This is what brings me JOY! I love creating mixed media art pieces for friends and family. Recently I did several pieces for my nieces and nephews with their name, the meaning of their names, and their Bible verse dedicated to them. I had so much fun putting them together for them for Christmas.

I love getting my hands messy and playing and seeing what comes together, especially adding something meaningful to it.

I created this piece for a friend of mine, Amie. She actually won it in my Origami Owl jewelry party last month. I was to make an art piece using her favorite colors. She told me they were turquoise, navy and yellow.

I seriously LOVE how it turned out. I believe that this is her year to SHINE so I just thought that wood veneer piece was the perfect addition and something I wanted to remind her of every time she sees it.

I'm really excited to share this finished wall art with you. Do you remember the Earth Day freebie? Well, this is the finished project that came from creating those journal cards.

Yesterday I taught our homeschool coop group. I had so much fun with the kids. We did lots of art projects, handwriting, baking, reading, running around outside. The weather was perfect. 

GOD'S PLANS AREN'T ALWAYS MY PLANS

I was actually supposed to teach last week, during Holy Week, but came down with a fever the night before. Last week was supposed to be our "spring break" too, but we were all sick and vegged out in the house all week. I ate lots and lots of hot and sour soup almost every day. 

I was bummed that I had all these Easter activities planned out for the kids and we would be doing it after Easter instead of before. The best part was that God was totally in that situation the whole time and knew it was exactly what the kids needed TODAY, NOT last week. They had lots of fun and it was such a joy to see them remember Christ's love for them.



I really wanted to share this project with you. Our memory verse for today was John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

I'm so very excited to share this tutorial with you. It's one of my favorite things to do with Faber-Castell Mix & Match Gelatos and stencils. The finish is so pretty and lots of fun especially with a textured background like I used.

Seriously, there are so many things you can do with Faber-Castell Mix & Match Gelatos . I can't even begin to tell you all the fun stuff you can do. This little tutorial is the easiest and so fun and messy. I LOVE it!

This is similar to last week's tutorial, but instead of painting it on like watercolors with a water brush. We're just going to draw with them like you would crayons.

This one also had to do with the blog and why I'm feeling called to a blogging ministry. It's been a ton of fun working on it and getting all my ideas down and writing. I've always had really low self-esteem when it comes to my art. I often question God a lot when I feel a calling from him. It sometimes takes years to take away the fear and anxiety of doing what he wants me to do. I remember asking God why he called us to homeschool. It took me 5 years to finally figure out why. For years I've had a love of helping my peers see things in a different light. I remember getting in trouble in math class when I would help my friends do a problem differently than what was instructed in the class. Of course, I was a goody two shoes kinda girl and started crying every time I got in trouble and then I'd get in more trouble. Again, another way of God preparing me to teach my own kids.

I will admit this page is totally about this blog. For quite awhile I'd been feeling like God was telling me he wanted me to do something with sharing my art and my passion for art journaling and how important I think it is for me. I used to fight it, but a dear friend had always told me to just write... just start writing. So I did, I started pouring my heart out onto my scrapbook pages. I started doing more than just a small note saying what I could clearly see was happening in the photo(s). I started really telling stories and writing letters to my children. This is when I started exploring art journaling. I found such freedom and joy in it. Sometimes it was to "let go" of bad feelings, and sometimes it was a pep talk to myself. Sometimes it's a prayer and a crying out to God. Sometimes it turns into worshiping God.

I will admit that the perfectionist in me and the mama who already has a mess to clean up after the kids tear the house apart, would rather sit down at my computer and play with digital art journaling. I do love the physical messy stuff too, don't get me wrong. Maybe it's because I feel like Rachel's always in my head when she designs something and it just becomes so easy to say what I need to say and her designs inspire me so much. I don't know, but I'm so blessed to be a part of her team and to call her "friend". I often think she's my twin sister from another mother. She just "gets" me. I love her dearly and wish we didn't live so far apart.

Surprise! I told you the next digital art journal page wasn't going to be using "focus", my One Little Word. I've been harboring some sad feelings lately. I'm sure I'm over-reacting but I was having some issues with comparison and disappointment. I had my small group pray for me and it really helped. It also helped to do this page. I should really print it up and add the words "LET GOD" to it and hang it up in my house. It's the perfect colors for my house and I really need the constant reminder to just lay it all on the alter and give it all to God. That's the only way I'm going to be free of all these icky feelings.

As you can see, I'm really trying to "focus" on my One Little Word this year. This is my third or forth art journal page using it as the title. Don't worry, my next art journal page doesn't, lol. I went a little crazy adding elements and brushes and all sorts of yummy goodies to my page. I can't wait to print this out and see what it looks like in my album though. I'm seriously loving the purple/orchid Pantone color of the year though. I've never been a fan of purple, but this year, I'm loving seeing it in all the yummy color schemes. I can't wait to see it used more this year in designs.

