Art Journal Journey

Howdy Candy's!  Have you seen it yet?  Dina Wakely's brand new book..."Art Journal Courage", it has become one of my go-to's for learning more on how to have courage on my own heARTistry journal journey.  If you haven't, I highly recommend checking it out. 

Confession...Bare with me as I finally embrace owning my space hither.  Whilst I've had this lovely blog for many years, I'm not very consistent in posting or sharing over the last couple for many reasons, which for me & the 'real world', that's alright.  However, for those of you who have dedicated to following me, I feel it's time to write this out.

I Love creating heARTistry!  I've spent years making all sorts of crafty goodness, from handmade cards, gifts, and home decor to painting and now working with mixed media using all sorts of mediums.  It's no surprise that as an Artists, I've found that I tend to go through phases.  I've found myself in the past trying to find a way to identify my own personal style.  That very 'thing' that when someone sees it, they see me!  However, in all honesty...I'm going to admit that the search within, for that very 'thing' that defines me is over.  

I'm so over the endless search of finding my personal style & while that may seem contrary to posts past...it's so very true!  I realize that I have no specific style, I create to create because I enjoy doing it.  Art soothes my soul, gives me a place to go that is my personal safe haven.   Why in the world would I want to try to define that!?!  If I see it, I teach myself or learn to just do it!  I also use to be so afraid of posting to my bloggy blog because I was worried about what others see, how I would be perceived, giving plugs to everyone else but denying my own credibility.  I don't think that it's beneficial to anyone including myself that I'm not sharing what I create or writing anymore.  

Currently I have several different heARTistry journey journals in progress.  The first two pieces of heART mixed media pages, are from Dina Wakely's new book.  The rest are just me playing around with Dyan Reeveley's new Christmas sets.  I just want to share at this point what's on my creative mind.  I'm still in progress on my 'Portrait' page, however, it's a lot of FUN learning techniques and certainly how to mix paint to create a flesh tone with (which I'm still processing) Dina's vibrant paints.  One thing I've learned is that Gesso is not the same for each medium & it is like underwear for acrylic paint.  

Enjoy!
HUGS
xoxo

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Finding My Inner Child...

Dance Dance Dance…Hello Candies around the World! So, the latest…I started taking this incredible Art Course called Radiant Faces which is a Mixed Media collaborative with some remarkable Instructors and Hosted/Organized by Ms. Effy Wild. Can I just say, I’m over the moon Sally! We have a total of 18 lessons and guess what!?! I’m going to share my bases here. Yipeee…How’s that for Eye Candy. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that anyone who does mixed media, paints, or just wants to learn something new, this is the class for YOU! Stay Tuned to the end of the post for more information on joining us on this journey.

On to Finding My “Inner Child”. I absolutely am in LOVE with discovering my own Style and the entire process of it all. In this owldorable interpretation of my “Best Self Whimsical Inner Child” I truly reflected on the days of yester-year to capture some pretty deep and meaningful elements that are apart of her.

Growing Up we had a Garden, I always loved flowers.
We had a Siamese kitty named Kiesha, I'm a Leo and grew up with Kitty's (hat).
I always wished I was a fairy cause they were sooo darned cute, Tink was always my FAV! (wings).
We didn't have much $ & I always wanted clothes like other girls but Mumma sewed (patches & stitches).
Since we moved a lot I always admired what was outside the windows I looked through (book title).
I grew up with books tons of books (lotsa books & shelves) In fact each of our children have their very own. To this very day I still believe that we can learn & be anything we want to, when we cuddle up with a good book.
The words on the books represent things that I wanted more of as a child or found comfort in Cookies, Friends, Safe, Beautiful.The End!

So there is no particular order of my sharing and true to honoring the heARTists and the dedicated hard work poured into this amazing journey, I will NOT be sharing or disclosing any class content or photos. Feel free to bloggy hop via the ‘Radiant Faces’ photo below to see what the Instructors wrote and shared. You will also find all the information about this Art Course just by clicking on the pic.

