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Sparkle and Sing

I am still feeling the influence of the first Fall Fearless and Fly challenge, as you can see from my color palette! I love challenges because I get to see how different artists interpret the same prompts.  Want to play?  There is still plenty of time for you to join us!

 

The seed that started this page is from playing around.   I have been using deli paper to wipe off extra paint on my brush.  The deli paper is like a cheap vellum that is very thin and flexible.

 

 

 

 

When I got my hands on Julie Balzer’s Mayan Calendar stencil from Crafters Workshop I just played around with it.  I had a stack of these on the counter so I put the orange one under a sheet of painty deli paper and had some free motion fun with the sewing machine.

 

 

 

An old background I found in a journal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doesn’t seem like much yet, but it felt right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A shy little girl stencil from Stencil Girl.  Just a bit of dye based ink.  After I did it, I realized that the part of her that went onto the deli paper was visually lost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using the same ink pad as I did on the stencil I stamped Dina Wakley’s Create with Abandon text stamp.

 

 

 

 

The prompt over at Art Journal Cafe of music and it got me thinking about my shyest times- when I had to sing in school.  Whenever I had to sing in school I became super duper crazy shy. As I got older I began to embrace my tone deafness and sing along with anything on my playlist.  I don’t really know the words to most songs but that doesn’t stop me either…drives my kids nuts.  Extra bonus!

To capture the feeling of music I added sheet music spritz with Heidi Swapp’s Color Shine.

 

 

 

The girl needed more so I took a stabilo pencil and traced over her.  Really, really  easy since the lines were there from the stencil and I solved my problem of her arm disappearing on the deli paper!

 

 

 

 

 

Stabilo pencils react to water so when a bit of this smudged I decided to use more water and shade her hair.  An accident turned into an opportunity.

 

 

The challenge over at Anything But a Card is to use something sparkly and shiny.  I have tinsel glitter that I hadn’t used in a while.  Thanks to this challenge, I got it out and LOVE how it fit this page.  Another reason I love challenges is they get me using my supplies!

My fingers were way too clean.  This needed a “frame” and paint smudged on with my fingers felt so good.  What is it about finger painting that takes me to my happy place?

Hope you’re having a creatively wonderful day!  Want to see more creativity?  Stop on by Art Journal Cafe, Anything but a Card, Fall Fearless and Fly, Creative Every Day, Paint Party Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday and Art Journal Every Day!

{ 51 comments… add one }

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  • June October 3, 2012, 12:46 pm

    Y’know what? I love EVERYTHING about this! Everything! The challenge, the subject, the anecdote about your being shy about singing, the composition itself, and the colours! Oh! The colours you’ve chosen really do make me wanna sing out – they’re so happy and bright and vivid and yes, fun! Something I really, really need more of lately. I am also very, very keen on trying out stencils and checking out Stencil Girl’s stuff as well as the gorgeous Mayan mandala-ish stencil from Julie Balzer’s collection. I’ve never used stencils before, but I think I might give it a whirl sooner rather than later. You’ve cheered me up more than I can say in this little comment box, so I just want to say thank you – thank you for putting a little bit of brightness and colour in my day today – something that was/is very, very much needed (especially in this cold, wet, dreary and grey Irish autumn day today).

    • Carolyn October 3, 2012, 8:28 pm

      So glad you stopped by so I could share the happiness!

  • Marja October 3, 2012, 2:00 pm

    I love your work but also the stencils. Specially the Mayan Mandala, beautiful. It is fantastic to use stencils, At this moment I try yo make some by my own. But it is difficult and heavy work.
    Lovely greet
    Marja

  • Valerie-Jael October 3, 2012, 3:57 pm

    A lovely sunny piece on this cold evening here! Valerie

  • Cynthia October 3, 2012, 4:07 pm

    I so love that shiny tinsel!! But the shy girl just steals (and melts!) my heart!! I love how the page has so much personal meaning for you. The colors are gorgeous!!

  • Carin October 3, 2012, 4:10 pm

    As if the page wasn’t gorgeous enough, you sealed the deal with this: “I don’t really know the words to most songs but that doesn’t stop me either…drives my kids nuts. Extra bonus!” Cracking up! Fantastic page Carolyn…and I love seeing how you work!

