Behind the Art with Felecia

Brave - what is brave?  What do we do that could be classified as brave and courageous.

To me, choosing to raise another human being is brave thing...small people...huge responsibility.

In all honestly, choosing NOT to raise another human being is just as brave, but for completely different reasons.

For my life, my husband and I chose to raise not just one, but two human beings. As luck or fate or blessings...or God's very wry sense of humor...would have it, they are both male.

If you have boy children in your life...or have ever been someplace where they are allowed to be themselves...you will note that it is a chaotic, energy-filled experience filled with baffling things like the love of bodily noises (mine seemed to be born thinking they were funny) and baseball hats.

My first project for the Brave Kit was to document this crazy beautiful choice and what it means to my life now.

I used two photos that are far from perfect, blurry and in motion, but well show my smiley little men. I also chose to distress the edges of all my pieces, cross the pieces in a somewhat haphazard way, scatter my embellishments across the layout (kind of the same way I find things scattered all over my floor!)

The final embellie I chose was the "you amaze me" button...partly because THEY amaze me and the experience of raising them amazes me.  But also because I amaze me...mothering them is the toughest job I have and the most rewarding. It carries with it my biggest challenges and more love than I ever imagined! Its hugely risky - more risk that I would normally take - and full to overflowing with joy and laughter.

For me, definitely a very BRAVE choice.

Behind the Art with Jen

 Another page from this month's "Restore" kit.  I love the cork gradient paper but really wanted to add more texture to it.  I have a little tutorial to share on how I did this background.

 I used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft's Whipped Spackle and a palette knife to create an area of texture.  I just smoothed it on and left areas thicker in some spots.

 I used one of the We R Memory Keepers Shine Acrylic Shapes to stamp shapes into the spackle. 

 I like the shape and it reminds me of mapping where you have been in the world or life.

 Once dry, I sprayed it with the Imagine Crafts Walnut Ink in Cherry Blossom where it pooled in the lowest parts to create a variation in color.

 The embellishments in this kit are so full of texture and gives this page a touch of shine, sparkle and glam!

 My journaling reveals my revelation that as you get older, the things that mattered so much as a youth, don't matter as much anymore. I still like to look good but all the obsessing over every wrinkle, keeping lipstick on or just worrying about what other's think is not as important as how I live life and the way I make others feel. That doesn't mean I don't take the time to buy clothes that look good on me or style my hair in the morning.  I still care that I look the best I can but I don't worry about things I can't control.  I do what I can to look and feel good.  I think young people sometimes dress to fit in or to get someone's attention. I don't need or want to do that.  I dress in what makes me feel good and comfort is key!

All the little details in this page contribute to the textural feel and what makes me happy!  I love the shapes, rub ons, textures and papers in this kit. I hope you find what you need to make your life meaningful and restore your confidence in yourself!

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Moving FORWARD or onward. I like the thought of moving forward even when I'm wishing time would slow down.  It doesn't make sense to me to stand still where it's comfortable.  What has always been is comfortable.  Change is hard and scary! 

  I had taking this photograph in the driveway of my parent's house. It is symbolic of a couple things: 1) Autumn leaves signify change to me.  The season's change and the trees change.  You can't prevent the leaves from changing color and falling any more than you can stop time.
2) I'm always coming home to my childhood residence because my parents are still there.  They have been a constant in my life but even so, it is different being an adult and realizing that life must not have been easy for them, as parents.  I know it's not easy for me at times!  I appreciate them so much and am thankful that they encouraged me to grow up and move forward even if that was really hard for them to let go.

 

 These kraft triangles are adorable and I layered some bits of papers behind them.  The gorgeous glimmery spray was perfect to add a touch of sparkle to the papers.

 Arrows were symbolic in this page for moving forward even though I can look behind me and remember where I came from.

 Now that I'm 40 years old and a parent, I think it's especially important to look forward and plan for change.  I love my kids and my family!  It's amazing to notice how big my kids have gotten and how much they have changed.  It makes me sad some days and I want to slow time down so I can keep them little for a little longer.  Ultimately, I know I can't do that.... so I have to remind myself to just keep up... Keep moving

 It also means that I keep moving forward in my goals!  This past year, I started on a fitness and nutrition goals and I want to keep momentum on the progress I've made! 

What do you want to move forward with this year?

Behind the Art with Melissa

Can you believe it is already the end of the year? Forget end of the month... in just a short amount of time, we're going to beginning a brand new year. Mind boggling.

