Zentangles!

Check out this form of art....I love it! Fits right in with the Visual Journal!!! Check out this link for ideas and how to: Tangle Ideas

And here are some images I have done since discovering this wonderful art!

JFJ Challenge

Just wanted to let people know that I have started a weekly challenge on the JFJ blog. Week 1 is coming to a close and the Week 2 challenge will be posted tomorrow, but it's never too late to join in on the fun.

Valentine Card class

Valentine Card class
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

It seems like the only time I do anything is when I'm taking a class. Thank goodness there are people out there willing to "try" to teach me! This one is from Laure Ferlita. Had fun doing it.

I have discovered Photoshop!

So I have discovered Brushes in Photoshop!!!
Check out what I created...
I love Geek Art!!!

Autumn Equinox

Autumn Equinox
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

The leaves here seem to be having a hard time changing colors this year. The weather is so dry, the leaves are just dying and falling off the trees instead of changing to those beautiful colors I am so used to seeing. It is supposed to rain tomorrow and then for several days. Maybe that will help.

Painting this one was great fun!

Pumpkin

Pumpkin
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

It's finally starting to feel like fall here. Less humidity in the air. A certain crispness to it that I love. I'm enjoying my online class with Laure - it makes me look even more closely at the world around me. And what a beautiful world it is!

Indigo Bunting (Low Tec)

Indigo Bunting (Low Tec)
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

This was an assignment for my class with Laura. Having a great time and experimenting with lots of materials. Lots of things I would do differently on this one, but I learned sooooo much!

Tye Dye 2

Tye Dye 2
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

I decided that I wanted the story written on the journal page but did not want it on top of my work. The butterfly was collaged on and the writing behind it.

Tye Dye

Tye Dye
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

On a recent art day with my art buddies, we tie dyed shirts. Great fun - but the amazing thing was that as I held my wet dyed shirt in my hands, a butterfly came and sat on my shirt. He just sat there - and sat there. Of course before anyone could get their hands on a camera, he left. Great day. Great memory.

View

View
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

In one of Nelson DeMille's novels the main character had been shot multiple times and barely escaped with his life. When asked how he managed to survive, he stated, "with gunshot wounds it's like real estate...location, location, location." I feel the same way about the view from my kitchen.

Cape Lookout

Cape Lookout
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

I had the opportunity to spend a few days with some of my art teacher buddies in July at the beach. We had great fun catching up and spent one of our days at Cape Lookout. We took a water taxi over to the island and got to see a few of the wild horses of the Outer Banks of NC. The horses were a first for me. A great day and a great experience!

Journal Front Page

Journal Front Page
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

Just when you think I have finally given up, I come up with another post. Go figure! I am taking a class with Laure Ferlita on Journaling and really enjoying her ideas, suggestions, demos and instruction. It is always great to be in a class and see familiar names (keeps me in a comfort zone on that level anyway). Inspiration from classmates and an urgency to make something NOW in order to keep up with assignments is just what I needed. Now let's see if I can get on to page two!

Book

I've been meaning to share this ever since I saw that Amazon.com not only had our book up for pre-order, but also posted an image of the book cover. We've known for quite some time what the cover would look like, and we've reviewed a design copy of the book. And we must say that it looks awesome. The designer at F+W, Kelly O'Dell, did an amazing job making the book feel like it is a journal. She used one of Dave's journals for the cover, and converted one of the stickers into the title, and added little bits and pieces of digital fodder - including pictures of the two of us - to give the cover the feel of one of our journals. The inside is just as well designed, and she used many of our journal pages as the backdrop to the text. I can't wait to get a copy of the actual book in my hands.

If you would like to pre-order it, you can go to Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. If you would like to wait for a signed copy, Dave and I will be selling those directly from our website once the book drops in May. It's still unbelievable that soon our book will be in bookstores across the country. Very, very cool.

Calligrafun

Calligrafun
Originally uploaded by Connie Vickers

My Accomplices in Art seem to be taking a break from our site, but in case you check in...

I just started a class with Martha Lever called "CalligraFun" and it is. Several of my online art buddies are right in their with me trying to see if we can learn the art of Fun Lettering! This is my first attempt.

You guys are the best. How can it be a year since we were together. Hope you holidays were great! Hugs.

Christ Candle 2009

Christ Candle 2009, originally uploaded by Connie Vickers.

I have played all day. Rainy and cold and the perfect day to stay in and work in my journal. Tried lots of media today working on lesson #3 of a great journal class with Kate. Quick sketches. Really really bad sketches - but good experience. I think all of those "bad" sketches helped me work out the plan for my Christmas card for this year. Hopefully tomorrow I will turn this into a 4x6 I can mail to friends and family. No PROCRASTINATING! We will see...

Happy Thanksgiving!

One of my dear friends just returned from NCCAT all excited about her week and her journey into journaling. It made me sad that I have lost touch with the wonderful friends I made at NCCAT just a year ago. I think of our time together often and hope you are all journaling. My style of journal has varied since then and the book is much smaller - but just as personal and just as important. Life is a journey, not a destination. I hope your journey is a good one. Happy Holidays to all of you. love and hugs

Connie

reflections

here's the reflections stuff in word

Taking the Plunge!!

Hello all! I have finally taken the plunge and opened n etsy site. Right now it has photography on it but I am working up to putting some of my Art Journal pages up for sale. Trying to decide which one and how to price it and all that jazz...and secretly...I am a little shy about showing my pages to 'the world'. It was harder than I thought to put the photography...what if nobody likes them??? lol My husband laughed at me and said..upload those images...you will be fine! Anyway, if you want to check out the site here is the address: Enjoy!

www.moonchildphotography.etsy.com

Here is a sample:

New and News

Time slips by so quickly and so silently, and I keep meaning to do the one hundred things on my to-do list, but they fall between the cracks. But I found some time this morning to scan some pages from my current journal, and I'll post some more throughout the next week or so.

The New: So this is a new scan of Page 1 in Volume 12 of my journals. I began this page back in November, and I have slowly added to it. I began this page with watercolor and then drew the self-portrait from a photo that I took, and I've added watercolor pencil and ink. It is by no means finished, but I don't know if I'll go back to it much. I haven't worked much in my journal lately. I've been busy with so many things as well as just being plain worn out and exhausted. Perhaps with the school year wrapping up, I'll have more time soon.

The News: As mentioned, another school year is quickly coming to an end, and I am finishing my 13th year as a public school art teacher. I'm already looking forward to next year thinking about all the things that I'll do better and differently.

Our book finally has a title. Actually we have known about it for some time, but I just keep forgetting to post about it. But our book will be titled, The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict, and will be released by North Light Books next year. We've actually have seen a design for the cover, and I'll share the finalized cover when I can. We are very excited about it.

And finally, Dave finished up his MFA in May, and has landed a teaching gig at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC where he will be teaching both Art Education and Studio Art courses. Congrats Dave.

My Dance Page

I haven't been able to be creative in my Visual Journal in a long while. But tonight...I had a chance to sit for a bit and create.
I call it my dance page. I like the feel of it. Old Vintage Pictures with the edges singed. I had started this page way back when I went to the Workshop in Cullowhee...
It is a very good feeling to create...and let creativity flow.