Diana Trout's blog

Mini Daily Journal: Silver Linings with Embossing

Flipping through some hand-me-down stamps, I came upon this cloud stamp and it spoke to me. The weather here has been dismal: rain, snow, warm one day and cold the next. Ugh. It doesn't feel like spring. I did a little catch-up journal flip at the end of the video.... Read more →

Altering a Disc Bound Art Journal

I recently purchased a Joggles Disc Bound journal because it's such a smart idea and I wanted to share it with you. I've been using the disc binding system for organizing classes, color swatches and making sketchbooks for some years and love the flexibility. My latest Joggles Haul First the... Read more →

Art Journal. A Fantasy in My Dina Wakely Journal

I've affectionately labeled this journal "The Dina" and it's an interesting book. I love the textural elements: the burlap, the canvas, the threads sticking out are such fun. I'm used to a watercolor paper based journal and this one is definitely Mixed Media. It's a different way to work for... Read more →

Journal With Me + Colored Pencil Shading

(Just a little colored pencil shading on one of the stamps.) Hey gang! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had Open Studio and there was a lot of art, laughter and love going around. Super fun and we all wind up learning. I love my Peeps :) On... Read more →

Journal with Me: Tea with Teddy

Hey Gang, Here is another video and post with my mini daily journal. "Daily" is a generous adjective but who cares, really? I'm cool with "a lot." This page (and several following pages) were washed with watercolor. I have fallen into the habit of having my journal out to accept... Read more →

Journal With Me: Complicated

I'm back with my mini journal today. I like the way these pages are evolving. No preplanning for the most part. Sometimes I'll stamp or scribble ahead of myself in my journal. Just a little bit of this or that and it gives me a jumping off point on a... Read more →

Journal With Me: JANUARY

Art Journaling is one of the things I've not done enough of lately. If you are new to art journaling, this may all be a bit bewildering so I made another video for you. It's linked below. This little journal is so much fun. So many of you have commented... Read more →

Daily (Sort of) Journal

A few months ago, I went through a bunch of books I've made over the years that sit blank on my shelves. Beautiful little books! Unused, unloved. So I decided that this year, I will begin to fill them. The first I chose to work in is about 3" square.... Read more →

Journal Spill with Watercolor Pencils and Pitt Pens

Sometimes the blank journal page is hard to confront. That's why I sometimes start my pages with a word spill. It puts me in touch with my head and heart. Word spilling is something writers use to get started. Whatever is in your head comes out of your pen (or... Read more →

Sumptuous Painted Paper

Three cheers to paint all the paper! I taught this class again a couple of weekends ago in the studio. It's a spin-off of my Playful Papers dvd and I have taught many variations. You can see pictures from the class here. The process is pretty straight forward. Take paints... Read more →