A3C Journal 2014....before and after

So, this year my April's April Artistic Challenge Journal (2014) was different than the previous.   

I started with this:  a mash up of a few different chipboard mini albums randomly spaced...

Add some acrylic paint, massive amounts of mist, date stamps and washi tapes (for continuity, if you can believe it)...

Front Cover!  

 "Overview"  oh - come on, that was funny...

 The last page, aka "mini exit interview"

 Back cover -- yes, more (a lot) mist and using the "a" chipboard as a stencil

I was so excited about this year's A3C.  The materials I started with were nearly literally like a blank canvas.   I got to use a lot of different supplies that I haven't had out to play with in a long time, that in itself is extremely exciting.

But the outcome of this is amazing from my perspective.   Thanks so much for being a part of this year's A3C journey with me!    Can't wait for next year!!!

<3 p="">

Days 19-30 this is a looooooooong one, picture heavy ;)

Keep it rolling!!!

DAY 19::::::::::::::::::: a VB Lazy Day :)

 DAY 20::::::::::::::::::: Happy Easter!

 DAY 21:::::::::::::::::Friggin stalker bird knocking on the bathroom window.  every. single. day.

DAY 22::::::::::::::  I just don't know.  

 Day 23::::::::::::::::::  Car stick figures - are they prostitutes? zombies? you be the judge.    and another truck, with a skeleton attached to the front.  Why?  I have no idea.  But to see  both of these things in the same day?  Very entertaining.

 Day 24:::::::::::: Googly eyes only.  Just because I could ;)

Day 25:::::::::::::::::  No, that is not an incorrect number.  300+.  Yes, it was just as ridiculous as you can imagine that it was.   Incidentally, I LOVE the chalk marker -- friggin awesome.

 Day 26::::::::::::::::  By the way, the total for this day (cell phone only) was 176.  No, I'm not exaggerating.

 DAY 27:::::::::::::::::::::::  I was actually LOVING the white pen on the black painted chipboard pages.  LOVE THEM...

 DAY 28::::::::::::::::::::::  um....201 total this day.  But I was busy on this aspect.  Sure was.  So there.

 Day 29::::::::::::::::  WOOHOO the spring band concert for the younger two chickens!

 and a pocket for the program

 DAY 30:::::::::::::::  Boomer...so sleepy and old...and snore-y  LOL

This has been an AWESOME ride this year ----- UP NEXT...I'll post the covers (back/front) because those are always my favorites and usually done after everything else is complete.

A3C 16-18

Day 16::::::: Lots of colors here.  I have no idea what was going on --- other than a lot ;)

DAY 17:::::::::::::::::::::::  I used the leftovers of some alpha cut-outs that Lynn sent me waaaay back, used them as STENCILS to be exact - with a simple permanent marker and then outlined with sharpie.  I felt brilliant...except when the whole word had to get jammed in because I didn't judge well.   Ah well - goes with the rest of "me"  *snort*

 and I TOTALLY did not do this on purpose, the photos printed in B&W totally by accident because I didn't pay attention to the grayscale that I had switched on.  So this had a "different" look with all of the splashes of colors I have flying around.

DAY 18:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::   Boom.  Traffic again.  Not like the last time, but bad enough to eek out a tear or two if necessary!

A3C Days 4 - 7

Love it when a project feels good.   This one certainly feels that way! The only thing I'm hoping for is some more "fun" to speak of.  Work days are tending to suck the verbosity away *gasp* say it isn't so??

DAY 4:::::::::::::::::;;  

 DAY 5:::::::::::::::::::::

 DAY 6::::::::::::::::::

DAY 7::::::::::::::::

And the beat goes on...

A3C the intro and Days 1-3

Ooooookay!!!   I'm having SO SO SO much fun with this for 2014!!   I must say, the acrylic paint on chipboard?? AWESOME IDEA!!  *bowing humbly and graciously*

Ahem*

Let's get to it!

I have decided that I was brilliant, yet again, with the "let's not do the covers yet" plan.   I've cooked up a zillion (or maybe less) ideas already and, therefore, am glad that I didn't make anything permanent yet.

INTRO PAGE::::

 DAY 1:::::: (kinda "boring", but I literally did ... not much that day)

DAY 2:::::: (a list because work was involved ha)

 DAY 3:::::  with an added "pocket" page made with transparency (Hambly Prints of old):: 

I really and sincerely hope it looks like I'm having a blast with this - - because I reallllly am :)   I need to kick life up a notch though because I  am realizing that I tend to lead a mundane existence if I allow it. ;)

Until next update ~ Muah

WHAT TIME IS IT?? Challenge time??? A3C you say???

It's THAT TIME AGAIN!!!!

I try to keep up with things.  My Mojo has gone AWOL since....about May? of last year maybe??

I've been trying to scrap things.  I've done some pages (YES I HAVE).  and of course Lynn likes to keep me updated on scrappy things, sometimes daily in fact, so that I don't feel out of the loop.  I have appreciated that more and more as time without scrapping or crafting has drudged on.    But then, suddenly, about a week and a half ago ---- BAM.  We had a ManicMonday of scrapping at Scrap N Chat and it felt GOOD.

SO, with that goodness, I've been able to complete about six layouts!   ANNNNNNNNNNNNNND...that brings me to the purpose of this post!   A3C aka April's Artistic April Challenge circa 2014!   My FOURTH YEAR of an artistic journal approach to the whole month of April.   2012 was kind of frightening (in that I bombed it, pretty much completely).   Last year was awesome with a SmashBook *contented sigh*

THIS YEAR:     Chipboard and Paint!!!

I had MULTIPLE versions of chipboard mini album kits.  I think there were about five of them that I ripped out of their packaging to smash together for this book.   and it felt GOOD.   The "A" mini chipboard is Studio-G.    The others are Colorbok albums (square, scalloped square and large circle).  

The painting part made me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy.  (enough "O"s?? I think not).   Some of it was MakingMemories...like a blast from the past going into that box, for sure. 

::::::::::Some SNEAKY PREVIEWS:::::::::

THIS IS CRAZY!!!!    Truthfully, the front cover and back cover aren't decorated yet.   I've done enough "pages" for the inside, including cover page.  However, I'm saving the front/back cover for later (taking after 2011 and 2013 respectively.  Though come to think of it, there is no photo for 2013's completed covers. Brilliant blogging as usual April, brilliant)

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...until my next update with the A3C 2014 edtition *muah*

RickRack rosette ring...oooooooo...ahhhhhh

SOOOOOOOOOOOO.....my blog hopping totally made me soooo giddy today. Found rosettes made from rick rack .... omg. TheCraftingChicks. And YES I am totally trying this one...waiting for glue to dry right now!!! :)

Excuse my hands...which suddenly look like they've aged...and the 9 different colors of nail polish - I was trying some out to see what I liked best (liked the one I used 2x a bit better, which would be why it's 9 and not 10 different colors...okay back to the original point...)

This was SUPER easy to do. Turns out that I have no patience for tacky glue to dry...gotta have it done NOW NOW NOW --- so for this (the first project) I actually used glue dots. IMPATIENCE is a trait of mine - sometimes I just have to embrace it and go with it (as I don't really give myself a choice in the matter). The directions for the tutoral I believe said to use a hot glue gun...I really was valuing my fingers a bit though - and didn't want to melt the fingertips because for sure it would have happened on this one. I may use the hot glue on others, but THIS one is perfect just as it is...looove it