Journaling with Exceptional Students

February found me heading south to work in two schools for the month. At one school, for profoundly disabled students, I created journals to prepare 125 students for an upcoming field trip to see a very special play about Junie B. Jones and her "Very Own Personal Beeswax Journal".

These students are quite exceptional and the courage and perseverance they possess on a daily basis never ceases to humble me. It is my second visit there and each time I come away feeling blessed to have shared a part of their day.

That said, I want to share the journal with you. Since these journals are designed for a specific audience, I kept them crisp and clean and left out my usual collage layering. Instead, I used white card stock and my favorite RubberMoon stamps to create 6 inch by 6 inch journals.

I spent a week at the school, walking the students through each page and discussing the upcoming field trip so they will know what to expect. Each student received their own personal journal and they embellished them with colorful markers and pencils. Below is my journal along with pictures of their work. I think they all had a good time and are quite excited to go to the performance!

The RubberMoon stamps I used, shown above, can be found on their site, http://www.rubbermoon.com, if you're interested in purchasing any of them.

They are:
(a) Messages from the Center of the Universe - JC750h,
(b) Zen Garden - kp5129,
(c) New Moon - kp5009f,
(d) Girl with Star String - kp2913i,
(e) Corner Sun - mk679h,
(f) Checkerboard - m2770g, and
(g) Art Set - mk9199f.

Hope you're snugged up safely inside from this cold blustery winter snow and ice! Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

For more information about my work in schools, please visit my website at http://www.artandalchemy2.com and friend me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/brenda.smoak.

Please also visit my blog here on Blogger at: http://artiststelltheirstories.blogspot.com,

Warm Blessings,
Brenda

Happy New Year Everyone!

Made this little bit of happiness to celebrate a fresh start and a new year! May this coming year bring you the best of love, health, happiness, wealth and abundance, in all of its glorious forms!

I used RubberMoon's stamps and Inchie's card to make this piece. If you're interested in finding the stamps at RubberMoon, the #'s are: db412 for Sprinkle, kp5084 for the 3 circle rings and mk180 for the stardust effect.

Spread light and love this year!

Have Tools Will Travel

As we near the Winter Solstice I keep dreaming of the “painted skies” of the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) - those thousands of twinkling colors glistening across ink-black skies. In this deepest, darkest, coldest time of year may we find warmth among friends, family and cozy fireplaces stoked with yule logs.

I am feeling a bit like a gypsy these days, connecting here and there with kindred spirits, entertaining invitations to visit new towns and share my skills with eager young students. Temptation entices me. I’m headed back home to live in the DC area where my deepest roots and connections lie. Yet within 30 days, I will leave there to travel to the deep south for a month to work with several hundred students. Dark and light, cold and warm, one foot here and one foot there…it’s been a dance for several years.

March has me dreaming of visiting RubberMoon’s landing zone in Missouri after I revisit Paducah to do an ocean-themed clay mural with the Easter Seals adult clientele.

Every Winter Solstice I write down my intentions for the coming year and then stash it away to open on the Winter Solstice the following year. In 2012 I wished for adventure in 2013 and I certainly have had it this year!

So, with all of that, you can see why I’ve named this painting Have Tools Will Travel.

If you’re interested, here’s how I made it:  

Starting with an Art Square, from Inchie Arts, for my background canvas, I used Derwent’s Inktense watercolor pencils on top of RubberMoon’s very cool Brush and Pencil stamp and Splatter stamp. Then I painted the northern lights I keep dreaming of. In the end, I gently rubbed sparkly mica powders over top of my work.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I invite you to follow my blog, Artists Tell Their Stories, by clicking here: http://artiststelltheirstories.blogspot.com. And if you’re interested in the work I do with students, please visit my website, http://www.artandalchemy2.com. 

May your holidays be blessed and may your dreams and wishes come true in 2014.

peace…

Brenda

Greetings from Paducah, KY - Please check out my post today for RubberMoon Stamp Company:

http://rubbermoonarts.blogspot.com/2013/12/have-tools-will-travel.html?

Good morning Snow Lovers!

It's been snowing and icy here in Paducah for days so I thought a little moonbeam love might help brighten your day. I dug out my RubberMoon stamps (the row of stars, the small group of 3 stars, the vine and of course, the moon) and made this little painting for you. Enjoy!

Windmills & Whimsy

Mail Art

I heard someone say the other day that all they ever get in the mail are bills and trash mail. And when I thought about it, I agreed and thought that needs to change. A few years ago I was very involved with trading Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) and I remembered how exciting it was to get an interesting envelope in the mail.

I had just purchased some really cool stamps and thought this would be a cool way to try them out. I didn't have a lot of time to spend creating so I decided to see what I could come up with in a half hour. Using stamps from RubberMoon, a really cool stamp company that has whimsical and fun stamps, I sent a bit of happiness off into the world. Here's how I did it:


I started with a blank envelope

And thought that this stamp would be a cool way to highlight the address

Then I added the Sun stamp and a Post stamp

On the back of the envelope I used my very favorite RubberMoon stamp (on the left), the Moon, and in the center the stamp says "Messages from the Center of the Universe". The moon stamp on the right side has a lot of character too

Back to the front again to add the little elfin

This India Ink is waterproof so you can color and paint over it. On the left is a stack of baby wipes that I use to wipe off my stamps to keep them clean

So far, I spent 10 minutes and used these RubberMoon stamps. I am amazed at how quickly you can change a surface with stamping. If you're interested, you can find all of these stamps in RubberMoon's online shop.

Out come the watercolor pencils - this brand is awesome if you want control and great color

I bought a small set and the color range is nice. However, I can see that I will probably expand to a larger set soon!

So, in a few minutes I colored in all of the stamps, took a tad bit of water (and I mean a really really small tad) on a thin paintbrush and brought all of the colors to life

Then I colored in the front and

Added a few drops of water. In less than a half hour I created a simple design that will make people smile when they see it. Even the mailman loved it! Time for a little love note to pop inside and a stamp...

I would love your comments and am curious to know if you ever send mail art. Thanks so much for reading my post. peace...Brenda