I had fun art journaling using a New Technique, which is our new challenge theme over at Try it on Tuesday for the next two weeks.
I hope to see you there and don’t forget to tell us what new technique you used.
I created a quick and simple background (many of you will know that “quick and simple” is so unlike me … grin!) by applying paint with a old plastic gift card – it was such a fun technique and definitely something I will try again!
First, I layered some Cold Grey and Vivid Lime Green Liquitex acrylic and some white and black DecoArt acrylic paint onto the page using the gift card to scrape the paint across the page. Then I added more of these paints using the edge of the gift card to create lots texture; I love how it turned out (grin!). When dry, I added some pink felt flowers using Ranger Glossy Accents, some flower stickers which are edged with some smudged black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker, some green circular rub-on transfers and a “paradise” fabric sticker and just like that the page was finished.
We are starting to plan jobs in the garden for this year and this page reminded me of how our garden becomes our own little “paradise” especially when these beautiful pink daisy flowers are flowering. I’m so looking forward to seeing them again.
As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing a pint of Saxon Red Ale that we had whilst out last week. It’s brewed locally by The Parker Brewery and is smooth and malty with a hint of spice on the finish – cheers and Happy T Day!
Challenges
I’m pleased to join the lovely Eileen from The Artful Crafter and her Green challenge over at Art Journal Journey this month with the lime green paint, leaves, sticker flower centres and rub-ons on this page.
It’s time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesday and for the next two weeks we are asking you to Go Green or Recycle Something.
My art journal page was created from lots of recycled items – I hope you like it!
For the paper elements I recycled some sheet music, the patterned paper from the inside of an envelope, brown paper from the outside of some corrugated packaging, some brown package strapping and a strip of Kraft card. The leaf is from a Sweet Chestnut tree and believe it or not, there is only one (huge) leaf cut into pieces; I collected it from Lytham Hall in Autumn last year, dried it and then covered it with wood glue to preserve it and stop it from breaking up into bits. The flowers are dried gypsophila (also called Baby’s Breathe) which I saved and pressed from some cut flowers that were gifted me.
I layered and collaged them all onto my page using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium and added some weight over the top so the flower stalks made contact with the background and then left the gel medium to dry. Then I splattered the page with black acrylic paint and added some white gesso with my finger. The letters for the “recycle” wording were cut from an old calendar and I stuck them to a recycled navy blue tag, cut them out and arranged them onto the page. All the paper elements are outlined with a black Derwent Inktense pencil and a black marker pen. To finish the page, I added two little buttons and a metal snap button clasp using Ranger Glossy Accents.
My Design Teamies have created some amazing Go Green or Recycle Something inspiration for you over at Try it on Tuesday too, please pop over and take a look (grin!).
I had fun playing around with these recycled materials to create this page, I love how it depicts nature and it reminds me of our walks around Lytham Hall, including this view over one of the lakes. This photo was taken last year in autumn when I collected the leaf.
We often go walking around this lake with our friends and little Ellie who loves leaves, mainly chasing and eating them (grin!). We so enjoyed looking after her last week for our friends – she’s so adorable (double grin!).
As T Stands for Tuesday I’m saying a big hello to the T Gang and sharing my cuppa with a yummy Salted Caramel Doughnut – wishing you all a Happy T day!
Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.
Challenges
I’m so happy to join in the Splatters, Splashes & Drips challenge over at Country View Challenges with the acrylic paint splatters on my page.
I’m also pleased to join in the #112 – Layers challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the layers of papers, leaves and dried flowers that I used.
I’m also joining in the Two Or More Patterned Papers challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the sheet music and patterned envelope paper that I recycled on my page.
Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:
Recycled sheet music
Inside of a used envelope
Recycled corrugated packaging and brown package strapping
Our new challenge over at A Vintage Journey is Holly Jolly Christmas, which is being hosted by Sandy. Here’s what it is all about:
“This month Anything Goes as long as it says Christmas and is in one of our preferred styles of vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk.”
I love all things Christmas so I had great fun Art Journaling this Holly Jolly Christmas page using lots of Tim Holtz products.
