Creative Weekend with Dina Wakley

It’s hard to believe it’s been over a month since I got to spend the weekend at Papercraft Clubhouse creating with Dina Wakley and a whole slew of other artsy fartsy girls. I wanted to share with you some of the pages I created in the 2 days I spent learning and soaking in all the knowledge I could from Dina.  It is no secret just how much I love Dina Wakley. I LOVE her philosophy behind creating art, I love her style and I think she is a fabulous teacher. I am honored to call her a friend and look forward anytime I can get artsy fartsy with her! :)It is SO awesome that she is now a Ranger Signature Artist and we can get products that she designs and dreams up! We are lucky art peeps!

I have been lucky enough to take a bunch of classes with Dina over the years and I still crave more- only because she ROCKS! 🙂 I learn so much!! I hope to take a few of her classes at Absolutely Everything in August. Be sure to sign up for any of her classes when she is near you and you can be part of her tribe! (See my post about my classes with her last May)

I also think I’m going to “steal” her rules for when I teach.

1. No whining.
2. No thinking.
3. You don’t have to do anything I say. However if you do listen to me it usually turns out ok.

I mention a bit about each class that I enjoyed but I also had to mention the one thing I really LOVED “learning” was it was OK to tear pages out of my journal, create and then tip them back into your journal. Dina showed us how- it is a simple and easy process but not one I thought of. This will definitely help me use my heat tool less (you’re welcome Dina 😉 ) AND will make it easier to work on multiple designs at the same time. I will just have to watch out where I lay all these journal pages in progress so I don’t get Mister Harley paw prints all over them 😉

Ok, this post is going to be image heavy but I really wanted to show you how much we created in just 2 days! These aren’t even all of the pages I left a few out. Looking at the palette of colors I chose over the weekend I think you could tell I was looking forward to summer and warm temps 🙂 I was also drawn to really BRIGHT and trying so hard to not dominate my designs with my usualy go-to/love teal.

Also at the end of this post I have some words about a special friend, I hope you will read through to the end.

Art Journal Play Series: Random by Design

This class was VERY creative and really gave me a lot of different ideas on how to add layers into  my journal and how to create different elements to use a bits and pieces on my pages. I LOVED making a print right from our Ranger Craft Sheet! So free and fun!

(click the image to see a larger version)

(click the image to see a larger version) I usually ask her to sign one of my creations from class, that is what you see here

(click the image to see a larger version)

Art Journal Play Series: Watercoloring with Acrylics

I have been so obsessed with watercoloring lately. Mainly watercoloring with Distress Inks and Watercolor Pencils. It was fun to look at the Dina Wakley Media Heavy Body Paints in a whole new way. I loved watercoloring with Dina’s brushes as well because they aren’t detail brushes, so you aren’t as concerned with staying in the lines etc. It was more free!

(click the image to see a larger version)

(click the image to see a larger version)

Art Journal Play Series: Creature Feature

I am kicking myself that I didn’t get a chance to print out a few pics of Mister H to play with during this class- but looking back on it I think it was ok to just “copy” Dina to learn the technique and I can experiment more in my studio. This is a really fun, and easy technique for those of us who can’t draw!

The classroom at Papercraft Clubhouse was packed with awesome creative peeps but I feel lucky to have been able to sit near some pretty fabulous girls! Colleen, Jill, Amy, Sue and Cheiron all rocked (and we were really good at sharing 😉 ) I am always thankful when I get to be the student and more importantly when I am able to be part of a creative day with fun people! As Dina fondly calls them “her tribe”. This weekend will always be even more special to me as I look back and remember as I was able to create with my dear friend Colleen. She had attended my April Loft Art Retreat and that was a true gift. She was having so much fun getting artsy fartsy and I knew she had family/friends in CT that I really encouraged her to sign up for the classes with Dina. I mean c’mon- learn from another fabulous teach AND get to create with me for the weekend- it was a win-win situation.

I am so happy that I asked Colleen to take this selfie with me just as she was heading out. Little did I know that a month later Colleen would no longer be here. She passed away June 18th. Although I am very sad and am screaming “fuck cancer!”, I am thankful that she is no longer suffering and she can get artsy fartsy whenever she would like. I will never forget what she said to me right before I snapped this pic and she was thanking me for encouraging her to go. She said to me her new mantra was:

“Live today like its your last, Learn from today like you will live forever”

I promise Colleen that is how I will live my life, rest in peace dear friend.

I also shared a Creative Day I spent with Dina Wakley and you can see that post here