Rolled Paper Flower Video Tutorial

I was going to wait until the weekend to post this, but you know when I've created something I just get too excited and gotta share it with you guys straight away, so here it is:

When I first started being creative again I used to roll paper quite a bit both for artwork and jewellery making, but while playing recently I came up with a simple formula for getting easy-peasy perfect flowers every time, here's the tut:

They really do make SUCH cute rings that I had to make a few out of them, some of which are available in my Etsy stop (but you know me I'll be off onto the next project soon, so only a limited amount are available and for limited time I'm afraid so get going if you want one ;) ):

...and just incase you were wondering what background tutorial it was that I made the flower in the top middle of the below picture with, it can be found here. I used one of the 'B-sides', not even one of the nicer ones, to make it but I have to say I think it turned out my favourite =)

That's all folks, have a great crafty evening love Jennibellie =D xoxo

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Melissa Angelik

Hello artists happy Tuesday =) I'm a little bit out of sorts at the mo, not sure if it's weather or something else but icky sicky just won't leave me so I'm planning on making myself an enjoyable evening of nothingness...first TAT, then a hot, hot, hot shower, followed immediately by bed clothes (despite the fact that it's not even 9pm lol) and a good novel! TAT included TLC lol hope you're planning your version of luxuriousness once you've finished the enjoying Melissa's lovely work & interview, go on...you deserve it =D

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
I am obsessed with books, and therefore end up making all my art in books. Also, as my lifestyle at the moment is very nomadic, anything else would take up too much room. I like trying out new media, and express whatever I'm feeling in that moment, or whatever I'm thinking through my art. I love mythology, symbolism, music, just so many things! And they all get incorporated into my art.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
I think self-doubt and self-destruction are my two greatest obstacles to my art.

What do you love most / least enjoy about your art?
What I love most about my art is that I can do whatever I want. This is a huge reason why I became an art school dropout - I hated having to do art based on someone else's ideals of "right" and "wrong", "good" or "bad".

What is your heart’s greatest desire for your life as an artist?
I'm not sure what I desire most as an artist, I think if I could actually build a following and have people collect prints and interesting branded items, that would be really cool. I just hope people are inspired by what I do.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
My tumblr and newly started deviant art blogs would be the best places to look: http://melissa-angelik.tumblr.com/ and http://melissa-angelik.deviantart.com/

Thanks so much for sharing Melissa, I have to say I am so happy you are an art school dropout because that is one of the discussions we often have on TAT; worries by some of us that we are not 'good enough' artists because we were never trained, but what you say is so true. Art by nature is the most subjective thing, so whichever way you look at it (haha) it is impossible to do work to please others; there is just too many people and too many different opinions on what constitutes good art. Therefore all we can really do is work to please ourselves, and why would we need to be trained for that, when what we will be shown is how not to do it our way? Hmm so pleased you took part in TAT Melissa and helped me see this perspective =D

“Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” 

Andy Warhol

Would you like to be featured on Tell All Tuesday??

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)

Much love

Jennibellie

A Cutie-Pie Takes Over

So there I was sat, or rather lying, on my bed for a great movie night last night and reeeeally getting into The Bourne Trilogy (which is one of those films, or rather sets of films, I have always meant to watch, but never got around to) when out of nowhere I just had to bolt myself up and grab a pencil and paper. Thankfully I had my faces journal on my bedside table, so I didn't need to disturb anyone too much (including myself, as I am rather lazy so if I didn't have the necessities right there I might not have acted on this impulse) and within and in five minutes I said hello to Cutie Pie:

I know she isn't ever going to be considered a masterpiece but I remember reading something by J. K. Rowling that mentioned how she would suddenly stop in the middle of washing the pots to write down an idea before it disappeared, and she did so so often that her family were used to seeing her suddenly bolt out the door. I guess I am getting that way with creativity, but when I look at Cutie Pie I'm glad...yes, she interrupted a perfectly good film, but then so does needing the loo, which I ALWAYS do right at the good bits, and she took no extra time than going to the loo to do AND I still managed to stay right up date with the film, as I listened while I scribbled.

I love her, I know she's only a quick sketch & I do thousands of them but I really do love her & what she represents: our creative muses ability to surprise us with nice things if we are only willing to say yes, rather than no...and a reminder to always keep a piece of paper and pencil handy ;)

Now I may go give her some colour, a journal page or may be even her very own journal, who knows, that's my muses business ;)

Jennibellie's 200th post (yay!) over and out =D 

It's My Birthday...

we're gonna party like it's my birthday... 

or rather just a little art journal party, it's the first year I've ever managed to do a journal page on my birthday so thought I'd share the process via picture evolution. So I started off with this found object printed page from my Bunch of Backgrounds technique video:

At the top I wrote 'at 28' on one side and 'at 30/by 30' on the other, as I'm turning 29 this year I thought it was quite a milestone, last year of my twenties and I just wanted to reflect on what that means.

