Art Journal Page

I have never done an Art Journal page before - well, before today that is! Quite frankly, I was terrified to attempt it as many of the ones I've seen have been amazing and I didn't want to even attempt to match up to those. I also wondered what on earth I would do a page about - not like A-Level art where the teacher gave you a starting point and if you were lucky some research info too! A crafting friend, BJ, decided she'd enter the challenge at the Craft Barn which is to produce an AJ page with hearts. The hearts must contain the things you love. Mmmmm? Does Bryan Ferry fit in a heart? Sadly not!! (That's showing my age!).

Seriously though, I found the production of the page difficult because there are so many things I like in many areas of life. I decided to concentrate on some of the techniques I currently like using on cards etc. I couldn't fit everything on so here are just a few of my favourite things:

My gorgeous new stamp had to go on here. I used some distress ink to add light colour to the  flowers and added  glossy accents so they stood out.

Love beads, ribbon, gold and of course, more embossing!

You can't see it very well here but the flowers are stamped and embossed on acetate .

This is a tiny piece of a large secondhand stamp I've got which is so vintage and I love it.

I love Christmas crafting and the more snowflakes I can squeeze in the better!

Around the hearts I've written as many things as I could think of that I love. Even my gorgeous cat gets a mention! Plus daughter and husband of course.

If I've got the concept of an AJ page wrong, please do let me know - I WANT to learn!!

I'm going to put this in the Craft Barn Challenge so if you're viewing this post - thank you! Constructive comments are really welcome! (If you know what I mean!).

New Stamp Arrived!

How gorgeous is that stamp? She arrived today and is the fourth La Blanche stamp that I've got. The others are flowers and some clocks. I had to try her out on the nearest scrap of card which was to hand. I had out my coffee archival ink pad (which is fast becoming a favourite) and voilà! I also added some dark bronze cosmic shimmer but that doesn't show up at all here. My photography skills are not good and I need HELP!

Not sure what I will do with her yet but just staring at this is enough for now - hopefully some inspiration will come. I don't want to 'colour her in' but would rather sneak her into a background in some way perhaps?

Maybe I should have a go at an AJ page like the Craft Barn challenge this week and include her as one of the things I love!

Valentine Card

The front of the card.

The two inside faces of the card and the back.

Decided to use the design elements from my box to make a Valentine card for a very special person! I used one of those three fold cards - I'm sure they have a technical name! - and decorated four of the faces of the card. I used a closed scallop embossed edging, rather than the open one I used on the box, to try to make it less 'girlie'. I failed on that of course because the whole colour scheme is feminine! Lots of stamping, inking, embossing, paper sculpting and I'm happy with it. Love the gold ribbon but need to get more!

Completed 'Love' Card

Thought I should do something to make this piece into a card. Couldn't decide what colour to mount it on though. Finally chose a grubby looking orange (with extra distress on the edges of course!) as all my blue coloured card seemed to clash. I think it's OK but of course it's not my usual choice of colour scheme! Have nearly finished a birthday card which I'll add later - back in my favourite scheme of Victorian Velvet, Fired Brick etc.!!!
I need to do more with this acetate technique - love it but short on acrylic colours sadly.

Love Embossed Acetate!

Then decided to have a go after seeing a demo on Saturday. I tried to be more careful this time with the acrylic paint on the embossed acetate. Have to say I was quite pleased with this one as it looks much cleaner and certainly more pronounced. Also stayed with the theme of using colours which aren't reds, dirty pinks and black - still kept the gold though!


Do I like the card? Mmm not sure but I do like certain aspects. Still can't stamp straight though!

First Try At Embossed Acetate

Here are the tags I made using the embossed acetate as seen on the Craft Barn blog and devised by one of their designers Neil Walker. I really like the effect but they won't take too much close inspection as I'm a long way off perfection here! I tried to use colours that are out of my usual 'comfort zone' (hate that phrase) and I really enjoyed the change. I know the good old reindeers are a little passée but they are so cute (probably the only cute thing I do like)! Also, I LOVE Christmas stuff!

Yippee!