Gnome for Christmas

Over at Sparkles Monthly Challenge, we are launching a new challenge today which is Gnome Home For The Holidays.

I had so much fun creating this colourful Christmas Gnome page, I hope you like it too (smile!).

I started by drawing the top of the toadstool onto to some red and white dot Christmas paper and cutting it out. Then I created the fronds and bottom of the toadstool out of white cardstock, which I coloured in a Brown Grey TriBlend Spectrum Noir marker and a black UniPen fine line marker. I also drew the door, fussy cut it out and coloured it using a Dark Brown Blend TriBlend marker and a black UniPen marker to create the wood effect and a Gold Spectrum Aqua Marker for the door handle. For the snow on the toadstool roof and in the foreground, I cut the shapes from some white cardstock and then I added some detail using a Ice Grey Blend TriBlend marker. I covered the chipboard page using some blue snowflake cardstock before sticking everything in place using Liquitex matte gel medium. The glittery Christmas trees on the right-hand and left-hand side of the page were layered together from a sticker pack. I stamped the cute Gnome using a Woodware Crafts stamp set and I coloured him using Alpine Green Blend, Dark Red Blend, Ice Grey Blend, Brown Grey Blend and Pale Pink Blend TriBlend markers and a also Yellow marker for the pom pom on his hat. To finish, I added the “Merry Christmas” wording which I framed with two gold coloured star gems.

I hope you’ll join us at Sparkles Monthly Challenge too, for more inspiration please check out the amazing projects from my Sparkles Buddies in the Design Team too; we would love for you to join us so please be sure to check out the rules here.

I love Christmas and saw these cute gnomes whilst visiting a garden centre with family last week, they reminded 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.

Challenges

As well as Sparkles Monthly Challenge , I’m pleased to be joining the following challenges:

Art Journal Journey which I’m having fun hosting this month; I chose the challenge theme Snowy Winter so like me all you need to do is add snowflakes and/or snow on your pages. I hope to see you there!

Paperbabe Stamps and their #182 – Anything Goes challenge with my Gnome page.

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #29 where Anything Christmas Goes with my Gnome for Christmas page.

Merry Little Christmas Challenge and their MLCCB #47 – Anything Christmas Goes challenge with my fun Gnome for Christmas page.

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Take time

It’s a new month so it’s time to launch our June challenge today over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog which is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

My mixed media page was inspired by summer days with a sunny golden sky for the bright red flowers and butterflies to bask in – Happy June everyone!

I started by covering the background with Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue Liquitex acrylic paint and then I stamped five different stamps to pattern the background using Memento Inks and Archival Ink. This included three stamps from Kaisercraft using Love Letter and Toffee Crisp Memento Inks, a starburst stamp using Dandelion Memento Ink and a Woodware Craft Collection stamp using black Archival Ink. Then I applied some Pébéo white gesso over the top using a brayer and I splattered the whole page using the yellow and also black acrylic paint. The two flowers were washi tape stickers and the wording was from a Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet. To finish, I added the red ephemera butterflies.

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!

We’ve seen lots of red poppies recently and we discovered these on one of our walks (smile!).

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

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

Paperbabe Stamps and their #169 – Anything Goes challenge with my summer page.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and thei It’s Up In The Air theme with my butterflies flying in the summer sky.

LTCCB#68 Anything Goes over at Love To Craft Challenge Blog with my mixed media journal page celebrating summer.

Grateful Heart

I had fun creating this journal page to join some of my favourite challenge blogs and the words I included resonated with me and seemed perfect for the New Year – “start each day with a grateful heart”.

On my craft desk, I always have a piece of paper that I use to test stamp images, inks and markers before using them on my pages, so for today’s page I recycled one of them. I ripped the paper into different shapes and stuck them randomly onto my page using a glue stick and Liquitex matte gel medium. Then I painted some Pébéo white gesso and Cadmium Yellow Acrylic paint around them using a paintbrush. When dry, I edged them with a Cold Grey and then a Black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker smudging the ink with my finger. Next I added some shadows and contrast around the paper pieces using a Gold Champagne Faber-Castell Gelato and also a Gold Daler-Rowney Acrylic marker; applying each of them and then smudging the colour with my finger. Then I splattered the whole page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

For the heart, I created a stencil by drawing a heart onto some paper and cutting it out. Then I stamped the square postage sheet design through it onto some white card, using a Woodware stamp and some black Archival Ink. I cut the heart out and added some colour using a Gold Champagne Faber-Castell Gelato. Before sticking it down, I outlined the heart shape on the page using a black marker so it stood out more.