In my twenties I've lived in quite a few places, worked in LOADS of different industries, had many different lifestyles, had quite a few boyfriends, had juxtaposing friends & interests, collected quite a varied folder of qualifications and not all of it ever really felt like me. At 28 I felt like me and I had a lot less going on...which is probably why I could create & share so much online. I just wrote out everything to keep, throw out or improve upon before I turn thirty. Then I created frames using new washi tapes that I treated myself too as a birthday treat ;) 

I then painted in the frames, I picked this background as I wanted this to be easy, a quick treat before I head to bed, so I just painted some very carefree easy-peasy faces

Then I embellished them with little pictures, border strips, stickers & stuff that meant something to me (ie the embellie on the top left of the frame on 'at 28' page is the key, the embellie on the top left of the frame on 'at 30' page is a keyhole...yep I put in a sticker metaphor, coz I'm cool like that!! lol)

and now we're done & it's nearly 2am so I'm off to bed, I've only a chilled day planned tomorrow/today/whatever heck the day my birthday is, just the cinema and a meal, then next weekend is party weekend, and the weekend after that is an art party weekend wahoo!! Think I'm more excited about the art party if I'm honest, in fact I know I am because I'm getting boring in my increasing old age...and in fact to prove that this week I brought new clothes for the first time in forever and the whole thing was for knitwear jumpers and cardigans lol 'move out Granny I need your slippers' (no seriously, I need new slippers; they'll be next on the shopping list! lol)

Nighty night, sleep tight

Jennibellie xoxo

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Marcia Beckett

Hello beautiful, you're looking lovely today (yes I can see you...in your paint-stained pajama bottoms, that look exactly like mine =D tee hee). I've been so tired the last couple of days that I haven't managed to even doodle so much as a scribble, so I'm very happy TAT's here because I need some motivation, I need some inspiration, I need some drive to make me customize my pajamas with another stylish stain & even more than that, with some pride. Paint-stained pajamas are too good to wear when just looking at the tv, when fussing the pup or answering some emails. Paint stained pajamas need some respect, they need some artsy time in the form of an artist interview and then some arting love...so I, or more specifically Marcia, is going to help with part one, then part two's on you (and me too!) to go fulfill our artistic potential for today...even if its just that scribble =)

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.

Hi! Thanks, Jenny for interviewing me for your blog. I am a 33 year old mixed media artist living in Madison, WI and an elementary art teacher for students in grades K-6 at a gifted and talented school. The children are really, really smart but are just like other kids in the sense that they love to get their fingers messy in art class! I am married with one sweet 3 year old daughter, who keeps me very busy. I run a challenge and sharing blog called Artists in Blogland and I also write articles for a mixed media art magazine called Featuring. For my own personal art, I love to make mixed media collages, paint with watercolors and acrylics and work in my art journals. 

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?

It's hard to pick the biggest challenge, but since I work full-time teaching I have limited time to make my own art. Weekends and summers are the best times for me to focus on artmaking. Also, like many people connected constantly to the internet, I face "information overload"! On one hand, it is so fun to see what everyone else is doing with their art and to connect with other people. On the other hand, it can be dangerous when you look at what everyone else is doing and start playing the comparison game. I find it very hard not to constantly compare myself to others. Also, it is hard to not be heavily influenced by other people's art and to not consciously (or subconsciously) start creating art that resembles other art you have seen. I have not been good at overcoming these challenges. I would love advice! Internet provides a lot of inspiration, but it can also hinder your progression as an artist.

What do you love most / least enjoyable about your art?

The thing I love most about making art is that it is time I can spend just for myself doing something I love. I love to collect and choose ephemera for particular collages and I love to play with the interactions between colors. Most aspects of artmaking are very enjoyable for me. I suppose the clean up and constant messiness in my basement are unenjoyable! 

Do you ever lose your mojo, and if so, how do you get it back?

For the past few years, I have not had any problems getting motivated to spend time in my art studio. It is a constant urge I have! There was a period of a couple years after college where I did not make any art for myself. Now I have made it a habit. I read art blogs, books and magazines and watch tutorials on Youtube while I am making art. I do this not for the goal of necessarily replicating the techniques, but they all provide fuel for that motivation to create art. If you are stuck, I highly recommend just reading a few pages from an art book and before you can finish you will probably be ready to move on to making your own art. If you need more direct instruction to go further, take an art class. There are many good ones online. During the summers, I have taken local art classes to learn more techniques and to focus on a particular medium. Or, participate in a challenge in an online group (like Artists in Blogland.)

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?

