Behind the Art with Jen

 Hi everyone!  I have another of my pages to share.  This one is a journal page about not sweating the small stuff and not fearing mistakes.

 All my life, I have struggled to control things that are not mine to control... Once I let go of that control and try to just go with the flow.  Turning something disappointing into a positive is a skill that I have had to practice.  It's hard to not feel terrible when something goes wrong but dwelling on it is not productive.  I hate wasting time on things I can't control now.  So, this page is about being yourself and letting things roll off your back when you feel like obsessing.

  Dwelling makes you unhappy and I hate being unhappy.  I want to live in today and not worry about tomorrow!

Okay, so how did I make this page?   I used the floral paper as the background.  The leaf mask was used with Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gesso. I did trace the leaf onto scrap paper and used it as a solid stencil.  Once dry, I drew on top of the areas with pen. 

 Watered down paint dripped down the page added some more color.  I also used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle through a dotted stencil for more texture.

What do you do to stay happy and not obsess about wrongs or bad things?   I think what we "feed" ourselves will be what thrives.

Behind the Art with Jen

 Hello friends!  Here's another one of my pages this month with the "Thrive" kit!  This one is a fun, high-contrast layout.  I recently went to the New York State Fair and visited the butterfly exhibit.  It was amazing!  They were everywhere and landed on me immediately.  It was so cool!  I could have stayed in there for the whole day.  In the middle of this crazy crowded fair, these little beauties were thriving and a little piece of calm.

 

This paper with all the words on a black background was screaming for me to use it but it was very bold and so I used a bit of gesso and some of the Distress Paint to tone it down a bit where the journaling and photos were to go.

 

 Lots of words and fun phrase stickers made this just so perfect for all my thoughts about this day. It was magical and oh so amazing!

 You can see the fun little sewn details I added with my machine.  I also love those stars, faces, and epoxy gems.  They add the perfect celebratory touch!

Throughout my visit to the butterfly exhibit I couldn't help but feel bad that they were enclosed in the space for our amusement and delight.  There was one butterfly that had a broken wing and was on the floor.  I thought it was dead but it moved.  I gently picked it up with the q-tip they gave us with nectar on it to attract the butterflies.  I place the butterfly on a plant and hoped it would get better but  I'm sure it had a limited time left.  Those beautiful creatures only stay with us for a short time. It was an honor to be landed on and enjoy their beauty for that short time.  They are meant to be free but it was so awesome to interact with them that day.

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi artsy friends!  I am finally back to share a page from my Thrive kit!  I LOVED working with this theme and the papers from the kit are amazing!  I chose to create this particular page around an accomplishment.  I ran my 3rd 5K but this one was an obstacle race.  It was challenging, scary, and fun!  I didn't think I could do it all but I did!  I have trained for 7 months and keep surprising myself. My running is thriving with friends.  I love to run with a group because it doesn't seem so hard or scary when you are with others. 

 

 The name of the race was "Vino and the Beasts" as it was run in a local vineyard.  We ran along the road, through the vines and even around the outside of the property.  It was so fun!  Some of the obstacles were to climb over high ramps or crawl through mud.  I never thought I'd do that!  At the end we were rewarded with free wine tastings!  That was one of the best parts... the reward!

 For this page, I used some of the distress paints that we have gotten in previous kits to add more color.  The Crafter's Workshop mask was so cute!  I used it in two ways... with paint over it and as a stamp.

 Embellishing with the stickers and tags were perfect.  I added those inspirational quotes and words to bring my experience together.  Lots of laughs and celebrations!

 I already registered and formed my team for next year's race!  I know it won't seem so scary or intimidating then.  I have come a long way!

What have you done that you never thought you could do?  Is there something you have grown from that has changed how you think of yourself in a good way?

Behind the Art with Jen

 This journal page was about dealing with the mess and learning from it!  I teach art to elementary aged kids and sometimes we make a BIG MESS!  Art is messy!  I always tell my kids that if they didn't get messy, they didn't make artwork.  It's a process and sometimes the mess is amazing and sometimes it's a disaster!

 I try to find the best way to store materials so they stay organized and easy to use but my best efforts might not be enough.  Sometimes it's hopeless and I have to just toss it and start over!

 This was one instance when the tangled mess of yard in my yarn box was too much to handle.  I had to assign kids to try to wind up and untangle as much as possible but in the end I had to cut the tangled mess free and toss it!  

 Here's how I made the page.  I pasted down paper scraps using Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gel Medium.  Then, I used the Distress Paint to stamp circles on the orange paper.

