Be happy, be you

It’s a new month so we are launching our July challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, this is a monthly challenge and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I always love to use mixed media to create my art journal pages and this month’s celebrates summer.

I started by sticking the orchid flower napkin pieces onto the page using a glue stick. Then I coloured the remaining white areas of the page using some Gold, Light Green and Hooker’s Green Liquitex acrylic paint. When dry, I used a Flutter stamp from Kaisercraft to add the trellis pattern using Cottage Ivy and Pistachio Memento Inks and also black Archival Ink. I outlined and defined the flowers using a black fine line marker and I added the two dragonflies which were rub on transfers. I applied some Glistening Gold Lustre Polish by Cosmic Shimmer around the edges of the napkin which added some lovely texture and sparkle. Finally, I splattered the page with some black and also some white acrylic paint using a paintbrush. Then I added the wording which are stickers from Kaisercraft; they read “be happy”, “be you” and “celebrate the little things”.

All you need to do is to use three different mediums on your projects to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge. For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too. I hope you are inspired to join us; it would be lovely to see you there!

This page reminded me of these amazing orchids that we saw hanging in a garden centre some time ago; so beautiful (grin!).

I hope that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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:

• Orchid Napkin
• Pritt Stick
• Liquitex Basic Acrylic Color (Gold, Light Green, Hooker’s Green Hue Permanent)
• Kaisercraft Clear Stamps (Flutter CS853)
• Tsukineko Memento Ink (Cotage Ivy, Pistachio)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.05mm)
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-On Transfers (ROY1643G)
• Cosmic Shimmer Lustre Polish (Glistening Gold)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Art Discount Acrylic (White)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Say Aloha SS281)

Challenges As well as Creative Artiste, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: Art Journal Journey which is being hosted this month by the lovely Alison from Words & Pictures; she has chosen Summer Countryside as her theme so I’m joining with my summer inspired page and the green and gold colours and pretty dragonflies that you find in the countryside. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #147 – Anything Goes with my mini art journal page. LTSCB #147 – Anything Goes over at Love to Scrap Challenge Blog with my summer inspired mixed media page which includes stamping. Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my page too.

Peregrine Falcon

It’s a new month so we are launching our June challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

My mixed media page was inspired by the Peregrine Falcon that lives locally to us (grin!).

I started by tearing some feather designed paper into pieces and sticking them onto the page using a glue stuck. Then I coloured the rest of the page using Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and applied some Pébéo white gesso over the page using a brayer. When dry, I stencilled a Distressed Sequins stencil from Tando Creative using the Distress Inks again.

The Peregrine Falcon image and other paper pieces were cut from a Stamperia Paper Pad and edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker before sticking them in place using double-sided tape.

I also used the Stamperia paper to create the wording which was embossed using a Typewriter embossing folder by Tim Holtz. I cut the letters out to create small tiles and then I coloured the letters using a Brown Grey Tri-Blend Spectrum Noir marker before sticking them in place.

To finish, I added the grungy metal embellishment which was stuck in place using glue dots.

For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste. To join our mixed media challenge all you need to do is use three different mediums on your projects; I hope that you are inspired to join us, it would be lovely to see you there!

We were lucky to see the Peregrine Falcon flying around near to where we live.

Peregrine falcons are fascinating birds, if your interested here are some facts about them:

• Peregrine falcons are the fastest creatures on the planet, reaching speeds of over 321 kph (200 mph) as they dive to catch their prey from a great height in a movement called a ‘stoop’.
• Tower blocks, bridges and cathedrals offer the perfect urban alternative to nesting on cliff tops, and pigeons and starlings provide a reliable source of food which we have in abundance here.
• Their nostrils guide shock waves of air to stop the high pressure damaging their lungs while they dive. A natural design so that inspired the design of the first jet engines!
• They have excellent binocular vision which is eight times better than that of a human so they are able to see prey from more than 3 km away.

