Shine!

For the past few years, like many other artists and creative souls, I have chosen a word of the year each January. This year it was SHINE. After a difficult 2017 marred by corporate downsizing and a shift to a new job, on the heels of the loss of our beloved Maltese Coco, and followed by a steep learning curve of a new job throughout 2018, I decided that 2019 would be my year to shine.

My journal page not only features the word SHINE, but has shiny gold gesso and some of my favorite Gwen Lafluer stencils done with Emerald Creek embossing powder. 

The word was a good omen: the shining for 2019 even began a little early--at the end of 2018 I taught my first mixed media art class at the Ink Pad NYC and it was sold out. There was even a waiting list. I figured I was on a roll and shine was a good indicator of a great year to come.

More good news at the end of 2018 was being selected to be one of the StencilClub Voices. As part of Voices, I get early shipments on some new stencil releases. My upcycled shoebox was on the Stencil Girl blog a few weeks ago, and more work will appear on the Stencil Girl blog in March.

My first StencilClub Voices project: an upcycled shoebox

Here's a peek at what I have been making (and forgetting to blog about!) lately:

ATC paper doll sample for my first Ink Pad class

Intention Card side 1

Intention Card side 2

Sample 1 for Ink Pad: Industrial Modern journal page

Sample2 for Ink Pad: Industrial Modern journal page

Samples for Ink Pad class featuring Character Construction stamps

Frida Santos Cage Doll from a Character Construction kit

Tag with inspirational words for 2019, using Stencil Club designs

Journal page for The Stencilfied Journal 2, with music prompts. The first theme was Bohemian Rhapsody

Handmade books constructed from painted and stenciled paper, with button/grommet/ribbon closures

Articulated paper dolls made from paper scraps

Paper doll made with Character Construction stamps, Dina Wakley face stamp and The Graphics Fairy body parts

envelope front, made from stenciled and embossed deli paper

envelope back, made from stenciled and embossed deli paper

Mail Art envelope front, made from collaged paper scraps and washi tape

Mail Art envelope back, made from collaged paper scraps and washi tape