I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had requests by friends and customers to teach classes- especially to teach my Lil” Art Blocks. The time has finally come! I am thrilled to be a part of Forager Brewery’s Local Creators Nights on Tuesday nights in January, February and March 2017. I will be teaching on the third Tuesday, the first being January 17, 2017. 

Here’s the description: 

Instead of choosing a New Year’s Resolution, how about choosing ONE WORD to focus on? Ignite, Authentic, Joyful, Thrive, Soar, are all examples of qualities that, if focused on throughout the year, could create a meaningful impact.

In this mixed-media project we will use multiple mediums to design what I call a Lil’ Art Block with a mason jar personalized with the word of your choice.

All supplies will be provided. Wood blocks and patterned paper will be pre-painted (in the interest of time). We will also use rubber stamps, scissors, and mod-podge. I will teach you how to create the black outline and watercolor-distressed look using a Stabilo pencil, paint brush and water. Finally, we will seal the block with matte varnish. Each artist will choose their mason jar color, label color and word.

This project is for all levels: the experienced artist to the wanna-be artist and everything in between. You are sure to leave with a project you can be proud of!

Last year I chose something more of a phrase, which was “Be the Light.”  To me this means being our Heavenly Father’s light, to spread His word and to live the way His Son, our Saviour lived: with love, compassion, forgiveness, patience, kindness and joy. It became a mantra of sorts this year. Reminding myself to “be the light” gave me purpose and direction and many times it was enough to change a negative emotion or even a bad attitude on my part. It’s truly amazing how one word or phrase can make such an impact on a person’s life. I made this bird last year and it hangs above my desk, serving as a constant reminder to BE THE LIGHT.

I first came across this idea in 2011 by a well-known scrapbooker in the paper-arts industry, Ali Edwards.  She has grown a very large following of what she calls “One Little Word” (see aliedwards.com). Each year I enjoy reading her blog and watching the excitement unfold as her followers commit to a personal word of their choice. Her website also serves as a great reference for choosing a word, and this year I’m choosing to adopt the word Ali focused on last year. I read it and instantly knew I was claiming it my own for 2017: GIVE. Her words were perfect and I’ll share them here:

Give Love

Give Kindness

Give Time

Give Patience

Give to Others

Give to Myself

Boy, does this speak to me! Maybe it’s a continuance of “be the light,” maybe it’s the next step. That remains to be seen and I look forward to finding out. I encourage you to choose a special word for yourself this year and perhaps even take my class so you have a beautiful reminder to help keep you on track! 

You can register for my class, Lil’ Art Block: Mason jar with {YOUR} Word of the Year through Event Brite. The cost of the class is $25 plus a small processing fee. I hope you’ll join me, this is going to be fun!