I hope that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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:

• The Works (Paper Pad Sheets with Glitter)
• Pritt Stick
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Ranger Mini Brayer
• Tando Creative Stencil (Distressed Sequins)
• Stamperia Double Faced Sheets (Forest)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175B)
• X-Press It! Double-sided tape
• Tim Holtz Sizzix 3-D Texture Fades (Typewriter 664760)
• Spectrum Noir Tri-Blend marker (Brown Grey Blend BG9)
• The Works (Metal Embellishments)
• Stix2 glue dots

Challenges As well as Creative Artiste, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #145 – Anything Goes with my Peregrine Falcon page. Masculine challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my falcon art journal page. Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge and their I’m Feeling Like Royalty challenge with my page as the Peregrine Falcon was considered a bird of royalty back when falconry was practiced in ancient times.

Enjoy the beauty of becoming

It’s a new month so we are launching our May challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

All you need to do is to use three different mediums on your projects to join our mixed media challenge; I hope you are inspired to join us, it would be lovely to see you there!

I had fun recycling some corrugated packaging and lace as part of my mixed media design, and as the page emerged I thought that the wording seemed very appropriate too (grin!).  

I started by ripping pieces of corrugated card which I recycled from some packaging and sticking them onto the page with some strips of lace using Liquitex matte gel medium.

Then I covered the whole page with Pébéo white gesso and left it to dry. Next I added some Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and Bluebird Wendy Vecchi Blendable Dye Ink to the page; I did this by adding drops of ink from re-inker bottles and then spritzing with water, gradually building up the layers of colour. When dry, I applied Mowed Lawn Distress Ink and Prickly Pear Wendy Vecchi Blendable Dye Ink using the same technique but this time to the bottom part of the page. I left the page to dry overnight and then I stamped a Marble stamp from Kasiercraft over the whole page using Hickory Smoke Distress Ink. The flowers were from a Tim Holtz Botanical Layers pack and I used a Finnabair Sentiments sticker book for the wording which read “create”, “Enjoy the beauty of becoming” and “bloom”.

For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too.

The flowers on my page reminded me of these Bellis Perennis which are also known as English Daisies. They have pompom blooms that flower from February to May and are very popular as an alternative to traditional spring bedding plants.

They look so beautiful filling the flower beds in the gardens by the seafront where we live.

I hope that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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:

• Recycled corrugated card packaging
• Recycled lace
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn, Hickory Smoke)
• Ranger Wendy Vecchi Bendable Dye Inks (Bluebird, Prickly Pear)
• Kaisercraft Clear Stamp (Marble CS293)
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Layers (Botanical #TH93554)
• Stix2 glue dots
• Finnabair Sticker Book (Sentiments #964849)

Challenges I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: Art Journal Journey which is being hosted by the lovely Elle from Empire of the Cat this month and her Language theme with the wording I added to my page. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #143 – Anything Goes with my recycled page. LTSCB#57 – May Anything Goes over at the Love to Craft Challenge Blog with my mixed media recycled page. Feminine challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and also at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the lace and flower design. MIUCB#49 – Anything Goes + Layering over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with all the layering techniques that I used to create this page – recycled packaging and lace, gesso and inks with the stamping.

Adventure

It’s a new month so we are launching our April challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, our monthly challenge theme, as always, is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

My page today was inspired by one of our walks along the beach front and a sea view that reminded me of adventures (grin!).

For the background, I dragged Hickory Smoke and Black Soot Distress Ink pads over the textured mixed media paper and then I added some water using a paintbrush to activate some of the ink. Next I framed the page by painting some white gesso around the edges using my finger which gave a cloudy appearance. The postcard, world, rectangle and bird sitting on the world globe were all fussy cut from some Vintage Travels design paper and the three alphabet tiles were cut from a wallpaper sample; they were arranged onto the page using double-sided tape.

I added two chipboard pieces from BoozyBear which I covered with Versamark Watermark ink and some specks of white and then clear embossing powder; they were stuck in place using Ranger Glossy Accents. I added all the motivational wording which were from Sentiments Sticker Pad by Finnabair. To finish, I embellished the page with some metal and glass beads which were recycled from an old necklace.

You need to use three different mediums on your projects to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge and for more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too. I hope you are inspired to join us; it would be lovely to see you there!

Here’s the view that inspired my page; I captured this sea view whilst out walking as I loved the grey moody clouds and sunshine with the boat in the forefront, which seems to be waiting for new adventures (grin!).

