Hope

This time of year I always find myself thinking of friends both past and present, so my page today is inspired by friendships and the hope that “may your heart be filled with joy”!

I started by painting the background with purple and white acrylic paint and when dry I added some white gesso over the top using a brayer. Then I sprayed some White Linen Dylusions Ink Spray over the page and left it to dry. Next I added the two flower stickers which were from a Romance of Flowers Stickeroos sheet by Penny Black and then I layered some of the remanents stickers from the same sheet with some border stickers from Kaisercraft. The wording was from another Kaisercraft sticker sheet and I added some gold foil butterflies and gold border outline stickers. To finish, I splattered some black DecoArt acrylic paint over the page.

The background colour of my page reminded me of our Streptocarpus which was gifted to us by a dear friend (thank you so much); this plant has been flowering since April and doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon (grin!)

I hope you are staying safe and well!

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:

• Liquitex Basics Acrylic (Dioxazine Purple)
• Art Discount Acrylic (White)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray (White Linen)
• Penny Black Stickeroos (Romance of Flowers 10-209)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Bombay Sunset SS339, Christmas Edition SS346)
• Docrafts Anita’s Outline Stickers (Straight Line Borders Gold, Butterflies Gold)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)

Challenges 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 in the fun with my page detailing the hazy purple of summer sunsets and the flowers and butterflies that could be found in the countryside. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #147 – Anything Goes with my hope art journal page. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Lazy Days of Summer challenge with the summery purple sunset colour, flowers and butterflies. LTCCB #60 – July Anything Goes over at Love to Craft Challenge Blog with my summery page.

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.

Use a Stencil (or two)

It’s a new month which means we have a new challenge at Country View Challenges for July which is Use a Stencil (or two).

Please ensure that the stencils are a main focus of your projects when you join this challenge, which is being hosted this month by the lovely Monica.

For this month’s challenge, I created this mini art journal page using a Stamperia stencil and papers.

I stared by covering the chipboard page with a thin layer of white gesso and then I used a Wallpaper & Compass stencil by Stamperia to add Ranger Texture Paste. The texture paste was coloured using Driftwood DecoArt paint and also using a mixture of some Blue Glamour Dust Acrylic paint from DecoArt and some Mowed Lawn ink from a reinker bottle to create a sparkly patina colour before applying them using a palette knife. When dry edged the page using a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell marker smudging the ink with my finger. The deer image and wording were cut out of some Forest Stamperia papers and stuck in place over some strands of thread that I had leftover from some sewing. To finish, I added three pretty silver embellishments which were recycled from a necklace; they were stuck in place using Ranger Glossy Accents.

For more inspiration please see the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Country View Challenges.

I hope you are inspired to join our Use a Stencil (or two) challenge too, if you do, you’ll have a chance to win a £20 voucher to use at Country View Crafts (grin!).

This page reminded me of these beautiful metal sculptures that we saw when we visited Portland, Maine. They are part of the “Glimpse” installation by Wendy Klemperer who is a New York artist and created these life-like woodland creatures from steel and repurposed nails.

Like on my page, the deer are surrounded by silver birch trees too – perfect (grin!).

Hoping that you are all staying safe and well!

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 mini art journal page:

• Stamperia – 15 X 20cm Thick Stencil – Sir Vagabond Wallpaper And Compass
• Ranger – Texture Paste – 3 Pack
• DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint 2oz – Driftwood
• DecoArt – Glamour Dust Glitter Paint – Sapphire Blue – 2oz
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Mowed Lawn
• Stamperia – Cristina Radovan – Forest 12×12 Inch Paper Pack
• Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents 59ml (2 Fl Oz)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia)
• Papermania (Mini Chipboard Album 15x15cm)
• Leftover cotton threads
• Stix2 Glue Dots
• Recycled necklace

Challenges As well as Country View Challenges, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: MIUCB #51 – Anything Goes + Aperture (any shaped opening) over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with my page. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #147 – Anything Goes with my mini art journal page. Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my page too.

100 Challenges at Country View Challenges

Today I’m over at Country View Challenges where I’m sharing this mini art journal page to celebrate 100 Challenges.

As this month marks our 100th Challenge and we couldn’t let that go by without a celebration we are offering two prizes, the first will be for your projects that fit the theme of 100 taking inspiration from one of the Design Team makes, such as a colour scheme, technique, design idea, stamp or die motif and of course, 100 (or One Hundred) must be included on the project. The second prize will be picked from one of the comments left on the Country View Challenges and Design Team blog posts – don’t forget, you can enter as many times as you like.

