DecoArt Mixed Media Haunts Challenge

Hello Creatives!!

I am BEYOND excited to share this project with you today!

As you know, I have been a little (or a lot!) obsessed with Sugar Skulls lately. So when I saw that DecoArt Media was having a design challenge for Halloween, I knew I wanted to stretch myself and do something that is COMPLETELY out of the box for me...a 3-D SUGAR SKULL!

I searched high and low for the perfect surface and I found this skull at our newly opened JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store. It is made of Styrofoam and I thought was creepily perfect!

We became very good friends....

Ready to see his transformation?

To make my roses, I used the 6x6 "Cabbage Rose" Stencil from The Crafter's Workshop. {see the end of the post for a complete supply list!}

I wanted to keep my pink roses the highlight of this project, so I kept my other details simple with flourishes and dots painted with various DecoArt paints.

I added some Junque and Gem stones from Marion Smith Designs to finish it up with a little bling

What is is about sugar skulls that are the perfect combination of creepy and beautiful?

I hope you enjoyed seeing my project as much as I enjoyed making it.

What about you? Have you tried something new? Maybe a product you've been scared of? Maybe taking your art off a canvas or out of a book and trying something fun and 3-D? Or maybe...you must need to START?

No matter where you are...You CAN DO IT!! 

Just try. 

One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, has a quote that I love: 

So go and DO something...mistakes and all. :)

Until next time...

Keri

P.S. Shameless plug....PICK ME ANDY SKINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

P.S.S. Supply list as promised: 

DecoArt Materials

DecoArt Media

Fluid Acrylics: Carbon Black, Titanium White, Interference (Gold)

Gesso 

Modeling Paste 

Dazzling Metallics

Peacock Pearl 

Rick Espresso 

Festive Green

Crystal Green 

Americana 3D Gloss Enamels

Transparent Glass Writer: Black & Yellow

Americana Acrylic Paint 

Electric Pink

Purple Pizzazz

Citron Green

Other Materials

Styrofoam Skull-Joann Art and Craft Stores

TCW514S "Cabbage Rose" Stencil-The Crafter's Workshop

Junque & Gem Stones-Marion Smith Designs

Graphic Structure Paste-Daler Rowney

DIY Adult Coloring Book Pages

Hello Creatives!

Have you jumped on the coloring book bandwagon?

Today on The Crafter's Workshop, I show you how to take your coloring book pages to another level by making your own!

Here's a sneak peek: 

Head on over to The Crafter's Workshop blog for full details!!

DIY Adult Coloring Books-The Crafter's Workshop

XOXO,

KERI 

Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop-Sneak Peek Video

Hello Creatives!

Have you had a chance to check out the Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop?

You can check out more information and register here!
Gratitude Junk Journal

I wanted to give you a sneak peek into my class and my heart behind it, so I made this "trailer" for you all!

Register fast and you could win some amazing prizes!

Check out my original post for more information:
Gratitude Junk Journal Blog Hop

Hope to see you there!!

XOXO,
KERI

Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop Blog Hop!!!

Hello Creative Peeps and welcome to the Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop Blog Hop!  

Hop along with us to meet all the amazing instructors who are opening their hearts and studios to you to help us all learn more about finding gratitude in our everyday lives. AND...you have a chance to win a FREE spot for you AND a friend as well as the chance to win a GREAT prize pack! {keep reading for more information on that.}

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN:

Click here to REGISTER!!  

If you arrived here from Tiare Smith Designs then you are in the right place. If you are starting here just follow the link below to go to the next blog and continue on the hop.

Gratitude. A feeling of appreciation or thanks. 

It seems so easy, but can be so difficult...especially with all the outside voices telling us so many other things. Through the month of this workshop, you will have the chance to find gratitude in everyday life...in ordinary things.

JOIN ME IN THE WORKSHOP NOW.

For me...I chose a topic that is near to my heart...literally...LOL. I chose: My Body. 

Here is a sneak peek!

Now for the good stuff.  Here is how you can win A FREE SPOT FOR YOURSELF AND A FRIEND, share my link to the Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop Page Gratitude Junk Journal Workshop , Share on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and be sure to use #gratitudejunkjournal  and tag your friend when sharing.  Feel free to use the following button when sharing!  

One lucky winner and a friend she tags will win.  Contest is open October 14-18!  So hurry get your entries in!  Remember, #gratitudejunkjournal that is how we will find you!  And no worries, if you have already registered, your workshop fee will be refunded. Easy peasy!

Oh but wait there’s more!  Just for being an early bird registrant you have the chance to win this great prize package too!  Everyone, who signs up between 10/12 and 10/22 will be entered to win!  It’s raining prizes!  Hallelujah!  

REGISTER NOW.

Well it is time to move on to the next blog to see more art and learn more about our AMAZING artist instructors.  You are going to want to SIGN UP FOR THIS WORKSHOP 

Next on the hop is: Zoey Emanuela Scarpelli !!! 

Happy Hopping!  Have an AWESOME day.

Live. Love. Laugh. GRATITUDE!

Have Questions? Feel free to email me at:

thecreativelifestudios@gmail.com

XOXO, 

KERI 

Truth Cards inspired by Melody Ross

Hello Creatives! 

