Behind the Art with Jen

 This is not me in this photo... but a friend took this photo of a young dancer and it made me think of the theme this month "Soft & Strong"... I look at this photo and see a strong but very feminine figure.  It made me think of what makes us uniquely female.   The capacity to love, care for, and empathy towards others. BUT we are strong too in so many ways... giving birth, raising children (you know that is not easy!), relationships, and overcoming difficult situations.  Whether it's something horrible that has happened to you, work related struggles (perhaps in a man-dominated work environment), relationship issues, or violence, we cope and can be so strong when we need to be or others need us to be.

For this page, I wanted to create a beautiful background.  I used the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Design Memory Craft Gelatos® Double Scoop® Color  in Guava on a craft mat with water added.  It made a puddle of color.  I placed the white cardstock face down on the puddle and kept repeating until I covered what part I wanted.

 After drying with a heat gun, I placed the Crafter's Workshop feather mask over part of the page.  I sprayed with the Fireworks Sweet Plum spray from our Energy Kit a few months back.  I removed the mask and used it to trace another feather over the dried area.  I used a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Essential PITT Artist Pen in black to add some details and sketchy look to it. 

 I also did the journaling with the same pen! 

 I had cut some banner pieces for another of my pages for this month and had these leftover triangles.  I used them throughout the page.

 I like the contrast between the papers, patterns, and soft colors.  It reflects the feel of the page and my sentiments for this month's kit!  I will be back next week to share another page from this month's Inside Out Visual Journaling kit!

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 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 Jen

As much as I love dressing up for Halloween, I love dressing up to educate my students in my art classes!  I went as a Day of the Dead Mexican Sugar Skull last Halloween.  I painted my face and created a headband of blossoms to celebrate not only our Halloween holiday but also the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos.  I love the meaning behind their celebration... to honor those that have passed before us.  To remember and celebrate our loved one's lives.  A couple days of dancing, eating, singing, parades, and family sounds like a great way to remember our heritage.  While I am not Mexican, I can appreciate a holiday that celebrates the life of others even while they have died.  Keeping their memory and accomplishments alive is part of the remembering! I'm so lucky that I get to dress up at work to teach kids cultural art!!
To make this page, I started by adding some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gesso to this Fancy Pants patterned paper. I love the energy of the triangles but it's a bit busy.  The Gesso toned down some of the optical energy.  I used the back of a paintbrush to scribble in the Gesso too.  It just gave some fun lines and texture to the area.
Then I used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle through a Crafter's Workshop skull stencil.  When dry, I used Gelatos® colors in Banana (from the 50's Diner set), Watermelon, Margarita Mix (from the Tropical Set), and Red Cherry to create dripping color over the Whipped Spackle.  I created some puddles of each color on my craft mat and used lots of water and a brush to create drips.
The Gelatos® colors Metallic Melon and Raspberry were added by making puddles of color and water on the craft mat and putting the paper face down in the puddles.  I let some of it drip by holding the paper at an angle.
Once all of the color dried, I put the stencil back over top of the skull and used a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Essential PITT Artist pen to outline some of the shapes.  This gave it a big more definition.
The sequins were applied with some Gel Medium added in some areas to "glue" them down.

I love the colors and symbolism of the Dia de los Muertos holiday and had a blast recreating some of the energy and fun here!  I'm so lucky to be an art teacher and have the opportunity to dress up like this at work!  It's educational and just darn fun!
Materials:
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gesso
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gel Medium
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Essential PITT Artist Pen
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos® colors Metallic Melon, Raspberry, Red Cherry, Banana, Watermelon, Margarita Mix
All papers and embellishments are from Scrapbooking From the Inside Out  "Lucky" kit for November 2014.
Stencil: The Crafter's Workshop

Behind the Art with Melissa

Good day everyone!

Today I'm sharing with you one of my favorite layouts. It definitely strays from my more typical "clean and simple" style and includes some super bright colors and Gelatos!

Gelatos don't come in this kit but we have had them in past kits and they are SUPER fun! I recently got a big set for my birthday and was looking forward to using them on a project. But I'm not really here to share technique stuff with you. Today I want to share the heart of my layout.

