Art Journal: Gratitude - for me - it's every day.

Howdy! It's almost 80 degrees here at the ranch today... love it!!

Today I because I wanted to be supportive of a creative challenge given by Tracy Weinzapfel. She wears a lot of hats but you might know her best through DecoArt or from her LIVE broadcasts painting artwork on her Mixed Media Mondays. 

She said: I challenge you to take your thoughts of thanks to your safe place whether that be a canvas, art journal, or a wall! I would love to see what you come up with. 

Over the years, I have developed into a very thankful person. Life has not been easy for our family and one thing for sure... we never take anything for granted. I am just so thankful for even the smallest of blessings.

 I was thinking about Tracy's challenge... and my heart just felt full - like thankfulness/gratitude was just clinging to it.  As a result, I came up with the gratitude sentiment. 

Then I thought it perhaps didn't make any sense... leaves drop off vines and we wouldn't want gratitude to just go away!!! However, I realized that every day I am grateful for different things so if one of my leaves of gratitude dropped off - it would quickly be replaced with another - perhaps the same or maybe a bit different 'color'! 

I wanted my painting to be colorful and the vines unique. After using gesso on my pages, I began by misting DecoArt Media Misters onto my journal pages. 

I used:

Yellow Shimmer Mister

Orange Mister

Purple Mister

White Shimmer Mister

I added DecoArt Media Crackle Paste with the Tracy Moreau DecoArt Americana Classic Stencil Jacobean Floral.

For the vines... I just "had" to use some shimmer and chose DecoArt Metallic Lustre in several colors. 

Lavish Green

Radiant Red

Orange Flicker

Copper Kettle

Polished Coral

It just looked like it needed a fence so I drew it in with a ruler and a Faber-Castell Black Pitt Pen. Then highlighted the edges with DecoArt Metallic Lustre Silver Spark.

The tiny vines were done with:

Elegant Emerald, Black Shimmer and DecoArt Media Green Gold using my Dynasty Liner Brush.

I printed my sentiment the size needed, traced it with DecoArt Graphite Paper and then painted it by hand with my Dynasty Liner Brush In DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Dioxazine Purple.

I'm thankful for dragonflies (more than butterflies) so added one using Misti, StazOn and a Stampendous Cling Dragonfly stamp.

Here and there...I used some DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Green Gold, Translucent White, Paynes Grey, Carbon Black.

A few close-ups:

As 2017 begins... I am thankful and filled to overflowing with gratitude.  Of course, I am thankful for all my family and my dear sweet hubby of almost 45 years.  I am thankful to live on our ranch, for our ranch staff and for our friends.

And I am thankful that I can paint...and for all of YOU - my artsy buddies - who inspire me each and every day to be more than I ever thought I could be. 

I am thankful for my DecoArt, for my DecoArt Media International DT friends and for Tracy and others who has motivated me to create, to laugh, dare to dream, and to BELIEVE that my art is 'good' enough to share! 

Gratitude clings to my heart abundantly. 

Hugs. j. 

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DecoArt Media Design Team Project: Moonlite Lantern Mixed Media Monolith

Howdy Sweet Friends! 

I am excited to share a Design Team Project for DecoArt Media Blog. Here is a little preview. 

Please go over and check it out!
DecoArt Media 'Moonlite Lantern Mixed Media Monolith'

It's a monolith made from a gnarly oak tree root! 

LEAVE ME A COMMENT over on the DecoArt Media Blog... 

and here too if you have time - ehehehhe!! 

I'm greedy today :)

Hugs. j. 

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MERRY CHRISTMAS Stick Tree on Wood with Babbles

Howdy and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all!

May your holiday time be cheery and bright!

Hubby and I are alone for Christmas.

Our kids/grandchildren all live far away.

We are looking forward to some rest and old movies which is something we seldom get to do in our busy lives.

All the gifts have been made, ordered, mailed and have arrived. Now we are satisfied that all our loved ones will have an enjoyable Christmas Day.  We made gifts for all our ranch hands. The one I'm sharing today was done for our caterer at the ranch retreat. 

I totally got the idea for this gift from the Mixed Media Place Challenge Blog Mood Board for December. 

Now back to the project! 

As you look at this gift... 

are you curious what is at the bottom of the tree?

Since this was for a Hispanic Chef... it's chili peppers!!!

She noticed them right off too!

These are mat board die cuts from Fabulous Filagrees.

I used DecoArt Metallic Lustre for shimmer in

Copper Kettle, Radiant Red, Lavish Green.

The peppers are backed with 12x12 Red Craft n Craftin' Glitter Cardstock paper from my stash.

Hubby made me the 24x36 board out of old fence wood. I place the sticks on randomly and then drew line to mark their places. 

