Family Portrait

Caspiana's Soul Journal Project days 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.

Over this series of days, we were challenged to recreate our home, collage over the images to add details, add painting, add journaling, and then add our families through creating paper dolls.

Interesting that I just typed the word "challenge". I just checked and I hadn't used that word to describe this project before. The concept of home is something I struggle with. My current situation places me in a position where I still feel out of place, out of touch with "me". Because of this I created a place where my inner child might live. Much better.

Sarah created paper dolls, but I just couldn't warm up to that (creative? inability to follow directions? hard to tell!) I choose images from my family's younger days. Our wings are from butterflies I photographed at the "Butterfly House" in North West Ohio. The buildings are somewhat reminiscent of the Cleveland skyline - it does feel like I belong in this city. Used my Latin ~ English text once again, I really enjoy finding pages with words that resonate with my theme. I thought the red rhinestones were a fun touch on the tops of the buildings.

This project was also a lesson in how different paints would react over the gesso. Found out that although my twinkling H2Os create a cool, mottled effect, that means that water color doesn't cover smoothly. But in really life it is very twinkly!

You can't always see them, but I used my sparkly pen to highlight our magic talismans... I get a magic crown and a magic wand, it's my vision after all! Sisters Deb and Diana get magic beads, The Boy gets magic shoes (Toddler University shoes were the bomb. Wonder if they still make them?), The Husband gets a magic crest, and even Geezer gets magic whiskers.

The journaling is very hard to read in the photos, so here it is:

"a home is that place where our better selves can be explored. our inner child made free. we have wings to lift us and folks to catch us when we fall. magic talismans to guide us (magic shoes, magic wands, magic crest, magic beads, magic whiskers). a city of possibility where the lights burn in the windows for our return every time.

no matter what."

Here are some close-ups of each family member so that you can see some detail. I'll be excited when the sun comes back so that I can take some better quality snaps later this season!

The Boy kicks off the show,

Then Geezer back when he was just teeny,

Mom and Dad,

Diana (because the oldest gets to go first),

Deb (because "sometimes you open up the blog and bam! there you are!")

The Husband looking especially dapper (you can't see his magic crest, but it's there!)

...and last but not least, me!

Go on out there in your world and explore your better selves!