I hope you feel the love with the 100 hearts that I had fun adding to this page (grin!).

I started by covering the chipboard background with some Driftwood DecoArt acrylic paint. Then I die cut 99 small hearts using the Falling Hearts Thinlits set from Tim Holtz from grey paper and then white, pink and red cardstock; they were arranged onto the page using matte gel medium. The large red heart was die cut using a Love Birds Shadow Box Sizzix Thinlits set and takes the total of hearts on the page to 100. For the black and white wording, I used rub-on transfers from a Tiny Text Remnant Rubs set from Tim Holtz. To finish the page, I added the silver glitter “100” to the large heart and some small dots to the background which were all from the same sticker set.

I hope that you are enjoying our 100 Challenges over at Country View Challenges too; it would be lovely to see you there!

All the red hearts and love reminded me of these beautiful tulips that my sister bought me for my birthday, aren’t they gorgeous (grin!).

Hoping that you are all staying safe and well!

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 mini art journal page:

• DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint 2oz – Driftwood
• 660200 Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (White & Gray)
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Falling Hearts 664415)
• 663619 – Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 20PK – Love Birds Shadow Box – By Courtney Chilson
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology Remnant Rubs (Tiny Text #TH93695)
• Docrafts Papermania (Mini Chipboard Album 15x15cm)
• Craft Sensations (Travel Memories Design Paper Pad – grey, Luxury Cardstock with Linen Texture – red and pink)
• Recycled white cardstock
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Crafty Things (Eva Letter Stickers)

Challenges As well as Country View Challenges, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #145 – Anything Goes with my countryside page. with my art journal page. Love to Scrap Challenge Blog and their No Rulz 4! theme where their are no rules and you can create anything, so I’m joining in the fun my my mini art journal page. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Mixed Media challenge with my mixed media journal page.

Flutterbies

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Butterflies.

My “Flutterbies” page features lots of butterflies which were stamped using a stamp set from Paperbabe Stamps and coloured using Spectrum Aqua markers; I hope you’re inspired to us too, I can’t wait to see your butterfly creations!

I started by stamping the butterfly wings onto the page using black Archival Ink and a Butterfly Peiredae stamp set from Paperbabe Stamps masking some of the butterfly wings to create the different layers. Then I coloured the smaller butterflies using a Scarlet Spectrum Aqua marker and the larger butterflies using Yellow and Sunflower Spectrum Aqua markers; first by applying the ink using a paintbrush and then using the marker to intensify the colour. I used the black Archival Ink and the Paperbabe Stamps stamp set again to add the body and antenna to each of the butterflies. Then I splattered the page with the Scarlet and Yellow Spectrum Aqua markers and also some black DecoArt acrylic paint. Next I coloured some white cardstock using the Yellow and Sunflower Aqua markers and die cut the letters for the “Flutterbies” wording using an X-Cut die set from Docrafts. The letters were edged using a black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker before sticking them in place using a glue stick, which finished the page.

For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look at the amazing butterfly creations from our Guest Designer and my Design Teamies; it would be lovely to see you there (grin!).

The colours on my page were inspired by the summer wreath which I made; if you look closely you can see a pink feather butterfly attached at the top (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing our homemade milkshakes – there is either banana or peach to chose from and they are both very yummy – Happy T Day!

Hoping that you’re all staying safe and well!

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:

• Paperbabe Stamps Stamp Set (Butterfly Peiredae)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Spectrum Aqua Artist Pen (Scarlet, Yellow, Sunflower)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black, White)
• Docrafts X-Cut A5 Die Cut Set (Folk Alphabet)
• White cardstock
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Black 199)
• Pritt Stick

Challenges As well as Try it on Tuesday, 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 as “Flutterbies” is used by children as an alternative word for butterflies. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #144 – Anything Goes with my butterfly art journal page stamped using the Butterfly Peiredae stamp set from Paperbabe Stamps. LTSCB#145 – Anything Goes over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog with my butterfly page. Frame It challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the thin black frame that I added to my page. MIUCB#49 Anything Goes + Layering over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog with all the layered butterflies that I stamped on this page. Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge and their Anything Goes challenge with my butterfly page.

