Tag Book

Today I'm sharing with you a tag book I've created for an English colleague returning to the UK.

close up of front cover

I added lots of travel and kiwi details.  Inside I've decorated the tags by sponging with Distress Inks, stencils and sparkly watercolour paints.

I left enough room for people to leave their farewell wishes, and I included a few photos of his time with us; everyone loved it.

New Moon February

February's New Moon is already here! Hali's  prompt this month is Feeling What you Feel and Freedom. Once I started creating I couldn't stop- 3 journal pages.
I haven't created anything in my journal for probably over 6 months, it felt great- very freeing.

Created with Acrylic paint, Distress inks, stencils pen and ink.

Beneath each photo, I've shared some of the words that were channelled at the time.
My other blog, contains the words in more detail.

Her Heart Longed to be Where it Belonged ... Home.

The Divine Feminine languished inside her- waiting to be awoken, her light grew Brighter.

There was a Storm brewing in her Heart, she waited and watched it grow.

Wise Woman Santos Doll

I'm having some studio time today ( sunday) and as I knew I'd have an uninterrupted run, I thought I'd finally make the Retro Art Cafe Santos doll kit, that I've had in my stash for over a year!

I confess that I was really unsure what to do or where to start, faced with the dark brown masonite - I'm often left panicking .... So I thought I'll just paint all the parts white with acrylic paint, so thats what I did. I then added some stamping with the script stamp and some words from a couple of Paper Artsy Stamp sets.

Next I added some wash tape, to add more depth. Finally I added some colour with gelato and gold acrylic paint.

Then the fun part- the decorating, by this point I realised I wanted to create a softer divine feminine doll.

As you can see I added hearts, pearls, flowers and leaves to create the soft look.

I'm entering my doll into the following Challenges:

PaperArtsy- Theme is Hearts

Craft Stamper Magazine - 2nd Entry Take a stamp ( my background for my doll, created with stamps and paint)

I hope that all my Stateside friends affected by the storm are safe and warm, and wishing everyone a lovely weekend.

Grungy Thanks

My next card today, is all yummy, inky and Grungy, I enjoyed getting messy for this one.

To Create the background, I used white acrylic paint, and then used a stencil to pull some of the paint, I then did the same with some gold acrylic paint, Drying with a heat tool, created more texture. I then stamped with some Distress inks, Abandoned Coral and Black Soot. Before adding the main stamped image on another piece of cardstock.

close up

I'm entering this card over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges, where their theme is Thanks.

Vision Board

Today, I'd like to share with you how I created my vision board for 2016.  This will be the 3rd year that I've created one, after my friend Karen Boyes introduced me to the idea.  I love focusing your wishes and actively manifesting your desires for the upcoming year.
I've found by putting the finished board up in my studio, I reflect on the board through the year, and it helps me refocus my dreams and goals throughout the year.

Today, I have created my 2016 Vision Board, conciously with the New Moon - to help me release and make way for the new. I've taken inspiration from another friend Hali Karla, to start a new moon art practice- check it out and join in. I intend to use the prompts as a place to bring me back to art journalling or creating at least once a month. Her prompt for this month is Dedication, I'm not going to share my dedication with you,  other than to say I'm commiting to Life in 2016.
Hali is so inspiring, I think its gonna be great.

So to my 2016 Vision Board.
I thought I'd share with you my process, to hopefully inspire you to create your own.
(note this is a photo loaded post).

Here's my blank A3 size of paper, go as big as you dare!

Blank A3 Paper

 Next, I've gone through magazines, calendars etc, and taken out quotes, words and pictures that call to me and my heart, that I want to use or might want to use aand cut them out, I like to round all the edges.

My clippings

Next I glue down my main images, I like to put them slightly on angles and not think abaout it too much- just going with the flow.

Then I cover up the main images with scrap paper and spray some Dylusions inks, but you could use paints, crayons or fill more of the blank space anyway you fancy.

Background done

Then I start adding the smaller clippings, I like to layer them and again go with the flow, not thinking too hard about placement. I do tend to group the clippings together though. So One corner for family, one for health and so on.