Before we close out the month, I've got one more page to share with you using the Authentic kit.

This page is all about recording how refreshing it is to have friends in my life who I can be my true, authentic self around. In fact, they bring it out in me. That's legit friendship right there.

 I wanted lots of linear strength for this page. When I read the title, I think about rap music and how it's "in yo face". My friendships can be summed up like that. We're real. Usually up to no good. But, more importantly, it's legit. There is no wishy washy, are you really my friend business.

So this layout is very clean. Very bold. Straightforward.

Just like my friendships.

The heart stencil in the kit, I truly loved. But, I decided to do something with it I've not done before. I traced it and then it became a physical part of my page. There is a bit of symbolism with that, too, I suppose. I know I won't be able to use that stencil again but, it's permanently part of a layout that packs a punch for me. Making friends didn't always come easy to me and now, the ones I find legit, are the ones I cling to. They hold a piece of my heart. And I wanted to literally attach that stencil to my page to symbolize that.

Thanks for swinging by today! 

Get ready because it's just about that time for a new visual journaling kit! I'm excited for you all to see it and learn about it!

Behind the Art with Felecia

Merry Christmas to my friends who celebrate it!  I must confess, there are a number of holidays this time of year I know very little about. Some of you will spend today in the midst of these very holidays. Some of you may not be celebrating a holiday at all today - you are just celebrating that it is "today" and are engaged in living. Whatever the case, I pray this day finds you joyous and content. 

My final layout for the AUTHENTIC Kit is called Up Close - as in I pray I'm not found lacking when people get up close and personal.

Have you ever noticed that something looks amazing from a distance - the beach, a painting, the snow, perhaps your perfectly tweezed eye brows (or maybe that is just me). BUT when you get up close, it may not be so attractive? Maybe the beach sand is hot or the water too cold...or a painting is found to be a print and not the original...or the snow is heavy and wet and not at all romantic...or your eyebrows...well..maybe that IS just me!

When considering authentic, my personal goal is to be found genuine, even under very close scrutiny.

Its not easy.

It has moments of great joy, moments of hilarity, moments of great pain and honestly, moments of such embarrassment that I wish I could just sink into the ground...its not exactly a nice, smooth, straight road.

It often requires examination of things that I really would rather not get into.

But to reach genuine relationship and genuine peace, I must address these places where I may be hiding, or covering, or compensating...

I'm a slave to perfectionism...its hard to unlearn years of not trying things when they won't be perfect. 

To play, to try, to be in the process of learning and growing and changing and becoming...this is where I aspire to be. 

This paper, the "spilled' effect, the silver splotches, the things not totally level and straight...again, I'm attempting to revel in the beauty that is my art in my style in my wonky way. 

Silver polka dots and pink zig zags...these are things that "shouldn't" go together...but they do. Oh, they SO DO!. 

And ONE flower, ONE heart...there are no design triangles - shame on me! - and the only element that repeats are the butterflies...(an appropriate symbol for authentically embracing "becoming") these are my authentic expression of this moment, this project, this layout...and I love how it turned out. It turned out "me." 

As we bring this one to a close, I'm reminded that in this life, to be authentic is to be somewhat adrift. It is to embrace the very things within us that do not go with the flow, do not sign on for the trend, do not attempt to be like all the others...and make that OK. What a glorious thing!

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas week!

I am trying not to stress too much about all that needs to get done but, I am definitely staying busy. That's for sure!

Today I'm sharing more about this journaling page:

When I think of Authentic... I think of something that is one of a kind. It cannot be replicated. It's the Real Deal. And so, I wanted to create a page that focused on who I am, when it comes to being one of a kind.

During the teen years of my life, I didn't want to be authentic. I think many of us can relate to that time of life... we wanted to be cool, accepted and have lots of friends. So, that usually meant observing what others were doing, wearing and copying that.

Well, thankfully, as I've grown into adulthood and have worked through those identity issues, I love embracing the REAL ME.

Some of the symbolism I brought into this page were the polaroid cut files. I used pattern papers from the kit to matte the polaroid frames. I love the colorful patterns and how they capture my personality. Colorful. Fun. One of a kind. I used some doilies from my stash because I love the feminine quality they portray. They aren't included in the kit but, are something you can still easily add or make on a die cut machine.

I also included the resin camera piece on this page. It kind of goes with the polaroid and "capture" aspect. We like to capture visual memories with a camera and so, I wanted to use that as a way to express wanting to visually capture this thought I have about being my authentic self.

