What's on My Kitchen Counter

 Did some catch up on Splitcoaststampers.com.  This week's watercolor challenge was on the Northern Lights watching THIS video.   As this was done in my Journaling Bible after a layer of gesso, the watercolor paint took on some directions of its own.  I panicked at first, but liked it in the end.  This is Proverbs 3 which is not about light, but knowledge and instruction are light and Solomon gave us plenty of that in his words.  I picked out my favorite words - ones we all need right now.  Linking this as my last entry in Erika's Favorite Things theme at **ART*JOURNAL*JOURNEY* as I love Bible Journaling, watercolors, and the Northern Lights.  Proverbs is also one of my favorite books in the Bible.   The SCS Watercolor challenge the week before was on Cherry Blossoms.  The gesso made the blossoms a challenge but I did find a way to love this page as well.  After doing the flowers, I sponged over the whole page with Distr...

Hello crafty friends - happy Friday (or whatever day it is when you read this). I am so inspired to make art journal pages by the themes at **Art*Journal*Journey* and I am so glad I discovered that site.  I am still working on Erika's Favorite Things theme - still have 3 more ideas to create before the month is over.  I do like to think about spooky things - the problem is I am not to sure that I really want them to be true or to experience them. I just like the concept of them. I smeared my printed words when I used gesso over the top, but I kind of liked it and kept the panel. The base pictures came from a ghost hunting magazine I bought before Halloween. I bought it at the store when hubby was going to be gone for a weekend.  When I bought it, I thought it would be fun to get a glass of wine and read it relaxed in the recliner. I remember placing it in the car and thinking about how fun it would be to read when I got home. When I unloaded my groceries, the magazine was...

This was the first weekend in a long time that I could pick to do whatever I wanted.  Of course, I crafted and finally started taking the Christmas tree down! The inspiration challenge at Splitcoastampers.com was all about Hot Chocolate Designs' Pinterest Board - you can see it HERE .  The picture at the top middle right of the board cover that has lime green with black and white stripes  inspired me to finish up this Psalms 106 BAJ page.  I totally forgot I never really finished this page.  I previously drew Elphaba and the words Wickedly, but I didn't like what I had done and I and never colored them in.  This picture inspired me to finish it up with some Gouache paint and a Sharpie. We are so wicked, and we behave wickedly now and throughout time.  So glad God forgives us.   When I read Wicked, I felt so convicted about judging people when I should not.  The story really underscores that you can't judge a person without knowing what t...

 Hello friends, I plan on having even more fun as I get older - Lyn Slater is going to be my inspiration - I love  THIS  video and  THIS  story about her. She is 5 years older than me and way more stylish and cool, but I am going to aim to be more like her as she is incrediably fun.  I guess I will have to lose the slouchy pants and get some more interesting clothes and sunglasses!  Lyn inspired my journal page for this week although I think she is fun and dignified.  This page was also inspired by the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com this week.  The colors are Call Me Clover, Whisper White and Cajun Craze (with SU! neutrals allowed).  The colors reminded me of butterflies so I cut up some butterflies out of an old butterfly book to  made this fun journal page.  All my green is not clover on my Cajun Craze is more traditional orange in most places, but I am still happy with it and it makes me smile.  The words are...

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.,  I thought I would do a journal page with some of my favorite quotes.  He was such a good speaker and writer - I wish there was someone like him today.   When I started this page, I was feeling brave and thought I might paint a quick picture of him, but it came out horrible.  Then I thought I would write the words from 1B - Letter from the Birmingham Jail over it and maybe you couldn't see how horrible my picture was....lol.  It didn't hide my mistakes well so I decided to put the quotes actually over his face.  I will practice and do better next year! I painted the figure on an old hymnal page, and I distressed it a bit before gluing it down to my base journal page.  The base was done by painting some flowing flag stripes distressed with Vintage Photo ink and splashed with water. Hard to pick a favorite but I think it might be: "I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear."...

 Hello all. This past week was a bit tough - I am glad it is over!  I was missing my Mom and Pop, tackled a little clean out of Pop's things (emphasis on the word little), my oven broke, my daughter's car had major problems (such a hassle), hubby and I caught a cold, I gained two pounds (went off my diet since I didn't feel well), I am struggling to adjust to a new sleep mask (always hard to get used to new ones), and work has been super busy.   I know I still have it good though and have lots of blessings so I am trying to stay positive and that is what my latest journal page is all about.  Every day holds the possibility of a miracle.  We have to believe that in these times.   This page has some of my favorites things: a key from my Pop's house, stamps, tea bags, tea, paint, Snowtex, and texture so I am linking this to Erika's Favorite Things theme at **Art*Journal*Journey*.   Also linking to Try It on Tuesday's Add a Positive Quote theme....

Hello friends. Did you get anything fun for Christmas?   I told my hubby I wanted some new slippers just like the ones I wear every day.  He couldn't find them so he bought me two new styles which I love  - especially the fuzzy boot ones.  They came on a very cool chipboard hanger which I immediately thought would make a fun journal page!  I could have altered the hanger but I wasn't feeling it and used it just like it was. I used little torn pieces of leftover Christmas tissue paper to make my slippers and I took a few liberties with the My Favorite Things lyrics.  The page is covered with Willow ink from CTMH which I splattered with water.  I had so much fun making this page this morning at 4:00AM, and it fits perfectly with Erika's Favorite Things theme at **ART*JOURNAL*JOURNEY*.   The first day back at work wasn't too bad - let's hope today is the same.  Hope yours is full of your favorite things. Hugz, Nancy

 Happy Monday. I was able to do a bit of creating this weekend before I go back to work.  A friend of mine sent me some darling gnomes last week.  I colored one up with watercolors and gouache paint and added him to this background I made with gouache colors and distress ink.  The planets, moon and wolf are all from Stamperia.  I painted the mushroom and used a chicken wire stencil for the framing.  Linking this to Erika's Favorite Things theme at **ART*JOURNAL*JOURNEY* - I love gnomes, fantasy, and playing with paper/ink/paint.   I also did a little more BAJ in Daniel.  The angel is a RedLead stencil.God saves us from fires every day - ones we know about and ones we can't even imagine.  Then in Daniel 2:23, I was reminded that gratefulness and constant thanks are due God.  I had never really read much more than the traditional stories in this book, but there is a lot of depth to it and much to be learned.  Used my Thanksgivin...

Happy New Year! I haven't felt much like doing anything the past few days, but this morning I woke up feeling a bit happier and more like making something.   I was inspired by these five things: 1.  A lovely pile of Christmas cards. 2.  Some fun Christmas pictures. 3. Erika's**Art*Journal*Journey* theme - Favorite Things . 4. Scrapacat's MIX challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com: Snowy Day with at least two mediums. 5.  Kandie's Messy, Mixed and Joyful Challenge  on Splitcoatstampers.com:  Journal cards made with Christmas cards. I decided to make a little Junk Journal with some of the Christmas cards, gift card holders, and envelops I received.  I filled it with pictures from this Christmas Season. I started with a large handmade card sent to me by my blogging buddy, Jill.  I reinforced the "spine" with some packing tape, gesso, card stock, and Modge Podge.  I added on some crinkled tissue paper,  few die cuts, paper dolls and some g...