Every Moment

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Let's Art Journal

It’s the first Friday of June, so it’s time for a new challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, which as always is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

My mixed media page was inspired by some gorgeous Paper Pads that were gifted to me by a very dear family member (smile!).

My mixed media page started with a background that had gone wrong (does that happen to you?), so I covered it with Pébéo white gesso. When dry I applied black DecoArt acrylic paint over the top and then, I used a Moroccan Stencil from Creative Expressions and a baby wipe to remove some of the black paint; the gesso acted as a resist making it easier to remove the paint. I also rubbed areas of the page with the baby wipe to remove the black paint too, giving it a worn distressed look. Next I used an Etcetera stamp set by Tim Holtz and Moonlight White Brilliance Ink to add the text. The flowers, “Live, Laugh, Love” wording and butterflies were fussy cut from pages of the paper pad and stuck in place using Liquitex matte gel medium. To finish, I added a Kaisercraft sticker and outlined it with a white Uniball gel pen; the sticker reads “Every moment spent with you is special”.

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

These are the paper pads which were gifted to me; they were found in a charity shop and are full of beautiful flowers and images – thanks so much for thinking of me!

Stay safe and well!

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

Challenges

As well as Creative Artiste , I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

MIUCB#65 – Anything Goes + optional Embossing over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog with my mixed media art journal page.

Triple B Challenge where everything is about Birds, Blooms and Butterflies so as their June Challenge; I’m joining them with the pretty blooms and butterflies on my page.

Steam Locomotive

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Let's Art Journal

Today I’m over at Country View Challenges sharing this Steam Locomotive journal page for this month’s Vehicles challenge.

I created this page using a steam locomotive image from a Voyages Fantastiques pad by Stamperia; as the image didn’t quite fit the page, I added some paper remnants to the edges and then extended the horizontal lines using a Cold Grey Faber-Castell marker. Next, I had lots of fun colouring the steam train, (like watercolour), using Peeled Patina, Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood and Hickory Smoke Distress Inks and to finish, a gold and a white Uni Ball gel pen. As I was colouring the steam at the top of the page, I extended the design onto the additional paper, using the Distress Inks and a black Faber-Castell fine line marker. I also coloured the sleepers and the foreground using Ground Espresso Distress Ink. To finish, I fussy cut the clock and the wording from the same Voyages Fantastiques pad by Stamperia, added them to the page and edged them using a black marker; the wording reads “There is nothing like a dream to create the future”.

I hope you are inspired to join our Vehicles challenge over at Country View Challenges too, if you do, you’ll have a chance to win a £20 voucher to use on the Country View Crafts.

Today I have a special treat courtesy of my dear friend, K, who is an exceptional photographer. She kindly sent me photos of probably the most famous steam locomotive, The Flying Scotsman, which she captured here appearing through the steam; isn’t it a stunning photo!

The Flying Scotsman still makes an appearance throughout the UK, and happens to be 100 years old this year – how amazing (smile!).

I hope that you are staying safe and well!

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

Challenges

As well as Country View Challenges, I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

LTSCB#74 – Anything Goes over at Love To Craft Challenge Blog with my Steam Locomotive page.

Hello March

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Let's Art Journal

It’s the first Friday of a new month, so it’s time for a new challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, which as always is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I would also like to send a warm welcome to the lovely Fiona from http://www.craftystamping.blogspot.com/ who has joined our Design Team; please be sure to visit her blog and show her some love!

My mixed media page is saying “Hello March” and celebrating the pretty crocus that flower this time of year!

I started by covering the background with a couple of cyclopaedia book pages and then covered them with some Villainous Potion Distress Paint applying it like watercolour. When dry, I applied some Yellow Ochre Kuretake Watercolour and I stamped some foliage and a circular filigree stamp using a Magnolia Grove stamp set by Kaisercraft, black Archival Ink and Dusty Concord Distress Archival Ink. Next I added some Pébéo white gesso over the top using a brayer and layered some more of the stamping over the top, to create a distressed grungy look. Then I splattered the page using black DecoArt acrylic paint. The crocus were fussy cut from an old garden flower book, edged with a black Faber-Castell marker and stuck in place using a glue stick. I stamped the “Hello March” wording using a Sophisticated Script stamp set by Concord & 9th and black Archival Ink, then to finish I highlighted the letters with a white Uniball gel pen.