Thanks for swinging by today! 

Make sure to stop by our kit page if you are ready to buy your own visual journaling kit. What better time to begin? Give yourself a gift this holiday season and explore your inner world with us.

Behind the Art with Felecia

Have you ever done a project that you loved...but not really so much?  This is one of those projects...

I love it. I love the color, the layout, the message...but I don't. 

It doesn't feel like my work - and yet it does. 

does that make sense?

Maybe like an outfit that you adore, that feels like your own skin, that is just your best go-to outfit...but its not that flattering. I'm thinking about my hot pink sweats...HAHA!

Its authentic to be authentic about a project but its not really your favorite, right? Well, that's what I'm going with anyway. 

This shot...honestly, I'm in my pjs. I have no idea what I was trying to accomplish. Its a good picture. But not. it shows all the glorious imperfections of my real, pj-wearing, messy hair, smudged makeup self...the one that sits in front of a movie on Friday nights and decompresses. 

I'm no Kim Kardashian when it comes to taking selfies. Selfies are an art form of their own, I think. Its not my art form. 

And the whole idea of selfie's seems to me to be a "here I am" exercise rather than a "who are you?" exercise. I prefer the latter. I want to engage in conversation and debate and transfer ideas. Frankly, you are just much much much more interesting to me than I am. I want to hear you...hear your point of view. 

I suppose in that way, selfies of OTHER people are good for me. but in a way they are NOT that good for me, because I want to know the REAL you...not the perfect you in that selfie that you spent hours trying to get just right. 

While exploring AUTHENTIC, this whole selfie thing was part of my exploration. Are our selfies authentic? and when they are, do we risk criticism and ridicule? Its an interesting phenomenon to think about. What are we trying to accomplish when we take a selfie?

These wonderful little cameras? I ADORE them. They are the cutest little things! and in terms of "selfie" they are a perfect embellishment. 

And truely the the picture does make me smile - for an abundance of reasons. 

I'm quite interested in how you think about selfies. or even IF you think about them? Some people never take them. Some people live for them? Do you think that selfies contribute or detract from our authenticity? I know I'm likely to take them over and over until I get something I think is flattering...how about you?

I'm also interested in the idea that we put our emotions and ideas out there into projects that maybe are not our favorite things... What do you think? 

Peace, ya'll

Behind the Art with Jen

Becoming... it's amazing that as a get older, I like who I am more and more.  Even though I don't like the idea of aging, I have had so many experiences in my 40 years that I feel like I am much more confident in my skin and abilities!

This page is about liking who I have grown into at 40 years old!  I have done a lot this year already and it seems that this is my best year.  When I was younger, I didn't appreciate what I was or understand the importance of just being me.

 This page used all of the ends of the papers where the extra strip is. I cut them all off and trimmed the edges like a ribbon and crinkled them for texture. 

 Some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos in warm colors with some pen scribbles around it!  Fun background!

 This was such a fun page to do and I love how you can use what is leftover as a finished page!

What have you learned over the years that makes you stronger than you were yesterday?

Behind the Art with Felecia

Hi, everyone!  

When exploring the monthly words at Inside Out, I make an attempt to consider the antonyms as well as the synonyms. For authentic, that would be the word counterfeit...

This is actually a fear of mine - that I will be examined and found lacking in authenticity. 

I happened to have attended an event where I wore a little mask and had a great picture for a "counterfeit" layout that speaks of not hiding behind masks. 

For fun, I did a little tiny bit of experimenting with paint, creating a spot for the picture...and then drew some additional "masking" on the green dots. 

As with many of my pages, this is a very flat layout...its has visual details without actual dimension. By far, the most important detail on this layout for me is the journaling.

As I said last week, the colors in this kit are so beautiful and amazing to work with. Its been so much fun to dip into these products to explore AUTHENTIC. The supplies have really pushed me to explore in a different way!  LOVE that!

Behind the Art with Jen

Jen here with one of my December pages using the "Authentic" kit!  When I thought about the word "authentic", I had to think of this photo of me reflected in the window of a building from the early 1900's.  There is a historic collection of buildings in Hamilton, NY that I visit each year while at a scrapbooking crop at White Eagle Conference Center.  It's sad and gorgeous all at once.  The buildings have been moved here and they are arranged in a town-like setting.  It's like a piece of history that has been abandoned. Remnants of life is still present... curtains, wallpaper, kitchen items, toilets, carved initials and other items left in the buildings. It like when our bodies become older with all their cracks and chipped paint but with traces of our lives left behind.

