Joy and Beauty

It’s a new month so we are launching our April challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is:

Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I had fun playing around with mixed media to create this springtime birthday art journal page. I hope you’ll join in the fun too; it would be lovely to see you there!

I arranged the paper pieces onto the page and then applied some Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Inks around them. Then I stuck the papers in place using a glue stick and some Liquitex matte gel medium; the papers included some Aviary Collage Paper from Tim Holtz and some old Sheet Music that my sister gave me for my birthday last year, which is quite apt as it happens to be my birthday today (grin!).

I then added some Ranger Texture Paste over the Distress Inks through a new Kaisercraft leaf stencil; the Distress Inks seeped into the texture paste which gave a lovely effect (my hubby says they look like fossils). I added some flowers which are from a Botanical Layers set and also some wording which are Small Talk stickers; both are from Tim Holtz. The wording reads “everything has beauty”, “look on the bright side” and “find joy in the ordinary”.

I hope that you are inspired to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge too! For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too.

Here’s the beautiful Sheet Music which my sister gifted me last year, I remember her playing music on both the piano and violin when we were both children – such happy memories!

Due to everything going on at the moment I’m home with my hubby this year for my birthday so I decided to make myself a birthday cake (something I don’t normally do as my mum usually makes one for me). This is a homemade Victoria sponge, with butter cream and cherry jam topped with white and pink feathered icing; I can’t wait to try a piece later with my cuppa  – yum (grin!).

Hoping that you all stay safe and well! x

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join in the Animal Magic challenge over at Country View Challenges with art journal page.

I’m joining in the Spring Mood Board challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the spring blooms and images on this page.

I’m pleased to be able to join the Birthdays challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my springtime birthday celebration page too.

I’m also joining in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Happy Birthday! challenge too – Happy Birthday!

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso)
  • Tim Holtz idea-ology (Collage paper – Aviary #TH93706, Layers – Botanicals #TH93554, Stickers – Small Talk #TH93193)
  • UHU Stic
  • Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
  • Kaisercraft 6×6″ Designer Template (Tropical Leaves IT433)
  • Ranger Texture paste
  • Stix2 Glue Dots

26 thoughts on “Joy and Beauty

  1. Happy birthday celebrate with your husband beautiful and stay healthy
    This is a true beautiful work of art, imaginative I love it !!!
    I wish you a good happy time and take care of yourself!
    Hugs, Elke

    Liked by 1 person

  2. *Happy Birthday Jo* i’d have loved to have sent you a card for your special day, we really must hook up lovely xx. A very pretty journal page, love how you used the song sheet within the background, you mix of colour and scene is just how it looks today with the birds ready with their nest and those new buds peeping through oblivious to whats going on in the world. You homemade cake looks delicious, cherry jam… oh you’ve now stole my heart!! makes me want to just pick the whole thing up and take a big sticky bite nom!!
    Enjoy your special day with hubby I know you’ll be making up for lost outtings when all this inside time is done. Take care & carry on creating, I seem to have missed quite a bit.
    Creative wishes Tracey xx

    Liked by 1 person

  3. A lovely journal spread Jo. It has a wonderful springtime feel with the pretty flowers springing from the earthy background.
    Happy Birthday, enjoy your yummy looking cake xx

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Happy birthday to you! Enjoy that delicious looking cake, and though today is a little grey, I hear the sun is due to come out again for your birthday weekend so enjoy that too. The page spread is great – lovely birds and nest image, and the vintage music running through the whole page is wonderful.
    Alison x

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Technically it’s still April 3 in my world, so happy birthday. In YOUR world it’s happy belated birthday!! Regardless, I hope it was a great one, even if you had to spend it in lock down. I’m sure the cake made up for having to spend it at home.

    Your journal page is gorgeous. I like the way you used that leaf stamp with texture paste. I also like the bird and nest. It’s a genuine beauty. The vintage sheet music was the icing on your birthday journal page, because it held special meaning. Most impressive art, Jo.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Wonderful page, Jo! Love both the Vintage music and the TH collage papers and the stencilling ties it all together.
    Belated Happy Birthday Jo, and can I ask where are all the candles on that yummy cake ?!! :))

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I hope you had a lovely Birthday Jo, the page you created for your journal looks beautiful, there are so many lovely details and images to see/
    Your cake looked delicious and I ‘m sure you enjoyed eating it with your hubby.
    Stay safe and well.
    Yvonne xx

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I hope it was a very happy birthday Jo as today I am in catch up mode. That cake is beautiful. I actually like Victoria sponge but I have never seen one with such a pretty feathered top. Was it as yummy as it looks? And you created a beautiful page. The contrast of the brown fern leaves really creates some interest for the eye. It has a wonderful vintage feel. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Hugs-Erika

    Liked by 1 person

  9. First of all I wish I could come and share THAT birthday cake. You always amaze me how you manage to piece your beautiful paper so perfectly. Another stunning arrangement and so so pretty. Lots of lovely elements especially the music remembering your childhood days. Really lovely Jo. Stay safe.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Fab projects, journal page and cake ! yum… Thank you so much for playing along with my ‘Animal Magic’ challenge over at Country View Challenges.
    Corrie x

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Happy Happy belated Birthday Jo !! I wish it was wonderful, with your Hubby, and this Fantastic cake, so yummie!! ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
    Your Art journal page is really Gorgeous !! I love how you add the music sheet, and the birds, Great ! It´s a lovely spring page.
    I wish you a very nice afternoon, stay safe and well dear friend, and big hugs,
    Caty

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Hi Jo! Happy belated Birthday! So sorry to be late to the party! Your cake looks delicious! And I love your AJP! I am in love with those birds on the collage paper, and I’m hoarding some of it. Great sense of balance as you played with light/darks on this page! What a great gift from your sister last year! I hope all is well with you and your family! Sending hugs!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. This is such a lovely free form collage, Jo, made with that special sisterly paper. Soooo sad that I am this far behind in visiting, to have to give you possibly your latest Belated Birthday Wishes! But I give them heartily, and hope you are managing to celebrate all month since we are all self-isolating. That cake looks yummy for sure and I know you enjoyed it! Xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Great page Jo – love all the layers and the birds look right at home! Thanks for joining our challenge at Countryview Crafts this month and good luck in the draw! Hugs rachel xx

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.