To finish, I added the flowers and wording which were from a sticker sheet from Kaisercraft.

Here’s a canvas sign that I have in my craft room, I love the sentiments it contains and the top one “have a grateful heart” reminded me on my page (grin!).  I fell in love with this sign as soon as I saw it and the words are a wonderful reminder of how live life to the full!

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:

  • White paper – Carabelle Studio Art Stamp (SA60175), Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black), Concord & 9th Clear Stamps (Sophisticated Script), Uni Pin Fine Line Marker (Black)
  • Pritt Stick
  • Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
  • Pébéo White Gesso
  • Liquitex Basics Acrylic Color (Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue)
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Cold Grey IV 233, Black 199)
  • Faber-Castell Gelatos (Gold Champagne)
  • Daler-Rowney Acrylic Paint Marker (Gold)
  • White paper and cardstock
  • Woodware Craft Collection Clear Magic Singles (Postage Sheets FRS076)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Golden Grove SS343)
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 created this page to join some of my favourite challenges including AJJ!

I’m so pleased to join the Squares Challenge at Country View Challenges with the postage stamp squares making up the heart on my page.

I’m also pleased to be able to join Paperbabe Stamps too and their #135 – Picture Inspiration challenge as the colours and design of my page were inspired by the ladies clothing.

I’m happy to join The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog and their Put A Good Word In challenge with the positive quote I used on my page.

I’m also joining the Layer It Up challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with the layers of papers, colours, heart and flowers on my page design.

I’m pleased to join the LTSCB #141 – Anything Goes challenge over at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog with my Grateful Heart page too.

Don’t forget that there is still time to join our Uplifting or Positive Quote challenge over at Try it on Tuesday; it would be lovely to see you there!

Spread your wings

It’s a new month so we are launching our July challenge over at the Creative Artiste Challenge Blog, and as always the theme is Anything Mixed Media Goes.

I was inspired by summer damselflies and had fun playing around with lots of mixed media to create this art journal page.

I started by applying Twisted Citron and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink to the page using a blending tool and then spritzed with water so that the inks blended and dispersed over the page. When dry I applied some of the Twisted Citron Ink through a Shedded stencil by Andy Skinner and also wiped a baby wipe through the stencil to remove some of the ink.

I stamped some Vintage Circles using a stamp set from Woodware Craft Collection with Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink and also some fern leaves using a Tim Holtz stamp set and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink. The black circles are stencilled using a Dutch Doobadoo stencil and Black Soot Distress Ink. I stamped the damselfly stamp which was free with a magazine using black Archival Ink so they look like they are flying around the page and then I splattered the page with Carbon Black Liquitex Ink. The wording “don’t forget to fly”, “with brave wings she flies” and “use your wings” are all Small Talk stickers from Tim Holtz.

The central “Until you spread your wings you’ll never know how far you’ll fly!” wording was created using a couple of Kaisercraft Journal Cards which I cut to size, dyed with Twisted Citron and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink and embellished with a black metal dragonfly brad. Then I edged them with a black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and layered everything together with some pretty flowers and leaves which finished the page.

I hope that you are inspired to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes Challenge too! For more inspiration please check out the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members over at Creative Artiste too – it would be lovely to see you there!

Here is the pretty blue damselfly that inspired this page. They are very similar to dragonflies but the easiest way tell them apart is when they are at rest like this one; damselflies fold their wings up and hold them together across the top of their backs whereas dragonflies hold their wings out perpendicular to their bodies when resting, like an airplane. This is a Common Blue Damselfly; it is fairly common throughout the UK and is seen from May through to September.

If you’re interested here are some more differences between damselflies and dragonflies (which made me think that the free stamp I used is a damselfly – grin!):

  • Damselflies have much smaller eyes than dragonflies and their eyes always have a gap between them whereas dragonflies wrap around the head from the side to the front of the face.
  • Damselflies have narrow bodies like twigs, whereas dragonflies have bulkier bodies giving it a shorter, thicker appearance.
  • Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, damselflies have wings that are the same size and shape and dragonflies have hind wings that are larger than the front set of wings.

Hoping that you are all staying safe and keep 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 join the lovely Erika from her blog BioArtGal over at Art Journal Journey and her When It’s Hot challenge this month with my damselfly page as they appear when it’s hot.

I’m joining the Cattywampus challenge over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog with the askew journal cards.

Art journaling always makes me happy as it helps me breathe and I love to capture memories on my pages, so I’m entering the Do What Makes You Happy challenge over at Country View Challenges too.

