Planners and Journals 2014

Let me start with saying 2014 was a total B*tch to me, I set out all bright eyes and excited with my word for the year being Joy...and before the end of January I was failing at all the things, and totally riddled with anxiety trying to plan my wedding from the ground up. 

I posted a total of three posts this year...3. Thats how much of a time suck planning a wedding was! Next year I have a plan, many plans and many calenders so that I wont have a repeat of this year. Stay tuned for the 2015 planners and journals which will include a video along with the post.

Lets start with the above planner, the Gillio Mia Cara A5 in Rust. It isn't a planner for the feint hearted, it is big...which is why I call her Big Girl. The a5 was our household planner and didnt leave the house often!

I had monthly spreads that were tabbed, but I changed my inserts a few times till I decided to go simple...with cheap undated ones from officeworks. 

These inserts cost under $5 they are undated, and plain and boring, but I decided to make them work for me, as the budget was tight and I couldn't afford to be buying inserts every 5 mins when I wanted to try something new. So I divided the pages up left hand side housed reminders, dinners, appointments, bills all that wonderful housey stuff we all dead with when running a busy household, and on the right side was my cleaning schedule, my little ones homework and readers, and sometimes my work tasks that I needed to attend to, and I colour coded those accordingly. 

Sometimes cheap and simple work just fine!

 I dabbled only once towards the end of the year when a friend of mine designed these inserts for herself I fell hard for them and she sent me over the file with my customizations, part of me still looks at these inserts and adore them! even though next year, I'm going RINGLESS!

I had random to do lists that spanned pages, school calenders and also the canteen list punched in for the days when the school snacks had run out.

I also used a personal during the year of 2014 as my everyday carry, there were only two personals in my life a dark brown companga, and a hot pink Wesley zipped Kate Spade.

these housed my week on two pages, with basic reminders for when I was out and about. Also things from the a5 got transferred like bills, school notes, school dates, parties all things appointment related, I also kept running to do lists in my personals as well, I'm a list maker what can I say!

Moving onto my Journals of 2014, and there was only one journal the entire year, my Midori Travelers Notebook  in brown pictured above with a field-notes sized black  Raydori. As you can see I have already finished one inesert and close to finishing my second for the year of 2014. This journal captured my heart instantly and I knew I had to get one, and as soon as I did, it hasn't left my side. 

My midori hasn't been replaced so to speak for 2015...lets just say she got a little upgrade...more to come on that later.

I experimented with drawing my weeks to get a feel for that hobonichi style that has taken the planner and stationery community by storm, being a visual person in my journals anyway, drawing my days became a fond love of mine, and something that will feature heavily in 2015 in video format.

There are going to be some exciting changes in what I used next year for my planning and journal system and I can't wait to show you guys! I have got myself centered and ready to hit the ground running in 2015 with lots of projects, reviews, some design team work, speed art videos and also some drawing of my day weekily videos, I want to make this a place of colour and inspiration in the coming years, so hold on tight while I make some blog changes between now and the new year, but dont fret it will be worth the wait! Next post will be what's my 2015 Word of the year.

2014 - Update! Goals and Chasing Joy.

Good Morning!
Yes months and months have gone by, we have had Christmas and new years, and a long line of family birthdays! My my the last few weeks have been tiring and lovely all at the same time! I made it one of my goals to try and blog and do a video at least twice a month! (start small and work my way up) The school holidays are in full swing currently, with a lot of minecraft happening...

 we had a big Christmas this year, as we do most years now John and I are together, between us there is a lot of family members. Elijah turned 7! and is on his way to grade 2 this year! and little Boo, is ready to start her journey at big school staring Kindy this year aswell.

 2013 started off with a bang, with me getting engaged, and a whole whirlwind of things happening, including the highs and lows of my weightloss journey which I have written about in the past on here. I am still struggling with the balance between this journey and the rest of me. So I decided that for 2014 I would chase one thing, and one thing only.

I decided that this word would pave the pathway for my everyday for 2014, I want to chase joy, and chase it with my arms wide open...so if something doesn't bring me joy...I need to change it up.

With my word safely thrown over my year like a butterfly net, I decided I needed some other goals to live by, as it seems I always set out with the best intentions as most people do! but this year I really want to do the things I set out to do January 1st. I joined a group 12, 52, 365 where we pick goals to do once a week, once a month and everyday....or just one of those, I jumped in with a goal for each category!

To read a book every week for my 52 goal...currently I'm on my second book for week two began yesterday.  Below is the book I finished for my first week..and what a wonderful book it was.

