Indulge

 How could it possibly be the end of another week already? I can't believe how fast the days seem to go during the summer...but I still found some time to share some new things :)

  I got a bit behind with my weekly online class during my time away, so although our instructor gives us a new word to focus on the beg. of each month along with a tag project I just completed mine this week.

  On the left side a napkin was glued to the page and I added my thoughts on indulging. It says "I will indulge by continuing to grow and learn thru books, classes and new experiences that speak to my soul."  On the right side I used Distress inks over the page and added a border of dots with a hot pink Sharpie paint pen. I created the tag by stamping the word and painting a floral frame with Twinkling H2Os and drawing on the stitches with a Pitt pen. I have been obsessed with painting these flowers since discovering a wonderful tutorial for this technique. You can find the details and links in this post. 

  The Summer of Color challenge that was hosted by Kristin earlier this summer for 6 wks. had me so inspired I decided to challenge myself with a few of the color combos that didn't get voted in. I chose a combination that proved to be a challenge but once it started to come together I was glad I did it! The color combo I chose was hot pink and navy.

  This is how the journal spread started:

 On one of the pages I randomly glued down patterned paper scraps then whitewashed it with gesso.

 Then my dilemma began. I had outlined the pg with a hot pink Sharpie paint pen and blue paint pen border. I had the words and a magazine pic on my desk and wanted to use it. These are some of the words I cut out. I was playing with placement (more on the owl below) but that background did nothing-ugh!!! So, I painted over the background with black gesso and began again.

  Here is how I completed this page:

  The owl shape was cut out from a gelli plate print and the edges were sponged with some Jet Black Staz-On ink. Punched circles from another gelli print for the eyes and embellished with a marker, google eyes and the hot pink paint pen. The beak is a scrap of felt. Next the words were glued in place and outlined with that pink marker. I embellished the page with Nail Jewels pink stars (Dollar Store). I also used a liner brush dipped in white paint to create stars.

  Here's the completed spread:

 The left page was painted with black gesso before gluing on the Reader's Digest page and words. I added more painted stars and -voila! Are any of you continuing to challenge yourselves since the SOC project? I'd love to know!

  I had some nice and exciting surprises regarding my art (small goals I made for myself for this year) recently. I can share one of them now. This came in the mail this week:

  Again-no clue as to what project of mine could have been added to this edition but yippee!! One of those small goals I had written down was to have something published in a magazine I'd never been published in before.Check :)

  Here's what was published:

 This is one of 3 similar pieces I had sent for the "aqua" theme Somerset Studio had going for one of their issues awhile back. I always get the Holidays and Celebrations issue whenever it comes out and have considered submitting specifically for it but just never did. There are always such wonderful projects through out these editions-and speaking of-don't you just LOVE that fabric birdie hanging on the cover??? I'm going to have to make some! This issue is not in the stores yet but should be arriving in the next few weeks. If any of you that visit here are in it please let me know. I haven't taken the time to look through it yet.

 Linking up to my favorite places! Looking forward to see what everyone's been up to this week.

 " I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."   Pablo Picasso