Invisible crown

“Always wear your invisible crown” is such a powerful message; to me it means to maintain self confidence, believe in yourself and be aware of your own self worth. I also like the idea of wearing an invisible crown (grin!) … a symbolic meaning of strength, courage, and respect.

I included this wording on today’s grungy page with some other related positive affirmations – I hope you like it!

I started by covering the page with strips of decoupage papers using a glue stick and Liquitex matte gel medium. Then I applied some Pébéo white gesso and Bright Aqua Green Liquitex acrylic paint over the top using a brayer. When dry, I stencilled some Picked Raspberry Distress Ink onto the page using a Shabby Harlequin stencil from Creative Expressions. I used black Archival Ink to stamp the birds and keys using a Craft Sensations stamp set and the birdcages, crowns and “always wear your invisible crown” wording using a Kaisercraft stamp set. Then I splattered the whole page with black DecoArt and white acrylic paint. The words, filigree diamond shapes and pink flowers were stickers from Kaisercraft which I edged using a black Faber-Castell marker before sticking them in place. To finish, I added a black oval frame to emphasis the central stamped wording.

With summer on its way, I’ve been making raspberry gin again and as T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing my gin (and Sprite) with the T Gang and wishing you all a very Happy T Day!

If you are interested, here’s the recipe:

• 400 g (14oz) Raspberries – or any fruit of your choice, maybe pineapple, blueberry, peach, strawberry, rhubarb
• 300g (10oz) Granulated Sugar – you can vary this depending on your taste
• 750 mll (25 US fl oz) Gin – a cheap brand such as supermarket own brand as these are not too flavoured

Add them all to a Kilner Jar (or similar). You need to ensure the sugar dissolves so make sure you shake the jar throughout the first day, it dissolves pretty quickly. Then put it in a dark place for 4 weeks, I tend to shake the jar every other day to muddle the fruit. It’s tempting to eat the fruit afterwards, perhaps on ice-cream, however, I tried it and it was far too potent! So I ended up forcing it through a sieve to add more flavour to the gin. One last tip – don’t be tempted to do half a recipe like I did as when you start drinking it you’ll find it goes pretty fast (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:

• Poundworld (Patch Paper DS9454)
• Pritt Stick
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic (Bright Aqua Green)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Picked Raspberry)
• Creative Expressions Mini Stencil (Shabby Harlequin)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Craft Sensations Clear Stamps (CRO274/19A)
• Kaisercraft Clear Stamps (Oh So Lovely CS2111)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Arcylic (Black)
• Art Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Fly Free SS289)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Black 199)
• The Works (Frame Stickers)

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 empowering meaning behind the quote I added to my page. Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #144 – Anything Goes with my art journal page. LTSCB#145 – Anything Goes over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog with my empowering Invisible Crown page. Stecnil It challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the stencilling on my page. Don’t forget that you still have another week to join our Make it Feminine challenge over at Try it on Tuesday too!

Paris

It’s a new month which means we have a new challenge at Country View Challenges for March which is We will always have Paris.

This challenge is being hosted this by the lovely Craftyfield; please ensure the main focus of your designs is Paris or anything that says “France” – think fashion, wine, lavender fields of Provence, old adverts etc.

I started by diagonally ripping a piece of design paper featuring Paris from an Around the World Paper Pack by Stamperia and sticking them in place using a glue stick. Then I mixed some Ranger Texture Paste with some Sapphire Blue Glamour Dust paint from DecoArt and some Mowed Lawn Distress Ink so that it matched the blue/green colour on the paper. It was stencilled across the white area of the page using a stencil from Samperia.

Next I coloured some mixed media paper for the wording, hearts and die cut flowers and leaves; I used Abandoned Coral Distress Ink Spray and White Linen Dylusions Ink Spray for the wording, hearts and blossoms, Fossilised Amber Distress Ink for the flower stamens and Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss Distress Ink for the leaves. When the papers were dry I cut them out using two Sizzix Thinlits sets by Sarah Guilar; the wording and hearts using a Doodle Alphabet & Numbers set and the flowers using the Floral Layers set. I layered the flower pieces together and then stuck everything in place using gel medium which finished the page.

For more inspiration please see the amazing We will always have Paris creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Country View Challenges.

I hope you are inspired to join us too, if you do, you’ll also have a chance to win a £20 voucher to use on the Country View Crafts (grin!).

