Be You!

Happy Thursday all!  I have been so amazingly busy lately with some illnesses that I am trying to get over, doctor's appointments, work and throw the fact that the kiddos are getting ready to go back to school (school shopping...uggghhh!) in the mix and you have a crowd of stuff!  That being said, I haven't been able to be in my art closet as much as I like!  This weekend I am taking my girls and a girlfriend of theirs out of town for some last minute school shopping and I plan on going to several of my fave art supply places, so I am totally looking forward to getting some new product and starting a fresh next week with some new pages!

So today I am going to share a past page from my journal that was inspired by Lindsay at Frugal Crafters!! There are so many awesome bloggers that I follow on a regular basis and Lindsay is one of them!  She is just the neatest gal that could just be your best friend next door, you know what I mean?  Not to mention that she is so talented!  Anywho, Lindsay shared this video on her blog yesterday that I think was right on!  I mentioned to her that we just ALL need to be a little kinder to ourselves and to others!  Typically we are our worst critics, but sometimes people can pass that bad energy off to others, cause hey, misery loves company!! This all makes for down trodden hearts that leave people feeling as if they are inadequate in some way!  In the words of Lindsay, YOU ARE AWESOME!  We ALL are!!  After all, we are God's creation! We ALL have something spectacular about us that makes us unique and worthy to be loved!!

In God's Word, Romans 8:1-39 says, "There is therefore now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life HAS SET YOU FREE in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteousness requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."  Do you realize that that is GOOD NEWS for you and I! What that is saying is that if we don't allow our rotten selfs to run our lives, but allow the work that Jesus fulfilled on the cross to cover us, then all that condemning mess that goes with those negative thoughts our flesh tries to inflict us with, DIED on the cross with Jesus!  YOU ARE FREE!!!

My page, when I did it, was out of the same thoughts that Lindsay expressed in her video!  I went through my scrap drawer and just began to layer those pieces on with good ole Modge Podge and then added some acrylic paint through several stencils in my stash and then used some of my stamps for background and then topped it off with some emphemera and some shading.  As I was typing this, my next thought was to put....nothing special, but then I had to stop myself because that is exactly what Lindsay was talking about! It was a special enough thought in my mind to want to put it in my journal, so therefore, it IS special!  If only to me.  And guess what?  That's ok!!

You are worthy and loved by an amazing Father in Heaven!  We aren't to be haughty in that, but secure in the work of the cross and that we were wonderfully and fearfully made and that ALL that God creates is WONDERFUL!!

Blessings to you today!

Inspiration!

Happy Monday!  Hope everyone had a great weekend!  Boy it's been a scorcher here in the south!  Makes it real hard to get that yard work done, but done it got this weekend! LOL!!  We have some relief coming this weekend with a little cooler weather and I can't wait!

I have been loving the vids I have been seeing online where different artists having been tagging one another and they share about themselves!  For me, it's a peek into who they are and their own inspiration for their art.  I love it because we get to see all their wonderful work online, but seeing the vids kind of put us in touch with who they really are....kind of like a face with the name thing.  I want to share a spread from my journal that was inspired by Roben-Marie Smith!  I love her work and also her work with her art buddies in Art to the 5th.  

When I first started art journaling, I didn't really know what I was doing, all I knew was that I wanted to do it! LOL!!  Not too sure that I know now any more then I knew then, but I'm having a ball!! LOL!!  One thing I knew after seeing so many YouTube vids was that I didn't want to copy anyone per say, but I wanted to be inspired to find my own style, if you will!  I'm so thankful for the internet and the ability to see all the fabulously talented artists out there and to be able to glean from them!  What a blessing!  But the main thing that I pull from all those vids is the opportunity to get me out of my "comfort zone!"  Roben-Marie uses a lot of bright colors with just random placement that turns out to be just this fabulous work!  Number one, I am not a bright color kind of girl.  I like fall colors all day long and second I am such an OCD kind of girl that I think everything has to be "precise" and she just goes with the flow!

So, I let my hair down and did my best with bright and random with a little twist of "me style!"  So I just laid down the brightest acrylics I had along with some some gesso.  I did use a few of my Crafter's Workshop stencils to add just a "little" structure and then added some doodling to give it a little fun flare!  I really enjoyed doing it and feel better for stretching myself!  Thanks Roben-Marie!

