Word of 2016

I don't know about you.....

but I don't find CHANGE to be an EASY THING....

in hindsight it usually is for the good....

but the path to get to the other side is not usually an easy one!

I decided I wanted to create

 a canvas to showcase my word....

I began by pulling out the things that I love and hoard....

Vintage paper and lace
flowers
stencils and
my paint and texture.

I adhered vintage sheet music to my canvas with 

Ranger's Multi Medium.

When dry, I pulled out
The Crafter's Workshop stencil ~ Tuscan Wall

and applied Perfect Paints ~ Polishing Plaster ~ Sunwashed Clay.

When dry I applied a layer of 

Perfect Paints ~  Perfect Glaze Medium.

While the glaze was drying I began constructing my heart.....

The patchwork heart was constructed of papers from the

Ella and Viv Company papers.

I adhered various vintage laces over

a few of the heart pieces along with a bit of

Perfect Paints Shimmering Matte Acrylic Paint.

When my canvas was dry, I applied a few layers of

Perfect Paints Shimmering Matte Acrylic

Rainstorm

Bright Gold

Aged Copper

and Cantaloupe.

Then, I adhered my heart with

Ranger Multi Medium ~ Matte.

I then used Faber Castell's Big Brush Pens to created

depth on and around the heart!

While sorting through my life....

I came across my stash of Tim Holtz Grungeboard!

OH THE LOVE.....

The letters in the Nature ~ Plain collection were just PERFECT!

I smeared on layers of

Perfect Paints ~ Shimmering Matte Acrylic and

edged with my Big Brush Pen and

adhered with Ranger's Multi Medium ~ Matte.

Now to accent my heart.....

a bit of chicken wire

some Petaloo Botanica Blooms

and UmWowStudio chippies!!

I applied Perfect Paints ~ White Stucco over a

UmWowStudio ~ Leaf Stems chippy.

When dry, I painted with Perfect Paints ~ Spanish Moss

and once again used my Big Brush Pen to edge.

What better way to show change....

then a BUTTERFLY!!

I used one from UmWowStudio

and dabbed on various layers of paint!

What is your word for the new year???

Colors of Love

I have been in a bit of a creative funk lately....

so I started doing something I rarely do
I began watching Inspiration Wednesdays by Donna Downey.
I also watched a few videos by Marta Lapkowska.
My desire to create an art journal began to gnaw at me....
 then.....I FINALLY found a journal that I fell in LOVE with!!
The pages felt soooo YUMMIE!

As I dug through my box of The Crafter's Workshop stencils

I found just the PERFECT stencil that spoke to my heart....

TCW416 ~ Grunge Hearts

Now....I wanted to step out of my "color" box and work with
various products...so I pulled out my container of Faber Castell
full of Gelatos and Big Brush Pens
and chose....
Banana
Red Cherry
Grape
Mango
Squid Ink
I pulled out a paint brush
a water sprayer and I let the random stenciling begin!

Now, we need to back track a bit as
I forgot to tell you how I prepared the background.
(sadly there are no pictures)
I pulled out a package of 7gypsies Paper Tape (for the middle seam)
some vintage dictionary paper, adhered with Multi Medium
and covered lightly with Gesso.

I pulled out another The Crafter's Workshop stencil
TCW242 Damask
and applied Perfect Paints ~ Polishing Plaster ~ Apricot Lily
randomly over the spread. When dry I added
Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist ~ Coffee Shop.
Thank you Marta for this inspiration!

Then I pulled out one of my fave stencils

TCW541 Believe Script

I applied Perfect Paints Shimmering Matte Acrylic ~ Shadow

with a makeup sponge randomly on my pages.

Lastly, I pulled out my
TCW455 Love Post
applied some Perfect Paints ~ Shimmering Stucco
and colored the hearts with various Gelatos
and shadowed using a Big Brush Pen.

....at this point I started adding the Gelato colors
spritzed with water.
Can I say....this journal is the bomb! It took all
the liquid I could put on it....and stayed BEAUTIFUL!

I really need to work on my "handwriting" but for today....it works!

I hope you enjoyed my creative journey....
I really think I've tapped into something here!!
Can't WAIT to try my next spread!

HOP HOP HOP....HO HO HO!!

Welcome to Swirlydoos' December Kit Reveal
Blog Hop Block Party!!

If you came here from FaberCastell's blog, then you are on the right track.  If not, go back to Swirlydoos' blog and start from there. 
We have some amazing projects for you to see today !!
 We have 3 manufacturers hopping and
3 designers from Webster's pages!!! 
Also, as an extra special twist,
2 of our designers are hiding secret prize on their blog!!!!!
 Make sure to leave a comment on all of the blogs for a chance to win!!! 
Check out Swirlydoos on Facebook and Like Us!!!

Here is one of my creations made using the
December Technique Kit!!

In my video, I will be showing you (briefly)
how I created the flower
on top of my box.

Here is my video......
(please excuse my manly voice.....struggling with a
horrible head cold!!)

You have until midnight, eastern time, on Friday, 12/14 to complete the hop. Winners will be announced on the Swirlydoos Blog on Saturday 12/15.  In order to qualify to win here is what you need to do:

1: Visit all of the blogs and leave a comment on each. This way we know you were there. Become a follower if you're not already. Take your time. There are REALLY beautiful things to see along the way.

2: Before you leave each blog,
 look for the “special” words and write it down. 
Once you have visited all the blogs and collected all the special words,
they will create a sentence. 

3: Finally, go back to the Swirlydoos blog and
leave a comment letting us know how much fun you had,
 tell us the sentence that was created with all of the special words you collected.
     Can't wait to hear from you.

My special words are......"OF THE"

The party continues over at PRIMA EDUCATOR'S blog.  

Have fun!

Chunky ATC!!

I have to say....I had LOADS of fun creating this gift to give!!

It's a CHUNKY ATC. Chunky ATC you say....well yes!

Don't let the name scare you.
It is a 2x4 cut into 2.5" pieces and covered. 

I began by using a Gold Champagne Gelato on the edges of the wood
(areas that would be exposed)
I then spritzed the Gelato with
Pearl Gold Luminarte Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist to blend.

I then cut pieces of paper from the 6x6 Rejoice Paper pad.
I inked up my stamp with a Red Cherry Gelato and spritzed with water
and stamped onto my cut pieces. I also, stamped Silk Acrylic Glaze.
Then I distressed the edges.I adhered the paper pieces on
the wood with a Xyron Mega Tape Roller!!

The focal point of my ChunkyATC is the Poinsettia
cut from Canvas and Kraft Corrugated ATC.
I colored the pieces with a Red Cherry Gelato,
Gold Champagne Gelato and Silk Acrylic Glaze.
The Leaves were cut from Birch Wood ATC and colored
using Olive Vine Silk Acrylic Glaze.

Playin' with Gelatos!!!

Good Saturday Morning to y'all!!!

and I am excited to share with you
what I've been makin'
with the Gelatos
from this month Technique Kit

Hope you enjoy it!

A Swirlydoos ~ Imagination  Lab Tutorial!!

The focus of this weeks tutorial
 is how I created the backgrounds to my creations!!!

and this one........

So are you ready for some CREATIN'???