Every year, there is a beautiful display of crocus’ at the church in Poulton-de-Fylde; which is a small town near to where we live.

These little crocus flowers look so amazing and it’s always such a beautiful sight as they cover the church yard in so much colour!

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.

Challenges

As well as Creative Artiste , I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

Art Journal Journey which is being hosted by the lovely Valerie of Bastelmania and her Anything Goes challenge with my Hello March page.

MIUCB #64 – Anything Goes + optional Distressing over at Mix It Up Challenge Blog with my distressed background crocus page.

Triple B Challenge where everything is about Birds, Blooms and Butterflies so as their March challenge blog was launched this month, I’m joining them with my spring blooms.

Spring is in the Air

Posted on April 5, 2022 by Let's Art Journal

Today I’m over at Country View Challenges sharing my second page as inspiration for this month’s Spring is Coming challenge.

I started by painting the page using Sapphire Blue Glitter Dust DecoArt paint and when dry I applied some Rustic Wilderness and Twisted Citron Distress Paint to the foreground and to create the tree shapes. Next I used a Tall Pines Thinlits set by Tim Holtz and white cardstock to create the trees and then I painted them using the Distress Paints; they were stuck in place using matte gel medium and I added some highlights using a white gel pen. Next I doodled all the pretty spring flowers using purple, white and yellow Uni Posca paint pens which took quite bit of time as there were so many layers of colour and lots of flowers (smile!). The adorable deer family was die cut from some leftover cardstock which was coloured using Vintage Photo and Tea Dye Distress Inks using Darling Deer Thinlits set by Tim Holtz; their white dots were added using a white gel pen and some clear Ranger embossing powder. The wording “Spring is in the air” was recycled and finished the page.

I hope you are inspired to join our Spring is Coming challenge over at Country View Challenges too, if you do, you’ll have a chance to win a £20 voucher to use on the Country View Crafts.

This deer is a rusty metal stake in my garden, isn’t he spectacular – we were kindly gifted it last Christmas (smile!).

I hope that you’re staying safe and well!

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

Challenges

As well as Country View Challenges , I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

The lovely Alison the Craftytrog is hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month and has chosen Play it again Sam and she is asking for pages inspired by your favourite movie or song.
As I love musicals the deer on my page reminded me of the lyric “Do, a deer, a female deer” which you may remember is from the song “Do-Re-Mi” from the Sound of Music. I used to sing this all the time when I was younger and can even still remember all words (grin!) – can you? (If not check out the video below).

Easter/Spring challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with my spring page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their #164 – Anything Goes challenge with my spring page.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Anything Goes theme with my spring colours page.

The importance of a moment

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Let's Art Journal

Inspired by a new paper pad and Ric Rac ribbon, I created this Shabby Chic styled page with a beautiful quote that reads “Sometimes you don’t realise the importance of a moment until it becomes a memory”.

I started by covering the chipboard page with some pretty hummingbird and flower designed paper using a glue stick. Then I added three pieces of cream Ric Rac ribbon vertically down the left-hand side of the page, sticking them in place using double-sided tape. I placed a flower and leaves by Little Birdie over the bottom of the ribbon. Next I added the wording which was from a Kaisercraft sticker sheet and to finish, I edged it using a Uniball white gel pen.

As T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing a bottle of Cherry Wheat Beer that my hubby got me for Christmas. It was so delicious and reminded me of our trips to Belgium; I thought that it tied in nicely with the colour of my page (grin) – Happy T Day!

Hoping that you all stay safe and well! x

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

Challenges

I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

The lovely Bleubeard & Elizabeth from Altered Book Lover is hosting this month over at Art Journal Journey and her challenge is What’s Your Style, so I’m joining in the fun with my Shabby Chic styled page.

#148 – Use Ribbon, Raffia or Twine over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge with the new Ric Rac ribbon that I used on my page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their #161 – Anything Goes challenge with my art journal page.

Love with all your heart

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Let's Art Journal

Today I’m over at Country View Challenges sharing my second art journal page for this month’s Hearts and Flowers challenge.

I started by covering the chipboard background using Botanicals Collage Paper by Tim Holtz and Liquitex matte gel medium. When dry, I coloured the flowers using some colourful Spectrum Noir markers and a white gel pen and then I added some shadows and edged the page using a Ground Espresso Distress Ink. Next I stuck the three sparky Gumdrop Hearts by Tim Holtz onto the page and I added the wording “Love with all your heart” which was from a Tim Holtz Small Talk sticker book. To finish, I added some Ranger Glossy Accents to the flowers which highlighted the colours beautifully.