Who or what inspires you?  How do you allow yourself to be stretched or taken out of your comfort zone?  Sometimes it can be a little scary, but you never know where taking that first step will take you!  Usually I find that if I just initiate and engage the first step that I receive a blessing in the end.  When I hear talk on different blogs about being in a rut or "artist block," I find that's an opportunity to challenge ourselves!  What's something you haven't ever considered trying?  Why not try it and see where it takes you!  You never know where taking that step may lead you!

Be Blessed!

Becoming!

Happy Thursday!  Speaking of all things "happy,"....happy mail came yesterday in the form of my monthly Unity Stamps!!  To say that I look forward to this time of the month with a giddy heart is probably an understatement!  First of all, who doesn't like getting mail and second of all, I'm just completely 12 on the inside and love getting prizes, especially when it feeds my ever growing hobby!!!  When my package arrives, I can't wait to rip into it, pull those puppies apart, get into my art closet and start inking away!!!  Hey....who wants a clean stamp right??? LOL!!  But seriously, I just can't wait to create some newness!!

As I had already seen what the stamps were going to be this month, I had already been pondering what I wanted to do with them.  Of course, it doesn't all come together until it's all in front of me, but I get a general idea.  Part of who I am as a person, is the glorified person I am becoming In Christ!  The foundation for who I am as a person stands on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ.  When I received Christ into my heart, the Word assured me that it was an "immediate" indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in us because we are bought with a price. Everyone who has been purchased (redeemed) by the blood of Christ also has the Spirit of God dwelling in him - 1 Cor 6:19), however I was but a wee babe in Christ, I had so much to learn about God's heart for me and almost 25 years later, I am still learning!  I haven't arrived, I am still becoming ALL that God has called me to be!

As Christians, we are to be transformed into the image of Christ.  It's a daily dyeing to self and daily encounter with the Lord through His Word!  In 2 Corinthians 3:18 God's Word reminds us that because of Jesus, we now have the authority to tread on holy ground, in other words, we can enter into the very throne room of our Father with thanksgiving, praises and seeking hearts (the veil has been torn) and on that very ground God will begin a work in us that activates that transformation through the Holy Spirit, into the very likeness of His precious Son!  I believe the fullness of that activation will be manifested when our Savior returns for us that we may go before our Heavenly Father complete!  I can't wait!!

I did today's tag on a brown tag (can't remember the correct terminology there...LOL!) and wet it to buckle it up a little bit.  I wanted it to look old?  I then covered it with some Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap and then painted over with Silks Glaze Peridot and Sunflower and then added Nutmeg on the outer edges.  I then stamped the edges with the new leaves and flowers stamp from the kit.  I had some old packing paper that I stamped on the book page stamp with and then distressed the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain.  I had some emphemera in my stash that I loved that I also distressed and adhered them both to the tag with good old Tacky glue.  I then embossed the sentiment from the kit with Colorbox Ink and clear embossing powder.  That didn't turn out so fantastic because the bottom part of the sentiment was so small that it kind of got lost on the tag so I outlined with my favorite all time journal pen the Koh-I-Noor Rapido (thank you Kelly Kilmer for taking the time to talk with me about this awesome pen) to try to make it stand out a little more.  I think it helped.  All in all, I achieved what I was looking for and I think this one I'll be keeping in my Bible!

Have you looked in the mirror today?  Who do you look like?  Like me, I'm sure your traits came down from your earthly mom and dad, but my desire is to look more and more like Jesus!  It's a daily work and sometimes I miss the boat, but thank God for His amazing grace!!  Seek Him out today that you may also become ALL that God has called you to be!

Blessings!

Rejuvenation!

Happy Tuesday!  It's been a week since I posted and it feels like ions!  I had some oral surgery last week that took me out all week!  It was a nightmare, but I am glad that I am finally getting back up and around! That being said, I haven't been to my art table in a week as well!  I have an unfinished journal page that is waiting on me and I can't wait to get back to it.  Right now I am in a place of rejuvenation!

