I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Wednesday 12 September 2012

My heart is ready...

...and what am I gonna do?

Hello again to all visitors, old and new - it's wonderful that you've found time to stop by today.  The title and follow up at the beginning of today's post are the lyrics of a song which struck deep to my heart, and which wouldn't leave me alone, and ended up spilling onto some pages in my newly begun art journal.

I was taught the song (which is by Cindy Kallet) at a singing workshop led by the fantastic Andrea Small, a Natural Voice practitioner, a few weeks ago... and created these pages a few days later, when it was still going round and round in my heart and my voice, but haven't had the chance to share them with you yet.  So here we go...



The centrepiece stamp is from one of the new Classic Collection sets recently re-released by Stampers Anonymous at Tim Holtz's instigation (it's set #5 if you're tempted).  Her face is hauntingly gorgeous, and I find that the expression shifts in meaning according to one's mood or how you surround her.



Having stamped her on one side of the spread, I wanted her facing in the other direction for a different aspect on the opposite page, so stamped her on tissue paper and adhered it (fairly wetly, to get my favourite crinkled texture involved) back to front to get the reverse image.





For the right hand page I cut a mask to shield the face, and then followed my (ready) heart in stamping, painting, inking and blending.


There's gesso, acrylics, embossing, and stamped-in gesso, mainly using architectural elements from another of the Classic Collection sets, set #7.  Given that the whole page was fired and inspired by a song, the Kaisercraft music stamp also puts in a strong showing...

 

The masking means that you can create the background with great intensity of colour and stamping, and the face will always float at the front of the layers.

I added the flush of excitement to her cheeks and lips by some sort of internal compulsion, almost against my will... but once it was there, I knew it was right!






On the left hand page, I'd already put some stamping in place before sticking down the tissue paper face, so the Aged Mahogany sculptural flourishes "bleed" into her features.

I'm generally wary of Aged Mahogany - it's such a full on colour that it can get out of hand (overall, I don't seem to work with Brights very often)... but for the passionate connection I felt to the spirit of this song, that was the ink pad that found its way into my hands, along with Archival Coffee and Sepia, and Vintage Photo, Tea Dye and Walnut Stain DIs.

Following the presence of the darker, more contemplative image of the face on this left-hand page, the colours are more focused toward the browns than the hot reds and pinks, but that passionate colouring is still bubbling under the surface.




There's the soft glow of embossing too, which you can see I think in the photo here...


I absolutely love the texture available from the architectural flourish in Set #7... I stamped it repeatedly to get that texture spreading across the pages.




And the lyrics are simply questioning their way across the pages... each image facing up to the question and ready - I hope - to search for the answers...
















Thank you so much for joining me here at Words and Pictures today.  Sorry for all the photos but, as with the song, something about these pages sings to me, and I wanted to try to share that with you.  

I'm entering this for the following:
The Craft Barn are having an Art Journal challenge at the moment
The Stampman is looking for Hot Colours
Try It On Tuesday are offering us an Anything Goes challenge
And Simon Says Stamp would simply like us to Put a Stamp On It

My heart is ready and what am I gonna do? 
My heart is ready and what am I gonna do?
My heart is ready and what am I gonna do 
Oh God! My heart is ready and what am I gonna do? 

My feet are ready and what am I gonna do?
My feet are ready and what am I gonna do?
My feet are ready and what am I gonna do?
Oh God!  My feet are ready and what am I gonna do?

My hands are ready and what am I gonna do?
My hands are ready and what am I gonna do?
My hands are ready and what am I gonna do?
Oh God!  My hands are ready and what am I gonna do?

My voice is ready and what am I gonna do?
My voice is ready and what am I gonna do?
My voice is ready and what am I gonna do?
Oh God!  My voice is ready and what am I gonna do? 

My heart is ready and what am I gonna do?
My heart is ready and what am I gonna do?
My heart is ready and what am I gonna do?
Oh God!  My heart is ready and what am I gonna do?
Cindy Kallet

52 comments:

Mrs.B said...

