Letting Things Go

I recently had my first attempt at a collage layout in my art journal, though it's probably more of a 'clean and simple collage' than a true collage, lol. It incorporates an autumn theme and colours and while it didn't end up looking exactly how I'd imagined, I let that ideal go and have come to love it. 

I began with covering the double spread using paints in yellows and oranges then stamped and clear embossed large leaves. Once dry I sponged over the background with blue and did some stamping of text with brown ink. Unfortunately I forgot to use permanent ink and used dye ink instead, so when it came time to glue the fussy-cut images and give the whole thing a coating of collage medium, the dye ink smudged, turned the blue to a murky green/brown and ended up darker than I'd intended. Lesson learned, sigh! I shadowed the collaged images with marker, added a sentiment and splatter, and darkened around the edges to draw the eye in. 

Materials used:

• stamps - Sketchy Leaves (Tim Holtz), script (stash)
• collage images - Autumn Stories (Maremi's Small Art)
• other - distress paints, clear embossing powder, heat tool, collage medium, Big Brush Pens 

I'm entering this in the Four Seasons Challenge for this month, which is autumn/fall.

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!