Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-seven:
Create art around a time when you had a lot of turmoil and indecision in your life.
We’re so excited to have Gina Smith as this week’s Guest Artist.
Gina is another perfect example of the kind of artist that creates using different mediums. Painting, mixed media, altered art. Her work is meaningful and beautiful all in one.
Gina’s contributed to several books including Altered Art Circus and she’s published in numerous magazines. She is on design teams. She has designed product. She is truly multi-talented and awe inspiring. It is a joy to have her here.
If you haven’t seen Gina’s beautiful art, make sure to visit her blog and her beautiful etsy shop.
Here is Gina’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Gina Says:
After sorting through the prompt choices, “Create art around a time when you had a lot of turmoil and indecision in your life” really spoke to me, so much so that I was laughing like a hyena inhaling paint fumes at the irony of this one.
I had already felt like my head “was going to explode” to use a term I had been saying often. Even in a less stressful time, I made a piece of art with a girl with a Dodo-bird egg on her head that said “I have so much art in my head it hurts.”
But now, besides creating- and I am in the process of a novel, have several finished short stories, poetry, non-fiction and memoir in addition to painting and making jewelry and collage every weekend and being in or running several on-line art groups and working full-time traveling about 1,000 miles a week- I also face the prospect of a job change after 15 years with one solid company- a job I thought I would have until retirement which is still a couple decades away unless you all send me thousands of dollars.
I made the decision and announcement about a change seemingly well in advance- and then the economy got even worse after last holiday season. Not surprisingly jobs are scarce in marketing and public relations and in the non-profit sector- where I have spent my entire career. I have been searching with only minimal success for seven months.
On top of this I made the decision to move out of the only state I have ever lived in (the last 40 odd years), and I reconnected two years ago with a college sweetheart who for some crazy reason wants to marry me. This may have been before he saw my art supply stash and Blythe doll collection.
In the midst of this I was dieting and exercising and lost 30+ pounds- stress eating has brought some of them back unfortunately. I also hosted a high school graduation open house for 150 guests this summer-probably while the paint was drying on this work, am sending my youngest child off to college in a few weeks; have had my oldest child move out, back in and back out; buried my 39-year-old niece to cancer, and have myself been in 12 states- that I can remember- in the past year.
And still here I sit in my same job in my same spot, watching the clock tick off- only 27 more days until my big deadline for change when this piece appears on Creative Therapy. Yikes.
Technique Highlight:
11 x 14 deep edge canvas. I first just painted the canvas with a base acrylic color (a blue I mixed up). I don’t always Gesso first.
I first keep in mind where my figure and especially face or any other light spots will be so I don’t go too crazy with background and texture in those spots because I’d just have to cover it up.
I added some daubs of other colors (esp. cream). Then I daubed a brown stamper (finger-size sponge-like thimble) over punchinella (the cast-off from sequins).
I added some strips of sheet music. I use these a lot for trees, legs, fences, weaving, whatever. I used a small circle lid dipped in pink and green paint separately to stamp uniform circles. All of this is still my background. I spend a lot of time on background prep- a’ la Chrysti Hydeck’s “Baby Got Back” techniques in Somerset Studio and Cloth Paper Scissors.
I put on some large areas of brown and then cut through them with the edge of an old hotel room key (or old credit card). Then I put on some Golden molding past. I painted some yellow for brightness over this and anywhere else I wanted some “light.” Lastly, I rubbed a watercolor crayon over the dried and now firm and raised spots of molding paste.
My background is done! Let dry for a day.
Next I lightly sketched out the figure from my head in pencil on the canvas. You can also draw or trace what you want onto tissue paper and actually ‘glue’ the tissue paper right on the canvas with a little gel medium.
As I drew my figure, I considered the textured background I had made so I could take advantage of it for her skirt and anything else I wanted. I added some torn pieces of paper, some with significant words right, by using gel medium to glue them right onto her “skirt.”
For texture, I cut out a piece of printed paper to fit as her bodice, so it would be raised. I set it aside for later until after the painting is done.
Next, I used Golden titan buff acrylic paint to paint in her face and arms. I completely covered over the eyes and features I had sketched. I also painted in her hair at this time. When her face was dry, I used a pencil again to sketch back in the features and then painted them in. Where I don’t have steady hands for tiny work I will use a gel pen, permanent marker, paint marker, water color crayon smoothed out with the wet brush and sometimes I even used a ‘white-out’ correction pen!
At this point I will usually spray on a little workable fixative so I don’t smudge my hard work.
Then I go back an add paint accents wherever I need, and if I’ve covered up anything in my background that I really want, I simply do it again. Lastly, I glued on her bodice with matte medium and used a little graphite pencil to make some outlines and enhances. I always spray again with fixative after graphite.
Before I attached her “brains,” I used the small circle lid to daub around the sides of the canvas in three colors (much more interesting than 1 or 2). Odd numbers rule!
Then I glued a wide ribbon around the sides for accent (and also covers up any boo-boos I might have made- never admit to anything!)
Also, one of my favorite finishes (again before the brains) is to brush on melted beeswax for some nice texture and matte-where-you-want it finish, although you can ‘polish’ the beeswax to a shine with a soft cloth, like an undershirt.
Melt white or yellow beeswax granules on lowest possible heat in an old pan- I bought a cheap granite-ware pan just for this. Using a sponge brush, brush on the beeswax where you want it. You have to work fast. I keep a heat gun/embossing tool handy and a plastic/rubber Pampered Chef pan scraper so I can quickly heat up and scrape off any beeswax that got where I didn’t want it.
Once I am done, I just let the extra beeswax harden in the pan, and put the pan away with my art stuff, to heat up and use again when I need it, adding new granules as necessary.
I let all this dry for several days. I also made good color copies of my work while it was still flat.
Looking back, I wish I had kept her “brains” within the opening I had drawn or made the opening larger, but I had so many good ‘goodies’ I wanted to attach that I couldn’t stop myself. Know when to say when.
