I love the phrase “Always believe something wonderful is about to happen” as it reminds me to always have hope and stay optimistic. So I’m pleased to link the page I created using this saying to the “Poetry in Motion” challenge over at Art Journal Journey, where you are invited to create a page inspired by a poem, quote or saying.
I started by mixing acrylic paints to make a teal colour, which I applied to the page using a baby wipe. I used a paintbrush to apply fine splatters of white and black acrylic paint over the top. While the paint was drying I drew and cut out some tree silhouettes and twiggy branches from a London A-Z Street Atlas, which is quite old so the pages have aged and become discoloured (grin!). I stuck them to the page using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium and once dry, I outlined them with a black Uni Pin marker. Then I added some bark details using a black Sharpie permanent marker and a white Uniball gel pen so they looked like Silver Birch trees. The butterflies are fussy cut from a wallpaper sample leaving a very thin white border around them so they would stand out from the background and they are stuck in place using double-sided foam tape. The wording is made up from letters that I cut from old magazines and they are stuck to the page using the matte gel medium again. I choose Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks to match the colours of the butterflies and used them to paint the letters; I did this by applying the ink pad to an acrylic block, spritzing the block with water and then picking up the ink with a paintbrush. To finish, I drew white boxes around the words using a ruler and a Uniball gel pen so they stood out more.
The butterflies on my page remind me of these pretty butterflies that adorn my craft room wall, they were bought from a trendy interior design shop in Liverpool for my birthday.
I see them every day and having created this page I will forever be reminded to “Always believe something wonderful is going to happen” – which makes me smile!
Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.
Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:
- Liquitex Artist Color Acylic (Swedish Blue, Christmas Green, Ivory Black)
- Colvin & Co Artist’s Acrylic (White Titanium)
- Tim Hotlz Distress Ink (Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Peacock Feathers)
- Sharpie Permanent Fine Point Marker (Black)
- Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.1mm & 0.8mm)
- Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
- A-Z London Street Atlas
- Wallpaper sample
- Old magazines
- Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
- The Range Double-sided tape
Hi Jo,your amazing pages with the beautiful butterflys flying in the woods is so dreamlike:-)
its really poetry.and your wonderful poem makes this pages perfect, i love the colors too.
thanks for sharing us your beautiful pages,and thank you for your lovely comments of my blog,you are so kind 🙂
happy summerday for you,dear jo!
Jenny
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Thanks very much dear Jenny! This poem is one of my favourites and I’m pleased you like it too 😁. Wishing you a happy summer day too! J 😊
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Another fab page Jo, wow, I love how you did those birch trees, so clever to use an old street plan! The bark looks totally real! Love the butterflies too and I so agree with that phrase. Your fussy cutting is spectacluar and what patience on your letter…. well worth the effort though!
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Thank you! I enjoyed getting creative and using the old street map for the trees. I think I’m developing my skills and learning to be more patient as a result of fussy cutting … lol 😉. Wishing you a lovely week! J 😊
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A dreampage – I love how you created the birch tree trunks.
All is so well composed — your decoration butterflies are so pretty and I have a smile on my face to see the Union Jack – I have an Union Jack mousepad here on my table…
Happy Day for you and I love to have you as a host at AJJ!
oxo Susi
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Thank you dear Susi! It was a fun process creating the birch trees out of the old street map and my doodles 😁. This page seems to be brimming with positivity, which makes me happy. I love that you have a Union Jack mouse pad and mine happens to be a lovely reminder from a local concert that we attended to commemorate the Queens 90th birthday last year, we had so much fun 😁. Wishing you a happy day too and thank so much for all your support, I’m having a wonderful time hosting Art Journal Journey this month! J 😊
p.s. by sheer luck the page I created for AJJ and TioT’s “Postcards” theme has a garland on it too, so I can link it to your new theme of “Banners and Garlands” over at Moo Mania as well, you must have read my mind … lol 😉 – Happy Serendipity! J x
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Wow! I love this page Jo! It’s turquoise with splatters for a start, and who doesn’t love butterflies?! Those tree trunks look really cool too. And a great quote!
Have a lovely day!
