STAMPlorations April Stencil Challenge- The Lord is my helper

STAMPlorations Stencil Challenge

• You can link up an unlimited number of projects -- any type of project is welcome as long as a stencil is used -- but each project must be in its own blog post.
• Use of stencil (any brand) is a requirement.
• Non-STAMPlorations products are OK 
• No sneak peek project entries; full project photo must be displayed on blog post in order to qualify for the prizes.
• To qualify for the prize, you must display challenge graphic and link back to the challenge post (blogs only) 

Prizes: $15 gift certificate to winner / $10 gift certificate to runner up / $5 gift certificate to 3 randomly picked entries

The craziness of these days makes me turn to my bible for comforting words. I decided to journal Hebrews 13: 5-6
I used a pencil and my ARTplorations BOLD FLORALS MINI STENCIL

Because I used a pencil with the stencil, I could move the stencil around and put the flowers where I wanted them. 

After I traced the flowers using the stencil, I used water color paints to paint the flowers. Then I hand lettered the scripture.

Never will I leave your nor forsake you...The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid... What can man do to me?

TP casting roses

Art nudge #3 is had peach colored roses. That inspired this mixed media card. I did toilet paper casting. You layer 3 sheets of tp onto a stamp. You spray with water and use a stippling brush to push the tp into the crevasses of the stamp. When it dried, I used watercolor paint to add color to the casting. 

 I used an orange thin marker to outline the flowers. I wish I hadn't because I liked it better before, but I pressed on.

I water colored with same colors onto a piece of white cardstock. I also splattered it.

 Glued the roses to the top of the cardstock.

The stamp that I used was STAMPlorations Darling Dog Rose stamp.

You can used this coupon to get 20% off your STAMPlorations purchase. 

Get well soon- STAMPlorations stencil challenge- Rosegarden

Remember that you can still play along with this month's STAMPlorations Stencil Challenge. 

I took one of those prints and made this Get Well Soon card.

If you would like to buy ROSEGARDEN for yourself you can use my discount code to get 20% off your order.

A month of watercolor sketches

Last month I started doing little watercolor sketches using Doodlewash prompts. I got most of the month done, then I went to St Louis to help care for my grandkids. It was hard to finish with a 3 year old and a 9 month old. So I waited until I got home. I have been finishing them this week, as well as trying to get caught up on the prompts for the month of March.  For these little sketches I used watercolor, black ink pen, white gel pen and arteza thin line markers. 

March STAMPlorations Stencil Challenge

Hi time for this month's STAMPlorations STENCIL CHALLENGE

• You can link up an unlimited number of projects -- any type of project is welcome as long as a stencil is used -- but each project must be in its own blog post.
• Use of stencil (any brand) is a requirement.
• Non-STAMPlorations products are OK 
• No sneak peek project entries; full project photo must be displayed on blog post in order to qualify for the prizes.
• To qualify for the prize, players must display challenge graphic and link back to the challenge post (blogs only) 

Prizes: $15 gift certificate to winner / $10 gift certificate to runner up / $5 gift certificate to 3 randomly picked entries

I made this little thinking of you card using. ARTplorations Clustered Hearts. I used the stencil and my gel press to make a monotype . I used blues and greens. I then water colored some poppies over the top of the clustered hearts. I hand lettered a sentiment. Don't you think that the little hearts kinda look like a trellis? 

