Year in Review

Wow, as I look back through all my pictures, it's been a really prolific year in art.  I've made a ton of little things:  journal pages, cards, lettering, a few bigger paintings.  Here are some of my highlights:

To make a picture bigger, click on the links on the bottom.

1. 002, 2. 005, 3. Elemental-- from my elemental series, 4. bound journals, 5. drawings on journal pages, 6. journal page, 7. painting1, 8. JOY lettering, 9. dog and bone, 10. Hope greeting card, 11. flower doodle page, 12. Summer takes flight, 13. Think Poster, 14. 007, 15. four, 16. Farmer's Market, 17. love, 18. Rolling HIlls, 19. Summer Configuration, 20. Mixed Media Collage, 21. Red Configuration on Canvas, 22. sunflower mixed media painting, 23. ink on watercolor, 24. journal progress 3, 25. 003_picnik, 26. Art Journal Page, 27. Oh Happy Day!, 28. 016

Mini Collage

Top 2000 Musical Blog Party

I created a few collages for Marit's Top 2000 Musical Blog Party.  In the Netherlands, they play the top 2000 songs (listener selected) from Christmas to New Years Day.  Marit challenged her friends to create art based on any of the songs they wished from the list.  Here a my choices.

 

- name of the artist: 4 Non Blondes
- song title:  What's Up? 
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list:  #323
- date of broadcasting:  Dec. 30
- your name:  Marcia Beckett
- link to your website/blog:  http://marciabeckett.blogspot.com

- name of the artist:  Red Hot Chili Peppers
- song title:  Under the Bridge
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list:  #54
- date of broadcasting:  Dec. 31

- name of the artist:  A Ha
- song title:  Take On Me
- what number the song is in the top 2000 list: #308
- date of broadcasting:  Dec 30

Bubble Prints

Over the summer I tested out several ways to make bubble prints.  I experimented and discovered they way that works best for me.  I decided to do bubble printing with some students this past week, because it was the week before break and I wanted something fun and out-of-the-ordinary to do with them. 

So apparently bubbles are out of season right now.  I went to Hobby Lobby however, and found this pack of 24 small party bubbles.

Pop off the top and if the bottle is really full, you will need to pour out a small bit so there is room for the dye.  Then, drop in a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolor (both work).  Then, add a little bit of dishwashing soap to make it more bubbly.

Then blow the bubbles with the wand like you normally would.  Let the bubbles drop on the paper.  The ones that turn out really well are the bubbles that land on the paper, sit there for a little while and then pop.  The extra splatters look really cool too!

Just Journals

Just Journals Link Party will be taking a break until after the holidays!  Ideas for art journaling:

• Sketch your favorite ornaments
• Use bits of wrapping paper and ribbons from your presents in your journal
• Write lyrics from your favorite holiday songs
• Create a color palette based on your favorite holiday cards
• Cut up your holiday cards and make collages with the images
• Take photos of your holiday trinkets and use them as collage images 
• Doodle snowflakes!

Images from Pinterest:

Photographs of holiday trinkets

Color palette inspiration

Use bits of your wrapping paper and ribbons

Doodle snowflakes!

Cut up some of your Christmas cards

Mini Collage

 

 Something old...  There are all kinds of old scraps on this mini collage.. plus a vintage postcard. :)

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue from Inspiration Avenue

In Progress Painting

I've been working on this abstract painting on and off... I've enjoyed using some scraping and overpainting techniques.  It's not quite finished yet, I may add some bold black or dark blues. 

I've lately been using paper plates for a palette.  It's totally not the way I was taught in college to arrange a palette, but since I usually paint with my toddler running around, I don't have time to do a big set up.  I usually paint with one or two colors at a time and then need a quick way to clean up when she decides she wants to move on to another room.

Sharing with Artists in Blogland, Palette and Paint, It's a Hodge Podge Life and Paint Party Friday

Mini Collages

I made several little collages that I am sending off to Cloth Paper Scissors collaborative sketchbook challenge.  You can see all the details here.  I saw some pictures with artworks on top of book pages, so I photographed my mini collages on pages of a vintage lettering book.  Well, the book is vintage.  Anyways, more collages will be posted soon!

Yes Day!

Just Journals Recapture

Every weekend I post a "Just Journals" link party.  I invite readers to post their own art journal pages.  Anything goes.. sketches, writing, collages, whatever!  My goal is for other artists to meet each other and find inspiration from others' artwork.  Here are some highlights from this past weekend.

Altered School Marm, a new blog to me

My new friend, a fellow Cheesehead from Wisconsin

DosFishes, whom I've been reading since I started blogging

Michelle's Gorgeous Pages

Frau has a step-by-step progression of her page on her blog

Check out Juana's delicate drawings

Falling Ladies' lovely cross-hatching

Lettering

I have been busy making name pictures for my long time high school friend.  I'm giving her these for Christmas.  She asked me to make name designs for her three kids: Faith, Hope and William. 

I cut up photocopies of my watercolor paintings and turned them into letters.  Then, I outlined them and added doodles and embellishments.

Just Journals Link Party #8

I would love to see your pages! Find a post that you recently made about an art journal page, add a link in your post back to the Just Journals blog post so others can find the meme and then add your link to inlinkz tab below! Sounds fun? play along!







Grab a button for your page:

Hope

This is a lettering poster I made for my friend's kid who's name is Hope.. but it also is perfect for the holiday season, don't you think?

Snippets

I don't have anything really finished to show you, but I have some pages in stages to show you.  Would you like to see them?

new journals to work in!

Check out these other inspiring links:
It's a HodgePodge Life
Paint Party Friday