I gathered the best of my metal goodies, game pieces, watch parts, light bulb, nuts, bolts, etc., (I save unusual stuff just for this purpose) and tried a layout until I was satisfied. I chose them all for various reasons” I love the compass on the “dead end” game piece- as if I need help finding trouble for myself! I love the spinner on “destiny” as if I get to choose, and it just happens to be pointing at “dead end.” I like that the rubber chicken looks like a hamster on a treadmill. The light bulb says “she meant business,” which signifies I am serious about my creative ideas. Then I attached them. For the wire and heavy pieces, I used a paper piercer to poke holes in the canvas for ease of attachment. I also used this to curl my wires to make them spring-y. Otherwise, I used Tombow glue for metal and even some super glue where necessary.
I had a heart button I wanted to use, but it was red, so I spray-painted it silver, same with the once-yellow rubber chicken.
Don’t forget to sign and date your work! A friend hand-carved a rubber stamp for me, so I never have to worry about a messy signature. I stamped it in black and then went over it with a Sharpie. More fixative. You can also spray on glossy acrylic finisher if you want it somewhere.
Voila! Hang it up!
Thank you so much Gina; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Amy:
Amy Says:
When I considered this catalyst, the image of an empty soda can with a group of daisies in it came to mind. It’s a touchstone image in my head from my college days. It was a simple gift given by a friend, but it is an image that has always stuck in my mind for its symbolism of a particular time, particular resiliency of spirit, and a celebration of simple things. As I got ready to start this piece and had “buy flowers” and “buy a can of soda” on my to do list, I stopped for a moment and asked myself “what was the angst surrounding these flowers?” “Why is this image coming to mind in response to this question?” Those years seem so long ago, the angst of then mellowed and softened by ensuing time, and the problems and moments of turmoil and identity and creative temperament that formed the undercurrent of those days seem far removed from the undercurrents of today. As I stopped and asked myself what was at the heart of it and why that image came to mind for this catalyst, however, the time suddenly filled in, a landscape of young adulthood, and I realized that it’s all related, all connected, and all part of the journey.
Rachel:
Journaling Reads:
We had a plan. A system. Everything in place. Drew worked retail at the music shop full time and taught part time. He made this choice because of me pestering him to. I was afraid of living without “normal” paychecks and relying on private teaching income. He did it for me. For years. Then one day, all that changed. He went to work and learned that the store was closing. We had to let go of our system and our plan. Not only were we losing the full time pay, we were losing a place for him to teach privately. For years we toyed with the idea of him teaching full time. But it was scary. It was unknown. It was unreliable. Where would he teach? It was all up in the air and unattainable. Or so we thought. Looking back, going through the store closing was the best thing that could have ever happened to us. Sure, it has been stressful. Sure it’s a lot of work. But I couldn’t be more proud of Drew than I am today. He is a successful business all on his own. He built his skill, he built his reputation, he built his business up all on his own. Looking back, the only thing that was ever for sure was that Drew is the kind of man who when he says he will provide and be the man of the house, he will. He’s never let us down. It’s one thing to love and cherish your husband. I do. But equally importantly, I respect and admire him.
Technique Highlight:
I wanted to convey on my layout that my husband was more than just the “Sole Provider” and “Man of the House”. I wanted to convey in more than just my journaling that he is the provider for care of our heart and souls as well. To do this, I created titles that would sit behind the main title using my Cricut. It gives a subtle, yet striking effect when you want to convey two meanings.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
My teenage years were a period of indecision. I went through o a serious of unpleasant moments I don´t even like to remember. I remember how I used to have colorful clothes and how happy and full of energy I was, but I also was eager to know about everything without having anyone bothering or limiting me. In this search, I experienced a lot f conflicts, especially with my parents. Besides that, I was confused about my future.
Journaling Reads:
Searching for happiness, Adventure, Fun and Love, Going my own selfish way, Thinking I had the Truth, I Just found loneliness and confusion. I´ll wait for another time, A time when there´s the certainty of knowing what I want and what I don´t want from life!
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
One of the major decisions that I’ve made in my life was when I was 18 years old. I made the drastic decision drop out of college. I attended LSU for just a few months when I started skipping classes and eventually dropped out completely. It was a big decision to make, but ultimately, I believe it was the right one to make. I felt, at the time, that the classes I was taking and the schedule that I had wasn’t worth the trouble because I didn’t feel like it was the right path for me. Looking back now, I have absolutely no regret in quitting school. I feel as if the only reason I went was to prove that I could to everyone around me. I didn’t do it for me, and I realize that it’s not something that I wanted to do at all.
Karen:
Karen says:
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, here’s another entry about Teach For America. It was, by far, one of the most troubled and tumultuous times in my life. I took this photo from our summer school and added the journaling on it. The journaling is a blog entry I did during the year I taught.
Journaling Reads:
Memory is selective.
There’s a reason we forget things. Human resilience has been tested millions of times in history. Tons of women have told me that if we didn’t forget, no one would have more than one child. Well, I haven’t had any babies yet and can’t tell you what labor pain feels like or how quickly I might forget it. But I do know that I’ve been known to distort the past as things change or as time passes.
The last few weeks have been so difficult that I decided, this time, I want to keep a record so that I can’t fool myself when I choose to look back upon these memories. Think of this as a time capsule. Something for me to lock up and put away, only to be opened when I begin to forget. Something for my friends to show me when I start saying things like, “Oh, it wasn’t that bad.”
The fact is, it is that bad. It’s hard. It’s frustrating. At times, it’s heart-wrenching. It’s infuriating. Sometimes it’s funny. But it’s constantly overwhelming.
When I decided to quit my six-year job and change career paths, I knew that my life wouldn’t be the same. I knew that teaching would eat more of my free time than investment banking ever did. I also knew that I’d feel it was worth it. So I assume the big question now would be: Is it?
Is it worth it?
Honestly? I can’t tell you yet. All I can say so far is that I underestimated how difficult this is. Getting up at the crack of dawn, grading on the train to school, climbing 98 steps eleven times a day, four to six of which includes leading a class of 28. Spending every moment on my feet. Having to think about what I’m saying all the time. Having my incompetence stare me so squarely in the face.
