Tagging it for Halloween!

Good Monday all my crafty friends! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! We did in our household! Although I did have to do some housecleaning, we still spent time together as a family. We have firepit that I love for hubby to light up so that we can all sit around and enjoy one another. My girls love for us to tell them stories of "the old days!" LOLOLOL Isn't that hysterical? The old days! As if we are ancient! :) They have heard them all before, but they love for us to tell them again and again! So we oblige and enjoy the laughs!

Today, I am going to share a tag for the Tag It Tuesday Link Party over on Cards and More by Sheri! This month the theme was Halloween/Spooky....duh!!! LOL I don't like to do "spooky" too much, but I did a "cutsie" spooky, if that counts!!! LOL It was too fun to do either way! :)

I had already envisioned what I wanted to do in my mind and knew that it would be a little time consuming because I didn't have any die plates that were Halloween themed at all. So that always means a whole lot of fussy cutting, but that was ok by me because sometimes I welcome the fussy cutting to give me time to think and meditate on things. It is somewhat relaxing, which seems like an oxymoron, but there you have it! :) All that said, I knew I wanted to do a cutsie pumpkin!

I pulled out all my Distress Inks for this projects, no paints this time! I started with a base of Antique Linen and then pulled in Spiced Marmalade and then rounded it off with Dusty Concord. I then spritzed through a Crafters Workshop tree stencil for a ghost print of trees in the background and then after that I used an old Tim Holtz stamp that looked like "fall grass" to me to stamp across the bottom using StazOn in Saddle Brown.

I have a bargain bin stamp set that is the only Halloween themed thing I own, so I pulled them out and stamped the moon and stars with Distress Ink in Spiced Marmalade and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then took a bat and the word "boo" from the same set and stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with black embossing powder.I then simply drew out my pumpkin, hat, legs, arms and feet and went to fussy cutting! LOL I colored the legs, arms, hat and feet with Sharpie pens and then went back over the feet and hat with a VersaMark pen and heat embossed with black embossing powder. I took my pumpkin pieces and Distressed with Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade as well and the edged with Vintage Photo. 

I then found this cute kitty in some of my paper pack stash and fussy cut him out as well and then colored over him with a black sharpie. I adhered everything down with Aleene's (the embossed pieces) and Mod Podge. I decided to use my white gel pen to highlight the hat, shoes and kitty and then added some jewels and emphemera bits to the shoes and hat. I also decided to give my cutsie pumpkin some squiggly eyes rather than draw them and I edged the whole tag with Dusty Concord, added ribbon and voila!

We don't necessary celebrate Halloween at my home, but this was a fun project and thanks Sheri for another month of Tag it Tuesday, when I know you have been so extremely busy lately! :) Happy Halloween to all of you fun loving celebrators! :) 

Fall is such a marvelous time of year and I love all the October Fests that do go on! We try to go to ones here or there and enjoy the season! I'm dreaming of baked apples, pumpkin pies and spiced ciders! They all have such warm and wonderful memories for me. I hope you all have fond memories as well!

Be blessed today as you think on these things! :)

Create!

Good Thursday all my crafty friends! Its been a very busy week for me. That's seems to be my theme lately!! LOLOLOL But I have to say that I am so blessed to have a job that I can say I am busy!! I love to work and enjoy being creative in that area of my life as well!

Speaking of creative....I want to share a journal spread with you today where I made creative play! I really didn't have anything on my mind, but just to play! I will say that I have been inspired by so many wonderful artists out there today who have the ability to just splatter paint up on something and make a masterpiece! It fascinates me and also leaves me envious of the gift of their eye! Mine usually "looks like" I threw it on there!!! But regardless, I love playing and pretending and besides, its in "my" journal, so it doesn't matter what it looks like! LOLOL

Last week I showed you guys pictures where I went to Donna Downey's Studio and, of course, one can get VERY inspired by going into her studio, but I was definitely inspired by her gorgeous use of COLORS. With this being the "autumn season" and all the "fall colors" going on, I just wanted to go a little off from that and do a blue tone for a slight change. I had gotten some goodies while at Donna's studio and the long coveted "Bubbles" stencil was one of them. I have wanted that stencil forever!! So I knew I would be using that in some way. I was also fortunate enough to be at the studio while Donna had this huge basket full of $5 grab bags for sale. I bought like three of them because I couldn't stand to leave them behind!! LOLOL Mostly what was in the bags were things that were left over from classes she has taught, but they were all AWESOME goodies. I got several well loved and used stencils and stamps along with ribbons, paints, emphemera, etc.... All fabulous stuff for sure!