Stay Tuned to our Journey for more…Your Biggest Fan! xoxo

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Candy Comeback…

Wowza…if someone had told me that March of 2013 I’d fallen off of the earth, I wouldn’t of believed them one itty bit.  I needed time…and lot’s of it apparently.  Time to gather my thoughts, Time to re-ignite my inner-inspiration, Time to realize that I’m only but one person and can only do a handful of things at one time and that the MOST important of them all is being there for me and my Family.  I can’t say with full honesty that the ol’ adage “Time heals all wounds” has given me that but what I can say is that it only took one special person to see that my wings were broken.  That I was softly & quietly suffering in utter silence.  That I couldn’t gather the courage to make a Comeback!  This precious Angel came along, picked-up my broken wing & helped me mend it back into place.  Actually there are many special persons, Sisters I’d like to call  them.  Brave Brave Brave & Courageous Sisters that just seen within me what I couldn’t see within myself.  For them I am deeply grateful and ever so thankful for their love & dedication in walking me through a journey I’m still on but foremost for BELIEVING in lil’ ol’ me.

I can’t even begin to describe the pain I’ve endured or the soul dampened grief I’ve experienced over this last year.  The battle is not over for the struggles of our Family that’s facing them and I’m not the only one as I remember that always.  However, I’m stronger then I think and I know I have the capacity to do what I’m meant to be here to do for YOU!  “ENCOURAGE”  This is my word for 2014!  It’s always what’s been in my heART of heART’s to do on a daily basis and sometimes when you go through so much pain that your about to falter into an oblivion you realize that You have a choice.  My choice is simple…I’m ready!  Ready to make a Come Back and be who Heavenly Father put me here to be.  Let me share my definition of “Encourage”: (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)

Encourage Defined:

“Encourage Tangle”:

These three very prominent moments and demonstrations of ‘Encourage’ment completely contributed to the Candy Comeback…

The Beautiful Souls of Melody Ross and Kathy Wilkins on “The Walk”: (Click On “The Walk” Photo & watch the Video!)

 

YaYa Scrapbooking Post Dedication & Gift: (Click Angel Wing for Dedicated Post & the 11x14 Print to Order!)

 

Mixed Media Monday’s with Tracy Weinzapfel Studios & our MMM FB Group! (Click the LOVE for Tracy Blog Post and Video)

What these Phenomenally “Encourage” moments gave to me was the ability to share & embrace my no scrapping anything Policy & a Brand New Print (available soon in my Etsy Shop) to share with Owl of YOU!:

These three Beautiful moments and Four Courageously Brave Soul Sisters and the many Women who come along with each of these impactful moments have changed me Forever!  I will always be on a journey of ‘change’, we all are.  Mine is coming back from a very painful and grieving place of silence and self-doubt.  So I “ENCOURAGE” You Today…not tomorrow, not next week but TODAY, to grab a pen and paper & jot down all the reasons why YOU DESERVE to be LOVED!  It’s not as easy as you think…after all we don’t always take time for ourselves that we need and right now, this moment…You NEED to “ENCOURAGE” YOU!  I will have tons more to share in the upcoming weeks, months and hopefully years to come.  As this journey now is about full disclosure and honesty in my journey through healing, enjoying, sharing, creating, inspiring, and educating others through my Love and Passions in Life. (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)
HUGS for all my Candy’s,
Owldorably Yours,
xoxo

Creative University Journey Re-Cap 1

Howdy Candies…it’s been nearly a month since I’ve shared with you & I can’t tell you how much it makes me smile to see that you faithfully still visit & gander through my other storied shares.  So what’s kept my heART & hands busy!?!  Why CU2013 of course.  I will be doing a couple re-cap posts through until the end of the month.  That’s about how long it takes to share all the lovely things I adore about CU & honestly no words can express what an incredible journey this is been. 
I feel so truly blessed to of been apart of the Professor Team this year.  These women are sooo talented and so inspiring.  So I wanted to start out by sharing a project we did for the Student Body members.  Of course my Sorority was Megaha Inky – Since I’m an Inky kinda gal it was very fitting.  So without Further Ado, here we go with My Inspiration Board project: (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)
One of My Favorite Spots at Camp Lutherhaven I stumbled upon my first year & re-visit each time & Melody’s Typography Inspiration Board along with an assignment we had during Brave Girls Art School, Inspired me to use Nature to accent the middle of the heart since of course, we see hearts in nature everywhere…:
Name Tag We Got To Decorate & the Flower accent was a Gift:

Inspiration Board:

Here are some Close Up Photos I took when I got home of each piece that I Loved:

