Video: Making Focal Images

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Please note this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links I earn a small commission but it doesn’t cost you and more money.

I am always looking for something new to share with you. When I am working in my journal I tend to start my pages the same way-except in Monday’s video where I changed it up and worked backwards to front. I also find myself searching for focal images. Things I can place front and center of some colorful background.

Magazine images are always fun for this. You can alter them and change them up completely but today I thought it would be fun to make some simple focal images from scratch.

I wanted the images to be interesting on their own but neutral enough that they would work with a lot of pages and also allow for alterations to fit the page I am working on.

I started out with a house. I still draw houses like I did when I was 6. I have tried to change it up but for some reason-this is a house to me. So I just went with it and added some collage for the windows and doors.

Next up was a heart. I love hearts. Whenever I don’t know what to add to a spread-I add a heart and it never goes wrong. I drew out a quick heart and then filled it up with some of the gelli prints I made and some of the pages from one of my digital kits.

Then I sketched out a tree. Did I mention I draw trees the same as I did when I was 6? They used to stand next to the houses. Now I have stopped adding a straight out stick with a swing hanging from it but you know, it just might come back when added to a journal page.

I collaged the trunk with my trusty old dictionary paper and the leaves were using the same digital kit. I attached this all down with gel matte medium (affiliate link to a similar one I used. Mine is a heavy body).

Next up I drew a star and filled it in with collage. I loved the texture and variation the collage added to these very simple images. This star was filled in with a page from this digital kit of mine.

I then went back and added some water to activate the watercolor pencils and the NeoColor II’s (affiliate link) I used on the house. Lastly I sketched out a simple flower using my Stabilo pencil (affiliate link). I filled the flower in with the pink paper from the same kit before I dried everything with my heat gun and cut them out.

I just want to say how much fun these were to make. I am already thinking of other ideas and things I can make in this same style and I have already used one of them in a project. I hope you have fun and give these a try. If you do please let me know!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

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Video: Drawing Faces-An Art Journaling Challenge

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I wasn’t sure if I was going to get today’s post and video up. I was experiencing some computer issues but thankfully I sorted that all out and am sharing with you my latest journal page.

I really enjoyed making today’s spread. Normally I start with the background but today I started with the focal image and then worked out. I have been wanting to draw more faces in an effort to not only better my skills but also to find my own style. I was very aware as I was drawing this lady about the thoughts in my head. I was trying so hard to make her look happy, then I was doubting my abilities at all, and finally I remembered some unicorns I drew when I was young.

I was so proud of them and immediately felt I had a talent for drawing. I don’t remember what happened but I let go of drawing then and when I tried to start up again, I just felt as if I wasn’t able to because I wasn’t an artist like other people.

It had me wondering how many things in life I stopped doing or kept doing because of what other people thought about it. I am always amazed at the revelations that can come about when we make a little space for our creative expression.

I hope you enjoy today’s video. What is something you love to do but never felt you could claim it for yourself? Maybe today you can.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Music by myk – Reflections – https://thmatc.co/?l=321D4BE6

Dollhouse Renovation: Season 1 Episode #2: Exterior Demo

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Welcome to another installment of the Dilettante’s Dollhouse.

Today I am working on the exterior of the dollhouse and removing the extra trim. Some of it was a bit stubborn but all in all it went much easier than I expected.

I was able to use a flat head screw driver to remove the facade and the balcony. There is some damage from the removal that will need to be filled in but I think that will be an easy repair.

One thing I missed was taking photos as I went along. I will try and do that going forward. I know some of you prefer to read and see the photos rather than watching the video so I will keep that in mind.

My routine has been off the past few weeks and I haven’t had as much time in the studio as I would have liked. With Mother’s Day over the weekend I am getting this post to you a day later than I planned but you can expect them to arrive on Sunday’s going forward.

I also want to thank all of you that have watched, subscribed and commented on my first video. It was so much fun to see how many people are enjoying this hobby. I am excited for this section of my work to grow and expand over time and I am so grateful to have you all to share it with.

That’s all I have for today. Wishing you a lovely day!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming (Dollhouse) Dilettante

As I am not a professional I would encourage you to use your own common sense and do your own research on the proper use of all tools.

Video: Making a Spring Bucket List Journal

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The weather has been gorgeous!

I have been digging in the dirt, planting seedlings and plotting out the vegetable & flower garden. I am so excited to be back outside and I really can see how much better I feel with the longer days and warmer weather.

I have a fun new project to share with you. Today I am making a spring bucket list journal. I thought it would be fun to have a place to document the things I would like to do this spring along with mementos. A photo of a picnic, a receipt from the garden center or some pressed flowers. I don’t plant to have anything stressful on my list, just a reminder of all the lovely things spring has to offer and a way to document one of my favorite season.

I began by following this tutorial from Treasure Books. It shows how to make pockets for your journals and I just thought it would be fun to make a few and turn them into a journal. You have lots of fun places to tuck tags, notes and more.

