It's time to take a giant JUMP...are you ready?

Hello Creatives!

I am so BEYOND excited to be announcing this...

As many of you know, my One Little Word for 2016 is JUMP: 

One of my first big JUMPS of 2016 was to launch my VERY OWN SITE!!

WHAT!?

YES... The Creative Life Studios has a new home on the web:

KERISALLEE.COM

I will be leaving this blog up so that you all can see my old projects and tutorials and have a link on my new site to easily get you back here.

I hope you will check out my new blog and leave me some love when you do!

XOXO,

KERI 

Life is messy....Bible Journal about it.

Good Morning Creatives!

How are you doing on this beautiful Sunday? Here in Arkansas it's super chilly with a chance for snow. BBBRRRR.

Today, I am up on The Crafter's Workshop blog with Part 2 of my "How to use a TCW Stencil to make your own stamp."

Did you miss Part 1?

You can see the full article here: How to Make Your Own Stamp with TCW Stencils.

And the complete Snapguide right here!

Check out How to Use a TCW Stencil to Make Your Own Stamp by Keri Sallee on Snapguide.

For Part 2, I wanted to use my new stamp in a Bible Journaling piece. I used the verse 2 Samuel 22:30 that says "With my God I can jump over any wall." 

I wanted to show the messy life can be with my design, but the scripture is the supports the thought that no matter how messy life gets....with God we can "Leap over walls."

Here is a closeup of the stamp we carved in Part 1. 

Head on over to The Crafter's Workshop Blog for more details AND a complete video!

The Crafter's Workshop: Hand-Carved Stamp Using The Crafter's Workshop-Part 2

Leave me some love! I would love to see your stamps and your bible journaling pages!

XOXO,

Keri Sallee

Wanna Badass Sneak Peek?

Hello Creatives and welcome to 2016!!

I am so excited for what 2016 holds and I hope you are too.

If you've hopped by recently you know that I am participating in an art journal workshop called "One Badass Art Journal."

Today I thought I would share a little sneaky peek!

As you can see...we will be getting COURAGEOUS with color...embracing our inner '80s girl with some serious neon.

This 16 week class features 15 artist with 16 amazing and diverse classes, plus a bonus class of how to make an art journal.

For more info and to sign up, head to One Badass Art Journal today!

I can't wait for you to join me on this amazing journey!

XOXO, 

KERI

New Year...New Creative Fun...Introducing Butter Bee Scraps!!

Good Morning Creatives!!

I have been away at the annual Craft and Hobby Association education and trade show and it was an AMAZING time of focusing, learning and being inspired. I will be doing a 2 part recap next week so be on the look out for that!

Also....we're moving! Well...not physically, but in cyberspace! My new website is being built as we speak and I can't wait to have a new home to share with you.

While we wait, I have an amazing new (to me) company to introduce you to.

Butterbee Scraps Artistic Treasures contacted me because a mutual friend told her that I was a mixed media person who might be a good match to work with her products. So I headed over to her online store (based out of Canada) and I was blown away by the beautiful filigree metalwork, resin flowers, ribbon and other fun embellishments. It was a no brainer to say "YES...I would LOVE to work with you!"

For my first project, I wanted to start with something simple.

This half-done portrait has been sitting on my easel for easily 2+ months and I decided to finish her up for my first project. 

Here is her finished self: 

You might be wondering...what is that paper in the background? It's a phonebook! I found an old phonebook stashed in my scrap closet (because don't we all do that?!?) and loved the texture of the paper so I figured why not?

I wanted to keep her flat and use my metals from Butterbee Scraps to give the piece weight by making her a headband.

I used the Vintage Labels Ribbon to make the band and then layered 5 different metals to make the brooch part: Bronze Metal Filigree (810-B), Bronze Metal Filigree (55c-B), Silver Flower Metal ,Filigree (168-p), Medium Mixed Gears and an octopus from the Steampunk Tibetan Charms Collections. 

Here's some more closeups!

I used mostly DecoArt Craft Acrylics and Fluid Acrylics, with a little Buttercream Acrylics (by Joann's) and Master's Touch (by Hobby Lobby.) The red Polka dot washi is from Little B LLC and my stencil is from The Crafter's Workshop (it's called "Sequin Waste Bit.) I also used some Faber-Castell Pitt Artist pens for shading in the lips and face. 