I’m also pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Bright & Cheerful challenge.

I’m also happy to be able to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my page.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon, Mowed lawn, Black Soot)
  • DecoArt Andy Skinner Mixed Media Stencil (Shedded)
  • Woodware Craft Collection Clear Magic Singles (Vintage Circles FRS665)
  • Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous (Leaf Prints CMS273)
  • Dutch Doobadoo Mask Art A5 (Geometric Tiles)
  • Free Stamp with magazine – The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady (Dragonfly)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Liquitex Ink! (Carbon Black)
  • Kaisercraft Captured Moments Journal Cards (Life’s Treasure CM108)
  • Metal Brad (Dragonfly – Black)
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Artist Pitt Pen (Black 199)
  • Stix2 double-sided tape
  • Little Birdie Flowers (Boutique Elements SKU213179)
  • Ranger Glossy Accents
  • Tim Holtz idea-ology Stickers (Small Talk #TH93193)

Heat of Summer

Today I am sharing a page that I created especially to join in with the fun themes over at some of my favourite challenge blogs. This includes using a ballpoint pen to create the grids on my page, dividing the page so it has a distinct panel along the bottom, some splashes and splatters and celebrating summer with the hot colours and wording – I hope you like it!

I love the contrast between the black and white and the sunny summer colours (grin!).

I started by drawing the grid patterns on the page using a black ballpoint pen and a ruler which was fun and took quite a bit of time (grin!).

Then I stamped the central leaf, the numbers and letters using my new Postal Mix stamp set from Woodware Craft Collection and black Archival Ink. Next I coloured the bottom of the page with some hot summer colours using Yellow, Lemon, Orange and Rose Red Brusho powders. I did this by sprinkling the Brushos onto the page and spritzing with water; it always amazes me how magically the powders burst with colour when water is added (grin!). When dry, I splattered the page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

I stamped the leaf three more leaves onto some white cardstock using my Ranger Stamp Platform, this helps get a clear crisp image as you can re-stamp over and over again until you get the ink intensity that you want. Then I fussy cut them out and stuck one of them over the stamped image and then arranged the other two leaves around it. I used rub-on transfers for all the summer related wording which includes “summer”, “hot”, “sun”, “easy”, “June”, “July” and “August”. To finish, I added two small black butterflies and drew on some antennae with a UniPin marker. 

The colours on this page reminds me of a lovely lily that we have flowering in our garden – it certainly is a spectacular sight (grin!).

Hoping that you are 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.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join the Positively Pensive challenge over at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge Blog with the grid designs that I drew on this page.

I’m joining in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their Sprays and Splatters challenge with the splashes of Brushos and paint on my art journal page.

I’m also happy to be able to join the #121 – Sketch challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my page design; the bottom panel of colour and leaves match the sketch.

With the hot summer colours and wording, I’m also pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Summer Fun challenge too.

Don’t forget that you still have time to join our Anything Mixed Media Goes challenge this month over at Creative Artiste Challenge Blog too, it would be lovely to see you there!

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Bic Ballpoint Pen (Black)
  • Woodware Craft Collection Clear Magic Singles (Postal Mix FRS781)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Colourcraft Brusho Crystal Colours (Yellow, Lemon, Orange, Rose Red)
  • DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
  • White Cardstock
  • Zig Memory System 2-way Glue (Dual Action Glue Pen)
  • Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Transfers (Summer Sentiment #ROY-505)
  • Poundland (Mini Embellishments)
  • UniPin Fine Line Marker Pen (Black 0.05mm)

Wonderful Life

Outside our kitchen window we always have one of our seasonal garden flags displayed that our dear friends gifted us. I’ve been meaning to create an art journal page based on our summer flag for a while now, so over the weekend I got creative and this is the page that resulted – I hope you like it (grin!).

I started by applying Salty Ocean and Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink using a blending tool through a doily stencil to create the circular pattern; the stencil only detailed one quarter of the doily so I stencilled it four times joining the pattern together to create a whole circle. I ensured that the blending tool was wet when applying this ink to give a washed out effect and I also graduated the ink from dark blue to light blue from the left-hand side to the right-hand side of the page to give a hombre effect. To further emphasis the hombre effect, I applied more of the Salty Ocean ink on the left-hand side of the page using a blending tool and also by stamping the ink pad directly to an acrylic block, spritzing with water and pressing the block onto the page.

