a natural progression

morning!

Having signed up for a Valentine's themed mail circle swap type affair on Instagram, I was probing my brain the other day for ideas. I'd seen a wonderful photo on IG of two framed hearts ~ one filled with badges and I think the other with buttons. This then reminded me of the wonderful stamped heart project in Geninne Zlatkis' book Making An Impression and prompted the following series of ideas...

I initially sketched out my rough plan on the Paper by 53 app on Paul's iPad ~

I then raided my stash with the intention of using up some of it along with some bits of w-i-p that having been loitering for a while ~

In all honesty, this wasn't really doing it for me and then I realised it was because there wasn't really any sign of me or my style in it. A quick faff and play and then this ~

Ahh much better! A bit of doodling and an actual theme to the composition and my heart was happy again! Then it was on with my favourite bit - the inking of the design...oh, the calm contemplation this brings me is priceless.

Inked up and now for a sit back and look...a few tweaks later and it is almost done~

...though I'm still undecided about the wording (let love bloom).

That hasn't stopped me ploughing on with Heart Garden II though ~

inking up the design

close up of the detail

and here is the second finished Heart Garden ~

I'd love to know what you think!

One of them is ear-marked as a gift, but I was thinking about doing a few more and putting them in my shop. I'd probably leave them on the full sheet of paper and then it's up to the recipient to decide whether to cut it to frame it, or to simply tack it to their wall with a bit of washi tape :)

Plotting and planning, and working through an idea can be so rewarding.

Sarah

x