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...

Sunday 31 March 2013

A Nature Journal is Born



Hello everyone!  I  hope you're all enjoying a lovely Easter weekend, however you choose to celebrate it.  

I celebrated with a little Easter Giveaway yesterday, and just want to make sure you don't miss out - click on the link to get your freebie!

Today, I'm here to share a very simple journal page, inspired by some of my eclectic Paperie goodies.

The page uses my much-loved hedgerow flower stamps by Donna Downey at Unity.

If you're tempted by them, you'll find links at the foot of the post to take you straight to them. 

Although this is a simple page, I'm excited about it, because it's made it clear to me which direction this journal is going to go in. 









I'd only done one page in it, and that was months ago, and I was feeling a bit stuck as I didn't want to "spoil" it - I'm sure you know what I mean. But this second page that finally emerged has set up a sort of theme, and for now I'm going to run with it.

That's not to say it won't change as we progress!

But I've decided to find a way to incorporate my Hedgerow Tags I and II into pages of their own, as they'll fit right in.






The journal is made up of kraft pages, so I used Sepia and Coffee Archival inks to stamp the flower stems.  

They're such jumbo stamps that even with this medium sized journal, you still mainly get partial stampings!











Having layered up the flowers, I added a Tim Holtz sentiment stamp.

I blended Vintage Photo DI around the edges to give that gorgeous extra depth of colour to the kraft paper.












And then I had lots of fun flicking white paint around, trying to get decent globules so that there would be lots of dimension.

I love the effect of summer pollen and blossoms and seeds floating in the air around the plants.













You may not remember the first page in this album as it's so long since I've added to it... 

But if I show you this as a reminder (you can see it in more detail here), you'll see the way my thinking is going.

I'm so glad I waited for the right stamps and the right moment with the next page, and allowed it to reveal where it wanted to go.

It turns out it's a nature journal, I think!















I'm going to play with embedding these two hedgerow tags from previous eclectic Paperie posts (Hedgerow Tags I and II if you want to see more) into pages of their own - I'll keep you posted on how I get on - and there's another one coming up which may also get to play a part.

Ooh... and while I'm typing this, I've just had another idea for some pages... yay - time to play!






Thanks so much for stopping by... I hope you enjoy this Easter weekend, however you celebrate, or whatever you're up to, and I look forward to hopping round (Easter bunny-like) to see what's new out there in Craftyblogland.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

And, finally, a poem I love, and which seems just right for a nature post on Easter Sunday.  If you don't know e.e. cummings's work, I promise all the punctuation and spacing (or lack of it) is as it's meant to be:

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings

Click on the link to go to the product:




I'd like to enter this in the Sunday Stampers challenge Nature, hosted by Hels over at Ink on my Fingers
And at Art Journal Journey, the theme for April is The Landscape Within Me

51 comments:

Evil Edna said...

wow, that is really beautiful.EE

Claudia N. said...

Oh, I love those tags, Alison, I love the stamp and especially how you use it! A brilliant idea for a beautiful art journal!!!

Hope you had a fine Easter Sunday with your mom (and watching the snow from inside the house).

Hugs,
Claudia xx

Chris said...

A wonderful page Alison and the stamps are gorgeous! I love your nature theme for your journal and look forward to more of your pages. Chris x

Dorthe said...

It will be a beautiful book Alison, with this natural theme, and lovely soft colours with white splaches,- and your tags goes fantastic with these pages !
xo,Dorthe

Helen said...

Completely stunning!! I love the journal page, the stamps are as you say, perfect, and the whole looks amazing. Tags aren't bad either, lol!!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous page Alison ! I so know what you mean about not wanting to 'spoil it'. I have a journal that is waiting for some love but I daren't start it ! Crazy I know ! Sue C x

sam21ski said...

Gorgeous page and I love your flicking of the white paint.

This is gogng to be one terrific book Alison.

Happy Easter to you and yours.


Sam xxx

Deborah said...

You've made great use of the hedgerow stamp, Alison, (I love cow parsley!)- and those white splashes look so effective.

Redanne said...

Hi Alison, a nature journal is a great idea, you do nature so well.... Hugs, Anne x

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...great work Alison, I can see why that stamp is one of your favourites, love the idea of nature being carried on the breeze too, all looking good so far and a very beautiful poem, thank you...Melxx :)

Terry said...

Don't you just love it when an idea comes to mind when you are finishing! The splashes of white do add so much interest and dimension. Wonderful journal and tags as always! Glad you are having a lovely Easter weekend! Hugs!

Anonymous said...

HI Alison
Finally I am here to sit back and catch-up on your recent creations.
The colours are so beautiful, so sympathetic to the theme and adore the paint flicks.
Thank you also for sharing e.e. with us.
A bit late in the day but I will wish you a Happy Easter anyway.
Lynne

Cathy L. Calamas said...

Love it!! That color scheme is ME!! Your right, those stamps are wonderful. Great pages!

Hettie said...

This is gorgeous Alison. So calming! Love it.
xx

Hels Sheridan said...

cor you have been busy, loving all the creations, totally my colours... and love the white flicky paint.. so cool... Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x

mytawnyinspirations said...

Alison, this is just stunning! Love the colours you have used for your journal pages, and the tags are just perfect for it. Those stamps give such a delicate image. Have fun with the rest of the journal's journey. Looking forward to seeing more. Have a great week. Cheers, Di

Astrid Maclean said...

