and her MOTHER is MAD at me because she says I should sell my pieces and make OTHERS as happy as I am..LOL.. and that’s exactly what I did.  I Lol’d!

Anyway.. I was like a little elf working away last night until I saw that it was 1 AM and just had to stop my painting and continued this morning.  I had to have it ready for Ivy this morning.  It is a canvas made with tissue paper, acrylics, collage… whatever was in my way.. and I made it so that it could match her room… I included a doctor Seuss quote, and of course, her name is in there too.. Actually there are several Dr. Seuss quotes but they are buried under the layers.  Needless to say Ivy LOVED the piece..LOL.. I have a great 3 day old audience.. Oh and her mom loved it too…   Here it is… I was so nervous to give it to Amanda.. and I am so nervous to show it here.. but what the heck.  I loved it so much and loved making it so much that I need to share :).. I don’t think the colours are very true below but you get the picture 🙂

Ok, now that I am “outed”.. I can continue with AJ MONDAY!  Sorry for the delay sistahs!

The theme this week was DRIPPAGE (that is when you have drips of paint running down your page…

Here is Christy S's page

Here is Corey's page

Mine

Hailey's piece! Hailey is Paulabella's niece and they had a GREAT mixed media weekend 🙂

Jordan's piece.. (paulabella's DAUGHTER who joined in on the fun!)

Here's Paulabella's piece!

Lori's page (pinky dinky)

Violet's page

How great are these?? OMG!!

 

Project life will be delayed til Wednesday!

don’t forget Bellarific Friday this week is a sketchypoo…

THEME for next week’s AJ monday is….. USING PENCILS on your page.. can be a regular HB or colored pencils.. or BOTH!

Anyone who would like to suggest the week after’s theme.. please put them in the comment section.. I need help!  a little brain dead over here…

Mwah to da sistahs who came here to visit 🙂
Em

AJ monday and feeling a bit

crabby and rotund.. LOL.. I love that word.

When you see my art journal page, you will notice it is not the usual me… my girls are usually sassy, a bit angry.. LOL.. and BRIGHT EYED.  My girl today is sad and wistful.  Not sure why she came out that way… Wait a minute.  I DO know why she came out that way…  There is one word that my friend Melissa and I text eachother EVERY SINGLE MONDAY MORNING… it could be as early as 6am.. and as late as 9am.. but it is usually within that window.  The word is “FRESSSSSHHHHHHHHH”.  What does fresh mean?  It is an ALL ENCOMPASSING word ya know.  We have been working hard at developing it’s meaning for the last 15 years of best friendship.  Fresh means, “without going into detail… TRUST me when I say…  THAT THE DIET STARTS AGAIN THIS MORNING..”..LOL.. we may or may not discuss the sordid details of what we did over the past coupla nights (because we get together every friday night, we kinda know WHY we need to be fresh).. This morning I had to confess to Melissa over text.  See our exchange below.  SEE??? the FRESH started at 7:48 this morning from her..LOL!  it actually had a SOOO in front of it.. THAT means.. that she was EXTRA bad..LOL (i’m the green girl)

and then my discussion of which diet to be on this week.. and what I need for the diet I was last on..LOL.  WHAT HAPPENED TO COMMITMENT???? hmph.  Yes, it’s back today.. FRESHHHH.. LOL (until next monday)…

Then I looked in the mirror and i honestly almost fainted.  My HAIR.  All of you with curly hair will comiserate.  My darling Jayden red handedly STOLE my conditioner from my shower.  Now a CURLY without CONDITIONER is like … is like… IS LIKE… HAM WITHOUT CHEESE!! LIKE PEANUT BUTTER WITHOUT JAM!!! LIKE POP without a TART!!!! (had to add that in..LOL)- why does everything have to revolve around food?

I had no choice but to wash my hair on Friday SANS conditioner.  IF I TELL YOU what I looked like this morning… OMG.. even my CHILDREN who love me NO MATTER WHAT.. EVEN FRANKIE was a little distant when he looked at me…were mortified.   It was a STRAW BEES NEST just like a CLUMP of hay.  LIKE SOMEONE DIED on my head.  I almost choked my daughter for stealing the above mentioned conditioner.  Actually Ryan went to buy me some more yesterday.. think that was a hint?  I had to SOAK my head in half a bottle this morning.

