Behind the Art with Felecia

Hello there!

This is my FINAL project from the Soft and Strong Kit from Inside Out. 

I don't know if I can gush enough about how much I enjoyed the exploration of this kit!  Its been a great kit for thinking and digging and discerning and documenting. 

My final layout is about how I wonder sometimes if I'm strong enough to mommy two boys. 

My grandmother had five boys...I seriously don't know how she did it!  They lived on a farm, tho and back when kids could run around on a farm for days at a time and not find trouble, so perhaps she just locked them outside.

All I know is that momming boys is both amazing and challenging for this girl.

I'm no girly girl, per se. I mean, I like shoes and dresses and makeup alright, but I'm a pretty middle of the road girl. I'm not a fan of camping, but I'm not checking my lipstick every 10 minutes either. 

I AM a person who likes things neat and organized and put away...and calm. Calm is good.

So these two rambunctious, energetic, imaginative, smart, creative boys can make things very interesting. Keeping up is essential...and sometimes just a bit of a test. 

I used a little acrylic paint in a random swirly pattern as a background. Then I splattered on a little gold mist. The My Minds Eye papers are SO gorgeous...they are a bit glamorous and fancy. this is how I feel...maybe a bit to glamorous for this challenge!

Really enjoy the little bits and baubles in this beautiful kit...my favorite are the bubbles from Queen and Co. I literally used them all on my projects this month.

I wasn't entirely certain that the letters would be large enough to suit my taste...I like rather big titles on my projects. but these are just so gorgeous and they draw the eye RIGHT to the title with their gold finish. 

While working through the journaling on this, I came to the conclusion that I'm strong enough for my family...that I grow and learn and change to be able to handle things as they come. 

To think that I wanted girls!  I'm so glad I have my messy, lovely little guys to teach me how to get a little dirty and appreciate an occasional spider. Go me!

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi there art friends!  I'm going to share my final page this month!  I love my boys and this photo of them together as young brothers, is my favorite!  They are the best thing that has happened to me! 

 When I saw this word bubble that says "TWO is always better than ONE", I knew I wanted it to go with a photo of my two boys. I wasn't sure how I would use the tag but I knew it would be used for journaling.

 The kit had these numbers and plus sign in it.  I love how that works with this page!  I cut the triangles out from the patterned paper.

 The journaling on this page is about how the kids can make me feel soft (my love for them and their sweet hugs and kisses)  but also strong in how fiercely protective I am for them.  I have to be strong when it's hard to be a mom. Having two boys is a lot more challenging that when I had just one.  It's double the frustration and time.  BUT I would never trade it for anything!  They keep me on my toes and challenge me to be soft and strong at the same time.

 Who, in your life, makes you soft and strong? 

Behind the Art with Felecia

Hello, scrappy crafty friends!!!

I'm sharing another project from the gorgeous Soft and Strong Kit...this one MIGHT be my favorite!  

Have you ever taken a good look at you hands?  Ever thought about all that your hands do for you? All that they provide?

While crafting a different project for this kit, my hands were covered with artistic evidence. As I washed them, I thought "these are soft and strong!" 

I think a lot about my grandmother Dorothy's hands...she was a farm girl, and her hands were always in the dirt of the garden or the flour for a cake, cutting strawberries for jam or hanging laundry. She had hands with character, hands that worked and hands that loved her family by their provision.

I wonder some times what my hands tell other's about me. 

My own are rarely manicured nor adorned. I lotion frequently to keep them from getting rough and there are almost always traces that I've been in my studio playing with something. they do a lot of typing and clicking on a mouse.

I thought about how my hands had played bass guitar and held babies, soothed and supported, put on makeup and wash dishes. 

They are tools of my life.

A search through photos revealed that my hands are rarely showing, so I had to get my husband take a  picture of them. He just might think I'm crazy.

Its just that I so vividly remember my grandmothers hands...I want them to be somewhere in my books. They have been so important...