Stunning! I love the simplicity of this page and the tags will add to it just perfectly!! I adore those DD stamps, they are absolutely top of my wish list. I bet the whole journal will be amazing!

Bonnie Irvine said...

Wonderful second page to your nature journal. Love the ideas you have for more pages. I look forward to seeing them. As Anne said, you do nature so well :)

Carol Q said...

lovely creations Alison. i know very well what you mean about getting stuck... everything I make I seem to get stuck on at the moment and funnily enough I've used exactly that same TH stamp today.

Brenda Brown said...

The elegance and beauty is in the simplicity Alison. This will be awesome.
Hope you've had a happy Easter Sunday.
hugs {brenda} x0x

May said...

Stunning work Alison. This will be AmAzing... Loved the poem... Hugs May x x x

Netty said...

Looks to me as if you are having way too much fun Alison......Happy Easter, hugs Annette x

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Fab journal! Love the collage and tags to accompany the journal! Perfect vintage feel! Just fabby!

Krisha said...

What a wonderful nature journal and tags!! I love the cover, but then I love the page, no wait those tags are just stunning...LOL
SO VERY WELL DONE!

Inkypinkycraft said...

Alison a really beautiful page in yummy browns andi love seeing how those pages will fit into what I know will be a stunning book hugs trace x

chrissie said...

Wonderful pages and I am sure the journal will continue this way cause it feels so right already.

Can't wait to see more Alison

Love Chrissie xx

Unknown said...

How beautiful! This is gorgeous, love it. Chris xxx

Asia King (aka Joanna K) said...

The pages and tag look incredible! Beautifully done my friend!!! xx

craftytrog said...

you do 'Natural' so beautifully Alison...the beginnings of a wonderful book!
alison xx

Lisa Minckler said...

Oh, I love it and I certainly hope that sentiment is true! I still can't decide what I want to be when I grow up!!
Thank you for the early morning inspiration. :)

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Your pages look stunning...they say: made by Alison!!!
And your tags...lovely detailed.....

Kind regards, Alie :-)

Janny Jager said...

Great and beautiful pages Alison.
Your tag is also very very beautiful.
Greetings Janny

Anjas-Artefaktotum said...

What an amazing book dear Alison, I laove all the pages and tags whitch shows the flowers and leaves and so on.
Really a great art project.
Hugs Anja

Sue said...

This is a beautiful nature book Alison, I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun filling it up xx

The House of Bears said...

There's never anything simple about your work, it's always stunning. Love your journal page. Happy Easter if you celebrate, if not, happy Monday. X

AngelicaS said...

A wonderful page, I love the stamps and the colors.

Candy C said...

Alison...this nature journal is so pretty. I can't wait to see it's progression as you work on it. I love the tags! And...I truly love the poem you included on your blog. It's wonderful! Thanks so much for leaving a comment about the Santa plane. Isn't he fun? It made me smile to make it, too...well, that and being with my crafting buddies as we worked. :) You have a wonderful week! Can't wait to see that idea you came up with while you were blogging! <3 Candy

catherine said...

This looks a great page Alison and love the natural look to it all. great imagery too
x catherine

Dianne said...

Your funny Miss Butterfly =, a very simple page sheeeesh,it'a simply gorgeous:):)... A hedgerow flower, I've been wondering what that was called because I looooove it, my favorite too, reminds me of a Queen Anns lace, loven your theme, the kraft paper is wonderful, those splashes of white perfect touch on the page... Its magic how it all came together, so fabulous second page sweety.. Tags are gorgeous, really.. You've got me excited now can't wait to see what other magic you create.. Have a wonderful day...

Unknown said...

Simply beautiful, wow, I am looking forward to seeing more pages of your beautiful nature journal!

Michelle Webb said...

Quite right Alison. I love your natural colour creative pieces they are so lovely. Michelle x

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Just fantastic, seems to be a wonderful project.

daisy said...

Found this blog from the Google+ thread about Lightbox. It's now working again on my blogs & is working when I look at yours. Love the style of this journal & will have a longer browse tomorrow. Thank you for the comments you left on mine.

gayle said...

So pretty, loving all those layers! Your first page is so gorgeous too, right up my street :)

Karin said...

Beautiful page with a great quote!

froebelsternchen said...

what an adorable journal start what great tags!
and HOW happy am I that I can welcome you aboard Alsion!
Thank you very much for joining us on
ART-JOURNAL-JOURNEY

xxx
Susi

Dagmar said...

The journal pages and the tags are designed wonderful - beautiful - I love them all

Maelchen said...

Oh Alison, there you are again! You are so crafty and eager in your work. I wonder how you find the time to create such elaborate items? I love the muted colours of your journal page. The stamps show so much fragility and the paint blogs provide the whole age with so much depth and easyness at the same time. And of all, I have been so touched by the poem you included at the end of your post. It is overwhelming. Are you too, someone who finds motivation in a quote which goes beyond? I read the lines and felt inspired straight away. May I use these phrases as a base for another creation? I will certainly give you credit for it!
Anyway, thanks so much again for your inspiring work!
Greets
Manu

~*~Patty S said...

Beautiful earth tones and textures to your special pages!
oxo

Margaret said...

Your page is amazing! The flowers are wonderful and I love the quote! Can't wait to see what you do with the tags!

Claudia said...

So beautiful page!