Documented Life Project 2015

I’ve jumped feet first into Art to the 5th Academy's Documented Life Project 2015! Whee!

I have thoroughly enjoyed working in my Dylusions Journal this past year, and after watching the inspiring tutorial video posted by Roben-Marie Smith, I felt called to participate in The Original Documented Life Project™ The Journal!

Each month, there’s a theme. And each week there’s an art related challenge and creative journal prompt.
I love that we are encouraged to interpret both however we wish! 

January’s Theme
The Blank Page and How to Face It!

January 1 Challenge & Prompt
Art Challenge: Book Paper
Journal Prompt: Be Your Own Goal Keeper

After watching the tutorial videos by Roben-Marie Smith, Rae Missigman, and Lorraine Bell, I was super-inspired! I tried combining techniques from each in my own art journal spread.

To begin, I tore and collaged a variety of papers onto my art journal pages, adhering these with gel medium:

I had a plethora of papers to choose from: old book pages, security envelopes, sheet music, steno paper, survey maps, paper rulers and a variety of graph papers...thanks to Mary Beth Shaw bringing me to the St. Louis Teachers' Recycle Center on Saturday!!

I also found these cool add-on pockets at the St. Louis Teachers' Recycle Center, and collaged papers onto one of these as well:

Once the gel medium dried completely, I brushed a thin layer of gesso onto the right-hand page and add-on pocket to give the papers cohesion. Then I grabbed my DecoArt Media fluid acrylics! I added Burnt Umber around the edges of the page and the pocket to give it a vintage look:

Next, I added Hansa Yellow Light, Green Gold, Blue-Green Light and used Mary Beth Shaw's December StencilClub stencil to create the year "2015" and Carolyn Dube's Uplifting Words stencil to add the word "go." I love that the word "go" is the beginning of the word "goals!" A few black letter decals completed the word "goals":

I brushed on Cobalt Teal Hue, Cobalt Turquoise Hue and Naphthol Red Light and added fun month stickers Mary Beth Shaw gave me from the St. Louis Teachers' Recycle Center, too. I tore a piece of lined paper to fit inside the add-on pocket; I'll list my 2015 goals on this paper. On the left-hand side of this spread, I made notes about the variety of papers I incorporated in the process of creating the page on the right-hand side.

Below are two more details:

I had such fun layering papers, paints, stencils and stickers...then tucking my 2015 goals inside for safekeeping!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!
Hope you're off to a wonderful 2015!!