So along with the ROTUNDED-ness… MIXED with a BEEHIVE.. you will understand WHY this panic girl came out of my pencil…. LOL.  But I DID feel better after she “came out”…

I also have been taking a KAJILLION online courses… the most recent one is that of JOANNE SHARPE called LETTER LOVE.  It’s PHENOM!  It’s affordable, SO MUCH fun and so full of content.  Video instruction ever day in February!  how great is DAT?  Joanne is so down to earth.. you feel like you are in her living room. And if you join the Yahoo group, you will see that I already misbehaved and got a “what for”.. hmph…  I am only on the fourth lesson but having a blast and the classroom is open forever!  SO on my page you will see how I practiced a little lettering goodness..

ok before I DIVE head first into a depressing BLACK HOLE..LOL.. and make you join me..LOL.. let’s proceed with our AJ MONDAY shall we?

Here was the original inspiration of my girl.. I was attracted to her look since I saw the cover of one of my favorite mags

The theme this week was FABRIC.. but it doesn’t really matter.. it’s just a nudge.. you can enter WHATEVAH you want.. just wanna share!

I need to make a canvas with her.. I really do love her. Her dress is fabric and what's tucked under her head is a heart (my favorite shape) filled with LILLIES OF THE VALLEY.. my favorite flower. So my message to myself was to always keep my favorite things in the back of my mind when feeling glum... and PLEASE NOTE my fancy letters thankyouverymuch. (the quote I used was from a very valuable PDF of great words from Joanne).. did you sign up yet? LOL

Here is VIOLET'S PAGE! I am sure she is thrilled she has her computer back! we missed you Violet!

STEUBYBELLA joined in this week!

Lindabella's page

Paulabella's page

mary's page

Christy's page

guess who else is taking Joanne's class? Yup! COREY!! here's the cover of her Letter Love book!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love AJ mondays?  Have I mentioned FRESHHHHHH lately? (you must put a stress on the SHHHHHHHH and make it last a little longer.).. Don’t forget about SOOOOOO FRESHHHHHHHHH (when you were REALLY bad..LOL).. I bet you’re all saying it out loud now aren’t ya. hehehehe

OK next week’s theme… DRIPPAGE.. sounds gross but it really isn’t lol.  Spray ink on top of your page and watch it run down the page.. that is DRIPPAGE… if you want EXTRA drippage or NASCAR drippage (I am actually giggling at myself).. Spray your SPRAY with water.. and watch it drip even more and FASTER (hence the Nascar analogy)!  you don’t have to use ink spray.. put watered down paint, watercolor etc and spray with water and see what fun designs you can come up with.. so that is your background.. and anything goes on the foreground.

READY? SET? GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (said like FRESHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

Tomorrow is Project Life TOOSDAY!  Send yours in!

Mwah to da sistahs who don’t need to be Fresh.  HMPH

Em

 

 

It’s AJ mondayyyyyy.. SO excited!!

Hiya sistahs,

Hope you had a great weekend!  Ryan took Tyler to a hockey tourney in London (2 hours away) and Jayden and I had a Girls weekend.. (you will see the pics on my Project Life post tomorrow :)).. We had a phenom time!  She is 6 going on 16..LOL

Ok.. let’s talk about AJ monday a little.  RETRO DOLLY had a fab idea about giving out prizes or some sort of button (RD, you have to email me some more info on that or just post in the comments so we can all partake in a convo 🙂 ).  If you have any ideas on how to make AJ monday more exciting (although I am not sure I can handle any more excitement..LOL), please post on the comments and we can share ideas!  Ok.. enough BLABLA.. let’s see the PHENOMALISHNOUS sent in by da sistahood! and da BABEHOOD!

Have I mentioned lately  that I LOVE MONDAYS????

If you are on the fence about joining in, PLEASE hop off and join in..LOL.. color scribble write doodle.. whatever! it’s your place!   If you have any questions at ALL about art journaling , please email me and I will try to answer whatever I can. k?

Christy S's page..

Lindabella's page

Lori (PINKY DINKY)'s page

Paulabella's page using our THINKING BIRDS stamp!

Sheryl's page

and my page 🙂

ETA:  I JUST FOUND MORE ENTRIES from SISTAHS!!! please please please forgive da airheadabella !!!!!

Dolores' page!