Paris is a beautiful place to visit and as this theme brought back memories of when we visited in springtime, I added the spring blossoms to my page. I remember the magical Eiffel Tower with its wonderful iron lattice-work; it looks so spectacular all lit up and twinkling at night too, apparently there are 20,000 light bulbs which are used to make the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

Hoping that you are all staying safe and well!

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:

• Stamperia – Around The World 8×8 Inch Paper Pack
• Stamperia – 15 X 20cm Thick Stencil – Sir Vagabond Wallpaper And Compass
• Ranger – Texture Paste – 3 Pack
• DecoArt – Glamour Dust Glitter Paint – Sapphire Blue – 2oz
• 660200 Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (White & Gray)
• Sizzix Die Set by Sarah Guilar (Doodle Alphabet & Numbers 663408)
• 664359 -Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 10PK – Floral Layers
• Ranger Dylusions Ink Sprays – White Linen
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink Spray (Abandoned Coral)
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Fossilized Amber
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Mowed Lawn
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Forest Moss
• Pritt Stick
• Mixed Media Paper
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

Challenges I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today: Art Journal Journey which is being hosted this month by the lovely Elle from Empire of the Cat and her Language theme as I used heart symbols from my Alphabet Die Set to mean “love” and the blossoms to represent Spring. Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #143 – Anything Goes with my Paris page. MIUCB#49 – Anything Goes + Layering over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with the layered paper and stencil background and layered die cut blossoms on my art journal page. Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my Paris page too.

Make a Rainbow

Our new challenge over at Try it on Tuesday for the next 2 weeks is Make a Rainbow.

For my art journal page, I created a rainbow coloured background of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet with matching die cut flowers. I hope that you are inspired to join our challenge too; it would be lovely to see you there!

For the rainbow background, I painted Kuretake Watercolour paints in the vertical panels onto the page. I did this by applying water to the page first and then adding Red, Cadmium Scarlet, Lemon Yellow, Sap Green Light, Ultramarine, Indigo and Cobalt Violet watercolour paint over the top. Then I splattered the page using white and also black acrylic paint and when dry, I applied some Pébéo white gesso using a brayer to push back the bright rainbow colours into the background more. The different flowers were die cut using three sets of Wildflower Thinlits from Tim Holtz; they were cut from coloured papers and also white cardstock. I layered the coloured and white flower die cuts together so they were slightly off centre and then I arranged them onto the page using a Zig glue pen. The letters for the “rainbow” wording were created the same way using a Docrafts Alphabet die cut set which finished the page.

For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look you at the wonderful Make a Rainbow creations from our Guest Designer and my Design Teamies too (grin!).

It’s always magical seeing rainbows and whilst creating this page it reminded me of this one; taken through my craft room window last year.

As T Stands for Tuesday I’m saying a big welcome to the T Gang and sharing my cuppa with one of my yummy birthday cupcakes that I made (it’s a sponge cake filled with vanilla buttercream and jam then topped with the icing) – wishing you a very Happy T Day!

Hope that you’re all staying safe and well!

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:

• Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolour Paint set (Red, Cadmium Scarlet, Lemon Yellow, Sap Green Light, Ultramarine, Indigo, Cobalt Violet)
• Art Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Ranger Brayer (Small Roller)
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Wildflowers #1 66190, Wildflower # 2 661808, Wildflower Stems #3 665221)
• Leon X-Large Coloured Paper Pad
• White Cardstock
• Zig Memory System 2-way Glue Pen – Chisel Tip
• Docrafts X-Cut A5 Die Cut Set (Folk Alphabet)

Challenges As well as Try it on Tuesday, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today which are: 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 is greatly missed! I’m so pleased to be able to remember her by joining AJJ with my pages this month which was inspired by rainbow wishes (grin!). MIUCB#48 – Anything Goes + optional No Stamping challenge over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog with my rainbow page which contains no stamping. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and their Not a Card challenge with my rainbow art journal page.

Hello Spring

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Hello Spring.

With all the bird activity in our garden, it feels like spring is finally here so my page design includes blue skies, birdsong and nesting birds. I hope you’re inspired to join our challenge too; it would be lovely to see you there!

