Video – https://youtu.be/TqF8i5HTesE
Hello friends,
Today, we are creating this beautiful mixed media project. My oldest granddaughter is turning 13 in a couple of weeks. Traditionally, I have always made her something for her birthday. I was thinking about her being 13 and what a special age that is. It is a time of discovery, growth, hormones, emerging beauty, doubt, determination, and much more. Kenzie is all of these things. She is so smart, incredibly smart. She is kind and loving. She is becoming exactly who she was designed to be.
As I was pondering this, in the shadows of my own childhood, I was struck by how beautiful things are for her. She has confidence that is amazing. She knows who she is. She is ‘Becoming Her’. Hence, the title for this blog post.
What does ‘Becoming Her’ mean or entail?
It means figuring out who we are in a safe environment. It means be accepted for all that we are, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It means we have the safety to do that.
Kenzie has amazing parents and a safe/secure home. She wants for nothing. She has freedom and safety to dream. She is silly and young. Growing into herself, her tall self
Safety is a crucial part of the ‘becoming’. I believe that, in order to know who we are, we must believe and know in our depths that we belong. Becoming and belonging go hand in hand. Kenzie has this. I did not. This is a GRAND celebration of so many things.
In this project, I was drawn introspectively into my own story, in the shallow end of that pool. As I chose the stitch stamps that are laced throughout the project, I was reminded of so many things. We are all a compilation of our experiences, personality, passions, talents, sadness’s, successes, and failures. All the things that make us who are stitched into the fabric of our person. They make us strong, wise, and warriors.
The colors within the piece are not necessarily her colors, but they are the colors that sing of joy, hope, adventure, and light. The layering of the papers always captures me. I never know what is going to peak out in the final piece. I am always surprised. The layers of our lives tell the story of where we have been and what has touched us. We are molded by the things that come our way and they layer each upon the previous. I love the picture of that. The layers of my life were very different from Kenzie’s, but they are my story and I own them.
In my life and journey, the cycle was broken. Healing was received. Wholeness was sought and embraced. While I cannot relate to her experiences, I see what ‘Becoming HER’ is supposed to look like.
It is true that we cannot reinvent ourselves, we can stand back and watch the blossoming of a young flower. A beautiful, secure, loved, treasured, anchored young lady. I celebrate this.
Kenzie has had the freedom to explore her own limits and the limits within her small world. She is allowed to explore all her emotions and she is comforted, coached, and encouraged. She is allowed to ‘become HER’.
Kenzie knows who she is. She knows ‘whose’ she is. She has a bucket list of some of the silliest, carefree things I have ever heard! It made me laugh so hard as she shared them, as she was laughing hysterically.
Oh, to be young. To be 13 with things of a child around you. I am so grateful for God’s grace that allowed us to raise kids that have taken it up a notch and given their children pure and clean lives. It is the grace of God alone!
I am humble and grateful. Happy 13th Birthday Kenzie Marie. Keep being you. Keep discovering. Keep dreaming. Be young. Be silly.
I hope you enjoy!
FULL SUPPLY LIST UNDER PHOTOS!
Supplies used –
Digital Image – Butterfly – https://www.etsy.com/listing/1456807483/watercolor-butterflies-clipart
Mandala Stencil – I can’t locate The Crafters Workshop stencil – use any mandala stencil
Font Stencil – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081CZ1DVQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&th=1
Golden Fluid Acrylics – Raw Umber, Yellow Medium, Manganese Blue, Nickle Azo Yellow, Iridescent Gold Fine – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=golden+fluid+acrylic+paint&crid=TA5XHZCRZ1EL&sprefix=golden+fluid+ac%2Caps%2C1258&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_15
Liquitex Fluid Matte Medium – https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Medium-8-Ounce/dp/B000IYWYNE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=30FI0W8XIGTIO&keywords=liquitex+fluid+matte+medium&qid=1705870882&sprefix=liquitex+fluid+matte+med%2Caps%2C1033&sr=8-3
Liquitex Flexible Modeling Paste – https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Flexible-Modeling-Medium/dp/B001URWM12/ref=sr_1_1_pp?crid=315Z5ED4ZB3VH&keywords=liquitex+flexible+molding+paste&qid=1705870803&sprefix=liquitex+fle%2Caps%2C2800&sr=8-1
Amsterdam Acrylic – Quinacridone Rose – https://www.amazon.com/Amsterdam-Standard-Acrylic-Quinacridone-17093662/dp/B0014ZQO3M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=F0OXW1RU5K33&keywords=amsterdam+quinacridone+rose+paint&qid=1705870954&sprefix=amsterdam+q%2Caps%2C6574&sr=8-1
Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Titanium White & Sap Green Hue – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=liquitex+heavy+body+paint&crid=MNFFOZZQ5Y9O&sprefix=liquitex+heavy+body+pai%2Caps%2C1484&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Ranger Archival Ink – Black – https://www.amazon.com/Ranger-Archival-Jumbo-Inkpad-Black/dp/B000S15HGS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=26MV5R5IYITZN&keywords=ranger+black+archival+ink&qid=1705870992&sprefix=amsterdam+quinacr%2Caps%2C5426&sr=8-3
Stampers Anonymous – Stitch Stamps – https://www.amazon.com/Stampers-CMS365-ClngStp-THoltz-Stitches/dp/B07NLM8T97/ref=sr_1_8?crid=6J7BHG8DR855&keywords=stitch+stamps&qid=1705871100&sprefix=stitch+stamps%2Caps%2C765&sr=8-8
Truly Beautiful dear , I hear we all have different journeys and wonderful that you healed that your children and then their children would be able to have a safe place to grow and become their authentic self. I so understand this as from my background and how I made it different for my children. now for my grandchildren. much love to you dear .
Thank you souch for your comment. I am so grateful that we get a chance to change things for future generations ♥️ I send heaps of blessings back into your world ♥️
It is so good to see God’s faithfulness in your life come to fruition in the generations to follow. Thankful that you did the hard work to heal. Obviously with His Hands. What a treasure keepsake Kenzie will have ❣️
Yes! All honor and glory go to Him. I am filled with gratitude ♥️
Beautifully said. ❤️
Thank you ♥️