Hi Alison, This is stunning, and its strange, but the expressions on the faces do look different depending on the stamping.
Avril xx

catherine said...

I just love everything about this Alison there are so many beautiful images and the colour goes so well.
x catherine

Andrea Small said...

Ooh it's looooovely - and thanks for the many pictures. Holding my iPad up and trying to see from different angles this time...x

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous project Alison. TFS all of the photos. Really enjoyed reading how you made this.
Regards Florence x

Chrissy said...

Gorgeous Art Journal Alison, and she is hauntingly beautiful, as you said.
With the colour variation, the images almost look like Mother and Daughter, the Daughter being the lighter version.Beautiful colourings.

Luv CHRISSYxx

Redanne said...

Hi Alison, I adore your wonderful project, the colours are perfect and I love the way you have mirrored the face, she is a real beauty and you have shown her off so well. Crafty hugs, Anne x

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Wow Alison what a great inspiration!!! Love these pages with the mysterious looking backgrounds and the faces are so great...masking is amazing eh?!!
Gorgeous mylady! :-)

greetings, Alie

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Beautiful Alison, the faces blend with the background beautifully. So many layers of interest create a wonderful background and composition. Tracy x

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Two fantastic pages, love every detail on them.

Jenny Marples said...

So atmospheric Alison. Love the mix of techniques you've used. Congrats on your win too. Hugs, Buttons x

House of Bears said...

This is just stunning. We've just discovered stamping onto tissue paper but our first attempts were a little hit and miss.

Karen McAlpine said...

BE-autiful!!!! Love how you did the masking and the reverse with tissue technique. I have to try this!! Gorgeous colors and background!!! Love everything about this project.

nefertiti said...

I have just do a small visit on your blog, I like your vintage scrap "retro",it's really wonderful!!!!
Thank you for your visit on my blog too!!bizz

Sarah said...

A lovely spread...soft yet bold.
Congrats on all of your recent honors.

Yvonne Garner said...

What lovely journal pages Alison! Just breathtaking.mcongrats, too, on your selection over at Frilly and Funkie! Best, Yvonne

Desire Fourie said...

This is so beautifully designed and the colours work so well together. Wishing you a fab Wednesday.
Hugs
Desíre
{Doing Life – my personal blog}

Darlene said...

OH MY STARS! This is just GORGEOUS! I love everything about this journal and will be bookmarking to come back for inspiration when I find a little more time in my day! Beautifully done! Thanks for your visit to my blog ... hope you come back again!
Darlene
DAR'S CRAFTY CREATIONS

Netty said...

Loving your beautiful spread with its soft muted colours and the beautiful lady. Annette x

Karin said...

wow its gorgeous!!

Anonymous said...

Alison, this is a dream. The way the colours and images almost float is gorgeously appealing.
Wishes
Lynne

Kim x said...

Hi Alison, fabulous creations, I'm just sorry that I don't have the time to comment on them all.
Thanks for stopping by I truly appreciate the comments that people leave.
Hugs Kimx

lisa said...

What a stunning pair of pages, they are just beautiful. I love the way you've mirror imaged that lovely face. All the new TH stamps are incredibly tempting aren't they but when you see them used in such a way, they become even more so.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I have a lot of cobwebs to blow away!!!!!
Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #88

P.S Thanks so much for sharing your stunning work of art with us at The Stampman. I shall definitely be urging the rest of the team to come and take a peek!

Janny Jager said...

Very very beautiful Alison.
Great colors and details.

Greetings Janny

mark gould said...

wow, great pages, totally beautiful, She is such a striking and haunting image, I really must get this set. The pink and brown work brilliantly together there is a great contrast between soft and hard with the different stamped images.
x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Being able to sing would be on my top 3 wishes if given any!!! This is a stunning make! Just stunning!

Meggymay said...

