Klimt in the garden with Rumi : September art card

It's time to share my next art card inspired by Effy's A Year of Rumi online class. The quote for this month is "Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop". Since we were given all the quotes at the beginning of the year, you may remember I already created my card for this quote when it was Autumn here in New Zealand.   

Autumn is a good time of year to think about releasing what's no longer serving you. Spring is also a time for release, but instead of leading to rest, I feel called to new actions. I needed my own quote for this month and had saved a couple of extra ones at the beginning of the year in case I needed them. This is my chosen quote for September : "As you start to walk on the way, the way appears". 
Currently I am watching the free Life Book Summit series and was inspired by the session with Cathy Nichols which was to make oracle cards with supplies selected at random without looking. I thought it might be a fun way to do my base gatherings this time. My piles to select from were my klimt-inspired fabric, paint (one each from Golden transparent, fluro/iridescents and general paints), and my collection of bird themed serviettes. I closed my eyes and picked

A different colour palette for me for sure. Believing my quote, I started with what I know I love - stencil plus thinking the fluro will be nice in the background as glow. 

Then applied the transparent yellow iron oxide (perhaps my least liked and used colour ever!) with a baby wipe and happily the stencil paint worked as a resist. 

Added a little more of the other paint through circle stencil for edge texture before applying the serviette bird and some fabric.

Is it cheating or creative to use the dots from the selvedge of that pink patterned fabric that didn't fit the rest of colour scheme?....yes I agree - creative! Needing to add the quote next because it may not fit on the card otherwise (5 3/4" square). Decided I would glue this time and add some hand stitching. The other fabric that needed to be included stitched by machine with metallic thread as the other pieces were. This is a recurring element across this art card collection.

I found a bit of leftover sari ribbon from another project lying on my desk and that fit very well before adding the hand stitching.

I like the staggered stitching along the bottom of the words - like footprints. You can also see in this close-up that I did use the melon green paint- had to add it to a bit of gel medium to thicken it for stencil shape.  Click on any photo to see it larger for these details.

I decided I should attach the back now as the machine stitching may help me decide whether to add more to that left hand side - 3 rows of stitching on that left side is nice.

Dated, trimmed 

finished?...not quite

After I took some photos of the card with the rest of the collection, I realised it needed some more texture (the heart hangs freely on the thread - only attached to the card at the top by the beak) 

Now it's finished

Following the quote to make the card proved its truth. As you walk in the direction toward which you feel pulled, doors will continue to open. Follow your joy. Follow your heart. Follow your intuition.
And here's the set so far this year - 3 more cards to go ♥

Find out more about the "A Year with Rumi" class with Effy Wild HERE. Check out the rest of my art card series HERE.