CRUSADE No. 37 ~ Love Letters

 

Yes, I LOVE letters, and I love LETTERS.  But I really love X's and O's.  And I love when I can make stuff from nothing, or practically nothing.  You showed us you can too when you made your own snowflakes or shapes and used them in the last crusade.

Do it again.  Get out the paint and the gesso.  Grab your alphabet stamps.  (I know you have several.)  Or carve your own.  Or cut stencils from plain paper.  Or just use pens or brushes to mark X's and O's on your pages.  Why these letters?  Two reasons.  

1).  It's that time of year - Valentine's Day! 

2). These letters are just shapes with meaning, especially when used together.

I have learned alot through my personal admiration of the letters.  I see symbolic representations of them everywhere because my awareness is tuned into them.  Think:  a button with four holes.  Criss cross the thread through it and you have an X and an O.  Just playing with these letters in your journal is enough to sharpen your own vision, and soon you will see them everywhere.  It's a playful exercise, but it may get you to think outside the box with your own favorite shapes in the weeks ahead.

 
For our global friends:  X = kisses, O = hugs.  I learned they aren't universal symbols when fellow crusader Inge asked me about it.

Refer back to previous crusades for additional help on making tools: Crusade No. 18 ~ Cut It Out (carving stamps), Crusade No. 19 ~ Cut It Out II (cutting stencils).

For painting tricks:  Crusade No. 25 ~ Properties of Gesso, Crusade No. 28 ~ Portion Control, and Crusade No. 29 ~ Brush Effects. 

 

You are welcome to interpret the challenge however you want.  I suggest using X's and O's since they are easy shapes to recreate for your own tools.  Keep it simple.  Learn from the medium.  Let the paint dry between layers. Playing with paint is main directive, adding letters is just part of it.  Remember from the last crusade:  having an assignment will hopefully take out most of the *thinking* and allow you to get to the *doing*.   

To join us in the crusade:  get out your journal and take on the assignment.  Photograph or scan your work...blog about it, or upload to a photohosting site, then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post.  I will put all the links into the sidebar under Crusade No. 37, newest will be at the top.  Please come back often to click on the links and leave your valuable words of encouragement for those who go out on a limb to share.  We all learn from one another when we try similar things during the month and it so much fun to see all the work, especially if we have tried it ourselves. 

 

Archived links have been moved from the link list to here - some may no longer be active.

Aimeslee
Belinda
Belinda Schneider
Carolanne
Carrie Gross
Dawn
Debra McWilliam
Gil Jussara
Helen
Imelda
Inge Bekaert
Jan J
Jane Royal
Janet
Kate Robertson
Kim Hutchinson
Kimberly (more)
Liz Ness & Jackie Wood
Lorraine
Maria
Maria (more)
Marilyn
Meg
Michelle Ward
Mona
Regina Rooks
Regina Rooks (more)
Rosemary Griffin
Sheila
Shona Bucaroff
Steph Block
Susan Sager Brown
Viki
Zura
 

Comments

[Regina]

FABULOUS! I'm excited about this one!

[Kim Mailhot]

How fun ! Tic Tac Toe anyone !
Play time, here I come !

[Viki]

I got mine done...so far. I think if I just do them when you announce them, I stand a much better chance of actually participating :)

[Kimberly]

Looking forward to it! I hope that now that I'm back to work I will have time...maybe the presidents' 4-day weekend.

[Lorraine]

thanks for explaining xoxo I always wondered what it meaant..will have a go later

[Cath]

Oooh, this sounds great. Roll on Saturday and some serious art time.

[Megan Philbrick]

I just found you on this site. I am so exited to try some of these assignments!! :D

[inge]

Hello Michelle,

I still remember when you explained to me XO after years of me wondering what it meant ! LOL
Seems I'm not the only one when I read the comments here above !

Your pages are great again : they are so you and I really like them all. On the first photo the part with the heart is my favorite : love how all the layers are giving depth to the heart.
The hugs page is my favorite because of the colorcombination and all the circles and how you played with them.

We started a new local round robin here with the theme "in love" and the limited colors black, white and red... so this fits perfect in this crusade !
I had my covers done with your scraping technique and you can find it here :
http://web.me.com/pinkepinke/pinkepinke/Blog/Artikelen/2010/1/24_“in_love”a_new_localround_robin....html

but I still have to do one additional page and that's what I'm going to make tonight and tomorrow. So I incorporate the X and O's in this page !
I let you know when I blogged about this.

greetings from Belgium
Inge

[Meg]

I did one and I am working on at least one more. I love these assignments! http://anarchyartstudio.blogspot.com/

[Zura]

I just started with the crusades last month and I was too timid to post mine here. But I'm being brave this month and posting. My page is on my blog at http://creativeclown.com/archives/2397

[Steph Block]

Here is mine.

http://steph-nerdbird.blogspot.com/2010/02/lots-of-pages-and-one-lo.html

I didn't know that "O" meant hugs! So I now understand XOXO!!!!

[Carrie]

Wooooo! I'm back in the game! http://pocketsizestudios.blogspot.com/2010/02/snowpocalypse.html The letters aren't as BIG as yours, but they're focal points... mostly... They're there!