Blog for: Art Teaching , Blog for: Art Journaling & Mixed Media, 

Etsy, Twitter, Flickr

Thank you for sharing Marcia =) I love that you do art during the day with your class and then still have such a love for it you want to do it at home, that is something really special! I like your advice for starting-jumping your mojo too, I never have the computer on in my studio when I'm at my art desk because I have my back to the screen so youtube videos wouldn't be too much use while creating (plus I'd get distracted and keep turning round if I could only hear and not see lol) but I think I may try the book option...so I'm off to go pick one now, riffle through some colourful pages then get my painting (....my pajamas) =D 

Would you like to be featured on Tell All Tuesday??

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)

Much love

Jennibellie

Organic Art Journal Tutorial

So I promised yesterday I would post a tutorial and in case you haven't seen it already popping up in your video stream here is the tutorial =D

It is a page process and is me practicing what I preach, in allowing your inner creative self room to play and blossom...

loooooooooooooove how fat my journals gettin' =D

it is pretty much the physical embodiment on my journal advice video 'My Biggest Tip for Liking Your Journal Pages' below:

So if you want to hear my tips click that, if you want to see my process click this:

That's it for now, very tired Jennibellie signing out for the night, much love xoxo

*Givvveawwaay winnnneerrr*

I'm actually sat here singing

'givvvvveawwway winnnnnnnnerrrrr, na na nahhh hhaaa' as I type lol

how sad that I get excited myself :/ =D

before that though I want to share some amazing sights, because unexpectedly I had a pretty incredible day of them. I was out in a neighbouring county, and though I know the beautiful English countryside is a lovely vision in itself something strange had happened to it... this: 

All of the dales and valleys were eaten up by a beautiful mystical mist that went up for miles;

like how an ocean engulfs and caresses the coast

Whole towns & villages were lost, peaks really were only peaks for a while

I assume it is the visual effect of the heat from the first proper day of sun hitting the cold 

(look at the back wall of the above field - the white is the snow that is still visible)

28 years of living in the UK and being used to our country and I have never witnessed anything like this...and then the sky was suddenly littered with colour:

It was weird to see the sun so summery bright next to starkly white winter snow:

'Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'

Anyhow sorry for getting distracted, onto the giveaway =)

Thank you to everybody that entered ~ WOW!!!!! There were a LOT:

my poor old printer nearly died pumping out all your names lol

As I do it the old fashioned way it took a while (and a few papercuts) but here we go.....

and the winner is.....

Jen @ Sadie Inspired

Yayyyyyy congratulations =)

please send me your deets to my email as stated over there >>>>

Everyone else not to worry, I've two pieces of good news for you:

1) I will most likely be posting a video tutorial tonight, so that's a gift for anyone who wants it &

2) if you couldn't tell from the beginning of this post I actually really like doing giveaway's & I've come up with an idea for a MEGA one, like seriously MEGA so I'll most likely be doing another before you know it  =D

So that's it, have happy weekend everyone byyyyyyye xoxo

On a Valentines Day..

hello beautiful, happy valentine mwaaaaaaah!!

How's your valentines been?? 

In terms of love mine has consisted of a 3am wake up call ;) 

...from Sweep but still...

he's been given two new toys so that made his Valentines ;)

'you're turn bone... 

now it's yours squeaky squeaky. Nom Nom'

 (he has a knack for waking me just as I am staring to nod; two insomniacs together, geesh!) 

then I woke up properly to 4 Valentines! *Oh yeah!*

They were all from my sponsored dogs...but still...

& now I've just got back from a lovely date:

it was only Frankie & Benny's & the cinema with my bff but still...

we connect to the point of subconscious matching
single ladies unite!! lol

And now I get to wrap up some pretty presents, again not for/with/from a man but my Etsy shop customers, but still...

I don't really buy into the Valentines stuff (even when not single ~ not bitter single lady speak here I swear! mostly cringes me out more than anything) but this Valentines has been as good as any I've ever had; besides I've never believed that true love comes only from the one source.

Speaking of my Etsy shop, I have finally reopened it properly =) & here's the deets and some general journaling vloggery

And, just because, here's a sneaky peek at my new tutorial:

difficult to show a hint without giving it all away but all will be revealed soon, hoping to get it posted for the weekend =D

That's all folks, hope you've had a fabulous Valentines =D

much love

Jennibellie xoxo

ps quick reminder that my journal giveaway ends in two days, jump to this post if you want to be entered.

pps could I think of a title for this blogpost that was not lame or 'Happy Valentine's Day?', no I could not (try it, I swear no non-cliches - like 'Be Mine, Valentine!' - are possible) but I have 'On a Valentines Day..' song stuck in my head (Linkin Park I think) & as that's as good a descriptive for this post as any so that's what ya got! *shame-head-drop*

I'll try better in the future :/ lol

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Jen Meyer

Hello, happy February 12th everyone! it's a very special occasion...because it's TAT TIME yay =D

We have a beautiful artist (of course she's beautiful her name is Jen ;) ) with beautiful work today, sit back & enjoy your special 12th of February treat =)

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.

