Needing Inspiration

Inspiration is such a funny thing.  At times we have inspiration all the time, ideas whirr around and you can't get them down quick enough.  At other times .... well, I don't think I'm the only person who has wondered where it has gone!

Here is a page where I was messing around in my art journal:

I started off with pink tissue paper which came some flowers I was given.  Then I covered it with layers of paint and stencils:

I added texture paste through a 49p stencil which I found at The Works and added the words and journalling.

I had a recent episode of Inspiration hiding itself.  I had to make some cards using dry embossing as examples for a monthly papercraft group which I help run.  I was simply not in the mood to make cards using dry embossing.  My inspiration was well and truly missing but I had to do them.  I made one and left it.  The next day I prayed and said, 'Lord, if you want me to go on doing Scrap and Yap [which is what the group is called] you are going to have to give me inspiration."  Guess what, I picked up an embossing folder and got inspired!  I made another two cards and really enjoyed doing them.  Thank you, Lord!  :)

Here is the first card I made:

This was when I got inspired.  I used a freebie embossing folder which came with a magazine.  I embossed in white card and rubbed an ink pad all over.

 

I didn't have much time left so the last one was really simple and quick to do.

Next time Inspiration decides to hide I know what I'll be doing!

What do you do when Inspiration goes missing?

I'm linking up at 

Art Journal Every Day

Create with Joy Friendship Friday

Creative Every Day 

Glory Art no 9 - Hope and Rest

The theme for this Glory Art challenge was Hope and Rest.  We all go through difficult times and sometimes face hugely daunting, sad and seemingly impossible things.  It's vital at times like these to look to our God who loves and cares for us and is with us in every situation.  When we take our eyes off the issue we are facing and on to our God we can begin to receive the help that He supplies.  We turn to Him and cry out to Him to deliver us and sometimes He does... instantly.  But at other times we have to endure.  By looking at Him, knowing His Presence with us and His love, knowing that He cares and that He can work the impossible we get hope and with hope comes rest.  The rest which only comes from trusting in our heavenly Father.

Here are my scripture cards:

I started off with with one of favourite colour combos:

This scripture is so reassuring.  It is God Himself who is saying to us that He is holding us and we need not be afraid:

I built up some backround layers with stencils and stamps in white and black:

Finally adding texture paste through different parts of a doily stencil:

Are you facing something big and daunting and impossible to bear?  Look to our God, He is there already, hand stretched out to yours, ready to help you.  May you find hope and rest today.

Glory Art no 8 - Intecessory Prayer

I'm a little behind on the Glory Art scripture challenge since I've been away on a fab holiday in Scotland.  I took a box of art supplies but did not open it!!!  Amazing, but we were too busy relaxing and fishing and walking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

The theme for the Glory Art was intercessory prayer, a subject very close to my heart because I love to pray.  Patter said that intercession is defined as 'a prayer to God on behalf of another' and it's such an important thing to do.  When we are concerned or worried about someone we must lift them up in prayer.  Our God cares about everyone and every situation and He wants us to pray for them.  If you've visited here before you will probably have heard me say this lots of times - Our God hears our every prayer and answers every single one in His own perfect way and His own perfect time. 

Here are my scripture cards:

The backround colour was some leftover paint from another project which I scraped over the cards:

Then I added some stencilling and stamping:

and texture pasted leaves:

Finally I printed the words and cut out in my usual wonky way:

Are you worried about someone today?  Don't be, just lift up your worries to God.  He is faithful and hears and will answer.  Blessings and the peace of God to you.

Be Still and Wait

Sometimes we can't hurry things up, no matter what we do or try.  There may be certain situations that we want to change or some new thing we want to do but it's simply not the right time.  We have to wait.  This is what I feel God keeps saying to me at the moment, "Be still and wait!"  

To be still and wait is a tricky thing to do when we are champing at the bit to do something, or longing for an answer to a particular prayer.  But this is what I am learning to do at the moment.  God's timing is perfect and I trust Him to know when it is right and I trust Him to answer prayer in His own perfect way and perfect time.

Here is my journal page:

I had a lot of fun with different layers of paint, stencilling, texture paste and stamping and I made it really busy to represent hurry and turbulence.

I added punched squares for more texture and interest:

I dried some of the paint so it bubbled.  The grid which is stencilled in pink was done with fruit packaging!

I added a flap for the words:

so I could do some hidden journaling:

Have you noticed the windows which I punched out?

I've been meaning to do this for a while, to have cut out sections and other pages peeping through.  Here is the page beneath which I haven't added words to yet.  The colour has come out very light in the photo for some reason, it's much more like it appears in the window above:

I added the texture paste and then painted over for this one and let rip with splatters, love doing them but I always get them on me too!

I like to think that this purple page reflects waiting.  Its monochromatic so less fussy and not so much 'doing' or 'hurry'.   The white splatters are prayers and they look kind of joyful.  When we pray we come into God's presence and our faith is increased so we get joy :)   I like to think that the window on the busy hurry page looking through to the 'waiting' page gives a glimpse of what it is like when we manage to BE STILL and WAIT.

I'm linking up at:
PaperArtsy Words Challenge
Art Journal Every Day
Create With Joy Friendship Friday

Circle Journal - Shelley's journal on Nature's Spirit

There were some beautiful pages already in Shelley's journal.  I decided to do mine on flowers - I love flowers and am always amazed at the infinite variety of shape and size and colour.  I always think our Creator God must have had such fun.  The earth would be a much drearier place without flowers and I found a perfect quote to echo that:

My texture paste had gone a bit lumpy but I quite liked the effect:

I'm entering this into the PaperArtsy current challenge which is 'Words'.  I printed the quote out and cut into strips which is one of my favourite ways of adding words. 

There are so many good quotes on flowers I might just have to use a few of them in my own journal!

I'm linking up at:
PaperArtsy
Creative Every Day