Pretty in Pink

I’m still having fun recycling and using leftovers to create my art journal pages, so today I’m sharing one that I created using a pretty pink flower image that I recycled from an old magazine.

I started by covering the page with white acrylic paint and then I added the text using my favourite Script stamp by Kaisercraft and black Archival Ink. Next I arranged the recycled flower image and some pieces of black design paper using a glue stick. I applied some white gesso using a brayer to the black paper pieces to push them into the background more. The wording were Small Talk stickers from Tim Holtz; they read “there is beauty in simplicity”, “find the beautiful” and “always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder”. To finish, I added the pink gemstones to add some sparkle.

Although this is a different flower, the spiky petals of the flower on my page reminded me of the mesembryanthemum flowers that we have in our garden each year. My family have nicknamed these flowers “pretties” and as we grow them from seed we will start propagating them this month – yay!

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:

• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic Paint (White)
• Kaisercraft Clear Stamp (Script CS752)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Recycled image from old magazine
• Craft Sensations Design Pad (Travel Memories 154898)
• Pébéo white gesso
• Ranger (Mini Brayer Roller)
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology Stickers (Small Talk #TH93193)
• Hobbycraft Gem Stones (Rose 5666091006)

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 image that I added to my page. Paperbabe Stamps Challenge #139 – Picture Inspiration as the flower image on my page resembles the succulent’s shape on their picture. LTSCB #143 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my stamped and collaged art journal page. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and their Recycle challenge as my flower image was recycled from a magazine.

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.

Say it with Flowers

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Say it with flowers.

We would love to see what your flowers are saying on your projects, my page is celebrating receiving flowers and saying “remember this feeling”. I hope that you are inspired to join our challenge too; it would be lovely to see you there!

I started by applying some Speckled Egg and Antique Linen Distress Ink to the page by stamping the ink pad onto an acrylic block, spritzing with water and pressing the block onto the page. Then I stamped a Beau Collage stamp from Crafter’s Companion using the Antique Linen ink and used a Moroccan stencil by Creative Expressions as a stamp to apply some Speckled Egg ink. I die cut some flowery paper using an Organic Thinlits set from Tim Holtz and arranged them around the corners of the page along with a single hydrangea from a Floral die cut set. They were stuck in place using some Liquitex matte gel medium and when dry, I painted some shadows around these pieces using the Speckled Egg ink. The square flower image was recycled from an advertising postcard; it was edged with a Cold Grey Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck to the page using double-sided tape. To finish, I added the wording “remember this feeling” which was a sticker from Kaisercraft and some mini pearl gems.  

For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look you at the wonderful Say it with flowers creations from my Design Teamies too (grin!).

I love to receive flowers; it always makes me feel happy and loved (grin!).

Of course the way to my hubby’s heart is with cake (double grin!); today he’s enjoying this iced finger filled with cream for his elevenses and as T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing his cup of Ceylon tea too and 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:

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Speckled Egg, Antique Linen)
• Crafter’s Companion Parisian Collection Clear Stamp (Beau Collage)
• Creative Expressions That Special Touch of Mica Masks (Moroccan)
• K & Company Die Cut Cardstock by Susan Winget (Floral)
• Paper – Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine Issue 193
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Organic 664153)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Flower Advertising Postcard
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Secret Garden SS283)
• Home Bargains Special Occasion (Mini Decoration Stickers 22740)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the Mostly Neutrals challenge over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog with my mostly neutral coloured flower page; I hope the grey blue works ok to join your challenge. I’m joining the Art Journal challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge too with me Say it with flowers art journal page. I’m happy to join Paperbabe Stamps and their #138 – Anything Goes challenge with my Say it with flowers journal page too. I’m also pleased to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my flower art journal page. I’m also joining the fun over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog and their LTSCB #143 – Anything Goes challenge with my page too.

Sweet & Cute

Using up leftovers is one of my crafting goals this year, so I used lots of leftover papers and die cuts on this page to create homes for these sweet and cute critters (grin!).

Don’t forget that there is still another week to join our Oh So Cute challenge over at Try it on Tuesday; we are so looking forward to seeing your cute creations!

I started by covering the background with some colourful leftovers papers that have been sitting on my craft desk since Christmas – eek! They were stuck in place, like all the paper elements, using a glue stick. As the papers were quite brightly coloured, I applied some Pébéo white gesso over the top using a brayer.