My life has changed alright: I get up when it’s dark, go to school, teach, stay after school to grade, come home when it’s dark, prepare for the next day’s lessons, call parents, eat dinner and crash in bed. Every single day. I dream about my students. I dream about photocopying onto overhead paper. I dream about lizards eating me. I spend my weekends planning for the week. Preparing charts for my room. Writing papers for my graduate classes. Buying prizes for my students. Photocopying. And sleeping.
My only moments of peace come on Sunday mornings where my amazing husband and I go to the local bagel shop at 8:30 and read the New York Times for two hours. Two hours of heaven. Two hours of not thinking about all the things that go wrong in my room. Two hours of not worrying about how the next day’s lessons will go. Two hours of not feeling so incredibly incompetent.
I do love my students. Even the most mischievous ones. I can’t help but care about them. I want to laugh at their ingenuity even when it disrupts my class. But my tolerance and patience has dwindled almost to nothing. It’s gotten so bad that when I see people chewing gum anywhere, I have to work extra hard to suppress the urge to yell, “spit it out!” I fix everyone’s grammar constantly. I can’t stand it when people are being disrespectful at a meeting by having their own side conversation. I have heard every excuse and more as to why homework is not complete. I have listened to parents hollering at their children in front of my eyes. Much to my despair, I have made students cry.
But I have also made them smile. The magic of a student understanding something I’ve taught is immeasurable. Just like the drain when a student refuses to stop calling out loud in class or refuses to stop being disruptive.
So many things happen each day. I always come home with the urge to write, knowing I’m going to want to remember these days.
But I don’t write.
Days pass, I forget. My memory knows I won’t survive it if I keep remembering, so it helps me out. Maybe it’s better that way.
Maybe some things are best forgotten.
Lia:
Lia Says:
I’ve wondered if I made the wrong decisions at that time. Should I have gotten engaged? Should I have done my degree course in Australia instead? Was it wrong to have let my heart’s voice get louder than the voice in my head? I try to be someone who believes that ‘what’s done is done.’ But sometimes when the decisions I made then and am living with right now seem so wrong, I can’t help but wonder what could have been.
Opal:
Opal Says:
My response to a time of turmoil and indecision is reflected in this window. This is the window through which one of my daughters would leave home and be gone, sometimes for days. One time, she was gone for six months. My indecision was whether to find her and bring her home, or wait for her to come home on her own. She was 17 years old. And she did call. It was a turning point in our relationship. This is a time that isn’t easy for us to talk about even now as she watches her 17 year old son.
The background fabric represents the net of safety that was in place for her. The tree is a Chinese Elm, and it was bigger than life in those days. The piece is layered and quilted, with raw edged and lines a bit askew.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Create art around a time when you had a lot of turmoil and indecision in your life.” This one is extra-therapeutic. I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-six:
Take the time to create art around something you have been meaning to but haven’t done so yet. (Yes, this is an open topic. Go wild. Make it therapeutic.)
We’re so excited to have Lisa Kettell as this week’s Guest Artist.
From the first moment I started creative therapy, I always intended this to be a place where we had varying mediums of art. Not just scrapbooking. Not just mixed media. Any and all visual forms welcome. I believe in the therapeutic power of art and I wanted a place that shows this can transcend a particular medium.
Lisa’s art, her dolls are perfect example of this. They are stunning, meaningful art. I can look at them over and over again. Not to mention all the other mediums that she also masters. Her amazing site is like a creative well that you fall into and can get lost in for hours. One delightful corner after another. She also has an inspiring book: Altered Art Circus: Techniques for Journals, Paper Dolls, Art Cards, and Assemblages. She writes children’s stories. She teaches. She is the kind of all around amazing artists we are humbled to have here.
Make sure to visit her wonderful blog and you can buy some of her fantastic creations and embellishments at her etsy shop.
Here is Lisa’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Lisa Says:
As an artist we all start at different times in our lives, some as children, others as teens, as adults or after we retire. For me, art was introduced at a very young age, through coloring books, crayons, craft kits and paper dolls. As a child in the late 70’s early 80’s the craft industry wasn’t what it is today, so you improvised making your own materials, recycling and a lot of imagination. I had always loved the storybook world, fairytales, old greetings and dolls. I could be found either reading a book, drawing images or making doll clothes (which I still have to this day), I believe this was the start of my creative life.
After discovering altered and paper arts during my early 20’s, I found a whole new love this allowed me to channel my work into another direction, primarily creating in a fantasy theme such as fairies or mermaids through the use of vintage images and other ephemera. As I worked in this medium I started to experiment more, to take risks, and realize there are no mistakes in art, just serendipity accidents, which end up leading to new techniques and help you to advance. If you do not like a piece, walk a way from it, eventually you will come back to it and finish it the way it should be.
With the release of Altered Art Circus, I have been able to give others a glimpse into my magical art world, to see that art comes from within, a release, a tap into our creative muses, and a place where one can explore the imaginary world. In my art world there are no rules, to me rules in art stop your free expression, when starting a piece just go with what is inside and let the art muses take over. This book has helped my inner art muses to evolve as the artist I am today, now I am always on the search for new ideas, and re-visiting those long forgotten techniques from the turn of the century to the 70s, making new ones today.
Since I started with illustration, sewing and sculpting, I wanted to start incorporating those mediums into my art again, for the past year I have re-visited these earlier roots, by illustrating designs and turning them into dolls, which I use in assemblage, collage, jewelry, book arts, just about everything. Lately I am all about dolls in every forms, especially charlottes and storybook characters its bringing me into new directions, the aesthetics of sculpting a new piece are so relaxing, and soothing to me, the embellishing of a piece is exciting. Any new piece brings a challenge that I welcome and can’t wait to find out the end result, I find complete magic in this, there is nothing more gratifying then creating a piece or line that makes others smile, a piece which adds magic to someone’s day, to see a doll or artwork you made on someone’s shelf or blog is pure magic.
If I could leave you with words that can inspire you to find your creative self, I would recommend one quote; “The world is filled with magical things, all you have to do is believe!”
The Charlottes of Storybook Land!
