Believe in the magic of new beginnings

Every year I create a page to capture my goals for the coming year, so here’s my 2020 page – Believe in the magic of new beginnings.

As it was the first time that I have used Paperbabe Stamps alphabet stamp set, I’m joining the Something New challenge that I’m hosting over at Art Journal Journey, I hope to see you there (grin!).

I started by smooshing Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo Distress Ink onto the page by stamping the ink pad onto an acrylic block and pressing the block onto the page. While the ink was still wet I used a couple of Sheena Douglas texture stamps to move the colour around. To create some depth to the background, I applied some white gesso with my finger to the page and then stamped the texture stamps again using Peeled Paint Distress Ink and Vintage Photo Distress Archival Ink. Next I tore pieces of green decoupage paper and stuck them onto the page using matte gel medium. The pretty girl and fox were cut from the decoupage paper packaging. I created the plaque for the wording using a Tim Holtz Pocket card; it is stamped using an alphabet stamp set from Paperbabe Stamps and edged with the decoupage paper. I coloured the wording using an Orange Spectrum Aqua Marker, white gel pen and Sanguine Faber-castell Big Brush marker. It is mounted onto the page using two photo corners so it can be removed.

On the reverse side of the plaque I stamped the wording using the Paperbabe Stamps alphabet set and coloured it using the Sanguine marker. Then I edged the top and bottom of the plaque using some of the decoupage paper. Now all I need to do is add my goals for the year (grin!).

Whilst out walking we noticed that the snowdrops are out already which seems a bit early to me; snowdrops are celebrated as a sign of spring so it seems that mother nature may be making plans for new beginnings too (double grin!).

Challenges

I’m pleased to be able to join the #111 – Picture Inspiration challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with the colour palette and circular patterns in the background on my journal page.

I’m also joining the Mix It Up Challenge Blog and their Anything Goes + optional twist of Paper Piecing with my art journal page.

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:

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo)
• Sheena by Sheena Douglas Create a Flower Rubber Stamp (Funky Textures 2)
• Ranger Distress Archival Ink (Vintage Photo)
• Pébéo White Gesso
• Santoro Decoupage Papers (SNDEC039)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• Tim Holtz idea-ology (Pocket Cards #TH93208)
• Paperbabe Stamps stamp set (Fun Alphabet Outline)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Orange)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Sanguine 188 B)
• Photo Corners

Time Flies

I find that time passes surprisingly quickly and sometimes I’m left wondering how I got to the age I am or even that it’s the end of April this year already! Not that I’m complaining I enjoy every day and so created a page with the old adage in mind “Time flies when you’re having fun”.

This page started with a background that I had overworked on a previous project and looked muddy as a result, so I applied a thin layer of gesso and stencilled Pébéo modelling paste on the top using a clock stencil. I added some paper clock faces and also some leftover pieces of brown cog decoupage paper that were destined for the bin using Liquitex matte gel medium. Next I coloured the page with Metallic Mint, Iced Coffee, Iced Chai and Mango Faber-Castell gelatos to create a rusty metal look. I also emphasised shadows and shapes using Sanguine and Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush markers whilst building up the layers of colours with the gelatos. I then added some splatters of both black and white DecoArt acrylic paint using a paintbrush. For the wording I used some metallic letter stickers; they are stuck onto some black card which is recycled packaging and mounted on a piece of corrugated card which I coloured to look like rusty metal using the gelatos and Big Brush markers again.

To finish, I added the sparkly copper butterflies which are stickers and the copper adhesive gemstones. I like the rusty metallic look of this page and all that lovely texture and shine too (grin!).

I can remember as a child when summer holidays seemed to last forever and as I’ve got older time just seems to fly by! So why not have some fun too, we find it’s the simple things that bring the most joy like spending some time at St. Anne’s Pier.

Where we always enjoy playing the 2p (two pence) waterfalls (grin!).

Time sure does fly when you are having fun and those ice creams are so good too! By the way, one of those ice creams is for my hubby, honest (double 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 pleased to join the lovely Alison/Craftytrog, who is hosting the Recycle and Collage challenge over at Art Journal Journey with the recycled background, materials and leftovers that I collaged onto this page!

Over at A Vintage Journey their theme is Rusty and Crusty, so I’m pleased to join their challenge with my rusty Industrial Style page.