I started by adding some drops of Speckled Egg Distress Ink, from a re-inker bottle, and then spreading them over the page using an old plastic gift card. When dry, I applied some white gesso over the top using a brayer and then I splattered the page with the Speckled Egg ink. Next I added the birds, foliage and sheet music which were from some Aviary Collage Paper by Tim Holtz; they were stuck in place using a glue stick. I splattered some black DecoArt acrylic paint over background and left it to dry, and then I stamped a documented stamp from Tim Holtz using Vintage Photo Distress Archival Ink. The large “nest and eggs” panel, the nest image in the top left-hand corner, the row of alphabet letters and the fussy cut letters making up the “Hello Spring” wording were all Poster Cards from Tim Holtz. I edged them all using the Vintage Photo ink and they were stuck in place using double-sided tape. To finish, I added a Clippings sticker from Tim Holtz which reads “The pretty little birds chirped”.

For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look you at the wonderful Hello Spring creations from our Guest Designer and my Design Teamies too (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday, today we are enjoying our cuppa with some homemade chocolate crispy nests – wishing you all a very Happy T Day!

I always make these chocolate treats this time of year; they are Rice Crispies covered with chocolate, filled with a chocolate fudge icing and topped with mini marshmallows, chocolate covered raisins and mini chocolate eggs – yum!

Hope that you’re all staying safe and well!

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 Re-Inker (Speckled Egg)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Collage Paper (Aviary #TH93706)
• Pritt Stick
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous (Documented CMS226)
• Tim Holtz Distress Archival Ink (Vintage Photo)
• Tim Holtz idea-ology (Pocket Cards #TH93208)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape and foam tape
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Sticker Book (Clippings #TH94030)

Challenges As well as Try it on Tuesday, I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today which are: Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #140 – Anything Goes with my Hello Spring page. LTSCB #143 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my Spring page. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog and their Spring/Easter Mood Board challenge as I included with the eggs and blue skies on my page. MIUCB #47 – Anything Goes + optional twist of Inlaid Die Cut challenge over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with the techniques I used to create this spring page. Easter/Spring challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with my Hello Spring art journal page.

Oh, what a beautiful day

Inspired by the warm, sunny days we’ve been enjoying lately, I created this sunshiny page to say “Oh, what a beautiful day!”

This page was created in my mini chipboard art journal using some leftovers, recycling and lots of washi tapes which I don’t seem to use that often.

I started by covering the background with pieces of blue and green washi tapes to create the blue sunshiny sky and green grassy foreground. When it was completely covered, I applied a thin layer of Liquitex matte gel medium to hold all the washi tapes in place and left it to dry.

To mute the background colours, I applied some white gesso over the top using a brayer and when dry, I differentiated between the sky and foreground using a black Faber-Castell marker which I smudged with my finger. Next I drew and cut the flower pieces from some sheet music and stuck them into place, like all the paper elements, using Liquitex matte gel medium. The centre of the flower was created using a couple of beads which were recycled from an old necklace and stuck in place using Ranger Glossy Accents. The hearts were leftovers; they were created using a Falling Hearts Thinlits set from Tim Holtz and some cardstock that was coloured using Fired Brick and Picked Raspberry Distress Ink. The wording was a sticker from Kaisercraft and all the paper elements were outlined using a black Uni Pin marker. To finish, I stamped the circles using some recycled cardboard tubes and white DecoArt acrylic paint.

I’m really enjoying creating these smaller journal pages and I love that these chipboard pages are made from recycled paper too. The chipboard makes the pages very sturdy so they stand up beautifully making them easy to display. As T Stands for Tuesday, here’s my drink of cranberry juice mixed with water that I enjoyed whilst crafting – Happy T Day everyone!  

Hoping that you’re all staying safe and well!

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:

• Docrafts Papermania Bare Basics  Chipboard Album (Square 15x15cm)
• Assorted blue and green washi tapes
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Pébéo white gesso
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Black 199)
• Sheet Music
• Recycled old necklace
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Leftover hearts (Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits Set – Falling Hearts 664415, White cardstock, Distress Ink – Fired Brick, Picked Raspberry)
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Golden Grove SS343)
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.1mm)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic Paint (White)
• Recycled cardboard tubes

Challenges I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today, they are: The lovely Sheila’s Single Flower challenge over at Art Journal Journey with the single flower that I created for my mini page (15x15cm). Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #140 – Anything Goes with my mini art journal page. LTSCB #143 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my washi tape stamped page. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and their Whatever the Weather challenge with my beautiful day page.