Home is the heart of Life

Hi There!!!  

Wow, it has been a month since my daughter and I have been able to do a challenge.  I've been busy here with the house... Update - the inside construction is 99% done and I've started the huge job of getting all the dust out of the rest of the house while getting things moved into place and organized.  I've been mixing in a bit of decorating but that will mostly come once all the cleaning is done.  We've also been in Minnesota a few times the past month as my husband's sister, Ginny, who had COPD for many years and was on oxygen the last few years, took a major turn for the worse and then passed away.  And, of course, there is still the usual work things and life things that are just part of every week.  Last night I decided that I needed a break from the house - not to mention, some deadlines coming up - and am having a crafting weekend (of course mixed in with things like laundry and cooking).  The first thing I've worked on is this weeks Simon Says Monday Challenge - Home Sweet Home, and I'm combining it with A Vintage Journey's May Challenge - Use a Quote.  I created a journal spread.  The quote is a beautiful Quietfire Design rubber stamp.  For anyone who doesn't know - the owner of Quietfire, Suzanne, hand letters all her calligraphy and then turns that hand lettering into a stamp.   

I'm working in the small Dylusions journal.  I began with Distress Oxide Inks (Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick), taking the ink pad directly to the paper.  I drip/sprayed water over the ink and dried it.  Next I put a quick coat of Distress Collage Medium Matte over the pages brushing up and down with the large Distress Brush.  It did pull a little color but not much as I didn't over work things.  The large heart is done with Distress Crayons (Fired Brick for the dark line with a little blending, Abandoned Coral inside the line with more blending and then Worn Lipstick inside that with more blending).  All the little hearts are done with the A Way With Stencils Heart/Paw Prints Spray stencil (designed by Suzanne Cannon and manufactured by Elizabeth Craft Designs).  On the page I inked through the stencil with Distress Oxide Ink Fired Brick.  The house (Sizzix, Tim Holtz Artful Dwellings Die) is cut from Distress Mixed Media Heavy Weight.  I inked the house with Distress Ink Peacock Feathers.  Used the heart spray stencil and a damp cloth to remove some ink across the center of the house.  Stamped the quote with Distress Oxide Walnut Stain.  Added inked hearts with Distress Ink Peacock Feathers and Distress Oxide Ink Fired Brick.  To finish it up I added some Tim Holtz Idea-ology (lace, linen ribbon, and Paper Dolls) and used some washi tape (don't know a brand) that has little gold hearts.