I have been experimenting with creative molding for over a year now, the result is a series of doll molds from vintage dolls which I use to make my Charlottes, China Head Dolls and the Kewpies, these molds serve a variety of purposes in my works, As a store owner I have made these unfinished doll parts available for others to use in their works, the most popular are the Charlottes and the China Head Parts.
Friends of Charlottes are a new line I am currently working on which are hand sculpted without any molds and part of the Charlotte Doll line.
Technique Highlight:
To make a mold I recommend a quick study on doll molding, there are a variety of sites available on this subject throughout the web, I use a latex molding compound available at most art and crafts stores in the clay section. There are a variety of mold compounds on the market, and are easy to use. Once you make your mold, the possibilities are endless you can use a variety of sculpting materials and embellish/finish to your liking.
Thank you so much Lisa; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Amy:
Amy Says:
As this catalyst approached, I knew I would be away during the days when I would normally work on it. I brought two projects to work on with this catalyst in mind, both things I’ve been wanting and planning to do but haven’t had time. Both are projects suited to being out of my space, away from my machine, and out of my element in some ways. This summer, I’ve begun exploring hand applique, diving into it and working on small pieces that let me experiment with the concept while retaining my own sense of color and voice. This piece is inspired by a recent book I looked at. The idea of a “vine-like” piece captured my attention. I wasn’t sure how my own vine would evolve, but the line of it haunted my thoughts. After preparing a background, I picked a stem fabric and then pooled a set of fabrics and got them ready to travel. With no predetermined plan, one by one, I began adding the branches and the buds. I see this piece in many ways… there are ways it speaks to me on the surface… and there are ways the shape and organic feel of it (although transformed by the color) speak to things going on in and around me… day by day. Had it not been for this catalyst and the week of travel falling at the same time… I might not have created this piece yet. I’m glad I did.(Note: This panel will be worked into something larger.)
Lori:
Lori Says:
I have been meaning to make a little wall hanging for my craft room with my favorite quote. This quote could not be more true. I wish I didn’t need a constant reminder of it, but I do. And, now it’s hanging above my desk. Grow. Be Brave. Be You. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss.
Iris:
Iris Says:
I have always been a softie when it comes to my children. My husband and I love to go to Starbucks for coffee and cake. And our daughter Nicole loves to come with us. She always runs to the counter to get a lemon or cherry lollipop. She never finishes it and only manages a few licks before putting it down, but she just likes the idea of picking a treat for herself. I know I have to start saying no to most of her whims and fancies, but I still keep saying “yes” all the time.
Anita:
Anita Says:
After seeing this Catalyst I had to think a bit on what I wanted to create. Then it downed on me! I have not scrapped any of my husband and my wedding pictures. Don’t ask me why. Maybe its because I’m such an every day moments type scrapper and have such a hard time with theme type stuff. I really enjoyed pulling the photo out, even got a giggle because this is no where what my husband and I look like now! I weigh a bit more and my husband has A LOT less hair and its GREY! We’ve been married 11 years now. What a joyous day! I’m so glad I took the opportunity to do this and share it with you.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
I have been contemplating making my own digital papers for the longest time. So with this page, i took pictures of some of my paintings and used it as background paper for this page. Love the process of being creative. And while I made this page i listened to the Apple WWDC 2009 Keynote address. Just a random remark. Thanks for looking!
Journaling Reads:
Dear Kirsitn… you are my little funny face I would not trade you for the world…I totally adore your sweet quirks and your sunny heart. I totally adore you and i hope that you will always to remember it.My goal in education is reaching your heart, filling your emotional cup, teaching you moral foundations, capturing your vision for life for the kingdom of God, teaching you what it looks like to walk through difficult times while holding tight to the hand of God. May God grant me the understanding and faith to follow these paths and to raise up a strong generation for Him. Love Wilna
Karen:
Karen says:
I started scrapbooking when my first son was born and while I have scrapped a lot of his life and some of my life since then, I have never scrapped my past. Not one page about my childhood. And nothing about my sister so I decided it was time to start.
Journaling Reads:
there are so many memories
so many moments
waiting to be preserved
some of my best memories are with you
so many of my unforgettable moments
summers in burgaz
years of whispering in bed
laughter
so much laughter
so much love
one day i will sit down and
i will write them down
and that little book
will be one i cherish forever
i want to remember
even the sad moments
forever
cause i shared them with you
i love you with all my heart
my sister
i love you
Lia:
Lia Says:
I’ve felt so desperately helpless. My life seems to be operating on ‘amok’ mode and it’s like I’m slowly but surely losing control. I need to let go of some commitments, some emotional baggage, lots of bad influences and energy. I think it’ll bring some predictability and much-needed peace in my life. I don’t know why I haven’t done any of it. Maybe I’m afraid to. Of suffering any consequences. But perhaps, one day. I just might.
Opal:
Opal Says:
This crow has been in my head for months. I started one time, and then pushed it aside for other projects. This prompt gave me the nudge I needed to bring my crow into being. I pieced tiny strips for her body and raw edged strips for her tail and wings. The threadplay gives the piece texture and line. The background is pieced randomly, with bits and pieces overlapping and uneven.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Take the time to create art around something you have been meaning to but haven’t done so yet.” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-five:
What’s the hardest decision you ever made?
We’re so excited to have AnnDenise Anderson as this week’s Guest Artist.
If you’ve never seen AnnDenise’s creations with crepe paper, you’re truly missing out. She is absolutely amazing and her colorful creations are each more stunning than the previous.
AnnDenise has been published in more publications than I can list, including multipl Somerset publications. She also relgularly teaches at art events including Art Opera and Convenzione.
Make sure to visit her inspiring blog and you can buy some of her fantastic creations and embellishments at her etsy shop.
Here is AnnDenise’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
AnnDenise Says:
I sat down to write about the hardest decision I ever made….funny thing, reflecting on all my difficult decisions in life, good and bad, I realized how ironic this question truly was. This was a pretty hard decision in itself!