 

“Lady of the Leaves” – One of My Endearing Pieces using Dyan’s Spray “Bleach Out” Technique:

My Team Professor Linda Shores & My Personal Secret Sister, I Love Dr. Suess & Her Talents Always Inspire Me so of course I wanted her to always have a Wocket in her Pocket:

A Fabby Group of SMILES Enjoying the Technique Boutique that Linda & I were blessed to be a part of:

I had so much FUN creating these pieces to share and was oober excited to come home & finally have a chance to show you what my INKy Fingers have been up too these last few weeks that was a surprise for the CU Sorority Sisters .  The Inspiration Gallery was chock full of Amazing Ideas, heARTistry, Inspiration, Mojo Boosters & more!  My Personal Secret Sister & Team Professor for the Technique Boutique was just so Ah-Mazing!  I can’t begin to tell you the wonderful things I learn from her heARTistry every year.  Not only was she my Team Professor but the one I was given to treat all weekend long.  We truly had an amazing time in the Technique Boutique and I absolutely love her Teaching Style.  Plus we had some FUNtabulous SMILES as one of our fellow Sisters used my cam to take a shot of me with some really oober talented women.

  
I just adore the inspiration that surrounds Creative University too.  It is a place of tranquility that one can find solace when in a moment of reflection or two.  For me I actually ventured out a bit to capture a couple of memories while learning to play with various settings on my camera.  So I would love to leave you this Re-Cap Installment One, of Inspiration with something that we all could use from time to time. HUGS & Thank you so much for Stamping By…(To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)

I fell to my knees to pray to Him above…His answer to my prayer had me look to Mother Nature...For all Her Love!:

 

Ornamental Dylusions Christmas

Howdy Candies…So I’m completely smitten over some gorgeous shares lately & I would say they are just stunning Eye Candy heARTistry!  I’m very certain that you will find them to be too!  Along my journey I decided that I wanted to dibble a bit and combine a plethora of products together to create some ornaments that I’m in a swap for & admittedly I also wanted to join in this months Inspiration Emporiums “Joyful Creations” challenge.  I will say that I’ve officially incurred the “Dylusionsenal Syndrome”…Warning: The voices in my head say there is no cure!   Of course it’s no wonder that I’m experiencing an Ornamental Dylusions Christmas lately. 

Whilst I’m inspired by the lovely shares from the Design Team at IE, I’ve also seen many handmade Christmas Cheer along the way from those I admire deeply & personally follow along in the Blogosphere.  They are more then just Designers but heARTists that truly create to share their love of the crafts as much as I do.  Along my journey this past year they have also become Friends!  I’m so excited to share some of their heARTistry with you in what is dubbed “Blogworthy Eye Candy!”  I’m so thankful to them as their inspiration touched my heART & they are some of the most amazingly generous souls I know.  So Stay TUNED for the end of this post for a list of my Favorite Holiday Creations that inspired a bit of mine.  (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)

Dylusions Ornament – Configuration Style: (Crushed Grape, Bubblegum Pink, Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions sprays, Tim Holtz – Configurations, Ideo-ology Findings, Tinsel, & Woodland, Claudine Hellmuth – Sticky Back ATC Canvas)

Top: Color Ready Ribbon, Tinsel, Broken knob, & Fabric Glue

Inspiration Emporium “Joyful Creations” Challenge Submission: (Click the Photo to Join the Challenge!")

 

Edited FB Cover “Ornamental Dylusional Christmas”

 

Instead of mass producing Christmas Cards this year I wanted to make one single card for each recipient that is a quality handmade card with a small ornament to hang on their tree from the Candy Studio. I thought it would be a Fantabulous way of using these treats & also play around with various techniques along the way. I’m so excited to share each of them in posts leading up to Christmas, Yay! (Doing the Happy Dance) I will also be including one of my treasures in the give-away from my blog post “One BRAVE Evening” isn’t this just exciting!?!

