Close Your Eyes & Jump!

Happy Sunday. Today I want to share a tag with you that I did a couple weeks ago. I am away from my studio right now because I am dog sitting. I need to be creating more right now than ever. These past few weeks have chewed me up, spit me out, and then stepped on me and I need a major healing session with my inks, paper, and paints! Through the tears and hurt I have learned some very valuable life lessons. I have also never been more sure of who I am and what type of person I want to be. 

Life is tough. There are highs and lows & smiles and tears There is enough negative in the world and I want to be that positive light. From a kind word, a smile, or an act of kindness, I want people to leave their encounter with me feeling a little happier. I lost that determination for a moment or two... and let me tell you, I was pretty miserable. 

I am, however, finding that, at times it is a balancing act, and that sometimes it takes a strength in me that I didn't even know I had. There is a Chinese Proverb that says, "Even a toad has 4 ounces of strength." Well let me tell you, I have a lot more ounces on me than a toad! This tag reminds me to just close my eyes and jump. Life doesn't start when you get to the destination. Life is the JOURNEY to the destination. 

I still can remember the joy I had creating this tag. I just let go and all the sudden this tag was born. No rules, no pressure, no one telling me that I can't. Here is a little bit from the process: 

I started with a little ink: 

I used a resist technique that I haven't used in a while... I forgot how much fun it is: 

Embossing with White Embossing Powder.  

After stamping I went back over the tag with more Distress Ink. The embossing powder resists the ink, so once I was finished I just wiped the ink off the stamped image. 

One thing I struggle with is throwing away "scraps". Here is one that I was finally able to use! I cut the dress form out of mirror paper and kept the scrap. To use it on this tag, I trimmed it out and adhered it.

I am wishing you a very happy Sunday and blessed and inspired week. 

Happy creating! 

XOXO