Gesso Background Paper

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Focus For 15 Minutes

I woke up in a bad mood today.  My journal entry this morning began with the word "ARGHHH" in huge black letters!  I knew something had to change!  Part of my frustration was a bad dream.  But part of my frustration was also this growing feeling like I am the biggest scatterbrain on the planet!  Lately it feels like my thoughts jump from one to the next without a moment's notice.  My activities seem to follow that lead - I bounce around on the internet; start a task and interrupt myself a zillion times before coming back to it...you get the picture.  So today I decided I was tired of being frustrated - it was time for some action!  My action went something like this - I concluded that 15 minutes was a reasonable amount of time to require myself to focus on an activity.  So I set the timer on the stove for 15 minutes and spent 15 minutes cleaning the kitchen.  Then I set the timer for another 15 minutes and spent that time taking pictures for my instructions for my Sunny Day CD Envelope Scrapbook.  Then another 15 minutes on the clock to work on the instructions themselves.  I took it all in 15-minute chunks and I have to say I'm pleased with the results.  Maybe in a few days I can build up to 30 minutes!  Wish me luck!

I was inspired to start playing with gesso today!  The inspiration comes from a wonderful book called Collage Lab by Bee Shay.  I haven't even gotten far into the book and already she had me wanting to run into the craft room and break out the art supplies!  So, I applied gesso with a sponge to my new Artistic Etchings stamp image and stamped the gesso onto Sahara Sand card stock.  I let it dry and then sponged over the gesso with Soft Suede ink.  I then sprayed the background with a mixture of alcohol and shimmer paint.  I wish you could see this in person!  For the focal image I stamped the Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings onto watercolor paper and then sponged the paper with some Soft Suede ink.  I then stamped the greeting from Sincere Salutations at half strength.  Finally, I used my Soft Suede marker to color the word "thanks" and stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched it out using the curly label punch.  I stamped a second Tower onto Very Vanilla card stock and used my hobby knife to cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals.  I hope you like it!  I am loving the gesso that is all over my fingers!  More gesso is definitely on the way!!!! :)