These were also inspired by our CC101 Continued Journey Challenge this month for “Vintage” and/or “Christmas” creation.  This Christmas Card with “Twinchie” ornaments was created using a multitude of different techniques & products.  I was just playing around with different things I received as gifts from Heidi Swap, Inspiration Emporium, Tim Holtz, StudioL3, Ellen Hutson, & Ribbon Carousel.  First I want to say that I love masking!  It is a FUN technique & the trees are not a stamp.  It is actually a 6x6 cardinal thin chipboard set that I punched the pieces out & used the reverse of the inside to spray Heidi Swaps ‘Chartreuse’ Color Shine.  (Love the glimmer effect, just blingy to me!) I also used Tim Holtz Coordinations Distress paper, Paper Stash “Holiday’s Past” & my FAV Glassine, to cover the “Twinchie” ornaments along with some fragments, findings, & glossy accents.  

 

Christmas Card:

Christmas Card Back:

Christmas Card & Ornament Set #1:

I also found myself playing a bit with backgrounds because I plan on making a few of these gorgeously quick Star ornaments that Dyan Reavely shared a video about that you can do in 5 minutes!  Yes that’s right 5 minutes.  Can you imagine them all over your home?  I mean I can get totally Dylusionally Ornamental & that will be my next post!  (Click The Photo For the Video, It’s pretty Hilarious!)

Reverse Image “I love not having to waste a single drop of ink with my craft sheet!”:

I want to thank each of you for your outpour of support & response in my last posting.  It’s not always easy to put yourself out there but it did free my spirit enough to find my muse & just have FUN creating!  Of course I had quite a bit of inspirational help from some Fantabulously heARTistic Friends along the way….so without further ado…”Blogworthy Eye Candy”:

1.  The Gentlemen Crafter – “The Joyful Jetting Santa”

2.  StudioL3– “Updated Tim Holtz Configurations Holiday House”

3. Annette’s Creative Journey - “The House That Annette Built”

4. Trash To Treasure – “White & Gold Christmas”

5. The Little Shabby Shed – “Dylusions Cuff”

6. Inky Obsessions – “My Favorite Art Journal – Dylusions”

7. Tim Holtz – “12 Tags of 2012 – December”

8. Dylan’s Blog – “Catch Up At The Studio”

Wowza…those are some seriously creative inspiration flowing through these talented hands.  I hope you have some time to take a gander at those who are inspiring me this Holiday Season!  From different uses of Configurations, Canvas, Sticky Back, to Tags, Cards, & Backgrounds…there is plenty of Eye Candy to rave over.  I’m experiencing Holiday Cheer this year & can’t help but spread it about.  Remember to enter the Candy Give-Away for a personal set of these handmade treasures along with the “Wear Your Words” bracelet from the “One BRAVE Evening” post.  Thanks for Stamping By…(To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)

One BRAVE Evening…

Howdy Candies…as promised I’m back to share a special posting about something that is touched my heart deeply.  There is something to be learned about the power of words.  They can be a source of hurt, pain, agony, and unimaginable gut wrenching heartache or an abundance enriched source of Love, Happiness, Joy, Pleasure, & Soulful Healing!  I announced under my “Just Doodle It” post that I took an adventure in signing up for the first time offered online the Brave Girls Art School.  Whilst this journey is been full of self-reflection, learning, giving, connecting & sharing…what I’ve learned most thus far is the “Power of Words”!  Let’s think about that for a moment…?… 

The “Power of Words”, they are embed into our brains & can reach the depths of our souls.  I mean that’s truly why we stop to reflect for a moment & actually take the time to read a Fellow Bloggers post or articles of interest or importance, share photos on FB of things that inspire us…right?  I use to do extremely well in expressing the written word but in a true confession to all, not always in speaking what it is I’m intending to say.  That is a lesson I’ve been on a journey to learn each day of my life, is not always what I have to say but in how I say it.  As a Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Niece, Friend & varying hats I wear in life, I realize that my words make an impact on those around me & worldwide. 

What if…I purposed to you that regardless of where you are right this second in your personal journey, artistic journey, or even in Life.  Whether it be in good or bad, happy or sad times that your entire view on the world can be completely different and HUGE changes can come to you by surrounding yourself with words that have intrinsic meaning, that directly inspire you…would you do it?  Would you or could you believe that it can?  I can attest that this is absolutely unequivocally the truest thing I know; “If you surround yourself with words that you can actually see, that they can empower you to change the very things around you that only you can change (even your own thoughts) by using and having POSITIVE, Strong, Loving words of truth & inspiration.”