I covered my pages with gesso and then using the "gift that keeps on giving" from my good friend Wanda Hentges, I layed down an assortment of PaperArtsy discontinued Fresco Paints. I basically put them down here and there "smooshing and swiping" as well as moving around with a baby wipe. I then took some of my favorite Silks Acrylic Glaze and put them through one of those well love stencils from Donna with a stencil brush. I then took a Faber Castell Big Brush Pen in Cobalt Blue and shaded the edges of my journal.

In one of the bags were these canvas circles that I really wanted to use. I sprayed them with some Tattered Angels, smooshed around some Fresco Paint here and there and then applied some of my homemade paste through the "Art Is" stencil from The Crafters Workshop. I wanted to do something more to the raised lettering, so I swiped some Inka Gold Metallic Rub in Cobalt Blue over the top and that gave it the zing I was looking for.

I like the homemade paste that I use for the most part, although it is not quite as thick as I would like it to be. I've tried every trick in the book, but it never seems to change??? Anywho......I used some of my paste through the bubbles stencil here and there and then also through another stencil from another grab bag that had the word "create" on it. I most certainly didn't think the process through very thoroughly because if I had, I would have sprayed a fixative over my pages before applying the paste! Yikes! The Silks came through the paste, but in the end, I kind of liked how it looked. From there I splattered some watered down Liquitex ink around and then edged my pages again with a black Faber Castell Big Brush Pen. Voila!

The scripture that came welling up in me as I did this spread was out of God's Word in Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." I want to always remain pliable before the Father, but there are those times that I think, as carnal beings, we get in dangerous spots of "slothfulness." I can't say that I ever get in "true" areas where I don't want to do "anything" per say, but we all get lazy from time to time. God doesn't do "lukewarm!" He states so in His Word. 

As of late, I have had to back off of a few things and just take a "time out" if you will.  But that can be dangerous when you get in a rut. I have been before the Father lately with a heart of asking Him to create in me a new heart of vigor and a steadfast spirit! I need a new spark! We are about to turn the leaf to a new year and I want to finish one year with a vigor that sets the tone for a new year!! How about you?

In verse 15 of that same chapter the Psalmist asks God to open His lips and his mouth will declare Gods praises! Today, I pray God continually opens my lips and I will CONTINUALLY declare His praises! Let God create a pure heart in you today that His praises are on your lips! :)

Be blessed

Artsy Blessing!

Good Thursday all my crafty friends! It is a B-E-A-utiful day here in my part of the world! Beautiful blue skies abound and a brilliant cool snap in the air!! I ABSOLUTELY love it! My favorite tree at the front of my home has started to drop leaves and I am uber excited! FAVE time is here! :)))))

I am just getting to a slow down point to be able to do a post. I have been extremely busy this week playing catch up from being off for several days. I was so blessed to get to do a myriad of things over this past weekend and I'll share a little here with you today!

I left out last Thursday with some great pals of mine up to Charlotte, NC for a Women of Faith Conference! We had a ball with wonderful fellowship, dining, worship and amazing speakers! It truly was a great trip!

I was so blessed by the trip from start to finish, but mainly because I got to go with my bestie and two other pals! I couldn't have asked for better traveling companions!! I loved Charlotte, it is just a beautiful little town with surrounding communities that are just precious! The Women of Faith Conference was spectacular and an amazing experience to be sure! I thank Grace Baptist Church for allowing me the opportunity to take part with their fabulous ladies group!

