Watercolor Wednesday - Thank you tag!

When I was on the Unity Stamp Co. Design Team - I had my favorite stamps and these Phylis Harris collections were definitely one of them! I just adore this whimsical childlike style and fell in love all over again once I started painting them with watercolors! 

I had a lot of fun with this tag. I stamped my image with Archival Ink in Jet Black. Then I used my Koi Watercolors to color her in - mixing my own skin tone. I then masked her off and added some paint splatters around the image. 

I am so excited to be joined this week by a good friend who is fab with her watercolor style! Go check out her blog for even more Watercolor Wednesday inspiration - she rocked my socks off with her project! Be sure to hop on over - you can find her on her blog Oh, Snap Lizzie! 

Until next week....

Products used:

Tim Holtz Tag

Unity Stamp Co. Phyllis Harris Hold Your Hand Stamp

Arhival Ink Jet Black

Koi Watercolors

Watercolor Wednesday - Be You!

I love these Prima Flower Mixed Media Doll stamps (this is the only one I have! LOL) and I was inspired by Sanketi to stamp and water color her. You should really check out her youtube channel! I stamped her with Faber-Castell Big Brush pens in a light color and used Koi watercolors to color her and the background. I then stamped the sentiment in Archival Black ink. I actually gave this my friend, Rosemary, who has always been kind, supportive and encouraging. It was fun to create something other than a card as a thank you.

I love exploring this coloring medium. It is so different from coloring Copics - more freestyle than anything. I have to let go of my perfectionist tendencies in a way - which I think has been good for me not just in my art but in life as well. I'm way too hard on myself. And while I hope to get back into alcohol markers some day -- I am really enjoying this new journey and where it may lead me.

Print by missjillmcdonald on etsy

Products used:

Watercolor Paper

Faber-Castell Big Brush Pen

Koi Watercolors 24 Set

Prima Flowers Mixed Media Doll Stamp

Fears are...

Today I'm sharing a page from my art journal. This particular journal is an old book I found. I love using it to paint and experiment. For this page, I used gesso to prime the pages before applying gelatos to create the bold color block background.

My colors were inspired by this photo

After creating my background I added some stencils from Crafter's Workshop - Abstract Leaves and Silhouette Script. That one is a favorite of mine. 

I love using stencils. Especially with added dimension using modeling paste as I've done here. After it had dried, I added color using Faber-Castell Big Pitt pens and more gelatos. 

Here you can see the 2nd page with all the layers of color, inks and stamps. I used a prima clear stamp (romance collection - discontinued) and some Unity Stamp Co Donna Downey flower stamps. I purged a lot of my stamps but kept all my background and mixed media ones - I'm so glad I did. Doing so has given me more freedom to really explore my own style once I realized I was holding onto product I knew I'd never use again.

Another thing I'm glad I held onto for the most part - my letter stickers...these are great for adding titles to pages or highlighting certain words in my journaling. I created this page prior to attending an adult instruction class at a friend's church this past weekend and something the pastor really struck me: The first commandment says You Shall have no other gods before me ie. no idols...and that which we put BEFORE God be it fear, love, or trust IS an idol. I have been meditating on that this week. It is a pretty powerful statement when you really think about it. I definitely struggle with fear and never thought about how much I have made it into an idol in my life. Something I need to let go. Pray about. Confess. So grateful I am forgiven. When you really think about it...we always fall short. Always. But that's for another journal page..and another post!

What is an idol in your life?

I am entering this in the Design Memory Craft Take the Challenge With Mou July 2014 - create something you usually don't create - I don't usually create with such bright and bold colors as I've used here.

Products Used:

Faber-Castell Gelatos

Faber-Castell Big Pitt Brush Pens

Gesso (white and black)

India Ink

Crafter's Workshop Stencils TCW395 Abstract Leaves & TCW404 Silhouette Script
Dutch Doobadoo A5 Faded Dots Stencil

Unity Stamp Co - Purely Entwined

Letter stickers from Authentique, Cosmo Cricket

Scarlet Lime Permaball Pilot Pen  - black

Christy Tomlinson SheArt Doily Rub Ons
Glitz Design Roller Doodles - Feathers

Back with a fresh design, updates...and some splurges!

#truth

Well, it certainly has been awhile - 7 months - since I've posted anything here. Last year was pretty light on blog posts as well. I just needed a break. From blogging. From designing. It wasn't any one thing...but a combination of different factors that led up to my step back from blogging. One of the major factors was this:

The baby

Fab Four

Our fourth child was born on Jun 3, 2013. Our oldest just turned 9 two weeks ago. Perspective. Time. It goes by so fast. The things I let myself define me weren't necessary. 

Simplify. Intentional. Family. Faith. 

Those things became my focus...and in the process, that which felt like a burden became a blessing again - art found me in different ways as I began to purge. I sold more than half of my stash. I sold my copics. *gasp* I did! And I found watercolors. I found paint. I found color in different mediums and I'm excited to share all of that discovery again. 

My old blog design and lengthy name was weighing me down. I created it years ago and it was so busy. Cluttered. I've been wanting a new design for a long time. Reflecting this new me. Simple. Intentional. Soft. I found it at The Wonder Forest. I love her designs - I love her blog. I could never afford a custom design so I browsed the premade designs - which are all so beautiful. I found 3 or maybe 4 that I loved...it was hard to narrow it down. But I finally did. And I got in trouble. For spending $$ on something seemingly so frivolous...which it is. I am forgiven. Thank goodness...it's hard for me to be self controlled...to budget...to save...but I have come a long away from who I was in 2007. I will share that journey one day. Yet, I still find myself slipping. And last week I slipped big time. I bought a blog design and these (the yellow cuff, faith sentiment and shield):

Lenny & Eva Arm Candy

To say I'm obsessed with Lenny & Eva jewelry would be an understatement! I added to my collection this time from Carol and Company as there isn't really anywhere nearby that carries a decent selection. Carol and Company always seems to carry everything and I mean everything. I'd be in trouble if I could physically walk into their store and see this:

Carol and Company L&E Bar

Drool worthy, huh? So, I'm back to blogging. It feels good. I am tentatively...cautiously...excited to be back.

So tell me, have you ever taken a break from blogging, crafting or something you used to love?