When it hurts....observe. Life is trying to teach you something.

Did you hear that Shimmerz Siren? Yep, that was me, Joyce. Glad you found your way here to let me share with you the colors of purple.

Over the years, I have kept quotes, poems, and excerpts from books I have read in a little spiral bound book. I now enjoy adding these words of wisdom in my art journals.  Here is a gothic-like photo I found on Pinterest and a quote that reads:  “When it hurts…observe. Life is trying to teach you something.”

Some of my favorite elements on this art journal entry are the following:

1.       Background created by painting the inside pages with white gesso but not adding gesso on the edges of the paper.  This method allows the Shimmerz mists and watercolors to absorb in the natural fibers of the paper.  To achieve this, apply a lacy like stencil around the edges of the pages and apply gesso over the stencil, and then fill in the middle parts of the pages with gesso. I love how the natural fibers of the paper absorb the Shimmerz  mists and watercolors.  When using light colors of mists and watercolors, I use clear gesso on top of the white gesso. This prevents the white gesso from resisting the light colors.  After the gesso dries, I applied Rocka-Fella Blue around the edges of the pages and quickly soaked up excess with a sea sponge and allowed to dry thoroughly.  Use the excess on the sea sponge and lightly dab over areas of the pages. Repeat the next layer using the same method with the color Plum Pudding, allow to completely dry before repeating the next layer using the same method with the color Plum Tuckered Out.  Stamped images were applied with a permanent color ink pad.

2.       White Rayon ribbon:  Cut a long piece of white Rayon ribbon and trim the hard edges so that strands of thread are revealed and the ribbon looks worn and tattered.  Scrunch up the ribbon in a ball and lightly soak the ribbon in various colors of Rocka-Fella Blue, Plum Pudding, and Plum Tuckered out.  Between each soak, allow each color to dry on its own before commencing the next soak.  On the final soak, scrunch up ribbon in a ball and allow to dry in a ball.  As I repeated this method, I would sometimes scrunch up the ball of soaked ribbon and punch it down on a paper towel. The paper towel turned out so pretty with the various colors that I decided I would use it too… and I did.  You will find some tucked in under the Rayon ribbon.

3.       Chipboard elements (small pieces): gesso chipboard, apply Ruby Lost Her Slipper with a small paint brush leaving the white edges of the gesso exposed. Ink edges of the chipboard with a permanent color ink pad.

4.       Chipboard Cross: gesso chipboard, combine Paste-eez Cream and Berry-Licious together and paint on top of cross leaving some areas thicker than others. Outline chipboard with a fine marker to add more interest.

5.       Metal element: clear gesso, and Precious Posey.

The following Shimmerz Products  can be found in the Store:

Vibes- Plum Tuckered Out

Vibes- Blushing Bride

Spritz- Plum Pudding

Spritz- Rocka-Fella Blue

Shimmerz- Berry-Licious

Inglingz – Ruby Lost Her Slipper

Inglingz –Precious Posey

Paste-eez –The “Cream” Team

More Shimmerz Paint inspiration can be found on FACEBOOK.

Listen for my Shimmerz Siren call to bring you back here on January 29th. Until then, turn on some creative soul moving music, gesso up the pages on your thrift shop found old book, apply Shimmerz paints and let the magic happen. 

And, if you like what you see here and would like to try some of the products I have used, place an order, mention my name in your order,  and the Shimmerz Team will send you a free product with your order.  How cool is that?!