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

Painting the Town...

Happy Monday! I hope everyone is staying warm. As I am typing, I am wrapped in a blanket in front of a fire. ...and it is only going to get colder here!

Today I am so excited to share that Genuinely Jane Studios has teamed up with The Crafter's Workshop to bring you all kinds of inspiration!

Working with the Genuinely Jane Studios Cascade Album and The Crafter's Workshop Urban Landscape stencil I created a album to hold all my photos from my nights on the town!

I started with a little Gesso and adhered it right on to the unfinished wood: 

I sprayed the wood generously with a mist that I made using the following: 

1. Distress Re-Inker - Black Soot

2. Perfect Pearls - Blue Patina 

3. Water

Put all three ingredients into a Mini-Mister and shake it up! Now for a little magic... 

The Gesso acts as a resist... so I was able to take a damp wipe and wipe the ink off my buildings:

Once all wiped down, I went in with the second part of the stencil, a dabber, and Staz On ink in Royal Purple. 

...and when I lifted my stencil, I was in love! 

(The shimmer that you see is from the Perfect Pearls that was in the mist)

In fact... I loved it so much that I changed my whole concept for the book. I did not want to cover up any of my buildings! 

So I used acetate pages throughout and left my wood pieces to be seen in all there glory. Here are some of my pages: 

The theme behind this album is "Paint the Town". I have included some of my favorite photos from my nights out with friends. I still have quite a few to add, but made sure that there was plenty of space, pockets, and tags to put photos. 

Going to see bands play is one of my favorite things to do. I have a whole section for these pictures. If you look closely on the left, you can see that the photo is on a piece of acetate. 

...and it wouldn't be a complete Paint the Town album without a picture of my Bestie & Me... we are partners in crime. Our Friday texts usually go something like, "Want to get into some trouble tonight!" (DISCLAIMER: we really don't get in trouble... we just like going out and having fun....) 

and what night out would be complete without silly crazy pictures... I created a pocket with tags to hide these little gems... Here is the front and back of the pocket: 

I thoroughly enjoyed working on this album with my stencil and gesso. Until next time, HAPPY CREATING! 

XOXO-