Great Opportunities

Over at Try it On Tuesday we have a masculine theme for the next two weeks called For the Boys. Maybe your creations could be for a baby boy, boys, teenagers, adults, sons, dads or grandfathers, if you need more inspiration please check out the fabulous creations from our Design Team.

I created a masculine page with an industrial look using some inks, stamps, stencils, design paper, stickers and recycled magazine images.

I started by building up layers of colour using Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Hickory Smoke Distress Inks. I did this by applying the ink pads to an acrylic block, spritzing with water and pressing the block onto the page then drying each colour with a heat gun before applying the next. I stamped some cogs from a Steampunk stamp set from Docrafts using Toffee Crunch Memento Ink and then a ruler and also a bingo card stamp from Tim Holtz using black Archival Ink. Then I stenciled some Geometric Tile squares around the edge of the page using a Dutch Doobadoo mask and black Archival Ink.  Next I fussy cut the lightbulbs, clocks and metal semicircle door from a couple of old magazines and, like all of the paper elements, edged them with black Faber-Castell marker and stuck them in place using a UHU Stic. The world map pieces are cut from a sheet of design paper by Kaisercraft and the “402” is a Salvage Sticker by Tim Holtz which I embellished with two brown brads. To finish, I added the wording using double-sided foam tape which reads “each day holds the possibility for great opportunities”.

As T Stands for Tuesday I’m sharing a recent visit to Dahlia’s Kitchen which is a restaurant nearby, it’s attached to a garden centre so it was fun morning out (grin!).

As it was a hot sunny day we sat outside on their new patio near this beautiful water feature made from recycled metal, it looks a bit industrial like my page although I’m not sure what it is – any ideas?

I went with my sister who had a strawberry milkshake, I had my usual pot of green tea and we shared a huge piece of ginger and lemon cake which was delicious – Happy T Day!

Challenges

I’m glad I found out about Challenge Blogs, like Try it on Tuesday, as I enjoy taking part, they provide me with inspiration for my pages and are a wonderful way to meet like-minded arty people. So here are the challenges I’m joining today:

I’m pleased to be able to join the lovely Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations who is hosting the Inspired by … challenge over at Art Journal Journey with my masculine inspired page.

I’m also pleased to join the Written Word (add some text in some form) challenge over at Country View Challenges with the inspirational wording I added to my page.

As I enjoyed stenciling the black square design around the edge of this page, I’m also joining the lovely Astrid who is hosting A Vintage Journey this month where the challenge is Stencil It. My masculine inspired page fits their challenge focus with it’s Industrial and Mixed Media Style.

I’m also happy to join in the fun over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Anything But A Card challenge with my art journal page.

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:

  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Hickory Smoke)
  • Tsukeniko Memento Ink (Toffee Crunch)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
  • Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.3mm)
  • Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Mask Art A5 (Geometric Tiles)
  • Docrafts Creativity Essentials A5 clear stamp set (Steampunk DCE907125)
  • Tim Holtz {Components} Collection (COM013 CAR)
  • Old Magazines
  • Kaisercraft Timeless Collection 12×12 Design Paper (Postmarks P853)
  • Tim Holtz Idea-ology Salvage Stickers (Crowded Attic #TH92898)
  • Little Yellow Bicycle Cardstock Stickers (Fresh Verse PD-140)
  • Craft Sensations (Brads CRO550/A)
  • UHU Stic
  • The Range double-sided foam tape

70 thoughts on “Great Opportunities

  1. Wonderful masculine page, so many lovely details to look at! Glad you had a nice outing, that ‘object’ looks very interesting, but I don’t know what it is. Your cake looks wonderful, yummy! Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Great art page, what a neat little spot in the garden center to sit and enjoy a little something-strawberry shake looks perfect for a warm day. I would be interested too what they recyled the water feature from
    Happy T Day hugs Kathy

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks so much Kathy! My Sis always likes cool drinks and milkshakes are one of her favourites 😁. I will ask about the water feature next time we visit and let you know, I think it is a mixture of different items …lol 😉. Sorry for my late reply, our internet connection didn’t want to work this week which was fixed by the engineer this morning – yay! Happy T Day! J 😊 x

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    • Thanks very much Alison! I seem to find creating masculine pages quite a challenge, although I have to say that I enjoyed the challenge of creating this page so much that I have been creating some more …lol 😉. We had a fun time at Dahlia’s. Wishing you a Happy T Day this Thursday! J 😊 x