I hope you are inspired to join our Hearts and Flowers challenge over at Country View Challenges too, if you do, you’ll have a chance to win a £20 voucher to use on the Country View Crafts.

This glass heart hangs in my dining room and was gifted me by a very dear friend as a house warming present many years ago; it reminds me of my page.

I hope that 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.

For the sake of brevity I am no longer listing the individual items that I used to create my page, however I’m more than happy to let you know which particular product was used if you contact me via comments below or using the following contact me link. You can also check out the Tim Holtz products that I used over at Country View Crafts too.

Challenges

As well as Country View Challenges, I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

I’m pleased to join the lovely Bleubeard & Elizabeth from Altered Book Lover over at Art Journal Journey and her What’s Your Style challenge this month with my romantic style page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their #160 – Anything Goes challenge with my hearts and flowers page.

Love Is In The Air challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with my love inspired page.

Funkie Frilly Valentines over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog with my vintage valentine page of frilly flower petals and glittery hearts.

Leave a little sparkle

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Let's Art Journal

Sorry for my absence and thank you so much for all your kind thoughts and messages with regards to my dad passing away just before Christmas.

I would also like to thank Craftyfield for kindly covering for me during my absence as it was my turn to host this month’s challenge over at Country View Challenges; to welcome in 2022 I’ve chosen the theme of A Year to Sparkle and Shine.

“We would like to see LOTS of sparkle and shine on your projects, no “token” gems or sequins please; you really need to go sprinkle that sparkle! This means that you can use lots of different sparkly and shiny products (like metallics, sparkly embossing powders, glitters, lustres, foil, glazes, mirror cardstock, mica sprays or paints etc) as part of your designs”

I created this mini art journal page as inspiration; you still have until the end of this month to join me with your sparkly creations. I do hope that you will join in the fun, it would be so lovely to see you there!

I started by applying two coats of Villainous Potion Distress Paint to my chipboard page. Then when dry, I used a stamp from a Christmas Time stamp set by Tim Holtz to add all the starbursts using VersaMark Watermark Ink and two types of Gold Ranger embossing powder.

Next I stamped the wording and added some tiny stars around the page using a new Dovecraft stamp, the Watermark Ink and Gold Ranger embossing powder. Then I stuck the cute sparkly dog in place which I had fussy cut from an old recycled Christmas card and to finish, I used a white Uniball gel pen to add some highlights and the snowy foreground.

You’ll find lots more sparkly and shiny inspiration from my fellow Design Team members over at Country View Challenges.

I look forward to visiting you and seeing what you make and you never know, you might even win a £20 voucher for the shop, Country View Crafts! Before you enter your project, please read the rules!

Stay safe and well!

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

Challenges

As well as Country View Challenges. , I’m pleased to join the following challenges:

Art Journal Journey and the lovely Erika from BioArtGal who is hosting this month with her Let’s Face It challenge; I think the sparkly dog’s face looks super cute on my page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their #159 – Anything Goes challenge with my sparkly page.

Love To Scrap Challenge Blog and their LTSCB #153 – Anything Goes challenge with my Leave a little sparkle page.

Out with the Old, in with the New over at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog with the new word stamp and old recycled Christmas card image that I used to create this page.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Four Legged Friends challenge with the sparkly dog I added to my page.

Anything Stamping Goes with the option of Wings challenge over at We Love Stamping with my stamped Leave a little sparkle page.

Autumn Blessings

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Let's Art Journal

I feel very blessed to have won one of the challenges over at Paperbabe Stamps and I choose some Maryleedee stamps from the Paperbabe Stamps shop as my prize, which are just perfect for colouring (grin!).

Today I’m featuring this super cute Maryleedee as part of my windy autumn scene.

I started by covering the background with some leftover Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and then I used Burnt Sienna, Black, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Scarlett and Hooker’s Green Kuretake watercolour paints to paint the autumn trees and green foreground. The leaves were die cut using a Fall Foliage Thinlits set by Tim Holtz from some leftover mixed media paper that had been coloured using Tea Dye Distress Ink. I added more colour to the leaves using the Yellow Ochre and Cadmium Scarlett watercolour paints and then I arranged them onto the page using Liquitex matte gel medium, making them swirl in the wind. I also used the paper that I had die cut the leaves from to stencil Rusty Hinge Distress Ink onto the tree foliage. The wording “Autumn Blessings” was created using some letters from a Kaisercraft sticker sheet.

