Hello friends,
Welcome to this weeks Sunday’s ART of Truth. Today I wanted to share this project that I created using Dress My Craft Dream Doors Paper Collection. I love doors. They cause me pause to think about all the doors I have walked through and those I will still walk through. To be honest, I didn’t know that when I started this project that it would be my Sunday’s ART of Truth. Often, when I am creating, things just get birthed, this was no exception. This is an envelope tuck flip journal insert 😊 This paper collection has beautiful pages that contrast deeply with each other. There are soft pinks, rugged wood grain, dark passages such as the door and the butterflies on black.
I was very drawn to these contrasting colors and images and was struck by how life is like that. Life is full of events, experiences, moments, years & relationships that are both light and dark, and can change on a dime.
We experience beautiful light moments. Times that are full of joy and sunshine. Moments when we want time to stop. They fill us up and give us purpose and hope. Then there are deeply dark moments. Unexpected moments. Tragic losses. Betrayals. Dreams crushed. Battles fought and sometimes, lost. We want to move quickly through those, don’t we?
I have someone in my life who is very dear to me who is in one of those crushed places. I am helpless to change the circumstance. I cannot even ease the pain. I cannot make the sun shine or make the darkness go away. Oh, how I wish I could. I often hear myself saying to her that is important to hold both the light and the dark in the same space and time. That this is where the healing happens. We grieve at the same time that we remember the good things. We remember the love at the same time we are facing the betrayal. Beautiful memories run across the back of our eyelids and dance on our hearts, while we attempt to assimilate the current pain. We cry, then we laugh. We remember the together times and grieve the moments that will never be shared again. Each calls for it’s own time, but also must be held together in the same place.
This is life, isn’t it?
As I was working on this project, I was struck by this quote that I chose for the front of the piece – “Never forget why you started”.
When life is hard and the darkness sets in, it is difficult, at times to remember why we started. I know that I feel this way. I feel helpless to help this loved one and I find myself carrying the burden of that. Questioning choices. Questioning purpose. Questioning the value of standing, of choosing, and of moving forward.
In all honesty and transparency, this is a hard place for me right now. I fight with my own ghosts. I doubt my value and contribution to life…I struggle with my own precarious life.
Then, I remember – “Never forget why you started”
Our light and our dark places all have purpose. That is not to say that it is ‘ok’, but we grow. We stretch. We fight. We can know a little bit more of who God created us to be. We see what we are made of and we learn to love ourselves differently.
My friends, I want to encourage you. Not from a place of ‘having it all together’, quite the opposite. I encourage you from my own broken places, my lack, my imperfections and my struggles. What I know is that we are stronger than we feel.
We are brave.
We live and breathe courage every day.
We move through life with wild hearts and our souls are beautiful and well loved!
I encourage you to take the time to nurture your places of light and darkness. Each one needs to be nourished and cared for.
I encourage you to do something good and gentle for yourself. Show yourself some love.
In do doing, we have more to give. We cannot give from what we do not have.
Blessings my friends,
Beloved – Reborn
Supply list under the photos!
Supplies used:
Dress My Craft 12 x 12 Paper Pad – Dream Door – https://www.scrapbook.com/store/dmc-dmcp2839.html?w=door+paper
Tab – Paris Rose Digital Tabs –
Variety of envelopes- use what you have – Dreamzetc Etsy – http://=https://www.etsy.com/listing/157773557/vintage-love-story-digital-tabs?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=dreamzetc&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1
Pale Pink Chenille Ribbon – HobbyLobby.com
Black and White Words – Gi Kerr – Happiness in Crafting Etsy –https://www.etsy.com/listing/974216241/the-black-white-collage-collection-ink?ga_search_query=black%2Band%2Bwhite&ref=shop_items_search_1&crt=1
Crop-A-Dial – See Basic Junk Journaling Supply list below
Eyelets – See Basic Junk Journaling Supply list below
Carabelle Studio Stamps – Mixed Media Strips – https://www.amazon.com/Carabelle-Studio-SA60244-Stamp-Set/dp/B01LY1SD2H/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Carabelle+studio+stamps+mixed+media+strips&qid=1628458108&sr=8-1
List of basic mixed media supplies:
TCW Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=light+and+fluffy+modeling+paste&crid=3PFDSLJUPLGOO&sprefix=light+and+flu%2Caps%2C272&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13
Shoresua Script Stamp- https://www.amazon.com/Shoresua-Transparent-Silicone-Scrapbooking-Embossing/dp/B07PGN3MR3/ref=sr_1_77?dchild=1&keywords=bo+bunny+stamps&qid=1601231832&sr=8-77
Golden High Flow Acrylic – Transparent Yellow Oxide – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=goldenhigh+flow+acrylics&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Liquitex Matte Medium- https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Medium-8-Ounce/dp/B000IYWYNE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=74CDOKRUL040&dchild=1&keywords=liquitex+matte+medium&qid=1586229506&sprefix=liquitex+ma%2Caps%2C291&sr=8-1
Liquitex Glazing Medium- https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Multi-Purpose-Acrylic-Polymer-GAC-100/dp/B001YJPX58/ref=sr_1_46?dchild=1&keywords=golden+glazing+medium&qid=1586230065&sr=8-46
Liquitex Heavy Gesso- https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Super-Surface-Medium/dp/B001UNREO6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=liquitex+heavy+gesso&qid=1586229647&sr=8-1
Penny Black Script Stamp- https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Black-Script-Unmounted-40-470/dp/B01HNO5R08/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Penny+Black+script+stamp&qid=1586229678&sr=8-1
Shawn Petite Stencils- https://shop.shawnpetite.com/Stencils-c14287046
Decoart Crackle Paint – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=decoart+crackle+paint&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Rembrandt Soft Pastel – Black – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rembrandt+soft+pastel+black&ref=nb_sb_noss
Golden Fluid Acrylics – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=golden+fluid+acrylics&crid=1140N398O4PP1&sprefix=golden+fluid+%2Caps%2C520&ref=nb_sb_ss_ac-a-p_1_13
Junk Journal Basic Supplies List –
Crop-A-Dile – https://www.amazon.com/Crop-We-Memory-Keepers-Silver/dp/B0019K3QD8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=15OJUXEN3EL2D&dchild=1&keywords=crocodile+craft+tool&qid=1628457809&sprefix=crop+o+dile%2Caps%2C297&sr=8-3
Eyelets – https://www.amazon.com/Bememo-Pieces-Grommets-Eyelets-Clothes/dp/B07DS6HLBV/ref=sr_1_33?dchild=1&keywords=crocodile+craft+tool+eyelets&qid=1628457851&sr=8-33
FabriTac Glue – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=fabritac&ref=nb_sb_noss
Art Glitter Glue – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=art+glitter+glue&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Ranger Archival Ink – Vintage Photo – They no longer make the pad so I bought the reinker and a DIY ink pad – https://www.amazon.com/Ranger-AIP48077-Empty-Archival-Pad-Empty/dp/B016A88EAI/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=ranger+diy+ink+pad&qid=1626104364&sr=8-4
Https://www.amazon.com/s?k=vintage+photo+reinker&ref=nb_sb_noss_2