Butterfly Mixed Media Collage

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we will just have the courage to admit what it is. - Julia Cameron

I love this quote by Julia Cameron!  How courageous are you?  My inner dream can scare me at times.  Why?  Well, if I actually admit what it is, it can unfold...and as it unfolds will it be all that I dreamed it could be or will it disappoint me?  Or will it be everything I believed it could be and more????  Maybe it's the Libra in me.  I can keep teetering back and forth between admitting it and not admitting it and as long as I remain sitting on the fence, I don't actually need to commit to my dream.  So what message do you think that sends out into the Universe?!  Maybe Julia is saying that by just admitting what the inner dream is that sends a powerful message both to ourselves and to the Universe.  And once that message is out there, the energy it creates actually stimulates the unfolding.  And we can be there, unfolding with the dream, and collaborating with it so that it is exactly what we need.  Okay, I admit it - my inner dream is to be an artist and to inspire others to express their creativity!!!!  Whew!  That was hard...or not so hard...actually quite easy to admit.  So there you have it...let the unfolding begin!!!!! :)

Today's collage incorporates the stamping on transparencies that I shared with you yesterday (as well as a number of other techniques!).  Here are a few pictures of the completed piece:

A part of me wishes I just recorded a video of the entire process I went through in making this collage since it is almost impossible for me to remember all the steps!  One thing I do want to point out is the flower on the collage.  I actually made that using used dryer sheets!  I think I may have to put together a video to share with you how I did that :)  I incorporated a lot of mixed media into the collage:  fibers, beads, cheesecloth, nails, transparencies, book pages, a computer printed quote, paint, rubber stamping (do you see the floral stamp in the background?  It is from the Elements of Style stamp set - the same stamp I used in yesterday's card).  This piece was a joy to make and it is now hanging on the wall beside me to remind me to continue to admit my inner dream and participate in its unfolding :)  I hope you like it!

I also wanted to share this picture of Willow with you :)  She has been climbing up onto my craft table lately since the sun is quite bright there.  She likes to curl up in the midst of the pile of supplies.  She seems to find the dimensionals particularly inviting :)

p.s. Yesterday I attended an all-day class in encaustic painting!!!!  It was AMAZING!!!!  I will try to take pictures of the pieces I completed during the class.  I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot more wax painting in the not-too-distant future! :)