When dry, I added strips of a dotty lime green washi tape and some torn pieces of a dark green striped washi tape. The pretty flowers that I stuck over the washi tape are cut from a strip of stickers from Kaisercraft. Next I stamped the background with a Music Sheet stamp from Woodware Craft Collection using Ground Espresso Distress Archival Ink and also splattered the page with some Ground Espresso Distress Ink.

I created the bird using my new Feathered Friends Thinlet set from Tim Holtz and some linen textured cardstock that I had coloured using Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke and Salty Ocean Distress Ink. The quotes are from the same Kaisercraft sticker sheet and were edged with a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker; they read “Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful”, “Happy” and “Love this life” which finished the page.

This is our summer garden flag that inspired my page design; it is such a bright and happy design and makes me smile when I see it everyday (grin!).

Hoping that you are 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.

Challenges

I’m pleased to join the lovely Halle from Halle’s Hobbies over at Art Journal Journey and her A Stitch In Time challenge this month with the faux doily background and pieces of washi tape which represent my fabric garden flag.

I’m pleased to join in the Summer Fields challenge over at Country View Challenges with my summery art journal page.

I’m also joining in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and their It’s A Man Thing challenge with the blue, green and brown masculine colours on this page.

Don’t forget that you still have time to join our monthly Anything Mixed Media Goes challenge over at Creative Artiste too!

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire, Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Hickory Smoke)
  • The Works The Craft Place (Spotted Paper Tapes)
  • Docrafts Papermania Capsule Collection Patterned Craft Tape (Spots & Stripes Festive PMA462302)
  • Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Secret Garden SS283)
  • Woodware Craft Collection Clear Magic Singles (Music Sheet JGS111)
  • Ranger Distress Archival Ink (Ground Espresso)
  • Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlets (Feathered Friends 664433)
  • Craft Sensations (Luxury Cardstock with Linen Texture CRO240/GE)
  • Pritt Stick
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)

Home Sweet Home

The new challenge for the next two weeks at Try it on Tuesday is:

Home Sweet Home/Where you would like to live

At Try it on Tuesday we are also saying a big hello and welcome to the very talented Helen and Mia who have both joined our Design Team, please check out their amazing first creations over at our blog!

My Home Sweet Home page design was inspired all the birds that are around at the moment that are setting up new homes in readiness for spring – I hope you like it!

I started by smooshing Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink onto the background by stamping the ink pad onto an acrylic block, spritzing with water and pressing the block onto the page. When dry, I stamped a Sheet Music stamp from Woodware Craft Collection and also the “Home Sweet Home” wording using a stamp set from Concord & 9th and black Archival Ink. I added some more detail to the wording using a white Uniball gel pen and then I stencilled some Ranger Texture paste though a Carabelle Studio Art Template.

Using two different Tim Holtz thinlet sets I created the tree branches from brown paper that I coloured further using Vintage Photo and Ground Espresso Distress Ink. The branches are stuck in place using a Zig glue pen and shaded further using a Dark Sepia Faber-Castell Big Brush marker. The leaves were cut from green paper, which I coloured further using some Mowed Lawn and Twisted Citron Distress Ink; they are cut using a Fall Foilage thinlets set from Tim Holtz and are also stamped with some tiny dots using a Kaisercraft stamp and Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.

I created the birdhouse using some off-cuts of paper that were on my craft desk; drawing the birdhouse design and heart onto the paper and then cutting them out.

I added more detail using Winsor & Newton Promarkers; Henna and Canary to create the wooden panels and Ruby and Rose Pink for the heart and roof. I suspended the birdhouse from one of the branches using some white twine sticking the birdhouse in place using double-sided foam tape. The cute birds were stamped onto white linen paper using a Picket Fence stamp set and black Archival Ink and then coloured using Sky Blue, Cool Grey and Canary Winsor & Newton Promarkers. I also stamped the birds onto the page and the birdhouse roof using the black Archival Ink and then I stuck the coloured birds over the top using double-sided foam tape. To finish, I splattered the page with some black DecoArt acrylic paint.

My Design Teamies have created some amazing Home Sweet Home/Where would you like to live inspiration for you over at Try it on Tuesday too, so please pop over and take a look.

The birds reminded me of the tea tray that we use everyday at home, as you can see it has lots of lovely garden birds on it that we find here in the UK.

Here’s our tray being put to good use; as T Stands for Tuesday it’s pictured holding our daily cuppa and homemade fruit cake that we are enjoying at the moment – 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 pleased to join the lovely Eileen from The Artful Crafter and her Green challenge over at Art Journal Journey this month with the green leaves on this page.

