Ideas

I used the technique of putting the gesso on my page by using an empty packaging tape roll and dipping it into the gesso and placing on the page. I then daubed the walnut stain Distress paint on the page and misted it letting it spread and then drying it with my heat gun.  Next was the swirl stamp that I made pressed into the mowed lawn Distress paint and placed randomly around the page. Then, I used my empty packaging tape roll again and dipped it into the seedless preserves Distress paint and stamped my page randomly. I wrote each of my letters inside one of the circles. I like how the 'A' goes off the page. The quote was written on a left over piece of fabric that I had been putting paint on since Day 1 Permission. I also frayed the edges by pulling out some of the threads on all sides. I crumpled the fabric and then glued it down to the page.

I love this page. I really like the font and the rustic feel of the page.

 

Home

On this page I used the gesso, spread it around and then used the lid of a jar to create the texture. I then used antique linen Distress Ink by using a piece of plastic as my glove and just daub my fingers on the pad and then rub it onto the page. I misted the page and then dried it and then daubed it again until i got the look I wanted. Next, I used Lumiere Halo Violet Gold. I squeezed some onto a plate, misted it and then used a sea sponge to daub/swipe it onto the page. I used Lumiere Pewter and what was left of the Halo Violet Gold in the sponge to daub a random piece of card stock and then draw the letters for 'home.' I cut them out. Traced around them on the page and glued them down. I used the Halo Violet Gold on a rectangular piece of Moo Carve to stamp the edges of the page.

Generosity

The technique I used today was gesso slathered on the page and then dried with my heat gun to make it bubble. Where the gesso was thin I added more. I used peeled paint Distress Ink. Today I decided NOT to use my fingers uncovered to spread the ink. I discovered some saved clear tea bags that I have really been wanting to use. So I used that as a glove for my finger and spread the ink. I dried it with my heat gun. Blotted it. Added more ink spreading it so as to catch along the edges of the bubbles. I dug into my scrap booking box today. I found some rust colored edging for my quote and also added some brads. On the matching velum I wrote my verse with a Micron Graphic 2 pen. I used the clear tea bag that I had smeared the ink with to write my journaling and also to put a couple of sprays for gold fun. I used a piece of copper metal for my title. I hand wrote the word 'GENEROSITY' backward on the metal a couple of times to get the word thick. I used black soot Distress paint to paint over the word and then dried it with my heat gun. I then used sand paper to release the letters in the word. Lastly, I used vintage photo Distress Ink to stamp the border of the page.

I really like the way the background turned out and will probable use this technique again! I can imagine just now using the background as its own stencil or stamp.

FuN

Today I tried using gesso with a stencil. I used a scrap booking stencil that I had already cut in half. It didn't quite fit the page so I turned it slightly sideways. Once I finished putting my gesso on with my card. I applied the gesso to the card and then applied it to the page. I dried it with my heat gun trying to not let it bubble. Once it was dry I applied Distress Ink faded jeans, misted it and then patted it with a paper towel. I didn't think it was dark enough for what I wanted to I applied the ink once more, misted and daubed with the paper towel. Still not satisfied, I just applied it directly with my fingers. (Didn't think about what was going to happen when it dried.) Finally satisfied with the color I let it sit overnight. Wanting to do something totally different and thinking about what was said in the video to not cover the background, I found some netting that I had saved. I cut it to fit each page and glued it down with Elmer's Gel glue in various places. I wrote on some medium weight card stock for the letters. I used Uniball Signo um-153 white pen for the squiggly lines and antique linen Distress Ink on top of that. I set the letters down to fit in the netting. I wrote my quote in a spiral, stamped it with antique linen and cut in a spiral. I wove the spiral into the netting. All of the other things that are written were written on the card stock and stamped with antique linen and cut to size and fit into the netting. Last but not least, to add to the fun of this page, I discovered that I had decorated it upside down and because the pages are all connected I got to leave it that way!

Experience

I used the walnut stain Distress paint on a flower stamp that I carved awhile back. I thought the walnut would look really good on the yellow and brown streaks of watercolor. I also went over the stamped flower with my Uniball Signo UM-153 white pen. I love that pen and I love white on color. Then I wrote my prompts and journaling around the flower stamps.  The little 'grow' stamps I love. I had some left over Moo Carve (I think that's what it is called.) and didn't want to waste it.

Declaration

As with the last five days my watercolor background was already done. I decided to do the block stamp technique. I used the Distress paint by daubing it on the back of a piece of Moo stamp block and pressing it onto my already created background. I alternated the block for the background to show through. Then I was stumped. I flipped through my Letter Love journal to get some ideas. Nothing really struck me. I decided to do the sketch-fill letters. After I wrote my verse, I wrote the quote in the block and there it was...putting my declarations into the white blocks and because I love quilting I decided to set off the white blocks with black dashes to make them look sewn on. I also dated my declarations. They have served me well. I liked writing them down again and all in one place. Many of them are from personal development seminars in which I have participated. I am pleased with how it turned out. 

 

Community

Today I already had my page prepared with the watercolor. I really liked the way Bernice Hopper's Distress paints turned out so I decided to try it again only this time on top of what I already had on the page. Also, this time I put more of the paint out. I have been using freezer paper as my cover on my table and what I spread my paint on. So on my paint goes and this time I also sprayed a lot more water. I also put some left over removable tape at diagonals across the page. The paint got under the tape :-( but overall I liked the effect. What I saw was rays of sunshine that had been created by the diagonal come through of the watercolors. So that gave me the idea of putting my purple cone flower stamp on (which I had been wanting to use a stamp anyway). Then I with the sun and the flowers and the word community I began to think of seeds pouring out. While I had the paint out on my freezer paper I put an envelope on the paint. I used markers to color the flowers and I always like some white on the page so I streaked the white like streaks of sunshine. I am very happy with it!

