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Tropical Birthday Wishes

Happy Friday, peeps! It's the start of a new month of Viva la Verve! and Amber has a fun square sketch for us this week! I haven't had much time in the studio this week (I do wave to it every morning, though! {grin}), so last night when Mark was playing Xbox with his buddies, I snuck up to the studio and couldn't wait to get some color on!


I'm all about color right now. I've been watching video after video about art journaling, and it all starts by laying down some color. There is such a story that can be told with color, whether it's creating a scene or simply evoking emotion. I've been a little bit mopey lately, and when I get that way the best way to get myself out of a funk is to go create with some funky and fun colors. So that's what I did. Here I was trying to capture that amazing feeling of the ocean on a warm, sunny day. I live in a land-locked state and have only been to the ocean a few times in my life. The first time I saw the ocean, it captured my soul. Blue that went on forever, power and grace and beauty all rolled into one. I was sure that I had never been closer to touching the face of God. That day my soul stopped... and listened... and rested. And I decided in that moment that someday I would live by the sea and have morning devotions with the waves spraying around me. And so I continue pushing myself harder and harder, running a company by myself, getting up and working day after day, rain or shine, through pain and sorrow, so that one day my dream will become reality and I'll be writing you from my cottage by the sea. Dream it. Share it. Do it.

The Making Of:
I knew I wanted some island brights to go with the Happy Days set, so I used Shiva paintstiks to paint the oval and the bottom border. I colored the flowers with Copics, then chose pumpkin pie for the side pieces. I was afraid with all the orange and black it would look too Halloween-y, so I painted a little Gesso on the black mat and a few swooshes on the orange panels after stamping them with the polka dots from Bountiful Backgrounds. The birthday sentiment is cut out with the Charming Banner Die Set and I masked off the Mother's Day so just the WISHES stamped from a sentiment in Love Deepens. I finished off with a die cut edge, some doodling and some glitter glaze.

Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Happy Days, Bountiful Backgrounds, Love Deepens (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  White, Black, Pumpkin Pie
Ink: Jet Black Archival (Ranger), Iridescent Tropical Artist Painstiks (Shiva), Copic markers
Accessories:  Charming Banner Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Petite Ovals Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Polka Dot ef (Cuttlebug), midnight scrapper's floss (Karen Foster), Pinking border CutUps (TCP), Gesso (ProArt), black flatback rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), diamond glaze, glitter

13 comments

Marisa said...

White Rock is right by the ocean, two beaches you can walk along, not a nice blue, warm ocean with big waves but lots of ocean to look at and some killer sunsets in the summer ;) Somehow I'm guessing you are aiming for the warm version as per your tropical card LOL! Love the colour combo and the variegated colours on the focal panel. Pops of black are the perfect touch.

Tanya said...

Oh I love it Julee! LOVE the colors, very tropical and serene. I want to check out those paint sticks, never heard of those before, the colors are gorgeous! Come visit down here in FL, we have beautiful beaches! :D

Jessica said...

This is gorgeous, the colors are divine. I have no doubt you will someday be living by the sea!

Unknown said...

This is gorgeous and so creative, Julee! It looks like it was fun to create, too! A cottage by the sea is a wonderful dream!!

JoAnn said...

Very pretty card. Love the colors. TFS

Amy Sheffer said...

Amazing! I love learning more about your creative process and the things that are inspiring and influencing you right now! I've always thought of your style as very artsy, and now it is even more so!

Luanne said...

So don't be mopey! Be Happy! Just like your card! Gonna be praying for you, okay? Press on!! :-)

Ravengirl said...

Love your card! I love your dream too. I couldn't ever imagine not living within driving distance of the ocean. I live just south of Marisa in the states. She is right about the blueness of the water, but the power of the waves and the smell of the ocean are totally captivating!

Vickie Z said...

Gorgeous!! Love all the colors and blending!!! Ack, I checked out the tutorial for making your own crimping and haven't had a chance to try and now you're doing gesso!! The beach is my fav place to go. My DH and I moved from the Midwest and we live 3 1/2 hours from the ocean and 1 1/2 hours from the mountains. It's like the best of both worlds {'cept I'm definitely partial to the ocean!!} Our fav thing is to get up early, make coffee to go, and walk the beach... looking for seashells, seaglass, watching for dolphins, and seeing the ships at sea!! Sleeping at night with the windows open and hearing the ocean... Lord, now I am "longing" to go on a roadtrip!!

Niki Estes said...

So fun! I love the summer colors!

Mary Marsh said...

wow this is scuh a beautiful card julee-love these bright colors

Riet said...

What a gorgeous card Julee.

Hugs Riet.xx

Beverly said...

Julee..
I saw this card on SCS and wanted to see how you created it. More importantly, I loved your description of the ocean and feeling close to God. You'll never know how much your sharing has touched my heart today. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card, and especially for encouraging myself and others by sharing what is on your heart.
Anytime you want to dig your toes in the sand, feel the breeze on your skin, taste the salt on your lips and hear the roar of the waves... come to VA and we will go and have our devotions together as the sun rises over the ocean.