Sunday 15 September 2013

All about changes

No, you haven't clicked the wrong button, dear readers, friends and followers! This is still me..."die amelie" and her (still quite messy) projects.

Only I felt that it was time to do some "cleaning up" and give my blog a more reduced appearance - so the focus is turned to the projects more easily. (Well, maybe we are speaking of "growing up" here too... ).

My latest projects after the holiday break were not too numerous (most of the recent projects that came up on my blog recently, were prepared in advance - even my DT make for Our Creative Corner's "Forgotten Things" challenge - , because I knew that it would become quite hectic after our return, with school starting again, a lot of laundry and flat cleaning to do and getting back to normal.) and I missed that "flow" - which was definitely interrupted by our holiday.
Believe me - I was frustrated by repeatedly sitting down at my workdesk and waiting for that special "initial spark" - which just didn't happen!

Witch Myrtle's Travel Case was a happy day crafting, but it is something different than creating - I hope you know what I mean... crafting and creating are slightly different things to me at least. Even though I love both. But the first needs more logical thinking and fiddling and the latter is something that almost "creates itself" - through me. There's an inner voice then, leading the way and my hands just do what the soul tells them to.

Those who have been following me for a while now, know that I don't do any art journaling. I tried once or twice, but was never content with the outcome, because what I had created then never felt like a piece of "me" - even more like trying  to be too hard what I simply wasn't.
And so I let go... I continued enjoying to create tags and also some canvases and altered objects....but art journaling was something I admired with other gifted people out there....

...until yesterday, when I sat down at my crafting desk after I had discovered a very old note book I bought about twenty years ago on my trip to New York (how time flies!). It has a binding that enables you to remove and add pages...which I discovered is perfect for art journalling as you can remove (and re-add) pages and can do them without having to pay attention not to spoil the rest of the journal. And that was the start of....well, I am not too sure of what exactly... ;)

But I know it is something I dare show you.... so see for yourself:


For this page I used white Gesso, ribbons, Glimmer Mists, a lot of my 3rdEye stamps, which are great for creating backgrounds, some Red Lead and Crafty Individuals stamps too (which I also love for their versatility) and texture paste with some stencils.

I had a really joyful play and the page almost built up on its own. Maybe you know that feeling too: seeing something that you have just finished and feeling about it as being foreign AND familiar with you at the same time.


My guess is, that when it feels like that, you have arrived at a new level on your creative journey and just freed something in you that has always been there - but you had just not been ready for it before.


My main fear - of overdoing the page as usual - just didn't come up at all. I redid some
of the areas where I had applied too much colour - and thus the page became even more "alive".

Well, maybe some of you think "I could have told you that much earlier!" right now, but even if you had (and I have some books about art journalling that tell about it too ;) - I guess I just had to discover that for myself.

Some things cannot be "done as dictated" - they have to be encountered and "lived" to become a truth for you.

But I guess I am boring you with all my "artist's babble"...I simply leave you to some more images and hope you have enjoyed your visit anyway.

I enter The Artistic Stamper's "Autumn" Challenge with this journal page and once more Frilly and Funkie's "Anything Goes" challenge. I also enter A Mixed Media Color Challenge #7 with it.

I would also like to apply for the DT Call over at Stampotique Designers Challenges that way - as this page shows a lot of me actually : my love for texture, for the use of black stamping with almost any of my creations, my love for nature, for a slight gothic (or quirky) touch and old photographs and my more or less "messy" approach to art and creating. (and Mr. Mojo seems to be back too ;). I really would love to get the chance to play with Stampotique's awesome stamps! (Well, who wouldn't... ;). I definitely love my Stampotique (one out of two I own at the moment *lol) stamp which I used with this tag. ;)

If you browse Stampotique's stamps you will find a great variety of stamps - many of them very versatile and just perfect for art journaling or creating awesome texture. So I do not only love the Daniel Torrente stamps but their whole range actually. 



Hugs and happy crafting,

Claudia - die amelie x





17 comments:

  1. It's truly wonderful, Claudia - full of texture and meaning and beauty. I'm so thrilled to hear you are back on your creative journey and with such wonderful journalling... the start of a whole new creative journey, I've no doubt.

    I know exactly what you mean about creating and crafting - and it was fascinating to read this post, as well as to see your beautiful pages.
    Alison xx

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  2. Hi Claudia, I love your 'artist babble' as you call it, I find it fascinating! I also love your new blog look and your journal page is fabulous, I think your mojo is well and truly home again - perhaps he just needed a little holiday too. Hugs, Anne x

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  3. Fabulous piece with wonderful texture and dimension. Love the mix of elements and layers. Tracy x

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  4. I love love love this. Gorgeous. Fabulous. All those wonderful details and elements coming together. I love the black bird and the sentiment and the leaves, I just could go on and on!
    I must admit, I like the layout of your blog as well, more room for photo's ia seems =)
    xx Monique

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  5. absolut GROSSARTIG Claudia!
    was für eine phänomenaler Start in einem Journal!
    willkommen in der Welt der Art Journale!
    Ich wusste es, dass Du irgendwann einsteigen wirst!!! lol!...und Dein Dominobüchlein ist ein Meisterstück as well!
    Sei lieb gegrüßt und
    hab eine schöne neue Woche!

    xxx
    Susi

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  6. wow was für ein grandioses Cover!!!!

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  7. First of all, I LOVE the new look of your blog! And I really enjoyed reading your post and seeing your journal of course! It seems like a new chapter in your creative journey is opening, and I totally recognize the difference between creating and crafting, though I have to say I hugely enjoyed your Myrtle story and project the other day...
    Good to hear Mr Mojo isd back and I wish you the very best of luck with your DT application. You and Stampoteque seem a match made in heaven to me!

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  8. Talk about texture, depth, interest, balance, color, etc., etc., etc., this project has it all! I spent quite a bit of time here, Amelie, and still have not seen it all, I am sure. I also took a side trip to see your Stampotique tag, and it is so, so cute! I love humor in art, and that tag is full of both humor and art! Good luck with your DT application!

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  9. Beautiful, beautiful page Claudia full of wonderful detail and depth. I know exactly what you mean about getting the spark back and also the difference between crafting and creating, but you a,ways produce wonderful pieces if art regardless.
    Take care.
    hugs {brenda} x0x

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  10. Creativity at the very highest level Claudia! I love the layers, the texture, the stamping and the fact that each time I look at your images, something else pops out and says 'look at me'. . . . . beautiful.
    Juliaxxx

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  11. This journal is so beautiful. I miss being artsy with things like this. <3

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  12. Claudia, LOVE your use of textures and layers! LOVED reading your "artistic babble" because I could relate! Your sentiment is so quirky and Awesome! THX for playing with us at A Mixed Media Color Challenge!

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  13. A beautiful example of your journalling Claudia. Love all those wonderful textures. Love the new look to your blog too. Hugs, Jenny x

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  14. Wow Claudia! Such pretty journaled pages! Love all the texture! Thanks so much for joining along with A Mixed Media Color Challenge!

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  15. Great journal page, definitely love all that texture on there. Thanks for joining us at the Stampotique DT call and best of luck.

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  16. Such a wonderful page, good luck!!!

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  17. Love your page ! thanks for joining us at The Artistic Stamper's September Challenge

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Thank you so much for your visit and especially for taking the time to leave me a short comment! This is highly appreciated! xxx