When dry, I added strips of bunting washi tape that my sister had kindly gifted me. The wording and stars were stickers from Craft Sensations and I outlined them all using a black Uni Pin marker so they stood out more.

Next I raided my stash of leftover die cuts and created little scenes with them for those cute critters which were foam stickers.

This malt loaf may not be cute but it is sweet (grin!). I bought it as a treat, when I was food shopping for my mum and dad, from our local bakery and it was so very yummy!

If you aren’t familiar with malt loaf, it’s a type of sweet leavened bread made with malt extract which originated in Scotland in the United Kingdom. It has a chewy sticky texture, and often contains fruits such as raisins. It’s usually eaten sliced and spread with butter.

We enjoyed it (sliced with butter) for our elevenses and as T Stands for Tuesday I’m sharing it today with my cuppa – 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:

• Docrafts Ultimate Die Cut & Paper Pack (Folk Christmas PMA160933)
• Pritt Stick
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Bunting Washi Tape
• Craft Sensation (Creative paper Collection CRO458/GE)
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.1mm)
• Leftover die cut pieces – Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Fall Foliage 66955, Garden Greens 661206, Holiday Greens 658759, Funky Florals #1 662700), Papers (Tim Holtz idea-ology Paper Stash – Halloween #TH93712, Paper Bundle from local craft shop – green heart paper and metallic linen textured cardstock, Recycled Notepad Paper, White cardstock), Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron, Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge)
• Hobby World Foam Craft Stickers (Forest Friends)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Valerie over at Art Journal Journey and her Heavy Metal challenge this month with the metallic linen textured papers that were used for some of the leaves surrounding the cute hedgehog. I’m pleased to join the Anything But A Card challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with my art journal page. I’m happy to join Paperbabe Stamps and their #138 – Anything Goes challenge with my art journal page too. I’m also pleased to join the Favourite Technique challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, as collage, using white gesso to push back the background colour and die cutting are some of my favourite techniques. I’m also joining in the fun over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog and their #46 – Anything Goes + Fancy Fold challenge with my art journal page; the different techniques I used to create this page included collage, using white gesso to push back the background colour and die cutting.

It’s cold, let’s cuddle

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Oh So Cute.

These really cute owls were recycled from a Christmas card and with all the cold weather we’ve been having of late they are sat in a snowy wonderland. I thought the wording was cute too, it reads “It’s cold, let’s cuddle”.

I hope you’ll join us with your cute creations too; it would be lovely to see you there!

I started by colouring the background using Bluebird Wendy Vecchi Blendable Ink from Ranger. When dry, I splattered the page with white acrylic paint and left it to dry.

It’s one of my goals this year to recycle and use up any leftovers from previous pages, so I was pleased to recycle these cute owls which were fussy cut from the Christmas card and stuck into place using a glue stick. I arranged them with some white foliage die cuts that were leftover from last year’s Happy January page. The foliage was decorated using a Cold Grey Faber-Castell marker, a silver metallic pen, some Icicle Stickles from Ranger and also some Inkylicious Fluffy Puffy Stuff which added the lovely texture. The Fluffy Puffy Stuff was a fun product to use as it’s applied and then heated with a heat gun which turns it all puffy and 3-dimensional. The snowflakes were leftover too, having been previously die cut from different patterned papers and white cardstock; they were arranged onto the page using Liquitex matte gel medium.

For more Oh So Cute inspiration, please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look you at the amazing creations from our Guest Designer and my Design Teamies (grin!).

So far this month, it’s been cold and we’ve had quite a few snow flurries; I was surprised one morning to find it snowing so I took this photo out of my craft room window – brrrr!

As T Stands for Tuesday and it’s cold outside, I’m sharing our hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows, and also some yummy lebkuchen – Happy T Day everyone!

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:

• Ranger Wendy Vecchi Blendable Ink (Bluebird)
• Art Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• Recycled Christmas Card
• Pritt Stick
• Leftover foliage pieces – Sizzix Thinlits Tim Holtz Alterations (Garden Greens 661206, Holiday Greens 658759, Woodlands 660978), White cardstock, Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233), Script Metallic Pen (Silver), Ranger Stickles (Icicles), Inkylicious (Fluffy Puffy Stuff)
• Stix2 glue dots
• Leftover Snowflakes – Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Paper Snowflakes Mini 661599), Tonic Studios Christmas Trio Die Set (falling Snowflakes 1792e), The Works (Cutting Dies – Snowflake Garland), Craft Sensations (Creative Paper Collection CR0458/GE), White Cardstock, Poundland Design Paper Pad (Purple Swirls)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

Challenges I’m pleased to join the Add Some Texture challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the snowy 3D texture on my page. I’m joining LTCCB #55 – February Anything Goes over at Love to Craft Challenge Blog with my cute page. I’m also joining in the fun over at the Love to Scrap Challenge Blog and their LTSCB #145 – Love is … all about cuddling your partner when it’s cold as I’ve depicted here on this cute owl page.