After painting with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Metallic Gold paint the lined I drew were left as guides!

Originally the letters for MERRY as well as a star had DecoArt Media Gesso painted on them but in the end the MERRY just didn't seem to fit.  And for our caterer it's more Feliz Navidad any way!

As you know... I love crackle and just had to add the DecoArt Media Crackle Paste to my star.

Metallic Lustre Radiant Red and DecoArt Sizzling Red Glamour Dust added pizzazz. The little opalescent circles were tree bling.

I love Andy Skinner's Whirlpool stencil from DecoArt and it just seem the right 'decor' for this tree!

Then I just began playing. I had some gold and silver filigree beads, the silver opalescent discs, and I made some tiny bows to add to the branches. There is a silver heart charm hanging from one of the trees with silver twine.  Radiant Red and Silver Spark Metallic Lustre was added to the branches and tree. The DecoArt Media Red and White Mister was used for the speckles and spots all around the tree.  The entire tree was covered with Iced Crystal Glamour Dust and it sparkles beautifully!

And here are some close up pictures of the finished tree!

One again... Ho Ho Hooooo MERRY Christmas!!! 

Hugs, j. 

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Thrilled to share with the following challenges:

Mixed Media Place

December Challenge

Be inspired by the mood board and create something joyful!

Our caterer seemed joyful when she saw her tree. 

Thank you Mixed Media Place for the inspiration! j. 

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Painting What Christmas Means to Me!

Howdy to my dear sweet artsy friends.

Happy Holidays to all who celebrate the season! 

I have so enjoyed all your lovely Christmas/Holiday posts. Your creativity is just amazing. 

For as long as I can remember, our family has focused on the birth of Jesus as the "reason for the season".  Every Christmas includes the Bible reading of the event and a Christmas Eve church service by candlelight.  Usually Mama or I would sing at the services.  Sometimes both of us!!  

My favorite song to sing was "The Birthday of the King". 

In the little village of Bethlehem

There lay a child one day

And the sky was bright with a Holy Light

In the place where Jesus lay. 

Hallelujah, oh how the angels sang

Hallelujah, how it rang

And the sky was bright with a Holy light

Twas the birthday of the King

Twas a humble birth place, but oh how much

God gave to us that day.

From a manger bed, what a path He led,

What a perfect Holy way. 

This year, I won't be singing, but painting instead!

Here is my abstract version of "A Birthday of My King".

I began with a light coat of DecoArt gesso over a 12"x12" paper by Fancy Pants Designs: Swagger - Debonair.  The variegated dark brown seemed a good background for the stable and hay.

And then drew in a small sketch of intentions.

I knew I wanted the beautiful colors of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Prussian Blue Hue.  When using DecoArt Media Tinting Base, this color turns to so many amazing tones/hues. So I began with that combination first. 

Just working in some colors - mostly playing!

The DecoArt Metallic Lustre Silver Spark seemed the perfect product for a "heavenly bright sky". Combined with a DecoArt Americana stencil named Segmented Swirls - the sky came to life.

Afterwards DecoArt Media Misters were added in Primary Cyan and Purple. The DecoArt Metallic Lustre literally acted as a 'mask' and it was exciting to see the colors swirl and mix around the silver.

So why not continue with the wonderful Silver Metallic Lustre and use Andy Skinner's Whirlpool stencil for the hay?  This is the second time I used this stencil to represent hay - love it!!! 

Let's try a bit of DecoArt Media Misters on the hay, too, in Orange and Shimmer Yellow.  

And for the inside of the manger, I used DecoArt Media Misters in Primary Magenta, Black, Red, Shimmer White and Shimmer Violet. Mary's gown has some Shimmer Turquoise Mister also.

I still just kept adding texture and color to get the hay looking right. 

Here I am using a Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi stamp - Old Wood Floor with DecoArt Media Mister in purple. 

Using some DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Diarylide Yellow, Green Gold, Primary Red, Translucent White and lots of other Mister colors already used . . . the hay began to look cozy enough to attract the sheep!

I had a grand time with my Dynasty liner brushes 'making hay'!

Now I can say that I have baled hay, loaded hay, stacked hay, fed hay, enjoyed hay rides, used hay for a toothpick, shot arrows into hay, rolled in the hay, sat on hay, kissed in the hay, created scarecrows with hay, and painted hay!!!!!!!!!!! We even have a place on the ranch called the "Hay There" where we store our hay. YeeHaaaa!!! 

And, dear me . . . I just could not resist some sparkle with DecoArt Black Ice Glamour Dust.

Here are the products I used and some photos of the finished piece.

Whatever holiday you celebrate or

 even if it's not a holiday for you at all . . . 

I wish you BLESSINGS, PEACE and LOVE. Xj. 

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