Donna B Miller

Another Steampunk Princess

Here's the third in my series of Steampunk Princesses on my art journaling pages. I didn't set out to do a series, but I am finding myself fascinated by the contrast between the soft femininity of the vintage photos and the hard edges of gears, clocks, and technology. It's yin and yang, the masculine and the feminine, the interplay of seemingly opposite images that interconnect and are therefore, interdependent. (Whoa, my philosophy minor just reared its head.) It's also just a lot of fun.

Credits: Tangie Baxter's Silhouette, Maya's Steampunk, Tumble Fish Studio Summer Junque, and the Create23 collab

Lots of New Digital Art Journaling Pages

I'm always more productive in the fall. But even I was surprised when I completed four new art journal pages last week.

The first one is a result of a quote I read, "Great ideas need landing gear, as well as wings."

Credits: Maya's Steampunk kit and Scribbler brushes; Gypsy Chick Steampunk brushes; Art E-Zine image of girl; CrowAbout eyes; and Brother Bear font.

And then Tangie Baxter shared the Thomas Edison quote, "We haven't failed. We now know a thousand things that won't work, so we are much closer to what will." as part of the Art Journal Caravan.

Credits: Tangie's Art Journal Caravan, Rosey Posey Discovery, Tumble Fish My Pics; Nancie Rowe Janitz brushes. Font is Misproject.

After a three-day-trip to the lake with my sisters, I just had to journal about what a special relationship we have.

Credits: Rosey Posey Discovery Heart and heART Collage Love You; Lisa's Altered Art photo; Tangie Baxter's Journey 11 postcar ; Sherrie JD Junkyard stamp. Fonts are Misproject and My Old Remington.

The fourth one is another inspired by a quote. I love the look on the woman's face as she glances upward.

Credits: Tangie Baxter's Unconventional Wisdom and Tumble Fish Studio's Etcetera kit. The fonts are Affliction and Chalkboard.

My Gypsy Diary

I love workshops, and learning new techniques. So when Tangie Baxter offered The Gypsy Diaries Mixed Media Worskhop at Scrapbookgraphics, I knew I had to play along. The workshop includes prompts, videos, downloadable art, and a private class site. 

This is something new for me, an art journal that is entirely cut-and-paste. While I've done loads of digital art journaling pages, this is something new, and I am having so much fun.

After watching one of the videos, I tried my hand at turning an old turquoise-blue mystery novel into a vintage-looking journal. I had a blast dipping my fingers into the paint to add a patina. Then I used a stencil and embossing powder to decorate the cover, before adding wings, a title frame and charm. 

I can't wait to start on the inside.

Materials: acrylic paints, Show-Offs stencil, Zing embossing powder, Tattered Angels glitter spray, Martha Stewart glitter glue; Tim Holtz grunge board wings and mini frame; and an Explorer charm.

There's a Chill in the Air

Here in Central Kentucky, we woke up to a rainy, chilly Monday, and I began planning for my favorite fall activities. I pulled out some warm sweaters, started checking prices on chrysanthemums, and picked up the ingredients to make a big pot of burgoo. The artsy part of me is thrilled to see all the golds, browns and maroons in the stores, and I'm tickled to see fall and Halloween kits showing up in the digital shops.

One of my favorite designers, Marsha Jorgensen of Tumble Fish Studio, just released the Old Haunts kit at Deviant Scrap. Perfect for Halloween, I love the way it mixes sweet and light images with those that are just a little bit darker.

For my first piece, I took the opportunity to play with the style of Rachael Taylor of My Concrete Sky. She's a master of clean design and typography. 

The second piece is a little darker. I had to do it because the lyrics to the Alice Cooper song kept running through my head. The only way to exorcise the song was to commit it to paper.

Credits: Everything is from the Tumble Fish Studio kit Old Haunts. The smoke brushes in the second piece are by Annika Von Holdt.