heart the art: week 19 (basis)

i really like what gina did for last week's HEART the ART prompt (#19)--but hang on and i will let her explain:

"In life there always seems to be an underlining structure to things. Plans and projects start with a base idea. Our structure starts with our bones. Houses start with the blueprint plans or next from the actual inside frame. What it bowls down to is that I wanted to make a page about the foundation of something currently in my life. The basis of a concept or idea that might not otherwise get documented and put out there. This week's heart the art prompt is... The basis of a concept/idea/plan/feelings(something)..."

i love this idea, and i really had to THINK hard about what i wanted to say. one of the underlying structures of my life and behavior is the golden rule. i try to recommit myself every day to the concept of treating people the way i would like to be treated; and (some days, more importantly!) NOT treating people in ways i would NOT want to be treated. even if they aren't offering me similar consideration. (this is crucial: you can't expect or demand reciprocality!)

of course i fail at this every single day! but then the next day i wake up and start over. ok, ok, occasionally i get discouraged and skip a day...but then THE DAY AFTER that, i wake up and start over! for such a simple and moral and ethical idea--a version of which has been found in the philosophies of almost every civilized culture and every major religion--it sure can be *DIFFICULT* to carry out!!! what's up with that??!?!?

(staples cardstock; prima patterned paper; (un-seeable) scraps of vintage text papers--sheet music, dictionary entries, foreign text, business forms, etc; heidi swapp & michaels alphabet stamps; pattern stamps: tim holtz, cherry arte, stampin up; inks: stewart superior india ink pad, ranger distress inks, colorbox chalk inks, tombow markers; rub-ons: basic grey; rhinestone heart: michaels; other: staples)

this looks like a really simple, flat, inky quick page, doesn't it??!! HA! much like its subject matter, it was A LOT more complicated than you would think! i used this very cool method (that stef found!) for making a background: i collaged scraps of lots of vintage text papers. then i gessoed. or rather, then i OVER-gessoed to the point where i obscured most of my text collage! (luckily, i saved the nun--i am very pleased about that!) then i inked & misted & background-stamped. then i hand-stamped the text. then i inked & misted & foreground-stamped. then i added some white rub-ons. and yet, it looks like a really simple, flat, inky, quick page!!! but it was all good *FUN*...which is the really important thing. and somehow, i think it kind of works for this! ♥♥♥