Wanderlust : Spirit tree

The theme for the classes for April in Wanderlust 2021 is Silhouette. I've got a bit behind with these lessons. I've been stitching a secret thing, and had a wonderful Easter that was focused on family activities. I've continued with my weekly tag challenge, but I figured I would just give myself permission to wait until school holidays to do some more Wanderlust lessons. I'm also giving myself permission to not do every lesson if it doesn't inspire me. Week 14 was a lesson with Nicole Warrington about a spirit tree. I spent far too long thinking about which tree I would do. I wanted to do something with a New Zealand reference - pohutukawa or nikau palm perhaps. I wasted {too much} time on my computer looking up different trees before I caught myself and decided I just had to start my background. Watercolour and drips of isopropyl alcohol. Love how it looks like water and then some gold splatters...will I want to put a tree over and cover this up?! 

I used these watercolour dyes and very happy with how they reacted with the dylusions journal paper. 

I decided on a nikau palm in the end - tall, strong, elegant, always reaching and resilient. Although Nicole drew her tree freehand with a white pen, I adore stencils so thought I'd do that first with pen added after. 

Very happy...sometimes less is more. The finishing touch = found words.

Every time I looked at this I felt it wasn't quite the right words. I am more than surviving but I am having trouble shining lately. This feels more true for me :