elizabeth rosemond

get messy thursdays | season of magic | week two

Hello! Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating :)

I'm popping in quickly to share my art journal entry for this week before heading across the street for our annual Friendsgiving (football, food, friends).

I absolutely love this catalog image and was happy to finally put it to use. It's mysterious without being dark or gloomy.

I've also been hoarding a Heidi Swapp background stamp (used on the right) for over a year. I inked with up with gold ink, then heat embossed it over a layer of gesso. Lastly, I stitched on some text ephemera from a piece of junk mail. 

Check back later in the week, as I will be sharing details for my shop's (it's open again!) Black Friday sale. Have a great weekend!

xo

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups! Check us out on Instagram, too: @getmessyartjournal, #getmessyartjournal and #getmessythursdays.

get messy thursdays | season of magic | week one

Hey everyone! We're back with a new season of Get Messy; say hello to the Season of Magic!

The start of a new season is always a challenge for me. In fact, I threw a Get Messy hissy fit on Facebook yesterday. But, because this group is so awesome, I got a ton of advice (and love!) on how to push through and proceed through the season feeling inspired.

I've been holding on to this image for a few months now; I found it in the August issue of Real Simple (it's entitled "Exit 17" by Joshua Lutz). I then found this quote by Frank Ocean:

"There's just some magic in truth and honesty and openness"

Love that.

I love the idea of being open and vulnerable; the idea that if we're true to ourselves, we're more in control than we realize. Regardless of what lies ahead.

I've decided to continue working in the altered book I used last season. I'd love to have it filled up by the end of the year.

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups! Check us out on Instagram, too: @getmessyartjournal, #getmessyartjournal and #getmessythursdays.

 

get messy thursdays | season of words | week 6

Well, we've reached the end of the Season of Words. Last week I mentioned that I didn't want this season to end; I STILL feel that way!

This crafty season has been so good to me.

Onward.

My grandmother is a huge sports fan. HUGE (this is where I get it from). Anytime anyone asked her why she always watched sports, she'd respond with something like, "I could be at the bar drinking! Would you rather I do so?" I paired the quote with one of my favorite photos from the summer of 2013. While she and my aunt were visiting from California, I purchased a second hand wing chair. She enjoyed testing it out.

She's my only grandparent; I adore her.

It might be difficult to tell, but I made a book page pocket on the right side of this spread. This definitely wasn't easy as the pages in my altered book are super brittle.

I decided to use the pocket to hold random thoughts and letters that aren't written to anyone in particular.

Have a great day everyone!

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups! Check us out on Instagram, too: @getmessyartjournal, #getmessyartjournal and #getmessythursdays.

 

get messy thursdays | season of words | week 5

Hey everyone!

I have a very short art journaling post for you today. This week completely got away from me; I barely had time to create (which totally sucks). I am, however,  100% committed to Get Messy Thursdays so I was determined to bust out a spread (hooray for accountability!).

This spread was actually very therapeutic. Art journaling in general is still a huge challenge for me. None of it comes naturally, so I tend to struggle in some way every single week. This week, though (I was tempted to spell it "tho")? Back to basics.

I'm pretty sure that paper scraps and a fresh glue stick can cure just about anything :)

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

get messy thursdays | season of words | week 4

It's Thursday again! I'm pretty certain I've said this every week, but I am IN LOVE with the Season of Words. I don't have enough hours in the day to work through all of the spreads I have in my head (and heart!). I'll be so sad when the season is over. Onwards..

Lauren shared a paper splicing tutorial on the private blog; I'm loving how it turned out. I paired some of my favorite paper (from Rifle Paper Co. I've been hoarding it!) with a rock climbing image from a Patagonia catalog (I often use their awesome full-size images in my art journal).

Hands down, The Giving Tree was my favorite childhood book. In fact, I still have my copy and I love sharing it with my little ones.

I didn't trust myself to draw the tree freehand so I traced it onto tracing paper, then adhered it to my journal. This definitely didn't turn out the way I thought it would, but I'm still pleased with the results.

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

get messy thursdays | season of words | week three

Happy Thursday! I have a few journal entries for you this week: 

Have you ever created a blackout poem? I absolutely loved this entire process. Here's how my poem turned out:

I haven't had a wink of sleep.

