Art Journal Journey and October Gelli Print Party

I have to admit that I have bought a gelli-plate. Yes, I made one for myself quite a few months ago and loved it. Unfortunately, it started to go mouldy. I don't know why. It had been going along just fine. Maybe it was the old book I printed into. Perhaps it had some mildew, I don't know. Anyway, I revisited the idea of buying one. Last time I looked they were horrendously priced here in Australia. But I managed to find an 8 x 10in one for $40 inc p&p at Blue Bazaar. Bargain!

So here is my page for the October Gelli-Print Party using one of my hand-cut stencils. I loved it so much I just added a phrase and deemed it finished :) 

It's October and my northern hemisphere brain thinks the trees should be turning red and yellow and dropping their leaves. They're not as it's spring. Not that you get the whole 'springing into life' thing either. I feel a little cheated as there only seem to be two seasons here - the hot dry one and the cool wet one. 

And over at Art Journal Journey the theme for this month is SHE-art. This page came about after I did an exercise from Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists by Carla Sonheim. It involves making faces with ink in a dropper. You lose some of the control and the lines end up blobby, but that's part of the fun. I did a few on index cards and this was the one I liked best, even though it was only partial. 

I'm sure there are lots of us who wish our bodies were still only 25. But I actually like the wisdom of age. So, yes, there are more wrinkles and more white hairs in the mirror now, but inside I feel more comfortable with who I am, more sure of myself, more confident. I also have the reassurance that I am loved, no matter what the outside looks like, because the inside is what is important.