Today I am so excited to share with you a project I recently made for the annual Saving Grace Mentor/Mentee Retreat.

This year's theme is "Soul Deep" and for our creative time we are focusing on Truth Cards and Bible Journaling.

If you haven't heard about Truth Cards, they are the brainchild of the amazingly talented and loving artist Melody Ross. 

In her own words, Melody says that Truth Cards are: 

The idea for Truth Cards came as a way to overpower the awful script that sometimes runs in our head, preventing our souls from feeling whole or healed. Truth cards are little messages of love and truth that are written directly to our souls….telling us the TRUTH when we are believing words that are keeping us from believing the love and truth.

For our retreat, we are focusing on Biblical Truths. 

For the project, I used Heidi Swapp's "Favorite Things" collection for Michael's, Adirondack Inks, TCW Stencils and various stamps, washi tapes and stickers. 

Here are the individual cards...

To keep them all together, I used a jump ring and added some ribbons and charms. 

I used very specific charms, each with their own meaning: 

(1) CLOCK: Ecclesiastes 3 states that there is a time and a place for everything under heaven. The clock is to remind me that my timing is not always God's timing and vice versa.

(2) BIRD CAGE: Truth is freedom. Finding truth can break the bonds of a broken past and can set you free from the cage of emotions. 

(3) 7: In the Bible, 7 is a special number...it is the number of completion and wholeness. 

(4) KEY: Matthew 7:7 says: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. The DOOR can be opened...the KEY is you have to have the faith to KNOCK. 

(5) FLEUR-De-LIS: The Fleu-De-Lis is a stylized Iris Flower. The Iris flower's history has made it the symbol for FAITH, HOPE and WISDOM...and who doesn't need some of that!?!?

So what about YOU? What do you hold as TRUTH? Maybe there is a book quote or a song lyric or words of a special person that you hold close to your heart when things get rough.

Find those. Write them out...type them up. Document them and keep the handy for those moments when the battlefield of the mind would tell you something contrary to what is TRUE.

Until next time, 

XOXO,

KERI

P.S. To see how a couple of these cards were made, check out my post on The Crafter's Workshop Blog: 

Truth Cards Inspired by Melody Ross

Altered Suitcase for kids in Foster Care

Hello All!!

Today, I am up on The Crafter's Workshop blog and sharing an altered suitcase I recently made.

As you know, I have a HUGE heart for an organization named Saving Grace and the founder, Becky Shaffer, always comes up with amazing ways to bless others. This year for her birthday she asked if...if leu of presents for herself...if people would purchase a suitcase and a nice fluffy blanket for a child in foster care. 

Here is a sneak peek of my project: 

For more details, check out: Altered Suitcase on The Crafter's Workshop Blog. 

XOXO,

KERI

Though She Be Little....

As I sit here typing this, I am sitting in my sister's hospital room. She is quietly snoring in the bed beside my chair, finally able to catch rest for her mind and body after the whirlwind that has been the last 4 days. 

At 30 weeks pregnant, she went in 4 days ago for a standard pregnancy  glucose test. Less than an hour later she was admitted to the Labor and Delivery ward because her blood pressure was so high. Three days of tests and ups and downs happened...until yesterday morning when the doctor, in a God Inspired moment, decided to do an ultrasound. 

That decision saved my nieces life...and possibly my sister's. She had what is know as placenta previa and was bleeding internally. From ultrasound to OR to emergency c-section birth...my niece, Scarlet Rose, was born in less than 15 minutes...10 weeks early, weighing 2lb 9oz and being 15in in length. 

During my 7 hour drive from my home in Arkansas to her's in Missouri, I just kept thinking "She's a fighter." And the Skakespeare quote from A Midsummer Night's Dream stuck with me "Though she be small, she is fierce." 

When I made it to Missouri at 1:15 this morning, it was too late for visiting hours (or too early...depending on how you looked at it) and I had had so much caffeine that I couldn't sleep even if I tried. 

So...I dug out some of the meager art supplies I had brought with me and made something for my sister. 

The scripture across the side is Ephesians 2:10"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works." 

Yes...Scarlet is small, but she was crafted by the very hand of God to do amazing things. 

Here's a few of the steps I used to make this piece: 

(1) I created by background with Tim Holtz Distress Paints 

(2) Using a Scribe All black pencil, I free handed some feather shapes on my dried background.  

(3) I filled in my feathers with a layer of gesso. 

(4) using my Neocolor Watersoluable Wax pastels, I added blues and purples to my feathers and a little gray around the outside of them. 

(5) Since I didn't bring any kind of letter stickers or scissors to cut journaling strips, I used my gesso to make an area to out my quote. 

(6) using a Micron Pen, I added my quote and the scripture on the side. I finished the project by adding my paint colors around my journaling and flicking the whole project with black Neocolor, heavily watered down. {sorry...so pic of this step!}

though she be small...she is fierce. 

She comes from a strong mama...she will be just fine. 

Here is her first photo: 

  

Prayers...good vibes...positive thoughts. She could use the all. 

Until next time friends...xoxo. 

Keri