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If you follow my adventures on my Facebook page (if you are not a liker of the page, I highly suggest you to become one if you want to be first to here from me about what’s happening in my part of the creative world), you already have seen snippets of this new Nixies over the last few weeks.

Since my husband helped me clear up my Studio, I have this big pile of «never finished»+«ugly» paintings in a box. They need to be reworked… or be entirely redone.

This is what happened with this painting. I had this huge (16×20″) painting, dated from July 2010, made on canvas board. It was ugly; I was in my «grey face round eyes» phase (don’t get me wrong, I love some of what came out during this phase, but definately not this specific one).
Okay, trying not to be ashamed (it is all about the Journey, right ?):

The start. July 2010.

I told you…
I did not start with any other intention that create another Nixie based on the January painting from Mindy’s True Free Spirit class (allow me to shorten it to «TFS» please). So I started to play around with paint, creating blocks of color to hide what I really hated, but still preserving what I liked in it.

After a few layers

I also used this hexagon stamp I love so much, and went around it to highlight it with one of my favorite color of Oil Pastel (my preferred brand is Senellier).
Still with oil pastel, I did some marks (for example the drops on the top right corner).
I used heavy gesso with a stencil from The Crafter’s Workshop (should I still say it ? you know they have my heart). I used one from Studio Calico, too.
The bright pink pieces are simply tissue paper. The brown part with line at the bottom is tissue paper, this thing used when you sew your clothes yourself you know (a pattern ? I’m not sure of the anglophone term, sorry). The beige part in the middle-left part is tissue paper too, but the wrapping kind; it has kind of a scene design on it. I don’t get tired of using it, because it adds pop, because it is semi-translucent (more or less depending on the color of it).
And last but not least, I used some other stamps (some from Hero Arts for Studio Calico, some from Christy Tomlinson by Unity). I need to check the manufacturer of this circle one I love so much, but I think it is Bo Bunny though.

Engraved Truth

You need to look closely at the painting to actually notice this word. I simply engraved/scratched it whil the paint was still wait. I love the contrast of the warm colors showing through that grey block.

Finally working a bit on her face. She is composed of plenty of layers, very thin layers after layers. This is always the part that scares me, even if I am getting more comfortable in my technique. I think I only have one solution for it: learn how to traditionally shade a face, and go from there. I will.

And a dozen of details and layers after, here she is:

«Fae».
Prints available in the shop.

«If you are not willing for the unusual things, then you’ll have to settle for the ordinary.» Jim Rohn

Here is Fae’s story:

Fae’s look is quirky. Unusual. She has beautiful fragile yet still strong shiny wings. Her hair seems to be all over the place.But she doesn’t care because she knows deep in her heart: she makes One with everything and everyone around her. She is both the Sun and the Moon. The stars in the sky that are still there even when you don’t see them.She is a perfect Being, image of what is.

Welcome to another Project Life Monday. This will, I wanted to focus on sharing what I use to create my album, with a little explanation.

(I am linking to the Amazon page of Becky Higgins, to make it easier for you to learn more about the product if you want.)

My album

For Project Life, you do need a 12×12″ 3-ring binder because of the photo pages we use. Now, plenty of manufacturers do have some in their lines so it is not that hard to find. AND 12×12″ (30x30cm) is the more common size but of course, you can also choose to a 8.5×11″ album or even 6×8″. It is really up to you !

I went for one made by We R Memory Keepers, and for 2013, I chose the Navy binder (not girly as it is our family album and I want my husband to like it as well. And Blue is kinda our colour). It is very sturdy and I love the finish.

Becky Higgins offers binders that do coordinate her core kits, and they are pretty neat as well !

The Photo Pocket Pages

The most common sizes of pockets are 6×4″ and 3×4″, and the pages play around what is possible to play with these two sizes on the same page. There are also the big 12×12″, some smaller ones as the 5×7″, 8×10″, 8.5×11″.

People usually prefer working the Design A when they work on a weekly base for their year album. I noticed by looking through my photo folders on my computer that most of the photos I take are in Landscape mode. And I guess I am not the only one, and this is why this design is oh so popular. And why I like the Photo Pocket C so much: it is 6 spots for 4×6 Landscape photos.
If you tend to do the contrary (take more Portrait oriented photos), then you have the same concept inverted: Design D is for you.

