Fall In Love with You!

“As I began to love myself, I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is AUTHENTICITY.” – Charlie Chaplin

Valentine’s Day has arrived, flinging open the door to love. But when jotting down names on your Valentine card list, did you add yourself?

An article published in a local holistic magazine titled “Self-Love” caught my eye. Drawn from the wisdom of Charlie Chaplin, the article was inspiring as well as thought provoking. So often we think of others and their needs before our own. Shouldn’t self-love, or if you prefer to call it self-care, be part of our daily nurturing practise? Isn’t getting to know our authentic selves the best gift we can give to others? What is wrong with falling in love with ourselves?

I have once again decided to study Tarot. I have added Tarot to my “when I have the time” list over and over again. Taking the lead from the article, I decided to make a journal as a gift…and maybe a physical prompt…for myself.

I really love the small journals currently on sale. This little book is manufactured by C.R. Gibson and is similar to others I have altered and perfect for my next Artistcellar Design Team project. For me, journaling is more about note taking, list making and snippet saving. Similar to the other journals, the book has small folder attached to the back cover. It’s perfect for hiding away little bits of ephemera.

The cover is dusky blue faux leather. I lightly sanded it and the applied a thin coat of gesso. When dried I attached a piece of rubber stamped tea stained paper with matte medium. I have been experimenting with a variety of stamp inks, dyes and paper. I decided against using the paper covered in wax as I wanted to try hand colouring the image.

My choice of stencils was an easy one. I masked out part of Steampunk Lace stencil. It fit perfectly at the corner of the cover. Echoing the Tarot card, The Wheel of Fortune, it will be a constant reminder of karma and the fluidity of life. I built the colour with layers of Dylusions Paints and Spray using brushes, a sponge and paper towels.

Surrounding the stencil and stamped image with swabbed and splattered paint, I was nearly finished. I added the words “Carpe Diem” created from the same paper as the woman’s face. I coloured the woman’s eye and lips with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and a brush, giving the image a bit of shine.

This Valentine’s Day…and every day of the year…be kind and loving to yourself. It’s the best way to share and honor your own truth and live authentically. Simply fall in love with you! 

MATERIALS USED:

• ARTISTCELLAR: STEAMPUNK SERIES (Steampunk Lace), HALFTONE DOTS (Highlight, Midtone, Midtone 2, Shadow)
• LIQUITEX GESSO
• LIQUITEX MATTE MEDIUM
• PLAID ACRYLICS: Sunflower
• DECOART: Splendid Gold, Blue Harbor
• DINA WAKLEY MEDIA ACRYLIC: Blushing
• DYLUSIONS PAINT: Vibrant Turquoise, Cut Grass, Fresh Lime, London Blue, Crushed Grape, Squeezed Orange, Bubblegum Pink
• DYLUSIONS INK SPRAY: Bubblegum Pink
• TATTERED ANGELS GLIMMER MIST: Rouge, Pumpkin Spice, Dragonfly
• REEVES: Bronze, Gold
• MEMENTO INK DYE: Tuxedo Black
• RUBBER STAMPS
• NATURAL SPONGE
• PAPER TOWELS
• WATERCOLOUR BRUSH
• SANDING BLOCK
• PAINTER’S TAPE
• R. GIBSON JOURNAL: Markings 3.5” x 5.5”

The Mystery That Awaits You?

Is there someone special waiting for you in your cards? Tarot and the mysteries of fortune-telling is stirring my interest of late. And I seem to be finding images and references everywhere I look!

The Gecko Galz challenge this month is "Man O Man". Looking through the collage sheets in their collection I settled on the loving couple They are young and in love...the perfect time to be surrounded with music, an inspiring landscape, and the hope their future is written in the stars.

Below you will find a FREE Digistamp compliments of the Galz. With her pensive posture...is she hoping someone will be waiting for her? You can grant her wish when you add her to your art!

What is the mystery that awaits you? Will you find that special someone in the stars?

Inscribe Your Story Across The Sky!

THE STAR  - Conventional & Digital Collage

 The Self Is Born in the Stars – Carl Jung

I’ve always been interested in Tarot. The cards intrigue me…not so much as a tool for fortune-telling, but more of a way of discovering what is happening in the present and how it can shape the future. I am by no means an experienced reader. But I do find comfort in handling the cards and finding my part of the story in the symbols.

As with many of us, my life has been quite hectic of late. And I find Time seems to be moving at an accelerated rate. I’ve been told that life gives you what you need if you are receptive. And what I need is time to stop and reflect.

Looking through my collection of Tarot cards, I was drawn to The Star card. Stars are visible in the Universe because they are cradled in darkness. So too, we shine when we have been through a difficult time and come through with strength and faith in ourselves.  I decided to use the card as the basis for my work using the Artistcellar stencils.

The Star Card is aligned to the Crown Chakra. I started the collage using Prismacolor pencils on rough drawing paper and the Crown Chakra stencil. When finished I built the collage around the stencil drawing. The vintage images of the Marseilles Tarot, the palmistry hand, and the night sky fell into place.

I can’t get away from the Mineral paper. It is wonderfully adaptable to any media. My acrylic paint using the Halftone Dots stencils stayed as vibrant dried as they did wet. The Pearlescent Liquid Acrylics kept their incredible shimmer, which is sometimes lost on other substrates. If you haven’t tried this paper...you must! The results are delicious!
It has been a brilliant education getting familiar with all the products Artistcellar has on offer. I have tried techniques that are new to me, and hopefully will stir your interest as well.  This brings me back to The Star card.

The card is one of personal transformation, new ideas, and opportunities. The thirst for new journeys can be of a physical or spiritual nature. But above all The Star encourages you to have faith and believe in yourself.

And what better way to be true to yourself than to write your own story across the sky?
 

MATERIALS USED:

Artistcellar Halftone Dots Series Stencils

Artistcellar Stencils: Pocket Stencils – CHAKRAS – Crown

Hand cut stencils

Mineral Paper

Vintage Images Tarot Card, Palmistry

Drawing paper

Prismacolor Coloured Pencils