Savour this moment

Before Christmas we ordered some different teas, it was so beautifully wrapped that I recycled the packaging to create this wintry art journal page; I hope you like it!

I started by covering the page with the snowflake tissue paper, that the teas were wrapped in, using a glue stick.

Next I cut up the greetings card that came with the tea and stuck the front of the card onto my page using double-sided tape. Then I added some copper outline stickers around the flowers. I covered the “Season’s Greetings” sentiment with two squares which were die cut from the navy blue cardstock from the greetings card and some blue design paper from Craft Sensations. They were layered together and I decorated them using copper outline stickers and a blue snowflake which I had die cut from the same design paper.

The teacup and saucer were cut from the navy blue cardstock using a die set from Crafter’s Companion. They were arranged onto the page with more of the blue snowflakes and copper outline stickers to look like steam rising from the teacup. To finish, I cut some of the navy blue cardstock, mounted it onto some of the blue paper, and added the wording using letter stickers; it reads “Savour this moment”.

It was a lovely surprise to open the box of tea and find it so beautifully wrapped.

We had purchased our normal Ceylon Tea and also two new teas – Chai Spice and Assam Tea.

We also received these complimentary teas too; they all sound yummy! I love the packet designs which I’m sure will end up on a journal page or two (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday and my post is all about tea, I’m saying a big hello to the T Gang and wishing you all 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:

• Tea packaging – tissue paper and card
• Pritt Stick
• The Works Cutting Dies (Squares, Snowflake Garland)
• Craft Sensations Design Pad (Bright Colours CR730/R)
• Crafter’s Companion Vintage Tea Party (Toppling Teacups)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Cold Grey IV 233)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Stampendous Outline Stickers (Copper Leaves 2077)
• Habico Signature Collection (Rose Gold Foil Alphabet Lower & Upper Case PP1077)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Valerie over at Art Journal Journey and her Heavy Metal challenge this month with the silver snowflakes and copper embellishments on my page. I’m pleased to be able to join the Groundhog Day over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog as this page was made from recycled materials and I’m always recycling everyday things for my art journal designs. I’m joining LTCCB #55 – February Anything Goes over at Love to Craft Challenge Blog with my recycled tea packaging page. I’m also joining MIUCB #46 – Anything Goes + Fancy Fold over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with all the fun recycling techniques that I used to create this page.

First Signs of Spring at Country View Challenges

I’m so excited and honoured to have joined the wonderfully talented Design Team over at Country View Challenges . It’s such an inspirational blog and being part of this team is a dream come true – thanks so much for your warm and friendly welcome!

At Country View Challenges our challenge for February is First Signs of Spring, which is being hosted this month by the lovely Miriam.

I love celebrating the different seasons and creating this blossom and birdsong art journal page was so uplifting (grin!).

When I thought of birdsong, I knew that I had to use these beautiful images from my new Forest Paper Pad by Stamperia; this included the forest panel on the left hand side of the page, the pretty bird tag and the square nest image. They were cut out and edged with a Dark Sepia marker and/or some Black Soot Distress Ink. To make them look more Spring-like, I added additional colours by painting Distress Inks over parts of the images; it’s important not to add too much water when doing this otherwise you could ruin the image. I used Mowed Lawn and Twisted Citron ink to add more vibrancy to the green areas of the forest panel and to the bird’s feathers, and also to add green leaves to the bare trees and colour the leaves on the nest image. I painted some Mustard Seed ink to add more vibrancy to the yellow feathers of the bird and also to add some colour to the nest. Then finally I painted the eggs using Speckled Egg ink and left them all to dry.

For the background, I coloured the page with splashes and drips of Hickory Smoke, Mowed Lawn and Forest Moss Distress Ink. I did this by stamping the ink pad onto an acrylic block, spritzing with water and pressing the block onto the page.