However… you know me. I am pretty easily bored to death and having an album filled with the same Photo Protector over and over is not my thing.

I like using Design E or I that both have squares, because I can slip my Instagram photos easily in them (I do a montage in Photoshop and got 12×12″ photo printed at Costco, then I just need to trim and I’m good).

I bought a Big Pack so I have a little bit of each of the designs to play with, and with time I’ll see which ones I go to more often and will get these.

 The Core Kit

Using a core kit will save you tons of time. Each of them is composed of:

• Scrapbooking components to create a full album
• 4 x 6 Title Cards so every layout has a title
• 3 x 4 Journaling Cards so that every picture has a caption
• First Page + Last Page Cards so that your album has a beautifully designed beginning and end

Last year when I began for 2012, I bought the Cherry Core Kit. BUT I find it quite girly (which is fine for my daughters’ album but not so much for our family one). I was very excited of the two new core kits that were released earlier this year: the Seafoam edition (designed by Elise Cripe) and the Olive edition (designed by Heather Bailey) and so I purchased the Seafoam core kit to go with it.

I really like that there are journaling cards as well as filler cards (you know, when you don’t have a photo, don’t have much to say but need to fill one of the pocket anyway).

This Spring (around May), LOTS of new products will be released. Both core kits, and mini kits (for example there will be a seasonal one, and a holidays focused kit too).

The extra: Mini Kit

I also use the Mayfield mini kit.

I chose a girly one on purpose, this time.

You can totally go without a mini kit, as the Core Kit is made to cover a whole year of Project Life 🙂

To date, you can choose between three different mini kits.

The extra: Project Life monthly kit by Studio Calico

Since January this year, Studio Calico added a new monthly kit to their list. One that is dedicated to Project Life albums.

In it, you receive both 3×4 and 4×6 cards (around 30 in total I think), plus an exclusive stamps set, and some embellishments (washi tape and more).

Each month, it coordinates with the Main kit, and the Card kit.

I think Studio Calico is one of my favorite brands, and this kit is a monthly treat that I really appreciate (and if you already are a subscriber to any of the other kits, it will ship together at no additional fee).

I also like to use their Cut Files (with my Silhouette machine… that I should definately use more !) and their Digital stamps.

Making my own cards

I purchased some blank 4×6 cards at Staples, and use them to create my own journaling and filler cards. You know I like getting my hands dirty, and it is a nice fun way to warm up before painting.

I also use the blank 3×4 cards from Becky Higgins (I often find it hard to fill the 3×4 spots in my pages) to create something.

Spray inks, stamps and here you have it ! I also like to add a stitched border around my card when I want it a little be fancier.

Now that Project Life is oh so popular, you can find paper you just need to cut and then use (for example Simple Stories, or Echo Parks have some really good ones).
The same applies for stamps. I bought an inkpad of Stazon ink though, because my usual Archival one was smudging when used directly on my photos. And that sucks !

For the papers, I use some of my scrapbook paper that I cut to size. Now that I have the blank 3×4 and 4×6 dies from The Crafter’s Workshop, it is way easier to cut it thanks to my Big Shot machine. I also use the 3×4 die to reframe and downsize a photo.

Selphy home printer

I discovered this printer via Liz Lamoreux who uses one. It is good when I don’t have a lot of photos to print, because I can do that at home thanks to it. However, when I have too much photos, I noticed I run out of ink pretty fast… so this is when I go to Costco and get them printed in 1 hour.

I know that Epson also has a portable home printer, but I’ve never used it so I can’t compare the two and tell you which is best.

I like thinking outside the box for my albums. And I am so inspired by all those who share their pages and process ! Thankful they take some time to share.

I would really love to know how you organize yourself for your Project Life album. What are your favorite products to use ? Please please please: tell me 😀

Project Life is a memory keeping system initiated by Becky Higgins. This is how I decided to keep track of our family life.
If you live outside the US, you can order Project Life items on Scrapbooker’s Inner Circle.
You can find all my Project Life oriented blogposts right here.

I love new products. It can be pretty bad for my bank account, because it is often (really) hard to resist buying new art supply to play with, discover and maybe adore.