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  3. Nice new TIOT theme, and I really like your page. You used some great masculine elements. And how do you always find something to photograph to match your page? I have no idea what that old metal “thing” is, but it is rather interesting looking and does make great garden art. And your cake sure looks yummy. I love the idea of putting 2 different flavors together. That makes it look unique-and YUMMY too. Happy T day Jo. Hugs-Erika

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks so much! I think it is because I take photos of literally everything …lol … my friends and family think I’m mad …lol 😉. We only went to Dahlia’s Kitchen last week so I had no idea that it would match my page until I got home and looked at the pictures 😁. The ginger sponge and lemon curd worked wonderfully together, it tasted so yummy! Wishing you a Happy T Day too! J 😊 x

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  4. You made this page so clever with all this fantastic masculine elements and I special love this stencilled black edges – they rock the page! You always have such wonderful techniques and combine them so masterly!
    I am sure it’s a Dali inspired recycled water elephant – yes! You have chosen a very nice place to
    eat such a tempting looking cake! Oh I would love to have it just now!
    Happy T-Day and thank you very much for linking this beautiful page to Gill’s theme again!
    Your support is wonderful! Thank you Jo!
    Wishing you a great rest of the week my friend!
    Hugs, Susi

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks so much dear Susi! Masculine themed pages are quite challenging, I always get creative block challenge but I had so much fun creating this page that I decided to challenge myself to create some more …lol 😉. I love how you described the water feature, I’m sure that’s what it must be …lol! We had a lovely time sitting in the shade whilst listening to the water and chatting over a cuppa 😁. Wishing you a Happy T Day this Thursday and enjoy the rest of your week! J 😊 x
      p.s. sorry for my late reply, it seems our internet connection didn’t want to work …lol 😉. An engineer replaced cables and boxes this morning so I just need to catch up on everyone’s comments and posts 😁. Have fun! J x

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  5. A fabulous masculine page, great colours and it has a wonderful industrial look. The black stencils really draw the eye to look closer at the background.
    The cafe beside the garden center looks good, it was a super water feature, but I was drawn to the photo of the yummy cake. I think I would have been tempted to a piece of that as well.
    Happy T day wishes Jo
    Yvonne xx

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks very much! I enjoyed creating this page, it took me out of my comfort zone which I loved …lol 😉. It was lovely to hear the water while we sat and enjoyed chatting over a cuppa. Sending you happy T Day wishes too! J 😊 x

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  6. Your creations would make fabulous wrapping paper designs. What a great idea having a cafe next to the garden center. The water feature was fun. Maybe a robot? Or made from recycled robot parts? Oh my! That cake looks awesome. Happy T Day!

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  7. what a wonderful looking masculine/steampunk page Jo! It all came together so nicely. A café next to a garden center sounds like a great idea- I’d buy into it;) Gorgeous looking slice of cake. Happy T Day!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. As always, I loved your journal page. I looked for the ruler, but it has eluded me. However, I found everything else, and I LOVE the way you treated that background. I guess I need to buy some stamp pads, since mostly all I have are reinkers. This is a fabulous entry you chose to share in part with us at Art Journal Journey.

    What a fabulous garden center and restaurant. You picked the perfect spot to sit, too. At first, I thought it was an old washing machine, then realized I was wrong (nothing new since I’ve had no sleep). LOVED the look of the milkshake, but I’m not a fan of strawberries that have been “fiddled” with. Thanks for sharing the garden center and restaurant, as well as your tea with us for T this Tuesday.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Many thanks! The ruler has a distressed look so may be harder to spot, the best stamped image of the ruler is just above the word “possibility” running vertically down the page in black ink 😁. Happy T Tuesday wishes! J 😊 x

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  9. I opt for the strawberry milkshake too!! lol Yum! Love your masculine journal page Jo… So many layers… Thank you for the wonderful comment on my post.. and i hope you have a Happy happy T day! Hugs! deb

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ok, one milkshake coming up …lol 😉. You are very welcome, I love visiting your blog as it’s so interesting to find out what you are up to as you always have so many amazing projects on the go at once 😁. Thanks so much and sending you Happy T Day wishes! J 😊 x

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  10. Doing a masculine page would be a real challenge for me. You did great, Jo!

    I love the idea of a restaurant attached to a garden center – to be surrounded by sme of nature’s prettiest specimins while you eat.

    The water feature looks like a robot to me. I have no idea what it might have been used for. But it looks cool in the garden.