When I did a word study of the word rejuvenate it said that it was "to restore to a former state; make fresh or new again."  There are many things we can think about when we restore something, like a piece of furniture or a car and usually when that process has taken place the finished product is beautiful, like brand new!  Spiritually speaking, that is what took place in our body when we received Christ!  He fulfilled the Old Testament Law, that we couldn't fulfill and restored us to a former state; made fresh and new again as God intended from creation!  Jesus's blood restores, renews, refreshes to a beautiful new creation!  We are reconciled back to the Father, through the blood of His Son, without blemish!  WOW, I don't know about you, but that refreshes me just thinking about it!!!

I think from time to time however, we need a fresh pouring out of His Spirit to renew us and refresh us again. That refreshing puts a spring in our step and aligns our eyes back on the prize!  That's what I needed this week, a refreshing and a renewal after last weeks draining!  Whew!!  A scripture comes to mind, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, (bless) His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget NOT all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good (things; so that) thy youth is renewed like the eagles." Psalms 103:1-5 Glory!  Just allowing that scripture to pour out of my mouth and heart fills my cup to overrunning!

Abigael and I

Since I wasn't able to do art last week, I thought I would share maybe a past page from one of my journals and a piece that my daughter did.  I had mentioned before how we have sowed into her love of art this past Christmas and how she and I love to do art together...it's such a blessing.  We took this selfie, and even though it is blurry, she wanted me to use it on my blog and share a page that she did.  I love her page!  She said she couldn't sleep one night and this page came out of that!  What do you think?  She's precious and has a wonderful creative mind!

Abigael's Creation!

Do you need a jump start, a refreshing, a renewing? Seek Him out today!  He is faithful to renew your youth like the wings of an eagle!  That's good news!!  Out of His great love for you and I, He wants to bless you with all good things from on high and keep you because you are the apple of His eye!  I did this page a little while back in my journal as my attempt at the "white space" that we are all afraid of!  As a reminder that I shouldn't be afraid of white spaces or set back's in my life, albeit in a journal or every day life, because He will keep me no matter what because I am the apple of His eye!  Let Him restore you today with His amazing love and grace.....you WILL be blessed!

Blessings!

Whatever is Lovely!

Happy Monday!!!  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  It was such a relaxing weekend....just as I had planned!!  I did some wonderful art, feverishly read my advanced copy of the last installment of an AWESOME trilogy (thank you my precious sister) and spent some wonderful time at the pool with my children!  Pretty much a perfect weekend!  I give praise to God!

I was able to work on a couple of art projects this weekend, but I will share one with you this morning. There are so, so many talented artists that I glean from on the internet!  I've mentioned before that I am a journal junkie and as such, I comb the internet for inspiration.  I could name so many artists that inspire me and the list would take me awhile!  But I try to think outside the box of my brain and review many kinds of art.  I don't ever want to get stuck in a rut!  But one of the things that I like to look at, but don't really think I could get the hang of is "shabby chic!"  I love the style, but don't know that I could do consistently!  I'm pretty much low maintenance and the "quickest route" is the best in my mind! LOL!!  That being said, you "shabby chick" artists rock and I hope to continue to glean little nuggets from you with thanks! Below is a tag that I attempted as I "think outside the box!"

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8  That is the scripture that came to mind when I did this tag this past weekend. Whatever is praiseworthy........think about that! I could do nothing but praise God this past weekend out of my gratitude for His goodness to me!  My LIFE is praiseworthy!  Each day that I get up and breathe is praiseworthy, each day I look at His marvelous creation is praiseworthy and lovely!

I used Distress ink in several colors on both of these tags and emphemera.  I also used some Colorbox through a stencil with clear embossing powder.  I had some chipboard that I painted with Silks acrylic glaze and placed a butterfly on top.  I tried to distress the chipboard somewhat, but didn't do such a hot job at that, so I ended up just putting a glitter glaze over top of the butterfly.  I then laid it all down with some other emphemera and some flowers from Maya Road (I think..haha) with a little glitter glaze as an accent there as well.  I pulled it together with some wonderful yarn that I have, that one day I will make a scarf out of...ha ha ha!  All in all, I think it turned out alright for my first attempt anyway!! LOL!!  What do you think?

Are you praiseworthy today!  In WHATEVER things........give praise!  I'm so thankful to God for His marvelous provision that I could even try "shabby chic!"  He's interested even in the small things, so even in the small things, I give praise to Him!!

Give Him praise today!
Blessings!

A Little Mess and a Whole Lot of Nothing!