My work reflects a big part of my childhood and the feelings that emerge when I first look at or touch the pieces that I have created. The first thing that happens is a “Smile”! Yes, it’s true. I feel this sense of commonality and reminiscence of the past. The crepe paper invokes a feeling of celebration and good times. As I began to make my way through life and decide what I wanted to be when I grew up I was faced with all of the responsible options. You know…a doctor, a nurse, a policeman, maybe something in the corporate world. Not that these aren’t professions to be admired but I could not escape the fact that I wanted to be an “ARTIST”! Ahhh, it was pure enlightenment from the get go! I knew this from the ripe old age of 7. I remember when my mom brought streamers out for one of my birthday parties….I knew from that point on that crepe paper would be my life!
However as we began our path through life and this complicated world we live in, we are faced with many choices and sometimes the options are so complex that the choices made are not particularly always the first on our lists.
I did join the corporate world and put my creative gift up in the closet, tucked ever so nicely among the linen and old shoe boxes. Don’t fret, as fate would have it once I married and I had all my five children dancing merrily around me, I found something! I was deep in my closet and was looking for “Something”. What could it have been…in the dark I saw a light and in that light I saw colors, so many bright bold colors! Crepe Paper! I FOUND IT ONCE AGAIN!
Sometimes the choices we make to put something of such importance aside, to travel on, is necessary and out of need to progress. It doesn’t mean that it wasn’t important or that we didn’t care but at that point in our lives it was poignant. I can’t be sure that if I hadn’t tucked my gift of creping and making people smile with my art deep away that it would be as meaningful as it is today.
Technique Highlight:
As I continue to work with crepe paper, I realize just how forgiving the medium is and the wonderment that appears from a few twists and pulls of the paper. The memory that the paper possess gives the artist the ability to work freely and creatively being able to always rework the paper if it is not what was intended. Using long sheets of crepe paper for many of my projects is very economical and very easy to sew with by machine or by hand. The glue gun is also on the top of my list. I incorporate crepe into all sorts of mediums~fabrics, ephemera, paint, clay, paper mache, canvas. I personally favor the physical change of a crepe paper roll. Distressing crepe paper always seem to be a crowd pleaser!
Thank you so much AnnDenise; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team. This week, we’re also honored to have two ladies from Scrapbooking Calls and Contests site, Suzann and Anam, please welcome them!
Anam:
Anam Says:
To keep being me no matter what the odds and objection – that for me is the hardest thing. All those years ago when I decided that to be alive was worth the effort sometimes feels like a cop out but I know in my heart that to keep living was my hardest choice. Title: Be alive.
Technique Highlight:
I used a lot of crumbling and tearing to create texture. Products are all from Prima’s Rebellious line. You can find Anam here:www.anamstubbington.typepad.com.
Suzann:
Suzann Says:
DNR is the abbreviation for Do Not Resuscitate. The decision to put this directive in place was the hardest, most gut wrenching decision I’ve ever had to make. Mom was in failing health, suffering from Alzheimer’s, Heart Failure and a suspicious mass on her kidney. I dearly loved my Mother and wanted her to be here forever. But, God had a better plan.
Technique Highlight:
I did a lot of stitching – hand and machine – and distressed a bunch of the edges. You can find Suzann here: suzannssmallworld.blogspot.com/.
Iris:
Iris Says:
I have always been an independent person who valued her identity. This is one of my struggles as a married woman. I have always been comfortable in the place where I grew and felt that it was the best place for my children too. My husband has a business which has been doing fairly well but it requires him to travel for several hours a day to get from our home to his place of business. We had tried to delay moving our family nearer to his business but it was just not working. One of the hardest decisions in my married life was whether to stay at our home town which was safe and comfortable but would take away some precious time from my children and their Dad – or to move to the busy, chaotic, city but allow them to be with their Dad longer during the day. We decided to make the move. We still miss being in our place of comfort, but having more family time makes it worth it.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
Choosing my degree was the hardest decision for me. I was just a teenager and was asked to choose what I was gonna be for the next 30 years or more. I wasn´t mature enough to take this decision. I just think choosing a profession is one of the most important decisions you can ever make because it influences your future in such a way that you could be really frustrated about your whole life. So, at that time I struggled with the idea of being a journalist or maybe a film director and also, of course, with my parents` expectations about having a daughter at Law School. Although I remember I was totally torn up, I decided to go to Journalism School. After a year and a half at Journalism School I just realized I didn´t have enough talent to write and then I went to Law School. Four years later, I thought about quitting but then my father convinced me to just finish it. Shortly afterwards I started working at the D.A. office and everything got in the right track, even though I´m still not sure if I chose the right profession for me. I have doubts; daily. My layout plays with this idea of indecision, of being torn into pieces…. “
Dedra:
Dedra Says:
Sometimes….The hardest decisions that we make are for good reasons….
These decisions change our life, they can break cycles…..
Some people are just not meant to be together….
the relationship is toxic and affects everyone….
the hardest decision I have made so far in my life was leaving your dad Shelby….
I wanted you to grow up in a positive, loving environment….
your dad and I are great parents seperately….
We love you and you are the best part of your dad and I….
At the time your dad and I were in different places and wanted very different things in life….
getting out on our own just you and me, I know now that was best, even as scary as it was….
You were meant to be!
love you.
I love that the Creative Therapy catalysts can inspire me to create in a lot of different directions, even altered books. This is the cover for the altered book I will be filling up.
Karen:
Karen says:
I’ve written about Teach For America before and I will be writing about it again. This is one of the few things in my life where I still need a lot of personal therapy. It’s unfinished for me. I haven’t made my peace with it yet. I am closer than I’ve been but not there yet.
I used a digital page for this because I don’t have any good photos from that time in my life. I used this photo of me and my students but blurred out their faces. Thank you for your patience with me as I work my way through this.