Hope that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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

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

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Hickory Smoke, Black Soot)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Creative Expressions Design Pad (Vintage Travels)
• Wallpaper sample
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Boozybear chipboard pieces
• Versamark (Watermark Stamp Pad)
• Wow! Embossing Powder (White, Clear)
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Finnabair Prima Marketing Art Daily Sticker Pad (Sentiments)

Challenges As well as Creative Artiste, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today which are: I’m so pleased to be able to join Art Journal Journey where the theme is Inspired By in honour of Eileen from The Artful Crafter’s Blog who picked the theme and was supposed to host this month but sadly passed away shortly after her heart surgery last month – she will be greatly missed! I’m so pleased to be able to remember her by joining AJJ with my page which was inspired by one of my walks along the seafront and new adventures. Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #141 – Anything Goes with my page. MIUCB #48 – Anything Goes + optional twist of No Stamping challenge over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with the background, collage and EP techniques I used to create this page and there was no stamping too. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog and their Anything Goes challenge with my art journal page. LTCCB #144 – April Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Craft Challenge Blog with my mixed media page.

Spread your wings

It’s a new month so we are launching our March challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I used a fun technique using a Watermark Stamp Pad to create some of the flowers on my background which gave a lovely depth to my mixed media page; I hope you like it too (grin!).  

I stamped a Floral Silhouette stamp from Penny Black onto the background of the page using Versamark Watermark ink and then I dried it using a heat gun (the heat fixed the ink and achieved better watermark images). I applied some Abandoned Coral Distress Stain and also some Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso and Black Soot Distress Archival Inks over the top, gradually building up the colour using a blending tool so the watermark flower images appeared; they are the lightest flowers on the background. Then I stamped more of the flowers using the Penny Black stamp again and the Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso inks.

The pink flowers were die cut using Wildflower Stems #1 Thinlits by Tim Holtz from some design paper and then arranged onto the page using Liquitex matte gel medium. I used a journal card from Kaisercraft for the wording which reads “Until you spread your wings you’ll never know how far you’ll fly!”. The top and bottom of the card was embellished using two strips of silver metal beading.

To finish, I added the pretty butterfly sticker and some silver wire to trail behind it.

All you need to do is to use three different mediums on your projects to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge. For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too. I hope you are inspired to join us; it would be lovely to see you there!

I seem to be drawn to pink at the moment, I even decorated my friend’s birthday cake with pink and white feather icing; this is a Victoria sponge filled with buttercream and strawberry jam. As we are still in lockdown here, I thought this would be a nice surprise to wish her a happy birthday (grin!).

I hope that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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:

• Tsukineko Versamark (Watermark Stamp Pad)
• Penny Black Clear Stamp Set (Floral Silhouette 30-563)
• Tim Holtz Distress Archival Ink (Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Black Soot)
• Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Abandoned Coral)
• The Works (Design Block)
• Tm Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Wildflower Stems #1 664163)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Kaisercraft Captured Moments (Life’s Treasures CM108)
• Mark Richards Metal Bead Stickers (Silver Metals #1981)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Home Bargains You & Me Stickers (Beautiful Butterflies 22742)
• Silver wire
• Ranger Glossy Accents

Challenges I’m pleased to be able to join the Beautiful Blossoms challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with all the beautiful stamped and die cut flowers on my page. I’m joining the Anything Goes challenge over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog with my vintage shabby chic flower page. I’m also joining the Art Journal challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge too with my art journal page. I’m happy to join Paperbabe Stamps and their #138 – Anything Goes challenge with my page too. I’m also joining the Mix It Up Challenge Blog and their MIUCB #47 – Anything Goes + Inlaid Die Cut challenge with the fun technique I used to create the background using the Watermark Stamp Pad.

May all your wishes come true

It’s time for our first challenge of the year over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, this is a monthly challenge and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I had fun creating this mixed media page using my favourite Frost Fairy stamp from Paperbabe Stamps; she seems to be casting a spell – may all your wishes come true!

I started by applying black DecoArt acrylic paint to the edges of the page and blending it towards the centre. When dry, I applied the gold stars over the top using Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad, a Sparkles stencil by Tim Holtz and Gold Ranger embossing powder. The centre of the page was coloured using Vintage Photo Distress Ink and the wording was created using foam letter stickers.

