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Call AAA, I am Stuck!

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Nathalie Kalbach is the guest artist for the last Fall Fearless and Fly!   Her work is inspiring!  I have had an absolute blast co-hosting this with Jessica Sporn!  Thank you to every person who has participated from guest artists to artists who linked up to the people who stopped by to taken in all the creativity! (Shhh…The Fall Fearless link will work on Monday- I’m just getting this up a bit early.)

Headline prompt:  Radical to Mundane and to Radical Again:  What once seemed new that now feels old and boring?  How can you see it as new again?  How do you “jump charge” creativity when you’re feeling stuck?

How perfect that I was stuck trying to figure out what to create for a post about getting unstuck!  So  I did what I do when I am stuck, called AAA.  Not the auto club that tows cars but my artistic AAAAnything Anywhere is Acceptable.  That means I just need to grab something and whatever I do is acceptable and free of judgement to get myself unstuck.

I have had Pan Pastels on my mind since the giveaway at Fall Fearless and Fly this week is $50 from Pan Pastel.  But then what?  My big ledger journal.  What else?  An egg stencil by Tracie Lyn Huskamp.  Now I had enough to get me started.

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AAA to the rescue!  I had begun to hatch an idea with Pan Pastels and Tracie’s stencil!

 

 

 

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One idea leads me to another and before I know it I am out of the muck and rolling right along!  I love love love to use my Versamark watermark stamp pad with Pan Pastels.

 

 

 

As I made decisions while creating this art journal page I made choices that could either allow my muse to inspire me or I could become anxious.  Not a lot of inspiration in anxiety for me.

Whenever I feel that anxiety, I have to consciously decide to trust my muse for better or worse…Here I trusted in my handwriting (with the help of a Stabilo pencil) even thought I don’t like my handwriting…

 

 

 

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The many Gelli Plate prints I have from A Colorful Gelli Print Party are all over my studio so it is not surprising that some ended up in my journal.

 

 

Thanks to AAA (Anything Anywhere is Acceptable) I was able to hatch some of my ideas because they were protected from criticism and nurtured as I experimented.

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Link up to Fall Fearless and Fly, Mandarin Orange Monday, Creative Every Day, Inspire Me Monday and Make It Monday.

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  • Stamping Shanni January 13, 2013, 8:04 pm

    love this project! gorgeous colours and I adore how you have merged the pastels with the old ledger book! terrific idea. Saw it on MIM and had to take a closer look as the caption photo was sooooo unusual ~ so glad that I did!
    Stamping Shanni

  • loz January 13, 2013, 8:05 pm

    Your Journal is Fabulous. Saw this on MIM..Loz

  • Maria McGuire January 13, 2013, 8:31 pm

    So much awesomeness in this video!!!! Favorite part of page–the streamers coming down–just PERFECT!!!

  • Arnoldo L. Romero January 13, 2013, 8:52 pm

    I love your use of repetition as a design element. Your color scheme is amazing too, Carolyn. Blessings!

  • Jessica Sporn January 13, 2013, 9:00 pm

    What a gorgeous page. My take-away here is that you can use a few motifs, but when repeated they have such a strong impact. The colors are just delicious too. Thanks Carolyn, for co-hosting FF&F with me. It has been wonderful to have you as a partner through the months of this challenge. It’s hard to believe we only met this summer. xo

  • Jessica Sporn January 13, 2013, 9:02 pm

    PS – I love AAA. May I borrow that acronym for my messy house as well? It’s perfect.

  • Rita McGregor January 13, 2013, 9:18 pm

    Love the AAA concept–LOL!
    I also love watching you work and hearing you explain how you make your decisions. You always have great videos! 🙂

  • Chubskulit Rose January 13, 2013, 10:04 pm

    Such a beautiful journal.

    Hopping by from Mandarin Orange Monday.

    My Mandarin entry.
    Have a great week ahead.

  • DIANAL. January 13, 2013, 10:34 pm

    I saw you on MIM, Your your journaling is very interestings.
    I am #11 stop by I would Love to have you visit.
    This is so sweet.
    DIANA L.
    http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com

  • artmusedog and Carol January 14, 2013, 9:00 am

    Creative and colorful journal pages ~ great Man Orange Mon and love the contrast of the women and the orange color ~

    (A Creative Harbor) on blogger ^_^

  • Lisa M January 14, 2013, 10:17 am

    Your humor and your creativity definitely show through on this project. Fantastic journey this took and I loved all the details and insightful wisdom that are included in it too. Always a refreshing reminder when our muse plays hide n’ seek.

    Thank you so much for taking the time to link up your talent and creative ideas with us at Make It Monday!
    Happy Crafting…
    Lisa xx

  • Faye January 14, 2013, 10:39 am

    Carolyn, this unusual color scheme works beautifully for your journal. Love the orange eggs!

  • Corrine January 14, 2013, 11:12 am

    Oh gosh, love the page, love AAA what a marvelous phrase and acronym you have coined for stuckness and how to get out of it……LOVE xox

  • Cynthia January 14, 2013, 12:12 pm

    Gosh this page is gorgeous! Love the smooth texture and all the beautiful colors!!