I again played a bit with soft color and hard angles...but this time, hand wrote the title with the lovely Faber Castell Gelato.  If you're doing a layout about your hands, you should include your own hand writing - something I rarely put into my own books. 

After a few trips over the letters, I used a water brush to blur up the lines. 

Its pure serendipity that the "your are my favorite" words from the My Minds Eye paper land at the top of the photo frame. Happy accidents are good art. 

It occurs to me that my projects this month are all about my body...something, perhaps, I do not give enough thought in other projects. I'm glad to have had the chance to pay such close attention!

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

Do you ever doubt yourself and your abilities?  Sometimes I do.  I know before I do something that seems impossible, I go through this weird inner debate.  I argue with myself over whether I can do it or not.  For this page, I didn't do much journaling.  I think the photo tells most of the story. 

 I ran my first obstacle 5K- Vino and the Beasts and this photo was right after the mud obstacle.  I didn't think I could do all of the obstacles but I did!  I didn't quit and I did it!  It was hard but really fun!  I felt like the strongest woman ever after this accomplishment! 

 Staying strong isn't always easy.  It's hard to adjust your mental attitude about things that you think you can't do.  I try not to tell myself that I can't do something... most likely I can do it!  I now tell myself to just try it... if I really can't do it, I work at it until I can!

 Lots of symbolism in this page with arrows and repetitive shapes/ patterns to represent trying again and again or moving from one difficult challenge to the next.

 I can change the mindset of myself and others by being positive and convincing myself to just try and not give up!  I can do anything I put my mind to... I truly believe that now!

 What do you tell yourself when you feel like quitting or when things are scary at first?

Behind the Art with Melissa

The page I'm sharing today showcases how you can create a visual journaling page without photos. We use the product from the scrapbooking industry but, you don't have to document, with a photo, like you would for a page recording an event.

I was inspired by the Bible verse that relates to the power of God. When it comes to my faith, I appreciate the opportunity to record my thoughts and feeling while combining with a piece of scripture.

When I don't feel strong enough, when I feel weak and worn out, I rely on my faith in God.

This page has a lot of activity going on with the different patterns. For someone who really likes clean and simple, it was hard for me to fully accept this page. ha! But, that gold polka dot was so much fun and it's such a classic design. And, I suppose, when we feel pulled in many directions and are too busy, we begin to get worn out. So... without even realizing it, I got some symbolism thrown in there. :)

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope that you try creating a page just for the sake of journaling and not documenting a photo. :) 

Behind the Art with Felecia

Happy Thursday, everyone! I'm super excited to share my second Soft and Strong project with you today. 

I've been obsessively watching the Dove Choose Beautiful commercial. I've been wondering which door I would really choose in the moment...Would I really choose "beautiful"? or would I choose "average"?

There is no doubt that I'm a woman who is curvy. I've never had the ballet dancer body - though I've certainly tried. 

Coming to grips with the body I have versus the body the magazines say I should have has been a journey to be sure.

Certainly, my body is "soft" aka not straight.

But my exploration about this soft body really revealed that at my core I'm strong...I'm strong physically, emotionally, mentally. I understand discipline, organization, fortitude, and honor.

I loved playing with layers for this project...layering rounded corners and scalloped edges and jewels. The design is an unfolding, like the journaling.  

The scalloped gold pieces are punched from the Pebbles kraft pockets. I didn't really want to hide my journaling, but I LOVE the glitter on those tags...so I cut the glittery part off, punched it with my scallop punch and made some little edges. 

I also made use of one of the journal cards by cutting the edges off to use a borders and cutting the "tag" shape out to use as a background for my title. 

One thing I love about the Pebbles paper is the intact, unadulterated edge they put on one side. I included it as an edge down the left side of the paper, rather than cutting it off to use elsewhere. The message on it is wonderful!

While it is certainly true that my body is more Leave It To Beaver than How I Met Your Mother, more traditional than modern, I am perfectly ok with that. I have grown to love how I'm made - inside and out. 