 Next, I used the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Bead Gel mixed with Gold Gelatos on a craft mat.  I applied the mixture to the stencil for a dimensional embellishment.

 When it dries, it's slightly transparent where it's thinner.  I love the look of the Glitter Bead Gel!

 Some drips of watered down Distress Paint to the page adds some texture and color.

 This page was full of artsy goodness and lots of fun papers, embellishments, mediums, and journaling!

Behind the Art with Felecia

My final share for our month of Perspective is for my Lens of Faith layout.

This is a deeply personal project – on the subject I value as much as my own life – my faith. I believe completely it comes before all other things. I hope that it is evident to others that this faith is the lens through which I want to see all things.

There is a song by Brandon Heath that says:

Give me Your eyes for just one second

Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing 
Give me Your love for humanity 
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted 
The ones that are far beyond my reach 
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten 
Give me Your eyes so I can see

My faith has quite literally changed my life. I’ve struggled with so many feelings of inadequacy…or interestingly enough, being far too much. And as I’ve dug into God, He’s taught me to see things much differently. While I realize that my kind of Faith is not perhaps for everyone, I just couldn't side step this perspective in my own life - how much it affects my life. 

Sometimes, when we get very involved in what others think of us, the fear that we are just not “right” is crippling…and my faith has carried me through that. 

The camera stencil is an amazing symbol to use for the "lens" idea...plus I wanted to use the subtle contrast of the Distress paint against kraft paper. Faith is like that - its a step away from where you are, a different angel, a new understanding of the same situations, the same people, the same obstacles, the same challenges that life presents. The thing is that its one step today and then one step a month from now, and then maybe one step another year after that. You sort of don't realize how far you have come until you look back at the snap shots and see...

I choose to believe that Love wins...I call this my "rose colored" lens...to view life through the lens of love, to assume (and expect) the best possible outcome, to point my feet in a direction and go, dealing kindly with all I meet along the way - THIS is what a Lens of Faith has done for me. 

In all honesty, I hope my life shows this...that people don't have to see a layout to know these things about me. BUT, its revealing to write it down, to expose it for myself and to understand fully how much this is part of who I am.

Do you have a lens through which you either aspire to or actually see the events around you? Has there been something in your life that caused you to step to one side or another of where you were and look again at the world around you?

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi artsy friends!  Jen here to share a favorite page of mine from this kit!  When I found out the focus of this kit was the word "Perspective", I immediately thought of looking up.  I had taken this photo of me in front of Dale Chihuly's permanent art exhibit at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.  There is a ceiling of glass Macchia forms that is breathtaking!  As an art teacher and artist who admires and loves Chihuly's work, I was in awe!

 

So the photos were the inspiration for this page and I knew that I wanted color but didn't want to compete with the colors of the photos.  I picked some of the papers that had bright fun colors and used them in small doses.  The watercolor circle paper from Crate Paper was perfect!  I only used small strips of it so as to not compete.  Then I used the vellum paper  as a background.  

 But I started by using the stencil in a unique way. I loved the shapes in the camera stencil but didn't want to use the whole stencil. I just used a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft PITT Artist pen to trace some of the shapes in a random way around the paper. I kept it sketchy and created a modern looking pattern.  The vellum pieces really soften the lines but still allow them to show through.

 I love that vellum balloon embellishment!  So awesome!  Perfect for this page!  I loved the cork look of these Thickers too! 

 Could it be that the glass ceiling is representative of looking up at an symbolic glass ceiling?   Hmmm...  But the dots of Distress paint are another fun pop of color.

 Enjoy the little things for sure!  I loved this little tag and used it here.  I also added the paper to the metal embellishment.  So fun!

 This page was just super fun to make!  I was inspired by the photos but all the elements from this kit made it fun to create!

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Hi artsy friends!  Jen Matott here to share one of my layouts from this month's kit, "Perspective".  I knew I wanted one of my pages to be about my new found love of running.  My perspective about exercise in general has changed.  My need to run and be active has become a priority in my life.

 

 I knew I wanted to use the cloud paper because it reminds me of the many days that I've run outside in beautiful weather (I've also run in not so great weather too!).  But I wanted to also add a lot of color too.  I am wearing more brightly colored clothing and sneakers lately because of running. 