Honestly for me the BRAVEest thing I ever did was venture out last Saturday to meet the lovely Melody Ross, who’s words have empowered my internal thoughts, my deepest emotions, & reached the depths of my soul.  I don’t think I’ve ever posted about one of my biggest struggles that I deal with every single day & frankly putting it out here like this only helps me begin a process of healing.  This is why, this particular post is sooo special to me.  I suffer from Anxiety, not just your average “What If?” anxiety but the heart pounding, chest pain, feel like I can’t breathe, nausea, shaking, sweating, feeling like I’m going to die type of anxiety that turns into total panic.  It is truly is a battle to overcome each waking moment for me.  I can’t explain it & most don’t understand it. 

However, you will see what I mean when I share the photo of these Ladies Melody & Kathy who have helped me silently without knowing how deeply hard it was for me to leave my home.  I know, I know…you see photos of travels, places I’ve been to, things I’ve done, places we venture & share about…what you don’t know is the hours & hours of agony it takes for me to actually calm myself enough to venture out & just GO DO IT! & what you don’t know is 90% of the time, the plans we’ve had to cancel or the blog posts I escape for weeks before posting about.  A lot of the times it is the FEAR of what is going to happen when I’m out there (anywhere beyond the confines of my Studio) that truly is the worst.  I call it my “Silent Suffering” but I reckon by now this post no longer has me “Silently Suffering”.  So when I say to you that the “Power of Words” takes on a whole new meaning for me, I truly truly do mean it from my heart of hearts.  It’s a process…

So…One BRAVE Evening, my Husband (Bless his Heart) took my hand & said “I know how much this will mean to you when you actually get there, it’s going to be okay I promise!”  Where did we go?  To a quaint local party put on by the “Brave Girls Club”.  It was a wonderful experience and celebration as the message they send & what they do for Brave Girls all over the world is beyond touching.  I’m beyond the moon that I’ve found solace within the Brave Girls community. 

I could go on about what it meant but I’d prefer to share photos of my experience instead and then one of Melody’s prints I walked away with that I now see to help me every waking moment of every single day.   Words of Thanks just wasn’t enough to all of those at Brave Girls so that is why I wrote this special Blog Post to share with all of them, my Family, Friends, Followers, the entire Blogosphere.  So without Further Ado…Photos: (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)

This is was what it looked like from ceiling to center:

The Brave Girls That Touched My Soul & Is Helping Me Heal:

A HUGE Surprise as I won the Door Prize Drawing of so many Melody Ross vintage treasures & something so Special: (“A Little Birdy Told Me”, Autographed Prints & Wall Art “Courage”, Music for my soul “Restore”…)

Print Wall Art I see Everyday!  The comfort words that tell me where I need to be each moment: (Clicking Photo Will Take you to the Brave Girls Store!)

The Piece that brings me Solitude to Remind me “I Do Have The COURAGE!”: (Clicking Photos Will Take you to the Brave Girls Store!)

 

The Inspiration of it all that allowed me to “Wear My Word” with a bit of help from Tim Holtz: (Clicking Photo takes you to his blog!)

So when I tell you that the evening was just splendid I have to say that without a doubt that being surrounded by all those WORDS I needed to See, Feel, Touch, Hear, Smell, & just feel enveloped in a blanket of warm smooth melting chocolaty abundance of LOVEing WORDS, I mean it in every sense…that “Words Are Powerful!”  I have no other way to describe the entire experience but one thing I know is that I am loved & I believe that I shall have the COURAGE to overcome.  Thank you all so much for your dedication to me whilst on this amazing journey.  & Thank You Brave Girls from around the world.  Most of all Thank You Melody & Kathy for bringing a change in all of our lives one heARTbeat at a time…
HUGS xx
P.S. It is super time & we’re making spaghetti in the Candy Casa, so I don’t want to end without telling you about a little gift I want to share with someone who comments about your thoughts on words right here or on the Candy FB Page under this post. 

I want to thank my Creative Chemistry 101 Student Body Member Peg Adkins for teaching me this treasured creation.  The “Altered Metal Blog Candy” Give-Away winner will be announced on December 15th (just in time to send out your special gift with goodies from the Candy Studio for Christmas!)  Have a Fantabulous Evening & Thanks for Stamping By… (To leave a comment, thoughts, suggestions, or feedback - just click the title to this post & scroll to the bottom)