Normally, I go pretty flat with my element choices for art journal pages, so I was surprised that I used some 3D elements on the page. I do really like how it turned out though with the really small shadowing.

I recently pulled out my gelli plate, some acrylic paints and some of my huge pocket scrapping/Project Life stash and made a few birthday cards. This was tons of fun and I realize I should do this more often to get through my ever growing stash of journal cards and embellishments. I LOVE happy mail and I love giving homemade cards to friends out of the blue. I think now I'm going to spend a day or two every once in awhile and just make a whole bunch of cards to send for birthdays, anniversaries, thank yous and just because I want to send some happy mail to my friends and family telling them how much I love them.

It's been awhile since I've shared some of my art journal pages. I've been really focusing on my One Little Word this year, and it seems my art journal pages reflect that. I've done a few pages with "focus" as my title, but they all are so very different, which I'm totally loving about them.
Here's one I did using a photo I took of some Thickers through my glasses! This was pretty fun to create using masks and also converting a copy of the photo to a pencil drawing. I LOVE how it turned out and can't wait to print it up and put it in my Project Life album!

I put aside some free time this week to play with my gelatos and foam stamps I got in the Archivers closing sale! It's been awhile since I've been working through the Art Classes by Wilna Furstenburg at 2Peas. I seriously LOVE the classes, I just haven't made the time to get messy and creative lately, so I made time. My sweet friend and designer, Juliana Kneipp made these awesome SVG files that I tested and I instantly was inspired to create and seriously LOVE this layout so much...

I also added a little brush script in there, inspired by the Life Scripted class at Studio Calico... I think a freebie might be coming soon to the blog with some more painty brush script, I've been inspired so much lately!!! I first started with some plain white American Crafts cardstock and then painted on the gelatos in assorted colors, blending them in, trying to match the colors of the kit I was using. I then spritzed the stamp a few times with water and stamped it on... I love the cool watercolor look it gives. I then filled in the centers of the flowers with more gelato and blended it in before the gelatos had dried.

I then practiced a little brush script before I went and added the "kiss" to the layout. I used Heidi Swapp Color Shine instead of the usual gouache and I totally love the shimmery watercolor look of it. I then printed out and cut the goodies I wanted to use for the layering behind the photo and grabbed some of my embellishments and went to town with the enamel dots and sequins... After it all dried I added the journaling and a few doodles and the date and I trimmed a bit off the edges of the 12x12 and added it to a 12x12 patterned paper from Pink Paislee... I can't tell you how much this made me want to scrap some more and got my happy back after being in a creative funk recently. I'm sooo very happy to be playing again!!!
Find Your Happy Place by Jennifer Barrette and Juliana Kneipp
I Heart You: Frames by Juliana Kneipp
other supplies:
American Craft White 12x12 Cardstock, Pink Paislee 12x12 paper, Silhouette Portrait, Neenah bright white cardstock, Becky Higgins Project Life journaling pens, assorted enamel dots, brads, sequins and other embellishments, Design Memory Craft Gelatos, foam stamp, Heidi Swapp Color Shine, #4 Sumi Brush, Tombow adhesive, Glue Dots, Studio Calico frame

Yes, I know... I've started my 2014 album before I finished 2013 or December Daily or Week In the Life and I'm toooootally OK with that... whenever I find a bit of time I work a little bit on those albums and I know eventually I'll be finished... but I'm so very excited to start a new year and I'm totally excited to have one of my FAVE scrappers, Shanna Noel, guest designing at The Lilypad... it was soooo much fun working with her designs. The BYOC is probably my most fave color scheme EVER and I've loved everything that's come out... I just wish I had more time to play with it all... but with hosting my family's Christmas, I didn't and only got to play with a few things this week in between cleaning the house and food prep...

sooo here's my title page for 2014... I did a lot to this spread... Shanna had these AMAZING templates and I had fun altering them a bit and making them "me"... she also had this really awesome hybrid mini kit, that I'm in LOVE LOVE with and had fun working with her on a little tutorial that's coming to TLP next week, I'll be sharing more about that next week :) I also had fun blending yummy digital papers with yummy digital journal cards... I think that's become my signature look to make my cards artsy... I think it's bringing back some of my creative joy that I kinda lost when I decided not to do full page layouts anymore and it definitely is more "me" to have that mixed media look to my cards... and my favorite thing was cutting up a 4x6 card in the middle so that I could have that awesome card dead center on my spread... I totally LOVE how it all turned out and seriously think it's my fave PL spread EVER!!!

