Playing with paint is very cathartic for me. There's something about taking a blank canvas or- as in today's tutorial- a canvas that can only be described as a disaster, and using paint and paper to turn it into a (kinda) pretty and special mixed media piece.
My word of the year is brave (or plucky, I like that definition more), but when I went to create my vision board for the year, all that came was a phrase from a wonderful book, a word and lots of hearts.
And pink. Because apparently, this year is all about pink.
A moment to digress regarding my new obsession with pink. I've always been fond of pink. The color has so much variety, ranging from the delicate pink tulle on a ballerina's skirt to the vivid pink lipstick on Cover Girl advertisements to the blooming pink flowers in the spring. Pink has so many shades and hues, light and deep, enticing and gentle. This year the bold is speaking to me. Perhaps it is because I've felt my life has been a bit too comfortable these past few months, like an old couch whose space you creak into when you sit into it. The bold pink is daring, calling, beckoning me to play with it, yet it's bold enough to make me hesitant. Will it be too much? Will it scream instead of invite?
Digression done! On to the tutorial! This board was super easy to do. Instead of looking for lots of words and pictures to put on my board, there was just one speaking to me. I used gold stickers for them. At first there was no pink ball in the middle, but it was a bit dull, the gold kinda just sat on the canvas. I wanted it to pop. The pink helped create the pop I was searching for. Once the letters were on, I applied a light layer of mod podge to keep the letters from slipping.
Are there words or colors speaking to you this year? What are you doing with them? I listened to Seth Godin talk about the good work tension does in our lives. Ignore tension and return to what feels comfortable and we risk stifling our growth and creativity, but if we can push through the tension on a new skill or a project and see it through, the tension will be the catalyst for our growth.
Consider what word or phrase resonates with you at this time in your life. Is it inviting? Some seasons of life are like that full of happiness and good growth and laughter. Enjoy every single moment if that is your season. Drink it in and don't miss it. I do not want to miss the joy of the blissful seasons of life.
Perhaps the word or color calling to you isn't so pleasant. In fact, you're not really thrilled with it at all. I invite you to create a simple canvas. Sit with the word or phrase for a few days or weeks. It's canvas so we can cover it up with a layer of gesso or thick paint later in the year! It's not forever.
Note: this is messy and fast and fun. I'm not giving this away. It's just for me- no pressure. See how unfinished and not-that-pretty my canvas is? But I love it and speaks to me- that's what matters for this project 
Instructions for a Twenty Minute Word Board
1. This canvas was originally used for another project that turned into a disaster! To re-start it, I covered it with old pages from a book. I stuck on the pages with mod podge, but I didn't wrap the pages around the edges of the canvas. I decided to let the red stick out from underneath the paper.
2. I covered the words with white acrylic paint. I left my one key phrase blank "I will persist without exception." It was a regular acrylic, not a heavy body acrylic so you can see the paper kind of through the paint.
3. I cut out heart shapes from magazines and applied them on with mod podge.
4. I used pink to make my fiery pink ball. I used my fingers which was fun. I covered the edges with pink (they were red) and tried to keep it messy.
5. I put on the word 'Persist' with the gold stickers and applied a thin layer of mod podge over it.
Note: I thought mod podge was hodge podge. That's what I've been calling it but I actually looked at the container tonight and there it was: mod podge. Thanks for bearing with me
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