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi friends!  I am here to share another of my pages from the April Inside Out "Soft & Strong" kit. This was the first page I created with the kit.  I just knew what I wanted to say and the papers I wanted to dig into!  That paper with the text was just itching to be used!  It is hard to accept yourself rather than compare your faults with other's "perfection".  We all do it.  We all look at others and feel inadequate about something or another.  But the thing is... only you can change that. Being happy with yourself and not comparing yourself to others is hard.  It's a constant struggle but I think I'm in a place where I like who I am and don't have to look at younger women and feel bad that my body isn't as young and perky as theirs. I have had children, I have experiences that young women might not have. My body has been through so much.  I have achieved goals and worked hard for my confidence. 

The Crafter's Workshop mask was perfect to add some details that keep me creating "sketched" looking images.   I used a black pen and white pen to create a hand drawn look to the page.  It looks as if I just freely drew them but I love that I can use the mask as a starting point and make it my own!  I also circled some of the sequins to create a little more of the sketchy look.  

 I used a die cutter to create the title out of the pink cardstock.  Some cute banners also add to the embellishments and create a push-pull effect.

 Even though it's hard to not compare yourself, you are worth so much and have done so many amazing things!  Remind yourself that you are strong and an original!  Listing all of your accomplishments and creating goals for yourself help to center our thinking. 

 You are strong and beautiful!  Your softness is your own... mine is due to changes in my body and my love for my family.  I am happy with myself and keep pushing myself forward with goals and challenges.  What helps you to feel centered and bring you around to realizing what a unique person you are rather than wanting to be like everyone else?

Behind the Art with Melissa

Living in a developing country really does broaden one's world view. Back when I lived in Guatemala, I had the amazing experience of volunteering at an orphanage. I thought maybe I would bless the kiddos and staff by providing my knowledge and ability to care for children.

Boy, was I in for a surprise. Instead of me changing or influencing them, I was the one who was inspired and amazed. These kiddos that have grown up with so much less than me, monetarily, have so much more than I did, resilience and spirit. I was moved by that. No parents - for whatever reason. No TV. No electronics. Soccer balls were cherished. Handmade bracelets were loved until worn out. Hugs were tight and genuine.

When it comes to our kits theme of Soft & Strong, I knew I wanted to record my thoughts from this time at the orphanage. 

I wanted to use lots of contrasting elements to exude the two words Soft and Strong. Black and gray and blues and reds. I divided the page to create a "balance" of sorts. This gives the feeling that Soft and Strong are equal. You need both. And I learned that it's possible to be both.

I threw in some of the sparkly gold to represent how invaluable this whole experience was and how it affected me. This will forever be embedded into my soul and I hope to continue remembering those children when I live out my daily life. 

Behind the Art with Felecia

Hello, amazing artists!!! I'm here to share my first project from the Inside Out's Soft and Strong Kit

The juxtaposition of Soft and Strong brought all sorts of things to my mind...but first and foremost, I thought about my mouth. I thought about how my mouth can deliver kisses or yelling, how I can be gentle or harsh, how powerful my words can be in delivering kindness or hardness. 

I think I need constant reminding to speak softly.

Perhaps its a condition of living in this world today where softness isn't always considered a virtue for a woman.

Perhaps its the life I've lead, the protection I feel I need to provide myself.

Perhaps its fear...

But whatever the reason, I need to remember to begin with kind words and a soft voice, to be gentle and soft. 

The Guava Gelato from Faber Castell is such a gorgeous soft color...I wanted to mix up softness with straight lines and hard angles. 

So, I just freely colored my pattern on the white cardstock and then went over it with a wet brush. The Pebbles Living Petals paper is a great contrast Pebbles Lets Visit provide both a border and a layer under the photo.

And...of course...who could resist a bit of shine and glitz...the gold sequins are SO my favorite thing ever!!!  And to finish it off, the glitter letters from LAST month's kit...If you didn't get it, you really should!

I really love the one color, plus black and white, and some metallic as a scheme for this idea of speaking softly. It reminds me that no matter how hard things might be, I can still be strong enough to be gentle.

Peace, ya'll!

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!