 The word authentic means: true to one's personality, spirit, or character.   I think that is why I love old buildings ... they still have their character and personality even when restored they hold all the charm they held so many years ago (unless the restoration was more like a renovation).

 I used some watered down Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos on a craft mat and pressed the woodgrain cardstock into the puddles for a background.    The pen was used on the mat too with water added and flicked on the page for droplets.

 I think we are a lot like buildings who age.. maybe we should look past the cracked paint and see the story of the life lived and character of the person within.  Judging something based on how we look is deceiving. I try to be as authentic as possible but it's strange to see changes in my looks as I age and each line tells a story in my journey of life. 

 What does your facade say about you?  What stories do hold within?

Behind the Art with Melissa

To me, being Authentic means you be your true self 100%. 

There is no one else quite like you.

You embrace the characteristics of your personality. Your mannerisms. Your opinions. Your faith. Your likes and dislikes. Your quirks.

We're all one of a kind. 

Back in my school days, I took issue with that. I didn't want to be one of a kind. I wanted to fit in. So, I adapted to other personality types. That included what I believed it. I experimented. I said I believed in certain things to fit in.

Now that I'm all grown up and have lived through those crazy years, I don't care about fitting in when it comes to my faith. 

For me, seeing the result of my life thus far, makes it easy to not apologize for what I believe in. I won't hold back. I won't keep silent.

I might lose friends. (Yeah... that hurts deep down...)
I might create debates.  (I actually enjoy those.)
I might be admired.

And I think, because I've reached this conclusion of not apologizing or trying to "fit in", it enhances my authenticity.

When it comes to the design aspect of this page, I really love layering and combining patterns. It doesn't always take on a symbolic role for me. And I don't think it has to. Sometimes I just like to play with colors that I like to create a pretty page. This page is one that I wanted to have fun with. There is almost a snarkiness to it as I declare "NO APOLOGIES". 

I included the transparency in my layering because I actually do like the symbolic nature it brings. Because I won't hide my beliefs... there is definitely a transparency there. 

I added the doilies from my own stash because I just love the femininity and softness they add. It was the perfect addition to help balance out this bold, somewhat sassy page.

Is there a piece of YOUR authentic self that you are not apologetic about? Grab a kit and express yourself on a visual journaling page! 

Behind the Art with Felecia

Hey, everyone!

Today I'm sharing my first layout from the amazing December AUTHENTIC kit from Inside Out. 

Let me BE authentic and say...when I first opened up my December kit, I thought, "This thing is gorgeous..and I NEVER use these colors...what am I going to DO with this?" 

See, I scrapbook BOYS in the majority of my layouts...heavy on the blue and orange and red. Its my sweet spot. Maybe not so much because those are the colors I love, but because they make my scrapbooking very very easy with all those boy pictures.

But here...here I have this AMAZING pallet of pink and aqua and yellow and this fantastic green and light gray...and oh, my its so stunning and , oh, my, I was so overwhelmed. 

So, talking to myself, I said, sort of under my breath, "Authentic...what does authentic mean to me?"

And one of those BOYS (the older one who is a smarty pants) says, "Its the REAL DEAL, Mom!" 

The real deal...the real deal...I turned that phrase over and over in my head for a bit...and thought, I have a lot of "the real deal" in my life...and it isn't pink, aqua, yellow, and green...where do I go with that?  

And honestly, the same smarty pants boy told me to him the "real deal" was his good friends. 

Me too. 

I have but a handful of "real deal" friends, though I attempt to surround myself with "real deal" people on a consistent basis...

These two...they just love me and my family for exactly who we are...our authentic selves. 

I unabashedly LOVE those circles! As you have well figured out by now, my art is not fussy. So to fussy cut all those circles..that has to be love right?  

Plus I was watching an episode of NCIS and cutting circles seemed like a great thing to do while I watched my episode.

These beautiful women are always there for me, any day of the week, thick or thin, no matter what I have going on. 

The layers of circles, these represent my life...and those beautiful pink splashes of mist (from the Fireworks mist included in the ENERGY kit) are perfectly messy.

To add to the feeling the title, picture and journaling are all askew...sort of like me!  HAHA!

I love how this kit challenged me to think outside the boxes I've created for myself in my art. It forced me to really think about authenticity and how much I avoid things (like colors) that are not easy for me.

That's some good stuff!!

Peace, ya'll!