I stamped the Paperbabe Stamps Marydeelee stamp onto a piece of mixed media paper using black Archival Ink. She was coloured using TriBlend Spectrum Noir marker pens; the colours were Gold Brown Blend for her hair, Alpine Green Blend for her eyes, Fair Skin Blend for her face, arms and legs, Dark Red Blend for her lips and boots, True Blue Blend for her dress and Gold Yellow Blend for the bow. To finish, I cut her out, stuck her in place and added a bit more detail to her dress using a white gel pen.

The Maryleedee stamp was so much fun to use and colour; I love the way she turned out! Aren’t her boots fabulous; my hubby often calls me cute as I tend to hold my feet like that too (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.

Challenges

I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today with my page:

Art Journal Journey and lovely Chris from http://pearshapedcrafting.blogspot.com/ who is hosting this month with her All Kinds of Weather challenge with my windy autumnal page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #156 – Anything Goes with my Maryleedee page – thanks so much for the stamps!

Trees challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with the painted autumnal trees that I added to this page.

Make Your Own Background challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the autumnal background I created using inks and watercolour for this page.

LTSCB #151 – Anything Goes over at Love to Scrap Challenge Blog with my Autumn Blessings page.

Spooky Fun

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Let's Art Journal

As Halloween weekend is upon us, I created this page full of Spooky Fun to wish you all a Happy Halloween!

I started by adding the panels of wrought iron and ghost images which were from an old magazine and then I added some striped washi tape to fill in the gaps between the panels. The wording was also cut from magazine pages; so all the letters matched some of the backgrounds were coloured using a black Faber-Castell marker and some of the letters using a Gold Spectrum Aqua marker. Once the wording was stuck in place, I added some touches of gold to the letters using a gel pen and I outlined them using black Glitterations border stickers which added a bit more sparkle.

The purple ivy die cuts and coloured papers that I used to die cut the autumnal leaves from, were leftover from other projects; the leaves were die cut using a Fall Foliage Thinlits set by Tim Holtz. To finish, I splattered the whole page with some black DecoArt acrylic paint.

The wrought iron reminded me of the gates at Lytham Hall. There have been spooky goings on reported at the gatehouse, where these gates are situated, which include phantom cars and white paranormal sightings; if your interested you can check out the full story here titled Ghosts at Lytham Hall.

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.

Challenges

I’m pleased to be able to join the following challenges today:

Art Journal Journey and lovely Tracey from Hotchpotchcreations who is hosting this month with her My favourite colour is October challenge with my autumnal Halloween page.

The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and their Grunge, Ghouls or Giggles with my Spooky Fun page.

Paperbabe Stamps and their Challenge #155 – Anything Goes with my Halloween page.

LTSCB #150 – Anything But A Card over at Love to Scrap Challenge Blog with my Spooky Fun page.

Anything Goes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog with my spooky page.

It’s all about time

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Let's Art Journal

Over at Try it on Tuesday our challenge for the next 2 weeks is It’s all about time.

For this challenge I was inspired by the time I have spent this month celebrating my hubby’s birthday and also our wedding anniversary. I hope are inspired to join our challenge too; it would be lovely to see you there!

The background was a wallpaper sample detailing a large clock face, roses and the words “Take time to love the little things”; it was stuck in place using a glue stick and then cut to size, and I collaged the remnants together to create the panel on the left-hand side of the page. I also added more detail to the rose images using a white Uniball gel pen so they stood out more. Next I stamped the two clock faces onto some design paper by American Crafts using black Archival Ink and a couple of stamp sets by Kaisercraft. I cut them out and arranged them onto the page with some silver roses and circles which were outline stickers and a quote from a Kaisercraft sticker sheet which reads “Love the time we spend together”. To finish, I fussy cut the two butterflies from the wallpaper sample and stuck them onto the page.

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

As T Stands for Tuesday and we’ve been out celebrating, I’m sharing our drinks and meal that we enjoyed for our wedding anniversary (time sure does fly, we celebrated 33 years of marriage this year!). My hubby had chicken with black pudding in a mustard sauce and I had a warm bacon and chicken salad; I couldn’t eat all mine so we had some for lunch the next day (grin!).