VIDEO: Nostalgic Road Trip Art Journal Page

I have a nostalgic video for you today - a little nod to the road trips we used to take in the summer when I was a kid. 

This used to be the least expensive way to see the country - you could get motels and campgrounds cheaply, eat cheaply at Howard Johnson's etc. and you could see so many cool things and DO so many cool things for absolutely zero dollars.

So when I saw this gas pump image, I knew I wanted to journal it. 

I used a speed journal page to start with - and yes - I promise my speed journaling class will be up soon, and I used a royalty free image as the base. It's REALLY important that you seek out images that are licensed for use like this - Google images is not a free shopping mall. This has been a hot topic lately in the true crime community and it's important! In the video, I'll talk about some resources you can find licensed images within! I also personally think everyone should use the share button when they use one of these free images, because this is how photographers are being discovered for paid work. It just takes a second but it can mean a lot.

I used matte gesso, rust and teal watercolor, this label tape, and clear ephemera stickers. I did some texture stamping with this set, and used paint markers for the rest. Wait until you see how I got motion in some of the color - so fun. I like this landscape journal - it was a watercolor journal, but I don't recommend it for watercolor, because the sizing is very inconsistent - but it's perfect for mixed media as watercolor paper often is - even bad watercolor paper!

CURRENT COUPON CODES

20% off anything at Glassboard Studio  - UNDERSTANDBLUE.

OLO MARKER

15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.

10% off at Sweet Sentiment with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10

5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5

Arkon Mounts -  - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Bujo/journaling supplies - 10% off with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

10% off everything at Acorns & Twigs with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Here are all the supplies I used:

Gas Pump Stamp Set [ HNB ] Gas Pump Dies [ HNB ] Clear Ephemera Stickers [ AMZUS ] Label Tape [ JGG ] Background Texture [ CRF ] White Paint Pens [ BLIC ] Black fine paint pen [ BLIC ] Teal Watercolor [ HA ] Rust Watercolor [ HA ] Thick matte gel medium [ BLIC ] Black ink [ HNB ] White ink [ HNB ] Matte Gesso [ ACH ] The one true glue stick [ AMZUS ] Liquid Glue [ HNB ] Silicone Brush [ AMZUS ] Landscape Journal [ BLIC ]

Here's the video!

Loveyameanitbye.

Garden Thoughts + New Technique Class

We got a HUGE surprise, very localized heavy rainstorm last night. Like so localized it was basically our block - we got 2.5" of rain - and the largest nearby streets got none - it was crazy. So my plants are going to be VERY happy this week, which is good because my GIANT shrimp plant - it's about 3' wide and 3' tall - is about to bust out all over with little shrimps! My smaller shrimp plants planted in the ground have already been blooming for about a month. 

Everything I've planted this year is pretty well established and will make it through the summer - except a few of my creeping Jenny's - I'm worried about a few of those. And after I saw my postman just stomp through my flowerbed last week I had to build cages around my young plants - who does that?

I weeded HARD this weekend - cutting down all the oak shoots in my front beds, digging out nut grass and removing only three dandelions. I am happy to say that I appear to be winning the dewberry battle for the first time in 20 years! It takes DAILY chopping of any little shoots you see to get some of the roots to give up. It's just the worst. I will say it has gotten me into the habit of always wearing gloves to garden after shredding my hands on the vines. But I'm here to say you can win!

Speaking of summer - are you ready? I have some summery cards for you today with a watery theme, and a new technique class for getting an underwater look with your own water themed stamps.

First up - the new kit card! This kit is wild because it basically has all the Hero specialties - a fancy frame die coverplate, a layering Heroscape style ocean and sky and a layering stencil that I sneak peeked from the Premium kit. 

I ALWAYS gravitate to black for these window dies - it's just so dramatic and it lets me do REALLY bright colors on whatever is in the frame. And I went REALLY bright today - using Neon Yellow, Neon Orange and Neon Pink. 

Here's what the kit looks like. 

So now you know how I did the shell background! I used the same neon inks, and I snipped out that palm tree! If you look at the die this way - look at the other plants you can clip out - lots of ways to use it other than a frame.

CURRENT COUPON CODES

20% off anything at Glassboard Studio  - UNDERSTANDBLUE.

OLO MARKER

15% off anything at Marker Universe or any of their other sites - Understandblue15.

10% off at Sweet Sentiment with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

10% off the whole store at A Colorful Life Designs - LydiaFan10

5% off at LBC here with code LYDIA5

Arkon Mounts -  - 20% off sitewide with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

Bujo/journaling supplies - 10% off with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

10% off everything at Acorns & Twigs with code UNDERSTANDBLUE

The MOST fun I had was creating this underwater illusion with these gorgeous fishy dies - they are an add-on so they will stick around. I have a new step by step class for this card here.

Here are the add-ons this month, including that beautiful background stamp and the Fishy stamp set with the sentiment on the class card.

Here's everything I used today - thank you for shopping with my links!

June Kit [ HA ] Koi Dies [ HA ] Water Background Stamp [ HA ] Hello Fishes [ HA ] Summer 2023 Mixed Media Stamp-Along |... [ HA ] My Monthly Hero | Hero Arts [ HA ] Hero Arts Blog [ HA ] Fabriano Artistico Enhanced... [ BLIC ] Summer Sky Bold Ink - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF428 Splash Reactive Ink | Hero Arts [ HA ] AF682 Paradise Core Ink | Hero Arts [ HA ] Tools and Supplies - Misti Stamping... [ PRC ] Canson XL Bristol - Pad, 9" x 12",... [ BLIC ] Graphit — Marker Universe [ MRK ] GW101 Precision Glue | Hero Arts [ HA ] AF220 Yellow Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF218 Pink Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] AF259 Red Neon Ink Pad - Hero Arts [ HA ] June Add-Ons [ HA ]

They are doing a giveaway this month so be sure and leave me a comment to be entered!

You can see more inspiration with this month's kit on the Hero blog HERE.

Loveyameanitbye.

Sand in Your Toes! (Giveaway & New Class Announcement)

Ready for the beach? It's that time - even though I'm having a hard time believing we are halfway through this year - where has it gone?

That being said, I'm happy, always, for the hot days of summer. I never get tired of it. 

So today I have a sneaky peeky for Monday's kit!

I used the neon inks with this awesome shell stencil which is part of the premium kit! The palm three is part of a frame die and I just snipped it out to use it on this bright neon background.

I have a new class coming on Monday too with a fun underwater effect technique! I hope you join me!

See you Monday! Until then, there's more inspiration peeks here!

Also, while you're there, why don't you join me for the Mixed Media Stamp-along?

Loveyameanitbye.