Journaling Reads:
i wish i could say that i feel 100% confident it was the right thing to do. that i don’t regret a moment of it. yet, here we are, six years later, and i am still unsure. i am still sad and it is still by far the hardest decision i ever made.
i have never ever quit anything in my life.
ever.
i try hard to think things thoroughly before i commit to them, and once i do, i don’t walk away. i see it through. all the way. it’s not a competition. it’s not about looking good. it’s just about integrity. i believe in seeing things through.
so, while i know deep down that i had no other choice, i still regret quitting teach for america. in my thirty-four years, i have never made a decision that was harder.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
The hardest decision that I’ve ever had to make was the one that I made when my son was just four months old. I decided to leave the home that my husband and I had shared and move back in with my parents. It was the scariest thing to think about whether or not I would be able to do things on my own, financially and emotionally. After a few months of enduring through it, I met Travis, and life seemed to fall back in its place. And while I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget the fear that I had throughout those few months and the criticism that I got from all of the people around me for making that decision, I believe that it was the best thing that I could have ever possibly done.
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
This week’s catalyst was truly therapy for me, and it honestly threw me for a loop in the creative process. The hardest decision that I have ever made was last summer when I had to take out a restraining order against my own brother. This year has been full of ups and downs, fear and anger, sadness and defeat but through it all I know that I did the right thing. Creating this layout helped me to continue to heal and remember that I made the right decision no matter how difficult it was.
Journaling on layout reads:
Not a day goes by where I don’t think of you and love you and pray for you and your health and safety. But there is also not a day that I am not scared of you, hurt by you, traumatized by you and angry at you. Will I ever find peace?
Journaling in the pocket reads:
Alcoholism.
al·co·hol·ism (āl’kə-hô-lĭz’əm, -hŏ-)
n. A disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages, leading to physical and psychological harm and impaired social and vocational functioning. Also called alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence.
The chances are good that any person who reads this knows, or has known someone who suffers from it or at least knows someone who knows someone. According to statistics, nearly 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria to be classified with this disease.
My brother is an alcoholic. He has been for over the last twelve plus years of my life. The last twelve years of my life I have spent wondering if every time that I saw my brother if it would be the last before his funeral. I have spent nights as a teenager huddled in bed with my mother with a weapon beside the bed, terrified of what might happen should he show up drunk. I have watched helplessly as my brother literally knocked down doors to get what he wanted and slam my mother against walls, breaking them. I have watched him choke on his own vomit, knowing that if we weren’t there to turn him, he would die. I have watched him get in a car time and time again and drive away drunk, knowing that anything I did to stop him could possibly kill me.
One would think that all that would have been enough. Enough for me to cut him out of my life and never speak to him again. But it wasn’t. It never was.
Until last summer… it got worse when no one thought it could. *rest of journaling removed for privacy/security reasons*
I finally made the choice to protect myself and my family. I took out a restraining order against my own brother. It was something that I never would have dreamed that I would have to do. I never dreamed that I would be sitting in a court room, pleading to a judge to help protect me and my family because my own brother was a danger to us and had threatened me, my mother and my family.
To this day, I am terrified of my own brother. But I am heartsick for him too. Worried every day that he will kill himself or someone else. I have nightmares where he shows up at my door to hurt us or to try to get back at us somehow for doing this. I keep a knife in my desk drawer of my scrap room because I am in there oftentimes late at night by myself. It has changed every aspect of my life, this fear. And honestly if I could pack up and move to start my life over somewhere else today, I would.
His alcoholism has invaded my life and while I know that I am legally protected from him, I don’t think I will ever feel completely safe from him, and that to me, is the tragedy of it all. Because he is my brother and despite everything, I love him. I always will.
Technique Highlight:
I knew that this layout would be journaling intensive, but that I would not want it all readily readable to viewers so I created the page to be one large pocket by cutting a paper bag to size and stitching the sides to create my pocket. This was a decorative striped bag so I used chalkboard spray paint to paint it black and maintain a matte finish.
I also created the tears directly on the photo by using glossy accents applied in a tear shape, and allowed them to dry.
To create a custom paper for my page I photocopied the first page of the order of protection onto patterned paper. I did this because with a topic such as this, I didn’t feel that anything else would convey the feeling of the layout.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s the hardest decision you ever made?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-four:
Tell us about somethin you feel obligated to do (daily or regularly) why do you feel obligated?
We’re so excited to have Karen Michel as this week’s Guest Artist.
Karen is one of those artists who create stunning art in mutliple mediums. Her photographs, collages, altered art and mixed media are all amazing on their own accord. Her art begs to be touched, so you can feel all the texture and it always leaves me with a nostalgic feeling.
Karen’s written two fantastic books. Her latest is: Green Guide for Artists: Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas, & Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artist and the previous one is The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery. She also regularly teaches at art workshops such as Art Unraveled and Journal Fest.
You can find more of Karen’s art on her website and her blog.
Here is Karen’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Karen Says:
Each morning while drinking my coffee you can usually find me fiddling with photoshop, playing around with my photographs. I am an obsessive photographer (digital) and enjoy going over the images from the day before in the mornings. I have this inner need to play around with them while their memory is fresh in my head so I can bring it to life a bit more with some digital altering. I definitely feel the obligation to create some sort of artwork regularly whether it be 3d or digital. It is food for my spirit.
Technique Highlight:
I have been on a feather kick lately, working with lots of animal totem imagery & such as well as working with the mandala concept from photos I take of my art work. I love to juxtapose images and have them create a dialog with each other. I also love icons that are timeless and evoke our inner mystics. The little feather painting was created on a small piece of wood which I primed with some homemade gesso & sketched the image on with a pencil. The purple background is a homemade paint I made with boiled wild blueberries (yes, it’s true!) and I embellished the feather details with gel pens- I love the gelly roll soufflé line. The mandala was created digitally from a photo of one of my wood collage vignettes. A portion of the photo of the artwork is taken and repeated 13 times (a number of universal significance) creating the mandala. The diptych itself was created in photoshop, merging the two together and creating the borders between and around them.