 I decided that for 2014 I wanted to put pen to paper for at least 10 mins a day in my written journal, and in my art journal...of course my new beautiful art box my dad gave me, made that job an absolute pleasure to work in day in day out, I can tote my fave supplies from the studio to the couch each day with no problems...Its one of my fave gifts of the season.

My Midori Travelers Notebook  is my written journey, and it is where I put photos, and daily writings, which I am dating for the first time in years! my way of staying accountable is to date the pages so I dont miss any...everyday commitment. It doesn't take me long, I've been inking my pages up with splashes of distress stain just to give it some visual interest, and sometimes some photos or stickers, as I take so many photos, this is a way to use them in here, and in my art journal.

 It has been a long time since I've kept a proper written journal, and I am enjoying the process again. It doesn't take up much of my time, and I know once I reach day 365 I will have a nice little line up of finished Midori notebooks to show for it.
I will do a whole post devoted to my Midori Journal in the coming weeks, as I know there are many that would like to have a look at it.

 and of course, the other thing with my 365 goal is pen to paper in my art journal, now 2013 was not a good year for my art, I barely picked up my art journal in 2013, and when I did, what I created within the pages felt wrong..and lacking life and love. Once I finished my big sewing book, no journal seemed to feel like home...I even tried getting out 6 or 7 journals and working in heaps! which was a train wreck waiting to happen.
So this year, I picked up my strathmore journal which I got last xmas as a gift from my mum, and just started working in it, it already had pages from my Jane Javenport Stencil post in there, so there was some bright life on the pages already...so I ran with it... The Friday Pages blog post will come back this year, with everyday arting, there are quite a few pages that will need to be shown!

 Last year, I won a scholarship to the amazing Print and Scan Workshop with Jane Davenport...I was humbled and totally overwhelmed with emotions at getting a spot when only two were given away, this year I am taking my business to full flight, once I work through the course, and do all my homework, my images and journal pages will be available as Fine Art Prints in 2014. I also want to start working on one of a kind Fabric pieces featuring my artwork, so keep and eye out for that!
There will also be one off original canvases going up into the store as well, I have to finish off my commissions and then I will be jumping onto that moving train with gusto. As of now, I will no longer be doing commissions until further notice.

as for planners! well there will be many a blog post on those! from what I'm using for 2014, to the amazing binder that now has my wedding planner in it....stay tuned! It is lovely to be back, and thank you to all who emailed me over my hiatus to check to see if I was doing ok! It is such a heartwarming feeling when I got the odd email here and there. They are all appreciated.

How is your 2014 shaping up! and what is your word for the year!
xx Courtney.

Friday Pages - Bursting with colour!

welcome to another friday of Fridays Pages, a collection of stuff I've been working on, so you guys can keep up with my bits and bobs!

I've been trying to work on my homework for mermaid circus, so alot of it based around that, actually looking over my images, all of it is related to that course lol.

getting some face work back into my journals, I've spent so long living in my nookdweller world that I'd not given faces much of a look! so it was time to start sketching and getting out my pencils and markers to make some faces!

My darling man took me to officeworks the other day so I could photocopy up a storm! including collage sheets by the lovely Teesha that she designed just for the course, and pages of my own stuff to start using for collage work...I re sized an image I did during one of Janes courses, to turn into my next mermaid in my book!

Week one had me cutting up a storm, I had such a fun time making this collaged beauty, I've never really collaged in the traditional sense, but I really enjoyed the process, one I think I'll incorporate into my work more often! something I can do while watching tv with the Mr.

Playing with my creatures, and some more facework, I'm really liking the general size of this journal, its a nice holding size when I'm sitting and drawing.

That's all from me today!
if there is anything you'd like to know about these pages, just ask me in the comments and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
xx Courtney

Friday Pages - What I'm working on.

Well it's Friday and that means one thing! Friday Pages...Showing off what I'm working on between the pages of my little art journal! 

 

playing with my art supplies on video this page still has a long way to go before shes finished, but I am enjoying the crazy mess that's coming together at the moment!

 

playing with little creatures in amongst the paint and ink! this little love popped up holding onto the heart.

 

altering photos is my upcoming artgeeks prompt! turning ourselves into whimsy creatures to give a little fun to our photos! I am currently waiting for a spare moment to myself to get some self portraits sorted so you can see what works for this technique! so simple, and yet so much fun! 

and using some of my spare photos that I'd printed out and just having fun with colour and tapes! They are so simple, and yet these are some of my fave pages, the background is using Gelli plate prints I'd done in the past! 

speaking of which...here is one of my altered gelli plate images

and one of the previous images...before I started altering myself into a bunny

thats all from me! I'll have another friday pages post next week with some new work I've been working on! have a fantastic day!
I am thinking of turning friday pages, into a journal meme! so you can sign up on fridays, showing off your pages, I love a good page perve!
xx Courtney

Monday Mantra - and Art Geek Video

gosh I'm a bit of a fail blogger! set out all organized and huzzah! before I know it, I'm flailing around like a guppy on a sidewalk! Alas, I'll keep chuggin, maybe it will sort itself out.