Mr William Harold Neidlinger and pants on fire

For the splitcoast stampers (scs) mix-ability challenge. I wanted to use this quote. I think it is hilarious. Thankful that I have practiced my lettering because it is getting easier and easier. I thought this sentiment would look great with a vintage image of a male in pants... But I didn't have a stamp of one so I drew him. I got on pinterest and searched victorian men. I drew him with pencil and then went over my pencil sketch with a pen that is color fast. Then I watercolored him using black and brown. I was almost afraid to do the background because I didn't want to mess him up after having spent so much time on him. But I also didn't want to leave the background white. It was too stark. So at the encouragement of my friend Lee Ann, I gave it a try. I used brown, gray and blue to make the background. Then I splattered it to break up the blank space some more.  Then I wrote the sentiment.  When I was done I showed my friend Lee Ann and I told her I was wondering what his name was. She said William and I had been thinking Harold. So I decided to let my computer help finish naming him. I googled William Harold and let google finish. There was a William Harold Smith who was an artist. Very "different' art. Not my style and I don't think he would have worn a hat and carried a cane. So I didn't think that was his last name.  So I tried again then got William Harold Lee. He was an architect. Interesting man but not "my man". So I tried again and got William Harold Neidlinger. He was a composer and singer. He studied music in England and in Paris and lived in Chicago for awhile. He started a school for handicapped children. He is known for writing the song The Birthday of a King. I really liked learning about him, so that is how Mr. William Harold Neidlinger ended up on my card.  I love going down dirt roads like that and learning new things. Kinda like when Paul Harvey would tell "the rest of the story."

Between Gardens and playing dress up

The splitcoast stampers mix-ability challenge this week is all about quotes. We are to put a quote on our project. I have been reading Lysa TerKeurst's book called "It's not supposed to be this way." She talks about the fall. How when in the garden of Eden mankind was in fellowship with God but sin entered the picture and God made them leave the garden because he was protecting them because of the tree of life. Eternal life separated from God is no life. It is actually what I believe Hell will be like. in Revelation 22 , The second garden is Eden restored.  

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

So  while my quote on my card isn't a direct quote from the book. It was inspired by it. 

My second card has a quote from Kate Spade that says. "Playing dress up begins at age 5 and never truly ends." I painted my niece. My sister shared this photo of her playing dress up this week. I have a really hard time painting and drawing people so I thought I better start painting and drawing them even if they aren't as good as I would like, because if I don't start, I can't get any better. My sister and I had so much fun playing dress up when we were little. Our maternal grandma went to goodwill and brought home dresses for us. We had a wedding dress and several "prom" dresses. Feather boas were included as well as piles of junk jewelry.  We also had a white wig. Unfortunately for our brother we dressed him up in a dress and the wig once. I think we even got a photo of it and thought of using it when he hit his pre teen years and loved to pester us. But as adults he is a wonderful man who loves family. So I'm sure the photo has disappeared now, but the memory is still there.  

Water color practice flowers.

Sharing some water color flowers I made this week. This is a practice page. I had a lot of fun making the roses.  Maxine, I just saw that you won a prize for the Turner Syndrome Awareness Hop. You need to contact Lori.  How exciting for you!!Hope everyone has a blessed week.

STAMPlorations Rose Garden

Here is the stencil that I used on this project. 

Sow in tears

I made this watercolor card today. I drew four circles overlapping then I drew three lines and then I drew a flower and added leaves. 

Then I added my teardrops. These are so easy to make. All it takes is a pencil, a black pen and a white gel pen. I take the black pen and I draw a U with curved wings. 

 The next step is to take the pencil and put a cover on the U leaving the wings uncovered. 

Still with the pencil. I shade outside the U. Think of the U as a clock and I shade from 3 to 6. 

I shaded the inside of the U. I shaded the upper left side from 8 to 1 on that imaginary clock. 

 Last step is take the white gel pen and draw a dot in the left upper part and draw a curved line on right lower part. 

The reverse side of my journal card. 

I tried a different lettering. I really struggled with the "t"s. 

Rejoice in HOPE

I did a card for my mini journal. I traced a circle and then I sketched flowers around the circle. 

I watercolored the flowers, leaves and berries. 

I used a black ink pen and white highlighter on flowers 

 I wrote the word "HOPE" inside the circle of flowers. 

The reverse side of this journaling card. 

10 Commandments of Bible Journaling.

Last September in a bible journaling group on Facebook a lady named Nadine Kennedy shared her list of bible journaling commandments. She had 16 rules. I adapted it and came up with my 10 commandments of Bible Journaling. The ones that make sense to me.  I had been thinking about them earlier this week and thought I really should make a page about them to go in my bible. I put it in the very front of my journal bible because there were 2 blank pages opposite eachother. I water colored them to resemble stone tablets.  I especially like rule #1 and rule #10 but all are important to me.