First, I was inspired by one of our journaling prompts. You can find these on our Inspiration Page. They are great as a stepping stone to visually journaling your thoughts and what is really stirring inside your heart. I just love how, each month, the theme seems to speak into exactly where my life is at. I'm ready to dive into that part of my soul. SO cool!

Anyway, the prompt that inspired me goes like this:

What's the plan? When you have a goal in mind, do you plan the steps you need to take to reach that goal or do you just go with your gut in the direction of your aim? Have you ever set an intention to achieve something and carried it out to your satisfaction? How confident were you when identifying the goal; did your confidence waver while you were pursuing your goal?

As I finished reading this prompt, a flurry of memories and thoughts came to mind. When I get a goal in my head, what do I do? I go after it. There is no stopping me. In fact, I get so into meeting that goal that it can get overwhelming sometimes. But, I love this part of me!  I haven't always been this way. There was a time when I might have had goals and told everybody the steps I was going to take in meeting them but, I never actually did it.

It's different now.

I loved pulling the bold and bright from this kit, for this layout. It made sense to create LOTS of movement and make the page busy. Because that's what I feel like, in the moment of pursuing my plans.

Lots of chevron, zig zag and arrows to use. They not only create lots of movement on my layout but, also provide the symbolism. I wanted to create an almost dizzying effect on my page. The reason is because that is what my head is like sometimes. SOOOO much busyness goes in my brain when I get these goals, plans and ideas. My intention is to meet every single one of them. 

No wonder I feel so overwhelmed and exhausted at times! Even though the fruit of my labors may not show, what is happening in my brain can be very scary. Haha! Now you get to see that on this layout. I loved adding in the painted background, with my Gelatos, too. Instead of just a solid background, I wanted something messy. Well... messy for me, anyway. :) 

Using the cameras on this layout reminded me of Instagram. Who else is SO thankful for that app??? Whoever created it was a genius. You can agree or not or have your opinions about social media but, I love this tool that captures my life in a second. I can share it with who I want to but, I love that I can use my little phone to take a quick snapshot of what is happening right now. And then, days, weeks, months and years down the road, I can look back at those photos and remember. I did that the other day as I looked at photos from Christmas. It brought so much joy!  But I digress, I love that these photos can help me recall things that I might have otherwise forgotten, because I was so busy pursuing my goal or plan. 

I'm thankful for how I've changed and morphed into someone who is driven and not afraid. In fact, I get an adrenaline rush from taking risks. I feel like I would have missed out on some amazing experiences in life had I not.

Thanks for swinging by today and I hope that this not only shows you a bit more of how you can use our kits and to visually journal but also how to take one of our prompts and personalize it for YOU.

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Do you choose a word for the year- One Little Word?   I always choose one but then don't follow through with the documentation of my year in regards to the word... this year I wanted to pick one that I was sure to be able to apply to many of my goals and everyday happenings.  SO my word is CREATE..

 My intention is to CREATE more art this year, CREATE a more healthful routine, CREATE more family time, CREATE more "me" time!  I think I might be able to do a bit of each... hmmm...

 Every year, there are new goals and some of the same ole',  same ole' but really I just want to CREATE something that makes me happy. 

For this page, I was inspired by all the gorgeous colored papers and those chalkboard frames... I cut the center out of it and found the perfect photo to symbolize looking back on last year and driving towards this year. 

 

 I used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® Chalk board paint for the black circles and also used an empty washi tape roll to stamp open circles on the page.  The American Crafts Galaxy marker draws perfectly on the paint surface!  I added some doodles and words to the circles.

 

 Some circles using the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft® Gelatos® colors were added.  Added the cut out circles from the gorgeous patterned papers and embellishments gives this page POP!

 I adored this kit and the whole sentiment that goes along with INTENTION!  I sure hope I can keep my intentions and keep up with my word this year!

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Have you ever felt that the news/ media isn't being completely truthful with the public?  I often feel like I'm being manipulated when I watch the national news.  I used to blindly believe all that they dished out but now that I'm older, I don't always take what is being portrayed completely at face value. I've had enough... I try to teach my children to see the newspapers, media, movies and commercials as only one part of the story.  Most of the time it is told in one point of view.  It is rare that you see a news broadcast that tells all sides of the story in a fair and open way.  I am tired of feeling like I have to have the newest thing, be the perfect mom, look a certain way or think what is popular to think. 