I started by covering the page with Botanicals Collage paper from Tim Holtz using matte gel medium and left it to dry. Then I coloured the centre of the page using Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo and Rusty Hinge Distress Ink with a blending tool. I painted white gesso around the edges pulling the gesso into the centre of the page using a dry paintbrush so the gesso didn’t mix with the Distress Ink. I then added some splatters of white gesso, black acrylic paint and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
Next I die cut some holly using a Holiday Greens Thinlet set by Tim Holtz and my Big Shot machine; they are die cut from some scrap white paper which I coloured using Mowed Lawn, Pine Needles and Forest Moss Distress Ink, edged with a Cold Grey Faber-Castell marker and stuck in place using a Zig glue pen. The berries were also die cut from some scrap paper which were coloured with Festive Berries Distress Ink.
I layered the sheet music and tartan strips together which are from a Christmas Sticker Book from Tim Holtz and edged them using a black marker smudging it to give a worn look. The Santa Claus, “25” and “Special Delivery” signage are from the Tim Holtz Christmas Sticker Book too. I also added the wording “have a holly jolly Christmas”, “A visit from Santa Claus” and “was a jolly happy soul” which were again from the Tim Holtz sticker book; once stuck in place they were edged with a black marker.
If you create a Christmas art journal page then why not share it with us at A Vintage Journey, it would be lovely to see you there (grin!). For more Inspiration, please pop over to see the amazing creations from my fellow Creative Guides over at A Vintage Journey too.
Whilst creating this page I was listening to the fabulous Michael Bublé crooning the song “Holly Jolly Christmas” (grin!). This is a song that you can’t help but sing along to – wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas!
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, like A Vintage Journey, 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 Yvonne, aka Meggymay and her Words and Numbers challenge over at Art Journal Journey with the words and numbers on this page.
I’m joining in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Traditional Christmas challenge with my Holly Jolly Christmas art journal page with the Santa Claus and holly.
I’m pleased to be able to join the #108 – Winter challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my Holly Jolly Christmas page too.
I’m also happy to join Creative Artiste Challenge Blog for their #56 –Anything Mixed Media Goes with my mixed-media art journal page as I used collage paper, inks, gesso, paper, stickers and markers to create it.
Over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog their theme is # 32 – Anything Goes + optional twist of Veggie Stamping, so I’m pleased to be able to join this challenge too.
Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:
Tim Holtz Collage Paper (Botanicals #TH93705)
Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, Mowed Lawn, Pine Needles, Forest Moss, Festive Berries)
Recycled white paper
Sizzix Thinlets Tim Holtz Alterations (Holiday Greens 658759)
The Range (5×5 Dies Holly)
Tim Holtz idea-ology (Christmas Sticker Book #TH93999)
Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)
Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
Zig Memory System 2-Way Glue (Dual Action Glue Pen)
My page today features a magical reindeer and was inspired by some Christmas shopping at a fabulous shop specialising in wool and haberdashery; there are photos later!
For the background I stuck a piece of wood effect design paper onto the page using a UHU Stic. Then I added some ripped pieces of holly tissue paper over the top using Liquitex matte gel medium and stuck some glittery snowflake stickers to the page. Next I arranged an A6 card, stars, leaves, gem flowers and foliage which are all from a Die Cut Book with some gold swirl foliage and gold stars which I die cut using my Big Shot machine. I added the wording “It’s the most wonderful time of year” which is from the same decoupage book and also the magical reindeer image which I cut from an old book; it’s stuck in place using double-sided foam tape. To finish, I added some small blue gemstones using Ranger Glossy Accents to add a little more sparkle.
Mrs. Johnsons Emporium is located in Blackpool in this grand building and they stock a large range of wool and haberdashery.
The owners are enthusiastic about knitting and created this amazing reindeer to decorate the shop and …
… also this colourful elephant – aren’t they both amazing!
They have an extensive range of wool and haberdashery to choose from, with lots of finished examples to show how the pattern and wool turn out. I was very tempted although I do not knit or crochet (grin!). As there website says, it really is a haven of gorgeousness for those who knit, crochet, sew and craft!
As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing our deer mugs filled with tea and a yummy custard slice – Happy T day (grin!).
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 happy to join in the Stars challenge over at Country View Challenges with all the gold stars I added to my art journal page too.
I’m joining in the Let’s Sparkle challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the glittery snowflakes, gold accents and gemstones on my page.
Today at A Vintage Journey is Tag Friday, which only takes place when there is a fifth Friday in the month; it’s all about creating something you love so there is no particular theme, it’s time to play, experiment and have fun – it would be great to see you there!
This Merry Moose is one of my favourite Thinlets from Tim
Holtz so I couldn’t resist using it to create this double-sided Mixed Media tag
showing the same scene in autumn and in winter.