The Frost Fairy from Paperbabe Stamps was stamped using black Archival Ink onto some mixed media paper. Then I coloured her using Spectrum Noir TriBlend markers; the dress was coloured using Green Turquoise Blend, the ribbon using Yellow Gold Blend, her hair using Dark Red Blend, her skin using a Fair Skin Blend marker, her lips using Pale Pink Blend, her eyes using True Blue Blend and her wings using Iced Grey Blend. I also added more detail using a black Uni Pin fine line marker and white Uniball gel pen. Then I cut her out and added the Gold Ranger embossing powder using a Versamark Watermark Pen to create the stars. She was stuck in place using a glue stick which finished the page.

All you need to do is to use three different mediums on your projects to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge. For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too. I hope you are inspired to join us; it would be lovely to see you there!

I was reminded of this beautiful glass angel that we bought when we visited Prague, there is room to place a tealight behind her and being made from glass she looks so delicate and pretty (grin!).

I hope that you are all staying safe and well! x

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:

• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Layering Stencil (Sparkles THS132)
• Tsukineko VersaMark (Watermark Stamp Pad)
• Ranger Embossing Powder (Gold)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Vintage Photo)
• Paperbabe Stamps Stamp Set (MLD Frost Fairy)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Spectrum Noir TriBlend Markers (Green Turquoise Blend, Yellow Gold Blend, Dark Red Blend, Fair Skin Blend, Pale Pink Blend, True Blue Blend, Iced Grey Blend)
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.05mm)
• Uniball Signo Gel Pen (White)
• Tsukineko VersaMark (Watermark Pen)
• Pritt Stick
• Simply Creative Alphabet & Number Stickers (Glitter SCSTK025)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Valerie over at Art Journal Journey and her Heavy Metal challenge this month with the golden stars that I included on my page. I’m pleased to be able to join the Groundhog Day over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog as I couldn’t resist using my Frost Fairy stamp and TriBlends again (you may remember on my Believe page that I created last month) and of course the background may look familiar too, it’s from an ATC that I created in December, I just had to create it on a bigger scale (grin!). I’m also pleased to join the #136 – Patterns challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the pattern of stencilled stars on my page. I’m also joining MIUCB #46 – Anything Goes + Fancy Fold over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with all the different techniques I used; I’m still perfecting my colouring and blending techniques using the TriBlend markers.

You’re so beautiful

As it’s a new month we are launching our November challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I love autumn, it seems a magical time of year to me with the beautiful colours of the leaves and the sunny days with a slight chill in the air. There’s nothing better than walking along with the crunch of leaves beneath your feet (grin!), so my page today celebrates autumn.

To start, I painted the page with Raw Sienna, Raw Umber and Deep Green Liquitex acrylic paint and then applied Pébéo white gesso over the top with a brayer.

I stamped lots of leaves over the top from a Falling Leaves stamp set from BoBunny using Rich Cocoa, Morocco and Cottage Ivy Memento Ink. Then I applied another layer of white gesso using the brayer and stamped more of the maple leaves using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink; this technique adds the illusion of depth to my page. I stamped a grid design over the background using black Archival Ink and a homemade stamp made from a wooden block and some plasterboard/drywall tape. Then I splattered the page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

Next I added some die cut circles and the “you’re so beautiful” wording which are from Craft Sensations. They are arranged with some metallic copper leaves which are outline stickers from Stampendous. To finish, I added tiny copper circles and dots around the page which are from the same outline sticker set.

For more mixed media inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too; it would be lovely to see you there!

We always enjoy walking with our dearest friends and little Ellie who happens to love autumn too as she loves chasing leaves. Well she actually likes chewing them (grin!); you may remember this photo from a previous post.

Here is a picture of her looking all grown up after visiting Prestige Paws who are a fabulous local dog groomers; they kindly let me share this lovely photo that they took of her, thanks so much! Today’s page made me think of Ellie, not only does she love leaves but I always tell her “you’re so beautiful!” and here she’s looking particularly beautiful after her recent visit (double grin!).

