Love

 

As I mentioned previously, I took an on-line Art Journaling Challenge back in August in the hopes of getting some fresh inspiration or maybe learning some new mixed media techniques.  There were 5 hour-long lessons in which we learned how to create 10 art journaling cards.  The instructor showed us the basic idea and she strongly encouraged us to use what we already had on hand (substitute, substitute, substitute!) instead of investing in a bunch of new supplies.  It did not disappoint!  I only wish I had the luxury of working in real time along with the videos, but the reality is that I work very slowly.  It takes me forever to figure out what color palette to work in, what look and feel I want to create.  My OCD insists that everything be coordinated just right.  If you knew what my craft room looked like at the moment, you would understand that it is very difficult to find what I am looking for right away.  I have a good idea of what supplies I have, just not where I stashed them.  And yes, sometimes I surprise myself when I find something I had no idea I had.  Can you relate?

So, this LOVE card used a technique from one of the cards we learned to make.  It uses a corrugated cardboard background.  I had no idea it was so easy to make your own corrugated cardboard.  You simply mist the cardboard and after a few seconds, it's very easy to pull off the top layer exposing the corrugated texture below.  Now I know what to do with all of those Amazon Prime boxes...

Next, we applied three colors of acrylic paint to the corrugated cardboard.  The instructor used white gesso as one of her colors, but I chose I neutral palette and applied ivory/cream, sienna brown and muted gold acrylic paint with a cosmetic sponge.  

Next, I took a manila tag and inked the edges with tea dye distress ink.  I stamped the background of the tag with a text stamp for added interest. Since I was going to use a bronze-colored "love" charm as my embellishment, I chose a heart stamp for the tag.  I affixed the tag with a piece of adhesive foam to give it some dimension.

Lastly, I took some hemp fiber and wrapped it around the card three time (rule of 3's) and added the "love" charm.  That was how my March Artfirmation LOVE cards were born.

Remembering a dear friend

 

For our February Artfirmation care swap, I made these cards to honor a dear friend I lost last year.  After attending her beautiful celebration of life, I was inspired to make these delicate butterfly die cuts out of the pages of an old hymnal book.  I purposely did not glue down the wings so they are free to move.  On the back, I included a poem she once shared with me.  She loved all creatures, great and small, but butterflies held special meaning for her.  I like to think she is happily floating with butterflies now...