Today’s post is a little different…

Good Morning Creatives.

As the title says…today’s post is going to be a little different.

Recently, I saw a interview that the UFC fighter Ronda Rousey did on The Ellen Show where she discussed how she felt after she lost her UFC fight to Holly Holm…breaking her undefeated record.

It was a moment of devastation that few people will understand. When you have worked so hard your whole life and are KNOWN for one thing…to have that taken from you, it can be beyond painful.

In her interview…she discusses how…just for a moment…she thought if she wasn’t the undefeated champ, then what was she? And for a moment…she thought about killing herself.

Here is the full interview:

It’s a hard interview to watch isn’t? This woman that we for so long saw as invincible and hard-nosed really is just a “real” human being…with fears and hurts and pains that she isn’t allowed to show because of her profession.

My little slice of my story…

As someone who has struggled with suicide and depression in the past, watching that interview made me cry because I thought “THAT makes her so brave…NOT that she gets in that ring and fights.” Yeah…that’s cool and I have a total athlete girl crush on her, but to allow herself to be vulnerable and honest like that…I think makes her even more amazing beyond her titles and belts.

I rarely am inspired to create by a person. Usually I am inspired by a technique or a collection or something of that nature.

But I was sitting at my desk playing with some paints on a surface…just thinking about that interview and my own journey through depression and suicide…which for me…lasted for years…

A postcard from the universe…

I didn’t have a plan when I was slinging paint, but I looked down and realized now much it looked like stars in a dark sky and I had the thought “I survived because I was needed in SOMEONE’s universe.”

So…I came up with this…I call it “Postcard from the Universe.”

How I made my postcard…

Here is a quick look at how I got my background:

I started with a piece of black thick card stock for the background of my “postcard.” For my paints used: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Coffee and Glaze in Island Spring and Deco Art Media Shimmer Mist in Turquoise and Fluid Acrylics in Cobalt Teal Hue and Titanium White.

(1) To get my swirl technique, I began by randomly laying down my Coffee Glimmer mist, Island Spring Glaze and Turquoise Shimmer Mist with a brush, before splattering my Cobalt Fluid Acrylics. Next (and this is the important part!) start splattering your surface lightly with a wet paint brush. Don’t “brush” it on…allow it to splatter so that the colors naturally flow together.

(2) Continue your splattering technique with your paints, adding white for add some contrast.

(3) I also added Tattered Angels GLAM in Camel during my layering process. To add texture, use your heat gun to dry your glam and glazes and you’ll see it “bubble” up. BE CAUTIOUS and watch what you are doing so that you don’t overheat your project.

(4) For my words, I did the same technique on another piece of black card stock, added my word with a white Painter’s Pen and then cut it out.

(5) I used Donna Salazar’s new Dodz XL for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L for adhere my words down on my postcard background (to give them POP) before laying in my Butterbee Scraps Metals.

(6) Lastly…I added LOTS of Butterbee Scraps metals. I used:

Medium Mixed Gear Charms — Steampunk Charms —- Small metal Flowers — Cooper Filigree Embellishments

{CLICK HERE for more Information on Butterbee Scraps!!}

Closing Thoughts…

I hope you have enjoyed my “Postcard from the Universe”, but more importantly…I hope it spoke to you…either for yourself or for someone else.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, PLEASE reach out!

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline has a website with information or CALL them direct at:

1 (800) 273-8255

There is someone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in both English and Spanish to be there for you.

Don’t allow suicide to win…someone needs you in their universe.

XOXO,

Keri

PS For more info from Butterbee Scraps, check out here: