I am hoping that all of us has a few life time friends that
I've known us through the accomplishments and annoyances, the beginnings of
something the chapter ending, the fears and the glories, the highs and the
lows, the meandering negotiations, the ordinary preciousness of quiet
reflections, the sublime times, the unique voyages, wandering, yearnings with
zeal of our crazy journey called life. I've
mentioned some of them in my blogs before. Along with these longer known
friends are those that come into our lives at just the right time to encourage
us to be more than we are. This artwork was inspired by them."Never judge someone by the way he looks or a book by the
way it is covered; for inside those tattered pages, there's a lot to be
discovered." -Steve Cosgroves
This art work is a second "collab" with PM Artist Studio and the dynamic duo of Patricia and Mariah. I am using gel print with
nested circles and a broken squares stencil, lovingly sent to me to use as I
felt best. It will also highlight the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts pieces I have
adore.
Some blog post are like those comfortable gatherings with
forever friends, others are like an introvert going to a multi media
extravaganza, awkward and exhausting. The process for this project is the
later. Put on your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Supplies:
Gypsy
Soul Laser Cuts Layered Frames, Gypsy Soul
Laser Cuts-Catweed Shape Set, Gypsy Soul
Laser Cuts-Hypercium Berries, Gifted Gel Print
Art Paper, Chipboard, Cutter, Turquoise Stencil Butter, Acrylic Hazelnut Paint,
Black Embossing Paste, Gold Design Creme, Weldbond, Magazine Collage Pages, UHU
Gluestick, Paintbrush, Tyvek, Sanding Block, THz Distress Stain Mermaid Lagoon
and Rusty Hinge, ArtDeco Matte Varnish Gel, Awl, Fun Foam Sheets, Spine Template,
Fluorescent Neon Acrylic Paints, Glossy
Accents, Scissors, Micro Screws, Screwdriver, Miniature Hinges, Wire Cutters,
File, Rust Paste, Golden Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Gold Green Acrylic
Paint, Turquoise Marker, Liquid Pearls, Pictorial Papers, Plain Papers, Book
Cradle, Vintage Button, Deerskin Lace,
Nylon Thread, Needle,
1. Gather
Supplies.
2. Cut Pieces
of Bookboard That are Slightly Larger than the GSLC Layered Frames.
3. Use These
Pieces to Cut Pieces of Gifted Gel Print Paper.
4. Use
Turquoise Stencil Butter and Acrylic Hazelnut Paint to Paint Bottom Portion of
Layered Frame.
5. Use Black Embossing Paste and Gold Design Creme to Paint the Top Portion of
GSLC Layered Frames.
6. Use
Weldbond to Glue GSLC Frames Together, Dry Fully Flatted and Weighted Down.
7. Use
Weldbond to Glue Down Gifted Gel Print Paper Pieces on Outside Covers of Book.
8. Glue Magazine
Collage Pages and Strips of Gifted Gel
Print Paper to Inside Covers Using a UHU Gluestick.
9. Use a UHU
Gluestick to Glue Tyvek to Book Spine.
10.
Paint Spine with Turquoise Stencil Butter and Acrylic
Hazelnut Paint.
11.
Use Sanding Block to Distress Edges of Book Covers.
12.
Use THz Mermaid Lagoon and Rusty Hinge Distress
Stains to Add Some Colored to the Sanded Edges.
13.
Seal Everything With ArtDeco Matte Varnish Gel.
14.
Use and Awl and Spine Template to Put Holes Into
Spine Protecting Table with Art Foam Sheets.
15.
Use Weldbond To Glue GSLC Layered Frames to Front
Covers.
16.
Choose Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Hypercium
Berries you Want Highlighted.
17.
Paint Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Hypercium
Berries With Neon Paints.
18.
Use Gloss Accents to Add Dimension to Berries, Dry
Flat and Fully.
19.
Paint Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Catweed Shape
Set With Neon Paints.
20.
Cut Out Portion of Used Broken Square Stencil.
21.
Glue Catweed and Stencil on Inside of Book Covers
with Weldbond.
22.
Glue Dried Hypercium Berries to Front Covers with
Weldbond Flattened and Pressed Down.
23.
Use Micro Screws and Screwdriver to Add Miniature
Hinges to Connect Book Parts Together.
24.
Use Wire Cutter to Cut off Screw Tips and Sand Down
with a File.
25.
Distress Covers with Rust Paste, Turquoise
Stencil Butter, Black Embossing Paste and Acrylic Hazelnut Paint.
26.
Seal With a Stain of Golden Quinacridone Nickel
Azo Gold and Gold Green Acrylic Paint and Matte Varnish Gel.
27.
Add Detailing with a Turquoise Marker.
28.
Add Even More Details with Liquid Pearl Dots.
29.
Cut Pictorial and Plane Papers to Fit into Book.
30.
Make a Pages Template with a Scrap Piece of Paper.
31.
Use an Awl and a Book Cradle to Punch Holes Into
Book Signatures.
32.
Add a Vintage Button and Deerskin Lace to Front and
Back Covers.
33.
Sew Signatures Into Book With Nylon Thread and a
Needle.
Some Final Thoughts.
I told you
it was going to be a bumpy ride, I'm grateful that you've read this far. I am
calling this a gratitude journal, although I won't be using as one. I will
probably add it to my inventory and sell it at upcoming show.
There are
many friends I am grateful for through the years, I will try to remember them all
and honor them in my life, here I will mention but a few and none by name.
Fun Loving
Coworkers from Friendly's at Lycoming Mall. My Youth Group Buddies form
Moreland Baptist Church. My many College Companions. A borrowed friend from a
college roommate. A misunderstood first impression becoming a brother from another
mother. Church friends from various congregations. Bible Study Cohorts.
Neighborhood Families. Lifters of the Light, Mindfulness Musketeers. Summer
Sojourners. Room Enhancers and Encouragers of my Craft. Hiking Husbands. Cellar
Dweller to Czech-Slovakia Spring Break Memories. Kayaking Coworkers. Royalty
Ragers. Artist Allies. Soul Mate
Partners. Gladyses. Patron Saints, Collectors of my Art. Keeper of Secrets, Confidants
of My Heart.
-A friend
is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden. -unknown
-Try to be
a rainbow in someone's cloud.
-Maya
Angelou
-Good
Friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they're always
there -unknown
- There's not
a word yet for old friends who've just met-Jim Henson
-A friend
knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.
-Donna
Roberts
-The real
test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person. Can
you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple. -Eugene
Kennedy
-I have
learned to be with those I like is enough. -Walt Whitman
-As iron
sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. -King Solomon
