Mysterious (AJP)

Back to basics with this simple art journal page offering. A mop up page, some finger painting, stamps and mark making added and I was pleased with how it turned out. Stamps are all from VLVS

Until next time
Cxx

Scribble that sh!t out (AJP)

This was an art journal page inspired by a project I did as part of the ongoing Well Spring 2020 online course. I layered up old  torn pieces of book pages, gessoed over the top, added some acrylic paint and then topped with some random stamping and mark making.  I added some black paint and wiped back through a stencil to complete my background.  On a separate piece of card I stamped the focal image (by VLVS) and coloured it before adhering it to the page. Finally I stamped the wording (also VLVS) to complete the page.

The wording resonates with me because for the past year or so I have started out almost every project by scribbling random thoughts on the page and then covering them up with the layers of gesso, paint and other mediums. It is very therapeutic so I shall continue to scribble that shit out every time.

It was a fun exercise and I'm happy its in my play journal.
Until next time, stay safe
Cxx

Creative Madness... I paint my Dreams (AJP)

This page was made as part of  the ongoing Well Spring 2020 online course. It is my take on the presented project. It was great fun as always to build up the layers on the page and then to add the face. I didn't have any of the stamps used in the sample project  so drew the face and used her head as a paint pot, with the colour dripping down. My face drawing still leaves a lot to be desired - I am horrible at noses and the features are a bit wonky, but hey, nobody's perfect!

I really liked this page and every time I look at it, it makes me smile

Until next time, stay safe
Cxx

I wish more people were fluent in silence (AJP)

I did this art journal page on Wednesday. I was just messing around building layers and textures at the sides of the page with torn paper, topped with fibres mixed into a little modelling paste and gesso. The colour came from just two colours of Dylusions sprays (post box red and sunshine) and when everything was dry I went over the textured parts with inca gold. The focal image was made with a stencil from Tando Creative. I used markers for hair , lips and glasses and white paint for her hair, Glossy accents on lips and glasses to finish it off. The title words are from Tim Holtz snarky sayings.

I enjoyed making this page and was pleased with how it came out.
Until next time
Stay safe
Cxx

Shine like the whole universe is yours (AJPs)

 These two pages were done about a week apart and it was only afterwards that I realised I had used the same wording stickers for both..."Shine like the whole universe is yours"

The first one I painted the entire page black and used a stencil to add gold metallic start to which I added a mix of white and sparkly dots...

While for the second one I used a dark blue background, and  another stencil - this time to add silvery moon wax

I like both and although they are very different, I think they still both suit the wording stickers and I am happy with my happy coincidence. I loved that JanuArty gave me the chance to simply play around without worrying about the finished result... or without even finishing a project at all. Just to do something creative every day was the aim...it is liberating. I  may try to keep this going...

Until next time
Cxx

Lolly sticks

Here I am openly showing my addiction to ice lollies with a lolly stick based project. I have done several of these before but this idea was featured in the Savvy Supply School (from Mixed Up Creative Academy) with a sample project by Corrie Herriman  and that is what prompted this particular offering.

I decided to go grungy with this one and because it has been prompted by the savvy supply school I decided to try to use things lurking on my desk...including a torn die cut, some twine off cuts and even some left over hot glue swirls that were on my craft mat. (I did not try to colour these but you may spot them behind and in front of the bird)

It was a messy project but I enjoyed it and using supplies from around the house makes it so much easier to just play around...I am certainly freer than if I was working on a bought substrate that's for sure.

Until next time
Cxx

Cherish Family (AJP)

This page was prompted by thoughts of my brothers. I started the page by writing my thoughts onto the blank page in pencil. This was covered with the layers of Payne's Grey and Quin Gold paint. I used a comb attachment nozzle leftover from a hair kit to scratch "some words" into the wet paint as a reminder of what was written underneath and I added a little more paint on top and used the same nozzle to add lighter grey around the edges of the page. Paper dolls - which look nothing at all like my brothers of course -  and small talk stickers finished it off. Not sure my brothers will ever see it but I am sure they would be chuffed to know thoughts of them inspired this page and family is always to be cherished - especially in such difficult times as we are facing just now.

Until next time, take care and stay safe
Cxx

Pocket Envelope

This project was inspired by my friend the lovely and talented DeeDee Catron and features what is an absolute first for me... some actual sewing!
Since a disaster in needlework class aged 12 I have been too scared to go near a sewing machine but for this project I included a spot of hand sewing...something I never do unless a button falls off a favourite garment and I am forced to grab needle and thread. ...but I LOVE how this came out and may incorporate sewing into other projects.

DeeDee was one of many talented tutors on the savvy supplies school course and she kindly provided a template for this as well as some ideas for using everyday supplies and trying different sizes and styles.

I love this cute little pocket lope and will definitely be making more of these.

Until next time
Cxx

Savvy Supply School is in full swing

 At the end of last year I signed up for a 2020 online course with Mixed Up Creative Academy  called Savvy Supply School... weeks of lessons filled with ideas and techniques which  show its not necessary to have a huge amount of supplies  and provides  great ideas to make the most of your stash and how to make good use of the everyday things we have around us.
This particular example was made using cardboard backing and the inner tube from loo rolls. I had such fun making it.
Until next time.
Cxx

Don't freak me out... ATC Coins

These three ATC coins were originally winter themed leftover from a couple of years ago and cluttering up my desk so I decided to flip them and start over. I did the background using the same basic shades and then stamped and fussy cut the three images (fabulous stamps from my collection of  stamps by  VLVS)  I just love the cute characters and these ATC coins made me smile.

