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!

Behind the Art with Jen

"What does not kill us, makes us stronger"...  I always thought that statement was one that resonates with times that are challenging.  Not that I believe you have to be on death's door to appreciate your strength, but I think we understand our strength better when we have difficult things to overcome.

 

For this page, I was thinking of times when I've been scared to start, scared to go forward, or just scared to succeed for fear it would change things too much.  It's strange how our minds work.  When I think fear can either hold us back or push us into action.  Professionally, when I am most nervous to start something new or fight for what I believe in, it pushes me to do what makes me scared.  

This page was a happening... Something that started with a mess.  I used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gesso to add some white and drips to the Kraft cardstock. It just kept running and I kept adding more or moving it around.  When it finally dried, it left a big area that I needed to add some color to!

 I pulled out the new Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Texture Luxe in gold to create some painterly brush strokes.  I loved how it stood out from the Gessoed areas.

 Then I sprayed some of the color ink over the whole area.  It was gorgeous!

  Using the stencil from the kit and a white pen, I added some circles around the page. 

 Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle was used through the stencil to create some dimensional circles.  I love the texture this adds to the page!

 This page was all about using fear to create something new or accomplish tasks that I might not feel so confident about, but in the end I feel strong and brave when I do accomplish it!  Each time I do what I think can't be done, I grow stronger!  Fear doesn't have to hold you back, it can empower you to move forward too!

The CURIOSITY Kit is LIVE! (And Limited...)

Springtime with its celebrations of rebirth and renewal is the perfect season to explore what you're curious about - what do you want to know and what fascinates you most?

Join us with the CURIOSITY kit to explore your natural inquisitiveness, searching and the burning questions that keep you up. What keeps you guessing? What would you rather not know? It's all here.

Webster's Composition and Color...Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition...camera and Polaroid-style images, canning jars to capture your dreams...so much goodness! Tim Holtz distress paint, kraft chevron bags, ruler twill trim, woodgrain journaling cards, velvet flowers, canvas brads...and a gajillion great alphas, snippets and tags. It's springtime in a kit with all your favorites!

Click Here to Grab Yours.

  Kit Contents: 

Patterned Paper:

Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition Booksmart          

Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition Dance Floor        

Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition Hello       

Websters Sweet Disposition Sunny Side       

Websters Color and Composition Master Plan          

Websters Color and Composition This Way  

Websters Color and Composition True Story

Websters Color and Composition Chalk Prints         

Websters Color and Composition Weathered           

Websters Color and Composition Snapshots 

Embellishments:

American Crafts Thickers Goodness-Watercolor      

Websters Color and Composition Alpha and Tag Sheet       

Elle's Studio Serendipity Tiny Tags 4 pcs

Jenni Bowlin Rubons  Canning Jar Fun 1/2 sheet

Maya Road Kraft Say Cheese – Black 3-4 pcs

Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition Canvas Brads 3 pcs

Maya Road Wood You’ve been Framed 5 pcs

Cosmo Cricket Sweet Disposition Element Tags 4 pcs

Websters Color and Composition Kraft Bags           

Websters Color and Composition Salmon Arrow Bags        

Websters Color and Composition Kaleidoscope       

Maya Road Flowers Velvet Pleats - Coral and Green 3 pcs

Websters Color and Composition Ruler Trim

Color:

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paint Mustard Seed        

Technique:

American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Stamp Set

Cardstock:

American Crafts Robin's Egg

American Crafts Lagoon       

American Crafts Salmon        

American Crafts Kraft (Smooth)       

American Crafts Honey         

(contents will vary!)

While VERY LIMITED supplies last, new SIX MONTH subscribers starting with the May kit will receive the perfect FREE gift to match this month's theme:

Allison Kreft for Webster's Pages Composition and Color Washi Tape:

Don't let this one get away!