NEW STAMPS

I carved a couple of new stamps today. I wanted a curly fern-like stamp. Then I looked up and saw all of my paintbrushes in a coffee can and decided to carve a paintbrush stamp also.

I made a new Artist Journal out of a 22" x 30" sheet of watercolor paper. I've used watercolors to paint each page, then I will add collage leaving room to journal.

NOTECARDS

New notecards I made with my hand carved stamps of Woodstock City Park.

ALTERED BOOK ARTIST JOURNAL PAGES

Today I started a new Artist Journal to keep track of my art projects and journal about them. I wanted to print out the stamps using the different stamp pad colors so I have a reference point. If you look closely at the background of the pages, you can see the original print page bleeding through. I bought some discarded books at the library and glued (using a glue stick) three pages together. Then I painted over the top with white gesso. A great way to recycle and reuse these old books. Some of my friends asked me how I choose which books to buy. I usually go for size.........these were almost square and the pages were sturdy.

HAND CARVED STAMPS

After a very left brained morning in a QuickBooks seminar with my husband at the Perimeter Apple Store, I had to come home and get creative. I've wanted to try carving my own stamps after being inspired by GENINNE and her beautiful hand carved stamps. I used a Staedtler Carving Block and a Speedball carver. I drew a pattern on a piece of paper, flipped it onto the carving block and burnished it. I started carving trying to stay on the lines. It was really a lot easier than I thought it would be. I can't wait to try some more tomorrow.