To start, I used a large Poster Card by Tim Holtz to create the tag by cutting off two of the corners to make a tag shape and punching a hole using my Crop-A-Dile machine. I covered both sides of the tag with some white gesso as the card had blue flowers on one side and beige postcards on the other and I wanted to tone them down a little. I then used Scattered Straw Distress Ink to colour around the edges of the beige side which I chose for autumn and Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink on the blue side of the tag which seemed perfect for winter. I stamped some snowflakes using two blue Memento Inks onto the blue side of the tag and then the tree trunks on both sides of the tag using Toffee Crunch Memento Ink.
For the autumn scene: I coloured the stamped tree trunk using Dark Sepia and black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and a black Uni Pin pen; stencilled the sun and coloured it using a Sun Yellow Inktense pencil; and coloured the foreground using Forest Moss Distress Ink and a Leaf Green Inktense pencil.
For the winter scene: I coloured the tree using a Cold Grey and black Faber-Castell marker and a black Uni Pin pen; used white gesso to colour the foreground and also to stencil the moon, once dry I added some texture to the moon using Platinum Planet Brilliance Ink, a Tim Holtz stamp with Black Soot Distress Ink, a white Faber-Castell marker and also a white Uni Posca paint pen. Then I used Inkylicious Fluffy Puffy Stuff and a heat gun to create the snow.
The Merry Moose, leaves, stars and wording are all Thinlets from Tim Holtz which I die cut from some linen textured paper coloured using Distress Inks: the moose was coloured using Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso ink; the antlers using Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo ink; the leaves using Scattered Straw and Rusty Hinge ink; the stars using Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed ink; and the wording using Scattered Straw, Rusty Hinge and Chipped Sapphire ink.
To make them stand out from the background more, the autumn die cuts are edged with a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell marker and …
… the winter ones with a Cold Grey Faber-Castell marker and they are all stuck into place using a Zig Memory glue pen.
To finish, I added an eyelet with my Crop-A-Dile machine which reinforced the hole as I’m using a book ring to secure all of my double-sided tags together when they are finished to create a Tag Journal.
For more Tag Friday inspiration, please pop over to A Vintage Journey where you’ll find some fabulous tags created by my fellow Creative Guides. I hope you are inspired to join us as I’m so looking forward to seeing your tag designs!
I have been lucky enough to see moose a number of times in the wild whilst
holidaying in America,
although I have never seen any in Maine.
I’m told you are more likely to see them further North in the state and we did
stop to look for them at this quiet spot to no avail, maybe next time (grin!).
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 #107 – Picture Inspiration challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps as my autumn tag encompasses the picture colours and my winter tag matches the stars too.
I’m joining the Use your scraps challenge over at Moo Mania & More with the paper scraps I used for some of the die cut pieces.
Over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog their theme is Anything Goes + optional twist of Watercoloring, so I’m pleased to be able to join this challenge too.
Here is a list of all the materials used to create this double-sided
tag:
Our new theme for the next two weeks at Try it on Tuesday is Inspired by a Song/Christmas Carol.
My page was inspired by the song ‘12 Days of Christmas’. I’m so excited to find out which song you have chosen to inspire your creations, please be sure to let us know.
I started by dividing the page into 12 equal sections; each
sections is coloured and then stamped with a Sheet Music stamp using a
different colour of Distress Ink; in numerical order the colours were Shabby
Shutters, Festive Berries, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves, Fossilized Amber,
Spiced Marmalade, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral, Picked
Raspberry, Twisted Citron and Fired Brick. They are all edged using a Postage
Stamp border stamp and black Archival Ink and then splattered with white gesso and
black acrylic paint. I added the numbers which are die cut from black paper and
stuck into place, like all of the paper elements, using a Zig Memory glue pen.
Then I created a scene to depict each line of the song using some white mixed
media paper to either stamp with black Archival Ink or die cut the different
elements. The main characters are from a 12 Days of Christmas stamp set by
Urban Stamps and for:
A partridge in a pear tree – I
fussy cut the partridge and three pears that I had stamped and arranged them on
the page with a die cut branch from a Garden Greens Thinlet set by Tim Holtz which
I edged using a black marker pen.
Turtle Doves – I surrounded the
dove with some hearts that were created using a paper punch.
French Hens – The foreground was
created using a circle die cut which I stamped with some French wording and the
three snowflakes are die cut too.
