StencilGirl & Seth Apter WOW Blog Hop & Giveaway
Couch Talk
The start of school has me pining for more creative time. If your week was anything like mine then you are probably mentally exhausted. I wanted to create but my brain was going all sorts of directions. Having to force myself to sit down and paint is not my norm, especially since I have just come off a month with zero creative time. I can’t create when my brain is in mommy mode and it seems that everything I touch, I destroy, so I usually don’t bother. But this week, I didn’t feel the pressure to create something amazing so I gave it a try and it was actually relaxing.
If you want to see what I made in my creative time this week, check out my post HERE.
This year has been unlike any other but I have found so many blessings amidst the confusion. I have found myself considering options, especially in schooling, that I never thought possible. We had the option to send our kids to school, but with all the chaos in our state, we chose to keep them home. It greatly diminishes my creative time when I am answering questions from 3 different people ALL. DAY. LONG. but I am learning that art is not my first or even my second priority. Juggling my schedule has become a daily task and I look forward to days where a spontaneous gap of time pops up to allow for some sort of creativity. My favorite phrase this year is: Day by Day.
So, despite the craziness of 2020, I hope you are taking the time to re-evaluate and find blessings amid the chaos.
Leave a comment and tell me about one blessing that has come out of 2020 for you.
Creating the Cover
My journal was covered with kraft paper and then I stenciled the Tokyo (L761) stencil in purple. I then stamped a few Seth Apter stamps by PaperArtsy embossed with .
I went around the edges with black gesso to create a border.
I used the Copper embossing with the stencil and painted the leaves. These were used to embellish the cover along with a chipboard oval embossed with the Tokyo stencil. The Seth Apter Stencil was embossed on the book paper.
And here is the finished cover.
Giveaway
GIVEAWAY
A $35 Gift Certificate to StencilGirl® Products,
a $35 Gift Certificate to Seth Apter’s Shop
AND a $25 Gift Certificate to Wow!
Enter to win by leaving a comment below.
Then be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop and comment to win.
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
Three winners will be chosen at random from all blog comments!
(One comment per blog please.)
You have until Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:59PM Central Time to leave your comments.
Winners will be announced on Wednesday, September 23rd.
I am so glad that you stopped by today. Don’t forget to move on to the next blog HERE. In case you missed any stops along the way, here is the list.
You are HERE
Don’t forget to leave me a comment about a blessing that has happened to you in 2020.
Thank you for visiting me today,
Kate
LOVE this journal cover – the em bossed leaves, the colors, the layers! This is inspiring!
I really like all of the textures and colors from the stencils and embossing powders on this journal it’s really pretty, a blessing for me in 2020 is me and some of my family talk and see each other again before we didn’t talk at all and now we talk and I’m able to see my nieces and nephews, thanks for sharing you favorite phrase
this has so much colour and texture to it. and the addition of that wonky shaped text paper is so calming and grounding for my eye,. well done. Hope your children enjoy their schooling at home this year . I am a bit of a homebody so isolation isn’t an issue for me but this year has allowed me to make art without feeling guilty for spending time that should be spent on household chores.
Beautiful design, colors, texture, and layering!
Wow! If you created this when you weren’t in a creative mind I’d like to see what you create when you are. This is beautiful!! I would faint if someone handed me a journal like this!!
Your cover piece is truly beautiful! I love the color palette and composition. You’ve given me some ideas out of my normal go-to colors!
Let’s see, a blessing from 2020 would be the opportunity to dig out art supplies and delve into new mediums. Mixed media art has opened up a whole new world of friends I would never have met had Covid not given me a chance to take a pause in the regular routine of life. God is still good!
This art is totally gorgeous! I love the layers, the colors, textures, and most of all, the _Day by Day_ poem — it’s so beautiful! I don’t know if I could read its text on my phone, but here on my PC, I can. Words to live by! 🙂
Once again, another beautiful creation, Kate! I know exactly what you mean about not having creative time. Those kiddos sure keep you on your toes! But when we make time, it’s usually rewarding (except for those times I just can’t get the art to work, lol)!
I love all the layers and colors. Day by day is just fine, you create when you can.
Love your journal cover, especially the copper embossing powder on the beautifully stenciled leaves. 2020 is quite a challenge but also has its blessings -I was able to have my mom with us for a few months due to the pandemic situation and it was my biggest blessing to spend all that time with her since we live many hours apart. melissa(dot)friedrich123(at)gmail(dot)com
So fun and interesting. This hop is making me want to get to the studio. ❤️
Such a gorgeous mixed media piece! I LOVE the colors and the layers!
Lovely layers! Another inspiring piece. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thanks for sharing your work and your personal journey ❤️ Art is very personal and often hard to share with the world. Appreciate your honesty and love the honesty in your finished piece, each layer tells its own story. I am blessed this year in having a safe place to create and a supportive community to inspire me.
So pretty, love the surprisev of the tribal shield looking element.
This cover turned out beautifully, Kate! A blessing I’ve received this year: Everyone I know has been spared the virus up to this point. My fingers are crossed that this blessing continues.
My/Our 2020 blessing is two-fold. My husband’s (90 percent) carotid artery was detected and surgery was performed before he had a stroke. In addition, his cancer was diagnosed in time for positive treatment. Can’t get ANY better than that. Stressful? Yes, but we’re grateful.
Very ethereal effect on the edges. Beautiful color choices.
So much detail. Layers are wonderful.
Love your work. Very Nice!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Blessing…have a new great great nephew and of course he is adorable!! Also through this quarnatine, I have found I have more artistic abilities than I ever dreamed I could have!
I love this delicate yet grungy cover. Thank you for sharing this.
The layering is scrumptious!
I am loving this hop and the wonderful and unique ideas, hold on in there re busy times and difficult times, as all this will pass 🙂
Thank you for sharing your art with us. I hope you will find things calm down and you can get more creative time. Hunkering down has actually created more creative time for me, because now I don’t have a 2.5 round trip commute. Not all that extra time has gone to creative work, of course, but it has helped a lot.
Such a beautiful work to see here! Like your colors and the way you have used the embossingpowders! I am a real fan of Stencil girl stencils and Wow embssingpowders. You talked about a blessing in 2020………I must admit it took me a while to find one……at the moment I can only think of; I am blessed to have two hands that can create, two feet that bring me where I want to go and the ability to breath!
Wonderful piece!
What a gorgeous, gorgeous journal cover, Kate! Love the combination of colors and textures and dimension!
So happy you are an artist on this hop! xo
Beautiful colors and textures on your creation! I too am trying to focus on a Day by Day plan…. and it is a challenge!
A blessing I have had this year is knowing that my daughter and her boyfriend are able to continue to work from home and that they are safe.
Love the vibrant colors on your book. Can we all come for salsa?
This is really fun and crusty! Day by Day is one of my favorite hymns! I’ve listened and sang it many times this year!
i AM STLL HERE IS THE ONLY BLESSING i CAN THINK OF
Wonderful project, so many layers! xxx
I love your color combination. Definitely enjoying having more time for art.
Love the texture 😍
Simply stunning layers, details and colors! And such texture. this is gorgeous!
Love all the layers/textures on this cover. Really Beautiful.
For me, 2020 has been full of small blessings, being forced to slow down and stay home has given me more time with my family and allowed me to understand myself better. I have learned to listen to my intuition and go with ideas, it’s made me treasure moments as much as minutes.
I love this beautiful cover you’ve created, the copper embossing through the stencil is gorgeous!
Love everything about your cover. The colors are fantastic and the textures are amazing. 🥰
I think my biggest blessings this year have been the great visit we had with our son and grandson this summer and the young lady that we took into our home. I just love having her in my house. God is great!!
I love your choice of color!
Having problems getting this to post!
Your color combination caught my eye right off the bat. Beautiful.
Oh wow how gorgeous, those colors go so well together!
This has me thinking I may have that Tokyo stencil somewhere. I’m going to have to check and dig it out and use it. Or buy it, if I can’t find it.
Fabulous project! Thank you.
This is the best blog hop ever! I can tell you enjoyed this creative time! Beautiful, beautiful piece!
Love your cover, colors used , stencils and design. My blessing is having art to center myself . I have done more than usual during the pandemic.
