Don't be afraid...

At The Butterfly Effect this week, they have set the theme DREAMS/NIGHTMARES.

So I thought I'd share one of mine with you...

At first this image looks creepy...it was to me when I dreamt it.

"I was buried in the dark earth, in a dark forest. I could feel the cold as it crept through my body. The frosty coldness shocked me into climbing out from my "grave", through a mound of leaves. My heart was beating faster and faster as I pulled myself from the earth. I crawled, then stood up, then started to run....out of the darkness of the forest.

As I ran I began to feel joy...the sort that makes you feel like your choking on happiness. I laughed and shouted as I jumped with this joy......and turned into a large black crow!

I flapped my wings and soared into the night sky towards the rising sun and the warmth of the day."

If I had allowed fear to guide me, I would have woken myself from the dream right at the beginning when I was cold and surrounded by darkness, but because I was patient and brave...I received the gift of a beautiful freeing experience :D

You ARE in control of your dreams, you CAN choose not to be afraid!

Blessed Be, and sweetest dreams to you all :D XXX

I'm Dancing......Wheeeee!

edit: Forgot to link this for The Butterfly Effect "Wild at Heart" challenge from Guest Lisa Wright :D

A friend left a comment on a post I made about how I think the world sees me. She said that her vision of me was "dancing in colour and words". How gorgeous is that :D

So inspired by her words I journalled, and this is what I came up with :D

The little sprite is my inner self....
...and I am made up of layers(like an ogre, not an onion:D)...
...and I do like to dance amongst the flowers...
...I AM going to grow more flowers this year :D
So thanks, love and hugs to Magaly, and all my friends who make me want to keep dancing in colour :D

Hidden aspects...

Yay!! Beauty and the Beast....you'll understand the "Yay" when you get to the botttom of this post lol :D
This page is a combination of ideas drawn from STEve's ARTFIre journal transfer technique video and Art Geeks video on Hidden Things. Both these groups are free to join and send you video links by email :D

I selected a couple of magazine images to make my transfers with(I don't have a laser printer), and I used clear tape to make my transfers as I don't have any soft gel either lol.
and when they were ready I glued them to my journal page.
I next added a layer of watercolour over the background(and some clear gesso over my transfers so paint would stick)
Then I started picking out detail on my main image, while leaving the smaller distant figure to disappear into the background.
Acrylic paint to change my character completely(or should that be tranform???)
Some stamped swirly detail and a bit of doodling and the female figure is almost lost to sight completely :D
For some reason blogger won't let me load the pic of the finished page :S So it might appear at the top later lol :

Face 19 of 29 Faces in February

Faces are one of my favourite things!

This is face no 07 for 29 Faces in February, on watercolour paper using my new favouritest soluble Stabillo All pencils :D I like drawing faces, so this challenge is a "must do" for me :D

She is the 1st element of my latest "pile stuff on" journal page with Amy and STEVE's ARTFIRe journal, which has become another Favourite thing...The pages are already multi coloured which I def needed help with.
torn out, stuck to page, close-up of pretty face before I smooshed stuff ...
Amy uses some awesome patterned tapes on her pages, but I haven't been able to find any yet, so I used shiny xmas tape and stamped over it with stazon...
then heat embossed some dahlia flowers to add texture. Dribbled alcohol inks, and smooshed oil pastels liberally onto page...
and finally added a dragonfly charm and layered sentiment(beautiful life) :D
And managed not to splatter her out of existence ;)

List of favourite things used, as requested this week for The Butterfly Effect;

Hand made book journal(with funky pages)

Rubber stamps

Butterflies

Dragonflies

metal charms

Stabillo pencils

Shiny things(tape)

Faces

Greeting of Spring!

This project is another inspired by Amy's ARTFIRe journal project, using a magazine pic to help work out the position of the features in a profile situation.I made a quick sketch in pencil, using the photo as a guide....
then(because of the strong background colours) I painted it out with white acrylic, before re-drawing the lines.
Started to add shading with brown pencil...
more coloured pencil, building up the shaded areas(brown/red/yellow), and painted out background with pale blue acrylic.
A bit of doodling, and the Goddess breathes new life into the world, whispering the secrets of life to the plants and creatures that abound the planet !
Blessed Imbolc to you all :D

It is also the 1st day of Ayala's 29 Faces for February challenge. The idea to paint/draw/craft a new face each day...wish me luck lol. I thought it was a great idea to sharpen or even begin portrait skills :D XXX

ARTFIRe with Amy :D

Yep! Still singing the "Amy is Amazing!" song :D This year she has started a FB group where she emails us an inspirational video or 3, weeklyish, to help us make an art journal. The group is called ARTFIRe. You have to apply to join, but it is still free (cos Amy wants the world to be filled with beauteousness!)

The book I am using is a handmade book by "Her Gloriousness" herself, and sent to me as a gift. I have no idea what Amy used to colour the pages....feels waxy, but absorbs stuff as well :S
The 1st video showed us how to draw and work over a graphite portrait...
if your new to portraits or just nervous at trying, Amy has a template on her blog for you to use. I'm quite practised so I drew mine freehand.
When I was happy with the shading, I started to add watercolour paints(I know...freaked me out to...but give it a go) I also enjoyed working on a darker background paper.
Next I added more shading with Stabilo All pencils...
and more watercolour(in thin layers)
The Graphite under-drawing gives such depth to the portrait!!! This is Gurishna, one of my spirit guides. She is the one who comforts and bears witness to the sadness of the world. A very wise and kind spirit!

Then it was time to work "intuitively" on the background...
just doodling....
and colouring(with acrylic paints in thin washes)
more doodling....and the journalling reads " The path that leads to your dream may not always take the straightest"
I really enjoyed watching the videos and having ago....couldn't recommend more highly :D

Enjoy :D XXX

P.S. Was going to save this for tomorrow. It is the start of the 29 faces for Febraury Challenge with Ayala, but I guess I'll be doing something else instead now :D