Once I had the folds done and before I glued anything down I decorated the pages. I used my Lollipop Box Club Kits to decorate the pages.  Then I took a strip of paper the height of my pages by 3/4″ wide and used that to attach two pages together. Then I stitched 2 groups of pages together using a basic pamphlet stitch and you have have a journal!

It was so much fun and a nice way to make a quick book for a present. I hope you had fun! Let me know if you have any spring bucket list plans.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dielttante

Video: Journal Play Time (Plus a New DigiKit!)

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I am playing in my journal with a brand new digi kit today!

This post contains affiliate links-if you make a purchase using these links I earn a small commission but you don’t pay anymore.

I am having so much fun making these kits and I am really excited to share my latest one with you. If you aren’t in the market for a digikit-don’t worry you can absolutely play along with me using your favorite supplies!

I am working with Kit 2 (I know really creative 🙂 today and playing in my warm-up journal. I started with some illegible writing while I was waiting for my Instagram live to start (I was a bit nervous). I used some oil pastels to make marks and then added the writing. Later I came back to the page with paint. I am loving the muted pastels right now and so I used some sea glass and gray to paint over top.

I played with the circles in the kit cutting them in half and using them to back up other elements. I added lots of fun marks using Posca Paint Pens (affiliate link) and my Pentel Dual Metallic Brush (affiliate link).  Suzanne Early and I were talking about the Stabilo-All Pencil  (affiliate link) in our video and she’s inspired me to try and get my pencil down to the size of a mini golf pencil so I am going for it in this video and play session.

Once I added the Stabilo I used a baby wipe to smear it. Then there was some Dollar Tree glitter-I love these little shaker bottles and found them so easy to use without them getting everywhere like glitter can. I cut out a sentiment from a page sent to me by a fellow creative and added some lace as well.

I found this page to be one I couldn’t have just kept adding to. I was in the flow, enjoying the process and not really worried about the final result which is always my favorite way to play in my journals. I hope you found some inspiration here. Please let me know what you end up creating and some of your supply goals. Are you hoping to finish that tub of gesso? Maybe you want to empty your pans of watercolors? Let’s find find ways to use what we have and make some art time in the process!

Wishing you a lovely day!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Some of the Products I used are listed with affiliate links below. If you make a purchase using these links I earn a small commission but you don’t pay anymore.

Music by Kayla Kru – Bee Sting – https://thmatc.co/?l=282A2BED
Music by LOVELOVELOVE – ULTRAVIOLET – https://thmatc.co/?l=FC96E660

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Dollhouse: Season 1 Episode #1-An Introduction to My Childhood Dollhouse

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I am so excited to be sharing with you the first blog post solely about my latest project-renovating my childhood dollhouse!

I shared a bit about this project when I first mentioned it and have been working on it slowly for a bit now and filming the whole process. It has been so much fun and I truly enjoying the process. If you love doll houses and miniatures an would like to subscribe to this series alone you can do that by clicking “subscribe me” on the right hand side of the blog and clicking “categories.” From there you will see “dollhouse” as a choice and if you only check that box you will only receive an email when I post new content to that category. I have also set up a new YouTube channel focusing just on the dollhouse project and you can find that here. I will of course be including the updates in my newsletter so if you are subscribed to that you will know when I post new content.

My plan is to share weekly updates on the project so I do hope you enjoy them!

In this week’s post I am introducing you to my dollhouse. Below is a video you can watch that shows the dollhouse and where I chat a bit about my plans.

The history of this dollhouse is that it was made for me by a friend of the family when I was young. I don’t remember receiving it actually but I know I have had it since I was around 6 or 7 years old. The dollhouse was well loved and used.

When I was about 12 I decided that I wanted to spruce it up and make it a more “adult” dollhouse. I saved my money and purchased furniture, added some wallpaper to make another bedroom and even put together my first piece of furniture that I made from a furniture kit. The kit was something my mother had been given (I believe) but never put together. When I embarked on my decorating journey she gave it to me to put together. The kit was this one here and I still have the finished piece. I am planning on updating it to fit the look of the house but including it in some way.

Once I finished my spruce up the dollhouse sat for many years until my children started playing with it. The shoe boxes that held all the furniture came out and they were played with once more.  My son added stickers to the roof and quite a few pieces were broken but the dollhouse was still loved and played with.

When my mother passed away the dollhouse came home with us and initially my son had it in his room until he decided to make way for other things. It sat in the attic while I enjoyed hours of miniature artists videos on YouTube and Patreon.

Finally, I was inspired to bring the dollhouse down and give it a complete renovations. New roof, door, windows, flooring, wallpaper-the entire house is going to be made brand new. I knew I wanted to share the journey-maybe to inspire others to delve into this beautiful hobby-but also to document the journey for myself. Even if you don’t have a dollhouse you may, like I do, enjoy watching others make theirs.

The dollhouse needs a lot of work but I am seeing this as a slow project, a hobby that will give me space to create, to think and most importantly to image the goings on of this tiny little world I am building.  I hope you enjoy the journey.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming (Dollhouse) Dilettante