Name Doodle Tutorial

This seems like a simple task for me because I have been doodling since I could hold crayons... but if you aren't a doodler this is probably a difficult thing to grasp. Keeping that in mind I am going to note a few things that inspire me as a doodler that will help you to get going.
I like to doodle on normal cardstock paper - it is thick and if the felt's I'm using bleeds through there's no page underneath to ruin. That is why I tend to add these doodle pages to my journals afterwards (and more than likely the reason my art journal is so thick!) Plus I can cart a piece of paper around a lot easier than carrying my heavy journal around.
The markers I have been using lately are "Copic" professional artist markers, they come with fine tips from .05 all they way up to .7 as well as one brush stroke marker (set of 10). I found them in an art store while I was in Kelowna and they are probably online with a copic retailer. You can also use other markers ~ there are no rules to doodles so use what you are comfortable with. I have just discovered the "Copics" and I absolutely love them. But I tend to love all kinds of markers and find I can never have enough because you never know when you are going to be inspired to use a certain type of marker.
To doodle a name I simply use a long ruler and draw a top and bottom line with a pencil as to how big I want the name across the page. For example, I am working on my hubby's name above. I draw his name out rather simply and then fill it in with all sort's of different textures. I use texture sheets that I have drawn up that inspire me with all sorts of ideas to fill in the spaces. I have included a few of my texture sheets to help inspire you. If you want to create a texture sheet of your own simply create blank squares across and down a page and then fill them in with different textures you find around your home, outside, anywhere really. You will notice that I have made up many of my textures. It's all in the name of fun.
I hope this helps.
Happy creating.
Kelly

My Name Doodle For Today

I have been so excited to have time to doodle on my vacation this past week! I haven't been feeling well as my hubby gave me a cold ~ so I have been sitting on the couch doodling and watching some movies. No complaints from me though. I don't know why I decided to do my name, I guess because I have been working with letters lately (from Nicolette's creative lettering course - Nicolette Anderson) and I have been experimenting with different techniques in embellishing letters as well.
I did my third texture page... I created two of them about two years back when I first got into art journaling and then was so glad to see this technique in the new group I joined (Doodlehaven at Yahoo Groups). Next name I am doing is my hubbies and then I will try and do my boys.
Hope you enjoy them.
Happy Creating
Kelly

Loving The New Challenge of "Tangles"

I love a new challenge in my art work... I guess that is why I am always researching new techniques, different mediums etc. I think I strive when I am challenged by something new... and believe me ~ this is all new to me. I used to hate trying new things, anything that I thought I wouldn't be able to perfect to my own standards. it took me years to try 'oil painting' because I knew that my Mom had already conquered that one so why even bother trying. I don't know why I thought that! Then I gave it a try and finished my first oil painting and guess what???? I love it! Now I have stumbled onto this new technique called "zentangles" but I don't really like using the "zen" part of the word. I find that is a very 'new age' word and I am plain and simple a Christian woman. So... I call this one my 'Doodle Woman'. As I was researching this whole 'tangle doodle' business I came across a few doodles with eyes and faces... that got me thinking. "I can do that!" I said to myself. So here it is... my first doodle woman. Let me know what you think.
Happy Creating.
Kelly

My Newest Doodle "Zentangle Doodle"

I was searching through pictures on this group that I have joined called "Blissfully Art Journaling" (a yahoo group) and I saw a photo of what was called a 'Zentangle". This intriqued me so I searched on and found a group called "Doodlehaven" also a yahoo group, and it showed a whole bunch of "Zentangles" and I absolutely loved them. I couldn't wait to get started on one! So lastnight while I watched a couple movies I doodled my way to my first "zentangle doodle". It was so much fun thinking up ways to fill in spaces and even things out to look the same. I am going to google to determine what exactly a "Zentangle" means.
I hope you enjoy it.
Happy creating everyone.
Hugs

Recent Journaling Time

I have enjoyed being on holidays from work sooooooooooooo much! I really missed sitting down and journaling! I never thought that working just four hours per day would take me away from my art for so long. Now the only time I get to journal is on a long weekend or on holidays! The rest of the time I am usually walking on my new (new to me anyway) treadmill. (My hubby got a deal from Used Calgary.com and were blessed by a beautiful, excellent condition, very well built treadmill for $100. I was using it almost every day for 1.5 to 2 hours each time. I am feeling much better getting some exercise now. My back, nor my knees have been hurting (that is until I slept in the tent trailer). I will get back to the treadmill tomorrow.
Anyway, the first picture is my doodles of camping. It's pretty much self-explanatory except for this new idea I used of a circle and a little bit of zen-tangling (not sure what that means) but I saw it on another site in blissfully art journaling (a yahoo group) and I thought I would give it a try. I also joined another group called doodlehaven (also a yahoo group) and there are some pretty amazing doodles posted.
My second one is from the my hubby's bible under the notes section: there is this list of places to go when... and I loved the list so much that I had to journal about it! I really like how the color of this page turned out with all the beautiful oranges.
I hope you enjoy them.
Happy creating everyone.
Kelly

Back From Camping

What started out as a week long trip to Mt. Kidd finished as a 5 day/4 night camping trip! The nights were so cold it was very hard to one, get to sleep and two, stay asleep. We went with five other families for the long weekend and we had a wonderful time (regardless of the rain). It really rained on Sunday night ~ while everyone hightailed it to the lodge to play board games, Ben and I stayed nice and warm in the tent trailer we rented for the week, we also rented a generator so that we could have power because we were all booked on non-powered sites. However, we couldn't run the generator all night long because it would be like sleeping beside a running car. So we toughed it out for four nights anyway. Everyone left on Monday afternoon and boy did we ever feel their absence. We missed everyone right away and decided that evening that we were going to go home the next day. Camp isn't as fun when there is just the four of us. Plus in the non-powered area everyone seemed to have left and there were only a few sporadic campers.
My one girlfriend, whose son graduated this year, planned a party for all the grads on the Sunday night (before it poured down rain) - it was a "Super-hero murder-mystery dinner". Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of that event as I was in bed resting my back from playing a four hour long game of scrabble sitting at the picnic table. I'm sure many pictures will be posted on facebook this coming week!
Our oldest son Josh had a blast with all the teenagers going from site to site playing board games and then walking down to the river ~ he's a true teenager. We held Ben back a bit from doing all the "teen" things to give Josh a little bit of freedom with the gang. Ben was okay with that after he spent time at the campfire holding-his-own with the grown up conversation. I guess they are not my babies anymore but are grown into young men wanting and needing a bit of freedom ~ how sad for mommy!
I for one am glad to be home in our nice comfortable bed and warmth of our house! I admit it! I'm a homebody!
Hugs
Kelly