Here's the second page of
Adam's post of simple affirmations for 2021.
I've been thinking lately about my own affirmations for the new year. They may just stay quietly in my head....and then again maybe I'll write them down. I'm not good at that kind of thing....but I'm feeling I want to be a bit more intentional in 2021.
https://www.instagram.com/adamjk/
I have dozens of ideas rolling around in my head for our 4 x 6 exchange...but after visiting the most recent exhibition at Gallery Twist in Lexington I was inspired to do something with stamps for round 7. I kept it simple using a tried and true punched mosaic technique. I've used it many times with photographs or other papers where I glue images down in a grid of some sort then punch them into squares and rearrange them to form a mosaic type piece.
I will admit that I'm not sure I love the technique with stamps...I think I like them better whole....but now I know. I have a nice assortment of vintage stamps from a friend of Connie's....and it was time to use to use some. 
I glued them down onto lightweight cardstock and punched out squares using my large punch.
I repeated the process over and over and I made enough sheets in one evening to punch up squares for all three cards. I put the first two together over these last few weeks.
The first card was for Brenda. I glued the mosaic squares together on another substrate before attaching them to the card. This allowed me tidy up the edges and cut it perfectly leaving that skinny little border I seem to like. And artist I admire always said things look better with a border or a frame. I've never forgotten and I still follow her advice most of the time.
But I still thought it needed something so I auditioned all kinds of overlays and landed on some skinny linked circles cut from the inside of security envelopes. Stamps and security envelopes seemed like a good pairing.
Take a look at all the interesting patterns and colors inside these envelopes....and they come in the mail every single day.
Brenda's card ended up being pretty thick because there were so many layers involved....so for Becky's I glued the mosaic squares right onto the card trimming up the edges as I went along. I did lose the ability to get a little border.....there's no way I could have gotten it straight all the way around. But...maybe straight is overrated.
When I punch the squares there are always little leftovers that can be used as filler. This piece was used to fill in the gap at the end of the first row. I glued it on then trimmed it up from the back.
This is how that row came out on the front.
As I glue on the squares I use this little paperweight to hold them down for a few minutes until the glue really grabs....and it's fun to look at.
Once again I knew I wanted something for an overlay....and I wanted it to be different.
I settled on some leafy cutouts from some of my painted papers....and I couldn't help myself from adding a border of stitching. I just like a border.
Here is a link to the stamp artist at Gallery Twist:
And the best part is I have all the mosaic squares I need to finish my card next week. Our 4 x 6 exchange is just a delight and keeps me being creative even when I don't think I have time. That sounds like an affirmation...."make time to create even especially when you don't think you have time."