  • Corrine October 3, 2012, 4:25 pm

    Love, love, love this page and my favorite colors shining through. Great step by step process going on here…xox Corrine

  • Denise October 3, 2012, 4:26 pm

    The shy girl is so cute and I love the word “sing” on it. The deli paper looks really cool and I love all of the color. Pretty, fun makes me want to sing as tone deaf as I am as well.

  • Diana Fernandez October 3, 2012, 5:26 pm

    I LOVE what you’ve created!! I am always tempted to pick up the tinsel glitter, but honestly it scares me a little!!! You make it look very effortless! Thanks for joining us at Anything But a Card

    • Carolyn October 3, 2012, 8:29 pm

      Pick it up! That tinsel glitter is pure fun!

  • Lori October 3, 2012, 8:51 pm

    It was interesting follow the development of your work and the reasons for it. I do like your result – not just a shy girl but a happy one with lots going on around her -lots of positive things – as we can see in the vibrant colour and free curvy lines and shapes. Lovely work and thank you for sharing it on Mandarin Orange Monday. I love it that we are now getting all sorts of media shared here.

  • Rinda October 4, 2012, 2:05 am

    I love the stencil girl! I’m still mulling over the fall free and fly challenge.
    Rinda

  • Faye October 4, 2012, 5:43 am

    Carolyn, I love how this evolved. The orange color is gorgeous. Thanks for the link to the new challenge. Several of my favorite ones seem to be folding.

  • Marjie Kemper October 4, 2012, 5:00 pm

    Don’t you love it when it all comes together like this? I totally get it about wanting to play with that stencil and it just feeling right… it’s an awesome page! Am linking to you tomorrow with my FFF piece. It too, felt right 😉

  • lechatquitousse October 5, 2012, 5:04 am

    You made a great, great job ! amazing ! I like a lot the colors that you choosed, it’s just like a little summer’sun…..a spanish garden…..yeahhhhhh
    Yhank’s to participated to our challenge
    Carol, one of the Frappucinos

  • Julia S-W October 5, 2012, 5:18 am

    A really fantastic page and I love that you share how it evolved – it’s like we’re on the journey with you! Love how the little girl merges with the paper and that you brought her out again with pen. Great colours and that little touch of sparkle is just enough for me! (get very worried about sparkle for some reason!!).
    Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful page with us at ABAC and I hope you’ll join us again very soon.
    Juliax

  • soulbrush October 5, 2012, 7:02 am

    Loved seeing this ‘grow’ before my very eyes. Happy PPF

  • Kat October 5, 2012, 7:21 am

    Carolyn your art work is always so filled with happy colors and such positive feelings, this is such a sweet piece, very lovely!

  • NatashaMay October 5, 2012, 7:27 am

    It’s all about layering. 🙂 Love it!

  • Susan October 5, 2012, 7:38 am

    Thank you so much for sharing your process. Your layering evolves into a delightful page. Love it!
    Happy PPF

  • Annette G October 5, 2012, 7:41 am

    Thank you for showing the process, great mix of stencilling and stamps. Happy PPF, Annette x

  • Nordljus October 5, 2012, 8:26 am

    Gorgeous page, love the bright, happy colours, and the girl stencil is just wonderful!

  • Carol and artmusedog October 5, 2012, 8:50 am

    Lovely, dynamic and colorful creations ~ living up to your Colorful Journey ~ (A Creative Harbor)

  • Laura Moore October 5, 2012, 9:07 am

    Wonderful creativity going on here. Beautiful colours and textures.

  • Marji October 5, 2012, 11:23 am

    Every girl needs tinsle and glitter! I think this piece is marvelous. I loved reading the meaning of the layers and the happy opportunities that came up from what was first thought as a mistake. This page turned out really great! Happy PPF

  • gloria October 5, 2012, 11:41 am

    Love all the layers. Great page. Happy PPF! Enjoyed your post.

  • Bleubeard and Elizabeth October 5, 2012, 12:29 pm

    I love pink and orange together and this page ROCKS!!

    I’ve sewn and painted deli paper before, but never used it to mop up paint. I will have to remember that the next time I paint something. Thanks for the inspiration.

