Affirmations and Prayer Flags

   Happy Friday! It's over a week I'm home from the beach but I'm still trying to get back into the flow of things here. Of course the lovely summer weather we're having has me outside a lot and squeezing every last bit of summer I can. I swear I can smell the ocean too :)

   I did manage to finish and send off my prayer flags for a swap I joined hosted by my ever talented friend Lenna Andrews. Lenna has been hosting swaps for many years and she truly has it mastered. You can check out her previous and current swaps here. If you've ever thought about signing up for a swap this is the place to go!

   My prayer flags:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   The swap was 3/3 and Lenna asked that we use  an affirmation word or quote. I chose to make 5 similar flags, one for myself and one as a hostess gift for Lenna (what a great idea Frieda Oxenham-thanks!). I had recently purchased these gorgeous batik fabrics especially for making prayer flags as I was completely drawn to the wonderful bright summery colors. I  bought the lace for next to nothing at a country store not far from home. The quote piece and the info on the backs are both t-shirt transfers ironed onto muslin. I used a background I had painted for a journaling project (more on that soon) and typed the quote over it. Thankfully I remembered to make it a mirror image so the printed words would appear correctly. Everything was cut and sewn loosely (my fave way to work so you don't really know if I went crooked or slipped a stitch etc. - I guess I'll never be a quilter) The flags were finished with a silk flower, heart shaped button and little grungeboard swirls I painted white, sewed them on with a few tiny stitches then glittered them.

 

 

  I also made time to create a journal page about an aspect of my time at the beach. Lynne has a beautiful table filled with a variety of affirmation cards and fun little musical instruments, etc. Each of the twelve days we were there I chose a card from about 5 sets and recorded them in a notebook. Once I was home I read over them all and picked out the most prominent words that appeared and went to work on my page.

 

 

 

   The word and affirmation of creativity was THE word that most often appeared. It was followed by the other words and sentences I represented here. The page began with a patterned paper which I sprayed with some Dylusions Pure Sunshine spray ink then did some mark making with gesso. I added some bits of lace mulberry paper (hard to see in this pic). The circles were made by taking the tops off spray inks and using the pipette like an ink pen. I finished it off with a feather I had picked up at the beach.

 



 

   I'm linking this up to Art Journal EveryDay with Julie Fei Fan Balzer. Click on the link to read more about it and visit the talented artists participating. There is a wealth of  inspiration and techniques everyone generously shares on their blogs!

 

   Thanks so much for visiting, and be sure to stop by again soon as I'm preparing  for a  double giveaway within the next few days!

 

           "The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude."  Friedrich Nietzsche