Alison xx
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Lol … turquoise and splatters always works for me …lol 😉. Thanks so much and I hope you are having lovely day too! J 😊
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Beautiful page, love the colours, and the mappy trees are a great idea. Thanks for all your nice comments on my blog, too. I don’t have so much time this moth as I am doing some art teaching 3 times a week at a summer camp for kids, but I will try to do more for your challenge as I can. Hugs, Valerie
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Thanks Valerie! I really appreciate your support and the fabulous art you have created for Art Journal Journey! It sounds like you have a fun week planned teaching the kids at summer camp, it must be very rewarding 😁. Have a lovely day! J 😊
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Delicious colors and an inspirational saying. The butterfly image is so perfect. Love them on your wall. Too fun.
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Thank you! I fell in love with the butterflies as soon as I saw them 😁. Wishing you a great day! J 😊
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Great page and a great quote. I enjoyed reading your very complete description about creating this. The outlining of various elements really ties them to the page I think.
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Thanks so much! Im glad you enjoyed the description, it reminds me of the techniques I used to create the journal page and the meaning behind the materials I use or designs I create too 😀. Thanks for stopping by and wishing you a belated T Day and a great week! J 😊
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Stunning page, I like the choice of colors .
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Thanks so much and wishing you a lovely week! J 😊
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I am loving the butterflies and trees. I am trying to play catchup and there are so many lovely pages that I missed. You must always be busy creating. Those butterflies on your craft room wall look so fabulous! Beautiful! Happy Monday, Jo.
Kate
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Thanks so much! I like to art journal the happy memories and things I’ve been inspired by throughout the month, so you’ll often find me in my craftroom … lol 😉. Wishing you a lovely week! J 😊
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Love your page, the colors, birch trees and quote..one of my favorites too! I have butterflies on the wall of my craft room, although they are nowhere near as wonderful as yours. I am in the process of cleaning and organizing my craft room at the present time. .This is my little break, back to it now, but I am inspired by yours. once I have it done, I will post my success! Have a happy day Jo.
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Thanks very much! Butterflies are so beautiful and I bet yours as just as pretty 😁. I’m glad that you are getting things ready in your craft room and feel inspired again, can’t wait to see your success! Have a very happy day too, Nan! J 😊
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Its an awesome page and quote. I love how you created the tree trunks and the butterflies are gorgeous. Was it a wallpaper sample you used or from a roll, however, they are beautiful.
The glimpse of your craftroom was good to see and I can see how the butterflies must brighten your day when you see them
Yvonne xx
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Thanks a lot! It was a wallpaper sample, I always look round the wallpapers when we go to any home or DIY shops and collect samples …lol 😉 … and I was attracted to the butterflies as they were so bright 😁. Wishing you a wonderful week Yvonne! J 😊
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I know I’m late, but I’ve been tied up all day. This is beautiful, and the butterflies are in motion, which I love. I even love the ones on your wall. But what got me were the trees! That is extremely clever. Great AJJ entry today, dear Jo. Sorry I’m late, but I’m sure glad I stopped by to see this great and inspiring art. It IS something wonderful!
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Thank you for stopping by and your lovely comment! I like that the old map papers have aged and discoloured too, it gives a lovely shading to the trees bark. Have a great day! J 😊
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Love the butterflies on your studiowall as a reminder, so very cool! And the bark of the birchtrees catches my eyes more than once! What a great piece!
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Many thanks! The butterflies on my craftroom wall always make me smile and are special to me because they were a birthday present from my hubby 😁. Have a great day! J 😊
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What an encouraging sentiment! And I like the colors you chose and the pattern on the trees.
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Thanks so much and wishing you a great day! J 😊
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A lovely quote and a fabulous page! I love the map used for the trees – very clever! Your butterflies look wonderful! Hugs,Chrisx
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Thanks a lot! I love the map bark too and I think I may be inspired to create some more tree trunks in this way, so watch this space … lol 😉 . Wishing you a great weekend! J 😊
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Love your journal page with all the butterflies. It is so much more positive than mine.
Love the butterflies on your wall too.
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Thanks so much for stopping by and your lovely comments! It’s so nice to meet you at Art Journal Journey and wishing you a great new week! J 😊!
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