  • Linda K October 5, 2012, 12:56 pm

    What a delightful page!!! I love how you incorporated the sparkle circles! I keep hoping my old sewing machine will die so I can get one with a free motion attachment-I so want to try it! Happy PPF, AJED AND Fall Fearless!!

  • Serenity Stamper October 5, 2012, 1:05 pm

    I love this happy page, and your narration!

  • Danielle October 5, 2012, 2:54 pm

    I love this…especially how you took us step by step through the process which is a tremendous inspiration to us newbies!

  • Christine October 5, 2012, 3:11 pm

    nice to see your process, love your warm colourful work!

  • Debbie October 5, 2012, 5:05 pm

    What a fun, colorful page. I love seeing how it all came together.

  • Mary C. Nasser October 5, 2012, 5:54 pm

    Carolyn,
    This is delightful and whimsical and inspiring!
    Love that you are incorporating stenciled art on deli paper! 🙂
    ♥♥♥
    Happy PPF!!
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

  • kristin October 5, 2012, 6:32 pm

    I love the way it turned out! So great! HPPF!

  • Carol Samsel October 5, 2012, 7:09 pm

    Love it!! All of my favorite colors and stencils too :0)

  • carlarey October 5, 2012, 8:48 pm

    Well, if this is what it can turn into, I think I really must go get myself some deli paper…

  • patsy October 5, 2012, 9:47 pm

    What fun you are having with those stencils of Julie! and deli paper- I wonder if they have that here in the Philippines? Patsy from HeARTworks and papemelroti

  • Ayala Art October 5, 2012, 11:00 pm

    fantastic page, the colors make it so cheerful and sweet, thanks for sharing the process!

  • Sharon Evans October 5, 2012, 11:53 pm

    It is lovely to see how you created this stunning piece, love it.

  • Paula - Buenos Aires October 6, 2012, 12:19 am

    June already said exactly what I thought about liking everything. 😀
    My kids are as tone deaf as I am so they don´t notice it. 😉 We are a happy gang of car singers.

  • giggles October 6, 2012, 12:31 am

    Nice job! Love the colors and smudging!! Funny I can hold a tune and still when my daughter was very small she would say ” NO SINGING MOMMY!”…I pretty much stopped singing and playing the piano after that…lol My mom was as flat as could be and I didn’t mind her singing and loved my dads singing who had a beautiful voice!! I’ve heard famous singers say their kids hate them singing… lol

    Have a great weekend!

    Hugs Giggles

  • Kirstin McCulloch October 6, 2012, 6:10 am

    Beautiful journal page – I found you process so interesting thank you for sharing the photos x

  • Carly October 6, 2012, 10:26 am

    I love seeing how you built up your page! I, too, can’t carry a tune in a bucket, yet sing with abandon. Often. 🙂 Much to my husband’s dismay!

  • denizfeneri/lighthouse October 6, 2012, 11:27 am

    I really could hear you singing:) This is such a lovely page…

  • molly October 6, 2012, 11:55 am

    love seeing how this came together. each piece/layer seems perfectly chosen to bring it all together!

  • Carola Bartz October 6, 2012, 12:20 pm

    Wow, this is beautiful! What a great page, so bright and happy – I love that!

  • Mary Walker October 6, 2012, 1:27 pm

    I really like the way your page came together thanks for sharing the step by step pictures.

  • lynn cohen October 6, 2012, 3:22 pm

    1st off anything with thread on it grabs my attention. then on my goodness but were you inspired by lots of things here and how beautifully you brought them all together.
    Fun to follow your journey in the creation of this page!

  • Shahrul Niza October 7, 2012, 2:00 am

    BEAUTIFUL!!. your page makes me want to fly & sing :).

  • JKW October 8, 2012, 8:21 pm

    Everything you pick up (mistake or not) is magic. You are talented beyond. I appreciate your commenting as we go through the process. Thank you. Blessings, Janet PPF

  • Christy Skinner October 19, 2012, 1:08 pm

    This has such amazing color and texture. GORGEOUS! 🙂 Thanks for joining us at Anything but a Card! 🙂 🙂