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...

Saturday 10 September 2016

Come What May

Hello all!  So, as promised when I shared some of the pages from the France Papillon workshop, I'm back with the newest bit of playing done in that same art journal, and this one's all me.  This page spread was created here in Columbus, Ohio, with my travelling stash, and it really was just playtime for me.


I think I may have started with a thin coat of gesso.  Then I stuck down some book page strips and added some stencilled texture using a semi-gloss heavy gel.







Over that I added some blobs of DecoArt Deep Midnight Blue and used a water brush to spread the paint out in interesting directions.













You can't really see much of the gel texture at this point, but I do like how much texture there is from the paint where it is thickest...















... as well as the watery effect as it spreads out towards the edges of the pages.













That's pretty much it on the process photos, as I got into the swing of things and was enjoying myself too much to stop and keep walking over to the windowsill where the decent light is.











(I'm still missing my outdoor photo backgrounds.  There's nowhere to do it round the hotel where I'm staying.  Well, there is some greenery, but there are also busy roads all around and far too many people who will look at me strangely if I hover over a bush or a patch of grass trying to get a tag to sit at the right angle!)











As you can see, I've added plenty of stamping.

These lovely leafy branches are a Memory Box stamp called Windswept.














And the swirling threads are by Gabrielle Pollacco for 49 Market.















The leaves are stamped in Sepia and the threads in Potting Soil Archival Inks.












I used the water brush again, this time to add some Vintage Photo Distress Ink in light washes.

There's also just a touch of Rusty Hinge in places.










I just swirled the brush on the ink pads and then applied it to the page, sometimes with an extra squeeze of water.

This helps to pick out some of the leafy gel texture in relief.













And you can also spot it when it catches the light, of course.















Some Idea-ology Small Talk stickers provide the words...















... important ones I try to live by.















And finally, as an alternative to my usual spatter, I put some DecoArt Whitewash paint onto my craft mat and used a toothpick to add marks and squiggles.














I love the way the random markings add highlighting accents and draw the eye into all that lovely texture.







So, I had a lovely time with these pages... blue and brown again, you'll notice.  A crafting obsession in a year with not that much time for crafting!


Thanks so much for stopping by today.  It's always a pleasure to hear from you, and I'm starting to do better with catching up with what all of you are getting up to.  I hope you're all enjoying a great weekend, and I'll see you again soon - maybe in Shanghai (if I get round to writing that post), or maybe just with some more blue and brown stuff!

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
Harriet Tubman

At the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge they are celebrating STAMPtember with a Stamp It theme this week, so I'd like to play along with that.
I don't usually play along at PaperArtsy - always felt a bit strange, given I'm one of the people who bobs up to provide inspiration now and then - but I haven't been able to do that for ages so I thought I might come at it from this direction for a change.  So with those toothpick squiggles, as well as all the brush work with the paints, I'd like to share this in the Making Marks challenge this fortnight.
And I'd like to make this my second entry in the Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes at the Love To Create Challenge

51 comments:

Astrid Maclean said...

Oh loving this spread Alison, great effects!! It looks as if your travelling stash is actually quite extensive! Love the effect of the gel. Great composition and of course your blue and brown colour combo is always wonderful!

Ok, now for some good old dutch honesty, - please don't be offended..... I just wanted to say how I actually much prefer these indoor photos to your usual outdoor shots, though the light outside of course is lovely, I always find the leafy backgrounds very distracting, here you can really just enjoy the artwork and for me that works much better...

Anneke said...

Wouw!!!! What a great effect! Everything fits perfectly. If it wasn't in a book I would put a frame around it
And hang it as a master piece in my sitting room. It's wonderful Alison. There's an explosion and I really love it.

brenda said...

Just wonderful Alison and such an inspirational piece of artwork, thank you for sharing.

B x

Lauren Hatwell said...

Wow! What a stunning piece of work. I could gaze at it for hours. Lx

Brenda Brown said...

Oh gorgeous scrumptious layering and beautiful effects, this really is eye catching and full of brilliant details. Xxx

Nikki Acton said...

Hello Ohio! Lovely to see you playing on your travels. Great pages, wonderful depth and intrigue with all those yummy layers xx

chrissie said...

Stunning pages Alison and it is always good to see your own special colours on projects. You don't need a lot of stuff to create wonders as what is inside you comes out with whatever you use I think.

Great words today as well

Take care

Love Chrissie xx

Amanda said...