 

 This is a photo of myself with two other art teachers who love running too!  We ran the Corporate Challenge recently on an extremely HOT and muggy day in June.  It was my first official race and it was a difficult one! Almost 4 miles of really crowded and hot pavement. There were over 8,000 runners and walkers!  I had always admired people who ran this race and thought I could NEVER in a million years run in it!  I was wrong!  After 3 months of training, I ran most of this race.  I did have to walk about 1/4 of a mile towards the end because my hip started really hurting me.  I developed hip bursitis because of the weaving in and out and long running on the hard pavement.  However,  I ran over that finish line into the fire truck spray that was cooling the runners at the end and I was so proud of myself!  It was a huge accomplishment for me in my journey to a healthier lifestyle.

 I love these words from the papers in the kit and cut out these two words, "adventure" "life", because this journey of finding a fitness type that I love has been amazing!  I never thought I could run.  NEVER! Actually, my motto in the past was "I will only run if my kid's lives are in danger".  I meant it too!  I really didn't think I could run. 

So, how did my perspective change so drastically?  I'm going to turn 40 this year.  I am starting to look ahead to what I want to do for the next decade of my life and realized that I felt really unhealthy.  I was overweight, not eating healthy, sluggish, and irritated all the time.  It was really frustrating because I would start an exercise routine only to quit after a few months.  I would get discouraged because not much would change in my body.  I didn't feel fulfilled or inspired.  One day at a Weight Watcher meeting I attend, a woman came to speak about a training program locally. She was from Fleet Feet and they are part of a No Boundaries running program.  It's a couch to 5K format and gently trains you to run safely and in a healthy way.  I was so inspired! Something in my mind clicked.  I signed right up!  I was so nervous coming to that first "run" session at our local park. It was a cold, windy, nasty day in March.  I could have not come but it was the first day.  I couldn't miss the first day.  What would that say about me? I bundled up in long yoga pants, long sleeved shirt, fleece jacket, fleece headband to cover my ears, gloves and had bought my first pair of real running sneakers.  I HATE sneakers!  These were even hot pink which I hated at first but have come to love!  When I got there, we had the most amazing coaches. They grouped us up by experience level and I was placed in the beginner group (group 4).  We started out learning how to stretch (quickly as it was so cold there!) and off we went to walk for 5 mins.  Then we ran for 1 min. and walked again for 2 mins. We repeated this 6 times. By the end, I felt awesome!  Frozen, but awesome! The whole group of about 20 people was in it together! One minute did not feel long enough and I felt like I could do this!  They were so inspiring and cheered us on the whole way.  The next week was equally chilly but not as windy.  I went every run session except 1 over the entire 10 week training.  I am up to running 3 miles straight and only walk when I need to, which isn't much.
I've run two 5k's and am signed up to run two more this summer!  It is now a challenging fitness goal and I love the way I'm feeling.  I'm sore, achy, and have had some set backs with hip and achilles issues but I am learning a lot about my body and how it responds.  I'm seeing changes that make me feel really good about myself!  Clothes are fitting better, my confidence is high, and I am stronger!  My family cheers me on and is so proud of me!  I am so proud of myself!

My first race was so hard but when I finished, I felt empowered and strong!  My run time is slow but now my motto is "It doesn't matter how slowly you go, but rather that you keep going!".  I will keep going and keep training.  I am even getting better times each time I run.  I am taking care of myself in my eating, drinking more water, going to the chiropractor for my aches and pains, making time for ME and training safely.  This is a life long journey for me.  I know there will be obstacles (literally and figuratively) but I want to keep going around or over them!  I will reach my goals with this new perspective.

What have you done that you never thought you could do?  I'd love to hear about how your perspective changed!

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

It's a hot and steamy night here in Central New York. I just ran my first 3.5 mile race and it was awesome! I'm a hurting unit right now but nothing a little rest won't fix!  But I came home and wanted to write this blog post detailing one of my favorite pages from this kit!

 

I had a blast using the little stencil from Crafter's Workshop with some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Textural Accents Whipped Spackle!  I just laid the stencil down and used a palette knife to smooth some over and around the stencil. When I pulled it off, it left a raised texture!  It's always magic to me!  I had so much fun with that! Here's a detail so you can see the dimension.

 I watered down the distress paint a bit and brushed it over the modeling paste and also splattered paint around. I loved the look of this!

 This page is about exploring your surroundings. While in Italy a few summers ago, my husband and I walked along and came to an unexpected sight.  This tree lined path was not only gorgeous but it symbolized to me that unexpected discoveries can make you stop and reflect.  I walked down this path and felt hugged by those trees.  It was beautiful with the sunlight twinkling through.  I felt like it was a chance to follow it until the end and see where it leads.  A metaphor for life in the sense that you stubble into situations or pathways and you have a choice to follow it along to see where it goes or bypass and miss out on the opportunities.

 What discoveries or directions have taken you to wonderful things?