New Beginnings...

It is almost the beginning of a new year. I thought that since the last couple of months have been a little different for me I would strive to make this beginning of a new year a new beginning for Art Journaling for Less as well. Our members know what has happended these past months so no need to bore you all with that again. Without going into the past let me tell you about the future. Art Journaling for Less is now a public blog. A place for you all to come and participate in challenges and read about how I do art journaling the Soto way. I try my best to do it as cheaply as possible and only for me. I do not plan on my art hanging in museums so Crayola is good enough for me.

I do not have a computer to use for digital art journaling at the moment so my art journal is entirely hands on, but most of my challenges can be done digitally if you prefer. If you have never done art journaling hands on maybe you will want to try when you read some of my blog posts. It doesnt have to be expensive. You don't have to follow any rules. And you certainly do not have to share your end results unless you want to.

Most people when hearing or reading about art journaling focus on the journaling part, however I like to focus on the art part. I hate writing and I usually can't think of what to write. I LOVE to show my feelings and my mood through images and that is what I focus on when I do my journal pages. I might use a song lyric or a poem or a quote to add a little extra to my pages, but mostly I focus on the images, colors, shapes, etc.

With that said, I will leave you to look around and enjoy some of the older posts. I have removed some posts that are no longer working for this blog, so if you find some "dead links" please let me know.

If you check out my store Twisted Scrapper Boutique you will find a lot of art journal supplies. Most are digital which you can use in your digital art journals (or scrapbooks) or you can print to use in your hands on books. I also have a few packs that are physical (non digital). These packs are limited and are available when I have some. I have a few packs available at the moment, but not a whole lot. Feel free to browse the store, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask questions.

Challenge Week 17 - I want to be there...

I want to be there... - I think we all have a dream of a better place to live, for our children to grow up, to vacation, to relax, to? A different location than where you are right now. Maybe it is a place you have dreamt of since you were a child, something you saw on TV, or maybe even visited in the past.

This week I would love to see you make pages of places where you want to go/be. You can do this digitally or hands-on. You can do it with symbolism or you can write a story.

You place can be a physical location, a fantasy island, a state of mind... It is up to you where you would like to be today!

I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery [HERE]

I want to be there...


Today I want to be there. On the beach, looking out of the Pacific ocean, watching the sun set, while dolphins frolic in the waves.

Challenge Week 16 - Moving Forward

Moving Forward - Some of you know that my family and I are going through some serious changes with our lives at the moment. Only weeks from hitting the road and spending several months in an RV. Right now we are selling everything that we can't bring, so we are having what seems like a never ending yardsale. We should get the RV at some point this coming week. I am looking very much forward to that.

Anyway, I think this week challenge fits our life and I would love to see how you all would use the phrase in your art journals.

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "Moving Forward"?

Are you moving forward or do you feel your life is at a stand-still? What would you like to do to move forward? Do you need to relocate to grow, or can you move forward without actually moving?

I would love to hear your ideas, and see your pages.

I hope you have fun doing this challenge.

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery [HERE]

NOTE: For the next couple of months I will be having some trouble following the schedule, but promise that you will get a couple of challenge and of course your weekly member downloads each week. Might not be at the regular schedule, but you will get them. My week goes from Monday through Sunday. So check back often :)

Also, thank you to those of you who bought journal fodder packs and mini kits, and of course thank you to you all for your continued support.

Challenge - Round and Round

Circles, disks, coins, etc. All elements I love to use in my pages. Today I would love to see you make a page (digital OR hands-on) that include at least 10 circles. Various sizes, colors, textures.

You can cut them from newspapers, magazines, old photos, post cards, or what else you may have on hand.
You can also use some of the ones I have here at Art Journaling for Less or at my store.

In week 14 you received a pack of circles which is still free in case you didnt get to download then [DOWNLOAD HERE] I also have several packs of 'coins' at my store [HERE]. My favorite is pack #4. Just so many different and fun images.

To accompany your circles, you can do doodles, or you can do some journaling. If you are anything like me you will have trouble thinking of something to write about, but don't worry. You can use quotes that you find in books or on the internet.

Quotes:
It's the circle of life.
What comes around...
A circle of friends.

You can also have the circles symbolize something. Earth, the universe, a close knit family. Or maybe just make pretty flowers by adding some doodles.

Endless fun.

I hope you have fun doing this challenge.

REMEMBER: Art Journaling is not about the beginning or the end. It is all about the process. The Journey!

And if you feel up to it, please share pictures of your art journal pages at our Flickr gallery [HERE]

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Mini Art Journal Kits

I just finished putting the art kits together. These kits are just very basics, but pretty much what you need to get started.

They include:

1. More than 80 pieces of collage fodder (vintage book pages, music sheets, game pieces, paper doilies, vintage photos, etc). All these pieces are of various sizes and textures.
2. Two 6 inch pieces of punchinella (sequin waste). 2 different size holes.
3. A bundle of tissue sewing pattern paper.
4. One watercolor artist pad. 5x7 inches. 15 papers.
5. One glue stick - Collage Glue Stick from Inkssentials.
6. Two glitter glue tubes.
7. Five Prismacolor coloring pencils - Black, White, Crimson Red, Orange, and Aquamarine.

This kit will cost $30 once it get into the store. That's included shipping in the US. If any of you in here are interested I will sell it for $25 (inlcuded shipping in the US). Just let me know. Once it goes into the store it will be $30. I will wait a couple days before it goes into the store. I only have 4 of these kits, so hurry while they last. You can email me at  - - - imsoto2 @ gmail . com (remove the spaces) to let me know you are interested.

To get the most out of your hands-on art journaling experience you will need a journal, some colors, writing tools, and maybe some homemade stamping/texturing tools.

You can read about what I would add to a beginner art journal kit HERE and if interested in making your own stamp and texture tools, check out this article HERE

To keep it really simple go to your local cheap store (Walmart, KMart, Dollar store, etc) pick up a journal or spiral bound watercolor pad (heavier paper), some crayons, coloring pencils, makers, small watercolor set,  and if there is anything else that catches your eye. This is all you need. You don't even need to buy all that, maybe just the journal and one of the coloring tools. You can always add on later.

OFFER EXPIRED
Please check the store for new art journal kits available.

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Challenges pt. 2

If some of you are still interested in doing hands-on journal challenges I could do some for minimalistic art journaling. I think what keeps a lot of people who are used to doing digital away from doing hands-on is the amount of supplies. I am working on some kits right now that are so small that they can fit in a large envelope. Only thing the person have to add themselves is a pack of crayons, coloring pencils, a small watercolor set, and the journal. I will probably sell these kits for about $25-$30 + shipping, but they will have everything for a beginner. Lots of fun stuff.
We will be on the road more or less all winter, so I will be working out of my travel kit. So doing some fun minimalistic journal challenges might work for all of us. This is of course in addition to the digital (word) challenges.

Let me know if someone is interested in some minimalistic art journaling (no you dont have to buy my kit to participate).

ATTENTION MEMBERS: Challenges

I have been thinking a great deal about the challenges. I dont know how many of you actually enjoy them. Or which kind you enjoy, digital or hands-on.
I would love to do challenges that you all will enjoy, so I ask that you please leave a comment to let me know what you prefer. If I dont hear from you I will assume you don't do the challenge and will go by what others want. So please leave me a little note letting me know. If you have suggestions for other types of challenges please let me know. I am open to suggestions and I do really like challenges myself, but I want you to be happy here so I want to share something you will actually do.

Let me know please :)