Then I brayered some white gesso over the top to push the colours into the background more and then splattered the page with white acrylic paint. I stencilled dots vertically down the page using a Halftone Layering Stencil from Tim Holtz and Ranger Crackle Paste; this is the first time I have used this paste and it was so easy to apply with a palette knife – I love the results (grin!).  

Next I stuck the Stamperia paper pieces in place using double-sided tape. Then I created the blossoms and leaves using Tim Holtz Thinlits and some white linen card stock which I had coloured using Distress Inks. The blossoms were coloured with Mustard Seed and Fossilised Amber ink and die cut using a Tattered Florals Thinlit set. The leaves using Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron and Forest Moss Distress Ink and cut using a Garden Greens Thinlits set. After shaping the flower petals and adding a gold pearl to the centre of each flower, I arranged them onto the page using glue dots. To finish, I added the “blossom” and “birdsong” wording which was created from some Field Notes Ephemera by Tim Holtz, an alphabet stamp set and black Archival Ink.

For more inspiration you’ll find some amazing First Signs of Spring creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Country View Challenges.

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

The birds in our garden have been very active of late. We’ve even seen the Great Tits that are on my page, but we have noticed that this pair of Coal Tits visit our bird feeders more frequently.

This made me smile, can you think of a good caption for this photo? Maybe the bird is saying “Hello, is anyone there?” or “It’s really dark in here” (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 art journal page:

• Stamperia – Cristina Radovan – Forest 12×12 Inch Paper Pack
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Mowed Lawn
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Forest Moss
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Black Soot
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Twisted Citron
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Mustard Seed
• Ranger Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pad – Fossilized Amber
• Ranger – Tim Holtz® – Distress Ink Pad – Speckled Egg
• Ranger Roller – Small Brayer 2 1/4
• THS144 Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencil – Halftone
• Ranger Texture Paste Opaque Crackle 3.9 Fl Oz (116 Ml)
• 659765 Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit (White & Gray)
• TH94051 Tim Holtz® Idea-Ology™ – Ephemera Field Notes
• Ranger Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black – 90mm X 62mm
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Hickory Smoke)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (White)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175B)
• Stix2 double-sided tape and glue dots
• Creative Expressions (Luxury Cardstock with Linen Textured Finish)
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Garden Greens  661206, Mini Tattered Floral 661806)
• Pearl Gemstones
• Dovecraft Essentials Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCVW0050)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the #136 – Patterns challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the stencilled lines of dots that are on my page. I’m joining MIUCB #46 – Anything Goes + Fancy Fold over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog with all the different techniques I used, including the fun way that I coloured the paper images so they became more Spring-like. I’m also happy to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my art journal page too. I also pleased to be able to join in the fun at Love to Craft Challenge Blog and enter my spring blossom and birdsong page in their LTCCB #55 – February Anything Goes challenge.

Vintage Squares

Do you have things in your craft stash that you haven’t used because they’re too precious?

This year, one of my goals is to use these items on my pages. So here’s my first one which features some papers from a Vintage Design Pad that I’ve had for a while now; I wanted to showcase them so decided on this square grid design (grin!).

I started by tearing the vintage papers, some recycled Kraft book pages and sheet music into squares and sticking them onto the page in a grid design using a glue stick. I drew lines around them using a black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker smudging the ink with my finger. Next I applied some Pébéo white gesso using a brayer over the papers and left it to dry. Then I added the delicate silk flowers over the squares and some vintage lace along the bottom of the page.

For the wording I used a Small Talk sticker from Tim Holtz; it reads “it’s always the small pieces that make the big picture” which seemed to fit the square grid design perfectly.

The squares reminded me of this local building, which was built in 1878, with it’s magnificent lion that seems to be roaring – I thought Iris may like this (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday and to continue the square theme, I’m sharing my mug of tea with a shortbread jam square; it’s a tray bake of raspberry jam sandwiched between two layers of shortbread – Happy T Day wishes!

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:

• The Works Design Paper (Classic Vintage CRO707/TW7)
• Kraft notebook pages – recycled
• Sheet Music
• Pritt Stick
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• The Range (Lace Flower Stickers, Crafting Lace)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Tim Holtz idea-ology Stickers (Small Talk #TH93193)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Erika from BioArtGal over at Art Journal Journey and her Favourite Things challenge this month as this page was created to showcase some of my favourite vintage papers. I’m so pleased to join the Squares Challenge at Country View Challenges with my vintage square design. I’m pleased to join in the fun over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog and their So Delicate challenge with the delicate flowers and lace on this vintage page. I’m joining the #136 – Patterns challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my square grid patterned page. I’m also joining the Make Your Own Background challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the vintage paper background that I created. I’m happy to join in the LTSCB #141 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my vintage page too.