Calling Birds – The berry branch
was from the Tim Holtz Garden Greens Thinlet set and the music notes were hand
drawn and cut out.
Gold Rings – I suspended the five
gold rings using thin strips of paper and added some bows that were stamped from
the 12 Days of Christmas stamp set and they were very fiddly to cut out (grin!).
Geese a Laying – I stamped and cut
out some extra eggs.
Swans a Swimming – I added some
extra waves and a circle die cut to depict the sun.
Maids a Milking – The flowers were
die cut using a Funky Florals Thinlet set from Tim Holtz.
Ladies Dancing – I created the
dance floor and little flowers using another Urban Arts stamp set.
Lords a Leaping – The foreground
and the snow fall were created using die cuts.
Pipers Piping – I used the Sheet
Music stamp again to depict the Piper’s music.
Drummers Drumming – The tiered
podium is created using a square die cut set and the stars are from the 12 Days
of Christmas stamp set.
For more inspiration please pop over to Try it on Tuesday to see the amazing creations from my Design Teamies.
Do you know the song 12 Days of Christmas? It’s an English Christmas carol which has a simple verse structure that is modified with the progressive addition of Christmas gifts, so that each verse is longer than the verse before. It starts:
On the first day of
Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
… etc, etc
And ends:
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 12 Drummers Drumming 11 Pipers Piping 10 Lords a Leaping 9 Ladies Dancing 8 Maids a Milking 7 Swans a Swimming 6 Geese a Laying 5 Gold Rings 4 Calling Birds 3 French Hens 2 Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
Our local garden centre had a Christmas evening that I went along to with my sister and mum, we had a wonderful time and we all bought some Christmas gifts for family and friends.
The Christmas displays were so pretty and they even had live music which I really enjoyed (grin!).
They also treated us to a free mince pie and some mulled wine, so as T Stands for Tuesday I’m sharing this treat with you too – Happy T Day!
Sending Happy Thanksgiving wishes to those of you who celebrate this week too!
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 Rike from rike’s art and her Fruit and Veggies challenge over at Art Journal Journey with ny pear tree.
I’m also happy to join in the Hand Stamped challenge hosted by the lovely Craftyfield over at Country View Challenges as I used six different stamp sets for this page including the main characters for each of the 12 scenes being hand stamped and fussy cut out.
This time of year I always think of my dear American friends who will be celebrating Thanksgiving the last Thursday of November.
I feel very blessed to have them as my friends so today’s page is a tribute to them and the beautiful autumnal garden flag that they gifted us. The flag influenced the background design, autumnal leaves and golden pears that I created on this page and the wording relates to my dearest friends (grin!).
For the white and grey background, I applied some Hickory Smoke Distress Ink using a mini stencil from TCW and I then layered a postage mark stamp from Kaisercraft and a leaf stamp from Tim Holtz using Hickory Smoke Distress Archival Ink. I coloured the stamped leaves using Fossilized Amber Distress Ink by applying the ink pad to a blending mat and picking up the ink with a paintbrush. The page is also splattered with the Fossilized Amber Distress Ink. Next I fussy cut the pears from a magazine, edged them with a Cold Grey Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck them in place using a UHU Stic. They are arranged on the page with some flowers, a butterfly, a clock and some wording which are all stickers from Kaisercraft; they are edged using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and a blending tool before sticking them into place. The wording reads “blessed”, “moments”, “you & me” and “love”.
This is the garden flag that lead me to include a script and postage mark grey on white background, some autumnal leaves and golden pears as part of my page design. I see this flag everyday as it sits right outside my kitchen window which is a joy (grin!).
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 Rike from rike’s art and her Fruit and Veggies challenge over at Art Journal Journey as I included the golden pears on my page.
I’m happy to join the #203 – Circles challenge over at Moo Mania & More with the circular stickers and stamped postage marks on my page, the pears have a circular feel to them too (grin!).
I’m joining in the Thanks/Thanksgiving challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge as I’m giving thanks for my friends with my Blessed art journal page.
I’m also joining in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday and the Autumn & Gratitude with my autumnal and grateful for friends inspired page.
I’m pleased to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my art journal page too.
Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:
The Crafter’s Workshop 6×6 Stencil (Mini Art is TCW261s)
Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Hickory Smoke, Fossilized Amber, Peacock Feathers)
Kaisercraft Clear Stamps (Provincial CS243)
Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous (Falling Leaves CMS097)
Ranger Distress Archival Ink (Hickory Smoke)
Old Magazine
Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)