 For this layout, I used Bead Gel through the stencil and then sprayed with the gold/ silver Gelato mist that I made for my "Tough Love" layout.  I did add a bit of perfect pearls (pink from a previous SFTIO kit) to the mix to give a pinkish shimmer to it.

 I cut the speech bubble from one of the papers in the kit and backed the cut out letters with scraps from the various papers I used on other layouts. Great way to use up some little pieces.

 I wanted to show my lack of empathy for the news media's one-sided reporting by using a photo of me with my hand out.

Sometimes people can draw empathy from you that is not necessarily honest in their methods of doing so.  I resent that I can be manipulated in that way.  For kids, it's hard to discern what is real and what is fake... I hope my kids can tell when something is not all together true on TV.  What do you think? Are you easily swayed by media or do you question their motives and viewpoints? 

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

I am beyond thrilled to be back on the Scrapbooking From The Inside Out DT again!  It's such a wonderful family of artists and I'm honored to be back! It's like coming home...

So, as my first month back, I am going to share one of my Empathy kit projects with you and tell you a bit more information about my process here.  My layouts this month have a bit more behind the scenes info that needs to be shared.  The stories are personal and meaningful to me.  I love the whole guiding principal behind SFTIO.

 My layout "Tough Love" started with my thoughts on how I deal with tough situations that require problem solving and how I look at others who complain rather than act.

 It all started with this thought... "Do not let the world make you cruel" that was spray painted on the wall in an elevator at Syracuse University's Visual Arts building.  I was taking an encaustic painting class there last spring and everytime I rode the elevator, I saw this phrase.  At first the red made me think it was a negative statement but as I thought about it, I realized that it seemed to call to me.  I can be hard on others when I think they are being less than what I think they should be.  For example, my husband has had a job change and it's very different than what he was doing (and loved to do), but it's a promotion of sorts.  He has complained about changing for almost a year now.  It's become more of a whining and less of anxiety about a new position.  Mostly it's when something is difficult or change is occuring.  I used to be sympathetic and listen but now I'm annoyed, tune him out and snarky.  I get sick of hearing his complaints about a decision he made a year ago!  I feel bad later but sometimes tough love is what people need.  I can't keep encouraging his "what if" mindset.  He needs to move on or find a solution rather than whine about it.  Often in school, I feel this way with students.  They stall, whine, and try to manipulate me into doing the hard stuff for them.  I rarely give in to it.  Often I sympathize with them and try to boast their confidence but often it comes down to tough love.  Give them to the tools and walk away... let the person decide to do it on their own and 9 times out of 10 it is successful!  They get a boast from accomplishing something difficult for themselves rather than being coddled.  I don't do coddling well...

Here's the process for the art part of the page:

 I used texture paste or light modeling paste through the stencils using a palette knife. Kind of like frosting a cake.  Just make sure you life the stencil straight up to avoid smearing the paste.  It dries hard, but flexible and then can be painted over.  Make sure the wash you stencil right away to avoid the medium drying on it!

 Here is what the paste looks like when the stencil is removed.  It's dimensional and white.  I love the texture it adds!

 Then I made a Gelato spray with the gold and silver Design Memory Craft Gelatos.  I have a tutorial on how to do this on the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft blog.  Just click the link and learn how to do it!  It's fun to make your own sprays. I  combined the gold and silver together to get a bit of a muted gold.   Spray on and let drip down by holding the page upright. You can spray with some plain water too to get it to flow more but it will dilute the color a bit.

 Some of my journaling reads:  I am not a warm, fuzzy person.  I can come across as bitchy or standoffish to some.  It's usually a defensive mode.

Tough love works when someone just won't act without a good reason to... you will not get empathy from me if you constantly complain about the same thing without action.

It's not that I don't sympathize with someone's plight, but I just cannot enable status quo behavior.  If something is bothering you or is in need of change to make things better, ACT, don't complain about it!  That's just how I roll!

I love the embellishments and papers in this kit!  They inspire me to make fun, artsy pages and I hope you enjoy them too!  Happy New Year!