Journaling and Gelli with Julie

Julie Balzer just posted about her visit to Bizzy B a few weeks ago and she very kindly included a link to my blog post about her stamp carving class. I thought I'd better get bizzy and post the rest of my photos from that weekend, although having scrolled through her post and see her pictures of all the fabulous artwork done by my fellow students, I can't imagine how I could top that! I simply can't, but it's not a contest, so I'll just share these photos as a compliment to her post. :)

The all day Saturday class was all about art journaling.  Julie taught us various techniques and how to layer them on our page to create a more interesting result.  The best takeaway from this class for me was how to turn a page that you just don't like into something you do.  My example is this two page journal spread below. I had started it several months ago and absolutely hated the result. I didn't know what to do with it so I just left it and kept quickly flipping past it every time I looked through my book. It was much too busy and I didn't like the colour combinations and it was just plain fugly (I wish I had taken a before picture but you'll just have to take my word on it).  After utilizing some of the techniques Julie taught us, my page ended up like this:

Imagine the designs inside the circles covering the entire two pages. {{shudder}} That's what the original pages looked like.  It was sensory overload when you looked at the pages. I like this finished spread so much better!

Here are some more journal page backgrounds I created in class:

I like that they are different from anything I have done before.  They have a lot more colour and energy.  Can't wait to keep working on them, adding more layers as the mood strikes me!

On Sunday, we played with gelli plates (if you aren't familiar with a gelli plate, check out the Gelli Arts website find out more about it). We made so many prints, we filled up the clothesline and had to spread out onto the floor! (luckily they dry fast).

We learned a lot of different techniques about using the gelli plate.  Of course, all that learning and creativity makes you hungry.  Lunch was a delicious pasta and yummy garlic bread made by Tony. Here's Kat about to do the taste test:

Here's our happy group at the end of class:

It's hard to get a clear photo of Julie, only because she is a bundle of energy and talks with her hands a lot.  I love this one though (and check out that gorgeous page from her journal, wowza!)

Here we are together:

It was such a great weekend! My head was crammed full of information and ideas by the end of the three classes. Julie taught us so many new techniques.  Thank goodness I took notes because I've already forgotten so much about what I learned, there was just too much info for my brain to absorb all at once.  I'm going to read through my notes, savour every morsel and then put it all to good use in my journal.  Thank you so much, Julie and Bizzy B, for a fabulous artful weekend, let's do it again soon!