"a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
~Lao TzuI love this wise saying.
It's so deep.
But I'm going to customize it based on something that happened to me yesterday:
"the long Texas summer begins with a single bug bite on your eye."
~Lydia
Yeah.
Welcome to summer, fellow Texans!
A bug bit me not ONCE, but TWICE on my eyelid while I was innocently watercoloring on the back porch the other night.
It was a glorious spring night - that perfect temperature where you don't feel hot or cold, the birds are singing, the daylight hours are long. And then, just before you get too comfortable in the state that is always trying to kill you - BAM - a mysterious bug bites you twice on the eyelid to keep you humble and wary.
Now I look like a freak and my eye hurts.
Welcome, summer.
One of the things I love about stamping is that I can abstractify nature and turn it into a symbolic, idyllic thing that IS NOT always trying to kill you, like it is in the Great Republic.
I did exactly that today - inside, safe from the stinging insects and rattlesnakes.
I thought about trying reflections with the MISTI last night as I was falling asleep, and thankfully, unlike most of the ideas I get before I fall asleep - I didn't forget it! Yay me! So I prepped a big batch of tortilla soup (for which I will thank myself all this week at lunch time, and sat down to try it out with the camera rolling, and here's what I got.
Cool, eh? Love this tree.
If you want to see how I made it, along with some tips for hiding some of the branches behind the leaves, check out my video. (Without a Maddie cameo this time - now that the days are longer, she lies in a beam of sunlight rather than hogging the camera.)
This video is now part of my Master Class on Shadows & Reflections.
Now don't forget - registration for my June retreat is open - and it's first come, first served - I will run out of space fast, so click below or on the retreat tab above to register! You will get to play with a MISTI if you don't have one, learn stenciling and background techniques, and have meals from a celebrity stamping chef, all in the wonderland of a retreat in the Texas Hill Country!
Loveyameanitmyeyehurtsbye.
Love this video, love the card!!! Remembering what you thought of before sleep...wish I could remember to do that!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the video! Beautiful card!
ReplyDeleteLove the card! Where in Texas are you?
ReplyDeleteI'm in Austin Becky - are you nearby?
DeleteWow what a great video. Thanks so much Lydia.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tips for shadowing, shading and reflection, Lydia! Beautiful neutral colored nature card!
ReplyDeleteThis card is gorgeous, Lydia! You're so calm and collected in your video - very informative.
ReplyDeleteLydia - another great tutorial.Thank you so much! Hope the eye gets better soon.
ReplyDeleteVery cool video, thanks so much for this great tips!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely, Lydia! You are a wonderful artist and teacher. I am learning so much from each of your videos! Hope your eye feels better very soon. ♡Dawn
ReplyDeleteBrilliant tutorial for using the MISTI for the mirror technique! If I had thought of this before I made my card for today's SCS tech. challenge, I would have had much more success!
ReplyDeleteI am super duper tired but I watched your video and was going to come back another time to comment but I came to the end and knew that I needed to write my comment right now before I forget. THANK you! I don't know why I have never thought of stamping off the sentiment first!!!! I can't tell you how many times I get a wispy of something tiny that ruins my sentiment. Thank you! Terrific tip. Your tree card is stunning! I enjoyed seeing the process.
ReplyDeleteLast but not least. I am glad you found safety INSIDE your house. Sadly my house is not a home of safety and apparently has never been. I have been stung twice by a wasp. Once when I was 10 and Thursday. Both occurrences happened INSIDE! I believe you have me beat with your killer caterpillar but only by a teeny bit. My pinkie is still swollen etc, etc. OH MY GOSH....am I writing this MY LIl Bit is sitting on the table looking up.....Sirley anything as huge as what is hanging from my ceiling is a moth? If you don't hear from me again, I have died of a heart attack!
I just love your narration. Fabulous card.
ReplyDeleteJust got my MISTI....this was a fabulous video with wonderful tips, techniques and ideas using The Shelter Tree and those wonderful banners. Thanks for the download availability on the sight for great lining up and straight placement. I'm a Texan, too.?...just north of Dallas...any bluebonnets?
ReplyDeleteNever thought about cutting a small portion of the leaves stamp in this set. Thanks for your video.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to have found your blog, via Split Coast Stampers! I enjoyed the tutorial with its tips and techniques. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteIn reading your description of the spring night in March, I had to laugh, because I'm writing this almost at the end of May, the leaves are barely out on the trees and we had a frost warning last night. As a born and bred Oklahoman, I sometimes find the climate in Québec hard to take.
Sorry to hear about your eye! Love your humorous take on it, though. I live in Jacksonville, in East Texas, so I can totally understand your take on Texas! LOL Thanks for the tip on stamping off your sentiment to test it first. I never thought of that, but I'll have to try & remember now! Love your vintage-y looking card. ~ Andrea
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