Hello, Stephanie here hoping you had a fabulous holiday! 

I know the fun part of the holiday season is over and now it is back to reality. 

Reality can still be exciting, though. 

Like, the great feeling you get when you stick with the 

resolution you have set for yourself. 

Mine is getting healthy and staying that way, as is the case with 

many resolutions made every year. 

The difference for me this time is I am excited to stick to it. 

I hope you feel the same about yours. 

My project for the blog ties into my resolution and how I plan to succeed. 

I know I will not be perfect, so I will not force myself to be. 

However, there are little hidden victories everywhere.  

I will just keep my eyes and probably more importantly my mind open to them. 

My piece is called Hidden Victories. 

All supplies for this project can be found right here at Altered Pages.

I hope you enjoy it. 

I started with my brand new Dylusions Large Journal. 

I have to thank my husband as this was top on my Santa wish list.  

This was the first page in a new art journal. 

Wait, FIRST PAGE! No pressure......yeeaaaah right!!! 

I knew this had to be good and not just good in a "wow, that's really pretty" 

kind of good, but I wanted it to mean something, to me anyway. 

So, that is where the resolution idea first popped into my mind.  

I started the page by distressing it a bit with my  Tiara Gold Paris Trunk ink pad

I then tore and layered antique text and patterned papers from the 

Bazzill 6x6 mini patterned paper prints. 

I adhered the torn paper and then used gesso over the entire page. 

I did this to tone done the print and to make sure no corners would be popping up over time. 

I was going for a background with a hint of pattern and torn texture.  

You can see in this picture below the torn bits all over the page. 

They are much lighter here than first out of the package due to the gesso. 

I started sketching out my veggies, some garlic here, carrots there

and a, as Bob Ross would say, a happy little artichoke there. 

I then went in with my Dylusions inks using them in my 

paint palette just like watercolor. 

I then added a bit more text pages to cover the artichoke just a bit. 

He represents the hidden gems for me to keep a look out for.

I loved the idea of adding the word "Resolution." 

But, wait a minute...right now I am just starting out as

most of us are with our resolutions. So, why complete the word. 

Those of us that made resolutions are just at the beginning. 

We are still working on completing that goal. 

So, here Resolution is open ended and ongoing. 

To finish it off I added a bit of fun to my veggies and lettering with my white chalk pen. 

So, I leave you on this Friday wishing you health, happiness and fun in 2014. 

May you have many little victories along the way. 

~Stephanie