Thank you so much Karen; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Wilna:
Wilna Says:
I love everyday stuff. I dont mind those little things we have to do everyday. In a sense there is comfort in it! Loving my little Mac by feeding him, doing dishes, drinking coffee… reading the word, texting and talking, laundry putting on perfume and base. Doing my blog and catching up on twitter and facebook…i love doing it. i love the simplicity it provides, I love that i can do it to bless my loved ones. Thank you Lord for everyday little things.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
The worst obligation I have is, without any doubt, to go work everyday, but of course I have other things that I´m obligated to do that I don´t like, In fact, everything that I do not only for fun isn´t nice, so, I decided to work on my daily “to do lists” for this catalyst. I used a scrabble board paper as a background and wrote everything I hate on it.
Michelle:
Michelle Says:
Everyday, I feel obligated to put the needs of my 3 kids before my own. I love my children more than anything in the world and putting their needs first is part of what being a mom is. OK..not just part..it IS what being a mom is. From the second they wake up, unitl they go to sleep, and sometimes in the middle of the night it is their needs before mine. Sometimes at the end of the day, I realize that I did nothing for myself as I dealt with the needs of a 2, 5 & 7 year old. I know the day will come when I miss doing everything for them and they don’t want me around. But for now, I will dream of the very rare day when I can take a shower, eat a meal and read a book without the distractions of “I want, I need and she hot me”.
Karen:
Karen Says:
I take photos. I take A LOT of photos. As far back as I can remember, I always took photos. I was the yearbook photographer and the yearbook editor. No matter where we were and what we did, I always took photos. And then I had a son. Whatever photos I took before seemed a tiny amount compared to anything I took in the years before. I have a photo for every day of my son’s first year. And then my second son was born just three months ago. I’m a second kid so I know how they don’t get as much attention and as many photographs. So I swore to myself that I would take a photo of my second son every single day for his first year as well. So far, so good. And he’s luckier because in the meantime I have become a much better photographer.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
That is for me….. to put a smile on the faces of my kids…every day….Sometimes they are feeling sad. Or sick or whatever….I would try to make them happy….with a little joke or a short story in a child book, a little present, or a little kisses and hugs…It’s important to smile everyday!! My layout is called “beautiful smile.”
Lia:
Lia Says:
I wish I had more than 24/7 to do every thing I want, and to give every one a piece of my time. My weekdays are mostly spent at work, and while I wish I could give my nights to some quality family time, they are usually used for household chores, assignments and catching up on sleep. Weekends are similar, trying to create a balance between family, bf, chores/errands and me time (if I’m lucky). I wish I could do it all, especially doing lots more activities and having more interaction with my family – and enjoying it! And not worrying that ‘I can only spare 2 hours with you guys today. I have lots of other stuff to do!’ … it’s a struggle, I can only try to stretch myself as much as I can.
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
If you would have asked me ten years ago if the internet would be as big as a part of my life as it is today I wouldn’t have believed you. Rarely a day goes by that I don’t wake up and after taking care of Roslyn for the morning head to the computer to check my email, my Google reader, Twitter, Facebook, design team sites and more. Some of it is in fact essential, but others like Facebook, Twitter etc are purely for enjoyment. It has become a great way to keep in contact with loved ones all over the world and a great source of networking for my interests in scrapbooking, photography and more. There are days where I honestly want to throw the computer across the room, but more often than not is a part of my day that I look forward to and appreciate every day.
Opal:
Opal Says:
I have a self-imposed obligation to the birds on my bluff. Every day I smile when i watch them in their unabashed need for food. I carefully watch the level of seed in their feeders, keep the hummingbird nectar feeders clean and full, refill the suet cages when empty. and put out dry bread and bits of fruit. They always make me stop for a minute, breathe, and smile. We nourish each other.
The sketch is from my journal and transferred to fabric, the bits of fabric framing the window and forming tiny bird feeders are from yesterday’s scraps from a current project on my cutting table, the number 2 is my address….hand and machine quilted.
Lori:
Lori Says:
I tried really hard to come up with something original for this, like doing laundry or feeding my cats. Ha! But, the truth is that I feel obligated every day to be a good Mom, wife, friend and daughter. That’s it. There is no better answer than that. It’s what I chose and it’s what I love.
Journaling Reads:
I feel obliged to be a Mom, a wife, a friend, and a daughter. This is my choice and this is my blessing.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about somethin you feel obligated to do (daily or regularly) why do you feel obligated?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
This week we have a new RAK from the wonderful Sakura of America. These stardust pens are absolutely wonderful.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number seventy-three:
Tell us about a recent ‘dream come true’ it can be big or small as long as it was a dream for you.
We’re so excited to have Tim Holtz as this week’s Guest Artist.
Does Tim really need an introduction? It took me several years and a lot of persistence to get Tim to agree to guest for us and now that he’s here, I am beyond thrilled.
I don’t even know where to begin. Tim has multiple lines of products from the delicious distress inks, dabbers, and alcohol inks to the stunning idea-ology line. Stickles, crackle paint, and so much more. He also makes stamps, tools, and writes books. But, above all, my favorite thing about Tim is his demos. When you watch him use his products, not only does he make it seem easy but he does it in a way where you actually can repeat it at home and create similar effects. His 12 tags of Christmas from 2007 and 2008 are truly inspiring.
If you haven’t seen Tim’s blog or site you’re truly missing out.
Here is Tim’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Tim Says:
So when i was asked to participate in this catalyst thing, i wasn’t quite sure if i was up for the challenge. sure, i live my art everyday, but sometimes taking time to “think” about the meanings behind creative thoughts seems to often get overlooked… until now. when i was given this particular one, i knew i had just the thing i wanted to create… funny though since i just said i really don’t think much about the art itself other than the creativity behind it, but this catalyst triggered a moment in time, my time, my dream, and i get to share it all over again. my catalyst: tell us about a recent ‘dream come true’ it can be big or small as long as it was a dream for you.”
people that know me know i’m the ultimate disney fan (or freak if that’s a comfortable term) and i love all things vintage disneyland. i think this place, referred to as the happiest place on earth truly holds magic within its gates. started over 50 years ago by a man with an imagination and creative vision so powerful his ideas, hopes, and dreams still live on today. walt disney was a definite visionary, but even better than that, he didn’t hold on to what other people thought of him or his ideas – he believed in himself. no idea was too great or out of reach. disneyland holds such a special place in my soul. i simply can’t explain it, but when i’m there, even though i’m amongst the thousands of people also trying to take in a bit of disney nostalgia, i feel inspired. inspired to chase my dreams, and truly live the life i’ve imagined – what powerful words.
