JUNGLE/RETIRING LISTS

I belong to a group on Facebook hosted by Visual Artist and Creative Encourager Terry Runyan called #daily creating. As a member of this group, under Terry's tutelage and guidance, we are encouraged to do something creative every single day. Each Sunday, she provides a list of prompts for the coming week. We, the members, have the option of following these prompts (I do) or creating something else unrelated to the prompt.

In a few past blog posts, I have shared with you some of my work and a little more about the group. You can see these posts HERE and HERE. As I've said, I have always followed whichever the day's prompt is in creating my daily piece. It sort of makes me feel like I'm back in college, being given an assignment to complete. I like that.

The other day, the prompt -- JUNGLE -- did not move me in any way. At least, as far as drawing goes. I didn't feel like researching jungle flora and fauna and creating something that probably wouldn't please me anyway. I even briefly debated whether I should skip that day's prompt or not -- something I've never done. No. I'd made a commitment to myself. 

I'd joined this group initially to try to regain some of my drawing capabilities. 

Well, if I didn't want to draw anything, but still wanted to do the prompt, then what?

My mind immediately leaped to the Tropical Thinlits (page 221) and all the lovely jungle-y leaves in this set. Yes! My mind was made up. 

I hurried down to my Creation Station and searched through all the green cardstock that was retired and I couldn't part with. It seemed as though JUST cardstock might not be interesting enough. So I grabbed my stash of retired green Designer Series Papers. 

After selecting a good-looking stack of papers, I went to work with the dies and my Big Shot. I also picked a few dies from other sets that had leaf-y frond-y looking pieces for my endeavor. I tried to vary my selection of papers and leaf styles.

Once I had a nice pile of jungle-y leaves, I started my project. Beginning with a 6" x 6" piece of Designer Series Paper that was green with a leafy design -- because I knew parts of that paper would be showing through on the finished piece -- I started layering on first solid green pieces to form a base, then more and more detailed leaves. Layer after layer, I kept adding to my jungle.

And, this is what I ended up with:

I mean, seriously, other than a mess, what else does it bring to mind?? A JUNGLE! Yes? Yes! Since I've never actually been to a jungle, this is my vision for what the landscape would look like.

A few close-ups so you can see the variety of flats, textures, prints, 

even some white.

The reason I added a small balance of white to the mix was to break up the monotony of all the greens and to perhaps make the viewer think of flowers or, at least, the presence of something other than leaves.

I am pretty happy with the result of my take on the prompt, Jungle. I'd love to hear what you think of it, and whether you think it was a success or just a mess.

Yesterday, April 15, Stampin' Up! released their Retiring Lists. The current Occasions Catalog as well as the Annual Catalog will both expire on the same day, June 3. 

You can access the Retiring List for the Occasions Catalog HERE, while those from the Annual Catalog are found HERE. 

When I first went through this list yesterday, I was dismayed at the horrendous amount of stamp sets I owned that would be retiring. At least, I THOUGHT they were retiring. Read on.

In the Annual Catalog, there are many sets that had been offered as Clear mount. Yes, the CLEAR stamps are being retired. Stampin' Up! is going to Cling mount as introduced in the Occasions Catalog. The sets from the Annual Catalog that were initially available as Clear, but are also available in the new Annual Catalog, will now be available in Cling mount. 

Confusing, I know. Just keep in mind that some of your favorite sets may show up on the Retiring List for the Annual Catalog, but will just be reimagined in the new catalog as Cling mount. If you have any questions on this, please don't hesitate to ask me.

Back to the Jungle. Do you see the bite marks on the left side of the easel the piece is resting on? Yes, it had a little run-in with a jungle cat, my Fred.

Jungle-y

Smiles.