[Helen]

Here is my challenge, I loved to play along and I finally understand what XOXO means. XOXO Helen

[regina]

Just finishing up a post with one spread and a second post will follow later this evening.
It was fun reviewing previous crusades to remind myself of techniques to use.
Thanks, again Michelle!

[regina]

2nd post is up! Would love to continue with this project, but taxes are calling!

[Belinda Schneider]

XO is not part of my culture, always a bit strange when i see it. yet it sure makes a great pattern!!! my journal page...
http://belindaschneider.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/bloody-valentine/

[Aimeslee]

As I said in my blog post, I'm hoping like heck that I'll have another more literal sample to enter, but if not, at least I attempted the challenge on the art I am actually working on right now. Here:

http://paper-paisleys.blogspot.com/2010/02/hip-and-offbeat.html

My background "spread" was the inside of DD's Valentine card. You can click on the photo for more detail.

I'll comment again if I get lucky to do it again. :-)))

xoxo, <--- I seriously always sign off that way, too funny! winkwink
Aimeslee

[Imelda]

Here's the link for this crusade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62792412@N00/4346192594/

[K Hutchinson]

Here is mine! Thanks for the fun filled afternoon :)

http://runningonink.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/love-letter-crusade-no-37/

[carolanne]

This was fun! Happy Valentine's Day!

[carolanne]

Oops. Here's the link:
http://twilightandfireflies.blogspot.com/2010/02/love-letters.html

[Liz Ness]

Ooo -- I LOVE your XO journal spread -- BEAUTIFUL! Also, I think Jackie and I (IllustratingStories.com) have become addicted to the crusades! Such fun (and beautiful) creative sparks, for sure.

=) Liz

PS: Our take is posted here: http://www.illustratingstories.com/home/2010/02/crusade-37.html

[lorraine]

here is my oxo page!!
http://loveofcollage.blogspot.com/2010/02/love-o-or-bisto-green-pepper-press-oxox.html

[Imelda]

I made new pages I deleted the other one

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62792412@N00/4356472002/

The second time around was much more fun

[Kimberly]

Here's my link...
http://pumpkindelight.blogspot.com/2010/02/thoughts-on-valentines-day.html

That makes two in row for me...I'm on a roll. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Kate Robertson]

Here is my entry http://thequeenofcreativity.blogspot.com/2010/02/gpp-street-team-37-love-letters.html

[inge]

Hello Michelle,

I couldn't post yesterdayevening as I said on you blog I would do...:(

But now mobileme is working and my crusade is posted.
You can find it here : http://web.me.com/pinkepinke/pinkepinke/Blog/Artikelen/2010/2/14_crusade_n°37_love_letters.html

See you !
Inge

[JanJ]

Thanks Michelle, I had lots of fun playing again with gesso and acrylic paint!

http://farnorthdesigns.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html#4259548391380595292

[Shonna Bucaroff]

This was so much fun. I can't wait for the next challenge!!! I think I'm hooked.

http://twistedfigures.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-gpp-street-team-journal-page.html

[Maria]

http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2010/02/hugs-and-kisses.html

I've been finished with this for a while, but thought i would work on some others--seems i'm being swept up in house-hunting, however!!

[Rosemary Griffin]

I have finished my Love Letters, thanks so much for encouraging everyone to be creative.

[Janet]

I finally got some time to do my love letters. You can see them here: http://jkbees.blogspot.com/2010/02/michelle-wards-crusade-no-37-love.html

[Maria]

http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2010/02/feeling-zen.html

managed to squeeze in a second one! completely different...

[Mona]

Hello! Here is mine. Thanks a lot! http://alcorart.blogspot.com/2010/02/crusade-nr-37-love-letters.html

[Marilyn]

Am I coming in under the wire or what??? I had fun with this crusade - bought some spray paints and just played. There are some mighty fine examples of this crusade on all your blogs!!

[Marilyn]

Sorry - forgot to post my URL
http://hrt2hrt4mike.blogspot.com/

[sheila]

Thanks again for this Michelle. I had a lot of fun playing around with various things and was pleased with the result. Here is the link:
http://sheilasteaandtoast.blogspot.com/2010/02/gpp-street-team-creative-challenge-love.html

[Debra McWilliam]

Another great challenge. I love the motivation and techniques you provide, Michelle. I really need that boot to the butt to step outside my comfort zone, which is fairly limited. Here's my blog address:
http://musesandmysteries.blogspot.com/
Thanks!

[Susan Sager Brown]

Michelle, I got in just under the wire!!! I've been spending all month making Anti-Valentines, and this Positive Journal page was a breath of fresh air for me. Thanks for all the inspiration!! I can't wait to check out the other team members pages!! xoSusan
http://broknheartart.blogspot.com/2010/02/gpp-street-team-crusade-37-love-letters.html

[Gil Jussara]

Hello Michelle,

I was longing to participate in their challenges and this is very special to me. Talking about love is always very good!!!

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=www.giljussara.blogspot.com&sl=pt&tl=en&swap=1
thanks!
soul hugs.
Gil Jussara

[dawn]

WHEW! Sliding in at 11:15 PM on March 1!

http://catharticcreativity.blogspot.com/2010/03/love-letters.html