Art Journal: There is a universe inside you

It's been a little quiet on my blog, due to some things happening on the personal front. My dad has been in the hospital for a week and the fact is he's not going to recover, this time, from the heart attack he had. He's getting palliative nursing care at his home so he's being well taken care of until that moment arises that he is no longer with us. Acceptance is the only way to move forward, things are settling down and there is some peace and calm again, within and around me.

So last weekend I finally sat down in my art room and started to create again. It felt SOOOO GOOD! What a relief it was for me to pour it all out on blank pages. Creation is definitely good for the soul. There is like this whole universe inside you that wants to be seen and heard and can be awakened if you let yourself be immersed in it. I finished the journal pages over the last few days.

This is the end result of the art journal pages and creating this page really was very soothing and freeing. I used some of my fave products from my fave companies:

Liquitex gesso, paints and gel medium  specimen stencil from TCW, Succulents stencil from StencilGirl, Alice (by Janet Klein) stamp from Stampotique Originals, The large rose stamp from Octopode Factory and several mixed media stamps from VLVS! as well as "dreamer's only" and "there is a universe inside you" stamps by Cat Kerr. I also used paint over pens, wink of luna metallic brushes, distress crayons and pearl rubs. 

Let us all find that universe inside us and pour it out on blank pages. 

Sharing the above desk shot with WOYWW #460 at Julia's wonderful blog. Sorry I've been a bit out of touch, now you know why, but hope to connect with you all again this week. 

I also would like to add this journal page to the following challenges: 

Try it on Tuesday: Call for Spring

The mood board was wonderful and I am absolutely longing for spring to arrive. 

The sky blue, magenta/pink colors and flowers inspired me with this page.

Spring theme at Art Journal Journey 

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #46

I used a couple of stencils, liquitex paints, gesso and gel medium as well as alcohol markers, staz on ink, paint over markers, distress crayons and more. 

Ans lastly Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with "Inside the box" theme.

I interpreted this as I myself being the "box" in which there is a whole other universe inside to discover. As we all do, I believe :) 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Art Journal: A Rainbow in Writing

It's already halfway through March and I'm really longing for spring to finally arrive! But it's still a bit cold in my hemisphere and wanted to share a colorful art journal page to share some warmth. I've stamped the dip nibs (by darkroom door) on a book page with versamark ink and heat embossed it with transparent embossing powder. Then I dripped some various fountain pen ink over the page and diluted it with water to make a rainbow effect. The embossed parts worked as a resist. The lady is from a vintage magazine and handwriting stamp and moth are from Paper Artsy and stamped with Staz-on.

I used washi tape for the edges and sealed it off with a thin layer of modge podge matte medium. Love how the resist effect worked here and how bright these beautiful colors are. Such a happy page to look at! 

Would love to enter this in the following challenges: 

Art Journal Journey Spring Time

Moo Mania color effect 

Stamplorations Spring and Faith March challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Craft Stamper TIMI - March Challenge Inspiration

Today I am sharing some challenge inspiration for this month's Craft Stamper Take it Make it March Challenge. As always the theme is anything goes as long as there is stamping on it and if you share your project you are in the running for a fabulous prize. This month it is sponsored by That's Crafty (stamps designed by Donna Gray). I have made the above card to inspire you and it's made with wonderful layers of water color paints, stamps and die cut embellishments.

The cup of roses stamps are from Stamplorations which I stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. The Thanks die cut is from Create A Smile and wanted it ever since I saw it at the Favorites of 2017 on Jennifer McGuire's YT channel. I just love how beautiful & elegant this layered die cut is. The card is water colored with Cloves and Honey Watercolors and all the border accents are made with washi tape. I am exploring ways how to incorporate washi tape more into my work and thought this worked well in the over all design. 

Hopefully this inspired you to participate in the current challenge at Craft Stamper blog. Do link up your projects HERE 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Mail Art Monday - Thinking of you (SCD293 Mail Art)

It's been a while, but finally felt some inspiration again to make some mail art to share with you on this monday. Created a little set of mail art envie and notecard to share with you and they are all made with Stampotqiue Original Stamps. I used Spongul, the Filmstrip as an address section and Happy Mail from Terri's Salutations 2. Colored with Tombow markers and splatter effect with Distress Oxides. Also stamped the Texture Stamp from Kate for more more interest in the background.

I have made this notecard to match the envie, using the same stamps and color scheme. The background was done with stencils and DecoArtMedia spray paint in Cyan and Lindy's shimmer sprays. 

We have a new challenge running this fortnight, which is the theme of Mail Art! Next week I'll have more inspiration posted for that as well. Come and join us with the challenge and link up your mail art related posts either on the blog or on our facebook page in the designated album. We pick our top 3 fave every week and you'll also be in the running to win a 30$ gift certificate which goes to 2 people every month! So we'll hope you'll join the fun :) 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Art Journal: I Heart You Cindy (Stampotique Originals March new release)

Hi all! Today I have another art journal page to share with you. It's made with a few Stampotique Originals  new stamp releases! We have a new seahorse to add to the family, which is Cindy Seahorse by Kassa Hayselden. She has been super popular ever since Kassa posted the drawing at our facebook page and we are all super delighted that she is in stamp form now. YAY! I paired her up with cute Rudy and used some words from the When your heart speaks quote stamp. Added a few hearts cut out from Daniel's Hearts background stamp for accents. Also in the background is parts of Doodle Mania and is it's such a gorgeous journal stamp and versatile to use for texture in the back gound like this. By the way the back ground is make with Liquitex modeling paste over a stencil, I added Lindy's magical shakers and sprayed to get a fun color blend, then added some metallic sheen with Deco Art media Lusters. Border with distress crayons and then adhered the pieces (colored with alcohol markers on sticker paper) on top of it.

And check out Kassa's Facebook as she is graciously holding a giveaway of her designed stamps this weekend.

To see more of the new releases this month, click HERE and there are 7 stamps instead of the usual 6 :) Also there is a new designer on the team, Tini Rubberink, so definitely take a look at her fun and quirky designs!

We also have a new challenge running this fortnight, which is the theme of Mail Art! Coming week I'll have some inspiration posted for that as well. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Art Journal: Brave (Stampotique Originals March new release)

It is the 1st of the month and that means that Stampotique Originals brought out some new stamp releases! I'll be showcasing a few makes with the new lush stamps over the coming days and I wanted to start off this this art journal page I made in my pocket art journal. The large stamp is called Doodle Mania and is designed by Kassa Hayselden. It's such a gorgeous journal stamp and versatile to use. 

Recently I saw interviews of Rose McGowan at the Daily Show and the Late show and she talked about her book Brave, which I think she really is. The art journal page is a tribute to her. I used the highly juicy mermaid markers from Jane Davenport for the colors. And doodled over it with a sakura gelly roll. The alphabet by Terri Richardson really fits well with the style I was going for, 

To see more of the new releases this month, click HERE and there are 7 stamps instead of the usual 6 :) Also there is a new designer on the team, Tini Rubberink, so definitely take a look at her fun and quirky designs!

We also have a new challenge running this fortnight, which is the theme of Mail Art! Next week I'll have some inspiration posted for that as well. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!