Something Better :)

Today I set out to do some journaling, but it turned in to something better.... WAY BETTER!  My wonderful husband fashioned me some nice wood blocks for painting out of some scrap lumber and it inspired me to do something a little different and I am tickled pink it did.

I started the day with the oil pastel landscape (last photo).  I had watched a nice video by Julie Balzer and thought I would give the technique a try.  I used colored pastels to lay down a nice and thick background.  (If you try this it is a WORK OUT especially if you own cheap pastels like me :) ) I drew a yellow circle for the sun and went from there with other colors.  Then I laid down some green for grass.  After laying down this extremely thick background I was tired and wore out, but driven to see if this technique would work.  So over top of my pretty colors I laid down an extremely thick coat of black oil pastel.  I completely covered the board.

Next, I laid down some stencils made with my cricut and the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge.  Then I began scratching off the black layer using a bamboo kabob skewer.  I scratch off all black except what was under my stencils.  And there you have it... easy peezy.  However, my shoulder is hating me right now.

At first I didn't like this piece, but the more I look at it the more I like it.  Point is.. sometimes we all create stuff we don't like.  That is part of being an artist.

After working on the pastel peice, I worked on the mixed media piece (top photo) and it is my top favorite thing I have ever made.  I can't go in detail about how it was made because it all just kind of fell together.  I got into a zone and with a few constructive feedbacks from the hubs just went with my gut instinct.  However, I will tell you what all was used in the process.  I used some old scrapbook paper, glue, acrylic paint, gesso, stencils made with circut, pigma micron, stardust gelly rolls, old champagne flute, and tons of glitter paint.  The photo above really does not do this piece justice.  The actual thing has glitter everywhere accenting the trees, leaves, hummingbird, and background.

Since this is, in mine and my husband's eyes, the best thing I have ever created I would really like some feedback from you.  Do you love it??? Do you hate it??? Do you want to know more details on techniques used to create it?  Just shoot me a comment and I will get back to you asap... Hope you have had a Happy Hump Day... mine sure turned out to be something better than I thought it would.