Taking Shape

Next, I start adding more specific personal goals or wishes in pen, I also start filling the gaps with stamps and stencilling.

I keep tweeking and adding depth to the background until I'm happy.

Here's the finished board up on the wall in my studio.

Finished Vision Board 2016

If you are inspired to create your own, let me know, cause I'd love to see it, and if you do - Have Fun!
Don't forget to check out The New Moon Art Practice with Hali too.

Have a great day.

From the Heart

It's great to come back to the blogging world, and not only find my old favs are still creating and setting challenges but also some new challenges and blog too.
I'm enjoying catching up.

Here's a new challenge to me- The Card Concept  their's is a pretty cool challenge - with inspiration of all different card styles and an inspiration photo.

I was inspired by the Heart and the red and the white- I've gone for the Mixed Media theme-
Here's the inspiration photo.

The background created with Distress inks, stamping, acrylic gold paint and some glitter.
The heart was created n the same way, but with Mod Podge added to give it more texture. I also added the resin butterfly and bling, for extra texture.


I also used the latest Mojo Monday Sketch- #429, as I'm still finding my feet again.

I'm pretty happy with how this early Valentine's card has turned out- never too early for love.

I really enjoyed getting inky and combining these 2 challenges x

Tea Cup Queen

I finally, like finally treated myself to a PaperArtsy stamp set- and I LOVE it!!

 Lots of layering, with sprays, stencils, stamps, acrylic paints and free hand doodling.

close up of tag

I've added lots of shiny stuff, with both gold and copper acrylic paint- love that stuff too.

I'm entering this over at the PaperArtsy  Blog- Shiny stuff. Inspired by Sue Carrington's wall hanging post, loved the gold paint, and how she'd made the last the centre of attention by framing. I've used a tag to create my frame, with acrylic paint.

Authentic self canvas

Inspired by a couple of things happening around me, I got in my hot studio today.... and created- gosh it makes for a lighter heart!!

The canvas is small- just 8 x 10 inches, I've used the prompt Authentic Self, and intuitively painted. I started with mod lodge, and doles, scraps of old book pages and a napkin. I've then sprayed with inks, and the painted with my fingers, using various acrylic paints. Finally with black ink and white out pen, I've added the details.

The Dolies and the acrylic paint, which I layered and heated - have created some nice texture, that reminds me of encaustic painting.

I'm entering my canvas over at Mixed Media Place, where the Creative Gym exercise #4  is Intuitive Painting :)

Spooky Coaster

Here's todays spooky Creation, just love that raven!
Here's an altered coaster, that I made real quick :-) This was Easy to make, I just painted acrylic paints on to the base, then used Gel Medium to add the book pages and chipboard. Then I added the raven and the bones.
It was a real treat for me to finally get some seriously altering halloween fun on!!!! So going to enter this spooky coaster over at Simon says Stamp Monday Challenge - Treats- any Kind!!

Poe inspired spooky coaster 

Spring Growth

Spring truly has arrived here in New Zealand, so cool timing for Zoe's theme at Craft Room Challenge: Seasonal Colours.

I've done some more Art Journalling, though with more actual painting than stamping, there's also some stencilling on here.

Hard to see, but there's a whole heap of writing on the pages too.

Here are the colour palettes to work from :

And our sponsor is :

Rogue Redhead Designs

I've used some of Shar's stamps on my pages :-)

Have a great week, and I'll see you next time.

Forest Friends at Craft Room Challenge

Over at Craft Room Challenge, Amber has chosen the theme of Forest Friends....... I decided to have some fun ;-)

I took an ordinary Unicorn..... and turned it into glitter steampunk unicorn! I had such fun creating him. And as you can see he loves frolicking in his own forest :-)

Its a bit hard to see all his Steampunk clogs and cool stuff cause of the glitter... but its there..

Our lovely sponsor is Tando Creative.

Please check our rules, as sadly many entries last time were disqualified :-(

I hope you find the time to join us and that you have as much fun as I did :-)