Background building is maybe the part I usually prefer in the creative process. Because I don’t know where I am going when I start, I just grab what is calling me, what I feel like using on that specific moment. And see where I am told to go. Listening to the Inner Voice(s) and letting myself be guided. This is when I feel the most connected to the Source.

Trust is essential. Add a sprinkle of faith. A dollop of courage. And you got my recipe for a good painting (when I say «good» I mean «one that leaves me satisfied»).

For 2013, my guiding word(s) are TRY {Be Daring}. I even started to put them into action in December. I want to be less shy. I want to do all I can to be discovered. This is how I ended up talking with Jaime from the amazing brand The Crafter’s Workshop and received stencils and dies to try, play and make a project she could use in their booth during CHA in Anaheim »(if you are not familiar with it, CHA *Craft and Hobby Association* is a huge trade show that happens twice a year; it is when the craft and scrapbooking brands share their new lines and products, and stores can order them).

The dies I received are some words, some beautiful ones that could become part of a background, and most of them are really nice for your Project Life album. I wanted to find a way to feature both the dies and the stencils, and came up with the idea to make a hardbook. I had little time to make it on time so Jaime could get it for the show (thank you Deanna from Clipper Street, my local scrapbook store, for taking care of the delivery for me !).

What I love is the versatility of stencils in general, and the ones I got had good space to be used with gel medium or any heavy medium so I could play with textures as well.

There dies are simply amazing and you can use (for lots of them) both the negative and posititive (you can see I’ve played with that on the spread with the arrow). You’ll see more of them in my Project Life pages for sure. The size is perfect, neither too big nor too small so it does not outshine your picture and you can still clearly see it on there.

Just an important note: these are «snapped in the moment. in progress» pictures of my project. I don’t have pics of the finished one yet.
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge.

I would love to know if you’ve seen it in person if you were attending CHA somehow. Let me know.

Thanks again a lot Jaime for the opportunity. Learned a lot along the way.

Here are the pics:

Items I have been playing with:

Stencils: Confetti, Honeycomb, Cell Theory, Quatrafoil.
Dies: Solace, Circles, Mini Dots, Blank 4×6, Blank 3×4, Horizontal Chevrons, Chicken Wire, Top Five, Arrow Here, Everyday, Today Is, Right Now, This Week, Love this, Today, Now, Hello, Sweet.

Good morning/afternoon/evening !

I am so happy to share with you this new video. I want to make and share more of them this year (which mean accepting not to look for «perfect» and do shorter videos as well).

Reilly is part of my Nixies created in Mindy Lacefield new year long class called True Free Spirit. I may share quite a lot of what is going on for me in this class this year (be prepared). We have a lesson a month, but I am doing plenty of paintings around it to practice and enjoy.

This month is about creating a character with a tilted head. Which is out of my comfort zone, as most of my Nixies are facing us straight. But I love challenges, and learning. So it’s all good. And I can always ask for advices on our group, which I did for Reilly, as there were some points I was not sure where to go with her. This is priceless.

«To live is to suffer; to survive is to find the meaning in the suffering.» Frederich Nietzche

I created her on GessoBoard. I truly prefer to work on a hard surface, like wood panels for example, because of the first layer that usually is collage. Applying the paper on a hard surface is easier, especially when you need to press with your tool to get the gel everywhere so it won’t bubble.

I surprisingly went pretty simple in my first layers of papers, using only three different scrapboking papers, and two tissue paper (the dark one is bleeding tissue paper, the other one is pattern for sewing).

I used my stencils with different media for this Nixie: heavy matte gel medium and extra heavy gesso. I decided to switch to the gesso to add visual contrast with what was already happening. The paint and ink react differently on them, which is fun (but you have to keep that in mind though).

I love using items to create my marks. This time, I wanted circles and used a cork lid dipped in the acrylic paint. So much fun ! At this stage, I was loving it. The colors, the patterns, everything. It became more of a struggle after…

Seeing my character emerge is always a magical moment for me. Seeing them appear in the background and them pushing them forward. But it is something harder than it seems (this is when I think that having a sketch to follow, as I did when I began, would make my life easier ! ahah).

You’ll see in the video, I went back and forth between her face and the rest of the painting. This is my tactic when frustration strikes right in my face. Her face is composed of layers upon layers (and I did work on her after I thought she was done, so after the end of the video).

Reilly.
Prints available here.
Original available.