Hoping that you’re all staying safe and well! x

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 Basics Acrylic Color (Raw Sienna, Raw Umber, Deep Green Permanent)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Ranger Mini Brayer
• BoBunny Stamps (Falling Leaves #12105154)
• Tsukineko Memento Ink (Rich Cocoa, Morocco, Cottage Ivy)
• Homemade stamp – wood block and plasterboard/drywall tape
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Craft Sensations (Creative Paper Collection CR0458/GE)
• Stampendous Outline Stickers (2077 – copper leaves)

Challenges I’m glad I found out about Challenge Blogs, like Creative Artiste, as I always 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 so pleased to be able join the #131 – Picture Inspiration challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps as the autumnal design and colours. I’m happy to join the Home is Where the Heart is challenge over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog as like my page, my home is always decorated with autumnal foliage this time of year. I’m joining in the fun over at Country View Challenges and their Anything But A Card challenge with my autumnal art journal page. I’m also pleased to join the LTSCB #139 – Anything Goes over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with autumnal page too. I’m also joining in the Thinking Of You challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my art journal page as it makes me think of little Ellie.

Free to Fly

It’s a new month so we are launching our October challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I had fun creating this page from various mixed media including a recycled magazine page, white gesso, markers, stickers, rub-on transfers and paint; it was inspired by the butterflies that have been sunning themselves on the slate in our front garden – I hope you like it!

I started by tearing a blue page from a magazine into squares and collaging them onto the page using a Pritt Stick and some Liquitex matte gel medium. I intensified the white areas of the page by painting them with Pébéo white gesso allowing the gesso to smudge onto the blue paper squares too. When dry, I edged the squares with a Cold Grey Faber-Castell Big Brush marker smudging the ink with my finger and then with a black Uni Pin marker.

Next I stuck the pretty 3D butterflies onto the page and added some numbers and words which are rub-on transfers from two Remnant Rub sets by Tim Holtz.

I added some border stickers to frame the “Free to Fly” wording and then to finish, I splattered the page with white acrylic paint.

All you need to do is use three different mediums on your projects to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge and for more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too; it would be lovely to see you there!

This is one of the beautiful butterflies that have been sunbathing on the slate in our garden. This butterfly is a Red Admiral which is widespread across the UK; it has a wingspan of about 2 inches (5 cm) and has distinctive black wings with red bands and white spots.  The Red Admiral butterfly is known to be unusually calm so it allowed me to get quite close to take this photo (grin!).

Hoping that you’re all staying 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 the lovely Chris aka pearshapedchris the Hold The Line challenge over at Art Journal Journey with the two lines of border stickers that I used to frame the title of my page.

I’m pleased to be able to join the #128 – Dimensions challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the 3D butterflies on this page.

I’m also happy to be able to join the Anything Goes over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my Free to Fly art journal page.

I’m also joining the Mix It Up Challenge Blog and their Anything Goes + optional twist of Distressing (ink or tool) with the techniques I used to collage and distress the pieces of magazine on my journal page.

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

• Old magazine page
• Pritt Stick
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.5mm)
• Home Bargains You & Me Stickers (Beautiful Butterflies 22742)
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Remnant Rubs (Specimen #TH94047, Tiny Text #TH93695)
• Sandylion Sticker Designs Kelly Panacci (Stitches & Borders KSCB105)
• Artist Discount Acrylic Paint (White)

Never Apart

It’s a new month so we are launching our September challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

At Creative Artiste we are also saying a big hello and welcome to the very talented Tracey who has joined our Design Team, she is such an inspiration – please check out her amazing first creation over at our blog!

I had fun playing around with mixed media to create this art journal page which was inspired by one of my dearest friend’s in America.

Nan sent me some more happy mail recently and as I love art journaling so much, I created this page inspired by our friendship and card that she sent – thanks so much and I hope you like it!

For the background I applied Ranger Texture Paste through a Vintage Diamond mini stencil from Creative Expressions. When dry, I splattered the page with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and splattered the page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

To create the flowers, I used my stamping platform to stamp some mixed media paper using a Flower Garden stamp by Tim Holtz and black Archival Ink. Then I coloured the flowers using Derwent Inktense pencils; I used a Fuchsia pencil for the petals and Sun Yellow, Tangerine, Mustard and Willow for the stamens. Then I cut the flowers out and arranged them onto the page with some flower stems which I die cut using a Wildflower Stems Thinlet set from Tim Holtz; they are cut from some recycled note paper which I coloured using Mowed Lawn and Peeled Paint Distress Ink. As me and Nan are like two peas in a pod, I thought the wording was very appropriate, it’s a Kaisercraft sticker and reads “We are never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart”. To finish, I added some little hearts that I punched from a piece of pink cardstock that Nan kindly sent me (grin!).