While making the travel preparations, it dawned on me that one of my FAVORITE artists, Donna Downey had a studio up that way and sure enough when I got online and checked it out, she was ONLY 20 minutes away from where we were staying!! Woot, Woot!!! How could I go ALL that way and not go see her studio and potentially see Donna herself! Well, my fabulous traveling companions were more than happy to oblige! I did get to go, but SADDDDLLLYYY, I did not get to see Donna! When we got there the precious young lady behind the counter, Amber, said "ohh, you just missed Donna, she had to go pick up the kiddos!" EEEEEEEKKKK!! I was brought down a notch to be sure, but it was probably just as well, because I was already like a 12 year old amazed at my surroundings. Imagine, if you will, if she had been there!!!! Yikes!!! Donna.....you were spared!!! LOL

From the minute I walked in, until I left, I was in awe! Her artwork is GORGEOUS and little Ms. Amber was too, too kind to crazy old me! She accommodated my every silly whim and tried to understand how a 50 something year old lady could so easily revert back to a 12 year old!! LOL I picked up some great deals and some new "Donna goodies" and made sure to get to see the infamous bathroom!!! To top it all off, I told poor Amber, that since Donna wasn't there, that by proxy she had to take a picture with me! She, of course, obliged shortly before escorting me out of the studio!!! LOL She really was a precious young lady! I had a ball, and am so thankful for being able to go see her studio in person!!

While I was there I had another luxury of getting to see my brother and sister-in-law! Haven't seen my brother in almost four years, so it was an emotional and awesome visit! We went and ate an amazing brunch at LaPeep and spent several stolen hours visiting, reminiscing and taking each other in, not knowing when the next time we would see each other! I miss him terribly and wish he lived closer, but was so extremely blessed for the time we did get to see each other. Time has a way of getting away from you, so needless to say our time together was very short, in my book anyway! My gal pals enjoyed meeting he and my sister-in-law and it was treasured time to be sure.

I continue to be so very thankful for all I have and alI God places before me! I know that just as easily, my life could have been so different, but God "chose" this life for me and I do not take it lightly! I have amazing family and friends the He chose to surround me with and on top of it all so many of you lovely, lovely online friends that I have come to know and love in cyberspace! I live, cup FULLY loaded!

We are off to the Georgia National Fair this weekend with a car load of kiddos for sure!! You can betcha there will be an onslaught of crazy photos to come!!

Have an AWESOME weekend my friends! :)

Blessings Abound!

Good Thursday all my crafty friends! I hope fall is beginning to set in wherever you may reside! We have had snippets here in my part of the country for sure, so I am getting super excited for the full blown season! I am being blessed this weekend with a road trip! Yep, I can't wait! I am launching off to a Women of Faith Conference in North Carolina and I can't wait!! It is such a timely trip for me right now! I need to get away, and not just get away, but with some lovely like-minded ladies, to go bask in the presence of the Lord!! I have never been to a Women of Faith Conference, but I understand that it will be awesome! I will also possibly have an opportunity to go visit Donna Downey's Studio! I am so stoked! I hope we get to make that happen! And I will also get to visit with my brother and sister-in-law while I am there! I am looking forward to an eventful weekend!

Today, I am going to share a journal spread that I had loads of fun with! I did this spread also as part of the Kraaft Shaak Kraafters Challenge over on Google+ (#KSCOCT15). This month the theme is "Leaves!" Woot, woot, I LOVE leaves, especially in the fall! I can't wait to see all the entries for the month! Everyone loves fall and I am sure there will be some colorful entries!

I really loved doing this page because as I have noted before, fall is my favorite time of year, but also because these area ALL my favorite colors to use! So this was a win/win for me!! LOL  I started this page with a coat of gesso and then I just dotted some PaperArtsy Fresco paints (Mocha Mousse, Evergreen, Irish Cream, Dusty Teal) here and there and and spread around with a baby wipe until I got the effect I was looking for. I then used various Unity Stamps for background stamping and used Vintage photo through a TCW Mini Chicken Wire stencil here and there as well.  I spritzed a top coat of Perfect Pearls Mist in Mint and then rounded it out by distressing the edges with Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo. That's a LOT of different mediums going on there, so I sprayed a fixative over top so it would all stay in place.

I then simply just started gathering my elements for the pages. I had a RAK of leaves from a wonderful friend that I colored with ColorBox inks and clear embossed and then stamped out those fabulous bottles that I love with a stamp set from Graphic 45 onto some really yummy architectural paper and then sprayed with my fave Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays (Autumn Leaves Set). I then pulled a paper pad from American Crafts called Night & Fall and cut various pieces to make two boxes. I'm not real good at making things look dimensional, but it is what it is! :) Then I just adhered everything down with Mod Podge and Aleene's.

