Well, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. It has been non-stop family and eating the past 3 days and frankly, this needs to stop right now.
Thanks also for your patience while I have not posted.
I have been waiting for this weekend to be here for a while now. Being gone for a week on a business trip and then having Thanksgiving here at the house has been weighing on my mind (in a good way).. and now, it’s over and I can finally get back in the studio… I think.
Back to my art – Day 1:
Here it is.. early evening, Saturday 11/26. Can I be honest here? Thank you. This hiatus I’ve been on from my art has really put me in a funk. Where in the world did my “moju” go? My “get up and go.. got up and went”. Well, that has to stop now too. I started to write this blog, but now I will stop to go upstairs to see what I can start to create.
Back to my art – Day 2:
Sunday, 11/27… Taking Megan back to Maine to college. Do I have any energy to drag my body back up in the studio when I get back… let’s see.
So, I did end up playing around a bit in the studio..
First, I took a small Moleskine notebook I got on my business trip and altered the front and back.
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE AND SEE DETAILS.


This small notebook measures 5″ x 3″.
I started with a white gesso layer on the front and back covers (I’m thinking I should have used black). Next layer of paint was colbalt teal (my fav).. then I added clear crackle medium. Once that dried.. I rubbed in some dark brown acrylic paint into the cracks and wiped it off. Once dry, I rubbed in some acrylic white paint and wiped that off. I wanted to get the brown and white into the crevices of the cracks. Added letters, as you can see and rubbed a little of distress ink on them to age them. Then I took red acrylic paint and dipped a credit card edge on it and made some streaks.
On the back of the book, I glued an image and painted around the edge of the image to blend it in with the teal. I added lace paper with gel medium. Love that look.. one of my favorites. Also, added a piece of an old doily to the back.
I may add some polymer clay buttons or some gems to finish this off.
Next……
Now, I’m working on an old passport covers that I got from my mom. So far, I painted it with white acrylic paint, let dry.. then spread on some maroon molding paste and tapped it with a palette knife with black paint.

This passport measures about 5″x3″. Maybe add some fabric or poly clay B&B’s (“Button n’bellishments” – my handmade polymer clay pieces).
I’m not done with these little books, but I wanted to show you what I’ve done so far.
More…..
After dropping my daughter off in Maine, we went to a store that has remnants of fabric for really cheap prices.. and then… they have fabric bolts of all kinds for $3.99 a yard.. yes, that’s what I said. Here are a couple remnants I picked up.

Aren’t they cool? I love that the music fabric is not consistent in some areas. I imagine doing a simple fabric dye with walnut ink to stain it. Can I get an “ahhhh…. ohhhh”?
So.. I feel like sharing in my good deals and in honor of turkeys, my art funk, back to blogging and my readers, I’d like to do a give -a-way of some of my favorite fabrics pieces. I just love incorporating them in my mixed media work.
As a matter of fact, I purchased 6 yards of fabric for some curtains I’m putting (having made) in my family room. I’m going to take the excess fabric and add it to a new mixed media canvas I plan on making for the room. I need to get some art in that room since it’s been painted.
Ok ok.. off track again… back to the give a way……
If you’d like to win some of my favorites fabric pieces, leave a comment on this post (U.S. only, please.. sorry) and I’ll choose a winner this weekend. (pssst… come closer.. I may add some other goodies too). After all, we mixed media junkies need more stuff, don’t we?
That’s it for now.. as always.. thanks for stopping by and hanging in there with me. You’re the best!!
Judy ♥