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 card and envelope that Nan kindly sent. Nan painted the pretty pink flowers as she had seen them around her neighbourhood, so I included similar flowers on my page. Like Nan, I used my intense pencils to colour my flowers, although I stamped them as my drawing skills are not as awesome as Nans (grin!). As you can see there were some crafting goodies included too – thanks so much, so thoughtful!

Hoping that you’re all staying 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 Texture challenge that I’m guest hosting this month over at Art Journal Journey with all the texture that I created on my art journal page; I hope you’ll join in the fun too, it would be lovely to see you there (grin!).

I’m also joining in the Stamp It! fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the stamped flowers that I included on my page.

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

• Creative Expressions Mini Stencil (Vintage Diamond)
• Ranger Texture Paste
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass, Mowed lawn, Peeled Paint)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Daler-Rowney Mixed Media Paper
• Tim Holtz Stamping Platform
• Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Stamp Set (Flower Garden CMS215)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Derwent Inktense Pencils (Fuchsia 0700, Sun Yellow 0200, Tangerine 0300, Mustard 1700, Willow 1900)
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlets (Wildflower Stems #2 664164)
• Pritt Stick
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Wildflower SS335)
• Sizzix Adhesive Backed Cardstock (Pink) – thank you Nan!
• Heart Paper Punch – thank you CJ!

Always in my heart

Remembering my dear friend with much happiness, it’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since she passed away.

I started by stencilling the Shabby Harlequin patterns from Creative Expressions, first using Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and then using a mixture of Bright Aqua Blue and white acrylic paint. Then I painted the white areas around the stencilling using the aqua mixed paint too. When dry, I stamped the butterflies from Craft Sensations and outline circles from Paperbabe Stamps using Elderberry Memento Ink and the solid dots from the same Paperbabe Stamps stamp set and black Archival Ink. I added some Pébéo white gesso with my finger to push over the stamping to push the images back and add more depth to the page. Then to finish the background I splattered the page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

I used a piece of design paper for the tags which I created using a Tag Collection Framelit from Tim Holtz. I edged them with a black Sharpie marker pen and then added some pink satin ribbon and an enamel dot to each tag, as well as a pretty purple flower and the wording “hello sweet friend” and “fly away” which are all stickers.

From the same piece of design paper, I cut out the rectangle detailing two birds and the words “you are” stamping some additional wording so it reads “you are always in my heart”; as you can see the “heart” is represented by a pink heart sticker from Kaisercraft. It is edged with a black Sharpie marker, stuck in place using a glue stick and decorated with a pretty purple flower from the sticker set. To finish, I added the “love” sticker from the same set and then I edged the page using the black Sharpie marker pen.

Happy times with dear friends; “Loss leaves a heartache no one can heal, loves leaves a memory no one can steal”.

Hoping that you are all staying 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 glad I found out about Challenge Blogs 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 join the lovely Erika from her blog BioArtGal over at Art Journal Journey and her When It’s Hot challenge this month with the hot pink that I added to my page.

I’m joining in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Early Birds challenge with the birds that I included on my art journal page.

I’m also happy to be able to join the #123 – Photo Inspiration challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the colours that I included on my page.

I’m also pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their For A Child challenge with the design and style of my page.

Remembering my dear friend makes me happy, so I’m entering the Do What Makes You Happy challenge over at Country View Challenges too.

Don’t forget that you still have until next Tuesday to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes over at Creative Artiste Challenge Blog too, it would be lovely to see you there!

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

• Creative Expressions Mini Stencil (Shabby Harlequin)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Picked Raspberry)
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic (Bright Aqua Blue)
• Artist Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• Docrafts Papermania Mini Clear Stamp (Everyday Assortment PMA907003 – Butterflies)
• Paperbabe Stamps Stamp Set (Birthday Wishes)
• Tsukineko Memento Ink (Elderberry)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Design Paper Paper Bundle from a local craft shop
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Framelits (Tag Collection 658784)
• Sharpie Permanent Marker Fine Point (Black)
• Pink Satin Ribbon
• The Works (Pastel Enamel Dots)
• Poundland (Decorative Stickers)
• The Little Yellow Bicycle Cardstock Stickers (Fresh Verse PD-140)
• Dovecraft Essentials Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCVW0050)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Say Aloha SS281)
• Pritt Stick