DecoArt Fluid Acrylics are great for detail work. Because they have such a high pigment content and move easily over your surface, you can outline and add details in one pass instead of multiple passes which would increase your wrist of mistakes (SCARY!) 

Next to her brooch, her eyes are my favorite. They just turned out so feminine and delicate.

It's very subtle, but there is journaling caressing her shoulder and it simply says: Be Free and Regret Nothing

It's a simple motto, but one that I am working on. Regret doesn't change your past...it simply ways you down and keeps you from you true future.

I hope you will remember that as we go into 2016 and find freedom in every step you take.

Until Next time...

XOXO,

Keri Sallee

P.S. For more from Monique (owner and amazing designer of Butter Bee Scraps) on this project and more, head on over to her blog: Butter Bee Scraps. Leave her some LOVE!! 

Keeping it BADASS in 2016.

Hello Creatives...it's been a while...right?

I hope you have enjoyed your holidays with your families as much as I've enjoyed my time with mine.

I took some time off of my "extras" on life like blogging and running to concentrate on my family, the holidays and recovering from a running injury, but I'm back so excited to share what's coming up next.

What is a badass? 

When I was asked to join the BADASS ART JOURNAL by Tiara Smith and team I spent a lot of time thinking about what it meant to be a badass. The more I thought about it the more I realized that there are women in my life or who I admire that are all badasses for different reasons.

There are creative people like Marion Smith, Cheryl Boglioli  and  Christy Tomlinson who have not only decided to embrace their creativity, but have taken it a step farther and actually do it for a LIVING. 

There are Christine Caine and her A21 campaign to end modern day slavery all across the world.

There's my best friend Deana who is just the most giving person in the world and goes above and beyond to support and encourage her scope of influence. 

There are so many AMAZING women who are badasses in so many ways.

So what does this mean for this class? I want us to focus on what we see as badass-ness in others and what we can do to incorporate those traits into our own lives. 

I'm still putting the finishing touches on my project and video, but here's a little snippet of a recent class I did.

My style is all things bring and bold.

And as if that isn't bright enough...I'm takin' it up a notch.

How about some neon?

So be prepared for some BIG, BOLD BADASSES during this this 16 week class.

You'll make 16 BADASS ART JOURNAL pages and one BADASS Art Journal all for only $59. That's less than a Starbuck's fancy coffee a week. Totally worth it right? 

My fellow artists and I can't wait to encourage you all to be the best BADASS you can be in 2016.

See you in the classroom.

XOXO, 

KERI 

P.S. PLEASE feel free to share this blog post and please click through it to sign up (as oppose to google searching it.) The links provided is how I get paid for teaching. DOUBLE XOXO! :)

A little bird said...an easy art journal piece for The Crafter's Workshop

Hello Creatives...

It's been crazy hasn't it.

The hustle and bustle of the season can sometimes be a joy thief can't it?

Today...I"m up on The Crafter's Workshop blog with an easy art journal that I needed to refresh my busy soul one day.

Here's a sneak peek: 

For more of my thoughts and the full project, check out The Crafter's Workshop Blog:

A Little Bird Said...

XOXO,

KERI

Genesis 1:1 Bible Journaling

Hello Creatives! 

Well...I did it! I finally did it! I finally bought an actual journaling bible!! 

For my first entry I thought I would start...where else, but the beginning: Genesis 1:1. 

For those of you that don't know, I actually have a tattoo on my right wrist of this scripture reference: 

For me it's a reminder that the only reason I can do what I do creatively is because he first created me. That is what I wanted to document as my first entry. For the first page to always stand as a reminder of why I am journaling in the first place and who I am journaling to. 

I had so much fun with these great Alphas, labels and washi I found at Joann's for only $1 each! 

 I also used washi from Hobby Lobby, Distress Paints by Tim Holtz, DecoArt Media Misters, stencils from The Crafters Workshop and a black Sharpie. 

I hope you enjoyed today's entry!! 

Xoxo, 

Keri