I think I need to recap, and re evaluate where I am at the moment, back to list making I think! otherwise I lead myself astray!

image via pintrest.
I need to start actually setting time for work, time for play, time for my exercise, time for the kids..and of course time for the housework ( rolls eyes )
How are you coping this year? still on track...or running around like a chicken with your head cut off like me?

and a bonus for you this monday, if you havent already seen it, Ive made a new video for Art Geeks,

 

have a lovely monday

xx Courtney 

 

Friday Pages - A vlog instead

Todays a Vlog instead of a Blog!



have a great day
x Courtney

just a Vlog - Day 8 Blogtober.

Evening loves...long day first day back at school for the little ones, and my workout...was epic..so I'm one tired girl...please enjoy tonight's Vlog, where I show you the current journals I am working on, and just chat for a bit! 



xx Courtney

Watercolour my Heart Day 7 Blogtober!

Big weekend is coming to an end, and I am one tired little lovely, but I know I said I would blog...so here I am! nice short and sweet blog post today, so I can go and have a long relaxing hot shower.

Its a weekend for kissing deer shoes...I heart them so much!

right! onto the reason that you stop by for! The supplies! now my next supply cost me $10AUD..that's right, its the one supply I get asked the most during my videos..ohhh that watercolour set..where did you get it from...I have been asked that more times than I care to count for you..and my reply..a chain store called BIG W. Its a budget set in the art section by a low price art brand called Micador. you can get them in a smaller size than this one..but value for money, this size beats the other 10 or so colours. The colour range is very very good for its price, I give them a good spray with my water bottle let them get juicy and away I go, worked wonderfully with an aqua brush as well. Very bright vivid colour. Just because they are cheap doesn't meant they have crappy pigment.  As you can see, my palette has had some use...and broke in half lol...but doesn't stop them being used and abused on a day to day basis. The following pages have ALL been created with the 10 Dollar wonders.

this page here, the faces in particular were all done using the watercolours, the background green is an acrylic ink...which will be a supply for another day.  But all face colours and the lovely yellow hue..is all the watercolours I speak of.

using the colours not so wet and juice, using just a damp brush this girl below was created. This girl is just on normal fabriano 300GSM paper, no watercolour papers are used in my journals (too pricey lol) you can see that you can get varying shades of the same colour just by going over them a few times, the colours blend well aswell.

 this girl was painted with no pencil drawing, all done with watercolour then outlined later with a black pitt pen. You can do bright and vivid..or soft and subtle. This set is a fantastic set for people who want to play with watercolours but dont like the pricetag of the fancy ones ( I lust after the fancy ones..but on my mumma budget, out of my league)

 

The below image is my traveling watercolour set...yes you heard right this is my Peerless watercolour. They are my expensive ones, that were a gift from my boyfriend. They watercolour comes on a card and each card is a different colour, so I followed the video by the lovely Jane if these watercolours intrigue you do click on the link in Jane's name..it will take you to a video she created to highlight the wonderfulness of these watercolours. My palette slots into the back of my journal ready to be accessed at anytime while I'm out and about!

If you have any questions about any of my supplies please do ask

of if there is something I haven't covered yet and you are dying to know...do ask me! I'm always happy to give readers what they like, But don't get me wrong, if you ask about something and I don't use it...I will tell the truth. There are a lot of supplies I just don't use...I am a budget artist for sure. 

xx have a lovely night

Courtney

Day 6!!! arty play and white pens.

The weekend is in full swing here at the Brook-Diaz house with daylight savings about to hit us, we have been packing boxes and de-cluttering for our impending move! I thought I would start my post with a quick snap of my dinner! garlic prawns, fresh strawberries a few almonds and a few roasted coconut chips! it was..devine. We are a paleo family for 2 months now and I can never see us looking back.

 

 today I jumped onto the Gulfsprite Ning to have a look at the beautiful Stardust course, Christy had urged me to give it a go, so I looked it over, got the image printed for it, and will be doing one on canvas, and a smaller version in my art journal. Can never have enough face drawings by the lovely Christy in my life.

my eclectic art journal is bulking up! I love flicking through to see the miss matched papers and the splashes of colour that are in my boarder bits.