  • Danielle January 14, 2013, 1:27 pm

    I absolutely love working with my Pan Pastels…but I never thought to use a Versamark clear stamp pad like this….thanks for giving me a new dimension to work with!!!! I loved this video.

  • Valerie-Jael January 14, 2013, 2:58 pm

    You have hatched out a great journal spread here! Valerie

  • Kay Wallace January 14, 2013, 3:23 pm

    Love the repetition of the female figure, Carolyn! I really like that I am beginning to embrace the notion that imperfection is the new perfection. You have taught me to relax and enjoy my art journal. Forever grateful!!

  • Marjie Kemper January 14, 2013, 4:42 pm

    Great video! I just got an old ledger on Etsy and can’t wait to show it some color. Your page is fabulous… love all the soft blending.

  • Paula - Buenos Aires January 14, 2013, 5:34 pm

    Fabulous! Love the design and the colours. Do you use the Pan Pastels as ink for stamps?

  • Bev January 14, 2013, 7:17 pm

    Love your work and the description of your process!

  • Judy Shea January 14, 2013, 7:21 pm

    AAA.. that’s a hoot; love it. I love seeing all the numbers and writing behind the images. Yowza!

  • Lori January 14, 2013, 11:26 pm

    It is great to follow the development of your artwork – both the words and the visual. And I love the result. I am sure those ideas at the bottom are about to burst and spread! Thank you for sharing it on Mandarin Orange Monday:)

  • Rinda January 15, 2013, 3:22 am

    I have thoroughly enjoyed FFF! I only missed one prompt and just did that over the weekend. Looking forward to the final one and whatever you hatch after that!
    Rinda

  • Liz January 15, 2013, 4:58 am

    Beautiful artwork. Happy MOM.

    Togetherness
    Corned Beef Soup

  • Claudette January 15, 2013, 7:52 am

    This is so beautiful and clever! Love your process too!

  • diane morris January 15, 2013, 10:31 am

    love your page and the video! thanks so much for sharing your process. and i love that ledger as an art journal……i found an old ledger similar to that and bought it for the pages……now i am going to rethink how i will use it!

  • lynn richards January 15, 2013, 1:47 pm

    I have not experimented much with pan pastels, but seeing your eggs makes me want to get them out again!!
    xo
    lynn

  • Raine January 16, 2013, 3:06 am

    I love this! What is the stamp you used at the top…the flamey design? I really like it.

    • Carolyn January 17, 2013, 6:52 am

      It is “Wavy Lines” by B Line Designs.

  • Marja January 16, 2013, 10:20 am

    What a great and gorgeous work Carolyn. LOVE it very much. Thanks for sharing your progress. Marvelous.
    lovely greet
    Marja

  • linda breedlove January 16, 2013, 8:31 pm

    WOW, Carol… LOVE this!!!!! I spotted you over at MIM. Good to see you again!
    Hugs!

  • Linda K January 17, 2013, 1:28 pm

    I love how you used repetitive imagery on your page-it turned out FABULOUS Carolyn! I had such a great time with the FF & F challenges (everyone of them)-thank you!!!
    PS- and I won the prize from Challenge #7 :):):) (did you get my email?)

  • tina January 18, 2013, 4:18 pm

    Love your work, Carolyn, and SOMEDAY I’m gonna invest in those pan pastels, I tell you! (0; I really see so much beautiful work done with them, but alas, for now, I have to work with what I have. I’ve had so much fun just the same, though; and I’m sorry to see FFAF coming to an end. I wish I could have participated more! Thanks to both you and Jessica for hosting, and have a great weekend!

  • Zafaran January 18, 2013, 10:36 pm

    Hi Carolyn, Love your images and the idea of AAA! I am a person who believes in my own ideas and so it was a pleasure to see your own ideas taking shape on this fantastic ledger journal!
    As a FFF participant, I must thank you for the time and devotion you put in long with all others who hosted it. It was quite an enjoyable creative experience!

  • Asha January 19, 2013, 7:29 pm

    Wow! What a cool project. Love the colours and the repetitions. Very creative. You caught my eye on MIM#123 and I had to come in for closer look.

  • Titbelsoeur January 20, 2013, 3:28 am

    love this page and your concept is so cool !

  • Lorinda @ Everyday Endeavours January 20, 2013, 11:34 pm

    I love this page Carolyn! Thank you for sharing your pan pastel techniques. I never would have thought to use clear ink!

  • Deepa Gopal Sunil January 23, 2013, 12:22 pm

    Beautiful page…love the look of the pan pastels! Love how the silhouette has evolved and the writings on it. Just Amazing work!

  • Nathalie Kalbach January 24, 2013, 12:57 am

    this is beautiful! I love it!!!!

  • MissyK January 27, 2013, 8:06 am

    Beautiful work…… I loved seeing the stages of it.

    You are so right… one thing does lead to another. I like your AAA approach!

    Going to miss these challenges 🙁

    Karen x