Never Lost with Love

The word up at One Little Word is "Lost."

I haven't been able to participate in OLW the last two months because I've been packing up my studio and house and preparing to move at the end of this month.  Truth be told, this whole experience has me feeling a little LOST.   Like my rudbeckia flowers, I get out of sorts when I'm transplanted.  I'm hardy and will eventually take root and blossom, but for now I'm in a constant state of shock!

When I'm completely overwhelmed, my husband is my refuge.  I can curl up in his arms, and he makes me feel like all will be well in the end.

As long as I have his love, I am never lost.

What does the word "lost" mean for you?  Do you have a favorite quote that uses this word?  Hope you'll link up at One Little Word and share anything you create inspired by "lost."



This art journal page started out with side by side pages of sprayed Dylusions ink in my 8 x 8 journal.

On a separate paper, I drew and painted a face.  Creating it on a separate piece of paper allowed me to tilt and position it to exactly how I wanted it.

I angled it to my liking and adhered it to the page.  Inspired by Frida Kahlo's chimerical self portraits (human face, animal body),

I used the Three Owls and a Branch stencil to create the body/dress for my girl, and the base of the Ganesh Stencil to create her wings.  I added texture and interest around her with parts of the Namaste stencil.

As a finishing touch, I added white to the insides of some of the letters in the sentiment I wrote, which just made it pop the right amount.

Freddie and I sit on the porch of our new home right after the closing!  

I hope to see you over at One Little Word!   Linking also to Art Journal Journey, where Frida Kahlo is the prompt this month, and Mix it Monthly, where parrot colors and crazy dresses are this month's inspiration.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

 

There's No Place Like Home

Lots going on in our new house... a/c being installed, rooms being painted, carpeting selected, decisions being made about furniture that isn't coming with us... it's hard to stay serene with so many decisions to make and so much change going on.  It's no wonder I've been making houses in my art journal.  Important to remember that wherever I am, love lives here.

Supplies used Golden Fluid Acrylics on my Gelli plate with the Flowers, Pomegranates and Leaves Stencil.  Background texture created with the Six Point Starry Night Stencil. 

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

 

This Owl Lady is Carrying Love

The prompt at Art Journal Journey this month is Frida Kahlo.  I have long loved the symbolism of her paintings and her use of animal imagery.  I once created a journal cover using a photograph of her for a silhouette profile.

My art journal page of a woman with the body of an owl was inspired by Kahlo's bird paintings and this painting called The Wounded Deer.  

For her owl body and the leaves, I used my Three Owls and a Branch stencil from Stencil Girl.   After all, who says this stencil can only be used for proper owls?

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

 

Door Play

I've been playing with my Doors & Windows stencil from Stencil Girl.  On the gelli plate, in my art journal, on tags... and I wanted to share some of that "door play" with you!  (Ah I love a good pun!)

In this spread in my art journal, I stenciled one of the doors over and over again on top of different gelli prints.  Then I stained them using a mixture of fluid acrylics and glazing medium.  There's something about the repetition of the same image, but in different colors, that is very pleasing to my eye.  On the left of the left side of the spread, you can also see one of the borders from my borders stencil.  The words "go, seek, find" are from Carolyn Dube's Uplifting Words stencil.  

This art journal page is a mix of collage and stenciling.  For the background, I used Cecilia Swatton's Trivet a Stencil.  You can also see her beautiful Ginko Leaves stencil.   I used the Hands stencil to illustrate reaching to open the right door.  This page is a reminder that it is not so much which door we choose, but what we do when we go through it.

The Doors and Windows Stencil is very handy for creating tags to send to people or attach to gifts.  I have created lots of "happy mail" with them!

Another great way to use Doors and Windows is to create niches and openings.  Here's a look back at a video I created using the stencil to create a niche in an altered book:


I'll be teaching an altered book workshop at Art-Is-You Mixed Media Retreats in Stamford in October.  I'll have all my stencils with me for you to use.  Registration is closing soon for these workshops, so check out my classes, and all the other great offerings.  If you've never been to an Art is You Retreat, they are absolutely fantastic - loving, supportive, inspiring, and freeing.  It will be an experience you treasure forever.

To see how other artists used the Doors & Windows Stencil, hop to the Doors & Windows test drive I organized when the stencil was first released.

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.