Happy Friday!  TGIF!!!!  I don't know about you, but this week went by soooooooooo slow!!!  Glad for it to be the weekend.  Last weekend, I didn't really have a weekend, even though I had the 4th off.  Our family didn't go anywhere or do anything.  So me, not wanting to waste that time by doing nothing, worked all weekend in my yard and did house work!!  Wow!!  Yep, but now this weekend, I WILL BE DOING NOTHING!!! LOL!!  I have a clean yard and house and I can safely sit on the porch watching the birds go by or go to the pool with my girls without one ounce of guilt!!  LOL!!  I like it when in happens like that!!

So in honor of doing NOTHING, my journal page today is full of NOTHING!!  It's like a 52 card pickup page!! LOL!!!  I just threw a bunch of scraps and medium on my table top and just stuck it to the page!  No theme in mind, no thought process what so ever, just threw it on there and where it landed, it did!!  It was just monotonous fun!!

I used scaps of paper, scraps of paper towel, bead gel medium, acrylic paint, Dylusions sprays, gelatos, Liquitex inks, some stenciling, etc, etc, etc....  What do you think?  I like NOTHING sometimes, what about you?

I hope you plan on having a fabulous weekend and you know what, we all deserve a little time just to do NOTHING!  God bless you as you do!

Blessings!

In Christ Alone

Happy Thursday to you!  I have had a song continually in my spirit this week that is called In Christ Alone!  I love that song because it is the embodiment of what Jesus Christ is in my life!  As a believer, I can do NOTHING without Christ and I can do ALL THINGS with Christ!!  He is my light, my strength, my song, my comforter, my ALL IN ALL!!  Because of His victory on the cross, His power lives on in ME!!  The world continues with daily onslaughts, BUT no circumstance is too great because Jesus commands my destiny!!

I really enjoyed doing this page because it came with a song in my heart!  I used a brayer to layer several different acrylics and then stamped with several different stamps.  I then used some Faber Castell Gelatos in a few areas to highlight.  My favorite part was doing the heart.  I did that all by hand with acrylics.  I used a mirror that I have in my home as a point of reference and then just embelished it the way I saw it in my heart.  It took me awhile because I don't profess to be a painter!  LOL!!!  But I enjoyed every minute because His Spirit led me on.

The words to the song that inspired this are as follows:

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

What power do you stand in?  There is NOTHING like standing in the power of Jesus Christ!  NOTHING can EVER pluck you out of His hand!  That is a mighty power and a sure thing!!  I encourage you today if you're not standing on solid ground today, seek the Cornerstone that lays a solid foundation for eternity.  Seek Jesus!

Blessings!

Freedom!

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Holiday! It was very quite for my family and I did some much needed yard work with my time off!  I love getting in my yard and getting that polished look!  It makes you feel so renewed when you step back and have a look at it!

I wanted to do a "4th of July" spread in my journal, but I wanted it to convey so much more than the "4th of July!"  For me, it's ALL ABOUT freedom and liberty!  Most certainly from our nations point of view, BUT it is so much more than that!  I am SO, SO blessed to live in a nation where I have the liberty and freedom afforded to me by those AMAZING men and women who put their lives on the line for me DAILY!! That is NO SMALL thing in my mind that they are willing to serve!!  Most, never get so much as a "thank you!" I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the current and past service men and women who made my freedom possible!!  May you ALL be tremendously blessed for your selfless places of service!!

Living in a nation where "Let Freedom Ring" resounds from the lips of patriotic dwellers, I am MOST THANKFUL for the ability to have the freedom to worship our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ!  While our service men and women continually fight for the right of freedom in this country, my brother and joint heir Jesus Christ died on the cross for my ETERNAL freedom, liberty and salvation!!  While our freedom in this nation comes at the daily sacrifices of men and women who serve this nation, my spiritual freedom came at the FINAL sacrifice of Jesus on the cross!  That amazing love for me and you gives us the power of freedom and liberty through the truth of His Word!  That truth equips and enables us to walk in true freedom and liberty not only here on this earth but for eternity in the Kingdom of God!

Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery!" We are free in this nation because so many men and women have taken a stand for us, but for believers, we are spiritually free because we take the stand that Christ has set us free!  So THANK YOU men and women who sacrificed so much that we have the freedom to share the message and gift of Christ with others in this country and THANK YOU JESUS who was the ultimate sacrifice for my ETERNAL FREEDOM!