One of my favorite stamp sets is from Little Yellow Bicycle called "Faith." I use it a lot for cards, etc... I used a couple of the words from that set and then some words from a Quietfire Design stamp set called "Being Thankful." I stamped them with Archival Ink and then highlighted with my Sakura Gel Pen in white. Once everything was down, I went back with my Faber Castell Big Brush Pen in Nougat and gave shadows. I finished by taking that same pen around the edges and smudging out. Voila!

I try to always remain in a place of thankfulness, but this time of year always lends itself to reflection and thoughts of the many things we can be thankful for! My prayer for you today is that you take this season time to look inward and reflect on your own life and the many blessings you have been given. Maybe you have been struggling as of late? I am honored to tell you of the amazing "Hope" of Jesus Christ that brings an Eternal Blessing to all! He sacrificed Himself for you and I! His final act on the cross secured, for those whom believe, eternity with the Creator of the Universe! That is something that I will forever be thankful for! I am no longer dead to sin but ALIVE in Christ! Glory!

I pray this season of leaves brings an amazing display of color your way which will offer up to you opportunities to be thankful those things and people God has so strategically placed in your life!

I'm certainly thankful to ALL of my beautiful online friends who take the opportunity to come visit me here on my blog! Many blessings to you today! :)

Life!

Good Monday all my crafty friends! :) I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! We over here on the eastern seaboard have been experiencing some unruly rain! I think it has rained pretty much every day for a week to a week and a half. We are extremely blessed here however. We have not had the flooding like in some of the other cities in the news. My heart goes out to those folks! So, all that being said, I will take what we have gotten with a joy in my heart and try not to complain! LOL

Today, I want to share a little project I did for my sister and niece. I am blessed with so many siblings, but we live all over the country, so it's hard to get to see each other as much as we want to. My sister just recently had her first child at the beginning of the year! She was like me and started late in life. She is such a beautiful woman in every way and I know that she will be a fabulous mother! I have yet to get my hands on that precious baby girl, which hurts my heart, but plane tickets don't come cheaply! LOL I hope to get to see her soon! I never got her a proper gift, so this gift that I made was for my sisters's birthday and for her sweet angel Zoey!

I first started art journaling through the art of Zentangle. I still love to Zentangle, but I don't do it as much as I used to because that animal evolved into so many more mediums! It is an enjoyable thing to do, so every now and then I will do a piece here or there. My niece's name is Zoey and when I heard what her name was, I was super duper excited! Zoey in the Greek means LIFE! Anybody who has visited my blog before would know that, that is right up my alley! I knew the moment she told us her name (she kept it a secret till the end) that I wanted to do something with her name and "life" on it.

I wish I could tell you all the Zentangle patterns that I used in this piece, but alas, I cannot. I just draw whatever looks good in my mind and I don't remember all the patterns...probably why I am not a CZT!! LOL But I simply used all my Micron pens in various colors and also a Sharpie here and there as well as my Sakura gel pens. I think it turned out pretty cool in the end. You can't really tell from this picture, but when I was done I put it in what I think they call a floating frame. It was lots of fun!

As you can imagine, I love her name! As a Christian believer there is no better word to be associated with than "life," and most importantly the life of Jesus Christ. There are so many scriptures in the Bible referring to the life of God and the eternal life we can be assured should we choose to receive the life of Christ into our being! God's word tells us in John 1:4 that "In Him was life; and the life was," and that for we who believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, that we "may inherit eternal life." (Mark 10:17) The most beautiful thought to me is God's breath of life living and breathing on the inside of me for "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me LIFE!" (Job 33:4) Glory!

I choose to believe that precious child was created and brought to life with the very breath of God! So what more fitting a picture to make for them both that could be carried with them always! I hope they like it and come to know and understand the very Spirit it was made from!

If you don't know the Creator of this universe, I encourage you today to get into God's very word, the Bible, and allow Him to breath life into you today! That life came at a beautiful price, the death of His very Son Jesus, but it was so you and I could have eternal life with the Creator God Himself. It was to reconcile the creation back to the Creator for eternity! I don't know about you, but the very thought of spending eternity with Abba Father leaves me speechless!! 

You be blessed as you breathe in His great glory today! :)