I've been making art of some sort for my whole life. When I was younger I would spend hours coloring which evolved into paper cuttings, paper making, glass mosaics and now illustration, watercolor and most recently painting. It's only been a few years since I started taking things a bit more seriously doing shows and selling my work.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it? 

It's hard to narrow it down to just one thing, because it changes.

Sometimes I don't feel justified to be an artist. A nagging part of me that says I need to have a 'real' job or since I don't have a degree in art I'm not a 'real' artist. When I notice those thoughts I overcome them by reminding myself that lots of people are artists (and even Picasso didn't finish school), I can take classes to expand my skill level any time. Lots people make a living as artists. The world needs art. Art expresses emotions, helps us understand complex ideas, grows us. I also put notes here and there to remind me it's ok when I need it. 

Another challenge I sometimes face is sticking to a schedule. It's easy to distract myself with other things that 'need' to be done first, instead of just getting to work everyday. There are times when a distraction is needed, like when I'm stuck on something and need a break. SO when it gets out of hand I overcome it by setting a timer for certain tasks so I have an allotted time for everything that needs to get done. 

What do you love most / least enjoyable about your art?

most enjoyable/ I love getting feedback from people. I love selling originals. It satisfies my need for approval ;) 

least enjoyable/ marketing myself-I'd rather have someone else talk me up.

What messages do you try to portray in your work and do you feel you achieve it?

Well, my husband and I both became vegan a couple years ago and that has been a big life change for us. We both had the realization that animals are not food and that we do not need to eat animals to thrive. In fact, we have become much healthier since becoming vegan. This change in thinking and life style has inspired and consumed most of my recent work. I feel very compassionate towards animals and the injustice they face in factory farms and other cruel practices in the food and pet industries. I am drawn to bring awareness and light to this area in a gentle, fun and light hearted way. I love spotlighting cute personalities and human-like postures of animals in my illustrations. I want my art to make a sizable difference in the way people think about about their relationship with animals and also with themselves. To help allow people to come back to the love that already exists within them and to stretch their thinking a bit larger and farther than they thought they could. and to smile.

Have I achieved it? 

I don't think it's ever 'achieved' as in a final result, but rather always in the process. So far, many of our friends and family have already had the same realization and become vegan or are reducing their consumption of animals. Each vegan diet saves around 200 animals per year, so I'm estimating at least 2,000 animals have been spared so far. And many people are opening up to the thought 'Why do I eat animals?'. And that is a good place to start because change first comes from within.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?

My web site is jenmeyerart.com. I'd love to hear from everyone, so feel free to drop me a line by your choice of communication: Facebook, twitter, email, blog… I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you so much for your shares Jen, I enjoyed your work very much =D that 'I don't have a degree so I'm not a real artist' nags at me too ~ not that I ever question the fact that I am an artist, I know I am: I have always been, but the fact that I've not been 'trained' gnarls at me a bit. But when I look back at my life I can't regret the choices I've made, if I had studied art then my art would not be anything like what it is now, and who knows...I may have even just stopped doing it altogether - like I did with the things I actually do have qualifications in :/ 

LIFE HAPPENS TO US THE WAY IT DOES FOR A REASON.

IT MAKES YOU WHO YOU ARE...AND WHO YOU ARE IS FABULOUS!!

Would you like to be featured on Tell All Tuesday??

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)

Much love

Jennibellie

Journal Giveaway! Yay!

Hi guys, okay so when I gave away a journal before Christmas on facebook I promised I would do a blog giveaway too, as not everyone here is on there...so here it is =)

Pictures are rubbish because they were taken on my iphone, due to camera failure discussed in this post but it's all good, I have now ordered a new camera (another Nikon as the last one was *so* incredibly robust). 

I just couldn't wait for it to arrive (ordered from Amazon) to do this giveaway; ya'll see enough of my work to know what it's like anyhow lol =) plus it's a nice time to do it as a thank you to everyone who has helped me get another camera a month earlier than I would have otherwise, by buying something from my Etsy shop =)

It's pretty much a junk journal - so expect waste paint pages, pattern papers etc. On the front is a hand-drawn girlie on a 1940s piece of french text, handmade clay embellishments, machine stitching and bound with handmade paper beads on fabric spine. Inside has some hand-stitching, pockets, surprises and sticky notes =D

To enter you just have to do 2 things: 1) be a follower of this blog by clicking the 'join' button over there --------> and 2) leave me a comment on this post telling me you want to enter. Done =)

I'll announce winner in a week (16th February) so please make sure you pop back to check & that I have a way to contact YOU (as I don't not intend to spend my time trying to track down somebody to give THEM something - done it before and there's nothing more annoying :/ )

Yay so fingers crossed and good luck to you =)

Much love

Jennibellie xoxo