I’m happy to be able to join the Use Some Green challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge with my art journal page too.

I’m also pleased join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my page.

I’m also joining the Stencil Fun challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge as I included stencilling on my art journal page.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, Vintage Photo, Grounsd Espresso, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron)
  • Woodware Crafts Collection (Sheet Music JG111)
  • Concord & 9th Stamp Set (Sophisticated Script 10056)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
  • Carabelle Studio Art Template (Trame Tissues et Chiffres TE60034)
  • Ranger Texture Paste
  • Studio Light Paper Pad (PPSL84)
  • Crafter’s Companion Luxury Designer Paper Pad (Angelica & Adam Collection A&A-PAP6-M)
  • Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlets (Funky Florals Large 664158, Fall Foliage 660955) 
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Dark Sepia 175 B)
  • Kaisercraft Clear Stamp (Tiny Dot CS360)
  • Zig Memory System 2-way Glue (Dual Action Glue Pen)
  • Home Bargains Special Occasion (Mini Decorative Stickers 22740)
  • Paper off-cuts (Yellow, White coloured with red and pink Distress Inks)
  • Winsor & Newton ProMarker (Henna 0225, Canary Y367, Ruby R455, Rose Pink M727, Sky Blue B137, Cool Grey 4 CG4)
  • White Thread
  • Picket Fence Studios Stamps (Chirp Chirp A130)
  • X-Press It! double-sided foam tape
  • DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)

Splash of Colour

You have a choice for our new challenge for the next two weeks over at Try it on Tuesday White Space or Colourful Grunge.

So you can leave a lot of white space or go colourful and grungy or maybe include both like me (grin!).

I created this art journal page using a couple of Carabelle Studio flower masks and some different techniques using Distress Inks; for one flower I used Cracked Pistachio and Fossilised Amber ink and for the other I used Festive Berries and Peacock Feathers ink. Firstly I applied a layer of watered down Distress Ink by painting it through the masks which was a new technique for me; I did this by stamping the ink pad onto an acrylic block and picking up the ink with a wet paintbrush. Then to intensify the colours I also applied the Distress Inks using a blending tool and then I splattered the inks onto the page too. I stamped a Script Stamp by Kaisercraft using black Archival Ink and added some black flower stickers. The wording “Sometimes all you need is a splash of colour” is a sticker from Kaisercraft and was outlined with a black Uni Pin marker. To finish, I splattered the page with black DecoArt acrylic paint.

For more inspiration, be sure to check out the white space and colourful grunge creations from my Design Teamies at Try it on Tuesday too!

Also over at Try it on Tuesday we have a Design Team call out, so if you are interested in joining our friendly group and have a current blog, please create a project for our White Space or Colourful Grunge challenge and when you enter your project over at Try it on Tuesday add DT to your challenge entry. We accept projects using any mediums, materials, style etc. it is your choice what you make, as long as it is based on the challenge theme.

To continue the white space theme and as T Stands for Tuesday, I’m sharing these fabulous mugs that we saw in a local shop. I thought they were so adorable and I know some of you will definitely like the pretty kitty cats – Happy T Day everyone!

Challenges

I’m joining the Something New challenge that I’m hosting over at Art Journal Journey, as painting Distress Inks through a mask was new to me, maybe you could join us by using a new technique too it would be great to see you there!

I’m pleased to join in the fun over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Use a Stencil challenge too.

I’m also happy to be able to join the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my page too.

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:

  • Carabelle Studio Art Mask (2 Flowers MA60054)
  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Cracked Pistachio, Fossilised Amber, Festive Berries, Peacock Feathers)
  • Kaisercraft Clear Stamps (Script CS752)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Woodware Craft Collection (Black Flower Stickers)
  • Kaisercraft Sticker Set (Fiesta! SS284)
  • Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.8mm)
  • DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)

Here with you

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought I’d create a page with my hubby in mind. We have been married for many years (it will be 32 years this year) so I created a romantic vintage page.

I also used some of my new Wendy Vecchi Make Art Blendable Dye inks from Ranger; they were fun to use and I love the colours and coverage – see what you think.  

I started by adding some ripped book pages to the page using a glue stick and then I stamped an Finnabair and a Woodware Craft stamp to add some script and sheet  music using black Archival Ink. Next I applied some Pébéo white gesso using a brayer and when dry applied some Potting Soil, Acorn and Watering Can Wendy Vecchi Make Art inks which I watered down on an acrylic block before painting them onto the page with a paintbrush. I also applied some more of the Acorn ink through a Moroccan stencil using a blending tool.