    Happy T-day! Hugs, Eileen

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yes, I was a bit daunted by the masculine theme too but now I’ve done one page I’m really keen to do more …lol 😉. I think the water feature is a mismatch of metal parts, so yes it could be a robot 😁. Happy T Day wishes! J 😊 x

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    • It is all kinds of perfect, isn’t it 😁. It was such a beautiful setting too sitting in the shade with the loveky sound of water. Well it looks like the internet is holding up now the engineer has been this morning, I’ve just got to catch up on everyone’s comments and posts …lol 😉. Happy T Tuesday and Thursday! J 😊 x

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  11. Fabulous masculine page Jo, great background and lovely additional elements! Your fussycutting is amazing! Looks like a great little place to go for a yummy snack too!

    Oh and of course thanks for adding this to the stencil it challenge at a vintage journey!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. A fabulous page Jo and so many wonderful details to look at, love the black stencilling, it really adds definition to the page. That cake looks and sounds yummy, glad you enjoyed your visit.
    Avril xx

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  13. Fabulous industrial looking piece Jo. Love all the layers and the things you used, it looks really 3d. Thanks for sharing another wonderful page at AJJ.
    Thats a very intruiging and quirky water feature – made with left over odds and ends I wonder ?
    Been a miserable cool day with light rain on and off – hope its better up at your end of the world.
    Gill xx

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks very much! Yes I think the water feature is made up of odds and ends, maybe some kind of mixer was included 😁. We’ve had lovely sunshine until yesterday, we had very strong winds. Today is a lot fresher and cloudy! Have a lovely day! J 😊 x

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  14. I love the industrial look Jo, a great masculine page. The industrial water feature is a real oddity, it reminds me of a Turtle with very long legs hee hee!! Happy T day.. Lemon and Ginger cake Mmmm my favourite cakes all baked into one delicious!
    Creative Hugs Tracey xx

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I am loving the rusty and masculine feel to your layout. Especially the map. That pot of tea, cake and milkshake look SO yummy! It look like a peaceful and serene place to eat lunch.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

    Liked by 1 person

    • It was a challenge at first, once I got started it I really enjoyed the process of creating this masculine page, so much so it has inspired me to create some more – yay 😁. I hope you had a happy T Day too! J 😊 x

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  16. you captured the masculine touch perfectly! i love the stenciling of the tile squares so much! a versatile pattern:) and i think ginger and lemon are great ingredients for summer. good choice, yumm!! have a great week and belated happy t-day:))

    Liked by 1 person

  17. You made a fabulous masculine page with that industrial look! I like the different textures and all the lines, the squares and the iron plate on the right side! And the clocks!
    Wish you a happy rest of the week!
    Rike xx

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Hello Jo. That’s a great masculine page. I like how you fussy cut the pictures from magazines, especially the light bulbs which I would never have thought of including in an artwork but all works together so well. I had to search for the bingo card and eventually found it. Imagine having a stamp of a bingo card. I can see it being quite useful.
    You had a very nice pot of tea and cake, very similar to what we had yesterday including the metal table.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hello Sheila. Thank you for your lovely comments and I’m not surprised you didn’t see the bingo type card at first as it is very small and also covered by some of the images …lol 😉. Hope you enjoyed your tea too and wishing you a lovely week! J 😊 x

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  19. hi jo, your masculine page looks Amazing!
    Love all beautifull things on your page 🙂 i love the lamps,and the clocks.
    you had a nice out,the garden looks wonderful,and your cake its yummy,i love cake (Grin) 🙂
    iam glad you have fun this sunny morning 🙂
    wishing you a happy evening,dear jo ! 🙂

    hugs jenny

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Another wonderful page, Jo! Your fussy cut elements are arranged so perfectly on that stenciled background, making for a very dramatic collage. The cake looks so yummy! The first thing that came to mind on the metal contraption is an old mosquito repellent machine, but who knows! And thanks for adding this to the Stencil It challenge at A Vintage Journey! Hugs!

    Liked by 1 person

  21. What a gorgeous journal page, full of lovely detail and wonderful layering…this is just wonderful and thank you so much for sharing and for playing along with us over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog… x

    Liked by 1 person

  22. That’s a great page spread – love the bulbs spreading light, and all the circular motifs echoing across the page, the clocks, gears and globes. It’s fantastic. Thanks so much for joining us on A Vintage Journey.
    Alison x

    Liked by 1 person

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