"The Dream" charcoal drawing.

This is one of the drawings I did in my art class last semester.

Used Charcoal.

We had to draw a dream we had.

 The mother is tired. Her heart is crying. The father and child are singing to her and the tears have turned to hearts. The music notes are in the back.  I love how the puddles are heart shaped.

 Close up of the mother's face.

Journaling with AP and DecoArt

Hope you are having a blessed month of January!

This month Altered Pages has partnered with DecoArts.

Such a great pairing!! Both have loads of products to use for any crafting projects you may be making.  I've just started art journaling and combining products and seeing what works together the best is so much fun!!

I've used Altered Pages Collage sheet "Heart of my Hearts" coupled with

DecoArts Chalky Paints, Metallic Wax, Satin Varnish.

 Below: I stenciled the keys on using texture paste. Allow to dry. Applied Rustic Chalky Finish paint over the whole page. Using a brush, I highlighted the keys with beige Chalky Finish paint, some of the Metallic Wax in gold and brown. Outlined all the keys with black watercolor pencil and smeared it with a watercolor brush pen. Final step:  Mixed together varnish and rustic paint over the whole page. Wrote in my thoughts using a white gel pen.

 Both pages were prepped with white gesso. The left side I did a wash with the mix of varnish and rustic chalky paint. The two red hearts were stenciled on with texture paste. Colored with DecoArt Rouge Chalky Finish paint. The Altered Pages collage sheet was cut and added with DecoArt decoupage for paper. I went around the hearts and the printed words with black and red watercolor pencil. Blend it in with the watercolor brush pen.  Stamped various stamps around the page with Black Archival ink to finish it off.

Other Altered Pages supplies:
white gel pen
Watercolor brush pen
Black Archival Ink
texture paste
Watercolor pencils
Gesso

DecoArt Supplies:
Chalky Finish paint
Vintage keys stencil
Satin Varnish
Metallic Wax
Paper Decopauge

Stash:
various background stamps

I hope you like my pages.  I sure had fun doing them!!  The bible study I'm in is His Kingdom Come.  If your interested in growing deeper with our Lord and Savior-join me -HERE. There are lots of groups you might be interested in.


 

His Kingdom Come/1st Journal page

My first ever journal page!

I've joined a Bible Study group called His Kingdom Come/Take Me Deeper.

 

The first weeks study was on Romans 12:1-2

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

How do I make myself a "living sacrifice" for God? It's definitely a daily commitment. Sacrifice is hard to do on an ongoing basis.  Putting God wishes first-all the time. Working on my attitude, how I spend my time, how I use my words, my gifts God's blessed me with....there is so much that goes into being a living sacrifice.

 

To begin, being in a bible study and reading God's word, meditating on it, applying it to my life is the starting point for me. Allowing God to mold and change me from the inside out--takes more time.

Part of the meditating part came in while I was designing my journal pages.  I searched a hymnal I purchased at thrift store until I found a hymn that matched how I was feeling:

"Pure in Heart, O God"

 

 

 I used DecoArt Americana acrylic paints and they worked so well! They have a matte finish and I was able to write with my Faber Castle pen onto with no problem. I used several Unity Stamps. 

 I used DecoArt Vine stencil on each side of the pages. Represents me growing with God. I sprayed Lindy's Stamp Gang moss green  and then outlined the raised textures with watercolor pencils (Stampin Up), blended them with a water pen.

 I looking forward to growing closer to God this year!  I'm in a new church and I'm already excited for what's going to happen this year!

Journal Page Front 2015

Happy New Year!

My first project for the new year.

Altered Pages is partnering with DecoArts this month!!

 

I wanted to share with you their Metallic Luster products.

I'm starting a prayer journal for 2015.

While thinking about wanting to draw closer to God, I was thinking about how I want my heart to be like his heart. I want to love others, have compassion, grow closer to Him.

 

I made a 4 layer heart with cardboard. Each layer fourth an inch smaller so they would stack.

Glued them together. Applied texture paste around the edges and on top.

I used a Glitz texture roller on top to create some dimension. Allow to dry overnight.

Painted the whole thing brown.

Painted a coat of DecoArt White Antiquing cream.

Once dry, you take a damp rag and wipe off as much as you want-leaving

behind the white in the crevices.

Now time for the fun & transformation!!

using a soft rag (I have cut up tshirts) you rub on the wax.

I started with some red, then brown & topped it with some gold.

Using DecoArts lacy doily and some gesso, I did some stenciling around the page.

 I cut slits in the designer paper to make room for the heart to nestle inside. Even rubbed a little white antiquing cream on the edges of the paper!

 I layered flowers (using my finger I hit the edges in some gesso to tone them down) around the heart.

 I added foam numbers and outlined them with a black Faber castle pen. Added some corner stickers.

 I wound the fiber around the flowers to indicate how my heart and God's are going to mingle together!!

 Here's a peek at the depth of God's heart! His heart is HUGE! His love for us is HUGE! 

If you'd like to see a video tutorial on this -check it out at Altered Pages Blog. 
The Altered Pages store sells lots of the products I've used today.
The store for DecoArt products is-HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope your 2015 is a happy and healthy one!!



 

Unity Stamp Friends with Flair

Happy New Year!!

 

I have some special birthdays coming up this month.

I had this designer paper on my table-I love the purple color.

 

Since today is Friends with Flair with Unity Stamp Company-I had to enter!

I started digging thru my stamps.  The sentiment as well as the image stamp is from them.

In fact-what I've discovered is -I need to reorganize my stamps. I have them in several places

That's for another day....

 

I LOVE how this turned out. I added some lilac glitter on the dress and flowers. Some Bisque liquid pearls to the wings.

The flowers, foliage and butterfly was cut with Stampin Up dies.

Have a blessed day!