Blessings

Love to Play!!

When I first started on this "art journey" I confess that I really didn't have a clue to what I was doing....not sure that I still do.....but all I knew is that I loved art as a rule, in general, and knew that I wanted to play and try to be creative with the things I had in my mind!  Since the beginning of that journey a couple of years ago, I have learned a lot, watched A LOT of YouTube videos, scoured A LOT of blogs and visited a gazillion art/craft stores online! Hello, my name is Felicia and I am an art journal junkie!!! LOL!!!  Phew!!!  Time well spent as far as I am concerned!  It has become an obsession and I the fanatic!! LOL!!  Alas, I fear I am not alone, because I KNOW there are others out there JUST LIKE ME!!!!  You know who you are!  We come in all shapes and sizes, all ages and all equally obsessed with the world of art!!

I've never had any formal training and couldn't tell you the first thing about a color wheel, but I do know that I like to get my hands inky, love spattering paint and love pretending that what I do in my little art closet is making a difference to anyone besides myself!!  No matter what, I am having fun!!!  Today I share this page from one of my journals as a testament to the fact that I love to play and I love the world of art!  I love the ability to express myself through color and texture in whatever medium that may come in!  It's ALL art because it's an expression.  Tomatoes, Tomatos...right?  It's a piece of you and that can never be wrong because we are ALL special in God's eyes!

I share my journals at work from time to time and I had a friend at work today tell me that she wished she could do what I showed her.  She can!  You can! We ALL can!  Just jump on in!  Throw caution to the wind and play!!  Life is too short to have shoulda, woulda, coulda's!!!  It doesn't matter what it may look like to others, just have fun and express BEAUTIFUL YOU!!!

Blessings!

Knowing Who You Are!

Today, I want to share a canvas I did for my oldest daughter who is 14.  I did this canvas for her out of my complete love for her and my desire for who to know who she is, especially at this pivotal time in her life.  I realize I do not take the corner on this market when I say dealing with a teenager is an experience like NO OTHER!! The old adage that my mother used to use, that I swore I would never use, "patience is a virtue," quickly comes to mind!!!

Coming from the view point that I really didn't know who I was until I was an adult, I think it is imperative that a parent help a child understand who they are in Christ at a early age so they don't fall into the pit traps of peer pressure that is rampant these days with teens!  With everything from looks, clothes, cellphones, cars, friends, etc...they are pressed and pulled on from every side to "fit in!"  Fit in with whom?  And why?  I look at it now with wisdom of an adult, someone who has been there and someone who FULLY knows who they are in Christ!  I look back now to those teen years with regret of all the time lost I spent trying to "fit in" to things, that in the broader spectrum, don't mean a thing when it comes to a relationship with Christ!  Those "things" that people try to fit into will pass away, but Christ and my life therein, are eternal! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

My daughter is a beautiful young lady and like all teens, desperately wants to fit in and not stand out. But I've told her we were chosen before the foundations of this earth and called to stand out, to be separate, to be a peculiar people for Him!  We aren't to be like others and that's what makes us special and able to shine brightly for Him!  People will know you are His and He is yours!  With that in your very heart and down in your belly, you can conquer ALL things and be able to stand strong in those times of doubt!!

On this canvas I started with laying down wonderful pattern papers and then putting on a light wash of gesso When I do that technique, it's not only about the texture, I like to also see the patterns peep through.  I then added light touches of acrylic paints here and there to give the color effect I was looking for.  I added some texture stamping in the background and then I used some molding paste with a teal acrylic paint mixed in through a wonderful Crafter's Workshop stencil.  I wanted to depict "her" somehow so I drew a likeness of her on some book paper and then colored her in using Faber-Castell Gelatos and shaded with Faber-Castell Big Brush Pens (two of my favorite products).  I finished with some word stamps I wanted her to think on and the saying "she realized it was her time to shine!"  I liked how it turned out and I think she did too!

Do you know who you are on the inside?  I want to encourage you today, if you don't, look in God's Word and He will show you ALL you are in Christ!  You were wonderfully and fearfully made into His likeness and that means YOU ARE SPECIAL, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL and YOU ARE LOVED!!

Blessings!