This should be a lesson to us all, you can create great work with limited supplies, a lesson we will all ignore though!! Beautiful pages.
Love
Amanda x

Unknown said...

LOVE this Alison! The colours are crazy good together and so calming too. Thank you so much for your very kind words on my layout, I smiled big time as I read them! Loving your work as always my dear. Hugs, Georgie xx

rachel said...

wow - really gorgeous travelling stash Alison - you've created such a beautiful spread. You have got me singing with your title! Hugs rachel x

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Absolutely love the organic feel of this Alison, you really do make those colours your own,stunning!
Hugs
Donna xx

Hazel Agnew said...

Hi Alison in Wonderland. Found myself mesmerised by the intricacies of your beautiful mark making. Colours are relaxing and it simply makes me smile! Xx

Lys said...

Beautiful pages Alison! Still your favourite colour combination, but here a new movement I feel, I love these swirling threads.

Helen said...

it's lovely to see you having time to play - love your blue and brown combinations, and this one is magnificent. have visions of you trying to take photos outside without attracting attention... ha ha! yes, better stick to indoors.

Jackie PN said...

Such a gorgeous spread!!! I love each swirl and wisp!
Alison, I couldn't believe i actually caught up- I started to read the post, realized the date and went frantically searching back through older posts, thinking I had missed the Shang-hi post!!-hahaaha Well, after I could not find it, I went on reading this and at the end to my surprise, I hadn't missed it, you hadn't written it yet! LOL
Again, such a lovely spread, it feels so "easy" I think that is what I like best! xo

Sandy said...

I need to catch up with your posts - Ohio? Did you say Shanghai? How different could two places be!!
Alison your journal page is indeed a work of art - gorgeous!!! My most favorite to date! Your color selection could not be better for this piece. What could I call this - understated elegance with a touch of drama. You don't have to try to live by those words - you really do live by those words!!
I think your motto should be "Have Talent Will Travel"!
My best to you Sugar -
Sandy xx

Dorthe said...

Oh Alison, you just go on with the brown and blue, they are so beautiful together, and also here, in this gorgeous spread.
The leafy stamp of elegance and the gel , making highlights, here and there,- the texture, and the wonderful quote. Such beautiful creation. Have fun in Shanghai, dear.
Hugs, Dorthe

craftytrog said...

Glad you found some time to play! Your page is wonderful Alison xx

Sarah Anderson said...

lol, I've just written almost exactly the same thing about being caught up in the process which meant the step by step photos stopped abruptly!!
Love, love, love this piece. it's sooooo beautiful

Chrissy said...

Ooo..I like very much..I love the blues and browns..gorgeous Alison.I climb into bushes and things like that and have become part of a bird family..lol..

luv CHRISSYxx

Flo Langley said...

Fabulous! Really love this. As always, super photos. Nice to hear you are having fun crafting.
Flo x

Craftyfield said...

Lovely double page Alison, there's energy, movement in those colour washes. So nice to hear you're crafting from a hotel room half way round the world!

Maureen Chandler said...

This is just beautiful - I love all your special touches and kept going back to look at it!! Thanks so much for sharing your lovely art!!

Deborah Wainwright said...

This piece fascinated me Alison! I love the colours, and I know that it is a palette you also love: the way you have used them here is delightful. The strength of the core radiates out in all directions, casting beauty all around. Wonderful! Hugs Debsxx

craftimamma said...

What fabulous pages Alison. I love the subtle texture both from the clear gel and the paints and the leafy stamp and thread one are lovely. My favourite part is how the paints spread outwards with varying depth ,,,simply stunning!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Pawsitively Creative said...

This is soft and inviting and very pleasing to the eyes. Wonderful use of a toothpick! Aren't those lines fun and I agree, the white highlights perfectly. Your water played background is so yummy and those stamps are beautiful. Sounds like me when taking pictures. Lol. People might stop and stare and also ask you for your art. That would be awesome sauce! Hugz! Be safe on your journey. ~Niki

pearshapedcrafting said...

Oh My Alison! This really is fabulous and those swirls look amazing! Great mark making and a very calming look to it! Your indoor photos are great by the way - don't go and get arrested!! Hugs, Chrisx

Barbara said...

Stunning pages! this effect is fantastic! hanks for joining us this week on Simon SAys Stamp Monday Challenge Blog! Barbara

Julie Lee said...