Lovely layers and texture. My 2020 blessing is that it allowed me to slow down and let me take time to experiment with my creativity.
You’ve encouraged me to add more dimension to my journal covers! I love your choice of colors and embossing powders. I feel very blessed to have a great partner to go through life with. He has been my rock through 2020 and all its surprises!
The Tokyo stencil is one of my favorites. I loved seeing how you used it in your art.
what a great idea!! I’m inspired : )
Love the 3 dimensional cover! Really enjoying seeing everyone’s creativity! Blog hops are so much fun – some blogs I have not seen before!
Wow, what a beautiful piece! I love the colors you used!!
What a gorgeous album cover! I love the colors.
Love your book cover. Embossing powders are so much fun. Thanks for sharing.
Love your choice of colors. Yummy. I need to be brave and try the bright colors.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. The color, the texture, oh my gosh everything is put together so beautifully. Inspiring to say the least 😍 I need to create a journal cover for a baby book, and this has given me a great place to start!
Stunning cover. Lovely colors, too. As for my blessing, I’m just glad to be alive in 2020, after so many have been taken from us by this virus that should have been curbed by now.
Kate, I totally get “mommy mode”. It is a mix and ‘push and pull’ between joy and mental exhaustion (this year exasperated by unfortunate circumstances). The 2020 blessing has been how my family (three siblings and their spouses) has united to look after my elderly father and each others children to keep them safe and engaged.
On another note: I love your book cover. It is beauty among the chaos. I hope creating it brought you moments in the ‘zone’ to replenish, sooth and energize your soul.
Beautiful journal cover.
Since the middle of summer I have been walking to the shore of Lake Michigan to take a picture between 7-8 am. It really helps get me started on my day. The variety of photos I have gotten has been uplifting
Such and pretty and delicate use of the stencils and embossing powders makes a lovely book cover 🙂
I love the leaves!
Great job.
Gorgeous journal cover. The background has exciting patterns, textures and colours. The torn vintage page provides the perfect support to the interesting sprigs. Really captivating. composition.
Love the colors that you chose and I’m not really a purple person but the stenciling and layout all work together. Not overdone at all. Challenges for all, much mental unrest and physical exaustion… especially if one has children they are homeschooling. Sneak in little bits of creativity to help.
This is an amazing project! I love the beautiful colors. The leaves are my favorite element. They look fabulous!
Kate, your book cover is beautiful. The black gesso on the edges frames your work nicely. Your embossed leaves are stunning, and the colors you have chosen to incorporate are soothing. Thank you for sharing your art.
I love your color palette! The pandemic has brought me the blessing of learning to live with less and not take anything for granted.
Such a beautiful project. WOW. 🙂 The colors, the design, the texture. So so yummy.
Love the vibrancy, speaks of joy and hope. The black edging to the script really does make a difference.
Your work is amazing, thanks for sharing! We were blessed to be able to provide shelter for family members evacuated from one of the Oregon wildfires.
Fab project. I too am struggling at the moment for creative mojo.
Spectacular, love the intensity of colour. Beautiful composition ❤️
Yep! Day by day! Thanks for this colorful work!
I LOVE those purples and colors you used!! Gorgeous project!
One of my blessings from this year is having my teen sons home more and enjoying how funny they are.
I feel really blessed to have such an inspiring artist community via the internet. This journal cover is gorgeous!
Wonderful texture and color harmony! I hope you can find more moments of creative time to recharge your soul during your day to day living. One thing I’m truly grateful for was spending a lot more time with my wonderful husband as he worked from home until the From March until the beginning of Sept. I’m newly retired and have been loving the studio time!
totally gorgeous!
So much texture! My fave are the flowers/leaves…but its all gorgeee-us!
Gorgeous piece of art, Kate.
So much family time has been a complete blessing this year.
Good luck with the home schooling.
Love how the purple pops against the gold. The multitude of texture, colors and details create a wealth of tiny treasures within the composition.
Love the texture.
This is an awesome journal! So much texture. Love the colors as well. This has been a very challenging year and I believe doing art has been my constant therapy. We are so blessed to be artists!