Watercolor Friend Card

The Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ has a challenge going on called You Gotta Have Friends, and they are showcasing Art Impressions stamps this week.  I made this card for the challenge over on their blog.  Stamps are from the Art Impressions clear watercolor series.

I am also entering it in the Watercolor challenge at the Less is More clean and simple blog http://www.simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2014/06/week-177-theme.html  .  I rarely keep things clean and simple on my cards, but I used as much restraint as I could muster for this one.

Stop by these blogs when you get a chance and check out the other creations...maybe even enter a card yourself!

Blessings, 

lynda

Distress Markers and Zentangle

Our card ministry group met yesterday.  I wanted to travel lightly and not have to pack half of my craft room, so I brought my Micron pens and journal to work on some Zendoodles.  

For this page I started with a template a friend had made from a Spellbinders die and I traced the butterflies, overlapping  the bottom two.  During the crop, I tangled the insides of the butterflies with patterns.  I added the Einstein quote this morning.  I am not thrilled wih my writing, but am working on lettering techniques, so thought I would just dive right in.  This is the first page of my new journal.  I haven't decided if it's going to be a zentangle journal or a lettering journal.  Maybe it will be both!

I decided to add some color, so pulled out my Tim Holtz distress markers and a water brush.  Since the Micron pen is permanent ink, I just started adding color with my markers and used my water brush to blend.  Here is the finished version:

Have you tried Zentangles?  This is an easy way to get started.  Just trace a template shape, or stamp an open image, and tangle (doodling with patterns) inside the image area.  For more information and ideas about Zentangle, go to www.zentangle.com.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

lynda

Let Go And Let God

If you have ever been on a spiritual retreat, you know how refreshing and invigorating the experience can be.  Finding time away for a few days, or even a day or two, is difficult for most of us.  While getting away from the distractions of every day life is the ideal way to experience a retreat, fortunately, there are alternatives for when our time and resources are limited.

I learned of an online retreat from a blog that I follow, Thoughts On Grace .  On her blog, Colleen Spiro offers the experience of online retreats.  Colleen is a published author and deacon's wife.  On her website, Catholic Prayer Life , you can find information about her books, newsletters (I subscribe to a weekly publication called Prayerful Morsels where Colleen shares from her heart), and three retreats she is currently offering.  The retreats are free, and what I love about them is they can be "attended" at your convenience.  If you have a few minutes where you can sneak away to a quiet, peaceful place, you can do an online retreat.  

The retreat I chose was her latest, entitled Let Go And Let God.  I knew I had chosen exactly the experience I needed when what I was reading described me.  Yes, I have trouble letting go of my 
worries, pain, and concerns.  Yes, I often try to hand them over to  

God, only to take them back because I have control issues.  Yes, I acknowledge that I have difficulty waiting on God and trusting.  

This experience helped me identify specific areas in my life that are taking the place of Jesus in my heart.  It showed me attitudes and attachments that have been detrimental to my spiritual and emotional growth.  And it gave me hope that, not on my own, but through Jesus I can do anything.

I am a journaler, and chose to write about my thoughts on this retreat.  Personal preference...I love to write.  You may choose to just read each day's selection and then spend some quiet time 
reflecting.  We must do what works for us.  This is the beauty of this type of retreat.  You can do it your way.  This particular one was three days.  You can do them three days in a row. Or whenever you have some time to devote to them.  You can spend a few stolen 
minutes, or a couple of hours, whatever fits your mood or 
limitations.


I am also an artist and often use my art as a vehicle to express my feelings.  After these three days, I was drawing in my Zentangle journal.   Zentangle is a form of doodling, for lack of a better word.  More about that in another post.  What developed from that is this ZIA (Zentangle inspired art) piece at the beginning of this article, which I will add to my prayer journal.  As I drew my tangles (all those strokes that form a Zentangle), and prayed, I wrote those things which I have a difficult time letting go of and made them part of my artwork.

I hope you will take a moment to check out Colleen's blog, website, and retreats.  The links are above, highlighted.  Let me know what you think.  If you decide to try one of the retreats, let me know about your experience.

Blessings,
lynda

Distress ink background card

A quick post after a very busy day.  I can post this card now that my BFF received it.  I love making these "spot backgrounds" with my distress inks.  I used mowed grass and peeled paint and scattered straw.  I made a mask out of paper the size of the card with a rectangle cut out of it and sponged the inks through the opening.  After removing the template, I stamped with a splatter stamp and with the leaves.  Very quick and easy card to make...

I am entering this card in the Less Is More challenge here http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com

Hope you're having a great day.

Blessings,

lynda

Embossing Folder Stamping

There is a tutorial on SplitCoastStampers on embossing folder stamping.  I'm always looking for multiple ways to use my stamping supplies.  Using out embossing plates as stamps sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd try it.  I made a few of the backgrounds wih the geometric shaped folders, and those were very artsy...love the look.  Here is he tutorial if you would like to try it

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/embossingfolderstamping/

For my card today, I decided to try one of my beautiful Anna Griffin floral background folders.  I used Tim Holtz distress inks in spun sugar, picked raspberry, shabby shutters, and peeled paint.  Here's my card....

I sponged around the panel before mounting it to my card to soften the look.

The flower was made with watercolor paper and a flower die with distress ink.  I will post directions for the flower on a future post.

I am entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge 

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-4/

I have been doing lots of zentangles these past couple of weeks.  Seems I've had a lot of stress and they really help me channel the tension and stress in a creative and very relaxing way.  I decided to take a break from the zentangles tonight and make a couple of cards.  I will post the other one when the person I am sending it to receives it.

Blessings,

lynda