I’m also joining in the fun over at Country View Challenges and their Pimp It Up! (reuse or alter something) challenge with the recycled background and materials.

I’m pleased to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

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:

• Pébéo White Gesso
• Pébéo Modeling Paste
• Faber-Castell Gelato (Metallic Mint, Iced Coffee, Iced Chai, Mango)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Sanguine 188 B, Dark Sepia 175 B)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (White, Black)
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• Leftover decoupage paper from Santoro
• The Works (Paper Toppers)
• Recycled black card
• Recycled corrugated card
• Habico Signature Collection (Rose Gold Foil Alphabet Upper and Lower Case PP1077)
• The Range (Craft Butterfly Stickers CRO420)
• Docrafts Adhesive Dome Borders (Forever Friends – Opulent FFS351111)
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

Head, Heart and Soul

I’ve been meaning to use this amazing quote on one of my pages for a while, it really speaks to me and it seemed perfect for my brown and lace inspired page which reminds me of beauty and love!

For the background I collaged and layered torn pieces of cog patterned decoupage papers using a UHU Stic and then applied Liquitex Matte Gel Medium to ensure the edges of the papers were completely stuck down. When the gel medium had dried I outlined the torn edges of the decoupage paper with a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker smudging the ink with my finger to give an aged and worn look. Next I used Pébéo modelling paste and a stencil by Craft Sensations to add the pretty lace design to the bottom left-hand corner. While the modelling paste was drying, I fussy cut the beautiful lady from the packet that the decoupage papers came in, and also a paper panel for the quote and some other images from a Design Pad by Craft Sensations. I stamped the quote onto the panel using black Archival Ink and an alphabet stamp set by Dovecraft, and stuck it to the page with the other layered images using double-sided tape. I edged them all with a Desert Spectrum Aqua marker to give them a weathered look and outlined them with black Derwent Graphik and Uni Pin markers to add more depth.  The lady is stuck down using a UHU Stic and I accentuated some of the design using a black Derwent Graphik marker and outlined her using the Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker. I selected a piece of card, with a lace design, from a recycled gift tag and used a paper punch by Tonic Studios to cut out a heart, which I outlined with the same Dark Sepia Big Brush marker, and stuck it over the girl’s hand using a UHU Stic. I stuck a metal heart to the centre of the card heart, which was recycled from the same tag, using Glossy Accents. To finish, I added clusters of pretty flowers  in colours that compliment her dress using Glossy Accents again.

As T Stands for Tuesday I’m sharing my pot of green tea and yummy ginger cake that I had with friends last week after walking around the grounds of Lytham Hall. As it was raining that day, we decided to take shelter in the woodland walks that are there and chat over a drink in the café instead of going to the beach. When I saw the ginger cake I just had to have a slice and it was very yummy (grin!). Wishing you a Happy T Day!

I’m pleased to join Elke from Meerwolkenleben who is hosting the “Landscapes of the Soul” challenge over at Art Journal Journey. Your theme gave me the perfect excuse to create my quote inspired page, thank you!

I chose the dark autumnal colours to join in the fun over at Country View Challenges and their “Mixed Media with Autumnal Hues” challenge.

As I love autumn, I also had the “Crazy for Autumn Colour” challenge over at A Vintage Journey in mind when I was creating this page. So I’m pleased to be able to join them with my autumnal coloured page which focuses on their “Mixed Media” genre as I have used different mediums to create this page and also their “Art Journaling” genre as I’m combining art and the quote, which inspired my page, to express myself.

I’m also pleased to join the “AMMG with a Twist (Use or imitate Glass)” challenge over at Mixed Media World with my myriad of pretty flowers with their glass gemstone centres.

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:

• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175 B)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Desert)
• Derwent Graphik Line Marker (Black 0.05mm
• Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black 0.5mm)
• Pébéo Modeling Paste
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• Dovecraft Essentials Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCVW0050)
• Santoro Decoupage Papers (SNDEC043)
• Craft Sensations Design Pad (Travel Memories  154892)
• Recycled gift tag
• Poundland (Accessories Pack)
• Tonic Studios Paper Punch (Classic Heart 858E)
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• UHU Stic
• X-Press It double-sided tape