Only a quick supply post tonight, White pens...as an avid doodler I use my black and my white pens, so many times a day, for those little details...highlights outlines and so forth. I have more than these three white pens, I just cant seem to track them down! so for now I'll talk about these ones. The sharpie poster paint with a fine tip is my fave for my finer details, the eye highlights mostly, there have been a few spillages because I've pushed too hard (be gentle handling this) next is the Sakura brand Gelly Roll white gel pen. This is a japanese brand of pen and is beautiful to work with! If I could buy a stack of these pens in different colours I would in a heartbeat! when you first start using the gelly pen I thought omg its not working! but as it dries it goes a beautiful stark white...also gives a little raised feel where it has been used so lovely for the textural factor. The last pen is my dot maker. a Posca paint pen, with a big chunky round tip. Posca make their pens in different colours and I am yet to try them, but if they are as good as their white pens, I'm all for them. Like I said I use this pen to make my dots and for my chunky highlights.

and a quick peak at my pencil case that goes everywhere with me, a lot of black pens of varying sizes and inks, a few bright coloured sharpie pens, a couple of highlighters, my white pens, a mechanical pencil, a little eraser, glue stick, scissors and a bone folder.

these things go everywhere with me, so that I can draw, and add quick details and pops of colour with no problems at all, meaning I can create art whenever I am out and about and have a spare moment to myself.

enjoy your night loves!

xx Courtney

Foam Stamps of Win!

Hello hello!!! lots of pictures today, got carried away with images representation of my supplies. Today while I sat again avoiding my workout...I was in my scrap bind and found some fun foam. Now I only have this because of an art geeks video I watched quite a while ago now! but I thought why not have a play, so I started cutting...and using a ballpoint pen to indent a pattern into them.

above is just cutouts..and below is using the pen to make a design etched into it. I backed the foam onto some thick chipboard and away I went! making random prints for the basis of my eclectic journal.

I used paint with them first, but wasnt crisp enough, my favourite was using a black stazon ink pad with the 'stamps' they came out much clearer almost tribal like.

 

I am also low on patterned stencils, where its just a pattern not just one element....so I thought to myself, make my own very diy basic one out of scrapbooking paper. I mean its pretty rough but it was fun playing with it. little bit of paint and a sponge and you've got me entertained for a least an hour.

I did crack open my raindrops stencil which doesnt get used often but sometimes I give it a run

 

 And today's supply...is Markers! yes I am still a novice when it comes to markers! as I only learnt to really wield them last year I think...but I do have a small collection of them due to an awesome marker club I used to be in, getting 7 colours a month shipped to me...so I have a little stash.  Now dont get me wrong...markers are flippin pricey! the copics which many call the creme de la creme range from $9 to $11 AUD depending on where you are buying them! and for me...thats pretty epic. If I wasnt in the marker club..doing it monthly...I would not have as many as I do, I was lucky.

there are many cheaper just as awesome brands that are now readily available...such as the letraset markers and the spectrum noir pens, also distress markers have busted onto the scene just recently. 

all fantastic and great quality. Much of a muchness. 

 I store mine lying down in an ikea tub, which isnt ideal but hey what you gonna do. My collection is all copics except for a few Touch markers I got from an aussie art store. They are dual tipped, a brush tip and a chisel tip. very very juicey and very vibrant. (can you see a theme here with my supplies it has to bust open with colour or I'm not interested)

 

 see dodgy photo of the tips, the light is shocking but you get what I mean. I have several shades of the one colour family to help with the blending aspect of these markers, and blending is where they come into their own. Miss Jane Davenport taught me how to use markers in Supplies me..and I've grown from there here are some of my works using my markers both alcohol based and watercolour based

 laying the colour down then using a slightly darker shade they blend on the page as you work, giving your drawings depth and a richness that I cant go past.

 I worked alot with these markers in my fashion drawing class with Jane, I loved how solid and deep they looked at the same time, I use them at least once a day even if its just for a little doodling on my page.

above are some of the Touch markers I own, costing me around $6 on sale at the time.

Some of my first faces during my learning of them...using up to 4-5 shades in the one face! it blew my mind when it all started coming together.

and leaving you with a face that was part of a gulfsprite course but was hand coloured by me with my markers.
If you are considering markers, and you draw portraits, my suggestion is to get a few base skin colours and an eye and lip colour. Don't think you need the whole range, start with a few colours get your bearings learn to blend them and then expand your collection...these markers are an investment and they arent cheap...but they are beautiful
xx Courtney