It's A New Day Templates by Shanna Noel Designs
Awash in Color by Michelle Godin
Again & Again Alpha Stash by Michelle Godin
brightside journal cards by Paislee Press
brightside elements by Paislee Press
Gratitude Documented by Shanna Noel and Heather Joyce
Story Snips no. 1 by Sara Gleason and Heather Joyce
The Royal Invites by Heather Joyce
Becky Higgins Project Life Design F page protector, Silhouette Portrait, Neenah Bright White cardstock, Canon Pixma, Tombow adhesive, Fiskars Paper Trimmer

I then decided I wanted to do a little art journal page about my One Little Word for this year... this gave me another excuse to play with more of the BYOC goodies, lol... I totally LOVE how this turned out, and I inserted it in a 6x8 page protector which fits perfectly in the 12x12 albums, YAY!!! Now I need to figure out what I'm going to put in the back side of it... I'm thinking maybe a 2014 calendar... that might be perfect for the beginning of an album... hmm...

Again & Again Alpha Stash by Michelle Godin
It's A New Day Cut File by Shanna Noel Designs
The Party - New Years Doodles + Expressions by Just Jaimee
Journal Junkie: Bright Heart by CD Muckosky
Peaches & Cream transfers by Lynne-Marie
Bebas font
Simple Stories 6x8 page protector, Bazzil Orange Peel white cardstock, Neenah Bright White cardstock, Silhouette Portrait, Becky Higgins Project Life journaling pens, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Tim Holtz mini paper clips, Canon Pixma, Xyron adhesive



DISCLAIMER: As a creative team member for the aforementioned designers, I have received their products for free in return for creating and posting projects (digital layouts, hybrids projects, etc). Some but not all of the layouts you see here were done as requirements for these CTs, please be advised that the product used was indeed received for free if I am on the designer's creative team. Any additional advertising that I may do for them or for the stores with which they are affiliated is purely out of my dedication to these designers and the wish to see their business succeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

I'm excited to share my weekly planner for the new year... I started out with a Moleskine Weekly Planner, I then went through my stash of paper/art journals and found some mixed media paper... I then cut down the pieces of paper to fit inside the planner... I packed a bag full of washi tape, the papers, and my planner for Christmas vacation... Whenever I had a bit of free time on vacation, I taped in the papers... I just ran a strip of washi on the outside and inside seams and folded them in... My dear friend Jamie came up with an idea to decorate the inside of the album with more washi tape, so I did that too. When I got home, I printed out a sheet of pretty paper by Studio Tangie, I added a sheet of clear contact paper on top and then sent it through my Silhouette Portrait to cut the tabs out. I stamped the months with Stazon ink and sent them through my Xyron to adhere them to the top... As most of you know, I like to alter my album covers... so after a coat of gesso, I went to town, using thin layers of cheap acrylic paints I had on hand...some stamps, some stencils, and some Thickers later... I added a good amount of Mod Podge to hold it all together... I'm seriously in LOVE with how this turned out and am excited to share...

album cover

side view of album with inserts washi taped in

monthly tabs

inside view

Do you want to join me, along with 1600+ others? We get some pretty awesome weekly prompts and inspiration and I'm looking forward to working on my first prompt this weekend... and look on the right side, tons of room for sermon and Bible study notes, WOOT, WOOT!!! Click the image below to join us!!!

I've been busting at the seams with my little secret... for the first time ever I've been published and I'm just a tad bit giddy about it and totally honored and excited. It was totally a last minute submission, but when have I ever done something early, LOL... I've been in love with this magazine from it's first issue and LOVE the focus on Project Life and was so very excited to see that they were looking for submissions in their Project Life gallery, so after spending DAYS trying to figure out which week was my fave, I finally picked Week 23... there was so much going on that week and I just LOVE how it turned out...

So... here's a link to see Jot Magazine, Issue 3 which is a special Christmas issue and I've already found tons of inspiration that I plan on using in my December Daily album... Check out pages 162-163, that's ME... and while you're at it, check out the rest of the magazine, it's AMAZING as always!!! Thanks Kim, you've totally made my day/week/month!!!

http://jotmagazine.com/issue-3-bumper-christmas-issue/

I'm not sure if I shared this or not, but I've started making my digital art journal pages in 8.5x11" format... I'm printing them out and putting them in my Project Life album as an insert... I'm really loving doing this and have been enjoying seeing them printed out in my album...

This weekend Rachel, Captivated Visions, is guesting at The Lilypad and also has a great sale and Grab Bag at SBG... for so long I've been in such a funk digitally and pages were taking me several hours and even days to finish... I swear that Rachel was in my mind this week and knew exactly what I needed to get me out of my funk and back in the groove again... I finished both of these pages in 1.5 hours... I'm still in SHOCK, and sooooo very happy with how they turned out... I seriously think I used almost everything in each of the kits LOL...