Beth's page

Jen's page

SOOOO???? ready to join in yet???? hmmmmmmm????

 

Next week’s theme is…… FABRIC!  use a scrap, a full piece, stamp on muslin, rip, shred, patch.. whatevah!

we can chat in the comment thread here.. or I have opened a post in our MEMBER GROUP at Splitcoast!  You can find the thread here

MWAH

Em

It’s AJ monday… (short for Art Journaling in case you are NOO (new))

Hiya sistahs!  Hope you had a great weekend!

We were busy in DA bella household.. between hockey practices (i dunno why I say I am busy cuz Ryan does all the back and forthing..  but it makes me tired watching).. and Jayden was practicing her SPEECH.. LOL .. which she did PHENOMALICIOUSLY this morning.. so proud.  Tyler would have had to sit on a chair and face the back wall so no one could see him and then he would cry..LOL.  Funny how two different kids from da same bella can be so different.

there she is.... missss CAAAANNADDDDAAAAA (sung like the miss america winner theme)

 

Ok let’s proceed with a little art journaling/mixed media.  I just wanna tell da sistahs that you can use any substrate to do your journaling on.. whether it is a piece of paper, watercolor block, canvas, canvas board, muslin.. whatever you want to journal on can be submitted (you know there’s a reason for that explanation..LOL)..

The theme this week was using book print, book text somewhere on your page.. whether it be words cut up.. or whole pages as backgrounds..

Let’s see the beautiCIOUSness.. shall we?

So the reason why I say any SUBSTRATE is because I decided to journal on a canvas this week :)…I think it is my “go to” place right now.. canvases.. I think they are YUM…

and here is the close up of the book text.. I just love surrounding myself with old books and finding the right words and cutting them up and putting them together… it’s like a puzzle!

*sigh*.. I love mixed media

Beth's BEEYOOTIFUL page

Christy was so happy with her outcome she sent me 3 different angles and perspectives of the piece... Gorgeous!

Jennifer's page working with her new MOONLIGHT markers on dark background.. i think we need some of those!

Sheryl's gorgeous page.. LOVE the texture!!! I wanna just touch it!

BEEYOOTIFUL page by Lorie.. That bird looks like it has something to say

Lori (aka PINKY DINKY DOOOO)'s gorgeous doodly page!

Now is that not a round of STUNNINGNESS???  OMG!  This makes me soooo happy 🙂

Next week’s theme.. courtesy of DENABELLA is to use TAPE on your page.. washi tape, masking tape (you can stamp and paint your tape too) , do it yourself tape….   HAVE FUN with it!!

Mwah to da sistahs who wanna get MESSY

Em

P.S. stay tooned for tomorrow’s PROJECT LIFE post… (note to self.. FINISH project life layout..LOL)

 

 

 

it’ ART JOURNALING MONDAY.. PROJECT LIFE TOOSDAYS and LAST DAY OF THE FREE SHIPPING!!!

and it’s totally my fault that I didn’t get many entries 🙁  My darling daughter Jayden thought of the BESTEST theme for the week and it remained in my HEAD until Friday when I put it at the end of Bellarific Friday post..LOL

So the theme this week was to draw or write about your dream house..  why would it look the way it looks?  what could you write about it?  Where would it be?

Clearly I am needing some peace and quiet in my dream house 🙂  LOL

I used washi tape, watercolors, script stamp, doodle pen.. and my kitchen sink.  Since yesterday was my day to complete my Project Life entry for last week, I had so many goodies on my desk that I just grabbed and used

Here’s Lori’s page

Corey did last week’s cuz I was slow in announcing the topic..LOL.  I embrace ALL entries, whether it has to do with my prompt or not :).. I just want you all to work in your journals and have fun!

OK NEXT WEEK’S THEME.. Add book text to your page.. whether you put words together from different books to write a message or a quote.. or use book text as a background.. it’s up to you :).. have fun ripping and gluing or cutting and pasting!

Now I think I am going to do PL TUESDAYS… Project Life Tuesdays.. I will post my posts and show you what my everyday life entails..LOL.. BOOOOORINGGGG.. but it is so much fun to put together!  I would love it if you would also like me to post it online to inspire other people.. all you have to do is submit it to me before tuesday and up it will go!   Would love it if you would like to go on that journey with me!

mwah mwah mwah

Em