Wow, gorgeous pages, the images are beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us at TioT's this time.
Yvonne

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow your work Alison is amazing truly inspirational. This piece is stunning and I love how you have reflected her on the other side, it's almost like a reflection of her dream, with the stamping seeping through the tissue paper, absolutely stunning. Hugs Kerry xxx

Sarah J Moerman said...

Hi Alison,
What a gorgeous album!! Just wanted to give you a heads up that you won the $25 Simon Says Stamp gift voucher through the comment you left on my blog during the blog hop! If you could email me through the link on the sidebar of my blog I will get things set up so you receive your voucher! Thanks so much! sarahjmoerman.blogspot.com

Birgit said...

These are great pages. It all works together so well.

chrissie said...

Truly magical with wonderful colour and images. A real treasure.

Love Chrissie xx

Julia S-W said...

Something clearly touched you whilst at your class and this is the culmination of that: a totally beautiful and for me, haunting piece which I love. I have seen this stamp set and keep thinking I must buy it. . . not sure I could make anything to match this with it though! A wonderful wake up to my day - thank you.
Juliaxx

toni said...

Absolutely lovely pages, you have really expressed yourself with these. The singing workshop was obviously very inspirational for you, lovely toni x

Unknown said...

Ooohhh she is gorgeous and I'm tempted alright. ;-) Thanks for enabling. hehehe Your colors, journaling and techniques are fantastic Alison. I'm so glad you are sharing your art journaling with all of us. Hugs

Gio said...

This pages are so dreamy and beautiful, Alison!

Thank you for joining the challenge at Craftbarn :-)

Ana K. said...

Absolutely stunning Alison...amazing stamps combination and final creation is just stunning!

Claudia N. said...

Some pages to dive in deeply, Alison!

They reveal so much of their "nature" at second, third,... sights. It feels like peeling an onion. Every layer you have opened reveals another one!

Beautiful!!!

Hugs,
die amelie xx

Anjas-Artefaktotum said...

Really unique magnificent pages, all details are delightful.
Hugs Anja

Scrapmate said...

This is beautiful, I love that stamp and the pages have an ethereal feel to them.

Alison said...

Your page is stunning Alison, I have that beautiful stamp set on order, can't wait to play with it! x

Cathy L. Calamas said...

Soooo beautiful. I love that you share lots of photos of your work at different angles. We get to see the gorgeous detail. Love that stamp, too.

cheiron said...

Wonderful. Love this art journal. Thanks for playing along with the Put A Stamp On It Challenge over on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog!

Shelby said...

If I haven't mentioned it a gazillion times before...I love your style and your vintage work. Another amazing piece of art.

Shelby

Cocofolies said...

C'est superbe, bravo !!!

Marjie Kemper said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Love the stamping, the colors, and the many layers. Just beautiful, Butterfly!

Bee and Dee said...

Wow this is amazing love it. Thank you for you lovely visit to my blog hugs Bee

Sue said...

Absolutely beautiful Alison, I love all of the techniques, especially your stamping onto tissue paper. Just when I thought I had enough Tim stamps he has to go and release these lol. Have a fab weekend x

Evil Edna said...

absolutley stunning, thank you for sharing your wonderful creation at TIOT.EE

Anonymous said...

Absolutely beautiful, Thank you for playing with us at the Craft Barn
Izzy

Bärbel said...

Zwei grandios gestaltete Seiten, auf denen es so Vieles zu entdecken gibt! Ich bin begeistert, Alison!

Michelle Webb said...

Ooo I love it, and I love those stamps too. So cool that you entered it into Try it on Tuesday. Michelle x

Claudia N. said...

Congrats, Alison,

for winning the Top 5 at Try it on Tuesday with this gorgeous project!!!! Sooo earned!

Wishes,
Claudia xx

Petersongzbp said...

Ooohhh she is gorgeous and I'm tempted alright. ;-) Thanks for enabling. hehehe Your colors, journaling and techniques are fantastic Alison. I'm so glad you are sharing your art journaling with all of us. Hugs