Build your wings....

Hi all!

I am SO excited to see signs of Fall heading my way!  I am still trying to get my routine down now that school is in full swing but so far I am really liking how much I can get done in a day!  We took off on our last camper trip of the season this weekend and just about froze!  Luckily I had long pants and a light jacket for me and Pezza but poor Kevin did not remember to grab his jacket and we ended up having to go get him one :P  We headed to one of our favorite places in Luray, VA and headed out to hike in the Shenendoah National Park.  I found a hike that said it included a rock scramble for a portion of the trail where you would have to climb across rocks sometimes on your hands and knees!  YES PLEASE!  I so miss rock climbing since I came to VA from MO. 

See those blue blazes on either side of the rocks?  That was our trail marker!  So fun!  Unfortunately I have been SO So sick with allergies and hiking plus campfire smoke REALLY did me in.  Sunday I was a mess - talk about a violent over-reaction.  And I am pretty sure my asthma has returned - BOO.  Despite being ON antibiotics I was running a low temp all day yesterday and today.  Not fair!

I DO have an art journal page to share - although I only took one picture of it...???  What's up with that?  And now it's gone because it is one of the circle journals I have been participating in.  BUT I wanted to share it with you anyway:

It has some great texture going on and lots of layers PLUS this super cool image transfer from Dover Pictura - I am officially a Dover Ambassador!  I was supposed to start earlier this summer but my summer was not conducive to doing much artwork so I am really looking forward to getting busy with the absolutely amazing array of images available from Dover - and now DIGITALLY through Dover Pictura!  I have been using Dover images for my artwork for literally decades!  They make great coloring books and clipart books as well as super reference books for everything under the sun.

I began the page with a few random light washes of yellow and then laid down a stencil resembling cracks and sponged on Teal Zircon Silks paint.  Then I stamped with one of my original Pezadoodle Background stamps - Dropped Scallops in brown Archival ink.  I added bits of pale blue wrinkled tissue paper and then rubbed lightly across it with Gold Inka Gold to bring out the texture.

I got my image from the Dover Pictura digital collection 150 Silhouette Designs.  I printed her off on my laser printer - it is important to do it on a laser if you want to use it for an image transfer or the ink will smear (don't ask how I know.)  You can get laser prints at places like Staples which is where I will be going soon for COLOR laser copies soon for another project I have in mind.  Once I had her printed I just spread a layer of gel medium where I wanted her - not too thick - and laid her face down in it.  After it dried overnight I wet the paper backing and gently rubbed it off with my finger - perfect transfer!  This is different than just printing her off and gluing her down because you can see the background behind her - she becomes a part of the layers.  After I added the quote I finished off with a feather stencil.  I mixed Kiwi Luminarte Primary Elements with my Gel Medium and smoothed it on over the stencil - gorgeous!

Are you familiar with Dover Publications?  What can you do with them now that they are digital???  For starters, with the holidays approaching, check out the loads of fabulous vintage images they have.  Check out the Halloween collections being featured right now - vintage to contemporary including some great Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) images and photoshop brushes.  Or enter the Very Victorian craft contest - Dover has plenty of fantastic Victorian image collections to choose from!  What are you waiting for???