Font: Typical Writer

It Takes Courage | Mixed Media Papers by Captivated Visions
It Takes Courage | Overlays by Captivated Visions


DISCLAIMER: As a creative team member for the aforementioned designers, I have received their products for free in return for creating and posting projects (digital layouts, hybrids projects, etc). Some but not all of the layouts you see here were done as requirements for these CTs, please be advised that the product used was indeed received for free if I am on the designer's creative team. Any additional advertising that I may do for them or for the stores with which they are affiliated is purely out of my dedication to these designers and the wish to see their business succeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

It started out with me spilling a bottle of expensive Golden brand gold paint on my kitchen island counter while working on my Project Life spread for last week... normally I would freak out and probably cry... but something told me to run and grab my December Daily album and start painting... I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the album, but I knew I wanted to do something to it... I LOVE the embossed stars on the bare chipboard, so I decided to start randomly painting some of them to use up the paint on my countertop. As you know, I'm really diggin' the chalkboard trend right now, so I grabbed some chalkboard tape by Freckled Fawn and added a strip... it was looking tooo much like Santa's pants, so I added a strip of glitter ribbon over the top... well, now I didn't like the red fabric anymore...

Recently I've been spending lots more time in my art journal and having a blast... I bought a new journal that I had brought on vacation with me in July and since then I'm finding that I've using it to do art based on what inspired me on Sunday morning, whether it was the worship set or the message at church or if we don't go to church I'll use something that inspired me in our family worship time or morning Bible reading... I'm finding that I don't have a lot of time for actually playing in my journal, so I've been spending 15 minutes a day adding to it... so I think I'm going to start sharing my pages on Sundays from the week before... here is my spread for last Sunday... I was inspired by some of the words in the worship set and went in the back to grab the words because I was too moved to worship than write the words down and I wanted them :)

I actually used a paper scrapping sketch for my inspiration and had some modeling paste and paint markers I wanted to play with... I used my Silhouette Portrait to cut some yummy Donna Downey cut files from some transparency paper and used it with some modeling paste to create the flower bunch on the left side... I also got some yummy stencils by Ronda Palazarri that I couldn't resist using... They are definitely my new favorites and must haves...

and here's the Paper Issues sketch I was inspired by:

and supplies used:
Dylusions Creative Journal by Ranger
Golden Gesso
Golden Matte Medium
Artist's Loft Modeling Paste
assorted acrylic paints
Sharpie Paint Markers - medium tip
Ronda Palazzari12x12 Well Rounded Stencil by The Crafter's Workshop
Ronda Palazzari 12x12 Confetti Stencil by The Crafter's Workshop
Ronda Palazzarri 6x6 Well Rounded Stencil by The Crafter's Workshop
Silhouette Portrait
Hero Arts Brush Strokes stamp set
Jet Black Stazon ink pad
Amy Tangerine American Crafts Thickers
Wilton 4in doily
handmade tag by Jacque Larsen
Faber-Castell Pitt Calligraphy Pen
Tiny Attacher by Ranger
paper by Making Memories
transparency paper
washi tape

I did this as part of the portfolio challenges over at Sweet Shoppe Designs and love having something a bit creative hanging on my wall next to my paints and buttons and other doo-dads... it's fun to look at and was fun to put together... I wrapped the embroidery hoop in woodgrain washi tape since it was a super cheap plastic hoop... and had fun cutting everything with the Silhouette and assembling it... I also used a bit of gesso behind the "create" alpha to make it pop and not blend in to the paper as much...




DISCLAIMER: As a creative team member for the aforementioned designers, I have received their products for free in return for creating and posting projects (digital layouts, hybrids projects, etc). Some but not all of the layouts you see here were done as requirements for these CTs, please be advised that the product used was indeed received for free if I am on the designer's creative team. Any additional advertising that I may do for them or for the stores with which they are affiliated is purely out of my dedication to these designers and the wish to see their business succeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

These got sent out a little late, but one of my goals right now is to be better at sending out cards and personal letters and notes... I've been really bad at it but it's something that I want to teach my kids to do too... so that means, I need to be that example of how important it is to send thank you notes and letters to the people we love... Nisa has these really cute mom quotes that had me totally cracking up and I thought this particular one was just too perfect for a Mother's Day card... I hope our Mom's love them... and sorry they're a bit late... they went out in the mail yesterday, so hopefully you'll get them early this week... I'm a procrastinator and one day I hope to be better about it, LOL... Today I get to watch my girly in her ballet recital with my family and couldn't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day than watching my sweet girl do what she loves so much and has worked hard for all year.



DISCLAIMER: As a creative team member for the aforementioned designers, I have received their products for free in return for creating and posting projects (digital layouts, hybrids projects, etc). Some but not all of the layouts you see here were done as requirements for these CTs, please be advised that the product used was indeed received for free if I am on the designer's creative team. Any additional advertising that I may do for them or for the stores with which they are affiliated is purely out of my dedication to these designers and the wish to see their business succeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.