Behind the Art with Jen

Hi friends!  The Shine kit has so many fun embellishments and colors in it to show your memories, feelings and beautiful self!  I love this page that I designed for this kit.  It's one of my favs and it's stupidly simple to recreate!  I just loved the papers in this kit so I wanted to use a bunch on one page...

 Using a paper cutter, I cut several wedges from corner to corner and arranged them on the page to radiate outward from the center.  I glued them down and trimmed the edges.

 

I journaled along the edges of the rays and added some of those sparkly embellishments. 

 Now the fun part!  I used some of my Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Luxe Texture Gem pens to create scribbly circles around my photo.  Once dry, I did the same with the pen in the kit.  Fun texture and focal point!

 This page represents all of those things that have become obstacles in my life and how I've overcome each and every one!  I'm proud of who I am at 40 and still have a lot to work on but the focus has become about balancing my health (both physical, spiritual and mental) and my family.  I used to sacrifice my health and needs for my family's (and still do sometimes) but a healthy mommy/ wife, is a happy one!  I am so much happier when I can exercise, eat right, and do something that makes me happy daily (artwork, going out with a friend once in a while, relaxing with a book...).  Taking time to shine up my radiance from the inside out is what it's about!

Behind the Art with Jen

  For this page, I was seriously just inspired by all the words that come with this kit!  Stickers, rub-ons, stencil, and papers.  I just love them all!  I wanted to use that Crafter's Workshop stencil so I took some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle and used the Distress Marker on a craft mat.  I scribbled on the mat with the marker and added the Whipple Spackle with a palette knife. 

 You can see that it made a very pale green color.  I pressed it through the stencil and when I lifted it off, it was dimensional!

You can see that I repeated that many times.  I love the pale color against the cork background.  I also mixed water with some of the scribbled marker on the craft mat and pressed the paper in the puddle before adding the spackle. 

 

 I did this page to celebrate how lucky I am to design for some of my favorite companies!  I absolutely love that they push me to the limit and give me more creative freedom.  I love this life!

 

 I added some rub ons and stickers after the Whipped Spackle dried to complete the message.

 

Other fun details were added.  Feathers, stars, arrows, and some bling give it a fun and happy feel! I hope you liked this technique for using the Distress Marker, stencil and your favorite medium!

 

Behind the Art with Jen

I am... those two words have so many possibilities.  Mostly, I think of all the things that make tick. The complicated mix of me.  This kit made me think about how much I've changed in the last year and a half.  I am stronger, slimmer, healthier, more confident, an athlete, artist, mom, wife, educator, and ever changing woman. I am constantly making new goals.

 For once in my life, I am thinking about my health as a life long journey and not a short term goal.  Many times, I had tried a diet program, exercise routine, or deprived myself for short times until I reached a goal (for example; fitting into a certain dress).  After I got close or reached my goal, I'd go backwards.  I'd slack off exercise, eat more fast food and get comfortable.  I wouldn't make a new goal, just coast until I needed to do it all over again.  It was a depressing cycle. 

 I joined a running group and a martial arts-based fitness/ nutrition challenge for 35 days (Revolution 35) through my local dojo.  I also continued to go to Weight Watcher meetings.  With all those groups, I found the support and mindset to stick with it even when it was hard! This combination of support systems and my mindset that this is going to be a lifetime goal, brought on the changes I needed.  I just made up my mind that I was going to do it.  Surprisingly, I love exercise, eating clean, and don't feel deprived. I feel in control of my life and love this new lifestyle!

 I am on my way to a healthy me!  Thanks for letting me share this page.  I have loved this kit for the reason that I have explored different parts of myself to see how I have gotten to where I am now. What makes you tick?

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi, lovely artists!  I have a page to share with you this week.  I am graduating to my next belt in karate this Friday.  It's exciting and I'm pretty nervous about standing up in front of my peers, family and friends to perform my material.  I know I'll be fine but it still makes me have butterflies.  I'm not afraid, but more excited and hopeful that I perform well!

 A year ago, I wouldn't have believed that I was at this point.  I wouldn't have had the confidence to do this.  I was just starting my journey to a healthy lifestyle. Last February, as I watched my husband and oldest son earn their blackbelt, I realized that I could do this!  I felt that, at that moment, I was starting a journey that would lead to something that I didn't even know I wanted.  Black belt.

 The photos are from my last belt graduation. My dad took the photo of me with my family.  Love that he got that moment!

 I was the last in the family to join karate.  Even though I'd taken KickFit for years and watched my sons and husband take classes, I never thought I'd be doing it.  I tried it and loved it!  It's challenging to learn katas, perform them in front of everyone, and keep up physically.  I can do it!  I am strong!

 

  

I am kickin' it!  I love it!  What have you done that you didn't think you could but then realize that you can? I'd love to hear about it or see it in a page this month!

Making Marks

Hi folks, 

So hopefully, you all have gotten...or will be getting this months's

 BELONGING kit...it's seriously gorgeous!!

I wanted to share with you some alternate ways of using the

Ranger Distress Marker in Seedless Preserves. 

Now, of course, you can use it just to write:

But, why stop there?

These markers stay wet a little longer, so you can smear, paint, etc. with them as well. 

I wanted to use mine for some painty techniques.

I started by coloring on to my craft sheet....you could use any piece of plastic.

Then I used a water brush (there's a tube in the handle that holds water---you could use just a wet paintbrush) to paint borders, make splatters, and lay down color.

For my little 4x6 canvas, I just colored all over the surface directly with the marker and then used a brush and my fingers to spread the color around.

I was pleasantly surprised at how versatile this little marker ended up being!

Be sure to check out this month's GALLERY including our 

teen GUEST DESIGNER, Heather Adams!

Come visit and chat with us on the FORUM!

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I hope you're feeling a real sense of BELONGING this month!