What stunning effects on this beautiful, abstract journal page! I love the sense of movement, and the stamp of the leaves provides an exquisite touch. The colour, the texture, the fabulous swirls and trickles - it's all just perfect! And I just have to mention the mark making, which I like a lot!I think you've done brilliantly with your indoor photography: you're an amazing travelling crafter! Even in our garden at home we're visible to the neighbours; but I think they've now come to accept me and my camera, crouched over scraps of paper and card in the grass or tinkering with a tag on a tree branch!

Meggymay said...

A fabulous spread Alison. your travelling stash may be limited, but this page sure is a beauty. Super random stamping, the stamps look so delicate. The indoor photos look good as well.
Yvonne xx

Jennie Atkinson said...

I just LoVE this Alison - what a fabulous double page spread. Such a wonderful mix of colour and how fabulously the inks/paints all combined together. Just perfect! A workshop with Papillon is on my wish list ! Jennie x

Gerrittina said...

WAUW. This is great!!

Cocofolies said...

Oh Alison, once again sorry to comment late.. I am so much involved in my new job to start with local communication to do, my studio this summer to build up, and so many posts and makes I have not blogged yet...
But always happy to catch-up with you first among my fave ones :)
This new spread, with just your favorite colours and what you have taken with you, is simply WONDERFUL... I love the awesome free paint movement in all directions, the beautiful stenciled leaves and gorgeous stamping, and the sentiment of course. So meaningful, and everything fits so well together!!!! Absolutely gorgeous and unique.
Hugs, Coco xx

Kath Stewart said...

stunning project as always Alison...love the paint effect and all the whimsical stamping...thank you for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge...enjoy what's left of your weekend...hugs kath xxx

Corrie Herriman said...

What a fabulous spread ! I love it...
Corrie x

Matilde said...

It's a marvellous page!

maj. said...

Fabulous, fantastic work!!!!

SewPaperPaint said...

Now you have me wondering what my neighbors think when I squat at our steps and blow and blow on them to remove the grass for my photos! ROTFL! I just love your creative spread and the gorgeous swirl stamp! This really looks like it was fun to make and I adore the quotes you added. Hugs, Autumn

experiments in paper said...

You've obviously chosen some fabulous products that reflect your style for your traveling stash.... this is absolutely stunning, despite the creating environs! The details of the stamped leaves and circles, and your colors using the various mediums weave together so wonderfully.... a fantastic double spread, and one would never know you are not at home other than the lack of outside photos. Your pix nonetheless present this make in spectacular detail! xxx Lynn

Diana Taylor said...

Nobody does brown and blue quite like you, and this is gorgeous! I love the flow of it, the feeling of movement and the delicateness. It's just beautiful, and so amazing that you achieved this when you only have limited supplies with you.

Mrs.B said...

A fabulous spread Alison, love the depth of colours with the delicate stamping. Your stash may be limited but your creativity certainly isn't suffering.
The indoor photos look great to me - and sound safer!
Avril xx

hazel said...

This is an amazing spread Alison, I love everything about it and your previous post is amazing too.
xxx Hazel.

Paper Profusion said...

Gorgeously organic, in the prettiest of ways Alison. This flows beautifully. Never fear that anyone might tire of your blue and browns - they are all always a treat. Hope your journey is wonderful. Do the lovely peeps at SSS know you are in town!?! Bon Voyage! Nicola x

Redanne said...

A truly stunning page Alison, gorgeous colours, wonderful textures and those squiggles are superb. I just love, love, love this, all in your trademark colours too! Anne xx

sally said...

What a delightful page! I do love that threads stamp you've used- I shall have to go check it out....I'm stuck in bed with a knackered knee so I can let my fingers do the walking as they say, fingers crossed it won't stop my travelling on Sunday but I'm not too hopeful :-(

Sallyxx

Anna-Karin said...

Wow, this is so pretty Alison!! I love all the organic flowing shapes and wonderful textures. It's a wonderful sentiment and I loved the quote that you shared at the end of the post. I am sorry I didn't stop by for a while, I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for sharing this with us at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!!

froebelsternchen said...

An AMAZING spread--- it seems like it was made by a fairy! Gorgeous!

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I like how all your leaves, swirls, scribbles and squiggles all seem to be bursting out of the crack between the pages. You cannot be contained! Fabulous as always.

Kjersti said...

Wow! Amazing pages Alison! Love the colors and and beautiful stamping!
Hugs Kjersti!

A Pink said...

Stunning pages ! Alison Love the loose feel , the colours , texture and detail. Its like an explosion of the mind spilling out on to the page - love it !

Etsuko said...

Excellent pages Alison, looks very simple but gorgeous many textures. I love your fine art. xx