Round Gelli Plate Water Lily

Round Gelli Plate background created with acrylic paint, textured foam sheets and stencils
Waterlily painted with acrylic, iridescent medium, Gelly Roll Pens.

OK, I am officially in love with my round Gelli Plate.  The mandala shape is just so exciting and inspiring.  I found

myself wanting to paint flowers enclosed in that shape. Blue acrylic paint and the textured foam sheet and stencil really

made me think of water.  Love the way the paint that makes up the waterlily petals is kind of translucent (the plus side

of bargain paint). The Gelli Roll pens made for fun, shiny marks. Overall I like that the feeling of color shimmering 

in a watery environment.

Be Brave! With Texture



Be Brave!

Border texture: Tim Holtz Texture Fades "Pattern and Stitches",
copy of Ryder-Waite "Strength" card.  Studio G ink, patterned scrapbook paper,
 Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Wheatfields), Tsukineko Walnut Ink.
  Sharpie brown marker, Galeria Iridescent Medium 

Be Brave! Detail

One thing I LOVE about Visual Journal pages is that, in some ways, they are never done.  This page is still "blank" but it is complete for now.  At some point I might journal all over it but for now I am happy with the yummy textures.  I've used the texture folders for artist cards but never for a journal page before.  I just got Tim Holtz "Pattern and Stitches Set" embossing folders and made those wonderful embossed stitches on music sheet patterned scrapbook paper for the border strips.  I distressed a copy of the Strength tarot card with markers and double sided tape.  I altered it a bit with metallic markers.  I used Glimmer Mist to make the parchment looking background as well as Walnut Ink.  I used a die cut flower for a mask. 

The Art Therapy angle: I love the Strength card because it reminds me that strength does not have to overpower but can be gentle.  I am a naturally introverted person (although I am an extrovert, for the most part, at work) and sometimes my sensitivity to the noise and stress of the large world is just too much.  I feel like my life is held together by last minute stitches in addition to the proverbial "stitch in time".  This page is weathered because I feel "worn" today.  I need to remind myself to Be Brave! which means moving forward when I want to retreat.  Bravery can be represented by persistence in the face of challenges, it does not have to be brave like an action hero.  So, this page is weathered, stitched together, like me--but it is interesting and beautiful.  Yes!