Frosty Winter

As we live by the sea we don’t get many frosty mornings, but we have seen both frost and snow this month which inspired this frosty winter page.  

I started by recycling a piece of kitchen towel which I had used to mop up blue inks by tearing it into pieces and sticking them in place using some Liquitex matte gel medium; I used the wet gel medium to reactivate the inks which gave some of the white areas a slight bluish tinge. Next I arranged the pretty blue flower images and wording which were from a Paper Collection by Craft Sensations; the wording reads “A beautiful thing is never perfect”.

I continued the frosty theme by adding some glittery silver snowflakes, some Silver Ranger Stickles and also some round blue gems using Ranger Glossy Accents which finished the page.

As we walked along the promenade by the beach, we were surprised to still see a thick frost still lingering in the shadows behind the wall. The jagged edges inspired me to arrange the square corners of the images/wording diagonally across the page.

The flower and plant images that I included on my page were inspired by the frosty silhouette of the palm tree that we found on the slate in our front garden one morning – so amazing (grin!).

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:

• Recycled kitchen towel that was used to mop up Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray (After Midnight), Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Speckled Egg) , DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Craft Sensations (Creative Paper Collection CR0458/GE)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Docrafts Create Christmas Glitterations (Snowflakes – Silver PMA818917)
• Hobbycraft Decorative Embellishments (Blue Round Gems)
• Ranger Glossy Accents

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Erika from BioArtGal over at Art Journal Journey and her Favourite Things challenge this month as seeing the snow and frost is always one of my favourite things I’m so pleased to join the Squares Challenge at Country View Challenges with the square of wording on my page. I’m happy to join The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog and their So Delicate challenge with the delicate wispy edges of the kitchen roll background and pretty snowflakes. I’m also joining the Make Your Own Background challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the frosty background I created. I’m pleased to join the MITCB #45 – Anything Goes + Bleaching challenge over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog with my frosty page too. I’m also joining in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their We’re On A Roll challenge with the round blue gems on my page. Don’t forget that you still have over a week to join our Winter Blues challenge at Try it on Tuesday too; it would be lovely to see you there!

Winter Blues

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is Winter Blues, where we are asking you to use the colour blue.

This was the perfect challenge for me as blue happens to be my favourite colour (grin!). I hope you like my wintry blue journal page and are inspired to join us; it would be lovely to see you there!

I started by colouring the background using After Midnight Dylusions Spray Ink and Speckled Egg Distress Ink. When dry, I covered the page with Pébéo clear gesso; this stopped the inks reactivating and bleeding into the next layers of media that I added. Next I splattered the page with white acrylic paint and left it to dry. For the snowflakes, I die cut them using a Paper Snowflakes Thinlits set by Tim Holtz from some blue and white mottled paper from Craft Sensations. They were arranged around the edges of the page using Liquitex matte gel medium.

The pretty winter scene of the hares was a recycled Christmas card and the quote was from a Kaisercraft sticker sheet. I thought the quote was perfect to combat those winter blues; it’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson and reads “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year”.

For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday and take a look you at the amazing Winter Blues creations from my Design Teamies too (grin!).

As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing my new Assam Tea. This is a loose leaf tea and has a delicately rich and malty flavour – 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:

• Ranger Dylusions Ink Spray (After Midnight)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Speckled Egg)
• Pébéo Clear Gesso
• Art Discount Acrylic Paint (White)
• Craft Sensations (Creative Paper Collection CR0458/GE)
• Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlits (Paper Snowflakes Mini 661599)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Recycled Christmas Card
• X-Press It! double-sided tape
• Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Wandering Ivy SS352)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)

Challenges I’m pleased to join the lovely Erika from BioArtGal over at Art Journal Journey and her Favourite Things challenge this month as I blue is my favourite colour. I’m so pleased to join the Squares Challenge at Country View Challenges with the square Christmas card on my page. I’m happy to join The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog and their Put A Good Word In challenge with the uplifting quote that I used on my page. I’m also joining the Layer It Up challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the snowflakes, image and quote that I layered on my page. I’m pleased to join the LTSCB #141 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my blue wintry page too.