Until next time
Cxx

We are... fearless, independent and original (AJP)

I think this is quite possibly my absolute favourite JanuArty piece yet. I started with a vintage dress pattern glued down and topped with clear gesso. Then I dry brushed some  paint (an aqua shade plus white) before adding the stamped images and stickers. I'm not sure what is is I like about it, but I really do like this one...and that is a rare thing when I am just messing around in my just because I can journal.

Until next time
Cxx

Focus on what's important (AJP)

I have to say this is one of  my favourites from JanuArty 2020. Most of the  JanuArty art journal pages start with a page used to mop up paint from the previous project... because of course paint cannot be wasted 😉. This one I used a brayer to lay the background layer using cranberry, orange and yellow matt paint. I used the cranberry paint through a Dylusions stencil  and the set to adding marks with both a black paint pen and a white gel pen before adding paper dolls and small talk stickers to finish it off. This one took longer because of the details but it was great to sit, tongue out in concentration, and just doodle away.

Until next time
Cxx

JanuArty 2020

I was invited by the lovely Suz Humphreys to join her facebook group JanuArty 2020 with the aim to get us all kick starting our new year /new decade creativity by trying to create something arty every day throughout January...

I was running behind time and this was the first ArtyThing I posted to the group. A very simple page using distress oxides and a couple of stamps (Trees are SU and monkeys are from VLVS) finished with  some Tim Holtz small talk stickers.

My ArtyThings  so far have  mainly been art journal pages but have also included a couple of other bits and pieces which I will upload in the coming days ...so watch this space as they say 👀

Anyhow at least I got started...and I am also doing  the Tando 366 challenge this year and taking a savvy supplies course (online)with Mixed Up Creative  Academy which I hope will provide new ideas for all the stuff I have kept (hoarded) in the belief that I can use that... This one excites me, even though I have a studio filled with materials, I do love to play around with everyday stuff too... More of that later

Bye for now
Cxx

Tag swap

This is a tag I made for the monthly decorated tag swap over at UK Stampers group. I loved building up the layers for this, starting with torn printed papers, layers of gesso, paints and then tons of stamping over the top to make the base, before stamping and fussy cutting the flower and leaves elements. Charcoal pencil and white gel pen were used for highlights and job done.

Until next time
Cxx

Anniversary card

This is the card I made for my brother and his wife for their recent wedding anniversary. They live in New Zealand and cards need to be fairly flat and simple if they are to arrive on the other side of the world in any kind of decent shape... so this was a simple mat and layer base, with a die cut and stamped sentiment.

Although its really simple, I think its cute and was happy to send it on its travels
Until next time
C xx

Be Authentic...Life is Beautiful

This spread was two separate pages done about a week apart and simply linked by colour palette.

The first completed was the Life is Beautiful. The background was blended using distress oxides and some kitchen towel to act as a stencil guide. Everything else on the page was stamped in black archival and all stamps are from Viva Las Vegas Stamps.

Be Authentic was very much an organic process. I blended the background with distress oxides and then wiped back some of the colour through a Tim Holtz crazy paving stencil. Then I used another  stencil to outline the face shape and I built it up  from there with an assortment of flowers and butterflies for her hair. Poor girl has no ears because I had intended to give her long hair but then the flowers and butterflies spoke to me and that was that...

It is fun to sometimes simply let go and go with the flow. The results are sometimes great and sometimes awful...but it is always interesting...and for anything not lovely, there is always gesso!

Until next time
Cxx

Simple Happy Birthday

My poor husband contracted chicken pox recently and it threw us all off kilter...which lead to me remembering the day before that I needed a birthday card. So this quick make came to the rescue. Pretty paper, a mat and a die cut and it was job done and into the post box quick smart...and it arrived with the birthday girl the very next day.

Sometimes keeping it really simply just works on so many levels

Until next time

Cxx

Adventure awaits...AJP

This page came about from a challenge prompt in Maremi's cafe group on Facebook. As I recall the main prompts were to use musical notes, circles, blue and cut away the edge of the page...

My response to this challenge was very simple and I had no real idea where I was going with it...so when I reached this stage I decided to simply stop! I may go back at a later date and make some adjustments but for now I am happy to let it be...
Until next time
Cxx

Ladies Day

Just playing around with this one. I was getting to the last double spread in my art journal and I think I was keen to get it done and start a fresh one...

 I will admit I still find sprays hard to control and prefer other means of building backgrounds ...and so I decided I would push myself a little and I would use sprays on this spread...I still can;t control them and I'm not a fan but hey ho... maybe one day ...

I do like making little doll like characters though and these two were no exception. The fact that they almost fill the page makes the background a little easier to bear (although I'm still not keen ) Normally I might use a little gesso or some white acrylic to tone down the background but because I used sprays I know they will react to anything I add on top ...unless I seal them first...and to be honest I wanted to get her done...so it is what it is and I am happy with that

Until next time
Cxx

Shine

This page came about as part of the Well Spring 2019 course I did over at Mixed Up Creative. The exercise involved using a self photo but I didn't have anything to hand so went for a pencil drawn face instead. The background was sponge stencilled, the dolls dress is a gelli print and her hair was circles of text with finger painted flowers over. I really enjoyed making this one.

Until next time
Cxx