This arrowed spiral is one of my favorite symbol and I was happy that it popped into my head. AND it was the perfect spot for Reilly’s message 😉

Here is the video. I hope you’ll enjoy:

I’ve always loved books. Always. I want to share with you the ones that make a difference for me (and as for music, I read a bit of everything. So don’t hold your breath and expect something in special from me. I’ll talk about art book, novels, self-development and whoknowswhatyet). Hope you’ll enjoy 🙂

Since my teenage years, I have been devoring books about witchcraft, Wicca, Religion, Paganism, Buddhism, Self-development. I even create a forum that, back in the days, counted thousands of members with a few hundreds active ones. Some are still my friends now, more than a decade ago.

Books is where I learn. Books is where I discover. Books is where I escape. Books is where I can find the help to orient the compass that helped me find my North.

My Spirituality is not an area of my life I spread around. Fear ? yes, of judgement. Because we have to be honest: we, Humans, are pretty easily judgemental of others (what they do (or not), how they dress, their accent when they speak, what they do believe in (or not).
I had to loose all hope to get back to life. I was 17-18.

I learned to dig deep because I love understanding. And knowing. I learned that I have nothing to prove and that my Truth is simply that: MY Truth. My Faith is constantly moving, going with the flow, growing as I grow.

I wanted to share a bit of my credo with you:

I do believe in a «Higher Power». I call It «the Universe», or in French I call it «les Petits Vieux».
I do believe Jesus existed, and that he indeed was a special someone. But I am not really religious (sometimes, I wish I was. Would make it easier).
I do believe there is a good reason for everything. Everything. And everyone that comes my way, may the person bring love or hate. This is my job to figure out the lesson(s) and grow from it.
I do believe in duality.
I do believe that everything is energy.
I do believe we are all connected.
I do believe that we all have the power to change.
(and in so much more…)

I decided to try in 2013 not to buy too much books, but to read what is already on our shelves… Besides, we have an amazing public library service, that is free and has lots and lots of interesting books to choose from.
I had to make this exception though when I discovered this book, «May Cause Miracles» written by Gabrielle Bernstein. I remembered her from a video interview she did with our local Danielle Laporte (there is something unmistakable in Gabrielle’s voice) when I watched her segment with Marie Forleo.

It’s been a few months, if not more, that my Husband and I began talking about our Spirituality again. I miss our little pillow talks about Life, and told him so. We met through our Spirituality, so this is something that links us and that we have absolutely no taboo talking about together.
However, I felt something was deeply missing. I felt disconnected. I knew I was on the right path, but it was still not exactly it. And I could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

And once I realized what I needed, I just could not find a «how to get there»… until this book.

The cover kinda sells it for what it is: a 6-week (40 days) program, on which you work EVERYDAY. You have a morning meditation that sets the goal for the day. A positive affirmation you can use when you are facing the challenge of the day (for example for me, day two was yesterday and is about seeing things differently and choosing Love instead of Fear). «Love» is the term she chose to use to makes everyone agree and at ease, not religious nor too woo-woo either, it is Universal and everyone understands it (she clearly states that it does not imply sentimental love). And an evening journaling and meditation exercise.
Each day’s work build for the next one and so on. It goes gradually, which makes it less intimidating.

Gabrielle refers quite often to «A course in Miracles» which is a book written by Dr. Helen Schucman and part of The Foundation for Inner Peace.

you.have.to.work.it.to.get.it. I would love to say to you that simply thinking and it will become true, but right now I would be lying. I know that you have to go for your dreams. To say and feel and know this is what you truly truly want. And it is okay to deviate, totally okay.

Here is the video trailer for it:

I appreciate that she goes straight to what she wants us to understand (sometimes, the meaning of things gets lost in embellishments).

I needed structure and guidance. I find it in these pages. If you read me regularly, you know writing is part of my practice, and the evening ritual uses journaling to reflect on the day, which I love. It does not have to be pages and pages and can even be a simple list if it is what makes you comfortable. You can stay on the same day as long as you feel the need to.

When you purchase the book, you get access to two free meditations and other goodies that can be helpful along the way.

Have you heard of Gabrielle Bernstein ? Read some of her previous books, or this one ?

Would love to know about other people’s path in this process of becoming a Miracle Worker.