I'm so happy to be part of Jessica Sporn's Stencil Test Drive. I'll be having a go with two of her new designs starting in February, but I couldn't wait that long to break in this "Embrace the Rain" stencil. Today I'm using it to join in with the 'long title' theme at Art Journal Cafe.
A few months ago I did a spread in my journal based on Natasha Bedingfield's song "Unwritten" that includes the words "Feel the rain on your face..." Hard not to think of that when using this stencil, but of course I wanted to do something different. So I went with that old adage about how every life must have some rain, and then I wondered where that came from. Turns out it's an Ella Fitzgerald song, which you can hear here.
I've been working on this spread for a long while, waiting to find out what it was meant to be. Layering colors and textures and papers and tapes. I had those three journaling cards glued down for months wondering what this would become, and when I held Jessica's stencil up to the spread, the girls on her stencil were the exact proportions for what I'd already been building up.
The girl on the left fit EXACTLY on my little crate (height, proportion, etc.), and the girl on the right fit EXACTLY on my cobblestone path. As my kids would say, that's cray! (Z intentionally out).
Isn't the detail on those girls amazing? Here's the line-up for Jessica's Stencil Test Drive (I'd say I'm in some pretty awesome company):
Thanks, always, for visiting.
Marjie
Now this makes me want to get inky with my journal! Oh how I miss my crafting time...now that there's "run a store" time! LOL! Beautiful page, love all of the details and the quote is perfect!
Posted by: Kim | 12/14/2012 at 08:58 AM
That is an awesome quote! So much interest and detail on these pages, Marjie! Love it all! Back from Portland talking about rain! I like snow better than rain!
Posted by: Terry | 12/14/2012 at 09:30 AM
I love the LIFE and MOTION on these pages!
Posted by: Cathy | 12/14/2012 at 09:34 AM
Marjie, I love it! You've done an amazing job with all those layers. So many details to look at. Thanks for the inspiration to get inky again!
Posted by: Julie Case | 12/14/2012 at 09:37 AM
Realy beautifull! I love it !
Posted by: Fabienne | 12/14/2012 at 09:57 AM
Ohhh, love the colors! I also love Jessica's new stencils.
Posted by: Renee Zarate | 12/14/2012 at 10:47 AM
Ooh, love this page and the new stencil....Have to add it to Santa's list last minute. I can see you dancing in the rain! xox
Posted by: Corrine | 12/14/2012 at 11:29 AM
Beautiful journal spread! HUgs, Valerie
Posted by: Valerie-Jael | 12/14/2012 at 12:39 PM
Fantastic page, love those new stencil images Marjie! x
Posted by: Alison | 12/14/2012 at 12:59 PM
Oh, how perfect it all came out for you.. and US! Yum Yum!
Posted by: Judy Shea | 12/14/2012 at 01:30 PM
Love these sentiments and the journal pages very much. Wonderful your colors and your stencils. They are so fantastic Marjie. The background is marvelous and so much to see.
lovely greet and nice weekend
Marja
Posted by: Marja | 12/14/2012 at 01:41 PM
Loving those new stencils and how amazing that they fit so well, must be a bit of ESP going on there..... Oh how I love your blues too, so perfect for those amazing raindrops. Both pages are wonderful! Hugs, Anne x
Posted by: Redanne | 12/14/2012 at 03:07 PM
wow that is an awesome stencil Marjie and love how you've used it. Hugs Annette x
Posted by: Annette G | 12/14/2012 at 04:34 PM
Gorgeous stencil and perfect that it worked perfect on these gorgeous gorgeous pages! I love every single bit, and the sentiment is spot on! Congrats on helping Jessica!!!! I LOVE that!
Posted by: Anita Houston | 12/14/2012 at 06:05 PM
This is absolutely GORGEOUS! I loveeeeeeeee the colors, the quote and those stencils are JUST WOW WOW WOW!!!!
Posted by: Julie Tucker-Wolek | 12/14/2012 at 07:09 PM
Beautiful colours and the stencils work a treat! Chrisx
Posted by: chris | 12/15/2012 at 04:37 AM
Another phenomenal creation. I love the movement in this spread. The umbrellas in all their varied positions lead my eye through the piece so beautifully. And those pops of yellow amid the blues add so much life to the composition. The details and layers are luscious, Marjie! And the girls are just perfection. I'm not that patient...but waiting to see what this would become was definitely the right choice.
Posted by: kathy/NorthCarolina | 12/15/2012 at 05:41 AM
Those stencils are just wonderful - and how fantastic that they fit so perfectly into the page you had prepared - obviously it was meant to be! A glorious spread, full of colour and movement - and around a song I've always loved too!
Alison x
Posted by: butterfly | 12/15/2012 at 08:06 AM
Love, love, love !!!!
Posted by: chris | 12/15/2012 at 12:22 PM
I'm missing words, these pages are wonderful.
Posted by: Silvia | 12/15/2012 at 04:28 PM
This speaks of those times when it pays not to rush ahead but to leave a piece incomplete, knowing fine well that one day the most perfect element is waiting in the wings - it doesn't get more perfect than this Marjie.
Wishes
Lynne
Posted by: Lynne Moncrieff | 12/15/2012 at 05:59 PM
Thank you Marjie for this beautiful participation once again...
Carol, one of the Frappucinos
Posted by: lechatquitousse | 12/18/2012 at 06:12 AM
Love these pages!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Wanda Hentges | 12/19/2012 at 06:23 AM
Another one of my faves!! Love the direction you took these pages - And pretty cool how they just fit in their respective places. Cray-Z cool! =)
Posted by: Lisa Sackett | 01/01/2013 at 09:03 PM