No Matter What, No Matter How

It was my elder daughter's birthday yesterday and she always asks for handmade things from me - you may remember the Harry Potter piece I made her a while back. This time around it's a general reading theme, a passion I have in common with both my girls, I'm thankful to say.

It's a shadow box and I've used a number of items from Stamperia's Vintage Library collection.

The main focus is the book pages. I used modeling clay and a mold to make the 'books', which I then painted and swiped with gold wax. I toyed with adding more to the sentiment - the words I've used for my header, in fact: no matter what, no matter how. I firmly believe it doesn't matter what you read - be it comics, graphic novels or books of any genre - and it doesn't matter how you read - physical books or e-reader - the most important thing is just that you read.

There's a few layers of pages, which I've shaped a bit and separated, though they are held in place.

And there's a little visitor hiding in the corner.

I stuck him a bit low down, forgetting some of that corner would be obscured by the framing once it was in place, but oh well, lesson learned. He was glued on way too good to move him, lol. Luckily DD didn't mind.

If you're an avid reader too, hope you enjoy! Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

JAI #655 - Just Add Music

Welcome to another challenge with Just Add Ink. This week we're inviting you to ...

I've made an art journal page for my project. I have no skill with musical instruments but I have always loved singing and listening to songs, since way back in my intermediate school days (only a fellow kiwi will understand that reference, lol). When I looked up quotes related to music, the one I've used here (from Hans Christian Andersen) really resonated. 

I stencilled with both ink (music) and texture paste (words) on my page, also sponging the edges. Each piece of designer paper was distressed and sponged and all the ephemera pieces were sponged to match. Once all the layers were in place I splattered with both white and gold/brass paints and you might be able to see in the photo below that the cello, book it's sitting on and music book beside it also have hints of gold. 

Materials used:

• card - copper clay (SU), Vintage Library collection (Stamperia), A5 stone paper art journal (Stamperia)
• Other - Vintage Library ephemera (Stamperia), vintage photo distress oxide ink, distressing tool, tarnished brass and picket fence distress paints, Dimensionals, craft foam, blending foam, computer and printer, Book stencil (Stamperia), Concerto stencil (Tim Holtz), volume paste (Stamperia), paintbrush

There's plenty more inspiration over on the JAI blog. 

At the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge their theme this week is ANYTHING GOES, so I'm entering this page.

Thanks for dropping in.

Cheers

Kerry

Inside the Pages

This week's theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is art journal and as I'd been itching to create a new layout, I sat down this morning and played in my A5 stone paper journal. I love the stone paper as you don't have to prep the pages with gesso before using paints and inks etc.

I applied two blue paints over my page using a baby wipe then decorated the top and bottom edges with a flourish stencil and some volume paste. Once my images were sponged and adhered, I gave everything a coat of gel medium, which when dry allowed me to create shading with big brush markers. Once the sentiment went on, I added splatters in both white paint and brown ink and gave some sponging to the edges.

Materials used:

• Stamperia products - A5 stone paper art journal, Vintage Library die cuts and paper, powder blue and blue aviation Allegro paints, volume paste
• other - vintage photo archival and oxide inks (Ranger), swirl flourish stencil (Kaisercraft), palette knife, baby wipes, computer and printer, Big Brush Markers (Faber-Castell), picket fence distress paint, paintbrush, sponge daubers

Hope you check out all the other art journal pages over at the Simon challenge blog and thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kerry

Edited to add: Picked by Maura for the Designer's Spotlight. Thank you so much!