Annoyed, thinking I should be free at last. Ugh!

Invent something, little girl.

Changes

Contempt.

Denying, never.

Truthful child, believe it.

That's all I can say.

New idea, opportunity.

You're looking.

IT MATTERS.

I absolutely love it!

I'm also loving my other spread for this week:

All of us at Get Messy have been cutting windows into our journals this week. Tuesday night, my spread was completely finished, but the window was empty. I was at a total loss as to what to do with it. First thing the next morning, I realized that I needed a mirror! I bought this plastic mirror sheet from my local craft store; it was easy to cut and adhere to the backside of my little window.

This was me trying to get a photo of myself in the mirror. Ha!

The song lyrics are from Lucius' Wildewoman (I was introduced to Lucius last summer, as they were the opening act for Sara Bareilles. I've loved them ever since).

Have a great day!

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

get messy thursdays | season of words | week two

As I mentioned last week, I'm super excited about The Season of Words. I have a few things to share with you this week.

Every book needs a dedication page:

I spent some time trying to find just the right quote/anecdote for this page when I stumbled across this card that I've had for a few years. I can't remember where I got it, but I've always loved the sentiment. Just behind the card is one of my favorite sheets of tissue paper.

 

This spread didn't turn out at all like I had hoped, but I'm still pleased with it! After a layer of gesso, I painted the entire spread with (very!) purple acrylic paint. I then used white watercolor to write out some of the lyrics to this. In case you can't read my messy script:

She's imperfect, but she tries

She is good, but she lies

She is hard on herself

She is broken, but won't ask for help

She is messy, but she is kind

She is lonely most of the time

She is all of this

Mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie

She is gone, but she used to be mine

The song is so very good.

Lastly, I made an "about the author" feature:

I have an awkward phobia when it comes to writing my own bio; I totally freeze up and have no idea how approach it. I am, however, an expert lister. I just knew that I didn't want this list to be too listy (yup, new word), so I just played around a little in Photoshop. I also adjusted the opacity of each layer so that some attributes stood out more than others.

This just might become my new official bio and photo!

For more inspiration, be sure to check our some of our Instagram hashtags (they're all amazing):

#getmessyartjournal

#getmessythursdays

#getmessybooks

Thanks for checking in, have a great day!

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

 

get messy thursdays | season of words | week one

Welcome to the Season of Words! Many of us will be working with vintage books this season, so this week was all about getting them ready. I found a sweet vintage German book on the sale table at the library for a quarter:

It was the perfect size (roughly 8"x5"); just thick enough to hold up to some abuse, but not so thick that it would be intimidating.

I taped off the spine and gave the covers a light coat of paint (in antique white). I added a kraft paper doily and a sleeve from my new cloth napkins (I'm in LOVE with this pattern; they're from Target, but I don't see them at all online). The sleeve is held together with Velcro, so that I can adjust it when the book gets thicker.

Normally, I would have created a title page for the season, but I have a feeling that I'll be working through this book well past the Season of Words.

I can't to get started!

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

get messy thursdays | season of serenity | week six

Over the summer, many of the Get Messy gals participated in a craft swap. I received an amazing bundle from Karen. It traveled all the way from Ireland; I love every little bit of it! 

 For this week's challenge, we were to use our new goodies in our journals:

I had fun creating an abstract background by layering acrylic paint and washi tape (via a tutorial on the private blog). I then added tissue paper, transfer tape and rub-ons that I received from Karen.

Finally, I added some Tracy Chapman lyrics (I have a feeling I'll be using lyrics from this song again).

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in link ups!

get messy thursdays | season of serenity | week five

It's Thursday again! I missed posting last week because I really didn't plan around my vacation very well, but I'm back and look forward to staying on schedule.

Speaking of schedules, I can't wait until our normal school-year schedule resumes (both of my kids go back on Tuesday). We've had an amazing summer, but I'm so ready for the return of normalcy.

I'm ready for the return of balance.

Have a great day!

xo,

e

You can read about how Get Messy got its start and you can learn more about the program and join . If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, join the newsletter to receive free prompts and participate in monthly link ups!