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Climbing Out of the Darkness and a Do Over

She made a video sharing how to create this stenciled page and cheat with a stabilo pencil when drawing!

What is that dark place for me? It’s when fear is in control and sets off a tornado of emotions in my head.  Emotions like anxiety, sadness, anger, and shame.  Shame really likes to hang out with fear.  One of the best ways I have found for myself to quiet that storm and climb out of the yuck and muck is through color.  Something about playing with the rainbow makes me happy on a cellular level.  The climb is what inspired today’s play.

She made a video sharing how to create this stenciled page and cheat with a stabilo pencil when drawing!You guessed it…I designed my Ladders stencil because of the symbolism behind it.   The climb (real or metaphorical) means progress, growth, moving forward, and connection between two points to me.  When I see a ladder, it reminds me there is a way.  There is a path.  It is possible.

Good thing that I had faith that things were possible when I was drawing those hands!  You’ll see that they did not start out looking like hands and arms.  I am so happy I had all the do-overs I needed.  They took a couple of tries and I left it all in the video so you could join me for a chuckle!

Watch Getting a Do Over When Drawing in my Art Journal on YouTube.

Ladders stencil designed by Carolyn Dube  for StencilGirl Products This stencil is 3 in 1.  Just a quick snip of the scissors and these 3 ladders will be free of the border and ready to be used individually or all together.

She made a video sharing how to create this stenciled page and cheat with a stabilo pencil when drawing!

Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!

Win 5 new stencils from Carolyn Dube!Be sure to get in on the 5 stencil giveaway that ends soon!  You can find all the details here.

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  • Kathy Gledsdale August 14, 2015, 10:06 am

    A great piece. I don’t even attempt to draw hands and feet, (well any part of the human body) so well done you. they look great . So sorry you have black pits in your life. Sending a hug xx

    • Carolyn Dube August 14, 2015, 10:29 am

      Nothing major here Kathy…just that some days it’s a low and my best way to climb out of it is with color…and a little laughing while trying to draw arm/legs lol!

  • Jan Myhre August 14, 2015, 11:02 am

    Good morning, Carolyn, just a quick not to let you know how much I enjoyed today’s video. I’d like to quote you in my memoir, if I have your permission to do so. The quote is: “Color helps me climb out of the darkness.” Your words put a name to and a reason for my gravitation to color whenever the uglies try to take my soul. Love the ladder analogy. Thanks for your willingness to share.

    • Carolyn Dube August 14, 2015, 11:49 am

      Absolutely have my permission to quote me! Color makes me so happy Jan!

  • Jean marmo August 14, 2015, 6:11 pm

    Love this video! You are so inspirational!

  • Denise Spillane August 15, 2015, 2:22 am

    Love this and the words are so true. Beautiful. The idea of canvas letters is great too.

  • Debra August 15, 2015, 2:21 pm

    Love! Putting them in me cart 😉

  • Corrine August 16, 2015, 8:52 pm

    Tiny hands on the ladder heading upward, yes, always be here now and let the fears fall away. xox

  • Sammi August 17, 2015, 10:09 pm

    This was a fun video and I love the colorful ladder and the saying. Art is surely a great way to lift your spirits.

  • Katherine Fugitt August 18, 2015, 2:35 pm

    I love ladder symbolism! One of my very favorite quotes is from a poem by Rumi: “Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone’s soul heal.” I too have dark days, though thankfully they are less frequent (and not as dark) than they used to be, and creative color is a fabulous way to help climb out of the darkness 🙂