as a disneyland fanatic going there almost every other month, i have heard the tales of club 33. a members only, money can’t buy, never in your life will you get through the doors kind of club that walt built inside the park to entertain his special guests. this exclusive club has been the banter of many disneyland goers who have shared tales of what’s behind the infamous door with nothing more than the marking of a sign with the numbers 33. stories say this number has no significance at all, but for us fans, the numbers mean a time capsule of walt’s legacy. you see walt passed away before the completion of this club, but its walls are filled with his personal collections and effects along with various furnishings from some of the most famous disney films like mary poppins. okay back to my dream…i’m sure you know where i’m going with this, but i could only hope that someday i would be able to have access to that club, even for just a pass through.
so with the power of the internet i happened to mention it in a blog post just after a trip to disneyland saying that getting behind the infamous club 33 door is definitely the top of my bucket list. i had many comments that post, some who said they’ve been inside, others offered to take me along “next time” and many curious to find out more about it. however one person, yes only one emailed me personally asking me if i seriously wanted to go into the club and if so, she could help. with my heart racing and fingers clicking away on the computer i anxiously accepted her offer. it turned out that a couple of years prior she was my teaching assistant at a CKU and she remembered me because she said i was nice to her. thinking i’m always nice to people i asked her what she meant and she said with all of the people there wanting a “piece of me”, i took the time to make her feel important. so in turn she wanted to do something nice for me – talk about karma!
well words can’t express anything further, on my birthday this year myself along with 3 friends, and my new friends who invited me in the club went through those magical doors and i got to experience a dream i never thought possible. a silly dream to some, but something that will never be topped for as long as i live. dreams do come true, walt believed that, and who am i to say otherwise – i’ve lived mine…
Thank you so much Tim; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team. As you’ll see, the wonderful Iris Babao Uy has joined our team!
Iris:
Iris Says:
I have recently given up my events management business to be able to take care of my two children. Little did I know that along with the time that I can now spend on my children, I will also be blessed with the opportunity to create pages and projects, and at the same time earn some extra cash along with the pure enjoyment of creating. It has always been my “DREAM JOB” and now I am given the privelege to live that dream.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I had always dreamed of going to Venice… to ride in the gondolas… Last July I went there!
Dedra:
Dedra Says:
The catalyst this week was thought invoking and a very deep question. It really made me think about the journey I’m on. The twists and turns and the choices I have made. Each one leading to big and small dreams that have come true for me. Then, how do I pick just one “recent” dream. Most of us have a lot going on these days and I wanted to tell a more detailed account. This lead me to creating an altered book that I will fill up with big and small dreams that have come true for me.
I love that the Creative Therapy catalysts can inspire me to create in a lot of different directions, even altered books. This is the cover for the altered book I will be filling up.
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
I still remember the first time I read about Big Picture Scrapbooking. I was incredibly inspired by the idea and couldn’t stop thinking about it. A few months later, I was taking a course on accomplishing your dreams and on my list, I wrote down “submit a proposal to BPS.” I had no idea if they took proposals or what I would teach, but I didn’t care, I would find a way to make it happen. As it turns out, they did take proposals and I wrote mine up and sent it over to Stacy. A phone call and a few months later, my class was up and I finally got to accomplish my dream. And, honestly, it was better than I ever could have imagined. I loved writing the course. I loved teaching the course. I loved every bit of it and I am so lucky that I get to do it again and again.
Severine:
Severine Says:
My recent dream come true it’s my new camera a nikon d90. I have wanted a reflex camera for a long time ago and after some years i saved enough money to buy it.
In French:
J’ai toujours rêver d’avoir un appareil photo numérique reflex et après avoir économiser pendant quelques années, j’ai enfin pu me payer le nikon d90 dont je rêvais.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
Having the both of you is having more than I could have ever dreamed of. July 2009.
Lia:
Lia Says:
When I began scrapbooking, I dreamed of joining the manufacturer ‘DREAM TEAMS’ of the craft. I was in awe of the ‘celebrities’ on the elusive design teams and like any fan, I wanted to be just like my idols. When I joined firstly Maya Road (my favorite chipboard manufacturer), and then Pink Paislee (who does the prettiest papers EVER!) a few months after that, I pinched myself over and over again! I couldn’t believe that I would be welcomed into such incredible teams and amongst such immense talent then, and I still can’t believe it now. It’s been a blessing to have this particular dream come true through these great teams, and the experience will always be a beautiful memory I’ll keep.
I created an ATC for each design team, using some of my favorite products from each manufacturer. If I showcased all of my favorites from these companies, a 12×12 layout would probably not be enough!
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
I created this mini book to house pictures, ticket stubs and memories of a recent dream come true for me. This last March, my husband and I spent our first weekend out of town, just us, since having our daughter four years ago. We spent that weekend going to see my favorite band in concert where Drew had arranged for us to actually meet the band afterwards. We also went to a Spring Training game where we celebrated Drew’s birthday. It was a simply magical weekend, full of wonder and enjoyment of even the simplest things and we look forward to many more like it.
Technique Highlight:
The cover to this book is created from a cover to a hardback book that I had gutted due to water damage. I saved the covers and the connecting fabric spines and assembled a new book for the inside using chipboard, book binding tape and cardstock.
KL:
KL Says:
i have learned that sometimes, even when your heart hurts and you are unsure of yourself you need to take a leap of faith. you need to believe in yourself and know that no matter what, you can and are worth anything you desire.
last year i sat on the fence before making a huge decision. i didn’t trust my instincts and follow the path that i knew i should take. i wavered, even when i wanted to follow a new path. but once i sat back and truly listened. once i let my heart lead the way i knew exactly where i needed to be.
sometimes all you have to do is sit back and listen to your heart and let it lead the way.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about a recent ‘dream come true’ it can be big or small as long as it was a dream for you.” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
creative Therapy 