The roses are fussy cut from a wallpaper sample and like all the paper elements, I created some shadows around them so they stood out more by applying and smudging some Dark Sepia Faber-Castell marker with my finger before sticking them down using Liquitex matte gel medium. The roses are arranged on the page with some Kaisercraft Stickers; this included some bird and foliage images, some white, green and grey hearts and also some wording which reads “here with you”, “there are so many beautiful reasons to be happy” and “joy is contagious”. To finish, I splattered the page with black and white DecoArt acrylic paint.

There are so many reasons to be happy when I’m with my hubby, we always have fun together and for that I am very thankful (grin!).

Over at Try it on Tuesday we have a Design Team call out, so if you are interested in joining our friendly group and have a current blog, just add DT to your challenge entry to our current or next theme over at Try it on Tuesday. We accept projects using any mediums, materials, style etc. it is your choice what you make, as long as it is based on the challenge theme.

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 Something New challenge that I’m hosting over at Art Journal Journey as I used my new Wendy Vecchi Make Art Inks on this page.

As this page was created with my hubby in mind, I’m pleased to join the Love challenge over at Country View Challenges.

With the Moroccan stencil that I added to this page, I’m also happy to join the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Use a Stencil challenge too.

I’m also joining the Anything Goes challenge over at Paperbabe Stamps with my vintage page too.

With the worn and weather look that I created on my art journal page, I also wanted to remind you that there is still time to join the We’re all getting older challenge this month over at A Vintage Journey, it would be lovely to see you there!

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Old book pages
  • Pritt Stick
  • Prima Marketing Finnibair Clear Stamp (Old Receipt Item#966980)
  • Woodware Craft Collection Clear Magic Singles (Sheet Music JGS111)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Pébéo White Gesso
  • Ranger Brayer (Small)
  • Ranger Wendy Vecchi Blendable Dye Ink (Potting Soil, Acorn, Watering Can)
  • Creative Expressions That Special Touch of Mica Masks (Morrocan)
  • Wallpaper sample
  • Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
  • Kaisercraft Sticker Sheet (Everlasting SS376, High Tea SS336)
  • Faber-Castell Big Brush Marker (Dark Sepia 175 B)
  • DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black, White)

12 Days of Christmas

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Turtle Doves – I surrounded the dove with some hearts that were created using a paper punch.
  3. 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.
  4. Calling Birds – The berry branch was from the Tim Holtz Garden Greens Thinlet set and the music notes were hand drawn and cut out.
  5. 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!).
  6. Geese a Laying – I stamped and cut out some extra eggs.
  7. Swans a Swimming – I added some extra waves and a circle die cut to depict the sun.
  8. Maids a Milking – The flowers were die cut using a Funky Florals Thinlet set from Tim Holtz.
  9. Ladies Dancing – I created the dance floor and little flowers using another Urban Arts stamp set.
  10. Lords a Leaping – The foreground and the snow fall were created using die cuts.
  11. Pipers Piping – I used the Sheet Music stamp again to depict the Piper’s music.
  12. 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.

As I included stars on my page, I’m also joining Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and their Starry Starry Night challenge too.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

  • Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Shabby Shutters, Festive Berries, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry, Twisted Citron, Fired Brick)
  • Woodware Clear Magic Singles (Sheet Music JGS111)
  • Docrafts Papermania Mini Clear Stamps (Letters to Santa PMA907917)
  • Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
  • Pébéo White Gesso
  • DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
  • Leon X-Large Coloured Paper (Black)
  • Sizzix Thinlets Debi Patter (Brush Numbers 661726)
  • White mixed media paper
  • Docrafts Papermania Urban Stamps (12 Days of Christmas – Icons PMA907909, Craft Collection – Pastels PMA907223)
  • Sizzix Tim Holtz Thinlets (Garden Greens 661206, Funky Floral #1 662700)
  • Sharpie Permanent marker (Black)
  • Tonic Studios Paper Punch Accent (Hearts Sider 830E)
  • The Works (Cutting Dies – Stitched Circles, Stitched Squares)
  • Crafter’s Companion Parisian Collection Clear Stamp (Beau Collage S-PAR-ST-BCOL)
  • Poppy Stamps Craft Dies (Small Blooming Poinsettia Style No: 902)
  • Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.2mm)
  • Craft Sensations (Clear Stamps CR0274/16R1)
  • Zig Memory System 2-Way Glue (Glue Dual Action Pen)