Bucket List

I had prepared some watercolor pages ahead of time to be ready during the week for my journaling. I think it is interesting how the pages that I prepared ahead of time are coming up in the way they are. I loves this page on the right with the fireworks look and the verse from Psalm 146:2. How great is that?! I had a short time tonight so I didn't do any of the techniques. I am finding, however, that I really like the look of the white pen. 

 I am really satisfied with the page on the right. It feels good just to look at it.

Acceptance

I am a teacher and I have a poster that I put in my classroom. The text on the poster reads: "Acceptance is seeing with your heart and not with your eyes." I do believe this AND I am much more ready to accept others with my heart than I am myself.

After participating in personal development seminars and understanding how I got to be the me I didn't like, I understood that I could love me and my quirks. And I do love me, except when I don't.

Also, the life that the LORD has given me and the journey He has led me on so far has been the road less traveled. I had a friend tell me one day, "If you and Jim keep going this way you won't have any friends." At first that hurt. I've never been a popular person or had a lot of friends and that has always bothered me. Then the Holy Spirit reminded me that I am not on a quest to be popular. I am on a quest to follow Him and join Him in what He is doing in my life and in the lives of others. So now, my friend's statement is a reminder and not a wound. I am thankful for the reminder. 

Making the letters in 'Acceptance' I stepped out and put the curly q's on the letters. I haven't done that before and wasn't sure how it would turn out. I REALLY like them.
Today's challenge didn't take me nearly as long as the other days. I find myself contemplating what I will do and looking forward to the time I can spend creating.

Attitude

Today is Shabbat for me. A time of resting and reading GOD's word. Refreshing. Hearing. Reflecting.

One of the things I heard today is about how deeply I feel. I have known it but not wanted to know it. In this month of Gratitude, I will remember that. I think it is key for me.

So in the afternoon I came to my studio/classroom. I home school my 8 year old grandson. I still have the table set up from yesterday. I sit down to watch the TED talk video. It is a good reminder of things I already know: Attitude, Awareness, Authenticity. These are at least three of the subjects that I have been spending the last 25 years changing and  putting into focus. (Based on his description of awareness, I am still 3 years old. I stop and look at lady bugs, flowers, etc.) I am feeling encouraged after watching the video and I don't want to turn any other words on to interrupt that encouragement. I think I got started on the pages (I am using two 5X8 watercolor pages.) at 1:00. I got up from the table at 3:30. Again, I got lost in the play. I tend to go with what I am sensing to do. I don't know theory and all of that when it comes to color and design. 

I am pleased with my results. 

 I had a scrap booking stencil that I pulled out and daubed on Golden ultramarine blue liquid acrylic with a sea sponge. I covered the edges of the paper with removable tape so that I would have a border after daubing on the paint. I wanted to try using a stencil and modeling paste and that is how I made the heart.  I am also currently taking Joanne Sharpe's Letter Love class so I am using lettering techniques that I have learned there. The back side of my left page was the right side of yesterday's page and because I did think that it may get ruined by the things I did today, I covered it with Glad Press 'n Seal.

I could never list all of the things that I am thankful for that are different in my life. I became a new creation in 1988. I was redeemed from the pit because of the blood of Yeshua, the Lamb of GOD. I follow the Holy Spirit. I have seen Him work in amazing ways in my life and through my life. I am highly creative and I am practicing listening to Him more in that area in order to become what He has already declared about me.

Permission

Thinking that I am in need of a change, I came across a blog about gratitude called newly creative. I can't even remember how I got there.  I need some more gratitude in my life so I decide I will commit to arting about gratitude. 

About a week or two ahead of the start date I began to think about the kind of journal I want to use...do I want to buy one or make one, etc. I decide I will make one and I ask some questions of the people I know who have made journals and then start to get my supplies ready so I will have what I need when the date comes. I get some of the pages ready by washing them with watercolors. I'm not sure how much time the journaling and techniques are going to take so I want to get ahead of the curve. I have decided that I don't want be perfectionistic and that I will try new things and make an effort to get out of my comfort zone.

The day comes. I wake up at 4:00 in the morning thinking about what I am going to do to my paper. (This is a good sign because lately I have been having trouble being excited about anything.) I have some ideas because the day before I was in my daughter's art classroom helping her get ready for maternity leave. I saw some ideas I liked and want to try. 

The first day is on Friday. I don't start out right away on my project because I have some 'work' that needs to be done. (I'm still trying to outgrow "business before pleasure.") I get home from shopping for some other supplies and it's 4:15. I decide that I will take an hour to play on my page and then I will go walk before it gets dark.  I get my supplies out. Set up my work area and I get started. The next thing I know when I look at the clock it is 6:15 and I'm not really finished. I got so caught up in what I was doing that I didn't even look at the time. Oh my...I really enjoyed doing this. Normally when I am quilting I have to get up and do something else. I love quilting but the hand stitching is rather uneventful.

I do love fibers and I have heard that Distressed Paint works on fabric and once it is dry it stays put. The quote is on a piece of muslin on which I put the same colors as the background and then used a Sakura IdentiPen to write the quote.

I wasn't really happy with the way the word 'Permission' turned out. I tried several different things. In the end, I decided to leave it and let it be the less than perfect on the page. 

Wow! I can tell that if I continue to put in the time for creating and thinking about what I am grateful for, this will be a life changing month for me.